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Act V
The Palace in Antioch.
A hall in the Palace. Phayllus, alone.
PHAYLLUS My brain has loosened harder knots than this. Timocles gets by this his Rodogune; That's one thing gained. Tonight or else tomorrow I'll have her in his bed though I have to hale her Stumbling to it through her own husband's blood. For he must die. He is too great a man To be a subject: nor is that his intention Who hides some subtler purpose. Exile would free him For more stupendous mischief. Death! But how? There is this Syrian people, there is Timocles Whose light unstable mind like a pale leaf Trembles, desires, resolves, renounces. Timocles enters. TIMOCLES Phayllus, It is the high gods bring about this good. My great high brother, strong Antiochus To come and kneel to me! No hatred more! He is the brother whom I loved in Egypt.
Page – 293 PHAYLLUS Oh, wilt thou always be, thou shapeless soul, Clay for each passing circumstance to alter?
TIMOCLES Do you not think I have only now to ask And he will give me Rodogune? She's not his wife! Cast always together in the lonely desert, Long nearness must have wearied him of her; For he was never a lover. O Phayllus, When so much has been brought about, will you tell me This will not happen too? I am sure the gods Intend this.
PHAYLLUS So you think Antiochus comes To lay his lofty head below your foot? You can believe it! Truly, if you think that, There's nothing left that cannot be believed. This soul that dreamed of conquests at its birth, This strong overweening swift ambitious man Whom victory disappoints, to whom continents Seem narrow, will submit, you say, — to you? You'll keep him for your servant?
TIMOCLES What is it you hint? Stroke not your chin! Speak plainly. Do you know, I sometimes hate you!
PHAYLLUS I care not, if you hear me And let me guard you from your enemies.
TIMOCLES I know you love me, but your thoughts are evil To every other and your ways are worse.
Page – 294 Yet speak; what is it you fear?
PHAYLLUS How should I know? Yet this seems probable that having failed By violent battle he is creeping in To slay you silently. You smile at that? It is the commonest rule of statesmanship And History's strewn with instances. Believe it not; Believe your wishes, not mankind's record; Slumber till with the sword in you you wake And he assumes your purple.
TIMOCLES (indifferently) I hear, Phayllus. Let him give me Rodogune And all's excused he has ever done to me.
PHAYLLUS He will keep her and take all hearts besides That ever loved you.
TIMOCLES (still indifferently) I will see that first. Cleopatra enters quickly. CLEOPATRA It is true, Timocles? It is even true! Antiochus my son is coming to me, Is coming to me!
TIMOCLES Thus you love him still!
CLEOPATRA He is my child, he has his father's face. And I shall have my Parthian Rodogune With her sweet voice and gentle touch, and her,
Page – 295 My darling, my clear-eyed delight, Eunice, And I shall not be lonely any more. I have not been so happy since you came From Egypt. But, O heaven! what followed that? Will now no stark calamity arise With Gorgon head to turn us into stone Venging this glimpse of joy? Torn by your scourges I fear you, gods, too much to trust your smile. Nicanor enters. NICANOR Antiochus comes.
TIMOCLES Hail, thou victorious captain, Syria's strong rescuer!
NICANOR Syria's rescuer comes, Thy brother Antiochus who makes himself A sword to smite thy dangerous enemies.
PHAYLLUS You used not once to praise him so, Nicanor.
NICANOR Because I knew not then his nobleness Who had only seen his might.
PHAYLLUS Yet had you promised That if he entered Antioch, it would be chained And naked, travelling to the pit or sword, Nicanor.
NICANOR He comes not as a prisoner,
Page – 296 But royally disdaining to enslave For private ends his country to the Parthian.
TIMOCLES Comes my dear brother soon?
NICANOR Even at this moment He enters.
