SCENE I.--_The King's Apartment.

_A Table set._ PTOLEMY, SOSIBIUS, CASSANDRA _sitting_: PTOLEMY _at the upper end_; CASSANDRA _sitting on the one side_, SOSIBIUS _on the other_.

_Ptol._ I must confess, 'twas obvious.

_Sosib._ He said he could command them with his nod: Can he do this with mercenaries, raised Not at his charge, but yours? by you maintained? What could he more, had they been Spartans born?

_Cas._ What would you hence infer?

_Sosib._ What you observed: Some are born kings, and so is Cleomenes.

_Cas._ A great soul dares not call himself a villain. He has that interest, and will use it nobly; To serve, and not to ruin his protector.

_Sosib._ Is Egypt's safety, and the king's, and your's, Fit to be trusted on a bare suppose, That he is honest? Honest, let him be; But on his own experiment, not ours. Man is but man; unconstant still, and various; There's no to-morrow in him, like to-day. Perhaps the atoms rolling in his brain Make him think honestly this present hour; The next, a swarm of base, ungrateful thoughts May mount aloft; and where's our Egypt then? Who would trust chance, since all men have the seeds Of good and ill, which should work upward first?

_Cas._ All men! then you are one; and by that rule, Your wicked atoms may be working now To give bad counsel, that you still may govern.

_Sosib._ I would the king would govern.

_Cas._ Because you think I have too much command.

_Ptol._ Would you would rule me both by turns, in quiet, And let me take my ease!

_Cas._ Then my turn's first.

_Sosib._ Our master's safety, in sound reason, ought To be preferred to both.

_Ptol._ So thinks Cassandra too.

_Cas._ No; court Sosibius, and cast Cassandra off.

_Ptol._ What have I said, or done, To merit this unkindness? Tell me but what you think of Cleomenes, And be my oracle.

_Cas._ I know him grateful.

_Sosib._ To know him grateful, is enough for Jove.

_Cas._ And therefore not too much for me in Egypt: I say, I know him honest.

_Ptol._ Then I know it. Now may Sosibius speak?

_Cas._ He may; but not to contradict my knowledge.

_Sosib._ Then I concur, to let him go for Greece; And wish our Egypt fairly rid of him. For, as our Apis, though in temples fed, And under golden roofs, yet loaths his food, Because restrained; and longs to roam in meads, Among the milky-mothers of the herd: So, Cleomenes, kept by force in Egypt, Is sullen at our feasts, abhors our dainties, And longs to change them for his Spartan broth[43]. He may be dangerous here; then send him hence, With aid enough to conquer all he lost, And make him formidable to mankind.

_Cas._ He may be formidable then to us? That thou wouldst say.

_Sosib._ No; for you know him grateful.

_Cas._ Would thou wouldst learn to speak without a double, Thou Delphian statesman! [_Rises._

_Sosib._ Would I could know your wishes, that I might! I would but smooth their way, and make them easy. [_Bowing._

_Cas._ Good old man! [_Smiling._ A little over zealous, but well-meaning. My wishes are the honour of my king; That Ptolemy may keep his royal word, And I my promise, to procure this aid. If to be mistress signifies command, Let this be done; if not, the king may find Another beauty, worthier of his bed, And I another lover, less ungrateful.

_Ptol._ Let Egypt sink before that fatal day! No, we are one; Cassandra, we are one; Or I am nothing; thou art Ptolemy.

_Cas._ Now you deserve to be the first of kings, Because you rank yourself the first of lovers. What can I do to show Cassandra grateful? Nothing but this-- To be so nice in my concerns for you; To doubt where doubts are not; to be too fearful; To raise a bug-bear shadow of a danger, And then be frighted, though it cannot reach you.

_Sosib._ Be pleased to name your apprehensions, madam.

_Cas._ Plain souls, like mine, judge others by themselves; Therefore I hold our Cleomenes honest. But since 'tis possible, though barely so, That he may prove ungrateful, I would have pledges given us of his faith; His wife, his mother, and his son, be left As hostages in Egypt.

_Sosib._ Admirable! Some god inspired you with this prudent counsel.

_Ptol._ I thought so too, but that I durst not speak.

_Sosib._ Leave me to manage this.

_Cas._ My best Sosibius! But do it surely, by the easiest means; Infuse it gently; do not pour it down: Let him not think he stands suspected here; And, least of all, by me.

_Sosib._ He shall not, madam.-- Now, sir, the illumination feast attends you; For Apis has appeared.

