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Hold my arms? I shall be murdered here,
Like poor Darius, by my own barbarous subjects.
Perdiccas, sound my trumpets to the camp,
Call my soldiers to the court; nay haste,
For there is treason plotting against my life,
And I shall perish ere they come to rescue.
Lys. and Heph. Let us all die, ere think so

damned a deed.

Alex. Where is the traitor?

Cly. Sure there is none about you;

[Kneel.

But here stands honest Clytus, whom the king Invited to his banquet.

Alex. Begone and sup with Philip, [Strikes him through. Parmenio, Attalus, Calisthenes; And let bold subjects learn, by thy sad fate, To tempt the patience of a man much above them.

Cly. The rage of wine is drowned in gushing
blood:

O Alexander, I have been to blame;
Hate me not after death, for I repent,
That so I urged your noblest, sweetest nature.
Aler. What's this I hear? say on, my dying
soldier.

Cly. I should have killed myself, had I but
lived

To be once sober-Now I fall with honour, My own hand would have brought foul death.O pardon!

[Dies. Alex. Then I am lost; what has my vengeance done?

Who is it thou hast slain? Clytus; what was he?
The faithfullest subject, worthiest counsellor,
Who for saving thy life, when

Thou foughtst bare-headed at the river Granicus,
Has now a noble recompense for speaking rashly;
For a forgetfulness, which wine did work,
The poor, the honest Clytus thou hast slain.
Are these the laws of hospitality?

Thy friends will shun thee now, and stand at distance,

Nor dare to speak their minds, nor eat with thee,
Nor drink, lest by thy madness they die too.
Heph. Guards, take the body hence.
Alex. None dare to touch him,

For we must never part. Cruel Hephestion
And Lysimachus, that had the power,
And would not hold me!

Lys. Dear sir, we did.

Alex. I know it;

Ye held me like a beast, to let me go
With greater violence-Oh you have undone me!
Excuse it not; you, that could stop a lion,
Could not turn me: You should have drawn your
swords,

And barred my rage with their advancing points;
Made reason glitter in my dazzled eyes,

Till I had seen what ruin did attend me :
That had been noble, that had shewed a friend;
Clytus would so have done to save your lives.
Lys. When men shall hear how highly you

were urged

Alex. No, you have let me stain my rising virtue, Which else had ended brighter than the sun. Death, hell, and furies! you have sunk my glory : Oh, I am all a blot, which seas of tears, And my heart's blood, can never wash away; Yet 'tis but just I try, and on the point, Still reeking, hurl my black polluted breast, Heph. O sacred sir, that must not be. Eum. Forgive my pious hands. Lys. And mine, that dare disarm my master. Alex. Yes, cruel men, ye now can shew your

strength!

Here's not a slave but dares oppose my justice;
Yet I will render all endeavours vain,
That tend to save my life-Here I will lie[ Falls.
Close to his bleeding side, thus kissing him;
These pale dead lips, that have so oft advised me;
Thus bathing o'er his reverend face in tears;
Thus clasping his cold body in my arins,
Till death, like him, has made me stiff and horrid.
Heph. What shall we do?

Lys. I know not, my wounds bleed afresh With striving with him: Perdiceas, lend us your arm. [Eennt Perdiccas, Lysimachus. Heph. Call Aristander hither;

Or Meleager, let us force him from the body.

Cries without-Arm! Arm! Treason, Treason! Enter PERDICCAS bloody.

Per. Haste, all take arms! Hephestion, where's the king?

Heph. There, by old Clytus' side, whom he has slain.

Per. Then misery on misery will fall, Like rolling billows, to advance the storm. Rise, sacred sir, and haste to aid the queen; Roxana, filled with furious jealousy, Came with a guard of Zogdian slaves unmasked, And broke upon me with such sudden rage, That all are perished, who resistance made:

I only with these wounds, through clashing spears, Have forced my way, to give you timely notice. Aler. What says Perdiccas? Is the queen in danger?

