boyling yre are bolne so sore As each do thyrst to sucke the others bloude But why do I sustaine the smart hereof Why should my bloud he spilte for others gilte Oh welcome were that messanger to me That brought me word of both my nephewes deathes Then should it soone be sene in euery eye Twixt prince and prince what difference would appeare Then should experience shewe what griefe it is To serue the humours of vnbridled youth Now will I goe for to prepare with spéede The funeralls of my yong giltlesse sonne The which perhaps may be accompanyed With th obsequies of proude Eteocles Creon goeth out by the gates Homoloydes Finis Actus 4. CHORVS O Blissfull concord bredde in sacred brest Of him that guides the restlesse rolling sky That to the earth for mans assured rest From heigth of heauens vouchsafest downe to flie In thée alone the mightie power doth lie With swete accorde to kepe the frouning starres And euery planet else from hurtfull warres In thée in thée suche noble vertue bydes As may commaund the mightiest Gods to bend From thée alone such sugred frendship flydes As mortall wightes can scarcely comprehend To greatest strife thou setst delightfull ende O holy peace by thée are onely founde The passing ioyes that euery where abound Thou onely thou through thy celestiall might Didst first of all the heauenly pole deuide From th' olde confused heape that Chao hight Thou madest the Sunne the Moone and starres to glide With ordred course about this world so wide Thou hast ordainde Dan Tytans shining light By dawne of day to chase the darkesome night When tract of time returnes the lustie Uer By thée alone the buddes and blossomes spring The fieldes with floures be garnisht euery where The blooming trées aboundant fruite do bring The cherefull birdes melodiously do sing Thou dost appoint the crop of sommers séede For mans reliefe to serue the winters néede Thou dost inspire the hearts of princely péeres By prouidence procéeding from aboue In flowring youth to choose their worthie féeres With whom they liue in league of lasting loue Till fearefull death doth flitting life remoue And loke how fast to death man payes his due So fast againe dost thou his stocke renue By thée the basest thing aduaunced is Thou euerie where dost graffe suche golden peace As filleth man with more than earthly blisse The earth by thée doth yelde hir swete increase At becke of thée all bloudy discords cease And mightiest Realmes in quiet do remaine Wheras thy hand doth holde the royall raigne But if thou faile then all things gone to wracke The mother then doth dread hir naturall childe Then euery towne is subiect to the sacke Then spotlesse maids then virgins be defilde Then rigor rules then reason is exilde And this thou wofull Thebes to our great paine With present spoile art likely to sustaine Me thinke I heare the wailfull wéeping cries Of wretched dames in euerie coast resound Me thinkes I sée how vp to heauenly skies From battered walls the thundring clappes rebound Me thinke I heare how all things go to ground Me thinke I sée how souldiers wounded lye With gasping breath and yet they can not dye By meanes wherof oh swete Meneceus he That giues for countries cause his guiltlesse life Of others all most happy shall he be His ghost shall flit from broiles of bloudy strife To heauenly blisse where pleasing ioyes be rife And would to God that this his fatall ende From further plagues our citie might defend O sacred God giue eare vnto thy thrall That humbly here vpon thy name doth call O let not now our faultlesse bloud be spilt For hote reuenge of any others gilt Done by F. Kinvvelmarshe Finis Actus quarti The order of the laste dumbe shevve FIrst the Stillpipes sounded a very mournfull melodye in which time came vpon the Stage a womā clothed in a white garment on hir head a piller double faced the formost face fayre smiling the other behinde blacke louring muffled with a white laune about hir eyes hir lap full of Iewelles sitting in a charyot hir legges naked hir fete set vpō a great round ball beyng drawē in by .iiij. noble personages she ledde in a string on hir right hande .ij. kings crowned and in hir lefte hand .ij. poore slaues very meanely attyred After she was drawen about the stage she stayed a lyttle changing the kings vnto the left hande the slaues vnto the right hande taking the crownes from the kings heads she crowned therwith the ij. slaues casting the vyle clothes of the slaues vppon the kings she despoyled the kings of their robes and therwith aparelled the slaues This done she was drawen eftsones about the stage in this order and then departed leauing vnto vs a plaine Type or figure of vnstable fortune who dothe oftentimes raise to heigthe of dignitie the vile and vnnoble and in like manner throweth downe frō the place of promotiō euen those whō before she hir selfe had thither aduaunced after hir departure came in Duke Creon with foure gentlemen wayting vpon him and lamented the death of Meneceus his sonne in this maner Actus v. Scena j. CREON CHORVS ALas what