_Ptol._ Why then I must be formal; Go to the temple.-- Come, my fair Cassandra, That I may have an object worth my worship. [_Aside._

_Cas._ The God that I adore is in my breast; This is the temple; this the sacrifice. But to the powers divine we make appeal, With great devotion, and with little zeal. [_Exeunt_ PTOL. _and_ CAS.

_Sosib._ [_Solus._] Yes, yes, it shall be done; but not her way.-- Call in my son Cleanthes.--This Cassandra Is our enchanting syren; she that sings Our Ptolemy into secure destruction. In vain I counsel him to avoid his ruin: These women-charmers, oh they have a devil Too strong to dispossess.--Call in my son. [_Goes to the door._

_Enter_ CLEANTHES.

Cleanthes, are you Cleomenes' friend, Or only seem you such?

_Clean._ To seem to be, and not be what I seem, Are things my honest nature understands not.

_Sosib._ But you must love your king and country more.

_Clean._ Yes, when I have a king and country, That can deserve my love. Egypt, as Egypt is, deserves it not: A people baser than the beasts they worship; Below their pot-herb gods, that grow in gardens: The king--

_Sosib._ Go to; young man, whate'er he be, I must not hear my master vilified.

_Clean._ Why did you name him then? Were I at prayers. And even for you, whom as my soul I love, If Ptolemy should come across my thoughts, A curse would follow, where I meant a blessing.

_Sosib._ 'Tis well, 'tis well I am so fond a father; Those words were death in any other mouth. I know too much of you; you love the Spartan Beyond your king and country.

_Clean._ 'Tis a truth So noble, I would own it to the gods, And they be proud to hear it.

_Sosib._ Confess, you love him better than your father.

_Clean._ No; but I love him equal with my father.

_Sosib._ Say better, and say true. If we were opposite, and one must fall, Whom wouldst thou save?

_Clean._ Neither; for both would die, Before I could resolve.

_Sosib._ If I command thee To break thy friendship with him, wouldst thou?

_Clean._ No.

_Sosib._ Why, then thou hast confessed, thou lovest him more.

_Clean._ Not so: for, should he bid me disobey, Or not love you, thus would I answer him, As I have answered you.

_Sosib._ Ungrateful boy!

_Clean._ You bid me tell you true, and this is my reward.

_Sosib._ Go from my sight!

_Clean._ I will; but would not go Without your blessing.

_Sosib._ O, so well I love thee, That I could curse thee for not loving me!-- Stay, I would send thee on a message to him, But that I fear thy faith.

_Clean._ You wrong my piety.

_Sosib._ It much concerns my interest, which is thine. Wouldst thou deliver what I have to say? Wouldst thou induce his reason to comply?

_Clean._ Both; granting your proposals honourable: If not, employ some mercenary tongue,-- The court affords you store,--and spare my virtue.

_Sosib._ I would have Cleomenes sent away With royal aid.

_Clean._ You promised him he should.

_Sosib._ And would have thee persuade him to this voyage.

_Clean._ A welcome errand: Oh my dear, dear father!

_Sosib._ But on my terms, mark that; my terms, Cleanthes.

_Clean._ I feared the statesman in you.

_Sosib._ I would have Egypt safe; that's all my interest: And therefore he must leave behind, for pawns, His mother, wife, and son.

_Clean._ 'Tis clogging of a gift; 'tis base, mean counsel. I hope you gave it not.

_Sosib._ No, 'twas Cassandra: But she would have that odium cast on me; I am her beast of burden, and must bear it.

_Clean._ I never can bely so good a father; But this I'll do: The message shall be faithfully delivered, And all the strumpet stand exposed to shame.

_Sosib._ Thou hitst my meaning; but he must be secret, Must seem to take the favour as from her, And lay the hardship of the terms on me.

_Clean._ He shall.

_Sosib._ And thou wilt gild this bitter pill; For there's no other way to go from hence, But leaving these behind.

_Clean._ A beam of thought comes glancing on my soul.-- [_Aside._ I'll undertake it, The pledges shall be left.

_Sosib._ My best Cleanthes! [_Embraces him._ But haste, and lose no time.

_Clean._ I'm all on fire to serve my friend and father. [_Exit_ CLEANTHES.

_Sosib._ [_Alone._] This Cleomenes ought to be dispatched; Dispatched the safest way: he ought to die. Not that I hate his virtue; but I fear it. The mistress drives my counsels to the leeward. Now I must edge upon a point, of wind; And make slow way, recovering more and more, Till I can bring my vessel safe ashore. [_Exit_ SOSIB.