His little bosom heaved with various passions. Still would he seek you in each well-known haunt,

Each bower, each cavern, like the tender fawn,
That through the woodland seeks its mother lost,
Exploring all around with anxious eye,

And looking still unutterable grief,
Lonely and sad, and stung with keen regret.
Zen. Did my child weep?-not much, I
hope

Meg. With soothing tales

I laboured to beguile him from his sorrow;
I promised your return; a gentle smile
Brightened his anxious look; he sighed content,
And then I led him to a safer dwelling,
Among the shepherds of the Syrian vale,
Who all have sworn to guard him as their own,
And in due season lead him to the Romans.
Zen. Oh, may those shepherds know the kind-
est influence

Of the indulgent heavens! Yet, why not stay
To guard him? but I'll not complain; on me
Your cares were fixed. Oh! tell me how the gods
Watched over all thy ways, and brought thee to
me!

Where hast thou lived these many, many days?

Meg. In bitterness of soul I've lived, thy fate,
Thy tender form deep imaged in my breast!
I ranged the banks where the Araxes flows,
But bring, alas! no tidings of your lord.
Heart-broken, wearied out, I measured back
My feeble steps, but thou wert ravished thence!
For thee, I traversed hills and forests drear;
Thee I invoked, that every caverned rock,
Each vale, each mountain echoed with thy name.
Zen. And here at length you find me; here, en-
compassed

With all the worst of ills; hence let us fly
To the blessed Syrian valley, where my child
Wins with his early manhood every heart,
And calls for me, and chides this long delay.

Meg. Vain the attempt; one only way is left:
Reveal thee to the ambassador of Rome.
Safe in his train, thou may'st escape this place,
And gain Paulinus' camp; Zenobia, known,
Will meet protection there.

Zen. The gods inspire

The happy counsel. Ha! Tigranes comes! Retire, Megistus. [He goes out.] A gay dawn of hope

Beams forth at length, and lights up day within

[Erit.

Rhad. May some propitious power inspire his heart,

And touch the springs of human kindness in him.
Else, against whom, amidst the charging hosts,
Must Rhadamistus' sword be levelled?-ha!—
Spite of his crimes, he is my father still;
And must this arm, against the source of life,
Nay, more, perhaps against a brother too—
A brother still unknown !---he, too, may die
By this unconscious hand!-this hand, already
Inured to murder whom my heart adores!
My brother, then, may bleed! and when in death,
Gasping he lies, and pours his vital stream,
Then, in that moment, shall the generous youth
Extend his arms, and, with a piteous look,

Tell me, a brother doth forgive his murderer! Gods! you have doomed me to the blackest woe, To be a wretch abhorred, author of crimes From which my tortured breast revolts with borror!

Who's there?-A youth comes forward.—Now be firm,

Be firm my heart, and guard thy fatal secret! Enter TERI BAZUS.

Ter. Illustrious Roman, if misfortune's son, A wretched, ruined, miserable prince, May claim attention.

Rhad. Ha, can this be he!

The graces of his youth, each feeling here, Here, at my heartstrings, tell me 'tis my brother!

Ter. I see you are moved, and I intrude too far.

Rhad. Pursue your purpose; warmest friendship for you

Glows in this breast.

Ter. Though Pharasmanes' fury
Maintains a fixed hostility with Rome,
Blend not the son with all a father's crimes.
Rhad. Go on; I pant to hear.
Ter. My father's cruelty

Each day breaks out in some new act of horror,
Nor lets the sword grow cool from human blood.
First, in his brother's breast he plunged it; then,
Inflamed to fiercer rage, 'gainst his own son.
Oh, Rhadamistus! thou much injured prince!

Rhad. And didst thou love that brother?
Ter. Generous Roman,

He lived far hence remote; I ne'er beheld him,
But the wide world resounded with his fame.

Rhad. Hold, hold my tears!-Oh! they will burst their way

At this his virtuous tenderness and love! [Aside.
Ter. And dost thou weep too, Roman?
Rhad. From such horror,

And so much cruelty, my nature shrinks.
Whatever purpose rolls within thy breast,
Boldly confide it. Shall I, armed with vengeance,
Assault the purple tyrant in his camp?
Or wilt thou join my steps? then, in the front
Of a brave veteran legion, head the war,
Seek the usurper 'midst his plumed troops,
And thus avenge mankind?

