The Works of Edgar Allan Poe – Volume 5

Pol.  Draw, villain, and prate no more!

Cas.  Ha! – draw? – and villain? have at thee then at once,
Proud Earl!                                   (draws.)

Pol.  (drawing.)  Thus to the expiatory tomb,
Untimely sepulchre, I do devote thee
In the name of Lalage!

Cas.  (letting fall his sword and recoiling to the extremity of the
stage)
Of Lalage!
Hold off – thy sacred hand! – avaunt, I say!
Avaunt – I will not fight thee – indeed I dare not.

Pol.  Thou wilt not fight with me didst say, Sir Count?
Shall I be baffled thus? – now this is well;
Didst say thou darest not? Ha!

Cas.  I dare not – dare not —
Hold off thy hand – with that beloved name
So fresh upon thy lips I will not fight thee —
I cannot – dare not.

Pol.  Now by my halidom
I do believe thee! – coward, I do believe thee!

Cas.  Ha! – coward! – this may not be!

(clutches his sword and staggers towards POLITIAN, but his purpose

is changed before reaching him, and he falls upon his knee at the feet of

the Earl)

Alas! my lord,
It is – it is – most true. In such a cause
I am the veriest coward. O pity me!

Pol.  (greatly softened.)  Alas! – I do – indeed I pity thee.

Cas.  And Lalage-

Pol.  Scoundrel! – arise and die!

Cas.  It needeth not be – thus – thus – O let me die
Thus on my bended knee. It were most fitting
That in this deep humiliation I perish.
For in the fight I will not raise a hand
Against thee, Earl of Leicester. Strike thou home —

(baring his bosom.)

Here is no let or hindrance to thy weapon-
Strike home. I will not fight thee.

Pol.  Now, s’ Death and Hell!
Am I not – am I not sorely – grievously tempted
To take thee at thy word? But mark me, sir,
Think not to fly me thus. Do thou prepare
For public insult in the streets – before
The eyes of the citizens. I’ll follow thee
Like an avenging spirit I’ll follow thee
Even unto death. Before those whom thou lovest-
Before all Rome I’ll taunt thee, villain, – I’ll taunt thee,
Dost hear? with cowardice – thou wilt not fight me?
Thou liest! thou shalt!                                      (exit.)

Cas.  Now this indeed is just!
Most righteous, and most just, avenging Heaven!

{In the book there is a gap in numbering the notes between 12 and 29.

– ED}

NOTE

29. Such portions of “Politian” as are known to the public first saw the light of publicity in the “Southern Literary Messenger” for December, 1835, and January, 1836, being styled “Scenes from Politian: an unpublished drama.” These scenes were included, unaltered, in the 1845 collection of Poems, by Poe. The larger portion of the original draft subsequently became the property of the present editor, but it is not considered just to the poet’s memory to publish it. The work is a hasty and unrevised production of its author’s earlier days of literary labor; and, beyond the scenes already known, scarcely calculated to enhance his reputation. As a specimen, however, of the parts unpublished, the following fragment from the first scene of Act II. may be offered. The Duke, it should be premised, is uncle to Alessandra, and father of Castiglione her betrothed.

Duke. Why do you laugh?

Castiglione. Indeed
I hardly know myself. Stay! Was it not
On yesterday we were speaking of the Earl?
Of the Earl Politian? Yes! it was yesterday.
Alessandra, you and 1, you must remember!
We were walking in the garden.
Duke, Perfectly.
I do remember it-what of it-what then?

Cas. 0 nothing-nothing at all.

Duke. Nothing at all!
It is most singular that you should laugh
‘At nothing at all!

Cas. Most singular-singular!

Duke. Look you, Castiglione, be so kind