TIMOCLES Summon our court. Let all men's eyes behold This reconciliation. I shall see Next moment Rodogune! There enter from one side Callicrates, Melitus, Cleone, courtiers; from the other Antiochus, Eunice, Rodogune, Thoas, Leosthenes, Philoctetes. O brother, in my arms! Let this firm clasp Be sign of the recovered amity That binds once more for joy Nicanor's sons.
ANTIOCHUS This is like thee, my brother Timocles. Let all vain strife be banished from our souls. My sword is thine, and I am thine and all I have and love is thine, O Syrian Timocles, Devoted to thy throne for Syria.
TIMOCLES All? Brother! O clasp me once again, Antiochus.
ANTIOCHUS The Syrian land once cleansed of foemen, rescued From these fierce perils, I shall have thy leave, Brother, to voyage into distant lands; But not till I have seen your Antioch joys
Page – 297 Of which they told us, I and my dear wife, The Parthian princess Rodogune. See, brother, How all things work out by a higher will. Thou hast the Syrian kingdom, I have her And my own soul for monarchy.
TIMOCLES His wife!
MELITUS The King is pale and gnaws his nether lip.
ANTIOCHUS Mother, I kneel to you; raise me this time And I will not be forward.
CLEOPATRA My child! my child!
TIMOCLES He will not give me Rodogune! And now he'll steal My mother's heart. Captains, I welcome you: You are my soldiers now.
LEOSTHENES We thank thee, King. We are thy brother's soldiers, therefore thine.
TIMOCLES Yes! Philoctetes, old Egyptian friend, You go not yet to Egypt?
PHILOCTETES I know not where. I have forgotten why I came from thence. I hope that you will love your brother.
Page – 298 TIMOCLES Him! Oh yes, I'll love him.
ANTIOCHUS Brother Timocles, We have come far today; will you appoint us Our chambers here?
TIMOCLES I'll take you to them, brother. All leave the hall except Cleone and Phayllus. CLEONE Is this their peace? But he'll have Rodogune And I shall like a common flower be thrown Into the dust-heap.
PHAYLLUS Pooh! CLEONE
I have eyes; I see. Even then I knew I would be nothing to you Once you were seated. I'll not be flung away! Beware, Phayllus; for Antiochus lives.
PHAYLLUS Make change of lovers then with Rodogune While yet he lives.
CLEONE I might do even that. He has a beautiful body like a god's. I will not have him slain. Page – 299 PHAYLLUS You may be his widow If you make haste in marrying him; for soon He will be carrion. Timocles returns. TIMOCLES I'ld have a word with you, Phayllus. Cleone withdraws out of hearing. Where will they put the Parthian Rodogune?
PHAYLLUS Put her?
TIMOCLES To sleep, dull ruffian! Her chamber! Where?
PHAYLLUS Why, in one bed with Prince Antiochus.
TIMOCLES Thou bitter traitor, dar'st thou say it too? Art thou too leagued to slay me? Shall I bear it? In my own palace! In one bed! O God! I will go now and stab him through the heart And drag her, drag her —
CLEONE (running to him) The foam is on his lips!
PHAYLLUS Restrain thy passions, King! He is transformed. This is that curious devil, jealousy. As if it mattered! He will have her soon.
Page – 300 TIMOCLES Cleone, I thank you. When I think of this, Something revolts within to strangle me And tears my life out of my bosom. Phayllus, You spoke of plots; where are they? Let me see them.
PHAYLLUS That's hard. Are they not hidden in his breast?
TIMOCLES Can you not tear them out?
PHAYLLUS Torture your brother!
TIMOCLES Torture his generals; let them howl their love for him! Torture Eunice. Let truth come out twixt shrieks! Number her words with gouts of blood!
PHAYLLUS You'll hurt yourself. Be calmer. Torture! To what purpose that? It is not profitable.
TIMOCLES I will have proofs. Wilt thou thwart me, thou traitor, even thou? Arrange his trial instantly, arrange His exile.
PHAYLLUS Exile! You might as well arrange At once your ruin.
