Be calm, my lord, let me entreat you.
herod.
Wretch that I am, what have I done!
mazael.
Ha! weeping!
Shall Herod weep, the great, the illustrious king,
The dread of Parthia, and the friend of Rome,
For wisdom and for valor long renowned!
O! think my lord, of those distinguished honors
Which Antony and victory bestowed;
Think of thy fame, when seen by great Augustus,
He chose thee from a crowd of conquered kings,
And marked thee for his friend: call back the time,
When great Jerusalem, by thee subdued,
Submitted to thy laws: by thee defended,
Once more she shines with all her ancient lustre,
And sees her sovereign crowned with fair success:
Never was king in peace or war more happy.
herod.
There is no happiness on earth for me;
Fate points its poisoned arrows at my breast;
And, to complete my woes, I have deserved them.
idamas.
Permit me, sir, the freedom to observe,
Your throne, by fears and jealousies surrounded,
Would stand more firmly on love’s nobler basis:
The king who makes his people’s happiness
Secures his own; thy soul, thus racked with tortures,
Might trace the poisoned waters to their spring.
O, my lord, suffer not malicious tongues
To wound the peace and honor of thy life;
Nor servile flatterers to estrange the hearts
Of those who long to serve their royal master:
Israel shall then enamored with thy virtues—
herod.
And thinkest thou Herod might again be loved?
mazael.
Zares, my lord, still faithful to his charge,
Burns with the same unwearied zeal to serve thee:
He comes from Salome, and begs admittance.
herod.
What! both forever persecute me! No!
Let not that monster e’er appear before me;
I’ve heard too much already: hence, begone,
And leave me to myself: what shall I do
To calm my troubled soul? Stay, Idamas,
And, Mazael, stay.
SCENE V.
herod, mazael, idamas.
herod.
Behold this dreadful monarch,
This mighty king, who made the nations tremble;
Who knew so well to conquer and to reign.
To break his chains, and make the world admire
His wisdom and his power: behold him now,
Alas! how little like his former self!
mazael.
All own thy greatness, and adore thy virtues.
idamas.
One heart alone resists, and that perhaps
May still be thine.
herod.
No: Herod’s a barbarian,
Unworthy of his throne.
idamas.
Thy grief is just,
And if for Mariamne—
herod.
Fatal name!
’Tis that condemns me; that reproaches still
My tortured soul with cruelty and weakness.
mazael.
My lord, your goodness but augments her hatred;
She loathes your sight, and flies from your embraces.
herod.
I courted hers.
mazael.
Indeed, my lord?
herod.
I did:
This sudden change, this grief that hangs upon me,
These shameful tears, do they not all declare
That Herod is returned from Mariamne?
With love and hatred mingled in my soul,
I left the crowd of flatterers in my court,
And flew to her: but what was my reward?
How did we meet! in anger, frowns, and strife:
In her indignant eyes I read my fate,
And my injustice: she scarce deigned to cast
A look upon me; even my tears availed not;
They only served to make her scorn me more.
mazael.
You see, my lord, her soul’s implacable,
And never will be softened by indulgence;
It but inflames her pride.
herod.
