is there and almost all The Royal Blood but what is in his veins His Mother Brother Daughters little Son Nay more his beauteous Queen are slaves to those To whom they once scorn'd to be Sovereigns Two Royal Virgins in their early Spring Lye like fallen Blossoms at their Mother's feet At her fair Bosom hangs her Infant Son A withering branch torn from his once great hopes He who was lately Heir of half the World Is now not Lord of his poor little Self His greatest happiness is Ignorance He does not know the Glory he has lost But hugs the Enemy that ruins him The Conqueror cannot see this without Tears And cursing his unfortunate success And then oh Can it be endur'd by us But I may spare all this to Men so brave So tryed as you have to your Glory been Lord Bessus Nabarzanes and your Troops Na. We may one day be tryed upon your selves aside Be. Silence Lord Nabarzanes have a care aside Ar. Fortune Lord Bessus seems afraid of you She 's Alexander's Mistress but you Slave She gives him Favours but you ravish ' em At our great blow at the Cilician Streights All came off safe as priviledg'd from Fate That kept within the precincts of your Sword. Be. Indeed my Lord my Bactrians did well Ar. And you Lord Patron and your valiant Greeks Must give me leave to give you your due praise These gallant Men are to our Fortune tyed By indispensable Allegiance But you are strangers loose from any bonds Pa. My Lord we are for ever bound to you By Gratitude and Honour Greece indeed Gave us our birth but you our happiest hours That our best Blood is yours Ar. Most Noble Lord Well If we fail to morrow 't will be strange We have the strength of this vast Monarchy The justice of our Cause Necessity Ay and th' inconstancy of Fortune too That mutability which ruin'd us In the last Field may be our Friend the next Now to your Tents and take a brief repose That so prepar'd you may not be surpriz'd The King suspects these Macedonian Thieves Will act like Thieves and steal on us by night They will not dare to look on us by day And therefore he has wisely given Command Great part o' th' Army be in Arms all night And all be ready at the Trumpets sound Be. 'T is wisely order'd Ar. Now my Lords Good Night Be. My Lord we wish your Excellence Good night Heaven give us all to Morrow a Good Day Ex. Ar. Pa. I 'le to my Charge my Lords Good night to you Ex. Pa. Be. Good Night Lord Patron this is a brave Greek Na. And our old General a brave Persian Be. He 's like the Sun a Largesse to the World And not to be consum'd by age or toil Na. The King and he are th' only gallant Men In this whole Nation Be. Memnon to your Tent. Mem. Good Night my Lord. Ex. Mem. Be. He 's honest but he 's young Our talk has too much weight for his green youth Na. And our Affairs I think have so much weight We shall not sleep beneath 'em much to night Be. 'T is true my Lord come let us to my Tent Come with us Dataphernes Da. Ay my Lord. Ex. All go out and re-enter immediately SCENE Bessus's Tent. Be. Our Fortune places us in a strange Post For we are bound to fight against our selves Let who will conquer we shall be subdued For say the Persian Army gets the day We know they cannot do it without us The noble fruits of our own Gallantry Will all be set in this luxurious Soil Our Swords will be as barren as our Lands These Cowards must rule the Brave by whom they rule Dat. They Govern us they ha' not power to rule Men Wine or Women or their own Silk-worms The Men are all devour'd by Luxury And Alexander only has the Orts. Na. Therefore they 'r nauseous both to Heaven and Earth And it is insolence in mortal Man To force upon the Gods what they disgust Cram Nations down the throat of Providence Which it throws up again in every field Dat. I do declare I 'd no more fight to guard The King's Dominions over heartless Cowards Than I wou'd fight for Eagles to defend Their Principality over the Birds Be. Nay I have ever thought a Persian King Was at the most but Master of a Mint Persia has Gold and Jewels but no Men It has been long depopulated all By Slavery and Vice by Women too Women shou'd fill and they unman their Towns War lays 'em not so wast War mars and makes This War has made more Men than it has kill'd The slaughter'd heaps were only loads of Clay Where there was the Image of a Man. Na. My Lord they are all Images of Whores They march into the field rather equipp'd Like Ladies for a Ball than Troops for War. like Women too with weapons weaponless They dye