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• The Works of Voltaire
• The Dramatic Works of Voltaire Vol. X— Part I
• ZaÏre
• Dramatis PersonÆ.
• An Epistle Dedicatory to Mr. Falkener, an English Merchant, Since Ambassador At Constantinople, With the Tragedy of Zaïre.
• A Second Letter to Mr. Falkener, Then Ambassador to Constantinople.
• Act I.
• Act II.
• Act III.
• Act IV.
• Act V.
• CÆsar.
• Dramatis PersonÆ.
• Act I.
• Act II.
• Act III.
• The Prodigal
• Dramatis PersonÆ.
• Act I.
• Act II.
• Act III.
• Act IV.
• Act V.
• Preface to Mariamne.
• Preface to Orestes.
• Preface to Catiline.
• Preface to MÉrope.
• Preface to the Prodigal.
• Preface to Nanine.
• 1 Preface to Socrates.
• Note On Mahomet.
• Preface to Julius CÆsar.
• Voltaire the Lisbon Earthquake and Other Poems Vol. X— Part Ii
• Author’s Preface to the Lisbon Earthquake.
• The Lisbon Earthquake. *
• Preface to the Poem On the Law of Nature.
• The Law of Nature.
• The Temple of Taste. *
• The Temple of Friendship.
• Thoughts On the Newtonian Philosophy, Addressed to the Marchioness Du ChÂtelet.
• On the Death of Adrienne Lecouvreur, a Celebrated Actress.
• To the King of Prussia On His Accession to the Throne.
• From Love to Friendship.
• The Worldling. *
• On Calumny.
• The King of Prussia to M. Voltaire.
• The Answer.
• On the English Genius.
• What Pleases the Ladies.
• The Education of a Prince.
• The Education of a Daughter.
• The Three Manners.
• Thelema and Macareus.
• Azolan.
• The Origin of Trades.
• The Battle of Fontenoy.
• The Man of the World. *
• The Padlock. *
• In Camp Before Philippsburg, July 3, 1734.
• Answer to a Lady, Or a Person Who Wrote to Voltaire As Such. *
• Envy.
• The Nature of Virtue.
• To the King of Prussia.
• To M. De Fontenelle.
• To Count Algarotti At the Court of Saxony.
• To Cardinal Quirini.
• To Her Royal Highness, the Princess of ***.
• To M. De Cideville.
• To ****.
• Epistle XIII. *
• To the Duke of Richelieu, Marshal of France, In Whose Honor the Senate of Genoa Had Just Before Caused a Statue to Be Erected. *
• To Madam De ***, On the Manner of Living At Paris and Versailles.
• To the Prince of Vendôme.
• To Madam De Gondoin, Afterward Countess of Toulouse, On the Danger She Had Been Exposed to In Passing the Loire In 1719.
• To the Duke Delafeuillade.
• To Marshal Villars. *
• To Monsieur Genonville.
• To the Countess of Fontaine-martel. *
• Written From PlombiÉres to M. Pallu, Intendant of Lyons.
• The Nature of Pleasure.
• The Utility of Sciences to Princes. to the Prince Royal of Prussia, Since King of Prussia.
• Epistle In Answer to a Letter, With Which, Upon His Accession to the Throne, the King of Prussia Honored the Author.
• Epistle to the King, Presented to His Majesty At the Camp Before Freiburg.
• On the Death of the Emperor Charles.
• To the Queen of Hungary.
• Inscribed to the Gentlemen of the Academy of Sciences, Who Sailed to the Polar Circle and the Equator, In Order to Ascertain the Figure of the Earth.
• To M. De Gervasi, the Physician. *
• The Requisites to Happiness.
• To a Lady, Very Well Known to the Whole Town.
• Fanaticism. *
• On Peace Concluded In 1736.
• To AbbÉ Chaulieu. *
• Answer to the Foregoing.
• To President HÉnault, Author of an Excellent Work Upon the History of France.
• Canto of an Epic Poem. *
• Epistle On the Newtonian Philosophy. * to the Marchioness of ChÂtelet.

