Crowne A piece of policie which time will proue The barb'rous Persians borne with stubborne mindes Who but for pouertie first followd you Their matchlesse worth in armes all Asia findes Their feare is fall'n vpon all Nations now But if you suffer them in such a sort T' enrich themselues with plenteous Lidiaes spoile Not able then their Conquest to support The Victor of the vanquisht gets the foile For this will make them wealthie out of measure Wealth to confusion many a Countrie leades Whilst feebled with delights in-vilde with pleasure No thought of honour harbours in their heads Then Cyrus strait approuing what he spake His souldiers from their pillage were restraind Pretending first the tenth part for to take As a rich offring for the Gods ordaind Of our distresse this is the ruthfull storie A stranger is possest of this Prouince Our King hath with the losse of all his glorie Bought breath a while a poore thing for a Prince Chor. O wofull people O vnhappy King Our ioyes are spoyld his happinesse expyrde And no new chance can any comfort bring To either now whose fall the Fates conspyrde Goe wofull messenger hold on thy course For to haue heard too much it yrks our eares We euer must bewaile thy sad discourse Accented with sighs and poynted with teares Exeunt Croesus WHat needs me more of my mishap to pause Though I haue tasted of afflictions cup Yet it may be the gods for a good cause Haue cast me downe to raise a thousand vp And neuer let a Monarch after me Trust in betraying titles glorious bates Who with such borrow'd feathers rashlie flee Fall melted with the wrath of greater states O had this pretious wit enrich'd my mind Which by experience I haue dearely bought Whilst fortune was within my court confind And that I could not thinke a bitter thought Then satisfide with Soueraignties earst prou'd I had disdain'd new dangers to imbrace And cloath'd with maiestie admir'd and lou'd Had liu'd with pleasure and had dide in peace Yet it is wonderfull in any state To see a worldling prosper and not prowd But chieflie we whose fortunes grow so great It 's hard for vs to haue our high thoughts bowd What could the world afford or man affect Which did not glad my soule whilst I was such Who now am past the compasse of respect Plagu'd with prosperitie clog'd with too much Long luld asleep with scornefull fortunes lyes A slaue to pleasure drown'd in base delights I made a couenant with my wandring eyes T' haue entertain'd them still with pleasant sights I held not from my heart none of her wishes But wallowing in vaine-glorie this worlds toy Still seru'd with daintie but suspitious dishes My soule was sick with pleasure faint for ioy There wanted nothing that might help to ease me All did diuine my will ayme at my though And striue to do that which they trow'd would please me Which if I but allowd no more was sought What euer come of me was held of waight My words were ballanc'd and my lookes were marked Those whom I grac'd were had in honour straight All speeches in my praises were imbarked I in magnificence exceld all Kings Whilst drowsie in securitie I slumbred My coffers still were full of pretious things My treasure infinite could not be numbred I reard rare buildings all embost with gold Made ponds for fishes forrests for wild beasts And with transported fancies vncontrold Oft spent the day in sport the night in feasts I seem'd t' vsurp the powre that earst was Ioues And of the Elements the course would change For stately fountaines artificiall groues These were so common they were not thought strange With me what more could any Monarch craue In all the parts of pomp none could compare My minions gallant my counsellours graue My guards were strong my concubines were faire Yea ere my state was cast vpon this shelfe I wanted nought that could with seeming merites Breed wonder in the world pride in ones selfe For to puffe vp the flesh and spoile the spirits Thus pressing with delight the grapes of pleasure I quafft with Fortune still sense-pleasing vines Till drunke with wealth and riotous out of measure I card not to consume all Tmolus mines Then wearie to be well and tir'd of rest T' engender discord I th' occasion sought Yet for to cloake th' ambition of my brest Did with deuotion long disguise my thought I send of all the Oracles to inquire What was to come of this intended warre Who said as seem'd to second my desire That I a mightie Monarchie should marre Those doubtfull words I wresting to my will In hope t' expugne th' impertous Persians powres Did ruine quite whilst all succeeded ill What many a age had conquer'd in few howres And this most wondrous is because most strange I who disdain'd an equall of before What cannot Fortune do being bent to change Must a Superior now serue and adore What eye not fraught with scorne my state surueyes Whom Fates haue forc'd for to o're-liue my shame And in mine enemies danger for some dayes But borrowd with the intrest of my fame Though this sweet gale of life-bestowing windes Would seeme a fauour so it seemes to some Who by the basenesse of their muddie mindes Shew of th' ignoble multitude they come I scorne vnlike my selfe for to be seene Though to my comfort this appeard to tend As if that all misfortunes past had beene A Tragicke entrie to a Comicke end Of all that plague my state the greatest pest It is base life that faints from th' earth to seuer And hath in one vnited all the rest To make me die each day and yet die neuer Life in my breast no comfort can infuse An enemies gift could neuer come for good It but giues time of miserie to muse And bathe my sorrowes in a bitter flood Ah! had my breath euanish'd with my blisse And closde the windowes that giue light to life I had not apprehended as it is The height of my mishaps that now are rife Whilst with a thousand sighes I call to mind The death of Atis and mine owne decay My sprite in such perplexitie I find That to liues passage I would faine make way But since I see reseru'd for further spight I with sad thoughts must burden yet my soule My memorie t' a melancholious spright Of all my troubles shall present a scroule Of which while as th' account I go to cast Th' enormities still numbring of my fate I 'le whiles looke back vpon my pleasures part And by them ballance my now haplesse state CHORVS IS' t not a wonder for to see How by experience each man reedes In practiz'd volumes pen'd by deeds Th' inconstant courses that there bee Yet whilst our selues continue free We ponder oft but not apply That pretious oyle which we might buy Best with the price of others paines Which as what nought to vs pertaines To vse we will not condiscend As if we might
re-enforced his troupes comming forwarder to fight with greater force then before was enformed how his wife had died in prison whose death he bewaild with exceeding great sorrowe And vnderstanding what courtesie Alexander had vsed towards her he sent to sue for peace not for any feare of his force but allured as he alledged by his courtesie This sute being likewise reiected he fought beside Arbella with no better Fortune then before Yet for all these misfortunes being of an inuincible courage and dispayring of peace he re-assembled all his forces which were augmented by the comming of the Bactrians was comming forward with intention at last either to die or preuaile But in the meane time two traiterous subiects of his owne to wit Bessus whom he had promoted to be gouernour of Bactria Nabarzanes one in speciall credite with him conspired his death VVhich danger though it was reuealed to him by Patron Captaine of the Greekes yet he could not or rather would not eschue At length those two traitours tooke and bound him with golden chaines and cast him in an olde Chariot with purpose to present him to Alexander But they hearing how he would not accept their present and how he was comming to inuade them threw their darts at Darius and left him for dead In this estate he was found by Polistratus and after the deliuery of some fewe words dyed Alexander hauing exceedinglie lamented his miserable and vndeserued end directed his bodie to his mother Sisigambis to be honourably buried The persons names that speakes Darius Sisigambis his mother Statira Re. his wife Statira Virg his daughter Tiriotes their Eunuch Nabarzanes two traitours Bessus two traitours Patron Captaine of the mercenary Greekes Nuntius Alexander Parmenio his Lieutenant Hephestion his Minion Polistratus a souldier Artabazus a noble man of Persia Chorus all Persians The Scene supposed in Babilon THE TRAGEDY OF DARJVS Actus Primus DARIVS WHat thundering power grow'n jealous of my state With such hostilitie my troupes o're-throwes And arm'd with lightning breathing flames of hate Big with disdaine high indignation showes Whil'st sooth'd with selfe conceits asham'd to doubt In greatnesse shadowe I securelie slept Lo change-affecting Fortune wheeles about And ruines all that me from ruine kept Thus I whose onlie name amaz'd my foes Whom th' earth ador'd as Monarche once ouer all Am so degraded now and sunke in woes That who admir'd my might admire my fall Ah then indeed I fell when gallants stood And Phoenix-like renew'd their life by death Who hauing seald their force and faith with blood Would rather die then draw a borrowed breath Yet I but then not I view'd not aveng'd Those monstrous mountaines of my subjects slaine Although my conscience hath my courage cleng'd And knowes what valour was employ'd in vaine Through greatest dangers death I did pursue Till heapes of slaughtred bodies bar'd my way And chang'd my Chariot to a scarlet hue Ere wounded honour could be drawne away O how I enuy yet their happie Ghostes Who died whil'st hope of victorie remain'd And in the presence of two famous hostes Left bloodie recordes that they died vnstain'd Shall I suruiue that soule-ouerwhelming shame To be th' eternall staine of Persians praise No rather let me die and let my name Be quite exstinguish'd with my hatefull dayes Starre-bosting Babilon blush to behold One cald thy King surmounted and abated How may thy Towrs but tremble when it 's told Thy Prince entreats whome Princes earst entreated Not vassal-like I will not yeeld to this Were all my Empire to a period come Yet none shall vaunt that euer I was his Hartes holding courage are not all o're-come This tongue inur'd still to command doth scorne To breath base words to scape a minutes paines Let them obey who to obey were borne For Darius this indignitie disdaines Since I was once iudg'd worthie to command Shall I returne to be a base entreater No whil'st a sword yeelds homage to this hand I le not acknowledge in the world a greater Braue spirites who now possesse the pleasant bowers And glorious gardens of th' Elisian plaine For if deserts may moue th' infernall powers That happie shade your shadowes must containe Those fields where-as your praises are set forth Do burie but your bodies not your fame Men shall adore the relickes of your worth And reare immortall Trophees to your name I le sacrifize as incense to your soules His dying sighes and sorrowing parents teares Who now while none his insolence controules Our conquer'd ensignes in his triumphe beares For it may ease your Ghostes to heare his grones Whil'st th' earth ouer-burdend sends rebounding back A plaintife Echo from the woods and stones To sound through all the aire his armies wrack Why spend I speaches to disturbe your rest What idle disputations do I hold A mightie furour hath enflam'd my brest And burnes me till I be aueng'd seuen-fold Did I that strong Cadusian first affront Who durst aduance himselfe to braue our bandes Then turn'd applauded and in high account Charg'd with his spoiles the honour of my hands And could I then all kinde of doubt remoouing Aduenter only to an Armies shame And should I now that auncient praise disprouing With squadrons compast loose that glorious name Blinde fortune O thy stratagems are strange Thou wrak'st my greatnes wound'st mine honour to And hauing made my state the stage of change Hast acted all inconstancie could do Lo I who late of swarming troupes did bost Am spoil'd of all in whome I then repos'd And those imprison'd whome I fancie most Are to th' insulting victours pride expos'd O torment but to thinke death to beleeue That any may command my deerest part And wretched I notable to releeue The Iewell of mine eye ioy of my hart Deere obiect of my thoughtes my life my loue Sweete source of my delights my one my all Bright Image of excellencies aboue What do'st thou breath and com'st not when I call And can I be and not be where thou art Hath heauen the force me from thy face to barre Or are my hands growne traitors to my hart That they should shrinke from doing what it dare O could my minde but distribute a space These emulating thoughts that tosse my brest Among those pointles Cyphers that spend place Then I alone might animate the rest Since in this great disgrace I chanc'd to fall Now nothing rests to rase my fame forlorne But to doe desperatly and hazard all I le liue with praise or by my death flie scorne Some prosperous issue afterward may purge This crime with which th' euent would burthen me This crime that carries with it selfe a scourge No greater torment than the want of thee But what hope rests to re-obtaine that treasure Which auaritious tyrants once possesse Another now disposes at his pleasure Of all my wealth how can I looke for lesse Now not till now I deeme my state in danger When I imagine how my best belou'd Must
might perish entring at my port Yet for all this were I expos'd alone Th' accursed obiect of heauens plaguing-armes I should not thinke I had iust cause to mone When I but waild mine owne not others harmes Ay me on those whom more then life I loue The state-disturbing blastes of Fortune fall Yet each of them some seuerall sorrowes moue But wretch I suffer ship-wracke in them all I suffered when I sawe Oxatres slaine My louing sonne and most entirelie lou'd dy'd in Darius when he try'd in vaine What fates would doe yet still their hatred prou'd Ah doe the destinies extend my breath For further euill O extreame crueltie To vse so many instruments of death Against one burthend with calamitie Yet Ioue if this may dis-en-flame thine ire Let all thy lightning light vpon mine head To be consum'd with a celestiall fire Some comfort were since that I must be dead Stat. Reg. Leaue mother these immoderate laments To me the very source and seate of sorrowe Whose dayes are burthen'd with so sad euents That hell it selfe may of my torments borrow Loe the deere Lord and treasure of my thought Whose presence I my Paradice esteem'd To such a headlong praecipice is brought That with the world his glorie dead is deem'd Ah on what prop can I repose my trust When first the greatnesse of his state I ponder Next how his Diademe drencht in the dust Was Fortunes Trophee and all Asias wonder He whose imperious speach the world respected And as an oracle had in regarde Now vanquish't and contemptiblie neglected Can scarcely as a supplicant be heard And yet I know this more his minde afflicts Then doth the ruine of his rigall state That him my sight another interdicts Who am the soueraigne of his soules conceat Shall he pure quintessence of my best part Then onely testifie the loue he beares No by mine eyes I will distill my hart And for his sake dissolue my selfe in teares Would God my breast like Cristall were transparent That all the world might see my sinceare minde And that my loyall thoughts were all apparent Whose great affection cannot be confinde They haue imprison'd onely my poore eies And banish'd them from th' obiect of their ioy My firie hart with winged fancies flies And where thou goest doth still my steps conuoy Thy Queene is such as whilst thou draw'st this aire In counting ciptiues men may still accept her For whilst thou liust how can thy spouse dispaire Whom thou prefer'st euen to thy soule and scepter Yet flatter I my selfe that am accurst The apprehension which with griefe I cherish Of thy mishap may serue to make me burst Ah ah I faint I feele my spirits perish Sis Help help allace allace the Empresse falles Sta. Virg. O dolefull day of darknes world of woes Sis This greeuous spectacle my spirite appalles Heauen earth and all are now become our foes Sta. Virg. I may more iustly mone then any other Whose eares haue heard the hard hap of my father Whose eies behold the anguish of my mother Whom both do loade with all the woes of either Stat. Reg. What inhumaine humanity is this With such a cruell pittie to oppresse To bring pale ghostes backe from the fields of blis Yet to be plung'd in th' Ocean of distresse O vnkinde kindenesse that by sauing slayes And would with louelesse loue my loue controule Ah of this odious Sunne th' unhappie rayes Doe cleere mine eyes but to confound my soule Sisi Deare daughter striue your passions to restraine Least that the torrent of your greefe grow such That it both carie you to'agroundlesse maine And him o'rewhelme for whom ye mourne so much No doubt but he if we rest captiues thus Disdaining these indignities of ours T' auenge himselfe in re-obtaining vs Will hazard all his Orientall pow'rs But ah what comfort can a wretch afforde Whose care-worne bread the word of wo containes Yet though my hart would faine impugne my worde I hope-lesse speake of hope t' appease her paines Stat. Reg. Such consolations now came not in season Since we must hold our greefe the greatest good Dissemble not your sorrow we haue reason Yea to sigh out our sprites and weepe our blood Sis I waile my sonne Stat. Reg. And I my husbandes fall Sta. Virg. I waile my father and in him vs all Sis No woe like mine mine cannot be releeu'd I waile his woe who should my woe asswage Who liues by me by whom I should haue liu'd Sport of my youth and piller of mine age Stat. Reg. No wo like mine who faithful to my pheere For loue of him all others had forsaken But what a pheere my selfe or one more deere Yet from my selfe my selfe by force am taken Stat. Virg. No wo like mine who borne a Monarkes childe Thought that my birth good hap should heape vpon me Yet all my expectations are beguil'd And what I hop'd in most hath most vndone me Sis I mourne for him who in my womb was form'd St. Reg. I mourne for him in whō loue me transform'd Stat. Virg. I mourne for him by whom I formed was Sis Shall I not see my selfe in that cleere glasse St. Reg. Ah! shall I neuer in his ioy reioyce St. Virg. Ah! shall I neuer here his cheerefull voice Sis Would God frō death my death might him exeeme St. Reg. would God my life my liues life might redeeme St. Vir. Would God the life he gaue him life might giue Sis Must these gray haires my sons green youth suruiue Sta. Reg. I will preuent him and not liue to languishe Sta. Virg. Can I remaine behinde to liue in anguishe Sis But whiles our wretched state we iustly mone We may lament this infant too a space Who in mishap inferiour were to none If he could apprehend his tragic cace Sta. Reg. O then how can my hart but burst a-sunder Whom nature moues most to bemone his harmes I thinke I see the hostes of heau'n all thunder On me my spouse and this babe in my armes Deere image of my selfe in whom I liue Thy shape shames not the greatnesse of thy Syre But of thy birth cleere euidence doth giue Thy soure-sweete sight addes coales to my desire Thou that shouldst comfort most tormēt'st thou me Huge hostes of passions now my soule assembles O how I grieue and yet am glad to see Thee though not him whom thy sweet face resembles Goe beare this babe from hence a wound too deep Makes in my breast compassion of his part Yet let him stay I ioy to heare him weepe This motherly affection melts my hart Of many woes this last is not the least That vn-begun thy glorie must be ended Thy fortunes Sunne my Sonne set in the East While thy faire-rysing all the world attended Ah! must this innocent taste of mishap Whose tender age cannot discerne his state And be thus plagu'd yea in his nurses lap Inherite woe by birth Ah cruell fate If thou could'st hope what great hopes hast
accord That there can be a greater man than I While as I haue a heart a hand a sword An. Loe when prosperitie too much preuailes Aboue the iudgement thus of vulgar mindes As little barges burdend with great sailes They leape aloft being swolne with fortunes windes And as aduersitie the sprite refines From out the drosse of pride and passions base That vertue in affliction cleerest shines And makes one all the waies of wit to trace So good successe doth make the iudgement die Then whilst the fortunate their ease doe take And lulld asleepe in Pleasures meadowes lie As fatted for the slaughter ripe to shake Yet this the nature is of gallant men To rest being in no state too much inuolu'd When prospring best most warie and humble then If crossd then more couragious and resolu'd What though your first attempts renowned are By which you in two fields victorious stoode And did orethrow two thunderbolts of warre That lost their liues amidst a scarlet flood Yet is that course of victorie controlde And you haue tride what force your force exceedes Then let not wither'd Laurels make you bolde As still reposing on your by-past deedes For by the same t'an indignation mou'd The Macedonians all abhorre your name That at that time so prowde a conquerour prou'd And with their great mens slaughter wing'd your fame Eum. No fortune past so puffes vp my conceit That it contempt of further danger brings Nor am I so deiected now of late But I intend to doe farre greater things He by prosperitie made neuer prowde That knowes the frailtie of this earthly frame Can hardly by aduersitie be bowd The Sunne although eclipsd remaines the same Thinke not that worth consists in the successe As th' essence did on th' accidents depend The fault of fortune makes it not the lesse On which oft-times the hardest happes attend For Fortune beares not still the badge of worth Nor miserie the signes of gallant mindes Which yet still like themselues are sparkeling forth In euery state some tokens of their kindes Now at this time o're-match'd by numbrous powres I kept my courage though I lost the field And vaunt no more of it for some few howres May once to me the like aduantage yeelde And it 's not long since that to Fortune deere The world had neuer me but victor spide Though I protest before th'immortalls heere Moou'd by Necessitie and not by Pride Prowd Neopolemus that traitor still Not worthy of a Macedonians name Bent to betray the hoste and me to kill Had labord long to his eternall shame But of Craterus I lament the fall Whom for his vertue I did deerely loue And was constrain'd I Ioue to witnes call For my defence that last refuge to proue Ant. How fortun'd you your forces to dispose So well t' auoyd that storme of threatned harmes For then you had to deale with mightie foes That were in warre growne hoarie vnder armes Eum. When faithlesse Neoptolemus did spie That all his treason was t' our knowledge brought To th' enemies camp he sodainely did flie A foolish traitor that was false for nought There he informde or mis-informde my foes That haughtie through my victories of late I in my tent did carelesly repose Though not by force yet to b' orecomd by fate And further then t' Antipater he told That if the Macedonians at that time The countnance of Craterus might beholde They willingly would yeelde themselues to him Now they had labord earnestly before That I abandon would Perdiccas part And did protest that they would giue me more Than yet I had or hop'd for in my hart But Loue borne free cannot be thrald nor bought More than a shamefull peace I likde iust strife To generous mindes more deere than honour nought And ere I leaue my faith I le lose my life Thus being despair'd that I would proue their friend They sought in time t' orethrow me as their foe Where loue could not beginne that hate might end And came in haste bent to surprise me so But I that knew Neoptolemus-his slight Did him against the Macedonians bend And to conceale Craterus from their sight T' encounter him causde troupes of strangers tend This policie which none could iustly blame I with my selfe in secret did conspire And had my shirt bin priuie to the same It should haue bin an offring to the fire When once that the first game of death was past I Neoptolemus did toile to finde And he me too which happned at the last Two will do much to meet being of one minde Then whilst we met for whom both th' armies warr'd Whose fortune then depended on our hands All was performd that force or furie dar'd Bent by reuenge t' abate each th 'others bands And yet the heauens would not betray my trust Foule treason neuer had a fairer end The gods smilde on my cause because t' was iust And did destruction to the traitor send For forcde by him whose force he did despise Though fighting fiercely long he lost his breath As one more strong than true more stowt than wise Whose greatest honour was his honest death But weakned with huge woundes almost I diu'd In seas of blood being quite from knowledge straide Yet by so great a victorie reuiu'd My courage grew more than my strength decaid I hauing finisht thus this fatall strife Came where Craterus nere his course had runne Euen in the confines placde twixt death and life Whilst th' one was gone and th' other not begunne He with great valour had resisted long As all Briareus hands had moou'd his sword And did his Maisters memorie no wrong Being with his courage not his fortune stor'd What life refusde t' obtaine by death he sought For life and death are but indifferent things And of themselues not to be shund nor sought But for the good or th' euill that either brings With endlesse glorie bent t' exchange his breath Of desprate valour all the powre was prou'd And for great Captaines no more glorious death Then to die fighting with a minde vnmou'd When this daies toiles were drawne vnto an end Whilst th' armies courage with their captaine fell That I might safely shew my selfe a friend I went where death his senses did cancell And whilst I told how both to be betraid By Neoptolemus were brought about My woe with teares I to the world bewraid Milde pittie and true kindnes must burst out Ah if the newes of this my good successe Had comd in time vnto Perdiccas eares He might haue liu'd their pride now to represse That by his fall were first deuorcde from feares Ant. The humour of that man was too well knowne Could he haue parted other men from pride That was becomd a slaue vnto his owne And for the same forcde by his followers dide Eu. The prowd must stil be plagu'd by prowder ones There must be had sharp steele to smoothe rough stones An. No vice than pride doth greater hate procure Which foes doe
