Act 3 — SCENE III. Scythian Tents.

Enter Amintas, drest fine, with Urania.

Ura. Within this Shade till the black Day be past, I will attend thy Fortune, or thy Fate.

Amin. The King has taken Horse, the Fight’s begun, And I must leave thee to the Gods and Prayer.

Ura. Why was I made a Woman? or being so, Why had I not a masculine Courage given me? That side by side I might have shar’d thy Glory, Or have expir’d together?

Amin. Thou wilt undo me with this Tenderness. Come send me kindly from thee, With Joys about my Heart that may preserve it; Here rest till my Return; farewel, my Fair.

Ura. And if I never see thee more, farewel— [Amin. exit. Here I will lay me down, and never rise, Till thou return’st with Laurel, or with Cypress. [Sits down. Now I cou’d curse the Fortune of my Prince, Who quits a Father for an Enemy, To satisfy a Flame will ruin him. [A noise of Fighting. —The Fight increases; Oh ye Gods of Battel, In midst of all your Rage preserve my Love.

Enter Artabazes over the Stage, and goes out.

Art. My Nephew kill’d! and I dismounted too! oh curst Fate!

Ura. This Noise has comfort in’t, it sounds like Victory.

[A hollowing within amongst the noise of Fighting. Enter Amintas.

—Oh Gods! Amintas! what has Fortune done?

Amin. The undaunted Scythians never lost the Field; Yet now at first ‘twas doubtful To which side Fortune would incline her self Ismenes kill’d where’er he turn’d his Sword, And quite defeated our Agrippian Forces; Yet was not satisfy’d, knowing the King To be the Price of Cleomena’s Heart, But sought him out on all sides, Whom ‘twas not hard to find; For he was hurrying now from Rank to Rank, Distributing a Death to all Opposers. But young Ismenes having pierc’d the Squadrons, And knowing our great King by several Marks, Boldly cry’d out,—Defend the Life I claim. The King made no Reply, but at that Word Prepar’d himself to fight.

Ura. Thou kill’st me, till thou bring’st him off again.

Amin. Disorder’d thus—the Dacian took Advantage, And charg’d with so much Vigour—we gave Ground; When on that side the single Combat was, There appear’d a Body of two thousand Horse, Led by a Man, whose Looks brought Victory, And made the conquering Foe retire again: But when he did perceive the King engag’d, With unresisted Fury he made up, And rushing in between them, Gave the young Prince a blow upon his Head, That struck him from his Horse. After this Victory Thersander’s Name Did fly from Mouth to Mouth, Inspiring every Scythian with new Valour: He kill’d Philemon, and forc’d Artabazes To seek his Safety by his Horse’s Flight; —But here’s the King—retire into this Wood. [Ura. Ex.

Enter King, Thersander, Officers, and Soldiers.

King. Let me once more embrace my dear Thersander.

Amin. The Prince is wounded, Sir.

King. He is—but they look lovely on him.

Ther. They’re too slight Marks to give you of my Duty; Your Majesty has greater need of Care.

King. Thou art my best Physician, and thy sight Heals all the Wounds I have: come in with me, And let me lay thee to my panting Bosom, Thou great Preserver of my Crown and Life.

Ther. I’ll wait upon you, Sir, [Exeunt all but Ther. and Amin. Now let me take thee to my Arms, my Friend; For thou art half my self, my dear Amintas: I have strange News to tell thee since we parted, And need thy Counsel in an Affair of Love —Thou know’st my business to the Dacian Court Was to have set thee free; but oh, my Friend! In lieu of that I’ve made my self a Captive.

Amin. Your Story, Sir, I know, but heard withal, The Princess did repay your grateful Flame.

Ther. I thought she did, for so a while she seem’d; And when I thought my self the most secure, Being fortify’d with all her new-made Promises, My blooming Hopes were blasted e’er full-blown, And I receiv’d her Orders for my Banishment, Which I as soon obey’d: but by the way, I did conceive a thousand Revolutions, Sometimes to serve my Princess—then my Father; Sometimes ‘twas Nature got the upper hand, And then again ‘twas Love: in this Dispute I met the Levies of the Isadons, Who were the last of all our Cavalry, To whom I made me known, and came so luckily, As gain’d the yet-disputing Victory.

Amin. ‘Twas in an happy Moment.

Ther. Thus I comply’d with what I ow’d my Duty. But these of Love are still unsatisfy’d: Dare I, who could offend to that degree, As to deserve a Banishment from her, Approach her uninvited?

Amin. ‘Twas dangerous, Sir.

Ther. Then ‘twere the fitter for my Enterprise: —But her Displeasure—oh, my Cleomena! If, for the Punishment of my Disobedience, You’d only take away that Life you threaten, How willingly I wou’d resign it up, Rather than undergo this Separation!

Amin. You’ll certainly expose your Life by going: What other Reason could she have to banish you, But from her Knowledge that you were Thersander? And, Sir, you see her Passion for Clemanthis Cou’d not o’ercome her Hatred for her Enemy.

Ther. No, when I call to mind her cruel Words; If chusing me before so many Kings, I find ‘twas to the Stranger, not the Scythian, She killingly addrest ‘em; therefore I’ll venture on in my Design: —Give order that our Horses be made ready, Whilst I excuse our Absence to the King; our stay will not be long: Mean time it may be thought We’re gone to view the Camp; Interest and Love but rarely do agree, Yet I must reconcile ‘em both to me.

[Exeunt.