and ease,

Armostes might be viceroy; in Messene

Cal. One kiss on these cold lips, my last: Might Crotolon bear sway; and Bassanes

crack, crack !Bass. 1, queen? Alas! What I!

Argos, now Sparta's king, command the voices Cal. Be Sparta's marshal.

Which wait at th' altar, now to sing the song The multitudes of high employments could not Fitted for my end.

Near. Sirs, the song! men,

SONG. Groneas and Hemophil, with worthy pensions, Should wait upon your person in your chamber. All. Glories, pleasures, pomps, delights I would bestow Christalla on Amelus; She'll prove a constant wife : and Philema

Can but please Should into Vesta's temple.

Outward senses, when the mind Bass. This is a testament;

Is not troubled, or by peace refin'd. It sounds not like conditions on a marriage. First voice. Crowns may flourish and decay, Near. All this should be perform’d.

Beauties shine, but fade away. Cal. Lastly, for Prophilus

Second. Youth may revel, yet it must He should be, cousin, solemnly invested

Lie down in a bed of dust. In all those honours, titles, and preferments, Third. Earthly honours flow and waste, Which his dear friends, and my neglected hus

Time alone doth change and last. band,

AU. Sorrows mingled with contents, preToo short a time enjoy'd.

*pare Proph. I am unworthy

Rest for care ; To live in your remembrance.

Love only reigns in death : though Euph. Excellent lady!

art Near. Madam, what means that word, neglect

Can find no comfort for a Broken ed husband?

Heart. Cal. Forgive me.--Now I turn to thee, thou

(CALANTHA dies. shadow Of my contracted lord! bear witness all,

Arm. Look to the queen! I put my mother's wedding-ring upon

Bass. Her heart is broke indeed. His finger; 'twas my father's last bequest : Oh, royal maid, 'would thou hadst mist this part!

(Places a ring upon the finger ofʻITHOCLES. Yet 'twas a brave one. I must weep to see Thus I new marry him, whose wife"I am; Her smile in death, Death shall not separate us. Oh, my lords, Arm. Wise Tecnicus, thus said he: I but deceiv'd your eyes with antick gesture, When youth is ripe, and age from time dotha When one news straight came huddling on ano

part, ther,

The lifeless trunk shall wed the Broken of death, and death and death; still I danc'd

Heart. forward,

'Tis here fulfill’d. But it struck home, and here, and in an

instant. Near. I am your king. Be such mere women, who, with shrieks and out All. Long live cries,

Nearchus, king of Sparta ! Can vow a present end to all their sorrows, Near. Her last will Yet live to vow new pleasures, and out-live them: Shall never be digress'd from. Wait in order They are the silent griefs which cut the heart- Upon these faithful lovers, as become us.strings;

The councils of the gods are never known, Let me die smiling

Till men can call th' effects of them their own. Near. 'Tis a truth too ominous.

(Eseunt omnes

EPILOGUE.

WHERE noble judgments and clear eyes are fixed As it transcended either state or fashion ;
To grace endeavour, there sits truth, not mixed Some few may cry, 'Twas pretty well, or so,
With ignorance: those censures may command But -and there shrug in silence: yet we know
Belief,

which talk not, till they understand. Our writer's aim was in the whole addrest
Let some say, this was flat ; some, Here the scene Well to deserve of all, but please the best;
Fell from its height ; another, That the mean Which granted, by th' allowance of this strain,
Was ill obserdd in such a growing passion, The Broken Heart may be piec'd up again.

THE

RIVAL QUEENS;

OR,

THE DEATH OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

BY

NATHANIEL LEE.

PROLOGUE.

WRITTEN BY SIR CAV. SCROOP, BART.

How hard the fate is of the scribbling drudge, To act your own, and not to mind our play,
Who writes to all, when yet so few can judge! Rehearse your usual follies to the pit,
Wit, like religion, once divine was thought, And with loud nonsense crown the stage's wit;
And the dull crowd believ'd as they were taught; Talk of your cloathes, your last debauches tell,
Now each fanatic fool presumes t explain And witty bargains to each other sell ;
The text, and does the sacred writ prophane; Glout on the silly she, who, for your sake,
For while your wits each other's fall pursue, Can vanity and noise for love mistake,
The fops usurp the power belongs to you. Till the coquette, sung in the next lampoon,
Ye think y'are challeng'd in each new play-bill

, Is by her jealous friends sent out of town; And here you come for trial of your skill, For in this duelling, intriguing age, Where, fencer-like, you one another hurt, The love you make, is like the war you wage, While with your wounds you make the rabble Y’are still prevented ere you come ť sport.

