University of Virginia Library

ACT V.

SCENE, A Prison.
Thrasimond, and an Officer.
Off.
My Lord, I grieve to tell you, that this Hour,
You must resolve to die; behold the Mandate,
Sign'd by your Father's Hand!

Thr.
I doubt it not:
I've known the Gods and Genseric too well;
Let me not blame 'em now; for this Dispatch
Is some atoning Kindness to my Fate;
I would be swept from Earth without a Thought,
Nor give my slumb'ring Passions time to wake,
And shiver at the doubtful, distant Stroke:
Let guilty Wretches, and Plebeian Souls,
Cling on the joyless Precipice of Life,
And tremble on the Racks of Hope and Fear;
I scorn to fondle the precarious Moments,
And envy Death the Glory of a Conquest.

(Eudosia entering, Thrasimond starts.)
Eud.
Where is he? Neither Bars, nor Guards shall hide him from me!
Our Mis'ries may obtain one last Embrace;
I'll do the dreadful Office of the Wheel,
And kill him in these Arms, with cruel Fondness!
He lives! malicious Pow'rs, be still a while,
And justify your Sentence if you can!

Thr.
There was but this, ingenious hostile Stars!
That could reduce me to a Man again.
But now, I soar'd to Liberty and Bliss!
Uninterrupted Bliss! and happier Worlds!
And now the Dream's dissolv'd, and Hell's before me.
Why, my fair Love! why thus severely kind?
Dost thou come here to rouze me to Despair,
Revive each Pang of Wretchedness within me,
Recal my settled Spirits to Confusion,
And aid the Horrors of embitter'd Death?

Eud.
Am I so shocking to thee! but indeed,
I have deserv'd the worst thy Wrongs can call me.
'Tis I, not Genseric, have pass'd thy Doom!
I fix the Wheel, and sluice thy bleeding Veins!
Upbraid me, do; and I will bless thy Justice.
Wither this fatal mischief-making Face!
Curs'd be this Beauty! this alluring Ruin,
That drew thy stagger'd Virtue to Destruction!
And yet I lov'd thee: Tho' you think me still,
The Cause of thy Undoing, yet I nurs'd
These guiltless guilty Beauties, but for thee:
With thee, the Sun that cheer'd 'em, shall they die.

Thr.
Gods! Cut me off this Moment, balance all
Your Tyrannies, with that one Act of Mercy!
I am unworthy this prodigious Proof
Of your vast Power to punish. Oh, Eudosia!
By all our mutual Agonies, I swear,
Thou—(must I say it!) art my greatest Foe!
But save me from my present Wounds, I'll count
Flames, Racks, and murd'ring Engines, Beds of Down.

Off.
My Lord, When Death's appointed Hour's so nigh,
Lose not the few remaining Minutes thus.

Thr.
Lose them not! No, I will employ 'em here!
I tell thee, Slave, those Tortures are for Children.
Basely I wrong'd my Father and the Gods,
To say it was unkind to send thee here;
To fall attended by such costly Tears,
Suff'ring for thee, and thus by thee bemoan'd,
Is glorious Torture, and a Death for Princes.

Eud.
Ha! Death, again that Sound! alas! what is it!
Daggers to th'Heart! and Thunder to the Ear!
A sad, eternal Separation's in it!
Where are our Hopes, our Wishes, and Desires!
That met each other with a mutual Heat,
And flatter'd us with Ages of sweet Transport!
All shorten'd by the sweeping Scythe of Death,
And stinted to a doubtful Minute's Space?

Thr.
Then let us lay this Minute out with Prudence,
And give it all to Love: I should have said,
To Love's severest Task, and learn to part,
As such unhappy, faithful Lovers ought.

Eud.
Were we to do indeed as Lovers ought,
Together should we brave the Bolt of Fate,
Lock'd in each other's fond Embraces; thus
Lay down the Burthen of encumbring Life,
In the extatic Struggle, unregretted.

