is certain Death with loss of Honour Exit Mith. Farewel Semandra thou most wrong'd of Women But I 'll this instant go to Monima And if I find what I suspect Pharnaces I 'll cut thee off as an infectious limb And for those Villains I shall quickly know The wrong she has had whose accus'd Innocence If your foul words have sully'd with black slander Think not to scape for shou'd you ride on Charms Take Winds to bear you or the Lightning's speed With panting horrour to the brink of Hell I 'de sweep you from the Verge to flames beneath And sink your Villanies with weighty death Exit Phar. First sink your self your Crown and Love together Pelopidas this comes of your cool counsel Had I been heard Monima had been gone By this enjoy'd and Crown'd my Royal Bride And we receiv'd as Conquerors by the Romans Hast thou not heard how when Tygranes came And cast his Diadem at Pompey's feet He call'd him King and rais'd him by that Name To sit as Equal to the Roman Consul By all the Gods I will not stay a moment But take immediately my flight except You swear to side with Rome call Pompey hither And haste with all the Forces we can make To joyn his Army and betray my Father Pelop. A sudden thought of lucky mischief comes Old Archelaus is arriv'd but left The labour'd Army some few furlongs hence You know the violent love the Souldiers bear The Prince your Brother and we know too well And so do all the murmuring Citizens How cruelly your Father lately us'd him But that great Mole the Multitude ne're sees Who works their Prince but still take all on trust Therefore I instantly will spread amongst em How Archelaus was Conspirator Against the Prince and finding more advantage To have the King his Son in-law by Letters Basely compell'd his Daughter to the Marriage Phar. Millions to one but this will set 'em on To tear curst Archelaus like mad Dogs Besides I find by frequent murmures how His Subjects are quite tir'd with length of War And but last night I know no less than twelve All Captains who conspir'd to take the part Of Pompey and intreated me to Head ' em Andr. Pursue the Treason and be sure it cool not While I with Tryphon hasten to the Army A Priest will colour well our enterprise There will we give out all that Treachery Can raise to fire 'em how the King has doom'd The Prince to death having first ravish'd from him The Fair Semandra for whose sake he dies Phar. While I immediately to Pompey send Who comes I hear on hasty march to fight Our Army and besiege us in our Walls Pelop. Thus shall the Prince and I rule all within And you with the High-Priest my Brother play Your Parts without Phar. I long to be in action And sure Rome must for the great overthrow Give me my Father's Crowns which gratitude Shall distribute to both your utmost wishes Pelop. We must not doubt your bounty But away Enter Ziphares with Ismenes at distance Your melancholy Brother may o're-hear us Ex. Phar. Pelop. Andr. Ziph. Oh my hard Fate why did I trust her ever What Story is not full of Womans falshood The Sex is all a Sea of wide destruction We are the vent'rous Barks that leave our home For those sure dangers which their smiles conceal At first they draw us in with flatt'ring looks Of Summer-Calms and a soft gale of Sighs Sometimes like Syrens Charm us with their Songs Dance on the Waves and show their Golden Locks But when the Tempest comes then then they leave us Or rather help the new Calamity And the whole Storm is one injurious Woman The Lightning follow'd with a Thunder-bolt Is Marble-hearted Woman all the Shelves The faithless Winds blind Rocks and sinking Sands Are Women all the wracks of wretched men Prithee Ismenes while I lay me here Charm me with some sad Song into a slumber SONG by Sir Car Scroop 1. ONe night when all the Village slept Myrtillo's sad despair The wand'ring Shepherd waking kept To tell the Woods his care Be gone said he fond thought be gone Eyes give your sorrows o're Why shou'd you waste your tears for one That thinks on you no more 2. Yet all the Birds the Flocks and Pow'rs That dwell within this Grove Can tell how many tender hours We here have pass'd in Love Yon' Stars above my cruel Foes Have heard how she has sworn A thousand times that like to those Her Flame shou'd ever burn 3. But since she 's lost Oh! let me have My wish and quickly dye In this cold Bank I 'll make a Grave And there for ever lye Sad Nightingales the Watch shall keep And kindly here complain Then down the Shepherd lay to sleep But never wak'd again Enter Archelaus Arch. How now Ismenes Prithee gentle Boy Instruct me where to find thy Royal Master VVhat dost thou weep I charge thee bring me to him Isme. See there my Lord. Arch. Bless me you Heav'nly Pow'rs Upon the Earth It cannot be thy Master Is that a posture for a Conqueror He who so bravely beat the Romans back A General and Triumpher Haste and show me Isme. By Heav'n it 's true my Lord there lies the Prince Arch. Something