But it is not such trifling foes as you Others there are that have the brutal will The mighty Alexander deigns to sue; To murder a poor play, but want the skill ; Ye Persians of the pit he does despise, They love to fight, but seldom have the wit But to the men of sense for aid he flies; To spy the place where they may thrust and hit; On their experienc'd arms he now depends, And, therefore, like some bully of the town, Nor fears he odds, if they but prove his friends, Ne'er stand to draw, but knock the poet down. For as he once a little handful chose With these, like hogs gardens, it succeeds, The numerous armies of the world toppose; They root up all, and know not flowers from So, back'd by you, who understand the rules, weeds.

He hopes to rout the mighty host of fools. As for you, sparks, that hither come each day

engage:

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.

MEN.
ALEXANDER THE GREAT.
CLYTUS, master of the horse.
LYSIMACHUS, prince of the blood.
HEPHESTION, Alerander's favourite.
CASSANDER, son of Antipater,
POLYPERCHON, commander of the
phalanr,

conspirators.
PHILIP, brother to Cassander,
THESSALUS the Median,
PERDICCAS,
EUMENES, great commanders.
MELEAGER,
ARISTANDER, a soothsayer.

WOMEN.
SYSIGAMBIS, mother of the royal family,
STATIRA, daughter of Darius, married to Aler-

ander.
ROXANA, daughter of Cohortanus, first wife of

Alerander.
PARISATIS, sister to Statira, in love with Lysi-

muchus.
Attendunts, Slaves, Ghost, Dancers Guards.

SCENE,- Babylon.

ACT I.

say

Cly. 'Tis false.
SCENE I.

Another time, what time? what foolish hour?

No time shall see a brave man do amiss. Enter HEPHESTION, LYSIMACHUS, fighting ; And what's the noble cause, that makes this CLYTUS parting them.

madness? Cly. What are you madmen? ha! Put up, 1 What big ambition blows this dangerous fire?

A Cupid's puff, is't not, a woman's breath? Then, mischief's in the bosom of you both. By all your triumphs in the heat of youth, Lys. I have his sword.

When towns were sacked, and beauties prostrate Cly. But must not have his life.

lay, Lys. Must not, old Clytus ?

When my blood boiled, and nature worked me Cly. Mad Lysimachus, you must not.

high, Heph. Coward flesh! O feeble arm!

Clytus ne'er bowed his body to such shame : He dallied with my point, and when I thrust,

The brave will scorn the cobweb arts The He frowned and smiled, and foiled me like a fencer.

souls O reverend Clytus, father of the war,

Of all that whining, smiling, cozening sex, Most famous guard of Alexander's life,

Weigh not one thought of any man of war. Take pity on my youth, and lend a sword! Lys. I confess our vengeance was ill-timed. Lysimachus is brave, and will but scorn me;

Cly. Death! I had rather this right arm were Kill me, or let me fight with him again.

lost, Lys. There, take thy sword, and since thou art To which I owe my glory, than our king resolved

Should know your fault-what, on this faFor death, thou hast the noblest from my hand.

mous day! Cly. Stay thee, Lysimachus; Hephestion, Heph. I was to blame. hold;

Cly. This memorable day, I bar you both, my body interposed.

When our hot master, that would tire the world, Now let me see, which of you dares to strike ! Out-ride the labouring sun, and tread the stars, By Jove, ye have stirred the old man; that rash When he, inclined to rest, comes peaceful on, arm,

Listening to songs; while all his trumpets sleep, That first advances, moves against the gods, And plays with monarchs, whom he used to Against the wrath of Clytus, and the will

drive; Of our great king, whose deputy I stand. Shall we begin disorders, make new broils ? Lys. Well, I shall take another time.

We, that have temper learnt, shall we awake Heph. And I.

Hushed Mars, the lion that had left to roar?

Lys. 'Tis true; old Clytus is an oracle. That circles in our bodies, can deserve: Put up, Hephestion—did not passion blind Therefore I take all helps, much more the king's, My reason, I on such occasion too

And what your majesty vouchsafed to give; Could thus have urged.

Your word is past, where all my hopes must Heph. Why is it then we love?

hang. Cly. Because unmanned.