unwounded by the sight of Wounds And serve the Ravens up in massy Plate The Persian Crows are fed in greater pomp Than Kings of Macedon Dat. Oh! never cowards Were at more cost nobly to hide themselves The Men cannot be seen for Plumes and Gold. Nor can the Gold for Diamonds be seen The Royal Metle is opprest by Jewels Their modest Swords which abhor nakedness Though Heaven knows in State of Innocence Sleep in their Scabbards as in Velvet Beds Under rich Coverlids of cluster'd Pearl Na. And to what end is this they only prove Fine Sumpter Hoâ—ses to the Enemy To carry Baggage for 'em to the field Be. Yet they must Lord it o're brave Nations Who can subdue both Men and Elements How does our naked flesh vanquish the cold How oft is Snow our only Winter Shirt Na. Yet does our Gallantry far exceed theirs We have no Ladies Favours on our Swords But Victories the Favours of the Gods Are always there Be. No thanks to Persians Who do not only quit us in the field And so most cowardly expose our lives But stint our Troops that they may starve our Fame I have five thousand Horse and only fight To be a slave to Cowards Na. Nay to Brutes Europeans are Men for they enjoy Their Reason wisely gather'd into Laws Here they are Brutes for only strength commands Our only Law is that there is no Law. All things are lawful here to Power but Laws The only rule of Justice here is Might The strong devour the weak and no wrong done The Wolf is not unjust that eats the Lamb. The Lamb is in the wrong to be a Lamb. Be. In short the Nature of the King is mild But cruel is the Nature of his Crown Then to whose lot soever it befals If I survive they shall not keep it long Not that I mean to fix it on my Head But to Crown Nature Freedom and Sense In which all Men have equal shares with me Na. My Lord you 'l have a Crown in those great Thoughts Not what 's without but what
and Die That one great Lyon may his Lust enjoy Exeunt SCENE is drawn Darius is set Musing and Sad Artabasus attending Da. Oh! Why was Alexander born for me To make my Crown a Misery to me Which I have made a Happiness to all Tyrants who spar'd not Heaven and Earth were spar'd How can Man find what way is to walk If Fortune will thus blindly plough up all Ar. Come Sir I pray do not afflict your self You gave your pleasure bounds limit your grief And you who ne'er broke Law nor injur'd Man Do not break reasons law in your own wrong Da. I 'd know my Crimes that have deserv'd all this Ar. I know of none Da. Nay prithee flatter not Ar. Oh! Sir was ever I a Flatterer Da. Never till now Ar. And this is an ill time In your Calamity and my great Age. For what can you bestow or I receive I 've reach'd a Hundred years now wanting Five My Love to Honour Conscience and my King Are all the Appetites I have to please Da. Oh! Why have I all sorts of Miseries Ar. Those happen to you as you are a Man. For what is a Man A Congregation Of disagreeing things His place of Birth A confus'd crowd of fighting Elements To nothing fixt but to Eternal change They wou'd all lose their Natures shou'd they fix Da. Why say they did were they not better lost Than kept at such Expence what does poor Man Pay for vain Life Ar. What 's matter what he pays Gods did not make this World only for Man. He 's but a parcel o' the Universe A fellow Servant with the meanest thing To carry on the Service o' the whole And pleasure o' the Gods the Lords of all Da. Can human Sorrows be delights to Gods Ar. Our Sorrows are not but our Troubles may A Great Man vanquishing his destiny Is a great Spectacle worthy of Gods. Da. Give me thy Hand years have not gone by thee Like empty idle Vagrants but like Kings And given thee Riches to relieve a King. Enter an Eunuch Eu. Lord Bessus Nabarzanes Da. Are they here Eu. They have been waiting for access some time Lord Memnon Patron too Da. Bring 'em all in Enter Bessus Nabarzanes Memnon Patron Dataphernes several Bactrians Da. Oh! Welcome my brave Friends come to my Arms I 'm joy'd to see your safety and your Love Follow me now You are true Friends indeed I will complain of Misery no more For I perceive it is the great Art of Heaven To give us better taste of what we have A Friend was ne'r so sweet to me before 'T is hard in prosp'rous Fortune to know Friends Now I am certain you attend on me This is to me my first apparent Court. Though I 've not fought I 've lov'd with great success There is no State in which the bounteous Gods Have not plac'd Joy if Men wou'd seek it out Well Sirs What news How many have we lost Be. Above four hundred thousand Sir 't is said Da. Oh! my amazing merciless destiny Be. 