in such annoy Yet can my soule within this body dwell O Sisters you that spin the thredes of death O Styx ô Plegethon you brookes of hell O Impes of Night Euph. Liue for your childrens sake Let not your death of kingdome them depriue Alas what shall they do who will haue care Who will preserue this royall race of yours Who pittie take euen now me seemes I see These little soules to seruile bondage falne And borne in triumph Cl. Ah most miserable Euph. Their tender armes with cursed cord fast bound At their weake backs Cl. Ah Gods what pitty more Euph. Their seely necks to ground with weaknes bend Cl. Neuer on vs good Gods such mischiefe send Euph. And pointed at with fingers as they go Cl. Rather a thousand deaths Euph. Lastly his knife Some cruell catiue in their bloud embrue Cl. Ah my heart breaks By shady banks of hell By fields whereon the lonely Ghosts do treade By my foule and the soule of Antony I you besech Euphron of them haue care Be their good Father let your wisedome lett That they fall not into this Tyrants hands Rather conduct them where their freezed locks Black Aethiops to neighbour Sunne do shew On wauie Ocean at the waters will On barraine cliffes of snowie Caucasus To Tigers swift to Lions and to Beares And rather rather vnto euery coaste To eu'ry land and sea for nought I feare As rage of him whose thirst no bloud can quench Adieu deare children children deare adieu Good Isis you to place of safety guide Farre from our foes where you your liues may leade In free estate deuoid of seruile dread Remember not my children you were borne Of such a Princely race remember not So many braue Kings which haue Egipt rul'de In right descent your ancestors haue beene That this great Antony your father was Hercules bloud and more then he in praise For your high courage such remembrance will Seing your fall with burning rages fill Who knowes if that your hands false Destinie The Scepters promis'd of imperious Rome In stede of them shall crooked shepehookes beare Needles or forkes or guide the carte or plough Ah learne t' endure your birth and high estate Forget my babes and bend to force of fate Farwell my babes farwell my heart is clos'd With pittie and paine my selfe with death enclos'd My breath doth faile Farwell for euermore Your Sire and me you shall see neuer more Farwell sweet care farwell Chil. Madame Adieu Cl. Ah this voice killes me Ah good Gods I swound I can no more I die Eras. Madame alas And will you yeld to woe Ah speake to vs Eu, Come Children Chil. We come Eu. Follow we our chance The Gods shall guide vs Char. O too cruell lot O too hard chaunce Sister what shall we do What shall we do alas if murthring darte Of death arriue while that in slumbring swound Halfe dead she lie with anguish ouergone Er, Her face is frozen Ch. Madame for Gods loue Leaue vs not thus bid vs yet first farwell Alas wepe ouer Antony Let not His bodie be without due rites entomb'd Cl. Ah ah Char. Madame Cl. Ay me Ch. How fainte she is Cl. My Sisters holde me vp How wretched I How cursed am and was there euer one By Fortunes hate into more dolours throwne Ah weeping Niobe although thy heart Beholds it selfe enwrap'd in causefull woe For thy dead children that a sencelesse rocke With griefe become on Sipylus thou stand'st In endles teares yet didst thou neuer feele The weights of griefe that on my heart do lie Thy Children thou mine I poore soule haue lost And lost their Father more then them I waile Lost this faire realme yet me the heauens wrath Into a stone not yet transformed hath Phaetons sisters daughters of the Sunne Which waile your brother falne into the streames Of stately Po the Gods vpon the bankes Your bodies to banke-louing Alders turn'd For me I sigh I ceasles wepe and waile And heauen pittiles laughes at my woe Reuiues renewes it still and in the ende Oh cruelty doth death for comfort lend Die Cleopatra then no longer stay From Antony who thee at Styx attends Go ioyne thy Ghost with his and sob no more Without his loue within these tombes enclos'd Eras. Alas yet let vs wepe lest sodaine death From him our teares and those last duties take Vnto his tombe we owe Ch. Ah let vs wepe While moisture lasts then die before his feete Cl. Who furnish will mine eies with streaming teares My boiling anguish worthily to waile Waile thee Antony Antony my heart Alas how much I weeping liquor want Yet haue mine eies quite drawne their Condits drie By long beweeping my disastred harmes Now reason is that from my side they sucke First vitall moisture then the vitall bloud Then let the bloud from my sad eies outflowe And smoking yet with thine in mixture grow Moist it and heat it newe and neuer stop All watring thee while yet remaines one drop Ch. Antony take our teares this is the last Of all the duties we to thee can yelde Before we die Er. These sacred obseques Take Antony and take them in good parte Cl. O Goddesse thou whom Cyprus doth adore Venus of Phaphos bent to worke vs harme For olde Iulus broode if thou take care Of Caesar why of vs tak'st thou no care Antony did descend as well as he From thine owne Sonne by long enchained line And might haue rul'd by one and selfe same fate True Troian bloud the stately Romain state Antony poore Antony my deare soule Now but a blocke the bootie of a tombe Thy life thy heat is lost thy coullour gone And hideous palenes on thy face hath seaz'd Thy eies two Sunnes the lodging place of loue Which yet for tents to warlike Mars did serue Lock'd vp in lidds as faire daies cherefull light Which darkenese flies do winking hide in night Antony by our true loues I thee beseeche And by our hearts sweete sparks haue set on fire Our holy mariage and the tender ruthe Of our deare babes knot of our amitie My dolefull voice thy eare let entertaine And take me with thee to the hellish plaine Thy wife thy frend heare Antony ô heare My sobbing sighes if here thou be or there Liued thus long the winged race of yeares Ended I haue as Destinie decreed Flourish'd and raign'd and taken iust reuenge Of him who me both hated and despisde Happie alas too happie if of Rome Only the fleete had hither neuer come And now of me an Image great shall goe Vnder the earth to bury there my woe What say I where am I ô Cleopatra Poore Cleopatra griefe thy reason reaues No no most happie in this happles case To die with thee and dieng thee embrace My bodie ioynde with thine my mouth with thine my mouth whose moisture burning sighes haue dried To be in one selfe tomble and one selfe chest And wrapt with thee in one selfe sheete to rest The sharpest torment in my heart I feele Is that I stay from thee my heart this while Die will I straight now now streight will I die And streight with thee a wandring shade will be Vnder the Cypres trees thou haunt'st alone Where brookes of hell do falling seeme to mone But yet I stay and yet thee ouerliue That ere I die due rites I may thee