should be likewise partners of the gaine But if against our sute his eares he barre And do with scornfull words contemne our claime Then may our Messenger denounce the warre And we shall shortly intimate the same Ptol. A mutuall band must made amongst vs be To make one fortune common to vs all And from hence-forth we must all fowre agree To stand together or together fall And since the princely buds for which we car'd How euer dead are dead what ere we doe T' engender so towards vs the more regard We with the state must take the title too And we must both be crown'd and knowne forkings The Diadem is greatnesse strongest towre All vulgar iudgements leane on th' outward things And reuerence state where they obey but powre Exeunt Nuntius Philastrus Chorus IS there a heauen and are their heauenly powers To whose decree terrestriall things are thrall Or striues the tirant that begets the howers To triumph ouer eternitie and all Lo nature trauells now being big with change Since mortalls all humanitie haue lost And in th' old Chaos or some masse more strange To re-entombe their essence all things bost Can reasonable soules from reason barr'd Euen striue which most in crueltie exceeds What eye hath seene or yet what eare hath heard Such monstrous accidents prodigious deeds Th' Arrabian robbers nor the Scithians wild That with the sauage beasts as barbarous haunt With such foule facts haue not themselues desil'd As those that of ciuilitie do vaunt Since Grecians are growne barbarous as we finde Where can faith haue a corner free from spot O carelesse heauens wretch'd earth Cho. What loads thy minde Nun. Amultitude of murders Cho. What Nun. What not Cho. We know that since our soueraigne lest to breath Th' earth hath been bathde with many a scarlet flood Perdiccas did procure Meleagers death And his owne souldiers drown'd his breath with blood Th' Athenians prey Leonatus did remaine And by Eumenes subtiltie dismayde Craterus and Neoptolemus were slaine Then by his owne Eumenes dide betraid Phil. Man with his skill against his knowledge striues Where death his way attends that way he tends And t' Atropos the fatall rasor giues To cut the threed on which his life depends When th' Asian victour after all his warres To visit Babilon had bent his mind Both I and others studious of the starres Did shew that there his ruine was design'd To his successours too we oft haue showne The meanes by which their fate might be controld Yet was our skill contemnde and they ore-thrown As we fore-told and as they now haue told Nun. They haue told much and yet I must tell more Their newes were euill yet were they not the worst Cho. And haue the heau'ns reseru'd mo plagues in store As if we yet were not enough accurst Nun. As th' earth in pride the heauens in plagues abounds Our highest hopes haue perisht but of late Cho. Then wound our eares by hearing others wounds That pittie now may tread the steppes of hate Nun. Our Queene Olimpias rauisht by reuenge All Macedony did with murders fill Which from her part the people did estrange Whilst nought but rigour limited her will So that when fierce Cassander sought her wreake She did mistrust the Macedonians mindes And for the time the neerest strength did take There till the storme was past t' attend faire windes But soone Cassander did the towne enclose And as she held him out did hold her in That like a captiue guarded by her foes She knew not by what way a way to winne And when their lifes prouision did decay Then did bare walles but small refuge afford She Scilla scap'd to be Charibdis prey That fell on famine flying from the sword Strait like pale Ghosts faint souldiers did remaine Whose bowels hunger like a Harpie teares And with courageous words the Queene in vaine Did raise their spirit the belly hath no eares All then began to languish and to fade As if being tir'de to beare themselues about Legges fail'd the bodie and the necke the head Then whilst the flesh fell in bones bursted out And when that th' ordinarie meates were spent Then horses dogs cats rats all seru'd for food Of which no horror th' eater did torment For all that was not poison then seem'd good Some mouthes accustom'd once with daintie meates Wish'd what they oft had loath'd I le crums foule floods And Ladyes that had liu'd in pompous states Fed as brought vp with wolues amidst the woods Yea nurst by those whom they themselues had nurst Oft then by th' of springs death th' engendrer liu'd And which was worst whilst breasts were like to burst None comfort could for all themselues were grieu'd Such was their state no friend bewaild bis friend No wife her husband nor no Syre his sonne For apprehending their approching end All with compassion of them selues were wonne The dead mens smell empoison'd them that liu'd Whilst first made faint by a defrauded wombe Heapes were of breath and buriall both depriu'd That all the towne in end was but a tombe Cho. Life is the subiect of distresse and griefe That still ministers matters to bemone And onely but by death can haue reliefe To liue and to be wretch'd are both but one Yet foolish worldlings tossde with endlesse care Though at too deare a rate would still buy breath And following after feathers thrown through th' aire Like life though wretch'd more then a happie death Nun. When thus the world Olimpias plagu'd did spie All sought Cassander though for seuerall ends Cho. As from a pest all from th' vnhappy flie Th' eclipse of Fortune threatens losse of friends Nun. And she considering that she could not long Hold out the siege since vittailes were growne scant Did send as weake for peace t' intreat the strong Cho. What cannot time and trauell sometime daunt Nun. Then did Cassander know that need constrain'd Her so to bow as strangely being diseasde And though he her request not quite disdain'd Th' agreement was appointed as he pleasde For all the fauour that she could procure Was leaue to liue a priuate person still And yet of that she could not be made sure Which did depend vpon her enemies will Then whilst Cassander fought his enemies ends There wanted not strange troupes with him t' abide Yet might haue many followers and few friends Friends by the touchstone of distresse are try'd Nun. But though the Queene was rendred in this sort With protestation t' haue her life preseru'd The tyrant with her spirit could not comport But from his faith for her confusion sweru'd The Macedonians were togither brought There to consult what did concerne their Queene But when of them a number deepely thought Both what she was and what she once had beene Euen as Cassander had subborn'd them all Their parents came whom she had damn'd to death And did her rigour to remembrance call By which the multitude was mou'd to wrath Whilst from their
others if concealde His faults might breed me griefe but yet not shame Where lo now both through heauen earth reuealde Each standerous Theater doth his scorne proclame If heauenly soules diuinely liu'd aloft Th' inferior world would imitate them then But humaniz'd by hanting mortals oft Where men should grow like gods gods grow like men My painted Iris in her beauties pride Smiles not on Phoebus with so many hues As Ioue in diuers shapes himselfe can hide When he poore maides by Cupid spurr'd pursues He Danae in a golden showre deceiude And did a Swanne in Ledaes bosome light Then being a Bull Agenors daughter reau'd And Iö made a Cow to mocke my sight But would to god that with such wanton dames He still to sport would as with me remaine Not able then t' imbrace celestiall flames All like the drunkards mother might be slaine Then such a troupe as Rheaâ— bosome stores Would not hold him and me at endlesse iarres The heauens are pestred with my husbands whores Whose lights impure do taint the purest starres All iniuries are heauie to digest Yet th' actors greatnesse doth some griefe remoue Of whom to suffer wrong it shames one least If I were wrongde I would be wrongde by Ioue But ah this long hath tirraniz'd my breast A man a boy a shepheard yea and worse The Phrygian fire-brand the adultrous guest That first wrought wrong by fraud and then by force He he was he whose verdict mou'd me most Whilst it on Ida wrong'd my beauties right No wonder too though one all iudgement lost That had three naked goddesses in sight And yet I know were not his wandring eyes The Ciprian bribde by some lasciuious smiles My pompous birds in triumph through the skies Had borne the golde that oft her nimphes beguiles Am not I she whose greatnesse is admirde Whom Ioue for wife whom thousands court for loue Whom haughtie Ixion once t' imbrace desirde Yet with a clowde deluded did remooue What needed me a matter to submit Where my authoritie might haue auailde Whilst though I promisde wealth and Pallas wit Yet with a yong man Venus gift preuaild But how durst he t'ones pleasure thus giue place Where two contemnd their honour would repaire Is not our Sexe impatient of disgrace Of which there 's none but loues to be thought faire T' auenge my selfe no kinde of paine I sparde And made his greatest gaine his greatest losse As Venus gaue him Helen for reward I gaue him Helen for his greatest crosse Nor did he long her loue with ioy enioy Whose faithlesse flames his countrey did confound Whilst armies arm'd for her did Troy destroy And leuel'd Neptunes labours with the ground Whilst Simois seem'de to be a buriall field Whose streames as streetes were with dead bodies pau'd All Xanthus plaine as turnde t' a sea did yeeld A flood of blood from Heroes wounds receiu'd By brauing thousands once though much esteem'd By dust and blood deform'd of Hector slaine Nor like Patrocius by the sword redeem'd The bodie basely was bought backe againe Then by the same mans sonne that kild his sonne Th' old Priamus surprizde sigh'd forth his breath And being most harm'd where he for helpe had runne Whilst taking th' Altar taken was by death Though wrestling long t' auoide the heauens decree By th' enemies sword being parted from the light He that lâ—u'de Helen and was loath de by me Di'd as a sacrifice t' appease my spight Last hauing liu'd if miserie be a life T' entombe all hers that high mishaps had tride Though once being both nor mother then nor wife The fertile Hecub ' as being barren dide Thus by those meanes it would haue seem'd to some That my scornde beautie had bin highly vengde But whilst they were ore-com'd they did ore-come Since they for better states their states haue changde I in one part that people did confound But did enlarge their power in euery place Al warlike nations through the world renowned Now from the Phrygian ruines raise their race And yet two traitors that betraide the rest O heauens that treason thus should prosper whiles Of the Dardanian race did chance the best More happie then at home in their exiles Did not Antenor stealing through his foes Neere to the Euganian mountaines build a towne Of which some nurslings once shall seeke repose Amidst the waues and in the depths sit downe Their citie spousing Neptune shall arise The rarest common-wealth that euer was Whose people if as stowt as rich and wise Might boast to bring miraculous things to passe Then false Aeneas though but borne t' obey Did of a fugitiue become a King And some of his neere Tibers streames that stay Would all the world to their obedience bring Their rauenous Eagles soaring ouer all lands By violence th' imperiall prey haue wonne That bastard broode of Mars with martiall bands Haue conquerd both the mansions of the Sunne Their course by mountaines could not be controlde No Neptune could not keepe his bosome free Th' antartike heate nor yet the artike colde No limites to their legions could decree O of that cittie there could come no good Whose rising walles with more than barbarous rage The builder first bath'd with his brothers blood Which their prodigious conquests did presage That towne hath oft my soule with anguish filld Whose new-borne state oft triumpht ouer my wrath Like my olde foe that in his cradle killd The serpents that I sent to giue him death By Sabins Albans Tuscans oft assailde Euen in her infancie I tossde Romes state Yet stil Laomedons false race preuailde And angry Iuno could doe nought but hate Then when the gallant Gaules had vanquisht Rome That basely bought her libertie with golde A banisht man Camillus chauncde to come And her imballanc'd state redeemde of olde Great Hanniball our common cause pursude And made his bands within their bounds remaine With Consuls and with Praetors bloods imbrude At Thrasimene and at Cannes slaine In Romans mindes strange thoughts did feare infuse That did attend the taking of their towne But he that vanquish could not victory vse Was by their brasen destinie throwne downe O what a torrent of Barbarians once Inunding ouer the Alpes their walles did bost Whilst Teutons and the Cimbers bigge of bones Like giants marcht a more than monstrous hoste But though from vnknowne partes to ruine Rome I led those troopes that all the world admirde Yet did the tyrant Marius them orecome And I in vaine to venge olde wrongs aspirde By baser meanes I likewise sought her harmes Whilst Ianus church imported neuer peace I raisde vp abiect Spartacus in armes That neere eclipsde Romes glorie with disgrace Though I that all the world for help haue sought From Europe Affrike and from Asia thus Gaules Carthaginians and Cimbers brought Yet did the domage still redound to vs. Of heauen and earth I all the powres haue prou'd And for their wracke haue each aduantage watcht But they by forraine force could not be
base companions then to be compar'd With one that may consume such in his wrath Who as I please do punish and reward Whose words nay euen whose lookes yeeld life or death Sol. Sir be not thus commoo'ud without all reason Nor misconceiue my meaning as you do Those that speake freely haue no mind of treason I cannot be your friend and flatter to Vnto vs Graecians Sir the gods haue granted A moderate measure of a humble wit And in our Countrie there haue neuer wanted Some whom the world for wise men did admit And yet amongst vs all the greatest number Haue here dispair'd of any perfect rest Though some a while in Fortunes bosome slumber And to world-blinded eyes seeme to be blest Yet ouer all mortall states change so preuailes We alterations daily do attend And hold this for a ground that neuer failes None should triumph in blisse before the end I may compare our state to table-playes Where by dumbe iudges matters are decided Their many doubts the earnest mind dismayes The dice must first cast well then be well guided So all our dayes in doubt what thing may chance vs Time runnes away the breath of man doth chace it And when th' occasion come's for to aduance vs Amongst a thousand one can scarce embrace it When two by generous indignation mooued Would trie by sword whose glorie fame will smother Whilst valour blindly by th' euent is prooued And th'ones ouerthrow can onely grace the other O what a foole his iudgment will commit To crowne the one with vndeseru'd applauses Where fortune is for to giue sentence yet While bloody agents pleade such doubtfull causes This world it is the field where each man ventures And arm'd with reason resolutely goes To fight against a thousand misaduentures Both with externall and internall foes And how can he the victors title gaine That yet is busied with a doubtfull fight Or he be happie that doth still remaine In Fortunes danger for a small delight Th' abortiue course of man away fast weares Course that consists of houres houres of a day Day that giue 's place to night night full of feares Thus all things alter still all things decay Who flourish now in peace may fall in strife And haue their fame with infamie supprest The euening shew's the day the death the life And many are fortunate but few are blest Croes I see this Grecian of a simple spirite The which is capable of no great things Men but aduance him far aboue his merite He can not comprehend the States of Kings Fame did so largely of his worth report It made me long to haue him in my house But all my expectations are come short I thinke a Mountaine hath brought forth a mouse Exit Croesus Act. II. Scen. II. SOLON AESOPE Sol. THis king hath put his trust in trustlesse treasures Cloi'd with th' abundance of all worldy blisse And like a hooded hawk gorg'd with vaine pleasures At randon flies and wots not where he is O how this makes me wonderfully sorie To see him keepe this lifelesse wealth so straitly Whilst witlesse worldlings wonder at his glorie Which I not enuie no but pittie greatly Thus wormes of th' earth whose worst part doth preuaile Loue melting things whose shew the body fits Where Soules of cleerer sight do neuer faile To thesaurize the gifts of gallant wits Those worldly things do in this world decay Or at the least we leaue them with our breath Whereas the other makes vs liue foray So differ they as farre as life and death Aesop And yet what wonder though that he be thus Whose knowledge clouded is with prosp'rous windes Though this indeed seeme somewhat strange to vs Who haue with learning purifide our mindes Was he not borne heire of a mighty State And vsde with Fortunes smiles not fear'd for frownes Doth measure all things by his owne conceate Th' infirmitie that fatall is to Crownes He hath been from his infancy addicted To all the pompous showes wealth could deuise And still entreated neuer contradicted Now doth all libertie of speech despise Though I durst not so to his fight appeare Whose corrupt iudgement was from reason sweruing I grieu'd to see your entertainement here So far inferior to your owne deseruing That diuine Wisdom which the world admires And rauish'd with delight amazed heares Because it answer'd not his vaine desires Did seeme vnsauorie to distemper'd eares Eares that are euer stopt to all discourses Saue such as enter fraughted with his praises He can loue none but them that loue his courses And thinks all fooles that vse not flattring phrases This wracks the great and makes the heauens despight them Let vertue spread forth all her heauenly powers If not in their owne liuery to delight them They will not daigne her audience a few howers Sol. I care not Aesop how the King conceated Of my franke speeches which I euer vse I came not here till I was first entreated Nor being come will I my name abuse Should I his poysonous Sycophants resemble A hatefull thing to honest men that know it I would not for his Diadem dessemble What the hart thinks the tongue was made to show it And what if his vaine humor to haue cherish'd I had my speeches for the purpose painted I had but gotten gifts that would haue perish'd But nothing could haue cleer'd my fame once tainted If I had show'n my selfe toward him officious It would in end haue but procur'd my shame To haue our vertue prais'd by one that 's vicious This in effect is but a secret blame He thinks him simple who his anger raises But better simply good then doubly ill I neuer value my worth by others praises Nor by opinions do direct my will And it content's me more to be applauded By one of iudgement though of meane degree Then by a Prince of princely parts defrauded Who hath more wealth but not more wit then hee Aesop Who come to Court must with Kings faults comport Sol. Who come to Court should trueth to Kings report Aesop A wise man at their imperfections winks Sol. An honest man will tell them what he thinks Aesop So should you loose your selfe and them not win Sol. But I would beare no burden of their sin Aesop By this you should their indignation finde Sol. Yet haue the warrant of a worthy minde Aesop It would be long ere you were thus prefer'd Aesop Then it should be the King not I that er'd Aesop They guerdon as they loue they loue by guesse Aesop They guerdon as they loue they loue by guesse Sol. Yet when I merite well I care the lesse Aesop It 's good to be still by the Prince approued Sol. It 's better to be vpright though not loued Aesop But by this meane all hope of Honor failes Aesop Yet honestie in end euer preuailes Aesop I thinke they should excell as oft they do All men in wit that vnto men giue lawes Kings are the Center of the
I le tell a tale that may moue stones to teares My Father of the Phrigian Princes come Had in my growing age a tender care That all my education might become One whom he might for mightie hopes prepare As yet foure lusters scarcely had begun For to discerne my sex with downie cheekes When I into that Labirinth was runne Whence back in vaine the straying entrer sheekes I lou'd O fatall loue vnlouely fate The vertuouslie faire yet fairest Dame That euer was enshrin'd in soules conceat Or gaue a dittie to the sounds of fame Straight were my fancies to her beauties tyed None can paint passions but in feeling mindes I burnd freezd hopd dispaird and liud and dyed My actions chang'd as oft as th' Autumnes windes Yet after many doubtfull hopes and feares That I attaind the height of my desires She had subscrib'd a truce vnto my teares And temperd with encountring flames my fires For as she was the most affected Saint Whose image was erected in my thought She had compassion too of my complaint And to acquit my firme affection sought Thus whilst I triumphd in mine owne conceat As one whose loue his Ladie did preferre I was corriuald O vnhappie fate By one who lou'd but was not lou'd by her He looking as I look'd saw what I saw Saw Natures wonder and the worlds delight And as a blind god blind guide did him draw Still like a lizard liu'd but by her sight Then strait he striues the Iewell for to wonne Whose vnstaind worth he rates aboue his breath He hates the light that comes not from my Sunne And thinks to liue without her worse then death And this affection fauour'd was by Fortune Which seem'd to ratifie his high rear'd hopes The Nymph her parents dayly did importune For to confine his flying fancies scopes Now iudge if that my miseries were rife Who threatned thus with eminent mishap Was like to lose a deerer thing then life Whilst others striu'd my treasure to entrap The man that sought my ioyes to vndermine I could not wish for this t' haue him ouerthrowne Nor blame the sprite that sympathiz'd with mine I enuied not his hap but wail'd mine owne Now in my breast a battell did begin Which forc'd my soule with inward wounds to bleede Some fancies fear'd to what his loue might winne And possibilitie for to come speede Then others call'd her constancie to mind Which would not yeeld although she were inuaded Yet forc'd to feare the frailtie of her kind A woman that hath eares may be perswaded Thus toss'd with doubts into a deepe of wo Which with suspition had my ioyes supplanted I blam'd the thoughts that durst accuse her so As vertues patterne had one vertue wanted As I concluded so it come to passe Th' affliction seru'd for fuell to affection For she who th' ornament of women was Would neuer wrong her worth with a defection When in my absence they had oft assay'd To haue me from her memorie remou'd The Sunne burn's hottest when his beames are stay'd The more that they would let the more she lou'd And finding that delay no ende affords And that faire generals are th' abusers Arte She did repell him with disdainfull words To raze all thought of her out of his harte Loue is a ioy that vpon paine depends A drop of sweet drown'd in a sea of sowres What Follie doth begin oft Furie ends They hate for euer that haue lou'd for howres When all his arguments prou'd of no force Strait with disdaine his soule in secret bur'nd And what he thought was euill to make farre worse He vnto furour all his fauour turn'd As he extreamely lou'd farre more he hated And musde of many meanes how to annoy her Which was the best a long time he debated To see her dead or to see me enioy her What saith he when he first had musde a space So hard it is to quench a great affection Shall I disfigure that angelike face And make the world ecclypsde of all perfection Shall she by me be to confusion brought To whom I vowes and prayers did impart To whom I sacrific'd my secret thought And on her beauties altar burn'd my hart Or shall I see her in anothers powre And in his bosome lie t' vpbraid my losse Whilst both with scornefull smiles then death more sowre To poynt me out for sport report my crosse That sight which sometime did me sweetly charme Should it become a cause of griefe to me No none that liue's shall glorie in my harme Since she will not be mine she shall not be Th' unlouing Louer hauing vow'd her death Did with a cup of poison drowne my ioyes The fairest body from the sweetest breath Was parted thus O Ocean of annoyes That Monster Fame whose many mouthes and eares Must know but not conceale a rare thing long And prodigall of ill most chiefly beares The worst newes first inform'd me of this wrong For neighbouring neere the most vnhappy part That had been spoild of such a beeauteous guest No sooner had death seazde on the chaste hart Then sorrow on my eares to rob my rest How the sadde newes first sounded in my soule I will not wearie you with long laments Rage did the outward signes of griefe controule When great windes blow the fire the smoke worst vents Whilst generous disdaine disguisde my griefe As one transported with a mighty rage I ranne vnto the Theater of mischiefe A tragicke Actor for a bloody stage For I was come no sooner to the place Whereas I thought the Murtherer to haue found But I re'ncountred O vnhappie case Too deare a friend to catch an enemies wound Ah passions dim'd mine eyes wrath led my hand I was no more my selfe sorrow had kild me The first t' was night that did before me stand I fiercely did pursue as Furor willd me And as it chanc'd ere one could speake a word I filld his bosome with a luke warme flood And in his kind breast drown'd the cruell sword That in anothers body dranke my blood When as a Torch had partly robde the night Prowd of supposde reuenge ah bitter gaine I saw I knew blacke knowledge cruell sight T' was mine owne brother that my selfe had slaine O bitter losse that nothing can repaire My soule at once with all woes armie wounded Griefe rage spite shame amazement and despaire Gauld tossd burnd dashd astonishd and confounded The thought of my offence torments me most Yet am I whiles by my Loues verdict cleansde And whiles my brothers violated ghost By dreadfull dreames doth boast to be reuengde Croes Now whilst this great disaster did occurre What came of him who was the cause of all Adra. He hauing heard this lamentable sturre Whom selfe-accusing thoughts did guiltie call Srait strucken with a wonderful remorse I wot not whether feare or pitie mou'd him If not t' ore-liue her death or dreading worse He killd himselfe his conscience so disproou'd him Croes I grant the manner of so rare
