idame.
But hear me, dearest Zamti.
zamti.
He must die.
idame.
Barbarian, stay, and tremble at the rage
Of an afflicted desperate mother.
zamti.
I
Shall do my duty, you may give up yours,
And sacrifice your husband to the foe:
This is a day of blood; let Zamti join
His murdered king, and perish with his country.
idame.
What is your country, what your king to me?
The name of subject is not half so sacred
As husband or as father. Love and nature
Are heaven’s first great unalterable laws,
And cannot be reversed: the rest are all
From mortal man, and may be changed at pleasure.
Would I could save the royal heir, but not
By the much dearer blood of Zamti’s son!
Pity a wretched mother; on my knees
I beg thee, cruel Zamti: O remember
For whom I slighted this proud conqueror,
This mighty warrior; was it not for thee?
And wilt thou not protect my son, not hear
The voice of nature pleading for thy child?
zamti.
It is too much: thou dost abuse the power
Which love has given thee o’er thy Zamti’s heart:
Couldst thou but see—
idame.
I own, my lord, I feel
A mother’s weakness, and a mother’s sorrows;
Yet may I boast a heart as firm as thine;
Away, and lead me on to death: I’m ready
To perish for my son.
zamti.
I know thy virtues.
SCENE IV.
zamti, idame, octar.
Guards.
octar.
Where are these traitors? why are my commands
Thus disobeyed? what have ye done with him,
The orphan prince? guards, bring him to our presence,
The emperor approaches; let him see
The victim at his feet: you, soldiers, watch
These rebels.
zamti.
I obey, my lord, the orphan
Shall be delivered up.
idame.
’Tis false; he shall not:
I’ll sooner lose my life than part with him.
octar.
Guards, take this woman hence: the emperor comes.
SCENE V.
genghis, octar, osman.
Guards.
genghis.
At length, my friends, ’tis time to sheathe the sword,
And let the vanquished breathe; I’ve spread destruction
And terror through the land, but I will give
The nation peace: the royal infant’s death
Shall satisfy my wrath; with him shall rot
The seeds of foul rebellion; all the plots,
Feuds and divisions, fears and jealousies,
That whilst the phantom of a royal heir
Subsists, must disunite us, he alone
Of all the hated race remains, and he
Shall follow them: henceforth we will not raze
Their boasted works, their monuments of art,
Their sacred laws; for sacred they esteem
The musty rolls, which superstition taught
Their ancestors to worship: be it so,
The error may be useful, it employs
The people, and may make them more obedient.
[To Octar.
Octar, to thee I shall commit the power,
To bear my standard to the western world.
[To another officer.
Rule thou in conquered India, and interpret
Thy sovereign’s great decrees; from Samarcand
To Tanais’ borders, I shall send my sons.
Away—stay, Octar.
SCENE VI.
genghis, octar.
genghis.
Couldst thou e’er have thought
Fortune would raise me to this height of glory?
That I should reign supreme, and triumph here,
Even in this palace, where disgraced and wretched
I sought in vain for refuge, and was treated
With insolence and scorn: the proud possessors
Of this unconquered empire then disdained
A Scythian, and a haughty fair refused
That hand which now directs the fate of millions.
octar.
Amidst this scene of glory, how, my lord,
Can thoughts like these disturb you?
genghis.
Still the wrongs
I suffered in adversity oppress me:
I own the weakness of my foolish heart,
And hoped to find that happiness in love,
Which glory, wealth, and empire, cannot give.
It hurts my pride to think how I was spurned
By that contemptuous woman; she shall know,
At least, and see the object of her scorn.
To have her mourn the honors that she lost
In losing Genghis will be some revenge.
octar.
The shouts of victory, and the voice of fame,
Have been so long familiar to my ears,
That I have little relish for the plaints
Of whining love.
genghis.