HEROD.

Mariamne love

Another barb'rous Sifter! to fufpect

Her spotlefs virtue! Is it thus thou mean'st
To murther Herod? Are thefe poifon'd darts

The best farewell that thou can't leave thy brother? To light up difcord, shame, and rage, and horror, diftracted mind! Cou'd Mariamne

In

my

But thou already haft too oft deceiv'd me ;
Too long have I giv'n credit to thy falfehood:
Now heav'n has punifh'd my credulitý,

But it has ever been my fate to love

Those who abhor me. You are all my foes;
All fworn to perfecute the wretched Herod.

SALOME.

Far from thy fight then-

HEROD.

Stir not hence, I charge thee;

Another is belov'd? Speak, tell me, who
Must fall a facrifice to Herod's vengeance ?
Pursue thy work, and make my woes complete.

Since I must speak

SALOME.

HEROD.

HEROD.

Strike here: behold my

Who has difhonour'd me? Whoe'er he be,
Thou, Salome, perhaps may'ft answer for it,
For thou art guilty: thou haft undeceiv'd me:
Now at thy peril speak.

SALOME.

No matter.

heart :

Bear not this indignity, my lord,

The queen is fled, accompany'd by Varus.

HEROD.

Varus, and Mariamne! gods! where am I?

MAZAEL.

Varus, my lord, and all his troops have left
The palace, and a fecret band is plac'd
About the walls to favour her retreat;

Your Mariamne will be loft for ever.

HEROD.

HEROD.

The charm is broke, and day shines full upon me :
Come, Salome, acknowledge now thy brother,
And know him by his wrath; let us furprife
The infidel now judge if Herod ftill

Acts like himself, and like himself revenges.

END of the THIRD ACT.

ACT IV. SCENE I.

SALOME, MAZAEL.

MAZAEL.

Never did fair appearance gild fo well
The fpecious cov'ring of a happy falfehood:
With what dexterity I play'd on him,
And blended truth with artifice! But why
Art thou dejected? art thou not reftor'd
To Herod's favor? Mariamne loft,
Beyond recov'ry loft? Thou art reveng'd;
The king's diftracted. I am shock'd myself
When I behold the work of my own hands!
Thou too haft feen the horrid spectacle,
The trembling flaves all butcher'd by his hand.

The

The Queen half-dead, and fainting by their fide,
And Herod's arm uplifted as in act

To murther her: the children bath'd in tears
Fall at his feet, and offer their own lives.

To fave their mother's: can't thou wish for more,
Or haft thou aught to fear?

SALOME.

I fear the king,

I fear thofe fatal charms which he adores ;
That arm which oft uplifted falls as oft
Inactive down; that anger which foon kindled
Is foon extinct; which, doubtful still and blind,
Exhaufts its feeble pow'rs in fudden transports :
My triumphs, Mazael, are uncertain ftill;

Twice has my fate been chang'd this day, and twice
To hatred love fucceeded: if he fees
The queen again, we are undone.

SCENE. II.

HEROD, SALOME, MAZAEL, GUARDS.

MAZAEL,

He comes,

And feems disturb'd: what horror in his afpect!

SALOME.

Say, Herod, haft thou taken ample vengeance ?

MAZAEL.

MAZAEL.

I hope my royal master will forgive

His faithful fervant, who thus dares to speak

Touching the queen: but Varus is her fafe-guard;
Prevent his dark defigns, and save thyself:

The haughty prætor, refolute and bold,
Will make a merit of deftroying thee.

HEROD.

Alas! my fifter, how have I been treated!
Deceiv'd, betray'd! help me to rail, to curfe
This dear ungrateful woman: now my heart
Refts all its hopes on thy affifting friendship:
Thou, Salome, wert made a facrifice
To my unhappy love for Mariamne;

I number'd thee amongst my worst of foes;
For her unkindness did I punish thee;.
But thou haft feen my tenderness betray'd,
And, e'er this day is paft, we'll be reveng'd:
Yes, the fhall fuffer for her fatal pow'r
O'er Herod's heart, that figh'd for her alone.
O how have I ador'd, and how detefted,
The faithlefs Mariamne! and thou, Varus,
Shalt feel my wrath; thou art a Roman, therefore
Thy life is fafe; but I can punish thee

In blood more precious, and a dearer felf:

VOL. I.

I

Thou