springs

From fear

Myrrha. For you.

Sard. No matter-still 'tis fear.

jubilee.

wrath,

Are timidly vindictive to a pitch
Of perseverance, which I would not copy.
I thought you were exempt from this, as
from

The childish helplessness of Asian women. Myrrha. My lord, I am no boaster of my love,

Nor of my attributes; I have shared your splendour,

And will partake your fortunes. You may live

To find one slave more true than subject myriads;

But this the gods avert! I am content
To be beloved on trust for what I feel,
Rather than prove it to you in your griefs,
Which might not yield to any cares of mine.
Sard. Griefs cannot come where perfect
love exists,

Except to heighten it, and vanish from
That which it could not scare away. Let's in
The hour approaches, and we must prepare
To meet the invited guests who grace our
[Exeunt.

feast.

She could not keep when conquer'd?

Altada. Mighty though

They were, as all thy royal line have been, Yet none of those who went before have reach'd

The acme of Sardanapalus, who

Has placed his joy in peace-the sole true glory.

Sard. And pleasure, good Altada, to which glory

Is but the path. What is it that we seek?

Zames. Traitors they

Who dare to say so!-Tis impossible.
What cause?

Sard. What cause? true, fill the
goblet up;

We will not think of them: there are none such,

Or if there be, they are gone.

Altada. Guests, to my pledge! Down on your knees, and drink a measure to The safety of the king—the monarch, say ]? The god Sardanapalus!

[Zames and the Guests kneel, and exclaimMightier than

His father Baal, the god Sardanapalus!
[It thunders as they kneel; some
start up in confusion.
Zames. Why do ye rise, my friends? In
that strong peal

His father-gods consented.
Myrrha. Menaced, rather.

King, wilt thou bear this mad impiety? Sard. Impiety?- nay, if the sires who reign'd

Before me can be gods, I'll not disgrace
Their lineage. But arise, my pious friends
Hoard your devotion for the thunderer
there:
I seek but to be loved, not worshipp'd.

Altada. Both—

Both you must ever be by all true subjects. Sard. Methinks the thunders still in crease: it is

Myrrha. Thou'rt no god, then, not to be Able to work a will so good and general, As thy wish would imply.

Sard. And your gods, then, Who can, and do not?

Myrrha. Do not speak of that, Lest we provoke them.

Sard. True, they love not censure Better than mortals. Friends, a thought has struck me:

Were there no temples, would there, think ye, be

ashes,

Making a grave with every footstep.

Zames. No;

And pelting as even now?

Myrrha. The Persian prays Upon his mountain.

Sard. Yes, when the sun shines.

Myrrha. And I would ask if this your

palace were

Unroof'd and desolate, how many flatterers Would lick the dust in which the king lay low?

Altada. The fair Ionian is too sarcastic Upon a nation whom she knows not well; The Assyrians know no pleasure but their king's,

And homage is their pride.

Sard. Nay, pardon, guests,

The fair Greek's readiness of speech.
Altada. Pardon! sire:

We honour her of all things next to thee.

Hark! what was that?

Zames. That! nothing but the jar

Of distant portals shaken by the wind.

The rebels, fighting inch by inch, and forming

An orb around the palace, where they mean To centre all their force, and save the king. (He hesitates.) I am charged toMyrrha. 'Tis no time for hesitation. Pania. Prince Salemenes doth implore the king

To arm himself, although but for a moment, And show himself unto the soldiers: his Sole presence in this instant might do more Than hosts can do in his behalf.

Sard. What, ho!

My armour there.

Myrrha. And wilt thou?

Sard. Will I not?

hark again!

Zames. The big rain pattering on the roof. Sard. No more.

Myrrha, my love, hast thou thy shell in order?

Sing me a song of Sappho, her, thou knowst, Who in thy country threw

Enter PANIA, with his sword and garments bloody, and disordered. The Guests rise in confusion.

Pania (to the guards). Look to the portals; And with your best speed to the wall without.

Your arms! To arms! The king's in danger.
Monarch!

Excuse this haste,-'tis faith.
Sard. Speak on.
Pania. It is

As Salemenes fear'd; the faithless satrapsSard. You are wounded give some wine. Take breath, good Pania. Pania. 'Tis nothing—a mere flesh-wound, I am worn

More with my speed to warn my sovereign, Than hurt in his defence.

Myrrha. Well, sir, the rebels.

Pania. Soon as Arbaces and Beleses reach'd

Their stations in the city, they refused To march: and on my attempt to use the power

Which I was delegated with, they call'd Upon their troops, who rose in fierce defiance. Myrrha. All?

