able is the sense hereof t' vnfold and tell aryght As for my selfe although the Sphinx I whylome put to foyle Yet myne owne heauy destenie I scarcely can assoyle Why dost thou Daughter labour loose in vsyng further speech To alter this my stony hart why dost thou mee beseech I tel thee playne I fully meane this bloud of mynt to spill That long with Death hath struggling kept and thereupon I will Descend to darke infernall Lake for this same darknes blynd Of both myne eyes is nothing such as fact of myne should fynd It were my Blisse to bee in Hell in deepest dungeon fast Now that which should long since haue bene I wil perfourme at last I cannot be debard from Death wilt thou deny me glaue Or Sword or knife wilt thou no toole for mischiefe let me haue Wilt thou both watch and ward each way where dauÌ„ger lies in wayte Shall such a sinful Caytife wretch as I be kepe so straite Wilt thou not suffer me with Coard to breake my hatefull Necke Canst thou kepe mee from poysonous herbes hast thou them al at beck What shall it thee preuayle to take for mee such earnest care Death ech where is and wayes to death in thousand corners are Herein hath God good order tane that euery felie Foe May take away an others life but Death hee cannot so I seeke not anye toole to haue this desprate mynd of myne Can vse the seruice of my hand my threede of lyfe t' vntwine Now hand thy maister at a pinch assist to worke his feate Helpe him with all thy power and strength t' exployt his purpose great I poynt thee not in this my Corps vnto one place alone Alas each part of me with guilt is plaunch and ouergrowne In which soeuer part thou wilt thy Massacre beginne And seeke to bring me to my death which way thou mayst it winne In pieces crush this body all this hart that harbors sinne Pluck out out all my entrailes pull proceede and neuer linne To gash and cut my wezand pype My vaynes asender scratch And make the Bloud come spowting out or vse that other match Which heretofore thou vsed haste digge where myne eyes earst stood And let these woundes gush out apace much mattry filth and blood Hale out of mee this loathed soule that is so hard and stout And thou deare father Laius stand vp and looke about Behold where euer that thou standst I Vmpyre doe the make And eyed Iudge of all my plagues that iustly heere I take My Fact so lewde so horrible so loathsome to bee tolde I neuer thought with any pryce or tormentes manifolde Could haue full expiation ne thought I it inough To die this death or in one part to be beslasshed through By piecemeale I am well content to suffer tormentes all And euen by piecemeale for to die for plagues to plague mee call Exact the punishment that 's due I heere most ready stand To satisfie with any death that law and righte hath scand My former smartes when as mine eyes I raked out with pawes Were but as tastes of sacrifice somewhat to helpe my cause Come therefore Father neare to mee and thrust this hand of myne More nearer into euery wound It sweru'de and did decline For feare when first it tooke th' assay mine eyes to ransacke out I beare it still in memory my eyes then star'de about And seemed to disswade the hand from doing of the charge Whereto it was enioyned tho and had Commission large Thou shalt well thinke that OEdipus dissembleth not a whitâ— But what his word hath warranted his deede hath firmely quit Thy stoutnes then was not so great when eyes thou pulledst out As was thy man aâ—oden when thou threwst them from thee round about Now by those Gyeholes thrust thy hand into the very braine That part where death attempted was let death be sought againe AN. Vndaunted Prynce must noble Syre with humble mynde I sue That I your Daughter may be bolde to vse some speech to you And that you would with patience digest my poore aduise My suite is not to draw your minde to thinges that earst in price You highly held me to the view of glittring Pallace olde Ne brauery of your noble Realme scarce able to bee tolde But that you would these yrefull fittes by trace of time now quaild With patient minde sustayne and beare this vertue neuer faylde In any Prynce of such a spright as in your noble Grace Appeareth bryght it fitteth not that such should once abase Themselues as thralles to Sorrowes checke 〈◊〉 the conquest yeelde To aduerse hap lyke 〈…〉 It is no prayse syr though perhappes you so your reckening cast To make of lyfe so small accoumpt and thus to bee agast At euery wagging of a leafe and combersome myschaunce No no t is vertue in such case high courage to aduaunce And when thinges are at worst to shew true magnanimitie Not lyke a Meycocke cowardly at eche alarme to flee Hee that hath tride all fortunes spight and worldly wealth despisde And constantly hath borne all bruntes that are to be deuisde Mee thinks no cause hath why he needes to ende his breathing dayes Or wish himselfe in graue for why starcke crauens vse such wayes But as for him that 's drencht in dole and wrapt in carking care Whose pensius plight can be no worse nor tast of sowrer fare That man hath cause well pleasâ—â— to be sith hee in safety standes And pykes hath past and now is free from feare of further bandes Put case the Gods would weave the webbe of further woe to thee What more can any of them doe thy grieues to amplifie Nay thou thy selfe although thou wouldst canst adde thereto no more Vnlesse thou thinke thy selfe to haue deserued death therefore And yet thou arte not worthy death my reason is because Through ignoraunce thou didst a fact contrary to the lawes And therefore Father thinke your selfe most guiltlesse in the case And maugre Gods stand on your guarde my counsell sound embrace For doubtlesse you an innocent are deem'de and thought to bee And are in deede what makes you thus in dumpes and dolefull glee What cause so great should so enchaunt your conscience and your wits To seeke your owne decay and spoyle what meane faint hearted fits That thus in hast you would so faine abandon this your lyfe And goe to hell where torment dwelles and grisly ghostes be ryfe You would not see Sun Moone ne Starre no more you can your eyes Are blynd you faine would leaue your Court and Countries miseries Why so you may and so you doe These all are put to sacke That now alyue aswell as dead you feele of these the lacke You flee from Mother Wyfe and Chylde you see no man alyue What more can death dispatch away but life doth now depriue your lords your knights your courtly traine your kingly state crowne Your graund Affaires your waighty charge is gone brought abowne From whom froÌ„ what do
fountaynes fayre To frame their seate then vnto thee in senseles sleepe repayre Shal wanton Fayries Nymphes of Frithes that on the Hilles do walke Which Dryade mountayne Goblins haunt that vse on hilles to stalke Or when from high Starbearing poale Diana downe did looke On thee that next old Arcades in heauen thy seate hast tooke Shee could not weilde her weltring wayne and yet no foggy cloude Eclipst her gleaming Globe but we with tincking Pans aloude Gan make a noyse agrised at her dead and glowing light We deemd hir charmd with Magicke verse of Thessant witches spright But thou didst cause hir busines and madest her in a maze Whyle at thy pleasant louely lookes the Goddesse stoode in gaze That rules the rayne of cloudy night she stopt her running race God graunt that seldome byting frost may pinch this comely face Let seldome scorching Sunny beams thy Cheekes with freckles die The Marble blue in quarry pittes of Parius that doth lie Beares not so braue a glimsyng glosse as pleasant seemes thy face Whose browes with manly maiesty support an awful grace And forehead fraught with grauity of Fathers countnaunce old His Iuory colourd necke although compare to Phoebe ye would His lockes that neuer lacking knew it selfe displaying wyde On shoulder poyntes doth set them out and also doth them hyde Thy curled forhead seemes thee well and eake thy notted hayre That crumpled lies vndight in thee a manly grace doth beare Thou Gods though fierce and valiant perforce dost chase and farre Dost ouermatch in length of limmes though yet but young thou arre Thou heares as big boystrous brawnes as Hercules thy breast Then Champion Mars more bourly bolstred out with broader chest On back of horntehoofed Steedes if vawting thou do ryde With Bridle in thyne arriue hand more handsome canst thou guyde The trampling Cyllar horse of Spart then Princely Castor could Thy Letherne loope amid thy dart with former fingers hould And driue thy launce with all thy pith the actiue men of Creete That with their pitched dartes afarre do learne the marke to bit They shall not hurle a slender Reede but after Parthian guyse To shoote an arrow if they list into the open Skies Vnsped without some Bird attaynt it shal not light on ground Vnbath'd with lukewarme bloud of guttes in gory smoking wound And from amid the lofty Cloudes downe shalt thou fetch thy pray Few men marke wel the tyme haue borne beauty vnplagude away God send thee better lucke and graunt thy noble personage May passe vnto the happy steps and stretch to dumpish age What mischiefe vnattempt escapes a Womans witlesse rage Most haynous crymes shee meanes to lay to guiltles youngmās charge And thinkes to make her matter good with hayre thus rent at large She towseth eake the pranking of her head with watred plantes Her slye deuyse no crafty kind of womans fetches wantes But who is this that in his face such princely port doth beare Whose lofty lookes with stately pace hie vauntst his head doth reare Lyke lusty young Pyrithous he looketh in the face But that a faynting fallow pale his bleakish Cheekes disgrace And filthy baggage hangeth on his hash hayre raysde vpright Lo Theseus it is agayne restoard to earthly light THE THIRDE ACTE Theseus Nutrix AT length I scapt the glowinge glades of grim eternall Night And eake the vnderpropping poale that each infernall Spright Doth muffie in shut vp in shades loe how my dazelled eyes Can scant abyde the long dessred light of Marble Skies Eleusis now fowre offringes of Triptolemus deuydes And counterpaysed Day with Night now foure tymes Libra hydes I earnest in my Parlous toyle in doubt what lucke to haue Twixt dread of gastly Death and hope my feeble life to saue Some sparke of life stil in my breahles limmes abyding was When as embarkt on erkesome Stix Alcides downe did passe To succour me in dire distresse who when the hellicke hound From Tartares griesly gates in Chaynes he dragd aboue the ground And also me he caryed vp into the World agayne My tyred limmes doth sappy pith of former strength restrayne My feble faltring legges do quake what lugging toyle it was From bottom deepe of Phlegethon to world aloofe to passe What dreary dole mourning noyse is this that beates myne eares Let some declare it vnto mee who