_Adr._ [_Aside._] O, I burn inward: my blood's all on fire! Alcides, when the poisoned shirt sate closest, Had but an ague-fit to this my fever. Yet, for Eurydice, even this I'll suffer, To free my love.--Well then, I killed him basely. _Cre._ Fairly, I'm sure, you could not. _Dioc._ Nor alone. _Cre._ You had your fellow thieves about you, prince; They conquered, and you killed. _Adr._ [_Aside._] Down, swelling heart! 'Tis for thy princess all:--O my Eurydice!-- [_To her._ _Eur._ [_To him._] Reproach not thus the weakness of my sex, As if I could not bear a shameful death, Rather than see you burdened with a crime Of which I know you free. _Cre._ You do ill, madam, To let your head-long love triumph o'er nature: Dare you defend your father's murderer? _Eur._ You know he killed him not. _Cre._ Let him say so. _Dioc._ See, he stands mute. _Cre._ O power of conscience, even in wicked men! It works, it stings, it will not let him utter One syllable, one,--no, to clear himself From the most base, detested, horrid act That ere could stain a villain,--not a prince. _Adr._ Ha! villain! _Dioc._ Echo to him, groves: cry villain. _Adr._ Let me consider--did I murder Laius, Thus, like a villain? _Cre._ Best revoke your words, And say you killed him not. _Adr._ Not like a villain; pr'ythee, change me that For any other lye. _Dioc._ No, villain, villain. _Cre._ You killed him not! proclaim your innocence, Accuse the princess: So I knew 'twould be. _Adr._ I thank thee, thou instructest me: No matter how I killed him. _Cre._ [_Aside._] Cooled again! _Eur._ Thou, who usurp'st the sacred name of conscience, Did not thy own declare him innocent? To me declare him so? The king shall know it. _Cre._ You will not be believed, for I'll forswear it. _Eur._ What's now thy conscience? _Cre._ 'Tis my slave, my drudge, my supple glove, My upper garment, to put on, throw off, As I think best: 'Tis my obedient conscience. _Adr._ Infamous wretch! _Cre._ My conscience shall not do me the ill office To save a rival's life; when thou art dead, (As dead thou shalt be, or be yet more base Than thou think'st me, By forfeiting her life, to save thy own,--) Know this,--and let it grate thy very soul,-- She shall be mine: (she is, if vows were binding;) Mark me, the fruit of all thy faith and passion, Even of thy foolish death, shall all be mine. _Adr._ Thine, say'st thou, monster! shall my love be thine? O, I can bear no more! Thy cunning engines have with labour raised My heavy anger, like a mighty weight, To fall and pash thee dead. See here thy nuptials; see, thou rash Ixion, [_Draws._ Thy promised Juno vanished in a cloud; And in her room avenging thunder rolls, To blast thee thus!--Come both!-- [_Both draw._ _Cre._ 'Tis what I wished. Now see whose arm can launch the surer bolt, And who's the better Jove! [_Fight._ _Eur._ Help; murther, help!