shall I do bemone my selfe Or rue the ruine of my Natiue lande About the which such cloudes I sée enclosde As darker cannot couer dreadfull hell With mine own eyes I saw my own deare sonne All gorde with bloud of his too bloudy brest Which he hath shed full like a friend too deare To his countrey and yet a cruell foe To me that was his friend and father both Thus to him selfe he gaynde a famous name And glory great to me redoubted payne Whose haplesse death in my afflicted house Hath put suche playnt as I ne can espie What comfort might acquiet their distresse I hither come my sister for to séeke Iocasta she that might in wofull wise Amid hir high and ouerpining cares Prepare the baynes for his so wretched corps And eke for him that nowe is not in life May pay the due that to the dead pertaynes And for the honor he did well deserue The giue some giftes vnto infernall Gods Cho. My Lorde your sister is gone forth long since Into the campe and with hir Antigone Hir daughter deare Cre. Into the campe alas and what to do Cho. She vnderstoode that for this realme foorthwith Hir sonnes were gréed in combate for to ioyne Cre. Alas the funerals of my deare sonne Dismayed me so that I ne did receiue Ne séeke to knowe these newe vnwelcome newes But loe beholde a playne apparant signe Of further feares the furious troubled lookes Of him that commeth héere so hastilie Scena ij. NVNTIVS CREON CHORVS ALas alas what shall I doe alas What shriching voyce may serue my wofull wordes O wretched I ten thousande times a wretche The messanger of dread and cruell death Cre. Yet more mishappe and what vnhappie newes Nun. My Lord your nephues both haue lost their liues Cre. Out and alas to me
hath sent me nowe haue I litle néede that thankes be to god haue founde my déerely beloued sonne whom I loste of a childe at the siege of Otranto Da. Worthy gentleman you frendship your alliaunce and the nobilitie of your birthe are suche as I haue muche more cause to desire them of you than you to request of me that which is already graunted therefore I gladly and willingly receiue the same and thinke my selfe moste happie now of all my life past that I haue gottē so toward a sonne in lawe to my selfe and so worthye a father in lawe to my daughter yea and muche the greater is my contentation since this worthie gentleman maister Cleander doth holde himselfe satisfied And now behold your sonne Ero. O father Pas. Beholde the naturall loue of the childe to the the father for inwarde ioye he cannot pronounce one worde in stéede wherof he sendeth sobbes and teares to tell the effect of his inwarde intention But why doe you abide here abrode will it please you to goe into the house sir Da. Pasiphilo hathe saide well will it please you to goe in sir Ne. Here I haue brought you sir bothe fetters boltes Da. Away with them now Ne. Yea but what shall I doe with them Da. Marie I will tell thée Neuola to make a righte ende of our supposes lay one of those boltes in the fire and make thée a suppositorie as long as mine arme God saue the sample Nobles and gentlemen if you suppose that our supposes haue giuen you sufficient cause of delighte shewe some token wherby we may suppose you are content FINIS Pasi subitò improuiso venit IOCASTA A Tragedie vvritten in Greke by Euripides translated and digested into Acte by George Gascoygne and Francis Kinvvelmershe of Grayes Inne and there by them presented 1566 The argument of the Tragedie To scourge the cryme of vvicked Laius And vvrecke the foule Incest of Oedipus The angry Gods styrred vp theyr sonnes by strife VVith blades embrevved to reaue eche others life The vvyfe the mother and the concubyne VVhose fearefull hart foredrad theyr fatall fine Hir sonnes thus dead disdayneth longer lyfe And slayes hirself vvith selfsame bloudy knyfe The daughter she surprisde vvyth childish dreade That durst not dye a lothsome lyfe doth leade Yet rather chose to guyde hir banysht sire Than cruell Creon should haue his desire Creon is King the type of Tyranny And Oedipus myrrour of misery Fortunatus Infoelix The names of the Interloquutors Iocasta the Queene Seruus a noble man of the Queenes traine Bailo gouernour to the Queenes sonnes Antygone daughter to the Queene Chorus foure Thebane dames Pollynices Eteocles sonnes to Oedipus the Queene Creon the Queenes brother Meneceus sonne to Creon Tyresias the diuine priest Manto the daughter of Tyresias Sacerdos the sacrifycing priest Nuntij three messangers from the campe Oedipus the olde King father to Eteocles and Pollynices sonne and husbande to Iocasta the Queene The Tragedie represented in Thebes ¶ The order of the dumme shewes and Musickes before euery Acte FIrst before the beginning of the firste Acte did sounde a dolefull and straunge noyse of violles Cythren Bandurion and suche like during the which there came in vpon the Stage a King with an Imperiall Crowne vpon his head very richely apparelled a Scepter in his right hande a Mounde with a Crosse in his left hande sitting in a Chariote very richely furnished drawne in by