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• Götz Von Berlichingen With the Iron Hand. a Drama.
• Dramatis PersonÆ
• Act I.
• Scene I.—: An Inn At Schwarzenberg In Franconia.
• Scene II.—: A Cottage In a Thick Forest.
• Scene III.—: An Apartment In Jaxthausen, the Castle of Goetz Von Berlichingen.
• Scene IV.—: The Bishop of Bamberg’s Palace.
• Scene V.—: Jaxthausen.
• Act II.
• Scene I.—: Bamberg. a Hall.
• Scene II.—: Jaxthausen. a Hall In Goetz’s Castle.
• Scene III.—: The Bishop’s Palace At Bamberg.
• Scene IV.—: The Spessart.
• Scene V.—: The Bishop’s Palace. His Cabinet.
• Scene VI.—: Adelaide’s Apartment.
• Scene VII.—: An Ante-room.
• Scene VIII.—: The Spessart.
• Scene IX.—: Hall In the Bishop’s Palace At Bamberg.
• Scene X—: an Inn.
• Act III.
• Scene I.—: A Garden At Augsburg.
• Scene II.—: Jaxthausen.
• Scene III.—: The Camp of the Party Sent to Execute the Imperial Mandate.
• Scene IV.—: Jaxthausen.
• Scene V.—: Bamberg. Adelaide’s Chamber.
• Scene VI.—: Jaxthausen.
• Scene VII.—: A Wood On the Borders of a Morass.
• Scene VIII.—: Camp of the Imperialists.
• Scene IX.—: Jaxthausen.
• Scene X.—: The Imperial Camp.
• Scene XI.—: Mountains and a Wood.
• Scene XII.—: A Heath—on One Side an Eminence, With a Ruined Tower, On the Other the Forest.
• Scene XIII.—: The Camp.
• Scene XIV.—: Jaxthausen.
• Scene XV.—: Camp.
• Scene XVI.—: Jaxthausen.
• Scene XVII.—: The Kitchen.
• Scene XVIII.—: A Hall.
• Scene XIX.—: The Court of the Castle.
• Scene XX.: The Armory.
• Act IV.
• Scene I.—: An Inn In the City of Heilbronn
• Scene II.—: The Council-house At Heilbronn.
• Scene III.—: A Large Hall In the Council-house, Beset By Sickingen’s Troops.
• Scene IV.—: The Castle of Adelaide. Augsburg.
• Scene V.—: Jaxthausen.
• Act V.
• Scene I.—: A Village Plundered By the Insurgent Peasantry. Shrieks and Tumult.
• Scene II.—: Open Country. In the Distance Two Villages and an Abbey Are Burning.
• Scene III.—: A Hill and Prospect of the Country. In the Flat Scene a Mill. a Body of Horsemen.
• Scene IV.—: Jaxthausen.
• Scene V.—: A Village.
• Scene VI.—: The Front of a Gypsy-hut In a Wild Forest.—night.—a Fire Before the Hut, At Which Are Seated the Mother of the Gypsies and a Girl.
• Scene VII.—: Inside the Hut.
• Scene VIII.—: Adelaide’s Bedchamber.
• Scene IX.—: Street Before the Prison At Heilbronn.
• Scene X.—: An Apartment In Weislingen’s Castle.
• Scene XI.—: A Narrow Vault Dimly Illuminated. the Judges of the Secret Tribunal Discovered Seated, All Muffled In Black Cloaks.
• Scene XII.—: The Court of an Inn.
• Scene XIII.—: The Prison At Heilbronn.
• Scene the Last. —: the Prison Garden.
• Iphigenia In Tauris a Drama
• Dramatis PersonÆ.
• Act I.
• Scene I.—: A Grove Before the Temple of Diana.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Act II.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Act III.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Act IV.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Act V.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Scene VI.
• Torquato Tasso
• Dramatis PersonÆ.
• Act I.
• Scene I.: A Garden Adorned With Busts of the Epic Poets. to the Right a Bust of Virgil: to the Left, One of Ariosto.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Act II.
• Scene I.—: A Room.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Act III.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Act IV.
• Scene I.—: A Chamber.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Act V.
• Scene I.—: A Garden.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Clavigo
• Dramatis PersonÆ.
• Act I.
• Scene I.—: Clavigo’s Dwelling.
• Scene II.—: Guilbert’s Dwelling.
• Act II.
• Scene I.—: Clavigo’s House.
• Act III.
• Scene I.—: Guilbert’s Abode.
• Act IV.
• Scene I.—: Clavigo’s Abode. Carlos, Alone.
• Scene II.—: Guilbert’s Abode.
• Act V.
• Scene I.—: The Street Before the House of Guilbert. Night.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Scene VI.
• Stella. a Tragedy.
• Dramatis PersonÆ.
• Act I.
• Act II.
• Act III.
• Act IV.
• Act V.
• The Brother and Sister
• Dramatis PersonÆ.
• A Tale.
• The Good Women.
• Reynard the Fox.
• Chapter I.: The Accusation.
• Chapter II.: The First Summons.
• Chapter III.: The Second Summons.
• Chapter IV.: The Trial.
• Chapter V.: The Pardon.
• Chapter VI.: The Relapse.
• Chapter VII.: The Outlawry.
• Chapter VIII.: The Journey.
• Chapter IX.: The Advocacy.
• Chapter X.: The Second Pardon.
• Chapter XI.: The Defiance.
• Chapter XII.: The Battle.

