all my Youth To nip the tender Bud and blast my Glory Yet I will live Semandra I will live To save thee from thy Father's cruel rage For wicked as thou art with grief I feel My Soul looks after thee and seeks thy safety Sem. I shall not hold I feel the climbing grief My eyes grow full and I shall give him Death Aside Ziph. Farewel Thus kneeling at thy feet I pour These parting tears and sure the happy King In pity will allow this dying Kiss Which my cold lips print on thy faithless hand Oh all my Vows for ever here I leave you And since we never never must behold Each other more I 'll breath'em once again Farewel Semandra O thou 'lt never find In all thy search of Love a heart like mine Once more Farewel for ever false Semandra What yet again thy name will my Charm'd tongue Sound nothing but Semandra Oh Semandra Exit Enter Mithridates with Priests Sem. The cruel Task is done and I can hold No longer Come back Semandra Empire Empire calls thee Op'n thy eyes to meet thy coming glory O barb'rous Prince may I not die in quiet Mith. Talk not of dying See this Holy Man Sem. Holy Profane All things are now alike to my distraction Mith. He instantly shall joyn your hand with mine Sem. What means the Tyrant Mith. You are now our Queen Sem. First let me seek a Dragon in his Den Imbrace an Aspic curl with Basilisks E're I give up this Body this poor Beauty To any but my Lord the wrong'd Ziphares Mith. I guess you wou'd not by your free consent But I shall force if you refuse to yield This moment I will take you in my Chariot Streight to the Temple and in publick Wed you Tho you refuse to joyn in Ceremony Instead of sacred words venting loud Curses 'T will not avail for when the Mystery's done I 'll bear you back and as my Queen enjoy you Sem. I will be drag'd die stifled with my grief Mith. You have the Will but not the Power to die Sem. None is there none no pitying God awake And are your Priests Confederate in my ruine They sure will tell you of your Tyranny And fear too much the anger of the Heav'ns To force a helpless Virgin they will speak Your Crimes abroad will you not Holy Men Mith. Let me but hear the Holiest of 'em cross me By Heav'n he shall go Sacrifice beneath Therefore away Priest forward to the Temple Sem. Help help you Gods Mith. All thought of help is vain Give me your beauteous hand and willingly Or here are arms to bear you Sem. Let 'em be Call all your Armies hither to your aid I will not stir nor give this trembling hand To gain an Empire thus to th' Earth I 'll grow One piece O root me here some pitying God And let me lose my being to escape him Mith. Andravar raise her gently from the ground They take her in their arms Take help and bring her softly to my Chariot Sem. Stay Mithridates hear me but one word One moments stay ev'n Malefactors are Allow'd to speak before their Execution And shall not I I who am Innocent 'T is not to thee but to the Gods I bow Behold but see from you from you they take me O save me thus by cruel men betray'd Revenge your selves and right a Ravish'd Maid ACT IV. SCENE I. Mithridates incompass'd with the Ghosts of his Sons who set Daggers to his Breast and vanish WHat Hoa Pelopidas why Andravar Haste to my help Enter Pelopidas Andravar Pelop. What wou'd your Majesty Mith. I wou'd what I must ne're expect on Earth The Peace I had Come nearer Oh my Friends If Fate did e're foreshow a Doom in sleep Mine is at hand Last night you well remember I bore Semandra from the Thund'ring Gods Who shook the deep Foundations of the Temple With the reports of Wrath Divine yet I This desperate wretch through streets of fire did bear her Back in a Swoon to my most inward Closet But there you left me left me to the rage Of monstrous Love which in the midst of faintings With Transports yet unheard-of forc'd a Joy Whose momentary pleasures will heap on me Whole Worlds of Furies Hells of endless horrour Pelop. But Sir the Dream that may divert your cares Mith. Divert ' em rather let me gather all my courage To Bulwark in my Soul O plant me round With your kind Bodies blunt if possible Heav'ns whetted vengeance while I tell the Vision After the dreadful Extasie was over The Ravish'd Maid half-dead with shrieking pray'rs Burst at the last from my relenting Arms Ran to my Sword of which when I disarm'd her She fled the Room with cries like one distracted Prest with Remorse I rested on my Couch And slept but oh a Dream so full of terrour The pale the trembling midnight Ravisher Ne're saw when cold Lucretia's Mourning-Shadow His Curtains drew and lash'd him in the eyes With her bright Tresses dabbled in her blood Pelop. I have heard of Dreams that have prov'd Ominous But I cou'd never fix my Faith on Fancies Mith. Methought by Heav'nly Order I was doom'd To seek my Fate alive in th' other World Streight like a Feather I was borne by Winds To a steep Promontory's top from whence I saw the very Mouth of Op'ning Hell Shooting so fast through the void Caves of night I had not time to ponder of my passage I shot the Lake of Oaths where Fleeting Ghosts Whose Bodies were unbury'd