University of Virginia Library

SCENE V.

An Apartment in the Palace.
PHARNACES, THAMYRIS, meeting.
THAMYRIS.
My lord! my life! do I again behold thee?
At sight of thee, my terrors all are vanish'd,
Like darkness at the morning's orient beam.

PHARNACES.
Clear rose that orient beam, to set in blood!
And is it thus we meet? O Thamyris!
Thy impious father! But I would not grieve thee.

THAMYRIS.
Canst thou forgive me!—Cruel Athridates!
Why art thou leagued with Rome, whose fell ambition
Spurns Nature's laws, and points the father's sword
E'en at his children's bosoms?

PHARNACES.
Though defeated,
I am not conquer'd; still the mighty spirit
Of Mithridates animates this bosom.
One hope remains: beneath Sinope's walls,
My choicest troops, encamp'd, expect with ardour
Their monarch's presence, as the happy signal
Of conquest and revenge. The gods may give me
To tear the laurel from the faithless brows
Of Rome and Cappadocia, and to strike
The vengeful faulchion to the tyrant's heart.

THAMYRIS.
For me what hope remains? a husband, father,
Arm'd to destroy each other. My lov'd lord!
By the fond passion which unites our souls,
Let me adjure thee, by the rolling years
Of faith unspotted, go not to the field.

PHARNACES.
Soul of my life, forbear! the present moment
Is all the fates allow; I must not hear thee.
Is this a time for softness, when Revenge
Presents her flaming sword, with blood distain'd,
And summons me away! the minutes call:
E'en while I speak, my guiltless people perish:
Terror and death round Athridates stalk;
If soften'd by thy tears my purpose slackens,
'Tis past, and Pontus falls.

THAMYRIS.
Inhuman, go;
Haste to the warring camp, and leave me here,
The savage conqueror's prey; leave thy Eumenes,
Thy helpless son, with me to drag a chain,
To grace the victor's car, and soothe the pride
Of impious Rome.

PHARNACES.
Thy words have rous'd a serpent.
But heaven inspires! Yes! I will save you both.

THAMYRIS.
Then thou wilt stay, and guard with pious care
The palace of thy fathers—guard thy son!
Thy wife! thy people! who with ardent eyes
Look up to thee for safety.

PHARNACES.
On this sword,
Stain'd with the blood of perfidy and fraud—

THAMYRIS.
Why dost thou tremble! say what dreadful purpose.

PHARNACES.
My queen! my best belov'd—to awful Themis,
Protectress of the injur'd, on this sword
Swear to obey whate'er commands the gods
By me impose.

THAMYRIS.
I swear, by awful Themis,
Protectress of the injur'd!

PHARNACES.
Heaven may give me
To conquer in a cause which every god
Must sure approve: but if the haughty eagles
Here bend their fatal flight: if heaven decrees
The subject-world must weep in chains, to glut
Rome's merciless ambition: if Pharnaces
From yonder field, where hope expands her wing,
Returns a breathless corse; or, vanquish'd, leaves thee
A helpless captive in the victor's power—
How shall I speak the rest? See'st thou this dagger?
A husband's last, best gift.

THAMYRIS.
Thou hast divin'd
My soul's unshaken purpose. Thamyris
Will die a queen, and free.

PHARNACES.
Yet there is more.
Now steel thy soul, for I shall wound it deep!
Eumenes!

THAMYRIS.
My child?—Thou canst not mean—

PHARNACES.
Shall he, the royal heir of mighty kings—
A line of heroes—at the conqueror's wheels
Drag a vile chain, a spectacle of scorn
Through Rome's insulting streets? Could'st thou, expiring,
Leave him in Roman bonds?

THAMYRIS.
The dreadful image
Chills every source of life.

PHARNACES.
If Rome prevails,
Deep in his infant bosom plunge that steel,
And save him from dishonour!
[Thamyris faints.
Ha! she dies!
The blood forsakes her cheek! What have I done?
Too far I urg'd her heart.

THAMYRIS.
[Recovering.]
Where is Eumenes!
I thought—but 'twas a dream! Ah! no—that dagger—
The dire remembrance flashes on my soul;
Pharnaces, could thy hand?—Alas, he knows not
A mother's tenderness.

PHARNACES.
Like thee a parent,
I love my child, e'en with a mother's fondness;
Yet to preserve him from ignoble bonds—
But I will trust thy virtue: to thy care
I leave my all, my son, my kingdom's hope.
If heaven directs the battle, we shall meet,
Victorious meet; if not, that mind august
Will speak the rest; 'tis thine to set him free.

THAMYRIS.
And canst thou leave me thus! perhaps for ever!
O! I have much to say—these starting tears—

PHARNACES.
My soul's best treasure! see'st thou not the pangs
Which rend my tortur'd heart? the mighty voice
Of public duty calls me. Does the storm
On us alone descend? At this dread moment
How many weeping matrons mourn their lords!
How many agonizing mothers curse,
In bitterness of soul, thy father's sword!
Wilt thou conspire against me! Pitying gods!
O save me from her sorrows! I must leave thee;
Leave thee midst foes; but 'tis to save from bondage
This bleeding land.

THAMYRIS.
Where has my spirit slept?
Where is that spark of heaven-descended virtue
Which gives the diadem its brightest lustre,
And fires the monarch's bosom? Go, Pharnaces,
Thy duty calls; I yield thee to thy people:
Forgive me; go, thy country's best defender;
And may the gods protect thee!

PHARNACES.
To my child
Bear this embrace, and say—but whilst I linger,
The work of fate goes on. Thou wilt remember—
The faithless Romans come—that steel!—Eumenes!—
The last of Mithridates' conquering race—
The blood of heroes fills his infant veins—
If he is doom'd a slave—

THAMYRIS.
No more, no more:
Tho' horror shakes my frame, yet go secure!—
Trust to my faith;—ne'er shall the conquering race
Of Mithridates blush in chains.

PHARNACES.
Farewell!