giue A thousand sobbes I from my brest will teare With thousand plaints thy funeralls adorne My haire shall serue for thy oblations My boiling teares for thy effusions Mine eies thy fire for out of them the flame Which burnt thy heart on me enamour'd came Wepe my companions weepe and from your eies Raine downe on him of teares a brinish streame Mine can no more consumed by the coales Which from my brest as from a furnace rise Martir your breasts with multiplied blowes With violent hands teare of your hanging haire Outrage your face alas why should we seeke Since now we die our beauties more to keepe I spent in teares not able more to spende But kisse him now what rests me more to doe Then let me kisse you you faire eies my light Front seat of honor face most firce most faire O neck ô armes ô hands ô breast where death O mischiefe comes to choake vp vitall breath A thousand kisses thousand thousand more Let you my mouth for honors farewell giue That in this office weake my limmes may growe Fainting on you and fourth my soule may flow At Rams bury 26. of Nouember 1590 Printed at London by P. S. for William Ponsonby 1595
THE TRAGEDIE OF Antonie Doone into English by the Countesse of Pembroke Imprinted at London for William Ponsonby 1595 ¶ The Argument AFTER the ouerthrowe of Brutus and Cassius the libertie of Rome being now vtterly oppressed and the Empire setled in the hands of Octauius Caesar and Marcus Antonius who for knitting a straiter bonde of amitie betweene them had taken to wife Octauia the sister of Caesar Antonius vndertooke a iourney agà inst the Parthians with intent to regaine on them the honor won by them from the Romanes at the discomfiture and slaughter of Crassus But comming in his iourney into Siria the places renewed in his remembrāce the long intermitted loue of Cleopatra Queene of Aegipte who before time had both in Cilicia and at Alexandria entertained him with all the exquisite delightes and sumptuous pleasures which a great Prince and voluptuous louer could to the vttermost desire Wherevpon omitting his enterprice he made his returne to Alexandria againe falling to his former loues without any regarde of his vertuous wife Octauia by whom neuertheles he had excellent children This occation Octauius toke of taking armes against him preparing a mighty fleet encoūtred him at Actium who also had assembled to that place a great nūber of Gallies of his own beside 60. which Cleopatra brought with her from Aegipt But at the very beginning of the battel Cleopatra with all her Gallies betooke her to flight which Antony seeing could not but follow by his departure to Octauius the greatest victory which in any Seabattell hath beene hard off Which he not negligent to pursue followes them the next spring and besiedgeth them with in Alexandria where Antony finding al that he trusted to faile him beginneth to growe iealouse and to suspect Cleopatra She therevpon enclosed her selfe with two of her women in a monumēt she had before caused to be built thence sends him worde she was dead which he beleeuing for truth gaue himselfe with his Sworde a deadly woūd but died not vntil a messenger came frō Cleopatra to haue him brought to her to the tombe Which she not daring to open least she should bee made a prisoner to the Romaines carried in Caesars triumph cast downe a cord from an high window by the which her womē helping her she trussed vp Antonius halfe dead so got him into the monumēt The stage supposed alexandria the chorus first Egiptians after Romane souldiors The history to be read at large in Plutarch in the life of Antonius ¶ The Actors Antonius Cleopatra Eras and Charmiō Cleopatras womē Philostratus a Philosopher Lucilius Diomede Secretarie to Cleopatra Octauius Caesar Agrippa Euphron teacher of Cleopatras children Children of Cleopatra Dircetus the Messenger ANTONIVS SInce cruell Heau'ns against me obstinate Since all mishappes of the round engin doo Conspire my harme since mē since powers diuine Aire earth and Sea are all iniurious And that my Queene her selfe in whome I liu'd The Idoll of my harte doth me pursue It 's meete I dye For her haue I forgone My Country Caesar vnto warre prouok'd For iust reuenge of Sisters wrong my wife Who mou'de my Queene ay me to iealousie For loue of her in her allurements caught Abandon'd life I honor haue despisde Disdain'd my freends and of the statelye Rome Despoilde the Empire of her best attire Contemn'd that power that made me so much fear'd A slaue become vnto her feeble face O cruell traitres woman most vnkinde Thou dost forsworne my loue and life betraie And giu'st me vp to ragefull enemie Which soone ô foole will plague thy periurye Yeelded Pelusium on this countries shore Yeelded thou hast my Shippes and men of warre That nought remaines so destitute am I But these same armes which on my back I weare Thou should'st haue had them too and me vnarm'de Yeelded to Caesar naked of defence Which while I beare let Caesar neuer thinke Triumph of me shall his proud chariot grace Not thinke with me his glory to adorne On me aliue to vse his victorie Thou only Cleopatra triumph hast Thou only hast my fredome seruile made Thou only hast me vanquisht not by force For forste I cannot be but by sweete baites Of thy eyes graces which did gaine so fast vpon my libertie that nought remain'd None els henceforth but thou my dearest Queene Shall glorie in commaunding Antonie Haue Caesar fortune and the Gods his freends To him haue Ioue and fatall sisters giuen The Scepter of the earth he neuer shall Subiect my life to his obedience But when that death my glad refuge shall haue Bounded the course of my vnstedfast life And frosen corps vnder a marble colde Within tombes bosome widdowe of my soule Then at his will let him it subiect make Then what he will let Caesar doo with me Make me limme after limme be rent make me My buriall take in sides of Thracian wolte Poore Antonie alas what was the day The daies of losse that gained thee thy loue Wretch Antonie since Maegaera pale With Snakie haires enchain'd thy miserie The fire thee burnt was neuer Cupids fire For Cupid beares not such a mortall brand It was some furies torch Orestes torche Which somtimes burnt his mother-murdering soule When wandring madde rage boiling in his bloud He fled his fault which folow'd as he fled kindled within his bones by shadow pale Of mother slaine return'd from Stygian lake Antony poore Antony since that daie Thy olde good hap did farre from thee retire Thy vertue dead thy glory made aliue So ofte by martiall deeds is gone in smoke Since then the Baies so well thy forehead knewe To Venus mirtles yeelded haue their place Trumpets to pipes field tents to courtly bowers Launces and Pikes to daunces and to feastes Since then ô wretch in stead of bloudy warres Thou shouldst haue made vpon the Parthian Kings For Romain honor filde by Crassus foile Thou threw'st