University of Virginia Library

SCENE II.

A triumphal Arch on one side, the Palace in front.
Enter Belisarius and Phorbas in triumph, &c. Soldiers with trophies, standards, &c. Prisoners, &c.
(Shouts.)

MUSIC.
ODE.

[The procession passes over the stage. Scene draws and discovers the inside of the Palace. A magnificent apartment. Justinian, Theodora, Narbal, Decius, &c.]
Enter Belisarius, Phorbas, Guards, Prisoners, &c. who are ranged on each side of the stage. Justinian descends from his throne, and meets Belisarius.
Justinian.
Thou guardian genius of our sinking state!
In whom the antient Roman virtue lives!
Receive thy sovereign's thanks! And thou brave youth,
Great is our debt to thee! my heart o'erflows
With tides of joy. The fount of life surcharged,
Even to bursting swells. Did any eye
Behold thy triumph with malignant glance,
Quench'd be it's light! and perish henceforth all
Who dare between us foster discontent,
And sullen jealousy!

Theo.
Ye triumph here,
In the enraptured soul of gratitude.

Bel.
What words, what language, aptly to repay
Our sovereign's praises, shall our tongues employ?
We fought, we conquer'd, duty claim'd the first,
The last was heaven's. Let silence speak the rest.

Just.
Thou son, and pupil of this matchless chief!
On thee shall rain our favours.

Phor.
Small the share
Of merit I can boast, tho raised by him,
And by thy partial voice to share his fame.

Bel.
Thy modesty gives false report my son;
Thy courage, and thy coolness more than once
Poised the descending scale of victory.
Even before I prompted thou wert ready,
And years mature bore witness to thy conduct.

Just.
Oh! from the soldier learn sincerity,
And lowliness of mind, ye sons of peace,
Unused to toil! Who in the sunshine bask
Which gilds a court.—Now Belisarius, heroe,
Thy warlike labours end. The Persian conquer'd,
The western empire from barbarians free'd,
Afric restored, the Huns to slaughter doom'd,
Or prisoners led; with me reform the state,
Thy valour hath preserved. With us reside;
Be ever near a faithful monitor:
The sacred urim, and prophetic spirit,
By which each act of mine shall be directed.

Narbal.
(Aside.)
My curses on them! in their noon-tide height
Unless I err, shall darkness overwhelm them.

Just.
Let us revise the laws, correct abuse,
In our more distant provinces new-brace
The discipline relax'd, and gird the whole
Of our vast empire in the bond of order.

Bel.
Alas Justinian!

Just.
Do my words displease thee?

Bel.
They penetrate my soul. Alas! too high
Would'st thou exalt me. Diverse are the gifts
To diverse men assign'd. The task exceeds
A soldier's talents.

Just.
To this task what need we?
But native sense, unyielding honesty,
And pure fidelity?

Bel.
Most generous Prince!
I feel the frosty hand of age upon me,
Yet a few years and I must sink beneath it.
Tho mean ambition's sons I always scorn'd,
And every honour but the silent praise
Of my own heart; tho low, compared with that
The statesman's policy, the general's sway,
And the triumphal car; yet, plunged in action
Through a long life, I own I sigh for peace.
Men I have read enough; I would myself
Contemplate but a little time, and die.

Just.
The loss is mine. Whither would'st thou retire?

Bel.
In fair Ionia lyes a rural vale,
Thy bounty, when we quell'd the invading Persian;
There would I with reflection walk, there spend
The remnant of my days; and offer up
My morning orisons, and evening prayer
For thine, and for the empire's happiness.

Just.
Tho I might hope—but no; our will submits,
Nor casts the least restraint on any thought
Of thine.—What further boon can we impart?
Thy absence is the greatest.

Bel.
Am I free?
And shall I not desire another's freedom?
Dismiss these captives to their snow-clad wilds,
And let them learn, O Prince, from thy example
The blessings of humanity.

Just.
Go! ye are free.

(They bend to Justinian and Belisarius.)
(Exeunt.)
Just.
What else my friend? is there an enemy
Whose punishment thou ask'st for, it is granted.

Bel.
The sanguinary bosom of revenge
Was never mine. I know not one whose downfall
Would give a transient pleasure to my soul.
Blest be my enemies! They oft have taught me
Most wholesome lessons. Where exists the mind
So fierce, as not to yield to generosity?
An enemy whom mercy cannot vanquish?

Just.
E'er thy departure hence, command our power.
Whate'er is placed within it's ample scope
Is freely thine.

Bel.
Clad in the vest of youth,
In prime of strength, and nervous intellect,
To thy protection I resign my son.

Just.
Thy staff of general—take it, (to Phorbas)
and succeed
To all thy father's honours.

