Don Garcia :: :: University of Virginia Library

Cosmo, Eleonora.
Cos.
No, I am not mistaken; no: a son
More worthy than Diego we possess not;
The honour of the throne, his father's safety,
The universal peace, he has at heart.
I had indubitable proofs of this
From his own lips a little while ago.

Ele.
Then hast thou never in my Garcia found
Love, judgment, gentleness of character,
And pliancy of heart?

Cos.
What words are these?
How dost thou designate that rebel spirit?
Of all my sons, he is the only one
Unworthy of the name. What do I say,
Among my sons? Far, far more than by him,
By every other am I loved and reverenced.
A serpent, who on me turns all his rage,
And his dire poison, in my breast I cherish.
How difficulty, when to him I listen'd,
Did I restrain my rage! Surmise is now
Matured to certainty: and Garcia is ...

Ele.
What has he done? What has he said? In what
Offended thee? Alas ...

Cos.
What has he said?
Whilst of a mortal foe I plan the death,
He dares to counsel me to pardon him.
Thence, much as I abhor him, he abhors not
The guilty Salviati? Thence my foes
Are not his foes?

Ele.
And is not every man
Thy subject that dwells here? If this, or that,
It pleaseth thee to slay, dost thou not do it?
'Tis in a son a venial offence
To supplicate his sire to be less cruel.
'Tis true, that neither Piero nor Diego
From bloodshed dared dissuade thee: Garcia dared.
What doth this indicate, except that he
Is more benignant, and for human blood
Pants not?

Cos.
This overweening, ill-placed love,
More than it ought to do, thy judgment blinds.
Thou'st made an idol to thyself in Garcia;
Save him thou lovest, and thou seest nothing:
That which I call a crime, dar'st thou in him
Call virtue?—
This altercation is not new betwixt us,
But every day it more displeases me.
And thou wilt make an effort to myself
Most acceptable, if within thy heart
Thou hide a love so partial and unjust.

Ele.
An unjust love? Ah! if there be who thus
Can prove it to me, I at once will change it.
Not on the words, but actions of my sons,

My observation has been fix'd.

Cos.
So be it;
If then thou wilt, in spite of me, let him
Be dear to thee; so that I never more
Hear thee excuse his failings. In my palace,
The first and only virtue is to please me:
This virtue hitherto I see not in him:
It doth belong to thee to teach him this;
To thee, ... if thou sincerely lovest him.

Ele.
And hath not Garcia always bent his brow
To thy behests?

Cos.
What merit hath obedience?
And this sufficeth it? And not to do it,
Who now would have the hardihood?—He ought
To speak not only as I speak, but ought
To think e'en as I think: he who has not
A nature like to mine, should change it: yes:
Not simulate, but change it. Of my race,
And of my realm, I am the head; the soul
Am I, with which each living creature here
Is animated.—Nor, on guilty Garcia,
Had he not been my son, had I bestow'd
Even a warning ere I punish'd him.
Hence is his crime assuredly augmented;
But yet once more, or ere his chastisement,
Once only will I make him hear a voice,
That from perdition's path may rescue him.