 | Irene |  |
SCENE II.
Cali, Demetrius, Leontius, Abdalla.Demetrius.
When will Occasion smile upon our Wishes,
And give the Tortures of Suspence a Period?
Still must we linger in uncertain Hope?
Still languish in our Chains, and dream of Freedom
Like thirsty Sailors gazing on the Clouds,
Till burning Death shoots through their wither'd Limbs?
Cali.
Deliverance is at Hand; for Turkey's Tyrant
Sunk in his Pleasures, confident and gay,
With all the Heroe's dull Security,
Trusts to my Care his Mistress and his Life,
And laughs and wantons in the Jaws of Death.
Leontius.
So weak is Man, when destin'd to Destruction,
The Watchful slumber, and the Crafty trust.
Cali.
At my Command yon' Iron Gates unfold;
At my Command the Sentinels retire;
With all the Licence of Authority,
Through bowing Slaves, I range the private Rooms,
And of To-morrow's Action fix the Scene.
Demetrius.
To-morrow's Action? Can that hoary Wisdom
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That fatal Mistress of the Young, the Lazy,
The Coward, and the Fool, condemn'd to lose
An useless Life in waiting for To-morrow,
To gaze with longing Eyes upon To-morrow,
Till interposing Death destroys the Prospect!
Strange! that this gen'ral Fraud from Day to Day
Should fill the World with Wretches undetected.
The Soldier lab'ring through a Winter's March,
Still sees To-morrow drest in Robes of Triumph;
Still to the Lover's long-expecting Arms,
To-morrow brings the visionary Bride.
But thou, too old to bear another Cheat,
Learn, that the present Hour alone is Man's.
Leontius.
The present Hour with open Arms invites,
Seize the kind Fair, and press her to thy Bosom.
Demetrius.
Who knows, ere this important Morrow rise,
But Fear, or Mutiny may taint the Greeks?
Who knows if Mahomet's awaking Anger
May spare the fatal Bow-string till To-morrow?
Abdalla.
Had our first Asian Foes but known this Ardour,
We still had wander'd on Tartarian Hills.
Rouse, Cali, shall the Sons of conquer'd Greece,
Lead us to Danger, and abash their Victors?
This Night with all her conscious Stars be witness,
Who merits most, Demetrius or Abdalla.
Demetrius.
Who merits most!—I knew not we were Rivals.
Cali.
Young Man, forbear—The Heat of Youth, no more—
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Soon as the Veil of Evening clouds the Sky,
With cautious Secrecy, Leontius steer
Th' appointed Vessel to yon' shaded Bay,
Form'd by this Garden jutting on the Deep;
There, with your Soldiers arm'd, and Sails expanded,
Await our coming, equally prepar'd
For speedy Flight, or obstinate Defence.
[Exit Leont.
| Irene | |