SCENE I.

Cass. He comes, the fatal glory of the world,
The headlong Alexander, with a guard
Of thronging crowns, comes on to Babylon,
Though warned, in spite of all the powers above,
Who, by these prodigies, foretel his ruin,
Pol. Why all this noise, because a king must
die?

Or does heaven fear, because he swayed the earth,
His ghost will war with the high Thunderer ?
Curse on the babbling fates, that cannot see
A great man tumble, but they must be talking!
Cass. The spirit of king Philip, in those arms
We saw him wear, passed groaning through the

Cass. Late as I musing walked behind the palace,

I met a monstrous child, that with his hands
Held to his face, which seemed all over eyes,
A silver bowl, and wept it full of blood;
But having spied me, like a cockatrice,
He glared a while; then, with a shriek so shrill
As all the winds had whistled from his mouth,
He dashed me with the gore he held, and va-
nished.

Pol. That, which befel me, though 'twas hor

altered:

There's not a Persian I can meet, but stares
As if he were distracted. Oxyartes,
Statira's uncle, openly declaimed-
Against the perjury of Alexander.

Phil. Others, more fearful, are removed to
Susa,

Dreading Roxana's rage, who comes i'th' rear To Babylon.

Cass. It glads my rising soul, That we shall see him racked before he dies: I know he loves Statira more than life, And on a crowd of kings in triumph borne, Comes big with expectation to enjoy her. But when he hears the oaths, which she has taken,

Her last adieu made public to the world, Her vowed divorce, how will remorse consume him,

Prey, like the bird of hell, upon his liver!

Pol. To baulk his longing, and delude his lust, Is more than death, 'tis earnest for damnation. Cass. Then comes Roxana, who must help our

With a variety of torments vex him!

Enter LYSIMACHUS, and HEPHESTION. Cass. Of that anon: But see Lysimachus, And the young favourite. Sort, sort yourselves, And, like to other mercenary souls, Adore this mortal god, that soon must bleed. Lys. Here I will wait the king's approach, and stand

His utmost anger, if he do me wrong.

Heph. That cannot be, from power so absolute

And high as his.

Lys. Well, you and I have done.
Pol. How the court thickens!

[Trumpets sound. Cass. Nothing to what it will-Does he not

Lo the Chaldean priests appear; behold
The sacred fire, Nearchus and Eumenes,
With their white wands, and dressed in eastern
robes,

To soothe the king, who loves the Persian mode:
But see, the master of the world appears.

Enter ALEXANDER ; all kneel but CLYTUS.
Heph. O son of Jupiter, live for ever!
Aler. Rise all; and thou my second self, my
love,

O my Hephestion, raise thee from the earth
Up to my breast, and hide thee in my heart.
Art thou grown cold? Why hang thine arms at
distance?

Hug me, or, by Heaven, thou lov'st me not. Heph. Not love, my lord! break not the heart you framed,

And moulded up to such an excellence,
Then stamped on it your own immortal image.
Not love the king? such is not woman's love;
So fond a friendship, such a sacred flame,
As I must doubt to find in breasts above.

Alex. Thou dost, thou lov'st me, crown of all my wars,

Thou dearer to me than my groves of laurel :
I know thou lov'st thy Alexander more
Than Clytus does the king. No tears, Hephestion;
I read thy passion in thy manly eyes,
And glory in those planets of my life,
Above the rival lights, that shine in Heaven.

Lys. I see, that death must wait me, yet I'll on. Aler. I'll tell thee, friend,—and mark it, all ye princes,—

Though never mortal man arrived to such
A height as I, yet I would forfeit all,
Cast all my purples, and my conquered crowns,
And die to save this darling of my soul.
Give me thy hand, share all my sceptres while
I live; and, when my hour of fate is come,
I leave thee, what thou merit'st more than I, the
world.

Lys. Dread sir, I cast me at your royal feet. Alex. What! my Lysimachus, whose veins are rich

With our illustrious blood? My kinsman, rise ;Is not that Clytus?

Cly. Your old faithful soldier.

Alex. Come to my hands, thus double arm the king:

And now, methinks, I stand like the dread God,

Acknowledged me his son. My lightning thou,
Who, while his priests and I quaffed sacred blood,
And thou, my mighty thunder.- -I have seen
Thy glittering sword out-fly celestial fire:
And when I cried, 'Begone and execute,'
I've seen him run swifter than starting hinds,
Nor bent the tender grass beneath his feet;
Swifter than shadows fleeting o'er the fields;
Nay, even the winds, with all their stock of wings,
Have puffed behind, as wanting breath to reach
him.

