a

ari.

Hold my arms? I shall be murdered here, Till I had seen what ruin did attend me :
Like poor Darius, by my own barbarous subjects. That had been noble, that had shewed a friend;
Perdiccas, sound my trumpets to the camp, Clytus would so have done to save your lives.
Call iny soldiers to the court; nay haste,

Lys. When men shall hear how highly you For there is creason plotting against my life,

were urged And I shall perish ere they come to rescue. Alex. No, you have let me stain my rising virtue, Lys. and Heph. Let us all die, ere think so Which else had ended brighter than the sun. damned a deed.

[Kneel. Death, hell, and furies ! you have sunk my glory: Aler. Where is the traitor?

Oh, I am all a blot, which seas of tears, Cly. Sure there is none about you ;

And my heart's blood, can never wash away; But here stands honest Clytus, whom the king Yet 'tis but just I try, and on the point, Invited to his banquet.

Still reeking, hurl my black polluted breast

, Aler. Begone and sup with Philip,

Heph. O sacred sir, that inust not be. Strikes him through. Eum. Forgive my pious hands. Parmenio, Attalus, Calisthenes;

Lys. And mine, that dare disarm may master. And let bold subjects learn, by thy sad fate, Åler. Yes, cruel men, ye now can shew your To tempt the patience of a man much above strength! them.

Here's not a slave but dares oppose my justico; Cly. The rage of wine is drowned in gushing Yet I will render all endeavours vain, blood :

That tend to save my life-Here I will lief Falls. O Alexander, I have been to blame;

Close to his bleeding side, thus kissing him; Hate me not after death, for I repent,

These pale dead lips, that have so oft advised me; That so I urged your noblest, sweetest nature. Thus bathing o'er his reverend face in tears; Aler. What's this I hear? say on, my dying Thus clasping his cold body in my arins, soldier.

Till death, like him, has made me stiff and horrid. Cly. I should have killed myself, had I but Heph. What shall we do? lived

Lys. I know not, my wounds bleed afresh To be once sober-Now I fall with honour, With striving with him : Perdiccas, lend us your My own hand would have brought foul death.

(Einnt Perdiccas, Lysimachus. O pardon!

(Dies. Heph. Call Aristander hither; Åler. Then I am lost; what has my vengeance Or Meleager, let us force him from the body.

done? Who is it thou hast slain? Clytus; what was he? Cries without-Arm! Arm! Treason, Treason !

Enter PERDICCAS bloody.
The faithfullest subject, worthiest counsellor,
Who for saving thy life, when

Per. Haste, all take arms! Hephestion, where's
Thou foughtst bare-headed at the river Granicus, the king ?
Has now a noble recompense for speaking rashly; Heph. There, by old Clytus' side, whom he has
For a forgetfulness, which wine did work,

slain. The poor, the honest Clytus thou hast slain. Per. Then misery on misery will fall, Are these the laws of hospitality?

Like rolling billows, to advance the storm. Thy friends will shun thee now, and stand at dis- Rise, sacred sir, and haste to aid the queen; tance,

Roxana, filled with furious jealousy, Nor dare to speak their minds, nor eat with thee, Came with a guard of Zogdian slaves unmasked, Nor drink, lest by thy madness they die too. And broke upon me with such sudden rage, Heph. Guards, take the body hence.

That all are perished, who resistance made: Aler. Nonc dare to touch him,

I only with these wounds, through clashing spears, For we must never part. Cruel Hephestion Have forced my way, to give you timely notice. And Lysimachus, that had the power,

Aler. What says Perdiccas? Is the queen in And would not hold me !

danger? Lys. Dear sir, we did.

Per. She dies, unless you turn her fate, and Åler. I know it;

quickly : Ye held me like a beast, to let me go

Your distance from the place asks more spoed, With greater violence-Oh you have undone me! And the ascent to the flying grove is high. Excuse it not; you, that could stop a lion, Aler. Thus from my grave I rise to save my love, Could not turn me : You should have drawn your All draw your swords, with wings of lightning, move; swords,

When I rush on, sure none will dare to stay, And barred my rage with their advancing points; / 'Tis beauty calls, and glory shews the way. Made reason glitter in my dazzled eyes,

[Exeunt.