for my offences Which once no doubt will with the world be euen And iudge our thoughts words acts and vaine pretences Sonne t' is my pride that hath procurde thy fall I 'm guiltie of thy blood I gaue the wound Which was thy death and whose remembrance shall My life each day with many deaths confound Then iniust Stars your statutes I contemne O! if I were confronted with the gods I would their partiall prouidence condemne That in such sort do exercise their rods Ah! my Sonnes death doth shew their iudgement naught What could he perpetrate against such Powres Should he haue suffred for his Fathers fault Whom without cause their wrong-spent wrath deuours Now all the world those deities may despise Which plague the guiltlesse and the guiltie spare Cease haples man t' outrage thy selfe thus waies I pardon thee and pitie thy despaire Adrast. O cruell iudgement of a rigorous fate Must I o're-liue my selfe t' entombe my Fame All things that I behold vpbraid my state Too many monuments of one mans shame All and no more then I my deedes detest Yet some not find a friend I find no foe To rid the world of such a dangerous pest Borne but to be an instrument of woe I know what makes all worthie mindes refraine The sword against a Catife for to stretch They this opprobrious office do disdaine To be the Deaths-men of so base a wretch Or must I yet a fouler fact commit And fill the world with th' horrour of my name Is there some new disaster resting yet And other funerals famous by my shame Or would some bastard thought lifes cause debate That in the blasted field of comfort gleanes No no in spite of heau'n I 'le force my fate One that 's resolu'd to die cannot want meanes Prowd tyrant Death and must thou make it strange Tinvolue my wearied soule in further strife Vnlesse my courage with my fortune change I can appoint a Period to my life But this Ay me all hope of helpe deuours What gaines my soule by death in those sad times If potent still in all her wonted powres She must remember of my odious crimes What though vnbodied she the world forsake Yet cannot from her conscience be diuorc'd It will but vexe her at the shadowie Lake Till euen to grone the god of ghosts be forc'd But welcome death and O would God I had Lesse famous or more fortunately liu'd Then had I neuer showne my selfe so mad T' haue only been by infamie suruiu'd Ah! haue I liu'd to see my Ladie die And die for me for me not worth so much Ah! haue I liu'd vnnaturall man to be My Brothers death whose loue to me was such Ah! haue I liu'd with mine owne hands to kill A gallant Prince committed to my charge And do I gaze on the dead body still And in his Fathers sight my shame enlarge Ah! haue I liu'd O execrable Monster To be accounted of a diu'lish nature And euen by them that best my actions conster For to be cal'd and iustly cal'd a Traitour Yet with my blood this staine away I 'le wash And lest my memorie make th' earth detracted Let my name perish in my bodies ash And all my life be as a thought vnacted Braue Atis now I come to pleade for grace Although thou frown'st on my affrighted ghost And to reuenge thy wrong this wound embrace Thus thus I toile t' attaine the Stygian coast Cho. The man himselfe doth desperately wound With leaden lights weake legs and head declinde The body in disdaine doth beate the ground That of his members one hath prou'd vnkinde The fainting hand falles trembling from the sword With this micidiall blow for shame growne red Which strait the blood pursues with vengeance stor'd To drowne the same with the same floods it shed Who of those parties can the combate show Where both but one one both strooke and sustaind Or who shall triumph for this strange ore'throw Whereas the Victor lost the Vanquish'd gaind Croes Cursde eies what sudden change hath drownd your lights And made your mirthfull obiects mournfull now Ye that were still inurde to stately sights Since seated vnder an Imperiall brow O'reclouded now with vapours of my cares Are low throwne downe vnto a hell of griefe And haue no prospect but my soules despaires The sad beholders of a rare mischiefe O dead Adrastus I absolue thy ghost Whose hand some secret destinie did charme Thou hated by the Heau'ns wert to thy cost An accidentall Actor of our harme No doubt some angrie God hath layd this snare And whilst thy purpose was the Boare to kill Did intercept thy shaft amidst the aire And threw it at my Sonne against thy will Ah Sonne must I be witnesse of thy death Who view thee thus with violence to bleed And yet want one on whom to powre my wrath To take iust vengeance for so vile a deed This wretch whose guiltlesse mind hath cleard his hand Grieu'd for his error loe vnforcd doth fall And not as one that did in danger stand For he liu'd still till I forgaue him all Thus haue I but the heau'ns on whom I may Powre forth the poyson of my troubled spirite In my soules bitternesse I 'm forcd to say This seconds not their custome and my merite Act. IIII. Scen. II. SANDANIS CROESVS WHy spend you Sir with sighs th' Imperious breath Which nought but words of Soueraigntie should breed O weake reuenge for one that 's wrongd by death T' adorne his triumph with a mourning weed This pale-fac'd tyrant author of our ill Who did t' ecclypse our Ioyes that blacke shaft borrow Should you frame Trophees to his Tigrish will And weare his liuery and succumbe to sorrow No though he might this outward blisse o're-throw And you saue you of all that 's yours might spoyle Yet whilst of one that yields no signe you show You triumph still and he receiues the foyle Th' o're-flowing humor that would drowne your soule In baser breasts might better be excusde Who want the sprite their passions to controule As from their birth still to subiection vsde But you in whom high Thoughts haue been innate To this decay how is your Vertue come I blush to see my Soueraigne so abated And Maiestie by miserie o'recome Nor are my words out of a rockie mind T' unnaturallize you as not feeling smart No none can barre a Prince from being kind Th' undoubted badge of an Heroick hart That supreme Powre by which great States do stand Should order but th' affection not vndoe it And I could wish you might your selfe command Which though you may not well yet seeme to doe it Croes I will not now rehearse t' enlarge my griefe On what iust reasons my laments are grounded But still will muse vpon mine owne mischiefe While as my soule a thousand wayes is wounded What pensiue pensill euer limm'd aright The sad conceats of soule-consuming woe Ah! words are weake to shew the swelling hight Of th' inward
of age Haue such a peerelesse beautie in his power And yet not seeke to quench his ardent rage With the destruction of her honours flowre Spare not to tell vpon what deadly shelfe My ioy is perish'd quite and I defac'd The feare of euill is worse then th' euill it selfe I'ts to die twise to die and die disgrac'd Ti. Let not those loue-bred feares abuse your thought By all the world no fable I contriue If I speake partiallie or lie in ought Earth open vp and swallow me aliue He whom your Grace so wrongfully suspects No not in thought hath once your Queene abus'd But as his sister still in all respects As chastlie and as honourablie vs'd When fortune first our warlike troupes had scattered And with great slaughter put them all to flight We whom she late so louingly had flattered Were made the patternes of that changlings might For hauing found a Crowne troad on the ground Dar. O lasting shame that cannot be recur'd Tir. We straight imagin'd that some cruell wound Had kild my Lord and wail'd it as assur'd Dar. Would God I then had died as I desir'd So t' haue preuented those ensuing harmes Before my honour and my hap expir'd With Crowne on head with my Queene in armes Tir. But Alexander hauing heard our cries Sent one t' enquire th' occasion of our woe Who finding whence our errour did arise Gaue full assurance that it was not so Then he himselfe vnto our tent resorted And with most courteous speaches full of loue Your mother wife and children oft exhorted Such vaine surmized terrours to remoue With protestation that they should expect No harme of him their courage to appale Each thing he did accordinglie direct That no man might endomage them at all Thus hauing them against all dangers arm'd I thinke for feare for who would not haue fear'd Least such an Angels graces had him charm'd He neuer more before her face appear'd Or was it vertue that would flie the sting Of trustlesse pleasures that abuse the sense So continent a victour and a king Was neuer seene He fled what caus'd offence He doth his fame aboue all things prefer And will not be where it may blemish finde Nor giue his eyes commoditie to erre Nor suffer impure thoughts to staine his minde He stai'd till that faire face had lost all vigour And with the coulours of pale death was painted Dar. Iniurious heauen that with such hellish rigour The purest worke that nature made hath tainted Tir. When he beheld death triumph in that face Which late had triumph'd ou'r a Monarcks hart He mon'd no lesse her miserable cace Then you that loste in her your better part And when some dayes his dolour had ou'r-come Her funerals solemnelie to decore He vs'd such honour as might well become The Persian pompe in prosperous times before Dar. O supreame pow'r that of Empires disposest And ratifiest thy will with fearfull thunder Who as thou pleasest placest and de-posest Vncertaine worldlings whiles aboue whiles vnder I pray thy Deitie in my soules distresse If that th' inhabitants of heauen can heare The plaints of those who this lowe point possesse Or that th' immortall can giue mortals eare Vouchsafe this my last sute for to fulfill Establish first this scepter in my hand But if through my deserving or thy will The race of Cyrus must no more command And if thy heauenly breast such hate contracts That I must needs my Diadem forgoe Let him succeed who prooues in all his acts So iust a Victour and so milde a foe ACTVS QVARTVS Scen. II. DARIVS ART ABAZVS NARBAZENES PATRON BESSVS Dar. IF Fortune had ioynd me with dastard mindes Who to a noble death base life prefer'd I should not harrengue heere vnto the windes But be content to haue my fate defer'd O I repent I proou'd your worth too much Who still haue follow'd me in all estates I rather should then doubt that you are such Prease to proue worthy of so worthie mates Yee onlie rest of all that I conducted Of whose great force and faith which many sing I by two fights and flights haue beene instructed Yet hauing you I thinke my selfe a King He hath plac'd traitours in my townes most ample Not that he honours them he hates their humour But to seduce you to by their example Then bannish all for euery little rumour Yee haue not to my Fortune had regarde But freelie-follow'd my euill fortun'd warres Which though that I might not Ioue would rewarde And all the world extoll you to the starres How long shall I a vagabond remaine And flie a stranger who my right would reaue Since by one battell we may re-obtaine All that we lost or loose all that we haue Like those vile traitours whom I will arraigne To holde me vp shall I goe cast me downe Must Darius onlie by entreatie raigne No none hath pow'r to take or giue my Crowne I shall not my authoritie sur-viue Nor will I proffer a submissiue breath My hand shall holde a scepter while I liue My head shall beare a Diadem till death If those franke thoughts that doe possesse my soule Such flames of vertue kindled haue in you A Macedonian neuer shall controule Our noble actes nor laugh to see vs bow My state may testifie fraile Fortunes change May she not him o're-whelme as well as me At least our hands beare death if not revenge For who can stop a stout hart for to die Thinke of your auncestors I you exhort Who made the Grecians tributaries euer And of whose wondrous actes men do report Great things the fame whereof shall perish neuer Shall future ages in your praise be dombe Whil'st they your Fathers memorie adore I am resolu'd my Triumphe or my Tombe A Laurell ora Cipresse shall decore Art What vaine amazement doth disturbe our spirits Let vs consult no further but goe to He who the Persians wonted worth inherites Will not rest long aduising what to doe Come let vs with our best attire and armes Accompanie our King to this last strife Through bloody squadrons and through hote alarmes By slaughter onlie we must looke for life And when our host as I hope shall preuaile Our countrie shall haue peace we praise of right And if our Fortune not our courage faile We die with honour in our Soueraignes sight Let vs if vanquish'd be asham'd to be A glorious death may greater honour giue Doe to o're-come and yet not feare to die It 's needfull that we fight not that we liue Na. My words will first your Maiestie displease Yet dutie makes me speake where silence spilles The fine Phisician cures a sharpe disease With some sowre potion that corruption killes The skilfull Pilote when he feares a storme To saue the ship will cast out precious things Yet I perswade you not in any forme To further but to stay what ruine brings We warre against the Gods we cannot speede To all our actions Fortune is oppos'd We must of
force some other way proceede So haue the heau'ns of our affaires dispos'd Deare Sir giue ou'r the gouernment and stile To some more happie man not in effect But cloth him with your shaddow for a while Till he your Realmes halfe ruin'd re-erect When he hath clam'd this tempest now so hote And setled Asia with a good successe He will your kingdomes lost with what he gote Restore appearance promises no lesse All Bactria yet abides at your command The Indians loe would die to doe you good Yea many thousand thousands armed stand Bent for your pleasure to bestow their blood What should we rush like beastes to needlesse strife Be well prepar'd and then pursue that stranger Braue mindes should death despise not lothing life Base cowards craue to die for feare of danger But vertue to haue no support ou'r past Will first on all meanes possible be thinking And when that all is proou'd death is the last To which it is ynough to goe not shrinking Now for the time let Bactria be our seat To Bessus for the forme your Crowne resigne Who when he once hath re-aduanc'd you state Shall quite all soueraigntie at the first signe Dar. Wretch trauellest thou thy soueraigne to betray Such treason darest thou to our eares impart Such treason vnder trust Stay traitour stay I le sheath my sworde euen in thy traiterous hart Art Sir you must striue to haue this passion broken Consider what they are what is the time It may be they through ignorance haue spoken In thought and not in word consists a crime Since to affront your enimie you goe You must not stirre for euery little obiect But tollerate your owne t' offend your foe For now i'ts time time to loue not lose a subiect I shall get triall vpon what pretence This ou'r-sight in aduise hath beene committed If through simplicitie not for offence He must be pardon'd and his speech remitted Dar. I wish that it were so I take no pleasure To ruine them that would my fortune cherish Na. Your grace wil grant me mercie in some measure First heare and if I faile then let me perish I call the Gods to witnesse of my cace Who can decipher euery secret thought If I intended treason toward your Grace Straight where I stand let me be turn'd to nought I counsel'd but according to my skill It was my vpright minde that made me bolde I rue my wit not answer'd to my will Yet zeale what it conceiues must needes vnfolde We should beware to speake in great affaires Where words are damn'd or ballanc'd by th' euent For if things faile the fault is still thought theirs Who gaue th' aduise though of a good intent I fall before your feete heere for refuge Then let me not be without cause reiected At least examine first before you iudge I le rather die absolu'd then liue suspected Dar. Your fond opinion first was to be feared Which seem'd indeede sinistriouslie inclind For at the first your speech to me appear'd Th' envenom'd birth of some malitious minde But since you purge you so I le not araigne you Not further call your loyalty in doubt But in the same degree of grace retaine you That you were in before these wordes brake out I thinke that Patron lookes with speaking eies As if his minde were mightily perplexed Come Patron tell what in thy bosome lies Wherewith thou seemest so wonderfullie vexed Pa. Sir I would speake in priuie If I could That which th' affection of my soule affordes It must be seal'd with silence and I would That none were present to report my words Of fifty thousand Greekes foure only rest Companions in all perils with your host Alike with you delighted and distrest As faithfull now as when you florish'd most Where you remaine we must remaine with you All kinde of fortunes haue vs ioyn'd together Appoint our tents for your Pauilion now And we will guard you if that you come thither We haue abandon'd Greece our natiue soile We haue no Bactria to be our retreat Our hope is all in you those that would spoile Vs of your person ruine all our state Would God that all your armie did their due To vse moe words th' occasion is not fit I should not vrge you if your owne were true Your custodie to strangers to commit Dar. What suddaine accident doth this dismay you That you such inconveniences forecast Pa. Sir Bessus and Narbazanes betray you This day to you or them will be the last They faine repentance onlie to dissemble Till euery thing be for the fact prepar'd Their friends in hast doe all their force assemble And once ere night minde to inuade your guarde Dar. I credite you but yet I cannot wrong My subiects so to thinke of them the worst Shall I leaue them who follow'd me so long By doing so to make my selfe accurst I will awaite on what the heau'ns will offer For who can stand when fates his fall conspire Among mine owne I willingly will suffer I liue too long if they my death desire Bes Take heede Sir to this subtile-witted Greeke The Graecian faith to all the world is knowne I am enform'd he by all meanes doth seeke To win his grace who hath your state o're-throwne And maruell not though mercenarie men Who sell themselues sell all beleeue them neuer They haue no God but gold nor house how then Can they be constant that are changing euer Although that he pre-occupie you thus And others who themselues abuse your Grace Faith shall be found inuiolate in vs When our accuser dare not show his face Dar. Who hope to haue of Alexander gaine Or honour to be false they haue no reason No man on earth doth traitours more disdaine Nor more seuearly will b' aueng'd on treason Bes Well Sir you shall see shortlie what we are I will goe see your Ensignes all displaied Dar. It 's better now since things are gone so farre Then seeme for to mistrust to be betraide Loe Artabazus I haue acted heere My part of greatnesse and my glasse is run Now Patrons speech doth euident appeare I see my end yet can it no way shun Art The Bactrians only medled haue with this Go to the Graecians campe when that is done And when your danger once divulged is The Persians all will follow after soone Dar. And what if I were gone to patrons Tent And guarded with the Greekes as you desire He hath but thousands foure that are well bent They thirty thousand that my fall conspire And doing this I should their deede excuse In giuing them a motion who haue might They may indeede my lenitie abuse But by my deede they shall pretend no right Art O deplorable Prince who can but weepe To see thee now reduc'd to this estate Dar. Retire you all and seeke your selues to keepe I heere attend the issue of my fate I knowe yee wonder all how I can stand Downe from the top of all contentment throwne And
