155 | Stood dull as in our temples, but she still |
Embraced me, while I shrunk from her, as if, | |
In lieu of her remote descendant, I | |
Had been the son who slew her for her incest. | |
Then – then – a chaos of all loathsome things | |
160 | Throng’d thick and shapeless: I was dead, yet feeling – |
Buried, and raised again – consumed by worms, | |
Purged by the flames, and wither’d in the air! | |
I can fix nothing further of my thoughts, | |
Save that I long’d for thee, and sought for thee, | |
165 | In all these agonies, – and woke and found thee. |
MYRRHA | |
Here and hereafter, if the last may be. | |
But think not of these things – the mere creations | |
Of late events, acting upon a frame | |
170 | Unused to toil, yet over-wrought by toil |
Such as might try the sternest. | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
Now that I see | |
Seems nothing. | |
[ | |
SALEMENES | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
175 | For all the predecessors of our line |
Rose up, methought, to drag me down to them. | |
My father was amongst them, too; but he, | |
I know not why, kept from me, leaving me | |
Between the hunter-founder of our race, | |
180 | And her, the homicide and husband-killer, |
Whom you call glorious. | |
SALEMENES | |
Now you have shown a spirit like to hers. | |
By day-break I propose that we set forth, | |
And charge once more the rebel crew, who still | |
185 | Keep gathering head, repulsed, but not quite quell’d. |
SARDANAPALUS | |
SALEMENES | |
Of darkness: use them for your further rest. | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
methought | |
I pass’d hours in that vision. | |
MYRRHA | |
190 | I watch’d by you: it was a heavy hour, |
But an hour only. | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
To-morrow we set forth. | |
SALEMENES | |
I had a grace to seek. | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
SALEMENES | |
Ere you reply too readily; and tis | |
195 | For |
MYRRHA | |
[ | |
SALEMENES | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
That slave deserves to share a throne. | |
SALEMENES | |
’Tis not yet vacant, and ’tis of its partner | |
I come to speak with you. | |
SARDANAPALUS: |
200 | SALEMENES |
That, ere the dawn, she sets forth with her children | |
For Paphlagonia, where our kinsman Cotta | |
Governs; and there at all events secure | |
My nephews and your sons their lives, and with them | |
205 | Their just pretensions to the crown in case – |
SARDANAPALUS | |
Let them set forth with a sure escort. | |
SALEMENES | |
Is all provided, and the galley ready | |
To drop down the Euphrates; but ere they | |
210 | Depart, will you not see — |
SARDANAPALUS | |
Unman my heart, and the poor boys will weep; | |
And what can I reply to comfort them, | |
Save with some hollow hopes, and ill-worn smiles? | |
You know I cannot feign. | |
SALEMENES | |
215 | At least, I trust so: in a word, the queen |
Requests to see you ere you part – for ever. | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
Aught – all that she can ask – but such a meeting. | |
SALEMENES | |
220 | Since you have studied them so steadily, |
That what they ask in aught that touches on | |
The heart, is dearer to their feelings or | |
Their fancy, than the whole external world. | |
I think as you do of my sister’s wish; | |
225 | But ’twas her wish – she is my sister – you |
Her husband – will you grant it? | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
But let her come. | |
SALEMENES | |
[ | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
Too long to meet again – and | |
Have I not cares enow, and pangs enow, | |
230 | To bear alone, that we must mingle sorrows, |
Who have ceased to mingle love? | |
[ | |
SALEMENES | |
Shame not our blood with trembling, but remember | |
From whence we sprung. The queen is present, sire. | |
ZARINA | |
SALEMENES | |
[ | |
235 | ZARINA |
Though we are still so young, since we have met, | |
Which I have worn in widowhood of heart. | |
He loved me not: yet he seems little changed – | |
Changed to me only – would the change were mutual! | |
240 | He speaks not – scarce regards me – not a word – |
Nor look – yet he | |
Indifferent, not austere. My lord! | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
ZARINA | |
That tone – that word – annihilate long years, | |
245 | All things which make them longer. |
SARDANAPALUS | |
To think of these past dreams. Let’s not reproach – | |
That is, reproach me not – for the | |
ZARINA | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
And that reproof comes heavier on my heart | |
250 | Than — But our hearts are not in our own power. |
ZARINA | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
It was your will to see me, ere you went | |
From Nineveh with — | |
[ | |
ZARINA | |
I wish’d to thank you that you have not divided | |
255 | My heart from all that’s left it now to love – |
Those who are yours and mine, who look like you, | |
And look upon me as you look’d upon me | |
Once — But they have not changed. | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
I fain would have them dutiful. | |
ZARINA | |
260 | Those infants, not alone from the blind love |
Of a fond mother, but as a fond woman. | |
They are now the only tie between us. | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
I have not done you justice: rather make them | |
Resemble your own line than their own sire. | |
265 | I trust them with you – to you: fit them for |
A throne, or, if that be denied — You have heard | |
Of this night’s tumults? | |
ZARINA | |
And could have welcomed any grief save yours, | |
Which gave me to behold your face again. | |
270 | SARDANAPALUS |
In peril; they perhaps may never mount it: | |
But let them not for this lose sight of it. | |
I will dare all things to bequeath it them, | |
But if I fail, then they must win it back | |
275 | Bravely – and, won, wear it wisely, not as I |
Have wasted down my royalty. | |
ZARINA | |
Shall know from me of aught but what may honour | |
Their father’s memory. | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
The truth from you than from a trampling world. | |
280 | If they be in adversity, they’ll learn |
Too soon the scorn of crowds for crownless princes, | |
And find that all their father’s sins are theirs. | |
My boys! – I could have borne it were I childless. | |
ZARINA | |
285 | My peace left, by unwishing that thou wert |
A father. If thou conquerest, they shall reign, | |
And honour him who saved the realm for them, | |
So little cared for as his own; and if — | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
290 | And they will swell the echo with a curse. |
ZARINA | |
The name of him, who, dying like a king, | |
In his last hours did more for his own memory | |
Than many monarchs in a length of days, | |
295 | Which date the flight of time, but make no annals. |
SARDANAPALUS | |
But at the least, whate’er the past, their end | |
Shall be like their beginning – memorable. | |
ZARINA | |
300 | Live but for those who love. |
SARDANAPALUS | |
A slave, who loves from passion – I’ll not say | |
Ambition – she has seen thrones shake, and loves; | |
A few friends who have revell’d till we are | |
As one, for they are nothing if I fall; | |
305 | A brother I have injured – children whom |
I have neglected, and a spouse — | |
ZARINA | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
ZARINA | |
And cannot pardon till I have condemn’d. | |
SARDANAPALUS | |
ZARINA | |
310 | I never thought to hear it more – from thee. |
SARDANAPALUS | |
Yes – | |
These slaves whom I have nurtured, pamper’d, fed, | |
And swoln with peace, and gorged with plenty, till | |
They reign themselves – all monarchs in their mansions – | |
315 | Now swarm forth in rebellion, and demand |
His death, who made their lives a jubilee; | |
While the few upon whom I have no claim | |
Are faithful! This is true, yet monstrous. | |
ZARINA | |
Perhaps too natural; for benefits | |
320 | Turn poison in bad minds. |
SARDANAPALUS | |
Good out of evil. Happier than the bee, | |
Which hives not but from wholesome flowers. | |
ZARINA |