DEMETRIUS.

Or meanly fraudulent or madly gay,
Abdalla, while we waited near the palace,
With ill tim'd mirth propos'd the bowl of love.
Just as it reach'd my lips, a sudden cry

Urg'd me to dash it to the ground, untouch'd,
And seize my sword with disencumber'd hand.

ASPASIA.

What cry? The stratagem? Did then Abdalla—

DEMETRIUS.

At once a thousand passions fir'd his cheek!
Then all is past, he cry'd—and darted from us;
Nor, at the call of Cali, deign'd to turn.

ASPASIA.

Why did you stay, deserted and betray'd?
What more could force attempt, or art contrive?

DEMETRIUS.

Amazement seiz'd us, and the hoary bassa
Stood, torpid in suspense; but soon Abdalla
Return'd with force that made resistance vain,
And bade his new confed'rates seize the traitors.
Cali, disarm'd, was borne away to death;
Myself escap'd, or favour'd, or neglected.

ASPASIA.

Oh Greece! renown'd for science and for wealth,
Behold thy boasted honours snatch'd away.

DEMETRIUS.

Though disappointment blast our general scheme,
Yet much remains to hope. I shall not call
The day disastrous, that secures our flight;
Nor think that effort lost, which rescues thee.

[Enter Abdalla.

SCENE IV.

IRENE, ASPASIA, DEMETRIUS, ABDALLA.

ABDALLA.

At length, the prize is mine-The haughty maid,
That bears the fate of empires in her air,
Henceforth shall live for me; for me alone
Shall plume her charms, and, with attentive watch,
Steal from Abdalla's eye the sign to smile.

DEMETRIUS.

Cease this wild roar of savage exultation;
Advance, and perish in the frantick boast.

ASPASIA.

Forbear, Demetrius, 'tis Aspasia calls thee;
Thy love, Aspasia, calls; restrain thy sword;
Nor rush on useless wounds, with idle courage.

What now remains?

DEMETRIUS.

ASPASIA.

It now remains to fly!

DEMETRIUS.

Shall, then, the savage live, to boast his insult; Tell, how Demetrius shunn'd his single hand, And stole his life and mistress from his sabre?

ABDALLA.

Infatuate loiterer, has fate, in vain,

Unclasp'd his iron gripe to set thee free?

Still dost thou flutter in the jaws of death;

Snar'd with thy fears, and maz'd in stupefaction?

VOL. I.

H

DEMETRIUS.

Forgive, my fair; 'tis life, 'tis nature calls:
Now, traitor, feel the fear that chills my hand.

ASPASIA.

"Tis madness to provoke superfluous danger, And cowardice to dread the boast of folly.

ABDALLA.

Fly, wretch, while yet my pity grants thee flight;
The pow'r of Turkey waits upon my call.

Leave but this maid, resign a hopeless claim,
And drag away thy life, in scorn and safety,
Thy life, too mean a prey to lure Abdalla.

DEMETRIUS.

Once more I dare thy sword; behold the prize,
Behold, I quit her to the chance of battle.

ABDALLA.

[Quitting Aspasia.

Well may'st thou call thy master to the combat,
And try the hazard, that hast nought to stake;
Alike my death or thine is gain to thee;
But soon thou shalt repent: another moment
Shall throw th' attending janizaries round thee.

[Exit, hastily, Abdalla.

SCENE V.

ASPASIA, IRENE, DEMETRIUS.

IRENE.

Abdalla fails; now, fortune, all is mine.
Haste, Murza, to the palace, let the sultan

[Aside.

[To one of her attendants.

Despatch his guards to stop the flying traitors,

While I protract their stay. Be swift and faithful.

This lucky stratagem shall charm the sultan,
Secure his confidence, and fix his love.

DEMETRIUS.

[Exit Murza.

[Aside.

Behold a boaster's worth! Now snatch, my fair,

The happy moment; hasten to the shore,
Ere he return with thousands at his side.

ASPASIA.

In vain I listen to th' inviting call

Of freedom and of love; my trembling joints,
Relax'd with fear, refuse to bear me forward.
Depart, Demetrius, lest my fate involve thee;
Forsake a wretch abandon'd to despair,
To share the miseries herself has caus'd.

DEMETRIUS.

Let us not struggle with th' eternal will,
Nor languish o'er irreparable ruins ;

Come, haste and live-Thy innocence and truth
Shall bless our wand'rings, and propitiate heav'n.

IRENE.

Press not her flight, while yet her feeble nerves
Refuse their office, and uncertain life

Still labours with imaginary woe;

Here let me tend her with officious care,
Watch each unquiet flutter of the breast,
And joy to feel the vital warmth return,
To see the cloud forsake her kindling cheek,
And hail the rosy dawn of rising health.

ASPASIA.

Oh! rather, scornful of flagitious greatness,
Resolve to share our dangers and our toils,
Companion of our flight, illustrious exile,

Leave slav'ry, guilt, and infamy behind.

IRENE.

My soul attends thy voice, and banish'd virtue
Strives to regain her empire of the mind:
Assist her efforts with thy strong persuasion;
Sure, 'tis the happy hour ordain'd above,
When vanquish'd vice shall tyrannise no more.

DEMETRIUS.

Remember, peace and anguish are before thee,
And honour and reproach, and heav'n and hell.

ASPASIA.

Content with freedom, and precarious greatness.

DEMETRIUS.

Now make thy choice, while yet the pow'r of choice
Kind heav'n affords thee, and inviting mercy
Holds out her hand to lead thee back to truth.

IRENE.

Stay in this dubious twilight of conviction,
The gleams of reason, and the clouds of passion,
Irradiate and obscure my breast, by turns:
Stay but a moment, and prevailing truth
Will spread resistless light upon my soul.

DEMETRIUS.

But, since none knows the danger of a moment,
And heav'n forbids to lavish life away,
Let kind compulsion terminate the contest.

[Seizing her hand. Ye christian captives, follow me to freedom: A galley waits us, and the winds invite.

Whence is this violence?

IRENE.