Egil. Am I a wife; a queen? Abandon it! my claim to royalty! Whose hand was on my head when I arose Queen of this land? whose benediction sealed My marriage-vow? who broke it? was it I? And wouldst thou, virtuous Opas, wouldst thou dim The glorious light of thy declining days? Wouldst thou administer the sacred vows, And sanction them, and bless them, for another, And bid her live in peace while I am living? Go then—I execrate and banish him For ever from my sight: we were not born For happiness together—none on earth Were ever so dissimilar as we. He is not worth a tear, a wish, a thought— p. 44Never was I deceived in him—I found No tenderness, no fondness, from the first: A love of power, a love of perfidy, Such is the love that is returned for mine. Ungrateful man! ’twas not the pageantry Of regal state, the clarions, nor the guard, Nor loyal valour, nor submissive beauty, Silence at my approach, awe at my voice, Happiness at my smile, that led my youth Towards Roderigo! I had lived obscure, In humbleness, in poverty, in want, Blest, O supremely blest! with him alone; And he abandons me, rejects me, scorns me, Insensible! inhuman! for another! Thou shalt repent thy wretched choice, false man! Crimes such as thine call loudly for perdition; Heaven will inflict it, and not I—but I Neither will fall alone nor live despised.

p. 44

[Sound of trumpet.

Opas. Peace, Egilona, he arrives; compose Thy turbid thoughts, meet him with dignity.

p. 45Egil. He! in the camp of Julian! trust me, sir, He comes not hither, dares no longer use The signs of state, and flies from every foe.

p. 45

[Egilona retires some distance.

ACT II. SCENE 5.

Muza and Abdalazis.

Muza

Abdalazis

[Muza to Abdalazis.

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