'T was not a Battle but a Massacre Na. Oh! Sir I wish your Sorrows might end here But though they 'r heavy as the heart of Man Has strength to bear I must enlarge 'em yet Your great Lievtenants Sir and Governors Have flung up all their Towns and Provinces Mithrenes has resign'd Armenia False Mazeus the once Glorious Babylon The Governor of Damas with the Town Betray'd the Kingdom For Sir in that Town You had lodg'd Wealth enough to regain all Da. Two hundred thousand Talents in coin'd Gold. In Silver twice the sum with Diamonds And Jewels of inestimable price Be. Alas This was not all the Riches Sir. Your Princes and great Lords had as they thought There secur'd all the Beauty o' the East I mean their lovely Wives and Daughters Sir. And this inhuman Coward betraid 'em all That Wives of Princes serv'd the Lusts of Slaves And poorest wretches shone in Robes of Kings Such Scorn did Fortune throw on this World's Pride Da. Oh! my immense boundless Calamities Though Iv'e so many thousands lost in Fight I must lament that I have lost no more Better my Cities mount to Heaven in Fire Thank sink by Cowardly villany to Hell. And they 'r preferr'd who meet with Noble Death Above the Villains who by Treason Reign Me. A little Joy were seasonable now And I've a little for you Sir. Da. Ha! Joy Me. The Coward of Damas fled to Babylon And with his Brother Villain Mazeus went To meet the Enemy with triumphant pomp As if the conquest of their Honesties Had been most Honourable Victories I heard it wou'd be so took some brave friends And slew 'em both before the Conqueror's Face Then brought their Heads away and there they are Da. Oh! brave young Man Now I 'm subdued by thee I 've nothing to reward thy Gallantry So thou hast made a Vassal of thy King. I 'm overcome by Enemies and Friends Good Gods for all my Losses Suff'rings Wrongs Favour my gallant Friends I 'll ask no more Ar. Oh! exc'llent Prince Will the Gods leave a Prince To whom they give such pledges of their Love I mean such God-like Virtue 's and brave Friends Da. 'T is true can I despair and have such Friends By you I 'm still a Great and Glorious King Able to fight with Alexander yet And by the Gods I 'le do 't I thought on slight The vile Decree with horror I revoke Shall I fear any thing while I have you And I am sure there is not in the World A danger you wou'd shun like shameful flight And shall I lead you on to Infamy No I will shew I deserve Men so brave I will march back and fight the Enemy One blow may scatter all his Victories They 'r lumber pil'd disorderly in haste Pa. Oh! Fortune in this Monarch see thy faults aside And frailties he 'l be great in spite o' thee Da. What means this silence in you all my Lords If you have fear I 'm sure it is for me Be. Ay so it is Great Sir. Da. So I believe But is there any thing to fear like Shame And shall I shamefully desert my Self In my own Empire be a banish'd Man Or like my Traitors to the Conqueror creep To be a petty Lord of some poor Town And there in safty lock my little Heart I charge you kill me when I e're devise Such infamous destruction for your King. No I will be a King or not at all My Life and Reign shall have one period But if your Resolutions be like mine We will yet give our Sorrows a brave end Justice is for us so may Fortune be I 'm a bright proof of her inconstancy But if no God will lend us any aid Let us be Gods and Fortune to our Selves And signalize our Selves by such a Fight May shew at least we deserve better fates All silent still Ar. Sir you exceed us all As much in Spirit as in Dignity What Soul
he by your Chariot rode His Eye did never fail to follow yours His Tongue said little but his Looks said much Indeed that was no time or place for talk Our Ears were with a thousand noises fill'd Ay and our Hearts too with a thousand fears Alas This short success was only lent Fortune did soon demand her Favours back The Enemy pursued the gallant Youth Was forc'd to turn on them and you to fly Ba. Oh! I fled slowly with a heavy Heart A thousand times did I turn back my Eye Ay and I think as oâ—t my Chariot Wishing to see him come a Conqueror But 't was in vain to stay the night came on So I went forwards and let Fortune drive Who led me to Eternal Misery In the first ylace where I my safety sought There with the King Lord Bessus lay conceal'd Who at