The martial spirit of Rākṣasa is admirably brought out in Act II: [433] prakārān paritaḥ çarāsanadharaiḥ kṣipram parikṣipyatām dvāreṣu dvipadaiḥ pratidvipaghaṭābhedakṣamaiḥ sthīyatām muktvā mṛtyubhayam prahartumanasaḥ çatror bale durbale te niryāntu mayā sahaikamanaso yeṣām abhīṣṭaṁ yaçaḥ. ‘Around the ramparts be the archers set at once; station at the portals the elephants, strong to overthrow the host of the foeman’s herd; lay fear aside, in eagerness to smite the host of the foe that cannot withstand us, and issue forth with me with one accord, all to whom glory is dear.’ The burden of duty is expressed admirably: [434] kiṁ Çeṣasya bharavyathā na vapuṣi kṣāṁ na kṣipaty eṣa yat kiṁ vā nāsti pariçramo dinapater āste na yan niçcalaḥ kiṁ tv an̄gīkṛtam utsṛjan kiraṇavac chlāghyo jano lajjate nirvyūḍhiḥ pratipannavastuṣu satām ekaṁ hi gotravratam. ‘Is it because Çeṣa feels not the pain of the burden of the earth that he flings it not aside? Is it that the sun feels no weariness that he does not stand still in his course? Nay, a noble man feels shame to lay aside the duty he has taken on him, like a meaner creature; for the good this is the one common law, to be faithful to what one has undertaken.’ The minister’s resolve to save his friend is forcibly put: [435] audāsīnyaṁ na yuktaṁ priyasuḥrdi gate matkṛtām eva ghorām vyāpattiṁ jñātam asya svatanum aham imāṁ niṣkrayaṁ kalpayāmi. ‘Indifference is impossible since my dear friend has fallen into this disaster for my sake; I have it: my own life do I set as ransom for his.’ There is grim humour in the command of the infuriated Malayaketu: [436] ‘Those who desired my land, take and cast into a pit and cover with dust; those two who sought my army of elephants slay by an elephant,’ and in the Caṇḍāla’s remark [437] when he bids his friend impale Candanadāsa: ‘His family will go off quickly enough of their own accord.’ The revelation of Jīvasiddhi’s treachery wrings from Rākṣasa the cry: [438] ‘My very heart has been made their own by my foes (hṛdayam api me ripubhiḥ svīkṛtam).’ Proverbs are aptly used, as in the same context the Sanskrit equivalent for an accumulation of evils (ayam aparo gaṇḍasyopari sphoṭaḥ). 3. THE LANGUAGE AND THE METRES OF THE MUDRĀRĀKṢASA