SCENE II. An Anti-chamber in the Palace. Enter CASSANDER. Cass. Vengeance, lie still, thy cravings shall be sated; Death roams at large, the furies are unchain'd, Enter POLYPERCHON, Saw you the king? Poly. Yes; with disordered wildness in his looks, He rushed along, till with a casual glance He saw me where I stood; then stepping short, Draw near, he cried-and grasped my hand in his, Where more than fevers raged in every vein. Oh, Polyperchon! I have lost my queen! Statira's dead!-and, as he spoke, the tears Gushed from his eyes-I more than felt his pains. Enter THESSAlus. Thes. Hence, hence, away ! Cas. Where is he, Thessalus? Thes. I left him circled by a crowd of princes. The poison tears him with that height of horror, Ev'n I could pity him-He called his chiefs, Embraced them round them, -then, starting from amidst Cried out, I come- -'twas Ammon's voice-I know it Father, I come; but let me, ere I go, Despatch the business of a kneeling world! Poly. No more; I hear him-we must meet anon. Cas. In Saturn's field-there give a loose to rapture, Enjoy the tempest we ourselves have raised, And triumph in the wreck which crowns our vengeance. [Exeunt. SCENE III. The Palace. ALEXANDER, with his hair dishevelled, LYSIMACHUS, EUMENES, PERDICCAS, &c. discovered. Alex. Search there; nay, probe me, search my wounded reins Pull, draw it out. Lys. We have searched, but find no hurt. Alex. Oh, I am shot! a forked burning arrow Sticks cross my shoulders: the sad venom flies Like lightning thro' my flesh, my blood, my marrow! Lys. How fierce his fever! Alex. Ha! what a change of torments I endure! A bolt of ice runs hissing thro' my bowels; 'Tis sure the arm of death; give me a chair; Cover me, for I freeze, and my teeth chatter. And my knees knock together. Eum. Have mercy, Heaven! Alex. Who talks of Heaven? I burn, I burn again ! The war grows wondrous hot: hey for the Tigris! Bear me, Bucephalus, amongst the billows. [Jumps into the chair. Oh, 'tis a noble beast! I would not change him Alex. Ha ha ha! I shall die with laughter. Parmenio, Clytus, do you see yon' fellow, That ragged soldier, that poor tattered Greek? See how he puts to flight the gaudy Persians, With nothing but a rusty helmet on, through which The grisly bristles of his pushing beard Drive them like pikes-Ha! ha! ha! Per. How wild he talks? Lys. Yet warring in his wildness. Alex. Sound, sound! keep your ranks close. Ay, now they come; Oh, the brave din, the noble clang, of arms! I see, I know him by the sparkling plumes, down: He tumbles; take him, snatch th' imperial crown. They fly, they fly!-Follow, follow-Victoria! Victoria! Victoria! [Leaps into the SOLDIER's Arms. Per. Let's bear him softly to his bed. Alex. Hold, the least motion gives me instant death; My vital spirits are quite parched, burnt 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. [All kneel and weep. Weep not, my dear companions! the good gods One that shall lead you forth with matchless conduct. Lys. Break not our hearts with such unkind expressions. Per. We will not part with you, nor change for Mars. Alex. Perdiccas, take this ring, And see me laid in the temple of Jupiter Ammon. Lys. To whom does your dread majesty bequeath The empire of the world? Alex. To him that is most worthy. Per. When will you, sacred sir, that we should give To your great memory those divine honours Alex. When you are all most happy and in peace. Accept this soul, which thou didst first inspire, [Dies.-Exeunt. THE END. Printed by Augustus Applegath and Edward Cowper, |