Enter PERSEUS and PERICLES. Per. 'Tis empire! empire! empire! let that word

Make sacred all I do, or can attempt!
Had I been born a slave, I should affect it;
My nature's fiery, and, of course, aspires.
Who gives an empire, by the gift defeats
All end of giving; and procures contempt
Instead of gratitude. An empire lost,
Destroyed, would less confound me, than resigned.
Peri. But are you sure Demetrius will at-
tempt?

Per. Why does Rome court him? For his vir-
tues? No.

To fire him to dominion; to blow up
A cival war; then to support him in it:
He gains the name of king, and Rome the power.
Peri. This is, indeed, the common art of Rome.
Per. That source of justice through the won-
dring world!

His youth and valour second Rome's designs:
The first impels him to presumptuous hope;
The last supports him in it. Then his person!
Thy hand, Ö nature, has made bold with mine.
Yet more! what words distil from his red lip,
To gull the multitude! and they make kings.
Ten thousand fools, knaves, cowards, lumped to-
gether,

Become all wise, all righteous, and almighty!
Nor is this all: the foolish Thracian maid
Prefers the boy to me!

Peri. And does that pain you?

Per. O Pericles, to death! It is most true, Through hate to him, and not through love for her,

I paid my first addresses; but became

The fool I feigned: my sighs are now sincere.
It smarts; it burns: O that 'twere fiction still!
By Heaven, she seems more beauteous than do-
minion!

Peri. Dominion and the princess both are lost, Unless you gain the king.

Per. But how to gain him?

Old men love novelties; the last arrived
Still pleases best; the youngest steals their smiles.
Peri. Dymas alone can work him to his plea-

sure;

First in esteem, and keeper of his heart.

Per. To Dymas thou, and win him to thy will. In the mean time, I'll seek my double rival; Curb his presumption, and erect myself In all the dignity of birth before him. Whate'er can stir the blood, or sway the mind, Is now at stake; and double is the loss, When an inferior bears away the prize.

Peri. Your brother, dressed for the solemnity! Per. To Dymas fly! gain him, and think on this;

A prince indebted is a fortune made.

[Exit PERICLES.

Enter DEMETRIUS.

What pomps are due to this illustrious day? Per. I am no gew-gaw for the throng to gaze

at:

Some are designed by nature but for shew;
The tinsel and the feather of mankind.

Dem. Brother, of that no more: for shame,
gird on

Your glittering arms, and look like any Roman. Per. No, brother, let the Romans look like me, If they're ambitious. But, I prithee, stand; Let me gaze on thee:-No inglorious figure! More Romano, as it ought to be.

But what is this, that dazzles my weak sight? There's sunshine in thy beaver.

Dem. 'Tis that helmet,

Which Alexander wore at Granicus.

Per. When he subdued the world? Ha! is't

Our mother shudders at it in her grave!

got

And awful king; but, oh! the tenderest parent,

That ever wept, in fondness, o'er a child. Per. Why, ay, go tell your father; fondly throw

Your arms around him; stroke him to your purpose,

As you are wont: I boast not so much worth;

I am no picture, by the doating eye

To be surveyed, and hung about his neck;
I fight his battles; that's all I can do.
But, if you boast a piety sincere,

One way you may secure your father's peace;
And one alone-resign Erixene.

Dem. You flatter me, to think her in my power.
We run our fates together: you deserve,
And she can judge: proceed we, then, like friends;
And he, who gains her heart, and gains it fairly,
Let him enjoy his generous rival's too.

Per. Smooth-speaking, insincere, insulting boy! Is, then, my crown usurped but half thy crime? Desist; or by the gods, that smile on blood, Not thy fine form, nor yet thy boasted peace, Nor patronizing Rome, nor Philip's tears, Nor Alexander's helmet; no, nor more, His radiant form, should it alight in thunder, And spread its new divinity between us, Should save a brother from a brother's fury!

[Exit.

Dem. How's this? the waves ne'er ran thus high before;

Resign thee! yes, Erixene, with life!
Thou, in whose eyes, so modest, and so bright,
Love ever wakes, and keeps a vestal fire;
Ne'er shall I wean my fond, fond heart from
thee!

But Perseus warns me to rouse all my powers.
As yet I float in dark uncertainty;

For though she smiles, I sound not her designs:
I'll fly, fall, tremble, weep upon her feet,
And learn (O all ye gods!) my final doom!-
My father! ha! and on his brow deep thought
And pale concern! Kind Heaven assuage his sor-

rows,

Which strike a damp through all my flames of [Exit.

love!

