The Indian Queen

Act V

The Scene opens, and discovers the Temple of the Sun, all of gold, and four Priests, in habits of white and red feathers, attending by a bloody altar, as ready for sacrifice.

Then enter the Guards, ZEMPOALLA, and TRAXALLA; Inca, ORAZIA, and MONTEZUMA, bound. As soon as they are placed, the Priest sings.

You to whom victory we owe,

Whose glories rise

By sacrifice,

And from our fates below;

Never did your altars shine

Feasted with blood so near divine;

Princes to whom we bow,

As they to you:

Thus you can ravish from a throne,

And, by their loss of power, declare your own.

Zemp. Now to inflict those punishments, that are

Due to the authors of invasive war;

Who, to deceive the oppressed world, like you,

Invent false quarrels to conceal the true.

Inca. My quarrel was the same, that all the gods

Must have to thee, if there be any odds

Betwixt those titles that are bad or good,

To crowns descended, or usurped by blood:

Swell not with this success; 'twas not to thee,

But to this man, the gods gave victory.

Mont. Since I must perish by my own success,

Think my misfortunes more, my crimes the less;

And so, forgiving, make me pleased to die,

Thus punished for this guilty victory.

Inca. Death can make virtue easy; I forgive:

That word would prove too hard, were I to live;

The honour of a prince would then deny,

But in the grave all our distinctions die.

Mont. Forgive me one thing yet; to say, I love,

Let it no more your scorn and anger move;

Since, dying in one flame, my ashes must

Embrace and mingle with Orazia's dust.

Inca. Name thy bold love no more, lest that last breath,

Which should forgive, I stifle with my death.

Oraz. Oh, my dear father! Oh, why may not I,

Since you gave life to me, for you now die?

Mont. 'Tis I, that wrought this mischief, ought to fall

A just and willing sacrifice for all.

Now, Zempoalla, be both just and kind,

And, in my fate, let me thy mercy find:

Be grateful, then, and grant me that esteem,

That as alive, so dead, I may redeem.

Oraz. O, do not for her cruel mercy move;

None should ask pity but from those they love.

[Weeps.

Inca. Fond girl! to let thy disobedient eyes

Show a concern for him, whom I despise.

Oraz. How love and nature may divide a breast,

At once by both their powers severely prest!

Yet, sir, since love seems less, you may forgive;

I would not have you die, nor have him live;

Yet if he dies, alas! what shall I do?

I cannot die with him, and live with you.

Mont. How vainly we pursue this generous strife,

Parting in death more cruel than in life!

Weep not, we both shall have one destiny;

As in one flame we lived, in one we'll die.

Trax. Why do we waste in vain these precious hours?

Each minute of his life may hazard ours:

The nation does not live whilst he enjoys

His life, it is his safety that destroys.

He shall fall first, and teach the rest to die.

Zemp. Hold!

Who is it that commands;ha! you, or I?

Your zeal grows saucy!sure, you may allow

Your empress freedom first to pay her vow.

Trax. She may allowa justice to be done

By him, that raised his empress to her throne.

Zemp. You are too bold,

Trax. And you too passionate.

Zemp. Take heed, with his, you urge not your own fate.

For all this pity is now due to me.

Mont. I hate thy offered mercy more than thee.

Trax. Why will not then the fair Orazia give

Life to herself, and let Traxalla live?

Mont. Orazia will not live, and let me die;

She taught me first this cruel jealousy.

Oraz. I joy that you have learned it!

That flame not like immortal love appears.

Where death can cool its warmth, or kill its fears.

Zemp. What shall I do? am I so quite forlorn,

No help from my own pride, nor from his scorn!

My rival's death may more effectual prove;

He, that is robbed of hope, may cease to love:

Here, lead these offerings to their deaths.

Trax. Let none

Obey but he, that will pull on his own!

Zemp. Tempt me not thus; false and ungrateful too!

Trax. Just as ungrateful, and as false, as you.

Zemp. 'Tis thy false love that fears her destiny.

Trax. And your false love that fears to have him die.

Zemp. Seize the bold traitor!

Trax. What a slighted frown

Troubles your brow! feared nor obeyed by none;

Come, prepare for sacrifice.

Enter ACACIS weakly.

Aca. Hold, hold! such sacrifices cannot be

Devotions, but a solemn cruelty:

How can the gods delight in human blood?

Think them not cruel, if you think them good.

In vain we ask that mercy, which they want,

And hope that pity, which they hate to grant.

Zemp. Retire, Acacis;

Preserve thyself, for 'tis in vain to waste

Thy breath for them: The fatal vow is past.

Aca. To break that vow is juster than commit

A greater crime, by your preserving it.

Zemp. The gods themselves their own will best express

To like the vow, by giving the success.

