Page:Poems of Anne Countess of Winchilsea 1903.djvu/487

 COUNTESS OF WINCHILSEA 349 �Whom Sparta long had held in hard Subjection. Ere yet their Captive General do's appear, Be it amongst your selves, My Lords, resolved What Course will answer best our Ends upon them. Speak you, Clarinthus, for'most of the Assembly ; And then, let ev'ry one add what he pleases. �Clar. Short be my Speech, and plain, as is the way 10 Which must secure what Lacedemon toils for: Let him resign that Country, kept by him From the entire Subjection, to our Yoke; Or let his speedy Death deliver to Us What his too active Life has long kept back. �Anax. What say the rest? �All the Sen. All, all agree to this. �Clar. No middle Course can be of use to Sparta. �Anax. It is enough ; Call for the Prisoner there. 19 �A Lord. Bring in the Pris'ner; 'tis the King's Command. �Aristomenes is brought in by the Guard. �Aristor in a Spartan Dress presses in amongst the Croud, whilst Phila appears at the Door. �Anax. At last, we see the Hero can be Conquer'd, �[To Clar. �Clar. Not in his Looks ; for they are haughty still, �And so his Mind will prove, if I mistake not. �Anax. That you, our Pris'ner now, of late our Foe, Have urg'd that Country, where you rule in Chief, To break our Yoke, and make Incursions on us, Since known to all, will justify our Sentence Which is ; That you shall meet the Death deserv'd, Unless to keep our Quiet for the future, You bring again Messenia to our Sway, 80 �Paying such Tribute, as shall be impos'd By Us, the Lords of that offensive State. ��� �