with moe kings than other kings with men There as a god in all his subiects sights Which mirth with mourning I must still record He spent or lost a time in al delights That a successefull fortune could afford Till Thessalus for mischiefe but reseru'd Once to his house inuited him to dine Where false Cassander at the table seru'd And as he vsde with water mixt his wine Olym. Alas alas and so it proou'd in th' end But who could feare a benefited friend Rox. The creatures al esteemde of greatest worth That either are in th' earth the sea or th' aire In Persia Arabia or the Ind's brought forth That walke that swim that flie that grow were there Then when that reason drunke with pleasure slept Which all things did aboundantly afford And whilst that nought saue musicke measure kept With Ceres Bacchus onelie was ador'd But when the King beginning was to drinke As strangely moou'd he thundred forth a grone And from the table sodainly did shrinke As one whose strength was at an instant gone Then when he softly was t' a chamber led That Death a title to his bodie claimde The sorrowing souldiers swarmd about his bed With lookes once fierce then for compassion framde But he whome victorie had still arrayd This battell with the rest bent to make euen Did looke like one whome all the world obayd And boasted shortly then to take the heauen Then that he comfort might th' afflicted bands He stretcht them out to kisse respected partes More by the Sword than Scepter honord hands On which it seemde they melted all their harts Last vnto them those generous words he tolde Yet to my life my death doth bring no blot Thus to die yoong in yeeres in glorie olde Of all our familie it is the lot And since that no mo worlds now rest t' orecome It 's time to die I did an Empire found And liu'd and raignde it 's done for which I come Now my great ghost must goe beneath the ground Then hauing thus dischargde all debt of life He with a countnance constant euen in death As too victorious of that fatall strife All th' aire perfuming spent th' imperious breath But when that it once through the camp was known That from the world that world of worth was gone What anguish was it cannot well be showne I had my part yet had not all alone O let that day which makes my dayes all night Be registred amongst the dismall dayes Whose inauspicious and lugubrious light The world with some disaster still dismayes And Babilon curst be thy fatall towres Once seate of Monarches mistresse of all th' earth But from hence-foorth a slaue to forraine powres Still burden'd be thy bounds with blood and dearth Olimp. You need not vse those execrations more Though Babilon of breath that prince depriu'd Yet as an Oracle had told before In Macedonie was his death contriu'd T' Antipater t' was told how diuers times The king against him had beene mou'd to wrath And doom'd as guiltie of opprobrious crimes His sonne in law Lincestes vnto death And he had heard the king did strictly trie How his Lieutenants had their places vsde Still making all as traitours strait to die That had the same in any sort abusde Then he that priuate was t' his owne misdeeds Had learnd by others what he might exspect As whose ambitious breast in pride exceeds And alwayes did a soueraigntie affect But when Craterus was nam'd to his place And he in his requir'd the warres t' attend He thought that it was but a meanes t' embrace To plague his pride with a deserued end Then to preuent that which I thinke was still More fear'd by him then purposde by the king With guiltie thoughts best exercisde in ill He sought what might to death his soueraigne bring And this the traytor compassde at the last As I alas haue learnde although too late When to my sonne his sonne Cassander past As to congratulate his prosprous state Then in his companie he did retaine A poyson powrefull where it was imploy'd Whose violence no mettall could restraine But in a horses hoofe was still conueigh'd He and his brother then th' advantage watchde And for their prince a cup of poyson made Thus he that neuer was by th' enemies matchde Doth by the treason of his friends lye dead Rox. And could or durst those traytors be so bold The glory of the world to vndermine But ah Madam Antipater of old Against your greatnesse alwayes did repine And I remember on a time he sent A Messenger of minde to make you bow That to your sonne a letter did present Full of inuectiues to discredite you The king whilst reading what it did comprise Did with a scornefull smile t' Hephestion say In writing of such things he is not wise Which straight one mothers teare will wash away Olimp. My sonne indeed I many a time aduisde How that disloyall man striu'd to be great But as a womans wit mine was despisde And wrested still vnto the sense of hate Yet of my sonne I thought the deeds were such That t'admiration com'd they past enuy And that none durst his sacred person touch On which the daunted world did whole relye How oft haue I those bitter throwes allowde By which I brought that demi-god to light And well I might of such a birth be prowde That made me glorious in the peoples sight Though diuers too as I haue sometime knowne T' estrange his loue from me did wayes t' prepare Yet were their slights by duteous loue ore-t hrowne And I respected with a reuerent care His tender loue towards me was much extolde Then when he sought t' establish a decree That I amongst th'Imortalls might b' enrold And as t' a Goddesse honors done to me Ah how can I this tragicke time suruiue That lost a sonne so great a sonne so kinde And th' only meanes that make me now to liue Is with reuenge hope t' entertaine my minde Rox. His loue towards you no doubt behoou'd t' abound By nature parents of their owne are lou'd But those towards whom he by no bond was bound Of his humanitie the fruits haue prou'd His clemencie did make his state more sure Then all the terrors rising from his name Which whilst he liu'd did publike loue procure And after death a neuer dying fame Th' vnhappy Sisigambis taking heart Of her owne naturall sonne the death suruiu'd And t' Alexander did that loue impart The which was due to Darius whilst he liu'd But when the tidings wounded had her eares That from the world was robde that glory of men Then suddenly dissoulde in floods of teares She hated life as neuer spoilde till then And with her widdow'd-nephew at her feete That of Hephestion did the death bewayle Her soule amidst a sea of woes did fleet Whose forces as ouer-whelmde began to fayle Then barrde from food she groueling did abide Till that the course of life t'an end was runne Thus she suruiude
inestimable store That neither Time entombes nor Powre orethrowes O neuer were my thoughts enlargde till now To marke my selfe and quintessence my mind For long a prey to pride I know not how A mist of fancies made my iudgemcnt blinde As those that dreame sweet dreames awakt at last Do finde their errour when their eies finde light Freed from the slumbring of my fortune past I now arise to iudge of all things right That cloud of pomp whose smoke me shadowd once Loe now remoou'd vnmaskes my life too late And now I see that scepters crownes and thrones Are burdnous badges of a dangerous state O happy woman of true pleasure sure That in the countrie leadst a guiltlesse life From Fortunes reach retirde obscure secure Though not a Queene yet a contented wife Thy mate more deere to thee than is the light Though lowe in state loues in a high degree And with his presence still to blesse thy sight Doth scorne great courts whilst he liues courting thee And as thou woundst him not with hid disgrace He with no iealous thought torments thy breast Thus both lie downe to rest and rise in peace Then if they striue they striue who should loue best But though thou haue not as the mightie ones Thy necke surchargde with chaines ah chaines indeed Nor cares weighd downe with oriental stones Nor robes whole worth may admiration breed So wantst thou that which we haue euer had Sad miscontentments iealousie and spite And though thy backe be not with purple clad Thy thoughts are clad with innocencies quite As Birds whose cage of golde the sight deceiues Do seeme to sing whilst they but waile their state So with the mighty matcht made glorious slaues We happy seeme whilst we but curse our fate That blisse whose shew in vs vaine eies doe please Makes thee indeede a true contentment breathe Thou spendst thy youth in mirth thy age in â—ase And knowst not what it is to die till death Ah since I liu'd I haue done nought but die Still when I seemde most blest then most accurst Since on fraile greatnes first I did relie How oft hath my swolne breast bin like to burst The Fates with Fortune from my birth conspirde To make my life a patterne of their might For both my parents from the world retirde When I was scarcely com'd t' inioy the light The world may iudge how I was iustly grieu'd Whilst angry Philip sought for my disgrace A thing which once I scarce could haue beleeu'd And vnto Cleopatra gaue my place Then though I long as desprate of reliefe For his offence afflicted had my minde Yet did his sodaine death augment my griefe He was my husband though he was vnkinde And when my sonnes rare trophees and renowne With wonder filld the world and me with ioy Those as himselfe that striu'd to throw his downe Did to supplant my state their powres imploy Yet stoode my courage when my fortune fell And still I toilde distracted from repose Those that had him betrayd from th' earth t' expell And with their blood to register my woes And my designes a time so prosperd too That some of them did trie by torments strange All what a womans iust disdaine could do Whilst spurr'd by iealousie spite and reuenge But this arch-traitor ruler of the rest That thirsts to drinke the blood of all our race Euen then when my designe succeeded best Did compasse me with ruine and disgrace Such was the tenor of my fortune past Whose least mis-hap had made another burst First orphan'd widdow'd and vnchilded last A daughter wife and mother all accurst Heauens plague Cassander let that base wretch trie That Ioue his iudgement but a while deferres And let his wife bewaile as well as I I murderd for my sonne and she by hers Euen as th' incestuous Thehans monstrous brood So may thy sonnes contend with mutuall wounds And neuer let thy house be free from blood Till quite excluded from th' vsurped bounds Thus notwithstanding of my wonted powre To me saue wishes nothing doth remaine But though condemn'd to die yet at this houre Should I beginne to cursse and to complaine No no that custome best becomes poore soules Whose resolution cannot climbe more hie But I whose courage that base course controules Must still triumph what euer state I trie Death is an open hauen t' each storme-tossde minde Since th' end of labour th' entrie vnto rest Death hath the bounds of miserie confinde Whose sanctuarie saues th' afflicted best To suffer whiles with a couragious heart It merites farre more praise than deedes most knowne For in our actions Fortune hath a part But in our suffrings all things are our owne Loe now I loathe the world and worldly things Of which I haue both proou'd the best and worst Yea th' apprehended death great comfort brings And hath no crosse but that it should be forst O heare me now deare sonne if that thy ghost May leaue th' Elysian fields to looke on me Of all things else this doth content me most That from this time I may remaine with thee And blush not sonne to see thy mothers end My death in glory with thy life shall striue It Fortune as a captiue shall attend That as thy fellow followd thee aliue Exit Chorus AH ah though man since th' image of great Ioue And th only creature that giues Reason place Made to make faith below of powres aboue Should seeke his heauenlie progenie to proue By still resembling most th' immortall kinde Yet makes the world our better part so blinde That we the cloudes of vanitie imbrace And from our first excellencie decline This doth extinguish that celestiall grace Which should make soules to burne with vertues loue Whose fancies vice luxuriously now feastes Vice is the Circe that inchaunts the minde And doth transforme her followers all in swine Whilst poisond pleasures so corrupt our tates That of halfe-gods we make our selues whole-beasts And yet of ruthlesse Plutoes raging hoste The vice that doth transport presumptuous hearts And makes men from the gods to differ most T' is crueltie that to the sufferers cost And actors both must oftentimes b' appeasd The gods delight to giue and to forgiue By pardoning more than by plaging pleasde And why should men excogitate strange artes T' extend their tyrannie as those that striue To feede on mischiefe still though th' Author smarts Oft for the deede of which himselfe did boast Whilst whence the blow first come the griefe doth turne For that by which the minde at first was easde May it in end the greatest burden giue Oft those whose crueltie makes many mourne Do by the fires that they first kindled burne Of th' other tyrants that extort the minde With pleasure some delight it in such sort That first the honnie then the gall we finde And others though from Honours court declinde Some comfort yielde though base by hope of gaine And though some make vs to be loath'd of
one We by their meanes anothers loue obtaine But crueltie with which none can comport Makes th' author hated when the deede is gone Oft euen by those whom it did most support As that which alienates men from kinde And as humanitie the minde inchants So sauage soules that from the same resraine More fierce than fiercest beasts are lou'd of none With barbarous beasts one with lesse danger hants Than with the man whose mind all mercie wants Yet though the mind of man as strong and rude Be ranish'd whiles with violent desire And must if sir'd with rage be quench with blood How can this tender sex whose glorie stoode In hauing hearts iuclinde to pittie still Delight it selfe by any barbarous deede For Nature seemes in this t' haue vsde her skill In making womens mindes though weake entire That weakenesse might loue and deuotion breede To which their thoughts if pure might best aspire As aptest for th' impression of all good But from the best to worst all things do weare Since cruelties from feeble mindes proceed In breasts where courage failes spite shame and feare Make enuie hate and rigour rule to beare Our Queene Olimpias that was once so great And did such monstrous cruelties commit In plaging Philip and his Ladie of late Lo now being brought to taste the like estate Must take such entertainment as she gaue And it 's good reason that it should be so Such measure as we giue we must receiue Whilst on a throne she did superblie sit And with disdainefull eyes look'd on her foe As but being vanquish'd by her powre and wit Not mindefull of th' ineuitable fate O th' Imortalls that command aboue Of euery state in hand the rudder haue And as they lie can make vs stay or goe The griefe of others should vs greatly mooue As those that sometime may like fortune prooue But as experience with rare proofes hath showne Do looke on others we haue Linx his eyes Whilst we would haue their imperfections knowne Yet like blinde Moles can neuer marke our owne Such clouds of selfe-regarde doe dim our sight Why should we be puffde vp by a'cnemies fall Since what the day doth on another light The same the morrow may our state surprise Those that on this inconstant constant ball Do liue enuiron'd with th' all-circkling skies Haue many meanes whereby to be ore-throwne And why should dying wordlings swolne with wroth So tyrranize ouer an afflicted wight Since miseries are common vnto all Let none be prowd that drawes a doubtfull breath Good hap attends but few still till their death ACT. V. SCENE I. Aristotle Phocion LOng haue I now invr'd th' eyes of my minde On natures labors curiously to looke And of all creatures finding foorth the kinde Strange wonders read in th' vniuersall booke I marke the world hy contraries maintainde Whose harmonie doth most subsist by strife Whilst of all things within the same containde The death of one still giues another life But as all things are subiect vnto change That partners are of th' elementall powres So rould about with reuolutions strange The state of man rests constant but few howres For what doth fame more frequently report Then of our sodaine rising and our falls I thinke the world is but a tennis-court Where men are tossde by fortune as her balls Phoc. And neuer any age shewde more than this The wauering state of soule-ennobled wights That soare too high to seaze on th' ayrie blisse Whilst lowest falles attend the highest flights The matchlesse Monarch that was borne it seem'd To shew how high mortalitie attaines Hath not from death the adored flesh redeem'd But paine hath made an end of all his paines And these braue bands that furnisht fame with bâ—eath Whilst all the world their valorous deedes did spie Rest now confounded since their soueraignes death Like Poliphemus hauing lost his eye And they are like that teeth-ingendred brood That tooke their life out of a monster dead Whiles ech of them pursues for others blood Since the great Drag on s death that was their head Ari. So change all things that subiect are t' our sight Disorder order breeds and order it Next night comes darknes and next darknesse light This neuer changing change transcends our wit Thus pouertie and riches sickenesse health Both honour and dishonor life and death Do so depend on other that by stealth All goe and come as th' accidents of breath T'ech worldly state the heauens a height appoint Where when it once arriues it must descend And all perfections haue a fatall point At which excellencie it selfe must end But as all those that walke on th' earth are crossde With alterations happning oft and strange The greatest states with greatest stormes are tossde And sought of many must make many a change Nor speake I this by speculation now As gathring credit out of ancient scroules soules No I haue liu'd at court and I know how Ther 's nought on th' earth more vex'd then great mens soules Thral'd to the tirant honor whilst they mone Their plaints to subiects eares asham'd t' empart They must beare all the weight of woes alone Where others of their griefe lend friends a part Their rising vs aboue to such a height Which seems their best is worst whilst since being lords They neuer heare the truth that comes to light When franke societie speaks naked words Whilst sadnesse whiles seemes maiestie time tells How deere they buy their pompe with losse of rest Some faine three furies but in all the hells And ther 's three thousand in one great mans breast Phoc. I thinke all monarchies are like the Moone Which whiles eclipsd whiles vnder cloud whiles cleare Growes by degrees and is when full vndone Yet Aeson like renew'd doth re-appeare For so the first but smal begin to shine And when they once their spherick forme obtaine Do then begin to languish and decline Yet falne in other realmes doe rise againe Th' Assyrians once made many a nation bow Then next all powre was in the Persians hand And lo the Macedonians monarchs now Amongst themselues diuided cannot stand Arist A secret fate alternantly all things Doth in this circle circularly leade Still generation from corruption springs To th' end that some may liue some must be dead Each Element anothers strength deuours Th' ayre to the fire succumbes the fire to raine The water striues to drowne all th' earth with showres Which it by vapours vomites out againe Thus with a gordian knot together bound All things are made vn-made and made againe Whilst ruine founds perfection doth confound And norhing in one state doth long remaine But nought in th' earth more dangerously standes Than soueraigntie that 's rated at such worth Which like the stormie deities blustring bandes Doth flie from East to West from South to North. Ph. A long experience now makes this noght strange Though mightie states whose reines one onely leades Be whiles distracted and constrain'd to change As too
I insurrections feare from common wrath Yea if two talke apart of priuate things Straight I suspect that they conspire my death When suddaine rumors rise from vulgar smoake Whilst th'â—â—â—â— motions roule my restlesse eies I at each corner for ambushments looke And start astonish'd least some tumult rise When rising Titans beames renew th' earths toiles I still dispaire to re-enioy the night And when mine eyes th' all-couering darknesse spoiles I neuer looke t' enrich them with the light For when that light with darknesse makes a change To flatter mortals with a dreame of rest What ougly Gorgons what Chimeraes strange Do bost the little world within my breast Th' appointed time t' appease impetuous cares Doth double mine that view most when being blind I apprehen'd huge horrors and dispaires Whilst th' outward obiect not distract my minde What comfort of my conquests now remaines Where is the peace pursude by many a strife Haue I but taken paine t' abound in paines And sought by dangers for a dangerous life Is this the period of aspiring powers In promisde calmes to be most plagu'd by stormes Lurke poisnous serpents vnder fairest flowers And hellish furies vnder heauenly formes It will not greeue my gost below to goe If circumuented in the warres I end As bold Marcellus by Romes greatest foe That gaue his ashes honor as a friend Or like Epaminondas prosprous death O would to God I had amidst th' alarmes Being chargde with recent spoyles bin spoil'd of breath Whilst I toward Pluto might haue march'd in armes Yet t' end this life that nought but toyles affords I le pay to death the tribute that he owes Straight with my blood set some come die their swords My body shall be bar'd t' embrace their blowes But ah how haue the furies seaz'd my breast And poison'd thus my sprit with desp'rate rage That with their horrid serpents barr'd from rest Nought can imagin'd be my toiles t' asswage No Atropos yet spare my threed a space That ere I to the Stigian streames go downe I may of honor haue the highest place And if I fall yet fall beneath a crowne Whilst I would bend my eares t'applauding shoutes My thoughts diuided are within my breast And my tossde soule doth flote between two doubts Yet knowes not on what ground to build her rest The Senators they haue this day designde To shew the world how they esteeme my worth Yet do portentuous signes perturb my minde By which the heauens would point my danger forth The gods from me with indignation gone Haue charactred in euery thing my death And must both heauen and earth conspire in one To quench a little sparke of still-tossde breath My saftie would that I should stay within Till this disastrous day giue darknesse place But honor hunts me forward to begin To reape the glory of my painfull race And I le aduance in spight of threatned broyles For though the fates effect that which we dreame When death retires from forcing those fraile spoyles Though breathlesse I le be breath'd ouer all by fame Exit Chorus WHat furie ' is this that filles the breast With a prodigious rash desire Which banishing their soules from rest Doth make those liue that high aspire Whilst it within their bosome boyles As Salamanders in the fire Or like to serpents changing spoiles Their witherd beauties to renew Like Vipers with vnnaturall toiles Of such the thoughts themselues pursue That for all lynes themselues do square Whilst like Camelions changing hue They only feed but on the aire To passe ambition monstrous matters brings And saue contentment can attaine all things This actiue passion doth disdaine To match with any vulgar minde As in base breasts where terrors raigne To great a guest to be confinde It doth but loftie thoughts frequent Where it a spatious field may finde It selfe with honor to content Where reuerenc'd fame doth lowdest sound Those at great things that t' aime are bent Farre lifted from this lumpish round Would in the spheare of glory moue Whilst loftie thoughts which nought can bind All riualls liue in vertues loue On abiect preyes as th' Eagle neuer lights Ambition poisons but the greatest sprights And of this restles vultures brood If 't grow not to too great a flame A little sparke may whyles do good VVhich makes great minds affecting fame To suffer still all kinde of paine There fortune at the bloody game VVho hazard would for hope of gaine Were not burn'd by a thrist of praise The learned loe t' a higher straine Their wits by emulation raise As those that hold applauses deare And what great mind at which men gaze It selfe can of ambition cleare Which is being rated at the highest price A generous error a heroicke vice But when this frensie flaming bright Doth so the soules of some surprise That they can taste of no delight But what from soueraigntie doth rise Then huge affliction it affords Such must themselues so to disguise Prooue prodigall of courteous words Giue much to some and promise all Then seruile seeme to be made Lords Yea first being made to many thrall Must pittie impart if not support T' all those that crush'd by fortune fall And grieue themselues to please each sort Are not those wretch'd that ouer a dangerous snare Hing but by hopes being ballanc'd in the aier Then when they haue the port attainde That was through Seas of dangers sought They lo at last but losse haue gainde And by great trouble trouble bought There minds are married still with feares T' engender many a iealous thought With searching eyes and watching eares To learne that which they grieue to know The breast that such a burden beares What huge afflictions toyle t' orethrow Thus princes are as all perceiue No more exalted than brought low Of many a Lord to many a slaue That idoll greatnesse which th' earth doth adore Is conquerd with great paine and kept with more He that to this imagin'd good Did through his countries entrailes tend Neglecting friendship duety blood And all on which trust can depend Or by which loue could be conceiu'd Doth finde of what he did attend His exspectations farre deceiu'd For since suspecting secret snares His soule hath still of rest bin reau'd Whilst squadrons of tumultuous cares Forth from his breast extort depth grones Thus Caesar now of life despaires Whose hap his hope exceeded once And who can long well keepe an euill wonne state Those perish must by some whome all men hate ACT. V. SCENE I. Marcus Brutus Chorus Antonius Caius Cassius Marcus Tullius Cicero A Regenerous Romans so degenerd now That they from honor haue estrangde their hands And vsde with burdens do not blush to bow Yea though being broken shake not off their bands This glorious worke was worthy of your paine Whose best ye may by others dangers haue But what enchaunts you thus that ye abstaine That which ye should haue taken to receiue Where be those inundations of delight
