A magnificent throne difcovered, and feveral courtiers walke ing to and fro.
Enter SYPHOCES and RAMESES. Shouts at a distance.
WHAT means this duft and tumult in the court,
These ftreamers fooling in the wind, thefe fhouts,
The tyrant blazing in full infolence,
And all his gaudy courtiers basking round him,
Like pois'nous vermin in a dog-day fun?
Your father and prince Myron are arriv'd,
And with one peal of joy the nation rings.
RAMESES.
Long has my father ferv'd this tyrant king,
With zeal well worthy of a better cause.
Though with his helm he hides a hoary brow,
Long vers'd in death, the father of the field,
At the thrill trumpet he throws off the weight
Of fourscore years, and springs upon the foe.
The transport danger gives him, conquers nature,
And a fhort youth boils up within his veins.
Behold this way they pass to meet the king.
MYRON and NICANOR pass the stage with attendants.
RAMESES. [Looking on Myron.]
What pity 'tis that one fo loft in guilt,
Should thus engage the fight with manly charms,
Though to my foe, I must be ever juft.
He's gen'rous, grateful, affable, and brave:
But then he knows no limit to his paffion;
The tempeft beaten bark is not so tofs'd
As is his reafon, when those winds arise :
And though he draws a fatal sword in battle,
And kindles in the warm pursuit of fame,
Pleafure fubdues him quite; the fparkling eye,
And gen'rous bowl, bear down his graver mind,
While fiery spirits dance along his veins,
And keep a constant revel in his heart.
RAMESES.
But here the tyrant comes !-With what excess
Of idle pride will he receive his fon!
How with big words will he fwell out this conqueft,
And into grandeur puff his little tales!
Enter KING, and afcends the throne; on the other fide,
Enter MYRON and NICA Nor.
Welcome, my fon; great partner
of my fame;
I thank thee for th' encrease of my dominions,
That now more mountains rise, more rivers flow,
And more stars fhine in my ftill-growing empire.
The fun himself furveys it not at once,
But travels for the view, whilft far disjoin'd
My fubjects live unheard-of by each other;
These wrapt in fhades, whilft thofe enjoy the light;
Their day is various, but their king the fame.
Here, Sir, your thanks are due; to this old arm,
Whose nerve not threescore winter camps unbend,
You owe your victory, and I my life.
When my fierce courfer, with a jav'lin ftung,
First rear'd in air, then tearing with a bound
The trembling earth, plung'd deep amidft the foe;
And now a thousand deaths from ev'ry fide,
Had but one mark, and on my buckler
rung; Through the throng'd legions, like a tempeft, rush'd This friend, o'er gafping heroes, rolling steeds,
Thou haft a heart that fwells with loyalty,
And throws off the infection of these times;
But thy degenerate boy-
I cut him off; my guilt, my punishment.
Look not, dread Sir, on me, through his offence;
O let not that discolour all
And ruin those who blame him for his crimes.
Old man, I will not wear the crown in vain ;
Subjects fhall work my will, or feel my pow'r;"
Their disobedience shall not be my guilt.
Who is their welfare, glory, and defence ?
The land that yields them food, and ev'ry stream
That flakes their thirst, the air they breathe, is mine.
And is concurrence to their own enjoyment
By due fubmiffion, a too great return ?
Death and deftruction are within my call-
But thou fhalt flourish in thy master's smile.
A faithful minifter adorns my crown,
And throws a brighter glory round my brow.
NICANOR.
Take but one more, one fmall one, to your favour,
And then my foul's at peace--I have a daughter,
An only daughter, now an only child,
Since her loft brother's folly; fhe deferves
The most a father can for fo much goodness:
Her mother's dead, and we are left alone;
We two are the whole house; nor are we two;
In her I live, the comfort of my age;
And if the king extend his grace so far,
And take that tender bloffom into shelter,
Then I have all my monarch can bestow,
Or heav'n itself; but this, that I may wear
My life's poor remnant out in your command;
Stretch forth my being to the last in duty,
And, when the fates shall summon, die for you.
BUSIRIS.
Nicanor, know, thy daughter is our care.
O, Sir, be greatly kind, exert your pow'r,
And with the monarch furnish out the friend!-
Art thou not he, that gallant-minded chief,
Who would not stoop to give me less than life?
And shall I prove ungrateful? Shocking thought!
He that's ungrateful, has no guilt but one;
All other crimes may pass for virtues in him.
What joy my daughter's promis'd welfare gives me,
My lips I need not open to discover——
Thus humbly let me thank you.
And follow us; thy daughter's near our queen,
And longs, no doubt, to see thee: Bless the maid,
And then attend us on affairs of ftate.
I hear, there's treason near us: Though the flaves
Fall off from their obedience, and deny
That I'm their monarch, I'm Bufiris ftill:
Collected in myself, I'll ftand alone,
And hurl my thunder, though I shake my throne:
Like death, a folitary king I'll reign
O'er filent fubjects, and a defart plain;
Ere brook their pride, I'll spread a genʼral doom,
And ev'ry step shall be from tomb to tomb.
[Myr. and Aul. who talk'd afide, advance. MYRON.
Her absent beauties glow'd upon my mind,
And sparkled in each thought. She never left me-
Would't thou believe it? In the field of battle,
In the mid terror, and the flame of fight.
Mandane, thou haft ftol'n away my soul,
And left my fame in danger.-My rais'd arm
Has hung in air, forgetful to defcend,
And, for a moment, spar'd the proftrate foe-.
O that her birth rofe equal to my own!
Then I might wed with honour, and enjoy
A lawful bliss——And why not now? Methinks
Abfence has plac'd her in a fairer light,
Enrich'd the maid, and heighten'd ev'ry charm.
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