DÆMON.

Who but regrets a check

In rivalry of wit? I could reply

And urge new difficulties, but will now
Depart, for I hear steps of men approaching,
And it is time that I should now pursue

My journey to the city.

CYPRIAN.

Go in peace!

DEMON.

Remain in peace! Since thus it profits him
To study, I will wrap his senses up
In sweet oblivion of all thought, but of
A piece of excellent beauty; and as I
Have power given me to wage enmity
Against Justina's soul, I will extract
From one effect two vengeances.

CYPRIAN.

I never

Met a more learned person. Let me now
Revolve this doubt again with careful mind.

Enter LELIO and FLORO.

[Exit.

[He reads.

LELIO.

Here stop. These toppling rocks and tangled boughs,

Impenetrable by the noonday beam,

Shall be sole witnesses of what we

Draw!

FLORO.

If there were words, here is the place for deeds.

LELIO.

'Thou needest not instruct me; well I know That in the field the silent tongue of steel

Speaks thus.

CYPRIAN.

Ha! what is this? Lelio, Floro,

Be it enough that Cyprian stands between you,

[They fight.

Run to approach things of this sort, but only
To avoid them. Sir! Cyprian! sir!

CYPRIAN.

Be silent, fellows! What! two friends who are

In blood and fame the eyes and hope of Antioch;
One of the noble men of the Colatti,

The other son of the Governor, adventure

And cast away, on some slight cause no doubt,
Two lives the honour of their country?

LELIO.

Cyprian!

Although my high respect towards your person
Holds now my sword suspended, thou canst not
Restore it to the slumber of its scabbard.

Thou knowest more of science than the duel;
For when two men of honour take the field,
No [.
] or respect can make them friends,

But one must die in the pursuit.

FLORO.

I pray

That you depart hence with your people, and

Leave us to finish what we have begun

Without advantage.

CYPRIAN.

Though you may imagine

That I know little of the laws of duel,
Which vanity and valour instituted,
You are in error. By my birth I am

Held no less than yourselves to know the limits
Of honour and of infamy, nor has study

Quenched the free spirit which first ordered them;
And thus to me, as one well experienced

In the false quicksands of the sea of honour,
You may refer the merits of the case;
And if I should perceive in your relation

That either has the right to satisfaction

From the other, I give you my word of honour
To leave you.

LELIO.

Under this condition then

I will relate the cause, and you will cede

And must confess th' impossibility
Of compromise; for the same lady is
Beloved by Floro and myself.

FLORO.

It seems

Much to me that the light of day should look Upon that idol of my heart-but he

Leave us to fight, according to thy word.

CYPRIAN.

Permit one question further: is the lady
Impossible to hope or not?

LELIO.

She is

So excellent, that if the light of day
Should excite Floro's jealousy, it were
Without just cause, for even the light of day
Trembles to gaze on her.

O, would that I could lift my hope

So high? for though she is extremely poor,

Her virtue is her dowry.

CYPRIAN.

And if you both

Would marry her, is it not weak and vain,
Culpable and unworthy, thus beforehand

376

To slur her honour. What would the world say
If one should slay the other, and if she

Should afterwards espouse the murderer ?

[The rivals agree to refer their quarrel to CYPRIAN; who in consequence visits JUSTINA, and becomes enamoured of her: she disdains him, and he retires to a solitary sea-shore.

SCENE II.

CYPRIAN.

Oh, memory! permit it not

That the tyrant of my thought
Be another soul that still
Holds dominion o'er the will,

That would refuse, but can no more,
To bend, to tremble, and adore.
Vain idolatry! I saw,

And gazing, became blind with error;
Weak ambition, which the awe
Of her presence bound to terror!
So beautiful she was—and I,
Between my love and jealousy,
Am so convulsed with hope and fear,
Unworthy as it may appear;-

So bitter is the life I live,

That, hear me, Hell! I now would give

To thy most detested spirit

My soul, for ever to inherit,

To suffer punishment and pine,