him Break wretched heart 'T is time for thee to end Ephestion's dearest soul Ephestion's Friend throwes himself on Alex. What ails the joy of Men and Gods above Speak dearest of my heart dearer than Love Alex. He 's â—aint and pale and his poor heart does bleed It streames O Gods Who did this bloody deed Traitors of Hell y 'ave shew'd your utmost wrath Ephestion soul there 's treason on us both I can the Authour of My death forgive But he that kill'd Ephestion shall not live That God who raign'd auspitious at my birth Offers to rise Lend me the strength with which I held the Earth Cassander and my Bands of Macedon I 'le fetch my self and kill ' em ev'ry one Eph. Ah sit you still and rest this Noble heart You than my wounds do give a greater smart Lysimachus I urg'd this wound to make And we both fought for Parisatis sake Alex. Lives'e ye Gods Go fetch him instantly Let me the pleasure have to see him dy Then let my soul with satisfaction fly Now now a thousand daggers peirce my skull Restless as on a Bed of spikes I â—oll Yet I will bear it by the Gods I can I 'le live to have you all condemn'd and slain If they will grant Ephestion's health again Eph. Ah mind not mine whiles you neglect your own Long may you live and Guide us like the Sun And we shine by your light as does the Moon Leave not the world to be by fate betraid And us to dwell in everlasting shade Ah Parisatis Let not my Rival shew the King his face But keep him ever in that blessed space Safe in the circled Armes of your embrace The Gods should not have forc'd me from that place Had I been there Par. I 'le pull him from my Breast And you shall dwell my soul's Eternal Guest Alex. Statira Oh Ephestion how I burn Sta. Ye Gods Now all my griefes again return I did not think there cou'd be yet a cross That I cou'd mourn after Darius loss Eph. Ah Parisatis It is in vain the pity you impart My death admits of Rivals by no Art Give me your hand The Gods are so severe to Par To grant life hence but then to snatch it here to Alex Look down O heavâ—n and your own Actions mourn Releive the greatest Man that e're was born Thou great thou only excellently good Here 's Love and friendship swallow'd in a Flood And drown'd in stormes of sighes and tears of blood O the last drop that trickles from my heart I wish ye Gods 't were Nectar to his smart fainting Alex. He 's gone â—ee too the furious and rebellious Sun Slave to the many Battails I have won Ha's in this very moment broke his chain And in revenge shot all his fire into my Brain The Gallant Eagle too that o're my head So oft in sign of Victory has fled Shook with the terrour of my fate lyes dead I 'le search Ioves Lap where brighter Eagles are 'T is a great way I 'le mount on yonder Star See Madam see above the blew pav'd sky Do you not see my dear Ephestion fly Eph. Lo dearest Son of Phillip here am I I 'le rob once more this treasure of my health And safely in his bosom lodge the wealth Stealing to him insensibly this kiss And in his breast will transmigrate the bliss Eph. kisses Paris hand then turns to Alex. See thou belov'd thy 〈◊〉 Boy Brings the last fruites of his expiring joy Think who thou art thou Royal Son of Iove Revive that heart that does Ephestion Love See I can never from this Center move Alâ—x Ah my Ephestion art thou yet alive What sawcy Spirit told me thou wert dead Eph. I will not dye if thou wilt cease to grieve But live to see more Crowns adorn your head May ne're such Love their frozen spirits warm That did the God-like Alexander harm How fares my heart â—ow favours i'ts disease Alex. Believe me Boy that I am all o're ease The thoughts of this does ev'en deaths horrour please I will Lysimachus his Pardon give And will do any thing if thou wilt live Thou art my darling hopes if thou art slain When I am dead who shall the world maintain Or who for these fair Queens Darius loss regain Enter to them Lysimachus threatning the Guards who keep off Lys. Be gone Who does not instantly depart By all the Gods this dagger 's in his heart I need no Guards to call my duty home Faster I 'le fly than you can make me come Ah Sir believe me I my life despise Think you I 'le live to see death close your Eyes Down at your feet your faithful Subject lyes Whose life for you's an humble sacrifice I did Ephestion wound and that I did I beg that I may suffer for the deed Lys. kneels Par. Thou mighty soul look with a gracious Eye Sta. and Par. kneels Ah pardon him and be a God more high See who 't is kneels Statira 't is and I. Sta. Breath life thou great and only God-like man Alex. Spare him that style who nothing does nor can My mind indeed that struggles with my fate But holds my shatter'd purposes too late Shews I am Alexander yet but no more great Eph. By all the dearest