we by Cassander are surpriz'd And all your Guards are by his Soldiers siez'd Some fled but most did in your service dye Fly Madam if it be not yet too late Whilst in your defence go meet my Fate Exit Clashing of Swords within Stat. 'T is vain to fly it will but argue fear Since we must dye let 's stay and meet Death here Enter Cassander with Mute with drawn Swords Cassander turns about speaking to the Soldiers who were about to Enter Cass. Soldiers retire Defend the passage let none enter here Turning to the Princesses the Women running about them shreeking In vain you 'l strive your destiny to shun From the long reach of Fate you cannot run And since you know there 's no avoyding it Be wise and to necessity submit Stat. I can submit to what the Gods decree But that Cassander's yet unknown to thee Cass. Fate 's Book is open and we now may read What the great Gods before time was decreed 'T is there I read your Fatal destiny The Gods have will'd your Death and you must dye Stat. Our death is by Roxana will'd and you And we must yield if the Gods will it too We can resign to them the life they lent Pari. But must you be the hateful Instrument Stat. When 's cruel Hand our Innocent Blood has spilt He 'll find a just reward for all his guilt Cass. I come not here with Women to dispute Oxas you know my pleasure The Mute kneels shewing them a Strangling string and making signes to them to submit Pari. Sister I beg it with my latest breath Let me first try th'untrodden pathes of Death I will descend before and â—â—rew the way With Flowers that leads to the Eternal day Stat. First from the close dark Prisons of the Womb I to the trouble of short life did come And first I in the pathes of Death will tread Which to the joys of our bright God do lead Raise not my tender passions with your Tears Pari. weeps Like a soft smiling Hebe Death appears I have no thoughts which do disturb me now But what proceed from my great care of you When through the straight of Death my way I 've made And my just debt to Mother Nature paid When my freed Soul shall find a larger Room And I all Light and Spirit shall become On Flowry Banks where happy shaddows stray For thy dear Soul I will expecting stay Remember Sir the blood from whence we spring To Cass. That I was Wife to the Worlds greatest King Your Master too Now condescend to crave That I may dye untouch'd by any slave Let my own Women your commands obey That 's all Cassander I have now to say Cass. Be speedy then Oxas go in stand a Spectator by Touch not their Persons only see them dye Stat. Give me that String Takes the strangling string from the Mute This Sister is the Friend That soon will give to all our troubles End Come banish fear 't is but a little breath We loose 'T is guilt that Terror gives to Death Exeunt with Women weeping and Mute following Cass. She 's gone and strait will be for ever gone Alas what Beauty Love has overthrown Tyrannic Love which forces me to do A thing 'gainst Virtue and my conscience too I feel a soft and tender passion rise And from my Breast to flow into my Eyes Assist me Love I fear I shall relent Pity would make me cowardly Repent If her bright Image I so much adore Did not by force attract my Passions more Exit Enter Roxana Hesione Roxa. Their words and actions must Mysterious be Who think to gain a Crown by Pollicy Who can't dissemble well can never rule And a plain dealer is esteem'd a Fool. Let not Cassander blame me He deceives And cheats himself when he my words believes Love has put out his mindes discerning Eyes Yet the same passion makes me quick and wise He vainly Hopes to gain a Crown and me With an Eternal blot of Infamie But he will only that and danger gain Whilst I the profit and the fruit obtain I shall stand safe and shelter'd from all harm Whilst he endures the fury of the storm Close at his Heels the Tempest will pursue And soon o'retake I hope o'rewhelm him too Thus Princes do of ills themselves acquit And favourites dye for Crimes their Kings commit Enter Cassander Cassander here I must dissemble now And a new face will to my Lover show Cass. Roxana here she does my steps pursue aside She doubts I can't be cruel or not true A Rival dead sh'accounts an happy sight And comes to glut her bloody Appetite To th' other World your Rival now is gone And you great Queen Command this World