SCENE IV.

Princess, Leonora, Alphonso, Tasso, Antonio.

Alphonso.

Thou’rt doubly welcome! thou who bring’st at once

Thyself and welcome tidings.

Princess.

Welcome here!

Antonio.

Scarce dare I venture to express the joy

Which in your presence quickens me anew.

In your society I find restor’d

What I have miss’d so long. You seem content

With what I have accomplish’d, what achiev’d;

So am I recompens’d for every care,

For many days impatiently endur’d,

And many others wasted purposely.

At length our wish is gain’d,—the strife is o’er.

Leonora.

I also greet thee, though in sooth displeas’d;

Thou dost arrive when I must hence depart.

Antonio.

As if to mar my perfect happiness,

One lovely part forthwith thou takest hence.

Tasso.

My greetings too! I also shall rejoice

In converse with the much experience’d man.

Antonio.

Thou’lt find me true, whenever thou wilt deign

To glance awhile from thy world into mine.

Alphonso.

Though thou by letter hast announc’d to me

The progress and the issue of our cause,

Full many questions I have yet to ask

Touching the course thou hast pursu’d therein.

In that strange region a well-measur’d step

Alone conducts us to our destin’d goal.

Who doth his sovereign’s interest purely seek,

In Rome a hard position must maintain;

For Rome gives nothing, while she grasps at all;

Let him who thither goes some boon to claim,

Go well provided, and esteem himself

Most happy, if e’en then he gaineth aught.

Antonio.

’Tis neither my demeanor nor my art

By which thy will hath been accomplish’d, prince.

For where the skill which at the Vatican

Would not be over-master’d? Much conspir’d

Which I could use in furth’rance of our cause.

Pope Gregory salutes and blesses thee.

That aged man, that sovereign most august,

Who on his brow the load of empire bears,

Recalls the time when he embrac’d thee last

With pleasure. He who can distinguish men

Knows and extols thee highly. For thy sake

He hath done much.

Alphonso.

So far as ’tis sincere,

His good opinion cannot but rejoice me.

But well thou knowest, from the Vatican

The pope sees empires dwindled at his feet;

Princes and men must needs seem small indeed.

Confess what was it most assisted thee.

Antonio.

Good! if thou will’st: the pope’s exalted mind.

To him the small seems small, the great seems great.

That he may wield the empire of the world,

He to his neighbor yields with kind goodwill.

The strip of land, which he resigns to thee,

He knoweth, like thy friendship, well to prize.

Italia must be tranquil, friends alone

Will he behold around him, peace must reign

Upon his borders, that of Christendom

The might which he so potently directs

May smite at once the Heretic and Turk.

Princess.

And is it known what men he most esteems,

And who approach him confidentially?

Antonio.

The experienc’d man alone can win his ear,

The active man his favor and esteem.

He, who from early youth has serv’d the state,

Commands it now, ruling those very courts

Which, in his office of ambassador,

He had observ’d and guided years before.

The world lies spread before his searching gaze,

Clear as the interests of his own domain.

In action we must yield him our applause,

And mark with joy, when time unfolds the plans

Which his deep forethought fashion’d long before.

There is no fairer prospect in the world

Than to behold a prince who wisely rules;

A realm where every one obeys with pride,

Where each imagines that he serves himself,

Because ’tis justice only that commands.

Leonora.

How ardently I long to view that realm!

Alphonso.