beg'd for wastage Then was I thrown down the Infernal Courts Infinite fathom till I soar'd again To the bright Heav'nly Plains the happy Fields Andr. I wonder that the brittle thred of thought Shou'd hold in such a maze Mith. Oh now it comes After that Heav'nly Sounds had Charm'd my Ears Methought I saw the Spirits of my Sons Slain by my jealousie of their Ambition Who shriek'd He 's come our cruel Father 's come Arm arm they cry'd through all th' enamell'd Grove Streight had their cries alarm'd the wounded Host Of all those Romans massacred in Asia I heard the empty clank of their thin Arms And tender voices cry'd Lead Pompey lead Streight they came on with Chariots Horse and Foot When I had leisure to discern their Chief Methought that Pompey was my Son Ziphares Who cast his dreadful Pile and pierc'd my heart Then such a din of Death Swords Spears and Javelins Clatter'd about me that I wak'd with terrour And found my self extended on the Floor Enter Pharnaces Phar. Arm arm Great Mithridates the big War Comes with vast leaps bounding o're all the East Which crouches to the Torrent Pompey comes Pompey the Great saluted Emperour And for some years destin'd to govern all Th' Italian Armies with such full Commission As yet was never granted to a Roman Pompey so young so soft in shining Courts That all the Roman Ladies languish for him Pompey so fierce in Camps so brave in Fields The very
Semandra The Charms of his new Queen will vanish Hark The sacred Musick sounds The King and Queen are coming Enter Archilaus Ziphares Semandra See your Brother Semandra and her Father Phar. O my lab'ring Brest how hopes and fears Toss my wrack'd Heart like a poor Bark about But soon the Calm will come or I must perish in the Tempest Exeunt Phar. Pelop. and Andr. Ziph. By Heav'n my Love thou dost distract my Soul There 's not a Tear that falls from those dear Eyes But makes my Heart weep Blood O my Father All is not well I found her in the Morning Not like a Bride with all her Maids about her Half-smiling now half-serious with her thoughts Of what must come nor warm nor bright nor blushing But Oh the Gods I found her on the Floor In all the storm of grief yet beautiful Sighing such breath of sorrow that her Lips Which late appear'd like buds were now o'reblown Pouring forth tears at such a slavish rate That were the World on Fire they might have drown'd The wrath of Heav'n and quench'd the mighty ruine Arch. Nothing my Lord 't is all but Virgin 's fear Marriage to Maids is like a War to Men The Battel causes fear but the sweet hopes Of winning at the last still draws 'em on Sem. Alas my Lord Weeping Ziph. What but alas no more when by the Hand I led her to the Temple thus she sigh'd And hung upon me If thou truly lov'st me If I may credit my Semandra's tears Think 'em not drops of Chance like other Womens The Weather of their Souls The Christal bubbles Which they can make at will Oh satisfie The longings of my braest and tell thy sorrows Sem. That I do love you Oh all you Host of Heav'n Be Witness that you are dear to me Dearer than Day to one whom sight must leave Dearer than Life to one that fears to dye O thou bright Pow'r be Judge whom we adore Be Witness of my Truth be Witness of my Love But yet I fear Ziph. That fear give me that fear Semandra Produce it in the ugliest form it has If ought that is deform'd can come from thee Sem. I shall my Lord since you are pleas'd to hear me Uunfold my doubts the cause of all my Tears First then I must complain of my hard Stars That did not dart kind Lustre on my Birth For tho at present while your young Blood boyls Your Reason cannot get the Rein of Passion Yet it will come when long possession cloyes you Then you will think what Queens you might have had With Kingdoms for their Dower perhaps you may Prove so unkind to tell me of it too Or if you shou'd not yet your Eyes wou'd speak Weeping Enough to break the heart of poor Semandra Ziph. Why dost thou stab me with the tenderness Of thy false fears and melt me into mourning 'T is most unseasonable on our Wedding-day To be seen thus I know thou canst not doubt me No thou most lovely of the fairer kind Think not a Crown can ever change my Virtue Ah who wou'd leave the warmth of this lov'd Bosome For the cold cares which black Ambition brings Sem. Spight of ill-boding Dreams unlucky Omens You must you shall you ought to be believ'd And if I weep again it is for joy That I this Night shall be your happy Bride Ziph. Oh Mithridates mighty as thou art Before whose Throne Princes stand dumb as Death With folded Arms and their Eyes fix'd to Earth Dishonour brand me if I wou'd not chuse A private Life with her whom my Soul loves Rather than live like thee with all thy Titles The King of Kings without her Arch. Pray my Lord Defer till Mid-night these strong Extasies Fate yet may put a bar betwixt our hopes And then the loss wilt be more hardly born The Scene draws discovering the inner part of the Temple Mithridates holding Monima by the Hand his Queens Concubines Sons and Daughters attending Three Roman Captains