Per. She dies, unless you turn her fate, and quickly:

Your distance from the place asks more speed, And the ascent to the flying grove is high.'

Alex. Thus from my grave I rise to save my love, All draw your swords, with wings of lightning, move; When I rush on, sure none will dare to stay, "Tis beauty calls, and glory shews the way.

[Exeunt.

SCENE I.

ACT V.

STATIRA is discovered sleeping in the bower of SEMIRAMIS; the spirits of Queen STATIRA, her Mother, and DARIUS, appear standing on each side of her, with daggers, threatening her. They sing.

Dar. Is innocence so void of cares,

That it can undisturbed sleep, Amidst the noise of horrid wars,

That make immortal spirits weep?

Stat. No boding crows, nor ravens come, To warn her of approaching doom.

Dar. She walks, as she dreams, in a garden of flowers,

And her hands are employed in the beautiful bowers;

She dreams of the man that is far from the grove, And all her soft fancy still runs on her love. Stat. She nods o'er the brooks, that run purling along,

And the nightingales lull her more fast with a song.

Dar. But see the sad end which the gods have
decreed.

Stat. This poinard's thy fate.
Dar. My daughter must bleed.
Chorus. Awake then, Statira, awake, for alas
you must die;

Eer an hour be past, you must breathe out your last.

Dar. And be such another as I.
Stat. As I.

Enter ROXANA, with slaves and a dagger. Ror. At length we have conquered this stu pendous height,

These flying groves, whose wonderful ascent
Leads to the clouds.
[Retires.

Stat. Then all the vision's true,
And I must die, lose my dear lord for ever:
That, that is the murderer.

Ror. Shut the brazen gate,

And make it fast with all the massy bars.
I know the king will fly to her relief,
But we have time enough-Where is my rival?
Appear, Statira, now no more a queen;
Roxana calls; where is your majesty?

Stat. And what is she, who with such tower-
ing pride,

Would awe a princess, that is born above her?
Ror. I like the port imperial beauty bears,
It shews thou hast a spirit fit to fall
A sacrifice to fierce Roxana's wrongs.
Be sudden then, put forth these royal breasts,
Where our false master has so often languished,
That I may change their milky innocence
To blood, and dye me in a deep revenge.

Stat. No, barbarous woman, though I durst
meet death

As boldly as our lord, with a resolve,
At which thy coward heart would tremble;
Yet I disdain to stand the fate you offer,
And therefore, fearless of thy dreadful threats,
Walk thus regardless by thee.
Ror. Ha! so stately!

Chorus. And be such another as I. [Exeunt. This sure will sink you.

STATIRA Sola.

Stat. Bless me, ye powers above, and guard my virtue!

I saw, nor was't a dream, I saw and heard
My royal parents, there I saw them stand;
My eyes beheld their precious images;

I heard their heavenly voices: Where, O where
Fled you so fast, dear shades, from my embraces?
You told me this-this hour should be my last,
And I must bleed-Away, 'tis all delusion!
Do I not wait for Alexander's coming?
None but my loving lord can enter here:
And will he kill me?--hence, fantastic shadows!
And yet methinks he should not stay thus long;
Why do I tremble thus? If I but stir,

The motion of my robes makes my heart leap.
When will the dear man come, that all my doubts
May vanish in his breast? That I may hold him
Fast as my fears can make me; hug him close
As my fond soul can wish; give all my breath
In sighs and kisses; swoon, die away with rapture!
But hark! I hear him--- [Noise within.
Fain I would hide my blushes-

I hear his tread, but dare not go to meet him.

Stat. No, Roxana, no:

The blow you give will strike me to the stars,
But sink my murderess in eternal ruin.
Rox. Who told you this?

Stat. A thousand spirits tell me :
There's not a god but whispers in my ear,
This death will crown me with immortal glory;
To die so fair, so innocent, so young,
Will make me company for queens above.
Ror. Preach on.

