 | Darius : King of Persia |  |
44
ACT IV.
[Scene]
SCENE The Field.Enter Darius, Artabasus, Patron, Guards.
Ar.
Oh! have I sav'd Villains to kill my King?
Da.
No more, no more, I know thy honest thoughts.
Oh! my dear Children, now a long farewell.
To all my Glory now a long farewel.
Nay, oh! my Fate, I must for ruine fight,
Cyrus and Alexander, did not shew
More Courage, to be Lords o'the whole World,
Than I must do to have no share in it.
For if these Villains Perish by my Sword,
I cut off all the Army that I have.
And I, the once Great Monarch of the World,
Shall want a Cave, where I may hide my head.
But Justice will be best for all Mankind.
I'le shew that I deserve the World I lose.
Pa.
I must entreat your leave for one word more.
Alas! I sooner shall have leave from you
Than from my self; for every word I speak
That grieves your heart, stabs mine, yet I must speak,
There's scarce a faithful man in all your Camp.
Da.
What dost thou say? are all the Persians false?
Pa.
They are as true to you, as to themselves.
But as in danger they have always done,
So they do now, forsake you and themselves.
Da.
Ha! do they joyn the Traytors?
Pa.
Oh! Sir, no.
They joyn with nothing but confounding fear;
And that they meet with wheresoe're they go,
Terrours beset 'em. Alexander comes,
And here the Traytors boldly threaten 'em.
They who had any Life in 'em, are fled,
And they that stay are held by Cowardise,
They have not Soul enough, even for flight.
45
He has told Truth which I was loath to speak.
We may as well force men into a Camp,
From Sick and Dying as from wanton Beds.
From Plagues as Luxury, a flattering Pest.
Da.
Oh! Alexander, where wou'd be thy Fame,
Hadst thou my Army? well may'st thou subdue
Kingdoms, by Men who merit to be Kings;
For mine do not deserve the name of men.
Pa.
Sir, one word, more, and then I shall have done.
Not far from hence, I have four thousand Greeks.
We march'd to Persia, fifty thousand men;
Did ever Greek forsake you, but by Death?
Alas! Sir, now we cannot if we wou'd.
For in your Service we have fought our selves,
Out of our Blood, our Country, and our Friends.
There is no Bactria, no Greece for us,
Your Royal Self is now our sole retreat,
We humbly beg, for all our Services,
No greater Honour, than to be your Guard.
Ar.
Sir, he desires an Honour, he deserves,
And what may be of mighty use to you.
His Greeks will be a Bulwark to your self,
And all your Men, give 'em new Courage.
Sir, grant him his request.
Da.
Not for the World!
A Glorious King shou'd ever more regard
The Honourable Counsels than the safe.
In my own Camp be a poor Fugitive?
To my own Nation a Forreigner?
To Forreigners a little Pensioner?
Have no Authority, but what they give?
And so descend from being a Persian King,
To be a petty Lord of a few Greeks.
The Traytors then will say they fight a Greek,
And I shall give 'em Colour for their Crimes.
No, I'le not fall by any fault of mine.
I'le not forsake my Friends: if they quit me,
The fault's not mine; and I had rather fall
By Royal Charity to my own Slaves,
Than Reign, by Stranger's Charity to me.
46
The Service of thy Sword, but not this way.
Go to thy Noble Greeks, and serve me there,
And Heaven reward thy Love, and Gallantry.
Pa.
Heaven be your Guard, I fear y'ave little else,
Besides what you shall ever find in me.
Da.
Thou Honour of thy Nation, shame to mine.
[Ex. Pa.
Now put my men in readiness to fight,
And then command the Traytors to my Feet.
If they dare disobey—fall on—
[An Alarm.
How now?
Ar.
What shou'd this mean?
[Ex. Ar.
Da.
They make the first assault.
My Chariot speedily—the news—the news.
Enter Artabazus.
Ar.
Sir, the Vantguard of Alexander's Troops
Is in your Camp.
Da.
Two Enemies at once,
Thou fight the Rebells, and I'le fight the King—
[Ex. Da. Ar. a great cry, Alarm and disorder within, and Enter Darius stopping the flying Persians.
Da.
For shame! for shame, you Cowards! quit your King?
And fly from sound; this is a false Alarm
The Traytors made, by Alexander's Name
To frighten you from me. Fly from his Name!
How will you meet his Sword? but, by my Life,
You shall encounter with his Sword or mine.
Enter Artabazus.
Ar.
