smooth and melt its stiffness into the yielding pliancy of the willow. I wage no war with the work of the gods. Besides, the demands of Rome have now grown to such a size that they swallow up our very existence as a free and sovereign State. They leave us but this single city and province out of an empire that now stretches from the Nile to the Bosphorus-an empire obtained by what cost of blood and treasure I need not say, any more than by what consummate skill in that art which boasts the loftiest minds of all ages. Palmyra not only owes a duty to herself in this matter, but to the whole East, and even to the world. For what part of the civilized world has not been trampled into dust by the despotism of almighty Rome? It is needful to the well-being of nations that some power shall boldly stand forth and check an insolence that suffers no city nor kingdom to rest in peace. No single people ought to obtain universal empire. A powerful nation is the more observant of the eternal principles of honor and justice for being watched by another, its equal. Individual character needs such supervision, and national as much. Palmyra is now an imposing object in the eye of the whole world. It is the second power. All I wish is, that for the sake of the world's peace it shall retain this position. I deprecate conquest. However another may aspire to victory over Aurelian, to new additions from the Roman territory, I have no such aspirations. On the other hand, I shall deplore any success beyond the maintenance of a just and honorable independence. This is our right by inheritance, and as much also by conquest, and for this I am ready, with the noble Gracchus, to offer to my sovereign my properties, my powers, and my life. If my poor life can prolong by a single year the reign of

one who, with virtues so eminent and a genius so vast fills the throne of this fair kingdom, I would lay it at her feet with joy, and think it a service well done for our own and the world's happiness.

Otho. My opinions are well known, and it may be needless that I should again, and especially here, declare them, seeing that they will jar so rudely with those entertained by you, my friends around me. But sure I am, that no one has advocated the cause and the senti ments which Zenobia cherishes so fondly with a truer deeper affection for her, with a sincerer love of her glory, than I rise to oppose them with

Queen (interrupting).—We know it! we know it! Otho.

Otho.-Thanks, noble Queen, for the fresh assurance of it. It is because I love, that I resist you. It is because I glory in your reign, in your renown, in your virtues, that I oppose an enterprise that I see with a prophet's vision will tarnish them all. Were I your enemy, I could not do better than to repeat the arguments that have just fallen from the lips of the head of our councils, set off with every trick of eloquence that would send them with a yet more resist less power into the minds, not only of those who are assembled here, but of those, your subjects, wherever over these large dominions they are scattered. To press this war is to undermine the foundations of the fairest kingdom the sun shines upon, and unseat the most beloved ruler that ever swayed a sceptre over the hearts of a devoted people. It can have no other issue. And this is not, O noble Queen! to throw discredit upon former achievements, or to express a doubt of powers which have received the homage of the world; it is only with open eyes to

acknowledge what all but the blind must see and confess, the overwhelming superiority in power of every kind of the other party. We may gain a single victory -to that genius and courage are equal, and we possess them in more than even Roman measure-but that very victory may be our undoing, or but embitter the temper of the enemy, call forth a new display of unexhausted and unexhaustible resources, while our very good success itself will have nearly annihilated our armies. And what can happen then but ruin, absolute and complete? Roman magnanimity may spare our city and our name. But it is more likely that Roman ven geance may blot them both out from the map of the world, and leave us nought but the fame of our Queen and the crumbling ruins of this once flourishing city by which to be remembered by posterity. These are not the counsels of fear-of a tame and cowardly spirit. The generous Zabdas will do me justice-nay, you all will-why am I apprehensive? Bear with me a moment

more

Queen and others.-Say on, say on, noble Otho.

Otho. The great Longinus has said that it is needful that there be one empire at least in the world to stand between Rome and universal dominion. I believe it. And that Palmyra may be, or continue to be, that kingdom, I counsel peace-I counsel delay-temporary concessions-negotiations-anything but war. A Roman Emperor lives not forever; and let us once ward off the jealousy of Aurelian, by yielding to some of his demands, and resigning pretensions which are nothing in reality, but exists as names and shadows only, and long years of peace and prosperity may again arise, when our now infant kingdom may shoot up into the strong

bone and muscle of a more vigorous manhood, and with reason assert rights which now it seems but madness, essential madness, to do. Listen, great Queen! to the counsels of a time-worn soldier, whose whole soul is bound up in most true-hearted devotion to your greatness and glory. I quarrel not with your ambition or your love of warlike fame. I would only direct them to fields where they may pluck fresh laurels, and divert them from those where waits-pardon me, my royal mistress! -inevitable shame.

Zabdas (springing to his feet).—Were not the words which we have just heard the words of Otho, I would cry out, Treason! treason! But Otho is Otho. What nation would ever, O Queen! outgrow its infancy, were a policy like this now descanted upon to guide its counsels? The general who risks nothing can win nothing. And the nation that should wait till absolutely sure of victory before unsheathing the sword would never draw it, or only in some poor skirmish, where victory would be as disgraceful as defeat. Besides, although such a nation were to rise by such victories, if victories those may be called won by a thousand over an hundred, who would not blush to own himself a citizen of it? Greatness lies not in pounds weight of flesh, but in skill, courage, warlike genius, energy, and an indomitable will. A great heart will scatter a multitude. The love of freedom in a few brave spirits overthrows kingdoms. It was not, if I rightly remember, numbers by which the Persian hosts were beaten upon the plains of Greece. It was there something like three hundred to a millionthe million weighed more than the three hundred, yet the three hundred were the heavier. The arm of one Spartan fell like a tempest upon the degenerate Per

sians, crushing its thousands at a single sweep. It was a great heart and a trusting spirit that made it weigh so against mere human flesh. Are we to wait till Palmyra be as multitudinous as Rome ere we risk a battle? Perhaps Rome will grow as fast as Palmyra-and how long must we then wait? I care not though Aurelian bring half Europe at his back. There sits a throned spirit who will drive him back shattered and bleeding, the jest and ridicule of the observing world. She who, by the force of pure intellect, has out of this speck in the desert made a large empire, who has humbled Persia, and entered her capital in triumph, has defeated three Roman armies, and wrested more provinces than time will allow me to number, from the firm grasp of the self-styled mistress of the world-this more than Semiramis is to be daunted, forsooth, because a Roman soldier of fortune sends his hirelings here and asks of her the surrender of three-fourths of her kingdom; she is to kneel and cry him mercy, and humbly lay at his royal feet the laurels won by so much precious blood and treasure! May the sands of the desert bury Palmyra and her Queen, sooner than one humiliating word shall pass those lips, or one act of concession blast a fame to this hour spotless as the snows of Ararat, and bright as the Persian god. Shame upon the man who, after the lessons of the past, wants faith in his sovereign. Great Queen, believe me, the nation is with you. Palmyra, as one man, will pour out treasure to the last and least dust of gold, and blood to the last drop, that you may still sit secure upon that throne, and stretch your sceptre over a yet wider and undishonored empire.

Otho.-Let not the Queen, let not the Queen doubt my faith