a Crown'd Conquerour Damp the wish'd joyes of a young Bridal pair Yet then I shall have more then man can bear Men. When vertue thus oppress'd mankind does see What fearful dreaming fool will pious be Martyrs no more shall Racks or Flames require Nor dying wit life but to on desire To murder Priests and Temples set on fire K. Mas. Why why ye Immortal Gods is all this care Why do you drive your Creatures to despair Had I upon my Throne sat King of fears The Orphan wrong'd or drunk the Widows tears Had I brav'd Heaven by some outragious sin For these afflictions there had reason bin But 't is all well I no injustice have The Gods but take the being which they gave Menander hast two bowles with poyson fill And when I call like fate come forth and kill Men. 'T is a dread deed to which you urge my hand K. Mas. It 's glorious too dispute not my command Men. I 'le not presume to fathom your deep thought But straight your will shall by your slave be wrought K. Mas. Love and ambition have their utmost done 'T was love allur'd ambition led me on Like a rash Boy who a steep Mountain Climbs Big with brave thoughts of reaching Heaven betimes And puff's and blows and mighty pains he takes Plyes all his strenth and much ado he makes But having reach'd the top he veiws aloof The fancied Heaven and all the painted roof So did ambition draw me with a wile And fleeting love my towering hopes beguile Exit Enter Sophonisba Soph. The Consul is return'd with conquest Crown'd Triumphant voices rend the Eccahoing ground And to the heavens the Trumpets Clangors sound Yet I no news of Massinissa here Shou'd he be slain which I with reason fear Most lost of women desperate undone What couldst thou do what Gods would thou attone Abhorr'd thou must to angry Rome repair And all the cruelties of bondage bear No Sophonisba think what thou hast bin The Mistriss of two Monarchs twice a Queen If thou must fall bravely resign thy breath And be above the Romans in thy death Enter King Massinissa Oh my lov'd Lord are you then come at last Are you alive and do I hold you fast K. Mas. Best of thy sex and dearer then my life The fairest Mistriss and the Gentlest wife So great and Glorious Emperours envy thee And art so good that the Gods envy me They sent thee here but as an Angel scout With a short lightning view to gaze and out Torments of hell and Racks of destiny Thou must oh that I live to speak it die Soph. Blest sound we shall not then to Rome be led But solemn Triumphs have in honours bed This last alarm my drooping spirits cheers As when the warour his lov'd Trumpet hears His Martial blood begins to warm apace And boyles and flushes in his kindling face And much he longs to strive in Glories race Speak death again my Guard and sure Defence It bears a mighty sound and mighty sense K. Mas. O keep thee there now while thy vertues glow And dart divinity I 'le give the blow Come forth Menander with those fatal bowls Whose Juice though it the body's force Controlls Revives the mind and slakes the thirst of souls Enter Menander with two Bowls Give me the draught Soph. What means my Royal love K. Mas. By your bright self by all the powers above No Angels Eloquence my soul shall move To die with thee and thy dear honour save What greater glory cou'd th' ambitious have 'T will build a Palace for me in the Grave Not but that in the agonies of breath I tremble when I think upon thy death Soph. Thon best of men whose fame where er'e it flyes Shall draw up bleeding hearts and weeping Eyes Let not your soul tremble for me for I Can fear no torment but to see you die K. Mas. Then cheerfully let 's go here 's to my love And to our meeting with the blest above drinks Soph. Give me the bowl mark if my hand does shake Or the fresh springing blood my Cheeks forsake Undanted to my lips the draught I lift 'T is to my Lord this is his Nuptial guift drinks K. Mas. Menander faithful confident farewell Hast and our story to the Consul tell On thy allegiance go without reply Thou should'st rejoyce to see me bravely die Exit Men. How fares my only love My first last dear The sweets of thousand springs are blowing here All in thy sighs Soph. Ah give your kindness o're Or we shall live and feel the Roman power Me thought death touch'd me with a Chilling pain But your warm kisses shot through every vein A kinder heat and kindled life again K. Mas. Thus let us launch into eternity Sink in death's Bottomless and boundless sea Like drowning friends link'd in Embraces fast Our Arms love's Nets about each other cast Soph. What could long life or Empire give like this K. Mas. Thy love is Empire and eternal