Lys. There perish too-all words want sense Why, is not Alexander grown example ?

in love; O that a face should thus bewitch a soul, But love and I bring such a perfect passion, And ruin all that's right and reasonable ! So nobly pure, 'uis worthy of her eyes, Talk be my bane, yet the old man must talk: Which, without blushing, she may justly prize. Not so he loved, when he at Issus fought, Heph. Such arrogance, should Alexander woo, And joined in mighty duel great Darius, Would lose him all the conquests he has won. Whom from his chariot, flaming all with gems, Lys. Let not a conquest once be named by He hurled to earth, and crushed the imperial

you, crown ;

Who this dispute must to my mercy owe. Nor could the gods defend their images, Sys. Rise, brave Lysimachus, Hephestion rise: Which with the gaudy coach lay overturned : 'Tis true Hephestion first declared his love ; 'Twas not the shaft of love, that did the feat; And 'tis as true, I promised him my aid; Cupid had nothing there to do; but now Your glorious king turned mighty advocate. Two wives he takes, two rival queens disturb How noble, therefore, were the victory, The court ; and while each hand does beauty If we could vanquish this disordered love? hold,

Heph. "Twill never be. Where is there room for glory?

Lys. No, I will yet love on, Heph. In his heart.

And hear from Alexander's mouth, in what Cly. Well said;

Hephestion merits more than I. You are his favourite, and I had forgot

Sys. I grieve, Who I was talking to. See Sysigambis comes, And fear the boldness, which your love inspires; Reading a letter to your princess; go,

But lest her sight should haste your enterprize, Now make your claim, while I attend the king. 'Tis just I take the object from your eyes.

[Esit.

(Ereunt Sys. and PAR.

Lys. She's gone, and see, the day, as if her Enter SYSIGAMBIS, PARISATIS.

look
Par. Did not you love my father ? Yes, I see Had kindled it, is lost, now she is vanished.
You did; his very name but mentioned brings Heph. A sudden gloominess and horror come
The tears, howe'er unwilling, to your eyes.

About me.
I loved him too; he would not thus have forced Lys. Let's away to meet the king;
My trembling heart, which your commands may You know my suit.
break,

Heph. Yonder Cassander comes,
But never bend.

He may inform us. Sys. Forbear thy lost complaints ;

Lys. No, I would avoid him; Urge not a suit, which I can never grant. There's something in that busy face of his, Behold the royal signet of the king,

That shocks my nature. Therefore resolve to be Hephestion's wife, Heph. Where and what you please. (Eseurt. Par. No! since Lysimachus has won my heart,

SCENE II.
My body shall be ashes, e'er another's.

Enter CASSANDER.
Sys. For sixty rolling years who ever stood
The shock of state so unconcern'd as I ?

Cass. The morning rises black, the lowering This, whom I thought to govern, being young,

sun, Heaven, as a plague to power, has rendered As if the dreadful business he foreknew, strong;

Drives heavily his sable chariot on; Judge my distresses, and my temper prize, The face of day now blushes scarlet deep, Who, though unfortunate, would still be wise. As if it feared the stroke which I intend, Lys. To let you know, that misery doth sway Like that of Jupiter.—Lightning and thunder!

(Both kneel. The lords above are angry, and talk big, An humbler fate than yours, see at your feet Or rather walk the mighty cirque like mourners The lost Lysimachus: O mighty queen, Clad in long clouds, the robes of thickest night, I have but this to beg, impartial stand, And seem to groan for Alexander's fall. And, since Hephestion serves by your permis. 'Tis as Cassander's soul could wish it were, sion,

Which, whensoe'er it flies at lofty mischief, Disdain not me, who ask your royal leave Would startle fate, and make all heaven conTo cast a throbbing heart before her teet.

cerned. Heph. A blessing, like possession of the prin A mad Chaldean, in the dead of night, cess,

Came to my bed-side with a flaming torch; No services, not crowns, nor all the blood And bellowing o'er me, like a spirit damned,

He cried, 'Well had it been for Babylon, To haunt some cloister with my senseless walk, • If cursed Cassander never had been born.' When thus the noble soul of Polyperchon

'Lets go the aim of all his actions, honour. Enter THESSALUS, and PHILIP, with letters.

Thess. The king shall slay me, cut me up alive, Thess. My lord Cassander.