TIMOCLES There shall be justice, justice.
Page – 301 Thou shalt be fairly judged, Antiochus. I will not slay him. Exile! And Rodogune With me in Antioch.
PHAYLLUS Listen! the passing people sing his name. They'll rise to rescue him and slay us all As dogs are killed in summer. Command his death: No man will rise for a dead carcase. Death, Not exile! He'll return with Ptolemy Or great Phraates, take your Syria from you, Take Rodogune.
TIMOCLES I give my power to you. Try him and sentence him. But execution, Let it be execution. I will have No murder done. Arrange it. He goes out followed by Cleone. PHAYLLUS While he's in the mood, It must be quickly done. But that's to venture With no support in Syria when it's done Except this brittle king. It matters not. Fortune will bear me out; she's grown my slave-girl. What liberties have I not taken with her Which she has suffered amorously, kinder grown After each handling. Watch me, my only lover! Sudden and swift shall be Phayllus' stroke. Page – 302 Antiochus' chamber. Cleopatra, Antiochus, Eunice, Rodogune.
CLEOPATRA Eunice, cruel, heartless, sweet Eunice, How could you leave me?
EUNICE Pardon me, dear lady.
ANTIOCHUS Mine was the error, mother.
CLEOPATRA O my son, If you had said that "mother" to me then, All this had never happened.
ANTIOCHUS I have been hard To you, my mother, you to me your son. We have both erred and it may be the gods Will punish our offences even yet.
CLEOPATRA O, say not that, my child. We must be happy; I will have just a little happiness.
RODOGUNE O, answer her with kisses, dear Antiochus.
Page – 303 CLEOPATRA Do you too plead for me, sweet Parthian?
EUNICE Cousin Antiochus.
ANTIOCHUS My heart is chastened and I love, Mother, though even now I will not lie And say I love you as a child might love Who from his infancy had felt your clasp. But, mother, give me time and if the gods Will give it too, who knows? we may be happy. Philoctetes enters. PHILOCTETES Pardon me, Madam, but my soul is harried With fierce anxieties. You do not well To linger with your son Antiochus. A jealous anger works in Timocles When he hears of it.
CLEOPATRA Is't possible?
PHILOCTETES Fear it! Believe it!
CLEOPATRA (shuddering) I will not give the gods a handle. But I may take Eunice and your wife To comfort me a little?
ANTIOCHUS Go with her, Page – 304 Eunice. Leave me for an hour, my Rodogune. All go from the chamber except Antiochus. When, when will the gods strike? I feel the steps Of Doom about me. Open thy barriers, Death; I would not linger underneath the stroke. Phayllus enters with soldiers. PHAYLLUS Seize him! This is the prince Antiochus.
ANTIOCHUS So soon! I said not farewell to my love. Well, Syrian, dost thou carry only warrants Or keeps the death-doom pace with thy arrest?
PHAYLLUS Thy plots have been discovered, plotter.
ANTIOCHUS Plots! Vain subtle fool, I will not answer thee. What matters the poor pretext? Guards, conduct me. He goes out, guarded. PHAYLLUS Must thou be royal even in thy fall?
Page – 305 The same. Eunice, Rodogune.
RODOGUNE Will they not let me go and see him even?
EUNICE We'll make our way to him and out for him To Egypt, Egypt.
RODOGUNE There's only one joy left, To be with him whether we live or die.
EUNICE You are too meek. Cleone helps us here Whatever be the spring of her strange pity. When we come back, Phayllus, we shall find out Whether the ingenuity of men Holds tortures huge enough for your deserts.
RODOGUNE Why do you pace about with flaming eyes? Be still and sit and put your hand in mine.
EUNICE My Parthian sweetness! O, the gods are cruel Who torture such a heart as thine.
RODOGUNE Where is
Page – 306 My mother?