first sight o' me flam'd out with Love And begg'd in me his ruine o' the King. Or. Why did you not inform the King your love Ba. I did in what I cou'd blushes and tears But the word Love I had not power to speak Or. Oh! fatal Modesty But see my Lord. Ba. Oh! my disorders will discover me What can I say why I as yet a Bride Have all the Sorrow of a captive Slave Enter Bessus Be. Madam may I approach Ba. My Lord you know You are a Sovereign here Be. I have some right But Grief usurps my room I cann't bear A Rival in my Bed. Ba. Rival my Lord Be. That is my Rival sure that shares with me And I methinks have the least part in you What Favours I receive you rather give To Marriage Vows than Me. Those Cherubims Are not for Idols but for Ornaments To grace Love's Altars not to be ador'd Madam you may believe it troubled me To be excluded thus my Joy and Right I wou'd not very tamely yield it up I have been searching for my Enemy And I believe I have th' Offender found Ba. What does he say aside Be. Madam I call to mind When we last parted new was brought to me My Son was come his Name disorder'd you Ba. Undone Undone I am betraid aside Be. 'T is so My Son My Son. Ba. Your Son What of your Son Be. Undoes me your confusion shews it plain Ba. In what confusion am I Be. All your Face Flames with a blush your breath goes thick and short Your Speech wou'd scarcely falter more in death Ba. Fetch me a Dagger aside Be. I 'le remove this Grief Iâ—le send for him and stab him in your sight Ba. Oh! Horror Horror Hold You shall know all Be. Oh! I know all and will remove it all Madam you very highly injure me Ba. I do not do not Be. Oh! you do Ba. In what Be. I here invoke the Gods. Ba. And so do I. Be. Tear out my Heart if it be false to you Ba. Have you suspicion I am false to you Be. No Madam no but you have entertain'd Causeless suspicion of my Truth to you Not that my humble Heart is worth your Care But your own Merit is you are enrag'd Your Royal Birth and Divine Excellence Which may deserve to have more Heavens than one Gain not the entire Heart of one poor Slave But you are triumph'd over by the Queen Because I shew some fondness of her Son. Ba. Oh! I am scap'd Shame and Death threatned me aside And then rode by far far out of their way He thinks my Grief is jealousie of him Be. Come Madam throw the Queen out of your Thoughts For I 'le assure you she is far from mine I never lov'd her in her softest Youth Nature indeed had given her charms for Love But the embraces of the wanton Wind And Suns hot Kisses had debauch'd 'em all And they were all the Kisses She endur'd She must perform the Office of her Sex Or have no Heirs to her Renown and Throne So our embrace was but a Bed Cabal More for a State than amorous intrigue Love did but little in the whole Affair The Gods did all therefore the gallant Youth Is like a God and therefore lov'd by me I know you 'd love him if you saw him once Which you shall do and let him kiss your hands Run for my Son to 〈◊〉 Ba. I will not see his Face He 's setting his own House all in a flame aside When it already burns in smothering fire Be. Oh How disturb'd She is cou'd I believe A trouble to thy Hear shou'd delight mine This is a mark of love but th' only one I do not wish to have lay it aside And let all three love I must confess My Son is a record of my past Love But he 's so fair a one I 'm very sure if you beheld him once You wou'd be loth he shou'd be blotted out Ba. With what a pleasing Dream he is deceiv'd aside 'T is cruelty to waken a sick Friend Whose Sleep is all his case let him dream on Nay I am told your Son your Son 's a gallant Man. And I am troubled that I cannot give His Merit the reception it deserves Be. Why not my Love you may if I consent Ba. I 'le not consent to an undecent thing And so it is t' encourage vicious Love. Such was your kindess for the Amazon Queen Be. Thy Virtue is too nice Ba. Nay I 'm content You love and favour him Be. A thousand Thanks Ba. But do not let him come into my sight Be. Well dearest you shall see the Divine power You have o'r me that the least sigh of yours Can shake the Universe from under me My Memnon is to me a World of Joy He offends you and vanishes for ever Ba. Oh! now I grieve aside Be. What say you do you grieve Ba. O'r-heard aside Be. Oh! this is kind now he shall go Enter Memnon Ba. I see him Oh? I tremble burn and faint I cannot stay or go aside Be. See see I swear The very sight of him distempers her You shall not