Stat. While you, the burden of the earth,
Fall to the deep, so heavy with thy guilt,
That hell itself must groan at thy reception;
While foulest fiends shun thy society,
And thou shalt walk alone, forsaken fury!

Ror. Heaven witness for me, I would spare
thy life,

If any thing but Alexander's love
Were in debate; come, give me back his heart,
And thou shalt live empress of all the world.

Stat. The world is less than Alexander's love,
Yet could I give it, 'tis not in my power;
This I dare promise, if you spare my life,
Which I disdain to beg, he shall speak kindly.
Ror. Speak is that all?

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Your friend! What, must I bring you then together?

Adore your bed, and see you softly laid?
By all my pangs, and labours of my love,
This has thrown off all that was sweet and gentle.
Therefore-

Stat. Yet hold thy hand advanced in air;
I see my death is written in thy eyes.
Therefore wreak all the lust of vengeance on me,
Wash in my blood, and steep thee in my gore;
Feed like a vulture, tear my bleeding heart.
But, O Roxana! that there may appear
A glimpse of justice for thy cruelty,
A grain of goodness for a mass of evil,
Give me my death in Alexander's presence!
Rox. Not for the rule of heaven-Are you so
cunning?

What, you would have him mourn you as you fall?
Take your farewell, and taste such healing kisses,
As might call back your soul. No, thou shalt fall
Now, and when death has seized thy beauteous
limbs,

I'll have thy body thrown into a well,
Buried beneath a heap of stones for ever.

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O ye gods, will you not help my weakness? Ror. They are afar off.

[Stabbing her.

Stat. Alas! they are indeed. Enter ALEXANDER, CASSANDER, POLYPERCHON,

Guards and Attendants.

Alex. Oh happy! Thou shalt reign the queen of devils.

Rox. Do, strike, behold my bosom swells to meet thee;

'Tis full of thine, of veins that run ambition, And I can brave whatever fate you bring. Alex. Call our physicians! haste! I'll give an empire

To save her-Oh my soul, alas Statira! These wounds,-Oh gods, are these my promised joys!

Enter PHYSICIANS.

Stat. My cruel love, my weeping Alexander, Would I had died before you entered here! For now I ask my heart an hundred questions; What! must I lose my life, my lord, for ever?

Alex. Ha! villains, are they mortal?-what,
retire!

Raise your dashed spirits from the earth, and say,
Say she shall live, and I will make you kings.
Give me this one, this poor, this only life,
And I will pardon you for all the wounds,
Which your arts widen, all diseases, deaths,
Which your damned drugs throw through the
lingering world.

Ror. Rend not your temper; see a general
silence

Confirms the bloody pleasure, which I sought; She dies.

Alex. And darest thou, monster, think to escape?

Stat. Life's on the wing,-my love, my lord, Come to my arms, and take the last adieu. Here let me lie, and languish out my soul.

Alex. Answer me, father, wilt thou take her
from me?

What, is the black, sad hour at last arrived,
That I must never clasp her body more?
Never more bask in her eye-shine again?
Nor view the loves, that played in those dear
beams,

And shot me with a thousand thousand smiles?
Stat. Farewel, my dear, my life, my most

loved lord,

I swear by Orosmades, 'tis more pleasure,
More satisfaction that I thus die yours,
Than to have lived another's-Grant me one
thing.

Alex. All, all, but speak that I
Before I follow thee.

Stat. Leave not the earth

may execute

Before Heaven calls you; spare Roxana's life.
Twas love of you, that caused her give me death;
And, O! sometimes, amidst your revels, think
Of your poor queen, and ere the chearful bowl
Salute your lips, crown it with one rich tear,
And I am happy.

[Dies.

Aler. Close not thy eyes;
Things of import I have to speak before
Thou takest thy journey :-Tell the gods I'm
coming,

To give them an account of life and death,
And many other hundred thousand policies,
That much concern the government of heaven-
O she is gone! the talking soul is mute!
She's hushed, no voice of music now is heard!
The bower of beauty is more still than death;
The roses fade, and the melodious bird,
That waked their sweets, has left them now for

ever.

