 | Artaxerxes |  |
12
SCENE V.
Artaxerxes, Megabyzus.Artax.
What victim must I slay! O Megabyzus!
Mega.
Remove your doubts: one stroke alone will punish
An impious murderer and secure your reign.
Artax.
But to the world my justice may appear
A thirst of empire—O this thought alone
Will blot the peace of all my future days!
No—no—it must not be: let me be gone
And call the sentence back.
[going.
Mega.
My lord! what would you?
Now is the time to avenge your private wrongs.
Learn to be cruel from your cruel brother,
He oft has taught it you.
Artax.
Yet ought not I
To imitate his crimes: his frequent guilt
Acquits not mine. Is there a fault on earth
But what may plead example? None are guilty,
If to produce example may suffice
To wipe away the stain.
Mega.
But self-defence
Is nature's law: unless you take his life
By him you must be slain.
Artax.
O no—my danger
Shall find the favour of protecting Jove
To save me from a brother's impious rage.
[going.
| Artaxerxes | |