THE 
 
 WORKS 
 
 O F 
 
 JAMES THOMSON. 
 
 V L, III.
 

 
 THE 
 
 WORKS 
 
 O F 
 
 JAMES THOMSON. 
 
 CONTAINING, 
 
 SOPHONISBA, 
 AGAMEMNON, 
 
 AND 
 
 ALFRED, 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for A. MILLAR, in the Strand, 
 MDCCLXIJ.
 
 2"~) " t^-1 %<^ 
 ' ".-: . CO
 
 Val.Jir.p.i. 
 
 SopTionista
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 
 TRAGEDY 
 
 VOL. III.
 
 T O T H E 
 
 QUEEN. 
 
 MADAM, 
 
 THE notice, your MAJESTY has con- 
 defcended to take of the following 
 Tragedy, emboldens me to lay it, in the 
 humbled manner, at your MAJESTY'S 
 feet. And to whom can this illuftrious 
 Carthaginian fo properly fly for protection, 
 as to a QUEEN, who commands the hearts 
 of a people, more powerful at fea than 
 Carthage ? more flourifhing in commerce 
 than thofe firft merchants ? more fecure 
 againft conqueft ? and, under a Monarchy^ 
 more free than a Commonwealth itfelf ? 
 
 B 2 I dare
 
 DEDICATION. 
 
 I dare not, nor indeed need I, here at- 
 tempt a character where both the great and 
 the amiable qualities fhine forth in full per- 
 fedlion. All words are faint to fpeak 
 what is univerfally felt, and acknowledged, 
 by a happy people. Permit me therefore 
 only to fubfcribe myfelf, with the trueft 
 zeal and veneration, 
 
 MADAM, 
 Tour MAJESTY'S 
 Moft bumble, 
 
 Mqft dutiful, 
 
 And moft devoted 
 
 Servanf, 
 
 JAMES THOMSON,
 
 PREFACE, 
 
 IT is not my intention, in ibis preface, to defend any 
 faults that may be found in tbefilttfuntg piece. 1 a;n 
 afraid there are too n-.any ; but thofe who a- e beft able to 
 a f aver, will be msjl ready to pardon them. 'they alone 
 kniw how difficult an undertaking the writing of a tra- 
 gedy is : and this is afrjt attempt. 
 
 I beg leave cnly to mention the reafon that determined 
 me to make choice cf this fubjecl. What phflfed me par- 
 ticularly , tho 1 perhaps it will not be leaft liable to ob- 
 jection with ordinary readers, in- as the great Jimpli city of 
 the Jlory. It is one, regular, and uniform, not charged 
 ixith a multiplicity of incidents, and yet affording federal 
 revolutions of fortune ; by which the pnffions may be ex* 
 cited, 'varied, and driven to their full tumult of emotion. 
 
 This unity of dejign 'was always fought after, and ad- 
 mired by the ancients : and the r:;oft eminent among the 
 moderns, who underflood their writings, have chnfen to 
 imitate them in this, from an entire conviction that the 
 reafon of it muft hold good in all ages. And here allo*i<J 
 me to tranjlate a Pajfage from the celebrated Monfieur 
 Racine, vtbicb contains all that I ha<ve to fay on this 
 bead. 
 
 " We muft not fancy that this rule has no other foun- 
 dation but the caprice of thofe who made it. Nothing 
 can touch us in tragedy, but what is probable. And 
 'what probability is there, that, in one Day, /hould 
 happen a multitude of things, 'which could fcarce hap- 
 pen in federal Weeks ? There are fame who think that 
 this Jimplicity is a mark of barrennefs of invention. 
 But they da not conjtder, that, on the contrary, wven~ 
 63 (ion
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 1 tlon conjifts of mak ing fome thing out of nothing: and 
 that this huddle if incidents has al-iv -yi bien the refuge 
 of Poets, who did net find in their genius either rich- 
 n c fs or force enough to engage their fpetfators, for five 
 atls together ; by a Jimple attion, fuppvrteJ by the vio- 
 lence of'pajfions, the beauty of fintiment , and the ncble- 
 nffj of exprejjlon." 1 would not be underfeed to mean 
 that all thefe things are to be found in tny performance .* 
 / only Jbew the reader what 1 aimed at, and hove I would 
 have f leafed him, had it teen in try power. 
 
 j4s to the character a/~Sophonilba ; in drawing it, I 
 have confine dmvf elf to the truth of h'Jiory. It were an 
 affront to the age, to fup^cfe fuch a character out of na~ 
 ture ; efpt daily in a country which has produced fo many 
 great examples of public fpirit and heroic "virtues, e<ven in 
 thefofterfex : apd I bad defrayed her charafler intire'y y 
 bad I net marked it iuith that Jlrong love to her country, 
 difdain offer-~uitude, and inborn ave>Jton to the Romans, 
 by which allhijlorians have dijlin^uiflttdber. Nor aught 
 htr marrying MafmifTa, while her former bujband iiar 
 Jliil alive, to be reckoned a blemijh in her character. For, 
 by the laws both of Rome and Carthage, the captivity of 
 the hujband dffilved the marriage of courfe j as among 
 *.', impotence, or adultery ; not t-i mention the reafons of 
 a moral and public nature, ivbicb I have put into her o<wn 
 mouth in tkefcene betwixt her and Syphax. 
 
 This is all I have tof^y of the play itjelf. But I can. 
 not conclude without owning my obligations to thzfe con- 
 cerned in the reprffent..ti>n. They have indeed done me 
 more than juftice. Whatever was defined as amiable 
 and engaging in M&fimftzjZinesoHtin Mr.Wllks'satfiov. 
 Mrs. Oldfield, in the character o/Sophonifba, hat excelled 
 what, even in the fondnefs of an author, 1 could either 
 wife or imagine. The grace, dignity, and happy "vanity 
 tf her aclion have been uni-verfally applauded, and are 
 truly admiral le. 
 
 PRO-
 
 By a F R I E N D. 
 
 Spoken by Mr. WILLIAMS. 
 
 WHEN Learning, after the long Gothic night. 
 Fair, o'er the w-efiern world, renew 1 d its light, 
 With arts arijing Sophonilba rrfe : 
 The tragic mufe, returning, wept her woes. 
 With her th' Italian fee ne fi<-Jl learned to glow ; 
 And the fir ft Tears for her were taught to flow. 
 Her charms the Gallic mufis next in/pir'a : 
 Corneille himfelffaw, wonder* d, and was fifd, 
 
 What foreign theatres with pride have Jhewn, 
 Britain, by jufter title, nukes her own. 
 When Freedom is the caufe, 'tis hers to fight ; 
 And hers, when Freedom is the theme, to write. 
 For this a Britifh Author bids again 
 The heroine rife, to grace the Britifh fcene. 
 Here, as in life, Jhe breathes her genuine flame : 
 She ajks what b r fim has not felt the fame ? 
 Ajk /** ifeksfil Youth Is fi'ence there ? 
 She dares to ajk it cf the Britifh Fair. 
 
 To-night, our hom'-fpitn author would be true t 
 At once, to nature, biftorj, and you. 
 Well-pleased to give our neighbours due app!aufe, 
 He o-jjns their learning, but difdains their /aias. 
 Not to h's patient touch, or happy fame, 
 'Its to his Britifll heart he tiujh for fame. 
 Jf France excel him in one free-born thought t 
 The man, aswellas^oet, is in fault. 
 
 Nature ! Informer cf the poet's art, 
 Whofe force alone can ra'fe or melt 'the heart, 
 Though art his guide ; each pajpcn, every line, 
 Wbatfer he draws to pleafe, muft all be thine. 
 Be thou his judge : in every candid breaft, 
 Thyfilent whifper is the facredtefi. 
 
 6 The
 
 The Perfons reprefented. 
 
 MASINISSA, King oM*fflia; 
 SYPHAX, King of Ma/<f/ytia, 
 
 NARVA, Friend to 
 SCIPIO, the Roman General, 
 LJEMUS, his Lieutenant, \byi 
 
 SOPHONISBA, 
 PHOENISSA, herFrieud* 
 
 /Mr. Wilk:. 
 Mr. Milh. 
 Mr. Roberts. 
 Mr. Williams. 
 Mr. Bridgw&ttr. 
 
 Mrs. OltftU. 
 Mrs. Rolens, 
 
 Meflenger, Slave, Guards, and Attendant's, 
 
 SCENE, 
 The Palace of C I R T H A,
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 TRAGEDY, 
 
 ACT I. SCENE I. 
 
 SOPHONISBA, PHOENISSA. 
 
 SOPHONISBA.. 
 
 THIS hour, Pb&nifla, this important hour,. 
 Or fixes me a queen, or from a throne 
 Throws SopkoniJla'iMQ Roman chains. 
 Detefted thought ! For now his utmoft force 
 Collected, defperate, diftrefs'd, and fore 
 From battles loft ; with all the rage of war, 
 Ill-fated Sypkax his laft effort makes. 
 
 But fay, thou partner of my hopes and fears, 
 Pbasn2ffa t fay; while from the lofty tower, 
 
 B 5 Ou;
 
 io SOPHONISBA. 
 
 Our {training eyes the field of battle fought, 
 Ah, thought you not that our Numidian troops 
 Gave up the bloody field, and fcattering fled, 
 Wild o'er the hills, from the rapacious fons 
 Of ftill triumphant Rente? 
 
 PHOENISSA. 
 
 Perhaps they vvheel'd,. 
 As is their cuftom, to return more fierce. 
 Diflruft not Fortune, while you yet may hope ; 
 And think not, madam, Sjpbax can refign, 
 But with his ebbing life, in this laft field, 
 At once a kingdom, and a queen he loves 
 Beyond ambition's brighteft wifh ; for whom, 
 Nor mov'd by threats, nor bound by plighted faith, 
 He fcorn'd the Raman friendfhip (that fair name 
 For flavery) and from th' engagements broke 
 Of Sdfio, fam'd for every winning art, 
 The towering Genius of recover'd Rome* 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 Oh name him not ! Thefe Remans ftir my blood 
 To too much rage. I cannot bear the fortune 
 Of that proud people Said you not, Pbaenijfa y 
 That Syphax lov'd me ; which would fire his foul, 
 And urge him on to death or eonqueft ? True, 
 He loves me with the madnefs of defire ; 
 His every paffion is a (lave to love ; 
 Nor heeds he danger where I bid him go, 
 Nor leagues, nor intereft. Hence thefe endlefs wars, 
 Thefe ravag'd countries, thefe fuccefslefs fights, 
 
 i Suftaia'd
 
 SOPHONISBA. ii 
 
 Suftain'd for Carthage ; whofe defence alone, 
 Not love, engag'd my marriage-vows with his. 
 But know you not, that in the Roman camp 
 I have a lover too ; a gallant, brave, 
 And difappointed lover, full of wrath, 
 Returning to a kingdom, whence the fword 
 Of Syphax drove him ? 
 
 PHOEMSSA. 
 Mafini/a ? 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 He: 
 
 Young Mafini/a, the Majjylian king, 
 The firft addrefier of my youth; for whom 
 My bofom felt a fond beginning with, 
 Extinguilh'd foon, when once by Scipio's arts 
 Won over, he became the flave of Rome. 
 E'er fince, my heart has held him in contempt ; 
 And thrown out each idea of his worth, 
 That there began to grow : nay had it been 
 As much enthrall'd, and foft, as her's who fits 
 In fecret {hades, or by the falling ftream, , 
 And waftes her being in unutter'd pangs, 
 J would have broke, or cur'd it of its fondnefs, 
 
 PHOENISSA. 
 Heroic Sophonijba! 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 No, Phceni/a; 
 
 It is not for the daughter of great Afdrubal, 
 Descended from a long illuftrious line 
 
 B 6 Of
 
 i2 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 Of Carthaginian heroes, who have oft 
 Fill'd Italy with terror and difmay, 
 And fhook the walls of Rome, to pine in love, 
 Like a deluded maid ; to give her life, 
 And heart high-beating in her country's caufe, 
 To mean, domeilic cares, and idle joys, 
 Much lefs to one who ftoops his neck to Rome, 
 An enemy to Carthage, Majinffa. 
 
 PHOEMSSA. 
 
 Think not I mean to check that glorious flame, 
 That juft ambition which exalts your foul, 
 Glows on your cheek, and lightens in your eye. 
 Yet would he had been yours, this rifing prince ! 
 For, truft me, Fame is fond of Maftnijfa. 
 His courage, conduct, deep-experienc'd youth. 
 And vaft unbroken fpirit in diftrefs, 
 Still rjfmg ftronger from true laft defeat, 
 Are all the talk and terror too of dfric. 
 
 Who has not heard the ftory of his woes ? 
 How hard he came to his paternal realm : 
 Whence foon by Svpbax* unrelenting hate, 
 And jealous Carthage driven, he with a few 
 Fled to the mountains. Then, I think, it was, 
 Hem'd in a circle of impending rocks, 
 That all his followers fell, fave fifty horfe ; 
 Who, thence efcap'd thro' fecret paths abrupt, 
 Gain'd the Clupean plain. There overtook, 
 And urg'd by fierce furrounding foes, he burft 
 With four alone, fore wounded, thro' their ranks,. 
 
 ADC?
 
 And all amidft a deep-fwoln torrent plung'd. 
 Seiz'd with the whirling gulph, two funk j and two, 
 With him obliquely hurried down the ftream r 
 Swam to the farther more. Th' aftonilh'd foes 
 Stood check'd and fhivering on the gloomy brink, 
 And deem'd him loft in the devouring flood. 
 Mean time the dauntlefs, undefpairing youth 
 Lay in a cave conceal'd ; curing his wounds 
 With mountain-herbs, and on his horfes fed : 
 Nor here, even at the loweft ebb of life, 
 Stoop'd his afpiring mind. What need I fay, 
 How once again reftor'd, and once again 
 Expell'd, among the Garamantian hills 
 He fince has wander'd till the Roman arm 
 Reviv'd his caufe ? and who fhall reign alone> 
 Sypbax or he, this day decides. 
 
 SOPHONISBA.. 
 
 Enough. 
 
 Thou need'ft not blazon thus his fame, Pbcenijfa. 
 Were he as glorious as the pride of woman 
 Could wifh, in all her wantonnefs of thought > 
 The joy of humankind ; wife, valiant, good ; 
 With every praife, with every laurel crown'd j 
 The warriour's wonder, and the virgin's figh : 
 Yet this would cloud him o'er, this blemifh all, 
 His mean fubmiffion to the Roman yoke ; 
 That, falfe to Carthage, Afric, and himfelf,. 
 With proffer'd hand and knee, he hither led 
 Thefe ravagers of earth. But while we talk,- 
 
 The
 
 i 4 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 The work of fate goes on ; even now perhaps 
 My dying country bleeds in every vein, 
 And the proud viftor thunders at our gate. 
 
 S C-E N E II. 
 
 SOPHONISBA, PHO E KISS A, and to them a MESSENGER 
 frcm tke tattle. 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 Ha! Whence art thou ? Speak, tho' thy bleeding 
 
 wounds 
 Might well excufe tffy tongue. 
 
 MESSENGER. 
 
 Madam, efcap'd 
 
 From yon dire field, alas ! I come 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 No more. 
 
 At once thy meaning flalhes o'er my foul. 
 Oh all my vanifh'd hopes ! oh fatal chance 
 Of undifcerning war ! And is all loft ?_, 
 An univer&l ruin ? 
 
 MESSENGER. 
 
 Madam, all. 
 
 Of all our numerous hoft fcarce one is faved. 
 The King 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 .Ah ! what of him ? 
 
 ME s-
 
 SOPHONISBA. 15 
 
 MESSENGER. 
 
 His fiery -fteed, 
 
 By Ma/iniJ/a y the Maffylian prince, 
 Pierc'd, threw him headlong to his cluttering foes 5 
 And now he comes in chains. 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 Oh worft of ills ! 
 
 Abfolute gods ! All Afric is in chains! 
 The weeping world in chains ! Oh is there not 
 A time, a righteous time, referv'd in fate, 
 When thefe oppreflbrs of mankind fhall feel 
 The miferies they give ; and blindly fight 
 For their own fetters too? The conquering troops^ 
 How points their motion ? 
 
 MESSENGE R. 
 
 At my heels they came, 
 Loud-mouting, dreadful in a cloud of duft, 
 By Maf.nijfa headed. 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 Hark! arriv'd. 
 The murmuring croud rolls frighted to the palace. 
 
 Thou bleed'ft to death poor faithful wretch, away, 
 And drefs thy wounds, if life be worth thy care j. 
 Tho' Rome, methinks, will lofe a flave in thee, 
 Would Sofkoni/la were as near the verge 
 Of boundlefs, and immortal liberty ! 
 
 SCENE
 
 16 S O P H O N I S B A. 
 
 SCENE III. 
 
 SOPHONISBA, PHOENISSA. 
 
 {Afttr a Paufe] 
 
 SOPHONISRA. 
 
 And wherefore not ? When liberty is lolf, 
 
 Let abjedl cowards live ; but in the brave 
 
 It were a treachery to themfelves, enough 
 
 To merit chains. And is it fit for me, 
 
 Who in my veins, from dfdrttbal deriv'd, 
 
 Hold Carthaginian enmity to Rome ; 
 
 Who fold my joylefs youth to Sypbax* arms, 
 
 For her deftru&ion ; is it fit for me 
 
 To fit in feeble grief, and trembling wait 
 
 Th' approaching victor's rage ? referv'd in chains 
 
 To grace his triumph, and become the fcorn 
 
 Of every Roman dame Gods ! how my foul 
 
 Difdains the thought 1 This, this fhall fet it free. 
 
 [Offers toftab herfelf.\ 
 
 \ PHOENISSA. 
 
 Hold, Sopbonijla, hold ! my friend ! my queen ! 
 For whom atone I live ! hold your ram hand, 
 Nor thro' your guardian bofom ftab your country. 
 That is our laft refort, and always fure. 
 The gracious gods are liberal of death ; 
 To that laft blefling lend a thoufand ways. 
 Think not I'd have you live to drag a chain, 
 
 And
 
 S O P H O N I S B A. 17 
 
 And walk the triumph of infulting 
 
 No, by thefe tears of loyalty and love ! 
 
 Ere I beheld fo vile a fight, this hand 
 
 Should urge the faithful ponyard to your heart, 
 
 And glory in the deed. But, while hope lives, 
 
 Let not the generous die. 'Tis late before 
 
 The brave defpair. 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 Thou copy of my foul ! 
 
 And now my friend indeed ! Shew me but hope, 
 One glimpfe of hope, and 111 renew my toils, 
 Call patience, labour, fortitude again, 
 The vext unjoyous day, and fleeplefs night ; 
 Nor mrink at danger, any fhape of death, 
 Shew me the fmalleft hope ! Alas, Ph&niJ/a, 
 Too fondly confident ! Hope lives not here, 
 Feld with her fitter Liberty beyond 
 The Garamantian hills, to fome fleep wild, 
 Some undifcover'd country, where the foot 
 Of Roman cannot come. 
 
 PHOENISSA. 
 
 Yes, there fhe liv'd 
 With MaJiniJJa wounded and forlorn, 
 Amidft the ferpents hifs, and tigers yell. 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 Why nam'ft thou him ? 
 
 PHOE^ ? ISSA. 
 
 Madam, in this forgive 
 My forward zeal ; from him proceeds our hope- 
 
 He
 
 i8 S O P H O N I S B A. 
 
 He lov'd you once ; nor is your form impair'd, 
 Time has matur'd it into ftronger charms : 
 Afk his prote&ion from the Rom n power, 
 You mutt prevail ; for Sophonijla fure 
 From MajiniJJa cannot afk in vain. 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 Now, by the prompting Genius of my country ! 
 I thank thee for the thought. True, there is pain 
 Ev'n in defcending thus to beg protedlion 
 From that degenerate youth. But, oh ! for thee, 
 My finking country, and again to gaul 
 This hated Rome, what would I not endure ? 
 It mail be done, ' Phaenijfa ; tho' difguft 
 Hold back my ftruggling heart, it mail be done. 
 
 But hark : they come; in this difordered tumult 
 It fits not Sophonijla to be fecn. 
 I'll wait a calmer hour. Let us retire. 
 
 SCENE IV. 
 
 M A s i N i s s A, S Y P H A x / Chains, NARVA, 
 Guardi, &C. 
 
 S y P H A X . 
 
 Is there no dungeon in this city, dark, 
 As is my troubled foul ? That thus I am brought 
 To my own palace, to thofe rooms of Hate, 
 
 Wont
 
 S O P H O N I S B A. i> 
 
 Wont in another manner to receive me, 
 With other figns of royalty than thefe. 
 
 (looking on bis (bains.} 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 I will not wound thee, nor infult thee, Sypbax, 
 With a recital of thy tyrant crimes. 
 A captive here I fee thee, fallen below 
 My moft revengeful wifh ; and all the rage, 
 The noble fury that this morn inflam'd me, 
 Is funk to foft compaffion. In the field, 
 The perilous front of war, there is the fcene 
 Of brave revenge ; and I have fought thee there, 
 Keen as the wounded lion feeks his foe. 
 But when a broken enemy, difarm'd, 
 And helplefs lies ; a falling fword, an eye 
 With pity flowing, and an arm as weak 
 As infant foftnefs, then becomes the brave. 
 
 Believe it, Syphax, my relenting foul 
 
 Melts at thy fate; 
 
 SYPHAX. 
 This, this, is all I dread, 
 
 All I deleft, this infolence refin'd, 
 This affe&ation of fuperior goodnefs. 
 Pitied by thee ! Is there a form of death, 
 Of torture, and of infamy like that ? 
 Ye partial gods, to what have you debas'd me ? 
 I feel your woril ; why fliould I fear you more ? 
 Hear me, vain youth ! take notice I abhor 
 
 Thy mercy, loath it. Ufe me like a fkve ; 
 
 As
 
 20 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 As I would thee, (delicious thought !) wert thou 
 Here crouching in my power. 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Outrageous man ! 
 
 Thou can'ft not drive me, by thy bittereft rage, 
 To an unmanly deed ; not all thy wrongs, 
 Can force my patient foul to ftain its virtue. 
 
 SYPHAX. 
 
 I cannot wrong thee. When we drive the fpear 
 Into the monfter's heart, to crufh the ferpent ; 
 Can that be call'd a wrong ? 'Tis felf-defence. 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 I'm loth to hurt thee more. The tyrant works 
 Too fierce already in thy rankled breaft. 
 But fmce thou feem'ft to rank me with thy felf, 
 With great deftroyers, with perfidious kings ; 
 I muft reply to thy licentious tongue, 
 Bid thee remember, whofe accurfed fword 
 Began this work of death ; who broke the ties, 
 The holy ties, attefted by the gods, 
 Which bind the nations in the bond of peace ; 
 Who meanly took advantage of my youth, 
 UnflulTd in arms, unfettled on my throne, 
 And drove me to the defart, there to dwell 
 With kinder monfters ; who my cities fack'd, 
 My country pillag'd, and my fubjefts murder" d ; 
 Who Mill purfu'd me with inveterate hate, 
 When open force prov'd vain, with ruffian arts, 
 The villain's dagger, bafe aflaffinatk>n. 
 
 And
 
 SOPHONISBA. 21 
 
 And for no reafon all. Brute violence 
 Alone thy plea. What the lead provocation, 
 Say, canft thou but pretend ? 
 SYPHAX. 
 
 I needed none. 
 
 Nature has in my being fown the feeds 
 Of enmity to thine. Nay mark me this ; 
 Couldft thou reftore me to my former ftate, 
 Strike off thefe chains, give me my crown again ; 
 Yet muft I Hill, implacable to thee, 
 Seek eagerly thy death, or die myfelf. 
 Life cannot hold us both ! Unequal gods ! 
 Who love to difappoint mankind, and take 
 All vengeance to yourfelves ; why to the point 
 Of my long-flatter'd wifhes did ye lift me ; 
 Then fink me down fo low ? Juft as I aim'd 
 The glorious ftroke that was to make me happy, 
 Why did you blaft my ftrong extended arm ? 
 But that to mock us is your cruel fport ? 
 What elfe is human life ? 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Thus always join'd 
 
 With an inhuman heart, and brutal manners, 
 Is irreligion to the ruling gods ; 
 Whofe fchemes our peevifh ignorance arraigns, 
 Ourthoughtlefs pride. Thy loft condition, Syphax, 
 Is nothing to the tumult of thy breaft. 
 There lies the fling of evil, there the drop 
 That poifons nature. Ye myfterious powers ! 
 
 Whofe
 
 2 2 S O P H O N I S B A. 
 
 Whofeways are ever-gracious, ever-juft, 
 As ye think wifeft, beft, difpofe of me ; 
 But, whether thro' your gloomy depths I wander, 
 Or on your mountains walk ; give me the calm, 
 The fteady, fmiling foul ; where wifdom fheds 
 Eternal funfhine and eternal peace. 
 Then, if misfortune comes, me brings along 
 The braveft virtues. And fo many great 
 Illuftrious fpirits have convers'd with woe, 
 Have in her fchool been taught, as are enough 
 To confecrate diftrefs, and make Ambition 
 Even wilh the Frown beyond the fmile of Fortune. 
 
 SYPHAX. 
 
 Torture and racks ! This is the common trick 
 Of infolent fuccefs, unfuffering pride. 
 This prate of patience, and I know not what. 
 *Tis all a lie, impracticable rant ; 
 And only tends to make me fcorn thee more. 
 
 But why this talk ? In mercy fend me hence ; 
 Yet ere I go Oh fave me from diHradlion ! 
 I know, hot youth, thou burneft for my queen ; 
 But by the majefty of ruin'd kings, 
 And that commanding glory which furrounds her, 
 I charge thee touch her not ! 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 No, Sypbax, no. 
 
 Thou need'ft not charge me. That were mean indeed, 
 A triumph that to thee. But could I ftoop 
 Again to love her ; Thou, what right hall thou, 
 
 A
 
 S O P H O N I S B A. 23 
 
 A captive, to her bed ? Thy bonds divorce 
 And free her from thy power. All laws in this, 
 Roman and Carthaginian, all agree. 
 
 SYPHAX. 
 
 Here, here, begins the bitternefs of ruin, 
 Here my chains grind me firft ! 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Poor Sopbonijla ! 
 
 She too becomes the prize of conquering Rome ; 
 What moft her heart abhors. Alas, how hard 
 Will flavery fit on her exalted foul ! 
 She never will endure it, fhe will die. 
 For not a Roman burns with njobler ardor, 
 A higher fenfe of liberty than me ; 
 And tho' me marry'd thee, her only ftaiH, 
 Falfe to my youth, and faithlefs to her vows ; 
 Yet I muft own it, from a worthy caufe, 
 From public fpirit, did her fault proceed. 
 
 SYPHAX. 
 
 Muft I then hear her praife from thee ? Confufion { 
 Oh ! for a lonely dungeon ! where I rather 
 Would talk with my own groans, and breathe revenge 
 Than in the manfions of the bleft with thee. 
 Hell ! Whither muft I go ? 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Unhappy man ! 
 
 And is thy breaft determin'd againft peace, 
 On comfort fhut ? 
 
 SYPHAX. 
 
 On all, but death, from thee. 
 
 MA-
 
 24 S O P H O N I S B A; 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Narva, be Sypbax thy peculiar care ; 
 And ufe him well with tendernefs and honour. 
 This evening L&liuiy and to-morrow Scipio, 
 To Cirtha comes. Then let the Romans take 
 Their prifoner. 
 
 SVPHAX. 
 
 There fhines a gleam of hope 
 Acrofs the gloom From thee deliver'd ! Eafe 
 Breathes in that thought Lead on My heart grows 
 lighter ! 
 
 SCENE V. 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 What dreadful havock in the human breaft 
 The paffions make, when unconfin'd, and mad, 
 Theyburft unguided by the mental eye, 
 The light of reafon, which in various ways 
 Points them to good, or turns them back from ill \ 
 
 O fave me from the tumult of the foul ! 
 From the wild beafts within ! For circling fands, 
 When the fwift whirlwind whelms them o'er the lands ; 
 The roaring deeps that to the clouds arife, 
 While through the ftorm the darting lightning flies j 
 The monfter-b'-ood to which this land gives birth, 
 The blazing city, and the gaping earth ; 
 All deaths, all tortures, in one pang combin'd, 
 Are gentle to the tempeft of the mind. 
 
 The Ind of the firji 43.
 
 SOPHONISBA. 25 
 
 A C T II. S C E N E I. 
 
 MASJNISSA, NARVA. 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 THOU good old man, by whom my youth was 
 form'd, 
 
 The firm companion of my various life, 
 1 own, 'tis true, that Sopboaijbeft image 
 Lives in my bofom flill ; and at each glance 
 I take in fecret of the bright idea, 
 A ftrange diforder feizes on my foul, 
 Which burns with ftronger glory. Need I fay, 
 How once fhe had my vows ? Till Scipio came, 
 Refiftlefs man ! like a defcending God, 
 And fnatch'd me from the Carthaginian fide 
 To nobler Rome ; beneath whofe laurePd brow, 
 And fav'ring eye, the nations grow polite, 
 Humane and happy. Then thou may 'it remember. 
 Such is this woman's high impetuous fpirit, 
 That all-controuling love me bears her country. 
 Her Carthage ; that for this fhe facrific'd 
 To Sypbax, unbelov'd, her blooming years, 
 And won him off from Rome. 
 NARVA. 
 
 My generous prince ! 
 VOL. Ilf, C Applauding
 
 26 S O P H O N I S B A, 
 
 Applauding dfric of thy choice approves. 
 Fame claps her wings, and virtue (miles on thee, 
 Of peace thou foftner, and thou foul of war ! 
 But oh beware of that fair foe to glory,, 
 Woman ! and moft of Carthaginian woman ! 
 Who has not heard of fatal Punic guile ? 
 Of their ftoln conquefts ? their infidious leagues ? 
 Their Afdrubah? fae\r Hannibals ? with all 
 Their wily heroes ? And, if fuch their men, 
 What muft their women be ? 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 You make me fmile. 
 
 J thank thy honeft zeal. But never dread 
 The firmnefs of my heart, the ftrong attachment, 
 I hold to Rome, to Scifio, and to Glory. 
 Indeed, I cannot, would not quite forget 
 The grace of Fophonifla ; how me look'd, 
 And talk'd, and mov'd, a Pallas, or a Juno ! 
 Accomplith'd even in trifles, when me ftoop'd 
 From higher thoughts, and with a foften'd eye 
 Gave her qukk fpirit into gayer life. 
 Then every word was livelinefs, and wit ; 
 We heard the Mufes' fong ; and the dance fwam 
 Thro' all the maze of harmony. Believe me 
 J do not flatter ; yet my panting foul 
 To oV///Vs friendship, to the fair purfuit 
 Of fame, and for my people's happinefs, 
 Refign'd this Sopbonijba ; and tho' now 
 Conftrain'd by fvveet neceffity to fee her,
 
 S O P H O N I S B A. 27 
 
 A captive in my power, yet will I Hill 
 Refign her. 
 
 NARVA. 
 
 I'll not doubt thy fortitude, 
 My Majinffa, thy exalted purpofe 
 Not to be loft in love ; but ah ! we know not, 
 Oft, till experience fighs it to the foul, 
 The boundlefs witchcraft of enfnaring woman, 
 And our own flippery hearts. From Scipio learn 
 The temperance of heroes. I'll recount 
 Th' inftruftive ftory, what thefe eyes beheld ; 
 Perhaps you've heard it ; but 'tis pleafing fUll, 
 Tho' told a thoufand times. 
 
 MASINISSAV 
 
 I burn to hear it. 
 
 Loft by my late misfortunes in the defart, 
 I liv'd a ftranger to the voice of fame, 
 To Scipio's laft exploits. Indulge me now. 
 Great actions, ev'n recounted, raife the mind ; 
 But when a friend has done them, then, my Narva, 
 They doubly charm us ; then with mote than wonder. 
 Even with a fort of vanity we liiten. 
 
 NARVA. 
 
 When to his glorious, firft effay in war, 
 New Carthage fell ; there all the flower of Spam 
 Were kept in hoftage ; a full field prefenting 
 For Scipio's generality to mine. 
 
 And then it was, that when the hero heard 
 How I to thee belong'd, he with large gifts, 
 
 C z And
 
 28 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 And friendly words difinifs'd me. 
 
 MASINJSSA. 
 
 I remember. 
 
 And in his favour That engag'd me firft. 
 But to thy {lory. 
 
 NARVA. 
 
 What with admiration 
 
 Struck every heart was this A noble virgin, 
 Confpicuous far o'er all the captive dames, 
 Was mark'd the general's prize. She wept, and 
 
 blufli'd, 
 
 Young, frefh, and blooming like the morn. An eye, 
 As when the blue iky trembles through a cloud 
 Of pureft white. A fecret charm combin'd 
 Her features, and infus'd enchantment through them. 
 Her fhape was harmony. But eloquence 
 Beneath her beauty fails : which feem'd on purpofe, 
 By nature lavim'd on her, that mankind 
 Might fee the virtue of a hero tried 
 Almoft beyond the ftretch of human force. 
 Soft as me pafs'd along, with downcaft eyes, 
 Where gentle forrow fwell'd, and now and then 
 Dropt o'er her modeft cheek a trickling tear, 
 The Roman legions languifli'd ; and hard war 
 Felt more than pity. Ev'n their chief himfelf, 
 As on his high tribunal rais'd he fat, 
 Turn'd from the dangerous fight, and chiding alk'd 
 His officers, if by this gift they meant 
 To cloud his glory in its very dawn\ 
 
 MAS*-
 
 S O P H O N I S B A. 29 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 Oh Gods ! my fluttering heart ! On, flop not, Narva. 
 
 NARVA. 
 
 She, queftion'd of her birth, in trembling accents, 
 With tears and blumes broken, told her tale. 
 But when he found her royally defcended, 
 Of her old captive parents the fole joy j 
 And that a haplefs Celtiberian prince, 
 Her lover and belov'd, forgot his chains, 
 His loft dominions, and for her alone 
 Wept out his tender foul ; fudden the heart 
 Of this young, conquering, loving, godlike Roman, 
 Felt all the great divinity of virtue. 
 His wiftiing youth flood check'd, his tempting pov.'er, 
 Keftrain'd by kind humanity. At once 
 He for her parents and her lover call'd. 
 The various fcene imagine : how his troops 
 Look'd dubious on, and wonder'd what he meant; 
 While ftretch'd below the trembling fuppliants lay, 
 Rack'd by a thoufand mingling paffions, fear, 
 Hope, jealoufy, difdain, fubmiflion, grief, 
 Anxiety, and love in every fhape. 
 To thefe as different fentiments fucceeded, 
 As mixt emotions, when the man divine 
 Thus the dread filence to the lover broke. 
 " We both are young, both charm'd. The right of 
 
 " war 
 " Has put thy beauteous miftrefs in my power ; 
 
 C j " With
 
 30 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 " With whom I could in the moil facred ties 
 
 " Live out a happy life : but know that Romans 
 
 " Their hearts as well as enemies can conquer. 
 
 " Then take her to thy foul ; and with her take 
 
 " Thy liberty and kingdom. In return 
 
 " I aflc but this. Whai you behold thefe eyes, 
 
 " Thefe charms, with tranfport ; be a friend to Rome" 
 
 MAEINISSA. 
 There fpoke the foul of Scipio But the Lovers ? 
 
 NARVA. 
 
 Joy and ecftatic wonder held them mute ; 
 While the loud camp, and all the cluft'ring crowd, 
 That hung around, rang with repeated fhouts. 
 Fame took th' alarm, and thro' refounding Spain 
 Blew faft the fair report ; which, more than arms, 
 Admiring nations to the Romans gain'd. 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 My friend in glory ! thy awaken'd prince 
 Springs at thy noble tale. It fires my foul, 
 And nerves each thought anew ; apt oft perhaps, 
 Too much, too much, to flacken into love. 
 But now the foft oppreffion flies ; and all 
 My mounting powers expand to deeds like thefe.- 
 "Who, who would live, my Narva, juft to breathe 
 This idle air, and indolently run, 
 Day after day, the ftili-returning round 
 Of life's mean offices, and fickly joys ; 
 But, in the fervice of mankind, to be 
 A o-uardian god below Still to employ 
 
 The
 
 S O P H O N I S B A. 
 
 The mind's brave ardour in heroic aims, 
 Such as may raife us o'er the groveling herd, 
 And make us fhine for ever, That is life. 
 Bleed every vein about me ; every nerve 
 With anguifh tremble ; every finew ake ; 
 The third time may I lofe my crown ; again 
 Wander the falfe inhofpitable Syrts ; 
 If to reward my toils, the gods will grant me 
 To fhare the wreath of fame on SdpiSs brow. 
 
 But fee, me comes, the beauteous Soph^nijla 
 Beheld, my friertdj mark he* nisyeftte port ! 
 
 SCENE II, 
 
 j SOPHONJSBA, NARVA, PHOENTSSA, 
 
 SOPHONISBA." 
 
 Behold, victorious prince ! the (cene rcvcrs'd : 
 
 And Sopbonifoa kneeling here ; a captive, 
 
 O'er \\hom the Gods, thy fortune, and thy virtue, 
 
 Give thee unqueftion'd power of life and death, 
 
 If fuch a one may raife her fuppliant voice, 
 
 Once mufic to thy ear ; if fhe may touch 
 
 Thy knee, thy purple, and thy vidor-hand ; 
 
 Oh liften, Mafeni/J'a ! Let thy foul 
 
 Jntenfely liften ! While I fervent pray, 
 
 And ftrong adjure thee, by that regal ftate, 
 
 In which with equal pomp we lately fhone ; 
 
 C 4 By
 
 32 S O P H O N I S B A, 
 
 By the Numidian name, our common boaft, 
 
 And by thofe houihold gods ; who may, I wiih, 
 
 With better omens take thee to this palace, 
 
 Than Syphax hence they fent. Ai is thy pleafure, 
 
 In all betide determine of my fate. 
 