Ply me with fire and scourges, rack me worse Cass. Ha! who's there?

Than once he did Philotas, e'er I bow. Phil. Your friends.

Cass. Curse on thy tongue for mentioning Cass. Welcome, dear Thessalus, and brother

Philotas !
Philip

I had rather thou hadst Aristander been,
Papers with what contents ?

And to my soul's confusion raised up hell, Phil. From Macedon

With all the furies brooding upon horrors, A trusty slave arrived, great Antipater Than brought Philotas' murder to remembrance. Writes, that your mother laboured with you long, Phil. I saw him racked, a sight so dismal sad Your birth was slow, and slow is all your life. My eyes did ne'er behold. Cass. He writes, dispatch the king—Craterus Cass. So dismal? peace ! comes,

It is unutterable: let me stand, Who in my room must govern Macedon; And think upon the tragedy you saw;, Let him not live a day-he dies to-night; By Mars it comes ! ay ! now the rack's set for And thus my father but forestalls my purpose:

Bloody Craterus, his inveterate foe,
Why am I slow then? If I rode on thunder, With pitiless Hephestion standing by:
I must a moment have to fall from heaven, Philotas, like an angel seized by fiends,
Ere I could blast the growth of this Colossus. Is straight disrobed, a napkin ties his head,
Thess. The haughty Polyperchon comes this His warlike arms with shameful cords are bound,
way;

And
every

slave can now the valiant wound. A mal-content, on whom I lately wrought, Pol. Now, by the soul of royal Philip fled, That for a slight affront, at Susa given,

I dare pronounce young Alexander, who Bears Alexander most pernicious hate.

Would be a god, is cruel as a devil. Cass. So, when I mocked the Persians, that Cass. Oh, Polyperchon, Philip, Thessalus, adored him,

Did not your eyes rain blood, your spirits burst, He struck me in the face, and by the hair To see your noble fellow-soldier burn, He swung me to his guards to be chastised; Yet without trembling, or a tear, endure For which and for my father's weighty cause, The torments of the damned ? O barbarians, When I abandon what I have resolved,

Could you stand by, and yet refuse to suffer? May I again be beaten like a slave!

Ye saw him bruised, torn, to the bones made But lo, where Polyperchon comes : now fire him With such complaints, that he may shoot to ruin. His veins wide lanced, and the poor quivering

flesh Enter POLYPERCHON.

With pincers from his manly bosom ript, Pol. Sure I have found those friends, dare se Till

ye

discovered the great heart lie panting. cond me;

Pol. Why killed we not the king, to save PhiI hear fresh murmurs as I pass along:

lotas? Yet , rather than put up, I'll do't alone.

Cass. Asses! fools! but asses will bray, and Did not Pausanias, a youth, a stripling,

fools be angry: A beardless boy, swelled with inglorious wrong, Why stood ye then like statues ? there's the For a less cause his father Philip kill?

case, Peace then, full heart! move like a cloud about, The horror of the sight had turned ye marble. And when time ripens thee to break, 0 shed So the pale Trojans, from their weeping walls, The stock of all thy poison on his head ! Saw the dear body of the godlike Hector, Cass. All nations bow their heads with ho- Bloody and soiled, dragged on the famous ground, mage down,

Yet senseless stood, nor with drawn weapons ran, And kiss the feet of this exalted man:

To save the great remains of that prodigious The name, the shout, the blast from every mouth, Is Alexander : Alexander bursts

Phil. Wretched Philotas ! bloody Alexander ! Your cheeks, and with a crack so loud

Thess. Soon after him the great Parmenio fell, It drowns the voice of Heaven ; like dogs ye Stabbed in his orchard by the tyrant's doom. fawn,

But where's the need to mention public loss, The carth’s commanders fawn, and follow him; When each receives particular disgrace? Mankind starts up to hear his blasphemy: Pol. Late I remember, to a banquet called, And if this bunter of this barbarous world After Alcides' goblet swift had gone But wind himself a God, you echo him

The giddy round, and wine had made me bold,

Stirring the spirits up to talk with kings, · Pol. I echo him?

I saw Čraterus with Hephestion enter I fawn, or fall, like a far eastern slave,

In Persian robes; to Alexander's health And lick his feet? Boys hoot me from the pa- They largely drank; then, turning eastward, fell lace,

Flat on the pavement, and adored the sun.

T

bare ;

man.

With universal cry.

VOL. I.