[Stabs at Dion, whose sword arm is still in bandage. Aristocles, watching, springs out and knocks the weapon aside. Heraclides engages with him. Callorus rushes at Dion, who has loosened his right arm, and his foe, meeting unexpected defence, is slain. As Callorus falls, �gisthus strikes at Dion and disarms him, sending his weapon against the curtains, left. Dion, unarmed and suffering, falls back. Aristocles presses before Dion, fighting desperately with Heraclides and �gisthus, Aratea appears at curtains]Ara.[Taking up Dion's weapon]O heart of Mars, beat here![She advances suddenly and draws upon �gisthus, who falls back in momentary astonishment, and Aristocles, relieved, slays Heraclides. Ocrastes and Calippus rush in rear, followed by guards and slaves. Theano and women, enter left. �gisthus kneels and surrenders his sword to Aratea]
[Stabs at Dion, whose sword arm is still in bandage. Aristocles, watching, springs out and knocks the weapon aside. Heraclides engages with him. Callorus rushes at Dion, who has loosened his right arm, and his foe, meeting unexpected defence, is slain. As Callorus falls, �gisthus strikes at Dion and disarms him, sending his weapon against the curtains, left. Dion, unarmed and suffering, falls back. Aristocles presses before Dion, fighting desperately with Heraclides and �gisthus, Aratea appears at curtains]Ara.[Taking up Dion's weapon]O heart of Mars, beat here![She advances suddenly and draws upon �gisthus, who falls back in momentary astonishment, and Aristocles, relieved, slays Heraclides. Ocrastes and Calippus rush in rear, followed by guards and slaves. Theano and women, enter left. �gisthus kneels and surrenders his sword to Aratea]
[Stabs at Dion, whose sword arm is still in bandage. Aristocles, watching, springs out and knocks the weapon aside. Heraclides engages with him. Callorus rushes at Dion, who has loosened his right arm, and his foe, meeting unexpected defence, is slain. As Callorus falls, �gisthus strikes at Dion and disarms him, sending his weapon against the curtains, left. Dion, unarmed and suffering, falls back. Aristocles presses before Dion, fighting desperately with Heraclides and �gisthus, Aratea appears at curtains]
Ara.[Taking up Dion's weapon]O heart of Mars, beat here!
[She advances suddenly and draws upon �gisthus, who falls back in momentary astonishment, and Aristocles, relieved, slays Heraclides. Ocrastes and Calippus rush in rear, followed by guards and slaves. Theano and women, enter left. �gisthus kneels and surrenders his sword to Aratea]
Cal.No mercy now![To guards]To prison with �gisthus![Guards lead off �gisthus]Oc.Dion! Safe?Dion.[Rising]My wife—and friend—can tell you.Ask of them.Oc.[Picking up bandage]My lord, your scarf.Dion.Let 't be, my son. Let 't be.I shall not need it any more.Oc.O joy,My lord!Cal.And joy for Heraclides' death!Aris.Poor man! His flattery so soon found friendsThat he himself was caught by it, and thoughtTo gain a crown by Dion's death. E'en whileThey talked—O ne'er was friendly speech so punctured—His sword was out and aimed at Dion's bosom.Oc.Your blade is purple, but it should be black,So vile his blood![Dion sinks to a seat]Cal.My lord!Oc.Your wound! He bleeds!O see! This stream is gushing as 'twould fillAn ocean. Help! A surgeon!Dion.Nay, too late.Olympus' power alone is potent here.There's not enough of life in me to wishFor life.Ara.O, Dion!Dion.Kneel here, my wife.[Aratea kneels at Dion's side]And you,Aristocles, come close to me.[Aristocles kneels on the other side of Dion]Two facesWhere more of heaven is writ than I have seenIn all the world beside. Ay, ye will pairLike twin divinities, and haply byThe sweet conjunction of your beauteous starsMake a new influence in the skies may drawThe world to heaven.... Ocrastes, son, on youNow falls the heavy weight of government.... Farewell, all hearts. My way is new and long,And strange may be the fortunes of my shade,But somewhere I shall lay me down in peace,For death's unmeasured sea must own a strand,And e'en eternity beat to a shore.[Dies.Curtain]
Cal.No mercy now![To guards]To prison with �gisthus![Guards lead off �gisthus]Oc.Dion! Safe?Dion.[Rising]My wife—and friend—can tell you.Ask of them.Oc.[Picking up bandage]My lord, your scarf.Dion.Let 't be, my son. Let 't be.I shall not need it any more.Oc.O joy,My lord!Cal.And joy for Heraclides' death!Aris.Poor man! His flattery so soon found friendsThat he himself was caught by it, and thoughtTo gain a crown by Dion's death. E'en whileThey talked—O ne'er was friendly speech so punctured—His sword was out and aimed at Dion's bosom.Oc.Your blade is purple, but it should be black,So vile his blood![Dion sinks to a seat]Cal.My lord!Oc.Your wound! He bleeds!O see! This stream is gushing as 'twould fillAn ocean. Help! A surgeon!Dion.Nay, too late.Olympus' power alone is potent here.There's not enough of life in me to wishFor life.Ara.O, Dion!Dion.Kneel here, my wife.[Aratea kneels at Dion's side]And you,Aristocles, come close to me.[Aristocles kneels on the other side of Dion]Two facesWhere more of heaven is writ than I have seenIn all the world beside. Ay, ye will pairLike twin divinities, and haply byThe sweet conjunction of your beauteous starsMake a new influence in the skies may drawThe world to heaven.... Ocrastes, son, on youNow falls the heavy weight of government.... Farewell, all hearts. My way is new and long,And strange may be the fortunes of my shade,But somewhere I shall lay me down in peace,For death's unmeasured sea must own a strand,And e'en eternity beat to a shore.[Dies.Curtain]
Cal.No mercy now![To guards]To prison with �gisthus![Guards lead off �gisthus]
Cal.No mercy now!