Phor.
May I wear them
With half his glory!

Justinian
(to Belisarius.)
Noblest of mankind!
Thy habitation goodness shall illume,
And wisdom consecrate. Domains most pure!
A court, where real monarchy will dwell,
Undignified by pomp, unthroned, uncrown'd,
Thou to true grandeur, which an emperor looks on
With virtuous envy; I to toil.—Farewell!

[Exeunt Justinian, Theodora, Belisarius, &c. Narbal and Decius remain.
Nar.
Didst thou behold this pageantry?

Dec.
I did.

Nar.
And thou hast seen the rain-bow arch the sky,
Fixing each base on two aspiring hills,
Then sudden fade.—So fade these air-born heroes.

Dec.
How wilt thou move Justinian?

Nar.
Know'st thou not
His timid mind? And how with skilful reins
The empress at her pleasure guides each passion?

Dec.
Her power is great,

Nar.
Most absolute.—Thou hatest
This Belisarius—

Dec.
Deep is my aversion.

Nar.
Not without cause. His son usurps the post
Due to thy age and worth. I read thy soul,
And confidence succeeded.—Theodora,
A bigot in her faith, detests the man,
Who dares with sacrilegious step proceed,
Scorning the limits of the holy pale.
Always was he my enemy: and once
E'en to Justinian's ear urged my dismission.
For which good turn—with speed—

Dec.
Unfold thy plan.

Nar.
Suppose thou seest a slave of Belisarius,
Begging admittance at the dead of night
To Theodora's presence. Urgent business
He pleads; the welfare of the Roman state
Her life, Justinian's, all that she holds dear,
Depends upon the tale he shall disclose.
Blank horror cloaths his cheek, his trembling lips
Often endeavour to perform their office,
And often fail.

Dec.
Proceed.

Nar.
He smites his breast,
Cursing his fate, that e'er he should be witness
To actions of the master whom he loves,
Which publish'd, will draw ruin on his head,
But which impelling conscience will not suffer
To hide in silence.

Dec.
Well described. Go on.

Nar.
Fast fall his tears. He says, that in the evening,
Having too freely drank, to shun discovery,
He sought out an apartment seldom used,
There lay conceal'd. Sleep every sense oppress'd.
Awaked by murmuring voices, cautiously
And slow he drew his breath. The voices raised
Proclaim'd them Belisarius' and his son's.

Dec.
Well-acting slave, and plausible!—What follows?

Nar.
He tells her that they spake to this effect.
The emperor old and superstitious,
Priest-ridden, governed by his wife and Narbal,
Deserved no longer to direct the helm
Of this vast monarchy. That Belisarius
Might mount with ease into the seat of empire.
Then read they various letters; one from Narses,
Who now with glory spreads in Italy
His conquering banners, urging the attempt,
So he might bear the purple in the west.
Another from the Persian Prince with offers
Of strong assistance, or a sure asylum.
The veterans too, with whom he lately quell'd
The barbarous Huns, will aid his daring purpose.
And that securely he may strike the blow,
He feigns retirement to his rural vale
In fair Ionia.

Dec.
Is the slave so perfect?

Nar.
Shrewd, hardy, void of fear, from whom no tortures
Could wring the secret—Still in thy mind's eye.
Observe the progress. View how Theodora
Assails Justinian. See the letters found,
Produced, examined; the known hand of Narses;
The seal of Persia. Hear to strengthen all,
Claudius the Senator, by me suborn'd;
He hath been sounded, trusted with their plan,
To crush our now-successful christian doctrines;
And in our sacred temples re-establish
The idol worship. Hear how Eutyches
Justinian's favour'd priest, his soul's director,
Urges this plea with all his eloquence.
View superstition gain predominance,
That all-o'er-ruling principle, and love,
Honour, respect, and every recent merit
Shall nought avail.—E'er morn my friend, my Decius,
Shall these twin stars beneath the horizon set,
To rise no more.

Dec.
Till then my thoughts will lye
On expectations rack.

Nar.
Yet calmly smile.
Retire; but hold thyself prepared to aid us,
As time shall warrant. Cherish bold ambition.
The army shall be thine. Retire my friend.

(Exit Decius.)
Nar.
Oh! the delicious draught of sweet revenge
Unto the thirsty lip! e'en to the lees
I'll drain the cup, and satiate all my soul.
Say Belisarius should retreat—He leaves
His son behind, taught doubtless to perplex,
To thwart my plans; perchance to worm himself
Into Justinian's favour.—Ye are fathom'd
All-potent conquerors! short sighted heroes!
Let but Justinian with his usual ease
And weak credulity be led, and down,
Down to the regions of the grave ye fall,
While Narbal holds uncurb'd the sovereign sway.