bliss Soph. I go where shall we meet dies K. Mas. The Gods can tell Heaven's peace and golden slumbers with thee dwell dies Enter Scipio Lelius and Menander Men. See there great Sir the effects of your rash Doom The victims you have offered up to Rome Lel. What cruel eyes could pity here refrain Beholding two such Royal lovers slain Scip. These unexpected objects so amaze My reason I could ever on 'em gaze Since thou most great and lovely Prince art dead War's marches Scipio shall no longer tread With Carthage peace wee 'l instantly conclud Which hadst thou liv'd our Arms might have subdu'd To Rome our Drooping Eagles then shall steer Where after tiresome honours wee 'l repair To some small village Lelius thou and I And study not to live but how to die FINIS
his Immortal Kindred leave him then You may be better plac'd with blood of Men Besides who knows but his Divinity As Gods will sometimes very froward be May chance take pet as you in Love engage And thunder you to pieces in his rage Ros. 'T is true in War most dreadful he appears All Cruel Glorious dangers thick he wears Not to amuse you when I have nam'd all That 's great and lovely think on Hannibal Mas. Is 't possible In Age can beauty ought that 's lovely spy Can dreams of glory waking youth supply Ros. Though his blood mov'd like freezing Currents slow Were his head whiter then the Alpine snow My youth his age into one piece should grow Mas. All you have said I know in jest was spoke What should you do with such a sapless Oak When a young pleasant Vine so near you stands And bows with all his Clusters to your hands Ros. Honour to youth and beauty I prefer I 'm for the best and bravest Man in War And since the World knows none so great as he None else shall Lord of my affection be In shorter joyes let other Maids delight These transitory pleasures of a night But I more lasting happiness design In my Illustrious Warriour's heart to shine And have my name on his high Tomb engrav'd This this is she who Hannibal enslav'd Mass. Though I no dawn of comfort can descry Yet in this hopeless Love I will engage And every thought of Royalty cast by Through all the World attend you as your Page For all my pains I will not beg one kiss That were to wrong your mighty Man of War Give a kind look and I will prize the bliss Above those hopes which the Ambitious bear Ros. Since then you are resolv'd a while to wait As your first task shew me the Consul strait My beauty like a Comet shall arise That temperate Lord of Nations to surprize I 'll thunder in his ears and light'n in his eyes Exeunt SCENE The Carthaginian Camp Hannibal is discover'd in his Tent sitting at a Table with lights Han. How great 's the care the toil and lingring pain That racks a General 's breast and breaks his brain Argus had a hundred lights and I but one Yet all the Day 't is buisie as the Sun And all the Night 't is watchful as the Moon When shall I sleep from noise and business freed 'T is hush'd but beauty business does succeed Beauty which Iove cou'd draw from Heav'ns high Tower When Nimphs in Groves his Godhead stoop'd t' adore So much he lov'd delight above Almighty power In his deep blood the soft Contagion ran Staining his Son that vast Immortal Man The great Alcides who a distaf made Of that huge Club which Nations could invade Wou'd in his Mistress Glass kind looks devise Less'ning the Glories of his God-like eyes And tun'd his mighty voice to tender cryes Since Gods themselves and God-like Men have lov'd Why should not I with beauty's Charms be mov'd The highest Power has love's blind Mazes trod Then Hannibal love on and imitate a God Enter Bomilcar Bomilcar here so suddenly return'd You look as if your journey you had mourn'd Bom. My Lord we were discover'd Han. Ha! how then Was your lost freedom given you agen Bom. The gen'rous Consul knowing who we were Commanded us to dissipate our fear Then to his Officers gave strict command To let us take a view of every Band But such brave Men and such strict discipline Han. You speak Bomilcar as you knew not mine Bom. My Lord your pardon if I say these eyes Ne're yet beheld such gallant Enemies When we had seen what might less Spirits damp He generously dismiss'd us from the Camp Han. This Civil brav'ry has oblidg'd me so I shall to Battle with half fury go Doubts enter here which yet my breast ne're felt Doubts beget fears and fears my courage melt But of my Love Cousen you nothing said Is she alive how I that answer dread Or is it possible she can be dead Bom. Though in the search our utmost wit essay'd We nought cou'd hear of that Illustrious Maid Han. Perhaps his heart