our inward rage exprest Loe where Octauia comes into the field Twixt both our armies she hir selfe addrest Where with the Nectar of hir eloquence With words that mought relent indurate frost With maiestie and beauties influence She stayes our Captaines and affronts each hoast O how I see that wonder-breeding face O how I heare those hart-enchaining wordes O face o wordes that merite highest grace Immortall sure base earth none such affords No womans weapon blindes her princely eye No womans weakenesse hir tongues passage stayes Like one that did both death and fate defie Minerua-like she stands and thus she sayes Heere will I bide and this same brest oppose To all your weapons and whose wicked hand Shall first beginne t'assaile or strike his foes Shall strike this hart and breake this vitall band No bloudie deed Octauiaes eyes shall gaine A witnesse of your loathed crueltie But through this body shall the first be slaine That in this battle is compell'd to dye If honor vertue worthe or pietie Liue in your mindes which beare such loftie names Returne your weapons and heere quietly With reason quench the force of angry flames Els let some bloudie executioner First robbe this iâ—…alious tombe of loathed life And then no longer neede you to deferre The issue of your more then mortall strife Much more she said which none but she can say And with her sugered speech so much preuaild That like Medusaes marbled creatures they Amazed stood so was their furie quaild Looke how that trydent scepter bearing king His ofte rebelling subiects dooth suppresse And with a sodaine becke in order bring Their disproportion with a quiet peace When that the pride of some truce-wanting storme Doth summon vp their treason-working power Now gracing terror with huge mountaines forme Now with steepe whirlepoole seeking to deuoure So stood the Emperors with hir wordes amazed Hir words which seemde the myrrour of hiâ—… deedâ—… As men inchanted so on hir they gazed And in hir face new lectures ganne to reede But when she saw hiâ—… words did take effect Then powrde she forth the quintessence of witte And neuer did hir enterprice neglect Till both the Emperours bewitcht with it Not onely did forget all former hate But euen there before Octauiaes face A league of friendship they did consumate And louingly each other did imbrace O what a ioyfull sight 't was to behoulde A dangerous fight turn'd to a daintie feast To see how â—…riends salute each other could That but euen now each other did detest There did both armies sport in great delight And enterchangeably their loues expressè As captiues foild without bloud wound or fight They praise the conquest and the victor blesse Then did Antoniuâ—… for 〈◊〉 sake Giue vnto Caesar twentie Brygantines Which Caesar did in courteous maner take And in requitall of his kinde designes Did twice fiue hundred armed soldiers giue To Anthony and quickly one mought finde The sparkes of emulation made them striue Who mought doe most to please Octauiaes minde Gem. O noble deed deseruing highest praise Well worthye â—…o out-liue all memorye Life sauing Empresse how thy wisdome staies Euen swarmes of soules from Pluâ—…oes tyranny But why did not Antonius in like sorte Returne to Roome to pay delight her due Tâ—…t He presently to'ards Parthia did resort Against their King the warres for to renue And recommending all his owne affaires His wife his children and what els was deare To Caesars best disposing he repayres To Syria and entends to winter there Gem. Roome thou that keepst the pearle that doth enclude Heauens dearest treasure in earths finest frame Be neuer so vngratefull to obtrude Night-blacke obliuion to her noble name Camilla Geminus Come Geminus and vnto me relate What made the Empresse alter her entent What did your voyage thus abbreuiate And all your expectations preuent Fame bad concealer of our close entents Said that the Empresse would to Syria goe To see Antonius who himselfe abscentes But your returne doth shew it was not so Gem. Madame when Aeolus had once conuai'd Our moouing houses vnto that same place Where noble Cecrops the foundations lay'd Which are the Grecian confines chiefest grace There long before we could approach the gates Of that faire Citty we encounter'd were With people of all ages and estates Who in their handes did boughes of Lawrell beare Some on their knees with ioy and wonder fil'd Salute the Empresse some rich giftes present Some straw'd the way with flowers and some distil'd Their sweet perfumes along the fields we went Thus to the Citty were we guarded straight Where for our comming all the states awaite There were our eyes inuited to beholde Most sumptuous shewes with many pleasing sights There did we heare their learned tongues vnfolde The muses skill with rauishing delightes Their lowd applause which peirc'd the very skies Extolde Octauia past the reach of fame And silent Eccho wakened with their cries Taught all the neighbour hylles to blesse her name Thus frankly did two daies themselues bestow To gratifie our entertainement there Whiles Antonie who as it seem'd did know Of our approach and