alone The furious Perdicas I 've Pris'ner made By Gold and his corrupted Guards betray'd Sometimes in Fury the whole World he threats Anon more mild as humbly he intreats Now deep Revenge by all the Gods he swears Then courts his Guards then curses and dispa'res And calling on the Queen bursts into Tears Roxa. What! have you then the great Statira slain Cass. Yes she is dead that you alone might Reign Roxa. O Gods It cannot be Cass. Not be when you Did pray desire intreat command it too I am amaz'd Roxa. Ah! I did soon Repent Those harsh commands from my strong passion sent You saw the flames of the then raging fire And should have quencht my Exorbitant desire You those Commands might very well distrust Which bid you to be cruel and unjust Cass. Madam your vain Repentance comes too late No Humane pow'r can now recall their Fate Enter Mute What! is Statira and her Sister dead Mute makes signes they are Dead By this the greatness of my Love you see And what Commanding pow'r you 'ave over me Great Queen you shall the whole Worlds Scepter sway Whilst at your feet its Kings their Crowns shall lay And your Cassander kneel more great than they Roxa. O cruel Man whom some fell Tygress bore Could not that move you which the Gods adore Beauty so Sacred and Divine a good Which safe ' midst bloody Arms unguarded stood Could that no fear nor reverence move in thee Had'st thou no awe of its Divinity Tyrants who durst Priests Altars Gods invade Have still to Beauty awful Reverence paid Could not her Sex her Blood her Dignity Give some stop to thy Monstrous cruelty Cass. 'T is well dissembled but your heart I see You may deceive the World but cannot me Roxa. Dissemble Oh my Heart swells in my Breast And with such loads of sorrow is deprest I never shall again with joys be blest weeps Shew me this dismal sight Cass. False Woman you shall see that welcome sight Won't move your sorrow but your Eyes delight They go towards the further part of the Stage the Scene opens and discovers Statira and Parisatis lying as dead on two Couches their faces Veil'd Cleone and other Women sitting by them on the Ground weeping
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
above Will easily Pardon because Crimes of Love To kill a Rival I account no sin And I would do 't were it to do ag'in It does with such delight my Mind possess The Pleasures of a Crown would please me less She would have giv'n more tortures to my Mind Liv'd she than I shall now in Dying find In Death alas no bitterness would be But that I find I still am scorn'd by thee Perd. The Gods did long their Vengeance keep in store And now on your Curs'd Head their Thunderbolts they pour Roxa. I scorn my Mouth should my great Heart belye I both Man-kind and th' unkind Gods defye And tho with Pâ—agues they still should me pursue They never shall my ' unconquer'd Heart subdue Thus not the Gods but my own Sacrifice Lifting up the Dagger I 'le fall I must take Courage from those Eyes Pausing and looking on Orontes I 'le take one farewel-Look before I dye One more and I 'le for ever from you sly Perd. Your Wound still bleeds Oron. 'T is slight I must a greater wound prepare The World shall see the Pow'r of Death too weak The Joys of my Immortal Love to break I to my Love have made a solemn Vow By all the Gods I will perform it now Draws forth a Dagger Lysi. Brave Prince we Rivals too have Vow'd the same Ptol. Our Souls possess the like immortal flame Roxa. Ah! will Orontes dye New Joys I feel I 'le stay and watch my Princes fatal blow Then in my Breast I 'le plunge my Dagger too And at one instant both our Souls shall start Together both from our dull Bodies part And if a Spirit can a Spirit hold I will his Soul within my Soul infold Perd. The dreadful face of Death I 'ave oft beheld In all her shapes I 'ave seen her in the field There 's none will think that now I shrink for fear Or that I 'de sly tho many Deaths appear A vain fantastick place Elysium seems But you believe The Tales of Priests and idle Poets dreams The Queen's Death I 'le revenge then Altars rear To her great Name make her a Goddess here Whilst you vain Blisses seek you know not where Oron. Statira gone I nothing here can find Which can give ease to my disturbed mind You gentle Ghosts look down from Heav'n above And see th' Effects of true and faithful Love Lysi. With you