Pho. By heaven, the glorious expectation swells This panting bosom! Yes, Euphrasia, yes; Awhile I leave you to the care of heaven. Fell Dionysius tremble; ere the dawn, Timoleon thunders at your gates! the rage, The pent-up rage of twenty thousand Greeks, Shall burst at once; and the tumultuous roar Alarm th' astonish'd world.

Evan. Yet, ere thou go'st, young man, Attend my words: though guilt may oft provoke, As now it does, just vengeance on its head, In mercy punish it. The rage of slaughter Can add no trophy to the victor's triumph; Conquest is proud, inexorable, fierce; It is humanity ennobles all.

Pho. Farewell! the midnight hour shall give you freedom.

[Exit with Mel. and Phil. Euph. Ye guardian dieties, watch all his ways! Evan. Come, my Euphrasia,

Together we will pour

Our hearts in praise, in tears of adoration, For all the wondrous goodness lavis'd on us.

ACT V. SCENE L

Enter DIONYSIUS and CALIPPUS.

[Exeunt.

Dion. The troops retir'd

To gain recruited vigour from repose?
Cal. The city round lies hush'd in sleep.
Dion. Anon,

Let each brave officer, of chosen valour,
Meet at the citadel. An hour at furthest
Before the dawn, 'tis fix'd to storm their camp;
Haste, Calippus.

Fly to thy post, and bid Euphrasia enter.

[Exit Calippus. Evander dies this night: Euphrasia, too, Shall be dispos'd of. Curse on Phocion's fraud, That from my pow'r withdrew their infant boy: In him the seed of future kings were crush'd, And the whole hated line at once extinguish'd. Enter EUPHRASIA.

Dion. Once more approach, and hear me: 'tis not now

A time to waste in the vain war of words.
A crisis big with horror is at hand.

I meant to spare the stream of blood, that soon
Shall deluge yonder plains. My fair proposals,
Thy haughty spirit has with scorn rejected:
And now, by heav'n, here, in thy very sight,
Evander breathes his last.

Euph. If yet there's wanting

A crime to fill the measure of thy guilt,
Add that black murder to the dreadful list;
With that complete the horrors of thy reign.
Dion. Woman, beware: Philotas is at hand,
And to our presence leads Evander. All

L

Thy dark complottings, and thy treach'rous arts, Have prov'd abortive.

Euph. Ha! What new event?

And is Philotas false? Has he betray'd him?

Dion. What, ho! Philotas.

Enter PHILOTAS.

Euph. How my heart sinks within me! Dion. Where's your pris'ner?

Phil. Evander is no more.

Dion. Ha! Death has robb'd me Of half my great revenge.

Phil. Worn out with anguish,

(Aside.)

I saw life ebb apace. With studied art,
We gave each cordial drop, alas! in vain;
He heav'd a sigh; invok'd his daughter's name
Smil'd, and expir'd.

Dion. Bring me his hoary head.

Phil. You'll pardon, sir, my over-hasty zeal :
I gave the body to the foaming surge,
Down the steep rock, despis'd.

Dion. Now, then, thou feel'st my vengeance.
Euph. Glory in it:

Exult and triumph. Thy worst shaft is sped.
Yet still the unconquer'd mind with scorn can view

These tears attest th' emotions of my heart. But, oh! should Greece defer

Phil. Dispel thy fears;

Phocian will bring relief; or should the tyrant
Assault their camp, he'll meet a marshall'd foe.
Let me conduct thee to the silent tomb.

Euph. Ah! there Evander, naked and disarm'd, Defenceless quite, may meet some ruffian stroke. Phil. Lo! here's a weapon; bear this dagger to him.

In the drear monument, should hostile steps
Dare to approach him, they must enter singly;
This guards the passage; man by man they die.
There may'st thou dwell amidst the wild commo-
tion.

Euph. Ye pitying gods, protect my father there!

SCENE II.-The Citade!.

