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قراءة كتاب The Grecian Daughter
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اللغة: English
الصفحة رقم: 5
id="pgepubid00007">ACT THE SECOND.
SCENE I.
A wild romantic Scene amidst overhanging Rocks; a Cavern on one side.
Arcas, with a Spear in his Hand.
Arcas. The gloom of night sits heavy on the world;
And o'er the solemn scene such stillness reigns,
As 'twere a pause of nature; on the beach
No murmuring billow breaks; the Grecian tents
Lie sunk in sleep; no gleaming fires are seen;
All Syracuse is hush'd; no stir abroad,
Save ever and anon the dashing oar,
That beats the sullen wave. And hark!—Was that
The groan of anguish from Evander's cell,
Piercing the midnight gloom?—It is the sound
Of bustling prows, that cleave the briny deep.
Perhaps at this dead hour Hamilcar's fleet
Rides in the bay.
And o'er the solemn scene such stillness reigns,
As 'twere a pause of nature; on the beach
No murmuring billow breaks; the Grecian tents
Lie sunk in sleep; no gleaming fires are seen;
All Syracuse is hush'd; no stir abroad,
Save ever and anon the dashing oar,
That beats the sullen wave. And hark!—Was that
The groan of anguish from Evander's cell,
Piercing the midnight gloom?—It is the sound
Of bustling prows, that cleave the briny deep.
Perhaps at this dead hour Hamilcar's fleet
Rides in the bay.
Enter Philotas, from the Cavern.
Phil. What, ho! brave Arcas! ho!
Arcas. Why thus desert thy couch?
Phil. Methought the sound
Of distant uproar chas'd affrighted sleep.
Of distant uproar chas'd affrighted sleep.
Arcas. At intervals the oar's resounding stroke
Comes echoing from the main. Save that report,
A death-like silence through the wide expanse
Broods o'er the dreary coast.
Comes echoing from the main. Save that report,
A death-like silence through the wide expanse
Broods o'er the dreary coast.
Phil. Do thou retire,
And seek repose; the duty of thy watch
Is now perform'd; I take thy post.
And seek repose; the duty of thy watch
Is now perform'd; I take thy post.
Arcas. How fares
Your royal pris'ner?
Your royal pris'ner?
Phil. Arcas, shall I own
A secret weakness? My heart inward melts
To see that suffering virtue. On the earth,
The cold, damp earth, the royal victim lies;
And while pale famine drinks his vital spirit,
He welcomes death, and smiles himself to rest.
Oh! 'would I could relieve him!
A secret weakness? My heart inward melts
To see that suffering virtue. On the earth,
The cold, damp earth, the royal victim lies;
And while pale famine drinks his vital spirit,
He welcomes death, and smiles himself to rest.
Oh! 'would I could relieve him!
Arcas. May no alarm disturb thee.
[Exit.
Phil. Some dread event is lab'ring into birth.
At close of day the sullen sky held forth
Unerring signals. With disastrous glare,
The moon's full orb rose crimson'd o'er with blood;
And lo! athwart the gloom a falling star
Trails a long tract of fire!—What daring step
Sounds on the flinty rock? Stand there; what, ho!
Speak, ere thou dar'st advance. Unfold thy purpose:
Who and what art thou?
At close of day the sullen sky held forth
Unerring signals. With disastrous glare,
The moon's full orb rose crimson'd o'er with blood;
And lo! athwart the gloom a falling star
Trails a long tract of fire!—What daring step
Sounds on the flinty rock? Stand there; what, ho!
Speak, ere thou dar'st advance. Unfold thy purpose:
Who and what art thou?
Eup. [Within.] Mine no hostile step;
I bring no value to alarm thy fears:
It is a friend approaches.
I bring no value to alarm thy fears:
It is a friend approaches.
Phil. Ha! what mean
Those plaintive notes?
Those plaintive notes?
Eup. [Within.] Here is no ambush'd Greek,
No warrior to surprise thee on the watch.
An humble suppliant comes—Alas, my strength
Exhausted quite forsakes this weary frame.
No warrior to surprise thee on the watch.
An humble suppliant comes—Alas, my strength
Exhausted quite forsakes this weary frame.
Phil. What voice thus piercing thro' the gloom of night—
What art thou? what thy errand? quickly say,
Wherefore alarm'st thou thus our peaceful watch?
What art thou? what thy errand? quickly say,
Wherefore alarm'st thou thus our peaceful watch?
Eup. [Within.] Let no mistrust affright thee—
Enter Euphrasia.
Lo! a wretch,
The veriest wretch that ever groan'd in anguish,
Comes here to grovel on the earth before thee,
To tell her sad, sad tale, implore thy aid,
For sure the pow'r is thine, thou canst relieve
My bleeding heart, and soften all my woes.
The veriest wretch that ever groan'd in anguish,
Comes here to grovel on the earth before thee,
To tell her sad, sad tale, implore thy aid,
For sure the pow'r is thine, thou canst relieve
My bleeding heart, and soften all my woes.
Phil. Euphrasia!——
Why, princess, thus anticipate the dawn?
Still sleep and silence wrap the weary world;
The stars in mid career usurp the pole;
The Grecian bands, the winds, the waves are hush'd;
All things are mute around us; all but you
Rest in oblivious slumber from their cares.
Why, princess, thus anticipate the dawn?
Still sleep and silence wrap the weary world;
The stars in mid career usurp the pole;
The Grecian bands, the winds, the waves are hush'd;
All things are mute around us; all but you
Rest in oblivious slumber from their cares.
Eup. Yes; all, all rest: the very murd'rer sleeps;
Guilt is at rest: I only wake to misery.
Guilt is at rest: I only wake to misery.
Phil. How didst thou gain the summit of the rock?
Eup. Give me my father; here you hold him fetter'd;
Oh! give him to me——If ever
The touch of nature throbb'd within your breast,
Admit me to Evander. In these caves
I know he pines in want; let me convey
Some charitable succour to a father.
Oh! give him to me——If ever
The touch of nature throbb'd within your breast,
Admit me to Evander. In these caves
I know he pines in want; let me convey
Some charitable succour to a father.
Phil. Alas, Euphrasia! 'would I dare comply!
Eup. It will be virtue in thee. Thou, like me,
Wert born in Greece:—Oh! by our common parent—
Nay, stay; thou shalt not fly; Philotas, stay;—
You have a father too; think, were his lot
Hard as Evander's; if by felon hands
Chain'd to the earth, with slow-consuming pangs
He felt sharp want, and with an asking eye
Implor'd relief, yet cruel men deny'd it,
Wouldst thou not burst thro' adamantine gates,
Thro' walls and rocks, to save him? Think, Philotas,
Of thy own aged sire, and pity mine.
Think of the agonies a daughter feels,
When thus a parent wants the common food,
The bounteous hand of nature meant for all.
Wert born in Greece:—Oh! by our common parent—
Nay, stay; thou shalt not fly; Philotas, stay;—
You have a father too; think, were his lot
Hard as Evander's; if by felon hands
Chain'd to the earth, with slow-consuming pangs
He felt sharp want, and with an asking eye
Implor'd relief, yet cruel men deny'd it,
Wouldst thou not burst thro' adamantine gates,
Thro' walls and rocks, to save him? Think, Philotas,
Of thy own aged sire, and pity mine.
Think of the agonies a daughter feels,
When thus a parent wants the common food,
The bounteous hand of nature meant for all.
Phil. 'Twere best