thâ—re can no issue be Our glorious Empire shall have end in me Eume. Rather fair Queen the Laws of love obey They teach a gentler and more noble way To Compass your Desires and men subdue At once to make us Slaves and Victors too O'recome us Madam with your natural Charms Let us fall by your eyes not by your Arms. For Woman Man for Man was Woman made Each was Created for the others aid Then whilst you live without us Men so long You the Divinity of love and Nature wrong Lay now aside at length of men your Hate And let each Woman choose a loving Mate Your Empire that way shall continued be And you your beauteous self increas'd shall see Thal. Eumenes this is Treason 'gainst our State Which will not love inspire but move my hate Eume. In what I can Madam I will obey So I may love do you prescribe the Way Thal. If I should now to let you love consent It shall be only for your punishment Love then but look for nothing but disdain Love without hope to be belov'd again Exit cum suis. Eume. Her Soul is marble and she cann't be mov'd She cannot love nor will she be belov'd Her Heart is steel loves form it will not take Love there tho sharp can no impression make But I must love tho I still love in vain Tho without hope and answerd with disdain With Constancy I will her love pursue Who knows but Constancy may her subdue That in her Breast at last may love imprint And make more soft that Heart which now is flint Exit The SCENE A Prison Enter Roxana Roxa. I am affraid the Lightning of his eyes Will pierce my Breast and my soft Heart surprise How hard a thing it is to break love's Chain And not to think that pleasure which is pain But love no longer shall my Soul infest I with revengeful Rage have arm'd my Breast Since with disdain he did my love deny I will the pleasure have to make him die This is the Way The Scene opens and discovers Orontes bound in Chains Speak now Orontes e're it be too late Will you have life with love or Death with Hate Your Fate does now depend on your own Breath In your own Choice is either life or Death Oron. He were unworthy of Statiras love Who would for fear of Death unconstant prove As for her sake I 'de be content to live Draws a dagger out of her sleev So for her willingly I death receive Roxa. Then Death I bring Disdainful man stand fair This from thy Breast Statira's Form shall tare Incens'd I will a merciless Tyrant prove And Stab that Heart will not admit my love I 'le laugh with joy to see thy life expire And with thy Blood I 'le quench thy amorous fire Oron. Strike boldly then play well the Tyrants part You 'l find an easie way to my unguarded Heart Except my Queen nothing that 's here beneath Appears so welcome to me now as Death For since my Fate does her I love deny advances with her Dagger With joy I fall and with Content I die Roxa. Then thus Orontes I will end our strife This blow shall cut my love off and thy life What trembling's this has seiz'd my Heart and Arm There 's magick in his Looks in 's Eyes a Charm aside I find I cannot my Intents pursue I feel some kind of foolish pitty too I 'ave thought on 't now It shall be soe Oron. What now Roxana Delay tortures me The Death you bring to me does pleasant seem 'T will wake me from a sad unquiet Dream It will give ease to my afflicted mind And make me think in this last Act you 'r Kind Roxa. Nay Sir since you unwilling are to live I will to punish you grant a Reprieve You shan't find pleasure in that Death I bring Death is not Death unless it has a sting Some other way I 'le satisfie my hate Your Eyes shall first behold my Rivals Fate For since her Life you to your own prefer Before thou dy'st I 'le kill thee first in her going out Oron. Stay Tyrant stay be not so inhumane Will you not kill unless you kill with pain If by my scorn I merit your Revenge Act not your hatred in a way so strange Kill the offender do not spare his blood But murther not the Innocent and good Roxa. If she be good she fitter is to die Oron. And does no pitty in your Bosome lie Roxa. Let pitty and good Nature dwell elsewhere I have more strong and violent Passions there Oron. Can then no Prayers your great wrath asswage Roxa. No more than they can still the Oceans Rage The great Concern you for my Rival show Does but the more provoke to speed the blow Oron. To save her life what is 't I would not do Yet cann't perform what is requir'd by you I cann't put out loves great and sacred fire The Gods can only quench what they inspire Some other way propose Roxa. In Vain Orontes now to me you sue For I have learn't how to deny by you You say I things impossible require And yet the same you now of me desire If to save her you cann't your love subdue Hate 's not less strong in me than love in you That says you must to this Decree submit To see Statira slain or her for ever quit Oron. The choice is hard Roxana Let her live And all thy Injuries I will forgive My Hate of thee I 'le from my Breast remove And that is more than half the way to love Roxa. To hear him thus intreat I dare not stay My passion will at last it self betray aside I will no longer trifle thus with you You know my will and what you have to do Think on 't I but a little Time will give To make your choice if she shall die or live Exit Oron. As men in storms a sinking Barque to free Are forc'd to fling their wealth into the Sea To save Statira's life I now must quit My constant love and the rich joys of it But Earth as soon may from it's Centre move As I can force my self to leave my love Nor can I let her die no no in vain Roxana thinks to keep me with this Chain No cruel Queen from all thy Tyrannie And from these Chains Death soon shall set me free The scene Closes ACT. III. The SCENE Babylon Enter Cassander and Peredicas meeting him with his Guard Perd. WHat sadness is 't Cassander moves you now It ill becomes the Lauress on your brow This Day I did believe that I should see You full of smiles after our Victorie Cass. If I am sad after our great success Me thinks your Looks Sir do no Calm express If dark and shady Clouds hang in my Eyes I see in yours a storm begin to rise Perd. Whilst I to wounds and Death my self expose Killing my Friends because Roxana's foes She gets my ' ador'd Statira in t '
flame Perd. We must not here dispute Madam let 's go I will secure you from this Cruel Foe Stat. I Sir your pris'ner am and know it well Pray'ers are Commands with those who can Compel Orontes Live and I will live for you To Oront And if you 're forc'd to dye I will dye too Oron. Live still fair Queen my Heart to you I give I will be yours whether I dye or live Roxa. Have you forgot to what we did agree To Perd. going off Remember Sir you first broke Faith with me Lost your Respect and now not only jarr But have denounc'd against me open War Tyrant thou would'st have slain what I above Mankind the World or Life or Empire love Assure thy self I won't my Rival spare I 'le seek her in thine Arms and Kill her there Perdicas I 'le doe 't 't is not thy Art or power Shall thee or her from my Revenge secure Perd. Madam the Gods protect the Innocent Exeunt Perd. Stat. Cleone with their Guards Roxa. Whilst I have pow'er declare for me they must Or I will fling their Temples in the Dust O'rethrow their Altars all their Flammins slay And take from them their Deities away Tell me no more of Gods my pow'er shall be My greatest and my only Deitie 'T is that th' whole World adores 'T is pow'er alone Which must maintain me in my Husband's Throne Guards Keep this pris'ner safe but let him be To her Guards From those base and unworthy Chains set free What Pow'er is this which does my Heart subdue The Guards bow That would at once oblige and punish too Exit with Guard and Blacks Oron. My Life depends yet on a slender thred For whilst Statira lives I must live too With faint and empty hopes I still am fed And wait to see what the just Gods will doe But if my fair Queen dyes from hence I 'le go To seek her in the blessed shades below For Loves strong bonds so fast our Souls have ty'd That Fate it self cannot us two divide Goes in the Scene Closes The Fourth ACT. The SCENE The Camp under the Walls of Babylon Enter Lysimachus Ptolomy Eumenes and Thalestris Ptol. NOw generous Rival and my noble Friend My Love no more on Fortune shall depend She has declar'd already on your side By Virtue only shall our Cause be try'd My Love for Parisatis I 'le pursue But then I 'le strive to Merit her like you Lysi. There 's nothing Ptolomy I esteem above Your glorious Friendship but my greater Love In that alone I must with you Contend And strive to Conquer and subdue my Friend Ptol. Whilst we thus strive each other to subdue At once continuing Friends and Rivals too Since Friendship losses shares and parts all gains One does not loose what th' other Friend obtains Lysi. We have