Thr.
A little longer, and I shall be quite
That Coward Fate would wish me: Oh! forbear!
Each Look, each Word, each Touch of Kindness from thee,
Unnerves me, melts me to th'Assaults of Fear,
And almost makes me grow in Love with Life.

Eud.
And who would take it from thee? What! thy Father!
Ha! must thou die, attempting to restore
To me, that Fredom thou hast lost thy self!
I cannot bear it! no! I yet will save thee,
If all the wretchedness of prostrate Grief
Can have the least Effect; if Tears, or Pray'rs,
Can gain on thy Barbarian Father's Heart,
I'll sooth him to Humanity; he shall
Retract his Sentence, and forgive his Son:
Or if nought else can sate his curs'd Design,
But Blood, I'll slake his horrid Thirst with mine.

[Ex. Eud.
Thr.
Farewel, my Love! I know th'Attempt is vain,
And will embrace this Opportunity,
Of cutting short the thousand thousand Pangs
Of parting, all the fierce reluctant Strugglings,
That make this Death the dreaded Guest he is.
Come, lead me to the Scaffold, where my Soul
Must work her Way thro' Tortures, to her Freedom:
Your Expedition will be welcome now.

[Exeunt.
Scene changes to the Palace.
Enter Sophronia and Justina.
Soph.
Where am I? Where's the King? Where's Thrasimond?
Distraction! Horror! Hell! what have I done?
Oh the rash Act! Oh most abandon'd Woman!
Impeach'd my Love! and doom'd him to the Rack!
Where shall I fly, to skreen me from my self,
And bury the Reflection of my Guilt?
Fatal Resentment! Oh severe Event!
Oh Thrasimond! my Love was all my Crime,
I fear'd to lose thee, therefore have destroy'd thee!
Curs'd female Rashness! whilst my false Revenge
Recoils with double Fury on my self:
Justina see, shroud me as eternal Darkness!
A pale, a bleeding Spectre glides before me,
Rolling his ghastly Eye-balls full on mine,
As he would say, Sophronia is my Murderer!
Where is the King? Why name I him? The King
Has not one human Virtue in his Soul:
Nay, even now's impatient till the Deed,
The horrid Deed's accomplish'd, and he gluts
With filial Blood his unappeas'd Barbarity!

Just.
Madam, the King is here; some new Alarm
Glooms on his angry Brow with fierce Surprize.

Enter Genseric.
Gen.
All Carthage is in Arms; the mut'nous Crowd,
Under the Colour of your Name, presume
To countenance Rebellion, and demand
The Traitor Thrasimond's devoted Life;
Basely confound your Interest with his,
And say he dies for vindicating you,
From the Injustice of our broken Vows.
This is th'opprobrious Language of the Curs
That bark at Pow'r, but I will soon chastize
Their Insolence, and let my Thunder loose
On ev'ry Rebel Head: Sophronia, first
Go you, and shew the Rabble their Mistake;
Pronounce a general Pardon, in my Name,
Upon a quick Return to their Obedience.
But if they dare persist, let Hon'ric shew
The Terror of our Arms, and make the Slaves
That slight our Mercy, tremble at our Sword.
Ha! are you mute? Do you approve their Treasons?
Obey my Orders, or I'll use e'en thee
As a Confederate, and a Trait'ress too.

Soph.
Well, Tyrant! dost thou make a full Return
For my rash Loyalty and foolish Honour?
Do you suspect me? Have I then secur'd
Thy tott'ring Throne, to be distrusted now?
Unravell'd all thy Enemies Cabals,
Murder'd thy Godlike Son, and damn'd my self,
To be accus'd as an Accomplice now?
But thou at last instruct'st me how to do
Justice to Thrasimond, my Self, and Thee.

[Ex. Soph.
Gen.
This Woman's Temper puzzles and confounds
My nicest Politicks: Methought her Words
Swell'd with a doubtful Meaning; 'tis not fit
We leave this dangerous Spirit unobserv'd.