L. Cassius Q. Oppius and Manius Aquilius bound in Gold Chains with many other Slaves standing at distance Mith. Not yet O Rome great Tyrant of the World Hast thou subdu'd the Asian Emperor In thy despight I hold my glory still Still tread upon the Necks of conquer'd Kings Still make thy Consuls tremble at my Name And in one mightiest Word to sum up all A Word which like a Charm might raise the Ghosts Of Pyrrhus and the experienc'd Hannibal To envy and be dazled at my deeds A Word a Name that comprehends all Honors All Titles Riches Power all Majesty In spight of Rome I 'm Mithridates still Aquil. The Nations must confess that Alexander Cou'd not more dreadful to the East appear Than you ev'n Rome wou'd buy her peace with joy Cou'd you at reasonable rates afford Your Royal Friendship tho by your command Most dreadful to Italian Memory In one dark Day damn'd in the Book of Fate A hundred thousand murder'd Romans fell Mith. Darest thou fomenter of these Wars to talk Thou purple Source of all these bloody streams Which have for more than thirty years o'reflow'd The Asian Banks and dy'd Euphrates red Darest thou Commissioner in chief to put The Earth in Arms and set the World on flame Once think of Peace Now by the Fire-rob'd God Thou shalt have punishment that fits thy Crimes Aquil. The bravest must submit when Fortune frowns Mith. Desire of Wealth the Lust of shining Dirt And Palace Plunder caus'd thee with Arm'd Legions T' invade a King whose Father was Rome's Friend But by the asserted Justice of my Cause The help of Heav'n and of my own Right-hand I conquer'd thee and thou art now my Slave Guards strait convey him to the Market-place Take off his wealthy Chains and melt 'em down Then for a terrible Example to All sordid Wretches Souls made up of Avarice Pour down his Throat the rich dissolved Mass And gorge his Entrails with the burning Gold Mon. Not my dear Lord upon your Nuptial Day Mith. On any Day my Queen to do a Justice Which all the Gods and all good Men must like For Lucius Cassius and for Quintus Oppius A milder Destiny 's in store Away with him And now proceed we to the sacred Rites Aquil. Yet e're you join hear me proud Emperour Hear what the Fates have put into my brest I see my Death by Roman Arms reveng'd And what Lucullus had so well begun Pompey shall end Pompey thy glory's ruine This hour that gives me Death shall be the last Of all thy quiet swift domestick jars Shall overtake thee thou shalt add more blood To that already shed from thy own Bowels And when at last subdu'd in all thy Wars Spoil'd of thy Queens thy Sons and Daughters slain Thou seek'st some corner of thy conquer'd Empire To hide thy abandon'd Head in then the load Of all thy woes shall come one whom thou least Shalt fear long nourish'd in thy impious breast Shall stab thee to the
who am bound by Oaths and solemn Vows To love Ziphares By my Father's Order And by the tenderest Inclination too Mith. You strike me dead Sem. Oh do but think my Lord How wou'd Mankind when they shall read my Story Tear all the Rolls or throw 'em to the Flames How wou'd the weeping Maids curse my remembrance Shou'd I for pride of Power a Golden Promise A gaudy Nothing prove ingrateful perjur'd Leave all the goodness of the Earth to languish And break for ever with his matchless Virtue Mith. You have said and I confess it to be Heav'nly I know and till I saw your Eyes I lov'd The Virtue of my Son I lodg'd him near My Heart and set him down my Successor But now Oh hear and wonder at your Power Spight of his Noble Acts tho to his Arm I owe my Life tho Justice speaks so loud And the soft Tongue of Nature pleads so well I hate him more than I did ever love him Sem. Alas wou'd I had dy'd when first you saw me Mith. Had he conspir'd my Death usurp'd my Throne Perhaps I might have doom'd him to be slain Yet sure I shou'd have wept to see him die But now since he must Ravish that lov'd Gem I prize above the World tearing you from me Giving me twenty Deaths and cutting through My very Soul shou'd I my Empire give To buy his Fate I 'de think it vastly sold. Sem. Then blasted be the Form that charm'd your Eyes His Fate Oh Gods then you design his Death To reap the Bloody Harvest of his Life And Atreus-like to feed on your own Bowels But know Proud Monarch there are Powers who see And punish Crimes like yours Nor can I doubt But they will save from your most Impious Rage My poor lov'd Lord the Innocent Ziphares Weeping Mith. Those Waters more inrage my Jealous Flame And those heav'd Sighs but spread my Anger 's Wings Your Fatal Kindness hastens on his Death And that untimely Doom which I forbore To execute seems necessary now You give him all your Stock of richest Love Your Tears your longing Looks your Smiles your Groans And over-bless him with your lavish kindness But niggardly to me you will not spare A pitying Glance one Pearly drop to Ransom The Soul of this despairing Mithridates Andravar go and bear the Prince to Prison Sem. Stay Andravar the King has call'd you back See he repents Nay I must hold you then And if you stir you