The Works of Lord Byron Volume V Part 10

Bestow it on Arbaces.

_Sar._ So I should: He never asked it.

_Sal._ Doubt not, he will have it, Without that hollow semblance of respect.

_Bel._ I know not what hath prejudiced the Prince So strongly 'gainst two subjects, than whom none Have been more zealous for a.s.syria's weal.

_Sal._ Peace, factious priest, and faithless soldier! thou Unit'st in thy own person the worst vices 230 Of the most dangerous orders of mankind.

Keep thy smooth words and juggling homilies For those who know thee not. Thy fellow's sin Is, at the least, a bold one, and not tempered By the tricks taught thee in Chaldea.

_Bel._ Hear him, My liege--the son of Belus! he blasphemes The wors.h.i.+p of the land, which bows the knee Before your fathers.

_Sar._ Oh! for that I pray you Let him have absolution. I dispense with The wors.h.i.+p of dead men; feeling that I 240 Am mortal, and believing that the race From whence I sprung are--what I see them--ashes.

_Bel._ King! Do not deem so: they are with the stars, And----

_Sar._ You shall join them ere they will rise, If you preach farther--Why, _this_ is rank treason.

_Sal._ My lord!

_Sar._ To school me in the wors.h.i.+p of a.s.syria's idols! Let him be released-- Give him his sword.

_Sal._ My Lord, and King, and Brother, I pray ye pause.

_Sar._ Yes, and be sermonised, And dinned, and deafened with dead men and Baal, 250 And all Chaldea's starry mysteries.

_Bel._ Monarch! respect them.

_Sar._ Oh! for that--I love them; I love to watch them in the deep blue vault, And to compare them with my Myrrha's eyes; I love to see their rays redoubled in The tremulous silver of Euphrates' wave, As the light breeze of midnight crisps the broad And rolling water, sighing through the sedges Which fringe his banks: but whether they may be G.o.ds, as some say, or the abodes of G.o.ds, 260 As others hold, or simply lamps of night, Worlds--or the lights of Worlds--I know nor care not.

There's something sweet in my uncertainty I would not change for your Chaldean lore; Besides, I know of these all clay can know Of aught above it, or below it--nothing.

I see their brilliancy and feel their beauty[m]-- When they s.h.i.+ne on my grave I shall know neither.

_Bel._ For _neither_, Sire, say _better_.

_Sar._ I will wait, If it so please you, Pontiff, for that knowledge. 270 In the mean time receive your sword, and know That I prefer your service militant Unto your ministry--not loving either.

_Sal._ (_aside_). His l.u.s.ts have made him mad. Then must I save him, Spite of himself.

_Sar._ Please you to hear me, Satraps!

And chiefly thou, my priest, because I doubt thee More than the soldier; and would doubt thee all Wert thou not half a warrior: let us part In peace--I'll not say pardon--which must be Earned by the guilty; this I'll not p.r.o.nounce ye, 280 Although upon this breath of mine depends Your own; and, deadlier for ye, on my fears.

But fear not--for that I am soft, not fearful-- And so live on. Were I the thing some think me, Your heads would now be dripping the last drops Of their attainted gore from the high gates Of this our palace, into the dry dust, Their only portion of the coveted kingdom They would be crowned to reign o'er--let that pa.s.s.

As I have said, I will not _deem_ ye guilty, 290 Nor _doom_ ye guiltless. Albeit better men Than ye or I stand ready to arraign you; And should I leave your fate to sterner judges, And proofs of all kinds, I might sacrifice Two men, who, whatsoe'er they now are, were Once honest. Ye are free, sirs.

_Arb._ Sire, this clemency----

_Bel._ (_interrupting him_).

Is worthy of yourself; and, although innocent, We thank----

_Sar._ Priest! keep your thanksgivings for Belus; His offspring needs none.

_Bel._ But being innocent----

_Sar._ Be silent.--Guilt is loud. If ye are loyal, 300 Ye are injured men, and should be sad, not grateful.

_Bel._ So we should be, were justice always done By earthly power omnipotent; but Innocence Must oft receive her right as a mere favour.

_Sar._ That's a good sentence for a homily, Though not for this occasion. Prithee keep it To plead thy Sovereign's cause before his people.

_Bel._ I trust there is no cause.

_Sar._ No _cause_, perhaps; But many causers:--if ye meet with such In the exercise of your inquisitive function 310 On earth, or should you read of it in heaven In some mysterious twinkle of the stars, Which are your chronicles, I pray you note, That there are worse things betwixt earth and heaven Than him who ruleth many and slays none; And, hating not himself, yet loves his fellows Enough to spare even those who would not spare him Were they once masters--but that's doubtful. Satraps!

Your swords and persons are at liberty To use them as ye will--but from this hour 320 I have no call for either. Salemenes!

Follow me.

[_Exeunt_ SARDANAPALUS, SALEMENES, _and the Train, etc., leaving_ ARBACES _and_ BELESES.

_Arb._ Beleses!

_Bel._ Now, what think you?

_Arb._ That we are lost.

_Bel._ That we have won the kingdom.

_Arb._ What? thus suspected--with the sword slung o'er us But by a single hair, and that still wavering, To be blown down by his imperious breath Which spared us--why, I know not.

_Bel._ Seek not why; But let us profit by the interval.[n]

The hour is still our own--our power the same-- The night the same we destined. He hath changed 330 Nothing except our ignorance of all Suspicion into such a certainty As must make madness of delay.

_Arb._ And yet--

_Bel._ What, doubting still?

_Arb._ He spared our lives, nay, more, Saved them from Salemenes.

_Bel._ And how long Will he so spare? till the first drunken minute.

_Arb._ Or sober, rather. Yet he did it n.o.bly; Gave royally what we had forfeited Basely----

_Bel._ Say bravely.

_Arb._ Somewhat of both, perhaps-- But it has touched me, and, whate'er betide, 340 I will no further on.

_Bel._ And lose the world!

_Arb._ Lose any thing except my own esteem.

_Bel._ I blush that we should owe our lives to such A king of distaffs!