Doubtless that thou may’st play thy part therein;

For Leonora never could remain

A mere spectator: meet it were, fair friend,

If now and then we let your gentle hands

Join in the mighty game—Say, is’t not so?

Leonora.

(ToAlphonso.) Thou would’st provoke me,—thou shalt not succeed.

Alphonso.

I am already deeply in thy debt.

Leonora.

Good; then to-day I will remain in thine!

Forgive, and do not interrupt me now.

(ToAntonio.)

Say, hath he for his relatives done much?

Antonio.

No more nor less than equity allows.

The potentate, who doth neglect his friends,

Is even by the people justly blam’d.

With wise discretion Gregory employs

His friends as trusty servants of the state,

And thus fulfils at once two kindred claims.

Tasso.

Doth science, do the liberal arts enjoy

His fostering care? and doth he emulate

The glorious princes of the olden time?

Antonio.

He honors science when it is of use,—

Teaching to govern states, to know mankind;

He prizes art when it embellishes,—

When it exalts and beautifies his Rome,

Erecting palaces and temples there,

Which rank among the marvels of this earth.

Within his sphere of influence he admits

Naught inefficient, and alone esteems

The active cause and instrument of good.

Alphonso.

Thou thinkest, then, that we may soon conclude

The whole affair? that no impediments

Will finally be scatter’d in our way?

Antonio.

Unless I greatly err, ’twill but require

A few brief letters and thy signature

To bring this contest to a final close.

Alphonso.

This day with justice then I may proclaim

A season of prosperity and joy.

My frontiers are enlarg’d and made secure;

Thou hast accomplish’d all without the sword,

And hence deservest well a civic crown.

Our ladies on some beauteous morn shall twine

A wreath of oak to bind around thy brow.

Meanwhile our poet hath enrich’d us too;

He, by his conquest of Jerusalem,

Hath put our modern Christendom to shame.

With joyous spirit and unwearied zeal,

A high and distant goal he had attain’d;

For his achievement thou behold’st him crown’d.

Antonio.

Thou solvest an enigma. Two crown’d heads

I saw with wonder on arriving here.

Tasso.

While thou dost gaze upon my happiness,

With the same glance, oh, could’st thou view my heart,

And witness there my deep humility!

Antonio.

How lavishly Alphonso can reward

I long have known; thou only provest now

What all enjoy who come within its sphere.

Princess.

When thou shalt see the work he hath achiev’d,

Thou wilt esteem us moderate and just.

The first, the silent, witnesses are we,

Of praises, which the world and future years

In tenfold measure will accord to him.

Antonio.

Through you his fame is certain. Who so bold

To entertain a doubt when you commend?

But tell me, who on Ariosto’s brow

Hath plac’d this wreath?

Leonora.

This hand.

Antonio.

It hath done well.

It more becomes him than a laurel crown.

As o’er her fruitful bosom Nature throws

Her variegated robe of beauteous green,

So he enshrouds in Fable’s flowery garb,

Whatever can conspire to render man

Worthy of love and honor. Power and taste.

Experience, understanding, and content,

And a pure feeling for the good and true,

Pervade the spirit of his every song,

And there appear in person, to repose

’Neath blossoming trees, besprinkled by the snow

Of lightly-falling flowers, their heads entwin’d

With rosy garlands, while the sportive Loves

With frolic humor weave their magic spells.

A copious fountain, gurgling near, displays

Strange variegated fish, and all the air

Is vocal with the song of wondrous birds;

Strange cattle pasture in the bowers and glades;

Half hid in verdure, Folly slyly lurks:

At times, resounding from a golden cloud.

The voice of Wisdom utters lofty truth,

While Madness, from a wild harmonious lute,

Scatters forth bursts of fitful harmony,

Yet all the while the justest measure holds.

He who aspires to emulate this man,

E’en for his boldness well deserves a crown.

Forgive me if I feel myself inspir’d,

Like one entranc’d forget both time and place,

And fail to weigh my words; for all these crowns,

These poets, and the festival attire

Of these fair ladies, have transported me

Out of myself into a foreign land.

Princess.

Who thus can prize one species of desert,

Will not misjudge another. Thou to us

Some future day shalt show in Tasso’s song

What we can feel, and thou canst comprehend.

Alphonso.

Come now, Antonio! many things remain

Whereof I am desirous to inquire.

Then till the setting of the sun thou shalt

Attend the ladies. Follow me. Farewell!

[Antoniofollows thePrince. Tassothe ladies.

ACT II.