University of Virginia Library

Act 4.

(Augusta and Glaphyra meet.)
Glapa-
Health to Augusta!

Auga-
Health and happiest hours
With ever-circling Joys to fair Glaphyra,
Bright gem of beauty! I besought your presence
And have a friendly claim upon your patience
For a few private Moments.

Glapa-
I attend
With due devotion to your Royal pleasure.

Auga-
Come you must put aside this distant air,
And hear a woman to a woman speak
Without reserve the language of the heart.
Tho' past my youthful hours, washt out with tears
My faded form and wan with dungeon groans,
T'was once my chance to win a Monarch's Heart
And scale the glittering summit of Ambition.
You by the same ascent with fairer claim
May reach the same bright prize: Our Son adores you
Ambition puts a Sceptre in your hand,
And Love awaits you on Judæa's throne.

Glapa-
I'll not affect with maidenish reserve
To combat your conjecture: Truth demands
A fair reply; And be that Truth my witness!
That never from the sad distressful moment,
In which your Son first found me to this hour
Have I by word or look or female Art
Attempted his Affections.

Auga-
Give me pardon
If I cut short this prelude, and declare
In hearing of high Heaven, that you alone,
If each fair form, which this wide world contains,
Coud here assemble, you alone, Glaphyra,
Have my consenting Voice.

Glapa-
Impossible.

Auga-
Give me your hand: If there be truth in Heaven,
My heart is with my tongue

Glapa-
It must not be.
I am the Child of Solitude: Your throne
Is circled with ambitious Beauty, Chuse
From that fair Circle some less humble Maid.

Auga-
Now I can read your heart and solve the doubts,
That trouble the calm Current of your thoughts.
You see a rude unpractis'd son of Nature
Encompass'd with temptations, and you paint
Youth's giddy bark with swelling Sails outspread,
Driv'n by the breath of flattery on the rocks
Of pleasure's faithless shore: You see our Son
Press with a trembling weight the unsteady throne:
Fix it, Glaphyra; tis your own, confirm it!
Your power is Sovereign o're his Soul, exert
That power, and share the Empire you shall Save:

Glapa-
Never, no power on Earth, not ev'n the force
Of Fate itself can drag me to the throne.
No, rather let me empty all these veins
And wring them out with torture drop by drop.

Auga-
Amazement! what has fixt your heart so firmly?
Is it another's? Are you wedded? Speak!

Glapa-
Now as your Heart e're felt the kindling touch
Of love, of pity; by your Sex's softness,
By a fond mothers feelings I conjure you
Save a devoted Creature, who will meet
A thousand deaths, but never never yeild
A Heart already plighted and betray
The dear dear Youth, for whom alone she lives.

Auga-
I'm lost in wonder—Sure Abidah loves you—

Glapa-
Alas! how fatally!

Auga-
He offers Marriage—

Glapa-
I do confess.

Auga-
Your Honour he has rescued,
Your person snatcht from ruin worse than death—
This you remember—

Glapa-
Heav'n reward him for it
With never-dying glory! may his throne
In wisdom and in mercy be Establish'd
And in the Arms of some superior Fair
Endear'd by beauty and by truth ennobled,
Whilst I am distant far, may He forget
That e're Glaphyra's name provok'd a Sigh!

Auga-
Tis well: I leave you to your choice; nay more,
I'll further your deliverance, aid your wishes:
Say only, was our Son now on the brink
Of sure destruction, and your word coud save him,
Woud you not speak the word?

Glapa-
Explain your purpose.
How is it that my word can save Abidah?

Auga-
Silence that self-opposing pride of Honour!
You only have the power. Tell him tis Madness
Not to destroy the Rival of his throne.

Glapa-
O Horror! is it thus that I must save him?
By tempting him to murder?

Aug.a-
No, tis Justice,
Tis self-defence to kill—

Glapa-
Oh stop the word!
Do not pronounce the name.

Auga-
Why not pronounce it?
Is magic in the name? will't raise a Spirit?
Play not this part with me, nor fool your Judgment
With Old Bethanor's lessons: Well I know
Tis he that teaches you this farce of pity.
Of this be sure; Herodian dies—

Glapa-
Oh stay!
Turn and revoke the word. You see before you
The last sad Relict of a line of Kings,
Syria's dethroned Monarchs. At your feet
I cast my prostrate corpse, here to expire
If you reject my Suit, and deaf to pity
Murder (Oh! shall I speak the name?) Herodian.

Auga-
If I reject your suit? Yes, with the Scorn
That you did mine. Away, weak suppliant! (exit)


(As Augusta breaks off from Glaphyra, She falls to the Ground.)
(Herodian enters)
Herodn-
What do I see? what prostrate form is this?
Save me; good Angels, save me! tis Glaphyra.
Oh, agony of Soul! my better Life,
Look up; Herodian calls.