Ter. No; far from me,
Far be the guilt of meditating aught
Against the life from whence my being sprung.
Let him oppress me,-he's a parent still!

Rhad. He rives my heart! Oh! what a lot is
mine!
[Aside.
Ter. Not for myself I fear; but oh! Flammi-
nius,

A lovely captive, 'tis for her I tremble;
For Ariana, for that sweet perfection;
She is her sex's boast!-her gentle bosom
Fraught with each excellence!-her form and fea-

ture

Touched by the hand of elegance; adorned
By every grace, and cast in beauty's mould!
Her, Pharasmanes means to ravish from me.
But thou convey her hence-'tis all I ask.

Rhad. By Heaven I will!-do thou, too, join
our flight;

Armenia shall be thine, and that sweet maid Reward thy goodness with connubial love, Adorn thy throne, and make a nation blessed!

Ter. Make Ariana happy! bear her hence, And save those bright unviolated charins From Pharasmanes' power! When wished-for peace

Settles a jarring world, Flamminius, then, Then will I seek thee. Wilt thou then resign her?

Rhad. Yes, then; as pure as the unsullied snow, That never felt a sunbeam; then I'll give her ́ Back to thy faithful love.

Ter. Thou generous Roman!

In gratitude I bow-she's here at hand;

A moment brings her to you, while at distance
I watch each avenue, each winding path,
That none intrude upon your privacy.
Rhad. At length I've seen my brother; know
how much

[Exit.

He differs from his father: he shall seek
The Roman tents; I'll there disclose myself;
There will embrace him with a brother's love.
Oh! how the tender transport heaves and swells,
Till, thus, the fond excess dissolves in tears!

Enter MEGISTUS, leading ZENOBIA.

Zen. Alas! my heart forebodes I know not what.

Meg. Dispel each doubt-this is your only refuge.

Zen. Thou generous Roman-if distress like

mine

If an unhappy captive may approach thee

tecting god,

Long lost, and long lamented, gives thee back,
Gives me to view thee, and to hear thy voice,
With joy to ecstacy, with tears to rapture?
Zen. This good old man-
'twas he preserved

me for you. Meg. Oh! day of charms! Oh! unexpected hour!

I have not lived in vain-these gushing eyes
Have seen their mutual transports!

Rhad. Generous friend!

Come to my heart-Zenobia's second father! Zen. Thou art indebted more than thou can'st pay him;

Indebted for our infant babe preserved,
The blossom of our joys! thou can'st not think
How much he looks, and moves, and talks like
thee.

Rhad. Oh! mighty gods! it is too much of

bliss,

you

Rhad. The music of that voice! such once she looked!

And if I had not plunged her in the stream,
I could persuade myself-

Zen. Those well known accents!
Those tender soft regards!-nay, mock me not!—
I could not hope to see thee! tell me, art thou
That once adored!-oh!

[Faints into Megistus' arms. Meg. Ah! her strength forsakes her— Support her, Heaven!-[Catches her in his arms. Rhad. Ye wonder-working gods! Is this illusion all? or does your goodness Indeed restore her?-if I do not dream, If this be true,-oh! let those angel eyes Open to life, to love, and Rhadamistus. VOL. I.

Wilt thou, Zenobia?

Zen. Will I gracious Heaven!
Thou source of all my comfort!
Meg. Ha! beware,

Beware my prince! but now with hasty step
I saw Tigranes circling yonder tent.

Rhad. The ambassador of Rome he seeks, on business

Of import high-I will prevent his speed-
And must I, then, so soon depart, Zenobia?
Zen. Hence, quickly hence! anon we'll meet
again-

Rhad. Yes, we will meet; the gods have given

Thou shalt not derogate from worth like thine,
But oh! beware, my friend, and steel thy heart
Against the sweet illapse of gentler passions.
To love her were such treachery! By Heaven!
It were a fraud of a more damned hue-
A fraud to sacred friendship! but my soul
Rejects the mean suspicion-thou art just,
And Ariana shall be mine again!

Rhad. If, when the tumult of the war is passed,

You then persist to claim her

Ter. Then persist!

When I do not persist-whene'er my heart
Forgets the fond idea-ha! take heed-
Your colour dies by fits, and now, again,
It flushes o'er your cheek-if beauty's power
Can waken soft desire-and sure such beauty
May warm the breast of stoic apathy-
If thou can'st love, resign the trust at once.
For Oh! to lose her, to behold those charms,
That all-perfection yielded to another,
Were the worst agony, the keenest stab
That ever pierced a lover to the soul.