Lys. But if your majesty―
Cly. Who would not lose

The last dear drop of blood for such a king?

Alex. Witness, my elder brothers of the sky, How much I love a soldier!O my Clytus, Was it not when we passed the Granicus, Thou didst preserve me from unequal force? 'Twas then, when Spithridates and Rhesaces, Fell both upon me with two dreadful strokes, And clove iny tempered helmet quite in sunder, Then I remember, then thou didst me service; I think my thunder split them to the navel.

Cly. To your great self you owe that victory, And sure your arms did never gain a nobler. Alex. By Heaven, they never did; for well thou know'st,

And I am prouder to have passed that stream,
Than that I drove a million o'er the plain :
Can none remember? Yes, I know all must,
When glory, like the dazzling eagle, stood,
Perched on my beaver in the Granick flood;
When Fortune's self my standard trembling bore,
And the pale Fates stood frighted on the shore,
When the immortals on the billows rode,
And I myself appeared the leading god.

Aris. But all the honours, which your youth

has won,

Are lost, unless you fly from Babylon;
Haste with your chiefs, to Susa take your way,
Fly for your life, destructive is your stay.
This morning having viewed the angry sky,
And marked the prodigies, that threatened high,
To our bright God I did for succour fly;
But oh-

Alex. What fears thy reverend bosom shake?
Or dost thou from some dream of horror wake?
If so, come grasp me with thy shaking hand,
Or fall behind, while I the danger stand.

Aris. To Orosmades' cave I did repair, Where I atoned the dreadful God with prayer: But as I prayed I heard long groans within, And shrieks as of the damned, that howl for sin: I knew the omen, and I feared to stay, But prostrate on the trembling pavement lay. When he bodes happiness, he answers mild; 'Twas so of old, and the great image smiled: But now in abrupt thunder he replied,

Loud as rent rocks, or roaring seas, he cried,
All empires, crowns, glory of Babylon,
Whose head stands wrapped in clouds, must
tumble down.'

Aler. If Babylon must fall, what is't to me? Qr can I help immutable decree?

Down then, vast frame, with all thy lofty towers,

Since 'tis so ordered by almighty powers: Pressed by the fates, unloose your golden bars, 'Tis great to fall, the envy of the stars.

Etter PERDICCAS, MELEAGER.

Mel. O horror!

Per. Dire portents!

Alex. Out with them, then;

What, are ye ghosts, ye empty shapes of men?
If so, the mysteries of hell unfold,
Be all the scrolls of destiny unrolled,
Open the brazen leaves, and let it come;

Point with a thunder-bolt your monarch's doom.
Per. As Meleager and myself in field,
Your Persian horse about the army wheeled,
We heard a noise as of a rushing wind,
And a thick storm the eye of day did blind:
A croaking noise resounded through the air,
We looked, and saw big ravens battling there;
Each bird of night appeared himself a cloud,
They met and fought, and their wounds rained
black blood.

Mel. All, as for honour, did their lives expose; Their talons clashed, and beaks gave mighty blows,

Whilst dreadful sounds did our scared sense assail, As of small thunder, or huge Scythian hail.

Per. Our augurs shook, when, with a horrid

groan,

We thought that all the clouds had tumbled down.
Soldiers and chiefs,—who can the wonder tell!
Struck to the ground, promiscuously fell;
While the dark birds, each ponderous as a shield,
For fifty furlongs hid the fatal field.

Alex. Be witness for me, all ve powers divine,
If ye be angry, 'tis no fault of mine;
Therefore let furies face me with a band
From hell, my virtue shall not make a stand;
Though all the curtains of the sky be drawn,
And the stars wink, young Ammon shall go on
While my Statira shines, I cannot stay,
Love lifts his torch to light me on my way,
And her bright eyes create another day.

Lys. Ere you remove, be pleased, dread sir, to hear

A prince allied to you by blood.

Aler. Speak quickly.

Lys. For all that I have done for you in war, I beg the princess Parisatis.

Alex. Ha!

Is not my word already past? Hephestion,

I know he hates thee, but he shall not have her;
We heard of this before-Lysimachus,

I here command you nourish no design
To prejudice my person in the man
I love, and will prefer to all the world.

Lys. I never failed to obey your majesty,
Whilst you commanded what was in my power;
Nor could Hephestion fly more swift to serve,
When you commanded us to storm a town,
Or fetch a standard from the enemy:

But, when you charge me not to love the prin

cess,

I must confess I disobey you, as I

Would the gods themselves, should they command.

Alex. You should, brave sir? hear me, and then

be dumb!

