Classic Poem

To them below

Arsamnes, &c. as from the Chase.

Arsam. What? fly upon the sight of us? to appeare
Was here to overcome, a looke hath done
The businesse of the sword; your feares may sleepe
Securely now; Open the Castle gates.
Atos. But you must grant us some Conditions first.
Arsam. Must we be Articled with by our women?
What is't, an't please the Gods, that you require?
Atos. Cratanders life.
Crat. It is not in your Pow'r
To grant it great Arsamnes : your Queene speakes
Out of a tender pitty to no purpose.
Atos. Heare me Arsamnes ; whom the raging sword
Hath spar'd, why should the peaceable destroy?
All hate's not ended in the field, I see:
There's something still more cruell after warre.
Arsam. Alas! you know not what you aske; the Gods
Permit not that he live; he falls to them.
Crat. You must not heare her, Sir, against the Gods,
Who now expect their solemne Feast and Banquet.
Atos. If they are Gods, Pitty's a Banquet to 'em.
When e're the Innocent and Vertuous
Doth escape death, then is their Festivall.
Nectar ne're flowes more largely, then when bloud's
Not spilt, that should be sav'd. Do y'thinke the smoake
Of humane Entralls is a steame that can
Delight the Deities? Who e're did burne,
The Building to the honour of the Architect?
Or breake the Tablet in the Painters prayse?
'Tis Mercy is the Sacrifice they like.
Crat. Let not Affection call a Curse upon you,
While you permit it to take place of your
Religion.
Arsam. See, he will not live Atossa ;
To doe the unwilling man a courtesie
Is but a specious Tyranny.
Atos. Alas!
He would be neare the Gods, he would leave us.
You must not, shall not kill him, my Arsamnes .
Speake Ariene , call to him Mandane .
Arie . You owe him, Sir, the honour of your Court;
Slaves had defil'd our Husbands beds, and we
Brought forth a Race of unlike Children, to
Blemish your Realme, and us; when now by him
Wee're all preserv'd immaculate and spotlesse,
As tender Votaries.
Mand. Consider next,
No heated rage hath snatch'd a sacred Goblet
From any Altar, to profane it with
The streames of bold intemperance; no cryes
Of Virgins came unto your Eares; you've liv'd
This while as safe, as if you had beene guarded
By the revengefull Thunderer.
Arsam. I may not
Afflict him with a Court'sie; it can't be
A Guift, that he must be compell'd to take.
Crat. 'Tis the best time to fall, when there are most
Requests made for our preservation.
Though, great Atossa , I could wish that your
Blest Pray'rs were spent in gaining a good peace
For hopelesse Ephesus. The Gods that doe
Require my ruine, would accept their safety.
Arsam. He durst not be so bold, unlesse h'were Innocent.
Atos. Will you be so ungratefull then, Cratander ,
As after all to cast away your selfe?
Forbid him good Arsamnes , by these Teares
I aske you:—but I am too womanish.
Oron . Your Majestie is not Rock: you had a Nurse
That was no Tyger; looke but up upon her.
Hyd. Can you deny ought, when the Soule is powr'd
Out at the eyes in a Petition?
Arsam. Cratander , live; we doe command thee, Live.
Crat. Beare witnesse ô yee Gods, that I doe suffer
This as his Servant too. And yee the Soules
Of my deceased Country-men, who fell
In the last Battle, if there yet be sense
In the forgetfull Urne, know that it was
No stratagem of mine to be detayn'd
Thus long from your Society. Now to you,
Arsamnes : Good Kings equall those in Lawes
Whom they have overcome in war; and to
The Valiant, that chiefe part of good, to which
We all are borne, sweet Liberty, is pleasing
Ev'n in the Enemy. Your Queene, and others
Her Ladyes here, with the most beautifull
Part of your Royall Court, are in my pow'r.
But farre be't from me t'injure but the meanest:
Only one life I'm so much Master of,
(Since you have put it in my Pow'r) that I
Must give it backe againe, if it must be
Beyond the Ephesian safety: the Altar comes
More welcome than the Throne, if this shall bring
Freedome to me, and Slav'ry to my City.
Atos. Here I must dwell, Arsamnes , ty'd by great
And solemne Vowes, (our Gods do now require it)
Till you shall grant that the Ephesians may
Still freely use their antient Customes, changing
Neither their Rites nor Lawes, yet still reserving
This honest Pow'r unto your Royall selfe.
To command only what the free are wont
To undergoe with gladnesse. I presume
You scorne to have them subject as your owne,
And vile as strangers. Tyrants conquer thus.
Arsam. It is a time of Mercy; you have only
Call'd forth those Favours which were freely comming.
These generous thoughts have added to our Conquest.
It is no Victory, that's got upon
The sluggish, and the abject. Descend then;
And when wee've-joyn'd our hands, as Pledges of
Our hearts combining so, let us returne
To th'Celebration of an equall Triumph,
In an united marriage of our joyes.
Crat. There I confesse a Conquest, where I finde
He that subdu'd my body, gaines my minde.