Dear Souls our Bliss and Joys are fled It is no Life to Live now you are dead Ptol. Our Souls and theirs through Love were so much one Ours cannot stay behind when theirs are gone Oron. After our Loves to that blest place wee 'l go Where Love's immortal and no change does know Where Rivals cannot our long bliss destroy And where we undisturb'd each other shall enjoy Enter the Mute Arax Ah! Sir does this black Mask disguise me so You can't your own faithful Araxis know Oron. Araxis I can't Araxis find in this disguise Let me embrace you e're I dye Embraces him Ah! this has been a sad and fatal Night Arax The Day appears with clear and chearful Light Oron. About my Heart a Night of sorrow lyes Arax You will find Day in your Statira's Eyes Enter Capt. with Statira Parisatis Cleone Oron. I with the weight of my own Joys am prest They cannot be contain'd within my Breast Do I but Dream or am I truly blest Roxa. O Gods I am betray'd my Rival's here Worse than a thousand Deaths she does appear Death which before I look'd on with content Will now my torture be and punishment What can my Torment and my pain express Orontes and my Crown she will possess Stat. I live my Prince by your Araxis care Arax And by th' Assistance of this Captain here presenting the Captain to Orontes they Embrace He me disguis'd feign'd me a Mute and Slave And me a present to Cassander gave Roxa. Gods was I thus betray'd Arax The Gods were kind And wrought by me more than I had design'd They first made known Roxana's vile intent And made me then an happy Instrument The Queens most horrid Murther to prevent Stat. We went to dye but 't was no small surprize To find Araxis in this black disguise By his contrivance we our Foes deceiv'd For what they much desir'd they soon believ'd We strangl'd dead and vail'd appear'd in view Till from the place our cruel Foes withdrew Thus the kind Gods their wickedness withstood And sav'd the Reliques of Darius Blood In the mean time Lysimachus and Ptolomy Court Parisatis in dumb shew Oron. Divine Statira you 're so great a prize For you the whole World's Empire I 'de despise The Persian Crown 's to me of small esteem Compar'd to this unvaluable Gemm kissing her Hand Upon your brow the Scythian Crown shall shine And at your feet I prostrate all that 's mine Roxa. 'T is time to dye their bliss I cannot see Hell tortures and confusion follow me Harpies my Soul with cruel Tallons tear She can no longer the sad torment bear Thus I will set her free she cannot know Stabbs her self A greater Torment nor more pains below To a worse Hell than this she cannot go Stat. Rescue her life Let her repenting Live It is my Glory that I can forgive As she goes to repeat the blow the Soldiers seize her Roxa. Ye cruel Gods who thus my will oppose Who thus Enslave me to my mortal Foes And make my imperious Heart to stoop to them Whilst Life remains I 'le curse you and Blasphem But ah I hope my Soul 's from Prison free'd I feel Life gently sliding hence I bleed What thick dark fog is this before my Eyes So now my Soul to unknown Regions flyes Where is my Love see yonder where he rests Come use the softer Pillow of my Breasts Here thou mayst sleep secure from Rivals harmes Whilst I enclose thee gently in mine Armes Now undisturb'd wee 'l tast immortal blisses I 'le hush thee fast with sighes then wake thee with my kisses Stat. She raves she raves and from her sense is gon Roxa. Oh! my sick Heart I shall be well anon Where is Orontes set me on my Throne From Babylon I know I 'm wander'd far Yet I 'm a Queen my Kingdom is a Star Go fetch that Rebel bring him to my feet I 'le make at last his stubborn heart submit Let half my starry Kingdom down be hurl'd And overwhelm his little Earthly World Stat. Remove her hence Thus Gods their Judgment show That poor ambitious Mortals here may know They sit above and see and govern all below Roxana is carried off the Stage Raveing Perd. See here another Wretch that 's forc'd to sue For Justice to the Gods and greater you Madam I Love and grow distracted too Thus lowly Madam I fall down before Kneels The beauteous Image which I still adore Condemn me strait to dye and mercy shew Life will be worse than Death if I loose you Stat. No Perdicas you must not
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
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