thy Curiace off and fearfull healme With coward courage vnto Aegipts Queene In haste to runne about her necke to hang Languishing in her armes thy I doll made In summe giuen vp to Cleopatras eies Thou breakest at length frō thence as one encharm'd Breakes from th' enchaunter that him strongly helde For thy first reason spoyling of their force the poisned cuppes of thy faire Sorceres Recur'd thy sperit and then on euery side Thou mad'st again the earth with Souldiours swarme All Asia hidde Euphrates bankes do tremble To see at once so many Romanes there Breath horror rage and with a threatning eye In mighty squadrons crosse his swelling streames Nought seene but horse and fier sparkling armes Nought heard but hideous noise of muttring troups The Parth the Mede abandoning their goods Hide them for feare in hilles of Hircanie Redoubting thee Then willing to besiege The great Phraate head of Media Thou campedst at her walles with vaine assault Thy engins fit mishap not thither brought So long thou stai'st so long thou dost thee rest So long thy loue with such things nourished
Reframes reformes it selfe and stealingly Retakes his force and rebecomes more great For of thy Queene the lookes the grace the words Sweetnes alurements amorous delights Entred againe thy soule and day and night In watch in sleepe her Image follow'd thee Not dreaming but of her repenting still That thou for warre hadst such a goddes left Thou car'st no more for Parth nor Parthian bow Sallies assaults encounters shocks alarmes For ditches rampiers wards entrenched grounds Thy only care is sight of Nilus streames Sight of that face whose gilefull semblant doth Wandring in thee infect thy tainted hart Her absence thee besottes each hower each hower Of staie to thee impatient seemes an age Enough of conquest praise thou deem'st enough If soone enough the bristled fields thou see Of fruitfull Aegipt and the stranger floud Thy Queenes faire eyes another Pharos lights Returned loe dishonoured despisde In wanton loue a woman thee misleades Sunke in foule sinke meane while respecting nought Thy wife Octauia and her tender babes Of whome the long contempt against thee whets The sword of Caesar now thy Lord become Lost thy great Empire all those goodly townes Reuerenc'd thy name as rebells now thee leaue Rise against thee and to the ensignes flocke Of conqu'ring Caesar who enwalles thee round Cag'd in thy hold scarse maister of thy selfe Late maister of so many Nations Yet yet which is of griefe extreamest griefe Which is yet of mischiefe highest mischiefe It 's Cleopatra alas alas it 's she It 's she augments the torment of thy paine Betraies thy loue thy life alas betraies Caesar to please whose grace she seekes to gaine With thought her crowne to saue and fortune make Onely thy foe which common ought haue beene If her I alwaies lou'd and the first flame Of her heart-killing loue shall burne me last Iustly complaine I she disloyall is Nor constant is euen as I constant am To comfort my mishap despising me No more then when the heauens fauour'd me But ah by nature women wau'ring are Each moment changing and rechanging mindes Vnwise who blinde in them thinkes loyaltie Euer to finde in beauties companie Chorus The boyling tempest still makes not Sea waters fome nor still the Northern blast disquiets quiet streames Nor who his chest to fill sayles to the morning beames on waues winde tosseth fast still kepes his ship from home Nor Ioue still downe doth cast inflam'd with bloudie ire on man on tree on hill his darts of thundring fire nor still the heat doth last on face of parched plaine nor wrinkled colde doth still on frozen furrowes raigne But still as long as we in this low world remaine mishapps our daily mates our liues doe intertaine and woes which beare no dates still pearch vpon our heads none go but straight will be some greater in their steads Nature made vs not free When first she made vs liue When we began to be To be began our woe Which growing euermore As dying life doth growe Do more and more vs greeue And tire vs more and more No stay in fading states For more to height they retch Their fellow miseries The more to height do stretch They cling euen to the crowne And threatning furious wise From tirannizing pates Do often pull it downe In vaine on waues vntride To shun them go we should To Scythes and Massagetes Who neere the Pole reside In vaine to boiling sandes Which Phaebus battry beates For with vs still they would Cut seas and compasse landes The darknes no more sure To ioyne with heauy night The light which guildes the days To follow Titan pure No more the shadow light The body to ensue Then wretchednes alwaies Vs wretches to pursue O blest who neuer breath'd Or whome with pittie mou'de Death from his cradle reau'de And swadled in his graue And blessed also he As curse may blessing haue Who low and liuing free No princes charge hath prou'de By stealing sacred fire Prometheus then vnwise prouking Gods to ire the heape of ills did sturre and sicknes pale and colde our ende which onward spurre to plague our hands too bolde to filch the wealth of skies In heauens hate since then of ill with ill enchain'd we race of mortall men ful fraught our brests haue borne and thousand thousand woes our heau'nly soules now thorne which free before from those no! earthly passion pain'd Warre and warrs bitter cheare now long time with vs staie and feare of hated foe still still encreaseth sore our harmes worse dayly grow lesse yesterday they were then now and will be more to morrow then to day Act. 2. Philostratus What horrible furie what cruell rage O Aegipt so extremely thee torments Hast thou the Gods so angred by thy fault Hast thou against them some such crime conceiu'd That their engrained hand lift vp in threats They should desire in thy heart bloud to bathe And that their burning wrath which noght cā quēch Should pittiles on vs still lighten downe We are not hew'n out of the monst'rous masse Of Giantes those which heauens wrack conspir'd Ixions race false prater of his loues Nor yet of him who fained lightnings found Nor cruell Tantalus nor bloudy Atreus Whose cursed banquet for Thyestes plague Made the beholding Sunne for horrour turne His backe and backward from his course returne And hastning his wing-footed horses race Plunge him in sea for shame to hide his face While sulleine night vpon the wondring world For mid-daies light her starrie mantle cast But what we be what euer wickednesse By vs is done Alas with what more plagues More eager torments could the Gods declare To heauen and earth that vs they hatefull holde With souldiors strangers horrible in armes Our land is hidde our people drown'd in teares But terror here and horror nought is seene And present death prising our life each hower Hard at our ports and at our porches waites Our conquering foe harts faile vs hopes are dead Our Queene laments and this great Emperour Somtime would now they did whom worlds did fear Abandoned betraid now mindes no more But from his euils by hast'ned death to passe Come you poore people ti'rde with ceasles plaints With teares and sighes make mournful sacrifice On Isis altars not our selues to saue But soften Caesar and him piteous make To vs his praie that so his lenitie May change our death into captiuitie Strange are the euils the fates on vs haue brought O but alas how far more strange the cause Loue loue alas who euer would haue thought Hath lost this Realme inflamed with his fire Loue playing loue which men say kindles not But in soft hearts hath ashes made our townes And his sweet shafts with whose shot none are kill'd Which vlcer not with deaths our lands haue fill'd Such was the bloudie murdring hellish loue Possest thy hart faire false guest Priams sonne Firing a brand which after made to burne The Troian towers by Graecians ruinate By this loue Priam Hector Troilus Memnon Deiphaebus Glancus thousands mo Whome
