I drew it from Nonarris' horrid spring;
A drop infused in wine will seal his death,
And send him howling to the lowest shades.
Phil. Would it were done!

Cass. O we shall have him tear

(Ere yet the moon has half her journey rode)
The world to atoms; for it scatters pains
All sorts, and through all nerves, veins, arteries;
Even with extremity of frost, it burns;
Drives the distracted soul about her house,
Which runs to all the pores, the doors of life,
Till she is forced for air to leave her dwelling.
Pol. By Pluto's self, the work is wondrous
brave.

Cass. Now separate: Philip and Thessalus,
Haste to the banquet; at his second call
Give him that fatal draught, that crowns the
night,

While Polyperchon and myself retire.

[Exeunt omnes, præter CASSANDER. Yes, Alexander, now thou pay'st me well; Blood for a blow is interest indeed. Methinks I am grown taller with the murder, And, standing straight on this majestic pile, I hit the clouds, and see the world below me! Oh, 'tis the worst of racks to a brave spirit, To be born base, a vassal, a cursed slave. Now, by the project labouring in my brain, 'Tis nobler far to be a king in hell, To head infernal legions, chiefs below, To let them loose for earth, to call them in, And take account of what dark deeds are done, Than be a subject-god in heaven, unblest, And, without mischief, have eternal rest! [Exit.

SCENE II.

The Scene draws, ALEXANDER is seen standing on a throne, with all his commanders about him, holding goblets in their hands.

Alex. To our immortal health, and our fair queen's;

All drink it deep, and while it flies about,
Mars and Bellona join to make us music.
A hundred bulls be offered to the Sun,
White as his beams-speak the big voice of war,
Beat all our drums, and blow our silver trum-
pets,

Till we provoke the gods to act our pleasure,
In bowls of nectar and replying thunder!

[Sound while they drink.

Enter HEPHESTION, CLYTUS, leading LYSIMA-
CHUS in his shirt, bloody; PERDICCAS, Guard.
Cly. Long live the king, and conquest crown
his arms

With laurels ever-green! Fortune's his slave,
And kisses all that fight upon his side.
Alex. Did not I give command you should

preserve

Lysimachus?

Heph. You did.

Alex. What, then, portend those bloody marks? Heph. Your mercy flew too late: Perdiccas had,

According to the dreadful charge you gave,
Already placed the prince in a lone court,
Unarmed, all but his hands, on which he wore
A pair of gauntlets; such was his desire,
To shew in death the difference betwixt
The blood of the acides, and common men.
Cly. At last the door of an old lion's den
Being drawn up, the horrid beast appeared:
The flames, which from his eyes shot glooming
red,

Made the sun start, as the spectators thought,
And round them cast a day of blood and death.
Heph. When we arrived, just as the valiant
prince

Cried out,‘O Parisatis, take my life;
'Tis for thy sake I go undaunted thus,
To be devoured by this most dreadful creature,'-
Cly. Then walking forward, the large beast
descried

His prey, and with a roar, that made us pale,
Flew fiercely on him; but the active prince
Starting aside, avoided his first shock,
With a slight hurt, and as the lion turned,
Thrust gauntlet, arm and all, into his throat,
And, with Herculean force, tore forth by the

ported,

But from this hour be certain of my heart;
A lion be the impress of thy shield,
And that golden armour, we from Porus won,
The king presents thee: but retire to bed,
Thy toils ask rest.

Lys. I have no wounds to hinder,
I'd stand to Alexander's health, till all
Of any moment; or if I had, though mortal,
My veins were dry, and fill them up again
With that rich blood, which makes the gods im-
mortal.

Alex. Hephestion, thy hand, embrace him close:
Though next my heart you hang, the jewel there
For scarce I know whether my queen be nearer
Thou shalt not rob me of my glory, youth,
That must to ages flourish-Parisatis

Shall now be his, that serves me best in war:
Neither reply, but mark the charge I give,
And live as friends-sound, sound my armies lo-

nour;

Sound all the trumpets there!

Alex. They shall not sound

Till the king drinks-By Mars, I cannot take
A moment's rest for all my years of blood,
But one or other will oppose my pleasure.
Sure I was formed for war;

All, all are Alexander's enemies;
Which I could tame- -Yes, the rebellious world
Should feel my wrath-But let the sports go on.
[The Indians dance.
Lys. Nay, Clytus, you that could advise-
Alex. Forbear;

Let him persist, be positive, and proud,
Sullen and dazzled, 'mongst the noble souls,
Like an infernal spirit, that had stole
From hell, and mingled with the laughing gods.
Cly. When gods grow hot, where's the differ-

That I could speak like Jove, to tell abroad The kindness of my people-Rise, O rise, My hands, my arms, my heart is ever yours. [Comes from his throne, all kiss his hand. Cly. I did not kiss the earth, nor must your hand;

I am unworthy, sir.

Alex. I know thou art,

Thou enviest my great honour-Sit, my friends;
Nay, I must have room-Now let us talk
Of war, for what more fits a soldier's mouth?
And speak, speak freely, or you do not love me:-
Who, think you, was the bravest general
That ever led an army to the field?

Heph. I think the sun himself ne'er saw a
chief

So truly great, so fortunately brave,
As Alexander: not the famed Alcides,
Nor fierce Achilles, who did twice destroy,
With their all-conquering arms, the famous Troy.
Lys. Such was not Cyrus.
Alex. O, you flatter me!

Cly. They do indeed, and yet you love them
for it,

But hate old Clytus for his hardy virtue.
Come, shall I speak a man more brave than you,
A better general, and more expert soldier?

Alex. I should be glad to learn; instruct me,

sir.

The laboured battle sweat, and conquest bled. Why should I fear to speak a truth more noble Than e'er your father, Jupiter Ammon, told you?

Philip fought men, but Alexander women. Alex. Spite! by the gods, proud spite, and burning envy!

Is then my glory come to this at last,
To vanquish women? Nay, he said the stoutest
here

Would tremble at the dangers he has seen.
In all the sickness and the wounds I bore,
When from my reins the javelin head was cut,
Lysimachus, Hephestion, speak, Perdiccas,
Did I e'er tremble? O the cursed liar!
Did I once shake or groan? or bear myself
Beneath my majesty, my dauntless courage?
Heph. Wine has transported him.
Aler. No, 'tis plain mere malice:
I was a woman too at Oxydrace,
When planting at the walls a scaling ladder,
I mounted, spite of showers of stones, bars, ar-

That I should leap among you. Did I so? Lys. Turn the discourse, my lord, the old man raved.

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 arms,
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: Perdiccas, lend us your

arm. [Exeunt 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.
Alex. What says Perdiccas? Is the queen in
danger?

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

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

Alex. Thus from the grave I rise to save my

love!

SCENE I.

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 stills runs on her love. Stat, She nods o'er the brooks, that run purling along,

And the nightingales lull her more fast with a

Stat. As I.

Chorus. And be such another as I. [Exeunt.
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.

Enter ROXANA, with slaves and a dagger.
Ror. At length we've conquered this stupen
dous height,

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

Stat. Then all the vision's true,
And I must die, lose my dear lord for ever:
That, that's 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 the 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!
This sure will sink you.
Stat. No, Roxana, no:

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

Stat. Perhaps, at my request, And for a gift so noble as my life, Bestow a kiss.

Ror. A kiss! no more?

Stat. O gods!

What shall I say to work her to my end?
Fain I would see him-Yes, a little more-
Embrace you, and for ever be your friend.
Ror. O the provoking word! Your friend!

thou diest:

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

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,

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,