Enter DIONYSIUS, CALIPPUS, and several Officers.
Dion. Ye brave associates, who so oft have shar'd
Our toil and danger in the field of glory,
My fellow-warriors, what no god could promise,
Fortune has giv'n us. In his dark embrace,
Lo! sleep envelops the whole Grecian camp.
Against a foe, the outcasts of their country,
Freebooters, roving in pursuit of prey,
Success by war, or covert stratagem,
Alike is glorious. Then, my gallant friends,
What need of words? The gen'rous call of freedom,
Your wives, your children, your invaded rights,

All that can steel the patriot breast with valour,
Expands and rouses in the swelling heart.
Follow the impulsive ardour; follow me,
Your king, your leader: in the friendly gloom
Of night assault their camp: your country's love
And fame eternal shall attend the men
Who march'd through blood and horror, to redeem
From the invader's pow'r, their native land.

Cal. Lead to the onset: Greece shall find we bear

Hearts prodigal of blood, when honour calls;
Resolv'd to conquer, or to die in freedom.

Dion. Thus I've resolv'd: when the declining

moon

Hath veil'd her orb, our silent march begins.
The order thus: Calippus, thou lead forth
Iberia's sons with the Numidian bands,

And line the shore. Perdiceas, be it thine

To march thy cohorts to the mountain's foot, Where the wood skirts the valley; there make

halt,

Till brave Amyntor stretch along the vale.
Ourself, with the embodied cavalry,

Clad in their mail'd cuirass, will circle round
To where their camp extends its furthest line;
Unnumber'd torches there shall blaze at once,
The signal of the charge; then, oh! my friends,
On every side let the wild uproar loose,
Bid massacre and carnage stalk around,
Unsparing, unrelenting; drench your swords
In hostile blood, and riot in destruction.
Enter an Officer.

Ha? speak; unfold thy purpose.

Offi. Instant arm;

To arms, my liege; the foe breaks in upon us;
The subterraneous path is theirs; that way
Their band invades the city sunk in sleep.

Dion. Treason's at work; detested, treach'rous villains!

Is this their promis'd truce? Away, my friends!
Rouse all the war; fly to your sev'ral posts,
And instant bring all Syracuse in arms.
[Exeunt. Warlike music.

SCENE III.-The Inside of the Temple; a monument in the middle.

Enter EUPHRASIA, ERIXENE, and female Atten

dants.

Enter DIONYSIUS and CALIPPUS, with several Soldiers.

Dion. Here will I mock their seige; here stand at bay,

And brave 'em to the last.

Euphrasia here! Detested, treach'rous woman!
For my revenge preserv'd! By heav'n 'tis well;
Vengeance awaits thy guilt, and this good sword
Thus sends thee to atone the bleeding victims
This night has masacred.

Cal. (Holding Dionysius' arm.) My liege; forbear!

Her life preserv'd, may plead your cause with Greece,

And mitigate your fate.

Dion. Presumptuous slave!

My rage is up in arms; by heav'n she dies.
Enter EVANDER from the tomb.

Evan. Horror! forbear! Thou murd'rer, hold thy hand!

The gods behold thee, horrible assassin!
Restrain the blow; it were a stab to heav'n;
All nature shudders at it! Will no friend
Arm in a cause like this a father's hand?
Strike at his bosom rather. Lo! Evander,
Prostrate and grovelling on the earth before thee;
He begs to die; exhaust the scanty drops
That lag about his heart; but spare my child.

Dion. Evander ! Do my eyes once more behold him?

May the fiends sieze Philotas! Treach'rous slave! 'Tis well thou liv'st; thy death were poor revenge. From any hand but mine. (Offers to strike.) (Rushing before Evander.) I have provok'd your vengeance; through this bosom

Euph. No, tyrant, no;

Open a passage; first on me, on me
Exhaust your fury; ev'ry pow'r above
Commands thee to respect that aged head;
His wither'd frame wants blood to glut thy rage,
Strike here; these veins are full; here's blood
enough;

The purple tide will gush to glad thy sight.
(Flourish of trumpets.)

[Exit, with Officers.

