 | The Siege of Sinope |  |
SCENE III.
ATHRIDATES, ARTAXIAS, ORCHANES.ATHRIDATES.
What means?—Say wherefore?
ARTAXIAS.
Royal Athridates!
Blame not your faithful servant; but the queen—
ATHRIDATES.
What of the queen? Why hast thou left!—beware,
Thy life shall answer—
ARTAXIAS.
By an armed band
Forc'd from the citadel—
ATHRIDATES.
Thou hast not sure,
Confederate with her—
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In your royal daughter
Our warriors saw their princess, and rever'd
The blood of Cappadocia's honor'd kings.
With all th' impassion'd eloquence of nature,
The strong emotion of a mother's love,
She spoke her griefs; they heard with mute attention,
And stood like statues, whilst with sudden step
She gain'd the portal; her maternal hand
Her infant son conducted. Teramenes,
The leader of her guards, by you entrusted,
Gain'd by her tears, and faithless to his charge,
The massy gates unbarr'd. The moment seizing,
With force to ours superior, Artabanes,
Who waited near, rush'd in, and bore them off
Towards Themis' temple.
ATHRIDATES.
Let us swift pursue.
Orchanes, thou art faithful; by each God
Potent in war I swear, their blood shall flow
On fierce Bellona's altar, till the manes
Of my lov'd son shall cease to call for vengeance.
A chosen band attend me to the temple.
| The Siege of Sinope | |