foure kinges in their Dublettes and Hosen with Crownes also vpon their heades Representing vnto vs Ambition by the hystorie of Sesostres king of Egypt who beeing in his time and reigne a mightie Conquerour yet not content to haue subdued many Princes and taken from them their kingdomes and dominions did in lyke maner cause those Kinges whome he had so ouercome to drawe in his Chariote like Beastes and Oxen thereby to content his vnbrideled ambitious desire After he had beene drawne twyce about the Stage and retyred the Musicke ceased and Iocasta the Queene issued out of hir house beginning the first Acte as followeth Iocasta the Queene issueth out of hir Pallace before hir twelue Gentlemen very brauely apparelled following after hir eight Gentlewomen whereof foure be the Chorus that remayne on the Stage after hir departure At hir entrance the Trumpettes sounded and after she had gone once aboute the Stage she turneth to one of hir moste trustie and estemed seruaunts and vnto him she discloseth hir griefe as foloweth The first Acte The first Scene IOCASTA SERVVS O Faithfull seruaunt of mine auncient sire Though vnto thée sufficiently be knowen The whole discourse of my recurelesse griefe By seing me from Princes royall state Thus basely brought into so great cōtempt As mine owne sonnes repine to heare my plaint Now of a Quéene but barely bearing name Seyng this towne seyng my fleshe and bloude Against it selfe to leuie threatning armes Wherof to talke my heart it rendes in twaine Yet once againe I must to thée recompte The wailefull thing that is alredy spred Bycause I know that pitie will compell Thy tender hart more than my naturall childe With ruthfull teares to mone my mourning case Ser. My gracious Quéene as no man might surmount The constant faith I beare my souraine lorde So doe I thinke for loue and trustie zeale No sonne you haue doth owe you more than I For hereunto I am by dutie bounde With seruice méete no lesse to honor you Than that renoumed prince your déere father And as my duties be most infinite So infinite must also be my loue Then if my life or spending of my bloude May be employed to doe your highnesse good Commaunde O quéene commaund this carcasse here In spite of death to satisfie thy will So though I die yet shall my willing ghost Contentedly forsake this withered corps For ioy to thinke I neuer shewde my selfe Ingratefull once to suche a worthy Quéene Ioca. Thou knowst what care my carefull father tooke In wedlockes sacred state to settle me With Laius king of this vnhappie Thebs That most vnhappie nowe our Citie is Thou knowst how he desirous still to searche The hidden secrets of supernall powers Unto Diuines did make his ofte recourse Of them to learne when he should haue a sonne That in his Realme might after him succéede Of whom receiuing answere sharpe and sowre That his owne sonne should worke his wailful ende The wretched king though all in vayne did séeke For to eschew that could not be eschewed And so forgetting lawes of natures loue No sooner had this paynfull wombe brought foorth His eldest sonne to this desired light But straight he chargde a trustie man of his To beare the childe into a desert wood And leaue it there for Tigers to deuoure Ser. O lucklesse babe begot in wofull houre Ioc. His seruant thus obedient to his hest Up by the héeles did hang this faultlesse Impe And percing with a knife his tender féete Through both the wounds did drawe the slender twigs
Which béeing bound about his féeble limmes Were strong inough to holde the little soule Thus did he leaue this infant scarcely borne That in short time must néedes haue lost his life If destenie that for our greater gréefes Decréede before to kéepe it still alyue Had not vnto this childe sent present helpe For so it chaunst a shepheard passing by With pitie moude did stay his giltlesse death He toke him home and gaue him to his wife With homelie fare to fede and foster vp Now harken how the heauens haue wroughte the way To Laius death and to mine owne decay Ser. Experience proues and daily is it séene In vaine too vaine man striues against the heauens Ioca. Not farre fro thence the mightie Polibus Of Corinth King did kepe his princely court Unto whose wofull wife lamenting muche She had no ofspring by hir noble phéere The curteous shepherd gaue my little sonne Which gratefull gift the Quéene did so accept As nothing séemde more precious in hir sight Partly for that his faitures were so fine Partly for that he was so beautifull And partly for bycause his comely grace Gaue great suspicion of his royall bloude The infant grewe and many yeares was demde Polibus sonne till tyme that Oedipus For so he named was did vnderstande That Polibus was not his sire in déede Wherby forsaking frendes and countrie there He did returne to seke his natiue stocke And being come into Phocides lande Toke notice of the cursed oracle How first he shoulde his father doe to death And then become his mothers wedded mate Ser. O fierce aspecte of cruell planets all That can decrée such seas