Emp. You know your rival then; and know ’tis fit, The son should to the father’s claim submit.

Aur. Sons may have rights which they can never quit.  Yourself first made that title which I claim:  First bade me love, and authorised my flame.

Emp. The value of my gift I did not know:  If I could give, I can resume it too.

Aur. Recall your gift, for I your power confess. 
But first take back my life, a gift that’s less. 
Long life would now but a long burthen prove: 
You’re grown unkind, and I have lost your love. 
My grief lets unbecoming speeches fall: 
I should have died, and not complained at all.

Emp. Witness, ye powers,
How much I suffered, and how long I strove
Against the assaults of this imperious love! 
I represented to myself the shame
Of perjured faith, and violated fame;
Your great deserts, how ill they were repaid;
All arguments, in vain, I urged and weighed: 
For mighty love, who prudence does despise,
For reason showed me Indamora’s eyes. 
What would you more? my crime I sadly view,
Acknowledge, am ashamed, and yet pursue.

Aur. Since you can love, and yet your error see,
The same resistless power may plead for me. 
With no less ardour I my claim pursue: 
I love, and cannot yield her even to you.

Emp. Your elder brothers, though o’ercome, have right: 
The youngest yet in arms prepared to fight. 
But, yielding her, I firmly have decreed,
That you alone to empire shall succeed.

Aur. To after-ages let me stand a shame,
When I exchange for crowns my love or fame! 
You might have found a mercenary son,
To profit of the battles he had won. 
Had I been such, what hindered me to take
The crown? nor had the exchange been yours to make. 
While you are living, I no right pretend;
Wear it, and let it where you please descend. 
But from my love, ’tis sacrilege to part: 
There, there’s my throne, in Indamora’s heart.

Emp. ’Tis in her heart alone that you must reign: 
You’ll find her person difficult to gain. 
Give willingly what I can take by force: 
And know, obedience is your safest course.

Aur. I’m taught, by honour’s precepts, to obey: 
Fear to obedience is a slavish way. 
If aught my want of duty could beget,
You take the most prevailing means, to threat. 
Pardon your blood, that boils within my veins;
It rises high, and menacing disdains. 
Even death’s become to me no dreadful name: 
I’ve often met him, and have made him tame: 
In fighting fields, where our acquaintance grew,
I saw him, and contemned him first for you.

Emp. Of formal duty make no more thy boast: 
Thou disobey’st where it concerns me most. 
Fool! with both hands thus to push back a crown,
And headlong cast thyself from empire down! 
Though Nourmahal I hate, her son shall reign: 
Inglorious thou, by thy own fault, remain. 
Thy younger brother I’ll admit this hour: 
So mine shall be thy mistress, his thy power. [Exit.