Act I
Reading edition
Characters: King, Wise Man, Chief Adviser, Queen, Maids, and Soldiers.
King: Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we. Come, let us do wisely with them lest they rise up and make war against us.
Chief Adviser: What more can we do than we have already done? We have made their lives bitter with hard service, and we have made them carry our brick and mortar and work in our fields.
Wise Man: O King Pharaoh, I beg thee to let me speak.
King: Speak, Wise Man.
Wise Man: O King, I pray thee to be kind to these people. When these Hebrews first came down from the land of Canaan, a young man named Joseph saved our land from great famine. These Israelites are his children's children and we should treat them kindly.
King: Treat them kindly! We have been kind to them long enough; we must destroy them. I will command that every Hebrew boy baby be killed!
[Exeunt King and courtiers followed by soldiers.]
Princess: O most gracious father, have mercy upon them.