see him love away away A thousand Thanks for all this tender love Ex. Ba. Or. Come hither Memnon thou wert once my All And still thou art a most dear part o' me I tell thee this ' cause I 'm to lose thee soon And I wou'd make our parting soft to thee What e're it is to me I am compell'd To banish thee for ever from my sight Me. Compell'd to banish me Alas my Lord I fear my Loyalty displeases you I have heard dreadful news about the King. Oh! I have wâ—pt and rav'd and torn my Hair And curs'd my Birth now doubly infamous First by my Mothers sin and now by yours Be. You know not what you say I had great aims I saw the Kingdom fall Me. Had Heaven fallen And yoâ— had done your Duty you had stood Be. 'T is true I sallied out beyond my bounds But 't was to serve the King Me. He serves him best Who keeps his Post Obedience was yours Be. No more o'th is if the
's within the Brow Shou'd be the mark of Sovereign Dignity Be. How goes the night away Na. The Morning Star Long since gave Darkness warning to be gone Dat. See fee 't is gone the day possesses Heaven Be. Nay then 't is time we wait upon the King. Na. 'T is more than time no doubt he 's come abroad I see his Golden Chariot guild that Hill. Be. Then he is there viewing the Enemy Dat. Now all the shining Crowd descend this way Let us go pay our adorations Na. Our Adorations to a mortal Man ha ha Be. Now Gods aid us whoever you destroy These Kings but for one Man their Swords employ Each for himself has all his Force design'd We fight for you and for all your Mankind They wou'd be Sovereign Lords but I contend Only to be your Creatures Sovereign Friend Ex. All sorts of Martial Musique Enter Priests bearing Fire on Silver Altars Then a train of Officers in Golden Robes and Collâ—rs Then Darius followâ—d by Artabasus Bessus Nabaâ—zanes Memnon Patron The King surveys 'em and all prostrate themselves and kiss the ground Patron excepted who only bows Da. I gave command the ground where I expect The Enemies Horse to Charge shou'd be stuck full Of sharp and bearded Irons but with marks For us to know and shun ' em Is it done Ar. 'T is Mighty Sir. Dat. 'T is well I am inform'd Our rash fierce Enemies are become wise The sight of this vast dreadful multitude Has cool'd their boiling Blood. Be. Sir so we hear Mem. Sir 'T is no more than Truth and what I saw I was commanded with a thousand Horse To make discovery how the Enemy lay Fear was to them a multiplying Glass They believ'd all your Army was come down And cryed Darius Arm Darius here Your Royal Name alone half routed ' em Nay I was told even Alexander fear'd The dreadful Shouts of your vast multitudes Shook Forests Mountains and the Conqueror's Heart And gave us time to make a good retreat Pa. Nay if that Prince has Fear it comes from Heaven For Terror is not natural to him Da. 'T is true the Omen appears promising Enter Dataphernes Da. The Eunuch Tyriotes Royal Sir That lately did attend upon the Queen Has made escape out of the Enemies Camp And brings some mournful news Da. Ha! from my Queen Dat. His Eyes are drown'd in Tears and Garments torn Da. Nay then it is my turn to tremble now If ill but threatens her it destroys me Bring hither Tyriotes bring my death Be. Were it not better Sir defer the news And not begin the day Da. Dispute my Will Enter Tyriotes Come hither speak while I have sense to hear Silence is vain thy Garments and thy Eyes Plunge me into a thousand tort'ring fears Speak Do not spare me ' cause thou see'st me Grieve For I have learnt to be unfortunate And to the wretched 't is a little ease To know how far their Misery will extend Oh! I distrust one thing I hate to think Much more to speak Thou com'st to let me know She whom I prize above my Crown and Life Has in her miserable vassalage Receiv'd Indignities I cannot name Say ease my Torments stabb me with the Truth Ty. Oh! let not Sir vain fears afflict your Heart Your real cause of sorrow is too much But oh the generous Conqueror paid your Queen All Honours that a Slave cou'd give his Prince He rather did appear a slave to her But now She is no more your Queen is dead Ar. How the Queen dead Da. Martyr'd for Chastity T is so t is so She did oppose his Lust And he has murther'd her Barbarian What injuries have I done to thee and thine That thou shou'dst take this infamous revenge There 's no just reason for thy War on me But say 't is Glorious to subdue a King Can it be so to violate a Queen Cou'dst thou not spare her Beauty and her