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Subject Area: Literature
Debate: Cato and Caesar

ACT V. - Voltaire, The Works of Voltaire, Vol. VIII The Dramatic Works Part 1 (Mérope, Olympia, The Orphan of China, Brutus) and Part II (Mahomet, Amelia, Oedipus, Mariamne, Socrates). [1901]

Edition used:

The Works of Voltaire. A Contemporary Version. A Critique and Biography by John Morley, notes by Tobias Smollett, trans. William F. Fleming (New York: E.R. DuMont, 1901). In 21 vols. Vol. VIII The Dramatic Works Part 1 (Mérope, Olympia, The Orphan of China, Brutus) and Part II (Mahomet, Amelia, Oedipus, Mariamne, Socrates).

Part of: The Works of Voltaire. A Contemporary Version, in 21 vols.

About Liberty Fund:

Liberty Fund, Inc. is a private, educational foundation established to encourage the study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals.


ACT V.

SCENE I.

idame, asseli.

asseli.

  • All then is lost; twice in one fatal day
  • Have I beheld thee made a slave: alas!
  • What could a helpless woman unsupported
  • Against a mighty conqueror?

idame.

  • I have done
  • What duty bade me, carried in my arms
  • The royal infant; for a while his presence
  • Inspired our troops, but Genghis came, and death
  • Followed his steps, the savage herd prevailed,
  • And bore down all before them; I was made
  • Once more a captive.

asseli.

  • Zamti then must perish,
  • And share his master’s fate.

idame.

  • They both must die:
  • Perhaps some cruel torments, worse than death,
  • Already are prepared; my son perhaps
  • Must follow them: to triumph o’er my grief,
  • And aggravate my sorrows, the proud tyrant
  • Called me before him: how his looks appalled
  • My shrinking soul, when thrice he lifted up
  • His bloody hand against the wretched infants!
  • Trembling I stepped between, and at his feet
  • Fell prostrate; rudely then he pushed me from him,
  • And turned aside; the savage guards around
  • Seemed waiting for his orders to despatch me.

asseli.

  • He cannot, dare not do it: still, thou seest,
  • Zamti is spared, the orphan king still lives;
  • Let but Idame sue to him for pardon,
  • And all will be forgiven.

idame.

  • O no; his love
  • Is turned to rage; he smiled at my distress,
  • Laughed at my tears, and vowed eternal hatred.

asseli.

  • And yet you may subdue him; the fierce lion
  • Roars in the toils, and bites his chain; he would not
  • Thus talk of hatred if he did not love.

idame.

  • Whether he loves or hates, ’tis time to end
  • This wretched being.

asseli.

  • What have you resolved?

idame.

  • When heaven hath poured out all its wrath upon us,
  • And filled up the sad measure of our woes,
  • It gives us courage to support our griefs,
  • And suits our strength to our calamities:
  • I feel new force, new vigor in my heart,
  • ’Midst all my sorrows; henceforth I defy
  • The tyrant, and am mistress of my fate.

asseli.

  • But can you leave your child, the dear loved object
  • Of all your hopes and fears?

idame.

  • There Asseli,
  • You pierce my heart: O dreadful sacrifice!
  • I have done all to save him: the usurper
  • Will not descend so low as to destroy
  • A helpless infant; for his mother’s sake,
  • Whom once he loved, perhaps may spare my child;
  • That pleasing hope at least will soothe my soul
  • In the dark hour of death: he will relent
  • When I am gone, nor carry his fierce wrath
  • Beyond the grave, to persecute my son.

SCENE II.

idame, asseli, octar.

octar.

  • Madam, you must attend the emperor.
  • [To the guards.
  • Guard you these infants; watch the door, that none
  • May pass this way.
  • [To Asseli.
  • You, madam, may retire.

idame.

  • The emperor send for me?—but I obey.
  • Could I have seen my Zamti first! perhaps
  • It is a vain request: does pity never
  • Dwell in a Tartar’s breast? might I implore
  • Your friendship to assist me?

octar.

  • No: when once
  • The royal word is passed, to offer counsel
  • Is little less than treason: you had kings
  • Indeed of old who gave up all their rights,
  • And let their subjects rule; but manners change
  • With times; we listen not to idle prayers,
  • Nor yield to woman’s tears; by arms alone
  • We rule the subject world: therefore obey,
  • And wait the emperor’s commands.

SCENE III.

idame.

  • [Alone.
  • Thou God
  • Of the afflicted, who beholdest my wrongs,
  • Support me now, inspire me with a portion
  • Of my dear Zamti’s courage.

