Which fringe his banks: but whether they may be Sardanapalus. If it so please you, pontiff, for that knowledge. Unto your ministry-not loving either. Salemenes. (aside.) His lusts have made him mad. Then must I save him Spite of himself. Sardanapalus. Please you to hear me, Satraps! In peace-I'll not say pardon-which must be P Once honest. Ye are free, sirs. Arbaces. Sire, this clemency Beleses. (interrupting him.) Is worthy of yourself; and, although innocent, We thanks Sardanapalus. Priest! keep your thanksgivings for Belus, His offspring needs none. Beleses. But, being innocent- Sardanapalus. That's a good sentence for a homily, And, hating not himself, yet loves his fellows Enough to spare even those who would not spare him To use them as ye will-but from this hour Arbaces. Beleses! [Exeunt Sardanapalus, Salamenes, and the Train, &c.leaving Arbaces and Beleses. Now, what think you? Arbaces. That we are lost. That we have won the kingdom: Arbaces. What? thus suspected-with the sword slung o'er us, But by a single hair, and that still wavering Beleses. But let us profit by the interval. Seek not why; He hath changed The hour is still our own-our power the same- Beleses. What, doubting still? And yet He spared our lives, nay, more, Saved them from Salemenes. Beleses. And how long Will he so spare? till the first drunken minute. Basely Beleses. Arbaces. Say bravely. Somewhat of both, perhaps. But it has touch'd me, and, whate'er betide, I will no further on. Beleses And lose the world! Arbaces. Lose any thing except my own esteem. Beleses. I blush that we should owe our lives to such A king of distaffs! Arbaces. But no less we owe them; And I should blush far more to take the grantor's! Beleses. Thou mayst endure whate'er thou wilt, the stars Have written otherwise. Arbaces. Though they came down, And marshall'd me the way in all their brightness, I would not follow. Beleses. This is weakness-worse Than a scared beldam's dreaming of the dead, And waking in the dark.-Go to-go to. Brbaces. Methought he look'd like Nimrod as he spoke, Even as the proud imperial statue stands Looking the monarch of the kings around it, Beleses. I told you that you had too much despised him, And that there was some royalty within himWhat then? he is the nobler foe. Arbaces. But we The meaner :-Would he had not spared us! Wouldst thou be sacrificed thus readily? So Arbuces. No-but it had been better to have died Oh, the souls of some men ! Thou wouldst digest what some call treason, and Fools treachery-and, behold, upon the sudden, "Twixt thee and Salemenes, thou art turn'd Arbaces. But An hour ago, who dared to term me such I must forgive you, even as he forgave us- Beleses. No-the queen liked no sharers of the kingdom, Not even a husband. Arbaces. Beleses. And humbly? I must serve him truly Arbaces. Right and wrong, which I lack for my direction, Beleses. Arbaces. With you. Have you finished? Beleses. As quit me? And would, perhaps, betray as well And not a soldier's. Beleses. Arbaces. That's a sacerdotal thought Be it what you will Truce with these wranglings, and but hear me. "Beleses. No With worse than vacancy A despised monarch. Look to it, Arbaces : I have still aided, cherished, loved, and urged you; Arbaces. Beleses. Your servant! Why not? Better than be slave, The pardon'd slave of she Sardanapalus. Enter PANIA. Pania. My lords, I bear an order from the king. Arbaces. It is obey'd ere spoken. Beleses. Let's hear it. Pania. Notwithstanding, Repair to your respective satrapies Forthwith, on this very night, With our troops? Of Babylon and Media. Beleses. |