redd Scamanders armor clogged streames Roll'd into Seas before their dates are dead So plaguie he so many tempests raiseth So murdring he so many Citties raiseth When insolent blinde lawles orderles With made delights our sence he entertaines All knowing Gods our wracks did vs fortell By signes in earth by signes in starry Sphaeres Which should haue mou'd vs had not destinie With too strong hand warped our miserie The Comets flaming through the scat'red clouds With fiery beames most like vnbroaded haires The fearfull dragon whistling at the bankes And holy Apis ceasles bellowing As neuer erst and shedding endles teares Bloud raining down frō heau'n in vnknow'n showers Our Gods darke faces ouer cast with woe And dead mens Ghosts appearing in the night Yea euen this night while all the Cittie stood Opprest with terror horror seruile feare Deepe silence ouer all the sounds were heard Of diuers songs and diuerse instruments Within the voide of aire and howling noise Such as madde Bacchus priests in Bacchus feasts On Nisa make and seem'd the company Our Cittie lost went to the enemie So we forsaken both of Gods and men So are we in the mercy of our foes And we henceforth obedient must become To lawes of them who haue vs ouercome Chorus Lament we our mishaps Drowne we with teares our woe For Lamentable happes Lamented easie growe and much lesse torment bring then when they first did spring We want that wofull song wherwith wood-musiques Queen doth ease her woes among fresh springtimes bushes greene on pleasant branch alone renewing auntient mone We want that monefull sound that pratling Progne makes on fields of Thracian ground or streames of Thracian lakes to empt her brest of paine for Itys by her slaine Though Halcyons do still bewailing Ceyx lot the Seas with plainings fill which his dead limmes haue got not euer other graue then tombe of waues to haue And though the bird in death that most Meander loues so sweetly sighes his breath when death his fury proues as almost softs his heart and almost blunts his dart Yet all the plaints of those nor all their tearfull larmes cannot content our woes nor serue to waile the harmes in soule which we poore we to feele enforced be Nor they of Phaebus bredd in teares can doo so well they for their brother shedd who into Padus fell rash guide of chariot cleere surueiour of the yeare Nor she whom heau'nly powers to weping rocke did turne whose teares distill in showers and shew she yet doth mourne wherewith his toppe to Skies mount Sipylus doth rise Nor weping drops which flowe from barke of wounded tree that Mirrhas shame doth showe with ours compar'd may be to quench her louing fire who durst embrace her fire Nor all the howlings made on Cybels sacred hill By Eunukes of her trade Who Atys Atys still with doubled cries resound which Eccho makes rebound Our plaints no limits stay nor more then do our woes both infinitely straie and neither measure knowes In mea sure let them plaine Who measured griefes sustaine Cleopatrra Eras. Charmton Diomede Cleopatra That I haue thee betraide deare Antonie My life my soule my sunne I had such thought That I haue thee betraide my Lord my King That I would breake my vowed faith to thee I aue thee deceiue thee yeelde thee to the rage Of mightie foe I euer had that hart Rather sharpe lightning lighten on my head Rather may I to deepest mischiefe fall Rather the opened earth deuoure me Rather fierce Tigers feed them on my flesh Rather ô rather let our Nilus send To swallow me quicke some weeping Crocodile And didst thou then suppose my royall heart Had hatcht thee to ensnare a faithles loue And changing minde as Fortune changed cheare I would weake thee to winne the stronger loose O wretch ô caitiue ô too cruell happe And did not I sufficient losse sustaine Loosing my Realme loosing my libertie My tender of-spring and the ioyfull light Of beamy Sunne and yet yet loosing more Thee Antony my care if I loose not What yet remain'd thy loue alas thy loue More deare then Scepter children freedome light So readie I to row in Charons barge Shall leese the joy of dying in thy loue So the sole comfort of my miserie To haue one tombe with thee is me bereft So I in shady plaines shall plaine alone Not as I hop'd companion of thy mone O height of griefe Eras why with Continuall cries Your griefull harmes doo you exasperate Torment your selfe with murthering complaints Straine your weake brest so ost so vehemently Water with teares this faire alablaster With sorrowes sting so many beauties wound Come of so many Kings want you the hart Brauely stoutly this tempest to resist Cl. My eu'lls are wholy vnsupportable No humain force can them withstand but death Eras. To him that striues nought is impossible Cl. In striuing lyes no hope of my mishapps Eras. All things do yeelde to force of louely face Cl. My face too louely caus'd my wretched case My face hath so entrap'd so cast vs downe That for his conquest Caesar may it thanke Causing that Antonie one army lost The other wholy did to Caesar yeld For not induring so his amorouse sprite Was with my beautie fir'de my shamefull flight Soone as he saw from ranke wherein he stoode In hottest fight my Gallies making saile Forgetfull of his charg as if his soule Vnto his Ladies soule had beene enchain'd He left his men who so couragiously Did leaue their liues to gaine him victorie And carelesse both of fame and armies losse My oared Gallies follow'd with his ships Companion of my flight by this base parte Blasting his former flourishing renowne Eras. Are you therefore cause of his ouerthrow Cl. I am sole cause I did it only I Er. Feare of a woman troubled so his sprite Cl. Fire of his loue was by my feare enflam'd Er. And should he then to warre haue led a Queene Cl. Alas this was not this offence but mine Antony ay me who else so braue a chiefe Would not I should haue taken Seas with him But would haue left me fearefull woman farre From common hazard of the doubtfull warre O that I had beleeu'd now now of Rome All the great Empire at our beck should bende All should obey the vagabonding Scythes The feared Germaines back-shooting Parthians Wandring Numidians Brittons farre remou'd And tawny nations scorched with the Sunne But I car'd not so was my soule possest To my great harme with burning iealousie Fearing least in my absence Antony Should leauing me retake Octauia Char. Such was the rigour of your desteny Cl. Such was my errour and obstinacie Ch. But since Gods would not could you do withall Cl. Alwaies from Gods good haps not harms do fall Ch. And haue they not all power on mens affaires Cl. They neuer bow so low as worldly cares But leaue to mortall men to be dispos'd Freely on earth what euer mortall is If we therein sometimes some faults