Oh! Sir, a Cheat! a Cheat!
Da.
I know it well.
How many of our Men may be disperst?
Ar.
Sir, almost all; y'ave not a hundred left.
And now the Traytors have surrounded you,
Have interpos'd between the Greeks and you,
And are in a great body drawing down.
47
Then it is time.
The King offers to kill himself, but is held by Ar.
Ar.
Hold, Sir.
Da.
Now I reflect.
This Crime belongs only to Regicides.
Why shou'd I take their Guilt upon my self?
I ne're yet stain'd my Sword with Innocent Blood,
Why shou'd I do it in my dying hour?
Ar.
Oh! mournful hour!—oh! wou'd you had receiv'd
The Gallant Offer of the Noble Greek.
You had been safe as in a Tower of Steel.
Da.
Not from my self; it wou'd ha' stab'd my heart.
To beg poor Life, from a few wandring Greeks.
Alas! from them I cou'd ha' had no more.
Ar.
No doubt the Persians wou'd have followed you.
Da.
I'm better follow'd now, and more secure.
I'm safe from the Dishonour and the Crime,
Of quitting them, or doing any thing
That may deserve my miserable fall.
The thought brings many comforts to my Soul.
Ar.
A dreadful fall indeed! how have I seen
A hundred Nations follow you to Wars!
Follow! Adore you. Now your only Guards
Are a few Eunuchs, and a weak old man.
And you, who oft have rode on Golden Gods,
Are trod on now, by every little Slave.
Da.
Oh! these are many Darts, and they're all keen.
Yet did they only light upon my self,
My pain wou'd be no more, than if they fell
On a dead part; for in my Queen I'm dead.
But in my Children and my Friends I live.
Oh! there my Sence is quick, my Torments sharp.
Prithee dear Artabazus, when I'm dead,
Go to my Mother, Children, all my Friends,
And tell 'em how I fought, and how I mourn'd,
My Courage, Honour, and my Love to them
Stuck to me the last; but nothing else,
I give 'em cause to Mourn, but not to Blush.
A.
Oh! Sir, you rather give 'em cause of pride,
Men are admir'd, not prais'd for Happiness.
Vertue's the Lustre, Pomp is but a shew.
48
You conquer'd Power, where Alexander falls,
And now in Misery y'are Glorious still;
But, Sir, wou'd you wou'd try if you cou'd scape.
Da.
Ah! whither can I scape? to scornful Life?
I wou'd not have it, were it in my Power.
Then sure I wou'd not steal so poor a thing,
And if I wou'd, now the Attempt is vain.
I shall be catch'd in the disgraceful Theft
No, here I will attend my Destiny,
And now, good Artabazus, take thy leave.
Ar.
How! leave you, Sir, in all this great distress?
Da.
Alas! thy stay can do me little good.
'Twill rather hurt me much; encrease my Grief.
If thou hast any pleasure in my sighs,
Continue with me; I have none in thine,
No, we afflict each other; prithee go.
I love to have my Friends share in my joyes,
But wou'd have all my sorrows to my self,
And I can best contend with 'em alone.
For Sorrow I perceive's love's solitude,
I prithee take not from me solitude.
Ar.
I am not us'd, Sir, to dispute your will.
But I, shall never never see you more,
Or at least never till we meet in Heaven.
There is a Heaven, or there are no Gods.
Gods wou'd not suffer so much Misery
In their poor Creatures, but for some great End;
And all this world can never recompence
The sorrows of the least poor honest man.
What shall be done then for a Martyr'd King?
Da.
Nay, I confess I look, and long for Death.
Come Artabazus—take my last Embrace,
'Tis all I have to give thee for thy love.
Ar.
My King! my King!
Da.
My ever faithful friend.
Oh! thou art rooting deeper in my heart,
Tear thy self from me, or we cannot part.
Ar.
I have not strength to do't—
Da.
I cannot part—
49
And then betake to my last Friend, the Earth,
In whose cold Bosome I shall rest secure;
No Traytors will have Plots upon me there.
Now go.—
The King flings his Robe over his Face, then falls on the ground.
Ar.
Farewell for ever, Sir.
[Ex.
Da.
Farewell.
Go all—and as you go, plunder my Tents,
[To the Eunuchs.
Let not my bloody Murderers be my Heirs.
Better my Gold pay your Fidelity,
Than their base Villany. Go—'tis enough.
Your Faith and Love, have liv'd as long as I.
