I have betray'd the confidence of Agis: Euan. What dost thou mean? Lysan. Agis commanded me to leave the city, And thinks, would to the Gods he thought aright! That his Lysander heads the Spartan troops, In whom his only hope of safety lies. But I, Euanthe! partial to thy will, Sought thee in vain. In that unhappy time The human weakness of indulgent love. Sound through my breast, and from my beating heart Their echo rings. Farewell! my love, farewell! Euan. Not yet, Lysander! Agis is opprest, And Sparta too.. Does duty, or does honour Require Lysander, like an eastern slave, To fall attendant on the royal pile? What can you do? The army will betray you: So with the few, the faithful few that love you, You'll do some desperate action, and be slain. If you despise your life, yet think of me, Let me not think of that. Retire, Euanthe, The eternal Gods repose this hour in me My soldiers too, my brave, my faithful soldiers, And shall their leader, shall the friend of Agis, Euan. Is this Lysander's love? Must I not speak? Is my reward reproach? For I left Now in my sore distress I call on thee Bursts all the bonds of nature for one man, O wretched maid! O Athens lost in vain! [Ready to faint. Lysan. All-ruling powers! why am I thus dis trest? Why come calamities so thick upon me? Euanthe, hear me; you shall be obey'd. I'll bear thee hence, and go with thee to Athens, Restore thee to thy country and thy friends, Of whom thou dost complain I have bereft thee. Lysander will acquit himself to thee, And to mankind Euan. Delude me not. Alas! Thy tongue speaks comfort; but thy voice, thy looks, Wild and unsettled, drive me to despair: For thou, methinks, art desperate, Lysander. Those lips that quiver, and those eyes that roll Like dragon's eyes, those are not signs of love! Thou say'st that thou wilt bear me back to Athens; Will that acquit thee, if thou leavest me there? Is that thy purpose? Lysan. Yes. I'll leave the world, And death shall wipe dishonour from my name; Euan. Lysander, no. Love's victims are not of your sterner sex. If I should tear you from the side of Agis, I see my fate; you ne'er would love me more: Though you should live, yet you would die to me. Than live without thee. Go, and fight for Agis; Lysan. These words become my idolized Euanthe! And honour now approves the voice of love. O, thou first object of my young desires, And through each period of my ripening years Still more maturely and intensely loved, Hear and believe my words-Beware-Beware! Enter AMPHARES. [To his People.] 'Tis she, by Venus! halt.-Fear not, my fair, Nor meditate escape from Euan. My Amphares! your Amphares. Amph. Thine, and thine alone !— Thou low'ring slave, begone! Haste! urge me not To stain my sword with thy ignoble blood. [Exit LYSANDER. Euan. Is this thy love? Imperious, and in arms, Recent from blood and treason, dost thou come To take by force and violence my heart? Amph. The love of thee, more powerful than ambition, Inflamed me to attempt the Spartan throne. |