blubbred so with teares Lamenting loud and languishing within our gates appeares This entertaynment sit is for a guest that comes from Hell Nu. A stubburne heart and obstinate in Phaedras breast doth dwell With despret mind to slay her selfe our teares she doth despyse And giuing vp the gasping Ghoast alas my Lady dyes Th. Why should she kill herselfe why die hir spouse being come againe Nu For this my Lord with hasty death she would her selfe haue slaine Th. These troblous wordes some perlous thing I wot not what to tell Speake plain what lumpe of glutting griefe her laded heart doth quei She doth complayne her case to none but pensiuely and sad She keepes it secrete to hir selfe determind thus shee had To beare aboute with her the bane wherewith she meanes to die Hie hie thee fast I pray thee now now haue wee neede to hye Our Pallace lockt with stately stoulpes set open by and by Theseus Phaedra O Madame Mate of Spousall bedde thus dost thou entertayne The comming of thy louing Spouse and welcom home agayne Thy long desyred Hosbandes face why takes thou not away My Sword out of my hand and dost not cheare my Sprites I saye Nor shewest me what doth the breath out of the body chase Ph. Alas my valiant Theseus euen for thy royall mace Wherwith thy Kingdome thou dost weild and by the noble raygne Of thy belo'ud posterity and comming home agayne And for the worship that is due vnto my fatall graue O let me die and suffer me deserued death to haue Th. What cause compelleth thee to die Ph. If I the cause of death Disclose then shall I not obtayne the loosyng of my breath Th. No worldly wight saue I my selfe alone the same shall heare Art thou affrayd to tel it in thy husbandes bashful eare Speake out thy secretes shrowd I shall within my faythful brest Ph. What thou would other to conceale kepe thou it first in rest Th. Thou shalt not suffred be to die Ph. From him that wisheth Death Death neuer can be seperate Th. The crime that losse of breath Ought to reuenge shew it to me Ph. Forsooth because I liue Th. Alas do not my trilling teares thy stony stomacke grieue Ph. It is the sweetest death when one doth lothsome life forsake Bereft of such as should for him most woful weeping make Th. Stil standes she mum the croked old ilfauord hoblinge Trotte Hir Nurse for stripes and clogging bandes shall vtter euery iotte That shee forbid her hath to tell in yron chaynes her bynd Let tawing whips wring out perforce the secrets of her mynd PH. Now I my selfe wil speak stay
alas to set thine heart at rest Not thou if God him selfe if he his flaming fiers should throw On thee or mischiefs all by heapes vpon thy body strow Couldst once for thy deserued ills due paines or vengeaunce pay Some meanes therefore to wreak Gods wrath vpon thy selfe assay Death death now best contenteth mee then seeke a way to dye So maist thou yet at length finde end for all thy misery O Son lend mee thy hand sith that thou art a Paracyde This labour last of all remaynes this labour thee doth byde Dispatch rid mee thy mother deare from all my deadly woe It will not be no prayers auaile Thy selfe this deede must doe Take vp this sword Goe to with this thy husbande late was slayne Husband thou term'st him false hee was thy syer O deadly payne Shal I quight through my brest it driue or through my throte it thrust Canst thou not choose thy wound away die die alas thou must This hateful womb then woūd O wretch this this with thine own hand Strike strike it hard O spare it not sith both a husband and The same a Son it bare CHOR. Alas alas shee is slaine she is slayne dispatched with a push Who euer sawe the like to this see how the bloud doth gush O heauy doulfull case who can this dyrefull sight enduer Which for the hideousnesse thereof might teares of stones procuer OED. Thou God thou teller out of Fates On thee on thee I call My Father onely I did owe vnto the Destnies all Now twise a Paracide and worse than I did feare to bee My Mother I haue slayne Alas the fault is all in mee O OEdipus accursed wretch lament thine owne Calamity Lament thy state thy griefe lament thou Caitife borne to misery Where wilt thou now become alas thy Face where wilt thou hyde O myserable Slaue canst thou such shamefull tormentes byde Canst thou which hast thy Parents slain Canst thou prolong thy life Wilt thou not dye deseruing Death thou cause of all the griefe And Plagues and dreadfull mischiefs all that Thebane City prease Why dost thou seeke by longer life thy sorrowes to encrease Why dost thou toyle and labour thus in vayne It will not bee Both God and man and beast and all abhorre thy Face to see O Earth why gapst thou not for why doe you not vnfolde You gates of hell mee to receaue why doe you hence withholde The fierce Infernall Feends from me from me so wretched wight Why breake not all the Furyes lose this hatefull head to smight With Plagues which them deserued hath alas I am left alone Both light and sight and comfort all from mee O wretch is gone O cursed head O wicked wight whom all men deadly hate O Beast what meanst thou still to liue in this vnhappy state The Skies doe blush and are ashamd at these thy mischiefes great The Earth laments the Heauens weepe the Seas for rage doe freat And blustring rise and stormes doe stir and all thou wretch for thee By whose incest and bloudy deedes all things disturbed bee Quight out of course displaced quight O cursed fatall day O mischiefes great O dreadfull times O wretch away away Exile thy selfe from all mens sight thy life halfe spent in misery Goe end consume it now outright in thrise as great calamity O lying Phoebe thine Oracles my sin and shame surmount My Mothers death amongst my deedes thou neuer didst recount A meete Exploict for me that am to Nature deadly Foe With trembling fearefull pace goe forth thou wretched monster goe Grope out thy wayes on knees in darke thou miserable Slaue So maist thou yet in tract of time due paynes and vengeaunce haue For thy mischeuous lyfe Thus thus the Gods themselues decree Thus thus thy Fates thus thus the skyes appoint it for to bee Then headlong hence with a mischiefe hence thou caitife vyle away Away away thou monstrous Beast Goe Run Stand stay Least on thy Mother thou doe fall All you that wearyed bodies haue with sickenesse ouerprest Loe now I fly I fly away the cause of your vnrest Lift vp your heads a better state of Ayre shall strayght ensewe Whan I am gone for whom alone these dreadfull myschiefs grewe And you that now halfe dead yet liue in wretched misers case Help those whō present torments presse forth hye you on apace For loe with me I cary hence all mischiefes vnder Skyes All cruell Fates Diseases all that for my sake did ryse With mee they goe with me both griefe Plague Pocks Botch all The ills that eyther now you presse or euer after shall With me they goe with me these Mates bin meetst of all for mee Who am the most vnhappiest wretch that euer Sun did see FINIS THE SIXTE TRAGEDIE OF THE MOST GRAVE prudēt Author LVCIVS ANNAEVS SENECA entituled TROAS vvith diuers and sundrye Additions to the same by IASPER HEYVVOOD To the Reader ALTHOVGH GENTLE Reader thou mayst perhaps thinke mee arrogant for that I onely among so many fine wittes and towardly youth with which Englād this day florisheth haue enterprised to set forth in english this present piece of the flowre of all writers Seneca as who say not fearing what grauer heads might iudge of me in attempting so hard a thing yet vpon well pondering what next ensueth I trust both thy selfe shalt cleare thine owne suspicion and thy chaunged opinion shal iudge of me more rightfull sentence For neither haue I taken this worke first in hand as once entending it should come to light of well doynge wherof I vtterly dispayred and beynge done but for myne owne priuate exercise I am in myne opinion herein blameles thoughe I haue to proue my selfe priuately taken the part which pleased me best of so excellent an author for better is tyme spent in the best then other and at first to attempt the hardest writers shall make a mā more prompt to translate the easier with more facility But now since by request frēdship of those to whom I could denye nothinge this worke agaynst my will extorted is out of my hands I needes must craue thy pacience in reading and facility of iudgement when thou shalt apparantly se my witles lacke of learning prayng thee to consider how hard a thing it is for mee to touch at ful in all poynts the authors mynd beyng in many places verye harde and doubtfull and the worke much corrupt by the default of euil printed Bookes and also how farre aboue my power to keepe that Grace and maiestye of stile that Seneca doth when both so excellent a writer hath past the reach of all imitation and also this our English toung as many thinke and I here fynd is farre vnable to compare with the Latten but thou good Reader if I in any place haue swerued from the true sence or not kept the roialty of speach meete for a Tragedie impute the one to my youth and lacke of iudgement the other to my lacke of Eloquence Now as
thy Charyot Pyrrhus plucke as Achill Hector drew And neuer shal these tender handes thy weapons weild and wrest Thou neuer shalt in woods pursue the wyld and mighty beast Nor as accustom'd is by guyse and sacrifice in Troy With measure swift betweene the aulters shalt thou daunce with ioy O grieuous kind of cruel death that doth remayne for thee More woeful thinges then Hectors death the walles of Troy shall see Vliss. Now breake of al thy mothers tears I may no more tyme spende The grieuous sorrowes of thy hart will neuer make an end An. Vlisses spare as yet my teares and graunt awhyle delay To close his eyes yet with my handes er he depart away Thou diest but young yet feard thou art thy Troy doth wayte for thee Goe noble hart thou shalt agayne the noble Troyans see Asti. Helpe me mother An. Alas my child why tak'st thou holde by me In vayne thou calst where helpe none is I can not succour thee As when the little tender beast that heares the Lyon crye Straight for defence he seekes his damme crouching downe doth lye The cruel beast when once remoued is the damme away In greedy taw with rauening bit doth snatch the tender pray So strayght the enmies wil thee take and from my side thee beare Receiue my kisse and teares pore childe receiue my rented hayre Depart thou hence now ful of mee and to thy father goe Salute my Hector in my name and tel him of my woe Complayne thy mothers griefe to him if former cares may moue The sprightes and that in funerall flame they leese not all their loue O cruel Hector suffrest thou thy wyfe to be opprest With bond of Grecians heauy yoke and liest thou still at rest Achilles rose take here agayne my teares and rented heare And al that I haue left to send this kisse thy father beare Thy coat yet for