SCENE IV.

genghis khan, idame.

genghis.

  • Genghis comes
  • Once more to humble thy proud soul; to show thee
  • Thy foul ingratitude, thy base return
  • For all my kindness to thee; yet thou knowest not
  • How guilty thou hast been; thou knowest not yet
  • Thy danger, nor the anguish of my soul;
  • Thou whom I loved and whom I ought to hate,
  • To punish, to destroy.

idame.

  • Then punish me,
  • And me alone; ’tis all I ask of Genghis:
  • Finish a life of misery, satiate here
  • Thy thirst of blood: Idame hath been faithful,
  • That is a crime thou never canst forgive:
  • Strike then, and be revenged.

genghis.

  • Thou knowest I cannot;
  • Thou knowest I am more wretched than thyself;
  • But I’m resolved: the Orphan, and thy son,
  • Are in my power: for Zamti, he has long
  • Deserved to die; the rebel braves my wrath,
  • And yet I spare him; if you wish his life
  • You must forget him; death will break the chain
  • That binds you; then I might with justice seize
  • And make you mine; but know, this proud barbarian,
  • This Scythian tyrant, whom you treat with scorn,
  • Is not unworthy of Idame’s love:
  • Abjure your marriage, and I’ll raise your child
  • To equal rank and splendor with my own:
  • The orphan shall be safe, your husband spared;
  • Their lives, their welfare, and their happiness,
  • The happiness of Genghis, all depend
  • On thee, Idame; for I love thee still:
  • But think not I will bear thy cruel insults,
  • Thy tyrant scorn, and all the pride of beauty:
  • My soul, thou knowest, is violent; take heed,
  • Provoke it not, least vengeance fall upon thee.
  • Speak the decisive word that must determine
  • The fate of Genghis, and his empire; say,
  • Or must I love or hate Idame?

idame.

  • Neither:
  • Your hatred were unjust, your love most guilty,
  • And most unworthy of us both: I ask
  • Your justice; I demand it; ’tis a debt
  • Which a king owes to all: if you have lost,
  • I would restore it to you, and, in secret,
  • I know your conscience justifies Idame.

genghis.

  • Then hatred is your choice; ’tis well; henceforth
  • Expect the vengeance of an injured monarch:
  • Your prince, your husband, and your son shall pay
  • For proud Idame’s scorn, and with their blood
  • Atone for her ingratitude: their doom
  • Was sealed by thee, thou art their murderer.

idame.

  • Barbarous, inhuman Genghis.

genghis.

  • So I am,
  • Thanks to thy kind regard! you might have had
  • A tender love, but you chose a master
  • Proud, merciless, and savage, one whose hatred
  • Is equal to thy own.

idame.

  • He is my king;
  • As such I reverence him: this single boon,
  • Low on my knees entreat.

genghis.

  • Idame, rise;
  • Speak, I attend: perhaps some kinder thoughts—

idame.

  • Might Zamti be permitted for a while
  • To visit me in secret?

genghis.

  • What?

idame.

  • My lord,
  • But for a moment, ’tis my last request;
  • Perhaps it may be better for us both.

genghis.

  • ’Tis strange: but be it so: perhaps the slave,
  • Taught by calamity, that best of masters,
  • No longer will desire the fatal honor
  • Of being rival to a conqueror:
  • On you his fate depends; divorce, or death:
  • Give him the choice.
  • [To Octar.
  • Watch here.
  • [To the guards.
  • Guards, follow me:
  • Still am I wavering, still unhappy; still
  • Is Genghis doomed to be the slave of love.
  • [Exit.

idame.

  • [Alone.
  • Once more Idame lives; methinks I feel
  • New strength and vigor shoot through every vein:
  • Now, Genghis, I defy thee!

SCENE V.

zamti, idame.

idame.

  • O my Zamti,
  • Dearer to me than all those conquerors,
  • Whom servile mortals flatter into gods;
  • My other deity, to whom in vain
  • I never sue: alas, my love, too well
  • Thou knowest our fate; the dreadful hour is come.

zamti.

  • I know it is.

idame.

  • In vain thy patriot care
  • Strove to preserve the orphan king.

zamti.

  • That hope
  • Is lost; we’ll think no more on it: thou hast done
  • Thy every duty, and I die content.

idame.

  • What will become of our dear child? forgive
  • A mother, Zamti; I have shown some courage,
  • And therefore thou wilt pardon me.

zamti.

  • The kings
  • Of Cathay are no more; the nobles held
  • In ignominious chains; they most deserve
  • Our pity, who are still condemned to live.

idame.

