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Pho. Conquest! Revenge!-Hold, let me think-
Oh, horror!

Revenge! Oh, what revenge? Bleed on, my wounds,
For thus to be reveng'd, were it not worse

Than all that I can suffer?-But, Eudocia―
Where will she then?-Shield her, ye pitying pow'rs,
And let me die in peace!

Abu. Hear me once more,

"Tis all I have to offer; mark me now! Caled has sworn Eudocia shall be safe.

Pho. Ha! safe-but how? A wretched captive too? Abu. He swears she shall be free, she shall be thine. Pho. Then I am lost indeed.

Abu. The time draws near, and I must quickly leave thee;

But first reflect, that in this fatal night

Slaughter and rapine may be loos'd abroad;
And while they roam with unextinguish'd rage,
Should she thou lov'st-well may'st thou start)—be
made,

Perhaps unknown, some barb'rous soldier's prey;
Should she then fall a sacrifice to lust,

Or brutal fury—

Pho. Oh! this pulls my heart-strings! [Falls. Earth open-save me, save me from that thought. Abu. Nay, do not plunge thyself in black despair; Look up, poor wretch, thou art not shipwreck'd yet; Behold an anchor; am not I thy friend?

Pho. [Rises] Ha! Who, what art thou? [Raves.
My friend? that's well; but hold-are all friends honest?
What's to be done?-Hush, hark! what voice is that?
Abu. There is no voice; 'tis yet the dead of night;
The guards without keep silent watch around us.
Pho. Again it calls-'tis she-O, lead me to her!
Abu. Thy passion mocks thee with imagin'd sounds.
Pho. Sure 'twas Eudocia's voice cry'd out, Forbear!
What shall I do?-Oh, heav'n!

Abu. Heav'n shows thee what.
Nay, now it is too late; see Caled comes,

With anger on his brow. Quickly withdraw
To the next tent, and there-

Pho. [Rises] What do I see?

Damascus! conquest! ruin! rapes and murder! Villains! Is there no more?-Öb, save her, save her!

[Exeunt Phocyas und Abudah.

Re-enter CALED and DARAN.

Daran. Behold, on thy approach, they shift their ground.

Caled. Tis as thou say'st; he trifles with my mercy. Daran. Speak, shall I fetch his head?

Caled No, stay you here,

I cannot spare thee yet. Raphan, go thou.

[To an Officer.
But hold-I've thought again-he shall not die.
Go, tell him he shall live till he has seen
Damascus sink in flames, till he behold
That slave, that woman idol he adores,
Or giv'n a prize to some brave Mussulman,
Or slain before his face; then if he sue
For death, as for a boon, perhaps we'll grant it.

Daran. The captains wait thy orders.
Caled. Are the troops

Ready to march?

Daran. They are.

Caled. Mourn, thou haughty city!

[Exit Raphan.

The bow is bent, nor canst thou scape thy doom.
Who turns his back henceforth, our prophet curse him!
Daran. But who commands the trusty bands of
Mecca?

Thou know'st their leader fell in the last fight.

Caled. 'Tis true; thou, Daran, well deserv'st that

charge;

I've mark'd what a keen hatred, like my own,
Dwells in thy breast against these Christian dogs.
Daran. Thou dost me right.

Caled. And therefore I'll reward it.

Be that command now thine. And here, this sabre,
Bless'd in the field by Mahomet himself,

At Caabar's prosp'rous fight, shall aid thy arm. Daran. Thanks, my good chief; with this I'll better thank thee. [Takes the Scimitar. Caled. Myself will lead the troops of the black standard,

And at the eastern gate begin the storm.

Daran. But why do we not move? 'twill soon be day. Methinks I'm cold, and would grow warm with action. Caled. Then haste and tell Abudah-0, thou'rt welcome!

Re-enter ABUDAH.

Thy charge awaits thee. Where's the stubborn captive? Abu. Indeed he's brave. I left him for a moment In the next tent. He's scarcely yet himself.

Caled. But is he ours?

Abu. The threats of death are nothing;
Though thy last message shook his soul, as winds
On the bleak hills bend down some lofty pine;
Yet still he held his root, till I found ineans,
Abating somewhat of thy first demand,
If not to make him wholly ours, at least
To gain sufficient to our end.

Caled. Say how?

Abu. Oft he inclin'd, oft started back; at last,
When just consenting, for awhile he paus'd,

Stood fix'd in thought, and lift his eyes to heaven;
Then, as with fresh recover'd force, cry'd out,
"Renounce my faith! Never."-I answer'd, "No,
That now he should not do it."

Caled. How?

Abu. Yet hear;

"

For since I saw him now so lost in passion,
That must be left to his more temp'rate thoughts.
Mean time I urg'd, conjur'd, at last constrain'd him,
By all he held most dear, nay, by the voice
Of Providence, that call'd him now to save,
With her he lov'd, perhaps the lives of thousands,

No longer to resist his better fate,

But join his arms in present action with us,
And swear he would be faithful.

Caled. What, no more?

Then he's a Christian still!

Abu. Have patience yet; ̧

For if by him we can surprise the city-
Caled. Say'st thou?

Abu. Hear what's agreed; but on the terms
That ev'ry unresisting life be spar'd.

I shall command some chosen, faithful bands;
Phocyas will guide us to the gate, from whence
He late escap'd; nor do we doubt but there
With ease to gain admittance.

Caled. This is something.

And yet I do not like this half ally.

Is he not still a Christian?-But no matter-
Mean time I will attack the eastern gate:
Who first succeeds gives entrance to the rest.
Hear all!-Prepare ye now for boldest deeds,
And know, the prophet will reward your valour.
Think that we all to certain triumph move;
Who falls in fight yet meets the prize above.
There, in the gardens of eternal spring,
While birds of Paradise around you sing,
Each, with his blooming beauty by his side,
Shall drink rich wines, that in full rivers glide;
Breathe fragrant gales o'er fields of spice that blow,
And gather fruits immortal as they grow;
Ecstatic bliss shall your whole pow'rs employ,
And ev'ry sense be lost in ev'ry joy.

[Exeunt.

[graphic]

SCENE I. A great Square in the City before the
Governor's Palace.

Enter ABUDAH, Saracen Captains and Soldiers; with
EUMENES, HERBIS, and other Christians, unarmed.
Eum. It must be so-farewell, devoted walls!
To be surprised thus!-Hell, and all ye fiends,
How did ye watch this minute for destruction!
Her. We've been betray'd by riot and debauch.
Curse on the traitor guard.

Eum. The guard above,

Did that sleep too?

Abu. Christians, complain no more,

What you have ask'd is granted. Are ye men,
And dare ye question thus, with bold impatience,
Eternal justice?-Know, the doom from heaven
Falls on your towers, resistless as the bolt
That fires the cedars on your mountain tops.
Be meek, and learn with humble awe to bear
The mitigated ruin. Worse had follow'd,
Had ye oppos'd our numbers. Now you're safe;

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