THE INDIAN QUEEN.
1 ACT I. SCENE I.
2
3 Enter Inca [Emperor of Peru] , ORAZIA [Beautiful and
4 Virtuous Daughter of the Emperor of Peru],
5 MONTEZUMA [General of the Armies of the Emperor
6 of Peru], ACACIS [Prince of Mexico,
7 now the Captive of Montezuma], with Peruvians.
8
9 Inca. Thrice have the Mexicans before us fled,
10 Their armies broke, their prince in triumph led;
11 Both to thy valour, brave young man, we owe;
12 Ask thy reward, but such as it may show
13 It is a king thou hast obliged, whose mind
14 Is large, and, like his fortune, unconfined.
15
16 Mont. Young, and a stranger, to your court I came,
17 There, by your favour, raised to what I am:
18 I conquer, but in right of your great fate,
19 And so your arms, not mine, are fortunate.
20
21 Inca. I am impatient, till this debt be paid.
22 Which still encreases on me while delayed;
23 A bounteous monarch to himself is kind:
24 Ask such a gift as may for ever bind
25 Thy service to my empire, and to me.
26
27 Mont. [Aside.]
28 What can this gift, he bids me ask him, be!
29
our mutual fires: i.e., the mutual love between myself and Orazia.
Perhaps he has perceived our mutual fires,30 And now, with ours, would crown his own desires;
31 'Tis so, he sees my service is above
32 All other payments but his daughter's love.
33
34 Inca. So quick to merit, and to take so slow?
35
I first prevent small wishes: i.e., I anticipate that you will ask for a small reward, and will prevent you from doing that [by giving you a huge reward and asking what you would ask of even greater worth].
I first prevent small wishes, and bestow36
37 [Indicating the Prisoner, ACACIS.]
38
39 This prince, his sword and fortunes, to thy hand;
40 He's thine unasked; now make thy free demand.
41
42 Mont. Here, prince, receive this sword, as only due
43
44 [Gives ACACIS his sword.]
45
46 To that excess of courage shown in you.—
47
48 [Speaking to Inca.]
49
50 When you, without demand, a prince bestow,
51 Less than a prince to ask of you were low.
52
53 Inca. Then ask a kingdom; say, where thou wilt reign.
54
55 Mont. I beg not empires, those my sword can gain;
56 But, for my past and future service too,
57 What I have done, and what I mean to do;
58 For this of Mexico which I have won,
59 And kingdoms I will conquer yet unknown;
60 I only ask from fair Orazia's eyes
61 To reap the fruits of all my victories.
62
63 1 Peru. Our Inca's colour mounts into his face.
64
65 2 Peru. His looks speak death.
66
67 Inca. Young man of unknown race,
68 Ask once again; so well thy merits plead,
69 Thou shall not die for that which thou hast said;
70 The price of what thou ask'st, thou dost not know;
71 That gift's too high.
72
73 Mont. And all besides too low.
74
75 Inca. Once more I bid thee ask.
76
77 Mont. Once more I make
78 The same demand.
79
80 Inca. The Inca bids thee take
81 Thy choice, what towns, what kingdoms thou would'st have.
82
83 Mont. Thou giv'st me only what before I gave.
84 Give me thy daughter.
85
86
87 Inca. Thou deserv'st to die.
88 O thou great author of our progeny,
89 Thou glorious sun, dost thou not blush to shine,
90 While such base blood attempts to mix with thine!
91
92 Mont. That sun, thou speak'st of, did not hide his face,
93 When he beheld me conquering with his race.
94
95 Inca. My fortunes gave thee thy success in fight!
96 Convey thy boasted valour from my sight;
97 I can o'ercome without thy feeble aid.
98
99 [Exeunt Inca, ORAZIA, and Peruvians].
100
101 Mont. And is it thus my services are paid? Not all his guards—
102
103 [Offers to go, ACACIS holds him.]
