Semiramis, and Other Plays

Mir. And so you may, your majesty. 'Tis true. These men are subjects to no law or nation; They are not Mexico's; they are not God's; But from the heavenly and the human pale The...

Scene: Within the tent of Menones, on the plain before Nineveh. Left, centre, entrance to tent from the plain. Curtains rear, forming partition with exits right and left of cent...

Zu. Dem chillun' jes kill me! Why de Lawd make ol' Zurie bring dem two twins to dis heah worl' she nebah could tell! Dey haint shell 'nuf fo' a hummin' bird's stomach, an' de po...

Scene: Room in the Truelord House. Helen lies on a couch before large windows, rear, reading by light from a small lamp on table near couch. She wears a loose robe over night-dr...

Max. Carlotta! Where dost thou pray to-night? In all Our fearful scanning of prophetic heavens No swart star showed us this--our separation. Thou wert the all of me, the breath,...

The great hall in the palace of Nineveh. The rear is open, showing the sky and the towers of the city. Along the floor, which is high above the ground court, rear, are sculpture...

Scene: The gardens over the lake. A wide bridge extends from the bank of the lake, left, to the gardens which are partly visible on the right. At the rear, right, is a garlanded...

Mrs. C. What a gust!... I wonder what winter is like at the north. (Virginia looks at her quickly, and both drop their eyes) ... To think of him out on a night like this! And he...

Lou. Succeed or fail! However men may run The goal is marked. Yet will we race with Fate In forgone match. Some free of foot and hand, Some stumbling with huge empires on our ba...

sleeping on bed. Poe's cloak over her. Mrs. Clemm kneeling in prayer beside her. Poe enters, carrying a bundle of broken sticks which he lays down softly, one by one, on the hea...

Mig. Don't flutter, little bird. We mean that he left us. He set off as fresh as the morning to make the circuit of another mountain while we could barely creep up to camp.

Poe. I must destroy these. She must not know.... My wife.... (drops letters absentmindedly) ... Married. Married? What spirit so subtly fine can mingle here?... Back, back, ye t...

Char. Ah, books must be put by for swords, I wot, When this wild journey to the West begins. 'Tis change enough! O shifting, shuffling life! Come, Shakespeare, magic mason, buil...

Max. (To Carlotta) O, this is welcome! Are you not happy now? There's not a wrinkle on these smiling brows Where discontent may write her annals dark! My empire now is fixed, an...

2d Off. Isn't this a rabble? Motley's the only wear in Maximilian's court. He might succeed in running this country if so many people hadn't come along to help him do it. You as...

(Khosrove kneels and kisses his father's hand as Semiramis enters between guards. She is robed and crowned, her arms fettered with golden chains, and holds herself proudly, not...

Poe. (Pressing his temples) Throb--throb--but you shall finish this. (Writes) You, too, rebel, old pen? On, on like a lusty cripple, and we'll scratch out of this hole. (Lifting...

Mar. Here they went out together--arm in arm,-- Sweet, healing spirits to a bleeding land. Down yonder terrace to the sea they passed,-- He unto death, and she--to--(Sighs deeply)

Poe. (Loudly) Forty devils! (Helen turns and recognizes him. He does not see her) Look at that binding. You can't get a Shelley put up like that for less than ten dollars.

Black. Then, by Jacks, you'll have it all your way to-night. It's pouring hogsheads. Your deal, Sharp. (They play in silence. Poe enters, rear, walks uncertainly across the room...

MAXIMILIAN, Emperor of Mexico CARLOTTA, Empress of Mexico LOUIS NAPOLEON, Emperor of France EUGENIE, Empress of France BENITO JUAREZ, President of Mexico IGNACIO, nephew to Juar...

NINUS, king of Assyria HUSAK, king of Armenia KHOSROVE, son of Husak MENONES, governor of Nineveh ARTAVAN, son of Menones SUMBAT, friend of Artavan VASSIN, officer of the king H...

EDGAR ALLAN POE VIRGINIA CLEMM MRS. MARIA CLEMM HELEN TRUELORD MRS. TRUELORD ROGER BRIDGMORE NELSON CLEMM MRS. DELORMIS DOCTOR BARLOW MRS. SCHMIDT GEORGE THOMAS, Barkeeper HAINE...