John Keats: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Otho the Great. A Tragedy/Act 5 Scene 2

John Keats

“Otho the Great. A Tragedy/Act 5 Scene 2” as printed in The Poetical Works of John Keats (1884).

John Keats: Collected Lyrics Text 44 1884 · historical text
Public domainSong lyricsRomantic
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Poetical Works of John Keats, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

Scene II.—Another part of the Forest.

Verse 2

Enter Albert (wounded).

Verse 3

Albert. Oh! for enough life to support me on

To Otho's feet!

Verse 4

Enter Ludolph.

Verse 5

Ludolph.Thrice villanous, stay there!

Tell me where that detested woman is,

Or this is through thee!

Verse 6

Albert.My good Prince, with me

The sword has done its worst; not without worst

Done to another,—Conrad has it home!

I see you know it all!

Verse 7

Ludolph.Where is his sister?

Verse 8

Enter Auranthe.

Verse 9

Auranthe. Albert!

Verse 10

Ludolph. Ha! There! there!—He is the paramour!

There—hug him—dying! O, thou innocence,

Shrine him and comfort him at his last gasp,

Kiss down his eyelids! Was he not thy love?

Wilt thou forsake him at his latest hour?

Keep fearful and aloof from his last gaze,

His most uneasy moments, when cold death

Stands with the door ajar to let him in?

Verse 11

Albert. O that that door with a hollow slam would close

Upon me sudden! for I cannot meet,

In all the unknown chambers of the dead,

Such horrors!

Verse 12

Ludolph. Auranthe! what can he mean?

What horrors? Is it not a joyous time?

Am I not married to a paragon

"Of personal beauty and untainted soul?"

A blushing fair-eyed purity? A sylph,

Whose snowy timid hand has never sinn'd

Beyond a flower pluck'd, white as itself?

Albert, you do insult my bride—your mistress—

To talk of horrors on our wedding-night!

Verse 13

Albert. Alas! poor Prince, I would you knew my heart!

'Tis not so guilty—

Verse 14

Ludolph.Hear, he pleads not guilty!

You are not? or, if so, what matters it?

You have escaped me, free as the dusk air,

Hid in the forest, safe from my revenge;

I cannot catch you! You should laugh at me,

Poor cheated Ludolph! Make the forest hiss

With jeers at me! You tremble—faint at once,

You will come to again. O cockatrice,

I have you! Whither wander those fair eyes

To entice the devil to your help, that he

May change you to a spider, so to crawl

Into some cranny to escape my wrath?

Verse 15

Albert. Sometimes the counsel of a dying man

Doth operate quietly when his breath is gone:

Disjoin those hands—part—part—do not destroy

Each other—forget her!—-Our miseries

Are equal shared, and mercy is—

Verse 16

Ludolph.A boon

When one can compass it. Auranthe, try

Your oratory; your breath is not so hitch'd.

[Albert dies.Ay, stare for help!

There goes a spotted soul

Howling in vain along the hollow night!

Hear him! He calls you—sweet Auranthe, come!

Verse 17

Auranthe. Kill me!

Verse 18

Ludolph. No! What? Upon our marriage night?

The earth would shudder at so foul a deed!

A fair bride! A sweet bride! An innocent bride!

No! we must revel it, as 'tis in use

In times of delicate brilliant ceremony:

Come, let me lead you to our halls again!

Nay, linger not; make no resistance, sweet;—

Will you? Ah, wretch, thou canst not, for I have

The strength of twenty lions 'gainst a lamb!

[Exeunt.Now—one adieu for Albert!—Come away!

Credits

Written by John Keats

Words by John Keats. Historical text published in The Poetical Works of John Keats (1884); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Poetical Works of John Keats (1884), “Otho the Great. A Tragedy/Act 5 Scene 2”

Every text in this 1884 collected edition is by John Keats (1795-1821), who died more than 200 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide; the edition carries a Wikisource PD-old determination.

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

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Retrieved 2026-10-27. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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