Rox. 'Tis certain now you never shall enjoy her;

Therefore Roxana may have leave to hope
You will at last be kind, for all my sufferings,
My torments, racks, for this last dreadful murder,
Which furious love of thee did bring upon me.
Aler. O thou vile creature! bear thee from
my sight,

And thank Statira, that thou art alive:

Else thou hadst perished; yes, I would have rent, With my just hands, that rock, that marble heart; I would have dived through seas of blood to find it,

To tear the cruel quarry from its center.
Rar. O take me to your arms, and hide my
blushes!

I love you spite of all your cruelties;
There is so much divinity about you,
I tremble to approach: yet here's my hold,
Nor will I leave the sacred robe, for such
Is every thing, that touches that blest body:
I'll kiss it as the relic of a god,

And love shall grasp it with these dying hands. Aler. O that thou wert a man, that I might drive

Thee round the world, and scatter thy contagion, As gods hurl mortal plagues, when they are angry! Ror. Do, drive me, hew me into smallest pieces,

My dust shall be inspired with a new fondness; Still the love-motes shall play before your eyes, Where'er you go, however you despise.

Aler. Away! there's not a glance that flies from thee,

But, like a basilisk, comes winged with death. Ror. O speak not such harsh words, my royal master!

Look not so dreadful on your kneeling servant;
But take, dear sir, O take me into grace,
By the dear babe, the burden of my womb,
That weighs me down, when I would follow
faster!

My knees are weary, and my force is spent:
O do not frown, but clear thy angry brow!
Your eyes will blast me, and your words are bolts,
That strike me dead; the little wretch I bear,
Leaps frighted at your wrath, and dies within

me.

Aler. O thou hast touched my soul so tenderly, That I will raise thee, though thy hands are

ruin.

Rise, cruel woman, rise, and have a care,
O do not hurt that unborn innocence,
For whose dear sake I now forgive thee all.
But haste, begone! fly, fly from these sad eyes,
Fly with thy pardon, lest I call it back;
Though I forgive thee, I must hate thee ever.
Ror. I go, I fly for ever from thy sight.
My mortal injuries have turned my mind,
And I could curse myself for being kind.
If there be any majesty above,

That has revenge in store for perjured love,
Send, Heaven, the swiftest ruin on his head;
Strike the destroyer, lay the victor dead;
VOL. I.

Kill the triumpher, and avenge my wrong,
In height of pomp, while he is warm and

young;

Bolted with thunder let him rush along,
And when in the last pangs of life he lies,
Grant I may stand to dart him with my eyes:
Nay, after death,

Pursue his spotted ghost, and shoot him as he flies! [Exit. Alex. O my fair star, I shall be shortly with thee;

For I already feel the sad effects
Of those most fatal imprecations.

What means this deadly dew upon my forehead?
My heart too heaves.

Cass. It will anon be still

The poison works.

Pol. I'll see the wished effect Ere I remove, and gorge me with revenge.

[Aside. [Aside.

Enter PERDICCAS and LYSIMACHUS.
Per. I beg your majesty will pardon me,
A fatal messenger;

Great Sysigambis, hearing Statira's death,
Is now no more;

Her last words gave the princess to the brave
Lysimachus: but that, which most will strike you,
Your dear Hephestion, having drank too largely
At your last feast, is of a surfeit dead.

Alex. How! dead? Hephestion dead? alas the
dear

Unhappy youth!-But he sleeps happy,
I must wake for ever:-This object, this,
This face of fatal beauty,

Will stretch my lids with vast, eternal tears-
Who had the care of poor Hephestion's life?
Lys. Philarda, the Arabian artist.

Alex. Fly, Meleager, hang him on a cross!
That for Hephestion-

But here lies my fate; Hephestion, Clytus,
All my victories for ever folded up:
In this dear body my banner's lost,
My standard's triumphs gone!