ACT V.

SCENE I.

Enter Roxana, with slaves and a dagger. STATIRA is discovered sleeping in the bower of

Ror. At length we have conquered this stuSEMIRAMIS; the spirits of Queen Statira, her

pendous height, Mother, and Darius, appear standing on each These Aying groves, whose wonderful ascent side of her, with daggers, throatening her.

Leads to the clouds. They sing.

Stat. Then all the vision's true, [Retires. Dar. Is innocence so void of cares,

And I must die, lose my dear lord for ever: That it can undisturbed sleep,

That, that is the murderer. Amidst the noise of horrid wars,

Ror. Shut the brazen gate,
That make immortal spirits weep?

And make it fast with all the massy bars.
Stat. No boding crows, nor ravens come, I know the king will fly to her relief,
To warn her of approaching doom.

But we have time enough—Where is my rival? *Dar. She walks, as she dreams, in a garden of Appear, Statira, now no more a queen; flowers,

Roxana calls; where is your majesty? And her hands are employed in the beautiful Stat. And what is she, who with such tower bowers;

ing pride, She dreams of the man that is far from the grove, Would awe a princess, that is born above her? And all her soft fancy still runs on her love. Ror. I like the port imperial beauty bears, Stat. She nods o'er the brooks, that run purling It shews thou hast a spirit fit to fall along,

A sacrifice to fierce Roxana's wrongs. And the nightingales lull her more fast with a Be sudden then, put forth these royal breasts, song.

Where our false master has so often languished, Dar. But see the sad end which the gods hade That I may change their milky innocence decreed.

To blood, and dye me in a deep revenge. Stat. This poinard's thy fate.

Stat. No, barbarous woman, though I durst Dar. My daughter must bleed.

meet death Chorus. Awake then, Statira, awake, for alas As boldly as our lord, with a resolve, you must die;

At which thy coward heart would tremble; Eer an hour be past, you must breathe out your Yet I disdain to stand the fate you offer, last.

And therefore, fearless of thy dreadful threats, Dar. And be such another as I.

Walk thus regardless by thee. Stat. As 1.

Ror. Ha! so stately!
Chorus. And be such another as I. [E.reunt. This sure will sink you.

Stat. No, Roxana, no:
STATIRA sola.

The blow you give will strike me to the stars, Stat. Bless me, ye powers above, and guard But sink my murderess in eternal ruin.

Ror. Who told you this?
I saw, nor was't a dream, I saw and heard

Stat. A thousand spirits tell me:
My royal parents, there I saw them stand; There's not a god but whispers in my car,
My eyes beheld their precious images;

This death will crown me with immortal glory;
I leard their heavenly voices: Where, O where To die so fair, so innocent, so young,
Fled you so fast, dear shades, from my embraces? Will make me company for queens above.
You told me this—this hour should be my last, Ror. Preach on.
And I must bleed-Away, 'tis all delusion! Stat. While you, the burden of the earth,
Do I not wait for Alexander's coming ?

Fall to the deep, so heavy with thy guilt, Noue but my loving lord can enter here:

That hell itself must groan at thy reception; And will he kill me?--hence, fantastic shadows ! | While foulest fiends shun thy society, And yet methinks he should not stay thus long; And thou shalt walk alone, forsaken fury! Why do I treinble thus? If I but stir,

Ror. Heaven witness for me, I would spare The motion of my robes makes my heart leap.

thy life, When will the dear man come, that all my doubts If any thing but Alexander's love May vanish in his breast? That I may hold him Were in debate; come, give me back his heart, Fast as my fears can make me; hug hiin close And thou shalt live empress of all the world As my fond soul can wish; give all my breath Stat. The world is less than Alexander's love, In sighs and kisses; swoon, die away with rapture! | Yet could I give it, 'tis not in my power; But hark! I hear him

[Noise within. This I dare promise, if you spare my life, Fain I would hide my blushes

Which I disdain to beg, he shall speak kindly. I hear his tread, but dare not go to meet him. Ror. Speak! is that all?

my virtue!

Stat. Perhaps at my request,

Enter PhysicIANS.
And for a gift so noble as my life,
Bestow a kiss.

