He is my father and thy sovereign!
'Tis wickedness, dear friend, we go about to punish;105
And, when we have murther'd him,
What difference is there 'twixt him and ourselves,
But that he first was wicked? Thou now wouldst kill
Him, 'cause he kill'd thy father; and when thou'st killed,
Have not I the self-same quarrel?110
Zir. Why, sir, you know you would yourself have done it.
Ther. True;
And therefore 'tis I beg his life.
There was no way for me to have redeem'd
Th' intent, but by a real saving of it.115
If he did not ravish from thee thy Orbella,
Remember that that wicked issue had
A noble parent—love.
Remember how
He lov'd Zorannes, when he was Ziriff!120
There's something due to that.
If you must needs have blood for your revenge,
Take it here.
Despise it not, Zorannes.[Zorannes turns away
The gods themselves,125
Whose greatness makes the greatness of our sins,
And heightens 'em above what we can do
Unto each other, accept of sacrifice
For what we do 'gainst them. Why should not you?
And 'tis much thriftier too. You cannot let130
Out life there, but my honour goes; and all
The life you can take here, posterity
Will give me back again. See, Aglaura weeps!
That would have been ill rhetoric in me;
But, where it is, it cannot but persuade.135
Zir. Th' have thaw'd the ice about my heart: I know
Not what to do.
King. Come down, come down! I will be king again.
There's none so fit to be the judge of this
As I. The life you show'd such zeal to save140
I here could willingly return you back;
But that's the common price of all revenge.
