Zemp.  Death on these trifles!  Cannot your art find
Some means, to ease the passions of the mind? 
Or, if you cannot give a lover rest,
Can you force love into a scornful breast?

Ism.  Tis reason only can make passions less;
Art gives not new, but may the old increase;
Nor can it alter love in any breast,
That is with other flames before possessed.

Zemp.  If this be all your slighted arts can do, I’ll kindle other flames, since I must burn, And all their temples into ashes turn.

Ism.  Great queen—­

Zemp.  If you would have this sentence staid,
Summon their godheads quickly to your aid,
And presently compose a charm, that may
Love’s flames into the stranger’s breast convey,
The captive stranger, he whose sword and eyes
Wheree’er they strike, meet ready victories: 
Make him but burn for me, in flames like mine,
Victims shall bleed, and feasted altars shine: 
If not—­
  Down go your temples, and your gods shall see
  They have small use of their divinity. [Exeunt_.

ACT IV.

SCENE I.—­The scene opens, and discovers MONTEZUMA
sleeping in prison.

Enter TRAXALLA leading in ORAZIA.

Trax.  Now take your choice, and bid him live or die;
To both shew pity, or shew cruelty: 
’Tis you that must condemn, I’ll only act;
Your sentence is more cruel than my fact.

Oraz.  You are most cruel, to disturb a mind, Which to approaching fate was so resigned.

Trax.  Reward my passion, and you’ll quickly prove
There’s none dare sacrifice what I dare love. 
Next to thee, stranger; wake, and now resign
The bold pretences of thy love to mine,
Or in this fatal minute thou shalt find—­

Mont.  Death, fool; in that thou may’st be just and kind: 
’Twas I that loved Orazia, yet did raise
The storm, in which she sinks:  Why dost thou gaze,
Or stay thy hand from giving that just stroke,
Which, rather than prevent, I would provoke? 
When I am dead, Orazia may forgive;
She never must, if I dare wish to live.

Oraz.  Hold, hold—­O Montezuma, can you be
So careless of yourself, but more of me? 
Though you have brought me to this misery,
I blush to say I cannot see you die.

Mont.  Can my approaching fate such pity move?  The gods and you at once forgive and love.

Trax.  Fond fool, thus to mis-spend that little breath
I lent thee to prevent, not hasten, death: 
Let her thank you she was unfortunate,
And you thank her for pulling on your fate;
Prove to each other your own destinies. [Draws.

Enter ZEMPOALLA hastily, and sets a dagger to ORAZIA’S breast.

Zemp.  Hold, hold, Traxalla, or Orazia dies.—­
O, is’t Orazia’s name that makes you stay? 
’Tis her great power, not mine, that you obey. 
Inhuman wretch, dar’st thou the murderer be
Of him, that is not yet condemned by me?