(Gen. going out meets Eudosia.)
Eud.
Where go you? Stay, oh stay, inhuman King!
Do not delight in Murder; spare your Son!
I am the Criminal, on me take Vengeance.
'Tis Justice; drench your Hands in hostile Blood,
But do not, do not stain them with your own.
Behold! the Daughter of an Emp'ror sues!
The Line of Theodosius deigns to kneel!
Would you be Great and Glorious? Think on Mercy!
Mercy! the brightest Diadem of Empire!
Mercy! that does distinguish Men from Brutes!
And Kings that use it right, from common Men!
Say, Gens'ric, say that you revoke his Doom,
And Thrasimond shall live!

Gen.
Off, Syren! off.
I am above thy Arts: By Jove, he dies.
No more; but thank my Mercy thou surviv'st him.

Eud.
But save him, I forgive thee all the Wrongs
Offer'd our injur'd House.

[Shouting without.
Gen.
Ha! whence this Shout?

Eud.
Ha! dost thou start! it is a guilty Shout!
And oh! my sympathizing Heart suggests,
That it proclaims the Murder of thy Son!
And see, the bloody Tyding-bearer comes!
Now, Tyrant! glut thee with the horrid News!

[She swoons.
Enter Aspar hastily.
Asp.
Arm, arm, my Lord, the Torrent rises high!
Sophronia animates the rebel Croud,
Prince Thrasimond's releas'd, and at their Head!
Your Guards are beat, and Honoric is slain!
Be reconcil'd to Thrasimond, nought else
Can quell the Tumult, and preserve your Crown.

Gen.
Perdition! all my Pride at once o'erthrown,
And shall I cringe to this seditious Herd!
And with extorted Mercy bless this Traitor Son!
Let their Arms thunder at my Palace-Gate,
I'll be a Monarch still in spight of Fate:
Thus weaken'd I will yet defend my Throne,
For Kings are guarded by themselves alone;
Rather than poorly quit the Regal Sway,
Add to the Tempest that I cannot lay.

[Ex. Gen. and Asp.
Eud.
(Raising her self up)
Why wake I? wherefore could I not for ever
Shut out the hated Day? Since he, alas!
That added to its Lustre is no more!
And must I number Death among my Foes!
Was he so nigh me, and at last withdrew,
As loth to bring his ghastly Comfort yet!

Enter Empress.
Emp.
Rise, Daughter, Sorrows are untimely now,
And Tears ungrateful, the revolving Tide
Of flowing Fortune is again our own;
You mourn the Prince in vain; he lives, and flies
Swift at a willing Army's Head to save thee:
Snatch'd from th'impending Stroke of Death, his Name,
Thro' the loud Trumpet of exulting Crowds,
Swells in the Air, and pierces to the Skies.
[A mixt Shout is heard of Thras. and Soph.
And hear, the Sound's repeated!

Eud.
'Tis indeed!
And yet methinks 'tis ominous, Sophronia!
Was not her hated Name repeated too?
And wafted upwards in one blended Shout?

Enter Sophronia and Narbal.
Nar.
At length the great Event of Battle's o'er,
By his own Crime perfidious Gens'ric's dead.
When, by his Presence aw'd, his duteous Son
Check'd his impatient Friends uplifted Arms,
And bid the War stand still; upon his Knees
With pious Rev'rence fell, as he disown'd
The Conquest he had won, and humbly begg'd
Those Terms, that by Success he might command:
Strait on his prostrate Son, with double Rage,
Th'implacable revengeful Father rush'd,
And aim'd a guilty Dagger at his Heart;
But Heav'n, the watchful Guardian of the Good,
Misled the erring Weapon's Point, and turn'd
The Death he doom'd his Son, upon himself:
Shock'd at the horrid Act, the raging People
Breath'd on the Instant, with one Voice, Revenge!
And at th'Alarm as soon the Monster fell.

