SCENE VIII.
IRENE, ASPASIA, _attendants_.
ASPASIA.
If yet this shining pomp, these sudden honours,
Swell not thy soul, beyond advice or friendship,
Nor yet inspire the follies of a queen,
Or tune thine ear to soothing adulation,
Suspend awhile the privilege of pow'r,
To hear the voice of truth; dismiss thy train,
Shake off th' incumbrances of state, a moment,
And lay the tow'ring sultaness aside,
Irene _signs to her attendants to retire_.
While I foretell thy fate: that office done,--
No more I boast th' ambitious name of friend,
But sink among thy slaves, without a murmur.
IRENE.
Did regal diadems invest my brow,
Yet should my soul, still faithful to her choice,
Esteem Aspasia's breast the noblest kingdom.
ASPASIA.
The soul, once tainted with so foul a crime,
No more shall glow with friendship's hallow'd ardour:
Those holy beings, whose superiour care
Guides erring mortals to the paths of virtue,
Affrighted at impiety, like thine,
Resign their charge to baseness and to ruin[a].
[a] In the original copy of this tragedy, given to Mr. Langton, the
above speech is as follows; and, in Mr. Boswell's judgment, is
finer than in the present editions:
"Nor think to say, here will I stop;
Here will I fix the limits of transgression,
Nor farther tempt the avenging rage of heaven.
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