Enter King and ANTIGONUS. King, Kings of their envy cheat a foolish world: Fate gives us all in spite, that we alone Might have the pain of knowing all is nothing! The seeming means of bliss but heighten woe, When impotent to make their promise good: Hence, kings, at least, bid fairest to be wretched. Ant. True, sir; 'tis empty, or tormenting, all; The days of life are sisters; all alike, None just the same; which serves to fool us on Through blasted hopes with change of fallacy : While joy is like to-morrow, still to come; Nor ends the fruitless chase but in the grave! King. Ay, there, Antigonus, this pain will

Conscience, what art thou? thou tremendous

power!

Who dost inhabit us without our leave;
And art, within ourselves, another self,
A master self, that loves to domineer,
And treat the monarch frankly as the slave,
How dost thou light a torch to distant deeds!
Make the past present, and the future frown!
How, ever and anon, awake the soul,

As with a peal of thunder, to strange horrors,
In this long restless dream, which idiots hug,
Nay, wise men flatter with the name of life?
Ant. You think too much.
King. I do not think at all:

The gods impose, the gods inflict, my thoughts,
And paint my dreams with images of dread!
Last night, in sleep, I saw the Thracian queen
And her two murdered sons. She frowned upon

came,

The formidable picture still subsisted,
And slowly vanished from my waking eye!
I fear some heavy vengeance hangs in air,
And conscious deities infuse these thoughts,
To warn my soul of her approaching doom.
The gods are rigid, when they weigh such deeds
As speak a ruthless heart; they measure blood
By drops, and bate not one in the repay.
Could infants hurt me? 'Twas not like a king!

Ant. My lord, I do confess the gods are with us;
Stand at our side in every act of life,
And on our pillow watch each secret thought;
Nay, see it in its embryo, yet unborn.
But their wrath ceases on remorse for guilt:
And well I know your sorrows touch your sons;
Nor is it possible but time must quench
Their flaming spirits in a father's tears.

King. Vain comfort! I this moment overheard My jarring sons, with fury, shake my walls. Ah! why my curse from those, who ought to bless

me!

She had two sons; but two: and so have I. Misfortune stands with her bow ever bent Over the world; and he, who wounds another, Directs the goddess, by that part he wounds, Where to strike deep her arrows in himself.

Ant. I own, I think it time your sons receive A father's awful counsel; or, while here, Now weary nature calls for kind repose, Your curtains will be shaken with their broils, And, when you die, sons' blood may stain your

tomb!

But other cares demand you now,-the Romans. King. O change of pain! the Romans? Perish Rome!

Thrice happy they, who sleep in humble life, Beneath the storm ambition blows. 'Tis meet The great should have the fame of happiness,

I'll take my throne.-Send in these foreigners.
[The Scene draws, and discovers a magnificent
Throne, PERSEUS, DEMETRIUS, Courtiers,
&c. attending. POSTHUMIUS and CURTIUS,
the Roman ambassadors, enter. Trumpets
sound. The king ascends the throne.]
Post. Philip of Macedon, to those complaints
Our friends groan out, and you have heard at
large,

Rome now expects an answer.
And will have right on earth.
King. Expects an answer!

She sits judge,

I so shall answer as becomes a king.
Post. Or more, sir; as becomes a friend of
Rome.

King. Or Alexander's heir, to rise still higher.
But to the purpose. Thus a king to those,
That would make kings, and puff them out at
pleasure:

Has Philip done amiss? 'Twas you provoked him.
My cities, which deserted in my wars,
I thought it meet to punish: you denied me.
When I had shook the walls of Marena,
You plucked me thence, and took the taken town.
Then you sent word I should retire from Greece,
A conquest at my door, by nature mine-

And said, here end thy realm;' as ye were gods!
And gods ye shall be, ere Rome humbles me.
All this is done; yet Philip is your friend!
If this buys friendship, where can ye find foes?
In what regard will stern Rome look upon me?
If as a friend, too precious let her hold'
Her own esteem, to cast a stain on mine:
If as an enemy, let her proceed,

And do as she has done; she needs no more.
Post. The Romans do no wrong, yet still are

men;

And if to-day an error thwarts their purpose,
To-morrow sets it right. If Philip loves
Dominion, and the pride, that waits on kings,
(Of which, perhaps, his words too strongly savour)
Humility to Rome will lead him to it.

