MAHOMET.
My bounty nourished them.
ZOPIR.
And couldst thou spare
A child of Zopir's?
MAHOMET.
For their father's faults
I will not punish them
ZOPIR.
But tell me, say,
For what are they reserved?
MAHOMET.
Their life or death
Depend on me: speak but the word, and thou
Art master of their fate.
ZOPIR.
O name the price
And thou shalt have it; must I give my blood,
Or must I bear their chains, and be the slave
Of Mahomet?
MAHOMET.
I ask not either of thee:
Lend me thy aid but to subdue the world;
Surrender Mecca to me and give up
Your temple, bid the astonished people read
My sacred Koran; be thou my vassal,
And fall before me, then will I restore
Thy son, perhaps hereafter may reward thee
With honors, and contract a closer tie
With Zopir.
ZOPIR.
Mahomet, thou seest in me
A tender father: after fifteen years
Of cruel absence, to behold my children,
To die in their embraces, were the first
And fairest blessings that my soul could wish for;
But if to thee I must betray my country,
Or sacrifice my children, know, proud tyrant,
The choice is made already—fare thee well.
MAHOMET.
Inexorable dotard! But henceforth
I will be more implacable, more cruel
Even than thyself.
SCENE VI
MAHOMET, OMAR.
OMAR.
And so indeed thou must be,
Or all is lost: already I have bought
Their secret counsels: Mahomet, to-morrow
The truce expires, and Zopir reassumes
His power; thy life's in danger: half the senate
Are leagued against thee: those who dare not fight
May hire the dark assassin to destroy thee;
May screen their guilt beneath the mask of justice,
And call the murder legal punishment.
MAHOMET.
First they shall feel my vengeance: persecution,
Thou knowest, has ever been my best support.
Zopir must die.
OMAR.
'Tis well resolved: his fate
Will teach the rest obedience: lose no time.
MAHOMET.
Yet, spite of my resentment, I must hide
The murderous hand that deals the blow. To 'scape
Suspicion's watchful eye, and not incense
The multitude.
OMAR.
They are not worth our care.
MAHOMET.
And yet they must be pleased: I want an arm
That will strike boldly.
OMAR.
Seid is the man;
I'll answer for him.
MAHOMET.
Seid?
OMAR.
Ay: the best,
The fittest instrument to serve our purpose:
As Zopir's hostage he may find occasion
To speak with him, and soon avenge his master.
Thy other favorites are too wise, too prudent
For such a dangerous enterprise; old age
Takes off the bandage of credulity
From mortal eyes; but the young, simple heart,
The willing slave to its own fond opinions,
And void of guile, will act as we direct it:
Youth is the proper period for delusion.
Seid, thou knowest, is superstitious, bold,
And violent, but easy to be lead;
Like a tame lion, to his keeper's voice
Obedient.
MAHOMET.
What! The brother of Palmira?
OMAR.
Ay; Seid, the fierce son of thy proud foe,
The incestuous rival of great Mahomet,
His master's rival.
MAHOMET.
I detest him, Omar,
Abhor his very name; my murdered son
Cries out for vengeance on him; but thou knowest
The object of my love, and whence she sprung;
Thou seest I am oppressed on every side;
I would have altars, victims, and a throne;
I would have Zopir's blood, and Seid's too:
I must consult my interest, my revenge,
My honor, and my love, that fatal passion,
Which, spite of my resentment, holds this heart
In shameful chains: I must consult religion,
All powerful motive, and necessity
That throws a veil o'er every crime: away.
End of the Second Act
ACT III.
SCENE I.
SEID, PALMIRA
PALMIRA.
O Seid, keep me not in dread suspense,
What is this secret sacrifice? What blood
Hath heaven demanded?
SEID.
The eternal power
Deigns to accept my service, calls on me
To execute its purposes divine;
To him this heart's devoted, and for him
This arm shall rise in vengeance; I am bound