Cambyses, King of Persia a tragedy ...
Settle, Elkanah, 1648-1724.
Scena Prima.
Scene, a Pavilion Royal.
The Curtain drawn, is represented Cambyses seated on a Throne; attended by
Otanes, Darius, Artaban, Prexaspes, Guards, Slaves, and Attendants;
with the Princess Mandana, and Ladies.
Cambyses descends from the Throne.
Camb.
THe trembling World has shook at my Alarms;
Asia and Africa have felt my Arms.
My glorious Conquests too did farther flye;
I taught th' Egyptian god Mortality:
By me great Apis fell; and now you see
They are compell'd to change their gods for me.
I have done deeds, where Heaven's high pow'r was foyl'd,
Piercing those Rocks where Thunder has been toyl'd.
Now, like our Sun, when there remains no more,
Thither return whence we set out before.
Otan.
Returning thus, Great Sir, you have out-done
All other glories, which your Arms have won.
Page 2Inferiour Conquerours their Triumphs get
When they advance, but you, when you retreat.
Dar.
All Worthies now must yield to you alone,
And disappear, as Stars before the Sun.
Thus Cyrus, who all Asia did defeat,
Because so near you, does not seem so great.
Prex.
Cambyses, no: Your Honour there must yield:
Your Father Cyrus's fame has yours excell'd.
Since in one Act he did all yours out-do,
In leaving such a glorious Son as you.
Camb.
Though th' utmost bounds of Earths large frame's my right,
Where e're the Tributary Sun pays light;
Though the whole World has my great Triumph bin,
Yet still I have a Conquest left to win;
Mandana's heart—Mandana, cease to mourn;
Your tears do those fair eyes but ill adorn.
Mand.
These eyes, thus deckt in tears, become her fate
That wears e'm.
Camb.
No; you must your griefs abate.
Tears have, like Tides, their Ebbs: And each kind flow'r,
After a sullen Cloud, and stormy show'r,
Looks fresh, and smiles at the next Sun.
Mand.
—That Sun
Will never see my Father in his Throne;
That Sun that saw you Triumph in his blood,
That saw you (who on Aegypt's ruines stood)
Deface our Temples, and their Pow'rs defie,
That lent me Chains, and gave you Victory.
As if you to such want of Foes were driv'n,
When th' Earth you'd Conquer'd, to wage War with Heav'n.
Camb.
Their pow'rs that made my greatness so sublime,
Have made my Glory and success my Crime.
Forgive me that my Conquest was my fault,
And what th' Impartial chance of War hath wrought.
Forget his Death, and I'le your fare retrive,
Your King and Father both in me shall live.
Mand.
You vainly your untimely favours place;
Thus treacherous Serpents wound those they embrace.
A sudden trembling shoots through all my veins,
And in my breast his murder'd Image Reigns.
Page 3Such horror does my haunted soul affright,
That I must flye his cruel Murd'rers sight,
You, by instinct, who did his death design,
Assaulting of his blood, laid siege to mine,
[Exit Mand. and Ladies▪
Camb.
Ye subtle Pow'rs, that humane passions rule,
That take your private walks within my soul;
Whence is your Title, that this pow'r you have
Thus to degrade a Monarch to a Slave?
And yet such charms from those bright Circles flow,
That I must thank her eyes that made me so.
Prex.
A sudden sound of Trumpets strikes my ear
[Trumpets heard from within.
Artab.
It seems the Voyce of some new Triumph near.
Camb.
Some Herauld, or Embassador, or some
Poor petty Prince, that does a supplyant come
To beg his Crown. Darius, straight inquire
From whence they come; and what 'tis they desire.
Give e'm such Entertainment as may shew
Cambyses is their King, and Conquerour too.
[Exit Dar.
What shouts are these? Ha! louder yet! Go forth,
[Shouts from within.
And tell e'm that I will allay their mirth.
[Exit Otanes.