Love that dwelt in us Forgive forgive the brave Lysimachus Alex. And doest thou beg his fatal lifes reprieve to Eph. Rise then and thanks to poor Ephestion give to Lys. Lys. Still I am curst and have no right to breath Nor wish to live till you are free from death Thou more Illustrious than the God of war Dark as in hell we all benighted are To see thee drop down from us like a falling Star Enter to them Cassander supported by two of the Guards Cass Quick quickly bear me e're I sink into the Concaves of the Earth Eph. What horrid scene of death is this What birth Has the base world in this one day of fate brought forth Alex. Thou look'st as if this Tale thou woud'st unfold Be breif Cassander thou wert ever bold Cass. I by the fury of thy fate am hurl'd And sent to fetch thee to another world Does not th' Ambition start to here it sai'd New wreathes of Conquests shall adorn thy head Lawrels that time ne're kills nor envy fades But flourish thick in everlasting shades 'T is past thy own proud heart to be again By Iove great Alexander thou art slain Thou canst not lâ—ve an hour Eph. Forbid O heaven Sta. And the all mighty Sun Eph. Unsay what thou hast said Alex. Let him go on Cass. Hadst thou a thousand lives to guard thy soul In Hercules his cup th' ast lost 'em all And drown'd thy self in that immortal bowl This in revenge of blood the Gods have done Much for the world but more for Macedon For Clytus brave Parmenio and his Son Eph. Where was this treason damn'd in Hell begot Alex. Live and discover who was in the plot Cass. T is he
was that the Author going into the Country and leaving no other than a foul Copy in the Stationers hands did order every Sheet to be sent down to him to correct before it went further in the Press which was promis'd to be done PAg. 2. l. 1. r. treason l. 28. r. stream p. 3. l. 34. r. one p. 4. l. 2. r. fâ—te l. â—lt swoone p. 8. l. 36. r. hast p. 11. l. 24. r. wondring p. 16. l. 35. r. â—el p. 17. l. 2. r. relume p 10. l. 7. lonely l. 12. Spheres l. 26. me p. 20. l. 11. Cassandra l. 22. just flying l. 24. say p. 25. l. 7. had p. 26. l. 19. adorn l. 23. unbridle l. 26. cosnjeal'd l. 27. large p. 27. l. 8. O. p. 28. l. 7. bird l. 22. he l. 32. debts p. 30. l. 13. pour p 32. l. 23. Sir 2. l. of the Act concern p. 33. l. 25. nightly p. 35. l. 4. and. l. 33 bodies l. 36. Stars for the r. i th' p. 36. l. 2 1 like p. 39. l. ulr sunk p. 40. l. 15. and. l. 44. pry p. 41. l. 31. dares p. 42. l. 16. forsakes p. 43. l. 34. Cydnus p 45. l. 19. they 'l not p. 48. l. 38. thou p. 50. l. 5. one l. 43. proud p. 51. l. 16. for two r. the. l. 36. us p. 52. l. 20. through THE RIVAL KINGS Actus Primus Scaena Prima Enter as newly arriv'd Lysimachus Cassander Officers and attendance in State Lys. FROM Ganges and beyond Nyle's secret Bed Strange conquer'd Nations have Euphrates spread By Heavens eternal Power ordain'd to meet In the Worlds center and it 's Royal Seat From other Parts whilest succours bend their course You bring from Greece the Foot to re-inforce And I from Thrace five thousand Winged Horse So the great Sea maintains it's swelling Pride By lesser streams that thither daily glide All things contribute to this mighty King To Alexander flowing leave their Spring And Aids from the remotest Places bring Cas. We but appear like Day break after Night Where e're He comes he fills the Skye with light So the base Moon does oft Eclipse the Sun And shade that Beauty whence her light begun He sends us forth like Nylus in a Floud To drown the World and Court him with the good Lys. Fill'd with success he is luxurious grown And gluts with Blood his cruel wanton Throne The News you tell me of Phylotas Death If true who after him can hope for breath Is 't possible Repeat it yet again Ye Gods The Son of bold Parmenio slain Cas. This News the Great Parmenio as a Friend T' Antipater my Father did commend His fault was he did Dymnus Treasure hide So that for that he ne're believ'd he Dy'd Lys. Of Dymnus fond conspiracy I 've heard But never thought Phylotas so deserv'd Cas. Had that been sought Phylotas might have stood Till his known Innocence had sav'd his Blood But what bold Creature in the Forrest dare With the stout Lyon in his Hunting share His Generals Friends and all Obnoxious stand To be pick'd out for Death at his Command But for my Sufferings more than Death I grieve In my lost Fame he buried me alive You and the World did witness my disgrace When that base blow he struck me on the Face I wish that I had Dy'd in Clytus place I Travel with the Weight Lys. Cassander hold You were too blame and Clytus was too bold Cas. Have done Lysimachus there is a smother'd shame When thus fomented breaks into a flame I had a Thunder-Bolt as well withstood And cherish'd lightning in my vital