And loud applauding shouts; thy rescu'd country
Resounds thy praise; our emperor, Heraclius,
Decrees thee honours for a city sav'd,

And pillars rise of monumental brass,
Inscrib'd-" To Phocyas, the deliverer."

Pho. The honours and rewards, which thou hast nam'd,

Are bribes too little for my vast ambition.
My soul is full of thee !—Thou art my all,
Of fame, of triumph, and of future fortune.
"Twas love of thee first sent me forth in arms,
My service is all thine, to thee devoted,

And thou alone canst make e'en conquest pleasing.
Eud. O, do not wrong thy merit, nor restrain it
To narrow bounds; but know, I best am pleas'd
To share thee with thy country. Oh, my Phocyas!
With conscious blushes oft I've heard thy vows,
And strove to hide, yet more reveal'd my heart;
But 'tis thy virtue justifies my choice,
And what at first was weakness, now is glory.
Pho. Forgive me, thou fair pattern of all goodness,
If, in the transport of unbounded passion,
I still am lost to every thought but thee,
Yet sure to love thee thus is every virtue;

Nor need I more perfection.-Hark! I'm call'd.

[Trumpet sounds. Eud. Then go-and Heaven, with all its angels, guard thee.

Pho. Farewell!-for thee once more I draw the

sword.

Now to the field, to gain the glorious prize; "Tis victory-the word-Eudocia's eyes!

[Exeunt

ACT THE SECOND.

SCENE I.

The GOVERNOR's Palace.

Enter EUMENES and HERBIS.

Herb, Still I must say, 'twas wrong, 'twas wrong, Eumenes,

And mark th' event!

Eum. What could I less? You saw

'Twas vain t'oppose it, whilst his eager valour, Impatient of restraint

Herb. His eager valour!

His rashness, his hot youth, his valour's fever!
Must we, whose business is to keep our walls,
And manage warily our little strength,
Must we at once lavish away our blood,

Because his pulse beats high, and his mad courage
Wants to be breath'd in some new enterprize?—
You should not have consented.

Eum. You forget.

'Twas not my voice alone; you saw the people (And sure such sudden instincts are from Heaven!) Rose all at once to follow him, as if

One soul inspir'd them, and that soul was Phocyas',
Herb. I had indeed forgot; and ask your pardon.
I took you for Eumenes, and I thought

That, in Damascus, you had chief command.
Eum. What dost thou mean?

Herb. Nay, who's forgetful now?

You say, the people-Yes, that very people,

That coward tribe that press'd you to surrender!
Well may they spurnat lost authority;
Whom they like better, better they'll obey.

Eum. OI could curse the giddy, changeful slaves, But that the thought of this hour's great event Possesses all my soul.— -If we are beaten!

Herb. The poison works; 'tis well—I'll give him

more.

True, if we're beaten, who shall answer that?
Shall you, or I?- -Are you the governor?
Or say we conquer, whose is then the praise?

[Aside.

Eum. I know thy friendly fears; that thou and I Must stoop beneath a beardless, rising hero! And in Heraclius' court it shall be said, Damascus, nay, perhaps the empire too, Ow'd its deliverance to a boy,Why be it, So that he now return with victory;

'Tis honour greatly won, and let him wear it. Yet I could wish I needed less his service. Were Eutyches returned

Herb. [Aside.] That, that's my torture.

I sent my son to the emperor's court, in hopes
His merit at this time might raise his fortunes;
But Phocyas-curse upon his froward virtues !-
Is reaping all this field of fame alone,

Or leaves him scarce the gleanings of a harvest.
Eum. See Artamon, with hasty strides returning.
He comes alone! Oh! friend, thy fears were just.
What are we now, and what is lost Damascus ?

Is set in blood, and from the western skies

Has seen three thousand slaughter'd Arabs fall.
Herb. Is Phocyas safe?

Art. He is, and crown'd with triumph.

Herb. [Aside.] My fears indeed were just.

Eum. What noise is that?

[Shout, Flourish.

Herb. The people worshiping their new divinity; Shortly they'll build him temples.

Eum. Tell us, soldier,

Since thou hast shar'd the glory of this action,
Tell us how it began.

Art. At first the foe

Seem'd much surpris'd; but taking soon the alarm,
Gather'd some hasty troops, and march'd to meet us.
The captain of these bands look'd wild and fierce,
His head unarm'd, as if in scorn of danger,

And naked to the waist; as he drew near,
He rais'd his arm, and shook a pond'rous lance:
When all at once, as at a signal given,
We heard the Tecbir, so these Arabs call
Their shouts of onset, when with loud appeal
They challenge Heaven, as if demanding conquest.
The battle join'd, and thro' the barbarous host
Fight, fight, and Paradise,' was all the cry.

At last our leaders met; and gallant Phocyas-
But what are words, to tell the mighty wonders
We saw him then perform !—Their chief unhors'd,
The Saracens soon broke their ranks, and fled;
And had not a thick evening fog arose,

The slaughter had been double-But, behold,
The hero comes !

Enter PHOCYAS, EUMENES meeting him.
Eum. Joy to brave Phocyas!

Eumenes gives him back the joy he sent.

The welcome news has reach'd this place before

thee.

How shall thy country pay the debt she owes thee?

Pho. By taking this as earnest of a debt Which I owe her, and fain would better pay. Herb. In spite of envy, Imust praise him too.

[Aside.

Phocyas, thou hast done bravely, and 'tis fit
Successful virtue take a time to rest.
Fortune is fickle, and may change: besides,
What shall we gain, if from a mighty ocean
By sluices we draw off some little streams?
If thousands fall, ten thousands more remain.
Nor ought we hazard worth so great as thine,
Against such odds. Suffice what's done already :
And let us now, in hopes of better days,

Keep wary watch, and wait th' expected succours. Pho. What! -to be coop'd whole months within our walls?

To rust at home, and sicken with inaction?
The courage of our men will droop and die,
If not kept up by daily exercise.

Again the beaten foe may force our gates;
And victory, if slighted thus, take wing,
And fly where she may find a better welcome.
Eum. [To HERBIS, aside.] Urge him no more ;-
I'll think of thy late warning;

And thou shalt see, I'll yet be governor.

Enter MESSENGER, with a Letter.

Pho. [Looking on it.] "Tis to Eumenes.
Eum. Ha! from Eutyches.

[Reads.] The emperor, awaken'd with the danger
That threatens his dominions, and the loss
At Aiznadin, has drain'd his garrisons,
To raise a second army. In a few hours
We will begin our march. Sergius brings this,
And will inform you further.-