ACT IV. SCENE I
Mahomet, Omar.
OMAR.
My lord, our secret is discovered; Seid
Has told Hercides; we are on the verge
Of ruin, yet I know he will obey.
MAHOMET.
Revealed it, sayest thou?
OMAR.
Yes: Hercides loves him
With tenderness.
MAHOMET.
Indeed! What said he to it?
OMAR.
He stood aghast, and seemed to pity Zopir.
MAHOMET.
He's weak, and therefore not to be entrusted;
Fools ever will be traitors; but no matter,
Let him take heed; a method may be found
To rid us of such dangerous witnesses:
Say, Omar, have my orders been obeyed?
OMAR.
They have, my lord.
MAHOMET.
'Tis well: remember, Omar,
In one important hour or Mahomet
Or Zopir is no more; if Zopir dies,
The credulous people will adore that God
Who thus declared for me, and saved his prophet:
Be this our first great object; that once done,
Take care of Seid; art thou sure the poison
Will do its office?
OMAR.
Fear it not, my lord.
MAHOMET.
O we must work in secret, the dark shades
Of death must hide our purpose—while we shed
Old Zopir's blood, be sure you keep Palmira
In deepest ignorance; she must not know
The secret of her birth: her bliss and mine
Depend upon it; well thou knowest, my triumphs
From error's fruitful source incessant flow:
The ties of blood, and all their boasted power
Are mere delusions: what are nature's bonds?
Nothing but habit, the mere force of custom:
Palmira knows no duty but obedience
To me; I am her lord, her king, her father,
Perhaps may add the name of husband to them:
Her little heart will beat with proud ambition
To captivate her master—but the hour
Approaches that must rid me of my foe,
The hated Zopir: Seid is prepared—
And see, he comes: let us retire.
OMAR.
Observe
His wild demeanor; rage and fierce resentment
Possess his soul.
ACT IV. SCENE II
Mahomet, Omar. retired to one side of the stage; Seid at the farther end.
SEID.
This dreadful duty then
Must be fulfilled.
MAHOMET. To Omar.
Let us begone, in search
Of other means to make our power secure.
Exit with Omar.
SEID. Alone.
I could not answer: one reproachful word
From Mahomet sufficed: I stood abashed,
But not convinced: if heaven requires it of me,
I must obey; but it will cost me dear.
ACT IV. SCENE III
Seid, Palmira.
SEID.
Palmira, art thou here? What fatal cause
Hath led thee to this seat of horror?
PALMIRA.
Fear,
And love directed me to find thee, Seid,
To ask thee what dread sacrifice thou meanest
To offer here; do heaven and Mahomet
Demand it from thee, must it be? O speak.
SEID.
Palmira, thou commandest my every thought
And every action; all depend on thee:
Direct them as thou wilt, inform my soul,
And guide my hand: be thou my guardian god,
Explain the will of heaven which yet I know not;
Why am I chosen to be its instrument
Of vengeance? are the prophet's dread commands
Irrevocable?
PALMIRA.
Seid, we must yield in silence,
Nor dare to question his decrees; he hears
Our secret sighs, nor are our sorrows hid
From Mahomet's all seeing eye: to doubt
Is profanation of the deity.
His God is God alone; he could not else
Be thus victorious, thus invincible.
SEID.
He must be Seid's God who is Palmira's:
Yet cannot my astonished could conceive
A being, tender, merciful, and kind,
Commanding murder; then again I think
To doubt is guilt: the priest without remorse
Destroys the victim: by the voice of heaven
I know that Zopir was condemned, I know
That Seid was predestined to support
The law divine: so Mahomet ordained,
And I obey him: fired with holy zeal
I go to slay the enemy of God;
And yet methinks another deity
Draws back my arm, bids me spare the victim.
Religion lost her power when I beheld
The wretched Zopir; duty urged in vain
Her cruel plea, exhorting me to murder;
With joy I listened to the plaintive voice
Of soft humanity: but Mahomet—
How awful! How majestic! Who can bear
His wrath? His frowns reproached my shameful weakness;
Religion is a dreadful power: alas!
Palmira, I am lost in doubts and fears,