 | Zobeide |  |
14
ACT II.
ZOBEIDE, SULMA.SULMA.
But what are your resolves?
ZOBEIDE.
Here to remain,
And pass my days in this wild savage desart.
They shall not see me wearied with an effort
To wait the death of a determin'd father;
Not irritate a power which condemns him.
When to these climes our flight was first propos'd,
A thousand horrid fears besieg'd my fancy;
But time has reconcil'd these drear abodes:
'Tis no more Zobeide at a court ador'd,
No more the Persians, jealous of my smiles,
Pursue the footsteps of declining beauty;
I've sworn a total change of life and manners,
My only pride to emulate a father.
15
Your virtue far surpasses your misfortunes;
In your abasement I behold your grandeur;
I must admire you all;—is your heart fixt
To shun the climes where nature gave you birth?
When dangers threaten, or when ills impend,
We shun the country which disturbs our quiet;
But soon, the clouds dispers'd, we feel regret,
We feel for pleasures which we never knew,
And nature triumphs o'er our vanquish'd fears.
ZOBEIDE.
From the loud raging of a vengeful storm
Heav'n grants this gloomy shelter—here, my friend,
Now all-resign'd, awhile I will endure,
Nor shall you longer share my adverse fortunes:
Among those friends, who have abandon'd me,
You'll find some mind compassionate enough
To recompense the gratitude I owe you.
Go, my dear Sulma, leave me to my fate—
Review proud Ecbatans' most happy people,
And in these desarts leave your faithful Zobeide.
SULMA.
Rather let sudden death pursue such perfidy,
If ever I conceive the base design,
16
I forfeit all for you:—your destiny,
E'en to the tomb, is closely link'd with mine:
But yet I own, with horror and surprize,
I see those charms, which monarchs should adore,
Ignobly lavish'd on a Scythian peasant.
ZOBEIDE.
When I reflect on the indignant outrage
Done to my youth, my family, and name,
A fatal offspring of th'immortal Cyrus;
Banish'd for ever from the Persian court,
For ever bound to curse the faithless Athamand;
When these fell woes are summon'd to my view,
All human things are equal to my eyes;
All are indifferent.
SULMA.
Useless constraint!
Do those deep sighs betray a tranquil mind?
ZOBEIDE.
Cease to disturb the vows I've sworn to heav'n;
I never will review my native land;
If my frail heart would swerve from duty's path,
It must be bound in chains which can't be broken.
17
Th'unhappy father's voluntary victim,
With what reproaches can you load your mind?
ZOBEIDE.
With none.—Gods! I renew my vows—never—
Ye never shall behold the guilt of Zobeide.
SULMA.
Your choice is made then?
ZOBEIDE.
All is fixt.—My father
Prefers the son of his most faithful friend.
SULMA.
Can Zobeide?—
ZOBEIDE.
Behold the sacred altar!
[The back scene opens and discloses the altar.
My happier friends, without regret, prepare
Those fatal chains, which bind these hands for ever.
Enter INDATER.
Where is the lovely bride?—the rites await—
Impatience chides the tardiness of age,
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O let me hear thee speak!—read in those eyes
That I'm the happy object of thy choice!
Marriage with us is as a link of nature
Form'd between souls most liberal and pure:
A warlike youth entreats a warrior's daughter;
Will she partake his travels and his fortunes,
Attend his combats, or avenge his death?
Shall Scythia rival Persia in her pride,
And I receive the world's best gift in Zobeide?
ZOBEIDE.
I know thy virtues, and esteem thy valour,
Thy open candour, and thy generous heart;
I promise thee, I've promis'd too my father—
His choice and mine are sureties for the treaty.
SULMA.
You speak a language foreign to my soul;
And whilst you make me blest, destroy the blessing.
'Tis said, within the walls of Ecbatan,
Those eyes have spread a lustre through the court;
But tell me, Zobeide—is it my misfortune,
Did heav'n ordain thee to adorn a throne?
ZOBEIDE.
It is not thy misfortune—it is mine—
19
I have forgotten all.
INDATER.
Still more ador'd,
Forget it if thou can'st—it lives with me:
Can'st thou, contented, view this rustic shrine,
The sacred monument of ancient worship?
Here do our fathers pay their grateful off'rings,
Not such as useless smoke in prouder climes,
But nature's gifts, fair emblems of their hearts.
ZOBEIDE.
That mind must surely err, whose narrow scope
Confines religion to a place or clime;
A Power unknown, that actuates the world,
Whose eye is just, whose ev'ry thought is wisdom,
Regards alone the tribute of the heart:
Pride in his awful sight shrinks back appall'd;
Humility is eldest born of virtue,
And claims her birth-right at the throne of heav'n.
INDATER.
Some Persians newly landed on our shores
Wish to partake our sports—They'll wond'ring view
A people all united but by virtue.
20
Persians! What sayst thou? Persians—
INDATER.
Thou tremblest.
Can Zobeide fear to view a race of slaves?
ZOBEIDE.
Oh! my dear Sulma!
SULMA.
See your father comes—
INDATER.
Our parents, friends, thy faithful choice companions,
All come to consecrate the solemn feast.
ZOBEIDE.
Away then; I obey.
[To Sulma.
Enter SEYFEL, HERMODON, SCYTHIANS.
HERMODON.
Behold the Altar;
The sacred flame of nature and of love,
Our solemn rites, as simple as ourselves.
21
Thy father's hand prefers a noble youth;
Let truth and honour ratify the vow.
