 | Siroes |  |
221
SCENE VI.
Enter Araxes.Em.
Araxes, Heavens!
Cos.
With anguish in his looks—
O! Gods!
Em.
Speak, lives the prince?
Ar.
He lives no longer.
Em.
O! Siroes!
Cos.
O! my son!
Ar.
At once he fell,
And by a single stroke: his generous soul
One moment linger'd on his dying lips
To cry—“Araxes, guard my father's life—”
Then fled for ever.
Cos.
O! support me, Heaven!
Hydaspes, O! I faint!
Em:
Inhuman! thou!
Dost thou lament! and who has murder'd Siroes?
Say, barbarous man! of whom do'st thou complain?
Go, tyrant! go, and from his bosom rend
The heart still panting; sate thy rage with blood,
With filial blood! a spectacle of horror,
The stain of Persia and the world's abhorrence!
222
Is this Hydaspes speaks? has frenzy seiz'd him,
Or does he feign this madness?
Em.
Till this hour
He feign'd indeed, but feign'd till time should serve
To pierce the heart of Cosroes.
Cos.
How has Cosroes
Deserv'd thy hatred?
Em.
Impious! how deserv'd?
Hast thou not murder'd now my plighted lord?
By thee I've lost a father, and by thee
Have liv'd an exile from my rightful throne.
Behold in me thy foe—I am Emira.
Cos.
What do I hear!
Ar.
O! wonderful discovery!
Cos.
Now do I know who 'twas seduc'd my son.
Em.
'Tis true, I tried, but vainly tried to shake
His faith to thee—this learn for my revenge.
And know, perfidious! from Emira's hatred
He watch'd thy safety: know 'twas he who plac'd
That warning paper: know, 'tis he who dies
A guiltless victim; know, that each suspicion,
And charge against this truth was falsehood all.
Go—think, and if thou can'st in peace repose.
Cos.
Araxes, let her be reserv'd in chains
To satiate my resentment.
223
I obey.
[to Em.]
Resign thy sword.
Em.
My hand alone disarms me:
There—take my weapon.
[gives her sword to Arax. who goes out and returns with a guard
[to Cos.]
Be not thou deceiv'd
To hope that threats can terrify Emira.
Cos.
Leave me, ingrate! society like thine
But adds to what I feel.
Em.
Let Cosroes' guilt,
Without my aid, suffice to make him wretched,
[Exit guarded.
| Siroes | |