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Under the Syrian hills.
Antiochus, his generals, soldiers, Eunice, Rodogune, Mentho.
ANTIOCHUS
What god has moved them from their passes sheer
Where they were safe from me ?
THOAS
They have had word,
No doubt, to take us living.
LEOSTHENES
On!
THOAS
They are
Three thousand, we six hundred armed men.
Shall we go forward ?
LEOSTHENES
Onward still, I say!
ANTIOCHUS
Yes, on! I turn not back lest my proud Fate
Avert her eyes from me. A hundred guard
The princesses.
He goes, followed
by Thoas, Leosthenes,
Philoctetes.
EUNICE
He’ll break them like sea-spray;
They shall not stand before him.
Page – 413
RODOGUNE
You missioned angels, guard Antiochus.
As she speaks, the Eremite
enters and regards her.
EUNICE
He is through them, he is through them! How they scatter
Before his sword! My warrior!
RODOGUNE
Who is this man,
Eunice? He is terrible to me.
EREMITE
Who art thou rather, born to be a torch
To kingdoms ? Is not thy beauty, rightly seen,
More terrible to men than monstrous forms
Which only frighten ?
EUNICE
What if kingdoms burn,
So they bum grandly ?
EREMITE
Spirits like thine think so.
Princess of Antioch, hast thou left thy father
To follow younger eyes? Alas, thou know’st not
Where they shall lead thee! It is to gates accursed
And by a dolorous journey.
EUNICE
Beyond all portals
I’ld follow! I am a woman of the Greeks
Who fear not death nor hell.
Antiochus returns.
Page – 414
ANTIOCHUS
Our swords have hewn
A road for us. Who is this flamen ?
EREMITE
Hail!
"Rejoice" I cannot say, but greet Antiochus
Who never shall be king.
ANTIOCHUS
Who art thou, speak,
Who barr’st with such ill-omened words my way
Discouraging new-born victory ? What thou know’st,
Declare! Curb not thy speech. I have a mind
Stronger than omens.
EREMITE
I am the appointed voice
Who come to tell thee thou shalt not be king,
But at thy end shall yield to destiny
For all thy greatness, genius, pride and force
Even as the tree that falls. March then no farther,
For in thy path Fate hostile stands.
ANTIOCHUS
If Fate
Would have me yield, let her first break me. On!
EREMITE
The guardians of the path then wait for thee
Vigilant lest the world’s destiny be foiled
By human greatness. March on to thy doom.
ANTIOCHUS
I will. Straight on, whatever doom it be!
Page – 415
EREMITE
Farewell, thou mighty Syrian, soul misled,
Strength born untimely! we shall meet again
When death shall lead thee into Antioch.
He goes.
ANTIOCHUS
March.
Curtain
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