my heart presag'd when having left The Army I came posting to the Court And scarce receiv'd a welcom from my Friends They said the Prince had Triumph'd but I saw Not the least track of such a Glory left No glimmering twilight of so full an Honour There has been foul play and I 'll find it out Ziph. Away Semandra cruel VVoman leave me Arch. Ha! goes it there Ziphares Prince arise Ziph. Ha! who is there old Archelaus Arch. VVhy Do I not see you in a Chariot VVith all the Pride of Asia's brightest Gems VVhy mount you not the Throne which you deserve The Lords of Colchis waiting as your Slaves Give me some reason why I see you thus Ziph. Alas he had no hand in her revolt Nor knows not yet perhaps how she has us'd me VVhy do I seem thus strange then Oh Archelaus For I must never call thee Father more Pardon my faulty carriage Arch. Forbear these strict imbraces Your tears your hanging on my Bosom thus Your sighs reduce my Age to sobbing Childhood And make an Infant of your poor Old Man Ziph. Did I not say I never more must call Thee Father Arch. Yes you did Ziph. Fond foolish sorrow Thou art thou-shalt thou must be still my Father My Brother Sister Mistress all my Friend For all but thou have left me no kind eye Pities the suff'rings of abus'd Ziphares They fly all fly from my infectious Fortune Arch. Nay good dear Prince stand up you smother all Your words with groans dry up this womanish grief And speak dear Sir declare the cursed cause The baleful Spring the Source of all this mischief Ziph. VVou'd you believe it scarce can I my self Oh Heav'ns and oh
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
I put one knee To Earth and gently bowing down my head First took at distance the sweet-wafted breath Which blew my flames to such a raging heighth That streight I fell upon her Balmy Lips And glew'd my own so fiercely that she wak'd And starting up soon vanish'd from my sight Leaving me dumb pale languishing and dying Rent with her Charms distracted with the rage Of my desires and torn with cruel Love Pelop. Why stopt you there I wou'd have follow'd her Into her inmost Closet pardon me If I prove passionate to see you thus Better a million of such slight-soul'd things Were ravish'd massacred than Mithridates Suffer one moments care Phar. I have no patience By your great Glory 't was not Nobly done I' th' midst of groans and cryes and gushing tears I wou'd have ravish'd her your Royal Hand Lock'd in her Amber-Hair shou'd then have forc'd her Who knows but opposition mounts the joy Like that Athenian Tyrant who ne're took His Barge for pleasure but in highest Storms Then wou'd he stand like Neptune on his Deck And laugh to see the Dolphins back the billows Andr. Say but the word I 'll fetch her from the Altar To your imbraces never did I see So strange an alteration your fierce eye Which like the Sun at Noon none cou'd behold But with a snatch of light and then be dazled Now like a cold and drouzy Winter-star Bears a bleak brightness O decay of lustre Mith. I am not as I was Ha! whence this noise Shout within Ex. Pelop. and Andra. Phar. My Lord this Passion has unman'd you quite Forgetful of the glorious Fields you won You lose your dear bought Honours in a day And sell your Fame to your ambitious Son The Coward Glabrio whom by flying Agents I hear in divers Skirmishes he vanquish'd Has swell'd him so and blown him to that heighth He rides upon the shoulders of his Army They heave him as he were a God in Air And dance before him shouting in their Songs You are their Saturn but the Prince their Jove All that their waning Faith can give Ambition And he too laughs to hear the thundring Titles Mith. And for a recompence shall I bestow Upon this Traytor all I love on Earth No my Pharnaces I have mark'd him dead If that Semandra's loss can bring his ruine Not but the thought I go with shows me just To what she shall appear the Noble wile Kills by her seeming Infidelity Monima too must perish for dishonour But rather to make way for my new Love And fix the giddy People on my side Shouts again Again these shouts Phar. I guess Ziphares comes Mith. Down strugling Nature Die die thou Ravisher of my Repose Be strangled in me all remorse all thoughts Of pity yet I will be calmly cruel Nor shall he find the depth of my Revenge Enter Andravar Andr. Your Son has Conquer'd mightiest of Kings But by a way so infamously base I fear my doom will scarce be less than death For the relation Mith. Monstrous may it be For I so hate him now I wish for Crimes Of deepest grain for colour to his Fate Andr. His Royal Mother the False Stratonice To whom you gave in Custody Inora The strongest richest Fort of all the East E're he with Glabrio joyn'd to Rome did yield That wondrous mass of treasure with her Honour Mith. Curst State of Monarchs Let the judging World Now weigh our pleasures with our mightier troubles And find us happier than the rest of men False Beauty thou