She can give more than common kings can go

vern.

King. Than common kings? Ambassador! remember

Canna-where first my sword was flushed with blood.

Dem. My lord, forbear. [Aside to the king.
King. And Hannibal still lives.
Post. Because he fled at Capua.
King. There, indeed,

I was not with him.

Post Therefore he fled alone.Since thus you treat us, hear another charge. Why here detain you, prisoner of your power, His daughter, who was once Rome's good ally, The king of Thrace! Why is she not restored? For our next meeting you'll provide an answer; What now has past, for his sake we forgive.

[Pointing to Demetrius. But mark this well: there lies some little distance,

Philip, between a Roman and a king.

[Exeunt Romans. King. How say'st, unsceptered boaster? This to me!

With Hannibal I cleft yon Alpine rocks,
With Hannibal choaked Thrasymene with slaugh

ter:

But, O the night of Cannæ's raging field!
When half the Roman senate lay in blood
Without our tent, and groaned as we caroused
Immortal gods! for such another hour!
Then throw my carcase to the dogs of Rome.
Ant. Sir, you forget your sons.
King. Let all withdraw.

[Exeunt all but the king and his sons.
Two passions only take up all my soul;
Hatred to Rome, and tenderness for them.
Draw near, my sons, and listen to my age.
By what has past, you see the state of things;
Foreign alliance must a king secure,
And insolence sustain to serve his power.
And if alliances with Rome are needful,
Much more among ourselves. If I must bear,
Unmoved, an insult from a stranger's brow,
Shall not a brother bear a brother's look
Without impatience? Whither all this tends,
I'm sorry that your conscious hearts can tell you:
Is it not most severe? Two sons alone
Have crowned my bed; and they two are not
brothers.

Look here, and, from my kind regards to you,
Copy such looks as you should bear each other.
Why do I sigh? Do you not know, my sons?
And if you do O let me sigh no more!
Let these white hairs put in a claim to peace!
Per. Henceforth, my sole contention with my
brother

Is this; which best obeys our father's will.

Dem. Father, if simple nature ever speaks
In her own language, scorning useless words,
You see her now; she swells into my eyes.
I take thee to my heart: I fold thee in it.

[Embracing PERSEUS. Our father bids; and that we drank one milk,

Is now the smallest motive of my love.

King. Antigonus, the joy their mother felt, When they were born, was faint to what I feel. Dem. See, brother, if he does not weep! His love

Runs o'er in venerable tears. I'm rude:
But nature will prevail-My king! My father!
Per. Now cannot I let fall a single tear.

[Aside.

King. See! the good man has caught it too. Ant. Such tears,

And such alone, be shed in Macedonia!

King. Be not thou, Perseus, jealous of thy brother;

Nor thou, Demetrius, prone to give him cause;
Nor either think of empire, till I'm dead.
You need not; you reign now; my heart is
your's;

Sheath your resentments in your father's peace; Come to my bosom both, and swear it there. [Embracing his sons.

Ant. Look down, ye gods, and change me, if you can,

This sight for one more lovely! What so sweet,
So beautiful, on earth, and, ah! so rare,
As kindred love, and family repose?
This, this alliance, Rome, will quite undo thee.
See this, proud Eastern monarchs, and look pale!
Armies are routed, realms o'er-run by this.

King. Or if leagued worlds superior forces bring,
I'd rather die a father than a king.
Fathers alone a father's heart can know ;
What secret tides of still enjoyment flow,
When brothers love; but if their hate succeeds,
They wage the war; but 'tis the father bleeds.
[Exeunt.

SCENE I.

Enter PERSEUS.

you,

And sing his flatteries to both alike:

The scales once fixed, he'll settle on the winner, And swear his prayers drew down the victoryBut what success had you, sir, with your brother?

Per. All, all my hopes are at the point of
death!

The boy triumphant keeps his hold in love:
He's ever warbling nonsense in her ear
With all the intoxication of success.
Darkness incloses me; nor see I light
From any quarter dawn, but from his death.
Peri, Why start at his death, who resolves on
your's?

Per. Resolves on mine!

Peri. Have you not marked the princess? You have: with what a beam of majesty Her eye strikes sacred awe! It speaks her mind, Exalted as it is. Whom loves she then? Demetrius? No; Rome's darling; who, no doubt, Dares court her with your empire. And shall Perseus

Survive that loss?—Thus he resolves your death.

