Alex. Oh, Clytus! oh, my noble veteran! "Twas, I remember, when I pass'd the Granicus, His arm preserv'd me from 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 Heav'n 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 Granic 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!

Enter ARISTANDER.

Arist. Haste, first of Heroes, 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 instruction flew ;

But, as I prayed, 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 decree?

Enter PERDICCAS.

Per. O horror! horror! dreadful and portentous !

Alex. How now, Perdiccas! whence this exclamation ?

Per. As Meleager and myself this morn
Led forth the Persian horse to exercise,
We heard a noise, as of a rushing wind;
When suddenly a flight of baleful birds,
Like a thick cloud, obscur'd the face of heaven,
On sounding wings from diff'rent parts they flew,
Encount'ring met, and battled in the air-

Their talons clash'd, their beaks gave mighty blows, And showers of blood fell copious from their wounds!

Alex. Tho' all the curtains of the sky were
drawn,

And the stars wink, young Ammon shall go on.
While my Statira shines, I cannot stray,
Love lifts his torch to light me on my way,
And her bright eyes create another day,

Lys. Vouchsafe, dread sir! to hear my humble
suit;

A prince entreats it, and, what's more, your kins

man.

Alex. A soldier asks it-that's the noblest claim.
Lys. For all the services my sword has done,

Humbly I beg the Princess Parisatis.

Alex. Lysimachus-no more—it is not well

My word, you know, is to Hephestion given;
How dare
you then- -let me hear no more on't.
Lys. At your command, to scale th' embattled
wall,

Or fetch the gore-dy'd standard from the foe,
When has Hephestion flown with warmer zeal?
When did he leave Lysimachus behind

These I have done; for these were in my pow'r ;
But when you charge me to renounce my love,
And from my thoughts to banish Parisatis,
Obedience there becomes impossible,

Nature revolts, and my whole soul rebels.

Alex. It does, brave sir!-Now hear me, and be dumb;

When by my order curst Calisthenes

Was as a traitor doom'd to live in torments,
Your pity sped him in despite of me;
Think not I have forgot your insolence,
No, tho' I pardon'd it-Yet, if again
Thou dar'st to cross me with another crime,
The bolts of fury shall be doubled on thee.
In the mean time-think not of Parisatis;
For, if thou dost-by the immortal Ammon,
I'll not regard the blood of mine thou shar'st,
But use thee as the vilest Macedonian.

::

Lys. I knew you partial ere I mov'd my suit Yet know it shakes not my determin'd purpose; While I have life and strength to wield a sword, I never will forego the glorious claim.

Alex. Against my life! ha! traitor, was it so? 'Tis said that am I rash, of hasty humour; But I appeal to the immortal gods,

If every petty, poor, provincial lord,

Had temper like to mine! My slave, whom I
Could tread to clay, dares utter bloody threats!
Clyt. Forgive, dread sir, the frantic warmth of

love;

The noble prince, I read it in his eyes,

Would die a thousand deaths to serve his king,
And justify his loyalty and truth.

Lys. I meant, his minion there should feel my

arm.

Love claims his blood, nor shall he live to triumph
In that destruction that awaits his rival.

Aler. I pardon thee, for my old Clytus' sake;
But if once more thou mention thy rash love,
Or dar'st attempt Hephestion's precious life,
I'll pour such storms of indignation on thee,
Philotas' rack, Calisthenes' disgrace,
Shall be delight to what thou shalt endure.
Clyt. My lord, the aged queen, with Parisatis,
Come to congratulate your safe arrival.

Enter SYSIGAMBIS and PARISATIS.

Alex. Oh, thou, the best of women, Sysigambis!
Source of my joy, blest parent of my love!
Sys. In humble duty to the gods and you,
Permit us, sir, with gratitude to bow.
Thro' you the royal house of Persia shines,
Rais'd from the depth of wretchedness and ruin,
In all the splendour of imperial greatness.

Alex. To meet me thus was generously done:
But still there wants, to crown my happiness,
That treasure of my soul, the dear Statira!
Had she but come to meet her Alexander,
I had been blest indeed!

Clyt. Now who shall dare

To tell him of the queen's vow?
Alex. How fares

My love?-Ha! neither answer me! all silent i
A sudden horror, like a bolt of ice,

Shoots to my heart, and 'numbs the seat of life.

Heph. I would relate it, but my courage fails me. Alex. Why stand you all as you were rooted here?

с

What! will none answer? my Hephestion silent!
If thou hast any love for Alexander,

If ever I oblig'd thee by my care,

When thro' the field of death my eye has watch'd thee,

Resolve my doubts, and rescue me from madness. Heph. Your mourning queen has no disease but grief,

Occasion'd by the jealous pangs of love:

She heard, dread sir, (for what can 'scape a lover?)
That you, regardless of your vows, at Susa
Had to Roxana's charms resign'd your heart,
And revell'd in the joys you once foreswore.
Alex. I own, the subtle sorceress, in my riot,
My reason gone, seduc'd me to her bed,
But, when I wak'd, I shook the Circe off;
Tho' the enchantress held me by the arm;
Nor griev'd I less for that which I had done,
Than when at Thais' suit, enrag'd with wine,
I set the fam'd Persepolis on fire.

Heph. Your queen, Statira, in the rage of grief,
And agony of desperate love, has sworn
Never to see your majesty again.

Alex. Oh, madam! has she? has Statira sworn Never to see her Alexander more?.

Par. With sorrow, sir, I heard the solemn vow; My mother heard it, and in vain adjur'd her, By every tender motive to recall it.

Sys. But with that fierceness she resents her

wrongs,

Dwells on your fault, and heightens the offence,
That I could wish your majesty forget her.

Aler. Ha! could you wish me to forget Statira!
The star which brightens Alexander's life,
His guide by day, and goddess of his nights!
I feel her now, she beats in every pulse,
Throbs at my heart, and circles with my blood!
Sys. Have patience, son, and trust to Heaven and

me;