Stat. My cruel love, my weeping Alexander, Ror. A kiss! no more?

Would I had died before you entered here! Stat. O gods !

For now I ask my heart an hundred questions; What shall I say to work her to my end? What! must I lose my life, my lord, for ever? Fain I would see him-Yes, a little morem Aler. Ha! villains, are they mortal ?—what, Embrace you, and for ever be your friend.

retire ! Rox. Ở the provoking word ! Your friend! Raise your dashed spirits from the earth, and say, thou diest :

Say she shall live, and I will make you kings. Your friend! What, must I bring you then toge- Give me this one, this poor, this only life, ther?

And I will pardon you for all the wounds, Adore your bed, and see you softly laid? Which your arts widen, all diseases, deaths, By all my pangs, and labours of my love, Which your damned drugs throw through the This has thrown off all that was sweet and gentle. lingering world. Therefore

Ror. Rend not your temper; see a general Stat. Yet hold thy hand advanced in air;

silence I see my death is written in thy eyes.

Confirms the bloody pleasure, which I sought; Therefore wreak all the lust of vengeance on me, She dies. Wash in my blood, and steep thee in my gore;

Aler. And darest thou, monster, think to Feed like a vulture, tear my bleeding heart.

escape But, O Roxana! that there may appear

Stat. Life's on the wing, my love, my lord, A glimpse of justice for thy cruelty,

Come to my arms, and take the last adieu. A grain of goodness for a mass of evil,

Here let me lie, and languish out my soul. Give me my death in Alexander's presence ! Aler. Answer me, father, wilt thou take her Ror. Not for the rule of heaven-Are you so

from me? cunning?

What, is the black, sad hour at last arrived, What, you would have him mourn you as you fall? That I must never clasp her body more? Take your farewell, and taste such healing kisses, Never more bask in her eye-shine again? As might call back your soul. No, thou shalt fall Nor view the loves, that played in those dear Now, and when death has seized thy beauteous beams, limbs,

And shot me with a thousand thousand smiles? I'll have thy body thrown into a well,

Stat. Farewel, my dear, my life, my most Buried beneath a heap of stones for ever.

loved lord,

I swear by Orosmades, 'tis more pleasure,
Enter a Slave.

More satisfaction that I thus die yours, Slave. Madam, the king with all his captains Than to have lived another's-Grant me one and his guards

thing Are forcing ope the doors, he threatens thousand Alex. Alì, all,—but speak that I may execute deaths

Before I follow thee.
To all that stop his entrance, and I believe Stat. Leave not the earth
Your eunuchs will obey him.

Before Heaven calls you ; spare Roxana's life. Ror. Then I must haste.

[Stabs her. 'Twas love of you, that caused her give me death; Stat. What, is the king so near?

And, O! sometimes, amidst your revels, think And shall I die so tamely, thus defenceless? Of your poor queen, and ere the chearful bowl O ye gods, will you not help my weakness ? Salute your lips, crown it with one rich tear, Ror. They are afar off. (Stabbing her. And I am happy.

[Dies. Stat. Alas! they are indeed.

Aler. Close not thy eyes;
Enter Alexander, CASSANDER, Polyperchon, Thou takest thy journey :—Tell the gods I'm

Things of import I have to speak before
Guards and Attendants.

coming, Aler. Oh happy! Thou shalt reign the queen To give them an account of life and death, of devils.

And many other hundred thousand policies, Ror. Do, strike, behold my bosom swells to That much concern the government of heavenmeet thee;

O she is gone! the talking soul is mute! 'Tis full of thine, of veins that run ambition, She's hushed, no voice of music now is heard! And I can brave whatever fate you bring. The bower of beauty is more still-than death; Aler. Call our physicians ! haste! I'll give an The roses fade, and the melodious bird, empire

That waked their sweets, has left them now for To save her-Oh my soul, alas Statira! These wounds,—Oh gods, are these my promised Ror. 'Tis certain now you never shall enjoy Therefore Roxana may have leave to hope Kill the triumpher, and avenge my wrong, You will at last be kind, for all my sufferings, In height of pomp, while he is warm and My torments, racks, for this last dreadful murder,

young; Which furious love of thee did bring upon me. Bolted with thunder let him rush along, Aler. O thou vile creature! bear thee from And when in the last pangs of life he lies, my sight,