anguish that o're-whelms me so Though many Monarchs iealously despise The rising Sunne that their declining staines And hate the Heire who by their fall must rise As grieu'd to heare of death or others raignes My loue towards Atis otherwise appeard Whom whilst for him I did my cares engage I as a Father lou'd as King not feard The comfort not th' encombrance of mine age And hadst thou Sonne as reason would suruiu'd me Who glauncd and vanish'd like a lightning-flash Then death of life could neuer haue depriu'd me Whilst such a Phaenix had reuiu'd my ash San. Let not these woes ecclypse your Vertues light Croes Ah! rage and griefe must once be at a hight San. Striue of your sorrows for to stop the source Croes These salt eie-floods must flow haue their course San. That is not kingly Croes And yet it is kindly Where passions do domine they gouerne blindly San. Such wofull plaints cannot repaire your State Croes Th' infortunate at least may waile their Fate The meanest comfort can t' a wretch retourne Is in calamine t' haue leaue to mourne San. What graue-browd Stoick voyd of all affections With teare-lesse eyes could that Youths death behold Though greene in yeeres yet ripe in all perfections A hoarie iudgement vnder lockes of gold No no man liues but must lament to see The worlds chiefe hope euen in his blossome choaked But men cannot controll the Heau'ns decree And mischiefe done can neuer be reuoked Then let not this torment your mind no more This crosse with you alike your Countrie beares If wailing could your ruinde State restore Soules fraught with griefe should sayle in Seas of teares Lest all our comfort dash against one shelfe And his vntimely end occasion yours Haue pitie of your people spare your selfe If not to your owne vse yet vnto ours Croes When Sandanis I first thy faith did find Thou diu'd so deepely in my bosorn then That since thou kept the key still of my mind And knew what I conceald from other men Behold I go to open vp to you Deare Treasurer of all my secrets still A mightie enterprise I mind for now A Phisicke in some sort t' asswage my ill Which may vnto my soule yield some reliefe And make me to forgoe sad thoughts content Or els acquire copartners in my griefe If not for me yet with me to lament Sand. This benefite must bind me with the rest To loue your Maiestie and wish you well I 'le giue you my aduise and I protest That you take friendly what I freely tell Croes Since that it hath not pleasde the Diuine powres That of my of-spring I might comfort claime Yet lest the rauenous course of flying howres Should make a prey of my respected name I hope t' engender such a generous brood That the vnborne shall know how I haue liu'd And this no doubt would do my ghost great good To be by famous Victories reuiu'd I 'le Eagle-like so are with Fames immortall wings Vnlesse my hie-bent thoughts themselues deceaue That hauing acted admirable things I may scorne death and triumph o're the graue Yet haue I not so settled my conceate That all opinions are to be despisde Vnfold your iudgement touching my estate Take heed I 'le tell you what I haue deuisde Some Scithian Shepherd in a high disdaine As I haue heard rehearst by true discourses To plague some of the Medes with endlesse paine Did entertaine them with Thiestes courses And to content their more then Tigrish wishes They with the infants flesh the parents fed Who not suspecting such polluted dishes Did in their bowels burie whom they bred Then after this abhominable crime They come vnto my fathers famous court And working on th' aduantage of the time Did as they pleas'd of what was past report They shew'd what seru'd to help and hid the rest Whilst pittie pleaded for afflictions part He noble-minded fauouring the distrest Was woon to them by this Sinonick art San. Oft Kings of Iudges thence haue parties gone Where both their eares were patent but to one Croes Then Ciaxare Monarch of the Medes To prosecute those fugitiues to death In indignation of my fathers deedes Did boast them both with all the words of wrath My father thinking that his court should be A sanctuarie for all supplicants Did leuie men that all the world might see He helpt the weake and scorn'd the mighties vaunts Thus mortall warres on euery side proclaim'd With mutuall domage did continue long Till both the armies by Bellona tam'd Did irke t' auenge or to maintaine a wrong It chanc'd whilst peace was at the highest dearth That all their forces furiouslie did fight A suddaine darkenes courtain'd vp the earth And violentlie dispossest the light I thinke for Phaeton the Sunne lookt sad And that the bloodie obiects that he saw Did wound his memorie with griefe gone mad He from the world his wagon did withdraw Yet Ignorance the mother of confusion With wresting natures course found cause of feares Which well edg'd on by wiser mens illusion Was cause of concord and of truce from teares Then straight there was a perfect peace begunne And that it might more constantly indure Astiages the King of Medias sonne A mariage with my Sister did procure A deadlie rancour reconcil'd againe Must seal'd with consanguinitie remaine Croes He since his fathers age-worne course was ended Hath rulde his people free from blood or strife Till now a Viper of his loynes discended Would by his ruine make himselfe a life I meane by Cyrus base Cambises brood Who by a Bitch nurst with the countrey swaines Degener'd farre from any princely blood The doggish nature of his nurse retaines He come against his Grandfather to feeld And vnexpected with a mightie powre Ouerthrew his forces forc'd himselfe to yeeld Who captiue kept now waits for death each howre That you may see now what my interest is I made recitall of this ruthfull storie Those circumstances shew that shame of his Tends to the derogation of our glorie That any dare presume to trouble thus One whome our kingdomes fauour should defend In strict affinitie combind with vs Yet not respected for so great a friend My ioylesse soule with this will be reioyc'd Whilst I to warre against that rebell go I hope that both shall know how they haue choyc'd Th' one a kind friend and th' other a fearce fo San. Though Natures law you car'd not to transgresse And this your wrong'd allye would not repare Yet the regard t' a Monarch in distresse Should moue the mightie with a mutuall care These terrours to that thunder in your eare I thinke the Lidians will not well allow For when the Cedar falls the Oake may feare Th' Assirians ore-throw may astonish you And when we see our neighbours house afire Then we may iudge our owne to be in danger It 's better first with others to conspire Or we be forc'd our selues t' inuade that stranger Ah this is but the out-side
the Heau'ns decree It 's to be feard those whom this Arte beguiles Do change their fate make their Fortune wheeles And loe of late what hath our King By his prepost'rous trauels gaind In searching each particular thing That Atis Horoscope containd But what the Heau'ns had once ordaind He could not by no meanes preuent And yet he labours to find out Through all the Oracles about Of future things th' vnsure euent This doth his rauing mind torment Now in his age vnwisely stout To fight with Cyrus but no doubt The Heauens are grieu'd for to heare told Long ere the time their hid intent Let Tantalus b' a terror to th' o're-bold That dare Ioues cloudy secrecies vnfold Act. V. Scen. I. CYRVS HARPAGVS Goe Let vs triumph o're these vnthron'd thralls Whose maymed greatnesse to confusion runnes Who forfeited their glorie by their falles No hand that fights is pure but that which winnes The rauisht world that fraught with doubts did stand To see the bloody end of this dayes toyle Saw how the Heau'ns placd lightning in my hand To thunder on all those that sought my foyle Now therefore let vs first deuoutly go And lose our vowes the gods detest th' ingrate And who delight t' adore their deities so Do neuer faile t' establish their estate Goe load the Altars smoke the sacred places With Bullocks Incense Odours of all kinds Though none can giue the gods that flow in graces A sweeter Sacrifice then thankefull minds Har. Though all that indenized in this Vale Walke here confinde within this fertile Round And are tapestred with this azure Pale T' adore the gods by many meanes are bound Yet there are some particularly I find Whose names are written in their dearest scrowles Whom extraordinary fauours bind Euen to prefer them to their very Soules Of which Sir you are one your deeds declare Of you amidst innumerable broyles Euen from your cradle they haue had a care And led you safe through all your greatest toyles Though of the dangers of your youth I see The thought no more with griefe your mind importunes Yet I thinke on who had the hap to be An Actor in your Tragick-Comick fortunes Cyr. The accidents that in our Nonage chance When as our yeers grow rype slide out of thought Like fabulous dreames that Darknesse doth aduance And are by Day disdaind as things of nought For our Conceptions are not then so strong As for to leaue th' impression long behind Yet mixe deare Friend old griefes new Ioyes among And call afflicted Infancy to mind Har. Who would not wonder at thy wondrous Fate Whose ruine ere thy Birth appeard conspir'd Who vnbegun seemd to expire that date Which now begun shall neuer be expir'd Your Mother first her Syre with cares did sting While as he dreamd which yet his soule confounds That from her wombe there did a Vine-tree spring Which did o're-shadow all great Asiaes bounds Then to the Magies strait he gaue in charge To trie what this strange Vision did presage Who hauing studied their darke Art at large Gaue this response with a prophetick rage That once his Daughter should bring forth a Sonne For glorious Acts exceedingly renownd By whom th' Empire of Asia should be wonne By whom his Grandfather should be vncrownd This to Astiages a terrour bredde Who labouring to anull the heau'ns decree Aduisde as best his Daughter for to wedde T' a powrelesse stranger but of base degree Then of Cambises he by chance made choyce And for his barb'rous Countries cause the rather Whom by your birth the Princesse did reioyce And further then before affright her Father Thus tyrannie by feeble sprites begun Doth force the Parents in despaire to fall A dastard to attempt prowd hauing wonne Which being feard of all doth still feare all And tyrants no securitie can find For euery shadow frights a guiltie mind This Monarch whom scarce Armies could surprise Whom gallant Guards and stately Courts delighted Who triumphd o're th' Earth threatned the Skies A Babe scarce borne come of himselfe affrighted And whilst Lucina the last helpe did make As if some vgly Monster had been borne A Minotoure a Centaure or a Snake The worlds terror and the Mothers scorne The Nephews birth that would haue seemd t' impart Vnto the Grandfather great cause of ioyes As if the naked hand had pierc'd his hart Did winde him in a maze of sad annoyes And to preuent a but suspected spight By giuing an occasion of iust hate He sought by robbing you the new-found Light To make your birth and burial of one date Soone after this he sent for me in hast Whom at that time and not in vaine he lou'd Then shewd me all the circumstances past Wherewith his marble mind seemd nothing mou'd Out of the which as he would let me know All complements of pittie were not blotted He would this superficiall fauour show Not with your blood to haue his owne hands spotted Thus hauing lulld asleepe the conscience still The wicked would extenuate their crimes Not knowing those that but allow of ill Are Actors in effect guiltie all times Yet with his fault he would haue burdend me And willd that I an Innocent should slay I promisde to performe his rash decree Well weighing whom but not wherein t' obay When I had parted from his Highnesse face And caried you then swadled with me too Through th' apprehended horror of my case I stood perplex'd and wist not what to do Necessitie tooke place I waild with teares Th' vntimely funeralls as I thought or you My soule confounded with a swarme of feares Did with sad sighes my message disallow Yet t' him I send a seruant of mine owne Who for the time was Heards-man to the King To whom I made all my commission knowne But as direct to him shew'd euery thing Deliuering you with an vnwilling breath Then with a mantle of pure gold array'd I threatned him with many a cruell death If that your death were any way delay'd Straight for to execute th' intended doome He from my sight did all astonish'd go Too great a charge for such a simple groome The shew of Maiestie amaz'd him so O what a wonder is' t for to behold Th' vnfailing prouidence of powrefull Ioue Whose brazen edicts can not be controld Firme are the statutes of the states aboue That mortall whom th'Immortalls fauour shields No worldlie force is able to confound He may securely walke through dangers fields Times and occasions are t' attend him bound For loe before the Herds-man was come home His wife of a dead burden was deliuered Who wondred so to see her Husband come That with a secret terrour faintlie shiuered She straight grew curious for to know the forme How he a Babe so beawtifull obtaind Who did her suddainly of all informe And to what crueltie he was constraind See quickly then th' occasion to imbrace No doubt inspir'd by some celestiall powre Prayd him t' expose her dead child in your
euen as if her soule had flowne in him She stabd her selfe then falling on her Lord Her beauties blubbered starres were waxing dim The faithfull Eunuchs for their Sou'raigne sorie And scorning to suruiue so rare a date In emulation of their mistresse glorie Dide violentlie partners of her fate O sweet Panthea rich in rarest parts I must admire thy ghost though thou be gone Who mightst haue made a monarchie of harts Yet loth'd vnlawfull loues and lou'd but one O wondrous wonders wonders wondrous rare A woman constant such a beautie chaste So pure a mind ioyn'd with a face so faire Beautie and Vertue in one person placde Both were well match'd as any could deuise Whose vndiuided end their choyce alowes He valorous she vertuous both wise She worthie such a mate he such a spouse And Harpagus lest that it should be thought The memorie of vertuous minds may dye Cause build a stately tombe with statues wrought Where their dead bodies may respected lye Har. I 'le raise a Piramide of Croesus spoyles Where all their famous parts shall be comprisde But how t' insist in these tumultuous broyles T' is best now Sir that you were well aduisde Your aduersarie doth attend your will This hautie citie humbled hath her crest And therefore go to pardon or to kill To saue or sack euen as you shall thinke best Cyr. Abstract for old Croesus I am else resolu'd He with some captiues which I keep in store Shall haue their bodies by the fire dissolu'd As offrands to the Gods that I adore This citie shall my souldiers paines defray Since by their force it hath been brought to bow I yeeld it vnto them as their iust pray Who taste the sweetnes of their trauels now Of other things we shall so well dispose That our renowne o're all the world shall shine Till Cyrus name b'a terrour to all those I That dare against his Sou'raigntie repine Act. V. Scen. II. NVNTIVS CHORVS AH to what part shall I my steps addresse The burden of base bondage to eschue Lo desolation ruine and distresse With horrour doth my natiue home pursue And now poore countrey take my last farewell Farewell all ioy all comfort all delight Chor. What heauie tidings hast thou for to tell That tear'st thy garments thus tell thy sad plight Nun. I tell the wrack of vs and all that liue Within the circuit of this wretched soyle Cho. A hideous shout we heard the Citie giue Is' t in th' enemies hands is' t made his spoyle Nun. It 's made his spoyle Cho. And is our Sou'raigne kild Nun. No but yet neerely scapt doth liue in danger Cho. Then let our eares be with disasters fild And must we beare the yoke of that prowd stranger Nun. You know how Croesus at th' aduantage lay Still seeking meanes t' abate the Persians pride And his confederates had assign'd a day When they should for th' intended warre prouide But Cyrus hauing heard how that they should Against his state so great an armie bring Straight raising all the forces that he could Preuents inuades o'recomes and takes our King Chor. This shews a Captaine both expert and braue Fiâ—st well t' aduise then t' execute with speede No circumstance friend vnrelated leaue Which with our Kings did our confusion breed Nun. When Croesus saw that Cyrus came so soone He stood awhile with a distracted minde Yet what time would permit left nought vndone But made his Musters march'd his Foe to find Our stately Troupes that glisterd all with gold And with vmbragious Feathers fann'd the ayre They with vnwarie insolence growne bold More how to triumph then to o'recome tooke care The Lidian Horsemen are of great account And are for valour through the world renownd Them Cyrus chiefly labourd to surmount And this deuise for that effect was found Vntrussing all their baggage by the way Of the disburthen'd Camels each did beare A grim-fac'd Groome who did himselfe array Euen as the Persian Horsemen vse to weare To them th' Infanterie did follow next A solide Squadron like a brasen wall But those in whom all confidence was fixt The braue Cauallerie came last of all Then Cyrus by the raynes his Courser tooke And being mounted holding out his handes With an assured and Imperious looke Went breathing valour through th' vnconquer'd bandes He willd all them that at Deaths game should striue To spare none of their foes in any forme But as for Croesus to take him aliue And keepe him captiue for a greater storme Where famous Hellus doth to Hermus poste In his broad waues t' entombe his strength and name Our Armie ran against a greater Hoste T' enrich it likewise with our force and fame Our Troupes a time with equall valour stood Till giuing place at length we tooke the chace While as the Riuer ranne to hide our blood But still his borders blusht at our disgrace For so soone as the Camels once were come Our Horses loathing to indure their sight Ranne raging backe againe and of them some Disordring rancks put many to the flight Yet others that were of more martiall mindes Perceiu'd the Stratagem that did deride them And lighting on their feet like mighty windes Bare downe before them all that durst abide them There whilst the world proou'd prodigall of breath The headlesse troncks lay prostrated in heapes This field of funeralls proper vnto death Did paint out Horror in most hideous shapes There men vnhorsde horses vnmastred strayed Some calld on them whom they most dearely tendred Some ragde some groand some sigh'd roard wept prayd Fighting fainting falling desp'rate maymde rendred Those that escapt like beasts vnto a Den Fled to a Fortresse which true valour drownes Walles are for women and the fields for men For Townes cannot keepe men but men keepe Townes And we were scarcely entred at the Portes When as the enemies did the Towne inclose And rearing many artificiall Fortes To the Defenders did huge paines impose There all the military slights werere found Which at the like encounters had preuaild Both for to vse th' aduantage of the ground Or for to helpe with Arte where Nature faild They euer compassing our Trench about Still where the Walls were weakest made a breach Which being straight repaird we threw tooles out And killd all those that came within our reach There all the bolts of death edgde by disdaine That many curious wits inclinde to ill Helpt by th' occasion and the hope of gaine Had powre t' inuent were put in practise still Yet as we see it oft times hath occurrde Where we suspected least we were surprisde Whilst fortune and the fates in one concurrde To haue our ruine in their rolles comprisde The side of Sardis that was least regarded Which lyes t'wards Tmolus and was thought most sure Through this presumption whilst t' was weakely guarded Th' orethrow of all Lidia did procure As one of ours vnhappily it chanc'd T' o're-take his helmet that had scapt his hand Alongst that
enough t' applaud our deede And sooth vs vp in all that we haue done Na. To haue the time and manner then praefixt Command the Bactrians all themselues to arme And to attend till we aduertise next Prompt for all perils at the first alarme Then through the Campe a rumour we will spread That hopelesse Darius hath dispairdlie gone With violence to dwell amongst the dead And seeme therefore excessiuelie to mone The Persians we with promises must feede So to disarme him of his natiue pow'rs Then we will apprehend himselfe with speede For while that he is free nothing is ours That we may seeme to vse him with respect As to the state of such a Prince pertaines We will not this last ornament neglect He shall be bound but bound with golden chaines To Alexander after we will send And offer Darius in his hands t' appease him Then craue his fauour that he will defend Vs as his friends who haue done all to please him If his good-will we cannot thus procure And he vs with extremitie pursue With Darius death we will our states assure Then raise fresh forces and the warres renue Bos Let vs henceforth for nothing be dismaide But striue our selues courageouslie to beare This dangerous action would not be delai'd Least time worke his assurance and our feare Exeunt CHORVS TYme through Ioues iudgement iust Huge alterations brings Those are but fooles that trust In transitory things Whose tailes beare mortall stings Which in the end will wound And let none thinke it strange Though all things earthly change In this inferiour rounde What is from ruine free The elements which be At variance as we see Eache other doe confound The earth and aire make warre The fire and water are Still wrestling at debate All those through colde and heate Through drouth and moisture iar No wonder though men change and fade Who of those changing elements are made How dare vaine worldlings vaunt Of fortunes goods not lasting Euils that our wittes enchaunt Expos'd to losse and wasting Loe we to death are hasting Whilst we these things discusse All things from their beginning Vnto an end are running Heauen hath ordain'd it thus We heare how heauen doth thunder We see th' earth burst asunder And yet we neuer ponder VVhat this imports to vs. Those fearfull signes doe proue That th' angrie pow'rs aboue Are mou'd to indignation Against this wretched nation VVhich they no longer loue What are we but a puffe of breath Who liue assur'd of nothing but of death VVho was so happie yet As neuer had some crosse Though on a Throne he sit And is not vs'd with losse Yet fortune once will tosse Him when that least he would If one had all at ones Hydaspes pretious stones And yellow Tagus golde All th' Orient all treasure And euery earthly pleasure Euen in the greatest measure It should not make him bold For while he liues secure His state is most vnsure VVhen it doth least appeere Some heauie plague drawes neere Destruction to procure We may compare th' earths glory to a flowre That flourisheth and fadeth in an houre In what we most repose We finde our comfort light The thing we soonest lose That 's precious in our sight For honour riches might Our liues im paund we lay Yet all like flying shadowes Or flowers enambling medowes Euanish and decay Long time we toile to finde Those idols of the minde Which got we cannot binde T' abide with vs one day Then why should we presume On treasures that consume Difficile to obtaine Difficile to retaine A dreame a breath a fume Which vexe them most who them possesse Who starue with store and famish with excesse ACTVS QVARTVS Scen. I. DARIVS TIRIOTES Tir. AH must I poyson now my Princes eares with the worst newes that euer burthē'd fame Had I as many tongues as I haue teares All would not serue my sorrowes to proclame Dar. Great signes of greefe I in thy face discerne Spare not for to report this heauie crosse To one I feare whome it doth most concerne I st death disgrace distruction treason losse Tell on the summe of honour at the first With no ambiguous words my paine prolong 'T is comfort to a wretch to know the worst And I haue learn'd to be vnhappy long What least I speake and yet suspect too much I st some ludibrious message of my skorne Which must wound me but ah no torment such As this to them who that disgrace haue borne Tir. She was not wrong'd as you haue misconceiu'd The Gods haue had a care for to preserue her Such fauour of the victour she receiu'd As of her subiects that were bound to serue her But what a vollie doth my voice prepare Of woes to charge your eares woes full of dread Would God ere I the somme thereof declare That I might die in saying she is dead Curst caitiue was it not enough allas That I beheld her die and would haue died But that I must arm'd with sad tydings pas To wound all them that heare what I haue spied See how he fares shot with these words of mine As one become the pray of greefe and death Dar. Yet doth the Sunne on my affliction shine And sees the aire infected with my breath And can I liue and looke them in the face That haue my ignominious o're-throw seene And how I vanquish'd vanquish'd with disgrace Engag'd at once my kingdome and my Queene Heauen bruse me all to powder with thy thunder That I no more may in the world remaine The obiect of thy wrath and Fortunes wonder Spoil'd of all hope yet kept for greater paine Ah! art thou dead and doe I lieu behinde thee Thy faultie husband thinkst thou so to flie If it be thus then I know where to finde thee This onely greeues me that too late I die O Alexander what such hainous ill Haue I done thee that thou requit'st me thus Whom of thy friendes or kindred did I kill This crueltie comes vndeseru'd of vs. Think that thou hadst iust causes to make warre Yet vpon women should thy wrath be wroken This Tirrannie shall all thy Triumphe marre And euer shall to thy reproach be spoken Tir. Sir without cause you guiltie him esteeme I know her death did grieuouslie displease him A wondrous thing which few or none would deeme He tooke it so that nothing could appease him Euen as my Soueraigne now so then he smarted And when he came to ease your mothers griefe As if that his owne mother had departed He seem'd to need not for to giue reliefe Dar. If any sparkes of that respect remaine Which should with reason mooue thy minde to ruth I pray the Tiriotes now be plaine Or els strange torments shall exact the truth I loth to let this question scape my mouth Which both I blush to craue and long to know I st possible so insolent a youth Did neuer tempt the treasure which I owe Could this imperious Prince in flowre
