Great as that god whose name he thus profanes,
And like a slave may I again be beaten,
Scoff'd as I pass, and branded for a coward.

Cas. There spoke the spirit of Calisthenes.
Remember he's a man, his flesh as penetrable
As any girl's, and wounded too as soon;
To give him death no thunders are required :
Struck by a stone young Jupiter has fall'n,

A sword has pierc'd him and the blood has follow'd,
Water will drown him, or the fire will burn;
Nay, we have seen an hundred common aliments
Bring this immortal to the gates of death.

Poly. Oh let us not delay the glorious bus❜ness! Our wrongs are great, and honour calls for vengeance. Are your hearts firm?

Thes. As heaven or hell can make them.

Poly. Take then my hand, and if you doubt my truth Rip up my breast and lay my heart upon it.

Cas. While thus we join our hands and hearts to

gether,

Remember Hermolaus, and be hush'd.

Poly. Hush'd as the eve before an hurricane,
Or baneful planets when they shed their poisons.
Cas. This day exulting Babylon receives
The mighty robber-with him comes Roxana,
Fierce haughty fair! on his return from India
Artful she met him in the height of triumph;
And by a thousand wiles at Susa kept him
In all the luxury of eastern revels.

Poly. How bore Statira his revolted love?

For if I err not ere the king espous'd her
She made him promise to renounce Roxana.

Thes. No words can paint the anguish it occasion'd; Ev'n Sysigambis wept, while the wrong'd queen, Struck to the heart, fell lifeless on the ground, And thus remain'd, spite of her care and cordials, For an hour.

Cas. When the first tumult of her grief was laid I sought to fire her into wild revenge,

And to that end with all the art I could
Describ'd his passion for the bright Roxana ;
But tho' I could not to my wish inflame her,
Thus far at least her jealousy will help;

She 'll give him troubles that perhaps may end him,
And set the court in universal uproar.

But see, she comes.

Our plots begin to ripen ;

Now change the vizor, ev'ry one disperse,

And with a face of friendship meet the king. [Excunt.

Enter SYSIGAMBIS, STATIRA, and PARISATIS.

Stat. Oh for a dagger, a draught of poison, flames! Swell heart! break, break, thou wretched stubborn thing!

Now by the sacred fire I'll not be held !

Why do you wish my life, yet stifle me for

Want of air

Pray give me leave to walk.

Sys. Is there no rev'rence to my person due ? Trust me, Statira, had thy father liv'd

Darius would have heard me.

Stat. Oh, he 's false !

This glorious man, this wonder of the world,
Is to his love and ev'ry god foresworn!

Oh! I have heard him breathe such ardent vows,
Outweep the morning with his dewy eyes,

And sigh and swear the list'ning stars away!
Sys. Believe not rumour; 't is impossible:
Thy Alexander is renown'd for truth,
Above deceit

Stat. Away, and let me die :

'Twas but my fondness, 't was my easy nature,
Would have excus'd him.—

Are not his falsehoods and Statira's wrongs
A subject canvass'd in the mouths of millions ?
The babbling world can talk of nothing else.
Why, Alexander, why would'st thou deceive me!
Have I not lov'd thee, cruel as thou art!

Have I not kiss'd thy wounds with dying fondness,
Bath'd 'em in tears, and bound 'em with my hair!
Whole nights I 'ave sat and watch'd thee as a child,
Lull'd thy fierce pains, and sung thee to repose !

Par. If man can thus renounce the solemn ties Of sacred love who would regard his vows?

Stat. Regard his vows! the monster, traitor! Oh! I will forsake the haunts of men, converse

No more with aught that 's human, dwell with dark.

ness;

For since the sight of him is now unwelcome,
What has the world to give Statira joy?
Yet I must tell thee, perjur'd as he is,
Not the soft breezes of the genial spring,

The fragrant violet or opening rose,

Are half so sweet as Alexander's breath.

Then he will talk-good Gods how he will talk! He speaks the kindest words, and looks such things, Vows with such passion, and swears with such a grace, That it is heaven to be deluded by him I

Sys. Her sorrows must have

way.

Stat. Roxana then enjoys my perjur'd love, Roxana clasps my monarch in her arms, Dotes on my conq'ror, my dear lord, my king! Oh, 't is too much! by Heaven I cannot bear it! She clasps him all-she, the curst happy sheI'll die, or rid me of the burning torture! Hear me bright god of day! hear ev'ry god! Sys. Take heed, Statira, weigh it well my child, Ere desp❜rate love enforces you to swear.

Stat. Oh! fear not that, already have I weigh'd it,
And in the presence here of Heaven and you,
Renounce all converse with perfidious man.
Farewell ye, coz'ners of our easy sex!
And thou, the falsest of the faithless kind,
Farewell for ever! Oh, farewell! farewell!
If I but mention him the tears will flow !

How could'st thou, cruel! wrong a heart like mine,
Thus fond, thus doting, ev'n to madness, on thee!
Sys. Clear up thy griefs, thy Alexander comes,
Triumphant in the spoils of conquer'd India;
This day the hero enters Babylon.

Stat. Why, let him come; all eyes will gaze with rapture,

All hearts will joy to see the victor pass,
All but the wretched, the forlorn Statira.

Sys. Wilt thou not see him then?

Stat. I swear, and heaven be witness to my vow!

Never from this sad hour, never to see
Nor speak, no, nor, if possible, to think
Of Alexander more. This is my vow,
And when I break it

Sys. Do not ruin all.

[Kneels.

Stat. May I again be perjured and deluded!
May furies rend my heart! may lightnings blast me!
Sys. Recall, my child, the dreadful imprecation.
Stat. No, I will publish it through all the court,
Then to the bowers of great Semiramis
Retire for ever from the treach’rous world;
There from man's sight will I conceal my woes,
And seek in solitude a calm repose;

Nor prayers nor tears shall my resolves controul,
Nor love itself, that tyrant of the soul.

ACT II. SCENE I.

[Exeunt.

A Triumphal Arch.-Enter CASSANDER and POLY

PERCHON.

Cassander.

HE

comes, the headlong Alexander comes;

The gods forbid him Babylon in vain;

In vain do prodigies foretel his fall: