Cry'd out, I come 'twas Ammon's voice;-I know

it

Father, I come; but let me, ere I go,

Despatch the business of a kneeling world!

Poly. No more; I hear him—we must meet anon. Cas. In Saturn's field-there give a loose to rapture, Enjoy the tempest we ourselves have raised,

And triumph in the wreck which crowns our vengeance.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

The Palace.

ALEXANDER, with his Hair dishevelled, LYSIMACHUS, EUMENES, and PERDICCAS, discovered.

Alex. Search there; nay, probe me, search my wounded reins

Pull, draw it out.

Lys. We have searched, but find no hurt.

Alex. Oh, I am shot! a forked burning arrow Sticks cross my shoulders: the sad venom flies Like lightning thro' my flesh, my blood, my marrow! Lys. How fierce his fever!

Alex. Ha! what a change of torments I endure!
A bolt of ice runs hissing thro' my bowels;
"Tis sure the arm of death; give me a chair;
Cover me, for I freeze, and my teeth chatter,
And my knees knock together.
Eum. Have mercy, Heaven!
Alex. I burn, I burn again!

The war grows wondrous hot: hey for the Tigris!
Bear me, Bucephalus, amongst the billows.

[Famps into the Chair.

Oh, 'tis a noble beast! I would not change him
For the best horse the sun has in his stable;
For they are hot, their mangers full of coals,
Their manes are flakes of lightning, curls of fire,
And their red tails like meteors whisk about.
Lys. Help, all; Eumenes, help!

Alex. Ha ha! ha! I shall die with laughter.
Parmenio, Clytus, do you see yon' fellow,
That ragged soldier, that poor tattered Greek?
See how he puts to flight the gaudy Persians,
With nothing but a rusty helmet on, through which
The grisly bristles of his pushing beard
Drive them like pikes--Ha! ha! ha!

Per. How wild he talks?

Lys. Yet warring in his wildness.

Alex. Sound, sound! keep your ranks close. Ay, now they come;

Oh, the brave din, the noble clang, of arms!
Charge, charge apace, and let the phalanx move.
Darius comes-ay, 'tis Darius,

I see, I know him by the sparkling plumes,
And his gold chariot, drawn by ten white horses;
But, like a tempest, thus I pour upon him-

He bleeds! with that last blow I brought him down:
He tumbles; take him, snatch th' imperial crown.
They fly, they fly!-Follow, follow-Victoria!
Victoria! Victoria!

[Leaps into the SOLDIERS' Arms.

Per. Let's bear him softly to his bed.

Alex. Hold, the least motion gives me instant death; My vital spirits are quite parched, burnt up, And all my smoky entrails turned to ashes.

Lys. When you, the brightest star that ever shone, Shall set, it must be night with us for ever. Alex. Let me embrace you all before I die.

[All kneel and weep, Weep not, my dear companions! the good gods

Shall send you in my stead a nobler prince,

One that shall lead you forth with matchless conduct. Lys. Break not our hearts with such unkind expressions.

Per. We will not part with you, nor change for

Mars.

Alex. Perdiccas, take this ring,

And see me laid in the temple of Jupiter Ammon. Lys. To whom does your dread majesty bequeath The empire of the world?

Alex. To him that is most worthy.

Fer. When will you, sacred sir, that we should give

To your great memory those divine honours
Which such exalted virtue does deserve?

Alex. When you are all most happy and in peace.
Your hands-Oh, father! if I have discharg'd
The duty of a man to empire born;
If, by unweary'd toils, I have deserv'd
The vast renown of thy adopted son,
Accept this soul, which thou didst first inspire,
And which this sigh thus gives thee back again!

[Dies. Lys. There fell the pride and glory of the war! If there be treason, let us find it out; Lysimachus stands forth to lead you on, And swears, by these most honour'd dear remains, He will not taste those joys which beauty brings, Until he has reveng'd the best of kings.

[Exeunt.

THE END.