not die desperately by mine owne hand I le die through others guilt not through mine owne None of you all haue falsified your troath But with me loyall still to th' end yee abide Now I you all disburthâ—n of your oath Leaue me alone and for your selues prouide Exeunt DARIVS O Wretched Monarchie vaine mortals choice The glorious stâ—p to a disgrace-full fall Our pow'r depends vpon the peoples voice And to seeme soueraigne needs we must serue all Yet blowne like blathers with ambitions winde On enuied scepters weaklie we relie And calling not our fraile estate to minde Not onlie earth but heauens themselues defie This hellish hag our restlesse minde doth tosse While carried with a popular applause T' enlarge our limites with our neighbours losse We of our owne confusions are the cause And when th' ecclipse comes of our glories light Then what auailes th' adoring of our name A meere illusion made to mock the sight Whose best was but the shaddow of a dreame Let greatnesse of her glascie scepters vaunt Not sceptours no but reeds soone brus'd soone brokeÌ„ And let this worldlie pompe our wits inchant All fades and scarcelie leaues behinde a token Those golden Pallaces those gorgeous halles With fourniture superfluouslie faire Those statelie Courts those sky-encountring walles Evanish all like vapours in the aire O what affliction iealous greatnesse beares That still must trauell to hold others downe Whil'st all our guardes not guard vs from our feares So greevous is the burthen of a Crowne Where are they all who at my feete did bowe While I was made the idole of so many What ioy had I not then what haue I nowe Then honoured of all now scarce of any Our painted pleasures but apparrell paine We spend our dayes in dread our liues in dangers Balles to the starres and thralles to Fortunes raigne Knowne vnto all yet to our selues but strangers A golden Crowne doth couer leaden cares The Scepter cannot lulle their thoughts a-sleepe Whose breasts are fraught with infinite dispaires Of which the vulgar wits sounds not the deepe The Bramble growes although it be obscure While mightie Cedars feele the blustering windes And milde Plebeian spirits may lieu secure While mightie tempests tosse imperiall mindes What are our daies but dreames our raignes but traÌ„ces Whil'st brain-sick reaving with our Fortunes feuer We still are vext with changes and mischances Till death vs both from life and scepter seuer The vanitie of greatnesse I haue proou'd And beene the wonder of each gazing eye Now that deceauing shaddow is remoou'd And I my wretched state too late espie Now bound with chaines which though they be of gold Diminish not my thraldome ought the more When this preposterous honour I beholde It but vpbraides me what I was before And what was I before though to each eye The forme of my affliction was not knowne But fettred in effect while I seem'd free And in a labyrinth of labours throwne Was I not bound to serue then all mens humour Or to be censur'd with some Critick storie Still clog'd with cares as slought for euery rumour O glorious bondage burthen-able glorie That dignitie which deified me late And made the world doe homage to my name Now cannot succour my accursed state But hath with my mis-fortune fethered same My best was but a momentarie blis Which leaues behinde this euerlasting sting That of all woe no woe is like to this To thinke I was and am not now a King No man with me in all accomplish'd ioyes That satisfie the soule could once compare No man may matche me now in sad annoyes And all the miseries that breede dispaire Thrise Fortune did my gallant troupes entrap And I to fall did desperately stand Yet could not be so happie in mishap As for t' haue died by some renowmed hand But for my greater griefe disgrace and scorne The mindes of men so apt are to deceaue They whome aloft my favours wings haue borne Ev'n they made me their maister thus a slaue Ah did not death in prison from me reaue The sacred soueraigne of my soules desires I wretch not being present to receaue The last cold kisse that might asswage my fires Yet ô thrise happie thou that hast not liu'd To beare a burthen of this great disgrace More then a thousand deaths this had thee grieu'd To know I died and died in such a cace Ah doe the pledges of our mutuall loue The onlie comfort that the fates haue left me Rest prison'd yet And may I not remooue My mother thence then is all blisse bereft me My paines are more then with my pleasures ev'n Since first I in authoritie did enter Was I exalted once vp to the heau'n To be cast head-long downe to mischiefes center My ample Empire and my Princelie birth My great magnificence and vaine excesse All cannot yeelde my minde one minutes mirth To ease me now in this extreame distresse Loe heere reduc'd vnto the worst of illes Past helpe past hope and only great in griefe I wait vpon two abiect vassals willes And dare not no not thinke vpon reliefe Death would I scorne my course must once haue ruÌ„ If I had first repair'd mine honours breach Whose wounds so thrill my soule as vnbegun The life I wish that does my fame impeach This mortall vaile I willinglie resigne Since to an ende my dayes the destinies bring Nor will I so from Maiestie decline As to doe ought vn-worthie of a King Exit CHORVS SOme new disasier day lie doth for showe Our comming ruine We haue seene our best Now fortune bent vs vtterly t' ore-throw Throwes down our King from her wheels top so low As by no meanes his state can be redrest And since his foes by armes haue him opprest His friendes and seruants leaue him all alone Few haue compassion of his state distrest Yea false to him them selues doe many show So foes and fâ—ined friendes conspire in one Fraile Fortune and the fates with them agree With axes all runne on this falling tree This Prince in prosperous state hath florish'd long And neuer dream'd of any euill successe But was well follow'd while his state was strong Him flattering Syrens with a charming song Striu'd to exalt while-as he did possesse This earthly drosse that with a vaine excesse He might reward their mercenary loue But now when fortune driues him to distresse His fauorites whom he remain'd among With foes and fortune straight their faith remoue And who for gaine to follow him were wont They after gaine by his destruction hunt O more then happie ten times were that King Who were vnhappie but a little space So that it did no vtter ruine bring But made him proue a profitable thing Who of his traine did best deserue his grace Then could and would of those the best imbrace And flie such vultures as deuour him liuing That these whom he found faithful might have place O how this doth a generous stomacke sting To see some grac'd for craft
and lies contryuing This is the griefe that bursts an honest hart Lords fauour commes by chance not by desart Those Minions to whom Princes do extend Aboue their worth immoderate good-will To the disgrace of good men shew in end They onely in prosperity depend Not vpon them but on their Fortune still Which if it change they change thē though they fil Their hopes with honour and their chests with coine Yet if they fall or their affaires goe ill Those whom they rais'd will not with them descend But with th' ascending Sunne wil straight way ioyne And doe forget all that they gaue before For that of them they can expect no more The truth hereof in end now hath th' euent In Bessus and Narbazanes approoued On whom their Prince so prodigallie spent Affection honour titles treasure rent And all that might each honest mind haue mooued So bountifull a Prince for to haue loued Who so beningly tendred their estate Yet they to him vyle traitours now haue proued By them he is in-chain'd disgrac'd and shent So as he well may rue although too late That he such slie Camelions changing hew Prefer'd to seruants dutifull and trew But though a while those traitours speede No doubt the heau'ns once vengeance will exact The very horrour of this haynous deede Doth make the harts of honest men to bleede Yea euen the wicked hate this barbarous act The heauens no hier choller can contract Then for th' invasion of a sacred King Who as it were out of the starres extract Should feare and reuerence inferiours breede To whom from him both health and wealth doth spring But though on earth men should neglect this wrong Heauens will those traitors plague ere it be long ACTVS QVINTVS Scen. I. HEPHESTION ALEXANDER POLISTRATVS He. WHat story or what fable can recorde Of such a nombrous troupe so strangely lost I know they quak'd to know it was my Lord Whose name alone is worth anothers host It scarce seemes credible in many partes But traitors feare though al the world would backe thē They were but bodies destitute of harts Moe prisoners they were then men to take them Who would beleeue so few durst striue to finde So great an armie and the armie shrinkes What is impossible to a braue minde True valour dare attempt all that it thinkes Alex. In this encounter for t' haue had the best It would content more then a common thought But since we want the chiefe what of the rest I would be satisfied in all or nought Those traitours thought t' haue finish'd all the warre With giuing me their Lord whom they had bound But I distrust not mine owne force so farre As for to builde vpon so base a ground Although indeede that Darius did me wrong I will not suffer others to oppresse him I keepe him for my selfe he doth belong To me alone none other should distresse him Whilst he did onely in himselfe confide I labour'd by all meanes to make him bow But since his hard estate abates that pride Turn'd is my fury to compassion now Although he oft contemn'd me by his letter Yet I am greeu'd to see him so deceiu'd If he had but acknowledg'd me his better 'T was not his blood nor kingdome that I crau'd And if those traitours haue not kild him straight Yet his deliuerie shall my name renoune I would not loose a subiect of such waight By which my clemencie might be made knowne Po. Sir now your comming cannot doe him good Al. What al are fled none haue my force withstood Po. Yet Darius cannot be redeem'd againe Al. Why haue they set him free or is he slaine Po. Now hath he got a liberty at last With no lesse ransome then his dearest breath Al. Then is all Asias expectation past Tell on at length the maner of his death Po. The boyling ardour of th' ascending Sunne Had caus'd in me a moysture parching drouth Which made me from the way a little runne To finde some fountaine to refresh my mouth Their where a source her liquors softly scatters Which shaddow'd was from Titans parching beames I coold my thirst with the colde christall waters Which seem'd to murmur that I forc'd their streames When loe I sawe a lamentable sight Two wounded horses drawe a bloody coache All clad with skinnes in most vncomely plight Which narrowlie t' espy I did approach One was within who could not long escape The doubtfull passage of th' infernall gates Yet maiestie triumphing ou'r mishap He seem'd to threaten fortune and the Fates And as not to so basse a fortune borne While all his blood aboundantly deval'd Burst forth into these words in Fortunes scorne As one whose courage could not be appal'd You gaze to see and haue good cause wherefore A man no man a King no King what monster Now lesse then nought who once was both more Which few now by my present state would conster And yet amidst my euils I must reioyce That this last comfort doth fore-goe my end I speake to one that vnderstands my voice And not in vaine my dying-speeches spend I am but how in name but not in pow'r That wretched Darius which I should suppresse Once happy as you heard but at this houre The very patterne of extreame distresse Then a while pawsing after thus proceeded Tell Alexander these last wordes from me Although my hatred still t'wards him exceeded Yet I am forc'd far in his debt to die I thanke him highlie for his great good-will My mother wife and children so preseruing Pray him t' vse them that rest as gently still For his owne goodnesse sake not my deseruing They to his foe pertaine and yet he striues To haue them honour'd now as in times past But those who held of me both lands and liues Of land and life haue me depriu'd at last I pray you on my part entreat him thus Not to permit that vnreueng'd belowe My ghost do wander By his care of vs That men his Iustice and their fault may knowe Beside the honour which he shall acquire In plaguing them that haue betraide my trust Men shall his magnanimitie admire And feare t' offend him whome they finde so iust Loe all my pompe is past my time expir'd My wealth evanished like watrie bubbles Ou'r many a mightie people I impyr'd Yet hath my life beene but a stage of troubles And since my glasse is runne my glory gone And I dead to the world the world to me I wish that all parts of th' earths globe in one May condescend his subiects for to be Then drouping downe faint bloodles and halfe dead He prai'd to giue him water that stood by A small request by such a Monarcke made Which when that he had gote yet ere I die This crosse must come said he t' vndoe me quite Though most parts of the world once homage ought me I haue not now the power for to requite This little benefit that thou hast brought me But Alexander shall
rewarde thee well And him the heauens who hath not done amisse To those that haue beene mine his foe must tell That vndeserued courtesie of his Though none haue pow'r his pleasure to controule If he entreate them well whom he retaines It will procure no small rest to my soule And make him famous while the world remaines When my sprit parts out of this tent of clay Entreat some with my buriall to take order Least churlish Charon force me for to stray An vn-respected ghost on Stygian border Let first my corps be carried to my mother Who may it with my auncestors entombe And as she hath more cause then any other May waile this wofull burthen of her wombe In pledge of that affection which I beare Thy Soueraignes worth whom now I must see neuer Haue heere a Princes hand I hold him deare And recommend me to his grace for euer I scarce had got his hand or toucht his vesture When like a torch whose waxe and weeke is spent Somewhat perplext yet with a princely gesture He died in peace his sprit appear'd content Alex. Who could refraine frō teares to heare declar'd The desolation of this wretched wight Haue subiects slaine their prince whō strangers spar'd Vs hath he fled that perish thus he might I for his fall am wonderfully sorie Who Nestors age was worthie t' haue attain'd I envie death because it rob'd the glorie Which I in giuing him his life had gain'd Hep. Since death hath put a periode to his woes The fauour that t'wards him you thought t' extend Conuert to furour now against his foes For your designes can haue no fairer end So shall you both attaine perpetuall praise And winne their harts who see their Lord reveng'd Then reape no little profite in your dayes To haue the countrie of such vipers cleng'd If but one vertue should adorne a King It should be Iustice many great defects Are vaild thereby whereas each vertuous thing In one that is vniust the world suspects Alex. Although your counsell or yet his request Had not the pow'r to penetrate my eares A generous stomack could not well disgest So great a wrong my minde it hardly beares My spirit impatient of repose disdaines That they so long this infamie surviue But I will punish with most greevous paines The horrid treason that they did contriue What do they thinke deceau'd with some illusion That Bactria is a bulwarke for my ire Flie where they list they cannot scape confusion My wrath shall follow like consuming fire Heauen cannot be a sanctuarie for them I dare to force th' infernall caves adventer Th' earth cannot keepe them safe if I abhorre them I le search them out though they were in the center And hauing gotten once those malefactors Betwixt the bending boughes of two strong trees Vnto th' eternall terrour of all traitours They shall dismembred be before my eyes Pol. Sir may it please your Grace to take some care That some his funerall offices performe Alex. Goe presentlie and euery thing prepare According to the militarie forme ACTVS QVINTVS Scen. 2. SISIGAMBIS NVNTIVS CHORVS Sisi THis looke alas hath fraught my soule with feares Speake for my life doth on thy lips depend Thy count'nance ah a dolefull coppie beares Of some sad summons to denounce my end Starue not my eares with famish for thy words That swallow'd yet may make my hart to burst Nun. Madame the message that my'soule affordes Must once be known and once knowne still accurst Sis Be not a niggard of euil newes Nun. And why Sis Fame will tell the world Nun. But first to you Sis Tel sone Nun. Your son is dead Sis Thē let me die Cho. Her ioyes and pleasures are all perish'd now Sis Why opens not the earth for to deuoure A cursed caitiue that all ioy hath loste The longer that I liue my griefe growes more Borne I am to mischiefe kept to be crost Would God this body in mishappes abounding Were couered with some mountaine of huge waight Or else that th' Ocean ou'r these fieldes inunding Might make my buriall in her bosome straight O Alexander hast thou robd his life Yet entertain'd me still in hope to finde him Why didst thou not first kill this poore old wim Who was not worthie to haue liu'd behind hi Ah tended all thy courtesie to this That I should liue till thou hast slaine my sonne Nun. You wrong that worthie Prince for he and his Came him to helpe who was ere then vndone Sis What impious hands durst one that wore a crown And was thereof most worthie murther so Nun. Two whō himself rais'd vp haue cast him down More faithfull then his owne he found his foe Sis Tell on thy message message of my death And load my minde with all mischiefe and horrour That in sad sighes I may dissolue my breath Whilst thou relat'st these tydings full of terrour Nun. When Alexander eftsoones back had sent Th' Ambassadours that peace had sought in vaine A generall muster then to try th' euent Of doubtfull Mars King Darius did ordaine And in one battell to aduenture all Intending caus'd his will to be proclaim'd While two vile traitours did conspire his fall Who Bessus and Narbazanes were nam'd These two in counsell did discouer first Some portion of the poison of their hart Which caus'd the King suspect but not the worst Yet with a sword he sought to make them smart But hauing scap'd the first brunt of his rage With teares of Crocodiles they so lamented As they his indignation did asswage Whil'st in appearance onlie they repented They came to Artabazus honest man Who iudg'd of others by his vpright minde And could not or through bountie would not scan What they with craft and malice had desing'd Chor. A sinceare minde is euer least suspitious They think all faulty who themselues are vitious Nun. They vrg'd him with the King to interceede That in his fauour he would giue them place With promise that by some notorious deede Of armes they would seeke to deserue his grace He in their fauour first enform'd the King The battell would beare witnesse of their truth Then both before his maiesty did bring Who was by their submission moou'd to ruth Their hands streatchd vp to heau'n hūbled knees Their teares like those the Crocodiles doe shed Woe in their face and pitty in their eyes Did for compassion and for mercie plead The king of nature milde prompt to receiue them While they dissembledly were thus complaning Not onelie of his lenitie forgaue them But wept in earnest too while they were faining Then as he vs'd his danger now not feeling He mounted to his Coach they came behinde With a submissiue voyce most humbly kneeling To him whom shortly they were bent to binde The Graecian Captaine follow'd them with speede Who being cal'd and ask'd what he desir'd Sollicited the King to take good heede Of those that had against his life conspir'd He tolde him
no stead Their Arches Tombes Piramides hie And Statues are but vanitie They die and yet would liue in what is dead And while they liue we see their glorious actions Oft wrested to the worst and all their life Is but a stage of endlesse toile and strife Of tumults vprores mutinies and factions They rise with feare and lie with danger downe There is no burthen weightier then a Crowne And as Ambition Princes vndermines So doth it those that vnder them rule all We see in how short time they rise and fall How oft their light eclips'd but dimlie shines They studie by all shifts and slights to moue Their Prince of their deserts t' account And when they by his fauour mount O what a danger is' t to be aboue For straight expos'd to hatred and despight With all their skill they cannot march so euen But some opprobrious scandall will be giuen For all men enuy those that haue most might And if the King dislike them once then straight The wretched Courtiers fal with their own waight Some of a poorer Spirite who would be prais'd And yet haue not wherefore to be esteem'd What they are not indeede would faine be deemd And indirectly labour to be rais'd This crue each publike place of honour haunts And changing garments euery day While they woulde hyde doe but bewray With outward ornaments their inward wants And men of better iudgement iustly loth Those who in outwarde showes place all their care And deck their bodies while their mindes are bare Like to a shaddow or a painted cloth The multitude who but th' apparrell notes Doth homage not to them but to their cotes Yet Princes must be seru'd and with all sorts Some both to doe and counsell what is best Some serue for Ciphers to set out the rest Like liue lesse pictures that adorne the ports Faire pallaces replenish'd are with feares Those seeming pleasures are but snares The Royall Robe doth couer cares Th' Assyrian dye deere buyth he that it beares Those dainty delicates and far fetch'd foode Oft through suspition sauour out of season Embrodered beds and tapesteries hatche treason The golden goblets mingled are with blood Such glorious gorgeous showes do serue for nought All cannot calme the tempest of the thought O happy he who far from fame at home Doth sit securely by a quiet fire Who hath not much and doth not much desire Nor curious is to learne who goe or come For satisfied with what his father left His minde he measures by his store And is not pyn'd to gape for more Nor eates ought that iniquity hath reft He hath his little cleanly and in peace And lookes not with suspitious eye No poyson comes in Cups of tree No treason harbours in so poore a place No troublous dreame doth interrupt his sleepe A quiet conscience doth his cottage keepe He doth not study oft what stormes may blow His pouerty cannot be much impair'd He feares no forraine force and craues no guarde None coueteth his spoile none lookes so low Where as the great are commonly once crost As Darius hath beene in his flowre Or Sisigambis at this houre Who hath scap'd long and now at length is lost But how commes this that Potentates oft fall Forc'd to confesse th' afflictions of their soule There is some hier pow'r that can controule The Monarches of the earth and censure all Who once will call their doings to accompt Their pride repressing who t' oppresse were prompt W. A. Finis THE ALEXANDRAEAN TRAGEDIE By William Alexander Gentleman of the Princes priuie Chamber Carmine dij superi placantur carmine manes LONDON Printed by VALENTINE SIMMES for ED BLOVNT 1607. The Argument WHen Alexander the great after all his Conquests shining through the glory of innumerable victories was returned backe to Babylon where the Ambassadours of the whole worlde did attend his comming as one that was destinied to domineere ouer all there being admired by the Grecians adored by the Barbarians and as it were drunken with the delights of an extraordinary prosperitie hee suffered himself to be transported with an inundation of pleasure till sitting at one of his feasts by the meanes of the sonnes of Antipater his cup-bearers in the best both of his age and fortune he was suddenly poisoned Incontinent after his death those that were in great estimation with himselfe during his life and then with the armie assembled themselues together neglecting for a long time his funeralls whilst busied about the disposing of his Empire at last after diuers opinions it was concluded that if Roxane the widdow of their deceased soueraigne who was then at the point to bee deliuered of her birth happened to beare a sonne hee should succeed in his fathers place and till he were come to some maturitie of age Perdiccas Leonatus Craterus and Antipater were appointed to bee his Tutors But the foote-men in a disdaine that their aduice was not required proclaimed Arideus Alexanders baslard brother king and gaue him a guard of which Meleager procured himselfe to be made Captaine At this sodaine alteration the horsemen being troubled they following Perdiccas pitched their campe without the citie yet in the end this tumult being by the eloquence of Perdiccas appeased all the captaines re-assembled themselues and hauing diuided the prouinces made an agreement which lasted not long For such was the vehement ambition of those great men that with all manner of hostilitie they studied how to vndermine one another and first of all Meleager after a pretended reconciliation though hauing fled to a Temple for refuge was slaine by the appointment of Perdiccas who after aspiring to a superioritie ouer the rest whilst he went to warre against Ptolomie in Aegypt by a sudden mutinie of his owne souldiers was miserably murdered Then the onely captaine of his faction that remained aliue was Eumenes a man singularly valorous who encountering with Craterus and Neoptolemus by the death of themselues defeated their armie whereby being highly aduanced he was greatly enuied and Leonatus hauing lately before dyed in a conflict betwixt him and the Athenians Antigonus in the name of the rest was sent against him with a great armie betwixt whom there hauing passed diuers skirmishes with a variable successe and some priuate conference without agreement In the end he was betrayed by his owne souldiers and deliuered bound to Antigonus who shortly after caused him to be put to death Then Antigonus his riuals in the authoritie being remoued out of his way did aspire to that himselfe from which he was sent to seclude others and hauing murdered diuers of the gouernors hee disposed of their Prouinces as hee pleased whereof Cassander Ptolomie and Lisimachus aduertised by Seleucus who fled for feare of incrring the like danger they entred all together in a league against Antigonus Now at this time Olimpias plagued all the faction of Cassander in Macedonie hauing caused Arideus and his Queene Euridice to be put to death by which and other