[Indater and Zobeide lay their hands upon the altar.
EPITHALAMIUM.
(The Music composed by Mr. FISHER.)From Imaus' proud top, great Vesta, hear,
Propitious Goddess of the fruitful year.
For thee behold our purest victims bleed,
The spotless heifer and the milk-white steed.
Hear, Vesta, hear thy humble suppliant's pray'r,
And pour thy blessings on the plighted pair.
AIR.
Mr. REINHOLD.
Mild Goddess, hear their mutual vow,
And smile upon their nuptial hour;
Here all thy richest gifts bestow,
And strew their path with ev'ry flow'r.
CHORUS.
Hear, Vesta, hear thy humble suppliant's pray'r,
And pour thy blessings on the plighted pair.
22
Mrs. WOODMAN.
“May mutual truth, with purest light,
“Fair emblem of thy sacred fire,
“Burn ever steady, ever bright,
“And but with life itself expire.
CHORUS.
“Hear, Vesta, hear thy humble suppliant's pray'r,
“And pour thy blessings on the plighted pair.
INDATER.
I swear to you, my country, and myself,
To th'eternal Gods—the object I adore,
To love still more, e'en as encreasing time
Shall onward lead us through life's chequer'd paths;
Ever more faithful—ever more sincere,
To live, to combat, or to die, for her.
ZOBEIDE.
To your high laws, ye pow'rs, I here submit—
I swear to be to him—Gods!—Who is't I see!
23
INDATER.
What sudden terror hath besieg'd her soul?
My fairest friends, O! hasten to her succour.
[Ex. Zobeide, Indater, and Scythians.
ATHAMAND.
Stay, Scythians, stay, O! Seyfel, hear me speak.
SEYFEL.
To what am I reserv'd? accurst misfortune!
ATHAMAND.
Know'st thou me not?
SEYFEL.
Too well—What mad persuasion
Conducts thy erring steps to these retreats?
Thy monarch set a price upon my head;
Would'st thou demand it?—Do,—misguided man!
But tremble for thy own.—I stand amaz'd
To see thee brave a race that fear not kings.
ATHAMAND.
O! people, fam'd for justice, hear me speak;
'Tis Cyrus' nephew makes you judge between us.
HERMODON.
Nephew to Cyrus! and among the Scythians!
24
Stern justice leads me on—In vain you threaten,
Unfortunate old man—In me behold
Thy future stay—the comfort of thy age.
'Tis true, a monarch robb'd thee of thy fame;
A sentence most unjust prevail'd against thee.
Scythians, that monarch is no more—I flew
With wings of speed to bring th'important news:
Thou shalt partake my treasures and my pow'r.
What prince before did ever quit a throne,
To trace the footsteps of an injur'd friend?
Hear me then, Seyfel—hear thy country's voice;
Yield to a monarch's suit, a monarch's vows,
Yield to these tears, which speak my deep remorse.
SEYFEL.
Thou can'st not hence seduce me, generous Athamand;
If deep remorse had struck thy thorny breast,
Or meek repentance worn thy soul with care,
Spite of the ills I'd felt, I ought to pardon.
But O! I trace the source of this distraction;
It cannot be for me those tears are shed:
Leave me then, Athamand—my doom is fixt:
Here will I languish out a weary life,
25
The ties shall be redoubled that unite us.
[Ex. Hermodon, Seyfel, and Scythians.
ATHAMAND.
I stand immoveable—O heaven! O destiny!
O! fatal passion, bent on my destruction!
Gone! Is he fled?—would he not stay to hear?
The fiercest Dæmon of infernal vengeance
Might glut his rage to see a monarch humbled.
But say, my Hasan, why yon altar burns?
Those lights? those garlands?—Why the nuptial torch?
A woman too was dragg'd in haste away
At our approach—Ye pow'rs! What have I seen?
Remorse will change to an avenging fury!
Gods, steel my injur'd heart!
HASAN.
Think where you are;
Your grandeur serves but to inflame their fierceness;
They know how to defend—vengeance they adore—
They pardon not, if once they are offended.
26
I scorn them all—I've seen them in our camps,
Their stoutest warriors, and their ablest men;
A lifeless race compar'd with Persian troops.
HASAN.
But sovereigns 'mong themselves—
ATHAMAND.
Why wilt thou thwart
My stern resolves,—the transports that inflame me!
My passions bear me on, and reason not—
Had I us'd reason I had ne'er been here!
Zobeide might drag me to earth's utmost verge;
Her loaded slave now brings again his chains,
To chain himself to fortune that pursues him,
To snatch her from a most indignant slav'ry,
Which this old man imposes on her youth,
To die then at her feet with love or madness,
If this torn heart can never soften her's.
HASAN.
Hear but a moment—
ATHAMAND.
I will not hear.
27
Stay.
ATHAMAND.
Why stay?
This vile, this ignominious rival
Insults my woes, and outrages my honour.
To make him master of all earthly blessings?
I cannot take alarm too soon, my friend;
A peasant here is pois'd against a monarch;
Can any parent force a choice so vile?—
She is possess'd of nobleness of soul,
Nor can demean herself to wed a slave.
HASAN.
Pride is inconstant—she—
ATHAMAND.
Raise no foul doubts.
If pity cannot move her wretched father—
My tears despis'd, he trembles at my anger.
A prince is but a man, and man may err;
But when forgetting his ennobled rank,
He makes due reparation for his faults,
From heaven he pardon hopes, from man demands it.
END OF THE SECOND ACT.
| Zobeide | |