In death the son of their once goodly king?

Smerdis

Ahafid, you do seem to think the first

Great business of a king is war. Now pray

You, why should Xerxes waste the lusty days

Of youth in bloody strife? To furnish themes,

No doubt, for dullard bards and minstrelsy.

Ahasuerus is the wisest king

That ever sat upon a Persian throne.

You graybeard fool, stupid as poets are.

Can you not see the wisdom of our king

In substitution of the flight for death,

Of feast for fight, of wine for blood? Think you

'Tis wise to wear the plaited mail of Mars

When Venus bids you to the festival

Of love?

[3]

Ahafid

You call me then a graybeard fool!

Though I have dropped the purple bloom of spring

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