thereof stood in feare Sent Niger vnto Athens with all speed Who to Octauia letters did conuay Requiring her no further to proceede But for his comming in that place to stay For thither meant he shortly to repayre And therefore would not she should vndertake So long a iorney which mought much impayre Her health and quiet bootlesse for his sake She halfe suspecting as there was good cause That this was but a practise of delay Although vnwilling yet she made a pause As one that knew not how to disobay But finding all his words to want effect And seeing nothing mought his minde recall Such things she doth vnto him straight direct As she had brought to pleasure him withall Which was two thousand chosen men at armes Great store of horses wonte to winne their price Much armour to defend themselues from harmes As richely wrought as cunning could deuize Guiftes to reward his best-deseruing friends A summe of money for his souldiers paye And briefly all hir care and studie bends To saue his wayning honor from decaye But wheÌ„ she saw nought mought his thoughts recline Vnkinde saith she senoâ—…lesse of thine owne shame I le be my selfe since thou wilt not be mine Thus she concluded and away we came Cam. O peerelesse paragon O natures pride Faire Cabinet where wisdomes treasure lies Earths glory and the heauens beloued bride Rich seate of honor vertues paradize Most noble Empresse praise of women kinde Whose faith endures the rage of fortunes flame Whose constant truthe and truly vertuous minde Scornes smallest touche of iust-deserued blame How naturall and vndeuided 〈◊〉 The sparkes of honor in a noble harte How industrie and wit may not compare With that true touche our birthright doth imparte Liue vertuous Empresse myrrour of our age Though chance discharge whole vollyes of reproach With fortitude withstand proud fortunes rage Let not
despaire neare thy sweete thoughts encroache Time must needs turne thy mourning vnto ioye For true delight from hence his spring doth take When we with patience suffer sharpe annoye Not for our merits but for vertues sake Chorus HEauens heare poore earth complaine How wee your frownes doe beare When all things els reioyce Ioye scornes with vs to dwell And reasons selfe can tell Each mirthe discouering voice Assures our iudging eare How all things els want paine Scence-following creatures knowe No cause why to lament In them remorse dooth sowe No seedes of discontent We see and know but wante our bl◅sse Vnperfect nature causeth this Yea nature most vnkinde Contriuer of our fall Begins our life with teares And ends the same with woe Greese pleasures mortall foe Confounds our hope with feares And sowers our sweete with gall This Tyrant of the minde By reason w◅t or skill Can neuer be withstood These aggrauate our ill By shewing what was good And wante of that torments vs most Whose worthe appeares in being lost Were nature falsely nam'd A stepdame to mankinde That sexe which we account Vnperfect weake and fraile Could not in worthe preuaile And men so farre surmount We should Octauia finde In some sorte to be blam'd She winnes immortall fame Whiles he who should excell Dishonour'd hath his name And by his weaknesse fell For double shame he dooth deserue Who being guide dooth soonest swarue And Lorde Antonius thou Thrice woman conquered man Shall not thy hart repine Their triumphs to adorne Octauiaes vertues scorne That wanton life of thine And Cleopatra can Commaund thy ghost euen now And faine would I refraine From Fuluiaes stately name Which dooth thy manhood flaine And makes thee blush for shame In this one thing yet happie maist thou bee They Princesse are that triumph ouer thee Dwell in fames liuing breath T'eternitie resign'de Yee faire Mars-conquering wights And feare not Lethes floud Your vertues alwayes bud Your storie honour wrights And Phoenix-like you finde A new life in your death Arme but your Angel-soules With perfect vertues shield That Thanatos controules And makes Erynnis yeelde Then shall the heauens your worthe descrye Earth sing your praise and so will I. Actus secundus Octauia Byllius OThrice and foure times happie messenger Hast thou from Parthia made returne of late Canst thou declare the issue of the warre And make me knowe Antonius happie state What causd my Lorde in Syria make such staye Since he gainst Parthia did his forces bende When doth he meane to'ards Roome to take his way◅ And to those warres impose a finall end Vnkinde he is not so but distant farre And his great trouble much my good impayres Els would he not mine eares so long time barre From much expected newes of his affayres Byl. Madame these eyes haue seene what hath bin done In Syria Parthia and each other place I present was when Lord Antonius wonne Eighteene great battles in a little space I often sawe when mischiefe in the fielde Had all hir force against my Lorde brought forthe How he with vallor made euen fortune yeelde And chance awaight on well approued worthe I was in Media when Phraortes slue Great Tatianus fighting for my Lorde I sawe when he our engins from vs drew And put ten thousand Romaines to the swoord