EUNICE She is lying in her room Dry-eyed and voiceless, gazing upon Fate With eyes I dare not look at. Till tomorrow. At dawn we'll have him out. Cleone bribes The sentries; Thoas has horses and a ship Wide-winged for Egypt, Egypt.
RODOGUNE O yes, let us leave Syria and cruel Antioch.
EUNICE For a while. I would have had him out tonight, my king, But ruffian Theras keeps the watch till dawn. How long will walls immure so huge a prisoner? Trial! When he returns in arms from Egypt, Try him, Phayllus. We must wait till dawn.
RODOGUNE I shall behold him once again at dawn.
Page – 307 A guard-room in the Palace. Antiochus, alone.
ANTIOCHUS What were Death then but wider life than earth Can give us in her clayey limits bound? Darkness perhaps! There must be light behind. As he speaks, Phayllus enters. Who is it?
PHAYLLUS Phayllus and thy conqueror.
ANTIOCHUS In some strange warfare then!
PHAYLLUS I came to see Before thy end the greatness that thou wast; For thou wert great as mortals measure. Thou hast An hour to live.
ANTIOCHUS Shorter were better.
PHAYLLUS An hour! It is strange. The beautiful strong Antiochus In one brief hour and by a little stroke Shall be mere rotten carrion for the flies To buzz about.
Page – 308 ANTIOCHUS Thinkest thou so, Phayllus?
PHAYLLUS I know it, and in thy fall, because thou wert great, I feel my greatness who am thy o'erthrower. I long to probe the mightiness thou art And know the thoughts that fill thee at this hour; For it must come to me some day. The things We are, do and are done to! Let it be. Dost thou not ask to kiss thy wife? She'ld come, Though she must leave thy brother's bed for it.
ANTIOCHUS What a poor lie, Phayllus, for the great man Thou thinkst thyself!
PHAYLLUS Thou knowst not then for her Thou diest, that his hungry arms may clasp Her warm sweet body thou hast loved to kiss?
ANTIOCHUS So didst thou work it? Thou art a rare study, Thou Graeco-Syrian.
PHAYLLUS I am what my clay Has made me. It does not hurt thee then to know That while thou art dying, they are hard at work Even now before thy kingly corpse is cold?
ANTIOCHUS What a blind owl thou art that seest the sun And thinkst it darkness! Hence! I weary of thee. Thou art too shallow after all. Outside Is it the dawn? Page – 309 PHAYLLUS The dawn. Thou wak'st too early For one who shall not sleep again.
ANTIOCHUS Yes, sleep I have done with; now for an immortal waking.
PHAYLLUS That dream of fools! Thou art another man Than any I have seen and to my eyes Thou seemst a grandiose lack-wit. Yet in defeat I could not move thee. I have limits then?
ANTIOCHUS Yes, didst thou think thyself a god in evil And souls of men thy subjects? Leave me, send Thy executioner. Let him be quick. I wait! Phayllus goes. I fear he still will loiter. Waiting Was ever tedious to me: I will sleep. (he lies down; after a pause) Is this that other country? Theramenes Before me smiling with his twenty wounds And Mentho with the breasts that suckled me! Who are these crowding after me so fast? My mother follows me and cousin Eunice Treads in her footsteps. Thou too, Timocles? Thoas, Leosthenes and Philoctetes, Good friends, will you stay long? The world grows empty. Why, all that's great in Syria staggers after me Into blind Hades; I am royally Attended. Theras enters. Page – 310 THERAS Phayllus' will compels me to it, Or else I do not like the thing I do.
ANTIOCHUS Who is it? Thou art the instrument. Strike in. Keep me not waiting. I ever loved proud swiftness And thorough spirits.
THERAS I must strike suddenly or never strike. He strikes. ANTIOCHUS I pass the barrier.
THERAS Will not this blood stop flowing?
ANTIOCHUS The blood? Let the gods have it; 'tis their portion.
THERAS A red libation, O thou royal sacrifice! I have done evil. Will sly Phayllus help me? He was a trickster ever. I have done evil.