Glap.a-
Herodian! Yes,
Tis He! All-gracious Heaven, he lives, he lives!
I clasp him to my heart.

(She rises and They embrace)
Herodn-
In this Embrace
Moments expand to Ages: Oh, these arms
Might recompense a life of lengthen'd misery.
But tell me, satisfy my anxious mind,
Why you've Exchang'd a hospitable roof
For this detested Mansion.

Glapa-
Tell me rather
Why did you turn aside your purpos'd Course
And run upon these toils, which murder spreads
To catch your sacred Life? Why did you enter
A bloody Rival's Court? Ah, why deceive me?

Herodn-
In the fond hope that I might save a mother,
Entomb'd alive in darkness, I adventur'd;
My father then was living—but Oh, answer me,
What chance so fatal brings Glaphyra hither?
Sure he was faithful, to whose care I left thee.

Glapa-
Apparent sanctity had whiten'd o're
The Villain's outward favor, but his heart
Was spotted as the mortal pestilence.
This Arab Prince, that now usurps thy Crown,
Journeying thro' Mameleck, preserv'd my honor
From Violation, and in happy moment
Buried his ponyard in the Villain's heart.

Herodn-
Did he? reward him Heav'n! with glory crown him,
And let him reign unrivall'd on my throne,
Ye recompencing Angels! Hah! he comes—
(Abidah enters)
Welcome, my more than Brother, my Preserver!
Such pray'rs, as Gratitude pours forth to Heaven,
When the right hand of mercy is made visible
In the last anguish of despair, such praises
Do I pour forth to thee, thou godlike youth!

Abidh-
Whence are these transports? how have I deserv'd them,
Or is it all but mockery?

Herodn-
Behold,
Behold in that fair glass the bright reflection,
From which I catch these transports!

Glapa-
Oh forbear!
You rush upon destruction.

Herodn-
What destruction
Have I to dread? I have forsworn Ambition;
I have renounc'd the Crown: Tis thine, Abidah:
I ask no other blessing but Glaphyra.
Her thou hast sav'd. We are no rivals now.

Glapa-
Alas, mistaken man, you still are rivals.

Herodn-
Death to my Soul! He'll not oppose me here.
Were the Worlds empire mine, I'd yeild it to him;
What woud he more?

Abidh-
Be still and hear me speak.
May not my Eyes be sensible as your's
To beauty's fair perfection? What is empire,
Which you so freely offer? What is power
But mere conspicuous wretchedness, when she
Nor shares my Empire, nor obeys my power?

Herodn-
With pity I survey your painful struggle;
For sure I am your noble Soul abhors
To force that innocence your justice sav'd:
Or if you did, to force is to destroy,
And so the damning Crime defeats itself.
Unarm'd and at your mercy as I stand,
Your Sword this moment might transfix my heart,
Yes, and your savage mother woud applaud you,
What then? will that possess you of Glaphyra?
Will she, whose constancy rejects the hero,
Love and accept the Murderer? Let her answer
Set all your benefits in fair Array,
(Great, generous I confess them) let Glaphyra
Weigh them with Candour and decide betwixt us.

Glapa-
Why was I born, just Heav'n to this hard fate?
If gratitude, O Princes, held the Scale,
So equally 'tis pois'd, there were no choice;
The Beam of Justice coud not be more level.
But Love weighs all things in a partial ballance,
Crowns, treasures, kingdoms, nay the world itself
Mounts like a feather, when the heart opposes.
Cease then, Abidah, cease to urge thy suit,
And sentence me at once to life or death.

Abid.h-
Live then, but never let me hear your thanks.
Let not your Eyes light on me, if we meet;
Teach them aversion, give your features horror,
That I may shun you, Go; prepare your Spirit
For happiness, but make not me your witness:
Expect your Lover, tho' the deed be death,
I'll send him to your Arms. Go to your Chamber:
If it be possible—we meet no more.

Exit Glaphyra
Herodn-
Rome in her days of freedom never knew
Virtue like thine.

Abidh-
Nay, but forbear to thank me:
No triumph, no rejoicing—mute as death.
The Sun is Sunk and Solemn Eve succeeds;
And I must borrow of the Night an hour
For Meditation's melancholy task.
Affghar!

Affghr-
What wills my Prince?

Abidh-
My gallant friend,
To you and your brave Arabs I confide
The nightly keeping of this Royal Youth.
Be diligent, be wakeful on your watch,
For danger will be stirring

Affgr-
We defy it

Abidh-
Now part without a word—To Ahab's Tower,
You'll have safe conduct; there you'll meet a Mother.

Exit Herodian with Guards
(Augusta enters hastily)
Auga-
Was that Herodian parted hence?

