‘Tis kind, my friends

From Theodora, HWV 68, Part III, Scene V

Original English text	Modernized English text
Didymus	Didymus
— ’Tis kind, my Friends, but kinder ſtill,	’Tis kind, my friends, but kinder still,
If for this Daughter of Antiochus,	If for this daughter of Antiochus,
In Mind as noble as her Birth, your Pray’rs	In mind as noble as her birth, your prayers
Prevail, that Didymus alone ſhall die. —	Prevail, that Didymus alone shall die.
Had I as many Lives as Virtues Thou,	Had I as many lives as virtues thou,
Freely for thee I would reſign them all.	Freely for thee I would resign them all.

Theodora	Theodora
Oppoſe not, Didymus, my juſt Deſires.	Oppose not, Didymus, my just desires.
For know, that ’twas Dishonour I declin’d,	For know, that ’twas dishonour I declined,
Not Death; most welcome now, if Didymus	Not death; most welcome now, if Didymus
Were ſafe, whoſe only Crime was my Eſcape.	Were safe, whose only crime was my escape.

About the text

May Robertson