 This, this alone I beg. Never, oh never ! 
 
 Into the cruel, proud, and hated power 
 
 Of Romans let me fall. Since angry heaven 
 
 Will have it fo, that I muft be a flave, 
 
 And that a galling chain muft bind thefe hands, 
 
 It were fome little foftning in my doom, 
 
 To call a kindred fon of the fame clime, 
 
 A native of Namibia, my lord. 
 
 But if thou canft not fave me from the Romans, 
 
 If this fad favour be beyond thy power; 
 
 Atlealt to give me death is what thou canft. 
 
 Here ilrike my naked bcfom courts thy fvvord ; 
 
 And my laft breath mall blefs thee, Mafinffa ! 
 
 MAS mm A. 
 
 Rife, Sophonifla, rife. To fee thee thus 
 Is a revenge I fcorn ; and all the man 
 Within me, though much injur'd by thy pride, 
 And fpirit too tempeftuous for thy fex, 
 Yet blumes to behold thus at my feet, 
 Thus proftrate low, her, for whom kings have kneel'd 
 The faireft, but the falfeft of her fex. 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 Spare thy reproach. 'Tis cruel thus to lofe 
 In rankling difcord, and ungenerous ilrife, 
 
 The
 
 S O P H O N I S B A. 33 
 
 The few remaining moments that divide me 
 From the moft loath'd of evils, Roman bondage ! 
 Yes, Ihut thy heart againft me ; fhut thy heart 
 Againft compaffion, every human thought, 
 Even recolle&ed love : yet know, rafti youth ! 
 That when thou feed me fwell their lofty triumph, 
 Thou feeft thyfelf in me. This is my day ; 
 Tomorrow will be thine. But here, be fure, 
 Here will I lie on this vile earth, forlorn, 
 Of hope abandon'd, fince defpis'd by thee ; 
 Thefe locks all loofe and fordid in the duft; 
 This fullen bofom growing to the ground, 
 Till the remorfelefs foldier comes, more fierce 
 From recent blood, and in thy very eye, 
 Lays raging his rude fanguinary grafp 
 On thefe weak limbs ; and tortures them with chains. 
 Then if no friendly fteel, no neftar'd draught 
 Of deadly poifon, can enlarge my foul ; 
 It will indignant burft from a flave's body ; 
 And, join'd to mighty Dido, fcorn ye all. 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Oh Sopbonijba ! 'tis not fafe to hear thee ; 
 And 1 miltook my heart, to truft it thus. 
 Hence let me fly. 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 You fhall not, Majintjfa ! 
 Here will I hold you, tremble here for ever ; 
 Here unremitting grow, till you confent. 
 And cuvft thou think, oh ! canft thou. think to- leave me, 
 C 5 Expos'd,
 
 34 SOPHON1SBA. v 
 
 Expos'd, defencelefs, wretched, here alone, 
 A prey to Ravians flufli'd with blood and conqueft, 
 The fubjecl of their fcorn or bafer love ? 
 Sure Majtnijfa cannot ; and, tho' chang'd, 
 Tho' cold as that averted look he wears ; 
 Sure love can ne'er in generous breafts be loft 
 To that degree, as not from fhame and outrage 
 To fave what once they lov'd. 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Enchantment! Madnefs! 
 
 What would'ft thou, Sophonifia ? Oh my heart ! 
 My treacherous heart ! 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 What would I, Mafini/a ? 
 My mean requeft fits blufhing on my cheek. 
 To be thy flave, young prince, is what J beg ; 
 Here Sopboniiba kneels to be thy flave ; 
 Yet kneels in vain. But thou'rt a flave thyfelf, 
 And canft not from the Romans fave one woman } 
 Her, who was once the triumph of thy foul ; 
 Ere they feduc'd it by their lying glory. 
 Immortal gods ! and am I fallen fo low ? 
 Scorn'd by a lover ? by the man whom once 
 My heart, alas ! too much inclin'd to love, 
 Before he funk into the flave of Rome ? 
 Nought can be worth this bafenefs, life nor empire ! 
 I loath me for it On this kinder earth, 
 Then leave me, leave me, to defpair and death ! 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 I cannot bear her tsars. Rife, quickly rife,
 
 SOPHONISBA. 35 
 
 In all the conquering majefty of charms, 
 
 Sopbonijba, rife ! while here I fwear, 
 
 By the tremendous powers that rule mankind ! 
 By heaven and earth, and hell ! by love and glory ! 
 The Romans fliall not hurt you Romans cannot; 
 For Rome is generous as the gods themfelves, 
 And honours, not infults, a generous foe. 
 Yet fince you dread them, take this royal hand, 
 The pledge of furety, by which kings are bound ; 
 By which I hold you mine, and vow to treat you, 
 With all the foftnefs of remember'd love, 
 All that can footh thy fate, and make thee happy. 
 SOFHONISBA. 
 
 1 thank thee, MafniJJli ! now the fame, 
 The fame bright youth, exalted, full of foul, 
 With whom in happier days I us'd to pafs 
 The tender hour ; while, dawning fair in love, 
 All fong and fweetnefs, life fet joyous out; 
 Ere the black tempeft of ambition rofe, 
 
 And drove us different ways. Thus dreft in war, 
 In nodding plumes, o'ercaft with fallen thought, 
 With purpos'd vengeance dark, I knew hee not ; 
 But now breaks out the beauteous fun anew, 
 The gay Numidian mines, who warm'd me once, 
 Whofe love was glory. Vain ideas, hence ! 
 Long fmce, my heart, to nobler paffions known, 
 Has your acquaintance fcorn'd. 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Oh ! while you talk, 
 C 6 Enchanting
 
 36 S O P H O N 1 S B A. 
 
 Enchanting fair one ! my deluded thought 
 
 Runs back to days of love ; when fancy ftill 
 
 Found worlds of beauty, ever rifmg new 
 
 To the tranfported eye ; when flattering hope 
 
 Form'd endlefs profpects of encreafing blifs ; 
 
 And ftill the credulous heart believ'd them all, 
 
 Even more than love could promife. -But the fcene- 
 
 Js full of danger for a youthful eye ; 
 
 I muft not, dare not, will not look that way* 
 
 O hide it, wifdom, glory, from my view ! 
 
 Or in fweet ruin I mail fink again. 
 
 Diflemper clouds thy cheek ; thy colour goes. 
 Retire, and from the troubles of the day 
 Repofe thy weary foul, worn out with care, 
 And rough unhappy thought. 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 May MafiniJ/a, 
 Ne'er want the goodnefs he has {hewn to me. 
 
 SCENE IH. 
 
 MASINISSA, NARVA. 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 TXe danger's o'er, I've heard the Siren's fong, 
 Yet ftill to virtue hold my fteady courfe. 
 I mark'd thy kind concern,|thy friendly fears, 
 And own them juft ; for (he has beauty, Narva, 
 
 So
 
 SOPHONISBA, 37 
 
 So full, fo perfeft, with fo great a foul 
 Jnform'd, fo rais'd with animating fpirit, 
 As flrikes like lightning from the hand of Jove, 
 And raifes love to glory. 
 
 NARVA. 
 
 Ah, my Prince ! 
 
 Too true, it is too true ; her fatal charms 
 Are powerful, and to Majixija's heart 
 Know but too well the way. And art thou fure, 
 That the foft poifon, which within thy veins 
 Lay unextinguifh'd, is not rouz'd anew, 
 Is not this moment working through thy foul ? 
 Doft thou not love ? Confefs. 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 What faid my friend 
 
 Of poifon ? love ? of loving Sopboni/ba ? 
 Yes, I admire her, wonder at her beauty, 
 And he who does not is as dull as earth, 
 The cold unanimated form of man, 
 Ere lighted up with the celeflial fire. 
 Where'er me goes ftill admiration gazes, 
 And liftens while (he talks. Even thou thyfelf, 
 Who faw'ft her with the malice of a friend, 
 Ev'n thou thyfelf admir'ft her. Doft thou not ? 
 Say, fpeak fincerely, 
 
 NARVA. 
 
 She has charms indeed ; 
 
 But has me charms like virtue ? Tho' majeftie, 
 Does (he command us with a force like glory ? 
 
 MA-
 
 38 S O P H O N I S B A; 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 All Glory in her eye ! Perfedion thence 
 Looks from its throne ; and on her ample brow 
 Sits majefty. Her features glow with life, 
 Warm with heroic foul. Her mien ! {he walks, 
 As when a towering goddefs treads this earth. 
 But when her language flows ; when fuch a mind 
 Defcends to footh, to figh, to weep, to grafp 
 The tottering knee ; oh ! Narva, Narva, oh ! 
 Expreffion here is dumb. 
 
 NARVA. 
 
 Alas ! my Lord, 
 
 Is this the talk of fober admiration ? 
 Are thefe the fallies of a heart at eafe? 
 Of Scipio's friend : Js this thy Heady virtue ! 
 
 MASINTSSA. 
 
 I tell thee once again, too cautious man, 
 That when a woman begs, a matchlefs woman, 
 A woman once belov'd, a fallen queen, 
 A Sopbonijla ! when me twines her charms 
 Around our foul, and ail her power of looks, 
 Of tears, of fighs, of foftnefs, plays upon us j 
 He's more or Icfs than man who can refift her. 
 For me, my ftedfaft foul approves, nay more, 
 Exults in the protection it has promis'd. 
 And nought, tho' plighted honour did not bind me, 
 Should make the virtuous purpofe of my heart ; 
 Nought, by th' avenging gods ! who heard my vow, 
 And hear me now again. 
 
 NARVA.
 
 SQPHONISBA. 39 
 
 NARVA. 
 
 And was it then 
 For this you conquered ? 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Yes, and triumph in it. 
 This was my fondeft wifh ; the very point, 
 The plume of glory, the delicious prize 
 Of bleeding years. I muft have been a brute, 
 A greater monfter than Numidia breeds, 
 A horror to myfelf ; if on the ground, 
 Caft vilely from me, I th' illuftrious fair 
 Had left to bondage, bitternefs, and death. 
 Nor is there ought in war worth what I feel ; 
 In pomp and hollow ftate, like the fweet fenfe 
 Of infelt blifs ; which the refledlion gives me, 
 Of faving thus fuch excellence and beauty 
 From what her generous foul abhors the moil. 
 
 NARVA. 
 
 My friend ! my royal lord ! alas ! you flide, 
 You fink from virtue. On the giddy brink 
 Of fate you Hand. One ftep, and all is loft ! 
 
 MASIN T ISSA. 
 
 No more, no more ! if this is being loft, 
 And ruming down the precipice of fate; 
 Then down I go, far far beyond the reach 
 Of fcrupulous dull precaution. Leave me, Narva , 
 I want to be alone, to find fame made, 
 Some folitary gloom ; there to lhake off 
 Thefe harfh tumultuous cares that vex my life, 
 
 This
 
 40 S O P H O N I S B A. 
 
 This fick ambition on itfelf recoiling ; 
 
 And there to liften to the gentle voice, 
 
 The figh of peace, fomething, I know not what, 
 
 That whifpers transport to my heart. Farewel. 
 
 SCENE IV. 
 
 NARVA alone. 
 
 Struck, and he knows it not. So when the field, 
 Elate in heart, the warriour fcorns to yield ; 
 The dreaming blood can fcarce convince his eyes ; 
 Nor will he feel the wound by which he dies. 
 
 Tie End of tbt Second d#* 
 
 ACT
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 ACT III. SCENE I. 
 
 MASINISSA alone. 
 
 IN vain I wander thro' the made for Peace-; 
 'Tis with the calm alone, the pure of heart, 
 That there the goddefs talks But in my breaft 
 Some bufy thought, fome fecret eating pang, 
 Still reftlefs throbs, on Sopbonifla ftill 
 Earned, intent, devoted all to her. 
 What may this mean ? 'Tis love, almighty love ! 
 Returning on me with a flronger tide. 
 Come to my breaft, thou rofy-fmiling god ! 
 Come unconfin'd ! bring all thy joys along, 
 All thy foft cares, and mix them copious here. 
 Quick, let me fly to her ; and there forget 
 This tedious abfence, war, ambition, noife, 
 Friendship itfelf, the vanity of fame, 
 And all but love, for love is more than all ! 
 
 
 SCENE
 
 4 S O P H O N I S B A. 
 
 SCENE II. 
 MASINISSA, NARVA. 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Welcome again, my frend Come nearer, Xat- 
 Lend me thine arm, and I will tell thee all, 
 Unfold my fecret heart, whofe every pulfe 
 With Sofbonijla beats. Nay hear me out- 
 Swift, as I mus'd, the conflagration fpread } 
 At once too ftrong, too general, to be quench'd* 
 I love, and I approve it, doat upon her, 
 Even think thefe minutes loft 1 talk with thee. 
 Heavens ! what emotions have pofiefs'd my foul ! 
 Snatch'd by a moment into years of .paffion, 
 
 NARVA. 
 Ah, Ma/tnrfaf 
 
 MASISISJA. 
 
 Argue not againft me. 
 
 Talk down the circling winds that lift the defart ; 
 And when by lightning fir'd the'forefts blaze, 
 Talk down the flame, but ot my ftronger love, 
 I have for love a thoufand thoufaud reafonf, 
 Dear to the heart, and potent (fer the foul. 
 My every thougnt, reflection, mem'ry, all 
 Are a perpetual fpring of tendernefs ; 
 Oh, Sopbonifia .' 1 am wholly thine.
 
 43 
 
 NARVA. 
 
 Is this deceitful day then come to nought, 
 Thi$ day, that fet thee on a double throne ? 
 That gave thee Syphax chain'd, thy deadly foe ? 
 With perfect conqueft crown'd thee, perfect glory ? 
 Is it fb foon eclips'd t and does yon fun, 
 Yon fetting fun, who this fair morning faw thee 
 Ride through the ranks of long extended war, 
 As radiant as himfelf ; and when the ftorm 
 Began, beheld thee tread the rifing furge 
 Of battle high, and drive it on the foe ; 
 Does he now, blolhing, fee thee funkfo weakfr 
 Caught in a fmile ? the captive of a look ? 
 I cannot name it without tears. 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Away ! 
 
 I'm fick of war, of the deftroying trade, 
 Smooth'd o'er, and gilded with the name of glory. 
 In vain you fpread the martial field to me, 
 My happier eyes are turned another way, 
 Behold it not ; or, if they do, behold it ' 
 Shrunk up, far off, a viiionary fcene ; 
 As to the waking man appears the dream. 
 
 NARVA. 
 
 Or rather as realities appear, 
 The virtue, pomp, and dignities of life, 
 In fick diforder'd dreams. 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Think not I fcorn 
 The taflc of heroes, when oppreffion rages, 
 
 And
 
 44 S O P H O N I S B A. 
 
 And lawlefs violence confounds the world. 
 
 Who would not bleed with tranfport for his country, 
 
 Tear every tender paffion from his heart, 
 
 And greatly die to make a people happy ; 
 
 Onght not to tafte of happinefs himfelf, 
 
 And is low-foul'd indeed But fure, my friend, 
 
 There is a time for love ; or life were vile, 
 
 A tedious circle of unjoyous days 
 
 With fenfelefs hurry fill'd, diftafteful, wretched, 
 
 Till love comes foiling in, and brings his fweets, 
 
 His healing fweets, foft cares, tranfporting joys. 
 
 That make the poor account of life compleac, 
 
 And juftify the Gods. 
 
 NAUVA, 
 
 , Miftaken Prince, 
 
 I blame not love. But 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Slander not my paffion. 
 
 I've fufFer'd thee too far. Take heed, old man, 
 Love will not bear an accufation, Narva. 
 
 NARVA. 
 
 I'll fpeak the truth, when truth and friendfhip call, 
 Nor fear thy frown unkind. Thou haft no right 
 To Sophonifta ; ftie belongs to Rome. 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Ha! me belongs to Rcme. Tis true My thoughts, 
 \Vhere have you wander'd, not to think of this ? 
 Think ere I promis'd ? ere I lov'd ? Confufion ! 
 I know not what to fay I (hould have lov'd, 
 
 Tho*
 
 S O P H O N I S B A. 45 
 
 Tho' Jove in muttering thunder had forbid it. 
 
 But Rome will not refufe Ib fmall a boon, 
 
 Whofe gifts are kingdoms ; Rome muft grant it fure, 
 
 One captive to my wifh, one poor requeit. 
 
 So fmall to them, but oh fo dear to me ! 
 
 In this my heart confides. 
 
 NARVA. 
 
 Deluflve love ! 
 
 Thro* what wild projects is the frantick mind 
 BeguiPd by thee ? And think'ft thou that the Romans, 
 The fenators of Rome, thefe gods on earth, 
 Wife, fteady to the right, feverely juft, 
 All uncorrupt, and like eternal fate 
 Not to be mov'd, will liften to the figh 
 Of idle love ? They who when virtue calls, 
 Will not the voice itfelf of nature hear, 
 But bid their children bleed before their eyes ; 
 Will they regard the light fantaftick pangs 
 Of a fond heart ? and with thy kingdom give thee 
 Their molt inveterate foe, from their firm fide, 
 Like Sypbaxy to delude thee ? and the point 
 Of their own bounty on themfelves to turn ? 
 Thou canft not hope it fure. Impoffible ! 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 What mail I do ? be now the friend exerted. 
 For love and honour prefs me ; love and honour, 
 All that is dear and excellent in life, 
 All that or fooths the man or lifts the heroe, 
 Engage my foul. 
 
 NARVA. 

 
 46 SOPHONISB A; 
 
 NARVA. 
 
 Rafh was your vow, my lord. 
 I know not what to counfel. When you vow'd, 
 You vow'd what was not in your power to grant ; 
 And therefore 'tis not binding. 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Never ! Never I 
 
 Oh never will I falfify that vow ! 
 Ere then deftruftion feize me ! Yes, ye Romans, 
 If it be fo, there, take your kingdoms back, 
 Your friendship, your efteem, all, all but her. 
 
 Hold, Let me think a while It fhall be fo ! 
 By all th'infpiring gods that prompt my thought. 
 This very night fhall folemnize our vows ; 
 And the next joyous fun, that vifits Jfric t 
 See Scpbonijba feated on my throne. 
 Then muft they fpare my queen. They will not, furely, 
 They will not dare to force my confort from me. 
 
 NARVA. 
 
 And is it poffible, ye gods that rule us ! 
 Can Majintffa in his pride of youth, 
 In his meridian glory fhining wide, 
 The light of dfric, can the friend of Sfifio 
 Take a falfe woman to his nuptial bed, 
 Who {corn'd him for a tyrant old and cruel, 
 His rancorous foe ? and gave her untouch'd bloom, 
 Her fpring of charms to Sypbax ? 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Curft remembrance ! 
 
 This,
 
 S O P H O N I S B A. 47 
 
 This, this, has thrown a ferpent to my heart ; 
 
 While it o'erflow'd with tendernefs, with joy, 
 
 With all the fweetnefs of exulting love. 
 
 Now nought but gall is there, and burning poifon. 
 
 Yes, it was fo ! Curfe on her vain ambition! 
 
 What had her meddling fex to do with ftates ? 
 
 Forfook for him, juft gods! for hateful Syphax, 
 
 My tender, faithful love for his grofs paffion ! 
 
 The thought is hell ! Oh I had treafur'd up 
 
 A world of indignation, years of fcorn ; 
 
 But her fad fuppliant witchcraft footh'd it down. 
 
 Where is me now, that it may Burft upon her ? 
 
 Hafte, bring her to me ; tho* my plighted faith 
 
 Shall fave her from the Romans, yet I'll tell her, 
 
 That I will never, never fee her more ! 
 
 Ha! there Ihe comes. Pernicious fair one! Leave me. 
 
 SCENE III. 
 
 SOPHONISBA, MASINISSA. 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 Forgive this quick return. The rage, confufion, 
 And mingled paffions of this lucklefs day, 
 Made me forget another warm requeft 
 I had to beg of generous Mafinifla ; 
 For oh to whom, fave to the generous, can 
 The miferable fly ?~ But much diiluib'd 
 
 You
 
 48 S O P H O N I S B A. 
 
 You look, and fcowl upon me a denial. 
 Repentance frowns on your contracted brow. 
 Already, weary of my finking fate, 
 You feem to droop ; and for unhappy Sjpbax 
 I fliall implore in vain. 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 For Sypbax ? vengeance ! 
 And canft thou mention him ? Oh grant me breath J 1 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 I know, young prince, how deep he has provok'd thee ; 
 How keen-he fought thy youth ; thro' what a fire 
 Of great diftrefs, from which you come the brighter. | 
 
 On meer indifferent objects, common bounty 
 Will (hower relief; but when our bitterefl foe 
 Lies funk, difarnVd, and defolate, then ! then ! 
 To feel the mercies of a pitying God, 
 To raife him from the duft, and that beft way 
 To triumph o'er him, is heroic goodnefs. 
 Oh let unhappy Syphax touch thy heart, 
 Vi&orious MaJtniJ/a ! 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Monftrous this ! 
 
 Still doft thou blaft me with that curfed name ! 
 The very name thy confcious guilt fhould fhun. 
 
 Had he but driven me from my native throne, 
 From regal pomp and luxury, to dwell 
 Among the foreft beafts ; to bear the beam 
 Of red Numidian funs, and the dank dew 
 Of cold unfhelter'd nights ; 10 mix with wolves, 
 
 To
 
 S O P H O N I S B A. 49 
 
 To hunt with hungry tigers for ray prey, 
 And thirft with Dipfads on the burning fand; 
 I could have thank'd him for his angry le/Ton ; 
 The fair occafion that his rage afforded 
 Of learning patience, fortitude, and hope, 
 Still rifing ftronger on incumbent fate. 
 But there is one unpardonable outrage, 
 That fcorches up the tear in pity's eye, 
 And even fweet mercy's felf converts to gall. 
 J cannot. will not name it Down my heart, 
 My fwelling heart ! 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 Ah ! whence this fudden ftorm 
 That hurries all thy foul ? 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 And doft thou afk ? 
 
 Afk thy own faithlefs heart, fnatch'd from my vow?, 
 From the warm wifhes of my fpringing youth, 
 And given to that old hated monfter, Sypbax. 
 Perfidious Sopb&nijba ! 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 Nay no more. 
 
 With too much truth I can return thy charge. 
 Why didft thou drive me to that cruel choice r 
 Why leave me, with my country, to deflru&ion ? 
 Why break thy love, thy faith, and join the Rinnans ;' 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 By heavens ! the Romans were my better genius, 
 ijav'd me from fhame, and form'd my youth to glory ; 
 VOL. IIJ. P But
 
 <;o S O P H O N I S B A. 
 
 But for the Romans I had been a favage, 
 A wretch like Sypbax, a forgotten thing, 
 The tool of Carthage. 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 Meddle not with Carthage, 
 Impatient youth ; for that I will not bear; 
 Tho' I am here thy flave, 1 will not bear it. 
 Not one bafe word of Carthage on thy foul ! 
 
 MASI NISSA. 
 
 How vain thy phrenzy ! Go, command thy flaves, 
 Thy fools, thy Sypbaxes ; but I will fpeak, 
 Speak loud of Carthage, call it falfe, ungenerous ; 
 The Remans are the light, the glory 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 Romans ! 
 
 Perdition on the Romans ! on their friends, 
 On all but thee. The Romans are the fcourge 
 Of the vext world, deftroyers of mankind, 
 And all beneath the fmooth diflembling mafic 
 Of juftice, and compaffion ; as if flave 
 Was but another name for civiliz'd. 
 Againft her tyrant power, each generous fword 
 Of every nation ftiould be drawn While Carthage 
 Unblemifh'd rifes on the bafe of commerce, 
 Founds her fair empire on that common good, 
 And afes of heaven nought but the winds and tides 
 To carry plenty, letters, fcience, wealth, 
 Civility, and grandeur, round the world. 
 
 MMSIBIS&A.
 
 SOPHONISBA. 51 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 No more compare them ! for the gods themfelves 
 Declare for Rome. 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 It was not always ib. 
 
 The gods declar'd for Hannibal ,- when Italy 
 Blaz'd all around, all her ftreams ran blood ; 
 And when at Tret/ia, Thrafimene, and Cannee, 
 The Carthaginian fwbrd with Roman blood 
 Was drunk Oh, that he then, on that dread day, 
 While lifelefs confternation blackened Rome, 
 Had raz'd th' accurfed city to the ground, 
 And fav'd the world ! When will it come again, 
 A day fo glorious, and fo big with vengeance 
 On thofe my foul abhors ? 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Avert it heaven ! 
 
 The Romans not enflave, but fave the world 
 From Carthaginian rage 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 I'll bear no more 1 
 
 Nor tendernefs, nor life, nor liberty, 
 Nothing ihall make me bear it. Rather, rather, 
 Detefted as ye are, ye Romans, take me 
 Oh, pitying take me to your nobler chains, 
 And lave me from this abjeft youth, your flave ! 
 How can'ft thou kill me thus? 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 I mean it not. 
 D 2 I
 
 5* S O P H O N I S B A. 
 
 I only meant to tell thee, haughty fair one ! 
 How this alone might bind me to the Romans ; 
 That, in a frail and fliding hour, they fnatch'd me 
 From the perdition of thy love, which fell, 
 Like baleful lightning, where I moft could wifli, 
 And prov'd deftruftion to my mortal foe. 
 Oh pleafing ! fortunate ! 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 I thank them too. 
 
 By heavens ! for once, I love them; fmce they turn'd 
 My better thoughts from thee. Thou But I will not 
 Give thee the name thy mean fervility 
 From my juft fcorn deferves. 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Oh freely call me 
 
 By every name thy fury can infpire ; 
 Delight me with thy hate. I love no more- 
 It will not hurt me, Saphonijla. Love, 
 Long fmce I gave it to the paffing winds, 
 And would not be a lover for the world. 
 A lover is the very fool of nature, 
 Made fick by his own wantonnefs of thought, 
 His fever' d fancy : while, to your own charms 
 Imputing all, you fwell with boundlefs pride. 
 Shame on the wretch ! he mould be driven from men, 
 To live with Afian flaves, in one foft herd, 
 All worthlefs, all ridiculous together. 
 
 For me ; this moment, here I mean to bid 
 Fajewel, a glad farewel to love and thee. 
 
 SOPHO-
 
 S O P H O N I S B A. 53 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 With all my foul, farewel ! Yet ere you go j 
 Know that my fpirit burns as high as thine, 
 As high to glory, and as low to love. 
 
 Thy promifes are void j and I abfolve thee, 
 Here in the prefence of the liftning gods. 
 Take thy repented vows To proud Cornelia 
 I'd rather be a flave, to Scipio's mother, 
 Than queen of all Numidia, by the favour 
 Of him, who dares infult the helplefs thus. 
 
 \Paufing\ 
 
 Still doft thou flay ? behold me then again, 
 Hopelefs, and wild, a loft abandon'd flave. 
 And now thy brutal purpofe mult be gain'd. 
 Away, thou cruel, and ungenerous, go ! 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 No, not for worlds would I refume my vow ! 
 Diflionour blaft me then ! all kind of ills 
 Fill up my cup of bitternefs, and ftiame J 
 When I refign thee to triumphant Rome. 
 
 Oh lean not thus dejefted to the ground ! 
 The fight is mifery. What roots me here ? 
 
 Alas ! I have urg'd my foolifh heart too far ; 
 And love deprefs'd recoils with greater force. 
 Oh Sopbonijba ! 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 By thy pride {he dies. 
 Inhuman prince! 
 
 D 3 MA-
 
 54 SO P H O N I S B A. 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Thine is the triumph, Love ! 
 By heaven and earth ! I cannot hold it more. 
 Wretch that I was, to crurti th' unhappy thus; 
 The faireft too, the deareft of her fex ! . 
 For whom my foul could dieh Turn, q-uickly turn, 
 O Sopboni/ia f my belov'd ! ray glory ! 
 Turn and forgive- the violence of love, 
 Of love that knows no bounds ! 
 
 SOPHOXISSA. 
 
 And can - : 
 
 Can that fofc paflion prove /o fierce of heart, 
 As on the tears of mifery, the 1 ityhs 
 Of death, to feaft ? to torture what it loves ? 
 
 MASIMSSA. 
 
 Yes it can be, thou goddefs of my foul ! 
 Whofe each emotion is but varied love, 
 All over love, its power?, its paffions, all : 
 Its anger, indignation, fury, love ; 
 Its pride, difdain, even deteftation, love ; 
 And when it, wild, refolves to love no more, 
 Then is the triumph of exceffive love. 
 
 Didft thou not mark me ? mark the dubious rage, 
 That tore my heart with anguifh while I talk'd ? 
 Thou didft ; and muft forgive fo kind a fault. 
 What would thy trembling lips ? 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 Oh let me die. 
 
 For fuch another florm, fo much contempt 
 
 Throwa
 
 S O P H O N IS B A. X* 
 
 . if 
 
 Thrown out on Carthage, fo much praife on Rome, 
 Were worfe than death. Why mould Monger tire 
 My weary fate ? The moft relentlefs Roman 
 What could he more ? 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Oh Sofbonijla, hear ! 
 
 See me thy fuppliant new. Talk not of death. 
 I have no life but thee. Alas ! Alas ! 
 Hadft thou a little- tendernefs for me, 
 The fmalleft part of what I feel, thou wouldfl 
 What wouldft them not forgive r But ho\v indeed, 
 How can I hope it ? Yet I from this moment 
 Will fo devote my being to thy pleafure, 
 So live alone to gain thee ; that thou mutt, 
 If there is human nature in thy breaft, 
 Feel fome relenting warmth. 
 
 SOPHOMSBA. 
 
 Well, well, 'tis paft. 
 To be inexorable fuits not flaves. 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Spare, fpare that word ; it ftabs me to the foul > 
 My crown, my life, and liberty are thine. 
 
 Oh give my paflion way ! My heart is full, 
 Oppreft by love ; and I could number tears, 
 With all the dews that fprinkle o'er the morn ; 
 Oh ! thou haft melted down my flubborn foul 
 To female tendernefs Enough, enough, 
 Have we been cheated by the trick of ftate, 
 
 D 4 For
 
 56 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 For Romt and Carthage fafferM much too long ; 
 And led, by gaudy fantcms, wanderM far, 
 Far from our blifs. But now fir.ce met again, 
 Since here I hold thee, circle all perfection, 
 In thefe bleft arms ; fince face too prefles hard, 
 Since Rome and flavery drive thee to the brink ; 
 Let this immediate night exchange our vows, 
 
 .re my blifs, oar future fortunes blend, 
 Set thee, the queen of beauty, on my throne, 
 And on thefe Icvely brows for empire form'd 
 Place 4/ric's noblell crown. A wretched gift 
 To what my love would give ! 
 
 SoPBONISBA. 
 
 What? many thee? 
 This night? 
 
 MASIKISSA. 
 
 Thou dear one ! yes, this very eight 
 Let injar'd Hjaum have his rights reftor'd, 
 Aod bind oar broken vows. Think, ferioas, t 
 On what I plead. A thoufand rcafons urge. 
 Captivity diflblves thy former marriage ; 
 And if themeaneft vulgar thus are freed, 
 Can Stfbnijb* to a flave, to Sycax, 
 The moft exalted of her fex, be bound ? 
 Beades it is the beft, perhaps fole way, 
 To fave thee from the Rnmau ; and mnft fare 
 Bar their pretenfions : or if ruin comes, 
 
 To perilh with tbec is to periih happy. 
 
 c -
 
 SOPHONISBA. 57 
 
 SOPHONISBA; 
 Yet muft I ftill infift 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 It fhall be fo. 
 
 I know thy purpofe ; it would plead for Syphax, 
 He (hall have all, thou deareft ! fhall have all, 
 Crowns, trifles, kingdoms, all again, but thee, 
 But thee, thou more than all ! 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 [4**] 
 
 Bear witnefs, heaven ; 
 This is alone for Carthage. 
 
 {To him} 
 
 Gain'd by goodnefa 
 
 I may be thine. Expeft no love, no fighing. 
 Perhaps, hereafter, I may learn again 
 To hold thee dear. If on thefe terms thou can'ft, 
 Here take me, take me, to thy wifhes. 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Yes, 
 
 Yes, Sophonijla ! as a wretch takes life 
 From off the rack. All wild with frantic joy, 
 Thus hold thee, prefs thee, to my bounding heart ; 
 And blefs the bounteous Gods. Can heaven give more ? 
 Oh happy ! happy ! happy ! Come, my fair, 
 This ready minute fees thy will perform'd ; 
 From Syphax knocks his chains ; and I myfelf, 
 Even in his favour, will requeft tbe Romans. 
 
 D 5 Oh,
 
 5 8 S O P H Q N IS B A. 
 
 Oh, thou haft frnil'd my paflions into peace ! 
 So, while conflicting winds embroil'd the feas* 
 In perfedl bloom, warm with immortal blood, 
 Young Venm rear'd her o'er the raging flood ; 
 She fmil'd around, like thine her beauties glow'd ; 
 When fmooth, in gentle fvvells, the furges fiow'd; 
 Sunk, by degrees, into a liquid plain ; 
 And one bright calm fat trembling on the main. 
 
 The End of the Ikird Aa. 
 
 ACT
 
 O P H O N I S B A. 59 
 
 A C T IV. S C E N E I. 
 
 SOPHONISBA, PHOENISSA* 
 
 PHOEKISSA. 
 
 HAIL queen of Mafefjylia once again 
 And fair Ma/ylia join'd ! This rifmg day 
 Saw Sophsnijla, from the height of life, 
 Thrown to the very brink of flavery; 
 State, honours, armies vanifh'd ; nothing leTt 
 But her own great unconquerable mind. 
 And yet, ere evening comes, to larger power 
 Reftor'd I fee my royal friend, and kneel 
 In grateful homage to the Gods, and her. 
 
 Ye Powers, what awful changes often mark 
 The fortunes of die great ! 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 Pbatniffa, true ; 
 
 'Tis awful all, the vvonderous work of fate. 
 But, ah, this fudden marriage damps my foul I, 
 I like it not, that wild precipitance 
 Of youth, that ardor, that impetuous ftream 
 In which his love return'd. At firft, my friend, 
 
 'D 6 - Hi
 
 60 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 He vainly rag'd with difappointed love ; 
 And, as the hafty ftorm fubfided, then 
 To foftnefs varied, to returning fondnefs, 
 To fighs, to tears, to fupplicating vows ; 
 But all his vows were idle, till at laft 
 He fhook ray heart by Rome. To be his queen 
 Could only fave me from their horrid power. 
 And there is madnefs in that thought, enough 
 Jn that ftrong thought alone to make me run 
 From nature. 
 
 PHOEN ISSA. 
 
 Was it not aufpicious, madam ? 
 Juft as we hop'd ? juft as our wifhes plan'd ? 
 Nor let your fpirit fmk. Your ferious hours, 
 When you behold the Roman ravage check'd, 
 From their enchantment Mafinijfa freed, 
 And Carthage miftrefs of the world again, 
 This marriage will approve : then will it rife 
 In all its glory, virtuous, wife and great, 
 While happy nations, then deliver'd, join 
 Their loud acclaim. And, had the bleft occafion 
 Negle&ed flown, where now had been your hopes ? 
 Your liberty ? your country ? where your all ? 
 Think well of this ; you cannot but exult 
 In what is done. 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 So may my hopes fucceed, 
 As love alone to Carthage, to the public, 
 Led me a marriage-viftim to the temple, 
 
 And
 
 SOPHONISBA. 61 
 
 And juftifies my vows ! Ha ! Sypbax here ! 
 What would his rage with me ? PbaeniJJa, flay. 
 But this one tryal more Heroic truth, 
 Support me now ! 
 
 SCENE II. 
 
 SYPHAX, SOPHONISBA, PHOENISSA. 
 
 SYPHAX. 
 
 You feem to fly me, madam, 
 To fhun my gratulations. Here I come, 
 To join the general joy ; and I, Cure I, 
 Who have to dotage, have to ruin lov'd you, 
 Mud take a tender part in your fuccefs, 
 In your recover'd flate. 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 'Tis very well. 
 I thank you, fir. 
 
 SYPHAX. 
 
 And gentle Mafinffit, 
 Say, will he prove a very coming fool ? 
 All pliant, all devoted to your will ? 
 A duteous wretch like Syphax ? Ha ! not mov'd ! 
 Speak thou perfidious ! canft thou bear it thus ? 
 With fuch a fteady countenance ? canft thou 
 Here fee the man thou haft fo grofly wrong'd, 
 And yet not fink in fhame ? And yet not fluke 
 
 In
 
 62 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 In every guilty nerve ? 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 What have I done, 
 
 That I fliould tremble ? that I fhould not dare 
 To bear thy prefence ? Was my heart to blame,. 
 I'd tremble at myfelf, and not at thee, 
 Proud man ! Nor would I live to be afhamM. 
 For of all evils, to the generous, fhame 
 Is the moft deadly pang. But you behold 
 My late engagement with a jealous, falfe, 
 And felfifh eye. 
 
 SYPHAX. 
 
 Avenging Juno, hear ! 
 And canft thou think to juftify thy felf ? 
 Iblulh to hear thee, traitrefs ! 
 
 SO-PHOMSBA. 
 
 O my fed ! 
 