I was in presence when a sodaine feare In blackest horrour of the darkest night So much astonisht all that present were With shriking cries that mought euen stones affright That Antony with feare of treason mooued Made Ramnus humbly sweare vpon his knee To strike that head that head so much beloued From of his shoulders when he once should see Vneuitable danger to lay holde Vpon himselfe yet could not all this quaile His haughty courage but as vncontroulde He still proceedes his stoutest foes t'assaile And hauing now sum'd with the Parthian blood The largest scores of wrongs we did sustaine Thence to retyre he now hath thought it good And for a time at Blanckbourg to remaine Blanckbourg a Citty neere to Sydon plac'd Vnto the which our whole Campe did resorte There he entends to stay and not in haste To visite Roome as most of them report Oct. O what should moue my Lord thus long to stay Byl. An others tung mought better that bewray Octa. What dost thou know more the thou hast ye◅ said Byl. Madame no more Oct. Why thē am I dismaide Why doe I see thy sorrow-clowded brow Seeme to conceale I know not what annoy Say Byllius whence those troubled lookes may grow Is my Antonius safe doth he enioy That body free from hurt wound or disease Doth he yet liue and draw his vitall breath Speake quickly speake truth cannot me displease Where now suspition wounds as deepe as death Byl. It cannot be but that your grace doth know For what can be conceal'd from Princes eare And further speech mought seedes of discord sow Betweene your highēss and my Lord I feare Octa. O how delay torments a doubtfull minde I know no ◅e procures I may not heare Of any thing from thence whereby I finde Although vnknowne yet double cause of feare Then banish doubt and see thou plainely tell What strange occasion doth enforce his stay What can Antonius princely minde compell In forraine coastes to make so long delay Byl. Madame the cause that made him to remaine In Syria so long time when as we went To'ards Parthia is the same that doth detaine His highnesse now and thus your grace preuent Octa. Am I an Empresse still thus disobay'd And dost thou dare to dally with me still I first enquir'd what him in Syria staide Why dost thou feare to tell the worst of ill Byl. If this likewise be hidden from your grace In humble sort a pardon I beseech That high displeasure gainst me take not place For what shall be disclosed by my speech Octa. I pardon all so long as all be true Byl. Who doth delude let sharp death be his due Then if you list the truth to vnderstand The truth is this that fond Aegiptian Queene Queene Cleopatra doth your will withstand And him detaines who els had present been Octa. By force Byl. O no worlds could not him constraine To stay this long in any place by force But his affection is the louing chayne That from your highnesse dooth his minde diuorce Octa. What chilling feare doth streame along these What frozen terror makes me thus to quake What monstrous greefe what horror thus constrains vains My stiuing hart his lodging to forsake Tell me from what conceipt may this be guest Byl. They liue together who knowes not the rest Octa. I must beleeue it sore against my will Byl. Hardly we credit what imports our ill Octa. But slow beleefe from wisdome doth proceed Byl. But mortall wounds of present cure haue need Oct. Some fond report hath made thee falsly deeme Byl. I shunne report and lightly it esteeme But this I sawe when we to Syria came Antonius straight to
we the name esteeme Iul. Yes all that are not such as all would seeme But sith this is the beautie of the minde And nothing fits our naturall discourse Let vs excuses for Antonius finde And to our former purpose haue recourse Cam. No Iulta no your haruest is too long For such a simple croppe as you receiue You may not thus persist the truth to wrong And with your wit the world seeke to deceiue But Lord how willing are we to inuent And finde out couerts to obscure our sinne As though to hide the same and not repent Could vs preserue from being drownd therein T is true that nature did these buildings frame And true that they to natures power are thrall And true that imperfections foyle the same And true that we by natures weaknesse fall And this is true that God vnnatured all And gaue vs wisdome to suppresse our will He gaue vs perfect reason to recall Affections scoutes from following what is ill Why we are men and this same sparke diuine Our trouping thoughts should marshall in such wise That no affect from reason should decline Nor rebell passion in our hearts arise Th' instinct of nature which doth all things moue Bids loue whereas you like without regarde But pietie saith where t is lawfull loue Or els hell torments shall be your rewarde Octauia Antonyes children And is it true is Antony vnkinde Hath this new loue of faith and troath bereft him Can fonde affection so obscure his minde That not one sparke of honor should be left him Can he so far forget his owne good name As to dishonor all that are about him Ah can he not without a further blame Permit them dye that cannot liue without him Come