shalt die thou bane of greatness Or if I cannot reach thy fickle being I 'll punish thee by ruining Ziphares Andr. This have I learnt by frequent Messengers Who warrant with their lives how by consent Glabrio but skirmish'd with the Prince your Son And was by Stratonice brib'd before Mith. Plots Treasons horrid black Conspiracies Mother and Son Oh Parricides combine But if you scape me may I sleep my Reign out Enter Pelopidas What says Pelopidas What of Ziphares Bring'st thou more matter for my Curses Speak Pelop. He comes my Lord and with a Port so proud As if he had subdu'd the spacious World And all Synope's Streets are fill'd with such A glut of People you wou'd think some God Had conquer'd in their Cause and they thus rank'd That he might make his entrance on their heads While from the Scaffolds Windows tops of Houses Are cast such gaudy show'rs of Garlands down That ev'n the Croud appear like Conquerors And the whole City seems like one vast Meadow Set all with Flowers as a clear Heav'n with Stars Mith. Ungrateful Slaves by Mars when I return'd Worn with the hardship of a ten-years War My Army 's heavy-gaited bruis'd and hack'd With cutting Roman lives They ne're receiv'd me with a pomp like this Pelop. Nay as I heard e're he the City enter'd Your Subjects lin'd the ways for many furlongs The very Trees bore men and as our God When from the Portal of the East he dawns Beholds a thousand Birds upon the boughs To welcom him with all their warbling throats And prune their feathers in his Golden Beams So did your Subjects in their gaudy'st trim Upon the pendant branches speak his praise Mothers who cover'd all the banks beneath Did rob their crying Infants of the breast Pointing Ziphares out to make 'em smile And climbing Boys stood on their Father's shoulders Answering their shouting Sires with tender cryes To make the Consort up of general joy Mith. What will you bear your part too Oh the Gods He is transported with the ample Theam And plays the Orator Plagues rot thy Tongue And blasted be the Lungs that breath'd his welcom Perish the Bodies that went forth to meet him A prey for Worms to stink in hollow ground O Viper Villain not content to take My Love but Life wilt thou unthrone me too Shall Mithridates live to be depos'd A Stale the Image of what once he was The very Ghost of his departed Greatness A thing for Slaves to be familiar with To gape to nod and sleep in my scorn'd face Awake awake thou sluggard Majesty Rouze thee to Act tho all the Elements Tho Heav'n and Hell Subjects and Sons conspire With Fate thy Empires fall oppose their will Dare to the last and be a Monarch still Exit Pelop. What think you now Phar. I think for my Revenge For any act that witty horrour asks Thou art an Instrument so black and fit The Furies joyn'd in Council cou'd not match thee But see Ziphares comes with what a Train Of Priests nay then the God must be Adored The Scene being drawn represents Ziphares's Triumph which is a Street full of Pageants crouded with People who from the Windows fling down Garlands others dance before him while the Priests sing Ziphares resting under a Canopy of State Ziph. Enough my Friends my Noble Countrymen I am indebted to your Bounties ever But let me now Conjure you cease the noise Of your loud thanks lest
the VVinds And think that VVomen talk'd observe the Rain And think that VVomen wept or in the Clouds Behold Semandra's Form still fleeting from me But speak I lose my Senses with my Woes Arch. He has sav'd thy life come make a handsom lye In recompence Sem. I will be short as true When you were gone to Wars the King relaps'd How prompted Heav'n best knows and when with Conquest You came from Battel he with dreadful threats Compell'd me to receive you in that manner Ziph. Ah cruel Creature what what Menaces What fear of death cou'd so have made Ziphares Receive Semandra Sem. Not Racks nor all the Tortures Which Hell combin'd cou'd put into the hearts Of bloodiest Tyrant shou'd have forc'd me to 't But oh your life which he with deepest Oaths Had sworn to take unless I seem'd to scorn you That dash'd my Spirits bafled all the daring Of my defenceless heart there I confess The Woman work'd I trembled and agreed To see you so rather than lose you ever Arch. Now by my Arms she has come off with wonder Sem. And think my Lord reflect upon your self I dare believe so dearly once you lov'd me That were you certain I shou'd lose my life Unless you us'd me in that very manner I know you wou'd constrain your flame awhile And seem as cold and as reserv'd as I. Ziph. Oh heart oh bleeding Love but speak Semandra For there is wondrous Reason mighty Sense In what you say and I cou'd hear you ever Sem. When you were gone the cruel King came in And without stop propos'd the fatal Marriage Which being deny'd he forc'd me to the Temple Yet at the Altar I deni'd my hand Invok'd the Gods with the most violent sorrow Tears sighs and swoonings