my comfort leaue the tomb hath touched it If of his ashes aught here lye I le seeke it euery whit Vl. There is no measure of thy teares I may no lenger stay Deferre no further our returne breake of our shippes delay Chorus altered by the translatour O Ioue that leadst the lampes of fire and deckst vvith flaming starres the skye VVhy is it euer thy desyre to care their course so orderly That novve the frost the leaues hath vvorne novv the sprīg doth close the tree Novv fiery Leo rypes the corne and stil the soyle should chaunged be But vvhy art thou that all dost guide betvvene vvhose hands the poale doth svvay And at vvhose vvil the Orbs do slyde careles of mans estate alvvay Regarding not the goodmans case nor caryng hovv to hurt the yll Chaunce beareth rule in euery place and turneth mans estate at vvill She geues the vvronge the vpper hand the better part she doth oppresse She makes the highest lovv to stand her Kingdome all is orderlesse O parfite profe of her frailty the princely tovvres of Troy beat dovvne The flovvre of Asia here ye see vvith turne of hand quight ouerthrovvne The ruthful ende of Hectors son vvhō to his death the Greekes haue led His fatall hovvre is come and gone and by this tyme the Child is ded Yet stil alas more cares encrease O Troyans doleful destenie Fast doth approach the maydes decease and novv Polixena shall die THE FOVRTH ACTE Helena Andromacha Hecuba WHat euer woeful wedding yet were cause of funerall Of wayling teares bloud slaughter els or other mischiefes all A worthy watch for Helena and meete for me it ware My wedding torch hath bene the cause of al The Troyans care I am constraynd to hurt them yet after their ouerthrow The false and fayned mariages of Pyrrhus must I showe And geue the mayde the Greekes attyre and by my pollecy Shal Paris sister be betrayd and by disceypt shal die But let her be beguiled thus the lesse should be her payne If that vnware without the feare of death she might be slayne What ceasest thou the wil of Greekes and messuage to fulfill Of hurt constraynd the fault returnth to th' auter of the ill O noble Virgin of the famous house and stocke of Troy To thee the Grecians haue me sent I bring thee newes of ioy The Gods rue on thy afflicted state more merciful they bee A greate and happy maryage loe they haue prepard for thee Thou neuer should if Troy had stoode so nobly wedded be Nor Priam neuer could prefer thee to so hie degree Whom flowre of all the Grecians name the prince of honour hie That beares the Scepters ouer all the lande of Thessaly Doth in the law of wedlocke chose and for his wyse require To sacred rightes of lawful bed doth Pyrrhus thee desyre Loe Thetis great with al the rest of Gods that guide by sea Each one shall thee accompt as theirs and toy by wedding day And Peleus shall thee daughter call when thou art Pirrhus wyfe And Nereus shall accompt thee his the space of all thy life Put of thy mourning garment now this regall vesture weare Forget henceforth thy captiue state and seemly broyd thy hayre The fall hath lift thee higher vp and doth thee more aduaunce Oft to be taken in the warre doth bring the better chaunce An. This ill the Troyans neuer knew in all their griefs and payne Before this tyme ye neuer made vs to reioyce in vayne Troy towres geue light O seemely tyme for mariage to be made Who would refuse the wedding day that Helayne doth perswade The Plague and ruine of each parte behold dost thou not see These tombes of noble men and how their bones here scattered bee Thy brydebed hath bene cause of this for thee all these be ded For thee the bloud of Asia both and Europe hath bene shed When thou in ioy and pleasure both the fighting folke from farre Hast viewde in doubt to whom to wish the glory of the warre Goe to prepare the mariages what neede the Torches light Behold the Towres of Troy do shine with brands that blase ful bright O Troyans all set to your handes this wedlocke celebrate Lament this day with woeful cry and teares in seemly rate Mel Though care do cause the want of wit and reasons rule denye And heauy hap doth ofttymes hate his mates in misery Yet I before most hateful iudge dare wel defend my part That I of all your greuous cares sustayne the greatest smart Andromacha for Hector weepes for Priam Hecuba For onely Paris priuily bewayleth Helena A hard and grieuous thing it is captiuity to beare In Troy that yoke I suffred long a prisoner whole ten yeare Turnd are the fates Troy beaten downe to Greece I must repeare The natiue countrey to haue lost is ill but worse to feare For dread therof you neede not care your euilles all be past On me both partes wil vengeance take al lightes to me at last Whom each man prisoner takes God wot shee standes in slipper stay And me not captiue made by
case for Britans sake Ne can her ruthful piteous sorrow slake Though Neros wrath do sore constrayne her grace She nil esteemes the secrete closet place But boyling stil with equal peysd disdayne With mutuall hate gaynst him doth burne agayne My true and trusty loue that I do beare In vayne I see doth striue to comfort her Reuenging greedy griefe doth streight repriue T' appease her smarte the counsel that I giue Nor flame of worthy breast doth once relent But heaps of greefe her courage do augment Alas what griesely deedes for to ensue My feare foreseeth God graunt it be not true THE THIRD SCENE Octauia Nutrix O Staggering state O peerelesse yll With ease Electra I repeate And call to mynd thy mourning will With watred eies like smartiÌ„g sweat Thou mightst lament thy father slain Stil hoping that thy brother myght That deadly deede reuenge agayne Whom thou O tender louing wight Didst safely shield from bloudy foe And naturall loue did closely kepe But Neroes dreaded visage loe Doth feare me that I dare not weepe Nor wayle my parentes ruthful case By cruell lot this slaughter cought Ne suffers mee this geniall face To dash with teares to dearely bought With brothers bloud who onely was Myne onely hope in all my griefe And of so many mischieues as My comfort greate and sole reliefe Now loe reserud for greater care And to abyde more lingring payne Of noble famous lineage bare A drouping shade I do remayne Nutrix My Ladyes heauye voyce mee thought Within my listning eares can sounde And snaylish age in going soft Vnto her thews in not ybounde Octauia O Nurse our dolours witnes sure By curroll cheekes distilling rayne And heauy heartes complaynt endure Nutrix Alas what day shall ridde of payne With care your welnye wasted heart Octauia That sends this guiltles ghost to graue Nutrix This talke good madame set apart Octauia In rule my state theire destenies haue And not thy prayers O matrone iust Nutrix The doune soft easy God shall geue Your troubled mynd a tyme I trust More sweete then euer you did liue With feuell fayre as one content And glosed face but onely please Your man and make he will relent Octauia The Lyon fierce I shall appeale And sooner tame the Tygre stoute Then mankynd Tyrantes brutish breast He spytes the noble raced â—out Contemmes hygh powers disdaynes the least Ne can wel vse that princely weede Which venemous parent wrapt him in By huge vnspeakeable griesly deede Although that wight vnthankful grynne In Kingly throne that hee doth raygne Throughe cruel cursed mothers ayde Although hee pay with Death agayne So greate a gift it shal be sayde And after fates in long spent age That woman wight shal haue alwaye This eloge yet and saying sage That he by her doth beare the sway Nutrix Let not your ragious mynde so walke But doe compresse your moody talke THE FOVRTH SCENE Octauia Nutrix THough much I beare that boyling brest do beate And tollerably take diuorcements threate Deathes only deadly darte I see an end Of al my broyle and pinching payne can send What pleasant light to me O wretch is left My natural Mother slayne and Syre be reft Of breathing life by treason and by gilt Of Brother eake depriude with miseryes spilt And wayling ouercome kept downe with care Enuyed of Make which I dare not declare To mayden subiect now and now defied What pleasant light can me O wretch abyde With feareful hart suspecting always ought Because I would no wicked deede were wroughte Not that I feare Deathes griesly gyrning face God graunt I do not so reuenge my case A better deede to dye for to behold The Tyrantes visage grimme with browes vprolde And with soft tender lippes my foe to kisse And stand in awe of beckes and noddes of his Whose will to please my griefe with cares yfirde Since brothers death by wicked wyle conspirde Could neuer once vouchsafe for to sustayne Lesse griefe to die then thus to liue in payne His Empyre Nero rules and ioyes in blood The cause and ground of death that Tirant wood How oft alas doth Fansie fondly fayne WheÌ„ slumber swete in pensiue parts doth raigne And sleepe in eyes all tyrd with teares doth rest I apprehend deare Brittans liuely brest Ere whyle me thinkes his feble shiuering hands He fenseth sure with deadly blasing brandes And fiercely on his brother Neros face With sturdy stinging stroakes he flies apace Ere whyle thilke wretch recoyleth backe agayne And to my thewes for aide retyres amayne Him foming foe pursues with hast to haue And whyle my brother I desire to saue And in my clasped armes to shield him free His goary bloudied falchion keene I see The boysterous raumping fiend to tugge hale Through out my shiuering limmes as ashes pale Forthwith a mighty trembling chattering quake From weary lims all souple sleepe doth shake And makes me woeful wretch for to recount My wayling sobbing sorrowes that surmount Hereto put to that gorgeous stately ouse All glistring bright with spoyles of Claudius house His parent deare in bubling boate did douse That wicked sonne this fisking dame to please Whom yet escaping daungers great of Seas He fiercer freake than waues that scantly rest VVith bloudy blade hir bowels did vnbrest VVhat hope of health can me O wretch abyde That after them thilke way I should not ryde My speciall foe triumphant wise doth weight VVith naked nates to presse by louers sleight Our spousall pure and cleane unspotted bed Gainst whom she burns with deadly foode bloud red And for a meede of filthy strumpets sport She causeth Make from spouse for to diuort O auncient Syre step forth from Limbo lake Thy daughters heauy troublous cares to slake Or your twygated hellysh porche vnfolde That downe through gaping ground I may bee rolde Nu. O piteous wretch in vaine alas in vaine Thou calst vpon thy fathers senselesse sprite In whome God wot there doth no care remaine Of mortall broode that here doth take delight Shall he thinke you asswage your sory cheere Or shape you forth some sleight to appall your paine That could preferre before his Brittan deere Th' imperiall throne a straunge begotten swaine And with incestiall loue benummed quyte His brother Germanicks daughter that could plyght And ioyne to him in solemne mariage rites VVith woefull and vnlucky louers lightes Here sprang the roale of hurly burly great Here beastly venomous slaughter gan to sweate Here wylie treasons traines appeared first Here rules desire and brutish bloudy thirst Syllanus first Prince Claudius sonne in lawe A bloudy mangled offring fall we sawe That in our graces Hymaeneal bed Ymatcht with you he might not couche his hed O monstrous slaughter worthy endlesse blame In steade of gift vnto that wanton dame A Carkasse colde pore soule and curelesse corse Sillane was giuen against his will perforce And falsly then attacht of traitors crime As one conspyring death in Claudius time VVith lothsome streakes spewde out vpon the wall
