English

ACT III. SCENE I .

Perdiccas, Eumenes.

Per . Now fortune smyles upon my rising state,
And seemes to promise more then I require;
Loe, by degrees my glory doth grow great,
And by their death who did my death conspire.
Proud Meleager who disdain'd to bow,
And my advancement alwayes did mislike,
Hath with his bloud seal'd my assurance now,
To fright all those who would attempt the like.
Eum . Yet of his fall the forme my minde appalls,

ACT II. SCENE I .

Perdiccas, Meleager, Ptolomie, Antigonus, Eumenes.

Per. What eye (nothing with teares) can view this host,
Which hath in one (ah, as the end doth prove)
A king, a captaine, and a brother, lost,
Crown'd, follow'd, try'd, by right, for worth, in love?
I thinke amongst us all, there is not one,
Whom divers favours doe not justly binde
To please that Heroes ghost (though from us gone)
With all the off'rings of a thankefull minde.

ACT I .

The Ghost of A LEXANDER the Great .

Back from th' umbragious caves (still rob'd of rest)
Must I returne, where Phaebus gildes the fields,
A ghost not worthy to be Pluto's guest,
Since one to whom the world no buriall yeelds?
O what a great disgrace is this to me,
Whose trophees fame in many a kingdom keeps.
That I (contemn'd) cannot transported be
A passenger for the sulphurean deeps?
Dare churlish Charon (though not us'd to bow)

ACT IV

Scene I

E LISHA :

Daughter of Israel, what dost thou here?
Thy prayer is granted. Naaman is healed:
Mar not true service with a selfish thought.
Nothing remains for thee to do, except
Give thanks, and go whither the Lord commands.
Obey, — obey! Ere Naaman returns
Thou must depart to thine own house in Shechem.

R UAHMAH :

A dream, a dream, a messenger of God!
O dear and dreadful vision, art thou true?

ACT III

Time : A month later: dawn

S CENE I

R UAHMAH :

Peace and good health to you, Saballidin,
Good morrow to you all. How fares my lord?

S ABALLIDIN :

The curtains of his tent are folded still:
They have not moved since we returned, last night,
And told him what befell us in the city.

R UAHMAH :

Told him! Why did you make report to him
And not to me? Am I not captain here,

ACT II

Time : A week later

F IRST C ITIZEN :

Great news, glorious news, the Assyrians are beaten!

S ECOND C ITIZEN :

Naaman is returning, crowned with victory. Glory to our noble captain!

T HIRD C ITIZEN :

No, he is killed. I had it from one of the camp-followers who saw him fall at the head of the battle. They are bringing his body to bury it with honour. O sorrowful victory!

R AKHAZ :

ACT I

Scene I

K HAMMA :

There's no one here; the garden is asleep.

N UBTA :

The flowers are nodding, all the birds abed, —
Nothing awake except the watchful stars!

K HAMMA :

The stars are sentinels discreet and mute:
How many things they know and never tell!

T SARPI :

Unlike the stars, how many things you tell
And do not know! When comes your master home?

N UBTA :

I

The boats are lowered, floating on the sea,
And as the men, with silent courage, stand,
Like to a battle call of minstrelsy,
A sudden volume sweeps. Oh! Gallant Band, —
Calmly, as if on terraced garden green,
The liquid music lifts to starlit skies,
As though the breathless horror of the scene
Were but a prelude unto Paradise.

II

The sweet, old hymn that every little child
Has learned to whisper at his mother's knee,
Perchance, at that dread moment, reconciled

I

The " ambulance call of the sea "
Winging its frenzied flight —
Hark! 'tis the C Q D
Rushed through the breathless night!
" Sister Ships, do you hear?
Hurry, turn on your trail. —
Is there none that is near?
Quick or your quest will fail! "

II

Like an insistent hand,
Searching the baffling dark,
Far from the tranquil land

I

Work , work, work,
Down in the ship's deep hold.
Was there a man would shirk?
They of the tale untold;
Down by the hot flames fanned,
Theirs was the cruel part;
They of the tireless hand,
They of the dauntless heart!

II

" Boys! we must keep her straight,
She is a gallant boat,
Worthy a better fate,
Finest of all afloat —
Now, as the Wireless Call
Sweeps the encircling sea,
Here in this prisoned wall
It's up to you and me! "

III

Work, work, work,