If my felicity provokes thy rage,
Share it, this dagger take and do like me.
[Stabs himself.
the hierophants.
Oh, holy shrine! Just, but vindictive gods,
In courts profane were e’er such horrors seen!
antigones.
Thus Alexander and his family,
Successors, assassins, are all destroyed!
Gods! since the world must ever feel your rage,
Why into being did you mortals call?
What were Statira’s or Olympia’s crimes?
To what am I reserved in future times!
End of Fifth and last Act.
1. The Hierophants, the priests and the priestesses, all show their astonishment and consternation.
THE ORPHAN OF CHINA
SCENE I.
SCENE I.
SCENE I.
SCENE I.
SCENE I.
DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.
Genghis Khan, Emperor of the Tartars.
OCTAR, OSMAN, Officers under Genghis Khan.
Zamti, a learned Mandarin.
Idame, wife of Zamti.
Asseli, friend to Idame.
Etan, friend to Zamti.
SCENE a Mandarin’s palace near the court, in the city of Cambalu, now called Pekin.
This piece was produced in Paris, 1755, when the author was in exile.
M. de Voltaire
To the most noble Duke of Richelieu, Marshal and Peer of France, First Gentleman of the Chamber to his Majesty, Governor of Languedoc, and Member of the Academy of Sciences.
My Lord, I would have presented you with a piece of fine marble; but, instead of it, can only offer you a few Chinese figures. This little performance is not indeed worthy of your acceptance; there is no hero in this piece, who has united all parties in his favor, and rendered himself universally agreeable, by the force of superior talents, or supported a falling kingdom, or made the noble attempt to overthrow an English colony with four cannons only. I know better than anybody else the insignificance of my own works; but everything may be forgiven to an attachment of forty years’ standing. The world, indeed, will say, that, retired as I am