And try if all the fury they can bring, Be proof against the presence of their king. [Exit BOAB. The Factions appear: At the head of the Aben cerrages, OZMYN; at the head of the Zegrys, ZULEMA, HAMET, GOMEL, and SELIN ABENAMAR and ABDELMELECH, joined with the Abencerrages. Zul. The faint Abencerrages quit their ground: Press them; put home your thrusts to every wound. Abdelm. Zegry, on manly force our line relies; Thine poorly takes the advantage of surprise: Unarmed and much out-numbered we retreat; You gain no fame, when basely you defeat. If thou art brave, seek nobler victory; Save Moorish blood; and, while our bands stand by, Let two and two an equal combat try. Ham. "Tis not for fear the combat we refuse, Ozm. We'll double yet the exchange before we die, And each of ours two lives of yours shall buy. ALMANZOR enters betwixt them, as they stand ready to engage. Alm. I cannot stay to ask which cause is best; But this is so to me, because opprest. [Goes to the Aben. To them BOABDELIN and his guards, going betwixt them. Boab. On your allegiance, I command you stay; Who passes here, through me must make his way; My life's the Isthmus; through this narrow line Thy Granadines assist their enemy! Does from our weak foundations take one prop, Το On me, and all the Abencerrages light, If, unprovoked, I with your son did fight. Abdelm. A band of Zegrys ran within the place, Matched with a troop of thirty of our race. Your son and Ozmyn the first squadrons led, Which, ten by ten, like Parthians, charged and fled. The ground was strowed with canes where we did meet, Which crackled underneath our coursers' feet: Changed his blunt cane for a steel-pointed dart, And, meeting Ozmyn next, Who wanted time for treason to provide, He basely threw it at him, undefied. Ozm. [Shewing his arms.] Witness this bloodwhich when by treason sought, That followed, sir, which to myself I ought. Zul. His hate to thee was grounded on a grudge, Which all our generous Zegrys just did judge: Thy villain-blood thou openly didst place Above the purple of our kingly race. Boab. From equal stems their blood both houses draw, They from Morocco, you from Cordova. Ham. Their mongrel race is mixed with Christian breed ; Hence 'tis that they those dogs in prisons feed. Fall on let no Abencerrago live. [Advancing before the rest of his party. ALMANZOR, advancing on the other side, and describing a line with his sword. Almanz. Upon thy life pass not this middle space; Sure death stands guarding the forbidden place. Gom. To dare that death, I will approach yet nigher; Thus,―wert thou compassed in with circling fire. [They fight. Boab. Disarm them both; if they resist you, kill. [ALMANZOR, in the midst of the guards, kills GOMEL, and then is disarmed. Almanz. Now you have but the leavings of my will. Boab. Kill him! this insolent unknown shall fall, And be the victim to atone you all. Ozm. If he must die, not one of us will live: That life he gave for us, for him we give. Boab. It was a traitor's voice that spoke those words; So are you all, who do not sheath your swords. No subject his protection can expect, Who lately in the Vivarambla place Did, with so loud applause, your triumphs grace. Boab. The word which I have given, I'll not revoke; If he be brave, he's ready for the stroke. Almanz. No man has more contempt than I of breath, But whence hast thou the right to give me death? Obeyed as sovereign by thy subjects be, But know, that I alone am king of me. I am as free as nature first made man, Boab. Since, then, no power above your own you know, Mankind should use you like a common foe; Almanz. My laws are made but only for I brought that succour, which thou ought'st to bring, And so, in nature, am thy subjects' king. Boab. I do not want your counsel to direct, Or aid to help me punish or protect. Almanz. Thou want'st them both, or better thou would'st know, Than to let factions in thy kingdom grow. Divided interests, while thou think'st to sway, Draw, like two brooks, thy middle stream away: For though they band and jar, yet both combine To make their greatness by the fall of thine. Thus, like a buckler, thou art held in sight, While they behind thee with each other fight. Boab. Away, and execute him instantly! [To his Guards Almanz. Stand off; I have not leisure yet to die. To them, enter ABDALLA hastily. Abdal. Hold, sir! for heaven's sake hold! Defer this noble stranger's punishment, Or your rash orders you will soon repent. Boab. Brother, you know not yet his insolence. Abdal. Upon yourself you punish his offence: If we treat gallant strangers in this sort, Mankind will shun the inhospitable court; And who, henceforth, to our defence will come, If death must be the brave Almanzor's doom? From Africa I drew him to your aid, And for his succour have his life betrayed. Boab. Is this the Almanzor whom at Fez you knew, When first their swords the Xeriff brothers drew? |