Sardanapalus; A HISTORICAL TRAGEDY. PREFACE. IN publishing the Tragedies of Sardanapalus, and of The Two Foscari, I have only to repeat that they were not composed with the most remote view to the stage. On the attempt made by the managers in a former instance, the public opinion has been already expressed. With regard to my own private feelings, as it seems that they are to stand for nothing, I shall say nothing. For the historical foundation of the compositions in question, the reader is referred to the Notes. SARDANAPALUS. ACT I. SCENE I. A Hall in the Palace. The author has in one instance attempted to pre-He hath wrong'd his queen, but still he is her lord; serve, and in the other to approach the "unities;" con- He hath wrong'd my sister, still he is my brother; ceiving that, with any very distant departure from He hath wrong'd his people, still he is their sovereign. them, there may be poetry, but can be no drama. He And I must be his friend as well as subject; is aware of the unpopularity of this notion, in preHe must not perish thus. I will not see sent English literature; but it is not a system of his The blood of Nimrod and Semiramis own, being merely an opinion which, not very long Sink in the earth, and thirteen hundred years ago, was the law of literature throughout the world, Of empire ending like a shepherd's tale; and is still so in the more civilized parts of it. But "Nous avons changé tout cela," and are reaping the advantages of the change. The writer is far from conceiving that any thing he can adduce by personal precept or example can at all approach his regular, or even irregular predecessors: he is merely giving a reason why he preferred the more regular formation of a structure, however feeble, to an entire abandonment of all rules whatsoever. Where he has failed, the failure is in the architect, and not in the art. ADVERTISEMENT. In this tragedy it has been my intention to follow the account of Diodorus Siculus, reducing it, however, to such dramatic regularity as I best could, and trying to approach the unities. I therefore suppose the rebellion to explode and succeed in one day by a sudden conspiracy, instead of the long war of the history. DRAMATIS PERSONÆ. MEN. SARDANAPALUS, King of Nineveh and Assyria, etc. ZAMES. SFERO. BALEA. WOMEN. LARINA, the Queen. He must be roused. In his effeminate heart [Sound of soft music heard from within. By the first manly hand which dares to snatch it. MYRRHA, an Ionian female slave, and the favourite Along the gallery, and amidst the damsels, Women composing the Harem of SARDANAPALUS, Scene a Hall in the Royal Palace of Nineveh. As femininely garb'd, and scarce less female, SCENE II. Enter SARDANAPALUS, effeminately dressed, his Head crowned with Flowers, and his Robe negligently flowmg, attended by a Train of Women and young Slaves. SARDANAPALUS (speaking to some of his attendants). Of midnight we will sup there; see nought wanting, A cooling breeze which crisps the broad clear river: MYRRHA. Sire! your brother SALEMENES. His consort's brother, minion of Ionia!. How darest thou name me and not blush? SARDANAPALUS. Not blush' Thou hast no more eyes than heart to make her crimson Where sunset tints the snow with rosy shadows, SALEMENES. Let them flow on; she weeps for more than one, And is herself the cause of bitterer tears. SARDANAPALUS. Cursed be he who caused those tears to flow! SALEMENES. Curse not thyself-millions do that already. SARDANAPALUS. Think'st thou there is no tyranny but that Of sensual sloth-produce ten thousand tyrants, Distract within, both will alike prove fatal. SARDANAPALUS. Who built up this vast empire, and wert made Why, what makes thee the mouth-piece of the people? A god, or at the least shinest like a god Through the long centuries of thy renown, SARDANAPALUS. I understand thee-thou wouldst have me go Yet speak it, And lead them forth to glory. SALEMENES. And how many Even from the winds, if thou couldst listen Left she behind in India to the vultures? Unto the echoes of the nation's voice. SALEMENES. Our annals say not. SARDANAPALUS. Then I will say for them- SALEMENES. All warlike spirits have not the same fate. A hundred kings, although she fail'd in India, SARDANAPALUS. A king. SARDANAPALUS. And what She but subdued them. SALEMENES. SALEMENES. I sway them In their eyes a nothing; but In mine a man who might be something still. SARDANAPALUS. The railing drunkards! why, what would they have? SALEMENES. Of the first, More than is glorious; of the last, far less SARDANAPALUS. Whose then is the crime, But the false satraps, who provide no better? SALEMENES. And somewhat in the monarch who ne'er looks It may be ere long That they will need her sword more than your sceptre SARDANAPALUS. There was a certain Bacchus, was there not? An idol foreign to Assyria's worship, SALEMENES. I have heard of such a man; and thou perceivest SARDANAPALUS. And in his gedship I will honour him- SALEMENES. What means the king? bod Entish. It would to That she had bether have woven Not so:-of all his conquests a few columns, The ungrateful and ungracious slaves! they murmu Or whiten with their bones the banks of Ganges; SALEMENES. Yet these are trophies More worthy of a people and their prince SARDANAPALUS. Or for my trophies I have founded cities: SALEMENES. "T is most true; I own thy merit in those founded cities, SARDANAPALUS. Shame me! By Baal, the cities, though weil buil [Exit Cupbearer. Are not more goodly than the verse! Say what Thou wilt 'gainst me, my mode of life or rule But nothing 'gainst the truth of that brief record. Why, those few lines contain the history would but have recall'd thee from thy dream: Better by me awaken'd than rebellion. Of all things human; hear-"Sardanapalus SALEMENES. A worthy moral, and a wise inscription, SARDANAPALUS. Oh, thou wouldst have me doubtless set up edicts- These are their sepulchres, and this his trophy." I leave such things to conquerors; enough SALEMENES. Thy sires have been revered as gods SARDANAPALUS. In dust And death, where they are neither gods nor men. Those gods were merely men; look to their issue I feel a thousand mortal things about me, The follies of my species, and (that's human) SALEMENES. Alas! The doom of Nineveh is seal'd.-Woe-woe SARDANAPALUS. What dost dread? SALEMENES. Thou art guarded by thy foes: in a few hours SARDANAPALUS. What must we dread? SALEMENES. Ambitious treachery, Which has environ'd thee with snares; but yet SARDANAPALUS. The heads-how many? SALEMENES. Must I stay to number When even thine own 's in peril? Let me go; Give me thy signet-trust me with the rest. SARDANAPALUS. I will trust no man with unlimited lives. When we take those from others, we nor know SALEMENES. They dared not. They were kept to toil and combat, i would not give the smile of one fair girl For all the popular breath that e'er divided Woniust thou not take their lives who seek for thine? Of this vile herd grown insolent with feeding, |