Page:A history of Hungarian literature.djvu/262

 XVI TELEKI AN D MADÁCH COUNT TELE KI (x8n-x86x),1 a .distinguished statesman, wh ose life wa s occupied by political duties, wrote, how­ ever, an extraordinar ily fine t ragedy, Tiz e Favourite. lts scene was laid in Rome under th e Emperor Valentinian, during the period of her decay, and the subject was taken from Gibbon's history. The drama is really the story of a terrihle vengeance. Petronius Maximus, in a game of dice, loses his wife to the emperor. The winner lures the lady, who is ignorant of what has occurred, into his palace, but sh e escapes and saves h er honour. Petronius, however, does not believe her to be i nnocent and resolves to be revenged upon the emperor. First he gains his confidence and then compels his wife, whom he regards as guilty, to become the emperor's mistress. Then he poisons the emperor's mind and stirs his resentment against his friends, and when several of these have been unjustly put to death, Petro nius heads a rebellion against bim, degrades and s lays bim. Havi ng achieved his aim, Petronius desíres to become reconciled with his wife, but she shudders at his touch and takes poison. The u nh appy avenger is elected emperor and he hears the c rowds sh outin g his nam e, but the only response evoked by the plaudits is : " Donotmockme,ORome1"