Erastus.
Fair blossom, likely to have prov'd good fruit.
Soliman.
Rhodes is taken, and all the men are slain,
Except some few that turn to Mahomet.
Erastus.
Ay, there it is: now all my friends are slain,
And fair Perseda murder'd or deflowr'd:
Ah, gracious Soliman! now show thy love
In not denying thy poor suppliant;
Suffer me not to stay here in thy presence,
But by myself lament me once for all:
Here if I stay, I must suppress my tears,
And tears suppress'd will but increase my sorrow.
Soliman.
Go, then, go spend thy mournings all at once,
That in thy presence Soliman may joy;
For hitherto have I reap'd little pleasure.
[Exit Erastus.
Well, well, Erastus, Rhodes may bless thy birth:
For his sake only will I spare them more,
From spoil, pillage, and oppression,
Than Alexander spared warlike Thebes
For Pindarus; or than Augustus
Spared rich Alexandria for Arias' sake.