fluttering Flocking of seelly flies a brownish cloud To vintag'd wine yet working in the tonne Not parting thence while they sweete liquor taste After as smoke all vanish in the aire And of the swarme not one so much appeare Eras. By this sharpe death what profit can you winne Cl. I neither gaine nor profit seeke therein Er. What praise shall you of after-ages get Cl. Nor praise nor Glory in my cares are set Eras. What other end ought you respect then this Cl. My only end my onele duty is Eras. Your dutie must vpon some good be founded Cl. On vertue it the onely good is grounded Er. What is that Vertue Cl. That which vs beseemes Er. Outrage our selues who that beseeming deemes Cl. Finish I will my sorrowes dieng thus Er. Minish you will your glories doing thus Cl. Good frends I pray you seeke not to reuoke My fix'd intent of folowing Antony I will die I will die must not his life His life and death by mine be followed Meane while deare sisters liue and while you liue Do often honor to our loued Tombes Straw them with flowers and sometimes happely The tender thought of Antony your Lord And me poore soule to teares shall you inuite And our true loues to dolefull voice commend Ch. And thinke you Madame we from you will part Thinke you alone to feele deaths ougly darte Thinke you to leaue vs and that the same sunne Shall see at once you dead and vs aliue Wee le die with you and Clotho pittilesse Shall vs with you in hellish boate imbarque Cl. Ah liue I praie you this disastred woe Which racks my heart alone to me belongs My lot longs not to you seruants to be No shame no harme to you as is to me Liue sisters liue and seing his suspect Hath causlesse me in sea of sorrowes drown'd And that I cannot liue if so I would Nor yet would leaue this life if so I could Without his loue procure me Diomed That gainst poore me he be no more incensd Wrest out of his conceit that harmefull doubt That since his wracke he hath of me conceiu'd Thogh wrong conceiu'd witnes you reuerent Gods Barking Anubis Apis bellowing Tell him my soule burning impatient Forlorne with loue of him for certaine seale Of her true loialtie my corpse hath left T encrease of dead the number numberlesse Go then and if as yet he me bewaile If yet for me his heart one sigh fourth breathe Blest shall I be and far with more content Depart this world where so I me torment Meane season vs let this sad tombe enclose Attending here till death conclude our woes Diom. I will obey your will Cl. So the desert The Gods repay of thy true faithfull heart Diomed. And is 't not pittie Gods ah Gods of heau'n To see from loue such hatefull frutes to spring And is 't not pittie that this firebrand so Laies waste the trophes of Phillippi fieldes Where are those sweet alluremēts those sweet lookes Which gods thē selues right hart sick wuld haue made What doth that beautie rarest guift of heau'n Wonder of earth Alas what do those eies And that sweete voice all Asia vnderstoode And sunburnt Africke wide in deserts spred Is their force dead haue they no further power Can not by them Octauius be suppriz'd Alas if Ioue in middst of all his ire With thunderbolt in hand some land to plague Had cast his eies on my Queene out of hand His Plaguing bolte had falne out of his hand Fire of his wrath into vaine smoke should turne And other fire within his brest should burne Nought liues so faire Nature by such a worke Her selfe should seeme in workmanship hath past She is all heau'nly neuer any man But seeing hir was rauish'd with her sight The Allablaster couering of her face The corall coullor hir two lips engraines Her beamy eies two Sunnes of this our world Of hir faire haire the fine and flaming golde Her braue streight stature and her winning partes Are nothing else but fiers fetters dartes Yet this is nothing th' enchaunting skilles Of her celestiall Sp'rite hir training speach Her grace hir maiesty and forcing voice Whither she it with fingers speach consorte Or hearing sceptred kings embassadors Answere to each in his owne language make Yet now at neede it aides her not at all With all these beauties so her sorrow stinges Darkned with woe her only study is To weepe to sigh to seeke for lonelines Careles of all hir haire disordred hangs Hir charming eies whence murthring looks did flie Now riuers grown whose wellspring anguish is Do trickling wash the marble of hir face Hir faire discouer'd brest with sobbing swolne Selfe cruell she still martirith with blowes Alas It 's our ill hap for if hir teares She would conuert into her louing charmes To make a conquest of the conqueror As well she might would she hir force imploie She should vs saftie from these ills procure Hir crowne to hir and to hir race assure Vnhappy he in whome selfe-succour lies Yet selfe-forsaken wanting succour dies Chorus O sweete fertile land wherein Phaebus did with breth inspire man who men did first begin formed first of Nilus mire whence of Artes the eldest kindes earths most heauenly ornament were as from their fountaine sent to enlight our misty mindes whose grose sprite frō endles time as in darkned prison pente neuer did to knowledge clime Wher the Nile our father good father-like doth neuer misse yearely vs to bring such food as to life required is visiting each yeare this plaine and with fat slime cou'ring it which his seauen mouthes do spit as the season comes againe making therby greatest growe busie reapers ioyfull paine when his flouds do highest flow Wandring Prince of riuers thou honor of the Aethiops lande of a Lord and maister now thou a slaue in awe must stand now of Tiber which is spred lesse in force and lesse in fame reuerence thou must the name whome all other riuers dread for his children swolne in pride who by conquest seeke to treade round this earth on euery side Now thou must begin to send tribute of thy watry store as sea pathes thy steps shall bend yearely presents more and more thy fat skumme our fruitfull corne pill'd from hence with theuish hāds all vncloth'd shal leaue our lands into forraine country borne which puft vp with such a pray shall thereby the praise adorne of that scepter Rome doth sway Nought thee helps thy hornes to hide far from hence in vnknown groūds that thy waters wander wide yerely breaking banks and bounds and that thy Skie-coullor'd brooks through a hundred peoples passe drawing plots for trees and grasse with a thousand turn's and crookes whome all weary of their way thy throats which in widenesse passe powre into their mother Sea Nought so happie haplesse life in this world as freedome findes nought wherin mor sparkes are rise to inflame couragious mindes but if force must vs inforce needes a yoke to