ANTIOCHUS Tell Parthian Rodogune I wait for her Behind Death's barrier.
THERAS The world's too still. Will he not speak again Upon this other side of nothingness? O sounds, sounds, sounds! The sentries change, I think. I'll draw thy curtains, O thou mighty sleeper.
Page – 311 He draws the curtains, extinguishes the light and goes out. All is still for a while, then the door opens again and Eunice and Rodogune enter. EUNICE Tread lightly, for he sleeps. The curtain's drawn.
RODOGUNE O my Antiochus, on thy hard bed In the rude camp with horses neighing round Thou well mightst slumber nor the undistant trumpet Startling unseal thy war-accustomed ears From the sweet lethargy of earned repose. But in the horrible silence of this prison How canst thou sleep? It clamours in my brain More than could any sound, with terror laden And voices.
EUNICE I'll wake him.
RODOGUNE Do not. He is tired And you will spoil his rest.
EUNICE He moves no more Than the dead might.
RODOGUNE Speak not of death, Eunice; We are too near to death to speak of him.
EUNICE He must be waked. Cousin Antiochus, You sleep too soundly for a prisoner. Wake!
Page – 312 RODOGUNE There is some awful presence in this room.
EUNICE I partly feel it. Wake, wake, Antiochus. She draws apart the curtain and puts in her arm, then hastily withdraws it. O God, what is this dabbles so my hand, That feels almost like blood? (tearing down the curtain) Antiochus! She falls half-swooned against the wall. There is a silence, then noise is heard in the corridors and the voice of Nicanor at the door. NICANOR Guard carefully the doors; let no evasion Deceive you.
RODOGUNE Antiochus! Antiochus! Antiochus!
EUNICE Call him not; he will wake And Heaven be angry. O my Rodogune, Let us too sleep.
RODOGUNE Antiochus! Antiochus! Nicanor enters armed with soldiers and lights. NICANOR Am I in time? Thou? thou? How cam'st thou here? Who is this woman with the dreadful face? Can this be Rodogune? Eunice, speak. What is this blood upon thy hands and dress?
Page – 313 Thou dost not speak! Oh, speak!
EUNICE I am going, I am going to my chamber To sleep.
NICANOR Arrest her, guards. He approaches the bed and recoils. Awake the house! Sound the alarm! O palace of Nicanor, Thou canst stand yet upon thy stony base Untroubled! The warlike prince Antiochus Lies on this bed most treacherously murdered. Cries and commotion outside. Speak, wretched girl. What villain's secret hand Profaned with death this royal sanctuary? How cam'st thou here or hast this blood on thee? There enter in haste Callicrates, Melitus, Cleone; afterwards Phayllus and others. CLEONE (to Nicanor) Thou couldst not save him then for all my warning? In vain didst thou mistrust me!
PHAYLLUS (entering) It is done. Yet Theras came not! Do I fail? Fortune, my kindly goddess, help me still In the storm I have yet to weather.
NICANOR Thou hast come! This is thy work, thou ominous counsellor.
PHAYLLUS In all the land who dare impugn me, if it be? Page – 314 NICANOR Thou art a villain! Thou shalt die for this.
PHAYLLUS One day I shall, for this or something else. But here's the King.
NICANOR No more a king for me Or Syria. Timocles enters, followed by Cleopatra. MELITUS The Queen comes cold and white and shuddering.
CLEOPATRA (speaking with an unnatural calmness) Why do these cries of terror shake the house Repeating Murder and Antiochus? Nicanor, lives my son?
NICANOR Behold, O woman, The frame you fashioned for Antiochus, Cast from your love before, now cast from life, By whose unnatural contrivance, let them say Who did it.
CLEOPATRA It is not true, it is not true! There can be no such horror. O, for this, For this you gave him back!
TIMOCLES O gods! Phayllus, I did not think that he would look like this.