Or else some panicke terror Our iudgement doth bereaue Whilst first we misconceiue And so preiudge the sight Or in the bodies steade The genius of the dead Turnes backe from Stix againe Which Dis will not receaue Till it a while engendring dread Giue whilst it doth on th' earth remaine To others feare and to 't selfe paine These fearefull signes foreshow The doubtfull world t' appall What plagues are to succeede When death had layd him low That first had made vs thrall We heard that strait his fall Our libertie would breede But this prooues no reliefe For many O what griefe The place of one supplie And we must suffer all Thus was our comfort briefe For rarelie doth th' vsurper die But others will his fortune trie ACT. II. SCENE I. Perdiccas Meleager Ptolomie Antigonus Eumenes WHateie not big with teares can view this host Which hath in one ah as the end doth proue A King a Captaine and a Brother lost Crown'd follow'd tride by right for worth in loue I thinke amongst vs all there is not one Whom diuerse fauours do not iustly binde T' appease that Heroes ghost though from vs gone With all th' oblations of a thankfull minde Ah had the Fates beene subiect to my will Such clowdes of sorrow had not darkened life But we had had great Alexander still And he those kingdomes that procure this strife Yet heauens decrees can neuer be recalld And thoughts of harmes past help breede double paine Though being to griefe a space by passions thralld The liuing must embrace the world againe As one whose interest in his life was chiefe I of his death haue cause to curse th' effects But will not frustrate so the generall griefe To waile apart particular respects Though th' aire be plenish'd yet with plaintiue sounds Of widdow'd hopes that wedded haue despaires Yet Time must cicatrize our inward wounds And to the publike weale drawe priuate cares Let vs giue physicke to the sickened state That at this present in great danger stands Whilst grudging subiects that our greatnes hate Would enfranchize their violated lands Those that are thralld by force to be made free Praecipitate themselues in dangers still And this th' instinct of Nature seemes to bee What realme not scornes t' attend a strangers will From forc'd obedience nought but hate proceedes The moe we haue subdude the moe our foes A soueraigne head this states huge body needes That might make vs securely to repose And who more meete t' enioy that great mans place Wh'of those whose states he tooke receiu'd the hearts Then one descended from th' illustrous race Whose birth both worth and right to raigne impartes If heau'n enrich Roxana with a sonne That long'd-for birth a lawfull soueraigne brings And till that course of doubtfull hopes be done Let some appointed be to rule all things Eum. Though Macedonians tuned mindes not scorne That t' Alexander strangers should succeede Can men obey a babe a babe not borne What fancies strange would this confusion breed This could not well become our graue foresight A doubtfull birth t' attend so long in vaine That may b' abortiue and though brought to light Through Natures error made not apt to raigne But if affection carrie vs so farre That of that race we must be rul'd by some Though neither being practiz'd in peace nor warre As those that haue indeede by kinde o'recome Then haue we Hercules the eldest sonne That t' our great Prince was by Barsines borne Who foureteene yeares of age hath else begunne His princely birth by vertues rare t' adorne Ptol. Might not the Macedonians all b' asham'd If rendred vassalles thus t' a barbarous brood What should we beare the yoke that we haue framd To buy disgrace haue we bestowde our blood Our auncestours whose glory wee obscur'd Would get some vantage of their Nephues thus They warrd that peoples wracke to haue procurd And haue we ward to make them Lords o're vs Ah bury this as a'xecrable thing And let this purpose be no more pursude For though they were begotten by our king Yet were they borne of those that we subdude Obraue Leonides I like thy strife That with so few perforrnd so glorious things And death preferrd before th' infamous life That bondage still from a Barbarian brings Those loth'd t' accept a stranger for their Lord And with their blood gaue flame t'an vnknowne feild Yet we would honour them that they abhorrd And though being victors to the vanquish'd yeild For where-to tended that renownd attempt Which makes the Persians yet abase their brow But euen t' our countreys scorne in a contempt To take by force that which we offer now Was this the scope of all our conquersts then Of our owne captiues to be made the prey No let vs still command like valerous men And rule our Empire by some other way May we not vse this policie a space Till better wits some better meanes deuise Lest dangerous discords do disturbe our peace Still when we would of serious things aduice Let a maiesticke Senat gathered be And them amongst the Imperiall chare of state That of th' authoritie all signes may see Then whilst we compasse that respected seate There those that were in credite with the king Whose merits in mens minds haue reuerence bred Shall in their iudgements ballance euery thing How kingdomes should be ruld how Armies led And what the greatest part hath once approu'd To that the rest must oblig'd be t' incline All th' armie by this harmony being mou'd Will execute what euer we designe This concord would proue happy for vs all Since it each state in greatest suretie renders And by this meanes our Macedony shall In place of one haue many Alexanders Eum. Though silence I confesse becomes me best That am a stranger and the lesse beleeu'd Yet since a partner of your toyles I rest I must vnfold my mind a minde that 's greeeu'd And thinke you that a babe repaires our losse How are the deep est iudgements thus beguild This in all Countryes hath bin thought a crosse Wo to that soyle whose soueraigne is a child Nor would these great men as is thought agree They be too many bodies for one minde Ah pardon Ptolomie it can not be This vnion would all disunite I finde Thus would all th' armie from good order swarue When many might forgiue all would offend As thinking well though they did death deserue Ther 's none so bad but some man will defend And when so many kings were in one court One court would then haue many humors too Which fostring factions for each light report Would make them iarre as neighbouring princes doe No let this strange opinion be suppressd Whilst equals all all would vnequall be So that their mindes by iealousie possessd From pale suspition neuer could be free But ah what needs contention at this time T' obscure a matter that was made so cleere And doye now account it for no crime T' impugne his
wil that once was held so deere When that great Monark march'd t' encounter death Whist all his captaines were assembled there And did demand whilst he might vse his breath Whom he himselfe adopted for his heire Then that such doubtfull questions should not need As louing valour more then his owne race He that t' a braue man braue men might succeed Said let the worthiest haue the worthiest place Nor did he speake this in a secret part With Sphinx his phrase a greater doubt t' haue moou'd As breathing thoughts in each ambitious hart To haue his worth in Vulcans furnace proou'd For whilst ye hedg'd the fatall bed about With an vnpartiall care distracted long Then he amongst you all did chuse one out That for so great a burthen seem'd most strong He to Perdiccas did present the ring That vs'd to seale the secrets of the state By which it seemd that he design'd him king Ad so would seize him of the highest seate Thus made this worthy man a worthy choice That no new troubles might the state deforme And all the world now iustly may reioyce That thus preuented was a'mpetuous storme For if this had not been his latest will Ye Mars his Minions should haue liu'd at iarre Whilst emulation amongst equals still Had made the trumpet sound t'intestine warres What huge disorders threatned to burst forth If that our soueraigne had no prince designd That oft hath been a witnesse of our worth And can weigh vertue in a vertuous mind I see consenting signes applaud my speach Rise do Perdicas that which they decree Whilst modestie doth maiestie impeach Though thou crau'st not this crowne this crowne craues thee Meleag. I wonder not though thus Perdicas shrinke T' accept so mighty a charge amidst th' alarmes The Sunne must make Nictimine to winke This Scepter weighes too much for so weake armes The Gods will neuer grant nor men agree That such a one should domineer ouer vs. Though vulgar minds might yeeld his thrales to be Those that his betters are scorne to how thus He prayes vs all Roxanaes birth t' attend Which though it came to passe as some expect He can exchange or cause be brought t'â—n end As bent t' allow all meanes when one effect Thus would he temporize though t' our great scorne Till time assist t' accomplish his designes No kings Perdicas likes but babes vnborne He labours well in vndiscouered mines I need not now insist to tell at large What braue men be amids this martiall band That better do deserue so great a charge Both for their skill and courage to command Yet are the best not worthy to succeede To that rare man that neuer can be match'd Whose memorie must make our mindes to bleed Whose aduersar's for this advantage watch'd But if that great man did consent so soone That our obedience should be thus abus'd Of all that euer he desird t' haue done I thinke this onely ought to be refusd Th' vndanted band whose worth the worlde oft prou'd Then whilst their glorie shin'd through siluer shields By all that monarches merits not being mou'd As conquer'd would haue left the conquer'd fields And if that they contemn'd a princes throne To whom his auncestors their scepter brought What reuerence would they beare to such a one That all this time was as their equall thought To those that ouer their equalles raise their state Aduancement enuie breeds and enuie hate If such with all would rest familiar still This in contempt th' authoritie it brings And if they second not their subiects will Men cannot beare with them as with borne kings Our loftie bands some lofty minde must tame Whose princely birth doth procreate regard Whose countrie may confound each sland'rous claime As one with whom none els can be compar'd Ther 's Alexanders brother Philips sonne That alwayes was a partner of our paine Can there be any else below the sunne Ouer Macedonians that deserues to raigne And I must wonder what so strange offence Hath forfeited his title maim'd his right That any now with a disguis'd pretence Dare wrong him thus euen in his peoples sight Ptol. None needs to wonder much thogh we negle One whose election might procure our shame His mothers basenes Iustice might obiect Whom bastardie secludes from such a claime But yet had nature purg'd the spot she made We with his birth the better might comport Whilst father-like in all affaires he had Giuen proofe of parts that might the state support He falsifies his race of wit so weake That all his inward wants are soone perceiud All of his iudgement in derision speake By which great things can hardly be conceiud And though his body might from paines be sparde Whose constitution is not very strong But with infirmities so farre impairde That it aline cannot continue long Yet since in state he neuer hath bin schoold His ignorance would racke him still with feares Whiles he that rulde still needing to be rulde Spake but with others tongues heard with their eares A inconstant king great confusion makes Whom all mistrust and most amidst a Campe Whilst soft like waxe he each impression takes And doth for friuolous things still change the stampe Ah should our liues depend vpon his breath That of himselfe cannot discerne a crime But doomes by informations men to death Then barren pittie yeilds when out of time Thus whilst some alwayes must his iudgement sway That still doth harbour in anothers head Of Sicophants this prince may be the prey That where they list thauthoritie will leade And being but base that they may be the best Such still will toyle that we may be ore-throwne And some-time may the credulous king suggest To taint our fame lest it obscure their owne What griefe were this tvs whilst such as those Might make their vantage of th all-powrefull breath And that our actions ballancd by our foes Were guerdond with disdaine or else with death Me. Since priuat hopes your iudgement do bewitch I le leaue this counsell where no good can please Come follow me all those that would be rich Few haue regarde poore souldiers of your ease Perd. That shall prooue best which first I went about Thogh some wold wrest my words from what I thought The malice of Meleager now bursts out Like flaming fires that burne themselues to nought Thus naughtie minds that neuer dreame but ill Do conster euery thing t' a crooked sence What I proposde t' aduance our countrey still He would interpret it as an offence And this vnreuerent parting hence of his Hath t'a1l his former wrongs yet added one By his seditious words incens'd ere this The souldiers arc to sacke the treasures gone Ant. Then let vs all of one accord conclude That Alexanders hop'd for race must raigne So shall w'establish still th' annointed blood Whose gouernement both glorie gaue and gaine And let vs now before we part appoynt Who gouerne shall till that the Babe be borne And circumspectly put
forcde the fortresse to resigne Then pride vnto necessitie gaue place Her lofty courage was constraind to bow So that she rests depending on our grace To be disposde as it shall please vs now Lisim This chance the world to wonder may invite Lo there a Queene that had though now distressde The rarest fortune and the greatest spirite That euer anie of her sex possessd The widow'd Empresse that first warrde with th' Indes Nor stout Tomiris though most gallant seene Nor all th' Amazons borne with martiall mindes Had neuer stouter stomakes then this Queene Her liues first progresse did but prooue too sweet Whom all th' earths treasures once concurr'd to blesse But now sad soule trod vnder fortunes feete Her miserie no creature can expresse Cass Those were but fortunes gifts that made her great All was without her-selfe that made her praisde Her imperfections did but staine the state To which anothers merits had her raisde For when she first with famous Philip match'd Then her behauior was not free from blame But euen though she with Argos eyes was watch'd As t' was supposde she forfeited her fame At least her husband fear'd for some disgrace From her himselfe had publikly deuorc'd And entertain'd another in her place Which for the time to suffer she was forc'd Yet this in th' end did his distruction breede For which her spightfull thoughts had labour'd long She was acquainted with Pausanias deede And spurr'd him to performe th' intended wrong She sought that by such meanes t'ambitious will Her husbands murder might enlarge the raines Whilst with authoritie she did all th' ill Of which too late th' afflicted realme complaines Long suffred for the greatnesse of her sonne She plaid the tirant safely as she pleasde But by the course that I haue else begunne I hope those whom she plagu'd shall now b' appeasde Lisim Yet of Olimpias though abasde by you The sight her sonne and husband wil reuiue And so may make the Macedonians now For her reliefe strange courses to contriue Of those whose greatnesse doth regard extort Th' afflictions must entender euerie minde And still th' affections of the vulgar sort Are head-long led too cruell or too kind Cass O but I can precipitate her fall Euen by the meanes that might support her most For pittie shall spoile pittie whilst they all Sigh for their friends that through her pride was lost Lisim As those to whom all other things are free Must haue their life and raigne both of one date So priuate men that passe their owne degree Can hardly turne to take their former state Thus you commit your fortune to the fates None can retire that enters in such things For those that ought attempt against great states Must die as traitors or else liue as kings And though you would but some disorders stay You deale with those that borne not to be thrall As torrents beare away what stoppes their way And either must do nothing or doe all No keepe not such to sigh when they are gone That scorne to take the thing that they should giue For all must die that dare but touch a throne Those that might take their life they must not liue Cas Since in this course that I can once but erre I shall be sure ere she herselfe withdraw Lis And yet what suretie can you haue of her Can Lawes binde them that are aboue the Law It 's hard t' establish concord twixt the two Where th' one must hate and th' other alwayes feare Cas O but I minde to vse the matter so That both from hence shall further strife forbeare Lis What can hir freedome and your peace procure Cas Death both can make hir free and make me sure Lis And would you do such euill to shed her blood Cas I t'others euill so that it do me good Lis The Macedonians will abhorre this wrong Cas And yet obey me if be most strong Lis But who shal haue the realme amidst those broils Cas Who euer winnes the field must keep the spoils Lis So to possesse the realme you haue no right Cas But I haue more so long as I haue might Lis This state doth to it selfe an heire afford Cas All kingdomes rights are pleaded by the sword Lis The people all will grudge against your state Cas But dare not stirre whilst feare exceeds their hate Lis And in their hearts they will detest you too Cas Think what they wil that haue not powre to do Lis What though Olympias in a little space May lose her powre together with her breath Yet there remaines another of her race That is by nature bound t' auenge her death Cas Th' impetuous streames of a tempestuous flood That drownes all th' olde not yeeldes the yong reliefe What foole that of his foes victorious stoode Would spoyle an armie and yet spare the chiefe No since I must my selfe with murder staine I le by the rootes raze all the royall race So that no powre shall spring from thence againe T' oregrow my greatnesse and my plants displace The strength hath left great Alexanders arme Whose mothers fatall threed is now neere spunne And I haue meanes to keepe my selfe from harme Both of Roxane and her tender sonne But since this course may serue our states t' aduance By which a ground for great designes is lay de I must intreate you now what euer chance To lend your approbation though not ayde Lis I le be your friend yet wish you would refraine From doing this but ere you be vndone Since that I by your guiltinesse may gaine I le suffer that which I would not haue done Exeunt Olimpias alone CAn I be she whom all the world admirde As being the happiest Queene that raignd below Whom all the planets haue to plague conspirde Of fickle fortunes course th' effects to show No t' is not I nought could my course controule Nor force me thus t' attend anothers will Since I despise this prison of my soule Where it disdains t' abide in bondage still Ah whilst I did on th' outward pomp rely My state the powre of higher powres did tempt My state that once bred reuerence and enuie Though now it breede but pittie and contempt Olimpias once high as Olimpius stoode The wife of Philip Alexanders mother That matcht Alcides and Achilles blood T' ingender one more worth than both together Am I the woman whose maiestike state Seemde once so happy to deceiu'd conceits I I am she and neuer yet more great Than at this present in despight of Fates A double bondage long did burden me I to my selfe my selfe to fortune thrall But now captiuitie hath set me free That could not rise till first I had a fall The sprite that 's with prosperitie benum'd Scarse like it selfe can to the world appeare When Vertue hath Aduersitie ore'com'd Then shines true greatnes in her highest spheare Our glory now I see consists no more Without our-selues in eie-betraying showes But in the breasts
