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    Alzire
    Alzire
    Alzire
    Ebook98 pages39 minutes

    Alzire

    By Voltaire

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    François-Marie Arouet wrote under the nom de plume of Voltaire, and produced works in almost every literary form, including plays, poems, novels, essays, and historical and scientific works. Alzire first appeared on the stage in 1736 to great acclaim and success. Alzire is set Lima, Peru, at the time of the Spanish conquest. Don Gusman, a Spanish grandee, has just succeeded his father, Don Alvarez, in the Governorship of Peru. The rule of Don Alvarez had been beneficent and just; he had spent his life in endeavoring to soften the cruelty of his countrymen; and his only remaining wish was to see his son carry on the work which he had begun. Unfortunately, however, Don Gusman's temperament was the very opposite of his father's; he was tyrannical, harsh, headstrong, and bigoted. It is in vain that Don Alvarez reminds his son that the true Christian returns good for evil and as a result tragedy insues.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherWilder Publications, Inc.
    Release dateJun 10, 2015
    ISBN9781627557498
    Alzire
    Author

    Voltaire

    Born in Paris in 1694, François-Marie Arouet, who would later go by the nom-de-plume Voltaire, was a French Enlightenment philosopher, poet, historian, and author. Voltaire’s writing was often controversial, and in 1715 he was sent into his first exile in Tulle after a writing a satirical piece about the Duke of Orleans, the Regent of France. It was during this time that he produced his first major work, the play Oedipus. Although allowed to return to Paris a year later, Voltaire’s writing continued to land him in trouble. He was jailed in the Bastille two more times and was exiled from Paris for a good portion of his life. Throughout these troubles, Voltaire continued to write, producing works of poetry, a number of plays, and some historical and political texts. His most famous work is the satirical novel Candide, and many of his plays, including Oedipus and Socrates, are still performed today. Voltaire died in 1778.

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      Book preview

      Alzire - Voltaire

      Alzire

      Voltaire

      Translation by William F. Fleming

      Wilder Publications, Inc.

      Copyright © 2014

      All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

      Manufactured in the United States of America

      10   9   8   7   6   5   4   3   2   1

      ISBN 978-1-62755-749-8

      Table of Contents

      Dramatis Personæ

      ACT I.

      SCENE I.

      SCENE II.

      SCENE III.

      SCENE IV.

      SCENE V.

      SCENE VI.

      ACT II.

      SCENE I.

      SCENE II.

      SCENE III.

      SCENE IV.

      SCENE V.

      SCENE VI.

      ACT III.

      SCENE I.

      SCENE II.

      SCENE III.

      SCENE IV.

      SCENE V.

      SCENE VI.

      SCENE VII.

      ACT IV.

      SCENE I.

      SCENE II.

      SCENE III.

      SCENE IV.

      SCENE V.

      SCENE VI.

      SCENE VII.

      ACT V.

      SCENE I.

      SCENE II.

      SCENE III.

      SCENE IV.

      SCENE V.

      SCENE VI.

      Alzire

      Dramatis Personæ

      Don Guzman, Governor of Peru.

      Don Alvarez, Father of Guzman, and late Governor.

      Zamor, Sovereign of a Part of Potosi.

      Montezuma, Sovereign of another Part.

      Alzire, Daughter of Montezuma.

      Spanish Officers.

      Americans.

      Scene, Lima

      In his preface to this play Voltaire says; "This tragedy, the fable of which is invented, and almost of a new species, was written with a view of showing how far superior the spirit of true religion is to the light of nature. The religion of a barbarian consists in offering up to his gods the blood of his enemies; a Christian badly instructed has seldom much more humanity: to be a strict observer of some unnecessary rites and ceremonies, and at the same time deficient in the most essential duties, to say certain prayers at particular times, and carefully to conceal his vices; this is his religion: that of a true Christian is to look upon all mankind as his brethren, to do them all the good in his power and pardon their offences: such is Guzman at the hour of death, and Alvarez during the whole course of his life; such a man was Henry IV., as I have described him, even with all his foibles: in every part of my writings I have endeavored to enforce that humanity which ought to be the distinguishing characteristic of a thinking being: the reader will always find in them (if I may venture to say so much of my own works) a desire to promote the happiness of all men, and an abhorrence of injustice and oppression: it is this, and this alone, which hath hitherto saved them from that obscurity to which their many inperfections would otherwise long since have condemned them."

      ACT I.

      SCENE I.

      Alvarez, Guzman.

      Alvarez

      At length, for so the council hath decreed,

      Guzman succeeds Alvarez; long, my son,

      Mayest thou preserve for heaven and for thy king

      This better half of our new conquered world,

      This fertile source of riches and of crimes!

      Joyful to thee I yield the post of honor,

      That suits but ill with feeble age like mine;

      In youth thy father trod the paths of glory;

      Alvarez first our winged castles bore

      To Mexico’s astonished sons; he led Spain’s gallant heroes to this golden shore:

      After a life spent in my country’s service,

      Could I

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