Aca. If all things by success are understood,

Men, that make war, grow wicked to be good:

But did you vow, those that were overcome,

And he that conquered, both, should share one doom?

There's no excuse; for one of these must be

Not your devotion, but your cruelty.

Trax. To that rash stranger, sir, we nothing owe;

What he had raised, he strove to overthrow:

That duty lost, which should our actions guide,

Courage proves guilt, when merits swell to pride.

Aca. Darest thou, who didst thy prince's life betray,

Once name that duty, thou hast thrown away?

Like thy injustice to this stranger shown,

To tax him with a guilt, that is thy own?

Can you, brave soldiers, suffer him to die,

That gave you life, in giving victory?

Look but upon this stranger, see those hands,

That brought you freedom, fettered up in bands.

Not one looks up,

Lest sudden pity should their hearts surprise,

And steal into their bosoms through their eyes.

Zemp. Why thus, in vain, are thy weak spirits prest?

Restore thyself to thy more needful rest.

Aca. And leave Orazia!

Zemp. Go, you must resign:

For she must be the gods'; not yours, nor mine.

Aca. You are my mother, and my tongue is tied

So much by duty, that I dare not chide.

Divine Orazia!

Can you have so much mercy to forgive?

I do not ask it with design to live,

But in my death to have my torments cease:

Death is not death, when it can bring no peace.

Oraz. I both forgive, and pity;

Aca. O, say no more, lest words less kind destroy

What these have raised in me of peace and joy:

You said, you did both pity and forgive;

You would do neither, should Acacis live.

By death alone the certain way appears,

Thus to hope mercy, and deserve your tears.

[Stabs himself.

Zemp. O, my Acacis!

What cruel cause could urge this fatal deed?

[Weeps.

He faints!help, help! some help! or he will bleed

His life, and mine, away!

Some water there!Not one stirs from his place!

I'll use my tears to sprinkle on his face.

Aca. Orazia,

Zemp. Fond child! why dost thou call upon her name?

I am thy mother.

Aca. No, you are my shame.

That blood is shed that you had title in,

And with your title may it end your sin!

Unhappy prince, you may forgive me now,

Thus bleeding for my mother's cruel vow.

Inca. Be not concerned for me;

Death's easier than the changes I have seen:

I would not live to trust the world again.

Mont. Into my eyes sorrow begins to creep;

When hands are tied, it is no shame to weep.

Aca. Dear Montezuma,

I may be still your friend, though I must die

Your rival in her love: Eternity

Has room enough for both; there's no desire,

Where to enjoy is only to admire:

There we'll meet friends, when this short storm is past.

Mont. Why must I tamely wait to perish last?

Aca. Orazia weeps, and my parched soul appears

Refreshed by that kind shower of pitying tears;

Forgive those faults my passion did commit,

'Tis punished with the life that nourished it;

I had no power in this extremity

To save your life, and less to see you die.

My eyes would ever on this object stay,

But sinking nature takes the props away.

Kind death,

To end with pleasures all my miseries,

Shuts up your image in my closing eyes.

[Dies.

Enter a Messenger.

Mess. To arms, to arms!

Trax. From whence this sudden fear?

Mess. Stand to your guard, my lord, the danger's near:

From every quarter crowds of people meet,

And, leaving houses empty, fill the street.

[Exit Mess.

Trax. Fond queen, thy fruitless tears a while defer;

Rise, we must join againNot speak, nor stir!

I hear the people's voice like winds that roar,

When they pursue the flying waves to shore.

Enter Second Messenger.

2 Mess. Prepare to fight, my lord; the banished queen,

With old Garucca, in the streets are seen.

Trax. We must go meet them or it be too late;

Yet, madam, rise; have you no sense of fate?

Enter third Messenger.

3 Mess. King Montezuma their loud shouts proclaim,

The city rings with their new sovereign's name;

The banished queen declares he is her son,

And to his succour all the people run.

[ZEMPOALLA rises.

Zemp. Can this be true? O love! O fate! have I

Thus doated on my mortal enemy?

Trax. To my new prince I thus my homage pay;

Your reign is short, young king

Zemp. Traxalla, stay

'Tis to my hand that he must owe his fate,

I will revenge at once my love and hate.

[She sets a dagger to MONTEZUMA'S breast.

Trax. Strike, strike, the conquering enemy is near.

My guards are passed, while you detain me here.

Zemp. Die then, ungrateful, die; Amexia's son

Shall never triumph on Acacis' throne.

Thy death must my unhappy flames remove:

Now where is thy defenceagainst my love?

[She cuts the cords, and gives him the dagger.

Trax. Am I betrayed?

[He draws and thrusts at MONTEZUMA,

he puts it by and kills him.