of heynous faultes Ioca. Then Oedipus fraight ful of chilling feare By all meanes sought t' auoyde this furious fate But whiles he wéende to shunne the shamefull dede Unluckly guyded by his owne mishappe He fell into the snare that most he feared For loe in Phocides did Laius lye To ende the broyles that ciuill discorde then Had raysed vp in that vnquiet lande By meanes wherof my wofull Oedipus Affording ayde vnto the other side With murdring blade vnwares his father slewe Thus heauenly doome thus fate thus powers diuine Thus wicked reade of Prophets tooke effect Nowe onely restes to ende the bitter happe Of me of me his miserable mother Alas howe colde I féele the quaking bloud Passe too and fro within my trembling brest Oedipus when this bloudy déede was doone Forst foorth by fatall doome to Thebes came Where as ful soone with glory he atchieude The crowne and scepter of this noble lande By conquering Sphinx that cruell monster loe That earst destroyde this goodly flouring soyle And thus did I O hatefull thing to heare To my owne sonne become a wretched wife Ser. No meruayle though the golden Sunne withdrew His glittering beames from suche a sinfull facte Ioca. And so by him that from this belly sprang I brought to light O cursed that I am As well two sonnes as daughters also twayne But when this monstruous mariage was disclosde So sore began the rage of boyling wrath To swell within the furious brest of him As he him selfe by stresse of his owne nayles Out of his head did teare his griefull eyne Unworthy more to see the shining light Ser. Howe coulde it be that knowing he had done So foule a blot he would remayne aliue Ioca. So déepely faulteth none the which vnwares Dothe fall into the crime he can not shunne And he alas vnto his greater gréefe Prolongs the date of his accursed dayes Knowing that life dothe more and more increase The cruell plagues of his detested gilte Where stroke of griesly death dothe set an ende Unto the pangs of mans increasing payne Ser. Of others all moste cause haue we to mone Thy wofull smarte O miserable Quéene Suche and so many are thy gréeuous harmes Ioca. Now to the ende this blinde outragious sire Should reape no ioy of his vnnaturall fruite His wretched sonnes prickt foorth by furious spight Adiudge their father to perpetuall prison There buried in the depthe of dungeon darke Alas he leades his discontented lyfe Accursing still his stony harted sonnes And wishing all th' infernall sprites of hell To breathe suche poysned hate into their brestes As eche with other fall to bloudy warres And so with pricking poynt of piercing blade To rippe their bowels out that eche of them With others bloud might stayne his giltie hands And bothe at once by stroke of spéedie death Be foorthwith throwne into the Stigian lake Ser. The mightie Gods preuent so fowle a déede Ioca. They to auoyde the wicked blasphemies And sinfull prayer of their angrie sire Agréed thus that of this noble realme Untill the course of one full yere was runne Eteocles should sway the kingly mace And Polynice as exul should departe Till time expyrde and then to Polynice Eteocles should yéelde the scepter vp Thus yere by yere the one succéeding other This royall crowne should vnto bothe remayne Ser. Oh th unbridled mindes of ambicious men Ioca. Eteocles thus plast in princely seate Drunke with the sugred taste of kingly raigne Not onely shut his brother from the crowne But also from his natiue country soyle Alas poore Polynice what might he doe Uniustly by his brother thus betrayed To Argos he with sad and heauie chéere Forthwith conuayde him selfe on whom at length With fauning face good fortune smyled so As with Adrastus king of Argiues there He founde suche fauour and affinitie As to restore my sonne vnto his raigne He hath besedge this noble citie Thebes And hence procéedes my most extreme annoye For of my sonnes who euer doe preuaile The victorie will turne vnto my griefe Alas I feare such is the chaunce of warre That one or both shall purchase death therby Wherfore to shunne the worst that may befall Thoughe comfortlesse yet as a pitifull mother Whom nature bindes to loue hir louing sonnes And to prouide the best for their auaile I haue thought good by prayers to intreate The two brethren nay rather cruell foes A while to staie their fierce and furious fight Till I haue tried by meanes for to appease The swelling wrath of their outraging willes And so with much to doe at my request They haue forborne vnto this onely houre Ser. Small space god wot to stint so great a strife Ioca. And euen right now a trustie man of mine Returned from the campe enforming me That Polynice will straight to Thebes cōme Thus of my woe this is the wailefull sōme And for bycause in vaine and bootelesse plainte I haue small néede to spend this title time Here will I ceasse in wordes more to bewray The restlesse state of my afflicted minde Desiring thée thou goe to Eteocles Hartly on my behalfe beseching him That out of hand according to his promise He will vouchsafe to come vnto my courte I know he loues thée well and to thy wordes I thinke thou knowst he will giue willing eare Ser. O noble Quéene sith vnto
