thee;

There may'st thou dwell amidst the wild commotion.

Eup. Ye pitying gods, protect my father there!

I gave the body to the foaming surge
Down the steep rock despis’d.

Dio. Now rave and shriek,
And rend your scatter'd hair. No more Evander
Shall sway Sicilia's sceptre.
Now then, thou feel'st my vengeance.

Eup. Glory in it; Exult and triumph. Thy worst shaft is sped. Yet still th' unconquer'd mind with scorn can view With the calm sunshine of the breast can see Thy pow'r unequal to subdue the soul Which virtue form’d, and which the gods protect.

Dio. Philotas, bear her hence; she shall not live; This moment bear her hence!-you know the rest:Go, see our will obey'd ; that done, with all A warrior's speed, attend me at the citadel; There meet the heroes whom this night shall lead To freedom, victory,—to glorious havoc, And the destruction of the Grecian name.

Eup. Accept my thanks, Philotas ;-generous man! These tears attest th' emotions of

my

heart. But, oh! should Greece defer

Phil. Dispel thy fears;
Phocion will bring relief: or should the tyrant
Assault their camp, he'll meet a marshall’d foe.
Let me conduct thee to the silent tomb.

Eup. Ah! there Evander, naked and disarm'd,
Defenceless quite, may meet some ruffian stroke.

Phil. Lo! here's a weapon; hear this dagger to him. In the drear monument, should hostile steps Dare to approach him, they must enter singly: This guards the passage ; man by man they die.

[Exit.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.
The Citadel.

Enter CALIPPUs, and several OFFICERs: Dionysius meeting them.

Dio. Ye brave associates, who so oft have shar'd Our toil and danger in the field of glory, My fellow warriors, what no god could promise Fortune hath giv'n us. In his dark embrace Lo! sleep envelops the whole Grecian camp. Against a foe, the outcasts of their country, Freebooters, roving in pursuit of prey, Success by war, or covert stratagem Alike is glorious. Then, my gallant friends, What need of words? The gen’rous call of freedom, Your wives, your children, your invaded rights, All that can steel the patriot breast with valour, Expands and rouses in the swelling heart. Follow th' impulsive ardour; follow me, Your king, your leader: in the friendly gloom Of night, assault their camp; your country's love, And fame eternal, shall attend the men Who march'd through blood and horror, to redeem From the invader's pow'r their native land.

Cal. Lead to the onset; Greece shall find we bear Hearts prodigal of blood when honour calls; Resolv’d to conquer, or to die in freedom.

Dio. Thus I've resolv’d: When the declining moon

Hath veil'd her orb, our silent march begins.
The order thus:–Calippus, thou lead forth
Iberia's sons with the Numidian bands,
And line the shore.—Perdiccas, be it thine

To march thy cohorts to the mountain's foot,
Where the wood skirts the valley; there make halt
Till brave Amyntor stretch along the vale.
Ourself, with the embodied cavalry
Clad in their mail'd cuirass, will circle round
To where their camp extends its furthest line;
Unnumber'd torches there shall blaze at once,
The signal of the charge; then, oh, my friends!
On every side, let the wild uproar loose,
Bid massacre and

carnage

stalk around,
Unsparing, unrelenting; drench your swords
In hostile blood, and riot in destruction.
Away, my friends!
Rouse all the war! fly to your sev'ral posts,
And instant bring all Syracuse in arms!

[Exeunt.-Warlike Music.

SCENE III.

The Inside of the Temple.

A Monument in the Middle.
EUPHRASIA, ERIXENE, and FEMALE ATTENDANTS.

Eup. Which way, Erixene, which way, my virgins,
Shall we direct our steps ? What sacred altar
Clasp on our knees?

Eriz. Alas, the horrid tumult
Spreads the destruction wide. On ev'ry side
The victor's shouts,

the groans of murder'd wretches, In wild confusion rise. Once more descend Eudocia’s tomb; there thou

may'st find a shelter.
Eup. Anon, Érixene, I mean to visit,
Perhaps, for the last time, a mother's urn.
This dagger there, this instrument of death,
Should fortune prosper the fell tyrant's arms,

This dagger then may free me from his pow'r,
And that drear vault intomb us all in peace.

[Puts up the Dagger.
The din
Of arms with clearer sound advances. Hark!
That sudden burst!- Again !--They rush upon us !
The portal opens; lo!-see there !---behold!
War, horrid war, invades the sacred fane;
No altar gives a sanctuary now. [Warlike Music
Enter. Dionysius and CALIPPUS, with several

SOLDIERS.
Dio. Here will I mock their siege !here stand at bay,
And brave them to the last.

Cal. Our weary foes
Desist from the pursuit.

Dio. Tho' all betray me,
Tho' every god conspire, I will not yield.
If I must fall, the temple's pond'rous roof,
The mansion of the gods combin'd against me,
Shall first be crush'd, and lie in ruin with me.
Euphrasia here! Detested, treach'rous woman!
For ny revenge preserv'd !-By Heav'n, 'tis well;
Vengeance awaits thy guilt, and this good sword
Thus sends thee to atone the bleeding victims
This night has massacred.

Cal. (Holding Dionysius's drm.] My liege, for

bear;

My rage

is up

Her life preserv'd may plead your cause with Greece,
And mitigate your fate.
Dio. Presumptuous slave!

in arms;- by Heav'n, she dies.

Enter Evänder, from the Tomb.
Eva. Horror! forbear!-Thou murd'rer, hold thy

hand !
The gods behold thee, horrible assassin!!
Restrain the blow; it were a stab to Heav'n;

F

[Offers to strike.

All nature shudders at it! Will no friend
Arm in a cause like this a father's hand ?
Strike at this bosom rather. Lo! Evander
Prostrate and groveling on the earth before thee!
He begs to die :-exhaust the scanty drops
That lag about his heart ;-but spare my child.
Dio. Evander !

-Do my eyes once more behold him? May the fiends seize Philotas ! Treach’rous slave! 'Tis well thou liv'st; thy death were poor revenge From any hand but mine.

Eup. No, tyrant, no; [Rushing before EvANDER. I have provok'd your vengeance; through this bosom Open a passage; first on me, on me Exhaust your fury. Ev'ry pow'r above Commands thee to respect that aged head : His wither'd frame wants blood to glut thy rage : Strike here; these veins are full; here's blood enough; The purple tide will gush to glad thy sight.

Dio. Amazement blasts and freezes ev'ry pow'r! Ha! the fierce tide of war [A Flourish of Trumpets. This way comes rushing on.

(Goes to the Top of the Stage. Eup. [Embracing EvANDER.] Oh! thus, my father, We'll perish thus together.

Dio. Bar the gates;
Close ev'ry, passage, and repel their force.

Eva. And must I see thee bleed? Oh, for a sword! Bring, bring me daggers !

Eup. Ha!

Dio. Guards, seize the slave, And give him to my rage.

Eva. [Seized by the GUARDS.] Oh!
Inhuman villains!

Eup. Now, one glorious effort !--
Dio. Let me despatch; thou traitor, thus my arm-
Lup. A daughter's arm, fell monster, strikes the

blows

[Stabs DIONYSIUS.