Its high discoursing, hath attracted him.”
It is his creed, that, in this flesh of ours,
Self ever entertains predominance;
And, to all friendship, he hath ever been
A persevering infidel. For this,
Belike, he tries a strange experiment.
What sayest thou? Will Damon come again?
Dam.--"Our love of life is in the

very

instinct Of mere material action, when we do Even so slight a thing, as wink an eye Against the wind. Place me a soulless dog Upon the bare edge of a height, and he Shall shudder and shrink back, though none have proved To his capacity that the fall were dangerous.” I hold the thing impossible.

Proc.-He'll not!

Dam.-What, when he feels his pent-up soul abroad, His limbs unfettered, "and the mountain-breeze Of liberty all around him, and his life Or death upon his own free choice dependent?"

” 'Tis visionary!

Proc.—But is there no hope Of Dionysius' mercy?

Dam.—He'll not give A second's hundredth part to take a chance in. “His indignation swells at such a rashness, That, in its fling of proud philosophy, Can make him feel so much out-soared and humbled." What a vast multitude upon the hills Stretch their long blackening outline in the round Of the blue heavens!

Proc.—They wait the great event. "Mute expectation spreads its anxious nusa

a

O’er the wide city, that as silent stands
As its reflection in the quiet sea.
Behold, upon the roof what thousands gaze
Toward the distant road that leads to Syracuse,
An hour ago a noise was heard afar,
Like to the pulses of the restless surge;
But as the time approaches, all grows still
As the wide dead of midnight!
[The gates of the prison are flung open, and PYTHIAS is

discovered. He advances to the scaffold.

[To the Executioner.] There is no pang in thy deep wedge of steel. Nay, sir, you may spare Yourself the pains to fit me for the block.Damon, I do forgive thee !-I but ask Some tears unto my

ashes! [A distant shout is heard.-Pythias leaps upon tho

scaffold. By the gods A horse and horseman!-Far upon the hill, They wave their hats, and he returns it-yet I know him not—his horse is at the stretch! [A shout. Why should they shout as he comes on? It is No!—that was too unlike but there, now -there! Oh, life, I scarcely dare to wish for thee; And yet—that jutting rock has hid him from me No!-let it not be Damon !he has a wife And child !-gods !-keep him back! [Shouts.

Damon.-[Without.] Where is he! DAMON rushes in, and stands for a moment looking round, Ha! He is alive! untouched ! Ha! ha! ha!

[Falls with an hysterical laugh upon the stage

Three loud shouts without.

Pyth.—The gods do know I could have died for him! And yet I dared to doubt!- I dared to breathe The half-uttered blasphemy! [Damon is raised up. He faints !-How thick This wreath of burning moisture on his brow! His face is black with toil, his swelling bulk Heaves with swift pantings. Damon, my dear friend!

Damon.—Where am I? Have I fallen from my horse,
That I am stunned, and on my head I feel
A weight of thickening blood !-What has befallen met
The horrible confusion of a dream
Is yet upon my sight.-For mercy's sake,
Stay me not back-he is about to die!
Pythias, my friend! Unloose me, villains, or
You'll find the might of madness in mine arm!
[Sees Pythias.] Speak to me, let me hear thy voice!

Pyth.—My friend!
Damon.-It pierced my brain, and rushed into my

heart!
There's lightning in it !—That's the scaffold—there
The block—the axe the executioner!
And here he lives !—I have him in my soul!
[Embraces Pythias.] Ha! ha! ha!

Pyth.--Damon!

Damon.—Ha! ha!
I can but laugh!- I cannot speak to thee!
I can but play the maniac, and laugh!
Thy hand !Oh, let me grasp thy manly hand!
It is an honest one, and so is mine!
They are fit to clasp each other! Ha! ha! ha!

Pyth.-Would that my death could have preserved

thee!
Damon-Pythias,
Even in the very crisis to have come,
To have hit the very forehead of old time!
By heavens! had I arrived an hour before,
I should not feel this agony of joy-
This triumph over Dionysius!
Ha! ha!-But did'st thou doubt me? Come, thou did'st
Own it, and I'll forgive thee.

Pyth.--For a moment.
Damon.-Oh, that false slave Pythias, he slew my

horse, In the base thought to save me! I would have killed

him, And to a precipice was dragging him, When, from the very brink of the abyss, I did behold a traveler afar, Bestriding a good steed—I rushed upon him, Choking with desperation, and yet loud In shrieking anguish, I commanded him Down from his saddle: he denied me-but Would I then be denied ? as hungry tigers Clutch their poor prey, I sprang upon his throat: Thus, thus, I had him, Pythias! Come, your horse, Your horse, your horse, I cried. Ha! ha! ha! Dion.—[Advancing and speaking in a loud tone.]

Damon !
Damon.—[Jumping on the scaffold.] I am here upon

the scaffold ! look at me:
I am standing on my throne; as proud a one
As yon illumined mountain, where the sun
Makes his last stand; let him look on me too;

He never did behold a spectacle
More full of natural glory. Death is-[Shouts.] Ha!
All Syracuse starts up upon her hills,
And lifts her hundred thousand hands. [Shouts. She
shouts,

[Shouts Hark, how she shouts! [Shouts.] 0 Dionysius!

O
When wert thou in thy life hailed with a peal
Of hearts and hands like that one? Shout again!

[Shouts.
Again! [Shouts] until the mountains echo you,
And the great sea joins in that mighty voice,
And old Euceladus, the Son of Earth,
Stirs in his mighty caverns. [Three shouts.] Tell me,

slaves,
Where is your tyrant? Let me see him now;
Why stands he hence aloof? Where is your master
What is become of Dionysius?
I would behold, and laugh at him!

[Dionysius advances between Damon and Pythias

Damon being on the scaffold-and throws off his

disguise.
Dion.-Behold me.
Damon and Pyth.-How?

Dion.Stay your admiration for awhile,
Till I have spoken my commandment here.
Go, Damocles, and bid a herald cry
Wide through the city, from the eastern gate
Unto the most remote extremity,
That Dionysius, tyrant as he is,
Gives back his life to Damon.

[Exit Damocles Pyth.-How, Dionysius? Speak that again!

Dion, I pardon him,