FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   250   251   252   253   254   255   256   257   258   259   260   261   262   263   264   265   266   267   268   269   270   271   272   273   274  
>>  
oise Of clashing swords, and clattering arms below. _Enter_ FLAVIA. Now; what news, that you press in so rudely? _Fla_. Madam, the worst that can be:-- Your guards upon the sudden are surprised, Disarmed; some slain; all scattered. _Queen_. By whom? _Fla_. Prince Lysimantes, and Lord Philocles. _Queen_. It cannot be; Philocles is a prisoner. _Fla_. What my eyes saw,-- _Queen_. Pull them out; they are false spectacles. _Ast_. O, virtue! impotent and blind as fortune! Who would be good, or pious, if this queen, Thy great example, suffers! _Queen_. Peace, Asteria! accuse not virtue; She has but given me a great occasion Of showing what I am, when fortune leaves me. _Ast_. Philocles to do this! _Queen_. Ay, Philocles!--I must confess 'twas hard!-- But there's a fate in kindness, Still to be least returned, where most 'tis given.-- Where's Candiope? _Fla_. Philocles was whispering to her. _Queen_. Hence, screech-owl!--Call my guards quickly there!-- Put them apart in several prisons!-- Alas! I had forgot, I have no guards, But those which are my jailors. Never 'till now unhappy queen! The use of power, till lost, is seldom known; Now, I should strike, I find my thunder gone. [_Exeunt Queen and_ FLAV. PHILOCLES _enters, and meets_ ASTERIA _going out_. _Phil_. Asteria, where's the queen? _Ast_. Ah, my lord! what have you done? I came to seek you. _Phil_. Is it from her you come? _Ast_. No; but on her behalf:--Her heart's too great, In this low ebb of fortune, to entreat. _Phil_. Tis but a short eclipse, Which past, a glorious day will soon ensue.-- But I would ask a favour too from you. _Ast_. When conquerors petition, they command: Those, that can captive queens, who can withstand? _Phil_. She, with her happiness, might mine create; Yet seems indulgent to her own ill fate: But she in secret hates me, sure; for why, If not, should she Candiope deny? _Ast_. If you dare trust my knowledge of her mind, She has no thoughts of you that are unkind. _Phil_. I could my sorrows with some patience bear, Did they proceed from any one but her: But from the queen! whose person I adore, By duty much, by inclination more. _Ast_. He is inclined already; did he know, That she loved him, how would his passion grow! [_Aside_. _Phil_. That her fair hand with destiny combines! Fate ne'er strikes deep, but when unkindness joins: For, to confess the secret of my mind, Somethin
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   250   251   252   253   254   255   256   257   258   259   260   261   262   263   264   265   266   267   268   269   270   271   272   273   274  
>>  



Top keywords:

Philocles

 

fortune

 
guards
 

virtue

 

Asteria

 
Candiope
 

confess

 

secret

 

create

 

entreat


behalf

 

happiness

 
conquerors
 

petition

 
command
 
indulgent
 
favour
 

glorious

 

eclipse

 

withstand


captive

 

queens

 
passion
 

inclined

 

unkindness

 

Somethin

 
strikes
 

destiny

 

combines

 

inclination


knowledge

 

thoughts

 

unkind

 

sorrows

 

patience

 

person

 

proceed

 
spectacles
 

impotent

 

prisoner


suffers

 

accuse

 
occasion
 
showing
 

Lysimantes

 

FLAVIA

 

clashing

 
swords
 

clattering

 

rudely