MYRRHA | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
585 | From fear |
MYRRHA | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
I have observed your sex, once roused to wrath, | |
Are timidly vindictive to a pitch | |
Of perseverance, which I would not copy. | |
I thought you were exempt from this, as from | |
590 | The childish helplessness of Asian women. |
MYRRHA | |
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: | |
595 | 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 | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
600 | 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 feast. | |
[ |
Act III | |
SCENE | |
The Hall of the Palace illuminated | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
Is my true realm, amidst bright eyes and faces | |
Happy as fair! Here sorrow cannot reach. | |
ZAMES | |
5 | SARDANAPALUS |
Or my wild grandam’s chase in search of kingdoms | |
She could not keep when conquer’d? | |
ALTADA | |
They were, as all thy royal line have been, | |
Yet none of those who went before have reach’d | |
10 | The acmé of Sardanapalus, who |
Has placed his joy in peace – the sole true glory. | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
Is but the path. What is it that we seek? | |
Enjoyment! We have cut the way short to it, | |
15 | And not gone tracking it through human ashes, |
Making a grave with every footstep. | |
ZAMES | |
All hearts are happy, and all voices bless | |
The king of peace, who holds a world in jubilee. | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
20 | Some say that there be traitors. |
ZAMES | |
Who dare to say so! – ’Tis impossible. | |
What cause? | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
We will not think of them: there are none such, | |
Or if there be, they are gone. | |
ALTADA | |
25 | Down on your knees, and drink a measure to |
The safety of the king – the monarch, say I? | |
The god Sardanapalus! | |
[ | |
Mightier than | |
His father Baal, the god Sardanapalus! | |
[ | |
ZAMES | |
30 | His father gods consented. |
MYRRHA | |
King, wilt thou bear this mad impiety? | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
Before me can be gods, I’ll not disgrace | |
Their lineage. But arise, my pious friends; | |
35 | Hoard your devotion for the thunderer there: |
I seek but to be loved, not worshipp’d. | |
ALTADA | |
Both you must ever be by all true subjects. | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
An awful night. | |
MYRRHA | |
40 | No palace to protect their worshippers. |
SARDANAPALUS | |
My realm to one wide shelter for the wretched, | |
I’d do it. | |
MYRRHA | |
Able to work a will so good and general, | |
45 | As thy wish would imply. |
SARDANAPALUS | |
MYRRHA | |
Lest we provoke them. | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
Better than mortals. Friends, a thought has struck me: | |
Were there no temples, would there, think ye, be | |
50 | Air worshippers? that is, when it is angry, |
And pelting as even now. | |
MYRRHA | |
Upon his mountain. | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
MYRRHA | |
Unroof’d and desolate, how many flatterers | |
55 | Would lick the dust in which the king lay low? |
ALTADA | |
Upon a nation whom she knows not well; | |
The Assyrians know no pleasure but their king’s, | |
And homage is their pride. | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
60 | The fair Greek’s readiness of speech. |
ALTADA | |
We honour her of all things next to thee. | |
Hark! what was that? | |
ZAMES | |
Of distant portals shaken by the wind. | |
ALTADA | |
65 | ZAMES |
SARDANAPALUS | |
Myrrha, my love, hast thou thy shell in order? | |
Sing me a song of Sappho, her, thou know’st, | |
Who in thy country threw — | |
[ | |
PANIA | |
And with your best speed to the walls without. | |
70 | Your arms! To arms! The king’s in danger. Monarch! |
Excuse this haste, – ’tis faith. | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
PANIA | |
As Salemenes fear’d; the faithless satraps — | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
breath, good Pania. | |
PANIA | |
75 | More with my speed to warn my sovereign, |
Than hurt in his defence. | |
MYRRHA | |
PANIA | |
Their stations in the city, they refused | |
To march; and on my attempt to use the power | |
80 | Which I was delegated with, they call’d |
Upon their troops, who rose in fierce defiance. | |
MYRRHA | |
PANIA | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
To spare mine ears the truth. | |
PANIA | |
Were faithful, and what’s left of it is still so. | |
MYRRHA | |
85 | PANIA |
The Bactrians, now led on by Salemenes, | |
Who even then was on his way, still urged | |
By strong suspicion of the Median chiefs, | |
Are numerous, and make strong head against | |
90 | 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. | |
[ | |
I am charged to— | |
MYRRHA | |
PANIA | |
95 | 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. | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
My armour there. | |
MYRRHA | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
100 | Ho, there! – but seek not for the buckler: ’tis |
Too heavy: – a light cuirass and my sword. | |
Where are the rebels? | |
PANIA | |
From the outward wall the fiercest conflict rages. | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
105 | Order my horse out. – There is space enough |
Even in our courts, and by the outer gate, | |
To marshal half the horsemen of Arabia. | |
[ | |
MYRRHA | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
MYRRHA | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
too.- | |
110 | Where’s Salemenes? |
PANIA | |
SARDANAPALUS |