10

and, though well knowing that Titus by the senate, the tribunes, the consuls, and the whole Ro- man people is impatiently waited for, calls to him:„Ahl! courez chez la reine!“

Towards Titus he has ever proved a sincere and true friend, who justly deserves the high esteem which he enjoys. However, only towards the end of the tragedy, he has made up his mind to confess to Titus his passionate love for Berenice, saying that from his youth he had loved her and that only death could suppress his passion.

How does Antiochus appear in Otway? This character is painted more lively and, as it seems to me, more natural than in Racine. A very great importance is attributed to the deep and true love of Antiochus. For it is impossible to prejudice him against Berenice, though his confident Arsaces clearly shows that Berenice in her present dignity looks down upon him with pride and even contempt. But all endeavours in this respect are frustrated by his love:

„Remove the Poles, and bid the Sun go back;

Invert all Nature’s Orders, Fate’s decrees;

Then bid me hate the charming Berenice,“ he answers and would be happy, if she would but pity him. In order not to afflict her, he will rather die than make her acquainted with the hard resolution of Titus:

„Ask my Life, and try

How gloriously I for your Sake can die.“ Forced to talk, he is hardly able to perform his task:

„Heav'n! this Constraint is worse than Death.“

How great is his affliction and despair he is put in by the distrust and wrath of Bere- nice! He curses his fate, and will learn to forget, to hate and scorn her. Otway, moreover, to show the deep-rooted love of Antiochus, adds the conversation of an appointment which, before her departure, Berenice had asked for, and in which she begs his pardon for the Wrongs she has done him before. Antiochus who, not long ago, had intended to confer his hatred upon her, can- not but forget the past disgraces and even asks for her future affection.

It remains to mention his relation to Titus. Otway has described it in a manner that, I must confess, the dramatic interest is raised to a higher degree than in Racine. Titus has made him his confident and reveals to him all the secrets of his heart. Antiochus, however, consider- ing his being a rival of the emperor, does not think himself worth his intimate friendship and will, at all events, depart from Rome, that no envy may be near the happy marriage of Titus and Berenice. By confessing to Titus, even at their first meeting, to be his rival, it must be almost impossible for him to remain any longer at Rome, to see Berenice in Titus behalf, and disinter- estedly make her acquainted with the message of Titus.

As to the other persons acting in our tragedy, Paulinus, the confident of Titus, Arsaces, the confident of Antiochus, Phaenicia, the confident of Berenice, and the Roman Rutilus, all of them are delineated in Otway in the same way as in Racine, and are of such subordinate impor- tance that is unnecessary to say any more about them than has been said in the analysis of our play. They belong to those characters which generally may be found in every play; the are the confidents of the principal heroes, advise them to take a certain resolution or dissuade them from a scheme which they have abready contrived. Besides, they are destined to relate less impor- tant events or additional circumstances which serve to complete the principal action.