thee the Tygar fierce his diuers spotted breast doth yield The rough shaghairy Bugle turnes on thee his backe in field Eke saluage Buffes with braunche hornes all thinges thy quarelles feare That to the needy Garamas in Affricke doth appeare Or eis the wyld Arabian enriched by his wood Or what the Brutish roches of Pyrene vnderstood Or else what other Beastes do lurcke in wyld Hyrcanus groue Or else among Sarmatians in desert fieldes that roue It that the Ploughman come to field that standeth in thy grace Into his nettes the roused beast full sure he is to chase No feete in sunder breake the coardes and home he bringes the Bore In totting wayne when as the houndes with gubs of clottered gore Besmeared haue their grymed snoutes and then the Countrey rout To Cottages repayre in rankes with triumph all about Lo Goddesse graunt vs grace the hounds already opened haue I follow must the Chase this gainer way my paynes to saue I take into the woods THE SECOND SCEANE PHAEDRA NVTRIX O Countrey Crete that beares the sway vpon the Seas so vast Whose Ships so thicke in euery Shore the Seas doe ouercast What euer coast as farre as is Assyria lande doth lye Where Nereus doth the piked Stemme to cut his course deny Why force ye mee that yeelded am a pledge to those I hate And gieuen in Bridall bed to bee my enmies Spousall mate To languish out my time in teares in woe to leade my lyfe My husband lo runnagate is gon from mee his Wyfe Yet Theseus still performes his O the alike vnto his Spouse As earst to Ariadne when hee falsifide his Vowes Hee champion stoute dare enterprise the darkenesse deepe to passe Of lothsome Lake whence yet found out no way returning was A souldier of the Wooer bolde Proserpin home to bring Out pullde perforce from grisly throne of Dire infernall King Accompanide with fury fierce hee marcheth forward still Whō neither dread nor shame could force forbeare his wicked will With lawlesse wedlocks rauishments Hippolytus his Sire Doth in the boyling bottom deepe of Acheron require But yet another greater griefe swayes on my pensiue brest No silent night nor slumber deepe can set my heart at rest My sorrow still is nourished and still entreaseth it And ranklesse in my boyling breast as out of Aetnaes pit The stifling vapour vpward sties and Pallas Web it standes At rest my dropping distaffe downe doth drop betweene my handes My luskish minde it hath no lust my vowed gifts to pay Vnto the Temples of the Gods that liue my Theseus may Nor rigging with Th' athenian Dames among the aulters proude To tosse the fiery brands vnto the sacrifice aloude Nor yet deuoutly praying at the Aares with godly guise To Pallas president in earth to offer sacrifice It doth delight me to pursue the chased beasts in flight And tosse my flashing Faucon fierce with nimble hand full light What ayles thou minde this mad to take conceypte in freight and fell My wretched mothers fatall vice a breeding now I smell To cloake our crime our lust doth knowe woods are the fittest place Alas good Mother I lament the heauy lucklesse case Thou rashe attaint with lothsome lust enamored is thy breast Euen with the cruell head of al the herd of saluage beast That churlish angry roaring Bull no yoake can bee sustayne And hee among the wilde and eke vntamed Neat doth raygne Yet was enclinde to loue what God can graunt mee my desire Or Dedalus with curious craft can ease my flaming fire Not if hee might returne whom Ariadne hath iustruct From crooked compast Laberinth by thred that out hee pluckt Among the lurcking corners close and wily winding way To grope his footing backe agayne and did depriue of day Our monstrous Minotaur enclosde in Maze and Dungeon blinde Although hee promise to our sore no salue yet can hee finde Through mee Apollos Progeny doth Venus quite agayne The filthy shame that shee and Mars together did sustayne Whom Phoebus taking at their taske all naked in the Skie Hung vp in Nets a laughing stocke to euery gasing Eye For this all Phoebus stocke with vile and foule reproche she staynes In some of Minos family still lothsome lusting raygnes One mischiefe brings another in NV. O Theseus wyfe and Chylde Of Ioue let vyce be soone out of thine honest breast exilde And quench the raging heat to dire dispayre doe not vp yeeld Who at the first repulseth loue is safe and winnes the field Who doth by flattring fancy fonde feede on his vitious vayne To late doth grudge agaynst the yoake which earst hee did sustayne Nor yet doe I forget how hard and voyde of reason cleane A Princes stately stomacke yeeldes vnto the golden meane PH. That ende I will accept whereto by Fortune I can leade The neighbors weale great comfort brings vnto the horie heade NV. The first redresse is to withstand not willingly to slide The second is to haue the fault by meane and measure tride O wicked wretch what wilt thou doe why dost thou burden more The stayned stocke and dost excell thy mothers fault afore More haynous is thy guilt than yet thy mothers Monster was For monsters mayst thou thinke are brought by destiny to passe But let the cause of sinne to blame of maners lewde redounde And if bicause thy husband doth not breath aboue the grounde Thou thinkst thou mayst defend thy fault and make thy matter good And free from feare thou arte beguilde yet thinke the Stygian flood In griesly gaping gulfe for aye hath drenched Theseus deepe But yet thy Syre whose kingdomes large the Seas at will do keepe Whose dredfull doome pronounceth panges and due deserued payne Two hundreth wayling soules at once Will he thinkst thou maintayne So haynous crime to couche the care of tender Parents breast Full wise and wary is to bring their children to the best Yet shall we thinke by subtill meane by craft and diuelish guile In hugger mugger close to keepe our trechery so vile What shall thy mothers father Phoebe whose beames so blasing bright With fiery gleede of euery thing doth shed his golden light Or Ioue the Grandsire great of Gods that all the world doth shake And brandisheth with flaming Fist his fiery lightnings flake That Vulcane doth in Fornace hoate of dusky Aetna make Thinkst thou thys may be brought to passe so haynous crime to hide Among thy Grandsire all that haue eche priuy thing espide But though the fauor of the Gods conceale the second time Thy lothsome lust vnworthy name and to thy baudy crime Sure faythfulnesse annexed be that euer barred was Ech great offence what will this worke a present plague alas Suspicion lest the guilty night bewray thy deede vniust And conscience burdned sore with sinne that doth it selfe mistrust Some haue commit offence full safe from any bitter blame But none without the stinging pricks of conscience did the same Asswage the boyling flames of this thy lewde vngratious loue Such
rebound The brambles rent his haled hayre the edged flinty stones The beauty batter of his Face and breake his crashing bones At Mouth his blaring tongue hangs out with squeased eyne out dasht His Iawes Skull doe crack abrode his spurting Braynes are pasht His cursed beauty thus defoylde with many wounds is spent The iotting Wheeles do grinde his guts and drenched sims they rent At length a Stake with TruÌ„chion burnt his ripped PauÌ„ch hath caught From riued Grine toth ' Nauell stead within his wombe it raught The Cart vpon his Maister pawsde agaynst the ground ycrusht The Fellies stuck within the wounds and out at length they rush So both delay and Maisters limbs are broke by stresse of Wheeles His dragling guts then trayle about the wincing horses heeles They thumping with their horny Hooues agaynst his Belly kick From bursten Paunch on heapes his blouddy bowells tumble thick The scratting Bryers on the Brakes with needle poynted pricks His gory Carkas all to race with spelles of thorny sticks And of his flesh ech ragged shrub a gub doth snatch and rent His men a mourning troupe God knowes with brackish teares besprÄ“t Doe stray about the fielde whereas Hippolytus was tore A piteous signe is to bee seene by tracing long of gore His howling Dogges their Maisters limmes with licking follow still The earnest toyle of woful Wights can not the coars vp fill By gathering vp the gobbets sparst and broken lumps of flesh Is this the flaunting brauery that comes of beauty fresh Who in his Fathers Empyre earst did raigne as pryncely Peare The Heyre apparant to the Crowne and shone in honour cleare Lyke to the glorious Stars of Heauen his Limmes in pieces small Are gathred to his fatall Graue and swept to funerall TH. O Nature that preuaylste too much alas how dost thou binde Whyth bonds of bloud the Parents breast how loue we thee by kinde Maugre our Teeth whom gullty ecke we would haue rest of breath And yet lamenting with my teares I doe bewayle thy death NVN. None can lament with honesty that which he wisht destroyde TH. The hugiest heape of woes by this I thinke to be enioyde When flickering Fortunes cursed wheele doc cause vs cry alas To rue the wrack of things which earst wee wished brought to passe NVN. If stil thou keepe thy grudge why is the Face with seates besprÄ“t TH. Because I slue him not because I lost him I repent Chorus WHat heape of happes do tumble vpsyde downe Th' estate of man lesse raging Fortune flies On little things lesse leaming lightes are throwne By hand of Ioue on that which lower lies The homely couch safe merry hartes do keepe The Cotage base doth giue the Golden sleepe The lofty Turrets top that cleaues the cloude VVithstandes the sturdy stormes of Southren wynde And Boreas boysterous blastes with threatning loud Of blusteryng Corus shedding showres by kinde The reking Dales do seldome noiance take Byding the brunt of Lightninges slashing flake Th' aduaunced crest of Caucasus the great Did quake with bolt of lofty thundring Ioue VVhen he from cloudes his thunder dintes did beat Dame Cybels Phrygian fryth did trembling moue King loue in hawty heauen ful sore affright The nighest thinges with weapons doth he smyght The ridges low of Vulgar peoples house