 | Zenobia |  |
SCENE XII.
Enter Zenobia.Zen.
Ah! prince!
Tir.
The mighty secret, Heaven be prais'd!
Is now disclos'd.—At length the powerful cause
Of all my wrongs is known.—What seek'st thou? Speak:
Be not dismay'd—The worth of Rhadamistus
May plead excuse for every broken vow.
And com'st thou now to ask from me his freedom?
To ask him for thy spouse? Must Tiridates
Prepare the torches for thy happy nuptials?
Zen.
My lord—
Tir.
Inhuman, barbarous, false Zenobia!
Is this the recompense for love like mine?
And dost thou thus betray me? And for whom?
For whom betray me? Righteous Gods! for one
Whose murderous guile depriv'd thee of a father?
And then—
Zen.
You are deceiv'd: false rumour fix'd
The guilt on him.
66
[to Tir.]
'Tis true.—By Pharasmanes
The deed was plann'd.—Perfidious Zopyrus
Confess'd it dying.
Tir.
Wilt thou then believe
A traitor's words?
Mit.
A paper found upon him
Confirm'd the whole: in this are given at full
The secret orders for the monarch's death;
All written by the hand of Pharasmanes.
Zen.
Behold, my lord—
Tir.
Be silent: while you plead
For Rhadamistus thus, your love condemns him.
Zen.
'Tis true, I love him, and attempt not now
To hide my love.—His danger brings me hither;
Zenobia comes to give him liberty:
She comes from you to ask it.—Rome once more
Makes me the offer of Armenia's sceptre.
In my behalf behold from Syria march
The Latian bands: meantime the Armenians call
On thee to fill their throne.—Do thou consent;
Zenobia here will second their design:
Restore to me in freedom Rhadamistus,
And rule Armenia's kingdom.
Tir.
Surely mighty
For a new lover such a sacrifice.
Zen.
But not, O prince! too mighty for a husband.
67
A husband!
Zen.
I have said.
Tir.
Can this be true?
Such secret too from me till now conceal'd?
Zen.
I fear'd to excite your rage against my consort;
I fear'd your just affliction.—Know, my heart
Too weak to witness such a fatal trial,
At least at distance—
Tir.
Cruel and inconstant!
Ungrateful woman! Whom shall we believe,
Or whom, Mithranes, trust? All is deceit
We hear or see—Zenobia has betray'd me,
And truth is lost for ever!
Zen.
Tiridates,
Think not 'twas I betray'd thee.—No, 'twas Heaven,
And 'twas a father's will oppos'd our nuptials.
I know not whether fear or hope induc'd
The cruel change: I know that thou wert absent,
And that this hand was destin'd to another.
Tir.
And could'st thou then—
Zen.
What power, alas! was mine?
“Behold” (he cried) “the only way, my daughter,
“To save my life, my kingdom and my honour.”
Now say, had Tiridates been as me,
What would he then have done?
Tir.
Have died, Zenobia.
68
I do far more—I part from thee and live:
Death would have only serv'd to render short
My time of suffering: I with mine had clos'd
Thy dearer life, and disobey'd a father.
Tir.
Thy recent bands are little irksome to thee:
Well hast thou toil'd for Rhadamistus' safety,
And he has well secur'd thy heart.—I see
Report was false, that e'er he sought thy life.
Zen.
O! no, 'twas true; but this can never make
My bands more irksome.
Tir.
How!—not irksome?
Zen.
No.
Tir.
He sought thy life and thou canst love him still?
And love so firmly, that to ensure his safety
Thou offer'st in exchange a kingdom's rule.
Zen.
Yes, Tiridates—could Zenobia less,
She must neglect her glory, stain the honours
Of all her ancestry; forget the duty
A wife should cherish; slight the immortal Gods,
That witness'd her espousals.—Thee, O! prince,
Thee must Zenobia wrong: where would be then
The spotless innocence, the pride of soul
That charm'd thee once in her? Say, should I then
Have e'er been worthy Tiridates' love?
69
Alas! what virtue fate has ravish'd from me!
Zen.
If it indeed be true that love is born
Of minds congenial, wherefore with that virtue
Should now thy grief contend? No—imitate,
Or rather, prince, surpass it—Tiridates
Can far outgo example.—Well I know
Thy constancy of temper.—Let us quit
The paths of vulgar lovers: let the sparks
Of emulation glow in either breast.
O! think what we must feel when we review
Our glorious conquest; while the world shall learn
That love, when cherish'd in a noble heart,
Can breed, and only breed the fruits of virtue.
Tir.
Run—fly, Mithranes—to our presence bring
In freedom Rhadamistus.—How thy words,
Exalted dame! can change the mind at will!
Thou kindlest in my breast another flame
That quenches now the first.—I see with envy
The greatness of thy soul, and blush so long
To lag behind thee.—I perceive my heart
Is wholly chang'd: no more I love Zenobia;
I worship, I adore her—If I love her,
A jealous lover of Zenobia's fame;
A zealous follower of Zenobia's virtues:
I love her—as a mortal loves the Gods.
Zen.
All thanks, protecting powers! Zenobia now
70
The thought of thy distress.—Go, prince, and reign
(For thou art worthy) in Zenobia's stead.
| Zenobia | |