take Semandra with you O Mithridates O ungrateful Prince What was it you did order But behold His Eyes are fix'd upon the ground he blushes To think he cou'd so monstrously Decree To murder the sweet hopes of all his Kingdoms The Gods be prais'd for this Serene Repentance Yet with the fright I fear I shall not sleep Till Death does close my Eyes Mith. O rise Semandra Sem. Never I never will Oh all you pitying Powers will not my cryes And piercing Woes move you to melt his Soul Can you be deaf Oh Cruel Mithridates Did you but know the workings you have made The heavy plight the panting Passions here If you had but a Grain of all that World Of Love you swore you once had for Semandra You cou'd not see me thus Misery distracts My Reason shou'd you turn to a new rage Which I must fear unless you Vow to save him I cou'd not bear it you shou'd see me fall Cold pale and with my Deaths Convulsions grasping Your water'd feet but never more rise Mith. Give me your Beauteous Hand I swear upon it By all those Powers we worship by our Self When e're Ziphares dies Semandra kills him She shall alone have Power to give him Death Or to recal his most untimely Fate Enter Ziphares and Archelaus Thus dearly do I buy the Red Impression Which my Lips make but take it take it from me My Blood boils up again my Spirits kindle That lovely Brand has lent my wishes flame And I am lost again in vast desire Ziph. Semandra live I once to see thee more Tho in my Father's Arms 'T is Heav'n to gaze On thy assaulted Honour thus to see thee Thus tempted from me with the Charms of Empire Yet not consenting No I 'll not think the World Laid at thy Feet Cou'd win thy Faith Yet O dread Sir forgive me If that my boding Heart suspects you more Then all that Heav'n cou'd send down great and charming Or Hell cou'd raise up horrid to destroy me Mith. O Glory Arch. O consider Sir on that Think how the Romans will despise your Wars If Love now drive you Speak my Lord he yields Ziph. Oh Royal Sir or if the Name of Father Can move you more by that I will Conjure you By all the Charms of Stratonice's Eyes When first they drew you to adore their lustre By all the Pains you gave her when she bore me By all the Obedience I have paid you long And by the Blood I yet intend to lose In your behalf oh grant me my Semandra Sem. Ev'n by the Passion my unhappy Beauty First kindled in you but I hope is dying Give me Ziphares give him to my Longings Mith. 'T is done the Conquest is at last obtain'd And Manly Virtue Lords it o're my Passion It shall be so away thou feeble God I banish thee my Bosom hence I say Be gone or I will tear the Strings that hold thee And stab thee in my Heart The Wars come on By Heav'n I 'll drown thy laughing Deity In Blood and drive thee with my brandish'd Sword To Rome I will yes to the Capitol There to resume thy Godhead once again And vaunt thy Majesty without controul But never Reign in Mithridates Soul Arch. O wonderful effect of highest Virtue O Conquest which deserves more Triumphs than A hundred Victories in Battel gain'd Ziph. You must you shall be now the Lord of Rome Her Fate shall bow beneath your Awful Scepter O let me not enjoy the Life you promis'd The vast possession of the rich Semandra If I strike not Rome's Eagles to the Earth Take the Imperial Standard Chase their Legions And bring in Triumph all their Leaders bound Mith. Andravar haste Proclaim throughout the City My Son Ziphares General against the Romans Exit Andravar Come to my Breast once more my dearest Son In spight of Love thou art again my Child Thus with a Father's bowels I receive thee Thus melting o're thee with the tenderest Nature I pray the Gods to Crown thy Youth with glory Ziph. Oh Happiness Oh Joy Oh blessed Tears Reward this Goodness Heav'n for Poor Ziphares Is now so lost he knows not what to say Let me devour your hands with Filial dearness Were my whole Life to come one heap of Troubles The pleasure of this moment wou'd suffice And sweeten all my griefs with its remembrance Sem. Oh happy hour if I not set thee down The whitest that the Eye of Time e're saw Let me ne're smile when I remember thee
you ever-burning Lights Who have beheld at midnight from your Orbs Our flames that kindled bright and chaste as yours Which of you all which most malignant Star Show me that envious Fire that crost our loves That I may curse him from his fatal Sphere Arch. Name it I say the ground of all this trouble I feel a warm revenge run through my blood As if I had put off some forty year Methinks I stand as fit to fight the Cause Of Friendship now as then I cou'd my Love's But speak Ziph. Thy Daughter Arch. Well I guess'd Fate wounded there Ziph. Semandra my most fair dear gentle Mistress Arch. If she be false she is no longer fair Ziph. That sweet protesting Creature that pure whiteness Where I so deep had writ my Vows in blood Is taken from me Arch. By her own consent Ziph. Most certain That Eternal Bond of Oaths Committed to her keeping now is Cancell'd Ev'n her fair Hand the Seal of all my Love Her Hand has given her faithless Heart away