University of Virginia Library

[Scene]

Scene, A Room in the Palace at Arbela.
Enter Artabasus, Dataphernes.
Ar.
Lord Bessus with his Bactrian Horse in Town?

Dat.
Just come, my Lord. Lord Nabarzanes too,
With his bold Scythians are not far behind.

Ar.
This is reviving news—the King has now
Considerable strength—see, my Lord's here.
Enter Bessus, Barzana, Oronte.
Oh! my Lord Bessus, welcome from the Grave
For the devouring Fields you left behind,
Are but one Grave of many miles extent.

Be.
'Tis true; where half the Kingdom lies interr'd.
Where is the King, my Lord?

Ar.
I do not know.
I mean the Glorious King you saw to day,
March to the Field; with pomp that made the day.
It had more light from him, than from the Sun.
Here's a despairing, and deserted Prince,
That came to Town a private Charioteer.
And has not only lost Dominion
Over great Nations, but his Royal Self,
His Passions rule, which they ne'r did before;
And rule so ill, the gallant Enemy
Wou'd (I'm sure) treat him with more gentleness.

Be.
No wonder, he has had a heavy blow.

Ar.
What Lady have you there?

Be.
My Wife, my Lord.

Ar.
Oh! Madam, I'm in doubt, if I may say
I'm glad your life is safe, for I believe
'Tis better to be dead, than as we are.

Be.
Not so, my Lord, we may recover all.
I find great numbers of brave Men in Town.
The King has yet great Provinces entire,
And chiefly Bactria, where I command.
There are a thousand Towns well fortified,
Where the proud Conquerors Fortune may be lost,
As in a Labyrinth with a thousand doors;
And the King scape, and re-ascend his Throne.
Therefore he need not much submit to grief.

Ar.
Alas! He grieves not only for himself,
But all his suffering Friends; for you, and me.
The griefs and losses of his faithful Slaves,
Are all of ours, that he wou'd ever share.
Other Proprieties he'd never touch,
Though he be Lord of all; but wou'd neglect
All Right, but what he has in his Friends tears.
Those he too carefully collects himself.
Now in the midst of his great Monarchy,
He's all alone, as in a Wilderness.
I'le go to him, and when I can have leave
To speak to him, I'le tell him you are come.
'Twill greatly comfort him; he loves you much.

Be.
The Gods preserve him.

Ar.
Madam, your sweet Youth
May live to better days; Heaven grant you may.

(Ex.
Be.
Madam, your Beauty may make better days;
At least with me, let Fortune do her worst,
Wou'd it please you. But Sorrow pleases you,
More than my Love; and ever has done so,
Since first you saw my Face? How? Saw my Face?
I do not know you ever look'd on me.
Your Eyes are turn'd away, or veil'd in tears.
Madam, this cannot easily be born:
I am less safe with you, than among all
The Macedonian Swords, I've scap'd from them,
Yet dye with torments in Barzana's Arms.
I am resolv'd, I will find out the cause.

Ba.
Alas! I fear, he will discover me.— aside,


(One whispers Dat.
Dat.
My Lord, my Lord, I've joyful news for you;
Your belov'd Son, Lord Memnon, is come safe.

(Barzana starts.
Ba.
Lord Memnon! ha! (aside.)
My Lord, I beg your leave
I may retire; I'm weary and not well.

Be.
Madam, I wish you may have more repose,
Than you can find in me.

Ba.
Nay, Why, my Lord,
Will you be cruel to your Self and Me?
I pray, forbear, if you desire my life.

Be.
More than my own; I've done-all health to you.
Ex. Ba. Oron. at one Door. At another, Enter Mem.
Well, I will trace her Sorrows to their Spring.
So! Here's another joy. Welcome, young Man,
Come to my Arms, for you deserve my Love.
Y'ave done me, in the Field, no little Grace,
It wou'd be strange, if thou should'st not be brave,
Thy Mother had more Manhood, than our Men.
Well, thou art come into a ruin'd World,
Where thy great Virtue will have no reward.

Me.
My Lord, I am rewarded in your Love.
Our Honour, and our Friends, is wealth enough.

Be.
'Tis true indeed; there is great wealth in Love.
Oh! Son, I've Married so much Excellence.

Me.
So I am told, my Lord.

Be.
Do not admire,
I never brought thee yet into her sight,
I durst not do it; for to produce thee,
Had been too bold a boast of my past Love
To thy fair Mother, to affront my Wife.
And I wou'd not offend her, for the World.

Me.
My Lord, You need not make excuse for this.
You but observe the custom o'the place.
'Tis thought a horrid profanation
To Persian Beauties, to be visible.
They are conceal'd, like Divine Mysteries.
A Sister does not see a Brother here.

Be.
True; and, I prithee, come not in her sight,
I brought her from the Battle; She's in Town.

Me.
How shall I shun her? For I know her not?

Be.
Do not approach this Palace, here She's lodg'd,
With other Beauties that escap'd the Fight.

Me.
I shall observe your pleasure carefully.

Be.
Now, go thy ways—here is another Friend.

Exit Me. And Enter Nabarzanes.
Na.
Lord Bessus, I am glad to see you safe.

Be.
I doubt we are not safe; the King is strong.

Na.
In what?

Be.
In Persians.

Na.
Strong in Persians?
They can be strong in nothing but Perfumes;
They have no Spirits, but from Essences.

Be.
They'r above thirty thousand.

Na.
Say, they be.

Be.
Danger breeds Valour. They who poorly fell,
Were Embrio's, and miscarriages of War.
But Danger has gone out her time with these.
Then, he has Patron, and four thousand Greeks.

Na.
They, I confess, give the King's Sword an edge.

Be.
And I have scarce four thousand Bactrian Horse.

Na.
True, and my Scythian Archers are no more.

Be.
And then he has a Guard, which all Slaves fear;
Religious awe of Kingly Majesty.

Na.
When other Forces fly, that never stays.
That Kings have the Militia, on Earth,
Is fit; shou'd they have that of Heaven too?
Vain Panique fears, and Superstitions?
I'l suffer none, to List among my Troops.

Be.
He has one Guard, I fear, that's Misery.
It somthing touches me, but that's not all,
I've an insatiable and burning Love
For Glory; and to fall on a fallen King,
Will much deface the Beauty of my Fame.

Na.
We'l serve the King, save him from misery.
Fortune declares her Self his Enemy;
And we will lay him safe out of her way.
He shall enjoy the ease, and pomp of Power,
And we'l endure the danger and the toil.

Be.
Ha! 'tis well thought. The King will yield to this.

Na.
We'l make it our request.

Be.
Do—I agree.

Na.
Where is he now?

Be.
He is shut in with Grief,
And Artabasus, the Old General.

Na.
Let us prepare our Friends, and watch our time;

Be.
Do—'tis a brave design, to save one King
And beat another; save a ruin'd King,
And beat his Conqueror,—then save the World
From both, by Liberty,—it will be great—
—It will be Glorious—we shall be ador'd.

Na.
There will be cause, while Glorious Murderers.
Destroy mankind to form a Tyranny
We'l destroy Tyranny to form Mankind.

Be.
'Tis true; how Cruel is it and unjust,
Whole Nations shou'd in Sorrow Live and Die,
That one great Lyon may his Lust enjoy.

Exeunt.