Striken with stormes do neuer greatly shake His Kingdomes coast Ioues thundring thumpes do souse VVith wauering winges that houre his fligth doth take Nor flitting Fortune with her tickle wheele Le ts any wight assured ioy to feele VVho in the VVorld beholds the starres ful bright And chereful day forsaking gastly Death His sorrowfull returne with groning spright He rewes sith it depriude his Sonne of breath He seeth his lodging in his court agayne More doleful is then sharpe Auernus payne O. PALLAS vnto whom all Athens land Due homage oweth because that THESEVS thine Among vs worldly Wights againe doth stand And seeth the Heauens vpon himselfe to shine And passed hath the parlous myrie Mud Of stinking Stygian Fen and filthy Flud Vnto thy rauening Vncles dreery Gaile O Lady chaste not one Ghost dost thou owe The Hellick Tyrant knovves his perfect tale Who from the Court this shriking shrill doth throwe What mischiefe comes in frantick PHAEDRAS brayne With naked Svvord thus running out amayne THE FIFTE ACTE THESEVS PHAEDRA CHORVS THrough pierst with pangues of pensiuenesse what fury prickes thy brayne What meanes this bloudy blade what meanes this shriking out amayne And langishing vpon the Corps which was thy mallice made PH. O tamer of the wrastling waues mee mee doe thou inuade The Monstrous hags of Marble Seas to rampe on mee send out What euer Thetis low doth keepe with folding armes about Or what the Ocean Seas aloofe embrace with winding waue O Theseus that to thine alies dost still thy selfe behaue So Currishly O thou that for thy louing Friends auayle Dost neuer yet returne thy Sonne and Father doe bewayle Thy pasport brought by death and bloud thy stocke thou dost destroy By loue or hatred of thy wife thou workest still annoy O sweete Hippolytus thus I behold thy battred face And I it is I wretch alas that brought thee to this case What Scinis forst thy lims so torne his snatching boughes to feele Or what Procrustes rackt and rent thee streacht on bed of Steele Or else what Minotaur of Crete that grim twishaped Bull With horny head that Dedalls â—â—nues with lowing filleth full Hath thee in fitters torne aie me where is thy beauty fled Where are our twinckling stars thine eyes alas and art thou ded Appeare a while receiue my words for speake I shall none yll This hand shal strike the stroake wherwith thy bengeance quite I wil And sith that I I Caytive I abridged haue thy life Lo here I am content to yeeld thee mine with bloudy knife If ghost may here be giuen for ghost and breath may serue for breath Hippolytus take thou my soule and come againe from death Behold my bowels yet are safe my lims in lusty plight Would God that as they serue for me thy body serue they might Mine eies to render kindly light vnto thy Carkasse ded Lo for thy vse this hand of mine shall pluck them from my hed And set them in these empty cells and vacant holes of thine Thy weale of me a wicked Wight to win do not repine And if a womans wofull heart in place of thine may rest My bosom straight breake vp I shall and teare it from my brest But courage stout of thine doth loth faint womans heart to haue Thy Noble minde would rather go with manly heart to graue Alas be not so manly now this manlinesse forheare And rather choose to liue a man with womans sprite and feare Then as no man with manly heart in darcknesse deepe to sit Haue thou thy life giue me thy death that more deserueth it Can not my profer purchase place yet vengeance shal thou haue Hell shall not hold me from thy syde nor
he doth feare Cr. Great cause makes mee my Princes death conceale and closly beare Oed. Ought any cause of feare or griefe the duty for to let Cre. The threatning of the prophesyes do stil my breast beset Oe. Let vs sith God cōmaunds forthwith some good attonement make If any way or meanes there be their wrathful rage to slake Thou God that sits on seate on high and al the world dost guide And thou by whose commaundement the Starres in Skies do glide Thou thou that onely ruler art of Seas of Floods and all On thee and on thy Godhead great for these requestes I call Who so hath slayne king Laius oh Ioue I do thee pray Let thousand ils vpon him fall before his dying day Let him no health ne comfort haue but al to crusht with cares Consume his wretched yeares in griefe though that death him spares Awhyle Yet mischiefes all at length vppon him light With all the euils vnder Sun that vgly monster smight In exile let him liue a Slaue the rated course of life In shame in care in penury in daunger and in strife Let no man on him pity take let all men him reuyle Let him his Mothers sacred Bed incestuously defyle Lim him his father kill And yet let him do mischiefes more What thing more haynous can I wish then that I wisht before Let him do all those illes I say that I haue shund and past All those and more if more may be oh God vpon him cast Let him no hope of pardon haue but sue and all in vayne All hellish Furies on him light for to encrease his payne O Ioue powre downe thy fury greate thy thūdring thumpes out throw Let Boreas boysterous blastes and stormy plagues vpon him blow Consume him quight Fret out his guttes with pockes and botches vile Let all diseases on him light that wretched bodyes fyle Let these and more if more may be vppon that Monster fall Let Harpies pawes and greedy paunche deuoure his members all Let no man him regard or seeke his limmes in grade to lay But let him dye ten thousand deathes before his dying day By this my Kingdome I do sweare and Kingdome that I left By al my Countrey Gods that bene in Temples closely kept I sweare I vow I do protest and thereto witnes take The Starres the Seas the Earth and all that ere thy hand did make Except that I my selfe forthwith this bloudy monster find To wreake the wrath of God some way with solempne oth I bynde And so my father Polybius his happy dayes out lyue And so my mother Merope no mariage new contriue As he shall dye that did this deede and none shal him excuse Whoso he be here I protest for that he shortly rues But where this wicked deede was don Creon now tell me playne Both by what meanes where and how Ring Laius was slayne Creon Passing through Castalia woods mountayns heapt with snoe Where groues and scrubs and bushes thicke brambles sharp do groe A threepathd crooked way there is that diuersly doth goe One vnto Bacchus citty bends that Phoce doth hight The other to Olenius forth stretcheth out aright The third that reacheth through the vales and by the riuers lyes Tends downe vnto the Bancks wherby Eleia water plyes There vnawares O piteous chaunce a troup of theues entraps The noble prince and murders him hence spring these great mishaps which heape you realms with hideous woes and plagues on euery side By iust decree of heauenly powers which can no murder bide But see Tiresias where he coms with old and trembling pace I thincke Apolloes heauenly might haue brought him to this place See where he comes and Manto too his steps directing stayes T is he who for your grace O king and for your countrie prayes THE SECOND ACTE THE SECOND SCENE OEDIPVS TYRESIAS MANTO COme holy priest to Phoebus next these doubtfull aunswers lose And whom that destnies will to dye Straightwayes to me disclose TY. Renowmed Prince though still I stand in silence dūme dismayde And though by inwarde feare of mynde my lingring tonge is stayde Yet pardon me O noble Prince and geue me leaue a while From lack of sight springs Ignoraunce which powre hath to exile Vnspotted Truth frō doubtfull breasts This thing ful well you knoes But whither God and Countrey calles with willing minde I goe Let deadly fatall destentes be boulted out at length O King if I of greener yeares had now my wonted strength This matter soone discust should be and I would take in hande My selfe in presence of the Gods in temple for to stande A mighty Oxe all coulourd white vp on the Aulters reare Which neuer yet on weried necke the croked yoake did beare And Manto thou O daughter mine mine onely prop and stay The secret hidden misteries and sacred signes out say M A. The beast before the Aulter stands T Y. To Gods a prayer make And on the holy Aulters cke some pleasaunt odors shake M A. T is done And all the fiers fierce with incence bright doe flame T Y. O Manto now what signes seest thou how doe thy matters frame What doth the fire the Sacrifice encompas rounde about MA. Not so But first it mounts aloft and streight it flasheth out TY. Well Yet how doth the sacred flame all shining bright and cleare It selfe on high vnto the Skies with sparkelting flakes vpreare Or doth it oft rebounding backe it selfe from Skyes vnfould Or all with rumbling roring noyse about the place i st rould Or dim'd with smoke i st tost from place to place now heere now theare MA. Not one But diuerse colours mixt the flame doth with it beare Much like vnto the Rainbow which with sundry paynted hues Foreshewes vnto the husbandmen the weather that ensues What colour it wants or what it hath to me is like vncertayne Now is it black now blue now red and euen now agayne Quight out it is Yet once agayn all fierce it flashing flames But lo yet mischiefs more then this vnluckely it frames The fier quight a sunder parts and flame with flame doth fight O father I abhorre to see this vgly lothsome sight The Wyne to blud is turned quight and all the Prynces hed With thicke black clouds encōpast is with smoke all ouerspred O father tell what this portends TY. What should I tell alas My mynde for feare astonied stands and trembling cold doth pas Through all my lims What shall I say or where shall I begin O cruell Plagues O wrekfull Gods O vengeaūce due for sin Some dyre and blouddy deed Alas these hydeous signes declare What 's that the Gods would haue reuealde and yet doe bid beware To vtter it By certaine signes their wrath is oft descride Such signes appeere and yet they seeme their fury great to hide They are ashamde I wot nere what Come hither quickly bring Some salt with thee and it vpon the sacrifice goe fling What are their lookes pleasant and
