Eum. Then say, Why have you ravaged all our peaceful borders? Plunder'd our towns? and by what claim e'en now, You tread this ground? Her. What claim, but that of hunger? To prowl at midnight round some sleeping village, Our prophet has bestow'd them on the faithful, Eum. Oh! now indeed you boast a noble title! To sooth his pride, and bribe his fellow mad men! Caled. Was it for this you sent to ask a parley, And tribute is the slavish badge of conquest. Two, Caled, shall be thine; two thine, Abdudah. Will soon be ours: look round your Syrian frontiers! See in how many towns our hoisted flags And last view Aiznadin, that vale of blood! Her. Presumptuous men! What though you yet can boast successful guilt, Is conquest only yours? Or dare you hope That you shall still pour on the swelling tide, Like some proud river that has left its banks, Nor ever know repulse ? Eum. Have you forgot? Eudo. All's hush'd around!-No more the shout of soldiers, And clash of arms tumultuous fill the air. O no-my hero comes, with better omens, Behold me here impatient, like the miser The shining heaps which he still fears to lose. ing lover! How do I doubly share the common safety, Pho. Not yet, Eudocia; 'tis decreed by Heaven If we would call the lovely wanderer back Eudo. False, flattering hope! Pho. Not so, my fair; if thou but gently smile, Inspiring valour, and presaging conquest, These barbarous foes to peace and love shall soon Be chased, like fiends before the morning light, And all be calm again. Eudo. Is the truce ended? Must war, alas! renew its bloody rage? Not twice seven years are past since e'en your And Phocyas ever be exposed to danger? Pho. Think for whose sake danger itself has charms. Dismiss thy fears; the lucky hour comes on, Full fraught with joys, when my big soul nó more Shall labour with this secret of my passion, To hide it from thy jealous father's eyes. Just now, by signals from the plain, I've learn'd And soldiers, kindled into sudden fury, What then shall hinder, since our mutual faith Eudo. May blessings still attend thy arms!— I've caught the flame of thy heroic ardour! And loud applauding shouts; thy rescued coun try Resounds thy praise; our emperor, Heraclius, Pho. The honours and rewards which thou hast named, Are bribes too little for my vast ambition. My soul is full of thee!Thou art my all Of fame, of triumph, and of future fortune. "Twas love of thee first sent me forth in arms, My service is all thine, to thee devoted, And thou alone canst make e'en conquest pleasing. Eudo. O, do not wrong thy merit, nor restrain it To narrow bounds; but know, I best am pleased To share thee with thy country. Oh, my Phocyas! With conscious blushes oft' I've heard thy vows, And strove to hide, yet more revealed my heart; But 'tis thy virtue justifies my choice, And what at first was weakness, now is glory. Pho. Forgive me, thou fair pattern of all good Must we, whose business is to keep our walls, Wants to be breath'd in some new enterprize?— 'Twas not my voice alone; you saw the people Rose all at once to follow him, as if One soul inspired them, and that soul was Pho cyas'. Her. I had indeed forgot; and ask your pardon. I took you for Eumenes, and I thought That in Damascus you had chief command. Eum. What dost thou mean? Her. Nay, who's forgetful now? You say, the people-Yes, that very people, That coward tribe that press'd you to surrender! Well may they spurn at lost authority; Whom they like better, better they'll obey. Eum. OI could curse the giddy changeful slaves, be it, Must stoop beneath a beardless rising hero; Her. [Aside.] That, that 's my torture. He comes alone!-O friend, thy fears were just. What are we now, and what is lost Damascus ? Arta. At first the foe Seem'd much surprised; but taking soon the alarm Gather'd some hasty troops, and march'd to meet us. The captain of these bands look'd wild and fierce. The battle join'd, and through the barbarous host The Saracens soon broke their ranks and fled; The slaughter had been double- But, behold! The hero comes. Enter PHOCYAS, EUMENES meeting him. Eum. Joy to brave Phocyas! Eumenes gives him back the joy he sent. The welcome news has reach'd this place before thee. How shall thy country pay the debut she owes thee? Pho. By taking this as earnest of a debt Which I owe her, and fain would better pay. Her. In spite of envy I must praise him too. [Aside. Phocyas, thou hast done bravely, and 'tis fit To rust at home, and sicken with inaction? Again the beaten for may force our gates; This Herbis is a foul old envious knave. To raise a second army. In few hours Her. [Aside.] Heaven, I thank thee! 