to storm the Town this Night agreed Now let us shew our Diligence and Care And our whole force for this assault prepare Ptol. We need not doubt all Pow'er to us must yield When Love and Honour lead us to the Field Eume. Madam if in th' assault my Death I find May not a genâ—rous pity move your Mind It with one Tear you should my Fall lament 'T would ease my Grief and I should dye Content Thal. If you should fall whilst Glory you pursue I should not pity but should envy you Some great and brave attempt may Passion move Fortune and Noble Valour I can love Eume. I will to Dangers as to Conquest run And do such Things the like were never done I wish the Gods new dangers would Create And not give Conquest at too cheap a rate Where Blood and horror reigns I will be there And on ten Thousand Swords rush without fear If acts of Valour your great Mind can move You e're to morrow shall Eumenes love Thal. If feeble Love your Courage shall inspire You shall in me Honours great force admire I fear Eumenes you will blush for shame When you do less for Love than I for Fame Enter Captain with a Letter Capt. Some of my Souldiers Sir being nigh the Wall Perceiv'd an Arrow at their Feet to fall Taking it up to shoot it back they spy'd This Letter fast about the Arrow ty'd To me they brought it and I hit her flew Perceiving it directed Sir to you Delivers the Letter to Lysimachus who reads it to himself Lysi. Captain I give you thanks for your great care Let all your men for the Assault prepare Let them be ready and in Armes attend E're night I will to you my orders send Exit Capt. My Friends this Letter from Araxis came He is it seems got into Babylon See what he writes reads a Letter I am got into Babylon undiscovered and by the means of a Captain of Cassanders a Friend of mine will this Night make you Masters of the Town He hath lately been disgusted by him and I have made him absolutely ours He has this Night the Command of Semiramis's Gate Stir not till you see a Fire on the old Tower of Ninus at what time you shall be received in at that Gate without opposition Observe the signe Araxis The Gods this moment are to us grown kind And favour what before we had design'd Ptol. 'T is our just Cause does them to us incline Lysi. Come Ptolomy let 's watch the happy signe This night I hope we shall our Princess see And her from Danger and from Prison free Thal. Our Danger now Eumenes will be small Eume. I wish for blest occasions now to show How much I dare attempt to merit you Since fighting only's pleasing to your Eye You should both see me fight and fighting dye Exeunt The Scene The Palace Royal. Enter Cassander Roxana Hesione Roxa. Can you pretend to Love yet fear to do The thing your Mistress does require of you Cass. I do with pleasure your commands obey When reason does o're your fierce passions sway But what you now require Will the bright lustre of your Virtue stain Roxa. I find your passion for me is but small Love without Limits or love not at all Were your Love great your Reason would submit And you would think that just which I thought fit If you lov'd as you ought and I were she Your Love would have no bounds no shores but me Cass. My Love no other Bound than you does know I have no will but what from yours does flow But if our Hearts and Wills but one are found Yet honour is to both the equal Bound How do I then your will and pleasure shun When I do all in Honour may be done Roxa. That empty Name Cassander you may prize Since I am less than shaddows in your Eyes But on their Deaths whom you so well defend My life my peace my happiness depend 'T is by their Deaths and by their Deaths alone I must preserve my life and fix my Throne Do you in Honour my desires refuse Whilst I through it my life and Empire
Gallant in your Armes Roxa. Guards have him hence Exeunt Guards with Cassander Can my Orontes still inhumane be Have you no Love nor pity left for me Did'st thou the Milk of some fierce Tygress Suck Or was thy Heart cut from a Scythian Rock That thou can'st see a Queen whom Kings adore Fall at thy Feet and Love with Tears implore Kneels Can you so tender to Statira be And a cold Marble Statue still to me Oron. Roxana rise takes her up A noble Soul to Love was ne'r compell'd Bright virtue only makes brave Souls to yield But your blind passion bears such evil sway That leads you far from virtues paths astray You ask'd a Heart that was bestow'd before On Queen Statira Roxa. In vain you do on her your Love bestow Unless you 'l Court her in the shades below Oron. How Is Statira dead Ah! cruel Tygress have you slain the Queen Of all that 's fair and good have you the Murthress been Roxa. I try'd that way your Rocky Heart to move And see how soon it can be touch'd by Love Statira Lives Oron. Lives Where into her Armes I 'll fly Or tell me is she dead that I may dye Without her to the Gods I would not go Nor tread the blest Elysian Fields below Without Statira I no bliss can know But if she 's dead I 'll fly away From life and here not one short minute stay Speak is she dead you rack me with delay Roxa. This tender passion for my Rival shown My Loving Heart too on the Rack has thrown But I will be reveng'd and you shall dwell In anxious doubt and tortur'd in that Hell Oron. Stay do not thus in cruelty delight Let me not linger here Kill me out-right Tell me sh 's dead and kill me with that word Or say she lives and a reprieve afford Free me from pain or send my Soul from hence Roxa. Thy Soul shall feel the torture of suspence I will torment thee yet thou shalt not know Whether Statira is alive or no. Exit with Hesione Oron. What shall I do 't is pain and Death to Live Each Minute does ten Thousand tortures give And yet in Death I dare not seek my bliss Lest in that unknown Region I should miss The happiness I seek And lose my Queen in that World and in this O Gods What pains do you for Souls prepaire Who dare not hope yet know not to dispa're Goes in the SCENE Closes The Fifth ACT. The SCENE Babylon Enter Eumenes Lysimachus Ptolomy Thalestris Amazons and Soldiers Eume. THe City 's won and none left to oppose Within the Palace Walls are all our Foes Lysi. In vain in vain have we a Conquest made The cruel Gods have all our hopes betray'd And with them all our Earthly Joys are fled The Queen and her fair Sister too are dead This is the news which like a deadly Dart Now pierc'd my Ears and struck me through the Heart Thal. Why did the Gods such Heavenly forms Create And joyn with so much Beauty so ill Fate They give us cause their Godheads to blasphem Eume. The ways of Providence do Riddles seem And are like various Fancys in a Dream 'T is past our skill to find the Sence of them Their Murtherers let 's with Revenge pursue The Gods will aid us when their works we do Ptol. Yes brave Eumenes we will first Revenge Their Death and then the Scene of Life I 'll change Lysi. Since Love could not our Friendships know unty We will both perfect Friends and Lovers dye Embrace Ptol. Death shan't have pow'er our Souls to disunite For both shall hence together take their flight And since our Body's here the difference make Our Souls below shall but one shaddow take Lysi. Come my dear Friend let us about it strait Draw up the Army to the Palace Gate To the Soldiers Let it with all our Troops be compast round And then with Ramms oâ—rethrow it to the Ground Exeunt Omnes The SCENE The Palace Royal in Babylon Enter Roxana with Hesione Roxa. My Soul is with too great a load opprest My Eyes can find no sleep my Mind no rest For my designes will all Successless prove If I can't make the Scythian Prince to Love I 'ave sav'd his Life with hazard of my own And disoblig'd those who should guard my Thronâ— Hesi Time only can his Rebel Heart subdue Extinguish his old Flame and kindle new All your perfections he will then admire And in his Breast feel a new Amorous fire Roxa. Statira still in his great Heart does live I doubt he never will her Death forgive Hesi Time does on all a blest oblivion shed Which takes away the memory of the dead On grieving Souls it by degrees does creep And does surprize insensibly as sleep Nature at last must tyr'd and weary grow The highest Tydes of grief still ebb most low Roxa. I can't with so long expectation wait Let Love and Time like slaves attend my State I must and will have satisfaction strait When the whole East submits to my Command Shall he alone my Will and pow'er withstand shouts within Hark hark what shouts are those so loud Hesi They 're shouts of Joy and of a Multitude Shout again Rox. What can this mean It does my Soul affright The Babylonians are grown mad to night Enter an Officer of Roxana's Guards Offi. Madam the City 's taken and your Foes Have routed all who durst their force oppose Roxa. The City taken you 'ave neglectful been Offi. 'T was not Neglect but Treason let them in They enter'd at Semiramises Gate Where none oppos'd them till it was too late Thence like a Torrent they the City fill'd And all who did oppose them easily kill'd With eager shouts a Squadron this way made Your Guards and Royal Palace to invade Your routed Soldiers wheresoe're they fly For Perdicas and for Cassander cry Roxa. Hast away to your Captain run with speed And let Cassander from restraint be freed Offi. I fear 't is now too late The Foes by this are at the Palace Gate Rox. Be gone tell me not of your fears but fly Effect what I command you strait or dye Exit Officer I know not which way my hard Fate to shun Ah! cruel Fate how can this loss be born And how shall I endure Orontes scorn Hesi I hope the Gods will yet some pity show With patience wait their Wills you soon will know Roxa. Their Wills they in my ruine have made known But I 'll not stoop to theirs but to my own For since they will I shall be quite undone I 'll will it too and on my Fate will run My Death shall be th' effect of my own will For first Orontes then my self I 'le kill I then in dying shall some pleasure find To leave Orontes dead will please my mind Perhaps his Ghost below may prove more kind If not I 'le there his fierce tormenter prove Eternally I 'le kill him with my Love