When by my order curst Calisthenes

Was, as a traitor, doomed to live in torments,
Your pity sped him in despite of me.
Think not I have forgot your insolence;
No, though I pardoned it, yet if again
Thou darest to cross me with another crime,
The bolts of fury shall be doubled on thee.
In the mean time think not of Parisatis;
For if thou dost, by Jupiter Ammon,
By my own head, and by king Philip's soul,
I'll not respect that blood of mine thou sharest,
But use thee as the vilest Macedonian.

Lys. I doubted not at first but I should meet
Your indignation, yet my soul's resolved;
And I shall never quit so brave a prize,
While I can draw a bow, or lift a sword.

Alex. Against my life! Ah! was it so? how
now?

'Tis said, that I am rash, of hasty humour;
But I appeal to the immortal gods,
If ever petty poor provincial lord
Had temper like to mine: My slave, whom I
Could tread to clay, dares utter bloody threats!
Cly. Contain yourself, dread sir; the noble

prince,

I see it in his countenance, would die
To justify his truth; but love makes many faults.
Lys. I meant his minion there should feel my

arm;

Love asks his blood, nor shall he live to laugh
At my destruction.

Aler. Now be thy own judge;

I pardon thee for my old Clytus' sake;
But, if once more thou mention thy rash love,
Or darest attempt Hephestion's precious life,
I'll pour such storms of indignation on thee,
Philotus' rack, Calisthenes' disgrace,
Shall be delight to what thou shalt endure.

Enter SYSIGAMBIS, PARISATIS.
Heph. My lord, the queen comes to congratu-
late
Your safe arrival.

Aler. O thou the best of women,
Source of my joy, blest parent of my love!

Sys. Permit me kneel, and give those adorations,

Which from the Persian family are due:
Have you not raised us, from our ruins, high?
And when no hand could help, nor any eye
Behold us with a tear, your's pitied me;
You, like a god, snatched us from sorrow's gulf,
Fixed us in thrones above our former state.

Par. Which, when a soul forgets, advanced so nobly,

May it be drowned in deeper misery!

Åler. To meet me thus, was generously done But still there wants, to crown my happiness, Life of my empire, treasure of my soul, My dear Statira: O that heavenly beam,

Warmth of my brain, and fire of my heart!
Had she but shot to see me, had she met me,
By this time I had been amongst the gods,
If any extasy can make a height,
Or any rapture hurl us to the heavens.

Cly. Now, who shall dare to tell him the queen's vow?

Alex. How fares my love? ha-neither answer me!

Ye raise my wonder, darkness overwhelms me;—
If royal Sysigambis does not weep!

Trembling and horror pierce me cold as ice.
Is she not well? what, none, none answer me?
Or is it worse? Keep down, ye rising sighs,
And murmur in the hollow of my breast:
Run to my heart, and gather more sad wind;
That, when the voice of fate shall call you forth,
Ye may, at once, rush from the seat of life,
Blow the blood out, and burst like a bladder.
Heph. I would relate it, but my courage fails

me.

Aler. If she be dead-That if's impossible; And let none here affirm it, for his soul: For he that dares but think so damned a lie, I'll have his body straight impaled before me, And glut my eyes upon his bleeding entrails. Cass. How will this engine of unruly passion Roar when we have rammed him to the mouth with poison? [Aside. Aler. Why stand you all, as you were rooted here,

Like the senseless trees, while to the stupid grove
I, like a wounded lion, groan my griefs,
And none will answer-what, not my Hephestion?
If thou hast any love for Alexander,
If ever I obliged thee by my care,

Alex. Ha! did she swear? did that sweet creature swear?

I'll not believe it; no, she is all softness,
All melting, mild, and calm as a rocked infant,
Nor can you wake her into cries: By heaven,
She is the child of love, and she was born in

smiles.

Par. I and my weeping mother heard her

swear.

Sys. And with such fierceness she did aggra

vate

The foulness of your fault, that I could wish
Your majesty would blot her from your breast."
Aler. Blot her, forget her, hurl her from my
bosom,

For ever lose that star that gilds my life,
Guide of my days, and goddess of my nights!
No, she shall stay with me in spite of vows,
My soul and body both are twisted with her.
The god of love empties his golden quiver,
Shoots every grain of her into my heart;
She is all mine, by Heaven I feel her here,
Panting and warm, the dearest-O Statira!
Sys. Have patience, son, and trust to Heaven
and me.

If my authority, or the remembrance
Of dead Darius, or her mother's soul,
Can work upon her, she again is yours.

Alex. O mother, help me, help your wounded

son,

fight;

Or if to see thee bleed I sent forth cries,
And, like a mother, washed thee with my tears;
If this be true, if I deserve thy love,
Ease me, and tell the cause of my disaster.