Grant I may stand to dart him with my eyes : And thank Statira, that thou art alive:

Nay, after death, Else thou hadst perished; yes, I would have rent, Pursue his spotted ghost, and shoot him as he flies! With my just hands, that rock, that marble heart;

Erit. I would have dived through seas of blood tó Aler. O my fair star, I shall be shortly with find it,

thee; To tear the cruel quarry from its center. For I already feel the sad effects Ror. O take me to your arms, and hide my Of those most fatal imprecations. blushes!

What means this deadly dew upon my forehead? I love you spite of all your cruelties;

My heart too heaves. There is so much divinity about you,

Cass. It will anon be still

Aside. I tremble to approach: yet here's my hold, The poison works. Nor will I leave the sacred robe, for such

Pol. I'll see the wished effect [ Aside. Is every thing, that touches that blest body: Ere I remove, and gorge me with revenge. I'll kiss it as the relic of a god, And love shall grasp it with these dying hands.

Enter PERDICAS and Lysimachus. Aler. 0 that thou wert a man, that I might Per. I beg your majesty will pardon me, drive

A fatal messenger; Thee round the world, and scatter thy contagion, Great Sysigambis, hearing Statira's death, As gods hurl mortal plagues, when they are angry! Is now no more; Ror. Do, drive me, hew me into smallest Her last words gave the princess to the brave pieces,

Lysimachus : but that, which most will strike you, My dust shall be inspired with a new fondness; Your dear Hephestion, having drank too largely Sull the love-motes shall play before your eyes, At your last feast, is of a surfeit dead. Where'er you go, however you despise.

Alex. How! dead ? Hephestion dead? alas the Aler. Away! there's not a glance that fies dear from thee,

Unhappy youth !—But he sleeps happy,
But, like a basilisk, comes winged with death. I must wake for ever :- This object, this,
Ror. O speak not such harsh words, my royal | This face of fatal beauty,
master!

Will stretch my lids with vast, eternal tearsLook not so dreadful on your kneeling servant; Who had the care of poor Hephestion's life? But take, dear sir, O take me into grace,

Lys. Philarda, the Arabian artist. By the dear babe, the burden of my womb, Åler. Fly, Meleager, hang him on a cross ! That weighs me down, when I would follow That for Hephestionfaster!

But here lies my fate; Hephestion, Clytus, My knees are weary, and my force is spent : All my victories for ever folded up : o'do not frown, but clear thy angry brow! In this dear body my banner's lost, Your eyes will blast me, and your words are bolts, My standard's triumphs gone! That strike me dead; the little wretch I bear, O when shall I be mad? Give order to Leaps frighted at your wrath, and dies within The army, that they break their shields, swords,

spears, Aler. O thou hast touched my soul so tenderly, Pound their bright armour into dust; away! That I will raise thee, though thy hands are Is there not cause to put the world in mourning? ruin.

Tear all your robes :-he dies, that is not naked Rise, cruel woman, rise, and have a care, Down to the waste, all like the sons of sorrow. O do not hurt that unborn innocence,

Burn all the spires, that seem to kiss the sky; For whose dear sake I now forgive thee all. Beat down the battlements of every city : But haste, begone! fly, fly from these sad eyes, And for the monument of this loved creature, Fly with thy pardon, lest I call it back;

Root up those bowers, and pave them all with Though I forgive thee, I must hate thee ever.

gold : Ror. I go, I Ay for ever from thy sight. Draw dry the Ganges, make the Indies poor; My mortal injuries have turned my mind, To build her tomb, no shrines nor altars spare, And I could curse myself for being kind. But strip the shining gods to make it rare. (Erit. If there be any majesty above,

Cass. 'Ila! whither now? follow bim, PolyperThat has revenge in store for perjured love,

clion.

Exit Pol. Send, Heaven, the swiftest ruin on his head; I find Cassander's plot grows full of death; Strike the destroyer, lay the victor dead; Murder is playing her great master-piece, VOL. I.

S

me.

And the sad sisters sweat, so fast I urge them. Tis sure the arm of death : give me a chair;
O how I hug myself for this revenge!

