Selected Poems (124 page)

ARBACES
: He loved that gay pavilion, – it was ever

125

His summer dotage.

BELESES
: And he loved his queen –

And thrice a thousand harlotry besides –

And he has loved all things by turns, except

Wisdom and glory.

ARBACES
: Still – I like it not.

If he has changed – why, so must we: the attack

130

Were easy in the isolated bower,

Beset with drowsy guards and drunken courtiers;

But in the hall of Nimrod —

BELESES
:Is it so?

Methought the haughty soldier fear’d to mount

A throne too easily – does it disappoint thee

135

To find there is a slipperier step or two

Than what was counted on?

ARBACES
:When the hour comes

Thou shalt perceive how far I fear or no.

Thou hast seen my life at stake – and gaily play’d for:

But here is more upon the die — a kingdom.

140

BELESES
: I have foretold already – thou wilt win it:

Then on, and prosper.

ARBACES
:Now were I a soothsayer,

I would have boded so much to myself.

But be the stars obey’d – I cannot quarrel

With them, nor their interpreter. Who’s here?

[
Enter
SALEMENES
.]

145

SALEMENES
: Satraps!

BELESES
:My prince!

SALEMENES
: Well met – I sought ye both,

But elsewhere than the palace.

ARBACES
:Wherefore so?

SALEMENES
: ’Tis not the hour.

ARBACES
: The hour! – what hour?

SALEMENES
:Of midnight.

BELESES
: Midnight, my lord!

SALEMENES
:What, are you not invited?

BELESES
: Oh! yes – we had forgotten.

SALEMENES
:Is it usual

150

Thus to forget a sovereign’s invitation?

ARBACES
: Why – we but now received it.

SALEMENES
:Then why here?

ARBACES
: On duty.

SALEMENES
:On what duty?

BELESES
:On the state’s.

We have the privilege to approach the presence;

But found the monarch absent.

SALEMENES
:And I too

155

Am upon duty.

ARBACES:May we crave its purport?

SALEMENES: To arrest two traitors. Guards! Within there!

[
Enter Guards
.]

SALEMENES
[
continuing
]:Satraps,

Your swords.

BELESES
[
delivering his
]: My lord, behold my scimitar.

ARBACES
[
drawing his sword
]: Take mine.

SALEMENES
[
advancing
]:I will.

ARBACES
: But in your heart the blade –

The hilt quits not this hand.

SALEMENES
[
drawing
]:How! dost thou brave me?

160

’Tis well – this saves a trial, and false mercy.

Soldiers, hew down the rebel!

ARBACES
: Soldiers! Ay –

Alone you
dare not.

SALEMENES
: Alone! foolish slave –

What is there in thee that a prince should shrink from

Of open force? We dread thy treason, not

165

Thy strength: thy tooth is nought without its venom –

The serpent’s, not the lion’s. Cut him down

BELESES
: [
interposing
]: Arbaces! Are you mad? Have I not render’d

My
sword? Then trust like me our sovereign’s justice.

ARBACES
: No – I will sooner trust the stars thou prat’st of,

170

And this slight arm, and die a king at least

Of my own breath and body – so far that

None else shall chain them.

SALEMENES
[
to the Guards
]: You hear
him
and
me.

Take him not, – kill.

[
The Guards attack
ARBACES
,
who defends himself valiantly and dexterously till they waver
.]

SALEMENES
:Is it even so; and must

I do the hangman’s office? Recreants! see

175

How you should fell a traitor.

[
SALEMENES
attacks
ARBACES
.]

[
Enter
SARDANAPALUS
and Train
.]

SARDANAPALUS
:Hold your hands -

Upon your lives, I say. What, deaf or drunken?

My sword! O fool, I wear no sword: here, fellow,

[
To a Guard
:]

Give me thy weapon.

[
SARDANAPALUS
snatches a sword from one of the soldiers, and rushes between the combatants — they separate
.]

SARDANAPALUS
:In my very palace!

What hinders me from cleaving you in twain,

180

Audacious brawlers?

BELESES
:Sire, your justice.

SALEMENES
: Or –

Your weakness.

SARDANAPALUS
[
raising the sword
]: How?

SALEMENES: Strike! so the blow’s repeated

Upon yon traitor – whom you spare a moment,

I trust, for torture – I’m content.

SARDANAPALUS
:What – him!

Who dares assail Arbaces?

SALEMENES
:I!

SARDANAPALUS
:Indeed!

185

Prince, you forget yourself. Upon what warrant?

SALEMENES
[
showing the signet
]: Thine.

ARBACES
[
confused
]:The king’s!

SALEMENES
:Yes! and let the king confirm it.

SARDANAPALUS
: I parted not from this for such a purpose.

SALEMENES
: You parted with it for your safety – I

Employ’d it for the best. Pronounce in person.

190

Here I am but your slave – a moment past

I was your representative.

SARDANAPALUS
:Then sheathe

Your swords.

[
ARBACES
and
SALEMENES
return their swords to the scabbards.
]

SALEMENES
: Mine’s sheathed: I pray you sheathe
not
yours:

’Tis the sole sceptre left you now with safety.

SARDANAPALUS
: A heavy one; the hilt, too, hurts my hand.

[
To a Guard:
]

195

Here, fellow, take thy weapon back. Well, sirs,

What doth this mean?

BELESES
:The prince must answer that.

SALEMENES
: Truth upon my part, treason upon theirs.

SARDANAPALUS
: Treason – Arbaces! treachery and Beleses!

That were an union I will not believe.

200

BELESES
: Where is the proof?

SALEMENES
:I’ll answer that, if once

The king demands your fellow-traitor’s sword.

ARABACES
[
to
SALEMENES
]: A sword which hath been drawn as oft as thine

Against his foes.

SALEMENES
:And now against his brother,

And in an hour or so against himself.

205

SARDANAPALUS
: That is not possible: he dared not; no —

No – I’ll not hear of such things. These vain bickerings

Are spawn’d in courts by base intrigues, and baser

Hirelings, who live by lies on good men’s lives.

You must have been deceived, my brother.

SALEMENES
:First

210

Let him deliver up his weapon, and

Proclaim himself your subject by that duty,

And I will answer all.

SARDANAPALUS
:Why, if I thought so —

But no, it cannot be: the Mede Arbaces –

The trusty, rough, true soldier – the best captain

215

Of all who discipline our nations — No,

I’ll not insult him thus, to bid him render

The scimitar to me he never yielded

Unto our enemies. Chief, keep your weapon.

SALEMENES
[
delivering back the signet
]: Monarch, take back your signet.

SARDANAPALUS
: No, retain it;