run to scale these Walls Let 's thus for Honour and for Love contend Till Death or Conquest shall our Quarrel end Thus our great Cause may by the Sword be try'd And Fortune now our Rivalship decide Lysi. No Ptolomy to that I le ne'r agree Fortune shall never judge 'twixt you and me Blindly she does her Favours oft bestow Our Happiness shall from our Merits flow So Parisatis judgement best shall give Which of us two shall die and which shall live Pto. Lysimachus that way does worse appear All we can do can never merit her She like the Gods is mounted far above The reach of all our merits or our Love Then let not her that cruel judgement give One to condemn to make the other live She of that doom must certainly repent Make Fortune judge and keep her innocent Lysi. You cannot place her in your Thoughts too high And I fall down to her Divinity She like the Gods above can never err All must be just and good that comes from her Ptol. Think not I poorly prize my life above Or your high Friendship or my own just love Yet since but one of us can her obtain Let fortune judge which of us shall be slain Condemn'd by Fortune I shall die with joy But her Refusal doubly would destroy Lysi. Refus'd by her death will a pleasure grow But flatt'ring Hope makes Death more cruel show 'T were just for him whom she refus'd to die Pto. That Justice then adds to his misery Lysi. Whil'st Love does either with some hope inspire Deaths cold embrace unjustly we desire Pto. If now I die by yours or my own hand I die before I did my Love offend But once refus'd by her I guilty grow For her refusal only makes me so My Death will then to every one appear Not the effect of Love but of despair If she accept me I can know no Joy Since my good Fortune must my Love destroy Lysi. As great as yours I dare pronounce my Flame Tho yours so unruly seems and mine so tame The Gods with greater Love can none inspire Nor can your Breast feel a more scorching Fire Yet Love shall never make my Sword divide That knot of Friendship which we two have ty'd Ptol. Why should I in suspence one moment be When my own hand holds my own destiny This Sword can quickly finish all our strife By cutting off my own or your much dearer life Empire our Friendships bounds could not remove We parted stakes but cann't do so in Love Two Kings may friendly sit upon one Throne But in Loves Empire one must reign alone Since she whom we adore we cann't divide We with our swords our quarrel must decide Let this the greatness of my passion speak When for my love I must our friendship break Ly. No Ptolomy this Sword shall ne'r offend The man whom I so long have call'd my friend And so much honour in thy soul does dwell Thy unresisting friend thou dar'st not kill Ptol. Lay by that Name for in it lies a charm Which does my Soul of all its rage disarm My blood grows stiff and cold that sacred Name Strives to extinguish my unruly flame But that Charm by a greater I le remove My Friendship must and shall give way to Love My life I for my friend would sacrifice But for my Love that Friend I must despise Defend thy self Lysi. Since Friendship 's sacred name so weak does prove Here wound her Image whom we both do love That beauteous Image to us both so dear Will deeply graven in my heart appear Strike home and to our quarrel put an end Dispatch at once your Rival and your Friend Whilst Ptolomy stands in a fighting posture with his Swords point towards the breast of Lysimachus who spreads open his arms Enter Orontes and Araxis Oron. Is this a time for friends to disagree With joy our Souldiers for th' Assault prepare But wonder much where their brave Leaders are Me-thinks that Love which your two Souls inspires Should quicken and add wings to your desires 'T is just we first our Princesses redeem Before we offer to dispute for them Remember Sirs these Walls our Loves inclose Remember they are Pris'ners to our Foes Embrace embrace and let us hast away Our Souldiers in their arms do for us stay Each minute now seems a long age to me Till we have set the fair Statyra free Ptol. 'T is true Orontes to my self I seem Like those who sleeping walk and talking dream My â—unquiet passions now are grown so strong Against my will they hurry me along 〈◊〉 what sense nor reason can't approve And unprovok'd would kill the Friend I love 'Gainst my own heart I all my forces bend And e're I gain my Mistress lose my Friend Pity me then when forc'd by cruel Fate I do those things which tho I do I hate Ly. Come Ptolomy let 's set our Princess free Let us like Friends in that just Act agree And then the Combat for which you now sue I 'le force my friendship to require of you Ptol. I 'le yield to that 't is but a just delay Orontes now to danger lead the way Oron. What various shapes does mighty love put on How different to us seems his power to be Here dark as night there brighter than the Sun Here a Calm deep there a rough raging sea In every breast he hath a different sway Whilst the whole world does his great power obey Exeunt SCENE II. A Palace within Babylon Enter Queen Statira Parisatis and Cleone Sta. Ye Gods of Persia and thou chief the Sun What crimes have we or our Forefathers done That ye thus load with misery and disgrace The small remains of great Darius Race O happy Swains who innocently free The pains of greatness at a distance see Ye gaze at us and happy call our State And oft do envy what we most do hate Par. Sister since nothing can dark Fate withstand For Fate doth ev'n the Gods themselves command To its decree they do themselves submit Which shows their Godheads have less power than it If then our ruine be decreed why shou'd We mourn for that which cannot be withstood But since Man cannot in Fates black Book read And that we know not what is fore-decreed Hope like a glimmering Star in night does rise And gives some comfort in our miseries Our Friends without may yet successful prove Valour does wonders when inspir'd by love Stat. Ah Parisatis 't is not death I fear Honour than life to me is far more dear To you I may confess without offence I next to Honour prize the Scythian Prince Whose noble Acts my Heart long since did move E're I did yield to Alexander's love For his sake then I am oblig'd to live Since he from me does all his joys receive But when I think what dangers him surround A thousand fears my much griev'd soul do wound Such is his love such his respect for me I know he
