DRAMATIC SCENKS. 197 



PER. Perseus, you see, has art, as well as fire ; 

 Nor have the wars worn Athens from his tongue. 



PERSEUS. Let him, who seeks to bathe in brother's 



BLOOD, 



Not find well pleas'd the fountain whence it flow'd : 

 Let him, who shudders at a brother's KNIFE, 

 Find refuge in the bosom of a FATHER. 

 For where else can I fly ? whom else implore ^ 

 I have no ROMANS, with their eagles' wings, 

 To shelter ME ; DEMETRIUS borrows those, 

 To mount full rebel -high : I have their hatred 

 And, thanks to heav'n ! DESERVE it : Good Demetrius 

 Can see your towns and kingdoms torn away 

 By these PROTECTORS, and ne'er lose his temper. 

 My weakness ! I confess, it makes me rave ; 

 It makes me weep, and my tears rarely flow. 



PER. Was ever stronger proof of filial love ? 



PERSEUS. Vain are ROME'S hopes, while YOU and I 



survive : 



But should the sword take ME, and age my FATHER, 

 (Heav'n grant they leave him to the stroke of age !) 

 The kingdom and the King are both their own ; 

 A duteous, loyal king, a sceptred SLAVE, 

 A willing Macedonian slave to ROME. 



KING. First let an earthquake swallow Macedonia. 



PERSEUS. How, at such new?, would HANNIBAL rejoice ? 

 How the great shade of Alexander smile ? 

 The thought quite chokes me up : I can no more. 



KING. Proceed ! 



PERSEUS. No, Sir Why have I spoke at all 



'Twas needless : PHILIP justifies my charge, 

 Philip's the single witness which I call, 

 To prove Demetrius GUILTY. 



KING. What dost mean ? 



PERSEUS. *What mean I, Sir ! what mean I ! To 



run mad ; 



For who, unshaken both in heart and brain, 

 Can recollect it ! 

 KING. What ? 



* In a hurried tone and manner. 





