_Cleo_. Methought I saw _Clemanthis_,
As when he was most charming to my Soul,
But pale and languishing, having a Wound
Like that I gave his Murderer
To which with one of’s Hands he seem’d to point;
The other stretching out with passionate Actions,
And gazing on me,--thus methought he spoke:
--See how you recompense my faithful Sufferings,
--See the performance of your Promises;
Look on this Wound which you have given my Heart,
That Heart that still ador’d you:
And yet you’re not content with all these Cruelties,
Though even in your Anger and my Death,
I still continue faithful and submissive.
--Thus spoke the lovely Phantom.
_Enter_ Pimante.
_Pim_. Madam, there waits without a Servant to the Prince.
_Cleo_. He may come in.
_Enter_ Lysander.
_Lys_. Madam, my dying Prince begs you may know
How willingly he does obey your Will,
And dying still implores you wou’d believe
He’s guilty of no fault but having lov’d you,
For which presumption he deserves to die;
--But ‘tis not by your Dagger, but your Eyes:
That was too weak to exercise your Will,
Your Cruelty had power alone to kill;
And now from you one visit he implores,
And after that he’ll trouble you no more. [_Weeps_.
_Cleo_. That I will grant to satisfy the King.
_Lys_. When he is dead--
He’ll send the Spirit of _Clemanthis_ to you,
Who shall upbraid you with your Cruelty,
And let you see, in wounding of _Thersander_,
You’ve found the readiest way to kill _Clemanthis_.
_Cleo_. What means he by these Words?
_Lys_. He humbly begs you’ll pardon the rough treatment
You’ve had among the _Scythians_,
Whose Crown, he says, _Clemanthis_ promis’d you,
And he intreats you would accept it from him.
_Cleo_. To send the Spirit of _Clemanthis_ to me--
How this agrees with my sad Dream!
How did thy Master know--
_Clemanthis_ promis’d me the Crown of _Scythia_?--
[_Advances towards_ Lys. _and she starts_.
--Sure I have seen that Face before--
Art not _Lysander_, Page to _Clemanthis_?
_Lys_. Madam, I am, and ever serv’d that Master.
_Cleo_. How couldst thou then come near his Enemy?
_Lys_. Madam, it was by his Command I came.
_Cleo_. How could _Clemanthis_ love his Murderer?
It is no wonder then that generous Spirit
Came while I slept, and pleaded for the Prince.
_Lys_. What means the Princess?
_Enter_ Pimante.
_Pim_. Oh, Madam, I have news to tell you that will
Make you forswear ever fighting again.
_Cleo_. What mean you?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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