_Jul._ Abdalazis! All men with human feelings love their country. Not the highborn or wealthy man alone, Who looks upon his children, each one led By its gay handmaid, from the high alcove, And hears them once a day: not only he Who hath forgotten, when his guest inquires The name of some far village all his own; Whose rivers bound the province, and whose hills Touch the last cloud upon the level sky: No; better men still better love their country. ’Tis the old mansion of their earliest friends, The chapel of their first and best devotions; When violence or perfidy invades, Or when unworthy lords hold wassail there, And wiser heads are drooping round its moats, At last they fix their steady and stiff eye There, there alone—stand while the trumpet blows, And view the hostile flames above its towers Spire, with a bitter and severe delight. _Abd._ [taking his hand.] Thou feelest what thou speakest, and thy Spain Will ne’er be sheltered from her fate by thee. We, whom the prophet sends o’er many lands, Love none above another; Heaven assigns Their fields and harvests to our valiant swords, And ’tis enough—we love while we enjoy. Whence is the man in that fantastic guise? Suppliant? or herald? he who stalks about, And once was even seated while we spoke: For never came he with us o’er the sea. _Jul._ He comes as herald. _Rod._ Thou shalt know full soon, Insulting Moor. _Abd._ He cannot bear the grief His country suffers; I will pardon him. He lost his courage first, and then his mind; His courage rushes back, his mind still wanders. The guest of heaven was piteous to these men, And princes stoop to feed them in their courts. FIRST ACT: FIFTH SCENE. RODERIGO _is going out when_ MUZA _enters with_ EGILONA; RODERIGO _starts back_. _Muza_ [_sternly to_ EGILONA.] Enter, since ’tis the custom in this land. _Egi._ [_passing_ MUZA _disdainfully_, _points to_ ABDALAZIS, _and says to_ JULIAN.] Is this our future monarch, or art thou? _Jul._ ’Tis Abdalazis, son of Muza, prince Commanding Africa, from Abyla To where Tunisian pilots bend the eye O’er ruined temples in the glassy wave. Till quiet times and ancient laws return, He comes to govern here. _Rod._ To-morrow’s dawn Proves that. _Muza_. What art thou? _Rod._ [_drawing his sword_.] King. _Abd._ Amazement! _Muza_. Treason! _Egi._ O horror! _Muza_. Seize him. _Egi._ Spare him! fly to me! _Jul._ Urge me not to protect a guest, a herald— The blasts of war roar over him unfelt. _Egi._ Ah fly, unhappy! _Rod._ Fly! no, Egilona— Dost thou forgive me? dost thou love me? still? _Egi._ I hate, abominate, abhor thee—go, Or my own vengeance— _Rod._ [_taking_ JULIAN’S _hand_, _and inviting him to attack_ MUZA _and_ ABDALAZIS.] Julian! _Jul._ Hence, or die.