Arch. Then she is false you know her to be so Ziph. False false as waters winds or wand'ring fires She is more false than Woman can believe Arch. The opening of her treachery come how was 't Particular revenge wou'd know particulars At first I guess'd she did receive you kindly Ziph. Quite contrary as if she ne're had seen me Quite alter'd quite estrang'd reserv'd and cold With all the coyness of a base-born Beauty Made proud with Pow'r not one tender look The very Accent of her Voice was chang'd Nor was she to be known but by her Beauty Nought else cou'd speak her to my Sense the same O nothing but the Face of my Semandra Arch. When my keen Sword shall glitter in her eyes Doubt not but I shall make her know you well And tho you never grace her with your favour For she is now unworthy your imbraces Yet I will bring the Traytress to your knees Ziph. Can it be Thou shou'dst be ignorant she 's past the giving Arch. I have not met the news which your swoln eyes Appear so big with Ziph. Here I am lost again Here all my courage which has born the blow Of sternest War shrinks like a beaten Coward Here I confess my Piety gives way I cou'd fall out with the forgetful Gods And curse the cruel Author of my Being No Tyrant no thou bloody Parent think not That I will bear it longer I 'll forget Like thee all nature all remorse all pity And snatch her from thee wedded as you are Arch. What Wedded Marri'd Ziph. Wedded Marri'd Bedded He has enjoy'd her rifled that fair Casket Where all the riches of my life were laid Yes yes you Gods I saw 'em pass along Pass to the Temple through the crouded Streets Saw 'em come back darted my wishing eyes At her false Face with such accusing glances She fainted in the Chariot yes I saw her Sink pale and dying down but there I lost her And left her to the Revels of the Night To be enjoy'd ev'n this last night enjoy'd Arch. By all the Honours which she has dishonour'd She shall not live another Ziph. Oh my Father Cou'd you but guess the pains that I endur'd Oh all the subtillest fits of sharpest sickness Were nothing to the torments which I bore I tim'd ev'n their disrobing kisses smiles The first imbraces and the racking joy But there methought Fancy it self was stopt It cou'd no more The limit of my life Was found the end of all my joys on Earth Arch. She dies not Destiny shall save her from me As she has sworn and as she has forsworn I 'll draw my Sword bath'd in her dearest blood From forth her Heart-strings while the rank red VVeeds Cling to my reeking Blade or wou'd you more I am grown up to your anger Ziph. General hold I have been Impious in my vented rage For which oh pardon me my Royal Father And you most injur'd Pow'rs whom I offended And oh what-ever shall become of me Forgive the fair the false the lov'd Semandra If while I live thou mark her gentle Limbs With the least wound it ends Ziphares life Or if thou hurt her after I am dead Thou 'lt raise my Ashes up in Arms against thee Isme. My Lord the Queen Semandra's coming hither Ziph. Say'st thou Isme. The Queen But see she enters Ziph Ha! Enter Semandra Sem. Oh Ziphares Oh Prince Oh thou most wrong'd Ziph. How can this be Madam you ought at least To have sent me word for now instead of Songs I can present you nothing but my tears A beating heart and groans that will not suit VVith your most happy state your blest condition Sem. Ah did you rightly understand my suffrings You wou'd not wound a bleeding dying Creature But I 'll endure yet more VVhen I am dead And 't is too late you 'l murmure to your self At least I might have heard what the poor VVretch Cou'd say Arch. Oh Syren but I will be hush'd Aside Ziph. VVhat canst thou say if I resolve to hear thee Thou wilt but tear the wounds which thou hast made This Visit was most cruel why com'st thou then For fear I shou'd forget thee Merciless VVoman Arch. Yet let us hear her Prince let 's hear the Sorceress That when sure Vengeance overtakes her Crimes She may have nought to answer Sem. The good Gods Reward that Voice of Mercy First then my Lord. Ziph. No I 'll be gone Fly Archelaus fly She has a Tongue that can undo the VVorld She eyes me just as when she first inflam'd me Such were her looks so melting was her language Such false soft sighs and such deluding tears VVhen from her lips I took the luscious poyson VVhen with that pleasing perjur'd breath avowing Her whispers trembl'd through these credulous ears And told the story of my utter ruine Arch. Nay 't is impossible to clear her self And it was Impudence to offer at it Therefore thou shameless Off-spring of my Blood I 'll cut thee from me thus with all thy Crimes Die as thou did'st desire Half-drawing stopt by Ziph. Ziph. Hold thy hand I charge thee touch her not Arch. By Heav'n she dies I may dispose my own she shall not live Ziph. By all the Gods she shall while I have breath And if thou draw'st I 'll guard her life with mine I shou'd be loth to lift my Arm 'gainst thee Of all Mankind but were my Father here Resolv'd to give her Death I wou'd oppose him Sem. Draw then and sheath your weapons in my breast In curst Semandra's Heart but for the VVorld Oh Father do not wound the Prince Ziphares And oh Ziphares do not hurt my Father Upon my knees I beg you to be calm And hear me thus Ziph. Oh rise false as thou art Thou once wert Empress of my Soul and I Still drag thy Chains Speak then Semandra speak For I 'm so doz'd so weary with complaining That I cou'd stand and listen to