distress Lysi. If to a Rival I did succour lend It was because that Rival was my friend But Fortune had in giving death to you Depriv'd my love of all its glory too With what bright lustre will my true love shine When virtue gives it conquest over thine Ptol. That virtue which shines in your Soul so clear Does in my breast raise jealousie and fear I doubt the pow'r of its illustrious charms Will ravish Parisatis from my Arms. But tho I see your Trophies in the Field And know your pow'r yet I can never yield In Arms brave Rival me you are above But yet I will your equal be in love In that alone I will with you contend Though I oppose my Reason and my Friend Lysi. I should esteem you less if you should prove More constant in your Friendship than your love If in your love you could inconstant be I should believe you might be so to me Nor did I shew my kindness on that score My Thoughts were not so very mean and poor Love on and with me still in love contend If you more Rival grow I 'le grow more Friend Ptol Friend let me die lest I ungrateful prove I can die for you but not cease to love Eume. 'T is time brave Friends to end this generous strife And to your smarting Wounds some ease to give Ptol. From hence Eumenes I will never goe 'Till brave Orontes Destiny I know Eume. Tho' he my Quarter next to his assign'd The Great Thalestris took up all my mind Such wonders did that brave Virago do As rais'd love in my breast and envy too I saw her lead her valiant women on And boldly to the greatest dangers run Not for my self but much for her afraid I always nigh her fought to give her aid When I stones falling on her head beheld I ran between and caught them on my Shield I watch'd the darts as from the Walls they flew And between them and Her my self I threw But she disdainful did my kindness shun And more provok'd did more on dangers run Till she at last receiv'd a dangerous blow Which to the ground did the brave Queen o'rthrow Lysi. But where is now our gallant Amazon Eume. Sir she is to the General 's Quarter gon For she had heard a murmuring Rumour tell That in th' Assault the brave Orontes fell Enter Thalestris Araxis and Guard of Amazons But see she 's here Lysi. Where is Orontes Thal. Araxis best does know Arax I know not whether he now lives or no I 'm yet amaz'd to think what he has done For by himself he Babylon has won Nothing could force his Courage to retire Which prest th'row Storms of Stones of Darts and Fire In spite of all my Master forward went Till he at last had gain'd the Battlement There like some God he threat'ned the whole Town And all their Force and Rage sustain'd alone For tho his Souldiers did no Courage lack They were by force of Arms all beaten back Lysi. If brave Orontes lives wee 'l set him free Eume. If dead we will revenge his Destinie Ptol. We the proud Mistress of the World will burn And all her lofty Spires to Ashes turn Thal. Let us this Night for a new storm prepare Fortune does oftentimes change sides in War Though now we have receiv'd the worst in fight Let 's try to'assault them favour'd by the night After success we may expect the Foe More negligent and more secure will grow Lysi. We 'll to the General 's Tent withdraw and straight In Counsel what you now propose debate Ex. Lysi. and Ptol. Arax To enter Babylon disguis'd I 'le try And serve my Master and his Friends or dye Fortune assist me and propitious be And I 'le build Altars to thy Deitie Exit Eume. Madam how like the Sea when calm you show So soft your aspect and so smooth your brow But once this day when you grew rough in Arms You seem'd to me like the Wild Seas in Storms The quiet Sea does some soft pleasure yield But its great power in Tempests is beheld His dreadful majesty then best appears When he shoots up his Waves to the bright Stars Tho' you seem sweet in your soft smiling Charmes You are more noble in your dreadful Arms. 'T was that fierce bravery which I saw in you That only could my untam'd Heart subdue From gentle Eyes often proceed's Love's flame But mine more strange from their fierce Lightning came Thal. And so it seems Since you so boldly dare To me an Amazon your Love declare But since my fierceness did your Love beget I ever will your Love with fierceness treat With Anger Pride with Farie and Disdain And not with Smiles your Love I 'le entertain Eume. Soft Love will all your Anger soon asswage Or with my Blood I will appease your Rage Thal. In Armes and Wars we Amazons delight We are all bred to labour and to fight Love Ease and Softness we as evils shun But soon to Battels and to dangers run If among us any weak Cowards be We make them Slaves to serve the valiant free Or banish them as Bees drones from their hive Eume. Ah! that the God of Love his power would shew And with his powerful Armes your Heart subdue That you might taste what Joys in Love abide And know the pain to be of Love deny'd Thal. My women doe the Joys of Conquest know No pain like that of flying from the foe Our joys and paines both real are and true None those of Love but in their fancies knew We the Chemera laugh at more than hate Which your false joyes and punishments create Thal. Hither Eumenes I for Glory came Drawn by the Valiant Alexanders Fame By wars my Fame and Knowledg to improve And not to hear your idle talk of Love Let Love and Peace to weaker souls seem good They 're things which cann't by us be understood Eume. But when the sweets of gentle Love you find You both to Love and me will grow more kind The God of War o'recome by Love's soft Charmes Pliant and gentle grew though fierce in Armes Thal. Fierce War with us does ever make abode Which frights away that little lazy God To peaceful and luxurious Courts he flies To fair soft Bosoms and to wanton eyes The noyse of Trumpets from us drives him far He still delights in peace no business has in War Eume. But yet your Women deal with love and peace Our Capadocians help them to increase Thal. I blush to hear it tho Confess it true Our Women heretofore have met with you Nature not love did to this Rigour bind They only sought you to preserve their Kind To what the Law of Nature does Ordain They have submitted tho with grief and pain But I that evil Custom so abhor My Subjects I 'le Command to use 't no more And e're I 'le stoop to do a thing so base I 'le be the last of our illustrious Race Since without men
her power And keeps her pris'ner in the Palace Tower But I am going thence to set her free And with my sword to give her Libertie Cass. Whilst I for her to wounds and dangers go And 'gainst my Int'rest save my greatest foe Whilst her commands I carefully obey And yield this mighty Empire to her sway She meets my Love with a disdainful frown And him who scorns her with her Love does Crown Perd. Our Love and Int'rest should us two conjoyn It is one Man disturbs your peace and mine 'T is fit Orontes then should dye that he May never more disquiet you or me Cass. Yes he shall dye by all the Gods I vow This Arm shall shortly give the fatal blow Perd. By all the Gods if in my power it lies When I first see him by this Arm he dies And when we have this obstacle remov'd We shall be kindlier us'd and more belov'd Cass. Their furious Love will cool and we shall find Our Queens who now disdain us grow more kind Exeunt severally The SCENE The Palace Royal in Babylon Enter Roxana and Hesione Rox. Who are in love at all times cann't be wise Passion o'recomes our weaker pollicies Who in safe peace and undisturb'd would reign Should have no passions yet oft passions feign Our Reason and our Judgment they infest And open lay the secrets of our Breast Hesi Madam of all the Passions Love's most bold And still is found most hard to be control'd Rox. Just now disturb'd I from Orentes came Full of Revenge of Anger Love and Shame Being o'repowr'd by their impetuous tide I could not my resistless Passions hide But at Cassander did the Venom throw Of my Disdain and Hare too plain did show Hesi I 'ave wonder'd Madam with what skill and Art You have kept under his aspiring heart He cannot boast that he in Love does thrive And yet you keep his little hopes alive Rox. I know not which has in my Heart most share Love or Ambition both are mighty there I cannot be content with one alone I 'de have my Love and not forgoe the Throne For Love'â— sake Perdicas my Friend I stile Ambition makes me on Cassander smile Tho I intend at last both to beguile What noise is that Clashing of swords within Enter Guard Sold. Perdicas Madam on your Guard does fall I fear he 'l force Statira from us all Rox. Go stop him wretch make hast stop him I say First dye and with your Bodies block his way Exeunt Guard This amorous fool will spoil my great designe Exeunt Enter Perdicas fighting with the Guard Perd. I 'le force my way tho you an Armie were Enter Roxana and Hesione Roxana snatches a sword from on of the Guard and stops Perdicas Rox. How Perdicas Come further if you dare Over this Breast you first must make your way Is this the great Respect you to me pay Perd. Madam you may account this Action rude 'T is better yet than your Ingratitude Whilst Blood and Life I venture for your sake From me what is more dear than Life you take Rox. You are too Rash It was your good I sought And I will soon make you confess your fault Command your Guard off Perd. Go wait without Rox. Retire you to your charge To her Guard flings away the sword Now Perdicas I will my mind disclose You from my Rival long have sought in vain For Love's deep wound some Rem'edy to obtain To a deaf Statue you do still complain You to a senceless Rock your Love make known And court a Mistress with a heart of stone I for your Rival the like pains indure Which He you know has still deny'd to cure He scorns my Love and does my sickness mock And wears an Heart far harder than a Rock All gentle ways we too too long have try'd Have humbly sought but still have been deny'd No longer now let us our pains endure A desperate Ill must have a desperate Cure Perd. 