such affayres My spedie diligence is requisite I will applie effectually to doe What so your highnesse hath commaunded me Ioca. I wil goe in and pray the Gods therwhile With tender pitie to appease my griefe Iocasta goeth off the stage into hir pallace hir foure handmaides follovv hir the foure Chorus also follovve hir to the gates of hir pallace after comming on the stage take their place vvhere they continue to the end of the Tragedie SERVVS SOLVS THe simple man whose meruaile is so great At stately courts and princes regall seates With gasing eye but onely doth regarde The golden glosse that outwardly appeares The crownes bedeckt with pearle and precious stones The riche attire imbost with beaten golde The glittering mace the pompe of swarming traine The mightie halles heapt full of flattering frendes The huge chambers the goodly gorgeous beddes The gilted roofes embowde with curious worke The swéete faces of fine disdayning dames The vaine suppose of wanton raigne at luste But neuer viewes with eye of inward thought The painefull toile the great and greuous cares The troubles still the newe increasing feares That princes nourish in their iealous brestes He wayeth not the charge that Ioue hath laid On princes how for themselues they raigne not He wéenes the law must stoope to princely will But princes frame there noble wills to lawe He knoweth not that as the boystrous winde Doth shake the toppes of highest reared towres So doth the force of frowarde fortune strike The wighte that highest sits in haughtie state Lo Oedipus that sometime raigned king Of Thebane soyle that wonted to suppresse The mightiest Prince and kepe him vnder checke That fearfull was vnto his forraine foes Now like a poore afflicted prisoner In dungeon darke shut vp from chéerefull light In euery part so plagued with annoy As he abhorres to leade a longer life By meanes wherof the one against the other His wrathfull sonnes haue planted all their force And Thebes here this auncient worthy towne With threatning siege girt in on euerie side In daunger lyes to be subuerted quite If helpe of heauenly Ioue vpholde it not But as darke night succedes the shining day So lowring griefe comes after pleasant ioy Well now the charge hir highnesse did commaund I must fulfill though haplie all in vaine Seruus goeth off the stage by the gates called Electrae Antygone attended vvith .iij. gentlevvomen and hir gouernour commeth our of the Queene hir mothers Pallace BAILO ANTIGONE O Gentle daughter of King Oedipus O sister deare to that vnhappie wight Whom brothers rage hath reaued of his right To whom thou knowst in yong and tender yeares I was a friend and faithfull gouernour Come forth sith that hir grace hath graunted leaue And let me knowe what cause hath moued nowe So chaste a maide to set hir daintie foote Ouer the thresholde of hir secrete lodge Since that the towne is furnishte euerywhere With men of armes and warlike instrumentes Unto our eares there cōmes no other noyse But sounde of trumpe and neigh of trampling stedes Which running vp and downe from place to place With hideous cries betoken bloude and death The blasing sunne ne shineth halfe so brighte As it was wont to doe al dawne of daye The wretched dames throughout the wofull towne Together clustring to the temples goe Beseching Ioue by way of humble plainte With tender ruthe to pitie their distresse An. The loue I heare to my swéete Polynice My deare brother is onely cause hereof Bai. Why daughter knowst thou any remedie How to defend thy fathers citie here From that outrage and fierce repyning wrathe Which he against it iustly hath conceiued An. Oh gouernour might this my faultlesse bloude Suffise to stay my brethrens dyre debate With glad consent I coulde afford my life Betwixt them both to plant a perfect peace But since alas I cannot as I woulde A hote desire inflames my feruent mind To haue a sight of my swéete Pollynice Wherfore good guide vouchsafe to guide me up Into some tower aboute this hugie court From whence I may behold our enemies campe Therby at least to féede my hungry eyes But with the sight of my beloued brother Then if I die contented shall I die Bai. O princely dame the tender care thou takste Of thy deare brother deserueth double praise Yet crau'st thou that which cannot be obtainde By reason of the distance from the towne Unto the plaine where th armie lies incampt And furthermore besemeth not a maide To shew hir selfe in such vnsemely place Wheras among such yong and lustie troupes Of harebrainde souldiers marching to and fro Both honest name and honour is empairde But yet reioyce sith this thy great desire Without long let or yet without thy paine At wishe and will shall shortly be fulfillde For Palynice forthwith will hither come Euen I my selfe was lately at the campe Commaunded by the Quéene to bid him come Who laboureth still to linke in frendly league Hir iarring sonnes which