Soph.
Now, Prince, I hope I have aton'd my Rashness;
Nor shall my Bosom longer glow in vain,
With jealous Scorchings, and tormenting Wishes,
But find at last, my well-deserv'd Return.
Ha! Is that Sorc'ress here! by Heav'n, her Eyes
Ferment the Wounds of Jealousy anew,
And chafe each vanish'd Torture to fresh Madness!
I know her by the Tumult of my Blood,
That swells with Rival Hatred at her Sight.
But what should I distrust, since Thrasimond,
By Gratitude and Honour, is my own!
Let me indulge the Woman, let me plague her
With taunting Triumphs, and insulting Joy;
I'll talk of the dear Prince, since hers no longer;
I'll mortify her Pride ten thousand ways;
Extol his ev'ry Charm, and give her all
That Hell of Torments I endur'd so long.

Eud.
Madam, I see an envious Pleasure smiles
On your big Brow, that you can now upbraid me,
That whilst I only had the Pow'r to mourn
The direful Sentence of my absent Lord,
To you I owe his Rescue and his Life.

Soph.
Poison destroy th'insinuating Witch!
Does she expect I rescu'd him for her?
To aid her Passion, and assist her Transports?
He comes! the lovely Royal Charmer comes!
And looks as ev'ry Deity had join'd,
To dress their Fav'rite with distinguish'd Brightness;
Majestically terrible as Mars,
Yet soft and graceful as the Queen of Love.

Enter Thrasimond running and embracing Eudosia.
Thr.
My Life! my Soul! Eudosia! my fond Arms
Open spontaneous to receive thee home,
And strain thee to my Heart! I fear I shall
Grow impious in my Joy, and quite forget
The dreadful Price this sully'd Pleasure costs,
My Royal Father's and my Brother's Blood!
Unnatural as they were, my Kindred still!

Soph.
Furies and Scorpions! I am torn to pieces,
And Hell is an Elyzium, if compar'd
With half the Frenzy of my present Pains!
Yes, I have conquer'd to a noble Purpose,
To bless my Rival, and to sink my self
To the extreamest Depth of burning Woe!
Do you, at last, vouchsafe a Look on me!
It is, I must confess, a kind Return
For Life, for Love, for Liberty, and Empire,
Restor'd by me! ungrateful, barb'rous Wretch!

Thr.
Madam!

Soph.
Nay, do not varnish o'er thy Baseness,
With all the treach'rous Rhetoric of Words:
I know my self and thee too plainly now!
I know I have been bounteous to a Serpent,
That thankless bites its Benefactor first!
I know for whom I live to be despis'd!
But think not my proud Rival e'er shall reap
What never could be mine! thus, lovely Traitor!
Since then in Life we never could be join'd,
Death shall unite; this Minute ends us both!

[She first stabs Thrasimond, and then her self.
Thr.
What could provoke this Rashness! my own Wound
Is slight, but to thy Breast, unhappy Maid!
The Dagger carry'd a too fatal Point!
She faints! the Blood forsakes her lifeless Cheek!
Support her! fly for Aid!

Soph.
'Tis needless all.
I feel the thrilling Guest thro' ev'ry Vein!
My Death is just for my Attempt on thee!
Forgive me, Thrasimond, and thank'd be Heav'n,
The Dagger only enter'd where it should.
Oh Prince! if I have lov'd thee with a Flame,
Beyond the nice Restraints of Virgin's Love,
It was the Fault of Fate, and not Sophronia!

[Dies.
Thr.
Not to allow thy hapless Fall a Tear,
Were barbarous indeed! Peace to thy Maiden Shade.

Emp.
Bloody Effect of Passion!

Eud.
Fatal Deed!

Thr.
Yet ev'n amidst the Horrors of this Day,
When I look here, a Gleam of Brightness dawns
Thro' the deep Gloom, auspicious to my Love.

[Taking Eudosia by the Hand.
Emp.
Her Mother thus confirms your promis'd Joys.

Thr.
Let me receive them thus, from Heav'n and You.
[Kneeling.
I know beyond the Bliss of Monarchs now;
With joyless Heart I mount my Father's Throne,
My truest Empire is in Thee alone.