'T is true all gentle means I long have us'd My hopes and patience I have found abus'd My tortur'd heart for pain can hardly live And to my wounded soul none ease can give But yet if pray'rs won't make my Goddess kind I know not which way you can force the mind Rox. The stubborn mind like grown Oaks will not bend You cannot bow them but with force they rend So our stiff Rivals won't with us comply E're they will bow and yield they 'l break and dye Death they dispise I know our loves to shun If Death be offer'd both to Death will run Perd. If the stiff mind can no way forced be What is it you 'd propose for Remedie Rox. Art must be us'd and I have found a way To make them both submit and us obey They both above themselves each other Love And thorow one we must the other move Though either Death would choose ere they 'd comply They 'l yield before they 'l see each other dye They 'l tender grow their Passions will be mov'd To see Death offer'd to the thing belov'd Then at your feet you will Statira see And I Orontes supplicating me Perd. So great 's the pain of Love which I endure I any means would try to ' obtain a Cure We cut our Flesh and put our selves to pain A Freedom from some sharp Disease to gain So I must stab and wound my bleeding Heart Whilst I procure Statira's pain and smart Rox. That our Design may to our with succeed Threaten with Death but what you do take heed For if your Life must with Statira's end Upon Orontes Life mine does depend Perd. Madam I to your wisdom and your Care Shall leave the management of this Affair I shall observe all that you shall command And take my blessing from your bounteous hand I with this subtle Queen seem to comply Aside But I have vow'd my Rival soon shall dye With skilful cunning she now plays her part But I will countermine her Art with Art Exit Rox. Thus Raging Beasts we do with Ginns insnare And subtle slights for mighty force prepare The Elephant and Horse obey our will And the fierce Lion's tam'd by Art and skill If what I now design does take 't is well If not who can the event of things foretell I for my safety will so well provide That what seems jest in earnest shall be try'd The Rival of my Love and Crown shall dye My ' Ambition and Revenge to satisfie But cunning Perdicas deceiv'd must be With words which do not with my Thoughts agree The Rash Cassander I must too beguile And six him with the favour of a smile Hesione send for Cassander strait And whilst with you he does my leisure wait Charm him with hopes and my late frowns excuse 'T is no great sin fond Lovers to abuse Exeunt The SCENE A Tower of the Palace Enter Statira and Parisatis Stat. Death which each moment we expect to see Is far less dreadful than this news to
me Whilst my Orontes was in safety I With less Concern and more Content could dye But now my soul opprest with busie eare Is ruffl'd and for Him disturb'd with fear Pari. But Sister why are you disturb'd so much You know Roxana's Love for him is such You may assure your self and well believe He no ill treatment will from her receive What is it then should so uncalm your mind Unless you 're jealous she should be too kind But his great love and constancy you know Not all her Charms and Arts can overthrow This great attempt and valiant Act does prove That he still wears a true and constant Love Stat. That constancy you think should me secure From Fear does cause the Fear I now endure For what will not that wicked Woman dare To do when Love is turn'd into Dispair Whilst she has hopes her Love will make her kind When they are lost she 'l shew her cruel mind Rob'd of her Whelps a Tygress will not be So Cruel and so full of Rage as she Her Love 's no pure unmixt and gentle Fire But is an impure Flame an hot untam'd Desire Pari. Are you content he should inconstant prove To shun the Fate which threatens his true Love Stat. Should I consent should I request it too That is a thing I know he could not do Pari. In things that no ways remedy'd can be We must submit to hard Necessitie By Death our Troubles will to peace be chang'd And though we dye we shan't dye unreveng'd We have two Friends who with their armed powers Will soon revenge Orontes Death and Ours Enter Cleone Cleo. The Captain of Roxana's Guard does wait Without and asks to be admitted strait His business Madam I can no ways learn But 's looks betray some great and sad concern Stat. Go Cleone and bring him in Exit Cleone The unexpected news of Death might fright But expectation now does make it light They who for it beforehand do prepare When it approaches don't like others fear Enter Captain with the Guard and Cleone Capt. By me the Queen does let you understand Madam I must obey her strict command It is her pleasure that you strait must dye Stat 'T is what I expected from her Cruelty She told me her self what now I hear from you I then believ'd her Threats she would pursue Therefore to dye I have my self prepar'd But has the Tyrant Sir my sister spar'd Capt. I know not Madam what sh' intends to do My Orders now concern not her but you Pari. In vain she spares my Life if she must die Nature and Friendship us together tie And they have knit a knot cann't be unti'd Nor shall her Tyranny us two divide For the kind Gods to us a pow'r do give That at our pleasure we may cease to live Stat. Sister you ought to Death no more to run Than you for fear should its approaches shun On the Gods wills with patience you must wait And neither run to seek nor shun your Fate When I am dead I 'le hover in the Air And there I will unseen of you take Care Adeu dear sister Embrace I 'm assur'd my Friend Will both Revenge me and your Life defend Pari Cruel Roxana thus to make us part Is from my Breast to tare my living Heart Adue dear sister Embrace Tho w' are parted thus Death shall again restore our Joys to us You but few moments shall before me go E're I 'le o'retake you in the shades below Stat. To what place is it I must go to dye Capt. 'T is to Orontes Prison Stat. What! Will Roxana be so good to me Will she once more let me Orontes see For this great kindness I 'le her wrongs forgive Tho after that I but one moment live Capt. If kindness she designs I do not know But Madam thither 't is that you must go Stat. Let 's go then Death it self seems pleasant there This unexpected Joy has banished fear Exeunt Capt. Stat. and Cleone with Guards Pari. How fast the Dream of Greatness slides away How soon is worldly Pomp and Glory lost Fortune with Princes still delights to play And in their Ruines does her great pow'r boast The great stand high on slippery Rocks of Ice They cannot move but they must move in Fear Like seeming stars that shoot down from the Skies They tumble headlong from their lofty Sphear Happy are they who in poor Cabbins dwell And there content rest on their humble Beds Great Joys nor Griefs enter their homely Cell Nor Cares Distrusts nor Fears disturb their Heads Their pleasures small but natural and true Happy if their own happiness they knew Exit The SCENE The Prison of Orontes He is discovered lying bound as before Oron. The Gods are deaf to them I cry in vain Unmov'd they see and pitty not our pain But since for all our ills one Cure they gave Why should we ask what we already have 〈◊〉 to all Troubles gives a gentle end 〈…〉 the Worlds and Natures faults amend The way to Life 's but one not easily found To Death the ways are plain and do abound The Gods put nothing in our power more sure To shew it was for humane ills the Cure To thee blest Cure I now resolve to fly The last but most assured Remedy Enter Statira and Cleone Stat. Ah Prince what barbarous Heart has bound those hands And fetter'd them with such unworthy Bands Those hands which have such glorious Actions done Which have so many Laurels nobly won Those hands which were by Heav'n design'd to beaâ— A Scepter and not slavish Chains to wear Can Love do this Can Love in fetters bind Can Love thus cruel be and thus unkind Oron. Since for your sake I do these fetters ware Than Crowns or Laurels they more glorious are They 're full of glory and of pleasure too Câ—owns I prize less than suffering for you 〈◊〉 noble Bond which binds my Heart I prize And tho your Slave Roxana's Chains dispise Stâ—t Thoâ—e Chains Orontes are more justly mine Râ—xana meant them for my hands not thine She could no other way with all her Art 〈…〉 me subdue your Heart She knew that I could my own sufferings bear And understood that yours touch'd me more near This visit then not from her kindness springs Her Cruelty now us together brings That by your suff'rings I might Torment find And by my Torment she might move your mind Oron. These suff'rings Madam I should count but light Did they not keep me from your beauteous sight Whilst I enjoy that happiness I find No Grief can touch the quiet of my Mind Your sight my Sorrows and my Griefs destroys And hides all other Passions in my Joys So the admir'd Elixir does enfold Such Virtue which base Mettals turns to Gold Enter Perdicas Roxana Hesione with 〈…〉 four Blacks with Crooked Scymiters by their 〈◊〉 and strangling Cords in their hands Roxa. Too long too long Statira you have liv'd And me of
