DRAMATIC SCENES. 195 



You both with impious wishes grasp my sceptre : 

 Nothing is sacred, nothing dear, but EMPIRE ; 

 Brother, nor father, can you bear : fierce lust 

 Of EMPIRE burns, extinguish'd all beside. 

 Why pant you for it ? To give others awe ? 

 Be therefore aw'd yourselves, and tremble at it, 

 While in a father's hand. 



DYMAS. My lord, your warmth 



Defers the business. 



KING. *Am I then too warm ? 



They that should shelter me from ev'ry blast, 

 To be themselves the storm. O ! how ROME triumphs ! 

 Oh ! how they bring this hoary head to shame ! 

 Conquest and fame, the labour of my life, 

 Now turn against me, and call in the world 

 To gaze at what was Philip, but who now 

 Wants ev'n the wretch's privilege a WISH. 

 What can I wish ? Demetrius may be guiltless. 

 What then is Perseus? Judgment hangs as yet 

 Doubtful o'er them ; but I'm condemn'd already, 

 For both are mine ; 

 Should these two hands wage war (these hands less 



dear!) 



What boots it which prevails ? In both I bleed. 

 But I have done. Speak, Perseus, and at large, 

 You'll have no second hearing. Thou forbear, t 



PERSEUS, i Speak ! Twas with utmost struggle I 



f -L. 



forbore. 



These chains were scarce designed to reach my tongue : 

 Their trespass is sufficient, stopping here. 

 These chains ! for what ? Are chains for innocence ? 

 Not so ; for, see, Demetrius wears them too. 



* Relaxing into a milder tone, with much feeling. 



f To Demetrius. 



j Persens is a great villain and a consummate hypocrite, and has 

 been long aiming at the life of his brother. His manners are plau- 

 sible, but his defence breathes an expression of defiance. His hypo- 

 crisy should be rendered evident by the speaker, although it be appa- 

 rently concealed by the garb of honesty. 



He here shows his arms. 



K 2 



