The empire's darling and the soldier's boast;
But now confirm'd, and swelling with his conquests, Secure he tramples my declining fame,
Frowns unrestrain'd, and dooms me with his eyes.
What can reverse thy doom?
But Greece is still forgot.
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.
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?
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.
How can a single hand attempt a life
Which armies guard, and citadels enclose?
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.
In Sophia's temple! What alarm!-Proceed.
The Sultan gaz'd, he wonder'd, and he lov'd:
In passion lost, he bade the conquʼring fair
Renounce her faith, and be the Queen of Turkey.
The pious maid, with modest indignation,
Threw back the glitt'ring bribe.
It must, it must be she; her name?
What hopes, what terrours, rush upon my
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.
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.
These tedious narratives of frozen age
Distract my soul; dispatch thy lingʼring tale;
Say, did a voice from Heav'n restrain the tyrant?
Did interposing angels guard her from him?
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.
Nor found again the bright temptation fail?
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 business from the day. In her apartments
He lives
LEONTIUS.
And there must fall.
Forbear to speak of hazards;
What has the wretch that has surviv'd his country,
His friends, his liberty, to hazard?
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
How shall I scorn the beautiful apostate!
How will the bright Aspasia shine above her!
Should she, for proselytes are always zealous,
With pious warmth receive our Prophet's law-
Heav'n will contemn the mercenary fervour,
Which love of greatness, not of truth, inflames.
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