University of Virginia Library

[Scene]

Scene, The Palace.
Enter Darius, Artabazus, Guards.
Ar.
Oh! Sir! the Men are good and penitent;
And brave as good; and I shall see you yet
As Happy, Great, and Glorious as ever.

Da.
No, Artabazus, no, my Queen is dead.
I never can be happy in this World.
But I wou'd give my Kingdom happiness.
Go, call 'em in—

Enter Bessus and Nabarzanes, who prostrate themselves before the King, and weep.
Be.
Oh! Great and Gracious King
Oh! infinite is our confusion,
We humbly beg you will regard our tears—
We can express our Grief no other way.

Da.
Indeed, I do not know what to regard,
Nor what you are—you seem so strange to me,
I think you are my Subjects, are you not?

Na.
Yes, Sir, and faithful ones, whate're we seem.

Da.
A Subject without terror of his King,
Is an unnatural thing in Persia.
You are portentous Omens of my death.

Be.
Oh! narrow World! a Virtue that exceeds
The common size, appears portentous here.
The World is fallen on your Sacred Head,
And now we cannot stand on forms of State,
But we must get you out what way we can.
And, Sir, indeed we thought this was the best.
But now, because 'twas bold, it appears bad.

Da.
What cou'd befal me worse, than what you sought,
Tamely to yield my Crown, at your demand,
And serve my Slaves? nothing can throw me down,
So low as that, but my own cowardize:
I will not yield the Conqueror my Crown,
I'le rather singly sight with all his Troops;
For by 'em all, I can be kill'd but once.
But yield my Crown I suffer many deaths,
In my own Shame, and my dear Childrens Tears,
Who then, no more are Children of a King.
And wou'd you wish me cowardly, infamous,
And cruel to my Children?—Oh! Is this
Your kindness to me? You ingrateful Men.
Oh! Who wou'd not ha' thought you were my Friends?
Who wou'd ha' thought you cou'd be otherwise?
For I beset you with my Favours so,
No Hearts, but yours, cou'd scape from loving me.
And now for you to hurt your King, and Friend?
And at that time when I am prest to death,
Under a fallen Throne, a ruin'd House,
My Mother, Brother, little only Son,
Both my sweet Daughters in captivity,
And my Queen dead?

Na.
Oh! Sir—No more—no more—

Be.
Yes, Sir, Go on, go on, and break our Hearts.
For we desire to dye, since we grieve you.

Da.
You deserve it for your cruelty.
Had you by private Treasons stollen my life—
You had shewn more Humanity, than now;
For then I had not felt the barb'rous blow;
That had shewn Reverence, call'd me a Dread King;
This calls me Fool and Coward to my Face.
I shew'd no fear o'the brave enemy,
Why shou'd you think I wou'd be seiz'd by you?

Na.
We did not hope to work upon your Fear.
We know you have no Fear, but on your Love.
We know you have a truly Royal Soul,
That love your People with paternal Love,
And we petition'd, Sir, for all our Lives
Which hourly perish by your destiny.

Be.
Yes, Sir, 'tis plain; while you are in the Field
We fall in heaps; you are no sooner gone,
But as your Chariot wheels turn'd Heaven round,
Success is ours, and the whole day is chang'd.
And we wou'd fix our Fortune to your Crown,
Your dangers to our Heads; in off'ring this
We have discharg'd our Duties, and can dye.

Na.
Nay, wish to dye, to ease you of your fears;
Better we dye, than you shou'd want repose:
We pray not for our Lives, Sir, but your Love.

Da.
Oh! now you vanquish me, come to my Arms—

Be.
Oh! excellent King.

Na.
Too Good—too Gracious.

Da.
I will not sacrifice great things to vile
Men, good and gallant to revenge and fear.
No, do your Duty, Sirs, and I'le do mine.
Leave the dispose of Crowns to Kings and Gods.
Preserve your Honours, that's enough for you.
Conquer a Conqueror, not a fallen King.
And your own King, you want no Enemies;
Oh! make not any for your selves by crimes.
The Macedonian King pursues us fast—
And I perhaps shall perish by his Sword,
That you may spare the guilt of murd'ring me.

Be.
Oh! Horror! Do you think we have the thought?

Na.
Oh! you suspect us, that is worse than death.

Da.
No—no—I only counsel you in love—
For you possess my Heart, though I've lost yours.

Be.
Oh! say not so.

Da.
I hope, 'tis otherwise.

Na.
But you believe it not.

Da.
Well, I ha' done.
Be what you seem, and all shall be forgot.
And what we do, lets do like gallant Men.
Who bravely fall have this one happiness,
Above the Conqueror, they share his Fame,
And have more Love, and an unenvied Name.

(Ex. Da Ar. Guards.
Na.
This was the only way to vanquish him.
I found we cou'd not gain the Persians,
I often talked to 'em of Liberty.
Alas! they understood not what I meant,
For in the Persian Tongue is no such word.
They answer'd nothing, but the King, the King;
His Sacred Majesty, long live the King,
That mighty comprehensive word, the King,
Had all the Sense a Persian Thought cou'd hold.
So I thought this our only secure way,
We cou'd not fight the Greeks and Persians.

Be.
Now I cou'd easier have fought 'em both,
Than stoop'd to all this base Hypocrisie,
I think 'tis harder to subdue him now,
Than if he had his Millions at his heels.
For Sovereign Power springs out o' the Sword.
If I had conquer'd him in a fair Fight,
I had both gain'd his Kingdom and his Right.
Now on our Selves, and our brave Friends we fall
And turn 'em into Fools and Villains all.
Glory I court, and I wou'd have my Love
Fair and complete, as She's enjoy'd by Jove.

Na.
And so you will; Jove did for Empire frame
A World of Fools and Knaves, we do the same.
Were there no Knaves, what use of Sovereign sway?
And if there were no Fools, Who wou'd obey?

Ex.