Alex. Sound, sound, that all the universe may hear. [A loud Flourish of Trumpets. Oh, for the voice of Jove! the world should know The kindness of my people-Rise! oh, rise! My hands, my arms, my heart, are ever yours.

Clyt. I did not kiss the earth, nor must your hand

I am unworthy, sir.

Alex. I know thou art:

Thou enviest the great honour of thy master.
Sit, all my friends. Now let us talk of war,
The noblest subject for a soldier's mouth,
And speak, speak freely, else you love me not.
Who, think you, was the greatest general
That ever led an army to the field?

Heph. A chief so great, so fortunately brave,
And justly so renown'd, as Alexander,

The radiant sun, since first his beams gave light,
Never yet saw.

Lys. Such was not Cyrus, or the famed Alcides,
Nor great Achilles, whose tempestuous sword
Laid Troy in ashes, though the warring gods
Opposed him.

Alex. Oh, you flatter me! you flatter me ! Clyt. They do indeed, and yet you love them far't,

But hate old Clytus for his hardy virtue.

Come, shall I speak a man with equal bravery,
A better general, and experter soldier ?

Alex. Instruct me, sir: I should be glad to learn.
Clyt. Your father Philip-I have seen him march,
And fought beneath his dreadful banner, where
The boldest at this table would have trembled.
Nay, frown not, sir, you cannot look me dead.
When Greeks join'd Greeks then was the tug of

war!

The labour'd battle sweat, and conquest bled.
Why should I fear to speak a bolder truth

Than e'er the lying priests of Ammon told you?
Philip fought men-but Alexander women.

Alex. Proud spite, and burning envy, by the gods! Is then my glory come to this at last,

To conquer women! Nay, he said the stoutest,
The stoutest here would tremble at his dangers!
In all the sickness, all the wounds, I bore,
When from my reins the javelin's head was cut,
Lysimachus, Hephestion, speak Perdiccas,
Did I once tremble? Oh, the cursed falsehood!
Did I once shake or groan, or act beneath
The dauntless resolution of a king?
Lys. Wine has transported him.
Alex. No, 'tis mere malice.

I was a woman too at Oxydrace,

When, planting on the walls a scaling ladder,
I mounted, spite of showers of stones, bars, arrows,
And all the lumber which they thundered down.
When you beneath cried out, and spread your arms,
That I should leap among you did I so?

Lys. Dread sir, the old man knows not what he says.

Alex. Was I woman, when, like Mercury,

I leaped the walls, and flew amidst the foe.
And, like a baited lion, dyed myself

All over in the blood of those bold hunters;
Till, spent with toil I battled on my knees,
Plucked forth the darts that made my shield a
forest,

And hurl'd them back with most unconquer'd fury,
Then shining in my arms I sunn'd the field,
Moved, spoke, and fought, and was myself a war.
Clyt. 'Twas all bravado; for, before you leap'd,

You saw that I had burst the gates asunder.

Alex. Oh, that thou wert but young again and vigorous,

That I might strike thee prostrate to the earth,
For this audacious lie, thou feeble dotard!

Clyt. I know the reason why you use me thus: I sav'd you from the sword of bold Rhesaces, Else had your godship slumber'd in the dust, And most ungratefully you hate me for it.

Alex. Hence from the banquet: thus far I forgive thee.

Clyt. First try (for none can want forgiveness more)

To have your own bold blasphemies forgiven,
The shameful riots of a vicious life,

Philotas' murder

Alex. Ha! what said the traitor?

Heph. Clytus, withdraw; Eumenes, force him hence:

Clyt. No, let him send me, if I must be gone,
To Philip, Atalaus, Calisthenes,

To great Parmenio, and his slaughtered sons.
Alex. Give me a javelin !

Heph. Hold, mighty, sir!

Alex. Sirrah! off,

Lest I at once strike through his heart and thine.
Begone to Philip, Atalaus, Calisthenes-

[Stabs him.

And let bold subjects learn by thy example

Not to provoke the patience of their prince.

Clyt. The rage of wine is drowned in gushing blood.

Oh, Alexander! I have been to blame :

Hate me not after death; for I repent

That I so far have urged your noble nature.

Alex. What's this I hear! Say on, my dying soldier.

Clyt. I should have killed myself had I but lived To be once sober-Now I fall with honour; My own hands would have brought foul death. Oh,

pardon !

[Dies. Alex. Then I am lost: what has my vengeance

done!

E

Who is it thou hast slain? Clytus! What was he ?
The faithfullest subject, worthiest counsellor,
The bravest soldier! He, who sav'd thy life,
Fighting bareheaded at the river Granic,
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.
Aler. None dare to touch him: we must never

part.

Cruel Hephestion and Lysimachus,

That had the power, yet would not hold me! Oh! 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 barred my rage with their advancing points,
Made reason glitter in my dazzled eyes,

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 urged

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 'tis 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 murdered soldier's bleeding side; Thus clasping his cold body in my arms, Till death like his has closed my eyes for ever!

Enter PERDICCAS.

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

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

Per. Rise, sacred sir: and haste to save the

queen.

hoxana, filled with furious jealousy,

Came with a guard unmarked; she gain'd the bower,

And broke upon me with such sudden fury
That all have perished who oppos'd her rage.

Alex. What says Perdiccas? is the queen in danger?

Per. Haste, sir, to your Statira, or she dies.

Alex. Thus from the grave I rise to save her life: 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.