Cover me, for I freeze, and my teeth chatter,
My fancy's great in mischief; for methinks And my knees knock together.
The night grows darker, and the labouring ghosts, Perd. Heaven bless the king !
For fear that I should find new torments out, Alex. Ha! who talks of heaven?
Run o'er the old with most prodigious swiftness. I am all hell; I burn, I burn again!
I see the fatal fruit betwixt the teeth,

The war grows wondrous hot; hey for the Tiger!
The sieve brim full, and the swift stone stand still. Bear me, Bucephalus, amongst the billows:

O'tis a noble beast; I would not change him
Enter POLYPERCHON,

For the best horse the Sun has in his stable:
What, does it work?

For they are hot, their mangers full of coals, Pol. Speak softly.

Their manes are fakes of lightning, curls of fire, Cass. Well.

And their red tails, like meteors, whisk about.
Pol. It does;

Lys. Help all, Eumenes, help! I cannot hold
I followed him, and saw him swiftly walk
Toward the palace; oftimes looking back,

Aler. Ha, ha, ha! I shall die with laughter.
With watry eyes, and calling out Statira. Parmenio, Clytus, dost thou see yon fellow,
He stumbled at the gate, and fell along ; That ragged soldier, that poor tattered Greek?
Nor was he raised with ease by his attendants, See how he puts to flight the gaudy Persians,
But seemed a greater load than ordinary, With nothing but a rusty helmet on, through
As much more as the dead outweigh the living.

which Cass. Said he nothing ?

The grizly bristles of his pushing beard Pol. When they took him up,

Drive them like pikes

-Ha, ha, ha! He sighed, and entered with a strange wild look, Perd. How wild he talks ! Embraced the princes round, and said he must Lys. Yet warring in his wildness. Dispatch the business of the world in haste. Åler. Sound, sound, keep your ranks close; ay,

now they come : Enter Pullip und THESSALUS.

O the brave din, the noble clank of arms ! Phil. Back, back, all scatter—With a dreadful Charge, charge apace, and let the phalanx move: shout

Darius comes -ha! let me in, none dare I heard him cry, 'I am but a dead man ! To cross my fury.-Philotas is unhorsed ;-Ay, Thess. The poison tears him with that height 'tis Darius; of horror,

I see, I know him by the sparkling plumes, That I could pity him.

And his gold chariot, drawn by ten white horses: Pol. Peace where shall we meet?

But, like a tempest, thus I pour upon him— Cass. On Saturn's field.

He bleeds! with that last blow I brought him Methinks I see the frighted deities,

down; Ramming more bolts in their big-bellied clouds, Ile tumbles! take him, snatch the imperial crown. And firing all the heavens to drown his noise. They fly, they fly follow, follow VictoNow we should laugh- -But go, disperse your

ria! Victoria! selves,

Victoria ! -O let me sleep While each soul here, that fills his noble vessel, Perd. Let's raise him softly, and bear him to Swells with the murder, works with ruin o'er;

his bed. And from the dreadful deed this glory draws, Aler. Hold, the least motion gives me sudden We killed the greatest man, that ever was.

death;

My vital spirits are quite parched up,
SCENE II.

And all my smoky entrails turned to ashes.

Lys. When you, the brightest star that ever Enter ALEXANDER and all his Attendants.

shone, Aler. Search there, nay, probe me, search my Shall set, it must be night with us for ever. wounded reins !

Aler. Let me embrace you all before I die: Pull, draw it out!

Wecp not, my dear companions; the good gods Lys. We have searched, but find no hurt. Shall send you, in my stead, a nobler prince,

Åler. O I am shot, a forked burning arrow One that shall lead you forth with inaichless conSticks cross my shoulders: the sad venom flies,

duct. Like lightning, through my flesh, my blood, my Lys. Break not our hearts with such unkind

expressions. Lys. This must be treason.

Perd. We will not part with you, nor change Perd. Would I could but guess !

for Mars. Aler. Ha! what a change of torments I en- Aler, Perdiccas, take this ring, dure!

And see me laid in the temple of Jupiter AmA bolt of ice runs hissing through my bowels :

marrow,