ZENORIA. 



51.5 



Lo, from thy faded brow I take thy crown ; 

 Oh fallen star, the holy treason pardon 

 Me, thus discrowning thee of thy last beams. 

 Give me the royal robe and sceptred axe, 

 Bipenna, symbol of Palmyra's sway. 

 They come. I am prepared. Say, Solyma, 

 Or Tirza, has the Parthian prince escaped ? 

 Tir:a. He has, dear lady. 



Tamara. Heaven shields us still. 



Now come what will. 

 Tirza. I saw Arsaces cross 



The ford, beneath an arch of Parthian darts 

 By Sapor's skill so ordered to protect 

 His flight ; and on the blood-stained hither bank 

 The Roman warriors who pursued him there 

 In total disarray. 



Solyma. I too beheld him 



Borne through the tide by fire-breath'd Phlegethon. 

 Oh how I joy'd to see that generous steed. 

 Conscious he seem'd of our dead lady's will. 

 Breasting the waves like some immortal thing, 

 His white mane streaming like a victor's flag, 

 Hurtless beneath the arch of burning steel ; 

 Nor did one arrow stain his snow-white side. 

 Too pure for men detestable to soil. 

 Tirsa. I saw the satrap land, and through his friends, 

 Thronging around him in rejoicing groups. 

 Pass to the embraces of the Parthian king — 

 The king of kings. May vengeance soon be his. 



Tamara. 'Tis well. Thy wish, dead sister, is fulfilled. 

 Thy last injunction still remains. They come. 



[Tamaka stands with folded arms, in her assumed royal robes and insignia, be- 

 tween her maidens. Datis, with a few Palmyrene warriors grouped in the back- 

 ground, watches in silence the result.'] 

 Enter RomanCaptain, Prxtorians, Tribunes, Soldiers, Standard-bearer, Lictors, 8fc 



Captain. Surrender, Palmyrenes, the day is ours ; 



And, by your hopes of mercy from the emperor, 

 I charge ye, tell us where to find your queen. 



Tamara. Behold her here. I am Palmyra's queen. 



I'm vanquish'd. Words are useless from the vanquish'd. 

 I yield. 



Captain. In the same spirit, lady, your surrender 



Do I accept. Condoling words from victors 

 Affront the vanquish'd. Noble treatment, as 

 Becomes your rank, be sure to have from me. 



Tamara. One favour. Sir, I ask. This Parthian youth, 



(Pointing to Zenobia..) 

 Struck by an arrow, bleeding to my foot, 

 Died to preserve my life. Twin blood he boasts 

 With one of Sapor's kinsmen. Grant that Datis 

 And these my women may convey the body. 

 Across the fords, to those who mourn his death. 

 So may he have befitting funeral rites. 

 And sleep in Susa midst his fathers' tombs. 



Captain (consulting aside with tlie Roman Officers). 



This note sounds well, and chimes in unison 

 With the secret orders of the cmjjeror. 



