 | Mariamne |  |
SCENE V.
[Herod passeth over the stage with attendants, &c. they all kneel.]Pheroras.
O King for ever live! the dear defence,
And grace of Palestine.
Sal.
May this blest day
Tincture with happiness, and bright renown,
All your succeeding years!
Soh.
And sure there's none,
To whom this day can give sincerer joy,
Than to your faithful Sohemus; who kneels
To give this seal of delegated power
Back to your royal hand.
Her.
Let all who sigh
In gloomy dungeons prest with gauling chains,
Shake off their bondage; and conspire to tune
The wholesome breath of heav'n to songs of praise.
Tell them they owe their freedom to the Queen:
Her temper is compassionate and kind,
As guardian angels are: but I! constrain'd
By the sad exigence of state, have torn
Our tender off-spring from her fond embrace;
And heap'd afflictions on the brightest head,
31
Pher.
But your approach
Will sooth her grief, and soften the surprize.
Her.
I! I! am the sole cause of all her grief:
Ambition rushing forward, hath disturb'd
My sweetest fountain of domestick bliss!
It promis'd scepters, but hath fill'd my grasp
With gilded thorns! wanting my Queen, the court
Appears as lonesome as the dreary waste,
Where pestilence and famine hand in hand
Have lately reign'd: but Mariamne's smiles
Diffusive of their good, around her cast
On all the shining circle beams of joy;
When from the wars she welcom'd my return,
With tears of tender transport in her eyes.
Such oft our meetings were; but, dismal change!
The fair offended seems to shun me now:
How shall I calm the tempest of her Soul!
[Exeunt.
| Mariamne | |