104
105 Aca. Hold, sir.
106
107 Mont. Unhand me.
108
109 Aca. No, I must your rage prevent
110 From doing what your reason would repent;
111 Like the vast seas, your mind no limits knows,
112 Like them, lies open to each wind that blows.
113
114 Mont. Can a revenge, that is so just, be ill?
115
116 Aca. It is Orazia's father, you would kill.
117
118 Mont. Orazia! how that name has charmed my sword!
119
120 Aca. Compose these wild distempers in your breast;
121 Anger, like madness, is appeased by rest.
122
123 Mont. Bid children sleep, my spirits boil too high;
124 But, since Orazia's father must not die,
125 A nobler vengeance shall my actions guide;
126 I'll bear the conquest to the conquered side,
127 Until this Inca for my friendship sues,
128 And proffers what his pride does now refuse.
129
130 Aca. Your honour is obliged to keep your trust.
131
132 Mont. He broke that bond, in ceasing to be just.
133
134 Aca. Subjects to kings should more obedience pay.
135
136 Mont. Subjects are bound, not strangers, to obey.
137
138 Aca. Can you so little your Orazia prize,
139 To give the conquest to her enemies?
140 Can you so easily forego her sight?
141 I, that hold liberty more dear than light,
142 Yet to my freedom should my chains prefer,
143 And think it were well lost to stay with her.
144
145 Mont. [Aside.]How unsuccessfully I still o'ercome!
146 I brought a rival, not a captive, home;
147 Yet I may be deceived; but 'tis too late
148 To clear those doubts, my stay brings certain fate.
149 [Aloud.] Come, prince, you shall to Mexico return,
150 Where your sad armies do your absence mourn;
151 And in one battle I will gain you more
152 Than I have made you lose in three before.
153
154 Aca. No, Montezuma, though you change your side,
155 I, as a prisoner, am by honour tied.
156
157 Mont. You are my prisoner, and I set you free.
158
159 Aca. 'Twere baseness to accept such liberty.
160
161 Mont. From him, that conquered you, it should be sought.
162
163 Aca. No, but from him, for whom my conqueror fought.
164
165 Mont. Still you are mine, his gift has made you so.
166
167 Aca. He gave me to his general, not his foe.
168
169 Mont. How poorly have you pleaded honour's laws!
170 Yet shun the greatest in your country's cause.
171
172 Aca. What succour can the captive give the free.
173
174 Mont. A needless captive is an enemy.
175 In painted honour you would seem to shine;
176 But 'twould be clouded, were your wrongs like mine.
177
178 Aca. When choler such unbridled power can have,
179 Thy virtue seems but thy revenge's slave:
180 If such injustice should my honour stain,
181 My aid would prove my nation's loss, not gain.
182
183 Mont. Be cozened by thy guilty honesty,
184 To make thyself thy country's enemy.
185
186 Aca. I do not mean in the next fight to stain
187 My sword in blood of any Mexican,
188 But will be present in the fatal strife,
189 To guard Orazia's and the Inca's life.
190
191 Mont. Orazia's life, fond man! First guard thy own;
192 Her safety she must owe to me alone.
193
194 Aca. Your sword, that does such wonders, cannot be,
195 In an ill cause, secure of victory.
196
197 Mont. Hark, hark! [Noise of trampling.]
198
199 Aca. What noise is this invades my ear?
200 Fly, Montezuma! fly, the guards are near:
201 To favour your retreat, I'll freely pay
202 That life, which you so frankly gave this day.
203
204 Mont. I must retire; but those, that follow me,
205 Pursue their deaths, and not their victory.
206
207 [Exit MONT.]
208
209 Aca. Our quarrels kinder than our friendships prove:
210 You for my country fight, I for your love.
211
212 Enter INCA and Guards.
213
214 Inca. I was to blame to leave this madman free;
215 Perhaps he may revolt to the enemy,
216 Or stay, and raise some fatal mutiny.
217
218 Aca. Stop your pursuits, for they must pass through me.
219
220 Inca. Where is the slave?
221
222 Aca. Gone.
223
224 Inca. Whither?
225
226 Aca. O'er the plain;
227 Where he may soon the camp, or city, gain.
228
229 Inca. Curse on my dull neglect!
230 And yet I do less cause of wonder find,
231 That he is gone, than that thou stayest behind.
232
233 Aca. My treatment, since you took me, was so free,
234 It wanted but the name of liberty.
235 I with less shame can still your captive live,
236 Than take that freedom, which you did not give.
237
238 Inca. Thou brave young man, that hast thy years outdone,
239 And, losing liberty, hast honour won,
240 I must myself thy honour's rival make,
241 And give that freedom, which thou would'st not take.
242 Go, and be safe.—
243
244 Aca. But that you may be so—
245 Your dangers must be past before I go.
246 Fierce Montezuma will for fight prepare,
247 And bend on you the fury of the war,
248 Which, by my presence, I will turn away,
249 If fortune gives my Mexicans the day.
250
251 Inca. Come, then, we are alike to honour just,
252 Thou to be trusted thus, and I to trust. [Exeunt.]