One power, one will, one substance, and one es

sence;

And in whatever persons, one or two,
His attributes may be distinguished, one
Sovereign power, one solitary essence,
One cause of all cause.

[They rise

DÆMON.

How can I impugn

So clear a consequence?

CYPRIAN.

Do you regret

My victory?

DÆMON.

Who but regrets a check

In rivalry of wit? I could reply

And urge new difficulties, but will now
Depart, for I hear steps of men approaching,
And it is time that I should now pursue

My journey to the city

CYPRIAN.

Go in peace!

DEMON.

Remain in peace! Since thus it profits him
To study, I will wrap his senses up
In sweet oblivion of all thought but of
A piece of excellent beauty; and as I

Have power given me to wage enmity
Against Justina's soul, I will extract
From one effect two vengeances.

CYPRIAN.

I never

Met a more learned person. Let me now
Revolve this doubt again with careful mind.

Enter LELIO and FLORO.

Exit

[He reads

LELIO.

Here stop. Those toppling rocks and tangled

boughs,

Impenetrable by the noonday beam,

Shall be sole witnesses of what we

FLORO.

Draw!

If there were words, here is the place for deeds.

LELIO.

Thou needest not instruct me; well I know

That in the field the silent tongue of steel

Speaks thus.

CYPRIAN.

[They fight

Ha! what is this? Lelio, Floro,

Be it enough that Cyprian stands between you,

Although unarmed.

Run, run! for where we left my master,
We hear the clash of swords.

CLARIN.

I never

Run to approach things of this sort, but only
To avoid them. Sir! Cyprian! sir!

CYPRIAN.

Be silent, fellows! What! two friends who are
In blood and fame the eyes and hope of Antioch;
One of the noble men of the Colalti,

The other son of the Governor, adventure

And cast away, on some slight cause no doubt,
Two lives, the honour of their country?

LELIO

Cyprian,

Although my high respect towards your person Holds now my sword suspended, thou canst not

Restore it to the slumber of its scabbard.

Thou knowest more of science than the duel; For when two men of honour take the field, No counsel nor respect can make them friends, But one must die in the pursuit.

FLORO.

I pray

That you depart hence with your people, and
Leave us to finish what we have begun

Without advantage.

CYPRIAN.

Though you may imagine

That I know little of the laws of duel,
Which vanity and valour instituted,
You are in error. By my birth I am

Held no less than yourselves to know the limits
Of honour and of infamy, nor has study
Quenched the free spirit which first ordered them;
And thus to me, as to one well experienced

In the false quicksands of the sea of honour,
You refer the merits of the case;

may

And if I should perceive in your relation
That either has the right to satisfaction

From the other, I give you my word of honour

To leave you.

LELIO.

Under this condition then

I will relate the cause, and you will cede

And must confess th' impossibility
Of compromise; for the same lady is
Beloved by Floro and myself.

FLORO.

It seems

Much to me that the light of day should look
Upon that idol of my heart-but he-
Leave us to fight, according to thy word.

CYPRIAN.

Permit one question further: is the lady
Impossible to hope or not?

LELIO.

She is

So excellent, that if the light of day

Should excite Floro's jealousy, it were

Without just cause, for even the light of day Trembles to gaze on her.