blood Enter to them Bagistanes Bag. Fresh News o'retake the former on the way And all confirm the King will come to day Shrill joyful Clamours which the Clouds involve Peirce through the Air and o're our Heads dissolve And near Euphrates all their Trumpets sound Slide down the Streams and from our Walls rebound Lys. The News is great and welcome that we hear Bag. But o're our Sun does a thick Cloud appear That makes his glorious body shine less clear As oft in multitudes of Shouts ascend A loud and goodly noise till at the end Some single voice behind does flagging lye And Robs the whole of it's full harmony Lys. I interrupt you Is the King in health Bag. He is but he ha's lost his greatest wealth A treasure that the Gods did envy him Lys. If that be all he will be rich again Bag. Ah but this loss he never will redeem The Gen'ral of the World Parmenio's slain Lys. Parmenio dead Cas. What slain By what bold man Bag. By that bold Man that only dares and can Lys. Does Alexander thus transplant to save His fading Lawrels on Parmenio's Grave We'rt thou the Son of Philip not of Iove Thou hadst not thrown away this Token of his Love Nor hadst thy self of so much Power bereft With thy right Arm to have cut off thy left Cas. A man so great that in his Fathers time Winning too many Battels was his Crime Bag. His trusty slave who by this Act is freed Is hither come that saw Parmenio bleed In his own Garden where he us'd to breath Pure Air for Life he trod the paths of Death Four of the Guard the Gen'ral thus salute Hail mighty Captain and of most repute The Monarch of the World these Letters sends To great Parmenio his best of Friends The good Old man so much o'rejoy'd to see His Masters Love receiv'd e'm on his Knee Seal'd with his Blood which he unkowing Tort Giving the Murderers sign to let out more Those but suppli'd their Masters will in part The rest they did ingrave upon his Heart Which with a dagger from his breast they drein'd And all with Blood the Treacherous paper stain'd The Ink the colour of that black design Blush'd that it did in such a Treason joyn Thus the bold Lyon taken by surprize Was like a Lamb offer'd to sacrifice Cas. Why do ye Gods of Mans misfortunes boast And make us Heroes at our own lives cost Th' extreamest height in which we hope to live Is but of Honours breath an empty Sound Or like a Star on sudden shoot we give Then fall an empty Vapour on the Ground Ingrateful Alexander has now repaid Those many Fights ne're won but by his Aid Lys. Forbear Cassander you o're reach your Sence Whom the Gods own pay him obedience How blest were Thousands such as Thee and I To be his steps to mount on Victory You might but Bagistanes not have known When Philip to augment the Gods was gone The Grecian Cities did with Joy depend That with his life their bondage shoul'd have end And to the Oracle of Delphos send Where in a rage th' auspitious God reply'd Urge not to know what 's to your Fates deny'd A greater far than Philip yet remains Whose godlike arm shall hold the World in Chains Cass. Were he a God he should have kept his Seat Not grieve the World with
cast Then as the Body of on sense bereft Increases in the other senses left Honour shall side and help the weaker part And rouze with Noble deeds my sinking heart I 'le follow Armes till my loud Fame shall provâ— As great a Rival to him as my Love His Jealoâ—s soul shall fly to find me out Through all Loves Charms that fence his heart about Reenter to them Lysimachus Lys. When shall this breast be free from Jealous pain Ye Gods Am I prevented once again Oroo My Eyes deceive me if it be not true You are Lysimachus to whom all worth is due Lys. The brave and valiant Oroondates you Whose mighty mind above the fates aspire Heav'n cannot lend a grace to mount it higher The greatest Lover and the bravest Man That dare doe more than Alexander can Oroo You make me blush at what I can't deserveâ— Such praise my modesty must not observe Lys. Cease Oroondates mark the threatning shower That hangs o're us To morrow brings the hour When both our Loves shall feel Tyrannick power Besides your self there is one wretched more Who Parisatis does in vain adore Yet there 's a glimpse of hope my fate procures Which I will follow that is not in yours Statira ne're can hope to be your wife Without attempt on Alexander's life The Gods protect the greatest King from harms But had Ephestion Parisatis hand Though bound by Hymenyal sacred Charmes Without the aw of Duty or command I 'de snatch him out of hers and Alexander's Armes Reenter to them Ephestion Look where this lov'd Ephestion does appear Oroo Let him not see that we are talking here Lys. This moment is an Age while you retire Exeunt Oroondates and Araxis Eph. Lysimachus I come at your desire