I.        Overview
Act I: After triumphantly defeating the Mexicans in battle, Montezuma is presented victorious in court to the Peruvian King, Ynca. Being grateful for the victory, Ynca offers Montezuma any reward he desires, he need only ask, “Ask thy Reward, but such as it may show It is a King thou hast oblig’d, whose Mind Is large, and like his Fortune unconfin’d” (209). Montezuma humbly refuses the offer, but with the pressing of Ynca, Montezuma finally admits to wanting only the fair Orazia, Ynca’s daughter. Outraged by this request, Ynca offers any town or kingdom, but Montezuma will not have any of it, he states, “Thou giv’st me only what before I gave… Give me thy Daughter” (210). Ynca again refuses and then demands that Montezuma be gone from his sight. Montezuma, himself outraged by Ynca’s refusal, vows vengeance upon Ynca and his kingdom.  Acacis, Montezuma’s rival, tries, but to no avail, to talk Montezuma out of seeking revenge upon Ynca. Acacis then goes to Ynca to reveal Montezuma’s plan of revenge, Ynca then states, “we are alike to honor just, Thou to be trusted thus, and I to trust” (213). The Usurping Indian Queen, who is Acacis’ mother, Zempoalla, and her general Traxalla enter court and hear of Montezuma’s vow of vengeance; both worry for Acacis’ life.

Act II: Montezuma successfully invades Ynca’s kingdom. Orazia observes that Montezuma’s passion for revenge has taken over any feelings of love that he may have had, “I thought you gentle as the gaulless Dove; But you as humorsome as windes appear, And subject to more passions then your Love” (216). Traxalla enters and tries to seize Ynca, but Montezuma stops him. Acacis continues to stand in defense of honor and tries to persuade, but again to no avail, Montezuma from continuing to seek revenge. Acacis confesses his love for Orazia and challenges Montezuma to draw his sword. Acacis professes, “I love Orazia too: Delay not then, nor wast the time in words, Orazia’s cause calls only for our Swords… And like friends suddenly to part, let joyn In this one act, to seek one destiny” (221).

II.       Analysis: Fate as a motif
From the prologue to the drawing of swords at the end of Act II, what is fated to occur seems to be highlighted in the dialogue of the play. In the prologue a boy and a girl sit under a plantain tree when they notice an oncoming invasion. At the sight of this invasion the boy states, “By ancient Prophesies we have been told Our World shall be subdu’d by one more old” (207). Dryden writes these lines with a foreknowledge of what is to occur, but he also is writing characters with foreknowledge and acceptance at what must happen to their lives. Montezuma continually speaks of the fate of others, and his own, and uses this as his way of explaining what he has done or will do, “I Conquer, but in your great fate,” “How different is my Fate, from theirs, whose Fame From Conquest grows! from Conquest grows my shame,” “How have I been betray’d by guilty rage…Till it wrapt all things in one cruel fate, But I’le redeem my self, and act such things” (209,215,216).  Montezuma is continually tied to what is fated to occur, Acacis and Ynca’s separately remark on Montezuma as a “fatal strife” and as possibly starting a “fatal mutiny” (212). Attaching Montezuma to the fate of each character reinforces Aristotle’s paradigm as seen in Poetics. Dryden is consistent in weaving the motif of fate, especially when attached to Montezuma, with the reversal of the Peruvians’ fortune, to the Peruvians realizing their fate, and finally with the Peruvians suffering for this fate, most notably at the hands of Montezuma.

III.      Questions
1. If Montezuma is prophesized about, and fate seems to have brought him to the Peruvian people, then why do the people continue to resist?
2. While Montezuma is asking for Orazia, why doesn’t Acacis say anything in regards to his own feelings?