"If cold white Mortals censure this great Deed, / Warn them, they judge not of superior Beings / Souls made of Fire, and Children of the Sun, / With whom Revenge is Virtue."
— Young, Edward (bap. 1683, d. 1765)
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for W. Chetwood and S. Chapman
Date
April 18, 1721
Metaphor
"If cold white Mortals censure this great Deed, / Warn them, they judge not of superior Beings / Souls made of Fire, and Children of the Sun, / With whom Revenge is Virtue."
Metaphor in Context
ZANGA
Must I despise Thee too as well as hate Thee?
Complain of Grief? Complain Thou art a Man.
Priam from Fortune's lofty Summit fell,
Great Alexander 'midst his Conquests mourn'd,
Heroes and Demigods have known their Sorrows,
Cæsars have wept, and I have had my Blow:
But 'tis Reveng'd, and now my Work is done.
Yet, e'er I fall, be it one part of Vengeance,
To make ev'n Thee confess that I am just.
Thou see'st a Prince, whose Father thou hast Slain,
Whose Native Country thou hast laid in Blood,
Whose Sacred Person, Oh, thou hast prophan'd!
Whose Reign extinguish'd; What was left to me
So highly born! No Kingdom, but Revenge;
No Treasure, but thy Tortures, and thy Groans.
If Men shall ask who brought thee to thy End,
Tell them, The Moor, and they will not despise thee.
If cold white Mortals censure this great Deed,
Warn them, they judge not of superior Beings
Souls made of Fire, and Children of the Sun,
With whom Revenge is Virtue. Fare thee well--
Now fully satisfy'd I should take leave;
But one thing grieves me, since thy Death is near,
I eave thee my Example how to dye.
(V.ii, p. 61)
Must I despise Thee too as well as hate Thee?
Complain of Grief? Complain Thou art a Man.
Priam from Fortune's lofty Summit fell,
Great Alexander 'midst his Conquests mourn'd,
Heroes and Demigods have known their Sorrows,
Cæsars have wept, and I have had my Blow:
But 'tis Reveng'd, and now my Work is done.
Yet, e'er I fall, be it one part of Vengeance,
To make ev'n Thee confess that I am just.
Thou see'st a Prince, whose Father thou hast Slain,
Whose Native Country thou hast laid in Blood,
Whose Sacred Person, Oh, thou hast prophan'd!
Whose Reign extinguish'd; What was left to me
So highly born! No Kingdom, but Revenge;
No Treasure, but thy Tortures, and thy Groans.
If Men shall ask who brought thee to thy End,
Tell them, The Moor, and they will not despise thee.
If cold white Mortals censure this great Deed,
Warn them, they judge not of superior Beings
Souls made of Fire, and Children of the Sun,
With whom Revenge is Virtue. Fare thee well--
Now fully satisfy'd I should take leave;
But one thing grieves me, since thy Death is near,
I eave thee my Example how to dye.
(V.ii, p. 61)
Categories
Provenance
LION
Citation
First performed April 18, 1721. Over 39 entries in the ESTC (1721, 1722, 1726, 1733, 1735, 1749, 1752, 1754, 1755, 1760, 1764, 1768, 1769,1774, 1775, 1776, 1777, 1779, 1780, 1780, 1788, 1789, 1792, 1793, 1794).
See The Revenge: A Tragedy. As it is Acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane. By His Majesty's Servants. By E. Young. (London: Printed for W. Chetwood and S. Chapman, 1721). <Link to ECCO>
See The Revenge: A Tragedy. As it is Acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane. By His Majesty's Servants. By E. Young. (London: Printed for W. Chetwood and S. Chapman, 1721). <Link to ECCO>
Date of Entry
08/17/2013