happe so hoped for Eftsones I pray the gracious gods to graunt And sure I am that ere this houre passe Thou shalt him here in person safely sée Auti. O louing frend doest thou then warrant me That Polynice will come vnto this court Bai. Ere thou be ware thou shalt him here beholde Anti. And who alas doth warrant his aduenture That of Eteocles he take no harme Bai. For constant pledge he hath his brothers faith He hath also the truce that yet endures An. I feare alas alas I greatly feare Some trustlesse snare his cruell brother layes To trappe him in Bai. Daughter god knowes how willing I would be With swéete reliefe to comfort thy distresse But I cannot impart to thée the good Which I my selfe doe not as yet enioye The wailefull cause that moues Eteocles With Pollinyce to enter ciuill warres Is ouer great and for this onely cause Full many men haue broke the lawes of truth And topsy-turvy turned many townes To gredie daughter too too gredie is Desire to rule and raigne in kingly state Ne can he bide that swaise a realme alone To haue another ioynde with him therin Yet must we hope for helpe of heauenly powers Sith they be iuste their mercy is at hand To helpe the weake when worldly force doth faile An. As both my brethren be so both I beare As much goodwill as any sister may But yet the wrong that vnto Pollinyce This trothlesse tyrant hath vniustlie shewd Doth leade me more to wishe the prosperous life Of Pollinyce than of that cruell wretch Besides that Pollinyce whiles he remainde In Thebes here did euer loue me more Than did Eteocles whose swelling hate Is towardes me increased more and more Wherof I partly may assure my selfe Considering he disdaynes to visite me Yea happly he intends to reaue my life And hauing power he will not sticke to doe it This therefore makes me earnestly desire Oftymes to sée him yet euer as I thinke For to discharge the duetie of a
counsell follow still For why I hold it wise and trusty both And out of hand for now I will departe That I in time the better may prouide Before occasion slip out of my handes And that I may this Pollinices quell For well may I with bloudy knife him slea That commes in armes my countrie for to spoyle But if so please to fortune and to fate That other ende than I doe thinke may fall To thée my frend it resteth to procure The mariage twixt my sister Antygone And thy deare sonne Haemone to whom for dowre At parting thus I promise to performe As much as late I did beheste to thée My mothers bloude and brother deare thou arte Ne néede I craue of thée to garde hir well As for my father care I not for if So chaunce I dye it may full well be sayd His bitter curses brought me to my bane Cre. The Lord defend for that vnworthy were Ete. Of Thebes towne the rule and scepter loe I néede nor ought it other wise dispose Than vnto thée if I dye without heyre Yet longs my lingring mynde to vnderstande The doubtfull ende of this vnhappie warre Wherfore I will thou send thy sonne to seke Tyresias the deuine and learne of him For at my call I knowe he will not come That often haue his artes and him reproude Cre. As you commaund so ought I to performe Ete. And last I thée and citie both commaund If fortune frendly fauour our attemptes And make our men triumphant victors al That none there be so hardie ne so bolde For Pollinices bones to giue a graue And who presumes to breake my heste herein Shall dye the death in penaunce of his paine For thoughe I were by bloud to him conioynde I part it now and iustice goeth with me To guide my steppes victoriously before Pray you to Ioue he deigne for to defende Our Citie safe both nowe and euermore Cre. Gramercie worthie prince for all thy loue And faithfull trust thou doest in me repose And if should hap that I hope neuer shall I promise yet to doe what best behoues But chieflie this I sweare and make a vowe For Pollinices nowe our cruell foe To holde the hest that thou doest me commaunde Creon attendeth Eteocles to the gates Electrae he returneth and goeth out by the gates called Homoloydes CHORVS O Fierce and furious God whose harmefull harte Reioyceth most to shed the giltlesse blood Whose headie wil doth all the world subuert And doth enuie the pleasant mery moode Of our estate that erst in quiet stoode Why doest thou thus our harmelesse towne annoye Which mightie Bacchus gouerned in ioye Father of warre and death that dost remoue With wrathfull wrecke from wofull mothers breast The trustie pledges of their tender loue So graunt the Gods that for our finall rest Dame Uenus pleasant lookes may please thée best Wherby when thou shalt all amazed stand The sword may fall out of thy trembling hand And thou maist proue some other way full well The bloudie prowesse of thy mightie speare Wherwith thou raisest from the depth of hell The wrathfull sprites of all the furies there Who when they wake doe wander euery where And neuer rest to range aboute the coastes T' enriche that pit with spoile of damned ghostes And when thou hast our fieldes forsaken thus Let cruell discorde beare thée