'Twas even beyond my hopes. Eum. But where is Sergius? Mess. The letter, fasten'd to an arrow's head, Was shot into the town. Eum. I fear he's taken O Phocyas, Herbis, Artamon! my friends! Pho. And may succeeding days prove yet more Well dost thou bid the voice of triumph sound Through all our streets; our city calls thee father; And say, Eumenes, dost thou not perceive And should be freely shared. Pho. True-Generous minds Redoubled feel the pleasure they impart. For me, if I've deserved by arms or counsels, By hazards gladly sought, and greatly prosper'd, Whate'er I've added to the public stock, With joy I see it in Eumenes' hands, And wish but to receive my share from thee. Eum. I cannot, if I would, withhold thy share. What thou hast done is thine, the fame thy own; And virtuous actions will reward themselves. Pho. Fame-What is that, if courted for herself? Less than a vision; a mere sound, an echo, Her cheated lovers; lost and heard by fits, A real beauty; yet with weary steps May we not then expect the dower she brings? mascus pay it? Her riches shall be tax'd: name but the sum, Her merchants with some costly gems shall grace thee; Nor can Heraclius fail to grant thee honours, Pho. And can Eumenes think I would be bribed By trash, by sordid gold, to venal virtue? What! serve my country for the same mean hire, the That can corrupt each villain to betray her? Why is she saved from these Arabian spoilers, me If the thought glows on my cheeks! I know Eum. Eudocia! Phocyas, I am yet thy friend, Pho. Not think of her? Impossible! -She's ever present to me, Eum. Forbear--What need a herald I say, thou must not think of her. Pho. Yet hear me; Why wilt thou judge, ere I can plead my cause? Eum. Why wilt thou plead in vain; hast thou not heard My choice has destined her to Eutyches? us ? 'Tis true, thou'st fought a skirmish-What of Had Eutyches been present- Why wilt thou urge my temper with that trifler? Thou arrogantly would usurp dominion, Pho. And has she then consented to that Be that first tried-for know, that from this mo choice? ment Eum. Has she consented?What is her Thou here hast no command-Farewell!— consent? Is she not mine? Pho. She is and in that title Even kings with envy may behold thy wealth, Shall she, by being thine, be barr'd a privilege Eum. Who has told thee so? I'd force her to be happy. Pho. That thou canst not. What happiness subsists in loss of freedom? quet; Nor thanks his host, but starves amidst abun thee: Hast thou not found her a most ready scholar? Was I, to think I ever had a daughter! Pho. I'm sorry that Eumenes thinks- Sorry for what? Then thou dost own thou That's somewhat yet-Curse on my stupid For had eyes I might have seen it sooner. Pho. It was with pride I own it-'twas I have served thee in serving her, thou know'st it, ment. stay, -Sc Or hence and join the foe-thou hast thy choice. Am I a bubble then, blown up by thee, Like a dumb ghost, and burst my heart in silence SCENE II-The Garden. Enter EUDOCIA. meet by stealth, like Eudo. Why must we Sure he'll be here-See the fair rising moon, This gentle season is a friend to love; It will have vent-O barbarous, cursed-but | And show, without a blush, how much I love. hold I had forgot it was Eudocia's father!- Pho. Dost thou fear?-Alas, And choak'd my voice- -now I can speak to thee. [suffer'd; And yet 'tis worse than death what I have It is the death of honour ?-Yet that's little; 'Tis more, Eudocia, 'tis the loss of thee! Eudo. Hast thou not conquer'd ?What are all these shouts, This voice of general joy, heard far around? What are these fires, that cast their glimmering light Against the sky are not all these thy triumphs? Pho. O name not triumph! talk no more of conquest ! It is indeed a night of general joy, Is there a creature so accursed as Phocyas? Eudo. And can it be? is this then thy reward? O Phocyas! never wouldst thou tell me yet That thou had'st wounds; now I must feel them too. For is it not for me thou hast borne this? What else could be thy crime ?-Wert thou a traitor, Had'st thou betray'd us, sold us to the foe Pho. Would I be yet a traitor, I have leave; Nay, I am dared to it with mocking scorn. My crime indeed was asking thee; that only Has cancell'd all, if I had any merit; The city now is safe, my service slighted, And I discarded, like a useless thing, Nay, bid begone- -and, if I like that better, Seek out new friends, and join yon barbarous host. We must not part Pho. Then I am rich again! [Embracing her Even to distraction!-vows thee to his bed; Is that, too, banish'd from his heart!--O then I have no father--How have I deserved this![Weeping. No home, but am henceforth an out-cast orphan; Pho. See, how we're join'd in exile! How our fate Conspires to warn us both to leave this city! Eudo. There-any where, so we may fly this place, See, Phocyas, what thy wrongs and mine have wrought In a weak woman's frame! for I have courage Pho. Then let us lose no time, but hence this To own thee, Phocyas, thus-[ Giving her hand.] | Friend, father, love, guardian!-Thou art all. nay, glory in thee, [Exeunt. |