 Canft thou hear this, this bafe opprobrious language, 
 And yet be tamely calm ? Well, for this once 
 It {hall be fo in pity to thy madnefc 
 Impatient fpirit down ! Yes, Syphax, yes, 
 Yes I will greatly juftify myfelf; 
 Even by the confort of the thundring Jove, 
 Who binds the holy marriage-vow, be judg'd. 
 And every generous heart, not meanly loft 
 In little low purfuits, will fure abfolve me. 
 But in the tempeft of the foul, when rage,. 
 Loud indignation, unattenrive pride, 
 And jealoufy confound it, how can then, 
 
 The
 
 5 O P H O N I S B A. 63 
 
 The nobler, public fentiments be heard 
 Yet let me tell thee 
 
 SYPHAX. 
 
 Thou canft tell me nought* 
 Away ! awayl nought but illufion, falfhood 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 My heart will burft, in juftice to my felf 
 If here I Ipeak not ; tho' thy rage, I know, 
 Can never be convinced, yet fhall it be 
 Confounded. What ! muft I renounce my freedom? 
 Forgoe the power of doing general good ? 
 Yield myfelf up theflave, the barbarous triumph 
 Of infolent, enrag'd, inveterate Rome ? 
 And all for nothing but to grace thy fall ? 
 Nay, fingly perifh to retain the name, 
 The empty title of a captive's wife ? 
 
 For thee ; the Romans may be mild to thee ; 
 But I, a Carthaginian, I, whofe blood 
 Holds unrelenting enmity to theirs ; 
 Who have myfelf much hurt them, and who live 
 Only to work them woe ; what, what can I 
 Hope from their vengeance, but the very dregs 
 Of the worft fate, the bitternefs of bondage ? 
 Yet thou, kind man, thou in thy generous love, 
 Wouldft have me fuffer that ; be bound to thee, 
 For that dire end alone, beyond the flretch 
 Of nature, and of law. 
 
 SYPHAX. 
 
 Confufion ! Law ? 
 i I know
 
 64 S O P H O N I S B A; 
 
 I know the laws permit thee, the grofs laws 
 
 That rule the vulgar. I'm a captive, true ; 
 
 And therefore may'ft thcu plead a fhameful right 
 
 To leave me to my chains But fay, thou bale one ! 
 
 Ungrateful ! fay, for whom am I a captive ? 
 
 For whom has battle after battle bled ? 
 
 For whom my crown, my kingdom, and my all* 
 
 Been vilely caft away ? For one, ye gods ! 
 
 Who leaves me for the victor, for the foe 
 
 J hold in utter endlefs deteftation. 
 
 Fire ! fury ! hell ! Oh I am richly paid ! 
 
 But this it is to love a Woman Woman ! 
 
 The fource of all difafter, all perdition ! 
 
 Man in himfelf is focial, would be happy, 
 
 Too happy, but the gods, to keep him wretched, 
 
 Curs'd him with woman ! fond, enchanting, fmooth, 
 
 And harmlefs-feeming woman ; but at heart 
 
 All poifon, ferpents, tigers, furies, all 
 
 That is deftruftive, in one breaft combin'd, 
 
 And gilded o'er with beauty ! 
 
 SOFHONISBA. 
 
 Haplefi man] 
 
 I pity thee ; this madnefs only ftirs 
 My bofom to compaffion, not to rage. 
 Think as you lift of our unhappy fex, 
 Too much fubjefted to your tyrant force ; 
 Yet know that all, we were not all at leaft, 
 FornVd for your trifles, for your wanton hours. 
 Our paffioqs too can fometimes foar above 
 
 The
 
 S O P H O N I S B A. 6$ 
 
 The houfhold talk affign'd us, can extend 
 Beyond the narrow fphere of families, 
 And take great ftates into th' expanded heart, 
 As well as yours, ye partial to yourfelves ! 
 And this is my fupport, my joy, my glory ; 
 On thefe great principles, and thefe alone, 
 I ftill direft my conduct. 
 
 SYPHAX. 
 
 Falfe as hell ! 
 
 I loath your fex ! when it pretends to virtue. 
 You talk of honour, confcience, patriotifm ! 
 A female patriot ! Vanity ! Abfurd ! 
 Even dealing dull credulity would laugh 
 To hear you prate. Did ever woman yet 
 Form any better purpofe in her thought, 
 Than how to pleafe her pride or wanton will ? 
 Thofe are the principles on which you aft, 
 Yes, thofe alone. 
 
 SOFHONISBA. 
 
 Muft I then, muft I, Sypbax, 
 Give thee a bitter proof of what I fay ? 
 I would not feem to heighten thy diiirefs, 
 Not in the leaft infult thee. Tjhou art fallen, 
 So fate fevere has will'd it, fallen by me ; 
 I therefore have been patient : from another 
 Such language, fuch indignity, had fir'd 
 My foul to madnefs. But fmce driven fo far, 
 I mult remind thy blind injurious rage 
 Of our unhappy marriage. 
 
 SYPHAX.
 
 66 S O P H O N I S B A. 
 
 SYPHAX. 
 
 Dar'il thou name it, 
 After fuch perfidy ? 
 
 SOPRONISBA. 
 
 Allow me, Syphax, 
 
 Hear me but once .' If what I here declare 
 Shines not with reafon, arid the cleareft truth j 
 May I be bafe, defpis'd, and dumb for ever ! 
 
 I pray thee think,, when anpropitious Hymen 
 Our hands united, how I flood engag'd. 
 Was I not blooming in the pride of youth, 
 And youthful hopes } funk in a pafiion too, 
 Which few rcilgn ? Yet then I married thec, 
 Becaufe to Carthage deem'd a flronger friend j 
 For that alone. On thefe conditions, fay, 
 Didft thou not take me, court me to thy throne ? 
 Have I deceived thee fince ? Have I diflembled I 
 To gain one purpofe, e'er pretended what 
 I never felt ? Thou canft not fay I have. 
 And if that principle, which then infpirM 
 My marrying thee, was right, it cannot now 
 Be wrong : Nay, fince my native city wants 
 Affiftance more, and finking calls for aid, 
 
 Tis ftill more right 
 
 SYPHAX. 
 
 This reafoning is infult ! 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 I'm forry that thou doft oblige me to it. 
 Then in a word take my full-open'd foul; 
 
 A!L
 
 S O * H O N I & A. 
 
 All love, but that of Carthage, I defpife. 
 I foMneti'y to Mafwjfa thee 
 Preferr'd not, nor to thee now tyfajinij/a, 
 But Carthage to you both. And if preferring 
 Thoufands to one, a whole collected people, 
 All nature's tendernefs, whate'er is facreu, 
 The liberty, the welfare of a ftate, 
 To one man's frantic happinefs, Be {ham e ; 
 Here, Sypbax, I invoke it QQ my bead t 
 
 .This fet afide ; F, carelefs of my felf, 
 And, fcorning.profperous Hate, had Hill been thine* 
 In all the depth of rriifery proudly thine ! 
 But fince the pubTick good, the lawTupreme, 
 Forbids it ; I will leave thee with a kingdom, 
 The fame I found thee, or not reign myfelf. 
 
 Alas ! I fee thee hurt Why cam'il thou here, 
 Thus to inflame thee more ? 
 
 SYPHAX. 
 
 Why forcarefs ? why ? 
 Thou complication of all deadly mifchief ! 
 Thou lying, foothing, fpecious, charming fury ! 
 I'll tell thee why To breathe my great revenge j 
 To throw this load of burning madnefs from me } 
 
 To flab thee ! 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 Ha! 
 
 SYPHAX. 
 
 And fpringing from thy. heart 
 
 Ta
 
 68 SOPHONISEA; 
 
 To quench me with thy blood ! 
 
 (Pbaenijfa intfrfe/es.J 
 
 SOJHONISBA. 
 
 Off, give me way ! 
 
 Tkaeniffd ; tempt not thou his brutal rage. 
 Me, me, he dares not murder : if he dares, 
 Here let his fury ftrike j for I dare die. 
 What holds thy trembling hand ? 
 PHOENISSA. 
 Guards ! 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 Seize the king. 
 
 But look you treat him well, with all the (late 
 His dignity demands. 
 
 SYPHAX. 
 
 That care from thee 
 
 Is worfe than death. The "Roman trumpets ! Ha ! 
 Now I bethink me, Rome will do me jaltice. 
 Yes, I (hall fee thee walk the Have of Rome, 
 Forget my wrongs, and glut me with the fight. 
 Pe that my beft revenge. 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 Inhuman ! that, 
 If there is death in Afric, fiull not be. 
 
 SCENE
 
 SOPHONISBA. 69 
 SCENE III. 
 
 L-ffiLIUS, SYPHAXi 
 
 LJF. LIUS. 
 
 Syphax ! alas, how fallen ! how chang'd ! from what 
 1 here beheld -thee once in pomp, and iplendor, 
 At that illuftrious interview, when Rome 
 And Carthage met beneath this very roof, 
 Their two great generals, dfdrubal and Scifio, 
 To court thy friendfhip. Of the fame repaft 
 Both gracefully partook, and both reclin'd 
 On the fame couch : for perfbnal di&afle 
 And hatred feldom burn between the brave. 
 Then the fuperior virtues of the Roman 
 Gain'd all thy heart. Even dfdrubal himfelf, 
 With admiration ftruck and juft defpair, 
 Own'd him as powerful at the focial feaft 
 As in the battle. This thou may'ft remember, 
 And how thy faith was given before the Gods, 
 And fworn and feaTd to Scipio ; yet how falfe 
 Thou fince haft prov'd, I need not now recount : 
 But let thy fufferings for thy guilt atone, 
 The captive for the king. A Roman tongue 
 Scorns to purfue the triumph of the fword 
 With mean upbraidings, 
 
 SYPHAX;
 
 70 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 SYPHAX. 
 
 Lee !i us, 'tis too true. 
 Curfe on the caufe ! 
 
 But where is MafihiJJa ? 
 
 The brave young vi&or, the Numidian Roman ! 
 Where is he ? that my joy, my glad applaufe, 
 From envy pure, may hail his happy ilate. 
 Why that contemptuous fmile ? 
 SYPHAX. 
 
 Too credulous Roman ! 
 I fmile to think how this brave Mafiniffa, 
 This Roje-devoted heroe, mull ftill more 
 Attract thy praifes, by a late exploit, 
 In every thing fuccefsful. 
 
 What is this ? 
 
 Thefe publick ihouts ? A ftrange unufualjoy 
 O'er all the captive city blazes wide. 
 What wanton riot reigns to night in Cirtha ? 
 Within thefe conquer'd walls ? 
 SYPHAX. 
 
 This, Lahus, is 
 
 A night of triumph o'er my conqueror, 
 O'er MaJtHiffa. 
 
 L.JEL1US. 
 
 MaJtNiJJa! How ? 
 SYPHAX. 
 Why he tonightis married to my queen.
 
 SOPHONISBA. 71 
 
 LJELIUS. 
 
 laipoffible ! 
 
 SYPHAX. 
 
 Yes, fhe, the fury ! flie, 
 Who put the nuptial torch into my hand, 
 That fet my throne, my palace, and my kingdom, 
 All in a blaze ; fhe now has feiz'd on him, 
 Will turn him fbon from Rome I know her power, 
 Her lips diftil unconquerable poifon. 
 O glorious thought ! her arts, her fatal love 
 Will crufh him deep, beneath the mighty ruins 
 Of falling Carthage. 
 
 Can it be ? Amazement ! 
 
 SYPHAX. 
 
 Nay learn it from himfelf. He comes Away ! 
 Ye furies fnatch me from his fight ! For hell, 
 Its tortures all are gentle to the prefence 
 Of a triumphant rival ? 
 
 L^LIUS. 
 
 What is man ? 
 
 SCENE IV. 
 MASINISSA, LJELIUS. 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Thou more than partner of this glorious day, 
 Which has from Carthage torn her chief fupport, 
 
 And
 
 72 S O P H O N I S B A. 
 
 And tottering left her, I rejoice t fee thee 
 To Cirtba welcome, La-lius. Thy brave legions 
 Now tafte the fweet repofe by valour purchas'd : 
 This city pours refrefhment on their toils. 
 I order'd Narva 
 
 LJELIUS. 
 
 Thanks to Majtni/a. 
 
 All that is well. But I obferv'd the king 
 More loofely guarded than befits the ftate 
 Of fuch a captive. True, indeed, from him 
 There is not much to fear. The dangerous fpirit 
 Is his imperious queen, his Sophonijba. 
 The pride, the rage of Carthage live in her. 
 How r where is (he ? 
 
 IViASINISSA. 
 
 She, Lfflius ? in my care. 
 Think not of her. I'll anfwer for her condudl. 
 
 L.>ELIUS. 
 
 Yes, if in chains. Till then, believe me, prince, 
 It were as fafe to anfwer for the winds, 
 That their loos'd fury will not roufe the waves, 
 Or that the darted lightning will be harmlefs ; 
 As promife peace from her. But why fo dark ? 
 You fluft your place, your countenance grows warm, 
 It is not ufual this in Ma/tniJ/a. 
 Pray what offence can aflting for the queen, 
 The Roman captive, give ? 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 no more. 
 
 You
 
 SOPHONISBA. 73 
 
 You know my marriage. Syfhax has been bufy 
 It is unkind to dally with my paffion. 
 
 LJELIUS. 
 
 Ah, Majiniffa ! was it then for this, 
 Thy hurry hither from the recent battle ? 
 Is the firft inftance of the Roman bounty 
 Thus, thus abus'd ? They give thee back thy kingdom ; 
 And in return are of their captive robb'd ; 
 Of all they valued, Sophonijba.' 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Robb'd ! 
 How, Lxlius ? Robb'd ! 
 
 L.ffiLlUS. 
 
 Yes, Mafimjja> robb'd. 
 What is it elfe ? But I, this very night, 
 Will here affert the majefty of Rome, 
 And, mark me, tear h^r from the nuptial bed. 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Oh Gods ! oh patience ! As foon, fiery Reman / 
 As foon thy rage might from her azure fphere 
 Tear yonder moon. The man who feizes her, 
 Shall fet his foot firfl on my bleeding heart. 
 Of that be fure. And is it thus you treat 
 Your firm allies ? Thus kings in friendPnip with you ? 
 Of human paffions flrip them 'Slaves indeed ! 
 If thus deny'd the common privilege 
 Of nature, what the weakeft creatures claim, 
 A right to what they love. 
 VOL. III. E
 
 74. SOPHONISBA. 
 
 L.'EI.IUS. 
 
 Out ! out ! For fhame ! 
 
 This paflion makes thee blind. Here is a war, 
 Which defolates the nations, has almoft 
 Laid wafte the world. How many widows, orphans, 
 And tender virgins weep its rage in Rome ! 
 Even her great fenate droops ; her nobles fail ; 
 Nature herfelf, by frequent prodigL-s, 
 Seems at this havock of her works to ficken : 
 And our Aufonian plains are now become 
 A horror to the fight : At each fad ftep, 
 Remembrance weeps. Yet her, the greateft prize 
 Jt hitherto has yielded ; her, whofe charms 
 Are only turn'd to whet its cruel point ; 
 Thou to thy wedded bread haft wildly taken, 
 Haft purchased thee her beauties by the blood 
 Of thy protecting friends ; and on a throne 
 Set her, this day recover'd by their arms. 
 Canft thou do this, and call thyfelf a king 
 Allv'd to Rcme? Rafh youth, the Roman people, 
 To kings, who dare offend them thus, vouchfafe not 
 The honour of their friendfhip.Thou haft thrown 
 That glory from thee, and muft now be taught 
 To dread their wrath. 
 
 MASINISS A. 
 
 Be not fo haughty, L<tltm. 
 It fcarce becomes the gentle Seiko's friend ; 
 Suits not thy character, the tender manners 
 I flill have mark'd in thee. I honour Rome ; 
 
 But
 
 S O P H O N I S B A. 75 
 
 But honour too myfelf, my vows, my queen : 
 Nor will, nor can I tamely hear thee threaten 
 To feize her like a flave. 
 
 L-ffiLIUS. 
 
 I will be calm. 
 
 This thy ram deed, this unexpected mock, 
 Such a peculiar injury to me, 
 Thy friend and fellow-foldier, has perhaps 
 Snatch'd me too far. For haft thou not diihonour'd, 
 By this laft aftion, a fuccefsful war, 
 Our common charge, trailed to us by Scipio ? 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Our charge from Scipio was to conquer Sypkax, 
 Not by a barbarous triumph to infuit 
 His beauteous queen. Was Scpboni/ba made, 
 To follow weeping a proud victor's chariot, 
 She, the firft miftrefs of my heart, who ftill 
 Reigns in my foul, and there will reign for ever. 
 At fuch a fight, the warrior's eye might wet 
 His burning cheek ; and all the Roman matrons, 
 Who lin'd the laurel'd way, afham'd, and fad, 
 Turn from a captive brighter than them/elves. 
 But Scipio will be milder. 
 
 I difdain 
 
 This thy furmife, and give it up to Scipio. 
 Thefe paffions are not comely. Here to-morrow 
 Comes the proconful. Mean time, Mafint//a, 
 Ah, harden not thyfelf in flattering hope ! 
 
 E 2 Scipii
 
 y6 SOPHONISBA, 
 
 Scipio is mild, but fteady. Ha ! the queen. 
 I think {he hates a Roman and will leave thee. 
 
 SCENE V. 
 SOPHONISBA, MASINISSA. 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 Was not that Roman Leelius, as I enter'd, 
 Who parted gloomy hence ? 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Madam, the fame. 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 Unhappy Afric ! fince thefe haughty Romans 
 Have in this lordly manner trod thy courts. 
 
 I read his frefti reproaches in thy face ; 
 The leffon'd -pupil in thy fallen look, 
 In that forc'd fmile, which fickens on thy cheek. 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Oh fay not fo, thou rapture of my foul ! 
 For while i fondly gaze upon thy charms, 
 I fmile as joyous as the fun in May ; 
 Nor can my heart, by thee pofleft, retain 
 One painful thought. 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 Nay, tell me, Maftnifla; 
 
 How feels their tyranny, when 'tis brought home ? 
 When, lawlefs grown, it touches what is dear ? 
 
 Pomp
 
 SOPHONISBA. 77 
 
 Pomp for a while may dazzle thoughtlefs man, 
 Falfe glory blind him ; but there is a time, 
 When ev'n the flave in heart will fpurn his chains, 
 Nor know fubmiffion more. What faid thy tyrant ? 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 His difappointment for a moment only 
 Burft in vain paffion, and 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 You flood abafli'd ; 
 
 You bore his threats, and tamely-filent heard him, 
 Heard the fierce Raman mark me for his triumph. 
 Oh meannefs ! 
 
 MASJ NISSA. 
 
 Banifh that unkind fufpicion. 
 The thought enflam'd my foul. I vow'd my life, 
 My laft Maffylian to the fword, ere he 
 Should touch thy freedom with the leaft difhonour. 
 But that from Scipio 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 Scipio ! 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 That from him 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 I tell thee, Ma/inifa, if from him 
 You gain my freedom, from my felf conceal it. 
 I mall difdain fuch freedom. 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Sopbonijba ! 
 Thou all my heart holds precious ! doubt no more. 
 
 E 3 " Nor
 
 78 S O P H O N I S B A. 
 
 Nor Rome, nor Scipio, nor a world combin'd 
 Shall tear thee from me ; till outftretch'd I lie, 
 A namelefs corpfe ! 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 If thy protelion fails, 
 Of this at leaft be fure, be very fure, 
 To give me timely death. 
 
 MASINISSA: 
 
 Ceafe thus to talk, 
 
 Of death, of Remans, of unkind ambition. 
 My fofter thoughts thofe rugged themes refufe, 
 And turn alone to love. All, all, but thee, 
 All nature is a paffing dream to me. 
 Fix'd in my view, then doft for ever fliine, 
 Thy form forth-beaming from the foul divine* 
 A fpirit tliine, which mortals might adore j 
 Defpifing love, and thence creating more. 
 Thou the high paffions, I the tender prove, 
 1 hy heart was form'd for glory, mine for love. 
 
 The End of the Fourth A8. 
 
 ACT
 
 SOPHONISBA. 79 
 
 ACTV. SCENE I. 
 
 H 
 
 MASINISSA, NARVA. 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 AIL to the joyous day ! With purple clouds 
 
 The whole horizon glows. The breezy Spring 
 Stands loofely floating on the mountain-top, 
 And deals her fweets around. The fun too feems, 
 A confcious of my joy, with brighter beams 
 To gild the happy world ; and all things fmile 
 1 ike Scphonijla, Love and friendfhip fare 
 Have mark'd this day with all their choicell bleffingi $ 
 Oh ! Sophtnijba* mine ! and Scipio comes I 
 
 NARVA. 
 My lord, the trumpets fpeak h''s near approach. 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 I want his fecret audience Leave us, Narva. 
 
 SCENE II. 
 SCIPIO, MASINISSA. 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 Scipio ! more welcome than my tongue can fpeak ? 
 
 Scir;o.
 
 So S OP HO N I S B A. 
 
 SCIPJO. 
 
 Myheart beats back thy joy. A happy friend, 
 Rais'd by his prudence, fortitude, and valour, 
 O'er all his foes ; and on his native throne, 
 Amidft his refcu'd (homing fubje&s, fet : 
 Say, can the gods in lavifli bounty give 
 A fight more pleafing ? 
 
 MASIMSSA. 
 
 My great friend ! and patron !, 
 It was thy timely, thy reftoring aid 
 That brought me from the fearful defart-Iife, 
 To live again in ftate, and purple fplendor. 
 Thy friendship arm'd me with the ftrength of Rome, 
 And now I wield the fcepter of my fathers, 
 See my dear people from the tyrant's fcourge, 
 From Sypbax freed ; I hear their glad applaufes ; 
 And, to compleat my happinefs, have gain'd 
 A friend worth all. O gratitude, efteem, 
 And love like mine, with what divine delight 
 Ye fill the heart! 
 
 SCIPIO. 
 
 Heroic youth f thy virtue 
 Has earn'd whate'er thy fortune can beftow. 
 It was thy patience, Mafni/a, patience, 
 A champion clad in fteel, that in the wafle 
 Attended ftill thy ftep, and fav'd my friend 
 For better days. What cannot patience do ! 
 A great defign is feldom fiiatch'd at once ; 
 
 'Tis
 
 SOPHONISBA. 81 
 
 *Tis patience heaves it on. From favage nature, 
 'Tis patience that has built up human life, 
 The nurfe of arts ! and Rome exalts her head 
 An everlafting monument of patience. 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 If I have that, or any virtue, Scipio, 
 'Tis copy'd all from thee. 
 
 SCIPIO. 
 
 No MaJiri'Jja, 
 
 'Tis all unborrow'd, the fpontaneous growth 
 Of nature in thy breaft. Friendlhip for once 
 Muft, tho' thou blulheft, wear a liberal tongue ; 
 Muft tell thee, noble youth, that long experience 
 In councils, battles, many a hard event, 
 Has found thee {till fo conftant, fo fincere, 
 So wife, fo brave, fo generous, fo humane, 
 So well attemper'd, and fo fitly turn'd 
 For what is either great or good in life, 
 As cafts diftinguifh'd honour on thy country, 
 And cannot but endear thee to the Romans. 
 For me, I think my labours all repaid, 
 My wars in Afric. MafiniJ/a's friend/hip 
 Rewards them all. Be that my deareft triumph, 
 To have affifted thy forlorn eftate, 
 And lent a happy hand in raifing thee 
 To thy paternal throne, ufurp'd by Sypbax. 
 The greateft fervice could be done my country, 
 Diftrafted Afric, and mankind in general, 
 Was thus to aid thy worth. To put the power 
 
 E 5 Of
 
 8-2 S O P H O N I S B A. 
 
 Of fovereign rule into the good man's hand, 
 Is giving peace and happinefs to millions. 
 
 But has my friend, fince late we parted armies, 
 Since he with Lalius acled fuch a brave, - 
 Aufpicious part againft the common foe ; 
 Has he been blamelefs quite ? has he confider'd, 
 How pleafure ofcen on the youthful heart, 
 Beneath the rofy foft difguife of love, 
 (All fvveetnefs, fmiles, and feeming innocence) 
 Steals unperceiv'd, and lays the vidlor low ? 
 I would not, cannot, put thee to the pain 
 It pains me deeper of the leaft reproach. 
 Let thy too faithful memory fupply 
 The reft. (Paufmg) 
 
 Thy filence, that dejected look, 
 That honed colour flufhing o'er thy cheek, 
 Impart thy better foul. 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Oh my good lord ! 
 
 Oh Scipio ! Love has feiz'd me, tyrant love 
 Inthralls my foul. 1 am undone by love I 
 
 SCIPIO. 
 
 And art thou then to ruin reconcil'd ? 
 Tam'd to deftruftion ! wilt thou be undone ? 
 Refign the towering thought ? the vail defign, 
 With future glories big ? the warrior's wreathe? 
 The praife of fenates ? an applauding world ? 
 All for a figh ? all for a foft embrace ? 
 For a gay uanfieni fancy, MaJiniJ/u ? 
 
 For
 
 SOPHONISBA. 8* 
 
 j 
 
 For fliame, my friend! for honour's fake, for virtue's ! 
 Sit not with folded arms, defpairing, weak, 
 Like a fick virgin fighing to the gale, 
 Till fure deftru&ion comes Alas, how chang'd 
 From him, the man I lov'd ! 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 How chang'd indeed ! 
 
 The time has been, when, fir'd from Scipio"s tongue, 
 My foul had mounted in a flame with his. 
 Where is ambition flown ? Hopelefs attempt ! 
 Can love like mine be quell'd ? Can I forget 
 What ftill pofleffes, charms my thoughts for ever ? 
 Throw fcornful from me what I hold moft dear? 
 Not feel the force of excellence ? To joy 
 Be dead ? And undelighted with delight ? 
 Hold, let me think a moment no ! no ! no J 
 1 am unequal to thy virtue, Scipio I 
 
 SCIPIO. 
 
 Fie, Majtnffa, fie ! By heavens ! I blufli 
 At thy dejection, this degenerate language. 
 What ! perifh for a woman .' Ruin all, 
 All the fair deeds which an admiring world 
 Hopes from thy riper years ; only to footh 
 A ftubborn fancy, a luxurious will ? 
 
 How muft it, think you, found in future ftory ? 
 Young Majtniffa was a virtuous prince, 
 And dfric fmil'd beneath his early ray ; 
 But that a Carthaginian captive came, 
 By whom untimely in the common fate 
 
 E 6 O r
 
 S4 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 Of love he fell. The wife will fcorn the page, 
 And all thy praife be fome fond maid exclaiming, 
 Where are thofe lovers now ? O rather, rather, 
 Had I ne'er feen the vital light of heaven, 
 Than like the vulgar live, and like them die ! 
 
 Ambition fickens at the very thought. 
 
 To puff, and buftle here from day to day, 
 Loft in the paffions of inglorious life, 
 Joys which the carelefs brutes poflefs above us. 
 And when fome years, each duller than another, 
 Are thus elaps'd, in naufeous pangs to die ; 
 And pafs away, like thofe forgotten things, 
 That foon become as they had never been. 
 
 MASINISSA, 
 And am I dead to this ? 
 
 SCIPIO. 
 
 The gods, my friend, 
 Who train up heroes in misfortune's fchool, 
 Have (hook thee with adverfity, with each 
 Illuftrious evil, that can raife, expand, 
 And fortify the mind. Thy rooted worth 
 Has flood thefe wintry blafts, grown flronger by them 
 Shall then in profpeious times, while all is mild, 
 All vernal, fair ; and glory blows around thee ; 
 Shall then the dead Serene of pleafure come, 
 And lay thy faded honours in the duft ? 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 O gentle Sfipio 1 fpare me, fpare my weakness. 
 
 SCIPIO,
 
 SOPHONISBA. 85 
 
 SCIPIO. 
 
 Remember Hannibal A fignal proof, 
 A frefli example of deftruftive pleafure. 
 He was the dread of nations, once of Rome / 
 When from BeUona'& bofom, nurs'd in camps, 
 And hard with toil, he down the rugged Alps, 
 Rufh'd like a torrent over Italy ; 
 Unconquer'd, till the loofe delights of Capua 
 Sunk his victorious arm, his genius broke, 
 Perfum'd, and made a lover of the heroe. 
 Lo ! now he droops in Bruttium, fear'd no more, 
 Remember him ; and yet refume thy ipirit, 
 Ere it be quite diflblv'd. 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Shall Scifio (loop, 
 
 Thus to regard, to teach me wifdom thus ; 
 And yet a ftupid anguim at my heart 
 Repel whate'er he fays ? But why, my'friend, 
 Why mould we kill the beft of paffions, love ? 
 It aids the heroe, bids ambition rife 
 To nobler heights, infpires immortal deeds, 
 Even fbftens brutes, and adds a grace to virtue. 
 
 SCIPIO. 
 
 There is a holy tendernefs indeed, 
 A virtuous, focial, fympathetic love, 
 That binds, fupports, and fweetens human life. 
 But is thy paffion fuch ? Lift, Mafinffii, 
 While I the hardeft office of a friend 
 Difcharge ; and, with a neceflary hand, 
 
 i A hand;,
 
 86 S O P H O N I S B A. 
 
 A hand, tho' harm at prefent, truly tender, 
 I paint this paffion. And if then thou ftill 
 Art bent to (both it, I muft fighing leave thee, 
 To what the gods think fit. 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 O never, Scipio / 
 
 never leave me to myfelf ! Speak on. 
 
 1 dread, and yet defire thy friendly hand. 
 
 SCIPIO. 
 
 I hope that Ma/ini/a needs not now 
 Be told, how much his happinefsis mine ; 
 With what a warm benevolence I'd fpring 
 To raife, confirm it, to prevent his wifhes 
 In every right purfuit ! But while he rages, 
 Burns in a fever, fhall I let him quaff 
 Delicious poifon for a cooling draught, 
 In foolifh pity to his thirft ? fhall I 
 Let a fwift flame confume him as he fleeps, 
 Becaufe his dreams are gay ? fhall I indulge 
 A frenzy flafh'd from an infectious eye ? 
 A fudden impulfe unapprov'd by reafon ? 
 Nay by thy cool deliberate thought condemn'd ? 
 Refolv'd againft ? -A paffion for a woman, 
 Who has abus'd thee bafely ? left thy youth, 
 Thy love as fweet, as tender as the fpring, 
 The blooming heroe for the hoary tyrant ? 
 And now who makes thy flickering arms alone 
 Her laft retreat, to fave her from the vengeance, 
 Which even her very perfidy to thee 
 
 Has
 
 SOPHONISBA. 87 
 
 Has brought upon her head ? Nor is this all. 
 A woman who will ply her deepeft arts, 
 (Ah too prevailing, as appears already) 
 Will never reft till S\pbax? fate is thine ; 
 Till friendfliip weeping flies, we join no more 
 In glorious deeds, and thou fall off from Rome ? 
 I could add too, that there is fomething cruel, 
 Inhuman in thy paffion. Does not Syphax, 
 While thou rejoiceft, die ? The generous heart 
 Should fcorn a pleafure which gives others pain. 
 
 If this, my friend, all this confider'd deep, 
 Alarm thee not, nor rouze thy refolution, 
 And call the heroe from his wanton flumber, 
 Then Mafim/<f* loft. 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Oh, I am pierc'd ! 
 
 In every thought am pierc'd ! 'Tis all too true. 
 I would, but can't deny it. Whither, whither, 
 Thro' what inchanted wilds have I been wandering ? 
 They feem'd Elyfium, the delightful plains, 
 The happy groves of heroes and of lovers : 
 But the divinity that breathes in thee 
 Has broke the charm, and I am in a defart, 
 Far from the land of peace. It was but lately 
 That a pure joyous calm o'erfpread my foul, 
 And reafon tun'd my paffions into blifs ; 
 When love came hurrying in, and with ram hand 
 Mix'd them delirious, till they now ferment 
 To mifery. There is no reafoning down 
 
 This
 
 88 S O P H O N I S B A. 
 
 This deep, deep anguifti ! this continual pang .' 
 A thoufand things ! whene'er my raptur'd thought 
 Runs back a little But I will not think. 
 And yet I muft. Oh Gods .' that J could lofe 
 What a few hours have on my memory grav'd 
 In adamant. 
 
 SCIPIO. 
 
 But one ftrong effort more, 
 And the fair field is thine A conqueft far 
 Excelling that o'er Syphax. What remains, 
 Since .now thy madnefs to thy felf appears, 
 But an immediate manly refolution, 
 To make off this effeminate difeafe ; 
 Thefe foft ideas, which feduce thy foul, 
 Make it all idle, weak, inglorious, wild, 
 A fcene of dreams ; to give them to the winds, 
 And be my former friend, thy felf again ? 
 
 I joy to find thee touch'd by generous motives, 
 And that I need not bid thee recolleft, 
 Whofe awful property thou haft ufurp'd ; 
 Need not affure thee, that the Roman people, 
 The fenators of Rome, will never fuffer 
 A dangerous woman, their devoted foe, 
 A woman, whofe irrefragable Ipirit 
 Has in great part fuftain'd this bloody war, 
 Whofe charms corrupted Syfhax from their fide, 
 To ruin thee too, taint thy faithful breaft, 
 And kindle future war. No, fate itfelf 
 Is not more fleady to the right thau they, 
 
 Aid,
 
 SOPHONISBA. 89 
 
 And, where the publick good but feems concern'd, 
 No motive their impenetrable hearts, 
 Nor fear nor tendernefs, can touch : fuch is 
 The fpirit, that has rais'd Imperial Rome. 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Ah killing truth ! But I have promis'd, Scipio ! 
 Have fworn to fave her from the Roman power. 
 My plighted faith is pafs'd, my hand is given. 
 And, by the confcious gods ! who mark'd my vows, 
 The whole united world mail never have her. 
 For I will die a thoufand thoufand deaths, 
 With all MeJJylia- in one field expire ; 
 Ere to the loweft wretch, much lefs to her 
 I love, to Sophonijla, to my queen, 
 I violate my word. 
 
 SCIPIO. 
 
 My heart approves 
 
 Thy refolution, thy determin'd honour. 
 For ever facred be thy word, and oath. 
 But, thus divided, how to keep thy faith 
 At once to Rome and Sophoni/ba ; how 
 To fave her from our chains, and yet thyfelf 
 From greater bondage ; this thy fecret thought 
 Can befl inform thee. 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Agony! Diftra&ion! 
 
 Thefe wilful tears ! O look not on me, Scipio ! 
 For I'm a child again. 
 
 SCIPIO.
 
 90 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 SCIPIO. 
 
 Thy tears are no reproach. 
 Tears oft look graceful on the manly cheek. 
 The cruel cannot weep. Lo ! Friendfhip's eye 
 Gives thee the drop it would refufe itfelf. 
 I know 'tis hard, wounds every bleeding nerve 
 About thy heart, thus to tear off thy paflion. 
 But for that very reafon, Ma/inijfe, 
 'Tis hop'd from thee. The harder, thence refults 
 The greater glory. Why fhould \ve pretend 
 To conquer nations, and to rule mankind, 
 Pre-eminent in glory, place, and power, 
 While flaves at heart ? while by fantaftic turns 
 Our frantic paffions reign ? This very thought 
 Should turn our pomp to fhame, difgrace our triumphs) 
 And, when the ftiouts of millions rend our ears, 
 Whifper reproach. O ye celeftial powers ! 
 What is it, in a torrent of fuccefs, 
 To overflow the world ; if by the ftream 
 Our own enfeebled minds are borne away 
 From reafon and from virtue ? Real glory 
 Springs from the filent conqueft of ourfelves ; 
 And without that the conqueror is nought 
 But the firft flave. Then roufe thee, Majini/a f 
 Nor in one weaknefs all thy virtues lofe ; 
 And, oh, beware of long, of vain repentance ! 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 Well ! well ! no more. It is but dying too ! 
 
 SCENE
 
 SOPHONISBA. 91 
 
 SCENE III. 
 
 SCIPIO alone. 
 
 I wifh I have not urg'd the truth to rigour ! 
 There is a time when virtue grows fevere, 
 Too much for nature, and almoft even cruel. 
 
 SCENE IV. 
 
 SCIPIO, LJELIUS, 
 
 SCIFJO. 
 
 Poor Ma/ini/a, Lttliut, is undone } 
 Betwixt his paflion and his reafon toft 
 In miferable conflift. 
 
 LJELIUS. 
 
 Entering, Scipio, 
 
 He fhot athwart me, norvouchfaf 'd one look. 
 Hung on his clouded brow I mark'd defpair, 
 And his eye glaring with fome dire refolve. 
 Faft o'er his cheek too ran the hafty tear. 
 It were great pity that he mould be loft. 
 
 SCIPIO. 
 
 By heavens ! to lofe him were a (hock, as if 
 I loft thee, Ltelius, loft my deareft brother. 
 Bound up in friendfhip from our infant years, 
 A thoufand lovely qualities endear him, 
 
 Cnlv
 
 92 SOPHONISB A. 
 
 Only too warm of heart. 
 
 What fhall be done ? 
 SCIPIO. 
 
 Here let it reft, till time abates his paflion. 
 Nature is nature, Ltelius, let the Wife 
 Say what they pleafe. But now perhaps he dies. 
 Hafte ! hafte ! and give him hope. I have not time 
 To tell thee what. Thy prudence will direft 
 Whatever is confiftent with my honour, 
 My duty to the pablick, and my friendfhip 
 To him himfelf, fay, promife, fhall be done, 
 I hope returning reafon will prevent 
 
 Our farther care. 
 
 L.SLIUS. 
 
 I fly with joy. 
 SCIPIO. 
 