  • O they have doomed thee to a shameful death.

zamti.

  • ’Tis what I’ve long expected.

idame.

  • Hear me then;
  • Is there no path to death but from the palace?
  • Bulls bleed at the altar; criminals are dragged
  • To punishment; but generous minds are masters
  • Of their own fate: why meet it from the hands
  • Of Genghis? were we born dependent thus
  • On others’ wills? no; let us imitate
  • Our bolder neighbors, live with ease, and die
  • When life grows burdensome: wrongs unrevenged
  • To them are insupportable, and death
  • More welcome far than infamy: they wait not
  • For a proud tyrant’s nod, but meet their fate:
  • We’ve taught these islanders some useful arts,
  • And wherefore deign we not to learn from them
  • Some necessary virtues?—let us die.

zamti.

  • Yes: I approve thy noble resolution,
  • And think, extremity of sorrow mocks
  • The power of laws; but wretched slaves, disarmed
  • As we are, and bowed down beneath our tyrants,
  • Must wait the blow.

idame.

  • [Drawing out a poniard.
  • Strike, Zamti, and be free.

zamti.

  • O heaven!

idame.

  • Strike here, my Zamti, this weak arm
  • Perhaps might err; thy firmer hand will best
  • Direct the fatal stroke; now sacrifice
  • A faithful wife, and let her husband fall
  • Beside her: yes, my love, we’ll die together;
  • With jealous eye the tyrant shall behold us
  • Expiring in each other’s arms.

zamti.

  • Thank heaven!
  • Thy virtue never fails; this is the last
  • The dearest mark of my Idame’s love;
  • Receive my last farewell; give me the dagger:
  • Now turn aside.

idame.

  • There, take it.
  • [Gives him the dagger.
  • Kill me first;
  • Thou tremblest.

zamti.

  • O I cannot.

idame.

  • Strike, my lord.

zamti.

  • I shudder at the thought.

idame.

  • O cruel Zamti,
  • Strike here, and then—

zamti.

  • I will—now follow me.
  • [Attempts to stab himself

idame.

  • [Laying hold of his arm
  • You must not—here, my lord—

SCENE VI.

genghis, octar, idame, zamti.

Guards.

genghis.

  • O heaven! disarm him.
  • [Guards disarm him.
  • What would ye do?

idame.

  • We would have freed ourselves
  • From misery and thee.

zamti.

  • Thou wilt not envy us
  • The privilege to die.

genghis.

  • Indeed I will:
  • O power supreme, thou witness of my wrongs
  • And of my weakness, thou who hast subdued
  • So many kings for me, shall I at last
  • Be worthy of thy goodness?—Zamti, thou
  • Still triumphest o’er me; she whom I adored,
  • Thy wife, had rather die by thy loved hand
  • Than live with Genghis: but ye both shall learn
  • To bear my yoke, perhaps yet more.

idame.

  • What sayest thou?

zamti.

  • For what new scene of inhumanity
  • Are we reserved?

idame.

  • Why is our fate concealed?

genghis.

  • Be not impatient; ye shall know it soon.
  • Ye’ve done me ample justice, be it mine
  • Now to return it: I admire you both;
  • You have subdued me, and I blush to sit
  • On Cathay’s throne, whilst there are souls like yours
  • So much above me; vainly have I tried
  • By glorious deeds to build myself a name
  • Among the nations; you have humbled me,
  • And I would equal you: I did not know
  • That mortals could be masters of themselves;
  • That greatest glory I have learned from you:
  • I am not what I was; to you I owe
  • The wondrous change; I come to reunite,
  • To save, and to protect you: watch, Idame,
  • Your prince’s tender years; to thee I give
  • The precious charge, by right of conquest mine;
  • Hereafter I will be a father to him:
  • At length you may confide in Genghis; once
  • I was a conqueror, now I am a king.
  • [To Zamti.
  • Zamti, be thou our law’s interpreter,
  • And make the world as good and pure as thou art;
  • Teach reason, justice, and morality,
  • And let the conquered rule the conquerors;
  • Let wisdom reign, and still direct our valor;
  • Let prudence triumph over strength; her king
  • Will set the example, and your conqueror
  • Henceforth shall be obedient to your law.

idame.

  • What do I hear?

zamti.

  • Thou art indeed our king,
  • And we shall bless thy sway.

idame.

  • What could inspire
  • This great design, and work this change?

genghis.

  • Thy virtues.

End of the Fifth and Last Act.

BRUTUS