loose Cass. Ah! Madam that which makes you thus severe Is rather the effect of Hate than fear You hate Statira and would her remove Because she is a Rival in your love She dead your dying hopes would then revive But that destroys my hopes which makes yours thrive Should I do all you ask I soon shall see Orontes have what should be giv'n to me Roxa. 'T is true Orontes once my heart possest But hatred now has driv'n him from my Breast Of late Cassander I your Image find Making too deep impressions on my mind Your constant Love and Services I weigh And will at last my obligations pay This last effect then of your Duty show And for Reward I 'le give my self to you When you for me have this great Service done Take then your Mistress and with her a Throne Cass. There 's nothing in this World like you I prize Love ranks you equal with the Deities The great Roxana's pow'er who can withstand Mortals dispute not what the Gods command I do submit and will your Will obey And soon will snatch your Rival's Life away When your bright God sleeps in the Western Wave And will not look on those he cannot save When horrid Night arises from the deep And o're the World deep Silence shedds and sleep Then I about this dreadful work will hast And those you doom to dye shall sleep their last Roxa. Go my Cassander it is you alone Must fix Roxana on the Persian Throne No bold attempt from danger can be free 'T is still well done if it Successful be What you intend you by surprize must doe But I shall leave the Management to you Let not in vain the pretious Minutes hast Dispatch that you a Lover's Bliss may taste Think on our Joys and our Felicitie The Prize a Crown and what is greater Me. Exit with Hesione Cass. It must be done such is Roxana's Hate Her Rival's Death can only it abate And such is my great Passion I must be The Instrument of all her Crueltie I see the Danger which I cannot shun And to the Precipice run headlong on Great is the Prize Roxana and a Throne Enter a Black Mute To day this Mute was giv'en me by a Friend Oxas come near I will to you impart The most important secrets of my heart I do repose in you no Common trust You can be secret but can you be just Black bows Can you obey all that I shall Command Bows again And do what e're I bid you understand Black bows Without Remorse can you obey my Will Bows again Can you unmov'd the Blood of Women spill Thou instantly two Princesses must Kill Black starts Hah does the name of Princess make you start Hast thou a tender place about thy heart The Black bows and puts his hand to his Sword making signes it shall be done T is well anon I will Instruct you more Exeunt The SCENE The Palace of Perdicas within Babylon Enter Perdicas Statira Cleone Perd. Madam you 're safe and now many banish fear Whilst I give Orders to secure you here Roxana is unbounded in her Hate Cruel and to be mov'd no more than Fate Her bloody and her barbarous intent I must with strong and double Guards prevent Madam you will not long be here alone My Guard 's already for the Princess gone Stat. That is an Obligation I must own Perd. I might at last hope a more gentle Fate If Services could overcome your Hate Stat. My Friendship if you please you may obtain Perd. 'T is Love the Soul of Friendship I would gain Stat. Love is a Thing I have no Pow'er to give Perd. Nor is it in my Power without that Love to Live But Madam this your Hatred may remove Knowing all my Offences spring from Love Love is not Love if's Empire once decays Or if Love's Power Reason's dull Law obeys Exit Stat. On Love tho he both pure and sacred be Men without shame fling their own Infamie And when they long in wicked ways have trod All their vile Faults and Crimes lay on the God But Love thy Nature is divine and pure Thou canst no spots nor blemishes indure Tho all things do thy Mighty Pow'er obey Honour and Reason still with thee bear sway Enter Parisatis Pari. Have the Kind Gods a longer Life assign'd Embraecing Stat. If granting life be Kindness they are kind Our Tragic-Scene you see is not yet past Death will conclude our Play of Life at last In the mean time each here must act his part Mov'd by those Powers above which rule the Heart Pari. The Gods when we 're prest down yield some relief And sprinkle short-liv'd Joys among our Grief The life of every one is checquer'd still Tho mixt unequally with good and ill Which set each other off like Black and White This makes that seem more dark that this more bright So late despairing any more to meet Has made the Joys of this Embrace thus sweet Stat. Our Joys soon vanish like a Winters day Sorrows like long and tedious Nights do stay The Gods dispose our Lots as they think fit We mortals cannot Choose but must Submit Bid Charmion sing In her sweet Voice I oft have pleasure found Musick like Balm eases grief's smarting wound They sit A SONG What are all the Ioys of Life In which the mind Does never find A true content unmixt with strife They are like Clouds which in the Night Impregnate with reflected Light Appear then vanish out of Sight Our Ioys like gather'd flow'ers decay Which soon Consume Their own perfume And breath their Life in sweets away No pleasure here is permanent Nor the delights that Men invent Can to our Souls give true Content But when the Race of life is run And that to Death We yield our Breath We gain the Mansions of the Sun Then true Content the mind shall see Then all our Ioys shall perfect be And some like our bright Deitie Pari. The Night grows old 't is time to go to rest Sleep calms the passions of a troubled breast Stat. Sleep which to others a soft pleasure seems To me of late new troubles brings in Dreams My labouring Fancy there Affliction finds Not that repose sleep gives to other minds Pari. Those Images which in our Dreams abound Do but with gentle strokes our Fancy wound But Balmy sleep gives for a while relief Allays the smart and Cures the sting of grief Stat. With wakeful thoughts my Soul 's so much opprest My Eyes no sleep can find my Mind no rest I know that Death or some great danger 's nigh I 'm much afflicted yet I know not why The knowing Soul approaching ills discerns And then the Body by some signes forewarnes When to the Stars she is about to go She suddenly grows light and strangely things does know Pari. The Gods divert those evills which you fear Or give us strength the ills they send to bear Enter a Souldier of Perdicas's Guard Sold. Madam
See there they lye hid in Deaths gloomy Night Roxa. There lye the marks of thy Barbarity Which I with trembling and with Horror see In silence I a Sisters Death will mourn My Soul for my weak Limbs too heavie's grown Returns leaning on Hesione Cass. She feignes so well and so much Art does shew I doubt I shall anon believe her too The Scene Closes Would I had pow'er to give them Life again That you Roxana might not weep in vain 'T is now your dear Dead Sister but if she Could Live she 'd then your hated Rival be And I who am so barbarous a Man Should Courted be to Murther her agen Great Jove who all the lesser Fates controules Send from above from thy great stock of Souls Two new immortal sparkes or th' old return That griev'd Roxana may no longer mourn Roxa. Leave your vain wishes Let the Gods alone There 's business of more moment to be done When the Sea 's calm the Air Serene and clear The Ship before the Wind each Buoy can steer But when the Winds roar in their shatter'd shroudes When Heaven's bright face grows terrible with cloudes And angry Seas to moving Mountaines grow The Pilot then his skill and Art does show 'T is now Cassander you must show your skill And try if you can save as well as kill Now you must shew your courage and your care To every Guard and every Watch repare Statira was belov'd and you will see Th' enraged Babylonians Mutiny They will revenge her Death on you and me If us from threatning stormes you now can save You shall enjoy the Fortune of the Brave Cass. T' obtaine your Love your Foes I have withstood Imprison'd Friends and dipt my Hands in Blood Your Int'rests and your Factions mine have made But I with scorn and with neglect am paid Let the storm rise I long enough have strove To shew my obedience and my matchless Love I like a God will now withdraw my Guard And let Ruine loose till you my Love reward Roxa. Let Râ—ne come Cassander you will learn It does not me so much as you concern Were you a