Whereby my faire entising foe entrap'd My hedelesse Reason could no more escape It was not fortunes euer chaunging face It was not Destinies chaungles Violence Forg'd my mishap Alas who doth not know They make nor marre nor any thing can doe Fortune which men so feare adore detest Is but a chaunce whose cause vnknow'n doth rest Although oft times the cause is well perceiu'd But not th' effect the same that was conceiu'd Pleasure nought else the plague of this our life Our life which still a thousand plagues pursue Alone hath me this strange disastre spunne Falne from a souldior to a chamberer Careles of vertue careles of all praise Nay as the fatted swine in filthy mire With glutted heart I wallowed in delights All thoughts of honor troden vnder foote So I me lost for finding this sweet cupp Pleasing my tast vnwise I drunke my fill And through the sweetnes of that poisons power By steps I draue my former wits astraie I made my frends offended me forsake I holpe my foes against my selfe to rise I robd my subiects and for followers I saw my selfe be set with flatterers Mine idle armes faire wrought with spiders worke My scattred men without their ensignes strai'd Caesar meane while who neuer would haue dar'de To cope with me me sodainely despis'de Tooke hart to fight and hop'de for victorie On one so gone who glorie had forgone Lu. Enchaunting pleasure Venus sweete delights Weaken our bodies ouer-cloud our sprights Trouble our reason from our hearts out chase All holie vertues lodging in thir place Like as the cunnig fisher takes the fishe By traitor baite whereby the hooks is hid So Pleasure serues to vice in steede of foode To baite our soules thereon too liquorishe This poison deadly is alike to all But on great kings doth greatest outrage worke Taking the roiall scepters from their hands Thence forward to be by some stranger borne While that their people charg'd with heauie loades Their flatt'rers pill and suck their mary drie Not rul'd but left to great men as a pray While this fonde Prince himselfe in pleasur's drowns Who hears nought sees noght doth nought of a king Seming himselfe against himselfe conspirde Then equall Iustice wandreth banished And in her seat sitts greedie Tyrannie Confus'd disorder troubleth all estates Crimes without feare and outrages are done Then mutinous Rebellion shewes her face Now hid with this and now with that pretence Prouoking enimies which on each side Enter at ease and make them Lords of all The hurtfull workes of pleasure here behold An. The wolfe is not so hurtfull to the folde Frost to the grapes to ripened frutes the raine As pleasure is to princes full of paine Lu. There nedes no proofe but by th' Assirian kinge On whom that Monster woefull wrack did bring An. There nedes no proofe but by vnhappie I Who lost my empire honor life thereby Lu Yet hath this ill so much the greater force As scarcely any do against it stand No not the Demy-gods the olde world knew Who all subdu'de could Pleasures power subdue Great Hercules Hercules once that was Wonder of earth and heauen matchles in might Who Anteus Lycus Geryon ouercame Who drew from hell the triple-headed dogg Who Hydra kill'd vanquishd Achelous Who heauens weight on his strong shoulders bare Did he not vnder Pleasures burthen bow Did he not Captiue to this passion yelde When by his Captiue so he was inflam'd As now your self in Cleopatra burne Slept in hir lapp hir bosome kist and kiste With base vnseemely seruice bought her loue Spinning at distaffe and with sinewy hand Winding on spindles threde in maides attire His conqu'ring clubbe at rest on wal did hang His bow unstring'd he bent not as he vs'de Vpon his shafts the weauing spiders spunne And his hard cloake the fretting mothes did pierce The monsters free and fearles all the time Throughtout the world the people did torment And more and more encreasing daie by daie Scorn'd his weake heart become a mistresse play An. In onely this like Hercules am I In this I proue me of his lignage right In this himselfe his deedes I shew in this In this nought else my ancestor he is But goe we die I must and with braue end Conclusion make of all foregoing harmes Die die I must I must a noble death A glorious death vnto my succour call I must deface the shame of time abus'd I must adorne the wanton loues I vs'de With some couragious act that my last day By mine owne hand my spots may wash away Come deare Lucill alas why weepe you thus This mortall lot is common to vs all We must all die each doth in homage owe Vnto that God that shar'd the Realmes belowe Ah sigh no more alas appeace your woes For by your greife my griefe more eager growes Chorus Alas with what tormenting fire Vs martireth this blind desire to stay our life from flieng How ceasleslie our minds doth rack How heauie lies vpon our back This dastard feare of dieng Death rather healthfull succour giues Death rather all mishapps relieues That life vpon vs throweth And euer to vs death vnclose The dore whereby from curelesse woes Our weary soule out goeth What Goddesse else more milde then she To burie all our paine can be What remedie more pleasing Our pained hearts when dolor stings And nothing rest or respite brings What help haue we more easing Hope which to vs doth comfort giue And doth our fainting harts reuiue Hath not such force in anguish For promising a vaine reliefe She oft vs failes in midst of griefe And helples le ts vs languish But Death who call on her at neede Doth neuer with vaine semblant feed But when them sorrow paineth So riddes their soules of all distresse Whose heauie weight did them oppresse That not one griefe remaineth Who feareles and with courage bolde Can Acherons black face behold Which muddie water beareth And crossing ouer in the way Is not amaz'd at Perruque gray Olde rusty Charon weareth Who voide of dread can looke vpon The dreadfull shades that Rome alone On bankes where sound no voices Whome with hir fire-brands and her Snakes No whit afraide Alecto makes Nor triple-barking noises Who freely can himselfe dispose Of that last hower which all must close And leaue this life at pleasure This noble freedome more esteemes And in his heart more precious deemes Then crowne and kinglie treasure The waues which Boreas blasts turmoile And cause with foaming furie boile Make not his heart to tremble Nor brutish broile when with strong head A rebell people madly ledde Against their Lords assemble Nor fearefull face of Tirant wood Who breaths but threats drinks but bloud No nor the hand which thunder The hand of Ioue which thunder beares And ribbs of rocks in sunder teares Teares mountains sides in sunder Nor bloudy Marses butchering bands Whose lightnings desert laie the lands Whome dustie cloudes do couer From of whose armour sun-beames flie And vnder