Is't my good nature makes the slaves grow proud,
To dare to be thus Insolent, and loud?
Loud, and ungovern'd mirth, rash Acts performs,
Kind gales, grown turbulent, and high, are Storms.
Enter Darius, in haste.
Dar.
A Cloud of People does your Camp surround;
And their Triumphant cryes eccho this sound,
Long live King Smerdis.
Camb.
Ha! What's this I hear?
Prex.
What may provoke your Sword, but not your fear.
Enter Otanes, in haste.
Otan.
The Tumult's loud: Their guilty Joyes do shew
They pay to Smerdis what to you they owe.
Page 4
Camb.
Does Smerdis then Usurp my Throne? My Lords,
We shall not want new Subjects for our Swords:
Though the rash Boy's ambition does not know
What dangerous height his pride has rais'd him to
Yet I will make him know from whence he falls:
Advance my Standard then to Susa's Walls:
And the next Morning our bright Sun shall rise,
Ador'd with blood, and Humane sacrifice.
[Exeunt Omnes,
[praeter Camb, and Prex.
Does Smerdis live still, a reproach to be,
Both to my power, and thy fidelity?
Subjects the breath of Monarchs should attend,
Obeying that on which their lives depend.
The wills of Princes, who then dares dispute,
Whose Precepts, as their Crowns, are absolute?
Prex.
It Smerdis, Sir, does any Scepter sway,
Neptune has lent him that which rules the Sea;
For there he lyes secure: there, where each Wave
May proudly pass Triumphant o're his Grave.
Camb.
How then, Sir, are the dead so pow'rful grown,
To make a Resurrection to my Throne?
Prex.
You know I'm Loyal, and may trust he's dead.
Camb.
Thou lyest, Slave; one word more forfeits your Head,
How dare you tell me that he's dead, when I
Think it kind fortunes greatest courtesie,
That he still lives; and lives to wear my Crown?
For since the Conquer'd World's already won,
Thanks, ye kind Fates, that raise new Foes, t' afford
Fresh subjects still for my Victorious sword.
Though Smerdis live t' out-brave his Kings command,
'Tis but to fall by a more noble hand.
And that which does my willing sword invite,
I now shall Conquer in Mandana's sight.
I'le Court her with the glory of my Arms:
Conquest and War, like Beauty, have their Charms.
[Ex.
Prex.
How, not believ'd! Have I so oft, for this,
Obey'd his rage, and bloody Cruelties?
When Rapes and Murders were but common sin;
Such heats of blood have but my pastime bin.
Page 5And, in requital, I'm thus far arriv'd,
I find a Tyrants Favourite's short-liv'd.
My Death he threatens; Since he does distrust
My faith and Loyalty, it were but j••t,
That he should find me false who thinks me so:
Nor am I bred so tame, or born so low,
To be out-brav'd by Kings.
Enter a Messenger, who delivers a Letter to Prex.
Mess.
From Smerdis, Sir, and trust
To find him grateful, as he finds you just.
Prex.
Happy occasion. Now I may pursue
[Aside.
Both my Revenge, and my Ambition too.
[Opens the Letter.
Go tell your King, I must not stop my ears,
When Monarchs thus are my Petitioners.
[Exit Mess▪
Assist him!—
[Pausing upon the Letter.
True. Statesmen should not regard
The Justice of the Act, but the reward.
The Median Crown!—His promises are large,
And interest will greater faults discharge.
Now I will find fresh subjects for fame's wings,
To tell the World I rule the fate of Kings.
Though I can't boast of Crowns, my glory is,
That Empires by my power do fall, and rise,
Perhaps the Frantick zeal oth' World may say,
I injure Heaven, when I my King betray.
Let Fools be just, court Shrines have homage paid
To Images, those gods in Masquerade.
Religion, Loyalty, and th' aery scrowl
Of gods, are strangers to a Scythians soul.
[Exit.