spirites yre VVhose sonue we slew whereof doth yet remayne The wrath beneath and hell shal be their payne From burning lakes the furies wrath I threate And fire that nought but streames of bloud may slake The rage of winde and seas their shippes shall beate And Ditis deepe on you shall vengeance take The spirites crie out the earth and seas do quake The poole of Styx vngratefull Greekes it seath VVith slaughtred bloud reuenge Achilles death The soyle doth shake to beare my heauy foote And fearth agayne the sceptors of my hand The pooles with stroake of thunderclap ring out The doubtful starres amid their course do stand And fearfull Phoebus hides his blasing brande The trembling lakes agaynst their course do flite For dread and terrour of Achilles spright Great is the raunsome ought of due to mee Wherwith ye must the sprightes and hell appease Polyxena shal sacrifysed be Vpon my tombe their yreful wrath to please And with her bloud ye shall asswage the seas Your ships may not returne to Greece agayne Til on my tombe Polyxena be slayne And for that she should then haue bene my wyfe I wil that Pyrrhus render her to mee And in such solemne sort bereaue her life As ye are wont the weddinges for to see So shal the wrath of Hel appeased bee Nought els but this may satisfy our yre Her wil I haue and her I you require THE SECOND SCENE Talthibius Chorus ALas how long the lingring Greekes in hauen do make delay When eyther warre by seas they seeke or home to passe theyr way Ch. Why shew what cause doth hold your ships and Grecian nauy stayes Declare if any of the Gods haue stopt your homeward wayes Tal. My mynd is mai'd my trembling sinne wes quake and are affeard For straunger newes of truth then these I thinke were neuer heard Lo I my selfe haue playnly seene in dawning of the day When Phoebus first gan to approch and driue the starres away The earth all shaken sodaynly and from the hollow grownde My thought I hard with roaryng crye a deepe and dreadful sound That shoke the woods and al the trees rong out with thunder stroke From Ida hils downe fel the stones the mountayne toppes were broke And not the earth hath onely quakt but all the Sea likewyse Achilles presence felt and knew and high the surges ryse The clouen ground Erebus pittes then shewd and deepest dennes That downe to Gods that guyde beneath the way appeard from hence Then shoke the tombe from whence anone in flame of fiery light Appeareth from the hollow caues Achilles noble spright As wonted he his Thracian armes and bannars to disploy And weild his weighty weapons wel agaynst th assaultes of Troy The same Achilles seemde he than that he was wont to bee Amid the hostes and easiy could I know that this was hee With carkasse slayne in furious fight that stopt and fild each floude And who with slaughter of his hand made Xanthus runne with bloud As when in Chariot high he sate with lofty stomacke stoute Whyle Hector both and Troy at once he drew the walles aboute Alowd he cride and euery coast rang with Achilles sound And thus with hollow voyce he spake from bottom of the ground The Greekes shal not with litle pryce redeeme Achilles yre A princely raunsome must they geue for so the fates require Vnto my ashes Polyxene spoused shal here be slayne By Pyrrhus hand and al my tombe her bloud shal ouerstayne This sayd he strayght sanke downe agayne to Plutoes deepe region The earth then cloasd the hollow caues were vanished and gon Therwith the wether waxed clere the raging wyndes did slake The tombling seas began to rest and al the tempest brake THE THIRD SCENE Pyrrhus Agamemnon Calchas WHat tyme our sayles we should haue spread vppon Sygeon Seas With swift returne from long delay to seeke our homeward wayes Achilles rose whose onely hand hath geuen Greekes the spoyle Of Troia sore annoyde by him and leueld with the soyle With speede requiting his abode and former long delay At Scyros yle and Lesbos both amid the Aegaeon sea Til he came here in doubt it stoode of fall or sure estate Then though ye hast to graunt his wil ye shall it geue to late Now haue the other captaynes all the pryce of their manhood What els reward for his prewesse then her al onely blood Are his desertes thinke you but light that when he might haue fled And passing Pelyus yeares in peace a quiet life haue led Detected yet his mothers craftes forsooke his womans weede And with his weapons prou'd himselfe a manly man indeede The King of Mysya Telephus that woulde the Greekes withstand Comming to Troy forbidding vs the passage of his land To late repenting to haue felt Achilles heauy stroke Was glad to craue his health agayne where he his hurt had tooke For when his sore might not be salud as told Appollo playne Except the speare that gaue the hurte restoared help agayne Achilles plasters cur'd his cuttes and sau'd the King aliue His hand both might and mercy knew te slay and then reuyne When Thebes fel Eetion saw it and might it not withstand The captiue King could nought redresse the ruin of his land Lyrnesus litle likewyse felt his hand and downe it fill With ruine ouerturned like from top of haughty hil And taken Bryseys land it is and prisoner is she caught The cause of strife betwene the Kinges is Chryses come to naught Tenedos yle wel knowne by fame and fertile soyle he tooke That fostreth fat the Thracian flockes and sacred Cilla shooke What bootes to blase the brute of him whom trumpe of fame doth show Through all the coastes where Caicus floud with swelling stream doth flow The ruthful ruine of these realmes so many townes bet downe Another man would glory count and worthy great renowne But thus my father made his way and these his iourneyes are And battayles many one he fought whyle warre he doth prepare As wisht I may his merits more shall yet not this remayne Wel knowne and counted prayse enough that he hath Hector slayne Duryng whose life the Grecians al might neuer take the towne My father onely vanquist Troy and you haue pluct it downe Reioyce I may your parentes prayse and brute abroade his actes It seemeth the sonne to follow well his noble fathers factts In sight of Priam Hector slayne and Memnon both they lay With heauy theere his parentes wayld to mourne his dying day Himselfe abhord his handy worke in fight that had them slayne The Sonnes of Goddes Achilles knew were borne to die agayne The woman queene of Amazons that greu'd the Greekes ful sore Is turnd to flight then ceast our feare wee dread their bowes no more It ye wel waigh his worthynes Achilles ought to haue Though he from Argos or Mycenas would a Virgin craue Doubt ye herein allow ye not that straight his wil be done And count ye cruel Pryams bloud to
thou wert yet in thy mothers hand And that I knew what destentes thee held or in what land For neuer should the mothers fayth her tender child forsake Though through my breast the enmies al their cruell weapons strake Nor though the Greekes with pinching bandes of yron my handes had bound Or els in feruent flame of fyre beset my body rounde But now my litle Child pore wretch alas where might he bee Alas what cruel desteny what chaunce hath hapt to thee Art thou yet ranging in the fieldes and wandrest ther abroad Or smothred else in dusty smoake of Troy or ouertroad Or haue the Greekes thee slayne alas and laught to see thy bloud Or torne art thou with iawes of beastes or cast to foules for foode VI. Dissemble not hard is for thee Vlisses to deceaue I can ful wel the mothers craftes and subtilty perceaue The pollecy of Goddesses Vlisses hath vndone Set al these fayned wordes assyde tel mee where is thy sonne An. Wher is Hector where al the rest that had with Troy their fall Where Priamus you aske for one but I require of all Vl. Thou shalt constrayned be to tell the thing thou dost deny And. A happy chaunce were Death to her that doth desyre to dye Vli. Who most destres to die would faynest liue when death drawth on These noble wordes with present feare of death woulde soone be gone And. Vlisses if ye wil constrayne Andromacha with feare Threaten my life for now to dye my cheefe desyre it were Vl. With stripes with fyre tormenting death we wil the truth out wrest And dolour shal thee force to tel the secrets of thy brest And what thy hart hath depest hid for payne thou shalt expresse Oft tymes th extremity preuayles much more then gentlenesse And. Set me in midst of burning flame with woundes my body rent Vse al the meanes of cruelty that ye may al inuent Proue me with thirst and hunger both and euery torment trye Pearce through my sides with burning yrons in prison let me lie Spare not the worst ye can deuyse if ought be worse then this Yet neuer get ye more of me I wot not where he is Vli. It is but vayne to hyde the thinge that strayght ye wil deteckt No feares may moue the mothers hart she doth them al neglect This tender loue ye beare your child wherin ye stand so stoute So much more circumspectly warnth the Greekes to looke about Least after ten yeares tract of tyme and battell borne so farre Some one should liue that on our children might renew the warre As for my selfe what Calchas sayth I would not feare at all But on Telemachus I dread the smart of warres would fall And. Now will I make Vlisses glad and all the Greekes also Needes must thou woeful wretch confesse declare thy hidden woe Reioyce ye sonnes of Atreus there is no cause of dread Be glad Vlisses tell the Greekes that Hectors sonne is dead Vl. By what assurance proues thou that how shal we credite thee And What euer thing the enmies hand may threaten hap to me Let speedy fates me slay forthwith and earth me hyde at ones And after death from tombe agayne remoue ye Hectors bones Except my sonne already now do rest among the dead And that except Astianax into his tomb be led Vliss. Then fully are the fates fulfild with Hectors childes disceace Now shal I beare the Grecians word of sure and certayne peace Vlisses why what dost thou nowe the Greekes wil euery chone Beleeue thy wordes whom creditst thou the mothers tale alone Thinkst thou for sauegard of her child the mother wil not lye And dread the more the worse mischaunce to geue her sonne to die Her fayth she byndes with bond of oth the truth to verify What thing is more of weight to feare then so to sweare and lye Now call thy craftes togeather al bestirre thy wittes and mynd And shew thy selfe Vlisses now the truth herein to find Search wel thy mothers mynd behold shee weepes and wayleth out And here and ther with doubtful pace she raungeth al aboute Her careful ears she doth apply to harken what I say More frayd shee seemes then sorrowful Now worke some wily way For now most neede of wit there is and crafty pollecy Yet once agayne by other meanes I wil the mother trye Thou wretched woman maist reioyce that dead he is alas More doleful death by destenie for him decreed ther was From Turrets top to haue bene cast and cruelly bene slayne Which onely towre of all the rest doth yet in Troy remayne And. My spright failth me my limmes do quake fear doth my wits cōfounde And as the Ise congeals with frost my bloud with could is bound Vl. She trēbleth loe this way this way I wil the truth out wreaste The mothers fear detecteth all the secrets of her breast I wil renew her feare goe sirs bestir ye spedely To seeke this enmye of the Greekes where euer that he lie Wel done he wil be found at length goe to stil seke him out Now shal he dye what dost thou feare why dost thou looke about And Would God that any cause there were yet left that might me fray My hart at last now all is lost hath layd all feare away Vliss. Sins that your child now hath ye say already suffred death And with his bloud we may not purge the hostes as Caschas sayth Our fleete passe not as wel inspired doth Calchas prophecy Till Hectors ashes cast abroad the waues may pacify And tombe be rent now sins the boy hath skapt his desteny Needes must we breake this holy tombe wher Hectors ashes lie An. What shal I doe my mynd distracted is with double feare On th one my sonne on thother syde my husbandes ashes deare Alas which part should moue me most the cruel Goddes I call To witnes with me in the truth and Ghostes that guide thee all Hector that nothing in my sonne is else that pleaseth me But thou alone God graunt him life he might resemble thee Shal Hectors ashes drowned bee hide I such cruelty To see his bones cast in the Seas yet let Astyanax die And canst thou wretched mother bide thyne owne childes death to see And suffer from the hie towres top that headlong throwne he be I can and wil take in goad part his death and cruel payne So that my Hector after death be not remou'd agayne The boy that life and sences hath may feele his payne and dye But Hector lo his death hath plast at rest in tombe to lie What dost thou stay determine which thou wilt preserue of twayne Art thou in doubt saue this loe here thy Hector doth remayne Both Hectors be th one quicke of spright drawing toward his strēgth And one that may perhaps reuenge his fathers death at length Alas I cannot saue them both I thinke that best it were That of the twayne I saued him that doth the Grecians feare Vl. It shal be done