ACT V.

SCENE I.

osman, orasmin,a Slave.

osman.

• They’ve told her of it, and she comes to meet him;
• False wretch!—remember, slave, thy master’s fate
• Is in thy hands: give her the Christian’s letter;
• Observe her well, and bring me back her answer;
• Let me know all—but soft, she’s here, Orasmin,
• [To Orasmin.
• Come thou with me, and let thy tender friendship
• Teach me to hide my rage and my despair.

SCENE II.

zaïre, fatima,a Slave.

zaÏre.

• Who can desire to speak with wretched Zaïre,
• At such a time, when all is horror round me?
• If it should be my brother! but the gates
• Are shut on every side; yet heaven’s high hand,
• To strengthen my weak faith, by secret paths
• Might lead him to me: but what unknown slave—

slave.

• This letter, madam, trusted to my hands,
• Will speak my errand.

zaÏre.

• Give it me.
• [She reads.

fatima.

• [Aside, whilst Zaïre reads the letter.
• Great God!
• Send down thy blessing, and deliver her
• From barbarous Osman!

zaÏre.

• Fatima, come near me,
• I must consult with thee.

fatima.

• [To the slave.
• You may retire;
• Be ready when we call for you: away.

SCENE III.

zaïre, fatima.

zaÏre.

• Read this, my Fatima, and tell me what
• I ought to do: I would obey my brother.

fatima.

• Say rather, madam, that you would obey
• The will of heaven; ’tis not Nerestan calls,
• It is the voice of God.

zaÏre.

• I know it is;
• And I have sworn to serve him: but the attempt
• Is dangerous, to my brother, to myself,
• To all the Christians.

fatima.

• ’Tis not that alarms you,
• ’Tis not their danger that suggests thy fears,
• ’Tis love: I know thy heart would judge like theirs,
• Like theirs determine, did not love oppose it:
• But O reflect, be mistress of thyself;
• You fear to offend a lover who has wronged,
• Who has insulted you; thou canst not see
• The Tartar’s soul through all his boasted virtues:
• Did he not threaten even while he adored?
• And yet your heart preserves its fond attachment,
• You sigh for Osman still.

zaÏre.

• I have no cause
• To hate him, Osman never injured me;
• He offered me a throne, and I refused it;
• The temple was adorned, the rites prepared,
• And I, who ought to have revered his power,
• Despised his offered hand, and braved his anger.

fatima.

• And canst thou in this great decisive hour
• Neglect thy duty thus to think of love?

zaÏre.

• All, all conspires to drive me to despair:
• No power on earth can free me: I would quit
• With joy these walls so fatal to my peace,
• Would wish to see the Christian’s happier clime,
• Yet my fond heart in secret longs to stay
• Forever here: how dreadful my condition!
• I know not what I wish, or what I ought
• To do, and only feel myself most wretched:
• O I have sad forebodings of my fate,
• Avert them, heaven! preserve the Christians, save
• My dearest brother!—when Nerestan’s gone,
• I will take courage, and impart to Osman
• The dreadful secret; tell him to what faith
• This heart is bound, and who is Zaïre’s God;
• I know his generous soul will pity me:
• But, be as it will, whate’er I suffer,
• I never will betray my brother: go,
• And bring him here—call back that slave:

SCENE IV.

zaÏre.

• [Alone.
• O God
• Of my forefathers, God of Lusignan,
• And all our race, O let thy hand direct,
• Thine eye enlighten Zaïre!

SCENE V.

zaïre,a Slave.

zaÏre.

• Tell the Christian
• Who gave thee this, he may depend on me,
• And Fatima is ready to conduct him.
• [Aside.
• Take courage, Zaïre, yet thou mayest be happy.

SCENE VI.

osman, orasmin,a Slave.

osman.

