Heph. Your mercy flew too late : Perdiccas | Shall now be his, that serves me best in war : had, Made the sun start, as the spectators thought, Cried out, "O Parisatis, take my life; To be devoured by this most dreadful creature.' His prey, and with a roar, that made us pale, vage, Faint with that loss, sunk to the blushing earth, Leaped on his back, and dashed his skull to pieces. my brave soldier, think not all the prayers Of the lamenting queens could move my soul Like what thou hast performed: Grow to my [Embraces him. Lys. However love did hurry my wild arm, When I was cool, my feverish blood did bate, And as I went to death, I blest the king. breast. Neither reply, but mark the charge I give, nour; Health to their bodies, and eternal fame [Sound. [Lysimachus offers Clytus a Persian robe, which he refuses. Cly. O vanity ! Aler. Ha! what says Clytus? Who am I ? Cly. The son of good king Philip. By all my kindred in the skies, [Here follows an entertainment of Indian singers Alex. Hold, hold; Clytus, take the robe. The weather's hot; besides you know my hu mour. Alex. O'tis not well: I'd burn rather than be So singular and froward. Cly. So would I, Burn, hang, or drown, but in a better cause ; Alex. You will be excused; But let him have his humour, he is old. Cly. So was your father, sir-This to his me mory: Sound all the trumpets there. Alex. They shall not sound Till the king drinks-By Mars, I cannot take All, all are, Alexander's enemies; Which I could tame-Yes, the rebellious world Aler. Lysimachus, we both have been trans- | Should feel my wrath-But let the sports go on. ported, heart; But from this hour be certain of my Lys. I have no wounds to hinder, Aler. Hephestion, thy hand, embrace him close; Though next my heart you hang, the jewel there, Heph. Lysimachus, the king looks sad; let us I mounted, spite of showers of stones, bars, arawake him : Health to the son of Jupiter Ammon! Every man take his goblet in his hand, Kneel all, and kiss the earth with adoration. Aler. Sound, sound, that all the universe may That I could speak like Jove, to tell abroad I am unworthy, sir. Aler. I know thou art, Thou enviest my great honour-Sit, my friends; rows, And all the lumber, which they thundered down, Lys. Turn the discourse, my lord, the old man Alex. Was I a woman, when, like Mercury, And hurled them back with most unconquered Cly. Twas all bravado, for before you leaped, You saw that I had burst the gates asunder. Aler. Did I then turn me, like a coward, round, To seek for succour? Age cannot be so base; That thou wert young again! I would put off Heph. I think the sun himself ne'er saw a My majesty, to be more terrible, march, And fought beneath his dreadful banner, where The laboured battle sweat, and conquest bled. Aler. Spite! by the gods, proud spite! and Is then my glory come to this at last, To vanquish women? Nay, he said the stoutest here That, like an eagle, I might strike this hare To bold Rhesaces' sword; you hate me for it, Alex. Away! your breath's too hot. Alex. Go, leave the banquet: Thus far I for- Cly. Forgive yourself for all your blasphemies, The riots of a most debauched and bloated life; Philotas' murder Alex. Ha! What said the traitor? Lys. Eumenes, let us force him hence. Heph. You shall not tarry: Drag him to the Cly. No, let him send me, if I must be gone, To great Parmenio, to his slaughtered sons: Heph. Hold, sir! [Takes one from the guards. Alex. Off, sirrah! lest At once I strike it through his heart and thine. Lys. O sacred sir, have but a moment's patience! Alex. Preach patience to another lion-what, Hold my arms? I shall be murdered here, Alex. Where is the traitor? Cly. Sure there is none about you; [Kneel. But here stands honest Clytus, whom the king Invited to his banquet. Alex. Begone and sup with Philip, [Strikes him through. Parmenio, Attalus, Calisthenes; And let bold subjects learn, by thy sad fate, To tempt the patience of a man much above them. Cly. The rage of wine is drowned in gushing O Alexander, I have been to blame ; Cly. I should have killed myself, had I but To be once sober-Now I fall with honour, My own hand would have brought foul death.