The Prince of Parthia: A Tragedy

He comes, Arsaces comes, my gallant Brother (Like shining Mars in all the pomp of conquest) Triumphant enters now our joyful gates; Bright Victory waits on his glitt'ring car, A...

Peace, prithee, peace, Wilt thou still shock me with that hated sound, And grate harsh discord in my offended ear? If thou art fond of echoing the name, Join with the servile cr...

Oh! give me way, the haughty victor comes, Surrounded by adoring multitudes; On swelling tides of praise to heav'n they raise him; To deck their idol, they rob the glorious bein...

No, I'll not meet him now, for love delights In the soft pleasures of the secret shade, And shuns the noise and tumult of the croud. How tedious are the hours which bring him To...

Parent of Light, to thee belong Our grateful tributary songs; Each thankful voice to thee shall rise, And chearful pierce the azure skies; While in thy praise all earth combines...

Thus let me hail thee from the croud distinct, For in the exulting voice of gen'ral joy My fainter sounds were lost, believe me, Brother, My soul dilates with joy to see thee thus.

The Sun set frowning, and refreshing Eve Lost all its sweets, obscur'd in double gloom. This night shall sleep be stranger to these eyes, Peace dwells not here, and slumber flie...

Terror indeed! it seems as sick'ning Nature Had giv'n her order up to gen'ral ruin; The Heav'ns appear as one continu'd flame, Earth with her terror shakes, dim night retires, A...

'Tis here that hapless Bethas is confin'd; He who, but yesterday, like angry Jove, When punishing the crimes of guilty men, Spread death and desolation all around, While Parthia...

How easy 'tis To cheat this busy, tattling, censuring world! For fame still names our actions, good or bad, As introduc'd by chance, which ofttimes throws Wrong lights on object...

To think on Death in gloomy solitude, In dungeons and in chains, when expectation Join'd with serious thought describe him to us, His height'n'd terrors strike upon the soul Wit...

A steady harden'd villain, one experienc'd In his employment; ha! where's thy dagger? It cannot give me fear; I'm ready, see, My op'ning bosom tempts the friendly steel. Fain wo...

Heav'ns! what a gloom hangs round this dreadful place, Fit habitation for the guilty mind! Oh! if such terrors wait the innocent, Which tread these vaults, what must the impious...

Hence coward pity-- What is joy to them, to me is torture. Now am I rack'd with pains that far exceed Those agonies, which fabling Priests relate, The damn'd endure: The shock o...

Talk not of sleep to me, the God of Rest Disdains to visit where disorder reigns; Not beds of down, nor music's softest strains, Can charm him when 'tis anarchy within. He flies...

Art thou then so dull? cannot thy heart, Thy changeling heart, explain my meaning to thee, Or must upbraiding 'wake thy apprehension? Ah! faithless, tell me, have I lost those c...

Away!--away!-- Yes, I will rage--a tempest's here within, Above the trifling of the noisy elements. Blow ye loud winds, burst with your violence, For ye but barely imitate the s...

Ha! my rival! How knew she that?--yet stay--she's gone--my rival, What then? he is Arsaces' rival too. Ha!--this may aid and ripen my designs-- Could I but fire the King with je...

On the cold pavement, by her aged Sire, The dear companion of his solitude, She sits, nor can persuasion make her rise; But in the wild extravagance of joy She weeps, then smile...

Evanthe!-- See pleasure's goddess deigns to dignify The happy scene, and make our bliss complete. So Venus, from her heav'nly seat, descends To bless the gay Cythera with her pr...

E'er since the dawn of my unhappy life Joy never shone serenely on my soul; Still something interven'd to cloud my day. Tell me, ye pow'rs, unfold the hidden crime For which I'm...

I will not think, to think is torment--Ha! See, how they twine! ye furies cut their hold. Now their hot blood beats loud to love's alarms; Sigh presses sigh, while from their sp...

I'll seize her, but I'll keep her for myself, It were a sin to give her to his age-- To twine the blooming garland of the spring Around the sapless trunks of wither'd oaks-- The...

Alas! 'tis true. Stabb'd in his slumber by a traitor's hand; I scarce can speak it--horror choaks my words-- Lysias it was who did the damned deed, Urg'd by the bloody Queen, an...

I'll wait behind, my stay May aid the cause; dissembling I must learn, Necessity shall teach me how to vary My features to the looks of him I serve. I'll thrust myself disguis'd...

Hold--for I'll tell thee, Lysias. 'Tis--oh! I scarce can speak the mighty joy-- I shall be greatly blest in dear revenge, 'Tis vengeance on Arsaces--yes, this hand Shall urge th...

Why should I linger out my joyless days, When length of hope is length of misery? Hope is a coz'ner, and beguiles our cares, Cheats us with empty shews of happiness, Swift fleet...

What means the proud Thermusa by this visit, Stoops heav'n-born pity to a breast like thine? Pity adorns th' virtuous, but ne'er dwells Where hate, revenge, and rage distract th...

Oh!--horror!--on the ground she breathless lies, Silent, in death's cold sleep; the wall besmear'd With brains and gore, the marks of her despair. O guilt! how dreadful dost tho...

At length we've forc'd our entrance-- O my lov'd Prince! to see thee thus, indeed, Melts e'en me to a woman's softness; see My eyes o'erflow--Are these the ornaments For Royal h...

Now shining Empire standing at the goal, Beck'ns me forward to increase my speed; But, yet, Arsaces lives, bane to my hopes, Lysias I'll urge to ease me of his life, Then give t...

Ha! what? revenge for Artabanus' death?-- 'Tis the curse of Princes that their counsels, Which should be kept like holy mysteries, Can never rest in silent secrecy. Fond of empl...

Hence, then, idle love-- Come forth, my trusty sword--curs'd misfortune!-- Had I but one short hour, without reluctance, I'd meet them, tho' they brib'd the pow'rs of hell, To p...

Now heav'n be partial to Arsaces' cause, Nor leave to giddy chance when virtue strives; Let victory sit on his warlike helm, For justice draws his sword: be thou his aid, And le...

Oh! yonder terror triumphs uncontroul'd, And glutton death seems never satisfy'd. Each soft sensation lost in thoughtless rage, And breast to breast, oppos'd in furious war, The...

Ah!--what a cruel torment is suspense! My anxious soul is torn 'twixt love and fear, Scarce can I please me with one fancied bliss Which kind imagination forms, but reason, Prou...

Oh! horror! horror! horror!--cruel Gods!-- I saw him fall--I did--pierc'd thro' with wounds-- Curs'd! curs'd Vardanes!--hear'd the gen'ral cry, Which burst, as tho' all nature h...

Thanks to the ruling pow'rs who blest our arms, Prepare the sacrifices to the Gods, And grateful songs of tributary praise.-- Gotarzes, fly, my Brother, find Evanthe, And bring...

You need no more, I know the rest--Ah! death is near, my wounds Permit me not to live--my breath grows short, Curs'd be Phraates' arm which stop'd my sword, Ere it had reach'd t...