Attended by a throng of scepter'd slaves
This rapid conq'ror of the ravag'd globe
Makes his appearance, and defies the danger.

Poly. Why all this noise-ye partial powers declare-
These starts of nature, at a tyrant's doom?
Is Alexander of such wondrous moment

That heaven should feel the wild alarms of fear,
And fate itself become a babbler for him?
Cas. Cas'd in the very arms we saw him wear
The spirit of his father haunts the court
In all the majesty of solemn sorrow :
The awful spectre fix'd his eyes upon me,

Wav'd his pale hand—and threatful shook his head,
Groan'd out forbear-and vanish'd from my view.
A fear till then unknown possess'd my soul,

And sick'ning nature trembled at the sight !

Poly. Why should you tremble ?-Had the yawning earth

Laid all the tortures of the damn'd before me

My soul, unskaken in her firm resolve;

Would brave those tortures and pursue the tyrant.
Cas. Yes, Polyperchon, he this night shall die;
Our plots in spite of prodigies advance;
Success attends us.-Oh, it joys my soul
To deal destruction like the hand of Heaven,
Felt while unseen!

Poly. The Persians all dissatisfied appear,
Loudly they murmur at Statira's wrongs,
And fiercely censure Alexander's falsehood.

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Cas. I know he loves Statira more than life;
And when he hears the solemn vow she made,
The oath that bars her from his sight for ever,
Remorse and horror will at once invade him,
Rend his wreck'd soul, and rush him into madness.
Poly. Of that anon-the court begins to thicken;
From ev'ry province of the wide-spread earth
Ambassadors in Babylon are met;

As if mankind had previously agreed
To compliment the tyrant's boundless pride,
And hold a solemn synod of the world,
Where Alexander like a god should dictate.
Cas. We must away or mingle with the crowd.
Adore this god till apt occasion calls

To make him what he would be thought-immortal.

[Excunt.

A Symphony of Warlike Music. Enter CLYTUS and ARISTANDER, in his Robes.

Arist. Haste, rev'rend Clytus, haste and stop the king.

Clyt. Already is he enter'd, and the throng
Of princes that surround him is so great
They keep at distance all that would approach.

Arist. Were he encircled by the gods themselves

I must be heard, for death awaits his stay.

Clyt. Then place yourself within his trumpet's

sound;

Shortly he'll appear.

[Exeunt.

Enter ALEXANDER in a Triumphal Car drawn by Black Slaves, Trophies and Warlike Ensigns in Procession before him; CLYTUS, HEPHESTION, LYSIMACHUS, ARISTANDER, Captives, Guards, and Attendants.

See the conq'ring hero comes,

Sound the trumpet beat the drums;
Sports prepare, the laurel bring,
Sports of triumph to him sing.
See the godlike youth advance,
Breathe the flute and lead the dance;
Myrtle, wreath, and roses twine

To deck the hero's brow divine.

Heph. Hail, son of Jove great Alexander! hail. Alex Rise all; and thou my second self, my friend, Oh, my Hephestion! raise thee from the earth! Come to my arms, and hide thee in my heart; Nearer, yet nearer, else thou lov'st me not.

Heph. Not love my king bear witness all ye powers, And let your thunder nail me to the centre,

If sacred friendship ever burn'd more brightly!
Immortal bosoms can alone admit

A flame more pure, more permanent, than mine.
Alex. Thou dearer to me than my groves of laurel,
I know thou lov'st thy Alexander more

Than Clytus does the king.

Lys. Now for my fate!

I see that death awaits me-yet I'll on.
Dread sir! I cast me at your royal feet.

.

Alex. Rise, my Lysimachus; thy veins and mine From the same fountain have deriv'd their streams: Rise to my arms, and let thy king embrace thee. Is not that Clytus?

Clyt. Your old faithful soldier.

Alex. Clytus, thy hand-thy hand Lysimachus; Thus double arm'd methinks

I stand tremendous as the Lybian god,

Who while his priests and I quaff'd sacred blood
Acknowledg'd me his son: my lightning thou,
And thou my mighty thunder. I have seen
Thy glitt'ring sword outfly celestial fire;
And when I'ave cry'd begone and execute,
I'ave seen him run swifter than starting hinds,
Nor bent the tender grass beneath his feet.

Lys. When fame invites, and Alexander leads, Dangers and toils but animate the brave.

Clyt. Perish the soldier inglorious and despis'd,
Who starts from either when the king cries-On.
Alex. Oh, Clytus! oh, my noble veteran !
'Twas, I remember, when I pass'd the Granicus
His arm preserv'd me from the unequal force:
When fierce Itanor and the bold Rhesaces
Fell both upon me with two mighty blows,

And clove my temper'd helmet quite asunder,
Then like a god flew Clytus to my aid,

Thy thunder struck Rhesaces to the ground,
And turn'd with ready vengeance on Itanor,
Clyt. To your own deeds that victory you owe;
And sure your arms did never boast a nobler.

Alex. By heaven they never did; they never can; And I more glory to have pass'd that stream Than to have drove a million o'er the plain. Can none remember, yes—I know all must, When glory like the dazzling eagle stood Perch'd on my beaver in the Granick flood; When fortune's self my standard trembling bore, And the pale fates stood frighted on the shore; When each immortal on the billows rode, And I myself appear'd the leading god?

Arist. Haste, first of hero's, from this fatal place; Far, far from Babylon enjoy your triumph, Or all the glories which your youth has won Are blasted in their spring.

Alex. What mean thy fears?

And why that wild distraction on thy brow?

Arist. This morn, great king! I view'd the angry sky. And frighted at the direful prodigies

To Orosmades for instructions flew;

But as I pray'd deep echoing groans I heard,

And shrieks as of the damn'd that howl for sin :
Shock'd at the omen, while amaz'd I lay

In prostrate rev'rence on the trembling floor,
Thus spoke the god:

The brightest glory of imperial man,

The pride of nations, and the boast of fame;
Remorseless fate in Babylon has doom'd

To sudden and irrevocable ruin.

Alex. If Heaven ordains that Babylon must fall Can I prevent th' immutable degree?