As the Eunuchs go off, they set up a mournful cry. At which Bessus, Nabarzanes, and Dataphernes, and their Guards, rush in upon the King with drawn Swords.
Be.
What means this cry?
Na.
Has the King kill'd himself?
Darius rises.
Da.
No, Villains; I yet live to punish you,
And lash your Crimes with Crimes, your cowardly
Dissimulation, hellish Cruelty,
Ingratitude more horrid than 'em both,
By the most Barbarous Murder of your King.
Be.
Sir, in this noise and storm of Passion,
It is in vain to utter peaceful sounds.
But time, that removes Mountains, calms the Sea,
Will Calm and clear up all; and you, who think
You have receiv'd unpardonable wrong,
Will ask us pardon for the wrong done us.
Da.
Oh! insolence!
Na.
Sir, you will find this Truth.
Mean while we must go on in this foul way,
To find the Fair; there, Guards, secure the King.
Da.
D'e say secure me; and yet call me King?
50
This is your common Cause, I am a King.
Rise all Mankind, for all Humanity
Is by these Villains scorn'd, disgrac'd, and curst,
By what they do to me their most kind Friend.
Nay, rise all Gods! your Power suffers in me
Your Minister, and a deputed God!
Your Justice suffers, I am Innocent.
Be.
Well, Sir, we pray then spare the Innocent,
Beat not your self, against that Loyal force,
Which we have built to fortifie your Life.
Na.
Yes, Sir, we mean your Service, and we pray
Force us on no indecent Violence.
We'll treat you Honourably, if you please.
Da.
Monsters of Treachery and Ingratitude!
The King is led out by a Guard.
Be.
Ho! Dataphernes!
Dat.
I am here, my Lord.
Be.
I trust the King to you—upon your Life,
Keep a strong Guard.
Na.
That will not be enough,
Let him be chain'd.
Be.
It is not ill advis'd.
But for the honour that we bear our selves,
Let's honourably treat his Dignity,
Since we our selves design to be both Kings.
Then let us beat Gold Ingots into Chains,
'Twill give a Lustre to our black attempt.
[Aside to Nabarzanes.
Na.
Th'attempt may appear black; our ends are Fair.
Be.
'Tis true; Sirs, you shall have an Inheritance
In manly Freedom; your Posterity
Shall all be born with Titles to themselves.
Now, my brave Friends, plunder the Royal Tents.
[Guards shout.
Then let us face the Greeks and Persians,
And see what they will do.
Na.
What dare they do?
51
Be.
'Tis true, but if they will our Power obey,
We'll do such things, shall give us right to sway:
The right, that only does from Birth proceed,
In my Esteem, springs from a Bastard Breed.
But Vertue is the Offspring of a God,
Vertue alone Legitimates the Blood.
[Ex.
[Scene]
SCENE The Palace.Enter Barzana and Oronte.
Ba.
How! Chain his King? oh! execrable Wretch!
Now I perceive whence springs my horrid Love.
'Tis an unnatural fire rain'd down from Heaven,
To burn a bloudy Traytour in his Bed.
I wonder not it never cou'd be quench'd,
I fasted, wept, and pray'd, yet found no cure;
No safety even at the Altars of the Gods;
Love seiz'd me there; and very well it might,
It has, it seems, Commission from the Gods.
Or.
Madam, no doubt you have conjectur'd right.
A dreadful storm hangs over your Lord's Head;
So you, the part most tender, feel it first;
For else I know you cou'd controul your Love.
But, oh! it is no more within your Power
Than the day is; for the same reason too
'Tis hurry'd on by Heaven.
Ba.
I'm apt to think
All Love is Fate, the Will and Choice of Heaven
Compelling ours. But Fate, to conquer me,
Has in brave Memnon gather'd, for its aid,
All the Perfections that can be in man.
Now, who can stand under so great a force?
'Tis true, I know my Temper is so firm,
Not all the Love and Excellence on Earth,
Can ever melt me down to one loose thought.
But yet the pain and sorrow of my Love,
52
Or.
No, Madam, no:
Your Love will wear away by length of time.
Ba.
Oh, never! Memnon's Charms are Powers Divine,
To punish the ill Father by the Son;
And I must love whilst Heavens anger lasts:
For ought I know, to all Eternity.—
[Knocking.
Knocking? I'm overheard.
[Oronte runs to the door.
Or.
Lord Memnon's here.
Ba.
Undone! undone.
Thou hast betray'd—betray'd me—
Or.
No, indeed.
Ba.
Thou hast, thou false, thou wicked cruel wretch:
Not Heaven it self can make me happy now,
Except by falling on my cursed head.
Fall on me, Heaven; sink beneath me, Earth;
Any thing swallow me, but Infamy.
But I will stop its course, cost what it will.
Who is there?—
Enter a Woman.
Wo.
Madam.
Ba.
Run, and call your Lord.
Or.
Hold, Madam, hold—oh! do not take our Lives,
Before you know our Guilt.
Ba.
Is it not plain?
Can he have innocent Affairs with me?
Th'address alone, is highly Criminal.
It wou'd undo my Honour, were it known.
Do Persian Ladies, that regard their Fame,
Hold any secret Entercourse with Men?
No, no—he comes to do his Father wrong;
And has it seems a secret hope I'le yield.
Whence cou'd he have this hope, but from thy self?
Thou hast half cur'd my heart, I hate you both,
And I'm resolv'd, his Father shall know all.
Or.
Oh! Madam, hold—indeed I'm innocent—
Ba.
What brings him hither then?
Or.
I do not know.
53
Has cast him off in compliment to you,
(He said he wou'd) and now Lord Memnon's come
To beg your Intercession.
Ba.
That may be.
It is well thought; I'm griev'd I've censur'd him.
Now I will see him; but I am afraid
I shall be all Confusion, and let fall
That port of Honour, I wou'd fain maintain.
Reach me a Veil to guard my Eyes and Heart,
And cover my disorders what I can.
Now call him in.
[She veils and seats her.
[Or. brings in Memnon.
Or.
Madam, my Lord, is here.
Ba.
My Lord, I'm to your Valour so oblig'd,
I'm in confusion with the sence of it.
I am now discompos'd; and cannot give
Your Visit, the Reception it deserves:
Pray, if you have any Commands for me,
Express your will, that I may know my own.
For I shall serve my self, by serving you.
Me.
Here's more Encouragement! Good Gods be prais'd!
[Aside.
Madam, when Fortune—Heavens! how I shake?
[Aside.
When Fortune gave me—pray be not displeas'd—
The Glory Kings wou'd purchase with their Crowns,
To save your Honour, Liberty, and Life;
She blest the Universe, but ruin'd me,
By hopeless Love for you.
Ba.
Oh! thou false Wretch.
[Ba. rises in Anger, and flings off her Veil.
Nay, stir not, trust my Mercy you had best.
[To Or.
My Lord, I thought not to hear this from you,
So fam'd for every Vertue as you are,
I sooner shou'd have fear'd the fall of Heaven;
That I shall look for now, nothing is strange!
And better Heaven fall, than Innocence.
Therefore be gone, and think of me no more,
Or else, I will acquaint your Father all.
54
Madam, 'tis done already; e're I came
I told him all, and had his free consent.
Ba.
Oh! horrour! now 'tis worse than I believ'd!
[Aside.
This Traytress has inform'd my Husband all.
And he, in rage, has flung me off to Hell.
Did he consent you shou'd address to me?
Me.
No, Madam, not to your fair self by name.
I do not know your name.
Ba.
Not know my Name?
Me.
No, Madam, when I met you in the Field,
Love and Amazement took up all my Sence,
Had I been told your Name, I had not known.
The Enemy and Night then parted us;
And a long Night it was; I saw no day
'Till here, this happy Morning, I saw you.
I found my Father, told him what befell.
He gave me a full grant to make you mine,
Be what you wou'd.
Or.
Now, Madam, was I false?—
[Aside to Barzana.
Ba.
I am more wretched than I was before.
I have found Treasure which I cannot keep,
The Love of him I love, is now my grief,
For I am forc'd to cast it all away.
I must discover to him, who I am.
Alas! my Lord, this Love is but a Dream,
Your Heart receiv'd my Image as it past;
Remove the face, the shadow vanishes;
Leave me, your Love is gone.
Be't as it will,
All Heaven and Earth is plac'd between us two.
For, to be plain with you, I am a Wife.
Me.
Madam, I will acknowledge a bold Truth,
I sought you much, but Guide I cou'd have none.
For you are far above description.
Chance brought me hither, when the wanton winds
Open'd the folding doors, and shew'd me you.
My Soul retir'd in a Religious awe,
But your inchanting words soon brought her back.
55
Madam, wou'd you do that, were you a Wife?
Ba.
Oh! I shall blush to Death.
[Aside to Or.
Or.
Good, Madam, why?
He knows not who you are; you did not say,
You are his Father's wife—
[Aside.