I read your looks and understand your sign And hope you did not misinterpret mine Though you have call'd me from my only bliss And greatest pleasure that on Earth there is Lys. For all that I can say it is decreed That you 'l run on and Love with fatal speed Eph. To morrow e're the Sun forsake the Morne A bride shall be by Parisatis worne And thou a poor neglected Rival burn The Gods with musick of the sphere shall move And fill the Temple with delights above To usher Alexander's and Ephestion's Love Lys. T w'ere fit before that you your self went there And did in time this Heav'nly Masque prepare 'T will ease the Gods of an important care Darest thou defend thy false and treacherous flame Eph. Against the Starres in Parisatis name Lys. Those Starres are angry and thy life conspire Therefore desist and from her Love retire Feed not thy youth with such a vain design For by the Gods she never shall be thine Eph. The Gods are pleas'd and will in time fulfill What they'v decreed in Alexander's will But you are Mad I 'le give you leave to talk Lys. Follow me then into the Cyprus walk Eph. Go on I fear not all thy strength and ods Lys. Nor I wert thou the Minion of the Gods Eph. I follow thee May Parisatis charmes Crown but my Love as Love shall Crown my Arms. Exeunt Omnes Finis Actus Quarti Actus Quintus Scaena Prima Alexander discover'd in torment Statira Bagistanes And Captains Alex. O There it went and struck through ev'ry part The hand that from my Bosom pul'd a Dart Ne're felt me tremble with the sudain smart But this like lightening parches every vein And lends to death a thousand speares in pain What have I done ye Gods that you give o're Was I so great that I cou'd be no more Great Iove did my vast name so ponderous stand Not to be fix'd by thy immortal hand Ephestion Ah the Torment that I feel The world turnes guiddy and begins to reel 〈◊〉 on one side and shewes its fatal keel Sta. Heav'n keep the thought of treason from your mind The Gods be to your noble life more kind I wish by Methres I had bin your wife Rather than you shou'd think I hate your lifeâ— Alex. Far be my soul from such a thought possest That Sin should dwell in your Illustrious breast Sta. Ah may you find more worlds and them subdue If you can be so kind to think me true Alex. Most generous Princess by the Gods I do All that besides a God can feel I 'le bear And think no mortal man such treason dare If such a Monster on the Earth were bred Through all my pangs of Death I 'de look him dead I 'de pull back life and wou'd that strength recall Which held the world and on his head wou'd let it fall Bag. Send for Physitians Sir to give you ease That will consult and find out your disease Alex. That were to storm my life with greater force Physitians were invented for a Curse To plague Mankind and make diseases worse Phil. Who knowes but your distemper is the same When after bathing in cold Cydims â—lood No sooner you out of the water came But such unâ—sual paines did 〈◊〉 your Blood Alex. â—h there it hit me with a fatal blow That when I 'de hold of life it made me bow Loosing my hands and faintly let it go Ephestion Where 's Ephestion Run straight fly Shall I not see Ephestion ere I dy What have you done with him Go fetch him straight D' ye stand Go fetch him e're it be too late Exit one of the Captaines Alex. turnes to Statir a weeping Strange tickling paines through all my senses creep With joy in Anguish bred to see you weep O save those tears you shed each pretious drop The wealth thereof a sinking State wou'd prop. Sta. Weak and defenceless my poor grief appears Cou'd I but with these Floods your paines disperse I 'de melt my heart and weep it out in tears Alex. My dear Ephestion I shall never find Sta. How fares that heart the greatest of Mankind Alex. As he whose spirit does contemn his fate Bearing a heavy burthen on his Back Stretches and rises with the mighty weight Such strength brave minds from their misfortunes take Madam the time will come that I 'le ly low This lofty tow'ring Pinacle must bow And you 'l be rid of this great Man that made a show As a bright Star the darling of the sky That you behold so glorious and so high Drops on a sudain from your wondering Eye Sta. Oh say not so unless you take me too Or stay you here and let me dy for you Alex. I will not dy You 'l see that I can rise Blesâ— by your hand and guided by your Eyes Alex. rises up supported by Statira Ephestion come we will new worlds obtain Let loose the old and hunt it o're again Enter to them Ephestion wounded led in by Parisatis and a Captain Ephestion and Parisatis sit down on one side of Alexander and Statira on the other Eph. O bear me quickly do not let me stay But if you stir you take my life away to Par. Offering to unband