be wonders wrought e're then Ziph. O Archelaus 't is impossible Had she been Ravish'd by another Man I cou'd have clear'd her with the Villains Blood But by my Father touch'd what Miracle Can work me into hope Heav'n here is Bankrupt The wondring Gods blush at their want of pow'r And quite abash'd confess they cannot help me Arch. Sure by you lifted Torches I discern Your Father moving this way Ziph. Ha! my Father How my flesh trembles I cou'd do a deed Wou'd make us both run mad Draw Archelaus Yet stay what Devil starts thus in my blood And turns my Reason to this maze of folly No let us suffer more if possible Yet I will shun his Presence Oh you Pow'rs Is that a Crime answer me if it be And I will meet him tho his sight should blast me Exeunt as Mithridates Captain of the Guards and Attendants enter Mith. Betray'd and by my Son given up a Prey For the Insulting Romans to devour Pharnaces is the Traytor that Pharnaces Who was t' inherit all that space of Empire Which Fortune gave to this unhappy King O Friends when from the Palace-gate we sally'd And drove the bold Assailants through the City The Impious Boy Charg'd as I foremost rode And brav'd my Fury with his Bever up But Oh the Gods I who before had crimson'd My Arms with Blood of Rebels I who mov'd With Whirlwinds swiftness still on every side And tost like Leaves the weightiest Foes about me Now stood as if Gorgonian Charms had fixt me Nor know I more Capt. Your Sword Great Sir when you A while had gaz'd on that Audacious Prince Fell from your hand your mighty Spirit left you And as some famous piece of Antick-work When the sunk Props and wasted Beams decay Staggers and nods before the ruine comes So wav'd your Royal Fabrick e're it fell And as our Arms receiv'd you curs'd Pharnaces Born by Ambition to a murder new Offer'd a wound and 't was with great expence Of lives we bore your Body to the Palace Mith. My Senses blaze my last I know is come My last of hours 't is wondrous horrid now My lawless love and boundless pow'r reproach me But I will think no more on 't Come my Friends Let 's meet these Romans and my Rebel-Son Let 's kill till we are weary then lye down And rest for ever O 't is Noble Ruine Creatures of vilest make upon disgust With Knives or Cords set loose their Coward Souls But we will live in spite to grieve the World While life will last or any Spirits hold O that like Serpents hewn we still might move Our Limbs lopt off and kill with every parcel Enter Semandra Sem. 'T is done my Ruine is at last reveng'd And cruel Mithridates is no more That famous wicked man shall kill no more Faln is the Murderer he shall love no more Another's right shall Ravish now no more Mith. O horrour snatch me Furies from her presence Gape wide O Earth and swallow me alive Sem. I go before and never shall we meet On Earth again inhumane Mithridates Yet I rejoyce not be my Witness Heav'n At those Calamities that come upon thee But think 'em just and with a dread reflection Behold thy Fate and wonder at the Gods Not but thy Son my Love my lost Ziphares And I in lamentable Shapes made up By Death 's own hand will tell 'em all thy Story For ever thus thou Ravisher of Honour I leave thee to the Vultures of thy Conscience To all the Stings Ambition feels in death Or Lust the Rape committed O you Pow'rs Make firm my hand for an Exploit to Crown My Life whose bus'ness shall be quickly done Exit Mith. Away to Arms to Arms plunge deep in blood Be quick to die Were all the Roman Piles And Scythian Darts and Parthia's poyson'd Arrows Shot through this Body her words wou'd be more I 'll not endure 't rush to the fatal War I wou'd be drunk with Death and steaming Slaughter To stupifie the sense of inward torment Haste then and wallow in the murd'ring Field Through all the Avenues to battel flie They who have liv'd in blood in blood must die Exeunt Trumpets Enter Pelopidas Andravar their Swords drawn with a Lamp Pelop. Yonder he Sallies furious for Destructions And now full scope is given to act our bus'ness And end the sad Ziphares Andr. I am glad The chance is faln to us to death nay more To Hell I hate him and to have him slain By any hand but mine wou'd pall the Murder Pelop. The Palace now is drawn Of all the glitt'ring Host that twinkled here Following their King to shoot the Gulph of Ruine And it was order'd well by Prince Pharnaces While with the Romans he dispatch'd his Father That we shou'd kill his drooping Brother Ha! I hear some tread your Lamp must wink awhile Enter Ziphares Ziph. Oh 't is too much I never shall sleep more How loud the Voice of Fate sounds every-where Trumpets and Drums yet old Archelaus With grief and watching spent in spite of all Those Tides of Care that swell'd e're-while so high Lies like a Child that braul'd himself asleep Ismenes too that wept to see me mourn Falls on his breast and nods his tears away So sleeps the Sea-boy on the Cloudy Mast Safe as a drowzy Tryton rock'd with Storms While tossing Princes wake on Beds of Down Pelop. 