poore companions of my misery The issue of the faithlest man aliue Support the burthen of his trecherie Whose base reuoult our ruine doth contriue Come poore beholders of your mothers fall Whose innocence mought greater pittie moue Your impious father doth despise vs all Forsaken we must other fortunes proue Come poore attendants of a falling state Whose silent sadnesse doth my greefe renue Yet be you all much more vnfortunate Ere any seedes of leawdnesse rest in you Come let vs goe and leaue this loanly place Your fathers dying loue bequeaths you hence O 〈◊〉 this house as from your owne disgrace T is his commaund you should be banishtt hence Dead Fuluia how can thy imperious ghoast Endure to see thine Orphants thus oppressed Yet of mine honor though his loue be lost Whiles I suruiue they shall not be distressed O Antony borne of no gentle Syre Some cruell Caucasus did thee beget Euen scencelesse things thy scencelesnesse admire And seeme to feele what thou seemst to forget Oft haue I seene these stones with pitty moued Shee l dropping teares lamenting my disgrace When in thy heart where most it most behoued No kinde remorse could euer finde a place More milde then thee I finde each cruell beast For they but giue a smale-time lasting death With endlesse greefe my soule thou dost molest Which euer killing neuer steps my breath O failing piller of my falling state O fading flower of vertues fairest field O why shouldst thou so much degenerate And honors byrth-right to dishonor yeeld Yeeld to dishonour all that deare bought wealth Which earthly kings doth in heauens kingdom place Let thy mindes treasure fall away by stealth By stealth contriue and worke thine owne disgrace O Erecina that my Lord did know As thy fonde boye shootes shaftes of swist desire So mightie Ioue sharpe thunder-boults doth throwe Confounding such as from his lawes retyre He nurst in sinne sees not his owne disgrace Augmenting still our sorrow and his shame That greatnesse hides the danger from his face But yet my care is doubled with the same The greedie Wolfe and cruell rauening beare Toucht with th'extremitie of hungrie paine The guiltlesse cattle furiously do teare And being fed from crueltie resraine But tyranizing greefe prayes on the heart And cloyed with sighes and teares doth stil perseuer His raging furie nothing may diuert But still still fed is satisfied neuer O happie he a thousand times and more Whose quiet thoughts so milde a calme do gaine That neither hope can force from safeties shore Nor deepe despaire can sincke on mischiefes mainâ—… But maiestie and honour for these too Shal be the onely obiects of mine eye What vertue faith is iust that will I doe Thus I resolue to liue thus will I dye Geminus 〈◊〉 Octauia And are you sure that Antony is slaine May we beleeue that this report is true Byl. Why should you wish me to recount againe The story that doth double greefe renue O had you but discouered with your eyes The face of woe in all that preâ—…ent were Or heard their dolefull noyâ—…e and shriking cryes You would haue cause to greeue and not to feare Oct. What tragick tidings bring these woâ—…ull wights That ring such peales of horror in mine eares What vnknowne cause your martiall hearts 〈◊〉 What silent greefe in your sadde lookes appeares Byl. Did but our words import the sound of woe To wound your eares withall were double sinne But sithe your highnesse will it should be so And that your safetie is contain'd therein We will not from your grace conceale the same And though we should yet time will open all From Aegipts common woes I lately came And did bewaile Antonius wilfull fall Oct. Is Antony ore'throwne Byl. Yes all is lost His power and forces wholy are decayed He is deceiued by hir he loued most By Cleopatra shamefully betrayed And she that taught him first to swim in sinne Was euen the first that drown'd his life therein Oct. Ah by what meanes did she my Lord abuse Byl. By such a meanes as leawd offenders vse For when the warres at first pretended were And that Antonius with him would not take hir Shee fearing least hir selfe not being there He haply mought be moued to forsake hir Shee â—…ees Canidius our cheefe Generall Him to perswade that she mought present be He sues obtaines and we embarked all Make ioyfull hast our wofull end to see For whiles our powers of equall â—…orces were And neither side could disaduantage spye Like one that knew a secret cause of feare Out of the armie she began to flye Loe how no greatnesse can our conscience free From inward horror of our wicked deeds For that same better part of vs doth see A greater power whose Iustice terrour breeds But he whose thoughts were to hir lookes enchained Although the armie did not losse sustaine As though for hir he had the world disdayned Forsakes them all and after flyes amaine Whose causelesse feare so much dismaid the hoast Who scorn'd to fight for him which runne away That with small hurt the battle there was lost And Caesar had the honor of the day The Legions thus depriued of a guide Themselues to Caesars clemencie submit Antonius basenesse they do all deride And