And pontiff, knowest thou holy Abram here
Was born, that here his sacred ashes rest?
He who, obedient to the voice of God,
Stifled the cries of nature, and gave up
His darling child: the same all powerful Being
Requires of thee a sacrifice; to thee
He calls for blood; and darest thou hesitate
When God commands? Hence, vile idolater,
Unworthy Mussulman, away, and seek
Another master; go, and love Palmira;
But thou despiset her, and bravest the wrath
Of angry heaven; away, forsake thy lord,
And serve his deadliest foes.
SEID.
It is the voice
Of God that speaks in Mahomet—command,
And I obey.
MAHOMET.
Strike, then, and by the blood
Of Zopir merit life eternal.—Omar,
Attend and watch him well.
SCENE VII.
SEID (Alone)
SEID.
To sacrifice
A poor, defenseless, weak old man!— no matter:
How many victims at the altar fall
As helpless! Yet their blood in grateful streams
Rises to heaven: God hath sworn, and Seid shall perform
His sacred promise—O assist me now,
Illustrious spirits, you who have destroyed
The tyrants of the earth, O join your rage
To mine, o guide this trembling hand, and thou
Exterminating angel who defendest
The cause of Mahomet, inspire this heart
With all thy fierceness!—ha! What do I see?
SCENE VIII.
ZOPIR, SEID.
ZOPIR.
Seid, thou seemest disturbed; unhappy youth!
Why art thou ranked amongst my foes? My heart
Feels for thy woes, and trembles at thy danger;
My house may be a shelter from the storm.
Accept it, thou art welcome, for the life
Is dear to Zopir.
SEID.
Gracious heaven! Wilt thou
Protect me thus? Will Zopir guard his foe?
What do I hear! O duty, conscience, virtue!
O Mahomet, this rives my heart.
ZOPIR.
Perhaps
Thou art surprised to find that I can pity
An enemy, and wish for Seid's welfare;
I am a man like thee; that tie alone
Demands at least a sympathetic tear
For innocence afflicted: gracious gods,
Drive from this earth those base and savage men,
Who shed with joy their fellow-creatures' blood.
SEID.
O glorious sentiments! And can there be
Such virtue in an infidel?
ZOPIR.
Thou knowest
But little of that virtue, thus stand
Astonished at it! O mistaken youth,
In what a maze of errors art thou lost!\
Bound by a tyrant's savage laws, thou thinkest
Virtue resides in Mussulmans alone;
Thy master rules thee with a rod of iron,
And shackles thy free soul in shameful bonds;
Zopir thou hatest, alas! Thou knowest him not:
I pardon thee because thou are the slave
Of Mahomet; but how cants thou believe
A God who teaches hatred, and delights
In discord?
SEID.
O I never can obey him!
I know, and feel I cannot hate thee, Zopir.
ZOPIR.
Alas! The more I talk to him, the more
He gains upon me: his ingenuous look,
His youth, his candor, all conspire to charm me;
How could a follower of this vile impostor
This win my heart! Who gave thee birth what art
Thou?
SEID.
A wretched orphan; all I have on earth
Is a kind master, whom I never met
Have disobeyed; howe'er my love for thee
May tempt me to betray him.
ZOPIR.
Knowest thou not
Thy parents then?
SEID.
His camp was the first object
My eyes beheld; his temple is my country;
I know no other; and amidst the crowd
Of yearly tributes to our holy prophet,
None e'er was treated with more tenderness
Than Seid was.
ZOPIR.
I love his gratitude:
Thy kind return for benefits received
Merits my praise:--O why did heaven employ
The hand of Mahomet in such an office?
He was thy father, and Palmira's too;
Why dost thou sigh? Why dost thou tremble thus?
Why turn thee from me? Sure some dreadful thought
Hangs on the mind.
SEID.
It must be so: the times
Are full of terror.
ZOPIR.
If thou feelest remorse
Thy heart is guiltless; murder is abroad,
Let me preserve thy life.
SEID.
O gracious heaven!
And can I have a thought of taking thine?
Palmira! O my oath! O God of vengeance!
ZOPIR.
For the last time remember I entreat thee
To follow me; away thy fate depends
Upon this moment.