 His life 
 
 Not only fave, but Sophonijbas too : 
 For both I fear are in this paffion mixt. 
 
 L;ELIUS. 
 It fhall be done. 
 
 SCENE V. 
 
 SCIPIO alone. 
 
 If friendfhip fuffers thus ; 
 When love pours in his added violence, 
 What are the pangs which Mx/tniJ/'a feels ! 
 
 SCENE
 
 SOPHONISBA. 93 
 
 SCENE VI. 
 SOPHONISBA, PHOENISSA. 
 
 SOPHONJSEA. 
 
 Yes, Majtnijfa loves me Heavens ! how fond ! 
 But yet I know not what hangs on my fpirit, 
 A difmal boding ; for this fatal Scipio, 
 I dread his virtues; this prevailing Roman, 
 Even now perhaps deludes the generous king, 
 Fires his ambition with miftaken glory, 
 Demands me from him ; for full well he knows, 
 That, while I live, I mufl intend their ruin. 
 
 PHOENISSA. 
 Madam, thefe fears 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 And yet it cannot be. 
 
 Can Scipio, whom even hoftile fame proclaims 
 Of perfect honour, and of polilh'd manners, 
 Smooth, artful, winning, moderate, and wife, 
 Make fuch a wild demand ? Or, if he could, 
 Can MafinlJ/'a grant it ? give his queen, 
 Whom love and honour bind him to protect, 
 Yield her a captive to triumphant Rome ? 
 'Tis bafenefs to fufpeft it ; 'tis inhuman. 
 
 What then remains ? Suppofe they mould refolve 
 By right of war to feize me for their prize 
 Ay, there it kills ! What can his fmgle arm 
 
 Againft
 
 94 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 Againft the Roman power r that very power 
 By which he Hands reftor'd ? Diftrafting thought ! 
 Still o'er my head the rod of bondage hangs. 
 Shame on my weaknefs. This poor catching hope, 
 This tranfient tafle of joy will only more 
 Imbit:er death. 
 
 PHOENISSA. 
 A moment will decide. 
 Madam, till then 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 Would I had dy'd before f 
 
 And am I dreaming here ? Here ! from the Romans 
 Befeeching I may live to fwell their triumph ? 
 When my free fpirit mould ere now have join'd 
 That great aflembly, thofe devoted fhades, 
 Who fcorn'd to live till liberty was loft, 
 Eut ere their country fell, abhorrM the light. 
 
 Whence this pale flave ? he trembles with his meflage. 
 
 SCENE VII. 
 
 SOPHONISBA, PHOENISSA ; and to them a SLAVE, 
 with a letter and poifan from MASINISSA. 
 
 SLAVE kneeling. 
 
 This, Madam, from the king, and this. 
 So? HONISEA. 
 
 Ha ! Stay. 
 (Readitbe Utter.) 
 2 Rejoice,
 
 SOPHONISBA. 95 
 
 Rejoice, Phamijfa '. Give me joy, my friend ! 
 For here is liberty ! my fears are vain. 
 The hand of Rome can never touch me more ! 
 Hail ! perfect freedom, hail ! 
 
 PHOENISSA. 
 
 How ? what ? my queen ! 
 Ah ! what is this ? 
 
 (Pointing to the p-iifon.) 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 The firil of bleffings, death. 
 PHOENISSA. 
 
 Alas ! alas ! can I rejoice in that ? 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 Shift not thy colour at the found of death ; 
 For death appears not in a dreary light, 
 Seems not a blank to me, a lofs of all - 
 Thofe fond fenfations, thofe enchanting dreams, 
 Which cheat a toiling world from day to day, 
 And form the whole of happinefs they know. 
 It is to me perfection, glory, triumph. 
 Nay fondly would I chufe it, tho' perfuaded 
 It were a long dark night without a morning, 
 To bondage far prefer it ! fince it is 
 Deliverance from a world where Remans rule, 
 Where violence prevails And timely too 
 Before my country falls ; before I feel 
 As many ftripes, as many chains, and deaths, 
 As there are lives in Carthage. Glorious charter ! 
 By which I hold immortal life and freedom, 
 
 Come,
 
 96 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 Come, let me read thee once again. And then, 
 Obey the mandate. 
 
 (Reads the letter aloud.) 
 
 MASINISSA to his QUEEN. 
 
 The Gods know with what pleafure 1 would have kept 
 my faith to Sophonifba in another manner. Butjince this 
 fatal bowl alone can de liver thee from the Romans ; tall 
 to mind thy father, thy country, that thou haft been the 
 wife of two kings ; and aft up to the dittates of thy own 
 heart. I will not long fur <vi--ve thee. 
 
 Oh, 'tis wondrous well ! 
 Ye Gods of death who rule the Stygian gloom ! 
 Ye who have greatly dy'd ! I come ! I come ! 
 I die contented, lince I die a queen, 
 By Rome untouch'd, unfullied by their power ; 
 So much their terror that I muft not live. 
 
 And thou, go tell the king, if this is all 
 The nuptial prefect he can fend his bride, 
 I thank him for it But that death had worn 
 An eafier face, before I trufted him. 
 Add, hither had he come, I could have taught 
 Him how to die. I linger not, remember, 
 I fland not fhivering on the brink of life ; 
 And, but thefe votive drops, which grateful thus 
 
 (Taking them from thepoifon.) 
 To Jove the high Deliverer I fhed, 
 
 Aflure
 
 S O P H O N I S B A. 97 
 
 AfTure him that 1 drank it, drank it all. 
 With an unalter'd fmile Away. 
 
 (Drinkt.) 
 
 SCENE VIII. 
 SOPHONISBA, PHOENISSA. 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 My friend ! 
 
 In tears, my friend ! Difhonour not my death 
 With womanifh complaints. Weep not for me, 
 Weep for thy felf, PbczniJ/a, for thy country, 
 But not for me. There is a certain hour, 
 Which one would wifli all undifturb'd and brightj 
 No care, no forrow, no dejefted paffions ; 
 And that is when we die, when hence we go, 
 Ne'er to be feen again ; then let us /pread 
 A bold exalted wing, and the 'aft voice 
 We hear, be that of wonder and applaufe. 
 
 PHOCNISSA. 
 Who with fuch virtue wiflies not to die ! 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 
 And is the facred moment then fo near ? 
 The moment, when yon fun, thofe heavens, this earth 
 Hateful to me, polluted by the Rom sirs t 
 And all the bufy ilavifii race of men, 
 . VOL, III. F Shall
 
 98 S O P H O N I S B A. 
 
 Shall fink at snce ; and ftrait another flat.% 
 Nevv fceces, new joys new faculties, new wonders, 
 Rife on a fuddeh round : but this the gods 
 In clouds and honor wrap, or none would live. 
 -Oh to be there ! my bieaft begins to burn ; 
 My tainted heart grows fick. Ah me 1 Pkanifo, 
 How many virgins, infants, tender wretches, 
 IVJuft feel thefe pangs, ere Carthage is no more ! 
 
 Soft lead me to my couch My fhiveiing limbs, 
 Do this laft office, and then reft for ever. 
 I pray jhee weep not, pierce me not with groans. 
 
 The king too here Nay then my death is full ! 
 
 SCENE IX. 
 
 SOPHONISBA, PHOENISSA, MASINISSA, 
 NARVA. 
 
 M A 5 1 N i s s A . 
 
 Has Sophonfia drank this curfed bowl ? 
 Oh horror! horror! what a fight is heref 
 
 SOPHOMSBA. 
 
 Had I not drank it, Majinifia, then 
 I had deferv'd it. 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 Exquifite diftrefs ! 
 
 Oh bitter, bitter fate ! and this lail hope 
 Coroplcats my -vde. 
 
 SOPHO
 
 SOPHONISBA, 99 
 
 SOPHON'ISBA. 
 
 When will thefe ears be deaf 
 To mifery's complaint? Thefe eyes be blind 
 To mifchief wrought by Rome ? 
 
 MASI NISSA. 
 
 Too foon ! too foon ! 
 Ah why fo hafty ? But a little while 
 Had ft thoU delay'd this horrid draught ; I then 
 Had been as happy, as I now am wretched ! 
 
 SOPHONISBA. 
 What means this talk of hope ? of cdward waiting? 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 What have I done ? O heavens ! I cannot think 
 On my ram deed! But while I talk, {he dies! 
 And how? what ? where am I then ? Say, canltthoa 
 Forgive me, Sophcnljla ? 
 
 SOPHON'ISBA. 
 
 Yes, and more, 
 
 More than forgive thee, thank thee, Ma/inffii. 
 Hacilr, thou been weak, and dally'd with my freedotii, 
 Till by proud Rotre enflav'd ; that injury 
 1 never had forgiven. 
 
 MASIMSSA. 
 
 I came with life! 
 
 I.(glhu and I from Scipio hafted hither ; 
 But death was here before us this vile poifon! 
 
 SOPHONISBA, 
 With life ! There was fome merit in the poifon j 
 
 F 2 But
 
 too SOPHONISBA. 
 
 But this deftroys it all. And couldft thou think 
 Me mean enough to take it ? Oh ! Phtznijja t 
 This mortal toil is almoft at an end. 
 Receive my parting foul. 
 
 PHOENFSSA. 
 
 Alas, my queen! 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 Dies! dies! and fcorns me! Mercy! Sipbon'jba.! 
 Grant one forgiving look, while yet thou canft; 
 Or death itfelf, the grave cannot relieve me : 
 But wich the furies join'd, my frantic ghoft 
 Will howl for ever. Quivering ! and pale ! 
 Have I done this ? 
 
 SOP HO VISE A. 
 
 But for Rotr.e 
 
 We might have been moft happy. I conjure thee 
 Be mild to Sy-bax ; for my fake regard him, 
 And let thy rage againft him die with me. 
 Farewell ! Tis done ! O never, never, Carthage, 
 Shall I behold thee more ! 
 
 (Dia.) 
 MASINMSSA. 
 
 Dead ! dead ! oh dead ! 
 Is there no death for me ? 
 
 (Snatcbet Lx\ius's/<u>orJtoJ?al> him/elf.) 
 
 L.'ELIUS. 
 
 Hold, Maftnifa! 
 
 MASINISSA.
 
 S O P H O N I S B A. 101 
 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 And wouldft thou make a coward of me, Lalm ? 
 Have me furvive that murderM excellence ? 
 
 Did fhe not ftir ? Ha! Who has (hock'd my brain ! 
 It whirls, it blazes. Was it thou, old man? 
 
 NARVA. 
 
 Alas ! alas ! good MafiniJJa, foftly ! 
 Let me conduct thee to thy couch. 
 MASINISSA. 
 
 The grave 
 
 Shall be my coach. Ye cannot make me live .' 
 Ye ilrive in vain ! Off! crowd net thus around me ! 
 For I will hear, fee, think no more ! Thou fun, 
 Wichold thy hated beams! And all I want 
 Of thee, kind 'earth, is an immediate grave ! 
 Ay, there fhe lies ! Why to that pallid fweetnefs 
 Can not I, Nature! lay my lips, and die .' 
 
 (Tbrmvs kinfelf bcjlde her.) 
 L.T.LIUS. 
 
 See there the ruins of the noble mind 
 \V hen from calm reafon pafficn tears the fway. 
 What pity fhe fhould perifh ! Cruel war, 
 'Tis not the leafl misfortune in thy train, 
 T hat oft by thee, the brave deiboy the brave. 
 She had a Roman foul ; for every or.e 
 Who loves, like her, his country, is a Roman, 
 Whether en Jffric's fandy plains he glows, 
 Or lives untanVd among Ripbaan fnows. 
 F 3
 
 SOPHONISB A. 
 
 If generous liberty the breaft inflame, 
 The gloomy Lybiun then deferves tha,t name : 
 And, warm with freedom under frozen fk.iej, 
 la fartheft Britain &a~i:s ye: may rife. 
 
 Tit Ind &/ tht Fifth Mf* 
 
 E P I
 
 EPILOGUE. 
 
 By a FRIEND. 
 Spoken by Mrs. CIBBER. 
 
 NO W, Pm afraid, the tnodejl tafle In vog:,e 
 Demands a flrong, bigk-ftafitfil epilogue. 
 Elfe night fame filly foul take pity's part, 
 Jlnd od.ous virtue fink into the heart. 
 
 Our fqveamifo author fcruples this prc 
 He fa, s if hurts found ware's, and goes brt 
 Nor Sophonifta icexM he here predu:e t 
 A glaring model, of no private ufe. 
 L idles t be bid me fay > behold your Cato. 
 What t&o* no Stoic Jke, nor read in Plato ? 
 Yet fure Jhe offer 1 d, fir her country's fake , 
 A facrijice, which Cato c,u!d not make' 
 Already, noi<j, thefe <w' eked men are filtering, 
 Seme 'wrfjling what ore Jays, and othtn leering. 
 1 ijo'w they have not force for public fpirit. 
 That, lades, muji le jour Jupericr ma-it. 
 
 M?re\< forbid ! <we ficuld lot; down our lives^ 
 Iske tbeje c/J, Punic, barbarous htathen wives. 
 
 F 4 Sfaee
 
 104 EPILOGUE. 
 
 Spare Chriftian lloid. But fure tie devil* t in l:r, 
 Who for her country would not lofe a pinner. 
 Lard ! haw could f neb a creature Jhe*uo her face ? 
 ffo-iv PJiift as you do there thro* Bruffels Lace. 
 The Roman fair, the public in dijlrejs, 
 Gave up the deareji ornaments of drffj. 
 Ho<w much mere cheaply might you gain applaufe? 
 'One yard yRibban and two ells of Gaufe. 
 And Gaufe each deep-read critic mujl adore \ 
 Your Roman ladies drcfSdin Gaufe all o'er. 
 Should JCH, fair patriots, come to drefsfo thin\ 
 Ho-iv clear might all your fentimcnts be feen. 
 To foreign horns no longer owe your charms ; 
 Nar make their trade more fatal than their arms. 
 Each Britifil dame, who courts her country's pra;fe t 
 By quitting theft outlandifh modes, might ra'ife 
 (Not from yon powder 'riband, fo thin, andfpruce) 
 Ten able bo died men, fir public ufe. 
 
 But KO'W a ferious word about the flay. 
 jQi/fjidous fmile on this his fir ft ejfay ; 
 Ye generous Britons ! your o<u.nfons injure ; 
 Let your aftlaufes fan their native f re. 
 Then other Shakefpears yet may rouze thefa^e, 
 And other Otways melt another age.
 
 A NUPTIAL SONG, intended to have been 
 infer ted in the Fourth Ad; 
 
 COME, gentle Venus ! and aflwage 
 A warring world, a bleeding age. 
 For nature lives beneath thy ray, 
 The wintry tempefts hafle away, 
 A lucid calm inverts the Tea, 
 Thy native deep is full of thee ; 
 The flowering earth, where'er you fly, 
 Is all o'er fpring, all fun the fky. 
 A genial fpirit warms the breeze ; 
 Unfeen among the blooming trees, 
 The feather'd lovers tune their throat, 
 The defart growls a foften'd note, 
 Glad o'er the meads the cattle bound, 
 And love and harmony go round. 
 But chief into the human heart 
 You flrike the dear delicious dart ; 
 You teach us pleafmg pangs to know, 
 To languifh in luxurious woe, 
 To feel the generous paffions rife, 
 Grow good by gazing, mild by fighs j 
 Eacfc happy moment to improve, 
 And fill the perfect year with love. 
 
 FS Cora*,
 
 J 
 
 Corae, thcu delight of heaven and earth ! 
 To whom all creatures owe their birth ; 
 Oh come, fweet fmiling ! tender, come ! 
 And yet prevent our final doom. 
 For long the furious god of war 
 Has crufh'd u with his iron car, 
 Has ragM along our ruiu'd plains, 
 Has fbil'd them with his cruel itains, 
 Has funk our youth in endlefs fleep,. 
 And made the widow'd virgin weep. 
 Now let him feel thy wonted charms ; 
 Oh take him to thy twining arms ! 
 And* whJc thy bofom heaves on his fc 
 While deep he prints the humid kifs, 
 Ah then ! his fiormy heart contiouj. 
 And fi?h thvfelf into his foul.
 
 \
 
 erunoa.
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 TRAGEDY. 
 
 F 6
 
 T O H E R 
 
 ROYAL HIGHNESS 
 
 THE 
 
 * 
 
 Princefs of Wales. 
 
 I Humbly beg leave to put this Tra- 
 gedy under the Protection of Your 
 Royal Highnefs; and hope You t 
 will condefcend to accept of it, as a Tef- 
 
 timooy
 
 DEDICATION. 
 
 timony of the moft unfeigned and zeal- 
 ous Rcfpeft, due no lefs to Your Ami- 
 able Virtues, than to Your High Rani:, 
 from, 
 
 MADAM, 
 
 ROYAL HIGHNESS** 
 
 Mojl Dutiful and w<- 
 
 Obedient Humble Servant., 
 
 JAMES THOMSON.
 
 PROLOGUE. 
 
 By the Author of EURYDICE. 
 Spoken by Mr. >uin. 
 
 WHE N this decifve night, at length, appears, 
 The night of every author's hopes and fears j 
 Wha t Jhift 3 to brili e applaufe, poor poets try ? 
 In all the forms of ' ivit they court and lye : 
 Ihefe meanly beg it, as an alms j and Thpfe t 
 By boaftful blujler dazzle and impofe. 
 
 Nor poorly fearful, nor fecurely vain 
 Ours would, by honejl ways, that grace obtain, 
 Would, as a free-born wit, be fairly try'd : 
 And then let truth and candour, fair, decide: 
 Hi courts no friend, 'who blindly comes topra'-fe j 
 He dieads no foe but 'whom bufittt!tt may ra>fe. 
 
 Indulge a generous priJz, that bids him cwn t 
 He e, imi to pkafe, by noble means, alone ; 
 By what may <win the judgment, wake the heart? 
 Inf firing nature, and directing ait ; 
 y fcenes, fo wrought, fa raised, as may command 
 Applavfe, more from the head, than from the hand. 
 
 Important is the moral <we ivauld teach : 
 (Oh m iy- this Ifland praftije what we preach ! ) 
 Vice in its fir ft approach with care to Jhun ; 
 The wretch who once engages, is undone. 
 Crimes lead to greater crur.es, and link fo Jlr eight) 
 What firft was accident, at loft- is fate: 
 Guilt's baplefsferwant finks into ajlana; 
 And --virtue's lajlfadftrugglsrigs cannot Jave. 
 
 " As fuch our fair attempt, we hope to fee 
 " Our judges, here at hajf, -from injlmnct frte \ 
 " One place, unbiafSd yet by party-rage,'^' 
 " Where only honour votes, the Britifh _/?*. 
 ** We ajk for juftice, for indulgence fue : 
 ** Our loft beji licence mujl proceed 'from.yaiu 
 
 Th
 
 The Perfons reprefented. 
 
 Agatr.emnon, 
 
 
 Mr. %ai. 
 
 Egijlhus, 
 
 
 Mr. Miltvarel* 
 
 Melifander, 
 
 K 
 
 Mr. Cibbtr. 
 
 Areas, 
 
 Dy 
 
 Mr. Wright. 
 
 Ortfiet, 
 
 
 Mr. Green. 
 
 Talibybius Herald % 
 
 
 Mr. Havarct. 
 
 Officers, &C. 
 
 Cljtemnejlra, 
 
 CaJ/andra t 
 
 Ete<3ra, 
 
 Attendant of Clytemneftra t 
 
 Trojan Captives, yV. 
 
 !Mrs. Porter. 
 Mrs. Cibbtr. 
 Mifs 2?r*/f. 
 Mrs, Furnivaf. 
 
 SCENE, 
 The Palace of Agamemnon, in
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 A C T I. S C E N E I. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTR A fitting in a difconfolate pojlur.4, 
 and her ATTENDANT. 
 
 ATTENDANT. 
 
 OClytemneflra ! O my royal miHrsfs ! 
 Can then no comfort (both your woes awhile? 
 E'er fince that flaming fignal of fackt Troy t 
 That fignal fix'd and promis'd by the king, 
 Was feen fome nights ago, nor food has pafs'd 
 Your loathing lips, nor deep has blefs'd your eyes. 
 Or if perhaps a tranfient {lumber hufh'd 
 Yourfighs a moment, and reitrain'd your tears ;
 
 H4 AGAMEMNO N. 
 
 Sudden, you, ftarting wildly, would exclaim 
 Of Guilt, Egiflbus, Troy and dgamemnin. 
 Sure, 'tis too much, my queen. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 Away ! away ! 
 
 Since my loft ftate admits of no relief, 
 To that fad comfort of the wretched leave me. 
 To yield me to my forrows. 
 
 ATTENDANT. 
 
 Hear me, madam. 
 
 Once the dear burden of thefe aged arms ! 
 J^ly tender care from life's firft opening bud ! 
 My joy ! my glory ! hear your faithful fervant, 
 And, let me add, your friend. In reafon's eye, 
 That never judges on a paitial view, 
 Far lefs than your misfortune is your guilt. 
 Your guilt Forgive me, 'tis too harm a word, 
 For what deferves compafiion more than blame. 
 I know the treacherous ways by which you funki 
 From pleafing peace, to thefe unhappy fears, 
 This anxious tumult. 
 
 CLVTEMNESTRA, 
 
 Hide me from the view \ 
 All comfort is in vain. Away ! 
 ATTENDANT. 
 
 Allow me, 
 To plead your injur'd caufe agairft your felf. 
 
 When Agamemmn led the Greeks to Trey, 
 And left you, madam, for the pomp of war; 
 
 Left
 
 AGAMEMNON. 115 
 
 Left you the pride of Greece in full-blown beauty, 
 The kindeft mother, and the fondeft wife ; 
 If Fame fays true, for Try an captives left you 
 But that apart. How did he leave you, fay ? 
 Affiicled, out-rag'd, as a queen and mother ; 
 Betray'd to Aulis with your firlt-born Hope, 
 The blooming Jpbigenia, under feint 
 Of her immediate marriage to Achilles ; 
 And there no fooner at the wind-bound fleet 
 Arrived, but you beheld her fpotlefs blood 
 Stream on the fully'd altar of Diana, 
 The price of winds, of a dear-purchas'd gale, 
 To bear them on to Troy. Thus pierc'd with grief, 
 Then fir'd by turns to rage, almoft to vengeance, 
 At an ambitious cruel haughty hufband ; 
 While all your pafiions were together mix'd, 
 And ready for a change; was you not left 
 In a fubmrffive foothing lover's power, 
 Ordain'd your partner in the fovereign rule, 
 O'er Argos and Mycente, but to you 
 As pliant ftill as Agamemnon ftately ? 
 
 CLYTEMNESTR A, rijtng. 
 Alas ! too true ! You touch the fource of woe. 
 Why did you leave me, barbarous dgamemnon ? 
 Why leave me weeping o'er a murder'd daughter ? 
 Why helplefs leave me to a troubled miad f 
 Ah ! why yourfelf betray me to a lover ? 
 What arts Egijlhus us'd too well I know ; 
 All that can foftly fteaj, or gayly charm, 
 
 The
 
 .u6 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 The heart of woman Hence, dear fad ideas ! 
 
 Deflroyers hence ! And dare you tempt me flill, 
 
 Perfidious Sirens ! in that very moment 
 
 When your falfe charms have wreckt my peace for ever ? 
 
 Oh, nature ! wherefore, nature, are we form'd 
 
 One contradiction ? the continual fport 
 
 Of fighting powers ? Oh ! wherefore haft thou fown 
 
 Such war within us, fuch unequal conflict, 
 
 Between flow reafon and impetuous paflion ? 
 
 PaiTion refidlefs hurries us away, 
 
 Ere lingering reafon to our aid can come, 
 
 And to upbraid us then it only ferves. 
 
 Tormentor, ceafe I 
 
 ATTENDANT. 
 
 You wrong yourfelf too much. 
 Think, madam, how for years you baffled love: 
 Nor could Egijlhus, tho' he touch'd your heart, 
 Tho' many a midnight tear, and fecret figh, 
 To me, and me alone, difclos'd the pangs, 
 That cim'd your fading cheek ; yet could he not, 
 With all his arts, his love, fubmifilon, charms, 
 Overcome the ftruggling purpofe of your foul ; 
 Till Mehfander, to a defart ifle, 
 He bajiilh'd from your ear. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 Ah, MtUfanderf 
 
 Given to the beads a prey, or wilder famine ; 
 Ah, perifti'd friend ! ferene directing light, 
 By Agamemnon left to guide my counfels ; 
 Whom every fcience, every mufe adorn'd, 
 
 While
 
 A G A M E M N O NT. 117 
 
 While the good honeft heart enrich'd them all ; 
 Oh hadft thou ftill remain'd, then I, this day. 
 Had been as glorious as I now am wretched ! 
 There breathes a felt divinity in virtue, 
 In candid unailumino; generous virtue, 
 Whofe very filence fpeaks ; and which infpires, 
 Without proud formal ieflbns a difdain 
 Of mean injurious vice. But loft with him, 
 With Meli fonder, reafon, honour, pride, 
 Truth, found advice, my better genius fled ; 
 I friendlefs, flatter'd, importun'd and charm'd 
 Was left alone with all-feducing love ; 
 Love to the future blind, each fober thought, 
 Each confequence defpifing, {corning all, 
 But what its own enchanting dreams fuggeih 
 What could I do ? Away ! felf-flattering guilt \ 
 I mould have thought, when honour once is fully 'd, 
 Not weeping mercy's tears can warn it clean ; 
 And that one blot on mine diffus'd a ftain 
 O'er the proud honour of a wedded king, 
 And o'er my children's, my poor blamelefs children's ! 
 Whofe cheeks will kindle at their mother's name : 
 I mould have thought Would I could think no more ! 
 To think is torture ! 
 
 ATTENDANT. 
 
 What avails it, madam 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 Melifander ! If the dead could hear, 
 
 1 would invoke thy friendly influence now, 
 
 Would
 
 1 1 8 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 Would wifh thee prefent in this hour of trouble. 
 Perhaps there is in wifdom, gentle wifdom, 
 That knows our frailtie ; , therefore can fcrgive, 
 Some healing comfort for a guilty mind, 
 Some power to charm it into peace again, 
 And bid it fmile anew with right affections. 
 No ! fruirlefs wiih ! It cannot, cannot be ! 
 Ezijikus who may henceforth give me laws, 
 Dread of tlifcovery, that worft tyrant, fhame, 
 And my ownconfcious blotted heart forbid it, 
 Forbid retreat 
 
 ATTENDANT. 
 
 Madam, behold the man, 
 Who, then upon the watch, obferv'd the llgnal 
 Of conquer'd Troy, and now attends your orders 
 To give a full account of what he faw. 
 
 SCENE II. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA, for ATTENDANTS, and the 
 MAN ivko cbferv'd the fignal, 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 Are you then fare that you beheld this fignal ? 
 Or was it not fome vifion of the brain, 
 That painted, while you flept, your waking wifh ? 
 Or elfe perhaps fome meteor of the night ?
 
 AGAMEMNON. n 
 
 MAN. 
 
 .Madam, Troy doubtlefs lies one heap of ruins ; 
 I faw the fignal of its fate diftin&ly. 
 The night was dark and ftill. A heavier gloom 
 Ne'er covei'd earth. In low'ring clouds, the ftara 
 Were muffled deep ; and not one ray, below, 
 O'er all My cents glimmer'd, or around it. 
 When ftrait, at fartheft eaft, a ruddy light 
 Sprung up, and, wide-encreafmg, roll'd along ; 
 By turns diminiih'd, and by turns renew'd, 
 A wave of fire : at laft, it flam'd, confef,'d, 
 From ifle to ifle, and beachy point to point : 
 Till the lafl blaze at Nauplia ended, plain. 
 A glorious fight ! and as a Greek rejoic'd me. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 How fits the wind ? 
 
 MAN. 
 
 It blows from Troy, direft 5 
 A bold and fleady gale. 
 
 CLYTEMN ESTR A. 
 
 'Tis well. Retire. 
 Your care and faithful pains mail be rewarded. 
 
 SCENE III. 
 CLYTEMNESTRA, her ATTENDANT. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 He comes ! he comes ! the haplefs vi&or comes ! 
 Even now his trophy'd veflel ftreaks the main, 
 
 And
 
 '120 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 And ploughs the billows with triumphant prow ; 
 Or, by glad crowds receiv'd, perhaps, he hails 
 His native (hore, and prefles on to fhame. 
 Ev'n now with glory charg'd, with conqueft gay, 
 Crbwn'd with the laurels of ten famous years, 
 He dreams to join them to thepeaceful olive ; 
 And after rugged toils and perilous war, 
 Soft to repofe him on the myrtle bed 
 Of calm domeftic blifs. How vain the hopes ! 
 How fliort the profpeft of believing man .' 
 I dare not look before me, dare not paint 
 The rifmg ftorm. 
 
 ATTENDANT. 
 Behold Egijlbus, Madam. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 Leave me. 
 
 SCENE IV. 
 CLYTEMNESTRA, EGISTHUS. 
 
 ECISTHUS, after fan: e Jilence. 
 
 And is it thus, O Clyfemneflra, 
 Thus that, in hours of danger, lovers meet ? 
 
 (pavfmg. 
 
 Still coldly Tilent, ftill the look averted, 
 Where not one foftnefs glows ? While anger, fear, 
 Difguft and fick repentance, fhifting, cloud 
 your vary'd cheek. 'Tis plain you never lov'd. 
 
 1 CLY-
 
 AGAMEMNON. 121 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 Oh that I never had ! 
 
 EGISTHUS. 
 
 You never did. 
 The very power to wifti it proves you did not* 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 He ne'er deferv'd my love, who dares fufpeft it. 
 
 EGISTHU?. 
 Not to fufpeft it weaknefs were and folly. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 Nor only doubt ; believe your doubts. 
 EGISTHUS. 
 
 I do. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 You do ! 
 
 EGISTHUS. 
 Nay more, am of their truth afiur'd. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 'Tis bafe, ungrateful, an ungenerous infult, 
 To tell me this. Urge not too far, Egijibus, 
 Urge not too far my guilt-dejeded fpirit. 
 Tho' you have trampl'd on my haughty virtue, 
 That noble pride of foul, which knows no fear, 
 And bears no infult ; yet to you, at leaft, 
 To you of all mankind, I will be bold, 
 As I had never err'd, will be a queen, 
 The blood of Jove, be Clytemneflra Hill. 
 
 EGISTHUS. 
 
 Be temperate, madam : I have told you nothing, 
 VOL. HI. G But
 
 122 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 But that I am not worthy of your love. 
 
 CLYTEMN-ESTR A. 
 
 Curfe on that pride ! which, with affefted brow, 
 Humility conceals. And am I then fo vile, 
 So loll to reafon, honour, common honour ; 
 As without love, that all-compelling fury, 
 Without debafmg, thoughtlefs, blind blind love; 
 To bow me from the height of happy life, 
 To this low fearful ftate of coward fhame ? 
 Mittake me not I would not wafte one word, 
 One parting word, affronted thus to fave you 
 From jealoufy's worft rage ; did not, alas ! 
 A kind of mournful juftice to my felf 
 Tear from rr.y fwelling heart the mean confeflion. 
 How art thou fallen ! to what diftionour fallen ! 
 Unhappy Clytemnejlra. f 
 
 EGISTHUS. 
 
 Harm conftruftion ! 
 And yet thefe frowns delight, that anger charms me. 
 
 O more than lovely ! O majeilic fair-one ! 
 Since you then knew the jealous force of love, 
 Forgive its tender fears, its fond offence ; 
 Offence I could not mean. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 Ill-fated foe ! 
 Who mull forgive. 
 
 EGISTHUS. 
 
 Nay rather caft me from you, 
 Than thus upbraid me with fo forc'd a pardon. 
 
 O
 
 AGAMEMNON. 123 
 
 O Clytemnejlra ! where are now thofe looks, 
 Thofe looks of fmiling heaven, of radiant fweetnefs, 
 That wak'd our morn of love ? Within whcfe fphere. 
 No evil durft approach, no fadnefs dwell ; 
 While the charm'd gazer knew nor fear nor danger ? 
 And fet they then at lafl in gloomy quarrels ? 
 Let us not quarrel. Why fhould lovers quarrel ? 
 Life is for that too fhort, too precious time ; 
 Thefe moments chiefly, thefe impetuous moments, 
 That to the brink of ruin feem to roll 
 Our mingled fate. Even now - 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 'Tis true ! 'Tis true \ 
 Alas ! methinks, in every hollow blaft, 
 That makes this palace, Agamemnon comes. 
 Yes, yes, Egiftbus, ftill a proof remains, 
 A matchlefs proof of love, I mean to give you. 
 Glad will I throw this regal pomp afide, 
 And, inftant, with you leek fome distant country, 
 Some gloomy Tbradan dale, where piny He/nut 
 May wrap us in impenetrable (hade : 
 There, there, the coarfeft life, fed by hard toif, 
 Will be luxurious eafe to what I feel, 
 To this big pang that labours at my heart, 
 And fires my mingling paffions into anguim. 
 Quick ! let us fly, Egiftbus, fly this moment \ 
 The next may felze as, bind us down to mame, 
 Deteikd fhame I 
 
 G Z EGISTHV3,
 
 124 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 EGISTHUS. 
 
 What ! Cljtemneftra ! fly ! 
 That is indeed the road direft to fliame, 
 To infamy for ever. He who flies, 
 In war or peace, who his great purpofe yields* 
 He is the only villain of this world : 
 But he who labours firm and gains his point, 
 Be what it will, which crowns him with fuccefs, 
 He is the fon of fortune and of fame, 
 By thofe admir'd, thofe fpecious villains moft, 
 That elfe had bellow'd out reproach againft him. 
 
 Befides your hufband, your vain-glorious hufband, 
 Proud Agamemnon, who ten years has warr'd 
 At 'Troy, to fcourge your filter Hti'eu's rape, 
 Dream you that he would not purfue our flight, 
 Tho 1 we took fhelter in Cimmerian {hades, 
 And drag us back, the fcorn of hiffing Greece, 
 To then deferv'd, to true, unpity'd fhame. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 Excufe my weaker heart. But how, Egijlhus, 
 How (hall I bear an injur'd hufband's eye ? 
 The fierceft foe wears not a look fo dreadful, 
 As does the man we wrong. 
 
 EG ;STHV 
 
 Madam, your fears 
 
 Caft a falfe glare upon your troubled reafon, 
 That blinds it quite.- 1 - An injur'd hufband he ! 
 He wrong'd ! No, Clytemneftra never, never, 
 Can never wrong her tyrant Agamemnon, 
 
 Tyrant
 
 AGAMEMNON. 125 
 
 Tyrant of cemmon Greece ; can never wr.ong 
 
 The man who leaves her ten regardlefs years, 
 
 For the vain honours of a fooliih war ; 
 
 Nay, who confum'd thofe years, if fame fpeaks true, 
 
 In nothing lefs than war ; inftead of war, 
 
 In Shameful fquabbles with his nobler friends, 
 
 .About their captive females, training cut 
 
 An amorous revel rather than a war, 
 
 Far from his country, family and queen. 
 
 And can you wrong this falfe-one ? Think of dulls. 
 
 How bafely to that port you was betray'd, 
 
 And what dire nuptials waited there your daughter. 
 
 Think with what price he bought his cruel trophies. 
 
 Behold thefirft-born bloflbm of your youth, 
 
 Your Ipbigenia, her mild eyes dejefted, 
 
 Her cheek o'ercafl with fear, her bofom ba're, 
 
 An helplefs, harmlefs, uncomplaining victim, 
 
 Stab'd by the murderous Calcbas j whilft her father, 
 
 Her unrelenting father, to protect 
 
 The facrifice, ftands by. Behold, /he bleeds, 
 
 Pours the rich dream fhe drew from that fair bofom, 
 
 Falls like a drooping flower untimely cut ; 
 
 And all to purchafe for her fire's impatience, 
 
 From fome fell demon that bely'd Diana, 
 
 A rifmg gale. The gale begins to blow, 
 
 The pendants flutter ; when away he goes, 
 
 Gayly he goes ; and leaves a wretched mother, 
 
 To weep her murder'd child. If yet one ipark 
 
 Of wonted fpirit burns in Clytemneftra y 
 
 G 3 If
 
 126 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 If {he ftill lives to juftice and to nature ; 
 Thefe, thefeare wrongs, that call aloud for vengeance; 
 And there are hands that boldly Hart not, madam- 
 That will with pride avenge you. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 Ha! what hands? 
 
 What vengeance, fay ? Touch not fo wild a firing ; 
 It wakes new difcord in my jarring fou4. 
 To the juftgods, not us, pertaineth vengeance. 
 I cannot, will not, e'erconfent to Gods ! 
 Where roves my tongue ? You did not mention that, 
 You did not mean it fure O fpare, E^i/thus, 
 In pity fpare my laft remains of virtue ! 
 Oh make me not beyond recovery vile ! 
 A horror to myfelf ! Ho\v wretched they, 
 Who feel, yet cannot fave, their dying virtue ! 
 
 (A Jhout beard, 
 
 What means this tranfport of the madning people ? 
 Oh my prefaging heart .'Save me ! Again ! 
 Ah ! little think they how their joy diftra&s me ! 
 
 EGISTHUS. 
 Seme move this way Refume your temper, madam. 
 
 SCENE
 
 AGAMEMNON. 127 
 
 SCENE V. 
 
 To CLYTEMNESTRA an OFFICER belonging to 
 the court. 
 
 OFFICER. 
 
 Madam, the king is near, from Nauf>l, : a comes ; 
 But fuch rejoicing crouds around him throng, 
 As makes his journey flow. Juft now arriv'd . 
 Taltbyliu: brings the news, and craves admittance. 
 