'T is he prepare Andr. Both perish if he escape Ziph. This darkness fills my breast with horror now Now I may do the deed which done all 's sure It shall be so and thus I will deceive him But then he kills Semandra Whence this light Swords Vizors what Assasinates are these Wou'd they were more for ruine is my wish Yet I disdain to fall by Villains hands Beats 'em off Enter Semandra with a Dagger in her hand Sem. Where do I wander in the dismal Shades Of this black night there 's not a Soul beneath Who dy'd as I must do for fatal Love Knows better all the gloomy Arbours there Than I each Chamber in this House of Death 'T was here the God-like Prince did wooe me first Sigh'd his first Vows and wept me into passion Where shall I find him that most perfect Soul Whose whiteness will to after-ages answer For all the spotted loves of perjur'd men Meet him I must and run into his arms But with a Roman blow which first shall drive This Ponyard to my heart then rush upon him Then clasp him close then he 'll believe me true Enter Ziphares Ziph. This way the Cowards fly this way the noise goes I think thou hast it there and canst not scape me Sem. I thank the Gods I shall not Let me kiss The hand that kills me Oh too gracious Heav'n Semandra now is happy Ziph. Semandra what What say'st thou Speak again thou dismal voice Sem. Oh that I cou'd see your face before I die Those eyes where I wou'd look my Soul away Ziph.
Awake what ho Ismenes haste a light Haste hither Father Archelaus haste My heart bodes ruine we are all undone Enter Archelaus and Ismenes with a Light Oh Father either I am Charm'd or here Semandra lies slain by this dreadful hand Arch. Our Guardian-spirits shield us 't is my Daughter Ziph. Curs'd Fate malicious Stars you now have drain'd Your selves of all your poys'nous influence Ev'n the last baleful drop is shed upon me Sem. Give me thy hand most matchless of thy kind O joyn us Father joyn us thus in death Now thou art mine and we 'll be wedded too In th' other World our Souls shall there be mixt Who knows but there our joys may be compleat A happy Father thou and I perhaps The smiling Mother of some little Gods Ziph. Oh Archelaus if thou lov'st her memory Fly to the King and let him understand The truth of all if he be pleas'd to hear her Intreat him haste the pangs of death are on her Arch. I will if tears will let me find the way And by your leave these Weapons shall be mine Ziph. That I expected Ha! she faints Ismenes Run to my Closet haste where thou wilt find A Golden Vial of rich Juice to bring the Spirits Back to their Seat go pour it in a Bole With speed to save her Exit Ismenes Hast thou not a word A syllable fair Soul Speak speak Semandra I feel a trembling warmth about thy heart It pants Sem. As Cowards do before a Battel Oh the Great March is sounded Ziph. Stay thee one moment Ismenes re-enters with a Bole. And I will lead thee on Away Ismenes Watch thou the King's approach and bring me word Exit Ism. Here seest thou this my Love look up Semandra Thou dying Spark glimmer a little while Behold this Cordial this sure warmth at heart This faithful Off'ring of Eternal Love Sem. VVhither oh where Death's Myst comes fast upon me What is 't you drink Ziph. A Draught which makes me thine The pow'rful Cordial which my Father gave me A Noble Compound of his fatal skill He charg'd me when I cou'd not live with Honour To taste it and be free Sem. Methinks your Voice is faint As distant Ecchoes and I am now far off Alas I know not where Dies Ziph. I 'll fold thee thus And Mithridates shall not part us now Fan thus the dying flame with my last breath She 's out the damp of Death has quench'd her quite These spicy-doors her lips are shut close lock'd Which never gale of life shall open more I come Oh Father Oh thou true Physitian Thou work'st me Nobly now and oh 't is welcom Thy Drugs are quick once more O Love I come Thou most of Life in Death Ambition Fame 'T is empty all and nothing but a Name Dies Archelaus Mithridates supported bleeding Pharnaces Pelopidas Andravar bound Arch. Behold behold my Lord how I 'm rewarded For faithful service for the numerous scars Which in your Cause have mark'd my aged body My Daughter 's slain Ha! let me never rise If that the brave Ziphares be not kill'd Was this the Cordial wicked Boy thou brought'st him Mith. Blame not the guiltless for by me he 's poyson'd By this inhumane Tyrant Monster Parricide By me the Drugs were mixt and dol'd about To my unhappy Children left surpriz'd They shou'd be born to Rome for Royal Slaves Arch. Dead art thou dead O lovely Royal Plant Blown down by gusty Heav'n in all thy bloom My hour is come and thus I follow thee Mith. Hold him What means the frantick General Disarm and bring him hither Kneel O kneel