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Was pointed. If he fell not on the spot,
Sure he received wounds that must fatal
Amph. Confirm me that, and I will mock

fate.

prove.

Command my troops, that in the Forum watch, To join Rhinalces. I myself will follow.

[Exit Messenger.

Enter EUANTHE.

How beautiful she is! Should he survive,
Those charms divine he never shall enjoy.
Euan. Why hast thou call'd me hither, to afflict
And torture me with spectacles of woe?

[The Gate of the Prison opens, and

AMPHARES' Slave advances.

Eternal powers! why yawn yon dreadful gates?
And from what horrid deed stalks yonder villain?
Mess. Thy orders are obey'd. He lives no more.
Euan. Barbarian monster! hast thou kill'd Ly-
sander?

But I will not reproach thee, nor complain
To the regardless gods. My doom is past;
There is one only refuge for Euanthe.

Once more I follow where Lysander leads,

Where murder and Amphares cannot come

To part us more.

[She runs towards the Dungeon. AM

PHARES seizes her.

Amph. Some other season choose.

There is no leisure now for lamentation.
Forthwith conduct her to the Arcadian gate:

There with the horsemen wait.

Enter Messenger.

Mess. My lord, my lord,

The royal band by Thracian Euxus led

[Shout. Amph. My enemy prevails.-This way with me. My steps pursue, or by the Gods of Hell !— Euan. I will not leave this place. Draw forth

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[Shout from the other side, "Agis and Liberty!"

Amph. I am encompast; yet I'll mar their

triumph.

[Runs at EUANTHE with his sword.

Enter LYSANDER, followed by RHESUS.

Lysan. Infernal dog, turn and behold Lysander!

Fly, Rhesus, to the king.

Traitor accurst!

[Exit RHESUS.

Down, down, to Tartarus; there, villain, howl.

[AMPHARES falls.

Euan. Amazing powers! alive! victorious! oh! Lysan. And have I come to save thee, O Euanthe! But oh! I fear I come too late for Agis, The dungeon-mouth is open.

Tell me, Rhesus.

Enter RHESUS.

Rhe. The king is murder'd, in yon vault he lies. Lysan. My prince! my friend! thy goodness, and thy virtue,

Thy clemency, thy mildness, have undone thee!
Fatal to nations is the dread example!
Hence monarchs, who with iron sceptre rule,
Will justify their treatment of mankind;
And virtuous princes, born in evil times,
Will hesitate to stem corruption's tide,
Lest they should be like Agis overwhelm'd.

Amph. He who preferr'd Lysander to Amphares,

Has paid me with his life. My dying hand
Hath sow'd the seeds of discord and distraction.
Peace ne'er shall dwell in Sparta. Plagues on

plagues

Shall rise to curse you, as

Lysan. Thy soul is curst.

There the fell spirit of Amphares fled
In imprecations. Prophet of disasters,
Upon the dismal banks of Acheron,

[Dies.

Amidst the wailing ghosts, still curse thy country, And end a speech the damn'd will hate to hear. Behold the mother of our murder'd king.

Enter AGESISTRATA and Euxus.

Ages. Alas! I need not ask the fate of Agis: Your looks, your silence say, I have no son! Yet speak to me, for I can hear the worst, I have been long familiar with affliction;

I am the widow of the sire of Agis.

Lysan. There lies the bloody author of his

death,

Slain by my hand.

Ages. Alas, alas! my son!

Oft has my anxious mind this hour foreseen,

And warn'd thee oft. But thou the danger scorn'd,

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When Sparta's glory was the price of peril.
O! son of Jove, great author of our race,
Sustain my soul. For he who was my stay,
My comfort and my strength, is now no more.
Yet in the path his generous spirit chose,

He fell; and conscious virtue crown'd his fall.
Lysan. So fell not false Amphares.
Euxus. And Sandane.

Lysan. Sandane dead!

Euxus. And dreadful was her death. She fled, for refuge from the people's rage, To the same turret where Amphares' troops Guarded the queen, whose mantle on the ground She spied, and wrapt it round her wretched head; When suddenly a stern assassin came

And stabb'd her, as that queen whose robe she

-wore.

Arriving then, I heard her shriek for help,
Implore her country's gods with bitter cries,
And, in her agony, divulge her crimes.

It was no wonder that she fear'd to die.

Ages. O guilt! thou'rt worst of all; he knew

thee not

For whom I mourn. Untimely was his fate;

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