God and had the power of Jove You never should compel me Sir to Love I know your merits and your passion see Go to your charge leave the reward to me Cass. By what strong Charm am I compell ' to Love I must and will this wicked Charm remove Think not that you with Tears can me beguile False as the Hyena or the Crocadile Weep o're your prey when in your Heart you smile I 'll humbly seek no more for Love my due But try by force and Armes to compass you My Hands once more in Blood I will embrew And change your false and feigned Tears to true Exit Mute following him Roxa. When Love and high Ambition do possess To Hesi smiling Thy Soul thou mayst at my great pleasure Ghess The dead Statira was a happy sight Oh! how my Heart was fill'd with the delight Nothing can now my happiness remove I have no Rival in my Throne nor Love The way to Empire and to Love is plain He whom I love is safe she I did hate is slain Hesi I saw dark Clouds in your fierce Lovers Eyes I fear some storm will suddenly arise His Soul is full of Jealousie and spight I wonder you so much his anger slight Roxa. Let him rage on he will grow tame at last Men play with Fishes when they 'ave hookâ—d them fast 'T is sport to hear and to behold a while A Lyon roar and strugling in the toyl I can with ease the furious Beast beguile Awe him with frownes and chear him with a smile Now I must build and now destroy his peace Sometimes his hopes sometimes his fears increase And so in equal ballance keep them still Thus I subject this Lyon to my will Enter Mute hastily makes signes and pulling Roxana by the Sleeve to follow him What means this Mute what is it he would have Hesi Madam he your assistance seems to crave Some business of importance brings him here Roxa. He seems both full of hast and full of fear Alas I can't divine what this should be Ill know what his dumb signes do signifie Exeunt hastily following the Mute The SCENE The Prison of Orontes Enter Cassander Cass. I bow'd my Neck indeed to mighty Love When I would scorn to be a slave to Jove His chains I did admit and never strove They look'd so fair so easie seem'd and light They shone so glorious and appear'd so bright I took pride in my Bonds and wore them with delight But now they 're heavy and uneasie grown They sit too close and off they must be thrown But ah I fear 't is past my pow'r and skill My Rebel Heart will not obey my will It loves the great and proud Roxana still Ill Love but Court her at another Rate My Love shall now appear to her like Hate I am resolv'd I will turn Rebel strait Her hopes which on Orontes life depend Drawes his Sword Shall with his life have instantly an End Goes towards the further part of the Stage the Scene opens and discovers Orontes leaning on a Couch Oron. Soft sleep o're half the World his Wings does spread And does on weary Eyes his Poppies shed Nature her self in silence seems to nod And all things rest full of the drousie God Yet I whom wakeful thoughts and cares infest Nor for my Soul nor for my Eyes find rest What vision 's this appears before my sight Sees Cass. with a drawn sword So fierce and dreadful in the dead of Night Cass. I am thy evil Genius and am come With this Orontes to pronounce thy doom By mighty Jove and all the Gods you shall To Love and Anger now a Victim fall Oron. Tho I from hated life would gladly fly I will not at your pleasure tamely dye Rises and comes forth Cass. You must Orontes Roxana is not here to help you now You stand between my happiness and me advances to kill Orontes Enter Roxana and Hesione Roxa. O Gods what spectacle is this I see To Hesi Run Call my Guards Exit Hesione Traytor be gone Roxana runs betwixt Cassander and Orontes Cass. When I have kill'd Orontes I will go Roxa. You first shall kill your Queen and Mistress too Cass. I 'ave vow'd his Death and will my vow perform Roxa. I 'ave vow'd his safety He shall take no harm Is this the way you your great passion prove Cass. I now a Rebel am to Love Strives to come at Orontes Roxana to hinder him Roxa. And like a Rebel I will use you now Enter Guards seize Cassander and dis-arm him Traytor you shall at last my power know Bear hence this rageing Beast To the Guards In Chains and a close Prison keep him safe Till he grows tame again Cass. Ungrateful Queen I have too long your slave and lover been But I in spite of your bewitching Charmes Will Live to kill your
Enter Officer and Soldiers Offi. Cassander is set free but will not fight He seems to hear our dangers with delight And said the Gods reveng'd his wrongs this Night After some pause a few choice men he took And suddenly enrag'd the place forsook But muttering as he went I heard him cry I will my Rival kill before I dye Roxa. O Gods I must this wretches pow'er controul With this I 'll first let out his trecherous Soul Snatches a Iavelin from the Officer Under a tottering Tower I seem to stand And would uphold it with my feeble hand I see it shake and know at last 't will fall And with its Ruines overwhelm us all But like my self a brave great Queen I 'le dye Whilst with my Fate opprest dead Princes round me lye Exeunt Enter Perdicas with Sword in his Hand Perd. Horrid Confusion reignes in every place And all things now look with a dreadful face In this confusion I my freedom gain But Oh! my Soul is tortur'd still with pain The curst Roxana has Statira slain I now am come to set my Rival free In her Revenge we shall like friends agree Scene opens and discovers Orontes Oron. Again disturb'd what Perdicas are you Come to dispatch your hated Rival too Make hast but first this satisfaction give Tell me ah tell me does Statira live Perd. She 's gon she 's gon she 's vanisht from our sight The curst Cassander put out all her light And those fair eyes which shone than Day more bright By Death Ecclips'd are hid in shades of Night Oron. Here Pierce my Breast and with a welcom blow At last some Kindness to your Rival show Opening his Arms. Perd. Statira's death puts to our strife an end You not my Rival now may be my Friend Take this Gives him a Sword From my restraint I but just now got free First hither ran to give you Libertie That we the Scenes of War Blood Death might change And on her Foes Statira's Death revenge Oron. Tho I from hated Life would fly away A brave and just Revenge invites my stay The Gods and you have arm'd my hand once more I swear by her blest Shade I still adore I will revenge her Death Enter Cassander and Soldiers The Monster see Cass. What! Perdicas releast And is Orontes too of Arms possest Oron. Thou most accurs'd of humane Kind Cassander and Soldiers fight with Orontes and Perdicas Cassander falls wounded by Orontes Enter Roxana hastily followed by Hesione Officers and Soldiers Roxana wounds Orontes with a Spear the Soldiers are beat off the Stage by Perdicas and Roxana 's Soldiers Roxa. Oh Gods What have I done Thus humbly prostrate to my Prince I bow Kneels and about to Embrace the Knees of Oront he steps back My Soul has given all Empire up to you And my proud Heart great Love has conquer'd now Oron. Touch me not Tygress with those guilty Hands Honour forbids what passion now Commands Else by Cassander bleeding you should lye And your Curst Souls to Hell together fly Cass. Fate here has thrown me as a useless thing Wounded and bleeding here in pain I lye I have not strength to fight nor wound enough to dye Death has no pain like that which now I feel Seeing the great and proud Roxana Kneel Poor spirited Woman can'st thou be so mean To stoop below the grandure of a Queen Thy noble Pride did first my Love beget Oh! let it like the Sun in Glory set As he with setting Beams makes red the air In spite of Clouds which angry Gods prepare Let your proud Heart be throughly understood Look gay in Death and falling set in Blood Dye whilst a Queen Play an Heroick part First with a Sword pierce his rebellious Heart Pointing to Oront Then rush on Death's inevitable shelf Kindly kill me and bravely stab thy self Roxa. Tho Love has forc'd my mighty Heart to sue I yet have pride and scorn enough for you To Cass. Bear him from hence Cass. False Queen when I 'ave Death 's frozen passage crost I will return to haunt thee with my Ghost Exit carried forth by Soldiers Perd. Keep in a while his Lifes expiring flame Till Death approach him with a greater shame Oron. Come let us to our fighting Friends repair And seek a Death which will be welcom there I with my Breast will catch some flying Dart And give 't an easie passage to my Heart Exeunt Oront and Perd. Roxa. He 's gone and left me like a wretch with scorn Fallen from my greatness wretched and forlorn In Babylon I never will be seen Below the glorious title of a Queen I then must dye Dye e're I have all signs of Empire lost Dye e're I all my Misery understand Dye whilst I may have Death at my Command