Mont. So may all rebels die:

This end has treason joined with cruelty.

Zemp. Live thou whom I must love, and yet must hate;

She gave thee life, who knows it brings her fate.

Mont. Life is a trifle which I would not take,

But for Orazia's and her father's sake:

Now, Inca, hate me, if thou canst; for he,

Whom thou hast scorned, will die, or rescue thee.

As he goes to attack the guards with TRAXALLA'S sword, enter AMEXIA, GARUCCA, Indians, driving some of the other party before them.

Gar. He lives; ye gods, he lives! great queen, see here

Your coming joys, and your departing fear.

Amex. Wonder and joy so fast together flow,

Their haste to pass has made their passage slow;

Like struggling waters in a vessel pent,

Whose crowding drops choak up the narrow vent.

My son!

[She embraces him.

Mont. I am amazed! it cannot be

That fate has such a joy in store for me.

Amex. Can I not gain belief that this is true?

Mont. It is my fortune I suspect, not you.

Gar. First ask him if he old Garucca know.

Mont. My honoured father! let me fall thus low.

Gar. Forbear, great prince; 'tis I must pay to you

That adoration, as my sovereign's due:

For, from my humble race you did not spring;

You are the issue of our murdered king,

Sent by that traitor to his blest abode,

Whom, to be made a king, he made a god:

The story is too full of fate to tell,

Or what strange fortune our lost queen befel.

Amex. That sad relation longer time will crave;

I lived obscure, he bred you in a cave,

But kept the mighty secret from your ear,

Lest heat of blood to some strange course should steer

Your youth.

Mont. I owe him all, that now I am;

He taught me first the noble thirst of fame.

Shewed me the baseness of unmanly fear,

Till the unlicked whelp I plucked from the rough bear,

And made the ounce and tyger give me way,

While from their hungry jaws I snatched the prey:

'Twas he that charged my young arms first with toils,

And drest me glorious in my savage spoils.

Gar. You spent in shady forest all the day,

And joyed, returning, to shew me the prey,

To tell the story, to describe the place,

With all the pleasures of the boasted chace;

Till fit for arms, I reaved you from your sport,

To train your youth in the Peruvian court:

I left you there, and ever since have been

The sad attendant of my exiled queen.

Zemp. My fatal dream comes to my memory;

That lion, whom I held in bonds, was he,

Amexia was the dove that broke his chains;

What now but Zempoalla's death remains?

Mont. Pardon, fair princess, if I must delay

My love a while, my gratitude to pay.

Live, Zempoallafree from dangers live,

For present merits I past crimes forgive:

Oh, might she hope Orazia's pardon, too!

Oraz. I would have none condemned for loving you;

In me her merit much her fault o'erpowers;

She sought my life, but she preserved me yours.

Amex. Taught by my own, I pity her estate,

And wish her penitence, but not her fate.

Inca. I would not be the last to bid her live;

Kings best revenge their wrongs, when they forgive.

Zemp. I cannot yet forget what I have been:

Would you give life to her, that was a queen?

Must you then give, and must I take? there's yet

One way, that's by refusing, to be great:

You bid me livebid me be wretched too;

Think, think, what pride, unthroned, must undergo:

Look on this youth, Amexia, look, and then

Suppose him yours, and bid me live again;

A greater sweetness on these lips there grows,

Than breath shut out from a new-folded rose:

What lovely charms on these cold cheeks appear!

Could any one hate death, and see it here?

But thou art gone

Mont. O that you would believe

Acacis lives in me, and cease to grieve.

Zemp. Yes, I will cease to grieve, and cease to be.

His soul stays watching in his wound for me;

All that could render life desired is gone,

Orazia has my love, and you my throne,

And death, Acacisyet I need not die,

You leave me mistress of my destiny;

In spite of dreams, how am I pleased to see,

Heaven's truth, or falsehood, should depend on me!

But I will help the Gods;

The greatest proof of courage we can give,

Is then to die when we have power to live.

[Kills herself.

Mont. How fatally that instrument of death

Was hid

Amex. She has expired her latest breath.

Mont. But there lies one, to whom all grief is due.

Oraz. None e'er was so unhappy and so true.

Mont. Your pardon, royal sir.

Inca. You have my love. [Gives him ORAZIA.

Amex. The gods, my son, your happy choice approve.

Mont. Come, my Orazia, then, and pay with me,

[Leads her to ACACIS.

Some tears to poor Acacis' memory;

So strange a fate for men the gods ordain,

Our clearest sunshine should be mixt with rain;

How equally our joys and sorrows move!

Death's fatal triumphs, joined with those of love.

Love crowns the dead, and death crowns him that lives,

Each gains the conquest, which the other gives.

[Exeunt omnes.