Before these Bodies Arch. What wou'd you sacred Sir Mith. Swear swear to live I have a Royal Race of Little Ones Live I Conjure thee to defend those Infants From Roman Rage intreat Victorious Pompey And he 'll be gentle to 'em Swear to live Arch. I swear but after that Mith. Rise and no more My blood leaks fast and the great heavy lading My Soul will quickly sink therefore revenge Yes you pale figures you most precious forms Who where you walk for sure you tread the Stars Shame brightest Gods and add new light to Heav'n First in most dreadful manner will I give Those Traytors lives who drew me to your ruine Hence burn the Slaves the curs'd Pelopidas And Villain Andravar away with ' em For thee but sure I shall disdain to name thee The Palace yet is ours Arch. But cannot long Be so Pompey the Great is entred And those who took your part are all revolted Mith. Away then bear him to the middle Turret Whose Brazen-head rises above the rest In sight of Pompey throw him from the top And give his most aspiring life an end Phar. I know thou canst not long out-live me Tyrant Accurs'd be Fortune which too forward bore me To be thy Prey and rot the hand that seiz'd me Yet when my Ghost is from this body dash'd If such a Goblin as a Ghost there be I 'll rise and wing the mid-way Air to wait thee Hurl'd shalt thou be as Saturn was by Jove And flag beneath me while I reign above Mith. O General behold and wonder with me How swiftly Fate can make or unmake Kings How empty is Death's Pomp compar'd with Life Where now are all the busie Officers The supple Courtiers and big Men of War That bustled here and made a little World Revolted all Support me for I go My Soul is on the Beach and strait must lanch Into th' Abyss of the black Sea of death Where Furies stand upon the smoaky Rocks Prepar'd to meet one greater than themselves Here lay me bleeding by these murder'd Lovers And oh when I am dead let Sorrow stalk In sacred silence to my gaping Tomb. Forget that ever Mithridates was No tongue relate the deeds this Hand has done Let thought be still or work beneath the ground But oh he 's come cold Tyrant I obey And hug thy Dart that bears my Life away Dies FINIS Epilogue by Mr. Dryden YO 've seen a Pair of faithful Lovers die And much you care for most of you will cry 'T was a just Judgment on their Constancy For Heav'n be thank'd we live in such an Age When no man dies for Love but on the Stage And ev'n those Martyrs are but rare in Plays A cursed sign how much true Faith decays Love is no more a violent desire 'T is a meer Metaphor a painted Fire In all our Sex the name examin'd well Is Pride to gain and Vanity to tell In Woman 't is of subtil int'rest made Curse on the Punk that made it first a Trade She first did Wits Prerogative remove And made a Fool presume to prate of Love Let Honour and Preferment go for Gold But glorious Beauty is not to be sold Or if it be 't is at a rate so high That nothing but adoring it shou'd buy Yet the rich Cullies may their boasting spare They purchase but sophisticated Ware 'T is Prodigality that buys deceit Where both the Giver and the Taker cheat Men but refine on the old Half-Crown way And Women fight like Swizzers for their Pay Prologue by Mr. Lee. NOt careful Leaders when the Trumpets call Their Martial Squadrons on to stand or fall Toss'd with more doubts than careful Poets are When vent'rous Wit for Sally does prepare When Humming Voices bid the Play begin And the last flourish calls the Prologue in Here you like dreadful Warriours judging sit And in full Councel try all Writers Wit To some for Sense Renown'd our Authors bow And what you Doom for a just Fate allow But sure far less such Judges Poets dread Than those Raw Blades who will not let 'em Plead But e're they can be heard cry shoot 'em dead These Pyrats they both Arms and Wits debase Who Fields and Poems with their Spleen disgrace Poets and Warriours both shou'd have in Chase These Libellers who noblest Fights despise Yet when a Pan but flashes shut their Eyes They who write Lampoons vilely get a Name By others Infamy and live in shame Fifes Whiflers and the silly'st Sense not fit To be the Powder-Monkeys of true Wit Mimies like Apes what 's ill for head they cover And live upon the Vermin of a Lover Nauseous to all like Pills by Fortune hurl'd And coated o're with Gold to Purge the World Neglecting these and rusting to your aid To Beauty our last Vows like yours are made Beauty which still adorns the op'ning List Which Caesar's Heart vouchsafes not to resist To that alone devoted is this day For by the Poet I was bid to say In the first draught 't was meant the Ladies Play Persons Represented By Mithridates King of Pontus Mr. Mohun Ziphares Pharnaces his Sons M. Hart. M. Goodman Archelaus General under Ziphares M. Griffin Pelopidas Andravar two Courtiers M. Wintershul M Powell Aquilius a Roman Captive M. Clark Another Roman Officer M. Wiltshire Ismenes Page to Ziphares  Monima Contracted to Mithridates Mrs. Corbett Semandra Daughter to Archelaus Mrs. Boutel Priests and Attendants Mutes  Scene Synope