OMAR.
I punished him because I knew him not;
But now, the veil of ignorance removed,
I see him as he is; behold him born
To change the astonished world, and rule mankind:
When I beheld him rise in awful pomp,
Intrepid, eloquent, by all admired,
By all adored; beheld him speak and act,
Punish and pardon like a god, I lent
My little aid, and joined the conqueror.
Altars, thou knowest, and thrones were our reward;
Once I was blind, like thee, but, thanks to heaven!
My eyes are opened now; would, Zopir, thine
Were open, too! let me entreat thee, change,
As I have done; no longer boast thy zeal
And cruel hatred, nor blaspheme our God,
But fall submissive at the hero’s feet
Whom thou hast injured; kiss the hand that bears
The angry lightning, lest it fall upon thee.
Omar is now the second of mankind;
A place of honor yet remains for thee,
If prudent thou wilt yield, and own a master:
What we have been thou knowest, and what we are:
The multitude are ever weak and blind,
Made for our use, born but to serve the great,
But to admire, believe us, and obey:
Reign then with us, partake the feast of grandeur,
No longer deign to imitate the crowd,
But henceforth make them tremble.
ZOPIR.
Tremble thou,
And Mahomet, with all thy hateful train:
Thinkest thou that Mecca’s faithful chief will fall
At an impostor’s feet, and crown a rebel?
I am no stranger to his specious worth;
His courage and his conduct have my praise;
Were he but virtuous I like thee should love him;
But as he is I hate the tyrant: hence,
Nor talk to me of his deceitful mercy,
His clemency and goodness; all his aim
Is cruelty and vengeance: with this hand
I slew his darling son; I banished him:
My hatred is inflexible, and so
Is Mahomet’s resentment: if he e’er
Re-enters Mecca, he must cut his way
Through Zopir’s blood, for he is deeply stained
With crimes that justice never can forgive.
OMAR.
To show thee Mahomet is merciful,
That he can pardon though thou canst not, here
I offer thee the third of all our spoils
Which we have taken from tributary kings;
Name your conditions, and the terms of peace;
Set your own terms on fair Palmira; take
Our treasures, and be happy.
ZOPIR.
Thinkest thou Zopir
Will basely sell his honor and his country,
Will blast his name with infamy for wealth,
The foul reward of guilt, or that Palmira
Will ever own a tyrant for her master?
She is too virtuous e’er to be the slave
Of Mahomet, nor will I suffer her
To fall a sacrifice to base impostors
Who would subvert the laws, and undermine
The safety and the virtue of mankind.
OMAR.
Implacably severe; thou talkest to Omar
As if he were a criminal, and thou
His judge; but henceforth I would have thee act
A better part, and treat me as a friend,
As the ambassador of Mahomet,
A conqueror and a king.
ZOPIR.
A king! who made,
Who crowned him?
OMAR.
Victory: respect his glory,
And tremble at his power: amidst his conquests
The hero offers peace; our swords are still
Unsheathed, and woe to this rebellious city
If she submits not: think what blood must flow,
The blood of half our fellow-citizens;
Consider, Zopir, Mahomet is here,
And even now requests to speak with thee.
ZOPIR.
Ha! Mahomet!
OMAR.
Yes, he conjures thee.
ZOPIR.
Traitor!
Were I the sole despotic ruler here
He should be answered soon——by chastisement.
OMAR.
I pity, Zopir, thy pretended virtue;
But since the senate insolently claim
Divided empire with thee, to the senate
Let us begone; Omar will meet thee there.
ZOPIR.
I’ll follow thee: we then shall see who best
Can plead his cause: I will defend my gods,
My country, and her laws; thy impious voice
Shall bellow for thy vengeful deity,
Thy persecuting god, and his false prophet.
Turning to Phanor. Haste, Phanor, and with me repulse the traitor; Who spares a villain is a villain:—come, Let us, my friend, unite to crush his pride, Subvert his wily purposes, destroy him, Or perish in the attempt: If Mecca listens To Zopir’s councils, I shall free my country From a proud tyrant’s power, and save mankind.
End of the First Act.
ACT II.
SCENE I.
SEID, PALMIRA.
PALMIRA.
Welcome, my Seid, do I see thee here
Once more in safety? What propitious god
Conducted thee? At length Palmira's woes
Shall have an end, and we may yet be happy.
SEID.
Thou sweetest charmer, balm of every woe,
Dear object of my wishes and my tears,
O since that day of blood when flushed with conquest
The fierce barbarian snatched thee from my arms,