University of Virginia Library

SCENE VII.

Enter Emirena.
Adr.
Most lovely Emirena—

[meeting her.
Osr.
Better first
It fits for me to unfold our purpose to her.

Adr.
'Tis true.

Emir.
[aside.]
What mean their looks and glad deportment?

Osr.
Amidst our sufferings, still, my dearest daughter,
We may rejoice. Would'st thou believe it? Yes,
I, in thy beauty, find a recompense
For all my losses past.

Emir.
What means my father?

Adr.
[to Emir.]
The flame sincere—

Osr.
First, Adrian, let me speak.

Adr.
Even as thou wilt.

Osr.
[to Emir.]
Such virtue in thine eyes
Indulgent Heaven has lavish'd, that our victor
Becomes our slave: he sighs for thee, and offers
All for thy sake; forgets our enmity,
And stoops to be a suppliant: he abhors
His life without thee, and in thee adores
His tutelary goddess.

Adr.
[to Emir.]
Yours the power—

Osr.
[to him.]
I have not finish'd yet.

Adr.
[aside.]
He tortures me
With this delay.

Osr.
[to Emir.]
Now, hear a father's voice,
And in the deep recesses of thy heart
Engrave his last command: let me at least
In dying leave thee my avenger—hate
The tyrant with a hatred great as mine,
Which unextinguish'd here for ever flames,
And this be thy inheritance.

Adr.
Ha! Osrhoes!

Osr.
Let neither fear nor hope unite thee to him;
View him henceforth in every pang of suffering,
With frenzy burn and rage with hopeless love.

Adr.
Just Gods! insulted thus!

Osr.
Now, Cæsar, speak:
Osrhoes has finish'd.

Adr.
Rash, unhappy man!
Dost thou not know thou call'st the thunder down
That soon may crush thee?

Osr.
Rave, thou haughty tyrant,
Thy anguish is my triumph.

Adr.
Gods! what fury!
Can man resemble thus the savage kind?
I gaze, and all my anger's lost in wonder.

[Exit.