them make quaking lie The plaines wheron they houer Nor yet the cruell murth'ing blade Warme in the moistie bowels made Of people pell mell dieng In some great Cittie put to sack By sauage Tirant brought to wrack At his colde mercie lieng How abiect him how base thinke I Who wanting courage can not dye When need him thereto calleth From whome the dagger drawne to kill The cureles griefes that vexe him still For feare and faintnes falleth O Antony with thy deare mate Both in misfortunes fortunate Whose thoughts to death aspiring Shall you protect from victors rage Who on each side doth you encage To triumph much desiring That Caesar may you not offend Nought else but death can you defend Which his weake force derideth And all in this round earth containd Powr'les on them whome once enchaind Auernus prison hideth Where great Psammetiques ghost doth rest Not with infernall paine possest But in sweete fields detained And olde Amasis soule likewise And all our famous Ptolomies That whilome on vs raigned Act. 4 Caesar Agrippa Dircetus the Messenger Caesar You euer-liuing Gods which all things holde Within the power of your celestiall hands By whome heate colde the thunder and the wind The properties of enter chaunging mon'ths Their course and being haue which do set downe Of Empires by your destinied decree The force age time and subiect to no chaunge Chaunge all reseruing nothing in one state You haue aduaunst as high as thundring heau'n The Romaines greatnes by Bellonas might Maistring the world with fearefull violence Making the world widdow of libertie Yet at this day this proud exalted Rome Despoil'd captiu'd at one mans will doth bend Her Empire mine her life is in my hand As Monarch I both world and Rome commaund Do all can all foorth my command'ment cast Like thundring fire from one to other Pole Equall to Ioue bestowing by my word Happs and mishappes as Fortunes King and Lord No towne there is but vp my Image settes But sacrifice to me doth dayly make Whither where Phaebus ioyne his mourning steedes Or where the night them weary entertaines Or where the heat the Garamants doth scorch Or where the colde from Boreas breast is blowne All Caesar do both awe and honor beare And crowned Kings his verie name doth feare Antony knowes it well for whome not one Of all the Princes all this earth do rule Armes against me for all redoubt the power which heau'nly powers on earth haue made me beare Antony he poore man with fire inflam'de A womans beauties kindled in his heart Rose against me who longer could not beare My sisters wrong he did so ill intreat Seing her left while that his leud delights Her husband with his Cleopatre tooke In Alexandria where both nights and daies Their time they pass'd in nought but loues and plaies All Asias forces into one he drewe And forth he set vpon the azur'd waues A thousand and a thousand Shipps which fill'd With Souldiors pikes with targets arrowes darts Made Neptune quake and all the watry troupes Of Glauques and Tritons lodg'd at Actium But mightie Gods who still the force withstand Of him who causles doth another wrong In lesse then moments space redus'd to nought All that proud power by Sea or land he brought Agr. Presumptuous pride of heigh and hawtie sprite Voluptuous care of fond and foolish loue Haue iustly wrought his wrack who thought he helde By ouerweening Fortune in his hand Of vs he made no count but as to play So feareles came our forces to assay So sometimes fell to Sonnes of mother earth Which crawl'd to heau'n warre on the God to make Olymp on Pelion Ossa on Olymp Pindus on Ossa loading by degrees That at hand strokes with mightie clubbes the might On mossie rocks the Gods make tumble downe When mightie Ioue with burning anger chaf'd Disbraind with him Gyges and Briareus Blunting his darts vpon their brused bones For no one thing the Gods can lesse abide In deedes of men then Arrogance and pride And still the proud which too much takes in hand Shall fowlest fall where best he thinkes to stand Caes. Right as some Pallace or some stately tower Which ouer-lookes the neighbour buildings round In scorning wise and to the starres vp growes Which in short time his owne weight ouerthrowes What monstrous pride nay what impietie Incenst him onward to the Gods disgrace When his two children Cleopatras bratts To Phaebe and her brother he compar'd Latonas race causing them to be call'd The Sunne and Moone Is not this follie right And is not this the Gods to make his foes And is not this himselfe to worke his woes Agr. In like proud sort he caus'd his hed to leese The Iewish king Antigonus to haue His Realme for balme that Cleopatra lou'd As though on him he had some treason prou'd Caes Lidia to her and Siria he gaue Cyprus of golde Arabia rich of smelles And to his children more Cilicia Parth's Medes Armenia Phaenicia The kings of kings proclaming them to be By his owne word as by a sound decree Agr. What Robbing his owne country of her due Triumph'd he not in Alexandriae Of Artabasus the Armenian King Who yeelded on his periur'd word to him Caes. Nay neuer Rome more iniuries receiu'd Since thou ô Romulus by flight of birds With happy hand the Romain walles did'st build Then Antonyes fond loues to it hath done Nor euer warre more holie nor more iust Nor vndertaken with more hard constraint Then is this warre which were it not our state Within small time all dignitie should loose Though I lament thou Sunne my witnes art And thou great Ioue that it so deadly proues That Romaine bloud should in such plentie flowe Watring the fields and pastures where we go What Carthage in olde hatred obstinate What Gaule still barking at our rising state What rebell Samnite what fierce Phyrrhus power What cruell Mithridate what Parth hath wrought Such woe to Rome whose common wealth he had Had he bene victor into Egypt brought Agr. Surely the Gods which haue this cittie built Steadfast to stand as long as time endures Which keepe the Capitoll of vs take care And care will take of those shall after come Haue made you victor that you might redresse Their honor growne by passed mischieues lesse Caes. The seelie man when all the Greekish Sea His fleete had hid in hope me sure to drowne Me battaile gaue where fortune in my stede Repulsing him his forces disaraied Himselfe tooke flight soone as his loue he saw All wanne through feare with full sailes flie away His men though lost whome none did now direct With courage fought fast grappled shipp with shipp Charging resisting as their oares would serue With darts with swords with pikes with fiery flames So that the darkned night her starrie vaile Vpon the bloudy sea had ouer-spred Whilst yet they held and hardly hardly then They fell to flieng on the wauie plaine All full of soldiors ouerwhelm'd with waues
