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ACT THE FIFTH

SCENE I.

The Bower of Semiramis,

STATIRA discovered.

Stat. Bless me, ye powers above, and guard my virtue !

Where are you fled, dear shades? where are you fled?

'Twas but a dream, and yet I saw and heard
My royal parents, who, while pious care

Sat on their faded cheeks, pronounced with tears,
Tears such as angels weep, this hour my last!
But hence with fear-my Alexander comes,
And fear and danger ever fled from him.
My Alexander-would that he were here!
For oh, I tremble, and a thousand terrors
Rush in upon me, and alarm my heart!

[Flourish of Trumpets. But hark! 'tis he, and all my fears are fled: My life, my joy, my Alexander, comes!

Rox. [Within.] Make fast the gate, with all its massy bars:

At length we have conquered this stupendous height, And reached the grove.

Stat. Ye guardian gods defend me! Roxana's voice! then all the vision's true, And die I must.

Enter ROXANA.

Rox. Secure the brazen gate. Where is my rival? 'tis Roxana calls:

Stat. And what is she, who, with such towering pride,

Would awe a princess that is born above her.

Rox. Behold this dagger! 'Tis thy fate, Statira! Behold, and meet it as becomes a queen.

Fain would I find thee worthy of my vengeance;
Here, take my weapon then, and if thou darest-
Stat. How little know'st thou what Statira dares !
Yes, cruel woman! yes, I dare meet death
With a resolve at which thy coward heart
Would shrink; for terror haunts the guilty mind;
While conscious innocence, that knows no fear,
Can smiling pass, and scorn thy idle threats.
Rox. Return, fair insolent! return, I say:
Darest thou, presumptuous, to invade my rights!
Restore him quickly to my longing arms,
And with him give me back his broken vows,
For, perjured as he is, he still is mine,
Or I will rend them from thy bleeding heart.
Stat. Alas, Roxana! 'tis not in my power;
I cannot if I would-and oh, ye gods!
What were the world to Alexander's loss !
Ror. Oh, sorceress! to thy accursed charms
I owe the phrensy that distracts my soul;
To them I owe my Alexander's loss:

Too late thou tremblest at my just revenge,
My wrongs cry out, and vengeance will have way.

[Holds up the Dagger

Stat. Hold, hold, thy hand advanc'd in air:
I read my sentence written in thine eyes;
Yet oh, Roxana! on thy black revenge
One kindly ray of female pity beam;
And give me death in Alexander's presence.

Rox. Not for the world's wide empire shouldst

thou see him.

Fool! but for him thou might'st unheeded live;
For his sake only art thou doom'd to die.
The sole remaining joy that glads my soul,
Is to deprive thee of the heart I have lost.
Enter SLAVE.

Slave. Madam, the king and all his guards are

come;

With frantic rage they thunder at the gate,

And must ere this have gained admittance.
Ror. Ha!

Too long I have trifled. Let me then redeem
The time mispent, and make great vengeance sure.
Stat. Is Alexander, oh ye gods! so nigh,

And can he not preserve me from her fury?

Rox. Nor he nor Heaven shall shield thee from my justice.

Die, sorceress, die, and all my wrongs die with thee!
[Stabs her.
Alexander. [Without.] Away, ye slaves! stand off;
Nor Heaven nor earth shall stop me.

Enter ALEXANDER, LYSIMACHUS, CASSANDER, PER-
DICCAS, THESSalus, Officers, and Guards.
Ha! Oh! my soul! my queen, my love, Statira!
Are these my promised joys?

Stat. Alas!

My only love, my best and dearest blessing!
'Would I had died before you entered here;
For, thus delighted, while I gaze upon thee,
Death grows more horrid, and I'm loath to leave

thee.

Alex. Thou shalt not leave me-Cruel, cruel stars!

Oh, where's the monster, where's the horrid fiend, That struck at innocence, and murdered thes ›

Ror. Behold the wretch, who, desperate of thy love,

In jealous madness gave the fatal blow!

Alex. To dungeons, tortures, drag her from my sight.

Stat. My soul is on the wing:

Farewell, my most loved lord: ah, me! farewell! Yet ere I die grant this request.

Spare

Roxana's life-'Twas love of you that caused

The death she gave me. And oh! sometimes think,
Amidst your revels, think on your poor queen :
And ere the cheerful bowl salutes your lips,
Enrich it with a tear, and I am happy,

[Dies.

Alex. Yet, ere thou tak'st thy flight-she's gone! she's gone!

All, all is hushed, no music now is heard;

The roses wither, and the fragrant breath

That waked their sweets, shall never wake them more !

Rox. Weep not, my lord! no sorrow can recall her.

Oh turn your eyes, and in Roxana's arms,

You'll find fond love and everlasting truth.

Aler. Hence from my sight, and thank my dear Statira

That yet thou art alive.

Rox. Yes, thus I'll fasten on your sacred robe, Thus on my knees for ever cling around thee, Till you forgive me, or till death divide us.

Alex. Hence, fury, hence; there's not a glance of thine

But like a basilisk comes winged with death.

Rox. Oh speak not thus to one who kneels for mercy!

Think for whose sake it was I madly plunged
In a crime abhorrent to my nature.

Alex. Oh, murderess, off! for ever shun my sight, My eyes detest thee, for thy soul is ruin.

Ror. Barbarian! yes, I will for ever shun thee.
Repeated injuries have steeled my heart,
And I could curse myself for being kind.
If there is any majesty above,

That has revenge in store for perjured love,
Send, Heaven, the swiftest ruin on his head;
Strike the destroyer! lay the victor dead!
But what are curses? curses will not kill,
Nor ease the tortures I am doomed to feel!

Alex. Oh, my fair star, I shall be shortly with thee!

What means this deadly dew upon my forehead ?
My heart too heaves-

Cas. The poison works.

Enter EUMENES.

Eum. Pardon, dread sir, a fatal messenger:

The royal Sysigambis is no more.

Struck with the horror of Statira's fate,

She soon expired, and with her latest breath
Left Parisatis to Lysimachus.

But, what I fear most deeply will affect

Your loved Hephestion's

Alex. Dead! then he is blest!

But here, here lies my fate.

you,

Hephestion! Clytus!

My victories all for ever folded up

In this dear body. Here my banners lost,

My standard's triumphs gone. Oh, when-Oh,

when

Shall I be mad indeed!

[Exeunt all but Cassander and THESSALUS. Cass. He's gone-but whither? Follow, Thessalus, Attend his steps, and let me know what passes.

[Exeunt THESSALUS and CASSANDER, separately.

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