companie Engirt with snakes and serpents venemous Euen she that can with red vermilion dye The gladsome gréene that florished pleasantly And make the gréedie grounde a drinking cup To suy the bloud of murdered bodyes vp Yet thou returne O ioye and pleasant peace From whence thou didst against our will departe Ne let thy worthie minde from trauell cease To chase disdaine out of the poysoned harte That raised warre to all our paynes and smarte Euen from the brest of Oedipus his sonne Whose swelling pride hath all this iarre begonne And thou great God that doth all things decrée And sitst on highe aboue the starrie skies Thou chiefest cause of causes all that bee Regard not his offence but heare our cries And spedily redresse our miseries For what can we poore wofull wretches doe But craue thy aide and onely cleaue therto Done by G. Gascoygne Finis Actus secundi The order of the thirde dumbe shevve BEfore the beginning of this .iij. Act did sound a very dolefull noise of cornettes during the which there opened and appeared in the stage a great Gulfe immediately came in .vj. gentlemen in their dublets and hose bringing vpō their shulders baskets full of earth and threwe them into the Gulfe to fill it vp but it would not so close vp nor be filled Then came the ladyes and dames that stoode by throwing in their cheynes Iewels so to cause it stoppe vp and close it self but when it would not so be filled came in a kinghte with his sword drawen armed at all poyntes who walking twise or thrise about it perusing if seing that it would neither be filled with earth nor with their Iewells and ornamentes after solempne reuerence done to the gods and curteous leaue taken of the Ladyes and standers by sodeinly lepte into the Gulfe the which did close vp immediatly betokening vnto vs the loue that euery worthy person oweth vnto his natiue coūtrie by the historye of Curtius who for the lyke cause aduentured the like in Rome This done blinde Tyresias the deuine prophete led in by hys daughter and conducted by Meneceus the sonne of Creon entreth by the gates Electrae and sayth as followeth Actus iij. Scena 1. TYRESIAS CREON MANTO MENECEVS SACERDOS THou trustie guide of my so trustlesse steppes Déer daughter mine go we lead thou the way That since the day I first did léese this light Thou only art the light of these mine eyes And for thou knowst I am both old weake And euer longing after louely rest Derect my steppes amyd the playnest pathes That so my febled féete may féele lest paine Meneceus thou gentle childe tell me It is farre hence the place where we must goe Where as thy father for my comming stayes For like vnto the slouthfull snayle I drawe Deare sonne with paine these aged legges of mine Creon returneth be the gates Homoloydes And though my minde be quicke scarce can I moue Cre. Comfort thy selfe deuine Creon thy frend Loe standeth here and came to méete with thée To ease the payne that thou mightest else sustaine For vnto elde eche trauell yeldes annoy And thou his daughter and his faithfull guide Loe rest him here and rest thou there withall Thy virgins hands that in sustayning him Doest well acquite the duetie of a childe For crooked age and hory siluer heares Still craueth helpe of lustie youthfull yeares Tyr. Gramercie Lord what is your noble will Cre. What I would haue of thée Tyresias Is not a thing so soone for to be sayde But rest a whyle thy weake and weary limmes And take some breath now after wearie walke And tell I
or of the one at least Nuntius returneth to the camp by the gates Homoloides IOCASTA ANTIGONE ANtigone my swete daughter come forth Out of this house that nought but woe retaines Come forth I say not for to sing or daunce But to preuent if in our powers it lie That thy malicious brethren swolne with ire And I alas their miserable mother Be not destroide by stroke of dreadfull death Antigone commeth out of hir mothers Pallace Anti. Ah swete mother ah my beloued mother Alas alas what cause doth moue ye now From trembling voice to send such carefull cries What painefull pang what griefe doth gripe you nowe Ioca. O deare daughter thy most vnhappie brethren That sometimes lodgde within these wretched loynes Shall die this daye if Ioue preuent it not Anti. Alas what say you alas what do you say Can I alas endure to sée him dead Whom I thus long haue sought to sée aliue Ioca. They both haue vowde I quake alas to tell With trenchant blade to spill ech others blood O cruell Eteocles ah ruthlesse wretch Of this outrage thou only art the cause Not Pollinice whom thou with hatefull spight Hast reaued first of crowne and countrie soyle And now doest séeke to reaue him of his life Ioca. Daughter no more delay le ts go le ts go Anti. Ah my swéete mother whither shall I go Ioca. With me déere daughter to the gréekish host Anti. Alas how can I go vnles I go In daunger of my life or of good name Ioca. Time serues not now my welbeloued childe To way the losse of life or honest name But rather to preuent if so we may That wicked déede which only but to thinke Doth