Sex Ty. Oh! Sir he did again y'afflict your self With Visions Shadows She receiv'd from him All kind and honourable usage Sir. Da. Ha! kind Ty. Yes Sir for when She dyed he wept You cannot more lament Da. Ha! This is worse There was a friendship grown between them then And he had Favours from her it was so Men lament not the death of Enemies I cannot bear the Thought Ty. Oh! hear me Sir. Da. I wou'd have privacy away be gone Ex. all but Da. and Ty. This is not sit for any Ears but mine No nor for mine for it will make me mad Ty. Oh! Sir indeed Da. Preparing to deceive Ty. No Sir Da. It will be folly have a care For now my Grief is height'ned into Rage My Tears are turn'd to Fire then do not lye By Lying thou wilt fool thy self not me For if I find thou dost conceal the Truth The Rack shall force it from thee Ty. I 'l speak Truth Da. Do thrust me not upon extremities For Cruelty and I never agreed In sparing thy own self thou wilt spare me I do conjure thee by the love thou bear'st Thy self or me deliver me the Truth Tell me oh Whither am I going now But must go on though the way lead to Hell. Tell me if Alexander fortunate Victorious young and brave did not attain What I 'm asham'd to ask and dread to know Ty. No Sir indeed Da. Lye not Ty. I will not Sir What should I gain by telling you untruth Da. Hopes of my Favour by soft flattery Ty. Sir here I freely offer up these Limbs To any torment that can be endur'd There 's strength enough in truth to bear e'm all And then I hope you will believe me Sir. Da. This is all cunning to avoid the Rack But that thou shalt not do ho bring the Rack Ty. With all my heart Da. So bold I like it well He cannot love my Ease more than his Flesh Bring torments on himself to soften mine Thou hast half won me to thee speak I 'm calm Ty. Then I appeal to all the Powers Divine Oh! now attest my Truth attest your selves If I deliver Fictions to the King You are all Fictions if you spare my Head. The virtuous Conqueror did treat the Queen With all the Honour Virtue and the pure Religion due to one so much Divine He never saw her beauteous Face but once And then to give her comfort for her loss Her Divine Beauties only tempted him To greater Virtue and he did not serve His Pleasure but his Glory by her charms He serv'd her Honourably in her life And when She dyed he mourn'd the publick loss And gave her Royal pompous Funerals Da. Oh! Alexander thou hast vanquish'd me Till now thy Fortune only conquer'd mine But now thy Virtues have subdued my Soul Have thrown me down into a weeping Slave I blush to shew my Face But all these Tears Must not be thine my Queen must share with thee Whose Honour I have wrong'd Oh! thou bright Shade Of my chaste Queen forgive
Blood our Country and our Friends There is no Bactria no Greece for us Your Royal Self is now our sole retreat We humbly beg for all our Services No greater Honour than to be your Guard. Ar. Sir he desires an Honour he deserves And what may be of mighty use to you His Greeks will be a Bulwark to your self And all your Men give 'em new Courage Sir grant him his request Da. Not for the World A Glorious King shou'd ever more regard The Honourable Counsels than the safe In my own Camp be a poor Fugitive To my own Nation a Forreigner To Forreigners a little Pensioner Have no Authority but what they give And so descend from being a Persian King To be a petty Lord of a few Greeks The Traytors then will say they fight a Greek And I shall give 'em Colour for their Crimes No I 'le not fall by any fault of mine I 'le not forsake my Friends if they quit me The fault 's not mine and I had rather fall By Royal Charity to my own Slaves Than Reign by Stranger 's Charity to me Patron a thousand thanks I will accept The Service of thy Sword but not this way Go to thy Noble Greeks and serve me there And Heaven reward thy Love and Gallantry Pa. Heaven be your Guard I fear y 'ave little else Besides what you shall ever find in me Da. Thou Honour of thy Nation shame to mine Ex. Pa. Now put my men in readiness to fight And then command the Traytors to my Feet If they dare disobey fall on An Alarm How now Ar. What shou'd this mean Da. They make the first assault Ex. Ar. My Chariot speedily the news the news Enter Artabazus Ar. Sir the Vantguard of Alexander's Troops Is in your Camp. Da. Two Enemies at once Thou fight the Rebells and I 'le fight the King Ex. Da. Ar. a great cry Alarm and disorder within and Enter Darius stopping the flying Persians