 CLVTEMNEJTRA. 
 Conduft him hither, 
 
 SCENE VI. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA, alon&. 
 
 Oh too faithful fignal ! 
 Now mull I take another ftep in vice. 
 Down, ftubborn heart ! and learn difiimulation : 
 Yes, learn to fmile, tho' forrow wrap thee round;- 
 Learn to be friends with bafenefs. See ! how gay 
 This herald ftrides along ! Miftaken man 1 
 
 04 SCENE
 
 128 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 SCENE VII. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA, TALTHYBIUS, witbfome 
 Grecian 'Joldiers that attend him. 
 
 CtYtEM NE5TRA. 
 
 Welcome, Talthybius ; welcome, ye brave Greeks. 
 How fares the king ? 
 
 TA LTHYE i u s. 
 Madam, the king is well ; 
 
 Health, happinefs, and glory, jcin to crown him. 
 His heart, impatient to confer with yours, 
 Sends me before him with its warmeft wifhes, 
 Its warmeft gratulations. Tell, he faid, 
 " Go tell my C/jtemneftra, that the thoughts 
 " Of meeting her awake a dearer joy 
 " Than conqueil ever gave : even tedious feems 
 *' My people's love, that lofes me a moment. 
 
 This crown which circled once the royal brows 
 Of H(cuba t of Priam* lofty queen, 
 He prays you to accept. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 There fet it down. 
 
 I own, Talthyliu:, the foft moifture fills 
 My womanifh eyes, while on the fudden turns 
 Of fate I think, on fortune's fad reveries. 
 Oft when blind mortals think themfelves fecure, 
 In height of blifs, they touch the brink of ruin. 
 Eut fure your voyage has been wondrous quick, 
 Isot three full days. Js all the fleet returned ? 
 
 TAL-
 
 AGAMEMNON. 129 
 
 TALTHYBIUS. 
 
 No, madam ; none, except this fingle {hip, 
 Which bore the king : the reft are fcatter'd wide. 
 When to the joyous breeze we fpread our fails, 
 And left that bay, where Simois and Scamander 
 Mix with the rapid Htllefpent ; while Troy, 
 Or what was Troy, yet wreathing fmoak to heaven, 
 And Ida's woody top, receding, funk 
 Beneath the trembling main, the fky was fair ; 
 And, wing'd our courfe with (lender airs, we fail'd, 
 Till ftrait, as evening fell, the fluttering gale, 
 Encreafing gradual, from the red north-eaft, 
 Blew iliffand fierce. At laft the tempeft howPd. 
 Next morning, nought but angry feas and fkies 
 Appear'd, conflicting, round. Mean time, right on, 
 Our ftrong-ribb'd veffel drove before the blaft, 
 That, falling fomewhat ofF its fury, gave us 
 A quick aufpicious voyage. Safe, we pafs'd 
 The Cycladifies, that, o'er the troubled deep, 
 Seem'd then to float amidft the mingling florin. 
 Only at one, with much ado, we touch'd, 
 Nor without rifque. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 And why ? 
 TALTHYBIUS. 
 
 Madam, compelPd 
 
 By facred pity. On the foaming beach, 
 A miferable figure beck'ning flood, 
 Horrid and wild, with famine worn away. 
 
 G 5 His
 
 130 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 His plaintive voice, half by the murmuring furge 
 Abforpt, juft reach'd our ears. In Greek he call'd, 
 And ftrong adjur'd us by the gentle gods, 
 That make the wretched their peculiar care, 
 To bear him thence, from favage folitude, 
 Into the chearful haunts of men again. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 What r Of condition look'd he ? 
 TALTHYBIUS. 
 
 So he feem'd ; 
 
 Tho' dim'd by helplefs folitary life. 
 The king regards him much Forgive me, madam; 
 I fee the rueful image but difturbs 
 Your generous foul. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 I thank you, good Tahbjbiut ; 
 And from the king himfelf will learn the reft. 
 This ring, on which a viftory is carv'd 
 With curious art, befits the news you bring : 
 1 am your debtor ftill ; and, foldiers, yours. 
 
 Y.utt of (be Firjl 
 
 ACT
 
 A G A M E M N O N > 
 
 A' C T II. SCENE I, . 
 
 CLYTEM^ESTRA, ATTENDANT; 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA,- 
 
 ARriv'd fo foon ! I am not half prepared : 
 My features all are funk with confcious fhame j : 
 My eyes are yet too tender to duTemble. 
 
 ATTENDANT. 
 
 Madam, be firm. Wipe off thefe gloomy tears, 
 In which too plain is read your troubled foul. 
 Juft now the trumpet fpoke the king's approach. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 'Tis come, atlaft, the trying hour is come ? 
 Oh that my heart were hard, and features falfe I- 
 Again thefe trumpets fwell 
 
 ATTENDANT. 
 
 A moment, madam, 
 A moment will betray you. 
 
 CLYTEMN T ESTRA. 
 
 Open, eaith, 
 
 And fwallow up my fhame ! What can 1 do ? 
 Where look.J what fay ? confufion ! torture ! 
 
 G 6 ATTEK-
 
 132 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 ATTENDANT. 
 
 Madam 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 Ah, coward that I am ! Was there no dagger, 
 To fave this ten-fold death ? 
 
 ATTENDANT. 
 
 Hark ! loud and near, 
 The triumph, comes. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 Well. give me breath- 
 (Endeavouring to compofe her agitation, 
 AGAMEMNON, behind the Scenes. 
 A moment, 
 Leave me, my friends. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 Ha ! heard you not his voice ? 
 Yes, yes, 'tis he ! Go, bring my children hither : 
 They may relieve me. 
 
 ATTENDANT. 
 
 O remember! 
 CLYTEMTNESTRA. 
 
 Heavens ! 
 
 SCENE
 
 AGAMEMNON. 133 
 
 SCENE II. 
 AGAMEMNON, CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 AGAMEMNON, 
 
 Where is my life ! my love ! my Clytemneflra ! 
 O let me prefs thee to my fluttering foul, 
 That is on wing to mix itfelf with thine ! 
 O thou, for whom I live, for whom I conquer, 
 Than glory brighter ! O my "Clytemnejlra ! 
 Now, in this dear embrace, I lofe the toils 
 Of ten years war ; abfence, with all its pains, 
 Is by this charming moment wip'd away. 
 All-bounteous gods ! Sure, never was a heart 
 So full, fo bleft as mine. (Difcovering her difgrder. 
 
 But whence, my faireft ! 
 
 What mean thefe tears ? Not tears of happy love, 
 Such as I med. What means that clouded look, 
 Whofe downcaft fweetnefs will not fhine upon me ? 
 Why this cold meeting ? Why unkindly damp'd 
 My ardor thus ? Oh fpeak, my Clytenateftra ! 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 Forgive me, dgamemnon ; but I cannot, 
 Alas ! I cannot fee your face again, 
 Without reflecting where I faw you lad. 
 Aulii is prefent to my eyes anew, 
 The (hips, the chiefs, the guards, the bloody Calcba?, 
 All the dire pomp of facrifice around : 
 
 i Anevy
 
 A G A M E M N O Ni, 
 
 Anew my daughter bleeds, bafely deceiv'd ! 
 And when I fee that awful brow, thatdoom'd her, 
 Can Agamemnon wonder at my tears ! 
 
 ACAMEMNOW. 
 
 Why will my Clytemneflra add new flings 
 To what here rankles but too deep already ? 
 Ah ! why impute to me the work of fate ? 
 *Tis not indulging private inclination, 
 The felfifli paflions, that faftains the world, 
 And lends its rulers grace ; no, 'tis not thence 
 That glory fprings, and high immortal deeds : 
 The public good, the good of others, ftill 
 Muft bear fond nature down, in him who dares 
 Afpire to worthy- rule ; imperious honour 
 Sdll o'er the mofl diftingwifti'd lords it molt. 
 Was it for me? Let even your paSons judge . 
 For Agamemnon was it, when ordain'd, 
 By common voice, the general of the Greeks ; 
 While twenty kings beneath my banner march'd; 
 And while around me full-aflembled Greece., 
 Indignant,, kindled at your fiber's rape, 
 On her old native foe demanding vengeance, 
 On faithlefs Afia : Was it then for me, 
 To quench this glorious flame ? And to refufe 
 One life to thoufands, to thofc generous thoufaads, 
 That for my honour, for the dearer honour 
 Of Clytemnejiru" s family, ftoodall 
 Prepar'd to die ? If to the mingled voice. 
 Of honour, duty, glory, public good, 
 
 Of
 
 AGAMEMNON. 135 
 
 Of the commanding gods, I had been deaf; 
 
 And, in the feeble father, poorly funk 
 
 The Greek, the chief, the patriot and the king, 
 
 Greater than king, the general of the Greeks ; 
 
 Then you yourfelf, my Clytemneftra's felf, 
 
 Mufl (let her heart avow the truth) have fcorn'd md 
 
 Nor think it was an eafy refignation. 
 
 Oh Cytemneflra! Had you feen within, 
 
 What here within my tortur'd bofom pafs'd ; 
 
 To that my battles fince were only fport. 
 
 No, not the kindeft mother, bath'd in tears, 
 
 As o'er her agonizing babe fhe hangs, 
 
 Feels what I fuffer'd then You may remember . 
 
 Again the father melts me at the thought 
 
 You may remember how I hid my face ;. 
 
 Alham'd to let the Greek} around behold 
 
 The tears, that mifbecame their general's cheek. 
 
 Then ceafe to blame what rather merits pity, 
 
 I might add praife. He, who the father's heart 
 
 More tender has than mine, too tender has it* 
 
 I love my children, as a father mould j 
 
 Befides, I love them from a fofter caufe, 
 
 I love my Clytemnejtra. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 Had, alas! -.1 
 
 Had dgdmemnon lov'd me, would he, nay, 
 Could he have left me in the rage of grief, 
 My daughter yet frelh. bleeding in my fight? 
 
 3 left
 
 136 A G A M E M N O N. 
 
 Left me fo long ? love furely moil .have found, 
 In the wide round of ten revolving years, 
 Some way to fee me, to prevent thefe forrows - 
 "Why was I thus abandoned, Agamemmn? 
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 Let nae-kifi ofl? thefe tears. O beauteous tears f 
 If fhed by doubting love, if fhed for abfence. 
 Inftead of thefe reproaches, afk me rather, 
 How I that abfence bore : and here ail words, 
 All eloquence is dumb, to fpeak the pangs, 
 That lurk'd beneath the rugged brow of war. 
 When glaring day was clos'd, and hufh'd the camp, 
 Oh ! then, amid ten thoufand other cares, 
 Thofe ftung the keeneft that remember 1 d thee, 
 That on my long-left Clytertaieftra thought, 
 On what wild feas and mountains lay between us. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 Unhappy man ! 
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 What fays my Cljtemnejlra ? 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 Unhappy mortals ! by vain words deceiv'd, 
 To their own pride, to joylefs honour flaves. 
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 He, he, alone, can claim a right to blifs, 
 Who has fulfill'd the painful taik of honour. 
 
 CLYTBMNtSTRA. 
 
 But what avails a right to vanuVd blifs ? 
 
 AGA- 
 
 P
 
 AGAMEMNON. 137 
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 Let me once more adjure thee, Clylemneftra, 
 By every tender name of love adjure thee, 
 To lofe in kind oblivion thefe our paft 
 I would not call them quarrels Ah ! there was, 
 There was a time I will indulge the thought 
 When everlaiting tranfport tun'd oar fou!i : 
 When join'd to vernal life, the fpring of love 
 Around us gayly blow'd ! and heaven and earth, 
 All fmiling nature look'd delighted on. 
 Yet, would my Clytemnefii-a lend her aid, 
 I know a paflion-flill more deeply charming 
 Than fever'd youth e'er felt ; and that is love, 
 By long experience mellow'd into friendship. 
 Hew far beyond that froward child of fancy ! 
 With beauty pleas'd a while, anon difgufled, 
 Seeking fome other toy j how far more noble 
 Is this bright offspring of unchanging reafon, 
 That fonder grows with age and charms for ever ! 
 
 It is not often, Clytemnefira, thus, 
 That I fubmit to double my in-treaties ; 
 But, oh deftroy not the collected hopes 
 Of life and love ! Oh make not conqueit hateful ! 
 I ihall abhor it, if it cod me thee, 
 Coil me thy love. A daughter was too much, 
 And ten years abfence from my Clytemneftra. 
 Add not to thefe a lofs J cannot bear, 
 The lofs of thee, thou lovelieft of thy fex ! 
 And once the kindeft ! 
 
 CLY-
 
 138 AGAMEMNON, 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 Oh! 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 Turn not away ; 
 
 There is relenting goodnefs in thy look. 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 Alas ! untimely fondnefs Agamemnon f 
 
 Too generous Agamemnon ! you diftrefs me. 
 Would you were not fo kind, fo tender, now. ! 
 Or ne'er had been fo cruel ! 
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 *Tis unjuft 
 
 To call me cruel. Fate, the Gods, our fortune 
 Were cruel to us both What could I more 
 To footh our parting woes, and eafe my abfence ? 
 I left you Meli/aw/er to advife you, 
 Left you the wifeft, faithfulleft and beft 
 Oh whifpering nature ! Are not thefe my children ? 
 
 SCENE III. 
 
 AGAMEMNON, CLYTEMNESTRA, ELECTRA, 
 ORESTES. 
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 My daughter ! my Elefira ! 
 
 ELECTR/U 
 
 O. my father!
 
 A G A M E M N O N. " 139 
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 Come to my arms, my boy ! my dear Oreftes ! 
 In whom I live anew, my younger felf ! 
 And thou, Ekfira ; in thy opening cheek 
 J mark thy mother's bloom : even fo me look'd, 
 Such the mild light with which her beauty dawn'd. 
 Oh thou foft image of my Clytemneftra ! 
 My other Ipbigenia ! 
 
 ELECTRA. 
 Oh my father ! 
 
 My joy! my pride! my glory ! whom, in dreams, 
 J oft have feen, as if return'd from Troy, 
 But ftill unwelcome morning, with a tear, 
 Wip'd out the dear illufion of the night. 
 And is it then no more a faithlefs vifion ? 
 Oh 'tis my father ! whole departure hence, 
 And Ipbigenid's death I juft remember. 
 How glorious, Ipbigenia, was thy death ! 
 A death I envy rather than lament. 
 Who would not die to gain immortal fame, 
 Deliver Greece, and crown a father's glory ? 
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 Come to my arms again, my generous daughter ! 
 And thou my fon ! O that thy tender .years 
 Had fuffer'd thee to mare our toils at Troy ! 
 'Tis war that forms the prince : 'tis hardfhip, toil J 
 'Tis fleeplefs nights, and never-refting days ; 
 *Tis pain, 'tis danger, 'tis affronted death ; 
 Tis equal fate for all, and changing fortune ; 
 
 That
 
 I 4 o A G A M E M N O N 7 . 
 
 That rear the mind to glory, that infpire 
 The nobleft virtues and the gentleil manners/ 
 Where fhall I find, to teach thee thefe, Qrrfti-, 
 Another Trey ? 
 
 ORESTES. 
 How happy had I been ! 
 
 r r / 
 
 To have beheld what I mult only hear I 
 
 But I will hear it often, every day ; 
 
 Will learn your ftory, ftudy your example; 
 
 Will try to mix your virtues with your blood, 
 
 And not diigrace the laurels I inherit. 
 
 My bofom flutters with I know not what 
 
 Forgive me, Sir, I am too young to fay it 
 
 But fomethmg here I feel, which bids me hope 
 
 That 1 mail not betray my father's honour. 
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 Son of my foul f Look here, my Cljtemntfira / 
 
 Look here, and weep vviih tendernefs and tranfport 1 
 What is all taflelefs luxury to .this r 
 To thefe beil joys, which holy love.beftows ? 
 O nature ! parent nature ! thou, alone, 
 Art the true judge of what can make us happy ! 
 E;.ter an officer belonging to the court. 
 
 OFFICER. 
 Exults, Sir, attends. 
 
 AGAMEMNO.V. 
 
 Go, bid him enter. 
 
 Retire, my Clytemneftra, my dear children : 
 We foon mall meet again, 'till then farewel. 
 
 'SCENE
 
 A G A M E M N ON. 141 
 
 SCENE IV. 
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 Obey me, features, for one fupple moment : 
 You (hall not .long be tortur'd. Here, in courts, 
 We muft not wear the foldier's honeft face. 
 He little thinks I have him in the fnare 
 Of MeHfander, whom, in my return, 
 I from that defart ifland chanc'd to fave, 
 To which the ruffian 
 
 SCENE V. 
 
 AGAMEMNON, EGISTHUS. 
 
 EGISTHUS. 
 
 Health to Agamemnon ! 
 And happinefs refponfive to his glory ! 
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 Coufin, I greet you well. 
 
 EGISTHUS. 
 
 Forgive me, Sir. 
 
 You have furpriz'd us with this quick return : 
 .For by that fignal, whofe iliuftrious flame 
 Rejoic'd all Greece, we did not hope your prefence 
 Thefe three days hence. Forgive, that, unprepar'd, 
 We only with that joy, that loyal tranfport, 
 Which fwell each Grecian bofom, thus receive you. 
 
 And
 
 i 4 2 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 And truly fuch a burft I have not feen 
 
 Of that beft triumph. City, country, all, 
 
 Is in a gay triumphant tempeft toft. 
 
 I fcarce could prefs along The trumpet's voice 
 
 Is loft in loud repeated fhouts that raife 
 
 Your name to heaven. Ten thoufand eyes, below, 
 
 Ake to behold the conqueror of Troy. 
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 The nobleft praife that can falute my ear, 
 The fweeteft mufic, is my people's joy. 
 But fure your tongue has done it ample juftice j 
 Truft me, you blazon a defcription well. 
 I have not heard fo much obliging fpeech 
 Thefe many years. 
 
 EGISTHUS. 
 
 Mifconftrue not my zeal : 
 On the full heart obedient language waits. 
 I feel fo deep your glory, Agamemnon, 
 As mingles with my joy a fort of paffion, 
 That almoft touches envy. O ye gods ! 
 Has, while I liv'd, a war, the moil renown'd 
 Which any age e'er faw, or (hall again 
 Be feen ; a war, whofe never-dying fame 
 Will cover earth, and reach remoteft time, 
 Has fuch a war adorn'd my days, and I 
 Not fhar'd its glory ? Pining here, unknown, 
 In namelefs peace how have I loft my life ! 
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 This ardor is the mode. But know, Egi/thut, 
 
 That
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 That ruling a free people well in peace, 
 
 Without or yielding or ufurping power ; 
 
 Maintaining firm the honour of the laws, 
 
 Yet fometimes foftening their too rigid doom, 
 
 As mercy may require ; fleering the ftate, 
 
 Thro' factious ilorms, or the more dangerous calms 
 
 Of peace, by long continuance grown corrupt ; 
 
 Be/ides the fair career which fortune opens 
 
 To the mild glories of protected arts, 
 
 To bounty, to beneficence, to deeds 
 
 That give the gods themfelves their brigh tell beams ; 
 
 Yes, know, that thefe are, in true glory equal, 
 
 If not fuperior, to deluding conqueft : 
 
 Nor lefs demand they conduft, courage, care, 
 
 And perfevering toil. 
 
 ECISTHUS. 
 
 Say thanklefs toil, 
 
 Harm and unpleafmg ; that inftead of praife 
 And due reward, meets oftner fcorn, reproach, 
 Fierce oppofition to the cleareft meafures ; 
 Injuftice, banifhment, or death itfelf: 
 Such is the nature of malignant man. 
 Not fo the vidlor's meed : him ail approve, 
 Him all admire. 
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 Yet tho' a toilfome tafk, 
 Tho' an ungrateful labour oft to rule ; 
 I not fo hardly of mankind, giftbit!, 
 Prefume to judge. Truth, wifdom, courage, juftice, 
 
 Bmfi*
 
 I 4 4 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 Beneficence, and for the public good 
 A conftant tenor of well-laid defigns, 
 Muft flill be .awful in the worft of times, 
 Be amiable, dear ; while worth, at laft 
 Will light up worth, and virtue kindle virtue. 
 You was however eas'd of half the toil, 
 By him I left to counfel Clytemneftra, 
 By Melifander. 
 
 EGISTHUS. 
 
 Would to heaven I had ! 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 You much amaze me. Is not Melifander 
 
 Wife, juft and faithful ? 
 
 EGISTHUS; 
 
 Sir, I muft confefs 
 
 He wore a fpecious mafk 
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 Beware, Egiftbusi 
 
 I know his ftedfaft worth, and will not bear 
 The fartheft hint that ftains the man I love. 
 
 EGISTHUS. 
 
 Then urg'd by truth and in my own defence, 
 I boldly will aflert him, Agamemnon, 
 To be more apt to trouble and embroil, 
 Than ferve a date. A certain ftnbborn virtue, 
 I would fay affectation of blunt virtue, 
 Beneath whofe outfide froth, fermenting lay 
 Pride, envy, faction, turbulence of foul, 
 And democratic views, infomefort made him 
 
 A fecret
 
 AGAMEMNON. 145 
 
 A fecret traitor, equally unfit 
 Or to obey or rule. But that I check'd 
 His early treafonJ, here at your return, 
 You might have found your kingdom a republic. 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 I (hall lofe all patience ! (Afidc. 
 
 You do well, 
 
 To give your accufation open fpeech. 
 Meantime, remember you muft fully prove it, 
 You muft ! And he who Metifander proves 
 The wretch you have defcrib'd, proves man is vain, 
 And faps the broad foundations of all truft. 
 
 1 know he would not patiently look on, 
 And fuffer ill defigns to gather ftrength, 
 Awaiting gentle feafons ; yes, I know, 
 He had a troublefome old-fafhion'd way 
 Of mocking courtly ears with horrid truth. 
 He was no civil ruffian : none of thofe, 
 
 Who lye with twifted looks, betray with fhrugs 
 I wax too warm But he was none of thofe, 
 Is none of thole duft-licking, reptile, clofe, 
 Jnfmuating, fpeckled, fmooth court-ferpents, 
 That make it fo unfafe, chiefly for kings, 
 To walk this weedy world Pardon my heat 
 I wander from the purpofe You Egifthus, 
 Muft prove your charge, to Melif under* s face 
 
 Muft prove it. 
 
 EGISTHUS. 
 
 Surely Since the princely faith 
 Of your own blood you doubt 
 VOL. HI. H
 
 I 4 6 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 Friendfhip and truth 
 Are more a-kin to me than blood. 
 EGISTHUS. 
 
 You fhall, 
 You (hall have proof; but to his face you cannot. 
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 But to his face I will ! I cannot ! why ? 
 
 EGISTHUS. 
 
 He wanders far from hence, I know not where, 
 For when I found him an undoubted traitor, 
 Tho' he the heavieft punifliment deferv'd ; 
 Yet in regard to that efteem, which, once, 
 You deign'd to bear him, banifhment alone 
 Wasallldidinflia. 
 
 ACAMEMNON. 
 
 I thank you, fir 
 
 O you are wondrous good ! But tell me, how, 
 How durft you meddle in the fphere affign'd 
 To Clytemnejira ? He was left to her ; 
 To be her counfellor I left my friend, 
 Left Melifander ; left a man, whom long, 
 Whom well I knew ; perhaps, to check you, left him : 
 And you pretend, you ! But I will be calm 
 Thefe paffions in a king to his inferiors, 
 Who cannot anfwer equal, are not comely. 
 Forgive my tranfport A more quiet hour 
 Shall fift this matter to the bottom, fhall 
 Do Melijandtr or Egijihus juftice. 
 
 SCENE
 
 AGAMEMNON. 147 
 SCENE VI. 
 
 EGISTHUS. 
 
 Now go thy way, weak open- hearted man, 
 Thus to declare the ruin thou intendeft. 
 Go, rate thy Trojan flaves ; and elfewhere pradlife 
 This infolence of camps. Tame, as I feem, 
 Submiffive, mild, and patient of thy threats ; 
 Yet, ere tc- morrow's fun beholds Mycente, 
 My fure-aim'd blow (hall pierce thy fwelling heart, 
 And cool this tyrant fever in thy veins. 
 Were not our blood, our kindred blood at variance, 
 And therefore burning with immortal hate ; 
 Had not thy father Atreus, at a banquet, 
 A dreadful banquet ! from whofe fight the fun 
 Turn'd back eclips'd, ferv'd Monftrous ! up to mine, 
 To his own brother, to the pale Thyeftes, 
 His murder'd fons : didft thou not wear a crown 
 Then by thy father ravifh'd from our line, 
 Mycenae's crown, which he unjuftly feiz'd, 
 And added to his own, to that of Argos : 
 Had I not ftain'd thy bed with Clytemnejlra : 
 Tho 1 fafety did not urge, and felf-defence : 
 Yet this vile treatment, treatment fit for flaves ; 
 Thanks to thy fury ! this has fix'd thy doom. 
 Some foolifh fcruples, that ftill hung about me, 
 Are by this friendly tempeft blown away. 
 
 But Clytemnejlra comes. How mail I calm 
 Her troubled mind ? How bring her to my purpofe ? 
 Hz SCENE
 
 148 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 SCENE VII. 
 CLYTEMNESTRA, EGISTHUS. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 Here let me kneel, Egiftbus, grafp thy knees ; 
 Here let me grow till my requeft be granted. 
 Now is the very crifis of my fate. 
 EGISTHUS. 
 
 What fight is this I fee ? Rife, Clytemntjlra ! 
 Thou faireft, moft majeftic of thy fex ! 
 It mifbecomes thee much this fuppliant pofture. 
 there is nothing, nothing, fure, which you 
 Need ftoop to alk ! fpeak, and command it, madam. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 Then let us henceforth be, as if this love 
 Had never been betwixt us. 
 
 EGISTHUS. 
 
 Ceafe to love thee ! 
 
 What wild demand ! Impoflible ! Even now, 
 Endear'd by danger, by diftrefs endear'd, 
 I for thee feel a fonder pang, than e'er 
 I felt before. 
 
 CLYTEMKESTRA. 
 No ! thefe deluding words 
 Can charm no longer ; their enchantment flies ; 
 And in my breaft the guilty paflions jar 
 
 Unkind,
 
 AGAMEMNON. 149 
 
 Unkind, unjoyous, unharmonious all. 
 
 Ah me ! from real happinefs we ftray, 
 
 By vice bewilder'd ; vice, which always leads, 
 
 However fair at firft, to wilds of woe. 
 
 EG ISTHUS. 
 
 Ah! Cljtemnejlra* didft thou love 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 No more ! 
 
 Seduce my foul no more ! Here will I flop 
 Beyond this line 'tis mifery, 'tis madnefs, 
 The furies flam their torches, vultures tear, 
 The mingled tortures of the damn'd await me. 
 Oh ! if your paflion be not merely felfifh, 
 Jf the leaft tendernefs for me you feel, 
 Drive me no farther down the gulph of woe ! 
 To happinefs I bid a laft farewell ; 
 I afk not happinefs : no, that I leave 
 To innocence and virtue; peace, alone, 
 Some poor remains of peace is all I aflc, - 
 Not to be greatly wretched, plung'd in horrors! 
 And yet, who knows, the heavenly fpark, that fleeps 
 Beneath thefe embers, yet may fpread anew 
 Its chearful luftre All may yet be well- 
 For Agamemnon was fo kind, fo gentle, 
 With fuch a holy tender flame he burn'd, 
 As might have kindled in a barbarous breail 
 Humanity and virtue. 
 
 EGISTHUS. 
 
 All pretence. 
 H 3 I guefs
 
 150 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 I guefs his aim f I penetrate his purpofe. 
 
 On you hfe lavifh'd fondnefs, while on me 
 
 He lovvr'd deftruftion. Doubtlefs, with his ear, 
 
 Some villain has been bufy ; and he means 
 
 Firft to divide us, then with greater eafe, 
 
 To ruin both Andean you then be caught, 
 
 Caught with the common prottituted fpeeches, 
 
 That oft have ficken'd on the glowing lip 
 
 Of many a Trojan flave ? Cbr\fiu had them ; 
 
 Brifeis too : and now CaJJan -ra t {he, 
 
 Who, more like a triumphant queen than captive, 
 
 Is every hour expe&ed 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 What Catfandra ? 
 
 EGISTHUS. 
 
 O it imports you little whnt CnJJandra ! 
 Thus poorly tame you ne'er will want Caftan drat, 
 What is become of Clytemw/ira's fpirit, 
 That fhe can thus forget her high defcent, 
 Forget her rank, her honour, nay forget 
 Her injuries ? 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 But what Cajjandra, fay ? 
 
 EGISTHUS. 
 
 Why Priam's, daughter, the prophetic princefs, 
 The proud, the young, the beautiful Caffandra : 
 So vain of heart, flie dreamt Apollo lov'd her, 
 And, on her plighted faith to crown his love, 
 Beftow'd the gift of prophecy ; the gift 
 
 In
 
 AGAMEMNON. 151 
 
 In herpoiTeflion, fhe deceiv'd the god ; 
 
 Vv'hence he, provok'd, with this condition dafh'd it, 
 
 Of never gaining credit. So the tale, 
 
 The fable runs Yet, on my foul, I think, 
 
 Did (lie give out, fhe will be queen of Argos, 
 
 She were indeed a prophetefs. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTR A. 
 
 'Tis well. 
 
 You mean it fcr an infult this, you do. 
 What elfe could tempt you to deride me, fir, 
 With fuch extravagance ! 
 
 ECISTHUS. 
 
 Miftake me not, 
 
 I mean it, madam, for a ferious truth, 
 I mean it for a certainty, if thus 
 You droop, unnerv'd with thefe dejedling fcsrs, 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 Cajfandra queen of Arg os ! 
 
 EG ISTHUS. 
 
 Yes, of Argos ; 
 
 While Clytemnefra in a prifon pines ; 
 Where fhe may weep, and moralize at leifure. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 By heavens ! fhe vifits firft her father's made. 
 
 ECISTHUS. 
 
 There fhone your native felf. Let bright revenge, 
 I fhould fay juftice, diffipate thefe clouds, 
 Thefe melancholy whims of ill-judg'd virtue, 
 And fhew you burning with your former luflre. 
 
 H 4 Madam,
 
 152 AGAMEMN.O N. 
 
 Madam, our fates are blended : know, we (land 
 Or fall together. Shame, contempt, and ruin, 
 Or fafety, love, and glory, is our choice. 
 And can we doubt a moment ? 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA: 
 
 But Egifthuf 
 EGISTHUS. 
 
 I know the purpofe of thy pleading eye. 
 Of that hereafter We (hall meet again- 
 My prefence now is wanted in the city. 
 Fear nothing Thou malt know before we aft, 
 Thou, for whofe fake alone I aft and live ! 
 
 7ht End of the Secoxtt 
 
 ACT
 
 AGAMEMNON. 153 
 
 ACT III. SCENE I. 
 
 ARCAS, MELISAN T DER. 
 
 ARCAS. 
 
 AN D hare I found my long-loft friend again ? 
 My Melifandtr ! But fo chang'd your look, 
 So fickly'd with a kind of thoughtful fadnefs, 
 So funk each feature, by feven drooping years 
 Spent in that defart ifle, as baffled quite 
 My vvandring recollection. 
 
 MELISANDER. 
 
 True, dear Areas : 
 
 For what a helplefs creature, by hirnfelf, 
 Is the proud lord of this inferior world, 
 Vain feeble man ! the commoners of nature, 
 Each wing that flits along the fpacious fky, 
 Is lefs dependant than their boaft.ng malter. 
 Hail fociai life ! into thy pleating bounds 
 Again I come, to pay the common (lock 
 My mare of fervice ; and, in glad return, 
 To tafte thy comforts, thy protected joys. 
 
 H 5 ARCAS.
 
 154 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 ARCAS. 
 
 greatly welcome ! you deferve them well, 
 You well deferve the focial life you polifh. 
 
 Still on my thought ycur ftrange delivery dwells. 
 
 By dgamemnon left to aid the queen, 
 
 With faithful counfel, while he warrM at Troy ; 
 
 And thus by Agamemnon to be fav'd, 
 
 Returning from that conqueft ! wondrous chance ! 
 
 Or rather wondrous conducl of the gods ! 
 
 By mortals, from their blindnefs, chance mifnam'd. 
 
 Mean time, inflruft me, while the king repofes, 
 
 How was you fnatch'd away ? and how, fo Icng, 
 
 Could you this dreadful folitude fupport ? 
 
 1 burn to know the whole. 
 
 MELISANDER. 
 
 'Tis thus, my friend. 
 While funk in unfufpefting fleep I lay, 
 Some midnight ruffians rufh'd into my chamber, 
 Sent by Egi/tktts, who my prefence deem'd 
 Cbflrnftive (fo I foive it) to his views ; 
 Black views I fear, as you perhaps may know. 
 Sudden they feiz'd, and muffled up in darknefs, 
 Strait bore me to the fea, whofe inftant prey 
 I did conclude myfelf, when firft, around 
 The fnip unmoor'd, I heard the chiding wave. 
 But thefe fell tools of cruel power, it feems, 
 Had orders in a defart ifle to leave me ; 
 There hopelefs, helplefs, comfortlefs, to prove 
 The utmoft gall and bitternefs of death. 
 
 Thus
 
 AGAMEMNON. 155 
 
 Thus malice often overftioots itfelf, 
 
 And fome unguarded accident betrays 
 
 The man of blood. Next night a dreary night I 
 
 Caft on the vvildeft of the Cydadijles, 
 
 Where never human foot had mark'd the more, 
 
 Thefe ruffians left me Yet believe me, Arcas t 
 
 Such is the rooted love we bear mankind, 
 
 All ruffians as they were, I never heard 
 
 A found fo difmal as their parting oars. 
 
 Then horrid filence follow'd, broke alone 
 
 By the low murmurs of the refllels deep, 
 
 Mixt with the doubtful breeze, that now and then 
 
 Sigh'd thro' the mournful woods. Beneath a made 
 
 I fat me down, more heavily opprefs'd, 
 
 More defolate' at heart, than e'er I felt 
 
 Before. When Philomela, o'er my head, 
 
 Began to tune her melancholy ilrain, 
 
 As piteous of my woes ; till, by degrees, 
 
 Compofing deep on wounded nature fhed 
 
 A kind but fhort relief. At early morn, 
 
 Wak'd by the chaunt of birds, I look'd around 
 
 For ufual objects : Obje&s found I none, 
 
 Except before me ilretch'd the toiling main, 
 
 And rocks and woods, in favage view, behind. 
 
 Wrapt for a moment in amaz'd confufion, 
 
 My thought turn'd giddy round ; when, all at (Mice,, 
 
 To memory full my dire condition rufh'd. 
 
 ARCAS. 
 But of each comfort, each convenience void. 
 
 H 6 Ho*
 
 156 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 How could you life fuftain ? how fence againfl 
 Inclement Ikies ? 
 
 MELISANDER. 
 
 A mofly cave, that fac'd 
 The fouthern fea, and in whofe deep recefs 
 Boil'd up a cryftal fountain, was my home. 
 Herbs were my food, thofe hie/Ted flores of health ! 
 Only when winter, from my daily fearch, 
 Withdrew iny verdant meal, I was oblig'd 
 Jn faithlefs fnares to feize, which truly griev'd me, 
 My fylvan friends ; that ne'er till then had known, 
 And therefore dreaded lefs the tyrant man. 
 
 But thefe low hanlfhips fcarce deferve regard : 
 The pangs, that fharpert flung, were in my mind ; 
 There defolation reign'd ; and there, cutoff 
 From focial life, I felt a conflant death. 
 And yet thefe pangs at laft forgot to throb : 
 V/hat cannot lenient gentle time perform ? 
 I eat my lonely meal without a tear; 
 Nor figh'd to fee the dreadful night defcend. 
 In my own brcaft, a world within my felf, 
 In ftreams, in groves, in funny hill and made; 
 In all that blooms with vegetable life, 
 Or joys with kindred animal fenfation ; 
 In the full-peopled round of azure heaven ; 
 Whene'er I, ftudious, look'd, I found companions. 
 But, chief, the mufes lent their foftning aid. 
 At their enchanting voice my forrows fled, 
 Or learn'd to pleafe ; while, thro' my troubled heart, 
 
 They
 
 AGAMEMNON. 157 
 
 They breath'd the foul of harmony anew. 
 
 Thus of the great community of nature 
 
 A denizen I liv'd ; and oft, in hymns, 
 
 And rapturous thought, even with the gods convcrs'd, 
 
 That not difdain fometimes the walks of man. 
 
 So pafs'd the time, when, lo ! within my call, 
 Arriv'd the fhip, which hope had often promis'd 
 The fhip ! O it furpafs'd my fondeft dream, 
 E'er to imagine the gay fhip that came ! 
 As on the deck I dgamemnin faw, 
 All glorious with the fpoils of conquer'd Troy ; 
 Ye gods ! what tranfport, what amazement feiz'd me ! 
 What adoration of your wondrous ways ! 
 Expreffion finks beneath them. 
 ARCAS. 
 
 Sweet reward 
 
 Of manly patience ! that, to fortune ftill 
 Superior, fcorns defpair. 
 
 ME L i s A N D E R . 
 
 This theme, my friend, 
 Will better fuit a leifure hour; but now 
 The high concerns of life demand our care. 
 
 I have already to the king imparted 
 Sufpicions of Egiftbus, and remain 
 In this difguife, not to alarm his guilt, 
 Till it more full appear, and proper fteps 
 To punifh his mifgovcrament be taken. 
 If he has ill defign?, you, drcas, you 
 Muft, while you feenVd regarulefs, have difcern'd them. 
 