• How lingering time retards my hasty vengeance!
• He comes:—well, slave, what says she? answer me,
• Speak.

slave.

• O my lord, her soul was deeply moved:
• She wept, grew pale, and trembled; sent me out,
• Then called me back, and with a faltering voice,
• That spoke a heart oppressed with sorrow, promised
• To meet him there this night.

osman.

• [To the slave.
• Away; begone;
• It is enough.—Orasmin, hence, I loath
• The sight of every human being; go,
• And leave me to the horrors of my soul;
• I hate the world, myself, and all mankind.

SCENE VII.

osman.

• [Alone.
• Where am I? gracious heaven! O fatal passion!
• Zaïre, Nerestan, ye ungrateful pair,
• Haste, and deprive me of a life which you
• Have made most wretched: O abandoned Zaïre,
• Thou shalt not long enjoy—what ho! Orasmin.

SCENE VIII.

osman, orasmin.

osman.

• Cruel Orasmin! thus to leave thy friend
• In his distress! this rival, is he come?

orasmin.

• Not yet, my lord.

osman.

• Detested night, that lendest
• Thy guilty veil to cover crimes like these!
• The faithless Zaïre! after all my kindness—
• Alas! unmoved, and with an eye serene,
• I could have borne the loss of empire, kept
• My peace of mind in poverty and chains,
• But to be thus deceived by her I love—

orasmin.

• What purpose you, my lord? may I request—

osman.

• Didst thou not hear a dreadful cry?

orasmin.

• My lord!

osman.

• Methought I heard some noise: they’re coming.

orasmin.

• No:
• No creature stirs, the whole seraglio’s wrapped
• In sleep: all is silent; night’s dark shade—

osman.

• All sleeps
• But guilt, that wakes and spreads its horrors round me:
• To urge her baseness to a height like this!
• O Zaïre, thou couldst never know how much,
• How tenderly I loved, how I adored thee;
• One look from her, Orasmin, guides my fate,
• And makes her Osman blest or cursed forever:
• Pity my rage, away! ungrateful woman!

orasmin.

• And dost thou weep? did Osman weep? O heaven!

osman.

• ’Twas the first time I ever wept, Orasmin;
• But they are cruel tears, and death ere long
• Will follow them; thou seest my shame, Orasmin:
• Now, Zaïre, weep, for they are tears of blood.

orasmin.

• I tremble for thee.

osman.

• Tremble for my love,
• For my hard sufferings, for my vengeance: hark!
• They come; I cannot be deceived; I hear them.

orasmin.

• Close by the palace wall they creep along.

osman.

• Fly, seize Nerestan, bring him here in chains
• Before me.

SCENE IX.

osman, zaïre, fatima.

[In the dark, at the bottom of the stage.

zaÏre.

• Fatima, come near me.

osman.

• Hark!
• What do I hear? ’tis the enchanting voice
• That hath so oft seduced me, that false tongue,
• The instrument of guilt and perfidy:
• But now for vengeance—O ’tis she, ’tis Zaïre,
• I cannot strike,
• [He takes out a dagger.
• The uplifted poniard drops
• From my weak hand: O heaven!

zaÏre.

• This is the way,
• Come on, support me, Fatima.

fatima.

• He comes.

osman.

• That word awakes my slumbering rage: she dies.

zaÏre.

• I tremble every step I take; my heart
• Sinks down with fear: Nerestan, is it you?
• I’ve waited a long time.

osman.

• [Runs up to Zaïre and stabs her.
• ’Tis I, false woman!
• ’Tis Osman, whom thou hast betrayed: thou diest.

zaÏre.

• [Falling on a sofa.
• O, I am slain; great God!

osman.

• I am revenged:
• What have I done? punished the guilty: here
• I’ll leave her:—Ha! her lover, too—now fate
• Completes my vengeance.

SCENE the last.

osman, zaïre, nerestan, orasmin,Slaves.

osman.