Abidh-
T'was He.
But now let things of lesser moment sleep
Unquestion'd, till one awful doubt is solv'd.
Am I indeed your Son?

Augusa-
Hah! who denies it?

Abidh-
Bethanor.

Auga-
Strike him, ye avenging fires!

Abidh-
He says, and execrates the fatal hour,
That foil'd and mourning o're a dying child,
With tempting gifts you urg'd him to impose
Me, then his new-born infant, on the King:
That his best hopes then drooping and his fortunes
Far in decay, he to the glittering bribe
Consented, and, to strict concealment bound
By solemn Oaths, took your Expiring babe,
And gave, Oh shame to Nature! gave you his.

Auga-
And this your weak credulity beleives.

Abidh-
Tis solemnly depos'd.

Auga-
Aye, when did villainy
Want words or oaths to vouch for its own falsehood?
When did the Traitor first impose this on you?

Abidh-
When I was high in wrath and woud have slain him.

Auga-
Oh that you had! why tis too palpable;
A lye invented on the moment's spur
To save his coward life.

Abidh-
Coud he invent it?
Are there such things in practise? I'll not think it:
He must be honest; else all men be lyars.

Auga-
And yet but now you said you woud have kill'd him;
Did you then think him honest?

Abidh-
Guilty passion
Blinded my reason, and he nobly stemm'd
The furious torrent, that had whelm'd me else
In blood and violation.

Auga-
But for him
You had destroy'd Herodian.

Abidh-
I confess it.
Not for he was the rival of my power,
But as the favor'd Lover of Glaphyra.

Auga-
What do I hear? the lover of Glaphyra?

Abidh-
But I have master'd that rebellious passion:
I have subdu'd those tyrants of the Soul
Love and Ambition, and am now a King.

Auga-
Shame to such Kings! Away with such advisers!
The glaring falsehood now convicts itself:
To sink your high-born energy of Soul
By peasant principles, and to melt down
The bright imperial Ore, of which I form'd You,
To his base dross, was the vile artifice
Of this old traitor—But be rul'd by me:
Before an hour shall pass we'll meet again
And face to face convict him of the lye;
You shall possess the Syrian; the true Parent
Gives joy, gives rapture; the false father chills
Your generous ardour with the freezing maxims
Of cold forbearance; rules unfit for Kings,

Abidh-
Your words have caught my heart, as lightnings catch
The blazing Stubble, hot with summer Suns.
I am the sport of passion.

Auga-
For the present
Leave me, so please you: In an hour we'll meet
And more at large Converse.

Abidh-
I shall Expect you (Exit)


Auga-
Why this was fairly carried—Now, Bethanor,
If thou escapst me now, my Life for thine.
Approach, Serapion!

(Serapion enters)
Serapn-
What woud the Queen?
I live but to obey her.

Auga-
Slave, methinks
Thou'rt an Egyptian; When our royal Herod
Met Antony and his imperial Mistress
At Samosata, thou wast in the train
Of that fair Reveller: T'was then, Serapion,
Thy better Stars prefer'd thee to my Service.

Serapn-
Blest be the time! If thou my royal Lady,
Bear'st it in mind, how shoud thy slave forget it?

Auga-
Men of thy cast, they say, will promise fair
And shrink from the performance: Tell me now,
If I were haunted with a walking Spirit,
Whom I woud lay to rest, dar'st thou administer
A spell to quiet it?

Serapn-
I dare do anything,
That thou dar'st counsel.

Auga-
Nay, thou shalt not feed
On airy promises—Here, take this jewel:—
What, man; accept it.

Serapn-
My thrice-bounteous Mistress,
There needs not this to bind me to thy Service.

Auga-
That stone might grace the diadem of Cæsar;
Yet is it but a foretaste of my bounty.
Be faithful, and thou shalt be drench'd in gold;
Steep'd to the lips in treasure, blazing bright,
Like Mammon's altar, pil'd with glittering ore,
The offerings of Idolatry to Sin.

Serapn-
Who bleeds for this?

Auga-
Bethanor.

Serapn-
Hah! Bethanor?

Auga-
Doth it revolt thee? In the western Tower
He sleeps this night. Thou art most private there,
Know'st every passage and canst thread the Maze,
That darkling winds around the vaulted pile,
Commodious for the deed thou tak'st in hand.

Serapn-
Say'st thou this Night?—He sleeps his last.

Auga-
But swear,
Swear to perform it!

Serapn-
By each sacred thing
That can record or sanctify my oath,
I swear to attempt the deed, which thou commandest.

Auga-
Tis well, tis well! You medicine my Sick soul
Pouring the balm of Comfort on the wounds
Ingratitude has made. He falls! He dies!
Thy dagger rives his heart; and whilst the Furies
Quaff his devoted blood, all Hell shall ring
With loud Ovations o're his Sinking Soul.