As 'twere a pause of nature; on the beach Save ever and anon the dashing oar, And hark!-Was that The groan of anguish from Evander's cell, Enter PHILOTAS, from the Cavern. Phil. What ho! brave Arcas! ho! Of distant uproar chas'd affrighted sleep. Arcas. At intervals the oar's resounding stroke Comes echoing from the main. Save that report, A death-like silence through the wide expanse Broods o'er the dreary coast. Phil. Do thou retire, And seek repose; the duty of thy watch Arcas. How fares Your royal pris'ner? Phil. Arcas, shall I own A secret weakness? My heart inward melts Arcas. May no alarm disturb thee. [Exit. Phil. Some dread event is lab'ring into birth. At close of day the sullen sky held forth Unerring signals. With disastrous glare, The moon's full orb rose crimson'd o'er with blood; And lo! athwart the gloom a falling star Trails a long tract of fire!-What daring step Eup. [Within.] Mine no hostile step; Phil. Ha! what mean Eup. [Within.] Here is no ambush'd Greek, Phil. What voice thus piercing thro' the gloom of night What art thou? what thy errand? quickly say, Wherefore alarm'st thou thus our peaceful watch? Eup. [Within.] Let no mistrust affright thee Enter EUPHRASIA. Lo! a wretch, The veriest wretch that ever groan'd in anguish, Why, princess, thus anticipate the dawn? The Grecian bands, the winds, the waves are hush'd; Eup. Yes; all, all rest: the very murd'rer sleeps; Guilt is at rest: I only wake to misery! Phil. How didst thou gain the summit of the rock? Eup. Give me my father; here you hold him fetter'd; Oh! give him to me -If ever The touch of nature throbb'd within your breast, I know he pines in want; let me convey Phil. Alas, Euphrasia! 'would I dare comply! Eup. It will be virtue in thee. Thou, like me, Wert born in Greece:-Oh! by our common pa rent Nay, stay; thou shalt not fly; Philotas, stay; Chain'd to the earth, with slow-consuming pangs Would'st thou not burst thro' adamantine gates, When thus a parent wants the common food, Phil. 'Twere best withdraw thee, princess; thy assistance Evander wants not; it is fruitless all ;` Eup. Ha!-thou hast murder'd him; he is no more; I understand thee;-butchers, you have shed Phil. Alas! this frantic grief can nought avail. Eup. And dost thou then, inhuman that thou art! Advise a wretch like me to know repose? This is my last abode:- -these caves, these rocks, Shall ring for ever with Euphrasia's wrongs. Here will I dwell, and rave, and shriek, and give And cruel gods and cruel stars invoking, My heart in pity bleeds. No other fear assails this warlike breast. The gen'rous impulse is not given in vain. Oh! thou hast conquer'd.-Go, Euphrasia, go, Eup. Raise me, raise me up; I'll bathe thy hand with tears, thou gen'rous man! Phil. Yet, mark my words; if aught of nourish ment Thou would'st convey, my partners of the watch Will ne'er consent. Eup. I will observe your orders: On any terms, oh! let me, let me see him. Phil. Yon lamp will guide thee through the cavern'd way. Eup. My heart runs o'er in thanks; the pious act Timoleon shall reward; the bounteous gods, And thy own virtue, shall reward the deed. [Goes into the Cave. Phil. Prevailing, powerful virtue!-Thou subduest The stubborn heart, and mould'st it to thy purpose. Would I could save them!-But tho' not for me The glorious pow'r to shelter innocence, Yet for a moment to assuage its woes, Is the best sympathy, the purest joy Nature intended for the heart of man, When thus she gave the social gen'rous tear. [Exit. SCENE II. The Inside of the Cavern. Enter ARCAS and EUPHRASIA. Arcas. No; on my life, I dare not. A wretched pittance; one poor cordial drop I ask no more. Arcas. Not the smallest store Of scanty nourishment must pass these walls. Eva. [Within the Cell.] Oh, struggling nature let thy conflict end. Oh! give me, give me rest! Eup. My father's voice! It pierces here! it cleaves my very heart. Arcas. Repose thee, princess, here -[Draws a Till the returning blood shall lend thee firmness. Eup. The caves, the rocks, re-echo to his groans! And is there no relief? Arcas. All I can grant You shall command. I will unbar the dungeon, Unloose the chain that binds him to the rock, And leave your interview without restraint. [Opens a Cell in the back Scene. Eup. Hold, hold my heart! Oh! how shall I sustain The agonizing scene? [Rises.] I must behold him; Nature, that drives me on, will lend me force. Is that my father? |