for temp'rance so renown'd From her all conquering eyes might take a wound And now he keeps her close which should he dare With fire and sword we 'l carry on the War Yes we will instantly our bodies join The World 's at stake let it be his or mine Bom. Throw boldly at the sum which the Gods set A hundred thousand lives at once are met That on your side will all their fortunes bet Enter Maherbal Mah. Come forth my Lord hast from your Tent behold Sights that may chill the fiery dant the bold Shrill Trumpets Eccho through the Arch of Heaven Battles proclaim'd and bloody signals given Two Suns their gawdy Charriots Curtains furl And at each other brandish'd lightning hurl Red bolts rush flaming through a bloody sky Wounding the Air vast pointed splinters fly Immortal Spirits drop down and seem to dye A Host of Heavenly Warriours bright and gay Appointed stand and ready for the fray In golden Armes their shining Chiefs appear Helmets and Shields of Diamonds they wear And Spears with Stars of value set they bear Han. The end of all things sure is drawing nigh Mah. Through the void place swift Darts obliquely fly Black swarthy Demons hold a hollow Cloud And with long Thunder-bolts they drum aloud Their Trumpets all with Sun-beams are inlay'd Where dreadful sounds by fiery breath are made Mountains are buried in the womb of Earth A grave they find where first they had their birth Our houshold-Gods sweat as they stand and all Your Garlands from their Temples untouch'd fall A Wolf but now his jaws all bloodied o're And by his fide a Savage foaming Boar. Your Out-gards fac'd and slaughter there began Nor stopp'd they but through all the Army ran Till satiated with blood the Monsters fled Vanish'd from sight and in dark Forrests hid Han. Lead to the place from whence we may descry These dreadful Prodigies that fill the sky Command our Priests a Sacrifice prepare T' appease the angry Doemons of the Air. Exeunt The SCENE drawn discovers a Heaven of blood two Suns Spirits in Battle Arrows shot to and fro in the Air Cryes of yielding Persons c. Cryes of Carthage is fal'n Carthage c. Re-enter Hannibal Maherbal Bomilcar Han. What means the Gods by these phantastick forms And unprovok'd why do they raise such storms Mah. When dreadful Prodigies like these appear The sure destruction of some State is near Our General 's mov'd his angry looks dart fire And noble rage does his griev'd Soul inspire Han. Can this be true Answer ye Powers Divine Shall in our death the Roman glory shine Has Fate our ruin fix'd Is it decreed That Carthage fall and Hannibal must bleed Yet with unshaken Souls our doom we 'll wait And perish bravely though unfortunate Yes ye malicious Powers this Hannibal Whom you
Prisoner If Massinissa should oppose you say 'T is my Command who swore you to obey Exeunt Maherbal Enter Hannibal and Bomilcar Han. My Rosalinda freed and in my Tent But wherefore was that Stranger with her sent Thou hast a Tempest rais'd within my mind Speak was this Youth so fair and she so kind Bom. Your Rosalinda's beauty did appear Bright as Noon day all piercing sprightly clear But he who lead her seem'd so soft and young As if that pity handed Love along And tears his blushing Cheeks did so adorn Me thought the Sun came usher'd by the Morn Han. Cease thy unwelcom praise what did she say Bom. That she would there for your appearance stay I bow'd and went but being curious grown I stopp'd a while to mark that Fair unknown When she with languishing intreaties said Is this your Love Shall I not be obey'd Be gone be gone if Hannibal should come And but suspect death were your certain doom Han. Peace Harbenger of Fate with Ravens dwell Thy tale at Midnight to the dying tell Oh! it has pierc'd me like a poyson'd dart Which by degrees infects the blood and heart And now it higher mounts divides my head Where like a plague its pointed venoms spread My brain ten thousand various tortures turn Now Agues chill me and now Feavers burn Oh Rosalinda false ungrateful Maid Am I for loss of glory thus repaid But let 's away to my Pavilion lead That Ravisher of all my hopes shall bleed Exeunt Enter Rosalinda and Massina Ros. Why will you stay If you did ever love Let me conjure you from this place remove Mass. Permit me as your Menial Servant stay And near your Person sigh my life away Is that so much Ros. It cannot must not be That you should idly spend your hours with me You like the golden Planet of the day Should as you rise all glorious set all gay A generous pity does my heart subdue Which bids you now eternally Adieu Mass. Say your disdain Alas how can I part Me thinks I go as if