Page – 315
MELITUS Cover this death. It troubles the good King.
TIMOCLES (recovering himself ) This is a piteous sight, beloved mother; Would that he lived and wore the Syrian crown Unquestioned.
CLEOPATRA Timocles, I will not credit What yet a horror in my blood believes. The eyes of all men charge you with this act; Deny it!
TIMOCLES Mother!
CLEOPATRA Deny it!
TIMOCLES Alas, mother!
CLEOPATRA Deny it!
TIMOCLES O mother, what shall I deny? It had to be. Blame only the dire gods And bronze Necessity.
CLEOPATRA Call me not mother! I have no children. I am punished, gods, Who dared outlive my great unhappy husband For this! She rushes out.
Page – 316 NICANOR Is this thy end, O great Seleucus? What Fury rules thy house? The Queen is gone With desperate eyes. Who next? There enter in haste Philoctetes, Thoas, Leosthenes and others of Antiochus' party. PHILOCTETES It is true then, It is most true! O high Antiochus, How are thy royal vast imaginations All spilt into a meagre stream of blood! And yet thy eyes seem to gaze royally Into death's vaster realms as if they viewed More conquests there and mightier monarchies. When we were boys and slumber came with noon, Often you'ld lay your head upon my knee Even thus. O little friend Antiochus, We are again in hundred-gated Thebes And life is all before us.
THOAS O insupportable! Thou styled by men a king, no king of mine, Acquit thyself of this too kindred blood. No murderer sits in great Seleucus' chair Longer than takes the movement of my sword Out of its scabbard. I live to ask this question.
LEOSTHENES Nor think thy royal title nor thy guards Shall fence thy life, thou crowned fratricide, Nor many ranks of triple-plated iron Shut out swift vengeance.
PHILOCTETES His eyes look up and seem to smile at me.
Page – 317 NICANOR Thoas, thy anger ranges far too wide. Respect the blood of kings, Leosthenes.
THOAS See dabbled on this couch the blood of kings Thus by a kindred blood respected.
TIMOCLES The hearts Of kings are not their own, nor yet their acts. This was an execution, not a murder. In better time and place you shall have proofs: Phayllus knows it all. Be satisfied. Lift up this royal dead. All hatred now Forgotten, I will royally inter His ashes guarding still his diadem And sword and armour. All that most he loved Shall go with him into the silent world.
RODOGUNE I come.
TIMOCLES The voice of Rodogune! That woman's form The shadowy anguished robe concealed! She here Beside my brother!
NICANOR We had forgotten how piteous was this scene. O you who loved the dead, forbear a while; All shall be sternly judged.
TIMOCLES O Rodogune, The dead demands thy grief, since he too loved thee, But not in this red chamber pay thy debt,
Page – 318 Not in this square of horror. In thy calm room Gently bedew his memory with tears And I will help them with my own. Me too He loved once.
LEOSTHENES Shall our swords yet sleep? He wooes His brother's wife beside his brother's corpse Whom he has murdered.
THOAS Yet, Leosthenes. For Heaven has borne enough from him. At last The gods lift up their secret thunderbolts Above us.
NICANOR She totters and can hardly move. Assist her or she falls.
PHILOCTETES (raising his head) O Rodogune, What wilt thou with my dead?
PHAYLLUS Shall it be allowed?
TIMOCLES I do not grudge this corpse her sad farewell. O Rodogune, embrace the unresponsive dead; But afterwards remember life and love Are still on earth.
THOAS Afterwards, Timocles. Give death a moment. There is a silence while Rodogune bends swaying over the dead Antiochus.
Page – 319 TIMOCLES O my Rodogune, Leave now the dead man's side whose debt is paid. Return to life, to love.
RODOGUNE (stretching out her arms) My king! my king! Leave me not, leave me not! I am behind thee. She falls dead at the feet of Antiochus. EUNICE O, take me also! She rushes to Rodogune and throws herself on the dead bodies. NICANOR Raise the princess up; She has swooned.