Dion. Ha! the flerce tide of war, This way comes rushing on. Euph. (Embracing Evander.) father,

We'll perish thus together.

Dion. (Without.) Bar the gates;

Oh! thus, my

Close every passage, and repel their force.

Evan. And must I see thee bleed? Oh! for a

Cla. No, indeed, father: since you desired me not too meet Lothair-and I told him what you had desired-I have never seen him but in the cottage here, when you were present.

Kel. You are a good girl-a dutiful child, and I believe you-you never yet deceived me. Cla. Nor ever will, dear father-butKel. But what?

he has protected you and your child, and I honour him.

Kel. If not to Grindoff, to whom do you allude? Lot. Listen:- as I crossed the hollow way in the forest, I heard a rustling in the copse. Claudine had reached the bank above. As I was following, voices, subdued and whispering, struck my ear Her name was distinctly pronounced: "She comes,"

Kel. Without Lothair?

Cla. You know, 'tis dangerous, father.

Cla. But the robbers!

Kel. Robbers! what then?-they cannot injure thee or thy father-alas! we have no more to lose -yet thou hast one treasure left, innocence !guard well thy heart, for should the fatal passion there take root, 'twill rob thee of thy peace.

Cla. You told me, once, love's impulse could not be resisted.

Kel. When the object is worthless, it should not be indulged.

Cla. Is Lothair worthless?

Kel. No; but he is poor almost as you are.
Ca. Do riches without love give happiness?
Kel. Never.

Cla. Then I must be unhappy if I wed the miller Grindoff.

Kel. Not so-not so;-independence gives comfort, but love without competence is endless misery. You can never wed Lothair.

Cla. (Sighing.) I can never love the miller.

Kel. Then you shall never marry him-though to see you Grindoff's wife be the last wish of your old father's heart.-Go in, child; go in, Claudine. (Claudine kisses h's hand, and exit into the cottage.) 'Tis plain her heart is rivetted to Lothair, and honest Grindoff yet must sue in vain.

the second: and instantly two men advanced; a sudden exclamation burst from my lips, and arrested their intent; they turned to seek me, and intruder. Stretched beneath a bush of holly, I lay concealed; they passed within my reach; I scarcely breathed, while I observed them to be ruffians, uncouth and savage-they were banditti. Kel. Banditti! are they not yet content? that I had-all that the hand of Providence had spared, they have deprived me of; and would they take my child?

All

Lot. 'Tis plain they would. Now, Kelmar, hear the last proposal of him you have rejected. I'll seek these robbers! if I should fall, your daughter will more readily obey your wish, and become the wife of Grindoff. If I should succeed, promise her to me. The reward I shall receive will secure our future comfort, and thus your fears and your objections both are satisfied.

Kel. (Affected.) Lothair, thou art a good lad, a noble lad, and worthy my daughter's love; she had been freely thine, but that by sad experience I know how keen the pangs of penury are to a parent's heart.

Lot. I'll follow; it may be my last farewell. Kel. Come in I see the mill has stopped. Grindoff will be here anon; he always visits me at night-fall, when labour ceases. Come.

[Exit Kelmar into the cottage.

Lot. Yes, at the peril of my life, I'll seek them. With the juice of herbs my face shall be discoloured, and, in the garb of misery, I'll throw myself within their power the rest I leave to Providence. (Music.) But the miller comes.

[Exit to the cottage, the miller appears in rerspective coming from the crag in the rock-the boat disappears on the opposite side.

Enter the two Robbers, RIBER and GOLOTZ, hastily, -they rush up to the cottage, and peep in at the window.

Rib. (Retiring from the window.) We are too lateshe has reached the cottage.

Gol. Curse on the interruption that detained us; we shall be rated for this failure.

Rib. Hush! not so loud. (Goes again cautiously to the window of the cottage.) Ha! Lothair.

Gol. Lothair! 'twas he, then, that marred our purpose; he shall smart for't.

Rib. Back! back! he comes. On his return he dies; he cannot pass us both.