— O pardon! [Dies. Alex. Then I am lost; what has my vengeance done? Who is it thou hast slain? Clytus; what was he? Thou foughtst bare-headed at the river Granicus, Thy friends will shun thee now, and stand at distance, Nor dare to speak their minds, nor eat with thee, For we must never part. Cruel Hephestion Lys. Dear sir, we did. Alex. I know it; Ye held me like a beast, to let me go And barred my rage with their advancing points; Till I had seen what ruin did attend me : were urged Alex. No, you have let me stain my rising virtue, Which else had ended brighter than the sun. Death, hell, and furies! you have sunk my glory: Oh, I am all a blot, which seas of tears, And my heart's blood, can never wash away; Yet 'tis but just I try, and on the point, Still reeking, hurl my black polluted breast. Heph. O sacred sir, that must not be. Eum. Forgive my pious hands. Lys. And mine, that dare disarm my master. Alex. Yes, cruel men, ye now can shew your strength! Here's not a slave but dares oppose my justice; That tend to save my life-Here I will lie[ Falls. Lys. I know not, my wounds bleed afresh With striving with him: Perdiccas, lend us your arin. [Eennt Perdiccas, Lysimachus. Heph. Call Aristander hither; Or Meleager, let us force him from the body. Cries without-Arm! Arm! Treason, Treason! Enter PERDICCAs bloody. Per. Haste, all take arms! Hephestion, where's the king? Heph. There, by old Clytus' side, whom he has slain. Per. Then misery on misery will fall, Like rolling billows, to advance the storm. Rise, sacred sir, and haste to aid the queen;. Roxana, filled with furious jealousy, Came with a guard of Zogdian slaves unmasked, And broke upon me with such sudden rage, That all are perished, who resistance made: I only with these wounds, through clashing spears, Have forced my way, to give you timely notice. Alex. What says Perdiccas? Is the queen in danger? Per. She dies, unless you turn her fate, and quickly: Your distance from the place asks more speed, And the ascent to the flying grove is high." Alex. Thus from my grave I rise to save my love, All draw your swords, with wings of lightning, move; When I rush on, sure none will dare to stay, "Tis beauty calls, and glory shews the way. [Exeunt. SCENE I. ACT V. STATIRA is discovered sleeping in the bower of SEMIRAMIS; the spirits of Queen STATIRA, her Mother, and DARIUS, appear standing on each side of her, with daggers, threatening her. They sing. Dar. Is innocence so void of cares, That it can undisturbed sleep, Amidst the noise of horrid wars, That make immortal spirits weep? Stat. No boding crows, nor ravens come, To warn her of approaching doom. Dar. She walks, as she dreams, in a garden of flowers, And her hands are employed in the beautiful bowers; She dreams of the man that is far from the grove, And the nightingales lull her more fast with a Dar. And be such another as I. Stat. As I. Enter ROXANA, with slaves and a dagger. Ror. At length we have conquered this stu pendous height, These flying groves, whose wonderful ascent Stat. Then all the vision's true, [Retires. And I must die, lose my dear lord for ever: That, that is the murderer. my rival? Ror. Shut the brazen gate, Would awe a princess, that is born above her? Stat. No, barbarous woman, though I durst As boldly as our lord, with a resolve, Chorus. And be such another as I. [Exeunt. This sure will sink you. STATIRA Sola. Stat. Bless me, ye powers above, and guard my virtue! I saw, nor was't a dream, I saw and heard I heard their heavenly voices: Where, O where The motion of my robes makes my heart leap. Fain I would hide my blushes- Stat. No, Roxana, no: The blow you give will strike me to the stars, Stat. A thousand spirits tell me : Stat. While you, the burden of the earth, Rox. Heaven witness for me, I would spare If any thing but Alexander's love Stat. The world is less than Alexander's love, Your friend! What, must I bring you then together? Adore your bed, and see you softly laid? Stat. Yet hold thy hand advanced in air; What, you would have him mourn you as you fall? I'll have thy body thrown into a well, Enter PHYSICIANS. Stat. My cruel love, my weeping Alexander, Would I had died before you entered here! For now I ask my heart an hundred questions; What! must I lose my life, my lord, for ever? Alex. Ha! villains, are they mortal?—what, Raise your dashed spirits from the earth, and say, Ror. Rend not your temper; see a general silence Confirms the bloody pleasure, which I sought; She dies. Alex. And darest thou, monster, `think to escape? Stat. Life's on the wing,-my love, my lord, Come to my arms, and take the last adieu. Here let me lie, and languish out my soul. Alex. Answer me, father, wilt thou take her from me? What, is the black, sad hour at last arrived, And shot me with a thousand thousand smiles? loved lord, I swear by Orosmades, 'tis more pleasure, Aler. All, all, but speak that I may execute Before I follow thee. Stat. Leave not the earth Before Heaven calls you; spare Roxana's life. Alex. Close not thy eyes; To give them an account of life and death, ever. Rox. 'Tis certain now you never shall enjoy her; |