THOAS Her heart has failed her: she is dead.
TIMOCLES Rise up, my Rodogune.
THOAS She is dead, Timocles; She's safe from thee. Thou goest not alone, My king, into the darkness.
CLEONE Look to the King!
TIMOCLES (speaking with difficulty) Lives she?
MELITUS No, she is dead, King Timocles.
Page – 320 CLEONE Brother, the King! Timocles has been tearing at the robe round his neck. Phayllus, Melitus and others crowd round to support him as he falls. NICANOR It is a fit at worst Which anger and despair have forced him to.
PHAYLLUS It is not death? I live then.
NICANOR Death, thou intriguer! Art thou not Death who with thy wicked promptings And poisonous whispers worked to dangerous rage The kindly moods of Timocles? Seize him, He shall atone this murder.
PHAYLLUS You build too soon Your throne upon these prostrate bodies. Your king Lives still, Nicanor.
NICANOR Not to save thee from death, Nor any murderer. Drag him hence.
CLEONE The King revives. Save thyself, brother.
LEOSTHENES Ten kings should not avail To save him. Page– 321 NICANOR Drag hence that subtle Satan.
TIMOCLES I live And I remember!
CLEONE Sleepest thou, Phayllus?
PHAYLLUS My king, they drag me hence to murder me.
TIMOCLES (vaguely at first) Who art thou? Thou abhorred and crooked devil, Thou art the cause that she is lost to me. Slay him! And that shrewd-lipped, rose-tinted harlot, Let her be banished somewhere from men's sight Where she can be forgotten. O brother, brother, I have sent thee into the darkling shades, Myself am barred the way.
PHAYLLUS What I have done, I did for this poor king and thankless man. But there's no use in talking. I am ready.
TIMOCLES (half-rising, furiously) Slay him with tortures! let him feel his death As he has made me feel my living.
NICANOR Take him And see this sentence ruthlessly performed Upon this frame of evil. May the gods In their just wrath with this be satisfied.
Page– 322 PHAYLLUS And yet I loved thee, Timocles. He is taken out, guarded. NICANOR Daughter, Eunice, rise.
EUNICE I did not know till now Life was so difficult a thing to leave. Her going was so easy!
NICANOR Ah, girl, this tragic drama owns in part Thy authorship! Henceforth be wise and humble. To her chamber lead her.
EUNICE Do with me what you will. My heart has gone to journey with my dead. O father, for a few days bear with me; I do not think that I shall long displease you Hereafter. She goes, attended by Melitus. NICANOR Follow her, Callicrates, And let no dangerous edge or lethal drink Be near to her despair. Callicrates follows. THOAS This cannot keep us From those we loved.
Page– 323 NICANOR Syrians, what yet remains Of this storm-visited, bolt-shattered house Let us rebuild, joining our strength to save The threatened kingdom. For when this deed is known, The Parthian lion leaps raging for blood And Ptolemy's dangerous grief for the boy he cherished Darkens on us from Egypt. Syria beset And we all broken!
TIMOCLES Something has snapped in me Physicians cannot bind. Thou, Prince Nicanor, Art from the royal blood of Syria sprung And in thy line Seleucus may descend Untainted from his source. Brother, brother, We did not dream that all would end like this, When in the dawn or set we roamed at will Playing together in Egyptian gardens, Or in the orchards of great Ptolemy Walked with our arms around each other's necks Twin-hearted. But now unto eternity We are divided. I must live for ever Unfriended, solitary in the shades; But thou and she will lie at ease inarmed Deep in the quiet happy asphodel And hear the murmur of Elysian winds While I walk lonely.
PHILOCTETES We too without thee now Breath-haunted corpses move, Antiochus. Thou goest attended to a quiet air; Doomed still to live we for a while remain Expecting what the gods have yet in store. Page– 324 |