Ba.
'Tis very true—
[Aside.
What, held my tongue? But, oh! he knows too much,
He knows my Love, more he shall never know.
I'd rather burn in any fire, than shame.
I will get free, then, like a Vision,
I'le vanish hence, and never be heard of more.
Me.
Oh! Madam, I perceive you are disturb'd.
Ba.
Indeed, My Lord, y'ave given me great Offence.
Me.
Alas! I fear my self am the Offence.
Why shou'd yo be asham'd of innocent Love?
Unless you be asham'd of him you Love.
Oh! is it so with me?
Ba.
Y'ave made it now
Indecent to consider what you are.
And if you have not, your ill Father has.
Your wicked Father has destroy'd your hopes.
Me.
Oh! must I suffer for my Father's faults?
Ba.
And must I suffer for your Father's faults?
I am a Princess o'the Royal Blood,
And if I League with you, I cast away
My Fortune, Conscience, Honour, nay my Life,
Nay both shall die,—and by your Father's hand.
Me.
Oh! Madam, I am sure that fear is vain.
Pray send for him, I know he'll give consent.
Ba.
Oh! horrour—horrour!—
Me.
'Madam, do not fear.
Run for my Father.
Ba.
Will you murder me?
All of the Royal Race will seek my Life,
If I be known to love your Father's Son.
Me.
Madam, we'll fly to the Brave Enemy.
Ba.
I fly away in secret with a man,
And with the Son of the King's Enemy.
Shou'd my Friends pardon me, yet I shou'd dye
56
You shou'd embrace such shameful thoughts o'me,
And I even scorn you, for your loving me,
Since you believe I have no more desert.
Me.
Madam your merit seems so great to me,
As gives a Grace to every thing you do.
You can do nothing will appear a fault.
Madam, I'le do such things to serve the King,
As will conceal, the faults of my ill Birth.
Ba.
You can do nothing; Nature binds your hands.
Will you destroy your Father? horrid thought!
Yet if you do not, he destroys the King.
That Hell surrounds you; 'tis impossible
To come at you, but through all Misery.
And why shou'd you desire such ill to me?
Then go, if you'd preserve my Love or Life.
Your stay will but incurr my Mortal hate,
Nay, perhaps bring my Blood upon your head.
Me.
The Gods forbid, I'le rather sink to Hell.
Ba.
Then go, whilst I have one kind thought of you.
And my kind thoughts are all you shall enjoy.
Me.
All this I fear'd, expected, almost wish'd.
So much I tender you above my self.
For my ill Father's Son, must look for Plagues,
They are my Birthright, and Inheritance.
And I shou'd be most cruel and unjust,
If I shou'd seek to fix 'em upon you.
No, Madam, fly our cursed House, and me.
Your generous Loyalty, I praise and love,
Though 'tis the Sword of Heaven to cut me off.
Well, Madam, I will take my self away.
Nay, more, I beg you'l throw me from your thoughts,
That I may ne're be trouble to you more.
Ba.
Now he goes nearer to my heart than ever.
[Aside.
'Tis dangerous to see, or hear him more;
And cruelty to send him bleeding hence,
Without some Balm—
My Lord, I were unjust
57
No, no, you ever shall possess my thoughts;
And Heaven that made me, has no more of me.
Me.
Oh! Madam, many thousand thousand thanks
For this Compassion; though 'twill be no more
Than a fair Monument, o're a dead Wretch.
Ba.
Oh! I have held my violent Grief till now,
To make our parting easie as I cou'd.
But now I've lost all power o're my self,
And if you longer stay, I shall fall dead.
Go, if y'ave pity for your self, or me.
Me.
I go—I go—and now can easier go.
Your kind Tears comfort me—oh! wretched me!
The grief of her I love, is all my joy.
And now a long farewel—my Love was born,—
In a most fatal Field, in Deaths dark shades.
And it will ne're have Health till it repair
To Death again; its Mournful Native Air.—
[Exit.
Ba.
He's gone! and I shall never see him more.
I must not, will not, dare not, see him more.
I'le fly if possible all thoughts of him;
All knowledge of my self—Poor Womankind—
Heaven for our ruin, gifts on us bestows,
Charms to allure, no Power to oppose.
In Passion we are strong, in Reason weak,
Constant alone, to errour and mistake,
In Vertue feign'd, in Vanity sincere;
Witty in Sin, and for Damnation fair.—
[Exeunt Omnes.
| Darius : King of Persia | |