 Your
 
 158 A G A M E M N O N. 
 
 Your calm but keen infpeftioh, not difturb'd 
 By the vain flutter of ill-tim'd difcourfe, 
 Muft reach the very bottom of his purpofe. 
 In you the king confides, of you demands, 
 As of his belt-lov'd fubjecl in Mycenee, 
 The truth. 
 
 ARCAS. 
 
 O, I have precious truths in ftore f 
 And that beft treafure will unlock before him. 
 Xong has my filent obfervation tracM 
 Egifibus, thro' the doubling maze of treafon ; 
 But now his ill defigns are too too plain, 
 To all Mycenee plain ; and who, indeed, 
 Who can have good ones that corrupts a people ? 
 
 It was, however, hard, a bitter talk I 
 To wink at public villainy ; to wipe 
 Each honeft pafiion from my livid face, 
 To bind my hands, and feal my quivering lips, 
 While my heart burn'd with rage, and treafur'd up 
 A ilorm of indignation 
 
 MELISANDER. 
 
 Give it way ! 
 
 O 'tis a glorious luxury ! Oppreft, 
 For years, beneath a load of wicked power, 
 To heave it off indignant, and aflert 
 The dear dear freedom of a virtuous mind. 
 Curfe on the coward or perfidious tongue, 
 That dares not, even to kings, avow the truth I 
 Let traitors wrap them in delufive incenfe,
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 On flattery flattery heap, on falfhood falfhood : 
 
 Truth is the living liberal breath of heaven ; 
 
 That fweeps thefe fogs away, with all their vermin. 
 
 And, on my foul, I think that Agamemnon 
 
 Deferves fome touch of blame. To put the power, 
 
 The power of bleffing or opprefiing millions, 
 
 Of doing or great good or equal mifchief, 
 
 Even into doubtful hands, is worfe than carelefs, 
 
 Ye gods, avert the miferies that hence 
 
 On him and on his family may fall ! 
 
 But, fee, the king. 
 
 SCENE II. 
 AGAMEMNON, MELISANDER, ARCAS. 
 
 ^^ AGAMEMNON. 
 
 Nay, Areas to my bofom, (Areas kneeling.) 
 Come, let me proudly take a faithful heart ! 
 
 ARCAS. 
 
 Thrice welcome, Sir, to Argot and Mycente ! 
 To virtue welcome ! 
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 In my own dominions 
 I am a ftranger, Areas. Ten full years, 
 Or even one day, is abfence for a king, 
 Without fome mighty reafon, much too long. 
 For me a juft and memorable war, 
 Whofe actions future times perhaps may fmg, 
 
 My
 
 160 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 My own, my brother's, and my people's honour, 
 With that of common Greece, muft plead my pardon. 
 Now fhall my cares attend the works of peace : 
 Calm deeds that glare not on the vulgar eye ; 
 And yet it equal courage oft demands, 
 To quell injuflice, riot, factious rage, 
 Dark-working blind cabal and bold diforder, 
 As to confront the rigid face of war. 
 Then tell me, Areas, for, till felf-inform'd, 
 I mean to fee with your difcerning eyes, 
 And fure I am they never will millead me, 
 Have I much fubjeft for this peaceful courage ? 
 This fortitude of ftate ? 
 
 ARCAS. 
 
 Too much, my lord. 
 
 Would to the gods, our virtues, here at home, 
 Could anfwer your heroic deeds abroad ! 
 You, doubtlefs, from the rugged fchool of war, 
 Have brought found manly hearts, and generous fpl 
 While we, alas! we rot in weedy peace, 
 In flothful riot, luxury, profufion, 
 And every meannefs to repair that wafle 
 I fee the noble blood, indignant, mount, 
 At this relation, to my fovereign's cheek : 
 But as affairs now prefs, I were a traitor, 
 If with a fparing tongue I fpoke the truth. 
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 Immortal gods ! have I, this ten long years, 
 Suftain'd a war at Troy ; fill'd every day 
 
 With
 
 AGAMEMNON. 161 
 
 With cares inceflant, councils, dangers, toils, 
 To cherifh villains in licentious eafe ? 
 Have I thus fquander'd vile, on Phrygian plains, 
 ' The braveft blood of Greece to {belter fuch ; 
 And to affert their honour who have none ? 
 But what can this perfidious, this Eyjibus, 
 What can he, fay, by fuch loofe rule propofe ? 
 Is it his native bent ? Or does he pufh 
 Some dark defign, by thefe detefted means ? 
 
 ARCAS. 
 
 There is no vice a ftranger to his heart, 
 Concealed beneath refin'd diffimulation ; 
 Diflimulation, that on you yourfelf 
 Impos'd. Meantime, fir, his outrageous views 
 Invade the throne of Argci and Mjcen<e. 
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 Saidvou the throne of Argos and Mjcena ? 
 J^^ly have I loft my nobleft throne, 
 If he has robb'd me of my people's virtue ; 
 'Tis but vain pomp, a tyrant's toy, the other. 
 And dares he bear a giddy look fo high, 
 As to my throne ? The villain! fure he dares not. 
 
 ARCAS. 
 
 Nay, more, my lord He fcales the dazzling height, 
 And almoft grafps with impious hands your fceptre. 
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 *To touch it is perdition ! What ! Egijlhus ! 
 Egifthus feize my throne ! 
 
 ARCAS.
 
 162 A G A M E M N O N. 
 
 ARC AS. 
 So means the traitor. 
 
 Ac AMEMNON. 
 
 That creature of my power ! thatinfecl! rais'd 
 By the warm beams ofmy miftaken bounty ! 
 Whom, when my father's vengeance raz'd his race, 
 I fav'd, train'd up, with favour?, honours hcap'd ; 
 And trufted in his hands at laft a jewel, 
 Too precious for the faithlefs heart of man 
 
 grofs grofs blindnefs ! Half my kingly power ! 
 Ay, there breaks out his father's treacherous blood ! 
 
 There, there, too late, I find the bafe Tbyf/lti ! 
 Forgive me, Atreut ! Oh my roytl father ! 
 Forgive my trufting thus the feed of him, 
 Of *n abhorr'd, an execrable brother, 
 Who even profan'd thy bed But, ere yon orb 
 Shall from the purpled ocean rife again, 
 Oh injur'd Atrcus ! by thy facred (hade 
 
 1 fwear, to make for this a full atonement. 
 
 Is then this people, Areas, grown fo vile, 
 So very vile, that he dares entertain 
 The fmalleft hope to rival me in empire 1 
 I like not vaunting But, ungrateful people ! 
 Can you prefer a namelefs thing to me 1 
 Am I not rough with fears on your account 1 
 And for the careful love I always bore you, 
 Your fathej nam'd r And yet prefer to me, 
 One who ne'er faw the glorious front of war, 
 For nothing famous but corrupting peace, 
 
 And
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 And whofe fole merit was my ill-judg'd favour ? 
 Can you? away ! Diftionour ftains the thought ! 
 How fhould this be ? 
 
 ARCAS. 
 
 Not many, fir, ftand fix'd 
 On the deep principles of realbn'd virtue, 
 Whom time nor fteals, nor paflion bears away. 
 Mankind, in general, float along the ftream 
 Of cuftom, good or bad ; and oft the mind 
 To that familiar grows, by gradual ufe 
 And ftill-encroaching vice, whofe firft regard 
 Gave horror. Hence ten loofely-govern'd years 
 Have wrought fuch ftrange events, that you no more 
 Behold your antient Argoi and Mjftn*. 
 Thefe cities now with flaves and villains fwarmv 
 At firft Ejfthus, popular and fair, 
 All fmiles and foftnefs, as if each man's friend, 
 By hidden ways proceeded, mining virtue: 
 He pride, he pomp, he luxury diffus'd ; 
 He taught them wants, beyond their private means : 
 And ftrait, in bounty's pleafing chains involv'd, 
 They grew his flaves. Who cannot live on little, 
 Or as his various fortune fhall permit, 
 Stands in the market ready to be fold. 
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 O damn'd detefted traffic ! But proceed. 
 
 ARCAS. 4 
 
 While the luxurious fever thus increas'd, 
 Still, in proportion as it gather'd rage, 
 
 He
 
 164 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 lie lent it fewel ; and, more bold, difclos'd 
 His noon-day treafon. Murmurs went about, 
 And fpread at laft into the common talk, 
 That you was proud, fevere, beneath the notion 
 Of holding firm the helm of ftate, a tyrant; 
 That in vain wars, which nought imported them, 
 You fpent their treafure, fhed their nobleft blood ; 
 And that, 'Troy conquer'd once, to her rich plains 
 You meant from Argos to tranfplant your empire. 
 
 Mean time, in private, all, whom wild debauch 
 Has fet adrift from every human tie ; 
 Whom riot, want, and confcious guilt inflame, 
 Holding the gods and virtue in contempt, 
 Amidft their bowls ; fuch are his bofom-friencb : 
 And join'd to them, a meaner ruffian band, 
 Of villains bold in crimes, whofe trade is murder, 
 Hang in black clouds around him ; whence, I fear, 
 A fudden tempefl is prepar'd to burft. 
 
 This, fir, from duty and a faithful zeal, 
 I plain unfold : nor on my word, alone, 
 Believe thefe accufationsj clear as day, 
 I for them will produce the ftrongeft proof. 
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 I thank thee, Areas. Truth, tho' fometimes clad 
 In painful luftre, yet is always welcome, 
 Dear as the light that fhews the lurking rock : 
 'Tis the fair ftar that, ne'er into the main 
 Defcending, leads us fafe thro' ftormy life 
 Gods ! how it tears me from each calmer thought ! 
 
 To
 
 A G-A M E M N O N. 165 
 
 To think this traitor, that this double traitor, 
 This traitor to myfelf and to my people, 
 Should by fuch fneaking, fuch unmanly ways, 
 Thus filch away my crown ! 
 Why ftand I chafing here ? One timely deed 
 Is worth ten thoufand words Come then, my friends, 
 Come and behold me feize amidft his guards, 
 His coward guards Guilt ever was a coward- 
 This rival-king, and with him crown my triumph. 
 Till then Troy fmoaks in vain, and Agamemnon 
 Cannot be faid to conquer. 
 
 MELISANDER. 
 
 Sir, beware 
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 Of what beware ? Where am I, Melifander ? 
 Ami not in Mycen<e ? in my palace ? 
 Are not thefe crouds, that ftream along the ftreets, 
 My fubjefts all ? Of what fhould I beware ? 
 Not feize a traitor in my own dominions ? 
 Yes I will feize him, Mdijander t will ! 
 
 MELISANDER. 
 
 What grace to kings fuch generous ardour gives ! 
 But tho' brave deeds be warm at firfl conceiv'd, 
 Let the beft purpofe cool, nor mifs your blow. 
 More firm and fure the hand of courage ftrikes, 
 When it obeys the watchful eye of caution. 
 You hear from Arcas y fir, what ruffian bands, 
 What fecret deaths, what daggers lurk around him : 
 Be cautious then ; for virtue's, glory's fake ? 
 
 And,
 
 i66 A G A M E M N O N. 
 
 And, when you ftrike, ftrike home. 
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 O for thofe Greeks ! 
 
 That this rude day are toffing on the ieas ; 
 Thofe hardy Greeks, whom ten years war has fteel'd ; 
 With toils, with dangers, and with death familiar : 
 Then fhould you fee what chaff before the wind 
 Are thefe weak fbns of foft enfeebling peace, 
 Thefe wretches, only bold where unrefifted. 
 
 MELISANDER. 
 
 But fince, my lord, you cannot now exert 
 This nobler force, let prudence take its place. 
 Have patience, only, till you fafely can, 
 And furely, feize him. 
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 Well, till then I will. 
 
 And, tho' not made of patient mold, in this 
 I will have patience, will, fome tedious hours, 
 Reprefs my vengeance (faufing) 
 
 Yes, I like the thought- 
 He may be fciz'd this evening at the banquet, 
 Be there furprizM with eafe and mall ! 
 For by th* eternal gods that rule mankind ! 
 The fleep of death alone (hall feize thefe eyes, 
 While fuch a wretch holds power in my dominions. 
 
 Oh Clytemneftra ! to the public, now, 
 Succeeds the private pang At thought of thee, 
 New rage, new vengeance (hake my inmoft foul ! 
 Was my belov'd, my queen, my Cljtetnneftra, 
 
 So
 
 AGAMEMNON. 16; 
 
 So long abandon'd in a villain's power, 
 Who knows, it feems, no limits, owns no laws, 
 Save thofe one vice impofes on another ? 
 And now the fecret caufe, I fear, is plain, 
 Of that unufual damp, that ftrange dejeftion, 
 Which clouded her at meeting. Still the more 
 I pour'd my fondnefs, ftill the more diftrefs'd 
 She feem'd ; and, turning from my tender gaze, 
 The copious mower ftole down her troubled cheek 5 
 As if me pity'd thofe my blind endearments, 
 And in her breaft fome horrid fecret fwell'd 
 Should it be fo Confufion ! Can I ftoop 
 Even to fuppofe it ! How from flight miftakes 
 Great evils fpring ! But the moft fruitful fourcc 
 Of every evil O that I, in thunder, 
 Could found it o'er the liftning earth to kings 
 Js delegating power to wicked hands. 
 
 MELISANBER. 
 
 My lord, let no fufpicions of the queen 
 E'er taint your bofom : if I judge aright 
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 No, MeUfander> no ; I am not jealous ; 
 In me that paffion and contempt were one j 
 No, 'tis her fituation gives me horror, 
 Her dreadful fituation \ But of this 
 Enough Then tell me, Arcos, tell me truly j 
 Are there a few, fay, do there yet remain 
 A faithful few ! to fave the finking ftate ? 
 Can you, ere night, colled an honed band,
 
 i68 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 A band of fuch as worthy are to refcue 
 Their king and country from impending fate ? 
 Ah ! little thought I, that amidft my fubjefts, 
 Embofom'd fweet in peace, I, like a tyrant, 
 Should e'er have needed guards. 
 AR.CAS. 
 
 Yes, fir, I know 
 
 A band of generous youths, whom native virtue, 
 Unbroken yet by avarice or profufion, 
 Fits for our purpofe : Thefe I can collect 
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 About it quickly, Areas ; lofe no time : 
 Go, bring me to the banquet thofe brave youths : 
 I long for their acquaintance. Till that hour, 
 Domeflic cares and joys demand my prefence : 
 The father's heart now bears me to my children. 
 Farewell ! My all depends upon your conduit. 
 
 Ikt End of tbt Third Al. 
 
 ACT
 
 AGAMEMNON. 169 
 
 ACT IV. SCENE I. 
 
 AGAMEMNON, MELISANDER. 
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 DOmeftic pleafures fpread their charms in vain 
 O for the hour of vengeance ! I, till then, 
 But flalk about, the fhadow of a king. 
 Heard you from Areas aught ? 
 
 MELISANDER. 
 
 Be patient, fir. 
 
 As yet the time permits not his return. 
 jfrcas is zealous, ardent in your fervice, 
 And will not fail his duty. 
 
 Enter an officer belonging to the court. 
 OFFICER. 
 
 Sir, Caflandra 
 Is jufl arriv'd. 
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 Conduct the princefs hither. 
 This Priam % faireft daughter, MelifanJer, 
 Is a young princefs of engaging beauty, 
 Rais'd by diilrefs, of noble fenfe and fpirit; 
 VOL. III. I But,
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 But, by poetic vifions led aftray, 
 She dreamt dpollo lov'd her, and the gift 
 Of prophecy beftow'd, to gain her promife : 
 The gift once her's, the chaftly-faithlefs maid 
 Deceiv'd the god ; who therefore, in revenge, 
 Since he could not recall it, inade it ufelefs, 
 For ever doom'd to meet with difregard. 
 E'er-fince the lovely vifionary raves 
 With dignity ; foretels the fate of nations ; 
 And, judging of the future from the paft, 
 Has oft been wondrous happy in her guefles. 
 Some ftrange, fome recent inftances of this, 
 Confirm her in her venerable madnefs. 
 
 MELISANDER. 
 
 Be not too ram in judging, Agamemnon ; 
 For we, blind mortals, but a little know 
 Of boundlefs nature Hark! the princefs comes 
 I hear her voice, I hear the voice of forrow. 
 
 SCENE II. 
 
 AGAMEMNON, MELISANDER, CASSANDRA 
 attended by Trojan captives. 
 
 CASSANDRA, entering. 
 O hoftile roofs ! O Ilium, O my country ! 
 
 Ac A-
 
 AGAMEMNON. 171 
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 I cannot blame your grief, unhappy princefs ! 
 But, if it can relieve you, here be fure 
 Of an afylum, fafe as Priam's palace. 
 
 CASSANDRA. 
 
 O fweet abode ! O palace of my fathers ? 
 My bleeding heart melts while I think of thee , 
 Think of the days of innocence and joy, 
 That fhone upon me there. How chang'd art thou ! 
 Ah ! what a fcene, when I beheld thee laft ! 
 Rage,blood, and flames, and fhrieksof murder roundme! 
 The fword of Pyn bus, and a feeble father ! 
 Where was you HeSor then ? Where all his fons ? 
 O Priam Si numerous race I what are you now 
 Become ? Ah me ! the defolating gods 
 Have laid their hands, their iron hands, upon us, 
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 From paft misfortunes, princefs, turn your eye 
 
 CASSANDRA. 
 
 'Tis true, the future may full well fuffice. 
 Th' avenging fitters trace my footfteps ftill, 
 The hunters ftill purfue the trembling doe. 
 Where am I ? Gods ! Black heavy drops of blood 
 Run down the guilty walls With the dun (hades 
 Of night afcending, lo! fucceffive troops 
 Of Trojan ghoils are flocking to the banquet : 
 Permitted by th' infernal gods, they coine, 
 To feaft them with the horrors of this night, 
 To fnuff the blood of viftims Ha ! the car, 
 
 I * The
 
 172 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 The gay triumphal car, is turn'd, at once, 
 Into a mournful bier, that nods along, 
 Solemn and flow Yes, Troy {hall be aveng'd : 
 I fhall the vengeance fee ; and yet not fee 
 Thy light, returning Phoebus. 
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 Fair Caffandra, 
 
 Indulge no more thefe melancholy views, 
 Thefe vifions form'd by gloomy-minded grief. 
 We will each art, each tender art employ, 
 To footh your forrows, to reftore your peace. 
 You come not to the proud unfeeling race 
 Of yefterday : we know the turns of fortune ; 
 Have drunk the cup, the wholefome cup of fuffeiings, 
 That not inflames but moderates the mind. 
 Then fear not, princefs ; let me call you daughter 1 
 Your treatment mall be fuch as well becomes 
 The dignity of woe, becomes the great, 
 The fair unhappy. Nought Ihall touch your honour 
 I know, I feel your beauty : but here dwell 
 The gods of hofpitality and faith ; 
 The hymeneal powers are honour'd here. 
 Yes, I will fhield thee, equal with EltSra, 
 With my lov'd daughter in thy friend/hip blefl. 
 
 CASSANDRA. 
 
 In fpite of fwelling tears that choak the way, 
 Of bitter tears by big remembrance fhed, 
 I own thy goodncfs, thank thee, Agamemnon. 
 Mean time, in vain, are all thy generous cares, 
 
 On
 
 AGAMEMNON, 173 
 
 On my account. The gods of death will, foon. 
 Extend o'er me their all-protedfog wing. 
 I fliail net long, I mall not want proteftion : 
 But, who, devoted prince, will give it thee ? 
 Even while we talk the fecret wheels are turning, 
 That lift the vile, and lay the mighty low. 
 I pity thee, the houfe of P slops pity: 
 Forgive me, Troy : I pity thy deftroyers, 
 
 Enter an officer. 
 
 OFFICER. 
 A meflenger from Arcas> Sir 
 
 AGAMEMNON; 
 
 'Tis well. 
 To my apartment lead him -you mean while, 
 
 [To Meiifander. 
 
 Attend the princefs 5 grace her with fuch honours, 
 As fuits her to receive, and me to give. 
 
 SCENE HI. 
 CASSANDRA, CHORUS of Trojan Captives, ME- 
 
 LISANDER. 
 
 MELISANDER. 
 
 Fair princefs, Hop thefe tears. Exert that belt, 
 That nobleft virtue, which can mailer fortune, 
 An equal mind. 
 
 CASSANDRA. 
 Not for my felf I weep !-.- 
 
 I 3 But?
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 But, oh my dear companions .' How for you 
 My bofom yearns ! 
 
 CHORUS. 
 
 We have together Jiv'd ? 
 Together let us die ! 
 
 CASSANDRA. 
 
 Together liv'd ! 
 
 At this ten thoufand images awake, 
 Ten thoufand little tendernefles throb. 
 
 CHORUS. 
 
 O days of youth ! O carelefs days .' Untaught 
 To weep, if love fhed not the pleafing tear. 
 
 CASSANDRA. 
 
 O woods! O fountains ! O delightful meads! 
 That lent us flowers, the prime of blooming A%, 
 To deck our trefles, 
 
 CHORUS. 
 
 O the yellow banks 
 
 Of fair Stamancttr ! in whofe filver ftream 
 We us'd to bathe, beneath the fecret fhade. 
 
 CASSANDRA. 
 
 O chearfal Ma's airy fummits ! where 
 The gods delight to dwell. 
 
 CHORUS. 
 
 O filent Troy ! 
 Whofe flreets have often echo'd with our fong. 
 
 CASSANDRA. 
 
 O the loft labours of a ruin'd people ! 
 O country ! freedom ! friends ! relations ! All, 
 
 That
 
 AGAMEMNON. 175 
 
 That give? or tafte or dignity to life, 
 All, all is gone, beyond recovery gone I 
 
 CHORUS. 
 Then let us die ! 
 
 CASSANDRA. 
 For me, the hunted hart 
 More fervent pants not for the cooling ft'ream, 
 Than I to wrap me in the quiet ftiades 
 Of death. But, ah ! my helplefs friends, for you 
 I feel its keeneft anguifh. 
 
 CHORUS. 
 
 Not for us, 
 
 Feel not for us. What comfort have we left I 
 What hope, what wifh in life 1 One healing pang, 
 And then we weep no more. 
 
 CASSANDRA. 
 
 Refrefhing thought ! 
 
 And then from bondage, pain, from every ill, 
 For ever free, we meet our friends again j 
 Our parents, brothers, fillers, lovers meet. 
 
 CHORUS. 
 Then let us die ! and fudden be the blow ! 
 
 CASSANDRA. 
 
 The gods aflent. Behold the happy fhoref 
 But, ah ! there lies a flormy fea betwixt ! 
 
 MELISANDER. 
 So {ings the plaining nightingale her woes. 
 
 CASSANDRA. 
 Ah, far unlike the nightingale! She fings, 
 
 I 4 Unceafing,
 
 176 AGAMEMNON.- 
 
 Unceafing, thro' the balmy nights of May ; 
 She fings from love and joy, while we, alas ! 
 
 MELISANDER. 
 Behold thequeen. Deep-wrap'd in thought fhefeems.-* 
 
 CASSANDRA. 
 O direful mufings ! Lead us from her prefence. 
 
 SCENE IV. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 Sweet peace of mind ! whence pleafure borrows tafte, 
 Daughter of virtue ! whither art thou fled ? 
 To what calm cottage, to what blamelefs (hade, 
 Far from thefe guilty walk ? O walls! O race ! 
 To horrors doom'd ! Before me gathers faft 
 A deepning gloom, with unknown terrors big. 
 Not quite unknown. Gods ! what a dreadful hint 
 Flafh'd from Eyftkus, when I faw him laft ! 
 And to what defpc rate aftions cannot fafety, 
 Ambition, love and vengeance drive the foul .'--- 
 DiftradUon lies that way yet, how efcape ? 
 Shame urges on behind, unpitying fhame, 
 That worft of furies, whofe fell afpecl frights 
 Each tender feeling from the human breaft. 
 Goodnefs itfelf even turns in me to gall, 
 And only ferves to heighten my defpair. 
 How kind was Agamemnon! generous ! fond ! 
 How more than ufual mild ! As if, on purpofe, 
 
 To
 
 AGAMEMNON. 177 
 
 To give thefe tortures their fevereft fling. 
 Happy ! compar'd to this tormented Hate, 
 Where honour only lives with inward laih, 
 To punifh guilt, happy the harden'd wretch, 
 Who feels no confcience, and who fears no crime !- 
 Oh horrid ! horrid ! Oh flagitious thought ! 
 How is it with the mind that can endure 
 A thought fo dire ! My fole remaining hope 
 Is death, kind death, that amiable fleep, 
 Which wakes no more, at leaft to mortal care 
 But then the dark Hereafter that may come. 
 There is no anchor that againft this ftorm, 
 This mighty fea of doubts and fears, can hold. 
 Hopelefs, I drive. One thought deftroys another. 
 This ftranger too ! Should it be Melifandtr 
 Is there a fear, however idle, wild, 
 And even almofl impoffible, which guilt, 
 The feeble-hearted guilt not entertains ? 
 I order'd his attendance. See, he comes. 
 
 SCENE V. 
 CLYTEMNESTRA, MELISANDER. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 Stranger, are you not he, whom Agamtmncn^ 
 By an amazing chance, in his retinn 
 Sav'd from a defart ifle ? 
 
 I 5 Mi-
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 MELISANDER. 
 
 Madam, the &me. 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 I much admire your fortunate deliverance, 
 And wifh to hear your ftory : why there left, 
 And how fuftain'd. Indulge me with it, flranger. 
 
 MELISANDER. 
 
 Madam, I come this moment from the king, 
 Charg'd with a matter which requires difpatch : 
 But, that tranfa&ed once, without delay, 
 I will attend your orders. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 Then, it feems, 
 
 You are not quite a ftranger in Mycena. 
 What is your country ? 
 
 MELISANDER. 
 
 Greece. 
 CLYTBMNESTRA. 
 
 What part of Grectt ? 
 
 MSLISANDER. 
 
 At Athens I was born. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 But in Mycetttf,. 
 Have you not in Mjcente been before ? 
 
 MELISANDER. 
 
 There are not, madam, many parts of Greece 
 To me unknown. 
 
 CLYTBMNESTRA. 
 Wny thus avoid my queftion ? 
 
 Have
 
 AGAMEMNON. 179 
 
 Have you been here before ? 
 
 MELISANDER. 
 
 Madam, I have. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 Here in this palace ? Ha ! why ftand you filent? 
 You keep your eyes unmov'd upon the ground. 
 What fhould this mean ? Beneath that rough difguife 
 There lurks, inethinks, a form, which fomewhere I 
 Have feen. 
 
 MELISANDER. 
 
 The dream of fancy, that the more 
 It is indulg'd, perplexes ftill the more. 
 I tarry here too long ; the king's commands 
 Admit of no delay. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 'Tisfo! 'tisfo! 
 
 Air, features, manner, voice, this ftudy'd hade, 
 The fhifts of one unpracTas'd in deceit, 
 All all confpire One image wakes another, 
 And thick they flafh upon me ! 
 
 M.ELISANDER. 
 
 You grow pale, 
 
 You tremble, madam; thatmiftake, I find, 
 Concerning me turns wilder and difturbs you. 
 Let me retire--- 
 
 A moment ftay 
 MBLISANDER,
 
 i8o AGAMEMNON. 
 
 I find it is in vain to wrap me longer 
 Jn thefe evasions. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 Melifander ! 
 MELISANDER. 
 
 Madam- 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 And can it be ? Behold I then the man, 
 Whom I fo long have number'd with the dead ? 
 Almighty gods ! Behold I Melifander ? 
 But, ah ! howchang'd ! how darken'd with fufpicion I 
 Yes I am deem'd the author of his woes. 
 
 MELISANDER. 
 Madam, forgive 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 Why elfe from me conceal 
 Your wifli'd return I plainly am diftrufted 
 By Agamemnon too It was unkind, 
 Unjuft, unfriendly, ftocks me, Melifander. 
 
 MELISANDER. 
 
 Indeed you wrong me, madam, wrong me much, 
 To judge me. apt or to conceive or fpread 
 Diftruft. I would have periih'd by myfelf, 
 Unknown, unwept, in helplefs folitude, 
 Rather than here return to this full world, 
 To fet my miftrefe and her lord at variance. 
 O think me not a bufy peace- deftroyer ! 
 Accurfed is the wretch, to focial life 
 
 The moft inhuman foe, wfco in the nice, 
 
 The
 
 AGAMEMNON. igi 
 
 The tender fcenes of life, dares rafhly meddle, 
 And fow divifion between friends and lovers. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 The generous heart is ever flow to blame. 
 But, Melifander, not to me were owing, 
 Not in the leaft to me, thofe cruel woes, 
 This worfe than death, which you fo long have fuffer*d. 
 Jnftead of that, your fate, how, whither gone, 
 If carry'd off, or fecretly deftroy'd, 
 Was all a mournful myftery to me, 
 Dark as the night on which you difappeai'd. 
 Did you but know, here in my fecret foul, 
 What undiflembled pangs your abfence rouz'd, 
 What I have felt for you, and for my felf, 
 In lofing fuch a wife and faithful friend ; 
 Knew you but thefe, O knew you, Melifander, 
 How your difafter has been truly mine, 
 You never could fufpeft me. 
 
 MELISANDER. 
 
 Witnefs heav'n ! 
 
 I never did Your heart I know difdains, 
 A thought that looks like cruelty or fraud. 
 From the firft moment that his ruffians feiz'd me, 
 I had no doubt, I knew it was Egijlhus. 
 Some time before I mark'd the rifing ftorm, 
 And meant to warn you, but it fudden burft, 
 And bore me far away, far from all means, 
 Even from all hope of lending you afliftance. 
 
 a Ay !
 
 i8i AGAMEMNON, 
 
 Ay .' there I fuffer'd moft. My fears for you, 
 At once by guile and violence befet, 
 Took off the point of my own proper woes. 
 But when your awful virtues ftruck my thought, 
 Your wifdom, fpirit, resolution, truth; 
 That dread effulgence of the fpotlefs foul, 
 Which fmites the hardeft villain into fliame ; 
 My fears appear'd impertinent and vain. 
 Yet doubtlefs, madam, you have had occasion 
 For a firm ruling hand and watchful eye, 
 For every virtue; and I truly joy, 
 That Agamemnon finds at his return 
 
 Egiftbui by your conduct thus reftrain'd. 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 By heavens ! he tries me. O fufpicious guilt ! 
 
 (Afidt. 
 
 Your words are friendly, but your deeds are doubtful. 
 
 No, Melifander t friendship with diftruft 
 
 Can never dwell. And that I am diftrufted 
 
 To me is certain In a matter too, 
 
 That much concern'd my peace, concerned my honour, 
 
 For did you even afcribe your woes to me, 
 
 You could not manage with more diftant caution. 
 MELISANDER. 
 
 "Whence is it that the noble Clytimneftra t . 
 
 Who us'd to ibine in a fuperior fphere 
 
 Of fairy ferenity and candid peace, 
 
 Should to thele doubts defend, thefe dark fufpicions P 
 
 For
 
 AGAMEMNON. 183 
 
 For me, I here atteft the gods, my foul 
 
 Ne'er knew a thought, that fwell'd not with efteem. 
 
 With love, and veneration of your virtues. 
 
 And for the king, no young enraptur'd lover, 
 
 In all the firft efRifions of his foul, 
 
 New to the mighty charm ; no friend, who meets, 
 
 After long years of dark and ftlent abfence, 
 
 His happy friend again, feels livelier joy, 
 
 Than Agamemnon feels, while his glad tongue 
 
 Runs out in endlefs praife of Clytemneftra 
 
 But I muft wait his orders. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA* 
 
 Do your duty. 
 
 1 too muft go, muft to Egiftbus ftrait . \dfide, 
 
 Impart this dreadful news. 
 
 SCENE VL 
 
 MELISANDER, alone. 
 
 She went abruptly 
 
 And as we talk'd, methought, ftrange paffions fhook 
 Her inward frame, and darken'd every feature. 
 Behold the black, the guilt-concealing night 
 Faft clofes round. Wide, thro* this ample palace, 
 
 The
 
 i4 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 The lamps begin to fhine. The tempeft falls ; 
 The weary winds fink, breathlefs. But, who knows, 
 What fiercer tempeft yet may fhake this night. 
 Soul chearing Phcebus, with thy facred beams 
 O quickly come, and chafe thefe fullen fliadoivs. 
 
 End of the Fourth Att, 
 
 ACT
 
 AGAMEMNON. 185 
 
 ACTV. SCENE I. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA, ECISTHUS. 
 
 EGISTHUS. 
 
 AH Clyiemtteftra ! what a change is. here t 
 And muft t then thus Heal an interview ? 
 Are we alooe ? 
 
 CLYTEMNEITRA. 
 You fright me with that queftion : 
 You look aftonifh'd. 
 
 EGJSTHUS. 
 On the brink of ruin 
 We, tottering, Hand. 
 
 CtYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 That is no news to me t 
 EGISTHUS. 
 
 But 
 
 OLYTEMNESTRA. 
 What ? 
 
 EGISTHUS. 
 We are difcover'd, 
 
 CLY-
 
 i8'6 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 Ha! difcover'd! 
 EGISTHUS. 
 
 Yes certainly difcover'd. Arcat now, 
 By Agamemnon** orders, in the city 
 Collects a band, to feize me at the banquet, 
 A fhort hour hence. And my accufers, madam, 
 You may be well aftur^d are not your friends. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 'Tis plain ! 'tis plain ! The parting fogs difpeHc : 
 And now the doubtful (cene Itands all reveal'd 
 Who could have thought they {hould disenable thus ? 
 But I can tell- you more. 
 
 EQISTHUS. 
 
 What, madam ? fpeak } 
 For danger prefTes on us. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 Saw you him, 
 This feeming ftranger, fev'd by jjgarttemnon f 
 
 EorsTHus. 
 
 Areas and he to-day, my friends inform me, 
 Were bufy with the king ; and doubtlefs, then, 
 It was concerted that I fnould be feiz'd. 
 
 CLY.TEMNESTR A. 
 Ah ! did you know, Eg:fthus, who he is ! 
 
 ECIST-RUS. 
 Who ? 
 
 Cl.YTEMSESTRA. 
 
 A/e'/yrzW.T. 
 
 EGISTHUS.
 
 AGAMEMNON. 187 
 
 EciSTHUS. 
 
 Gods ! and does he live ? 
 For my confufion fav'd ! O grofs, grofs folly ! 
 To do an a&ion of that kind by halves. 
 Had he been filent duft To pleafe you, madam, 
 From a falfe tendernefs for you, he lives 
 
 CLYTEM.NESTRA. 
 
 A mighty merit ! glorious boaft indeed ! 
 Hear me, ye gracious gentle powers of love ! 
 From tendernefs for me, he did not murder 
 A worthy blamelefs man, who never hurt him ; 
 He murder'd not my friend, my faithful friend. 
 Ah ! 'tis fuch tendernefs, that makes me wretched ; 
 Such tendernefs, that ftill in blacker guilt, 
 In the laft depth of miiery will plunge me. 
 
 EGISTHUS. 
 
 It is not, madam, now a time for this. 
 Think of our fituation : clofe befet 
 By all thofe ills which mortals moft abhor, 
 Whom have we to confide in but each other ? 
 And this fad meeting is perhaps our laft. 
 Concord alone, and vigorous meafures, can 
 Prevent our ruin But, from Melif under y 
 What did you learn ? Are you your felf fufpe&ed ? 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 I cannot find I am : And yet I mull. 
 
 EGISTHUS. 
 But, as for me, my ruin is no fecret. 
 
 CLY-
 
 i88 AGAMEMNON, 
 
 CLYTEMNESTR A. 
 'Tis true, fbme dark attempt goes on againil you. 
 
 EGISTHVS. 
 Then have I rightly done. 
 
 CtYTEMNESTRA.. 
 
 What have you done ? 
 EGISTHUS. 
 
 What prudence, juflice, love and vengeance, all 
 Demand 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA; 
 Immortal powers ! you have not ? 
 ECISTHXJS. 
 
 No: 
 Bat muft, and will What die can you propofe I 
 
 CLYTKMNESTRA; 
 
 Oh, any thing befides ! immediate flight, 
 Eternal abfence, death ! 
 
 EGISTHUS. 
 
 Let others die I 
 
 Let the proud, faithlefs, falfe, injurious tyrant ; 
 The hero glorious in his daughter's murder ; 
 The fconrge of Greece, who has, from wild ambition, 
 Shed fo much blood let Jgamtmnon die ! 
 
 CLYTEMNESTR A. 
 Oh heavens and earth ! you (hock me to diftra&ion ! 
 
 I have, Egi/tbus, hitherto avoided 
 This dreadful point, ftill hoping you might drop 
 Your horrid refolution : now I tell you, 
 Before the lillening gods, I plainly tell you, 
 
 That
 
 AGAMEMNON. i 
 
 That Agamemnon fhall not fall unwarn'd : 
 You mall not rife by me into his throne : 
 I will not be the tool of your ambition ; 
 Will not be wretched, infamous for ever, 
 The blufh of women, the difgrace of nature ! 
 That you may gain your execrable views, 
 Mafk'd under fmooth pretences. I am guilty; 
 Alas ! I am But think not therefore, tyrant ! 
 To give me law. There are degrees in guilt j 
 And I have ftill my reafon left, have left 
 Some refolution, fome remains of virtue : 
 Yes, I dare die -, and who dares die, Egiftbus, 
 Needs not be driven to villainous extremes ! 
 Mark me, infulting man ! My certain cure 
 Of every woe., my cordial draught is ready ; 
 And if you do not promife me, here fvvear 
 To drop your fell defigns on Agamemnon, 
 To quit this palace You may ftill efcape 
 And never fee me more ; I go, I go, 
 This moment to difcover all and die ! 
 