Pania. Too many.

Sard. Spare not of thy free speech To spare mine ears the truth.

Pania. My own slight guard

Were faithful-and what's left of it is still so. Myrrha. And are these all the force still faithful?

Pania. No

The Bactrians, now led on by Salemenes,

Where are the rebels?

Pania. Scarce a furlong's length From the outward wall the fiercest conflict

By strong suspicion of the Median chiefs,

Arms.

is it?

That's well-no, 'tis too heavy: you mistake, too

It was not this I meant, but that which bears A diadem around it.

Sfero. Sire, I deem'd

That too conspicuous from the precious

stones

To risk your sacred brow beneath-and,

trust me,

This is of better metal, though less rich. Sard. You deem'd! Are you too turn'd a rebel? Fellow!

Your part is to obey: return, and-no-
It is too late - I will go forth without it.
Sfero. At least wear this.
Sard. Wear Caucasus! why, 'tis
A mountain on my temples.

Sfero. Sire, the meanest

Soldier goes not forth thus exposed to battle. All men will recognize you-for the storm Has ceased, and the moon breaks forth in her brightness.

Sard. I go forth to be recognized, and thus Shall be so sooner. Now-my spear! I'm

arm'd.

Myrrha. If it were so,

|

Passing well in these toys; and now to prove them.

Altada! Where's Altada?
Sfero. Waiting, sire,

Without: he has your shield in readiness.
Sard. True; I forget he is my shield-

bearer

By right of blood, derived from age to age. Myrrha embrace me; yet once more-once

more-

Love me, whate'er betide. My chiefest glory Shall be to make me worthier of your love. Myrrha. Go forth, and conquer!

[Exeunt Sardanapalus and Sfero. Now, I am alone.

All are gone forth, and of that all how few Perhaps return. Let him but vanquish, and Me perish! If he vanquish not, I perish; For I will not outlive him. He has wound About my heart, I know not how nor why. Not for that he is king; for now his kingdom

Rocks underneath his throne, and the earth yawns

To yield him no more of it than a grave; And yet I love him more. Oh, mighty Jove! Forgive this monstrous love for a barbarian, Who knows not of Olympus: yes, I love him Now, now, far more than-Hark-to the war-shout !

Methinks it nears me. If it should be so, [She draws forth a small vial. This cunning Colchian poison, which my

father

Learn'd to compound on Euxine shores, and taught me

How to preserve, shall free me! It had freed me

Long ere this hour, but that I loved, until I half forgot I was a slave:- where all

path.

I will await here your return.
Sard. The place

Is spacious, and the first to be sought out,
If they prevail; and, if it should be so,
And I return not-

Myrrha. Still, we meet again.
Sard. How?

Myrrha. In the spot where all must meet at last

In Hades! if there be, as I believe,

A shore beyond the Styx; and if there be not,
In ashes.

Sard. Dar'st thou so much?
Myrrha. I dare all things,

Except survive what I have loved, to be
A rebel's booty: forth, and do your bravest.

Re-enter SFERO with the mirror.

So they are served in turn by something lower

In the degree of bondage, we forget That shackles worn like ornaments no less Are chains. Again that shout! and now the clash

Of arms-and now-and now

Enter ALTADA.

Altada. Ho, Sfero, ho!

Myrrha. He is not here; what wouldst thou with him? How

Goes on the conflict?

Altada. Dubiously and fiercely.
Myrrha. And the king?

Altada. Like a king. I must find Sfero, And bring him a new spear and his own

helmet.

me well, the baldric better,

face,

And the foe too; and in the moon's broad light,

His silk tiara and his flowing hair
Make him a mark too royal. Every arrow
Is pointed at the fair hair and fair features,
And the broad fillet which crowns both.
Myrrha. Ye gods,

Pania. And charged me to secure your life, And beg you to live on for his sake, till He can rejoin you.

Myrrha. Will he then give way?

Pania. Not till the last. Still, still he does whate'er

Despair can do; and step by step disputes

him!

Were you sent by the king?

Altada. By Salemenes,

Who sent me privily upon this charge, Without the knowledge of the careless sovereign.

The king! the king fights as he revels! ho!
What, Sfero! I will seek the armoury,
He must be there.
[Exit Altada.