[To guards]To prison with �gisthus!
[Guards lead off �gisthus]
Oc.Dion! Safe?
Oc.Dion! Safe?
Dion.[Rising]My wife—and friend—can tell you.Ask of them.
Dion.[Rising]My wife—and friend—can tell you.
Ask of them.
Oc.[Picking up bandage]My lord, your scarf.
Oc.[Picking up bandage]My lord, your scarf.
Dion.Let 't be, my son. Let 't be.I shall not need it any more.
Dion.Let 't be, my son. Let 't be.
I shall not need it any more.
Oc.O joy,My lord!
Oc.O joy,
My lord!
Cal.And joy for Heraclides' death!
Cal.And joy for Heraclides' death!
Aris.Poor man! His flattery so soon found friendsThat he himself was caught by it, and thoughtTo gain a crown by Dion's death. E'en whileThey talked—O ne'er was friendly speech so punctured—His sword was out and aimed at Dion's bosom.
Aris.Poor man! His flattery so soon found friends
That he himself was caught by it, and thought
To gain a crown by Dion's death. E'en while
They talked—O ne'er was friendly speech so punctured—
His sword was out and aimed at Dion's bosom.
Oc.Your blade is purple, but it should be black,So vile his blood![Dion sinks to a seat]
Oc.Your blade is purple, but it should be black,
So vile his blood!
[Dion sinks to a seat]
Cal.My lord!
Cal.My lord!
Oc.Your wound! He bleeds!O see! This stream is gushing as 'twould fillAn ocean. Help! A surgeon!
Oc.Your wound! He bleeds!
O see! This stream is gushing as 'twould fill
An ocean. Help! A surgeon!
Dion.Nay, too late.Olympus' power alone is potent here.There's not enough of life in me to wishFor life.
Dion.Nay, too late.
Olympus' power alone is potent here.
There's not enough of life in me to wish
For life.
Ara.O, Dion!
Ara.O, Dion!
Dion.Kneel here, my wife.[Aratea kneels at Dion's side]And you,Aristocles, come close to me.[Aristocles kneels on the other side of Dion]Two facesWhere more of heaven is writ than I have seenIn all the world beside. Ay, ye will pairLike twin divinities, and haply byThe sweet conjunction of your beauteous starsMake a new influence in the skies may drawThe world to heaven.... Ocrastes, son, on youNow falls the heavy weight of government.... Farewell, all hearts. My way is new and long,And strange may be the fortunes of my shade,But somewhere I shall lay me down in peace,For death's unmeasured sea must own a strand,And e'en eternity beat to a shore.[Dies.Curtain]
Dion.Kneel here, my wife.
[Aratea kneels at Dion's side]
And you,
Aristocles, come close to me.
[Aristocles kneels on the other side of Dion]
Two faces
Where more of heaven is writ than I have seen
In all the world beside. Ay, ye will pair
Like twin divinities, and haply by
The sweet conjunction of your beauteous stars
Make a new influence in the skies may draw
The world to heaven.
... Ocrastes, son, on you
Now falls the heavy weight of government.
... Farewell, all hearts. My way is new and long,
And strange may be the fortunes of my shade,
But somewhere I shall lay me down in peace,
For death's unmeasured sea must own a strand,
And e'en eternity beat to a shore.
[Dies.Curtain]
Transcriber notes:Fixed up various punctuation.P.40. '...fit to reach y weak'; changed 'y' to 'my'.
Transcriber notes:
Fixed up various punctuation.
P.40. '...fit to reach y weak'; changed 'y' to 'my'.