Chapter 33

_Enter_ ORAZIA, _conducted by two Indians with their swords drawn;_ MONTEZUMA, ACACIS _whispering another Indian_.

_Aca_. Think what a weight upon thy faith I lay.

_Ind_. I ne'er did more unwillingly obey.

_Aca_. First, Montezuma, take thy liberty; Thou gavest me freedom, here I set thee free: We're equal now. Madam, the danger's great Of close pursuit; to favour your retreat, Permit we two a little while remain Behind, while you go softly o'er the plain.

_Oraz_. Why should I go before?--What's your intent?-- Where is my father?--Whither am I sent?

_Aca_. Your doubts shall soon be cleared. Conduct her on. [_Exit_ ORAZIA.

So, Montezuma, we are now alone. That which my honour owed thee I have paid; As honour was, so love must be obeyed. I set Orazia, as thy captive, free; But, as my mistress, ask her back from thee.

_Mont_. Thou hast performed what honour bid thee do: But friendship bars what honour prompts me to.-- Friends should not fight.

_Aca_. If friendship we profess, Let us secure each others happiness: One needs must die, and he shall happy prove In her remembrance, t'other in her love. My guards wait near; and, if I fail, they must Give up Orazia, or betray their trust.

_Mont_. Suppose thou conquer'st, would'st thou wander o'er The south-sea sands, or the rough northern shore, That parts thy spacious kingdom from Peru, And, leaving empire, hopeless love pursue?

_Aca_. By which of all my actions could you guess, Though more your merit, that my love was less? What prize can empire with Orazia bear? Or, where love fills the breast, what room for fear?

_Mont_. Let fair Orazia then the sentence give, Else he may die whom she desires to live.

_Aca_. Your greater merits bribe her to your side; My weaker title must by arms be tried.

_Mont_. Oh, tyrant love! how cruel are thy laws! I forfeit friendship, or betray thy cause: That person, whom I would defend from all The world, that person by my hand must fall.

_Aca_. Our lives we to each others friendship owe; But love calls back what friendship did bestow: Love has its cruelties, but friendship none; And we now fight in quarrels not our own. [_Fight.

Enter_ ORAZIA.

_Oraz_. What noise is this?-- Hold, hold! what cause could be so great, to move This furious hatred?--

_Mont_. 'Twas our furious love.--

_Aca_. Love, which I hid till I had set you free, And bought your pardon with my liberty; That done, I thought, I less unjustly might With Montezuma, for Orazia, fight; He has prevailed, and I must now confess His fortune greater, not my passion less; Yet cannot yield you, till his sword remove A dying rival, that holds fast his love.

_Oraz_. Whoever falls, 'tis my protector still, And then the crime's as great, to die as kill.-- Acacis, do not hopeless love pursue; But live, and this soft malady subdue.

_Aca_. You bid me live, and yet command me die! I am not worth your care;--Fly, madam, fly! (While I fall here unpitied) o'er this plain, Free from pursuit, the faithless mountains gain; And these I charge, As they would have me think their friendship true, Leave me alone, to serve, and follow you: Make haste, fair princess, to avoid that fate, Which does for your unhappy father wait.

_Oraz_. Is he then left to die, and shall he see Himself forsaken, ere his death, by me?

_Mont_. That would you do?

_Oraz_. To prison I'll return, And there, in fetters, with my father mourn.

_Mont_. That saves not his, but throws your life away.

_Oraz_. Duty shall give what nature once must pay.

_Aca_. Life is the gift, which heaven and parents give, And duty best preserves it, if you live.

_Oraz_. I should but further from my fountain fly, And, like an unfed stream, run on and die: Urge me no more, and do not grieve to see Your honour rivalled by my piety. [_She goes softly of, and often looks back_.

_Mont_. If honour would not, shame would lead the way; I'll back with her.

_Aca_. Stay, Montezuma, stay!-- Thy rival cannot let thee go alone, My love will bear me, though my blood is gone.

[_As they are going off,_

_Enter_ ZEMPOALLA, TRAXALLA, _the Indian that went to tell her, and the rest, and seize them_.

_Zemp_. Seize them!--

_Aca_. Oh, Montezuma, thou art lost.

_Mont_. No more, proud heart, thy useless courage boast!-- Courage, thou curse of the unfortunate! That canst encounter, not resist, ill fate.

_Zemp_. Acacis bleeds!-- What barbarous hand has wounded thus my son?

_Mont_. 'Twas I; by my unhappy sword 'twas done.-- Thou bleed'st, poor prince, and I am left to grieve My rival's fall.

_Trax_. He bleeds, but yet may live.

_Aca_. Friendship and love my failing strength renew; I dare not die, when I should live for you; My death were now my crime, as it would be My guilt to live when I have set you free: Thus I must still remain unfortunate, Your life and death are equally my fate.

ORAZIA _comes back_.

_Oraz_. A noise again!--alas, what do I see! Love, thou didst once give place to piety: Now, piety, let love triumph awhile;-- Here, bind my hands: Come, Montezuma, smile At fortune; since thou sufferest for my sake, Orazia will her captive's chains partake.

_Mont_. Now, fate, thy worst.

_Zemp_. Lead to the temple straight, A priest and altar for these lovers wait: They shall be joined, they shall.

_Trax_. And I will prove Those joys in vengeance, which I want in love.

_Aca_. I'll quench your thirst with blood, and will destroy Myself, and, with myself, your cruel joy. Now, Montezuma, since Orazia dies, I'll fall before thee, the first sacrifice; My title in her death shall exceed thine, As much as, in her life, thy hopes did mine: And when with our mixed blood the altar's dyed, Then our new title let the gods decide. [_Exeunt_.