_Am_. I should domineer.
_Alcan_. I then should make love elsewhere.
_Am_. Well, I find we shall not agree then.
_Alcan_. Faith--now we have disputed a point I never thought on
before, I would willingly pursue it for the humour on’t, not that
I think I shall much approve on’t.
_Pis_. Give him your hand, _Aminta_, and conclude,
’.is time this haughty humour were subdu’d.
By your submission, whatsoe’er he seem,
In time you’ll make the greater Slave of him.
_Am_. Well--not from the hope of that, but from my Love,
His change of humour I’m content to prove.
Here take me, _Alcander_;
Whilst to Inconstancy I bid adieu,
I find variety enough in you.
[_He takes her and bows_.
_King_. Come my brave Youths, we’ll toil our selves with Joys,
And when we’re weary of the lazy play,
We’ll search abroad to find new Conquests out,
And get fresh Appetites to new Delights:
It will redouble your vast stock of Courage,
And make th’uneasy Humour light and gentle;
When you remember even in heat of Battle,
That after all your Victories and Spoil,
You’ll meet calm Peace at home in soft Embraces.
Thus may you number out your happy years,
_Till Love and Glory no more proofs can give
Of what they can bestow, or you receive_.
[_Exeunt_.
EPILOGUE,
By a Woman.
_We charged you boldly in our first advance,
And gave the Onset_ à la mode de France,
_As each had been a_ Joan of Orleance.
_Like them our Heat as soon abated too;
Alas we could not vanquish with a Show,
Much more than that goes to the conquering you.
The Trial though will recompense the Pain,
It having wisely taught us how to reign;
’.is Beauty only can our Power maintain.
But yet, as tributary Kings, we own
It is by you that we possess that Throne,
Where had we Victors been, we’ad reign’d alone.
And we have promised what we could not do;
A fault, methinks, might be forgiven too,
Since ‘tis but what we learnt of some of you.
But we are upon equal treatment yet,
For neither conquer, since we both submit;
You to our Beauty bow, we to your Wit_.
THE EMPEROR OF THE MOON.
ARGUMENT.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account