I had no heart But since you are resolv'd it must be so Near to some murmuring brook I 'le lay me down Whose waters if they should too shallow flow My tears shall swell'em up that I will drown Enter Hannibal Bomilcar Asper Ros. Massina stay I strictly charge you live Han. Not Heaven nor Earth can grant him a reprieve Since Hannibal has vow'd that he shall die Bomilcar bind him bind him instantly False Rosalinda Bear him from my sight And shade his beauties with Eternal night Is it for this at last we meet again Wou'd thou hadst still the Consul 's Captive been Ros. Oh Hannibal can you resist my tears What change is this your stormy temper wears He shall not die Bomilcar Asper stay 'T is I command you dare you disobey Han. Be gone he dyes who listens to her pray'r Pull off his Bracelets let him shackles wear With fetters fret his soft and supple skin Too light a pennance for so foul a sin Massina is taken away Ros. If Rosalinda yet has any part Kneels Left in that cruel yet renowned heart This Stranger 's freedom instantly enjoyn And you shall ever be the Lord of mine Han. How darst thou plead for him false as you are Falser if possible then thou art fair In his behalf no Intercession make His torments shall be doubled for thy sake Ros. Henceforth wrong'd Innocence from Courts retreat Thou best but rare Companion of the great Since thus abus'd ah visit them no more But rest thy sorrows at some Shepard's door Han. Oh guilt canst thou to Innocence appeal Who to this Youth such kindness did reveal Ros. If pitty kindness be I was most kind Who all my softness to his griefs resign'd And what but Marble hearts cou'd see him mourn Yet so much sweetness with such sorrows scorn Han. Pity like yours that does so swiftly move Is the fore-runner of approaching Love Ros. Unworthy of the honour you possess My passions great wou'd I cou'd make it less Know most unjust and jealous therefore vain For Jealousie 's great weakness in great Men My constant Soul did for thy glory wave The Rich the Young the Beautiful and Brave My charmes the cold and temp'rate Consul felt Whilst beauties beams did fiercely on him play The frost which long had bound his heart did melt And Love like Sun-shine thaw'd his Ice away Han. Your looks me thinks have quite another Air Nor doubt I but your Beauty has been try'd So faint loves Colours in your face appear Like Silks that loose their gloss with being dy'd Ros. That Scipio nor this Prince whom cruel you Have bound cou'd nothing on my heart prevail Is as Heaven's high Decree most justly true And I am Innocent as thou art frail Han. Alas 't was Innocence to say begone If Hannibal should but suspect you 'r dead Ros. Compassion for a Love I could not own Urg'd me to speak what you have heard was said Therefore release him instantly from Bands And yield him safe into the Consul's hands Without delayes or murmuring free him straight Or may your Lawrels never more be green Nor may your Arms in War be fortunate Nor Rosalinda but with frowns be seen Han. Stay Madam Hast the Captive Prince unbind My heart to others rough the Souldiers crime As Rocks to Seas or stubborn Oaks to wind Shall bow to you as those must yield to time Forgive my temper hard'ned with the steel In which I stood almost Immortal Man Till Love let fall a blow that made me reel And pointed Beauty through my Armour ran Can you forgive the rudeness of my mind Ros. Forgo your jealousie and I 'le be kind Enter Massina unbound Han. May a rash Man wrong'd Prince your pardon crave Mass. No Sir my pardon you shall never have For know I hate thee on a double score Much for thy Love more for Tyrannick pow'r Princes who have like me dishonour'd bin Should blush to look abroad in flesh again Disgrac'd Massina Fall dye dispatch to fortune's malice bow Thy Royal Uncle would not own thee now Life profer'd with the World I wou'd not take Yet I could live for Rosalinda's sake Speak Hannibal wilt thou thy share resign Ros. He may but I can never part with mine Mass. How never Ros. Never Mass. O unkind hard heart Love when he shot me sure mistook his dart Or chang'd with death whose quick destroying shaft Thus drinks my blood thus with a full deep draught Stabs himself Ros. Hold cruel Prince the Dagger from him wrest Han. Too late alas I drew it from his breast Ros. What have you done Mass. Only my Body areyn'd Of that sick blood which Hannibal had stain'd What less then death could I to honour give And Love neglected charg'd me not to live Now you may take him take him to you all This cruel haughty happy Hannibal Han. The bus'ness of our life 's a senseless thing Why burns th' Ambitious