• Bring the villain hither:
• Approach, thou midnight plunderer, who comest
• To rob me of my all: now, traitor, take
• Thy due reward; prepare thyself for torments,
• For miseries, almost equal to my own:
• You have given orders for his punishment?

orasmin.

• I have, my lord.

osman.

• A part of it thou feelest
• Already in thy heart; I see thou lookest
• Around thee for the partner of thy crimes,
• The wretch who has dishonored me—look there.

nerestan.

• What fatal error—ha!

osman.

• Look, there she lies

nerestan.

• What do I see? my sister! Zaïre dead!
• O monster! O unhappy hour!

osman.

• His sister?
• Impossible!

nerestan.

• Barbarian, ’tis too true:
• Haste, Osman, haste, and shed the poor remains
• Of Lusignan’s high blood; destroy Nerestan,
• The last of our unhappy race: know, tyrant,
• That Lusignan was Zaïre’s wretched father:
• Within these arms the good old man expired:
• And sad Nerestan brought his last farewell,
• His dying words to Zaïre: yes, I came
• To strengthen her weak heart, direct her will,
• And turn her to the Christian faith: alas!
• She had opposed the will of heaven, and now
• Our God hath punished her for loving thee.

osman.

• Did Zaïre love me, Fatima?—his sister?
• Did she love Osman, sayest thou?

fatima.

• Tyrant, yes:
• That was her only crime, and thou hast murdered
• A lovely innocent who still adored
• Her cruel master; still had hopes the God
• Of her forefathers gracious would receive
• The tribute of her tears, and pity her;
• Would have compassion on her artless youth,
• Forgive her weakness, and perhaps one day
• Unite her to thee: O to that excess
• She loved thee, that her heart was long divided
• ’Twixt Osman and her God.

osman.

• It is enough;
• I was beloved: away, I’ll hear no more.

nerestan.

• Who next must fall a victim to thy rage?
• Thine and thy father’s hand have spilt the blood
• Of all our race, Nerestan only lives
• To brave thee; haste, and send him to that father
• Whose guiltless daughter thou hast sacrificed:
• Where are your torments? I despise them all:
• I’ve felt the worst thou canst inflict upon me:
• But O if yet, all savage as thou art,
• Thou canst attend to honor’s voice, remember
• The Christian slaves whom thou hast sworn to free:
• Speak, hast thou yet humanity enough
• To keep thy sacred promise? if thou hast,
• I die contented.

osman.

• Zaïre!

orasmin.

• O sir, go in,
• Let me entreat you—let Nerestan—

nerestan.

• Speak,
• Barbarian, what is thy will?

osman.

• [After a long pause.
• Take off his chains.
• Orasmin, let his friends be all set free;
• Let the poor Christians have whate’er they wish;
• Give them large presents, and conduct them safe
• To Joppa.

orasmin.

• Sir!

osman.

• Reply not, but obey me,
• I am thy sultan, and thy friend; no more,
• But do it instantly—
• [To Nerestan.
• And thou, brave warrior.
• Brave but unfortunate, yet not so wretched
• As Osman is, leave thou this bloody scene,
• And take with thee that victim of my rage,
• The dear, the guiltless Zaïre: to thy king,
• And to thy fellow Christians, when thou tellest
• Thy mournful story, every eye will shed
• A tear for thee; all will detest the crime,
• And some perhaps lament the fate of Osman:
• But take this dagger with thee, which I plunged
• In Zaïre’s breast; tell them I killed the best,
• The sweetest, dearest innocent, that heaven
• Ever formed; this cruel hand destroyed her: tell them
• That I adored, and that I have revenged her:
• [Stabs himself.
• [To his attendants.
• Respect this hero, and conduct him safe.

nerestan.

• Direct me, heaven! ’midst all my miseries,
• And all thy guilt, I must admire thee, Osman;
• Nay more, thy foe Nerestan must lament thee.

End of the Fifth and Last Act.

CÆSAR.