 EGISTHUS. 
 What ! Clytemr.eftra ! 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 Nothing fhall difTuade me a 
 I will not argue more Say, only fay, 
 Muft I betake me to this cruel refuge ? 
 This dire neceffity ? 
 
 EGISTHUS. 
 
 Permit me, madam :
 
 i 9 o AGAMEMNON. 
 
 Hear me but once, and then purfue your purpofe. 
 
 Suppofe us guilty, what you will ; yet, madam, 
 Shall we acknowledge and proclaim that guilt ? 
 Shall we, by patient waiting for our doom, 
 By pitiful negleft of felf-defence, 
 Unheard-of meannefs ! ftamp it into flume ? 
 No ; let us wipe it out with bold fuccefs. 
 It is fuccefs that colours all in life : 
 Succefs makes fools admir'd, makes villains hor.eft ; 
 All the proud virtue of this vaunting world 
 Fawns on fuccefs, and power, howe'er acquir'd. 
 
 If then, fuppofmg guilt, it were a meannefs 
 To ftoop to fhame, can words exprefs the madnefs 
 Of flopping ftiort, with infamy and ruin, 
 When juftice, love, and vengeance, urge to glory ? 
 Inftead of being deem'd a generous queen, 
 The brave avenger of her {ex's honour, 
 Fam'd for her fpirit, for her juft refentment ; 
 Who greatly punifh'd a perfidious hufband, 
 A cruel tyrant ; one, who from his bed, 
 His throne, proposed, with open (hame, to turn her, 
 And to her place to take his country's foe, 
 To take a Trojan captive, proud Cajandra : 
 Inftead of fuch renown, can Cljtemneftra-> 
 Forgive the doubt Can {he fubmit to pafs, 
 Thro' future times, for an abandon'd woman ? 
 A feeble, fpiridefs, abandon'd woman ! 
 Nay, madam, hear the truth, what now I tell you 
 Muft, in a little fcanty hour, take place ; 
 
 In
 
 A G A M E M N O N. 191 
 
 In a few moments, you ;muft be the -firft 
 Or laft of women ; be the public fcorn, 
 Or admiration of approving Greece 
 You know you mult ; be dgamemnon's flave, 
 Ca/anJra's flave, or nobly punifh both, 
 And reign with me in happinefs and glory. 
 
 Confult your heart ; can you refolve on fhame ? 
 On voluntary fhame ? That only ill 
 The generous fear, which kiiis the foul it felf. 
 Were thofe fair features, full of lovely grandeur, 
 Form'd for confufion ? That majeftic front, 
 To be bow'd down wich infamy and vi4en,efs ? 
 Ah ! can you bear contempt ? The venoai'd tongue 
 Of thofe whom ruin pleafes r The keen fueer, 
 The lewd reproaches of the rafcal herd ; 
 Who for the felf- fame aclions, if fuccefsful, 
 Wpuld be as grofly lavifh in your praiie ? 
 To fum up all in one Can you fupport 
 The fcornful glances, the malignant joy, 
 Or more detefted pity of a rival ? 
 Of a triumphant.rival ? No ; you cannot. 
 That confcious worth, which kindles in your eye, 
 Tells me you cannot. 
 
 But in vain diiputes 
 
 No more to fquander thefe important moments ; 
 Know, that I have not, to the frail decision 
 Of wav'ring fear and female weaknefs left 
 Our freedom, fafety, happinefs and honour. 
 Even in your own defpite you mall be fav'd. 
 
 ': And
 
 i 9 2 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 And could you be fo loft to reafon, wild, 
 To do what woman never did before, 
 What (hocks humanity, accufe yourfelf ; 
 You only court dilhonour to no purpofe : 
 For Agamemnon now cannot efcape ; 
 I am already matter of this palace ; 
 All is prepar'd, my people all are fix'd, 
 All properly difpos'd ; and here I fwear, 
 By facred juftice, glory, love and vengeance ! 
 He dies ! dies in the bath, before the banquet ! 
 And with him dies Caffandra, me, who dares, 
 In her prefumptuous thought, ufurp thy honours. 
 She weeps ! O my ador'd ! my Clytemneftra ! 
 Forgive this barbarous neceflary truth .' 
 Did I not love thee, love thee more than empire, 
 Than life and glory, would I thus difclofe 
 Thefe dangerous fecrets ? Could I not have veil'd, 
 And, with more certain caution, gain'd my purpofe ? 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 
 Oh that you had, Egiftbus ! then, alas ! 
 I ftiould have fondly thought myfelf lefs guilty. 
 
 EGISTHUS. 
 
 I lofe my felf in foftnefs, while the time, 
 With danger big, demands intrepid deeds. 
 Wipe off thefe tears When next we meet again, 
 All will be well.
 
 A G A M E M N O N. 193 
 SCENE II. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 Ah ! when we meet again ! 
 I ftand, at laft, convinc'd, and rnufl diiTemble 
 Yet how diflemble r Painted, in my face, 
 Are the full horrors of this bloody deed. 
 
 But who are thefe approaching? Ha! CaJTand'a! 
 Hew fair fhe feems ! how lovely ! hateful charms ! 
 That well may rival mine, decay'd, and funk 
 By guilt and forrow She pofTefs my bed ! 
 Pofiefs my fcepter! This reftores my fpirit ; 
 J am abus'd ! too patient ! Perifh all ! 
 Perifh my felf, EgijlLus, Agamemnon ! 
 So this proud rival, this Cajjandra periih ! 
 
 SCENE III. 
 CASSANDRA, Trojan captives t MELISANDER, 
 
 MELISANDER, 
 
 Daughters of Hi am ! By the king's command, 
 I come to afk your prefence at the banquet. 
 Till then allow me to partake your woes : 
 I have a reverence for them. I myfelf, 
 Thanks to the gracious gods ! have known misfortune ;. 
 1 am with grief acquainted ; therefore can 
 
 VOL. III. K For
 
 194 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 For others feel. Sweet fource of every virtue, 
 O facred forrow ! He who knows not thee, 
 Knows not the beft emotions of the heart, 
 Thofe tender tears that humanize the fou!, 
 The figh that charms, the pang that gives delight j 
 He dwells too near to cruelty and pride, 
 And is a novice in the fchool of virtue. 
 
 CASSANDRA. 
 
 We thank thee, ftranger, for thy generous pit)* 
 Heaven has, it feems, throughout diffus'd the good. 
 May the kind gods, the hofpitable powers, 
 For this befriend thee ! Thou muft wander ftill, 
 Wilt their protection want. But Agamemnon ! 
 Where is the king ? 
 
 MELISANDER. 
 
 He bathes him for the banquet, 
 The banquet earn'd by ten years war and toil. 
 CASSANDRA. 
 
 Short-fighted man ! to dream of feftal joy, 
 When his next banquet is perhaps with Pluto. 
 
 He comes ! the god comes rufhing on my foul ! 
 
 gently footh me with the voice of mufic ! 
 Afluage my pangs with harmony ! Methinks, 
 
 1 hear Apollo's lyre. 
 
 MELISAN DER. 
 Myfterious powers ! 
 CASSANDRA. 
 
 *Tis gone And now harfh difcord takes its place : 
 Dire yellings aow affright my trembling ear. 
 
 What 
 
 2
 
 AGAMEMNON. 195 
 
 What means this uproar of the howling foreft ? 
 
 The lionefs and wolf, together leagu'd, 
 
 Purfue the lion's life. Behold! the fnare, 
 
 Th' infernal fnare is fet, Ipread by the ftream, 
 
 Where, unfufpefting harm, he bathes at noon. 
 
 Soon will thefe guiltlefs waters blufli with blood, 
 MELISANDER. 
 
 There is a fort of gloomy light in this, 
 
 That flalh.es horror on me. 
 
 CASSANDRA. 
 
 A black fwarm 
 
 Of fell ideas feize my fancy. Hence ! 
 
 O fnatch me from this palace ! fhambles rather f 
 It fmells of carnage ; breathes a hideous fleam, 
 
 As if from gaping fepulchres exhal'd. 
 And, lo! the fpotlefs loves, the fports, the joys, 
 The weeping Lares fly : while in their place, 
 The vices all, the raging furies come ; 
 And with them Comus, the flufh'd god of banquets, 
 Befmear'd with gore They fmg the funeral hymn 
 What do I fee ? What mean thefe mangled forms ? 
 Thefe pale, thefe nightly phantoms ; fuch as rife, 
 To working fancy's eye, in troubled dreams ? 
 See ! where they fit for ever at the gates, 
 Demanding vengeance Vengeance is at hand- 
 Ha ! 'tis the murder'd boys, whcfe limbs were, here, 
 Serv'd up to their own fire, to be devour'd ! 
 
 MELISANDER.. 
 She wakes my dread The ftory of Wye/tit / 
 
 K 2 CAS.
 
 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 CASSANDRA. 
 
 With this devoted race involved J fall : 
 Nor falls the Have alone The matter falls. 
 But man fhall die for man, for woman woman : 
 Remember this. 
 
 MEUSANDER. 
 The flave, the mafter fall ! 
 
 CASSANDRA. 
 
 Ah bofom-traitrefs ! Ill-perfuaded queen ! 
 And canft thou then the barbarous fecret keep r 
 
 MELISANDER. 
 What queen ? what fecret : Speak more plain, Caflaudra / 
 
 CASSANDRA. 
 
 From guilt, in vain, to greater guilt you fly, 
 From crime to crime precipitated No ! 
 The wicked find no peace Diftraftion waits thee! 
 One effort more Yes, fave thy lord, and die 
 That throw belong'd to virtue Cannot then 
 The gentle powers prevail ? A moment yet, 
 The doubtful balance yet allows a moment 
 Down, down it oes, for vengeance and for Troy f 
 But ah ! fuch vengeance, as even foes themfelve? 
 Abhor to fee ! 
 
 ivJELISANDER. 
 
 She flaggers all my reafon. 
 Unveil thefe dreadful oracles Perhaps 
 
 CASSANDRA. 
 
 Yes, in a moment, they will be too plain. 
 The moment comes ! The furies lam. it on ! 
 
 Ha!
 
 AGAMEMNON. 197 
 Ha! Now! 
 
 MEL ISANDER. 
 
 Uuufual horror creeps 
 
 CASSANDRA. 
 
 Alas! 
 Keep from the murderous facrificer's hand, 
 
 keep the viflim bull ! Lo ! feiz'd, he fpurns, 
 He foams in vain Behold the lifted blow ! 
 Behold the thirlly fteel IThey ftrike him ! Harkl 
 What difmal echoes run from room to room ! 
 
 MEL ISANDER. 
 
 1 heard a diitant noife ! 
 
 [The noife of Agamemnon'/ aflajfination 
 heard indiftinftly, and at a dijianctt 
 bihlnd the fccnes. 
 CASSANDRA. 
 
 Again ! They ftrive, 
 
 Th' afTaffins labour who fhall wound him moll. 
 'Tis done! -He falls 1 
 
 AGAMEMNON, lebinJ ike f tenet, 
 
 [The noife heard diftinS'y, and rear. 
 Off! villains! cowards! off! 
 By villains murder'd! Oh ! 
 
 MELHANDER. 
 
 Great godj! the king! - 
 
 SCENE
 
 i 9 S AGAMEMNON. 
 
 SCENE IV. 
 
 MELJSANDER, CASSANDRA, Trojan captives, 
 ELECTRA, ORESTES, 
 
 F.LECTRA. 
 
 Stop, generous Granger ! dgamemnotfs friend! 
 
 MELISANDER. 
 What would Ekfira ? what with Milif&nder ? 
 
 ELECTRA. 
 Heavens! Mdlfander ! 
 
 MELISANDER. 
 
 To the king's affiitance 
 I fly j detain me not. 
 
 ELECTRA. 
 He is no more ! 
 
 MELISANDER. 
 Ha ! dead 
 
 ELECTRA. 
 
 Yes, murder'd by Egiftbus ! dead ! 
 Pierc'd with a thoufand wounds ! O horror ! horror ! 
 We have not time for grief Orefles Quick ! 
 Fly ! fave my brother ! 
 
 ORESTES. 
 
 Leave my father ! No ! 
 It is but once that I have ever feen him, 
 Shall I no more ? 
 
 ELECTRA.
 
 AGAMEMNON. 199 
 
 ELECTRA. 
 
 But to revenge his death, 
 O fly, OrejJgs, for that glorious purpofel 
 . Tremendous gods ! Methinks, i fee his ghoft, 
 That beckons you away ! 
 
 ORESTES. 
 
 I come ! I come J 
 On Melifander 
 
 ELECTRA. 
 Brother ! 
 ORESTES. 
 
 Oh, my filter! 
 What will become of thee ? 
 
 ELBCTR A. 
 
 Good Mtli/antttr, 
 
 guard my brother ! fave our only hope ! 
 
 1 heard a noife Farewell! 
 
 ORESTES, going. 
 
 Ah ! poor Ekflra ! 
 
 SCENE V. 
 ELECTRA, CASSANDRA, Trojan captives. 
 
 ELECTRA. 
 
 The murderers come ! ftain'd with my father's blood ! 
 Hide me, CaJ/andra, hide me from a fight 
 I cannot bear, a fcene to nature fhocking ! 
 
 K 4 SCENE
 
 200 A G A M E M N O N. 
 
 SCENE VI. 
 
 The back-fane opening difcovers, at a dijlance^ Aga- 
 memnon'j body. Ele&r a throws herfelf by it. 
 
 CASSANDRA, Trojan captives , EGISTHUS wltl- 
 fame of his party. 
 
 EOISTHUS. 
 
 Enough, my friends! How low, how filent, now, 
 The mighty boafter lies ! Another blow 
 downs my revenge 
 
 CASSANDR A. 
 
 It fhall not, bafe aflaffin .' 
 The gods arejull; amidft the crimes of men, 
 Are firmly juft, fupremely wife and good : 
 The gods are here, in all their terrors prefcnt ! 
 See where in dreadful majefty they fit ! 
 And write thy doom in Agamemnon's blood ! 
 
 EGISTHUS. 
 
 Think not to make me with thefe gloomy fables : 
 This arm that has acquir'd, fhall guard my power; 
 And fince I now enjoy my long-wifh'd vengeance, 
 All here is calm and chearful. 
 
 CASSANDRA. 
 
 The falfe boaft 
 
 Of agor.izing guilt ! Thy foul, I fee, 
 Beneath this harden'd pride, this brutal courage, 
 
 Boil,
 
 AGAMEMNON. 20* 
 
 Tioils with black torments, and with inward temped. 
 I know whence breaks that gleam of joy athwart thee y 
 As lightning flafhes o'er a troubled iky : 
 Thou dreamft the prince now falls beneath thy fury: 
 Bat hear and tremble young Orejhs lives ! 
 
 EG IST H us. 
 Hence with thy vain predictions, doating woman ! 
 
 SCENE VIL 
 
 EGISTHUS, CASSANDRA, drV. and to them ajjaf- 
 finsfent to murder ORESTES. 
 
 EciSTHtS. 
 
 Well, is Orejies dead ? 
 
 ASSASSIN.. 
 
 Ah, fir ! efcap'd 
 When all was in confufion, here, and tumult. 
 
 EGISTHUS. 
 O nothing then is done! Fly ! tardy villains ! 
 
 Purfue him to the fartheit verge of earth, 
 
 No dark retreat, no country. But here comes 
 Ancther florm. Diilrailion wings her pace. 
 
 SCENE
 
 202 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 SCENE VIII. 
 CLYTEMNESTR A, EG JSTHUS, CASSANDRA, bV. 
 
 CLYTEMNESTRA. 
 Off ! give me way ! to defarts let me fly ! 
 
 The wildeft favage there ! 
 
 Why pierce me thus with looks ? In every eye 
 There is a dagger; chief in thine (toEglJibus) Ha! 
 
 villain ! 
 
 I know thee ; know thefe eyes, where fmiling love 
 To the red glarings of a fury's torch 
 
 Is now transform'd. Yes, traitor ! turn away : 
 
 But, ere you go, give me my peace again; 
 
 Give me my happy family around ; 
 
 Give me my virtue, honour, nay my glory ; 
 
 Or give me death, tho' death cannot relieve me. - 
 
 Are thefe the deeds of love ? I cannot ftep, 
 
 Unlefs I dip my fhivering feet in blood. 
 
 Compar'd with this polluted, this dire palace, 
 
 The fepulchre is gay. But whither fly ? - 
 
 Ah I what avails it where the guilty fly, 
 
 Since from themfelves they cannot ! Ha ! behold ! 
 
 The black abyfs difclofes to my view j 
 
 And down I go, a dark, a deep defcent ! 
 
 Hell from beneath is mov'd at my approach : 
 
 Its princes flock around. Behold, they fay, 
 
 The greatly-wretched, greatly-wicked woman! 
 
 She
 
 AGAMEMNON. 203 
 
 She who preferr'd the villain to the hero ! 
 
 The Trojan fhades, with (harp derifion, thank me : 
 
 The Grecian droop Lo ! where he comes himfelf ! 
 
 See I How in fullen majefty he ftalks ! 
 
 Oh look not on me with that filent (corn ! 
 
 I am too curs'd already ! 
 
 [Faints into the arms of her attendant s 
 EGISTHUS. 
 
 Bear her hence ; 
 
 And look me be attended well. But hark ! 
 What new alarm ? 
 
 SCENE IX. 
 
 EGISTHUS, CASSANDRA, csV. to them a MES- 
 SENGER. 
 
 MESSENGER. 
 As Melifandcr, fir, 
 
 Bore off Ortftei, to th* affembled fenate 
 He fhow'd the prince, and rouz'd them to revenge. 
 'Tis nought but rage. The people, in a torrent, 
 By Areas headed, pour upon the palace. 
 Befides, each moment, Agamemnon's troops 
 
 EGISTHUS. 
 
 Quick ! fummons here my friends In 7a's grove 
 They ready wait. We this important day 
 Will or with conqueft crown, or bravely die. 
 
 CASSANDRA. 
 No, tyrant, no ! the gods refufe thee that : 
 
 K 6 Not
 
 204 AGAMEMNON. 
 
 Not like the brave, but like the trembling coward, 
 Th* aiTaffinating coward, thou (halt die ; 
 There ! in that ipot, where Agamemnon lies ! 
 
 ECISTHUS. 
 
 Lead thefe ill-boding women to their fate ; 
 And guard Eleftra. 
 
 CASSANDRA. 
 The moft grateful gift 
 A tyrant can beftow is inftant death. 
 We fhall be happy foon. But all the gods, 
 Combining all their mercy, from remorfe, 
 Prom fcorn and mifery, cannot fave the 
 
 of the Fifth d& 
 
 E P I-
 
 EPILOGUE. 
 
 Spoken by Mrs. GIBBER. 
 
 OU R bard, to modern epilogue a fee, 
 Thinks fuch mean mirth but deadens generous 
 Difpels in idle air the moral fegh, 
 And wipes the tender tear from pity's eye: 
 No more with facial nvarmth the bofom burns \ 
 But all tV unfeeling jelfjh man returns. 
 
 9 
 
 Thus he began : And you approv'd the J} rain ; 
 'TV// the next couplet funk to light and *vain. 
 You checked him there. To you, to reafonjuft^ 
 He oivns he triumph'd in your kind difguft. 
 Charm d by your frown, by your difpleafure grac<t t 
 He hails the rifing virtue of your tafle. 
 Wide ixill its influence fpread as foon as knaivn : 
 Truth, to be lov'd, needs only to be Jhoiun* 
 
 * Another epilogue was fpokcn after the firft reprefentation of 
 the flay, which began with the firft fix lines of this : but the 
 reft of that epilogue, having been very juftly didlked by the au- 
 dience, this was fubftitBted in its place* 
 
 Cor.-
 
 206 EPILOGUE. 
 
 Confirm it, owe, thefajhlon to be good: 
 ( Since fajbion leads the fool, and awes the rude) 
 No petulance Jhall wound the public ear ; 
 No hand applaud c wbat honour Jhuns to hear : 
 No painful blujh the modeji cheek fiall ft a>n ; 
 The worthy breaft Jhall heave luith no difdain. 
 Chaftis'd to decency, the Briti/hy?^ 
 Shall oft irvvite the fair, invite thej'dge : ' 
 Eoth Jhall attend it ell-pleas' 'd, well-plea s'd depart ; 
 Or if they doom the verfe, abfalve the heart 
 
 ALFRED.
 
 Alfred.
 
 ALFRED: 
 
 MASQUE 
 
 Reprefcnted before their Royal Highnefles 
 the PR i N c E and PRINCESS of Wales, 
 at Cliff den, on the firft of Augufl^ 1740. , 
 
 By Mr. THOMSON and Mr. MALLET. 
 
 Si uelimui turn priorum temporum neceffitate certare, 
 vincemur. Ingeniojior eft enim ad excogitandumy?- 
 mulatio, writate j fewitus, libertate ; metus, amore. 
 
 Plin. Pan. Trajan.
 
 The ARGUMENT. 
 
 After the Danes had mads themfehes mafters 
 of Chippenham, the ftrongeft city in the 
 kingdom of Weflex ; Alfred was at once 
 abandoned by all his fttbjefls. In this uni- 
 verfal defection, thai monarch found him- 
 felf obliged to retire into the little i/le of 
 Athelney in Somerfetfhire ; a flace theft 
 rough with woods and of difficult accefs* 
 There, in the habit of a peafant, he lived 
 unknown, for fome time, in a foepherd'i 
 cottage. He is fuppofed to be found in this 
 retreat by the Earl of Devon ; whofe caftle 9 
 upon the river Tau, was then bejieged by 
 the Danes,
 
 The PERSONS. 
 
 ALFRED, Mr. MILWARD. 
 
 ELTRUDA, Mrs. HORTON. 
 
 HERMIT, Mr. QUIN. 
 
 EARL ofDevytt, Mr, MILLS. 
 
 CORIN, aihophenl, Mr. SALWAY, 
 
 EMMA, his wife, Mrs. Cuv, 
 
 A Bard, Soldiery Spirits, 
 
 The SCENE rtprtfints a plain, furraundtd with nvsodt. 
 On one fide, a collage : on the ether, facks and herds 
 in diftant froffe. A hermit's <a*ve in full 
 wirhung ivith trees, wild and grotefque.
 
 A L F RED: 
 
 MASQUE. 
 
 A C T I. S C E N E I,' 
 
 CORIN, EMMA. 
 
 EMMA. 
 
 SHepherd, 'tis he. Beneath yon aged oak, 
 All on the flowery turf he lays him down. 
 CORIN. 
 
 Soft: let us not difturb him. Gentle Emma, 
 Poor tho' he be, unfriended and unknown, 
 My pity waits-with reverence on his fortune, 
 Modeft of carriage, and of fpeech moft gracious, 
 As if fome faint or angel, in difguife, 
 Had grac'd our lowly cottage with his prefence, 
 
 He
 
 212 ALFRED. 
 
 He fleals, I know not ho,v, into the heart, 
 
 And makes it pant to ferve him. Truft me, Emma, 
 
 He is no common man. 
 
 EMMA. 
 
 Some lord, perhaps, 
 
 Or valiant chief, that from our deadly foe, 
 The haughty, cruel, unbelieving Dane, 
 Seeks {belter here. 
 
 CORIN. 
 
 And fhelter he mail find. 
 
 Who loves his country, is my friend and brother. 
 Behold him well. Fair virtue in his afpedl, 
 Even thro' the homely ruflet that conceals him, 
 Shines forth and proves him noble. Seeft thou, Emma,. 
 .Yon weitern clouds ? The fun they ftrive to hide, 
 Yet darts his beam around. 
 
 EMMA. 
 
 Your thought is mine : 
 
 He is not what his prefent fortunes {peak him, 
 But, ah ! the raging foe is all around us : 
 We dare not keep him here. 
 
 CORIN. 
 
 Content thee, wife : 
 
 This ifland is of ftrength. Nature's own hand 
 Hath planted round a deep defence of woods, 
 The founding afh, the mighty oak ; each tree 
 A fheltering grove : and choak'd up all between 
 With wild encumbrance of perplexing thorns, 
 And horrid brakes. Beyond this woody verge,
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 Two rivers broad and rapid hem us in. 
 Along their channel fpreads the gulphy pool, 
 And trembling quagmire, whofe deceitful greea 
 Betrays the foot it tempts. One path alone 
 Winds to this plain, fo roughly difficult, 
 This fingle arm, poor fhepherd as I am, 
 Could well dispute it with twice twenty Danes. 
 
 EMMA. 
 
 Yet think, my Con'n, on the flern decree 
 Of that proud foe, " Who harbours or relieves 
 " An Englijh captain, dies the death of traitors : 
 " But who their haunts difcovers, fliall be fafe, 
 " And high rewarded." 
 
 COR IN. 
 
 Now, juft heaven forbid, 
 A Britijh man mould ever count for gain 
 What villainy muft earn. No : are we poor ? 
 Be honefty our riches. Are we mean, 
 And humbly born ? The true heart makes us noble. 
 Thefe hands can toil, can fow the ground and reap 
 For thee and thy fvveet babes. Our daily labour 
 Is daily wealth : it finds us bread and raiment. 
 Could Dan'Jh gold give more ? And for the death 
 Thefe tyrants threaten, let me rather meet it, 
 Than e'er betray my gueft. 
 
 EMMA. 
 
 Alas the while, 
 
 That loyal faith is fpread from hall and bower, 
 To dwell with village-fwains ! 
 
 CORIN,
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 COR IN. 
 
 Ah look! behold I 
 
 Where, like Come goodly tree by wintry winds 
 Torn from the roots and withering, our fad gueft 
 Lies on the ground diffus'd. 
 
 EMMA. 
 
 1 weep to fee it. 
 
 CORIN. 
 
 Thou haft a heart fweet pity loves to dwell in. 
 Dry up thy tears ; and lean on this juft hope : 
 If yet to do away his country's fhame, 
 To ferve her bravely on fome bleft occasion, 
 If for thefe ends this ftranger fought our cottage, 
 The heavenly hofts are hovering here unfeen, 
 To watch and to protect him. But oh ! when 
 My heart burns for it {hall I fee the hour 
 Of vengeance on thofe Danljh infidels, 
 That war with heaven and us ? 
 
 EMMA. 
 
 Alas, my love '. 
 
 Thefe paflions are not for the poor man's ftate. 
 To heaven a"nd to the rulers of the land 
 Leave fuch ambitious thoughts. Be warn'd, my Ccria 
 And think our little all depends on thee. 
 
 SONG.
 
 ALFRED. 215 
 
 SONG. 
 
 O peace ! the/aireft child of heaven, 
 To whom the Jy Ivan reign iuas given, 
 The vale, the fountain and the grove, 
 With every f after fcene of love : 
 
 Return, fiveet peace ! and ch ear the vjeepingfvjain ; 
 
 Return, <witb Eafe undPleafure in thy train. 
 
 COR IN. 
 
 Hufh : ceafe thy fong For fee, our mournful gueft 
 Has rais'd his head and lo ! who comes to greet him ; 
 His friend, the woodman of the neighbouring dale, 
 Whom late, as yefier evening-flar arofe, 
 At his requeft I found and hither brought. 
 
 SCENE II. 
 ALFRED, Earl of DEVON. 
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 How long, O ever gracious heaven ! how long 
 Shall war thus defoiate this proftrate land ? 
 All, all is loft And Alfred lives to tell it ! 
 His cities laid in duft ! his fubjeds flaaghter'd \ 
 Or into flaves debas'd ! the murderous foe 
 Proud and exulting in the general fhame ! 
 
 Are
 
 2 i6 A L F R E D. 
 
 Are thefe things fo ? and he without the means 
 Of great revenge ? caft down below the hope 
 Of fuccouring thofe he weeps for ? O defpair ' 
 O grief of griefs ! 
 
 DEVON. 
 
 Old as I am, my liege, 
 
 In rough war hardened, and with death familiar, 
 Thefe eyes have long forgot to melt with foftnefs : 
 But O, my gracious matter, they have feen 
 All-pitying heaven ! fuch fights of ruthlefs rage, 
 Of total defoladon 
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 O my people ! 
 
 O ruin'd England! Devcn, thofe were bleft, 
 Who dy'd before this time. Ha ! and thofe robbers, 
 That violate the fanftity of leagues, 
 The reverend feal of oaths ; that bafely broke, 
 Like nightly ruffians, on the hour of peace, 
 And ftole a viftory from men unarm'd, 
 Thofe Danes enjoy their crimes ! dread vengeance ! fou 
 Of power and juftice ! come, array 'd in terrors, 
 Thy garment red with blood, thy keen fword drawn : 
 O come, and on the heads of faithlefs men 
 Pour ample retribution ; men whofe triumph 
 Upbraids eternal juftice. But no more : 
 Submiflion is heaven's due. I will not launch 
 Into that dark abyfs where thought muft drown. 
 Proceed, my lord : on with the mournful tale, 
 My griefs broke off. 
 
 DEVOW,
 
 ALFRED. 217 
 
 DEVON. 
 
 From yonder heath-crown'd hill, 
 This ifland's eaflern point, where in one ftream 
 The Thone and Parret roll their blending waves, 
 I look'd, and faw the .progrefs of the foe, 
 As of fome tempefl, fome devouring fire, 
 That ruins without mercy where it fpreads. 
 The riches of the year, the golden grain 
 That liberal crown'd our plains, lies trampled wide 
 By hoftile feet, or rooted up ; and wafte 
 Deforms the broad high-way. From fpace to fpace, 
 Far as my ftraining eye could (hoot its beam, 
 Trees, cottages, and caftles, fmoak to heaven 
 In one afcending cloud. But oh for pity ! 
 That way, my lord, where yonder verdant height 
 Declining Hides into a fruitful vale, 
 Unfightly now and bare ; a few poor hinds, 
 Grey-hair'd, and thinly clad, flood and beheld 
 The common ravage : modonlefs and mute 
 With hands to heaven uprais'd, theyitood, and wept 
 My tears attended theirs 
 
 ALP RED. 
 
 If this fad fight 
 
 Could pain thee to fuch anguim, what muft I 
 Their king and parent feel? It is a torment 
 Beyond the ilrength of patience to endure. 
 Why end I not at once this wretched being ? 
 The means are in my hand. But fball a prince 
 Thus poorly Ihfoud him in the grave from pain, 
 VOL. III. L And
 
 218 ALFRED. 
 
 And fenfe of fhame ? The madman, nay the coward, 
 Has often dar'd the fame. A monarch holds 
 His life in truft for others. I will live then : 
 Let heaven difpofe the reft. 
 
 DEVON. 
 
 Thrice-noble Alfred, 
 
 And England's only hope, whofe virtues raife 
 Our frail mortality, our human duft, 
 Up to angelic fplendor and perfection ; 
 With you to bear the worft of ills, the Ipoil 
 Of wafteful war, the lofs of life or freedom, 
 Is happinefs, is glory. 
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 Ah, look round thee : 
 
 That mud-built cottage is thy fovereign's palace. 
 Yon hind, whofe daily toil is all his wealth, 
 Lodges and feeds him. Are thefe times for flattery, 
 Or call it praife ? fuch gaudy attributes 
 Would mifbecome our beft and proudeft fortunes. 
 But what are mine ? what is this high-prais'd Alfred? 
 Among ten thoufand wretches, moft undone. 
 That prince who fees his country laid in ruins, 
 His fubjefts perifhing beneath the fword 
 Of foreign rage, who fees and cannot fave them, 
 Is but fupreme in mifcry ! 
 
 DEVON. 
 
 My Liege, 
 
 Who has not known ill fortune, never knew 
 Hunfelf, or his own virtue. Be of comfort : 
 
 We 
 4
 
 ALFRED. 219 
 
 We can but die at laft. Till that hour comes, 
 Let noble anger keep our hopes alive. 
 A fudden thought, as if from heaven infpir'd, 
 Darts on my foul. One caftle ftill is ours, 
 Tho' clofe begirt and fhaken by the Danes. 
 In this difguife, my chance of paffing on, 
 Of entering there unknown, is promifing, 
 And wears a lucky face. 'Tis our laft flake, 
 And I will play it like a man whofe life, 
 Whofe honour hangs upon a fingle caft. 
 
 Mean while, my lord 
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 Ha ! Devon, thou haft rous'd 
 My Cumbering virtue. I applaud thy thought. 
 The praife of this brave daring fhall be thine : 
 The danger fhall be common. We will both 
 Strait tempt the Danijb camp, and gain this fortj 
 To animate our brothers of the war, 
 Thofe Englijbmen who yet deferve that name. 
 And hear, eternal Juftice ! if my life 
 Can make atonement for them, King of Kings ! 
 Accept thy wilUng vi&im. On my head 
 Be all their woes : To them be grace and mercy. 
 Come on, my noble friend. 
 
 DEVON. 
 
 Ah, good my liege, 
 
 What fits a private valor, and might grace 
 The fimple foldier's courage, would proclaim 
 His general's ra&nefs. You are England's king ; ~] 
 L 2 Your
 
 220 ALFRED. 
 
 Your infant children, and your much-lov'd queen ; 
 Nay more, the public weal, ten thoufand fouls, 
 Whofe hope you are, whofe all depends on you, 
 Forbid this enterprize. 'Tis nobler virtue 
 To check this ardor, to referve your fvvord 
 For fame great day of known and high import ; 
 That to your country, to the judging world 
 Shall juftify all hazards you may run. 
 This trial fuits but me. 
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 Well, go, my friend ; 
 
 If thou fhalt profper, thoa wilt call me hence 
 To head my people from their fears recover'd. 
 May that good angel, who infpir'd thy thought, 
 Throw roand thy fteps a veil of cloudy air, 
 That thou mayil walk invifible and fafe. 
 He's gone and now without a friend to aid me, 
 I ftand alone, abandon'd to the gloom 
 Of my fad thoughts Said I without a friend ? 
 Oh blafphemous diltruft ! Have I not Thee 
 All-powerful friend and guardian of the righteous, 
 Have I not Thee to aid me ? Let that thought 
 Support my drooping foul. But, lift. Ha ! whence 
 Thefe air-born notes that found in meafur'd fweetnefs 
 Thro' this vaft filence ? 
 
 SCENE
 
 A L F R E D. 221 
 
 SCENE HI. 
 
 Solemn mufic is beard at a dijlance. It ctmet nearer in 
 a fulljyvphony : after which afengle trumpet founds 
 a high and awakening air. Tbex the following JlanKitf 
 are fimg by two aerial f pints unfeen. 
 
 Firjl SPIRIT. 
 Hear, Alfred, father of the flat e t 
 
 Thy genius heaven* t high 'will declare I 
 If'bat prtves the hero truly great, 
 It never, never to defpair : 
 Is never to defpair. 
 
 Second SPIRIT. 
 Thy hope awake, thy heart exfand 
 
 With all its vigor, alt its f.rss. 
 Anft I and /a<vt a finking land! 
 
 Tby tountry (o.llt t and heaven inf} ires. 
 
 Both SPIRITS, 
 Earth calls, and heaven infpirts. 
 
 SCENE IV. 
 
 ALFRED alone. 
 
 All hail, ye gentle minifters of heaven ! 
 Your fong infpires new patience thro' my breaft, 
 
 L 3 And
 
 222 ALFRED. 
 
 And generous hope : it wings my mounting foul 
 -Above th' entangling mafs of earthly paffions, 
 That keep frail man, tho 1 flruggling to be free, 
 Still fluttering in the dull. 
 
 SCENE V. 
 ALFRED, /<? HERMIT advancing from hiscavf. 
 
 ' ALFRED. 
 
 Thrice-happy Hermit \ 
 Whom thus the heavenly habitants attend, 
 Bleffing thy calm retreat ; while ruthlefs war 
 Fills the polluted land with blood and crimes. 
 In this extremity of England's fate, 
 Led by thy facred character, I come 
 For comfort and advice. Thy aged wifdom, 
 Purg'd from the ftormy cloud of human paffions, 
 And by a ray from heaven exalted, fees 
 Deep thro' futurity. Say what remains, 
 What yet remains to fave our proflrate country \ 
 Nor fcorn this anxious queftion even from me, 
 A namelefs Granger. 
 
 HERMIT. 
 41/redy England's king, 
 
 All hail ! and welcome to this humble cell. 
 
 ALFRED. 
 Whence doft thou know me, venerable father ? 
 
 HERMIT-
 
 ALFRED. 22j 
 
 HERMIT. 
 
 Laft night, when with a draught from that cool fountaia 
 
 1 had my wholefome, fober fupper crown'd ; 
 
 As is my ftated cuftom,' forth I walk'd, 
 
 Beneath the folemn gloom and glittering fky, 
 
 To feed my foul with prayer and meditation. 
 
 And thus to inward harmony compos 'd, 
 
 That fweeteft mufic of the grateful heart, 
 
 Whofe each emotion is a filent hymn, 
 
 I to my couch retir'd. Strait on mine eyes 
 
 A pleafmg {lumber fell, whofe myftic power 
 
 Seal'd up my fenfes, bat enlarg'd my foul. 
 
 At once, difclos'd amid the dark walk night, 
 
 Appear'd a vifion not the dream of fancy, 
 
 But fent from heav'n, prophetic, and divine. 
 
 For know, this ample element contains 
 
 Unnumber'd fpiritual beings, or malign, 
 
 Or good to man. Thefe, when the grower eye 
 
 Of nature ileeps, oft play their feveral parts, 
 
 As on a fcene, before th ! attentive mind, 
 
 And to the favoured man diiciofe the future. 
 
