No More Learning

_Bel. _ 'Tis thy natal ruler--thy birth planet.

_Arb. _ (_touching his scabbard_).
My star is in this scabbard: when it shines,
It shall out-dazzle comets. Let us think
Of what is to be done to justify
Thy planets and their portents. When we conquer, 70
They shall have temples--aye, and priests--and thou
Shalt be the pontiff of--what Gods thou wilt;
For I observe that they are ever just,
And own the bravest for the most devout.

_Bel. _ Aye, and the most devout for brave--thou hast not
Seen me turn back from battle.

_Arb. _ No; I own thee
As firm in fight as Babylonia's captain,
As skilful in Chaldea's worship: now,
Will it but please thee to forget the priest,
And be the warrior?

_Bel. _ Why not both?

_Arb. _ The better; 80
And yet it almost shames me, we shall have
So little to effect.
This woman's warfare
Degrades the very conqueror. To have plucked
A bold and bloody despot from his throne,
And grappled with him, clashing steel with steel,
That were heroic or to win or fall;
But to upraise my sword against this silkworm,[15]
And hear him whine, it may be----

_Bel. _ Do not deem it:
He has that in him which may make you strife yet;
And were he all you think, his guards are hardy, 90
And headed by the cool, stern Salemenes.

_Arb. _ They'll not resist.

_Bel. _ Why not? they are soldiers.

_Arb. _ True,
And therefore need a soldier to command them.

_Bel. _ That Salemenes is.

_Arb. _ But not their King.
Besides, he hates the effeminate thing that governs,
For the Queen's sake, his sister. Mark you not
He keeps aloof from all the revels?