The aire throughout with cries grones did sound The sea did blush with bloud the neighbour shores Groned so they with shipwracks pestred were And floting bodies left for pleasing foode To birds and beasts and fishes of the sea You know it well Agrippa Ag. Mete it was The Romain Empire so should ruled be As heau'n is rul'd which turning ouer vs All vnder things by his example turnes Now as of heau'n one onely Lord we know One onely Lord should rule this earth below When one selfe pow're is common made to two Their duties they nor suffer will nor doe In quarell still in doubt in hate in feare Meane while the people all the smart do beare Caes. Then to the end none while my daies endure Seeking to raise himselfe may succours find We must with bloud marke this our victory For iust example to all memorie Murther we must vntil not one we leaue Which may hereafter vs of rest be Ag. Marke it with murthers Who of that can like Cae. Murthers must vse who doth assurance seeke Ag. Assurance call you enemies to make Cae. I make no such but such away I take Ag. Nothing so much as rigour doth displease Cae. Nothing so much doth make me liue at ease Ag. What ease to him that feared is of all Cae. Feared to be and see his foes to fall Ag. Commonly feare doth brede and nourish hate Cae. Hate without pow'r comes commonly too late Ag. A feared Prince hath oft his death desir'd Cae. A Prince not fear'd hath oft his wrong conspir'd Ag. No guard so sure no forte so strong doth proue No such defence as is the peoples loue Cae. Nought more vnsure more weak more like the winde Then Peoples fauour still to change enclinde Ag. Good Gods what loue to gratious prince men beare Cae. What honor to the Prince that is seuere Ag. Nought more diuine then is Benigntie Cae. Nought likes the Gods as doth Seuerity Ag. Gods all forgiue Cae. On faults they paines do lay Ag. And giue their goods C. Oft times they tak away Ag. They wreake them not ô Caesar at each time That by our sinnes they are to wrath prouok'd Neither must you beleeue I humblie praie Your victorie with crueltie defile The Gods it gaue it must not be abus'd But to the good of all men mildely vs'd And they be thank'd that hauing giu'n you grace To raigne alone and rule this earthly masse They may hence-forward hold it still in rest All scattered power vnited in one brest Cae. But what is he that breathles comes so fast Approching vs and going in such hast Ag. He seemes affraid and vnder his arme I But much I erre a bloudy sword espie Cae. I long to vnderstand what it may be Ag. He hither comes it 's best we stay and see Dirce. What good God now my voice will reenforce That tell I may to rocks and hilles and woods To waues of sea which dash vpon the shore To earth to heauen the woefull newes I bring A. What sodaine chance thee towards vs hath broght Dir. A lamentable chance O wrath of heau'ns O Gods too pittiles Caes. What monstrous hap Wilt thou recount Dir. Alas too hard mishap When I but dreame of what mine eies beheld My hart doth freeze my limmes do quiuering quake I senceles stand my brest with tempest tost Killes in my throte my words ere fully borne Dead dead he is be sure of what I say This murthering sword hath made the man away Caes. Alas my heart doth cleaue pittie me rackes My brest doth pant to heare this dolefull tale Is Antony then dead to death alas I am the cause despaire him so compelld But soldior of his death the manner showe And how he did this liuing light forgoe Dir. When Antony no hope remaining saw How warre he might or how agreement make Saw him betraid by all his men of warre In euery fight as well by sea as land That not content to yeeld them to their foes They also came against himselfe to fight Alone in court he gan himselfe torment Accuse the Queene himselfe of hir lament Call'd hir vntrue and traitresse as who sought To yeeld him vp she could no more defend That in the harmes which for hir sake he bare As in his blisfull state she might not share But she againe who much his fury fear'd Gat to the tombes darke horrors dwelling place Made lock the doores and pull the hearses downe Then fell she wretched with hir selfe to fight A thousand plaints a thousand sobbes she cast From hir weake brest which to the bones was torne Of women hir the most vnhappy call'd Who by hir loue hir woefull loue had lost Hir realme hir life and more the loue of him Who while he was was all hir woes support But that she faultles was she did inuoke For witnes heau'n and aire and earth and sea Then sent him word she was no more aliue But lay inclosed dead within her tombe This he beleeu'd and fell to sigh and grone And crost his armes then thus began to mone C. Poore hopeles man D. What dost thou more attend Ah Antony why dost thou death deferre Since Fortune thy professed enimie Hath made to die who only made thee liue Sone as with sighes hee had these words vp clos'd His armor he vnlaste and cast it off Then all disarm'd he thus againe did say My Queene my heart the griefe that now I feele Is not that I your eies my Sunne do loose For soone againe one tombe shall vs conioyne I grieue whome men so valorous did deeme Should now then you of lesser valor seeme So said forthwith he Eros to him call'd Eros his man summond him on his faith To kill him at his nede He tooke the sword And at that instant stab'd therwith his breast And ending life fell dead before his feete O Eros thankes quoth Antony for this Most noble acte who pow'rles me to kill On thee hast done what I on mee should do Of speaking thus he scarsce had made an end And taken vp the bloudy sword from ground But he his bodie piers'd and of red bloud A gushing fountaine all the chamber fill'd He staggred at the blow his face grew pale And on a couche all feeble downe he fell Sounding with anguish deadly cold him tooke As if his soule had then his lodging left But he reuiu'd and marking all our eies Bathed in teares and how our breasts we beate For pittie anguish and for bitter griefe To see him plong'd in extreame wretchednes He prai'd vs all to haste his lingring death But no man willing each himselfe withdrew Then fell he new to cry and vexe himselfe Vntill a man from Cleopatra came Who said from hir he had commaundement To bring him to hir to the monument The poore soule at these words euen rapt with ioy Knowing she liu'd prai'd vs him to conuey Vnto his Lady Then vpon our armes We bare him to the Tombe but entred not