 Led by thefe fpirits friendly to this ifle, 
 
 I liv'd thro' future ages ; felt the virtue, 
 
 The great, the glorious paffions that will fire 
 
 Diftant pofterity : when guardian laws 
 
 Are by the patriot in the glowing fenate 
 
 Won from corruption ; when th' impatient arm 
 
 Of liberty, invincible, fhall fcourge 
 
 The tyrants of mankind and when the deep, 
 
 L 4 Thro'
 
 S24 A L F R E D. 
 
 Thro' all her fwelling waves, fhall proudly joy 
 Beneath the boundlefs empire of thy fons. 
 I faw thee, Alfred, too But o'er thy fortunes 
 Lay clouds impenetrable. 
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 Ah, good hermit, 
 
 'That fcene is dark indeed ! Ye awful powers \ 
 To what am I referv'd ? Still inuft I roam 
 ,A wanderer here, inglorious and unknown ? 
 Or am I deftin'd your great inftrument, 
 From fierce oppreffion to redeem this land ? 
 
 HERMIT. 
 
 Perhaps, the laft. But, prince, remember, then, 
 The vows, the noble ufes, of affliction. 
 Preferve the quick humanity it gives, 
 The pitying, focial fenfe of human weaknefs : 
 Yet keep thy flubborn fortitude entire, 
 The manly heart that to another's woe 
 Is tender, but fuperior to its own. 
 Learn to fubmit; yet learn to conquer fortune. 
 Attach thee firmly to the virtuous deeds 
 And offices of life : to life itfelf, 
 With all its vain and tranfient joys, fit loofe. 
 Chief, let devotion to the fovereign mind, 
 A fleady, chearful, abfolute dependance 
 On his beft, wifeft government, poflefs thee. 
 In thoughtleft, gay profperity, when all 
 Attends our wifh, when nought is feen around us 
 But kneeling flattery, and obedient fortune } 
 
 Then
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 Then are blind mortals apt, within themfelves 
 To fix their ftay, forgetful of the giver. 
 But when thus humbled, Alfred* as thou art. 
 When to their feeble natural powers reduc'd, 
 'Tis then they feel this univerfal truth 
 That heaven is all in all and man is nothing. 
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 I thank thee, father, for thy pious counfel. 
 And witnefs, thou dread power ! who feeftmy heart; 
 That if not to perform my regal taflc r 
 To be the common father of my people, 
 Patron of honour, virtue and religion ; 
 If not to flicker induftry, to guard 
 Her honefl: portion from oppreflive pride, 
 From wafteful riot, and the fons of rapine, 
 Who bafely ravifh what they dare not earn ; 
 If not to deal out juftice, like the fun, 
 With equal light ; if not to fpread thy bounty, 
 The treafures trufled to me, not my own, 
 On all the fmiling ranks of nourifti'd life ; 
 If not to raife our drooping Engli/b name, 
 To clothe it yet with terrour ; make this land 
 Renown'd for peaceful arts to blefs mankind, 
 And generous war to humble proud opprefibrs : 
 If not to build on an eternal bafe > 
 On liberty and laws, the public weal : 
 If not for thefe great ends I am ordain'd, 
 May I ne'er idly fill the throne of -England ! 
 
 L 5 HER.\HJ
 
 226 ALFRED. 
 
 HERMIT. 
 
 Still may thy breaft thefe fentiments retain* 
 In prosperous life. 
 
 ALFREB. 
 
 Profperity were ruin, 
 
 Could it deftroy or change fuch thoughts as thefe. 
 When Thofe whom heaven diftinguifhes o'er millions, 
 Profufely gives them honours, riches, power, 
 Whate'er th' expanded heart can wiih ; when they. 
 Accepting the reward, negleft the duty ; 
 Or worfe, pervert thofe gifts to deeds of ruin : 
 Is there a wretch they rule fo mean as they ? 
 Guilty, at once, of facrilege to heaven, 
 And of perfidious robbery to men 
 But hark ! methinks I hear a plaintive voice 
 Sigh thro' the vale, and wake the mournful echo^ 
 
 SONG. 
 
 I. 
 
 Siveet -valley, fay, where, penjtve lying, 
 For me, our children, England, Jighing, 
 
 fhe beft of mortals leans bis head. 
 Ye fountains, dimpled by my farrow, 
 Te brooks that my complainings borrow, 
 O lead me 'to his lontly bid : 
 Or if my lover, 
 Deep weeds, you cover, 
 dh whiffer where ywr Jkadwu o'er himfpreadf
 
 ALFRED. 227 
 
 ir. 
 
 '7/V not the kfs of pomp and pleafure, q 
 
 Of empire, or oftinfd treafure, 
 
 'That drops this tear, that/wells this groan : 
 No ; from a nobler caufe proceeding, 
 A heart with love andfondnefs blteding r 
 I breathe my fadly-pleajjng moan, 
 With other anguijb 
 If corn to languish: 
 For love iKiillftel no/orrmvs but hit wen. 
 
 SCENE VI. 
 ALFRED, HERMIT, ELTRUDA, advancing, 
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 Sure, by the voice, and purport of the fong, 
 This generous mourner is my queen Eltruda. 
 And yet how can that be ? O all good powers ! 
 Tis me ! 'tis fhe ! 
 
 ELTRUDA. 
 
 My lord, ray life, my Alfred! 
 Oh take me to thy arms ; with toil o'ercome, 
 And fudden tranfport, thus at once to find thee, 
 In this wild foreil, pathlefs and perplext ! 
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 Come to my foul, thou dearefl, beft of women > 
 Come, and repofe thy forrows in my bofom, 
 
 L 6 all
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 O all my paflions mix in doubtful ftrife ! 
 If pain or joy prevail, I fcarce can fay, 
 While thus 1 clafp thee, and recall the perils 
 To which thy trembling fteps have been expos'd. 
 Why halt thou left the convent where I plac'd thee ? 
 Why, unprotected, truft thee to a land, 
 A barbarous land where rages Danijb war ! 
 Our hofpitabk England is no more I 
 
 ELTRUDA. 
 
 Dire was the caufe, my Alfred. The rous'd country, 
 All wild in breathlefs terror and confufion, 
 4-nferm'd us, a near party of the Danes, 
 Whofe brutal fury fpares no fex, no age, 
 No place however privileg'd or holy, 
 Were on full march that way. Inftant I fled, 
 In this difguife, with only thefe attendants : 
 But in our way oft chear'd by airy voices, 
 To bear to this retreat our hclplefs children. 
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 AH wanderers too young ! ah haplefs children ! 
 But more unhappy Sire ! who cannot give, 
 To thofe he loves, protection. 
 ELTRUDA. 
 
 Thou too, Alfred, 
 
 Art thou not unattended ? None to ferve thee, 
 To foothe thy woes, to watch thy broken fliunbers ! 
 And when the filent tear o'erflows thy eye, 
 None, with the warm and cordial lip of love, 
 
 To
 
 ALFRED. 229^ 
 
 To kifs it off! There is in love a power, 
 
 There is a foft divinity, that draws 
 
 Tranfport even from diftrefs ; that gives the heart 
 
 A certain pang, excelling far the joys 
 
 Of grofs unfeeling life. Befides, my Alfred, 
 
 Even had the fury of this barbarous foe 
 
 Not forc'd me from the convent, life is ftiort ; 
 
 And now it trembles on the wing of danger : 
 
 Why mould we lofe it then ? One well-fav'd hour, 
 
 In fuch a tender circumftance to lovers, 
 
 Is better than an age of common time. 
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 Oh 'tis too much ! thy tendernefs o r ercomes me ! 
 Nay, look not on me with that fweet dejection, 
 Thro' tears that pierce my foul ! Chear thee, my love i 
 Hope ftill the beft ; that better dajis await us, 
 And fairer from remembrance. Thou, Eltruda, 
 Thou art a pledge of happineis! On thee 
 Good angels wait ; they led thy journey hither : 
 And I have heard them, in this wild retreat^ 
 Warbling immortal airs> and ftrains of comfort. 
 But ah the foe is round us : and this ifle 
 Now holds my foul's beft wealth, the treafur'd ftore 
 Of all my joys. I go to fkirt it round, 
 To vifit every creek and fedgy bank, 
 Where nifties thro' the reeds the fhadowy gale ; 
 Or where the bending umbrage drinks the ftream ; 
 Left danger unawares fhould fteal upon us. 
 
 And
 
 230 ALFRED; 
 
 And now, by flow degrees, folemn and fad, 
 Wide-falling o'er the world, the nightly fliades 
 Hufti the brown woods, and deepen all their horrors 
 While humbled into reft, and aw'd by darknefs, 
 Each creature feeks the covert. To that cell 
 Retire, my life. I will not long be abfent. 
 
 End of the Firft 
 
 ACT
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 A C T II. S C E N E I. 
 
 ALFRED altne. 
 J HT^ I S now the depth of darknefs and repofe. 
 
 J. All nature feems to reft : while Alfred wakes 
 To think, and to be wretched. Where yon oak 
 With wide and duflcy made overhangs the ftreatn, 
 That glides in filence by, I took my ftand : 
 What time the glow-worm thro* the dewy path 
 Firft fliot his twinkling flame. I flood attentive, 
 Liftening each noife from wood-clad hill and dale ; 
 But all was hufti'd around. Nor trumpet's clang, 
 Nor fhout of roving foe, nor hafty tread 
 Of evening paflenger, difturb'd the wide 
 And awful ftillnefs. Homeward as I fped, 
 O'er many a delve, thro* many a path perplext r 
 Maze running into maze; ill-boding thoughts 
 Haunted my fteps. Perhaps my gallant friend, 
 Difcover'd to the Danes, this moment bleeds 
 Beneath their fwords ! or lies a breathlefs corfe, 
 The preyof midnight wolves. Some mournful finuuf 
 Strikes fudden on my fenfe. 
 
 SCENE
 
 332 ALFRED. 
 
 SCENE II. 
 ALFRED, ELTRUDA. 
 
 ELTRUDA. 
 
 Here will I lean 
 
 On this green bank, to wait the wiih'd return 
 Of morning and my lord. 
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 My gentle love, 
 
 Eltruda, why to this untimely iky 
 Expofe thy health ? The dews of night fall faff : 
 The chill breeze fighs aloud. 
 
 . ELTRUDA. 
 
 I could not reft. 
 
 Can love repofe when apprehenfion wakes, 
 And whifpers to the heart aU dreadful things, 
 That walk with, night and folitude ? Methought, 
 In each low murmur of the woods, I heard 
 Th' invading foe or heard my Jlfred groan ! 
 Our tender infants too their fancy'd cries 
 Still found within my ears ! 
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 Eltruda, there/ 
 
 I am a woman too : I who mould cheer, 
 And fhelter thee from every care. My children ! 
 The thought of what may chance to them, compleats 
 Their father's Aim of woes. O what fafe made 
 
 Can,
 
 A L-F RED. 233 
 
 Can fkreen their opening bloflbm from the florin 
 That beats fevere on us ! Not fweeter buds 
 The primrofe in the vale, nor fooner fhrinks 
 At winter's churlifh blaft 
 
 ELT RU DA. 
 
 Behold, my lord 
 
 Good angek fiiield us What a flood of brightad! 
 Waves round our heads ! 
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 The hermit moves this way. 
 That wondrous man holds converfe with the hoft 
 Of higher natures. Thefe far beaming fires 
 Were doubtlefs kindled up at his command. 
 Be filent and attentive. 
 
 SCENE III. 
 ALFRED, ELTRUDA, HERMIT. 
 
 HERMIT. 
 
 I have heard 
 
 'J hy fond complainings, Alfred. 
 ALFRED. 
 
 You have then, 
 Good father, heard the caufe that wrings them from me, 
 
 HERMIT. 
 
 The human race are fons of forrow born: 
 And each muft have his portion. Vulgar minds 
 
 Refufe.
 
 234 A L F R E D. 
 
 Refufe, or crouch beneath their load : the brave 
 Bear theirs without repining. 
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 Who can bear 
 
 The fhaft that wpunds him thro' an infant's fide? 
 When whom we love, to whom we owe protection, 
 Implore the hand we cannot reach to fave them ? 
 
 HERMIT. 
 
 Weep not, Eltruda. Yet thou art a king, 
 All private paflions fall before that name. 
 Thy fubje&s claim thee whole. 
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 Can public truft, 
 
 O reverend fage ! deftroy the fofter ties 
 That twine around the parent's yearning heart ? 
 That holy paffion heav* >\ itwlf infus'd, 
 And blended with the f,. .n that feeds our life. 
 
 Hi'' MIT. 
 
 You love your children, pmce - 
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 Lives there on earthy 
 In air, or ocean, creature tame or wild 
 That has not known this univerfal love ? 
 All nature feels it intimate and deep, 
 And all her fons of inftinftor of reafon. 
 
 HERMIT. 
 
 Then fhew that paffion in its nobleft form. 
 Seafon their tender years with every virtue, 
 Social or felf-retir'd ; of public greatnefs, 
 
 Or
 
 ALFRED. 235 
 
 Or lovely in the hour of private life ; 
 With all that can exa't, or can adorn 
 Their princely rank. 
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 Alas, their hope muft ftoop, 
 Such my unhappy fate, to humbler aims : 
 Afflidlion and bafe want mud be their teachers. 
 
 HERM/T. 
 
 Affliftion is the wholfome foil of virtue : 
 Where patience, honour, fweet humanity, 
 Calm fortitude take root, and ftrongly flourifh. 
 But prosperous fortune, that allures with pleafure, 
 Dazles with pomp, and undermines with flattery, 
 Poifons the foil, and its beft produft kills. 
 Should'lt them regain thy throne 
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 My throne ? What glimpfe, 
 What fmalleft ray of hope 
 HERMIT. 
 
 That day may come 
 
 What do I feel ? My labouring breafl expands 
 To give the glorious infpiration room. 
 And now the cloud that o'er thy future fate, 
 Like total night, lay heavy and obfcure, 
 Fades into air : and all the brightening fcene 
 Dawns gay before me ! A long line of kings, 
 From thee defcending, glorious and renown'd, 
 In fhadowy pomp I fee ! 
 
 Genius
 
 2$6 ALFRED. 
 
 Genius of England ! hovering near, 
 In all thy radiant charms appear. 
 
 O come and fummon, from the world unknown, 
 Thofe mighty chiefs, thofe fons of future fame, 
 Who, ages hence, this ifland fhall adorn, 
 And fpread to diftant realms her glorious name. 
 Slow let the vifionary forms arife, 
 And folemn pafs before our wondring eyes. 
 
 [ Mujte gran. I and artful. The GeniM defctnding 
 Jtngs the foiljiuing 
 
 SONG. 
 
 From l/jf/e eternal regions 
 
 If'hert funs, that never fit in night t 
 
 Bifftfe the golden t/ay : 
 Wbtrtfyring unfading pours around t 
 O'tr all the deiv-impearlca 1 ground, 
 
 Her tkonfand eo/ours gay : 
 O whether OH the fountain's flowery JiJe, 
 Whence Jiving waters glide t 
 Or in the fragrant g ^ue, 
 Whofe jhade embofomi peace and lo<ve, 
 Nfw pleafures all your hours employ, 
 e<very jenfe with everijoy ! 
 Great heirs of empire ! yet unborn, 
 Wbojhull this ijland late adorn }
 
 ALFRED. 237 
 
 A monarch's drooling thought to chea>- t 
 Appear ! appear ! appear ! 
 
 Spirits of EDWA RD III. PHILIPPA his queen, 
 and the Black Prince htsfon, arife. 
 
 HERMIT. 
 
 Alfred, look ; and fay, 
 
 What feeft thou yonder ? 
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 Three majeftic fhapes : 
 Two habited like mighty warriors old ; 
 A third in whofe bright afpeft beauty fmiles 
 More foft and feminine. A lucid veil, 
 From her fair neck dependant floats around, 
 Light-hovering in the gale. 
 
 HERMIT. 
 
 O Alfred, man 
 
 Belov'd of heaven, behold a king ind,ed-, 
 Matchlefs in arms ; in arts of peaceful rule, 
 A fovereign's trueft glory, yet more fam'd, 
 England's third Edward ! At his fear'd approach, 
 Proud France, even now, thro' all herdukedoms quakes. 
 Her Genius fighs : and from th' eternal more, 
 The foul of her great Charles, a recent gueft, 
 Looks back to earth, and mourns the diftant woes, 
 His realms are doom'd to feel from Edward's wrath. 
 Beneath his ftandard, Britain fhall go forth, 
 Array'd for conqueft, terrible in glory : 
 And nations fhrink before her. O what deaths, 
 
 What
 
 2j8 ALFRED. 
 
 What defolation (hall her vengeance fpread, 
 From engines yet unfound ; whofe lightnings flam, 
 Whofe thunders roar, amazing, o'er the plain : 
 As if this king had fummon'd from on high 
 Heaven's dread artillery to fight his battle ! 
 Nor is renown in war his fole ambition : 
 
 A nobler paffion labours in his bread 
 
 Alfred attend to make his people bleft ! 
 The facred rights that reafon loudly claims 
 For free-born men thefe, Alfred, are his care : 
 Oft to confirm, and fix them on the bafe 
 Of equal laws. O father of mankind ! 
 Succeffive praifes from a grateful land 
 Shall faint thy name forever ! 
 ALFRED. 
 
 Holy fage, 
 
 Whom angels thus enlighten and infpire, 
 My bofom kindles at thy heaven- born flame. 
 Great Edward! Be thy conquefts and their praifs 
 Unrival'd to thy felf. But O thy fame 
 For care paternal of the public weal ; 
 For England bleft at home my rapt heart pants 
 To equal that renown ! 
 
 HERMIT. 
 
 Know farther, Alfred^ 
 A fovereign's great example forms a people. 
 The public breaft is noble, or is vile, 
 As he infpires it. In this Edward^ time, 
 Warm'd by his courage, by his honour rais'd, 
 
 High
 
 ALFRED. 239 
 
 High flames the Britijh fpirit like the fun, 
 
 To fhine o'er half the globe : and where it fhines, 
 
 The cherim'd world to brighten and enrich. 
 
 Laft fee this monarch in his hour of leifure ; 
 Even focial on a throne, and tailing joys 
 To folitary greatnefs feldom known, 
 As friend, as hufband, and as father bleft. 
 That god-like Youth remark, his eldeft hope, 
 Who gives new luftre to the name he bears ; 
 A hero ere a man. I fee him now 
 On Crejy's glorious plain ! The father's heart, 
 With anxious love and wonder at his daring, 
 Beats high in mingled tranfport. Great himfelf, 
 Great above jealoufy, the guilty mark 
 That brands all meaner minds, fee, he applauds 
 Theyf/ra/ excellence, and gives him fcope 
 To blaze in his full brightnefs ! Lo, again 
 He fends him dreadful to a nobler field : 
 The danger and the glory all his own ! 
 A captive king, the rival of his arms, 
 I fee adorn his triumph ! Heaven ! what grace 
 What fplendor from his gracious temper mild 
 That triumph draws ! As gentle mercy kind, 
 He chears the hoftile prince whofe fall he weeps ! 
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 A fon fo rich in virtues, and fo grac'd 
 With all that.gives thofe virtues fair to mine, 
 When I would afk of heaven fome mighty boon, 
 Should claim the foremoft place. 
 
 HERMIT^
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 HERMIT. 
 
 Remember then, 
 
 What to thy infant fons from thee is due, 
 As parent and as prince. 
 
 ELTRUDA. 
 
 Forgive me, Kermit, 
 
 Forgive a queen and wife her anxious fondnefs. 
 Yon beauteous ihade, that, as I gaze her o'er, 
 My wonder draws, efcapes your graver thought. 
 
 HERMIT. 
 
 O bright Eltruda ! thou vvhofe blooming youth, 
 Whofe amiable fweetnefs promife bleffings 
 To dif-fl and to England ! fee, and mark, 
 In yonder pleafmg form, the belt of wives, 
 The happieft too, repaid with all the faith, 
 With all the friendfhip, love and duty claim. 
 She, powerful o'er the heart her charms enflave 
 O virtue rarely praftis'd ! ufes nobly 
 That happy influence ; to prompt each purpofe 
 Fair honour kindles in her Edward's breaft. 
 Amid the pomps, the pleafures of a court, 
 Humble of heart, feverely good ; the friend 
 Of modeft worth, the parent of the poor. 
 jLhruda ! O tranfmit thefe nobleft charms 
 To that fair daughter, that unfolding rofe, 
 With which, * as on this day^ heaven crown'd your loves. 
 
 * This wafque was written to be afted at Cliffden, on tbi birth' 
 j!jj' of ier Royal Higbnefi the piincefs Augufta. 
 
 Tkt
 
 ALFRED. 241 
 
 Theffirit of ELIZABETH arifes. 
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 Say, who is me, in whom the noble graces, 
 Th' engaging manner, dignity and eafe, 
 Are join'd with, manly fenfe and refolution ? 
 
 HERMIT. 
 
 The great Eliza. She, amid a world 
 That threatning fwells in high commotion round her j 
 Each dangerous ftate her unrelenting foe, 
 And chief a proud enormous empire itretch'd 
 O'er half mankind ; with not one friendly power, 
 But what her kind creating hand mall raife 
 From out the marfhes of the branching Rhine ; 
 And min'd, at home, her ever-tottering throrre 
 By reftlefs bigots, who, beneath the malk 
 Of mild religion, are to every crime 
 
 Set loofe, the faithlefs fons of barbarous zeal : 
 Yetlhe mall crown this happy ifle with peace, 
 
 With arts, with richer, grandeur and renown ; 
 
 And quell, by turns, the madnefs of her foes. 
 
 As when the winds, from different quarters, urge 
 
 The tempeft on our more : fecure, the clifts 
 
 Repel its idle rage, and pour it back, 
 
 In broken billows, foaming to the main. 
 
 VOL. III. M
 
 242 ALFRED. 
 
 ALFRED. 
 How {hall fhe, Hermit, gain thefe glorious ends ? 
 
 HERMIT. 
 
 By filent wifdom, whofe informing power 
 Works unperceiv'd : that feems in council flow ; 
 But, when refolv'd, and ripe for execution, 
 That darts like lightning from the fecret gloom : 
 By ever feizing the right fo'nf ofvu-w, 
 Her trueft intereH ; which fhe firm parfues, 
 With fteady patience, thro' the maze of flat::, 
 The florm of oppofuicn, the mixt views, 
 And thwarting manag'd pa.Tions of mankind : 
 By healing the divifions of her people, 
 And fowing that fell peft among her foes : 
 By f-iving, from the vermin of a court, 
 Her treafure; which, when fair occafioncalh, 
 She knows to lavifh, in pro:ec^ing arts, 
 In guarding nations, and in nuriing ftates : 
 By calling up to power, and public life, 
 Each virtue, each ability : yet^f, 
 Amid the various wo: thics glowing round her, 
 Still fliines the fir II ; the central fun that wakes, 
 Thai rules their every motion : net the flave, 
 And pafiive propeity of her own creatures. 
 But the great foul that animates her reign, 
 That lights it to perfeciion, is the love, 
 The confidence unbounded, which her wifdom, 
 
 4 Her
 
 ALFRED. 243 
 
 Her probity and jufiice, (hall infpire 
 
 Into the public breaft. Hence cordial faith, 
 
 Which nought can make; hence unexhaufted treafiire : 
 
 And hence, above all mercenary force, 
 
 The hand that by the freeborn heart is rais'd, 
 
 And guards the blended weal of Prince and People. 
 
 She too (hall raife Britannia's nava! power j 
 
 Shall greatly ravifh, from infulting Spa'.n, 
 
 The world-commanding fcepter of the deep, 
 
 ELTRUDA. 
 
 O matchlefs queen ! O glory of her fex I 
 The great idea, father, fills my foul, 
 And bids it glow beyond a woman's pafHons. 
 
 :///> of WILLIAM III. drifts. 
 
 HERMIT. 
 
 Once more, Q *$!/ eJ, raife thine eyes, and rr; ?.;!:, 
 Who next adorns the fcene, yon laurelMy&ajfc. 
 Ere yet the age that clos'd this female reign 
 Hath led around its train of ci, cling years, 
 Shall Britain on the verge of ruin Hand. 
 A monarch, loil to greatr.ef-, to renown, 
 Thefhve of dreaming monks, fiiall fill her throne. 
 Weak and afpiring ; fond cf lawleis rale, 
 The lawkfs rule his mean ambition covets 
 Un?qual to acquire. Yo:i priucs thou fa 7/2, 
 
 M 2 To
 
 244 ALFRED. 
 
 To glory tutor'd by the hand fevere 
 Of fharp Adverfity, ihall heaven upraife, 
 And injur'd nations with joint call invoke, 
 Their laft, their only refuge. Lo ! he comes : 
 Wide o'er the billows of the boundlefs deep 
 His navy rides triumphant : and the fhores 
 Of fhouting Albioi echo with his name. 
 Immortal William ! from before his face, 
 Flies Superftition, flies oppreflive Power, 
 With vile Servility that crouch'd and kifs'd 
 The whip he trembled at. From this great hour 
 Shall Britain date her rights and laws reilor'd : 
 And one high purpofe rule her fovereign's heart ; 
 To fcourge the pride of France, that foe profefs'd 
 To England and to Freedom. Yet I fee, 
 From diitant climes in peaceful triumph borne, 
 Another KING aiife .'-His early youth 
 With verdant laurel crown'd, for deeds of arms 
 That Reafon's voice approves ; for courage, raii'd 
 Eevond all aid from paffion, greatly calm ! 
 Intrepidly ferene ! In days of peace, 
 Around hi? throne the human viitucs wait, 
 And fair adorn him with their mildeft beams ; 
 Good wkhout mow, above ambition great ; 
 Wife, equal, merciful, the friend of man ! 
 
 O dlfrid ! fhould thy fate, long ages hence, 
 In meaning fcenes recall'd, exalt the joy 
 
 2 Of
 
 ALFRED. 245 
 
 Of fome glad feftal cay, before a prince 
 
 Sprung from that king belov'd Hear, gracious heaven? 
 
 Thy foft humanity, thy patriot heart, 
 
 Thy manly virtue, fteddy, great, refolv'd, 
 
 Be his fupreme ambition ! and with thcfe, 
 
 The happinefs, the glory, that await 
 
 Thy better days, be fhower'd upon his head ! 
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 O Hermit ! thou haftrais'd me to new life ! 
 New hopes, new triumphs fvvell my bounding heart 
 
 HERMIT. 
 
 It comes ! it comes ! The promis'd fccne difclo. . 
 Already the great work of fate beg'r.j, ! 
 The mighty wheels are turning, whence will fpread, 
 Beyond the limits of our narrow world, 
 The fair dominions, Alfred^ of thy fons. 
 Behold the warrior bright with Danijh /poils ! 
 The raven droops his wings and hark ! the trumpet, 
 "Exulting, fpeaks the reft, 
 
 M SCENE
 
 246 A L F R E D. 
 
 SCENE IV. 
 
 Symphony of martial mujic. 
 
 ALFRED, ELTRUDA, HERMIT, Earl of 
 DEVON, followed by fo.'ditrs. 
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 My friend retum'd ! 
 
 O welcome, welcome ! but what happy tiding* 
 Smile in thy chearful countenance ? 
 DEVON. 
 
 My Liege, 
 
 Your troops have been fuccefsful. But to heaven 
 Afcend the praife ! For fure th' event exceeds 
 The hand of man. 
 
 ALFRED. 
 How was it, noble Devon ? 
 
 DEVON. 
 
 You know my caftle is not hence far-diilant, 
 Thither I fped : and in. a Danijh habit 
 The trenches paffing, by a fecret way, 
 Known to myfelf alone, emerg'd at once 
 Amid my joyful foldiers. There I found 
 A generous few, the veteran, hardy qleanirigs 
 
 Of
 
 ALFRED. 247 
 
 Of many a haplefs fight. They with a fierce 
 
 Heroic fire infpirited each other ; 
 
 Refolv'd on death, difdaining to furvive 
 
 Their deareft country.-" If we fall, I cry'd,- 
 
 " Let us not tamely fall like paffive cowards ! 
 
 " No : let us live or let us die, like men! 
 
 " Come on, my friends : to Alfred we will cut 
 
 *' Our glorious way ; or, as we nobly perifn, 
 
 " Will afFer to the genius of our country 
 
 " Whole hecatombs of Danes"- As if one foul 
 
 Had mov'd them all, around their heads they fiafh'ti . 
 
 Their fiaming faulchions " Lead us to t'aofe Dana / 
 
 " Our country ! vengeance !" was the general cry. 
 
 Strait on the carelefs droufy camp we rufh'd : 
 
 And rapid, as the flame devours the Hubble, 
 
 Bore down the heartlefs Danes. With thisfuccefs 
 
 Our enterprize encreas'd. Not now contented 
 
 To hew a pafiage thro' the flying herd ; 
 
 We, unremitting, urg'd a total rcut. 
 
 The valiant Hubba bites the bloody field, 
 
 With twice fix hundred Danes around him ftrow'd. 
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 My glorious friend ! this aftion has reftor'd 
 Our finking country. What reward can equal 
 A deed fo great ? Is not yon piftur'd Raven 
 Their famous magic ftandard Emblem fit 
 To fpeak the fa-vage gsnius of the people- 
 
 M 4 That
 
 248 ALFRED. 
 
 That oft has fcatter'd on our troops difmay s 
 And feeble conflernation.? 
 
 DEVON. 
 
 'Tis the fame. 
 
 Wrought by the fillers of the Danijb king, 
 Of furious l-var, in a midnight hour : 
 While the fick moon, at their enchanted fong, 
 Wrapt in pate tempeft, laboured thro' the clouds, 
 The Demons of deftru&ion then, they fay, 
 Were all abroad, and mixing with the woof 
 Their baleful power : The fitters ever fung ; 
 " Shake, flandard, ihake, this ruin on our foes !" 
 
 HERMIT. 
 
 So thefe infernal powers, with rays of truth, 
 Still deck their fables, to delude who truft them. 
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 But where, my noble coufm, are the reft 
 Of your brave troops ? 
 
 DEVON. 
 
 Cn t'other fide the ftream, 
 That half inclofes this retreat, I left them. 
 Kous'd from the fear, with which it was congeal'd 
 As in a froft, the country pours amain. 
 The fpirit of our anceftors is up, 
 The fpiiit of the Fiee ! and with a voice 
 That breathes fuccefs, they all demand their king. 
 
 ALFRED. 
 Quick, let us join them, and improve their ardor. 
 
 We
 
 ALFRED. 249 
 
 We cannot be too hafty to fecure 
 The gTances of occafion. 
 
 SCENE the loft. 
 To them CORIN, EMMA, kneeling is ALFRED, 
 
 COR IN. 
 
 Good my Liege,. 
 
 Pardon the pcor unequal entertainment, 
 Which we, unknowing 
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 Rife, my honeft ftiepherch 
 I came to thee a peafant, not a prince : 
 Thy rural entertainment was fincere, 
 Plain, hofpitable, kind : fuch as, I hope, 
 Will ever mark the manners of this nation. 
 You friendly lodg'd me, when by all deferted : 
 And (hall have ample recompence. 
 
 COR IN. 
 
 One boon, 
 Is all I crave. 
 
 ALFRED. 
 Good fhepherd, fpeak thy wifli. 
 
 CORIN.
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 CORIN. 
 
 Permiflion, in your wars, to ferve your Grace? 
 
 For tho' here loft in folitary ftiades, 
 
 A fimple fwain, 1 bear an Englljh heart : 
 
 A heart that burns with rage to fee thofe Dana, 
 
 Thofe foreign ruffian?, thofe inhuman pirates, 
 
 Oft our inferiors prov'd, thus lord it o'er us. 
 
 ALFR ED. 
 
 Brave countryman, come on. 'Tis fuch as thou, 
 Who from affedlion ferve, and free-born zeal, 
 To guard whate'er is dear and facred to thenl, 
 That are a king'* beft honor and defence, . 
 
 EMMA fmgs tie following SONG. 
 I. 
 
 Jf tbtfe, i<jbo live injhrpberd's tower, 
 
 Pre/s net tke rich and /lately ltd: 
 The new-movsn hay and breathing flower 
 
 A /after couch beneath tbem /{read. 
 
 II. 
 
 Jf ' tbo/e, <wbo Jit at Jbepberd^s boarl, 
 Soothe not their tafte by <vjantcn art j 
 
 They take what natrtris gifts afford, 
 dud take it with a (bearful J>eart. 
 
 Ill-
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 III. 
 
 If tkofe, who drain the Jhepherc?) t>ow/, 
 No high andfparkling wines fan boajl ; 
 
 With wholefome (ups they ckear the foul, 
 And crown them with the village ioajl. 
 
 IV. 
 
 If thtfe, tvcho join injhepherd's fort t 
 Gay-dancing an the daiztfd ground \ 
 
 Have not the filendor of a court ; 
 Ttt low adirnt the merry 
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 My lov'd Eltruda ! thou fhalt here remain, 
 With gentle Emma, and this reverend hermit. 
 Ye filver ftreams, that murmuring wind around 
 This duiky fpot, to you I truft my all ! 
 O clofe around her, woods ! for her, ye vales, 
 Throw forth your flowers, your fofteft lap diffufe ! : 
 
 And Thou ! whofe fecret and expanfive hand 
 Moves all the fprings of this vaft univerfe : 
 Whofe government aftonifhes ; who here, 
 In a few hours, beyond our utmoft hope, 
 Beyond our thought, yet doubting, haft clear'd up 
 The ftorm of fate : preferve what thy kind will, 
 
 Thy.
 
 1 5 2 A L F R E D. 
 
 Thy bountiful appointment, makes fo dear 
 
 To human hearts ! preferve my queen and children ! 
 
 Preferve the hopes of England ! while I go 
 
 To finifh thy great work, and fave my country. 
 
 ELTRUDA. 
 
 Go, pay the debt of honor to the public. 
 If ever woman, Alfred, lov'd her hufband 
 More fondly than herfelf, I claim that virtue, 
 That heart-felt happinefs. Yet, by our loves 
 I fwear, that in a glorious death with thee 
 J rather would be wrapt, than live long years 
 To charm thee from the rugged paths of honour : 
 So much I think thee born for beauteous deeds, 
 And the bright courfe of glory. 
 
 ALFRED. 
 
 Matchlefs woman ! 
 
 Love, at thy voice, is kindled to ambition. 
 Be this my deareil triumph, to approve me 
 A hufband worthy of the bell Ettmda I 
 
 HERMIT. 
 
 Behold, my lord, our venerable Bard, 
 Aged and blind, him whom the Mufes favour. 
 Yet ere you go, in our lov'd country's praife, 
 That nobleft theme, hear what his rapture breathes,
 
 ALFRED* 253 
 
 An ODE. 
 
 I. 
 
 When Britain firjt, at heaven i command^ 
 
 Arofe from out the azure main ; 
 This --was the charter of the land, 
 
 And guardian Angels Jung thisy?ra/: 
 " Rule, Britannia, rule the waves ; 
 " Britons never will be Jlavei" 
 
 If. 
 
 The nations, not fa bleft as thee, 
 
 Mu/l, in t'ceir turns, to tyrants fall : 
 
 While than /halt flauri/h great and free, 
 Ths dread and envy of them all. 
 
 itr. 
 
 Still more majeJJic /halt thau rife, 
 
 More dreadful from each foreign Jlroh: 
 
 At th'e loud btajl that tears the Jkies, 
 Serves but to root thy native oak. 
 " Rtile, &c. 
 
 IV.
 
 254 A L F R E D. 
 
 IV. ' 
 
 Thet haughty tyrants ne'er ft/all tame: 
 All their attempts to bend tbee down, 
 
 Will but arroufe thy generous flame ; 
 But work their ivoe, and thy renoivn. 
 " Rule, &c. 
 
 V. 
 
 To thee belongs the rural reign ; 
 
 Thy cities Jball with commerce Jhine : 
 All thine Jhall be the fuljtfl main, 
 
 And every fnore it circlet thine. 
 " Rule, &c. 
 
 VI. 
 
 The mufts, ft ill with freedom found, 
 
 Shall to thy hafpy caaft repair : 
 Bleft ijle ! ixilh mat chiefs beauty trown'd, 
 And manly hearts to guard the fair. 
 " Rule, Britannia, rale tie waves ; 
 " Britons never wil 
 
 HERMIT. 
 
 Alfred, go forth ! lead on the rad'aat years, 
 To thee reveal'd in vifion. Lo ! they rife ! 
 Lo ! patriots, heroes, fages, croud to birth : 
 Ami hards to fing them in immortal arerfe ! 
 I fee thy commerce, Brit, in, grafp the world : 
 
 AH
 
 ALFRED. 255 
 
 All nations ferve thee ; ever)' foreign flood, 
 
 Subjected pays its tribute to the Thames. 
 
 1 hither the golden South obedient pours 
 
 His funny treafures : thither the foft Eaft 
 
 Her fpiccs, delicacies, gentle gifts : 
 
 And thither his rough trade the ftormy North. 
 
 See, where beyond the vaft Atlantic furge, 
 
 By boldeft keels untouch'd, a dreadful fpace ! 
 
 Shores, yet unfound, arife ! in youthful prime, 
 
 With towering forefls, mighty rivers crown'd : 
 
 Thefe {loop to Britain's thunder. This new world, 
 
 Shook to its centre, trembles at her name : 
 
 And there her fons, with aim exalted, fow 
 
 The feeds of rifmg empire, arts, and arms. 
 
 Britons, proceed, the fubjeft Deep command, 
 Awe with your navies every hoftile land. 
 Vain are their threats, their armies all are vain : 
 They rule the balanced world, who rule the maJrK 
 
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