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Statira now engrosses all his thoughts:

The Persian queen, without a rival, reigns

Sole mistress of his heart-nor can thy charms,
The brightest sure that ever woman boasted,
Nor all his vows of everlasting love,

Secure Roxana from disdain and insult.

Rox. Oh, thou hast rous'd the lion in my soul!
Ha! shall the daughter of Darius hold him?
No, 'tis resolv'd; I will resume my sphere,
Or, falling, spread a general ruin round me.
Roxana, and Statira! they are names

That must for ever jar, like clashing clouds
When they encounter, thunder must ensue.

Cas. Behold she comes in all the pomp of sorrow, Determined to fulfil her solemn vow. [They retire. Rox. Away, and let us mark th' important scene.

Enter SYSIGAMBIS and STATIRA.

Sys. Oh, my Statira! how has passion chang'd thee!

Think, in the rage of disappointed love,
If treated thus, and hurried to extremes,
What Alexander may denounce against us,
Against the poor remains of lost Darius !

Stat. Oh, fear not that! I know he will be kind, For my sake kind, to you and Parisatis.

Tell him, I rail'd not at his falsehood to me,
But with my parting breath spoke kindly of him;
Tell him, I wept at our divided loves,

And sighing sent a last forgiveness to him.

Sys. No, I can ne'er again presume to meet him, Never approach the much-wrong'd Alexander, If thou refuse to see him-Oh, Statira! Thy aged mother, and thy weeping country, Claim thy regard, and challenge thy compassion : Hear us, my child, and lift us from despair.

Stat. Thus low I cast me at your royal feet,

To bathe them with my tears; or, if you please,
I'll let out life, and wash 'em with my blood.
But I conjure thee not to rack my soul,

Nor hurry my wild thoughts to perfect madness:
Should now Darius' awful ghost appear,
And you, my mother, stand beseeching by,
I would persist to death, and keep my vow.

Rox. This fortitude of soul compels my wonder.
Sys. Hence from my sight! ungrateful wretch,
begone!

And hide thee where bright virtue never shone;
For, in the sight of Heaven, I here renounce
And cast thee off, an alien to my blood.

[Exit SySIGAMBIS. Ror. [Comes forward.] Forgive, great queen, the intrusion of a stranger:

With grief Roxana sees Statira weep:

I've heard, and much applaud your fix'd resolve
To quit the world for Alexander's sake;
And yet, I fear, so greatly he adores you,
That be will rather cheese to die of sorrow,
Than live for the derdie'd Roxana's charms.

Stat. Spare, madam, spare your counterfeited
fears;

You know your beauty, and have prov'd its power:
Though humbly bern, have you not captive held,
In love's soft chains the conqu'ror of the world!
Away to libertines, and boast thy conquest,
A shameful conquest! In his hour of riot,
When wine prevail'd, and virtue lost its influence
Then, only then, Roxana could surprise
My Alexander's heart,

Rox, Affected girl, to some romantic grove's se-
quester'd gloom

Thy sickly virtue, would, it seems, retire,

To shun the triumphs of a favour'd rival:

In vain thou fly'st-for there, even there, I'll haunt thee,

Plague thee all day, and torture thee all night:
There thou shalt hear in what ecstatic joys
Roxana revels with the first of men;

And, as thou hear'st the rapt'rous scene recited,
With frantic jealousy thou'lt madly curse

Thy own weak charms, that could not fix the rover. Stat. How weak is woman! at the storm she shrinks,

Dreads the drawn sword, and trembles at the thunder;

Yet, when strong jealousy inflames her soul,
The sword may glitter, and the tempest roar,
She scorns the danger, and provokes her fate.
Rival, I thank thee-thou hast fir'd my soul,
And rais'd a storm beyond thy pow'r to lay;
Soon shalt thou tremble at the dire effects,
And curse too late the folly that undid thee.

Rox. Sure the disdain'd Statira dares not mean it?
Stat. By all my hopes of happiness I dare.

And know, proud woman, what a mother's threats, A sister's sighs, and Alexander's tears,

Could not effect, thy rival rage has done.

I'll see the king in spite of all I swore,

Though curs'd, that thou may'st never see him

more.

Enter ALEXANDER, HEPHESTION, CLYTUS, POLYPERCHON, THESSALUS, and EUMENES.

Alex. Oh, my Statira!-thou relentless fair! Turn thine eyes on me-I would talk to them. What shall I say to work upon thy soul?

What words, what looks, can melt thee to forgive

ness?

Stat. Talk of Roxana and the conquer'd Indies,

Thy great adventures and successful love,

And I will listen to the rapt'rous tale;

But rather shun me, shun a desp❜rate wretch,
Resign'd to sorrow and eternal wo.

Alex. Oh, I could die, with transport die before thee!

Wouldst thou but, as I lay convuls'd in death,
Cast a kind look, or drop a tender tear:
Say but 'twas pity, one so fam'd in arms,
One who has scap'd a thousand deaths in battle,
For the first fault, should fall a wretched victim
To jealous anger and offended love.

Rox. Am I then fall'n so low in thy esteem,
That, for another, thou wouldst rather die
Than live for me?-How am I alter'd, tell me,
Since last at Susa, with repeated oaths,
You swore the conquest of the world afforded
Less joy, less glory, than Roxana's love?

Alex. Take, take that conquer'd world, dispose of

crowns,

And canton out the empires of the globe!

But leave me, madam, with repentant tears,
And undissembled sorrows, to atone

The wrongs I've offer'd to this injur'd excellence
Rox. Yes, I will go, ungrateful as thou art!
Bane to my life, and murd'rer of my peace,
I will be gone; this last disdain has cur'd me.
But have a care-I warn you not to trust me;
Or, by the gods, that witness to thy perjuries,
I'll raise a fire that shall consume you both,
Though I partake the ruin.

Enter SYSIGAMBIS.

Stat. Alexander!-Oh, is it possible! Immortal gods! can guilt appear so lovely Yet, yet I pardon, I forgive thee all.

[Exit.

Alex. Forgive me all! oh, catch the heavenly sounds!

Catch them, ye winds! and, as ye fly, disperse

The rapt'rous tidings through th' extended world
That all may share in Alexander's joy!

Stat. Yes, dear deceiver! I forgive thee all,
But longer dare not hear thy charming tongue;
For while I hear thee my resolves give way;
Be therefore quick, and take thy last farewell.
Farewell, my love-Eternally farewell!

Alex. Go then, inhuman! triumph in my pains, Feed on the pangs that rend this wretched heart, For now 'tis plain you never lov'd. Statira! Oh, I could sound that charming cruel name Till the tir'd echo faint with repetition. Oh, my Statira !

I swear, my queen, I'll not outlive our parting. My soul grows still as death. Say, wilt thou pardon?

'Tis all I ask. Wilt thou forgive the transports
Of a deep wounded heart, and all is well?

Stat. Rise, and may Heaven forgive you like
Statira!

Alex. You are too gracious-Clytus, bear me
hence.

When I am laid i'th' earth yield her the world.
There's something here, that heaves as cold as ice,
That stops my breath. Farewell, farewell for ever!
Stat. Hold off, and let me run into his arms;
My life, my love, my lord, my Alexander!
If thy Statira's love can give thee joy,
Revive, and be immortal as the gods.

Aler. Oh, let me press thee in my eager arms,
And strain thee hard to my transported breast.
Stat. But shall Roxana-

Alex. Let her not be nam'd.

Oh! how shall I repay you for this goodness?
And you, my fellow warriors, who could grieve
For your lost king? But talk of griefs no

more;

The banquets waits, and I invite you all.

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