But now confirm'd, and swelling with his conquests,
Secure, he tramples my declining fame,
Frowns unrestrain'd, and dooms me with his

eyes.

CALI.

The tyrant's death.

DEMETRIUS.

But Greece is still forgot.

CALI.

On Asia's coast,

Which lately bless'd my gentle government,
Soon as the sultan's unexpected fate
Fills all th' astonish'd empire with confusion,
My policy shall raise an easy throne;

The Turkish pow'rs from Europe shall retreat,
And harass Greece no more with wasteful war.
A galley mann'd with Greeks, thy charge, Leontius,
Attends to waft us to repose and safety.

DEMETRIUS.

That vessel, if observ'd, alarms the court,

And gives a thousand fatal questions birth:
Why stor❜d for flight? and why prepar'd by Cali?

CALI.

This hour I'll beg, with unsuspecting face,
Leave to perform my pilgrimage to Mecca;
Which granted, hides my purpose from the world,
And, though refus'd, conceals it from the sultan.

LEONTIUS.

How can a single hand attempt a life,

Which armies guard, and citadels enclose?

CALI.

Forgetful of command, with captive beauties,
Far from his troops, he toys his hours away.
A roving soldier seiz'd, in Sophia's temple,
A virgin, shining with distinguish'd charms,
And brought his beauteous plunder to the sultan—

DEMETRIUS.

In Sophia's temple!-What alarm!-Proceed.

CALI.

The sultan gaz'd, he wonder'd, and he lov'd:
In passion lost, he bade the conqu❜ring fair
Renounce her faith, and be the queen of Turkey:
The pious maid, with modest indignation,
Threw back the glitt'ring bribe.

DEMETRIUS.

Celestial goodness!

It must, it must be she ;-her name?

CALI.

Aspasia.

DEMETRIUS.

What hopes, what terrours, rush upon my soul!

O lead me quickly to the scene of fate;

Break through the politician's tedious forms;
Aspasia calls me, let me fly to save her.

LEONTIUS.

Did Mahomet reproach, or praise her virtue?

CALI.

His offers, oft repeated, still refus'd,

At length rekindled his accustom'd fury,

And chang'd th' endearing smile, and am'rous whisper To threats of torture, death, and violation.

DEMETRIUS.

These tedious narratives of frozen age

Distract my soul;-despatch thy ling'ring tale;
Say, did a voice from heav'n restrain the tyrant?
Did interposing angels guard her from him?

CALI.

Just in the moment of impending fate,
Another plund'rer brought the bright Irene;
Of equal beauty, but of softer mien,
Fear in her eye, submission on her tongue,
Her mournful charms attracted his regards,
Disarm'd his rage, and, in repeated visits,
Gain'd all his heart; at length, his eager love
To her transferr'd the offer of a crown.

LEONTIUS.

Nor found again the bright temptation fail?

CALI.

Trembling to grant, nor daring to refuse,
While heav'n and Mahomet divide her fears,
With coy caresses and with pleasing wiles
She feeds his hopes, and sooths him to delay.
For her, repose is banish'd from the night,
And bus'ness from the day: in her apartments
He lives-

What has the wretch, that has surviv'd his country,
His friends, his liberty, to hazard?

CALI.

Life.

DEMETRIUS.

Th' inestimable privilege of breathing!
Important hazard! What's that airy bubble,
When weigh'd with Greece, with virtue, with Aspasia ?—
A floating atom, dust that falls, unheeded,

Into the adverse scale, nor shakes the balance.

CALI.

At least, this day be calm-If we succeed,
Aspasia's thine, and all thy life is rapture.-
See! Mustapha, the tyrant's minion, comes;
Invest Leontius with his new command;
And wait Abdalla's unsuspected visits:
Remember freedom, glory, Greece, and love.

[Exeunt Demetrius and Leontius.

SCENE III.

CALI, MUSTAPHA,

MUSTAPHA.

By what enchantment does this lovely Greek
Hold in her chains the captivated sultan?
He tires his fav'rites with Irene's praise,
And seeks the shades to muse upon Irene ;
Irene steals, unheeded, from his tongue,
And mingles, unperceiv'd, with ev'ry thought.

CALI.

;

Why should the sultan shun the joys of beauty,
Or arm his breast against the force of love?

Love, that with sweet vicissitude relieves
The warriour's labours and the monarch's cares.
But, will she yet receive the faith of Mecca?

MUSTAPHA.

Those pow'rful tyrants of the female breast, Fear and ambition, urge her to compliance; Dress'd in each charm of gay magnificence, Alluring grandeur courts her to his arms, Religion calls her from the wish'd embrace, Paints future joys, and points to distant glories.

CALI.

Soon will th' unequal contest be decided. Prospects, obscur'd by distance, faintly strike; Each pleasure brightens, at its near approach, And ev'ry danger shocks with double horrour.

MUSTAPHA.

How shall I scorn the beautiful apostate! How will the bright Aspasia shine above her!

CALI.

Should she, for proselytes are always zealous, With pious warmth receive our prophet's law

MUSTAPHA.

Heav'n will contemn the mercenary fervour, Which love of greatness, not of truth, inflames.

CALI.

Cease, cease thy censures; for the sultan comes Alone, with am'rous haste to seek his love.