obey b' it eyther right or wrong M. The prosperous pryde of wronging crownes cannot endeuer long CR. Auaunt yell out thy complaynts at Colchis get thee hence ME. Full gladly will I get mee home if he that brought me thence Vouchsafe to beare me back agayne CR. Alas to late aryse Entreating wordes when as decree is taken otherwise ME. He that not hearing eyther part pronounceth his decree Vnrighteous man accoumpted is though ryght his sentence bee CR. Whyle Pelias trusted to thy talke from lyfe to death hee fell Go to begyn we gyue you leaue your goodly tale to tell ME. That type of Regall maiesty that erst by Fortunes hand Aduaunced to I dyd attayne hath taught mee vnderstand How hard a thing it is of wrath the rygour to asswage When burning heate of boyling breast in flames begins to rage Eke for th' aduan̄cement of their power more to display in sight Theyr kingly corage bolstred out with maiesty of might They deeme it doth import asway and hath a greater grace Whome stately scepter causde to climbs aloft to prouder place To perseuer with fansye fonde in that to reasons spyght Whose greedy choyce attaynted fyrst his minde with vayne delight For though in piteous plyght I lye throwne downe to great decay With heauy hap and ruthfull chaunce to myserable stay Thus hunted out from place to place forsoke and left alone A wyddow while my husband liue with cause to wayle and mone Perplext in maze of misery wyth cloying cares so ryfe Yet whylom I in golden trone haue led in happy lyfe By high and noble parentage my bryght renowne doth shyne From Phoebus take my Graundsire great deryued is my ligue Whear syluer streamed Phasis flood his wasshing waues doth shed Or with contrary croking wayes his bathing channell spred What euer wandring coast stretcht out is left aloofe behynde From whence the roaming Scithyan Sea his channell forth doth fynde Where as Maeotis fenny plashe with pure fresh water sprynges Doth season sweete the briny Sea that tyde in thyther brynges Eke all the coastes enuyroued and kept within the bankes Of Thermodon where warlike troupes armed wyddowes ranckes With paynted bucklers on their armes holde all the land in feare With rigour rough of threatning sword with force of denting speare So farre to all these wandring coastes and countreyes round about My Fathers ample regiment at large is stretched out I being thus of noble Race and in an happy plight With glorious glosse of pryncely pomp in honour shining bright Then pearelesse Peares my Spousall bed did seeke and sue to haue But those to be theyr louing Feeres now other Ladyes craue Rashe ticle peuish vndiscreete and wauering Fortunes wheele Hath cast me out the crusshing cares of banishment to feele In Scepter proude and hauty Crowne fix thine affyaunce fast Sith vpsidowne with welkin wheele whole mounts of wealth is cast This Prynces doe possesse that should theyr royalty display Whose fame shall neuer razed be with storme of lowring day To succour those whom misery in pit of paynes doth souse To shield and harber suppliaunts in roof of loyall house This onely brought I from my Realme the precious golden Fleece That Iewell chiefe and eke the flower of Chyualry in Greece The sturdy prop the Rampter strong the bulwarke of your wealth And Hercules the boystrous Imp of Ioue I kept in health It was by meanes of my good will that Orpheus did escape Whose harmony the liuelesse Rocks with such delight did rape That forced euen the clottred lumpes with hobling prickt to praunce And eke the iocond nodding woods with footing fine to daunce And that these heauenly twins Castor and Pollux did not by My dew desart is doubled twise sith them preserued I Of Boreas blustring out with puffed Cheekes his blasting Breath His wynged Sons I kept aliue both Calais and Zeath And Linceus that with pearcing beames and sharper sight of Eye Could Nauies on the farther banke of Sicill shore espy And all the Mynians that did come the golden Fleece to win As for the Prince of Princes all I will not bring him in With silence Iason will I passe for whom though him I saue Yet is not Greece in debt to mee no recompence I craue To no man him I doe impute the rest I brought agayne For your auayle that you thereby some profit might attayne But onely on my Iason deare him for my owne loues sake I kept in store that hee of mee his wedded Wyfe should make None other fault God wot yee haue to charge mee with but this That Argo Ship by meanes of mee returned saufely is If I a shamefast mayde had not with Cupids bayte bene caught If more my Fathers health to haue then Iasons I had sought Pelasga land had bene vndone and faine to great decay The lusty valiaunt Capitaynes had cleane bene cast away And ioly Iason fyrst of all this now thy sonne in lawe The Buls had rent his swalowed lims in fiery chomping iawe Let Fortune fight agaynst my case as list her eluish will Yet neuer shall it grieue my heart repent my deede I nill That I should for so many kings their reling honour saue The guerden due that I for this my crime commit must haue It lyeth Creon in thy hande if thus it lyketh thee Condemne my guilty ghost lo death but render fyrst to mee My fault that forced me offend then Creon graunt I this Receauing Iason cause of cryme I guilty did amisse Thou knowst that I was such an one when couring low I lay Before thy feete in humble wise and did entreating pray Thy gracious goodnes mee to graunt some succour at thy hande For me a wreatch and wreatched Babes I aske within this lande Some cotage base in outcast hole some couching corner vile If from the towne thou driue vs out to wander in exile The some by place aloofe within this realme let vs obtayne CR. How I am none that tyrant like with churlish Scepter raygne Nor proudly or disdaynfully with hawty corage hie With vaūting foote doe stamp them downe that vndertroden lye And daunted are in carefull bale thys playnly doth disclose In that to mee of late I such a sonne in lawe haue chose Who was a wandring pilgrim poore with sore afflictions fraight Dismayde with terrour of his foe that lay for him in wayght Because Acastus hauing got the crowne of Thessail lande Requyreth in thy guilty bloude to bath his wreackfull hande He doth bewayle that good olde man his feeble father slayne Whom waight of yeres with bowing back to stoupe alow constrayne The godly mynded systers all yblinde with misty vale And cloking colour of thy craft durst ventrusly assayle That mount of myschiefe marueylous to mangle heaw and cut Theyr Fathers dere vnioynted limmes in boyling Caldron put But for thy open guiltinesse if thou can purge the same Strayght Iason can discharge him selfe from blot of guilty blame His gentle handes were neuer staynde with goare of any
decay What beggerly want and wayling hunger may Those villaines shal be sure to haue ech day Ah Prouender pricks that vile rebellious race Ne can they once our fauour well embrace Nor be content with peace in quiet state But broyling raumpe about with troubled gate Hereon with boldnesse straight hereon they flie With harebraind rashnesse hedlong by and by Well they must tamed be with heauy stroke And downe be kept with peise of weighty yoke That they with like attempt do not arise Nor once cast vp their deadly peasaunts eyes Against our louing spouses golden lookes First punish them sure then feare shal be their bookes To teache them at their Princes beck t' obay But see at hand whom fayth and vertue rare Lieuetenant chiefe of camps appointed thare THE FIFTE SCEANE Praefectus Nero THe vulgare peoples rash vnruly rage The slaughter of a fewe did sone asswage Which long with stode our valiant force in vain To tel your grace this newes I come againe Nero. And is this then ynough dost thou so well O souldiour marke what doth thy captaine tell Hast thou with held thy hand from bloudy yre Is this the due reuenge that we requyre Prae. The captaine guides of treason payd their hyre By desperate death of bloudy sword in fight The route which sought with flaming fyre to light Ner. Our royall Pallace great who would assigne Their Prince what he should doe and pull in fine Our mate from vs dissoluing wedlocke bandes Whose hardy slaunderous tongs wicked handes Hir princely grace reprochfully withstandes From due reuenge are they dismissed free Prae. Shall subiectes payne by griefe assigned bee Ner. It shall assigne which time shall neuer weare Prae. Which neither wrath may end nor yet your fear Nero. Shee shall appease our hie displeased minde Who fiyrst our wrath deserued due to finde Praef. Declare whose death your moode doth most require Let not my hande be stayde from your desire Ner. It seekes our sisters death and trayterous hed Prae. Those words through all my lims hath stiffnesse spred Opprest with griesty feare Ner: Vs to obay Stands thou in doubt Praef. On fayth why do you lay So great a fault Ner. Bycause thou sparedst our foe Praef. Deserues a woman to be termed so Nero. If treason she begin Prae. Is any man So sure that hit accuse of creason can Ner. The peoples rage Praef. Those madde vnweldye wights Who order could Ne. Who could stir vp their sprits Prae. No creature as I thincke Ner. A woman could In whome a mind Dame nature hath vpfould To mischiefe prone shee armed hath hir heart