curst the frighted Priests Struck down the Censors and like one distracted I mangled my own flesh but all in vain I was suppos'd his Queen and so enjoy'd Ziph. Then still thy heart thy heart was mine Semandra Sem. It was it is for ever shall be yours Ziph. Oh at thy feet let me for ever lye Thus hang upon thy knees with dying grasps Thou most wrong'd Innocence abus'd Semandra Sem. Oh my dear Lord you shall not kneel without me Ziph. Thou art not false then Sem. Cou'd you think me so False to my Life my Soul my All I have Ziph. I did I thought thee false and I deserve To die for wronging thy most matchless Faith For thou art true constant as pining Turtles Constant as Courage to the Brave in Battel Constant as Martyrs burning for the Gods Arch. What Changes drive bus'ness of the World Come no more weeping rise Think on the King if he shou'd take you thus Ziph. Oh rise Semandra what what are we doing Why Archelaus why did'st thou cut me off The moments pleasure which my thoughts were forming Thy cruel breath quite broke the brittle Glass Of my short life and stopt the running Sand. What shall we do Semandra Sem. Part and die Ziph. Die 't is resolv'd but how that that must be My future care and with that thought I leave thee Go then thou Setting-star take from these eyes These eyes that if they see thee will be wishing O take those languishing pale fires away And leave me to the wide dark Den of Death Sem. Something within me sobs to my boding heart Semandra ne're shall see Ziphares more Ziph. Away then part for ever part Semandra Let me alone sustain those rav'nous Fates Which like two famish'd Tygers are gone out And have us in the Wind. Death come upon me Night and the bloodi'st deed of darkness end me But oh for thee for thee if thou must die I beg of Heav'n this last this only favour To give thy life a painless dissolution Oh may those ravish'd Beauties fall to Earth Gently as wither'd Roses leave their Stalks May Death be mild to thee as Love was cruel Calm as the Spirits in a Trance decay And soft as those who sleep their Souls away Exeunt ACT V. SCENE I. Pelopidas Andravar Priest incompass'd with Romans Pelop. ROmans who send your Laws far as the Sun His Beams and whom the Universe beholds With joy yet dreads your anger as the Gods Why move you to the ruine of this Tyrant To the sure death of bloody Mithridates As if you fear'd or car'd not he shou'd die Can you suspect an Ambush or that we Shou'd dare betray you yielding thus our persons Our Lives our Prince himself into your hands Andr. This man to whom the servile Priests bow down Who wears a Crown in honour of his place And sacred worth abandons all his glories T' attest the truth of what we have declar'd Enter Pharnaces But see the fierce the brave the Great Pharnaces Comes on to meet you waves his Royalties Therefore O mighty Romans give him Audience Phar. That I am rough and of an untaught Spirit All the East knows I ever scorn'd those Slaves VVith whom I have been bred and when my Father Order'd Barbarian Princes for my Masters In Arts and Arms I spurn'd 'em from my presence And rather chose since Rome might not instruct me Nature in all my Actions for my Guide Hence cou'd I brook more hardly the fierce mind Of our Inhumane Parent Mithridates My Eldest Brother's Fate did kindle first My fiery Soul to a most swift revenge For when the State of Bosphorus demanded That Prince for King he bound the gallant Youth In Golden Chains and doom'd him to be slain Two more were by his boundless fury strangled And ev'n the last but me the brave Ziphares Last night was murder'd in the Tyrants Palace In whose sad cause the Squadrons which he led Of late so valiantly against you Romans Attend some furlongs hence to joyn your Banners If this be true not to recount the Slaughters Of all his Queens and poyson'd Concubines I think the World Rome I shou'd first have nam'd Will little censure this so just revolt If you suspect me false behold Pharnaces Ne're yet detain'd but free as roving Lyons That swept at will like Winds in Deserts wild Behold him with these Noble Hostages Your Pris'ner to be bound the Slave of Rome Rom. Capt. Lead us on to Victory Omnes To Victory Phar. On them you Race of Heav'n you Seed of Gods And to Immortalize Pharnaces Name Plant me like Thunder breaking from this Cloud Foremost while all the ratling Engines follow Monima whom this Tyrant ravish'd from me I hear is fled to Pompey her I ask For my reward with half his spreading Empire But I waste words let 's act and then make claim And O remember when we storm the Town Remember that most horrid Massacre Of Asia whet on that your blunted Spirits Till with the motion Lightning edge your Souls To mow off hoary Heads hurl Infants puling From the lug'd breast kill in the very Womb To Beauties cries be deaf make all Synope But one vast Grave to hold the infinite bodies Which we
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