Still silence reigns around, suspicion sleeps,  

and unperceiv'd, you may escape these walls.

Adieu, my love; o think on thy Arbaces.

Yet stay, sweet youth, a few short minutes stay.

Ador'd Mandane! see the dawn appears.

Alas! thou know'st that for my love to thee,  

the king, great Xerxes, thy too rigid father,

has banish'd me the palace; should he know,

that in defiance of his stern command,

I have presum'd to scale this garden wall,

how little would a lover's plea avail,

when thou, his daughter, could'st not move his pity.

Thy noble father, mighty Artabanes,

disposes at his will the heart of Xerxes,

and the young prince my brother, Artaxerxes,

brought up with thee in virtuous emulation,

honours thy worth, and boasts thy valu'd friendship;

their interest joined may soften his resentment.

Weak are their efforts, while his kingly pride

disdains to rank a princess with a subject.

My spirits sink, my heart forgets to beat,

I have not fortitude to bear thy loss. ~

And must we part? ~ Then all good angels guard thee!

O cruel parting! how can I survive?  

Divided thus from all that's sweet and fair,

from her, for whom alone I live. ~

My father!

Sir, I obey.

'Tis drench'd in blood!

Forbid it, heav'n!

Would I had ne'er been born.

I'm all confusion ~

O fatal day ~ unhappy, lost Arbaces.

Stay, Artaxerxes, stay.  

And dost thou fly me? Go then cruel prince,

no more shall ill-tim'd fondness importune thee.

I fear some dread disaster ~ say, Rimenes;  

what means this strange confusion in the prince?

O fatal deed! th'effect of wild ambition;

heav'n knows if Artaxerxes' life be safe.

Think not that love can find a place to enter,

when the sad heart's surrounded with misfortunes;

leave me, Rimenes, to my troubled thoughts.

Ye gods, protectors of the Persian empire,  

preserve my Artaxerxes ~ Yet he blest ~

Semira's state is wretched; Xerxes dead,

this prince will mount the throne:

belov'd by me, and rais'd above my hopes,

the hand which he intreated, when a subject,

when sov'reign of Persia he'll disdain.

Where do I fly? ~ Ah, hapless maid! ~  

Thus, in one fatal instant,

to lose a brother, father, and a lover!

Does Darius live?

Or are thy guilty hands

imbru'd in brother's blood?

See, Artabanes comes.

O dire misfortune!

O Artaxerxes!  

Darius is not guilty of the murder.

What do I hear?

The assassin is secur'd.

Your watchful sentinels, when he had leap'd

the garden wall, o'ertook him as he fled.

His deep confusion, palid countenance,

and sword yet reeking with the crimson blood,

strongly proclaim him guilty.

At my request to know it,

all hung their heads in silence.

Leave me not in this distress. ~

Where is my friend Arbaces?

My brother!

Oh, ye gods! my lover!

I'm innocent.

I am not guilty, that’s my only plea.

But your resentment 'gainst the king ~ ~

Was just.

I did.

This thy reserve ~ ~

Is requisite.

Is suited to th'occasion.

Was in the scabbard, when you took me prisoner.

Great sir, I still assert my innocence.

And does my father join in my destruction?

Ye cruel gods, what crime have I committed,  

to draw relentless vengeance on my head? ~

Semira! sister! hear me with compassion.

Appearance, I must own, is strong against me,  

but truth is on my side ~ I'm innocent.

Ah, dear Rimenes, pity my hard fate, ~  

my friend!

Beauteous Mandane, turn at least and hear me.  

Away! you fue in vain.

(Going.)

O stay, I charge thee ~ ~

think on my former love.

'Tis turn'd to hate.

And you believe me guilty?

I am convinc'd.

Dear and beloved shade of my dead father,  

thee I invoke to spirit up my rage,

left fond credulity too strongly plead,

and turn my purpose from a just revenge;

for, oh, I feel the tyrant love within,

he rends my breast, he struggles for Arbaces;

help me kind gods, to tear away his image.