Heph. Your mourning queen (which I had told before,

Had you been calm) has no disease but sorrow, Which was occasioned first by jealous pangs: She heard, (for what can 'scape a watchful lover?)

That you at Susa, breaking all your vows, Relapsed, and conquered by Roxana's charms, Gave up yourself devoted to her arms.

Alex. I know that subtle creature, in my riot, My reason gone, seduced me to her bed; But when I waked I shook the Circe off, Though that enchantress held me by the arm, And wept, and gazed with all the force of love; Nor grieved I less for that, which I had done, Than when at Thais' suit, enraged with wine, I set the famed Persepolis on fire.

Heph. Your queen Statira took it so to heart, That, in the agony of love, she swore Never to see your majesty again; With dreadful imprecations she confirmed Her oath, and I much fear that she will keep it.

[Exeunt SYS. and PAR.

Lys. Now let your majesty, who feels the tor

ments

doing?

Death thou shouldst have, were it not courted so:
But know, to thy confusion, that my word,
Like destiny, admits not a reverse;

Therefore in chains thou shalt behold the nuptials

Of my Hephestion-Guards, take him prisoner.
Lys. I shall not easily resign my sword,
Till I have dyed it in my rival's blood.

Aler. I charge you, kill him not, take him
alive;

The dignity of kings is now concerned,
And I will find a way to tame this beast.

Cly. Kneel, for I see lightning in his eyes. Lys. I neither hope nor ask a pardon of him; But if he should restore my sword, I would With a new violence run against my rival,

Alex. Sure we at last shall conquer this fierce lion: Hence from my sight, and bear him to a dungeon! Perdiccas, give this lion to a lion:

None speak for him! fly! stop his mouth, away!
Cly. The king's extremely moved.
Eum. I dare not speak.

As if you'd leave the empire of the world, Which you with toil have won.

Alex. Would I had not!

Enter EUMENES, PHILIP, THESSALUS, PERDICCAS, LYSIMACHUS, Guards.

Eum. FAREWELL, brave spirit! when you come above,

Commend us to Philotas and the rest
Of our great friends.

Thess. Perdiccas, you are grown
In trust, be thankful for your noble office.

Per. As noble as you sentence me, I'd give
This arm, that Thessalus were so employed.
Lys. Cease these untimely jars, farewell to all.
Fight for the king as I have done, and then
You may be worthy of a death like mine-
Lead on.

Enter PARISATIS.

Par. Ah, my Lysimachus, where are you going?

Whither? to be devoured? O barbarous prince! Could you expose your life to the king's rage, And yet remember mine was tied to yours?

Lys. The gods preserve you ever from the ills, That threaten me: Live, madam, to enjoy A nobler fortune, and forget this wretch. I ne'er had worth, nor is it possible That all the blood, which I shall lose this day, Should merit this rich sorrow from your eyes, Par. The king, I know, is bent to thy destruction;

Now by command they forced me from his knees:

But take this satisfaction in thy death,
Νο power, command, my mother's, sister's tears,
Shall cause me to survive thy cruel loss.

Lys. Live, princess, live, howe'er the king dis

dain me:

Perhaps, unarmed and fighting for your sake, I may perform what shall amaze the world,

And force him yet to give you to my arms.
Away, Perdiccas-Dear Eumenes, take
The princess to your charge.

[Exeunt PERD. LYS. Guards.

Eum. O cruelty !

Par. Lead me, Eumenes, lead me from the light,

Where I may wait till I his ruin hear,
Then free my soul to meet him in the air.

[Exeunt PAR. and EUM. Phil. See where the jealous proud Roxana comes !

A haughty vengeance gathers up her brow.
Thess. Peace! they have raised her to their
ends; observe.

Enter ROXANA, CASSANDER, POLYPERCHON.
Ror. O you have ruined me, I shall be mad:
Said
you, so passionately? is't possible?
So kind to her, and so unkind to me?

Cass. More than your utmost fancy can invent.
He swooned thrice at hearing of her vow,
And when our care as oft had brought back life,
He drew his sword, and offered at his breast.

Pol. Then railed at you with such unheard-of curses!

Ror. Away, begone, and give a whirlwind

room,

Or I will blow you up like dust: avaunt!
Madness but meanly represents my toil.
Roxana and Statira, they are names
That must forever jar: eternal discord,
Fury, revenge, disdain, and indignation
Tear my swollen breast, make way for fire and
tempest.

My brain is burst, debate and reason quenched,
The storm is up, and my hot bleeding heart
Splits with the rack, while passions, like the
winds,

Rise up to heaven, and put out all the stars.
What saving hand, or what a mighty arm,