hale my hart out of my heauie brest Anti. Come then le ts go good mother let vs go But what shall we be able for to doe You a weake old woman for worne with yeares And I God knowes a silly simple mayde Ioca. Our wofull wordes our prayers our plaintes Pourde out with streames of ouerflowing teares Where Nature rules may happen to preuayle When reason power and force of armes do fayle But if the glowing heate of boyling wrath So furious be as it may not relent Then I atwixt them both will throw my selfe And this my brest shall beare the deadly blowes That otherwise should light vpon my sonnes So shall they shead my bloud and not their owne Well now déere daughter let vs hasten hence For if in time we stay this raging strife Then haply may my life prolonged be If ere we come the bloudy déede be done Then must my ghost forsake this féeble corps And thou deare childe with dolour shalt bewaile Thy brothers death and mothers all at once locasta vvith Antigone and all hir traine excepte the Chorus goeth tovvards the campe by the gates Homoloydes CHORVS WHo so hath felt what feruent loue A mother beares vnto hir tender sonnes She and none other sure can comprehende The dolefull griefe the pangs and secret paine That presently doth pierce the princely brest Of our afflicted Quéene alas I thinke No martyrdome might well compare with hirs So ofte as I recorde hir restlesse state Alas me thinkes I féele a shiuering feare Flit to and fro along my flushing vaines Alas for ruth that thus two brethren shoulde Enforce themselues to shed each others bloude Where is the lawes of nature nowe become Can fleshe of fleshe alas can bloude of bloude So far forget it selfe as slaye it selfe O lowring starres O dimme and angrie skies O giltie fate such mischiefe set aside But if supernall powers decreed haue That death must be the ende of this debate Alas what floudes of teares shall then suffise To wéepe and waile the neare approching death I meane the death of sonnes and mother both And with their death the ruine and decay Of Oedipus and all his princely race But loe here Creon cōmes with carefull cheare 'T is time that nowe I ende my iust complaint Creon commeth in by the gates Homoloydes CREON NVNCIVS ALthough I straightly chargde my tender childe To flie from Thebes for safegarde of hymselfe And that long since he parted from my sight Yet doe I greatly hand in lingring doubt Least passing through the gates the priuie watch Hath stayed him by some suspect of treason And so therewhile the prophetes hauing skride His hidden fate he purchast haue the death Which I by all meanes sought he might eschewe And this mischaunce so much I feare the more Howe much the wished conquest at the first Fell happily vnto the towne of Thebes But wise men ought with patience to sustaine The sundrie haps that slipperie fortune frames Nuncius commeth in by the gates Electrae Nun. Alas who can direct my hastie steppes Unto the brother of our wofull Quéene But loe where carefully he standeth here Cre. If so the minde maye dreade his owne mishap Then dread I much this man that séekes me thus Hath brought the death of my beloued sonne Nun. My Lorde the thing you feare is very true Your sonne Meneceus no longer liues Cre. Alas who can withstande the heauenly powers Well it beséems not me ne yet my yeares In bootelesse plaint to wast my wailefull teares Do thou recount to me his lucklesse deathe The order fourme and manner of the same Nun. Your sonne my Lorde came to Eteocles And tolde him this in presence of the rest Renoumed King neither your victorie Ne yet the safetie of this princely Realme In armour doth consist but in the death Of me of me O most victorious King So heauenly dome of mightie Ioue commaunds I knowing what auayle my death should yeeld Unto your grace and vnto natiue land Might well be demde a most vngratefull sonne Unto this worthy towne if I would shunne The sharpest death to do my countrie good In mourning weede nowe let the vestall Nimphes With fauning tunes commende my faultlesse ghost To highest heauens while I despoyle my selfe That afterwarde sith Ioue will haue it so To saue your liues I may receyue my death Of you I craue O curteous Citizens To shrine my corps in tombe of marble stone Whereon graue this Meneceus here doth lie For countries cause that vvas content to die This saide alas he made no more a doe But drewe his sworde and sheathde it in his brest Cre. No more I haue inough returne ye nowe From whence ye came Nuncius retourneth by the gates Electrae Well since the bloude of my beloued sonne Must serue to slake the wrathe of angrie Ioue And since his onely death must bring to Thebes A quiet ende of hir vnquiet state Me thinkes good reason would that I henceforth Of Thebane soyle shoulde beare the kingly swaye Yea sure and so I will ere it be long Either by right or else by force of armes Of al mishap loe here the wicked broode My sister first espoused hath hir sonne That slewe his sire of whose accursed séede Two brethren sprang whose raging hatefull hearts By force of