SCENE I. The Palace.

    Enter Philander and Galatea inrag’d.

Phi.  ’Tis done, ’tis done, the fatal knot is ty’d,
Erminia to Alcippus is a Bride;
Methinks I see the Motions of her Eyes,
And how her Virgin Breasts do fall and rise: 
Her bashful Blush, her timorous Desire,
Adding new Flame to his too vigorous Fire;
Whilst he the charming Beauty must embrace,
And shall I live to suffer this Disgrace? 
Shall I stand tamely by, and he receive
That Heaven of bliss, defenceless she can give? 
No, Sister, no, renounce that Brother’s name,
Suffers his Patience to surmount his Flame;
I’ll reach the Victor’s heart, and make him see,
That Prize he has obtain’d belongs to me.

Gal.  Ah, dear Philander, do not threaten so, Whilst him you wound, you kill a Sister too.

Phi.  Though all the Gods were rallied on his side,
They should too feeble prove to guard his Pride. 
Justice and Honour on my Sword shall sit,
And my Revenge shall guide the lucky hit.

Gal.  Consider but the danger and the crime, And, Sir, remember that his life is mine.

Phi.  Peace, Sister, do not urge it as a sin,
Of which the Gods themselves have guilty been: 
The Gods, my Sister, do approve Revenge
By Thunder, which th’Almighty Ports unhinge,
Such is their Lightning when poor Mortals fear,
And Princes are the Gods inhabit here;
Revenge has charms that do as powerful prove
As those of Beauty, and as sweet as Love,
The force of Vengeance will not be withstood,
Till it has bath’d and cool’d it self in Blood.
Erminia, sweet Erminia, thou art lost,
And he yet lives that does the conquest boast.

Gal.  Brother, that Captive you can ne’er retrieve
More by the Victor’s death, than if he live,
For she in Honour cannot him prefer,
Who shall become her Husband’s Murderer;
By safer ways you may that blessing gain,
When venturing thus through Blood and Death prove vain.

Phi.  With hopes already that are vain as Air,
You’ve kept me from Revenge, but not Despair. 
I had my self acquitted, as became
Erminia’s wrong’d Adorer, and my Flame;
My Rival I had kill’d, and set her free,
Had not my Justice been disarm’d by thee. 
—­But for thy faithless Hope, I ’ad murder’d him,
Even when the holy Priest was marrying them,
And offer’d up the reeking Sacrifice
To th’Gods he kneel’d to, when he took my price;
By all their Purity I would have don’t. 
But now I think I merit the Affront: 
He that his Vengeance idly does defer,
His Safety more than his Success must fear: 
I, like that Coward, did prolong my Fate,
But brave Revenge can never come too late.

Gal.  Brother, if you can so inhuman prove
To me your Sister, Reason, and to Love: 
I’ll let you see that I have sentiments too,
Can love and be reveng’d as well as you;
That hour that shall a death to him impart,
Shall send this Dagger to Erminia’s heart.
                                    [Shews a Dagger.