Da. For shame for shame you Cowards quit your King And fly from sound this is a false Alarm The Traytors made by Alexander's Name To frighten you from me Fly from his Name How will you meet his Sword but by my Life You shall encounter with his Sword or mine Enter Artabazus Ar. Oh! Sir a Cheat a Cheat Da. I know it well How many of our Men may be disperst Ar. Sir almost all y 'ave not a hundred left And now the Traytors have surrounded you Have interpos'd between the Greeks and you And are in a great body drawing down Da. Then it is time The King offers to kill himself but is held by Ar. Ar. Hold Sir. Da. Now I reflect This Crime belongs only â—o Regicides Why shou'd I take their Guilt upon my self I ne're yet stain'd my Sword with Innocent Blood Why shou'd I do it in my dying hour Ar. Oh! mournful hour oh wou'd you had receiv'd The Gallant Offer of the Noble Greek You had been safe as in a Tower of Steel Da. Not from my self it wou'd ha' stab'd my heart To beg poor Life from a few wandring Greeks Alas from them I cou'd ha' had no more Ar. No doubt the Persians wou'd have followed you Da. I 'm better follow'd now and more secure I 'm safe from the Dishonour and the Crime Of quitting them or doing any thing That may deserve my miserable fall The thought brings many comforts to my Soul. Ar. A dreadful fall indeed how have I seen A hundred Nations follow you to Wars Follow Adore you Now your only Guards Are a few Eunuchs and a weak old man. And you who oft have rode on Golden Gods Are trod on now by every little Slave Da. Oh! these are many Darts and they 're all keen Yet did they only light upon my self My pain wou'd be no more than if they fell On a dead part for in my Queen I 'm dead But in my Children and my Friends I live Oh! there my Sence is quick my Torments sharp Prithee dear Artabazus when I 'm dead Go to my Mother Children all my Friends And tell 'em how I fought and how I mourn'd My Courage Honour and my Love to them Stuck to me the last but nothing else I give 'em cause to Mourn but not to Blush Ar. Oh! Sir you rather give 'em cause of pride Men are admir'd not prais'd for Happiness Vertue 's the Lustre Pomp is but a shew That pleases Gods This Women Fools and Boys You conquer'd Power where Alexander falls And now in Misery y' are Glorious still But Sir wou'd you wou'd try if you cou'd scape Da. Ah! whither can I scape to scornful Life I wou'd not have it were it in my Power Then sure I wou'd not steal so poor a thing And if I wou'd now the Attempt is vain I shall be catch'd in the disgraceful Theft No here I will attend my Destiny And now good Artabazus take thy leave Ar. How leave you Sir in all this great distress Da. Alas thy stay can do me little good 'T will rather hurt me much encrease my Grief If thou hast any pleasure in my sighs Continue with me I have none in thine No we afflict each other prithee go I love to have my Friends share in my joyes But wou'd have all my sorrows to my self And I can best contend with 'em alone For Sorrow I perceive's love 's solitude I prithee take not from me solitude Ar. I am not us'd Sir to dispute your will. But I shall never never see you more Or at least never till we meet in Heaven There is a Heaven or there are no Gods. Gods wou'd not suffer so much Misery In their poor Creatures but for some great End And all this world can never recompence The sorrows of the least poor honest man. What shall be done then for a Martyr'd King Da. Nay I confess I look and long for Death Come Artabazus take my last Embrace 'T is all I have to give thee for thy love Ar. My King my King Da. My ever faithful friend Oh! thou art rooting deeper in my heart Tear thy self from me or we cannot part Ar. I have not strength to do 't Da. I cannot part Or see thee go first let me Veil my Face And then betake to my last Friend the Earth In whose cold Bosome I shall rest secure No Traytors will have Plots upon me there Now go The King flings his Robe over his Face then falls on the ground Ar. Farewell for ever Sir. Ex. Da. Farewell Go all and as you go plunder my Tents To the Eunuchs Let not my bloody Murderers be my Heirs Better my Gold pay your Fidelity Than their base Villany Go 't is enough Your Faith and Love have liv'd as long as I. As the Eunuchs go off they set up a mournful cry At which Bessus Nabarzanes and Dataphernes and their Guards rush in upon the King with drawn Swords Be. What means this cry Na. Has the King kill'd himself Darius rises Da. No Villains I