Per. Go, fool, and teach a cataract to creep! Can thirst of empire, vengeance, beauty, wait? Peri. In the mean time, accept a stratagem, That must secure your empire, or your love. Your brother's Roman friendships gall no less The king than you: he dreads their consequence. Dymas hates Rome; and Dymas has a daughter, How can the king so powerfully fix... Demetrius' faith, as by his marriage there? For Dymas thus, Rome's sworn, eternal foe, Becomes a spy upon his private life, And surety for his conduct.

Per True-but thus

Enter ERIXENE and DELIA.

O, Erixene!

O, princess, colder than your Thracian snows!
See Perseus, who ne'er stooped but to the gods,
Prostrate before you. Fame and empire sue.
Why have I conquered? Because you are fair;
What's empire? but a title to adore you.
Why do I number in my lineage high
Heroes and gods? That you, scarce less divine,
Without a blush may listen to my vows.
My ancestor subdued the world. I dare
Beyond his pride, and grasp at more, in you.
Obdurate maid! or turn, or I expire.

Erix. If love, my lord, is choice, who loves in vain

Should blame himself alone; and if 'tis fate,
Tis fate in all: why then your blame on me?
My crown's precarious, through the chance of war;
But sure my heart's my own. Each villager
Is queen of her affections, and can vent
Her arbitrary sighs, where'er she pleases.
Shall then the daughter of a race of kings-

war;

The gods have been unkind: I am not so.
No! Perseus comes to counterbalance fate.
Thrace ne'er was conquered-if you smile on

me.

Silent! obdurate still! as cold as death! But 'tis Demetrius.

Erix. Prince, I take your meaning. But, if you truly think his worth prevails, How strange is your request!

Per. No, madam, no;

Though love has hurt my mind, I still can judge
What springs controul the passions of the great.
Ambition is first minister of state;
Love's but a second in the cabinet:

Nor can he feather there his unfledged shaft,
But, from ambition's wing: but you conceive
More sanguine hopes from him, whom Rome
supports,

Than me. You view Demetrius on my throne; And thence he shines indeed! his charms from thence

Transpierce your soul, enamoured of dominion. Erix. Why now you shew me your profound esteem!

Demetrius' guilt alone has charms for me;
'Tis not the prince, but traitor, wins my love.
Such insults are not brooked by royal minds,
Howe'er their fortunes ebb; and though I mourn,
An orphan, and a captive, gods there are▬▬
Fear then an orphan's and a captive's wrong,
Per. Your cruel treatment of my passion-
But I'll not talk. This, madam; only this-
Think not the cause, the cursed cause of all,
Shall laugh secure, and triumph in my pangs.
No; by the torments of an heart on fire,
He gluts my vengeance, who defrauds my love!
[Exit.
Erir. What have I done! In what a whirl-
wind rage

Has snatched him hence on ill! Ifrown on Perseus,

And menace aim to chase a rival hence,

:

And keep the field alone. Oh! shall I leave him
To gaze whole days; to learn to read your eye;
To study your delights, to chide the wind's
Too rude approach; to bid the ground be smooth;
To follow, like your shadow, where you go;
Tread in your steps; perhaps to touch your
hand!

O death! to minister in little things;
From half a glance to prophecy your will,
And do it, ere well formed in your own mind!
Gods! Gods! While worlds divide me from my
princess,

That, should she call, Demetrius might grow old
Ere he could reach her feet!

Erir. If Perseus' love

Pains you, it pains me more. Is your heart grieved?

Mine is tormented; but since Philip's self
Is love's great advocate, a flat refusal

But blows their rage, and hastens your destruction.

Had I not that to fear, were you secure,
I'd ease my bosom of its full disdain,
And dash this bold presumer on his birth, ·
But, see! the grand procession,
Dem. We must join it.

Enter the King, PERSEUS, Romans, ANTIGO-
NUS, &c.

King. Let the procession halt! and here be paid,

Before yon flaming altar, thanks to Heaven,
That brings us safe to this auspicious day!
The great lustration of our martial powers,
Which from its distant birth to present time.
Unfolds the glories of this ancient empire,
And throngs the pride of ages in an hour.
Post. What figure's that, O Philip, which pre-
cedes?
[Pointin
King. The founder of our empire, furious son