Myrha. Tis no dishonour-noTis no dishonour to have loved this man. I almost wish now, what I never wish'd r Before, that he were Grecian. If Alcides Were shamed in wearing Lydian Omphale's She-garb, and wielding her vile distaff; surely

He, who springs up a Hercules at once, Nursed in effeminate arts from youth to manhood,

And rushes from the banquet to the battle, As though it were a bed of love, deserves That a Greek girl should be his paramour, And a Greek bard his minstrel, a Greek tomb His monument. How goes the strife, sir? Enter an Officer.

Officer. Lost, Lost almost past recovery. Zames! Where Is Zames?

Myrrha. Posted with the guard appointed | To watch before the apartment of the women. [Exit Officer. Myrrha. He's gone; and told no more than that all's lost!

What need have I to know more? In those

Myrrha. They are here, then :-ay, Their shouts come ringing through the ancient halls,

Never profaned by rebel echoes till
This fatal night. Farewell, Assyria's line!
Farewell to all of Nimrod! Even the name
Is now no more.

Pania. Away with me-away!

Myrrha. No; I'll die here!—Away, and tell your king

I loved him to the last.

Enter SARDANAPALUS and SALEMENES with Soldiers. PANIA quits MYRRHA, and ranges himself with them.

Sard. Since it is thus,

We'll die where we were born-in our own halls.

Scrry your ranks-stand firm. I have despatch'd

A trusty satrap for the guard of Zames, All fresh and faithful; they'll be here anon. All is not over.-Pania, look to Myrrha.

[Pania returns towards Myrrha. Sal. We have breathing time: yet one more charge, my friendsOne for Assyria!

Sard. Rather say for Bactria! My faithful Bactrians, I will henceforth be King of your nation, and we'll hold together This realm as province.

Sal. Hark! they come-they come. Enter BELESEs and ARBACES with the Rebels. Arbaces. Set on, we have them in the toil. Charge! Charge!

Beleses. On! on!-Heaven fights for us and with us. - On!

[They charge the King and Salemenes with their Troops, who defend themselves till the arrival of Zames with the Guard before mentioned. The Rebels are then driven off, and pursued by Salemenes, etc. As the King is going to join the pursuit, Beleses crosses him. Beleses. Ho! tyrant-I will end this war. Sard. Even so,

My warlike priest, and precious prophet, and Grateful and trusty subject:-yield, I pray

thee.

I would reserve thee for a fitter doom,
Rather than dip my hands in holy blood.
Beleses. Thine hour is come.
Sard. No, thine.-I've lately read,
Though but a young astrologer, the stars;
And ranging round the zodiac, found thy
fate

Now call upon thy planets, will they shoot From the sky to preserve their seer and credit?

[A party of Rebels enter and rescue Beleses. They assail the King, who, in turn, is rescued by a party of his Soldiers, who drive the Rebels off. The villain was a prophet after all. Upon them-ho! there-victory is ours. [Exit in pursuit. Myrrha (to Pania). Pursue! Why standst thou here, and leavest the ranks

Of fellow-soldiers conquering without thee? Pania. The king's command was not to quit thee.

Myrrha. Me!

All augury of foes or friends; and like The close and sultry summer's day, which bodes

A twilight-tempest, bursts forth in such thunder

As sweeps the air and deluges the earth. The man's inscrutable.

Sfero. Not more than others.
All are the sons of circumstance; away-
Let's seek the slave out, or prepare to he
Tortured for his infatuation, and
Condemn'd without a crime. [Exeunt.
Enter SALEMENES and Soldiers.
Sal. The triumph is
Flattering: they are beaten backward from
the palace,

And we have open'd regular access
To the troops station'd on the other side
Euphrates, who may still be true; nay,
must be,

When they hear of our victory. But where
Is the chief victor? where's the king?
Enter SARDANAPALUS, cum suis, and
MYRRHA.

Sard. Here, brother.
Sal. Unhurt, I hope.

Sard. Not quite; but let it pass.
We've clear'd the palace-

Sal. And, I trust, the city. Our numbers gather; and I have order'd

onward

Sal. There stands the throne, sire. Sard. 'Tis no place to rest on, For mind nor body: let me have a couch, [They place a seat. A peasant's stool, I care not what: so-now I breathe more freely.

Sal. This great hour has proved The brightest and most glorious of your life. Sard. And the most tiresome. Where's my cup-bearer? Bring me some water.

Sal. (smiling) 'Tis the first time he Ever had such an order: even I, Your most austere of counsellors, would now Suggest a purpler beverage.

Sard. Blood - doubtless. But there's enough of that shed; as for wine, I have learn'd to-night the price of the pure element:

Thrice have I drank of it, and thrice renew'd,