e king has offered you,
I should refuse, did I not value more
Your person than your crown.

_Leon._ Think it not pride,
Or my new fortunes swell me to contemn you;
Think less, that I want eyes to see your beauty;
And, least of all, think duty wanting in me
To obey a father's will: But--

_Poly._ But what, Leonidas?
For I must know your reason; and be sure
It be convincing too.

_Leon._ Sir, ask the stars,
Which have imposed love on us, like a fate,
Why minds are bent to one, and fly another?
Ask, why all beauties cannot move all hearts?
For though there may
Be made a rule for colour, or for feature,
There can be none for liking.

_Poly._ Leonidas, you owe me more
Than to oppose your liking to my pleasure.

_Leon._ I owe you all things, sir; but something, too,
I owe myself.

_Poly._ You shall dispute no more; I am a king,
And I will be obeyed.

_Leon._ You are a king, sir, but you are no god;
Or, if you were, you could not force my will.

_Poly._ [_Aside._] But you are just, ye gods; O you are just,
In punishing the crimes of my rebellion
With a rebellious son!
Yet I can punish him, as you do me.--
Leonidas, there is no jesting with
My will: I ne'er had done so much to gain
A crown, but to be absolute in all things.

_Amal._ O, sir, be not so much a king, as to
Forget you are a father: Soft indulgence
Becomes that name. Tho' nature gives you power
To bind his duty, 'tis with silken bonds:
Command him, then, as you command yourself;
He is as much a part of you, as are
Your appetite and will, and those you force not,
But gently bend, and make them pliant to your reason.

_Poly._ It may be I have used too rough a way.--
Forgive me, my Leonidas; I know
I lie as open to the gusts of passion,
As the bare shore to every, beating surge:
I will not force thee now; but I entreat thee,
Absolve a father's vow to this fair virgin;
A vow, which hopes of having such a son
First caused.

_Leon._ Show not my disobedience by your prayers;
For I must still deny you, though I now
Appear more guilty to myself than you:
I have some reasons, which I cannot utter,
That force my disobedience; yet I mourn
To death, that the first thing, you e'er enjoined me,
Should be that only one command in nature,
Which I could not obey.

_Poly._ I did descend too much below myself,
When I entreated him.--Hence, to thy desart!
Thou'rt not my son, or art not fit to be.

_Amal._ Great sir, I humbly beg you, make not me