To hurt by wyles yet strength shee set apart Least shee vndaunted force with hir should beare But now hir slender power with doubting feare Is quickly quaylde or else with punishment Which hir condemned state to mischiefe bent To late doth ende away with graue aduise Vs with entreating seeke not to entyse Dispatch that we commaund on shipboorde horne Farre off to shore aloofe with dashing worne Commaund shee be that tunlike swelling brest At length in storming stomack may take rest THE SIXTE SCENE Chorus Octauia ALack the peoples bitter loue And dyre good will to many one Which when they hoysted sayles aboue With pleasaunt blastes it made to grone And caried them from quiet shore That faynting leaues them in the deepe And tumbling raging waters rore Cornelia piteous wretch did weepe And sore bewayle hir sonnes estate The peoples loue did vndoe them And wondrous fauour bred them hate Great worthy peeres of noble stem Of high renowne for vertues prayse In fayth and eloquence did pas Their stomacks stout their fame did rayse i th lawes eche one most excellent was And Scipio thee did Fortune yeelde Vnto lyke death and curssed wracke Whom neyther honours pompe coulde sheelde Nor fenced house thy foes keepe backe Moe to repeate although I coulde Pure present griefe forbiddeth sore Ere whyle to whom the people woulde Her Fathers antique Courte restore And Brothers wedlocke once againe Now weeping wringing hands poore wretch Vnto hir cruell deadly payne The armed souldiours doe hir fetch How safe doth pouerty lye content In thetched house safe shrouded there High raysed towers with blasts are bent Which often tymes them ouer beare Oct. Where pull you mee poore wretch alas Into what banisht exiles place Woulde Nero haue mee for to passe Or Fortune bids with frowning face If now with faynting strength quite coolde And with my broyles all wearied ceasse And longer lyfe shee graunt mee woolde If that shee worke for to increase My sorrowes great with deadly dart Why is she then so much my foe In country that I may not part And leaue my life before I goe But now no helpe of health I feele Alas I see my Brothers boate This is the same whose vaulted keele His Mother once did set a clote And now his piteous Sister I Excluded cleane from spousall place Shall be so caried by and by No force hath vertue in this case No Gods there be my woes to wrecke The griefly dreadfull drab Eryn Doth weld the worlde at nod and becke Who can lament my state wherein I am alas sufficientlie How can Aedon duely playne My smarting streames at beares that I Do shedde whose wings I would be fame If destnies would them graunt to weare Then would I leaue my mourning mates As swiftly fled as wings could beare Aud so auoyde these bloudy pates Then sitting sole in shirwood shirle And hanging sure by dandling twigge VVith plaintiue pipe I might out twarle My heauy tuned note so bigge Chor. The mortalt broode the destnies guide Themselues they nothing can assure That certainly doth stedfast bide VVhich our last day of life procure VVhere of we alwayes should beware Much daungerous chaunces for to try Vnto your troubled minde with care Now many saumples do applys Which your accursed court hath brought To holden you in all your broyle For what hath more your troubles wrought What doth against you sorer toyle Than fortune doth the first of all Agrippas childe brought forth to life Whome we Tyberius daughter call By lawe and eke Prince Caesars wife Of many sonnes a carefull dame I cannot chose but now recount Whose worthy glorious ample name Throughout the world doth much surmount So oft with belly bolne that bare Desyred fruicts and peaces pledge Ere long thou sufferedst exiles care Strypes chaines and boltes of yron wedge And mourning much which so did frame That death they causde thee to abyde So Liuia Drusus lucky name In male kinde babes did hedling slyde Into a cruell monstrous deede And death sore pearcing deadly dart Hir mothers fates doth Iulia speede To folow streight with all hir heart Who after longer wasted time With bloudy fauchion kene was slaine Although for no iust cause or crime Your mother eke that once did raigne Who then esteemd of Claudius well Did wisely weld his court at will And fruitfull was as you can tell What could not
of hell where filthy fluds do flow Where plages and vile diseases too where dredfull horrors grow And all the furies brasten loose do mischiefes on vs throw With Botch biane of sundry kindes which sothern blasts do blow And wrekful vexed hagges of hell do dreath and on vs bringe The angry feddes of hell I thinke their vengeaunce on vs flinge And out their mortall poyson spue which they agaynst vs beare Lo see how greedy death on vs with scowling eyes doth leare See see Oh Ioue how fast hee throwes his Dartes Not one he spares But all confounds His thretning force withstand no Creature dares No doubt the lothsom Feryman the sinfull soules that traynes Through stincking fluds his labour loths that he for vs sustaynes Such presse by plūps to him is made which still renews his paynes But harke yet mōsters more thē these the Fame abroade doth fly That hellishe Dogges with bawling sound were heard to howle and cry And the the ground with trembling shooke and vnder feele did moue And dreadfull blasing Comets bright were seene in Skies aboue And gastly shapes of men besides to wander on the ground And wood and trees on euery syde did fearefully resound Besides all this straūg Ghosts were seene in places where they stoode And Ryuers more then one or two that ran all blacke goorb bloode O cruell plague O vile disease farre worse then speedy death O wee vnhappy thrise and more who doe prolonge our breath In these accursed dayes and tymes But harke to mee a while When first this lothsome plague begins these Mysers to defile It takes them thus A feareful Cold through al their bones doth run And Cold and Heate togeather mixt their sences all benome Than litle lothsome markes appeare and all their bodies spot And all their members flaming glow and burning fast doe rot The Lights the Lungs the heart the Guts and all that inwarde lies And all the secret partes iscorcht with deadly I fier fries The bloud all clotterd in their Cheekes in cluster lies by lumps And it and heate together makes great straung and ruddy bumps And bloud and flesh congeled stands in Face as stiffe as stake And Eyes in head fast fixed set and often trickling make And downe apace whole fluds they steame and clots drops doe trill And all the skin from of their Face by flakes and scales doth pill A thousand fearefull sounds at once into their eares doe rush And lothsome bloud out of their Nose by stilling streames doth gush The very anguish of their heart doth cause them for to shake And what with payne heale and feare their weried lims doe quake Then some the rūning Ryuers haunt and some on ground doe wallow And some agayne their thirst to slake cold water gulping swallow Thus all our country tost with plague in Griefe it waltering lies And still desiring for to dye a thousand deathes it dyes But God to heare them then is prest and death to none denyes Besydes al this the church some do frequent but not to pray But onely for to glut the Gods with that that they do say But who is this that comes to Court in hast with poasting pace What i st Creon that noble Prince for deedes and stately race Or doth my mynd opprest with care thinges false for true contriue Creon it is long looked for his sight doth me reuyue THE SECONDE ACTE The first Scene OEDIPVS CREON FOr feare my body chilles alas and trembling all I stand In quakinge dread I seke and toyle these mischiefes to withstand But al in vayne I spend my thoughtes it wil not be I see As long as all my sences thus by cares distracted bee My mynd desyrous stil Oh God the truth for to vnfold With doubtful Dread is daunted so that it can scant vpholde It selfe O Brother beare if way or meane of health thou know Declare it out and sticke not all the truth to me to show Cre. The Oracle most noble king ys darke and hidden lies Oed. Who doubtful health to sicke men brings all health to thē denies Cre. Apolloes vse yt is the troth in darkesome dens to hold Oed. And Oedipus of Gods it hath thinges hidden to vnfold Speake out tell all and spare not man all doubtes I can discus Cre. Apollo then most noble King himselfe commaundeth thus By exile purge the Princes seat and plague vvith vengeance due That haples vvretch vvhose bloudy handes of late King Laius slue Before that this perfourmed bee no hope of milder ayer Wherfore do this O King or else All hope of helpe dispayre Oe, Durst any man on earth attempte that noble Prince to slay Shew me the man that I may him dispatch out of the way Cre. God graunt I may it safely tel the hearyng was to terrible My senses all amased are it is a thing so horrible That I abhorre to vtter it oh God for feare I quake And euen at the very thought my lims beginne to shake Assoone as I Appollos Church had entred in affrayd Vppon my face flat downe I fell and thus to him I prayd Oh God if euer thou didst rue on wretched misers state If euer men opprest thou easd or didst their cares abate If euer thou in present neede didst present helpe declare If euer thou afflicted Hartes with cares consumd didst spare Shew now thy wonted elemency and pitty knowne of yore Scant had I sayd Resounding all the mountaynes thondring rore And filthy feendes spout out their flames out of their darksome caues And woods do quake and hilles do moue and vp the surging waues Do mount vnto the skies aloft and I amased stand Still looking for an aunsweare at Apollos sacred hand When out with ruffled hayre disguisd the Prophet comes at last And when that shee had felt the heate of mighty Phoebus blast All puffyng out she swelles in rage and pattring still she raues And scant she entred had into Apollos shyning caues When out a thundring voyce doth brust that 's farre aboue mans reach So dreadful seemed then to me the mighty Phoebus speach Than thus he spake aud thus at length into myne cares he rusht Whyle sprawling stil the Prophet lay before the doores in dust The Thebane City neuer shal be free frō plagues quoth he Except from thense the Kingkiller forthwith expulsed bee Vnto Apollo knowen he was or euer he was borne Do this or else no hope of health to this the gods haue sworn And as for thee thou shalt not long in quiet state indure But with thy self wage war thou shalt war thou shalt procure Vnto thy children deare crepe agayn thou shalt into thy mothers wombe Oed. Loke what the Gods commaunded haue accomplished shal be Nor neuer shal these eyes of myne abyde the day to see A King of kingdome spoyld by force by guyle or crast supprest A kinge to kinges the prop ought be and chiefest cause of rest No man regardes his death at all whom liuing