The thought, the very thought inflames to madness!

Rhad. [Aside.] Not till the fever of his mind
subsides,

Must I reveal me-the disclosure, now,
Would to his phrenzy give a whirlwind's wing,
And bury all in ruin-let her, then,
Yes, Teribazus, let the blooming maid,
Still in this camp, a voluntary captive-
Since you will have it so-since weak mistrust
Can taint a noble spirit-let her here
Teach that rare beauty to display its charms,
Its various graces; bid those radiant eyes
Dart their quick glances to the tyrant's soul,
Inflame his hot desires, and half absolve them.
Ter. Madness and horror! no! haste, fly, be-
gone,

And give her hence safe conduct; I can trust
To Roman continence-your Scipio's praise

Shall be the theme of fame's eternal lip!

Rhad. Thou, too, attend her steps; watch all her ways;

When we have reached the Roman sanctuary,
Then shall such wonders to thy listening ear-
The web which fate has wove-beware my
friend-

Tigranes comes-what would'st thou, sir?
Enter TIGRANES.

Tig. The king

Grants you one parley more- -even now, this

To hold a private conferenceRhad. Rome's ambassador

Attends his pleasure.

[Exit Tigranes.

Ter. I must hence, Flamminius-
Farewell! yet, ere thou goest, I still must crave
Another interview-farewell! remember,
My love, my life, my all, depend on thee. [Erit.
Rhad. Ah! luckless prince! how lost in er-
ror's maze!

Blindly he wanders, and love's sweet delusion
Infuses its enchantment through his heart!
But when removed from Pharasmanes' power,
He learns my prior claim, his generous friend-
ship

Will bound with transport at a brother's joys,
And with a warmth of sympathy partake them.
But ha! My father! Grant me strength, ye

Rhad. How, Sir! can he

Does that unhappy prince

Phar. Thou false dissembler !— Yes, in thy heart the fatal secret's lodged! Rhad. Sir, if your son-if you will search his heart

Phar. From certain fugitives I have learned it all

In yonder camp, concealed from vulgar eyes,
To war against his father still he lives!
Why dost thou droop dejected? something lurks
Beneath that burning blush-

Rhad. That burning blush

Glows on my cheek for thee-I know your son, And know him unsusceptible of guilt.

Phar. Then, Roman, mark my words; would'st
thou prevent

The carnage fate prepares on yonder plains,
Go, tell Paulinus I will treat of terms

With him, who brings me Rhadamistus' head.
Rhad. Your own son's head!

Phar. Why dost thou gaze so earnest ?
Why those emotions struggling for a vent?

Where various misery sent forth its groans: Had'st thou beheld that scene, the touch of

nature

Had stirred within thee, and the virtuous drop Of pity gushed unbidden from thy eye.

Phar. Enervate slave! here ends all further parley.

Go tell your general, tell your Roman chiefs,
The father claims his son.-Have we not heard
How your own Brutus to the lictor's sword
Condemned his children? and would Rome dis-
pute

A king's paternal power? let them yield up
The treacherous boy, or, terrible in arms,
Shall Pharasmanes overwhelm their legions,
Mow down their cohorts, and their mangled
limbs

Give to the vulture's beak.
Rhad. And yet reflect-
Phar. Roman, no more.

Rhad. Unwilling, I withdraw;

A father's stern resolve the son shall mourn,
And with a pang of nature shall behold

in wonder,

I view the unnatural father, who would bathe

His hands in blood, in a son's blood-a son

[Exit. Phar. Away, and leave me, slave! to-morrow's

sun

Stalk o'er the land?

Phar. Yes! let destruction loose!

'Tis Pharasmanes' glory.

Rhad. Can the rage,

And the wild tumult of destructive havoc

Administer delight? alas! the day
That deluges the land with human blood,
Is that a day of glory?-

I, sir, have traversed o'er the field of death,
Where war had spent its rage. Had'st thou beheld
That scene of horror, where unnumbered wretches,
In mangled heaps, lay weltering in their gore;
Where the fond father, in the gasp of death,
Wept for his children; where the lover sighed
For her, whom never more his eyes should view;

The gentle hours to love and Ariana. What, ho! Tigranes!