Draws out a Dagger Enter Messenger Mess. The Enemie's into the Palace got Roxa. Slave let me dye a Queen in all my Pride As once the great Assyrian Monarch dy'd Go Burn the Palace set it strait on fire Encompast round with Flames I 'le here expire All my rich Treasure and my Jewels burn And this great pyle with me to Ashes turn I 'le dye enthron'd the Palace be my Urn. Slave art thou here Why is not all this done Am I not yet a Queen haste and be gone Goes to strike him with the Dagger Exit Officer But oh my Heart I feel a shivering fear I cannot dye and leave Orontes here What satisfaction should I now receive Could I once more behold him while I live For one last look an Empire I would give Enter Orontes Perdicas Lysimachus Ptolomy Eumenes Thalestris Amazons and Soldiers Lysi. The Babylonians when they understood Roxana's cruel Act their Arms flung by And now for Justice on the Murth'rers Cry Ptol. Those who oppos'd and were our foes before With one consent their dear Queen's death deplore They now in heaps before the Palace croud And for Revenge and Justice cry aloud Perd. And Justice they shall have seize that false Queen Roxa. Slaves keep your distance see Death stands between Holds forth her Dagger to the Soldiers I scorn my Fate within your Pow'r should lye I both the Power of Men and Gods defy I 'le use my own when I am pleas'd to dye Oron. Let her own guilty Hands her Life pursue The Gâ—â—â— by them will on her Justice do Perd. Oh! barbarous Queen you did your self deceive Yâ—u â—â—â—â—ght there were no Gods or did believe Thâ—y were not just but they at last have sent Me from your Bonds to give you punishment Roxa. If Death be the great punishment you mean You threaten what with Prayers I would obtain You could to me no greater Toâ—ment give Than to permit me without Hope to live Death is the Blessing which I wish for most Now I 'ave Orontes and my Empire lost Oron. The just Gods think a Crown for such unfit Who seek by horrid Crimes to purchase it Roxa. The Crimes I did commit the Gods
dye All your offences I do now forgive I wish I could assoon your grief remove I can my pity grant you tho not Love Perd. Your pity Madam cannot ease my Grief And to the wounds of Love gives small relief Stat. Well Perdicas I 'le give my Friendship too All but my self I will bestow on you I 'le with you share my Empire and my Throne If that's too little wear my Crown alone Perd. I want no Crowns my Armes can them subdue Nor sought I for your Empire but for you Oron. There 's nothing Sir that I esteem above Your noble Friendship but Statira's Love I for the Queen not for her Empire strove Perd. Half the World's Realms this did already win puts his Hand to his Sword And when I please can Conquer 'um o're ag'in For Empire let th' ambitious sue to Jove Nothing can satisfie my Soul but Love Stat. All the rich Treasure Alexander â—â—ft That Princely Robber's not inglorious Theft To buy your friendship I will freely give Let me in peace with my Orontes Live Perd. Go bait the Covetous with such sordid pelf I 'le not accept a World without your â—elf Oron. Since you to be my Foe are still inclin'd You shall Orontes still Orontes find From all the World I can mâ— Queen defend And tâ—â—s to our debate shall put an End Lays hold on his Sword Dye then my Rival or else live my Friend Perâ— Gods am I threatn'd Lays hold on his Sword Stâ—â—ira stops him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Perdicas Shew me some proofs of Love All Cause of Quarrel with your self remove Perd. Shew me the path in which you 'd have me tread I 'le follow it tho it to Hell should lead What would you have me do Stat. Still think me dead Do what you did resolve to do before When you did never think to see me more You ave seen the sad Effects of Lawless Love Let Virtue his Tyrannie sway remove Th' other half World go Conquer with your Sword War will diversion give or cure afford Perd. Madam I 'le try to ' obey your strict Command But here I Vow at thâ— Altar of your Hand Kisses her Hand Whilst the Gods grant me Life I ever will Honour Respect Love and adore you still To Arms to Arms Till my unquiet restless Life shall cease The World like me shall never be in peace Madam farewel I don 't your threatnings fear Turning to Orontes I 'le go to Scythia if not meet you here Exit Lysi. Thus humbly prostrate before you we fall Lysi. and Ptol. kneeling to Parisatis You are our Judg and on your gentle Breath Depends the Sentence of our Life and Death Ptol. Madam to you we now for Judgment fly Say which of us must Live and which must dye Love cann't permit two Rivals in one Throne He is a Monarch and must reign alone Our Love and friendship in this both agree To own your Sentence just what e're it be Pari. Rise Noble Friends I will impartial be She makes them rise I cannot grant what you now ask of me Your Equal Virtues so my Heart divide I cannot now your friendly strife decide I should be unjust To Murther one whilst I the other save Since if I one accept I th' other lose I will be just to both and both refuse Lysi. In choosing one you will some Mercy show But you will both destroy in doing so Destroying both you Cruelty express In saving one of us you shew much less Ptol. Madam since both cannot your Love enjoy Let not our Friendship our great Bliss destroy For tho we both thus for your Love contend Each is at once a Rival and a Friend In choosing one you one of us Redeem Refusing both you both to Death Condemn Pari. In both of you I a rare Friendship see Love has not power to make you disagree You both have been so noble and so brave And both such Equal Love and Merits have That it would be an unjust thing in me To give to one the Palm of Victorie Therefore brave friends I 'de rather be thought Cruel than unjust Lysi. Since our fair Princess won't our cause decide Our Quarrel must at last by Armes be try'd turning to Ptolomy Our sacred friendship must not be above The higher and more sacred pow'er of Love Pari. Live still brave friends as friendly as you did Still as you were both friends and Rivals live I now command it He who disobeys Looses my Love and his own cause betrays Let not your Love your Friendship now divide The Gods and Time will your kind strife decide To them wee 'l leave your cause whilst you agree You equal favour shall receive from me Lysi. Madam our Fates lye in your pow'rful Hand I will obey what ever you Command Ptol. And I 'le endeavour by obedience too To please tho I shall never merit you Rival and Friend for so we still must be To Lysi. Let us Embrace and like friends still agree Lysi. Love has most nobly our high friendship Crown'd Embracing Eume. Madam in you lyes my felicity Kneeling to Thalestris Ah! let me not alone unhappy be Let me not only have a cause to mourn Whilst you my Love and Services do scorn Oron. Madam we all dâ— for Eumenes sue None his high merits can reward but you I hope you will not our just sutes delay And spoil the Lustre of this happy day We cannot freely our own Bliss enjoy If you this Prince's happiness destroy Thal. Eumenes rise I can resist no more Takes up Eumenes Love made some progress in my Heart before In these brave friends I such rare virtues find Which reconcile me now to Men and make me kind To all my Women you shall Husbands give And wee 'l henceforth like other Nations live Henceforth we will no longer live alone But joyn'd by Love make of two Kingdoms one We then shall loose our Monarchy and Name And only Live by History and Fame So Rivers having th'row large Kingdoms past Loose Name and Waters in the Sea at last What Mortal dares with mighty Love contend Who thus can give to our great Empire End Oron. Let us fair Queens now to the Temple go To pay those Vows which to the Gods we owe Let th' Holy Altars with bright Incense shine And Hecatombs fall to the Pow'rs Divine In Pious Joys let 's loose all sorrows past A true and Virtuous Love Heav'n Crowns at last The Curtain falls FINIS EPILOGUE Spoken by Statira POets like Gods Create what forms they please Monarchs and Mighty Heroes kill with Ease And Murther'd Princes too from Death can raise We Live and Dye as pleaseth Mr. Bays At one House I am by Roxana slain But see at this I am alive again And spite of all her Cruelty and rage I Live am Queen and Triumph on the Stage The God-like Poet Mortal Actors too Strive thus with various Skill to pleasure you They punish they reward they kill they save And all to find out what 't is you would have For You like Gods like Goddesses you sit To Iudg our Actions and the Poets wit And 't is but just all should to you submit Poets your Drudges for you form a Play They shape with artful Words the senseless Clay And to the Image a dead form they give But t is from you it must its Life receive You make both Poets Plays and Players Live FINIS