O when shall I be mad? Give order to
The army, that they break their shields, swords,

spears,

Pound their bright armour into dust; away!
Is there not cause to put the world in mourning?
Tear all your robes:-he dies, that is not naked
Down to the waste, all like the sons of sorrow.
Burn all the spires, that seem to kiss the sky;
Beat down the battlements of every city:
And for the monument of this loved creature,
Root up those bowers, and pave them all with
gold:

Draw dry the Ganges, make the Indies poor;
To build her tomb, no shrines nor altars spare,
But strip the shining gods to make it rare. [Exit.
Cass. Ha! whither now? follow him, Polyper-
Exit Pol.

chon.

I find Cassander's plot grows full of death;
Murder is playing her great master-piece,
S

And the sad sisters sweat, so fast I urge them.
O how I hug myself for this revenge!
My fancy's great in mischief; for methinks
The night grows darker, and the labouring ghosts,
For fear that I should find new torments out,
Run o'er the old with most prodigious swiftness.
I see the fatal fruit betwixt the teeth,

The sieve brim full, and the swift stone stand still.
Enter POLYPERCHON,

What, does it work? Pol. Speak softly. Cass. Well.

Pol. It does;

I followed him, and saw him swiftly walk
Toward the palace; oftimes looking back,
With watry eyes, and calling out Statira.
He stumbled at the gate, and fell along;
Nor was he raised with ease by his attendants,
But seemed a greater load than ordinary,
As much more as the dead outweigh the living.
Cass. Said he nothing?

Pol. When they took him up,

He sighed, and entered with a strange wild look, Embraced the princes round, and said he must Dispatch the business of the world in haste.

Enter PHILIP and THESSALUS.

Phil. Back, back, all scatter-With a dreadful shout

I heard him cry, 'I am but a dead man!' Thess. The poison tears him with that height of horror,

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'Tis sure the arm of death: give me a chair; Cover me, for I freeze, and my teeth chatter, And my knees knock together.

Perd. Heaven bless the king! Alex. Ha! who talks of heaven? I am all hell; I burn, I burn again! The war grows wondrous hot; hey for the Tiger! Bear me, Bucephalus, amongst the billows: O'tis a noble beast; I would not change him For the best horse the Sun has in his stable: For they are hot, their mangers full of coals, Their manes are flakes of lightning, curls of fire, And their red tails, like meteors, whisk about. Lys. Help all, Eumenes, help! I cannot hold him!

Alex. Ha, ha, ha! I shall die with laughter. Parmenio, Clytus, dost thou see yon fellow, That ragged soldier, that poor tattered Greek? See how he puts to flight the gaudy Pérsians, With nothing but a rusty helmet on, through which

The grizly bristles of his pushing beard
Drive them like pikes-
-Ha, ha, ha!
Perd. How wild he talks!
Lys. Yet warring in his wildness.

Alex. Sound, sound, keep your ranks close; ay,

now they come :

O the brave din, the noble clank of arms!
Charge, charge apace, and let the phalanx move :
Darius comes- -ha! let me in, none dare
To cross my fury.-Philotas is unhorsed;-Ay,
'tis Darius;

I see, I know him by the sparkling plumes,
And his gold chariot, drawn by ten white horses:
But, like a tempest, thus I pour upon him—
He bleeds! with that last blow I brought him
down;

He tumbles! take him, snatch the imperial crown. They fly, they fly!-follow, follow!--Victoria! Victoria!

Victoria!- -O let me sleep.

Perd. Let's raise him softly, and bear him to his bed.

Alex. Hold, the least motion gives me sudden death;

My vital spirits are quite parched up,
And all my smoky entrails turned to ashes.
Lys. When you, the brightest star that ever
shone,

Shall set, it must be night with us for ever.

Alex. Let me embrace you all before I die: Weep not, my dear companions; the good gods Shall send you, in my stead, a nobler prince, One that shall lead you forth with matchless con

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