The bravest soldier, he who sav'd thy life,
Fighting bareheaded at the river Granick,
And now he has a noble recompense;.
For a rash word, spoke in the heat of wine,
The poor, the honest Clytus thou hast slain,
Clytus, thy friend, thy guardian, thy preserver !
Heph. Remove the body, it inflames his sorrow.
Alex. None dare to touch him: we must never part.
Cruel Hephestion and Lysimachus,

That had the pow'r, yet would not hold me. Oh d
Lys. Dear sir, we did.

Alex. I know ye did; yet held me

Like a wild beast, to let me go again

With greater violence. Oh, ye have undone me!
Excuse it not; you that could stop a lion

Could not turn me! ye should have drawn your swords,
And barr'd my rage with their advancing points,
Made reason glitter in my dazzled eves

Till I had seen the precipice before me:

That had been noble, that had shown the friend;
Clytus would so have done to save your lives.

Lys. When men shall hear how highly you were urg'd

Alex. No; you have let me stain my rising glory, Which else had ended brighter than the sun., Oh! I am all a blot, which seas of tears And my heart's blood can never wash away! Yet 't is but just I try, and on the point Still reeking hurl my black polluted breast. Heph. Oh, sacred sir !—it shall not-must not be.

Lys. Forgive, dread sir!-forgive my pious hands, That dare in duty to disarm my master.

Alex. Yes, cruel men! ye now can show your strength:

Here's not a slave but dares oppose my justice,
Yet none had courage to prevent this murder:
But I will render all endeavours vain

That tend to save my life-here will I lie,

[Falls on Clytus. Close to my murder'd soldier's bleeding side; Thus clasping his cold body in my arms

'Till death like his has clos'd my eyes for ever.

Enter PERDICCAS.

Per. Treason foul treason! Hephestion, where 's the king?

Heph. There, by old Clytus' side, whom he hath slain.

Per. Rise, sacred sir! and haste to save the queen.

Roxana filled with furious jealousy,

Came with a guard unmark'd; she gain'd the bow'r, And broke upon me with such sudden fury

That all have perish'd who oppos'd her rage.

Alex. What says Perdiccas? is the queen in danger? Per. Haste, sir, or she dies.

Alex. Thus from the grave I rise to save my love: All draw your swords, on wings of lightning move, Young Ammon leads you, and the cause is love. When I rush on sure none will dare to stay; 'Tis beauty calls, and glory leads the way.

[Exeunt.

ACT V. SCENE 1.

The Bower of Semiramis.-STATIRA discovered.

Statira.

Aled?

BLESS me, ye pow'rs above, and guard my virtue !
Where are you fled, dear shades? where are you
'Twas but a dream, and yet I saw and heard
My royal parents, who, while pious care
Sat on their faded cheeks, pronounc'd with tears,
Tears such as angels weep, this hour my last.
But hence with fear—my Alexander comes,
And fear and danger ever fled from him.
Wou'd that he were here!

For oh, I tremble, and a thousand terrors
Rush in upon me and alarm my heart!
But hark! 't is he, and all my fears are fled

My life, my joy, my Alexander, comes!

Rox. [Within.] Make fast the gate with all its massy bars:

At length we 'ave conquered this stupendous height, And reach'd the grove.

Stat. Ye guardian gods defend me !

Roxana's voice! then all the vision 's true,

And die I must.

Enter ROXANA.

Rox. Secure the brazen gate.

Where is my rival 't is Roxana calls.

Stat. And what is she who with such tow'ring pride Would awe a princess that is born above her?

Rox. Behold this dagger!-'t is thy fate Statira!
Behold, and meet it as becomes a queen.
Fain would I find thee worthy of my vengeance;
Here, take my weapon then, and if thou dar'st-
Stat. How little know'st thou what Statira dares !
Yes, cruel woman! yes, I dare meet death
With a resolve at which thy coward heart
Would shrink; for terror haunts the guilty mind;
While conscious innocence, that knows no fear,
Can smiling pass, and scorn thy idle threats.

Rox. Return, fair insolent! return, I say:
Dar'st thou, presumptuous, to invade my rights!
Restore him quickly to my longing arms,
And with him give me back his broken vows,
For perjur'd as he is, he still is mine,
Or I will rend them from thy bleeding heart.
Stat. Alas, Roxana ! 't is not in my pow'r,
I cannot if I would—and oh, ye gods!
What were the world to Alexander's loss!
Rox. Oh, sorceress ! to thy accursed charms
I owe the frenzy that distracts my soul;
To them I owe my Alexander's loss:

Too late thou tremblest at my just revenge,
My wrongs cry out, and vengeance will have way.
Stat. Yet think, Roxana, ere you plunge in murder,
Think on the horrors that must ever haunt you ;
Think on the furies, those avenging ministers

Of Heaven's high wrath, how they will tear your soul,

All day distract you with a thousand fears;
And when by night thou vainly seek'st repose
They'll gather round and interrupt your slumbers
With horrid dreams and terrifying visions.

Rox. Add still, if possible, superior horrors. Rather than leave my great revenge unfinish'd I'll dare 'em all, and triumph in the deed; Therefore[Holds up the dagger. Stat. Hold hold, thy hand advanc'd in air: I read my sentence written in thine eyes; Yet oh Roxana! on thy black revenge One kindly ray of female pity beain; And give me death in Alexander's presence.

Rox. Not for the world's wide empire should'st thou see him.

Fool! but for him thou might'st unheeded live;

For his sake only art thou doom'd to die.
The sole remaining joy that glads my soul
Is to deprive thee of the heart I 'ave lost.

Enter Slave.

Slave. Madam, the king and all his guards are come, With frantick rage they thunder at the gate,

And must ere this have gain'd admittance.

Rox. Hal

Too long l'ave trified. Let me then redeem

The time mispent, and make great vengeance sure.
Stat. Is Alexander, oh ye gods! so nigh,
And can he not preserve me from her fury?