diuine And haue made th' earth to furnish all his needes Lest downe-weigh'd cares might make his thoughts decline So that he hath a meanes to raise his flight If wing'd with Vertue and may mounting hie Aspire t' approach to the celestiall light And deifie himselfe before he die Yet doth he strait forgoe that glorious way To toile for things that th' earth vnforc'd affords The which his wants first fram'd were to defray But by himselfe are of his life made Lords O how vnworthie of the worth of man Are many labors that delight him most Since that corruption boldly first began To make men nourish vice at vertues cost And now what hath great Alexander gain'd By endlesse labours and excessiue cares Of whom loe now it 's onely said he raign'd But death vnto himselfe worse to his heires Lo for the guiltlesse blood that he hath spill'd The partners of his conquests doe beginne To die by the same swords by which they kill'd And all his of-spring expiates his sinne Pho. Such is the reuolution of all things The wheele of Fortune still must slippery proue And chiefly when it burdend is with kings Whose states as weightiest most must make it moue Yet Alexander I must say was blest That ouer the worlde a victor alwaies rang'd And hauing ended all his warres in rest Did die in time before his fortune changde And for his fauour which I oft did trie Whilst earnestly he labord me t' aduaunce Whilst earnestly he labord me t' aduaunce I 'm sorie that himselfe so soone did die And that his of-spring hath so hard a chance His successours haue set all Greece on fire Of which I feare to perish by some sparke For Polipercon doth my death conspire And who can scape that 's made a great mans marker But for my countries cause I le giue my blood Whilst safely praisde all follow vertue can But when with danger threatned to doe good That 's onelie worthy of a worthy man Nor do I tender so this puffe of breath But I could be contented it t' expell A minde that is resolu'd triumphs ouer death He hath liu'd long enough that hath liu'd well ACT. V. SCINE II. Cassander Lysimachus Ptolomie Seleucus I Doubt not now great heroes but ye all What euer miscontentment ye pretend Doe rest well pleasde since those by me made thrall That might haue made you end haue made an end Loathe not the meanes if yee allow th' effect For though by this I haue a realme obtain'd It yeelds you more whose course none can suspect I 'm onely guiltie and ye all haue gain'd Yet to pursue my life they first beganne For my defence this last refuge I prou'd Nought than himselfe is neerer vnto man All men with their owne dangers are most mou'd And had not prowd Olimpias dide in time By offring vp her bloud to worke my peace Then mine had beene the harme and hers the crime I but preuented her a little space And if her of-spring had suruiu'd her death Whose rising could not but procure our fall Ye now that nought but soueraignty do breathe Had breath'd obedience or not breath'd at all Lis You from a dangerous yoke haue vs relieu'd Which I suspect we had experienc'd soone And why then should we labour to seeme grieu'd At that thing done which we wish not vndone No since that all for soueraignety doe striue And haue once tasted what it is to raigne There 's none of vs but rather die than liue T' embrace a subiects seruile state againe And though perchance with Alexanders sonne If heire both of his fathers worth and state We might haue most respected places wonne As speciall pillars of the Princes seate Yet though more great than others as before It would haue grieu'd vs lesse then one to fall The fall from first to second grieues one more Then from the second to the last of all Our old renowne to vs had ruine brought And would haue made vs odious to remaine It 's dangerous for a subiect to be thought One that desires or yet deserues to raigne When any tempest threatned had his throne He would haue sought assurance at our cost For when that iealousie hath seizd on one The greatest vertues are suspected most Yea though we could to quite our state consent Vs from suspition nought but death could purge Still greatnesse must turmoile or then torment If borne a burden if laide downe a scourge Ptol. But When we haue within bur bosome weigh'd The ruine of all Alexanders race Whom without blushing we might haue obey'd By right succeeding in our soueraignes place How can our soules but highly be asham'd That one inferiour both to them and vs Doth seeke by wrong that which by right they claim'd And by their orethrow would b' exalted thus Nor neede I more as in suspence remaine To maske my meaning with ambiguous wordes No no our words may as his deedes be plaine Which fame and without whispring now records Ye heare how that Antigonus of late Whose thoughts wing'd with ambition soare too high Doth striue aboue vs all t' aduaunce his state And on his former fortune doth relie Since to his hands Eumenes was betraide Loe quite transported by prepostrous pride As if in nought addicted now t' our aide He hath laide all regarde of vs aside Lis Thus Time the truth of all things doth proclame Man is a craftie creature hard to know That can a face for euery fortune frame No trust in mortalles nor no faith below Whiles as our owne particulars doe moue We what we wish for most seeme to mislike And oft of others doe the course disproue Whilst we want nought but meanes to doe the like Then whilst Perdiccas did attempt before To make the rest that were his equalls thrall Who than Antigonus detested more Th' ambitious minde of one that would haue all But since Perdiccas and his faction fell Whom he as traitours to the state pursude He in his place succeeding to rebell Hath what he seemde t' vndo againe renude And yet I many a time haue musde of this How from the world he did Eumenes send Sel. How But by treason as his custome is False at the first and cruell at the end Lys I know that after diuers doubtful fights He hath orethrowne Eumenes at the last But by what stratagems or treacherous slights I would be glad to heare how all hath past Sel. Antigonus was at the first afraide To match Eumenes by plaine force in fight And the refuge that feare affordes assaide For valour franke bent t' vse some wary sleight Amongst Eumenes troupes their mindes to proue He scattred letters with allurements stor'd By promisde treasures and protested loue To moue some one that might betray his Lord. But he being wise his troupes in time aduisde To cleare their vertue by their enemies vice And gaue them thankes that would not be entisde To sell their faith at such a bloodie price Then saide that th' Author
soule still further is requirde That should seale vp th' accomplishment of ioy Thus doth a partiall iudgement aime amisse At things that stand without our reach retir'd Which whilst not ours as treasures we define But not the same whilst we the same enioy Some things afarre doe like the Glow-worme shine That lookt to neere haue of that light no signe No charge on th' earth more weighty to discharge Than that which of a kingdome doth dispose O those that manage must the reines of state Till that their ghost b' imbarkt in Charons barge Doe neuer neede t' attend a true repose How hard is it to please each mans conceat When gaining one they must another lose Thus hardly kings themselues caâ— euenly beare Whom if seuere as cruell subiects hate Contempt dare to the milde it selfe oppose In time who spare as niggardes are despisde Men from too franke a minde exactions feare Though in all shapes as Proteus being â—â—sguisde Kings by some scandall alwayes are surprisde Yet one might well with euery thing comport That on th' opinion onely doth depend If further danger follow'd not by deedes But euery monarke loe in many a sort Death doth disguisd in diuers shapes attend Of some by mut'nous swords the life foorth bleedes By vnsuspected poison others end Which whilst they alwayes labour to preuent A thousand deaths within their breasts life breedes Loe this is all for which the great contend Who whilst their pride hemselues and others spoiles With their dominions doe their cares augment And O vaine man that toyles t' abound in toiles Though still the victorie the victor foiles Thus Alexander still himselfe disâ—asde Whilst he t' vndoe his state did wale prepare Which when made most diminisht most remaind Where with his fathers bounds had he bin pleasde He might haue left our crowne in peace t' his heire That by his conquest nought but death hath gaind Yet for no paines a number now doth spare To worke for that by which his wreake was wrought Which though from it they rage to be restraind Would if possest their pleasures but impaire Yet they by hurme of others seeke the thing That by their harme of others will be sought To him and his each of them death would bring That it might once be saide he was a King We may securely sitting on the shore To see the great as tossd on th' Ocean grone Learne by their toiles t' esteeme much of our rest For this doth thousands with affliction store That as th' vnhappiest in the world do mone If they but chaunce to view some few more blest Where if they would but marke how many a one More wretch'd than they in miserie doth liue It would strait calme the most vnquiet breast The cottage whiles is happier than the throne To thinke our owne state good and others ill It could not but a great contentment giueâ— There much consistes in the conceit and will Since t 'vs all things are as we thinke them still FINIS THE TRAGEDIE OF IVLIVS CAESAR By William Alexander Gentleman of the Princes priuie Chamber Carmine dij superi placantur carmine manes LONDON Printed by VALENTINE SIMMES for ED BLOVNT 1607. The Argument AT that time when the Romans trauelled with an vnsatiable ambition to subdue all Nations by whose ouerthrow they could conceaue any exspectation either of glory or profit Caius Iulius Caesar a man of a loftie minde and giuen to attempt great things ascending by seuerall degrees to the Consullship procured a power to warre against the Gaules amongst whom after a number of admirable battels and victories by the approbation of all the world hauing purchased a singular reputation both for his courage and skill in Armes he being long accustomed to command was so drunken with a delight of soueraigntie that disdaining the simplicitie of a priuate life he was so farre from denuding himselfe of the authoritie that he had that altogether transported with a desire of more hee sent to the Senate to haue his gouernment of the Gaules prorogated for fiue years which sute being repugnant to the Lawes as directly tending to tyrranie was by the people publikely repelled By which occasion and some others rising from an aemulation betweene him and Pompey the great pretending a high indignation hee incontinent crossed the Alpes with such forces though few as he had in readinesse and with a great celeritie came to Rome which hee found abandoned by Pompey in whom the Senate had reposed their trust whom shortly after by a memorable battell in the fields of Pharsalia he discomfited and hauing by the ouerthrow of Scipio death of Cato and flight of Pompeys sonnes as it were rooted out all the contrary faction hee returned to Rome and indirectly by the meanes of Antonius laboured to be proclaimed king which hauing rendred him altogether odious Caius Cassius Marcus Brutus Decius Brutus Publius Caâ—ca and diuers others Noble men conspired his death and appo nted a day for the sâ—me at which time notwiâ—hstanding that Caesar was disswaded from going foorth by many monstrous apparitions and ominous presages yet being perswaded by Dâ—cius Brutus Albinus hee went towards the fatall place where the Senate was assembled The Conspirators in like maner had many terrors amongst others Portia the wife of Marcus Brutus although she had insinuated her selfe in her husbands secret by a notable proofe of extraordinary magnanimitie yet on the day dedicated for the execution of their designe through the apprehension of his danger she fainted diuers times whâ—reof Brutus was aduertised yet shrinked not but went forward with his confederats to the appointed place where they accomplished their purpose euery one of them giuing Caesar a wound and me a ground wherevpon to build this present Tragedie The Actors Names IVNO CAESAR ANTONIVS CICERO DECIVS BRVTVS CAIVS CASSIVS MARCVS BRVTVS PORTIA CALPHVRNIA NVNTIVS THE Tragedie of Caesar ACT. I. Iuno THough I a goddesse glance through th' azure round Whilst the eie-feather'd birds my coach do moue And am with radiant starres heauens Empresse crown'd The sister and the wife of thundring Ioue And though I banquet in th' Aetheriall bowres Where Ambrosie and Nectar serues for meate And at the meeting of th' immortall powres Am still aduanc'd vnto the highest seate Yet by those glorious shewes of boundlesse blisse My martred minde can no way be relieu'd Since immortalitie affords but this That I may euer liue being euer grieu'd In vaine vaine mortals seeke for helpe at me With Sacred odours on my Altars throwne What expectation can they haue to see One venge their wrongs that cannot venge her owne Might Pallas once drowne thousands in the seas And metamorphose Diomedes mates And must mine enemies alwayes liue in ease As me to spight appointed by the fates Of all the dying race that liues below With such indignities none could comport As wound my breast whom gods and men do know To be abusde by Ioue in many a sort Though knowne to me from
diuided Britaines did subdue The Germans from their birth inurde to warre Whose martiall minds still haughty thoughts haue bred Whilst neither men nor walls my course could barre Mask'd with my banners saw their Rhene runne red And th' orientall realmes amidst of late My comming and orecomming was but one With little paine so Pompey was calld great That warrd with those whose glorious daies were gone But what though thousands setones praises forth For fields which shadowes and not swords obtaind Yet th' easie rate but vilifies the worth No glorie without labour can be gain'd From dangers past my comfort now proceedes Since all difficulties I did ore come And in few wordes to comprehend my deedes Rome conquerd all the world and Caesar Rome Anto. Loe those that striu'de your vertue to suppresse And were opposde to all your actions still Whilst labouring but too much to make you lesse Haue made you to grow great against your will Great Pompeys pomp is past his glorie gone And austere Cato by himselfe lies killd Than dastard Cicero more you honors none Thus all your foes are with confusion filld The Senatours whose wrath could not b' affwag'd Long to your preiudice their powre abusde Till at their great ingratitude enrag'd I saide our swordes would graunt what they refusde When hauing scap'd endanger'd and despisde That Curio ' and I did to your campe resort In olde bare gownes like some base slaues disguisde All sigh'd to see vs wrongd in such a sort Caesar Th' inhabitants of heauen that know all harts They know my thoughts as pure as are their starres And that constrainde I came from forraigne parts To seeme vnciuill in the ciuill warres I mooude that warre which all the world bemones Being vrgde by force to free my selfe from feares Still when my hand gaue wounds my heart gaue grones No Romans blood was shed but I shed teares But how could any cleuated spright That had for honor hazarded his blood Yet yeeld by froward foes outragious spight To be defrauded of th' expected good When as a multitude of battels wonne Had made Romes Empire and my glory great And that the Gaules oft vanquishde had begunne T' embrace the yoke that they disdainde of late Then pompous Pompey my prowd sonne in law And Cato that still crossde what I designde From fauouring me the people did withdraw And vnto me a successour assignde Not that he should succeed in dangerous broyles But euen through enuie as thay had ordain'd That he might so triumph of all my toyles And rob the glory that I dearely gain'd Could one with such indignities comport That values honor deerer then the light No whilst my soule rests soueraigne of this fort None shall haue power to rob me of my right And yet by Ioue that all the world commands T' vse any violence I did mislike And offred oft t' abandon all my bandes If that my enemies would haue done the like But the tumultuous multitude that still As waues with windes are carried with conceits With nought but my disgrace would bound their will And I committed all vnto the fates Yet when at Rubicon I stood perplex'd And weigh'd the horrour of my high attempt My soule was with a thousand fancies vex'd Which resolution buried in contempt Ant. Nought in a captainc more confounds his foes Then sodaine resolutions swift effects For so surpriz'd ere they their thoughts dispose All good aduice prodigious care neglects Though when you march'd towards Rome your power The sodaine newes so thundred in each eare was small That as if heauen had falne vpon them all They bred amazement and th' amazement feare Some secret destinie as then appear'd Doth guide mensactions and their iudgements bounds Them whom huge armies could not once haue fearde A shadow or a rumour whiles confounds I st that th' encroaching danger dulles their sprits And doth preuent their resolutions power Or that some destinie distracts their wits When heauens determin'd haue their fatall houre Pompey the great that was growne ag'd in armes And had triumph'd ouer all the worlds three parts Being quite discourag'd with imagin'd harmes Fled Rome though without reach of th' enemies darts Then as t' a torrent all gaue place to you Rome whom she cal'd a rebell made her Lord Your successour Domitius forc'd to bow Did trust your fauour more than feare your sword When in th' Iberian bounds you did arriue There th' aduersarie that did vaihely vaunt Had all th' aduantage that the ground could giue And wealth of vittailes that with vs were scant Yet the celeritie that you had vsde Did so discourage their disordered band That as Ioue in their breasts had feare infusde They had no strength against our strokes to stand And when Romes generall with braue Legions storde Seem'd to possesse all that his soule requirde Whilst vs t' ouerthrow both famine and the sword The sea the land and all in one conspirde Then for your offices they did contend As those that of the victorie were sure And where they might th' affaires of state attend In Rome for lodgings fondly did procure Yet memorable now that day remaines When all the world was in two armies rang'd That Mars went raging through th' Aemathian plaines And to dispaires high expectations chang'd That famous field when the Pompeyans lost As Lyons doe their prey you did pursue The scattred remnant of that ruin'd hoste On which new heads still like to Hydra grew Though victorie in Affricke fatall seem'de To any armie that a Scipio led Yet you shew'd there for worth in warre esteem'd That Rome a better then a Scipio bred And all our enemies were confounded thus That vs in number euer did surmount But Caesar and his fortune were with vs Which we did more than many thousands count Caes The sweetest comfort that my conquests gaue It was the meane how to do many good For euery day some Romans life I saue That in the field to fight against me stood Thus may my minde be iudg'd by the euent That euen when by my greatest foes assailde To win the battell neuer was more bent Then promptto pardon when I had preuailde Not couetous of blood of spoyles nor harmes I though being victor did insult ouer none But laid aside all hatred with my armes A foe in fight a friend when it was gone I like the praise of clemencie more then Of force that with affliction th' enemie lodes For force prooues oft the worst thing that 's in men And clemencie the best thing in the gods Sterne Cato but by Cato that would die And either death or life if giuen disdain'd O I enuie thy death that didst enuie The glory that I sauing thee had gaind ' Yet I to rents and dignities restore Euen those that my destruction had designde And O it doth delight my minde farre more By benefits then by constraint to binde Ant. I would haue all my foes brought to their endes Caes I rather haue my foes all made
my friends Ant. Their blood whom I suspect'd should quench all strife Caes So might one doe that lik'd of nought but life An. Still life would be redeemde from dangers forth Caes Not with a ransome then it selfe more worth An. Than life to man what thing more deere succeeds Caes The great contentment that true glory breeds An. Men by all meanes this blast of breath prolong Caes Men should striue to liue well not to liue long And I would spend this momentarie breath To liue by fame for euer after death For I aspire in spight of fates to liue Ant. I feare that some too soone your death contriue Caes Who dare but lodge such thoughts within their mindes Ant. Those that the shadow of your greatnes blindes Caes The best are bound to me by gifts in store Ant. But to their countrey they are bound far more Caes Then loath they me as th' enemie of the state Ant. You as th' vsurper of the same they hate Caes I by huge battels haue enlarg'd their bounds An. By that they think your powre to much abounds Caes Yet I from doing wrong refraine my will Ant. They feare your powre because it may do ill Caes The present state still miscontentment brings To factious mindes affecting matters strange That burdens to themselues irke of all things And so they change regard not what they change In populous townes where many make repaire Whose confluence by conference all things touch They further than their bounds extend their care The idle that doe nothing must thinke much Lo Rome though wasted all with ciuill warres Whilst priuate grudge pretended publike good And that equalitie engendring iarres Did proue too prodigall of Roman blood Yet hauing through huge toyles attain'd to rest That it by yeelding t 'one may banish teares It if constrain'd disdaines t' imbrace the best This word necessitie so woundes the eares And th' insolent with vile seditious words That trembled whilst they heard the trumpets sound Stirre now their tongues as we did then our swords And what Mars sparde make Mercurie confound The people thus in time of peace agree T' abase the greatest still euen in that forme As in calme dayes they doe disbranch the tree That shrowded them of late against a storme But now I look'd for libertie to bost That once my deeds triumph'd had ouer enuie As all darke shadowes doe evanish most Then when the Sunne shines highest in the skie And though their hatred deepely they disguise Yet they conceale not so their soules desires But that their spight rest sparkling through their eies And bosts to burst out once in open fires Ant. Since first great Caesar I discernd thy worth On all thy actions I did still attend And therefore what some whisper I le speake foorth T' admonish freely it becomes a friend Since first men did suspect that you aspire T' a Monarchie the gouernement to change They in their soules your ruine do conspire And their affections farre from you estrange Since chaste Lucretia by prowd Tarquin stain'd Wash'd with her blood the violated bed Whilst by his power supreame Rome was constrain'd All things t' obey that his curst braine had bred This gouernment which some tyrranick call It sounds so odious in the peoples eares As Tyrants vild that they detest them all Whose greatnesse giues them any cause of feares Caes I not affect the title of a king For loue of glory or desire of gaine Nor for respect of any priuate thing But that the state may by my trauels gaine You know Sibillaes bookes that neuer faile In many mindes haue an opinion bred That ouer the Parthians Rome cannot preuaile Till by a soueraigne prince her bands be led For as confusion is the fruit we finde Of those affaires that diuers thoughts dispose So soueraigntie match'd with a gallant mind Breeds reuerence in ones owne feare in his foes And O it greeues me that these steps of ours Haue trod so oft on many a millions neckes Whilst yet the Parthian vilipends our powres And all our victories vnuanquish'd checkes Ah should a Generall of the Romane race Be by Barbarians killd and not reueng'd And should his ensignes signes of our disgrace Rest in the ranke of conquer'd relikes rang'd No no wretch'd Crassus now thy selfe content I le pacifie thy ghost with Parthians spoiles For still my boyling fancies haue bin bent T' ore-match th' vnmatch'd and daunt th' vndaunted soiles Ant. With victories being cloyd will you not then Your saftie once more then new warres respect Caes No though I haue surmounted other men My fancies yet do greater things affect In emulation of my selfe at last Euen enuiouslie I looke on mine owne deedes And bent to make the new surpasse things past Now to my mind old praise no pleasure breeds Ant. The world hath seene thee great man for Romes good In danger oft of many a dangerous shelfe Whilst for her glory thou engag'd thy blood Of others carefull carelesse of thy selfe Caes Though whilst in th' April of my blooming age I from the vulgar rate redeemd my name Some with my deeds did burden youths hot rage And an ambitious appetite of fame Yet since the coldnesse of declining yeares Bosts to congeale the blood that boild of late Whilst else my life the sunne of glory cleares That now of all the world remaine most great I cannot couet that thing which I haue I haue all honour that can be requirde And now as th' only wanted thing would craue To taste the pleasures of a life retyrde But onely now t' aduance the state I striue For O neglecting th' ecchoes of renowne I could content my selfe vnknowne to liue A priuate man with a Plebeian gowne Since Anthonie thus for the state I care And all delights that nature loues disdaine Go and in time the peoples mindes prepare That as the rest I may the title gaine Yet indirectly at the first assay To what their doubtfull mindes do most incline But as without my knowledge that they may All marke your minde and yet not thinke of mine Exeunt ACT. II. SCENE II. Cicero Decius Brutus DId I suruiue th'impetuo us Sillaes rage And in a torrent of destruction stood Whilst tyrants did make Rome a tragicke stage Through a voluptuous appetite of blood Scap'd I confusion in a time so bad Of libertie and honour once to taste That bondage now might make my soule more sad By the remembrance of my fortunes past What though I once when first by same made known From Catilines strange treason did preserue This town that 's still endangerd by her owne Since first the world from equitie did swarue A sparke of that conspiracie remaines Not yet extinguish'd t' haue our state imbroyld That now on Rome flames of confusion raines Thus one was sparde that we might all be spoild O worthy Cato in whose wondrous minde Three rarely matcht things Nature did reueale Wit honestie and courage which designde A cittizen for Platoes common-weale
conuince For still the states that flourish for the time By subiects should b'inuiolable thought And those no doubt commit a monstrous crime That lawfull soueraignty prophane in ought And we must thinke though now being brought to bow The Senate king a subiect Caesar is Th' authoritie that violating now The world must damne as hauing done amisse We will deare Cassius for our countries sake Our selues expose to danger or to death And let vs now aduise what course to take Whilst nought bur th' aire can beare away our breath Cass I thinke this matter needes not many wordes Since but one deede can bound the common shame In Caesars bodie we must sheathe our swordes And by his death our libertie reclame But since his fortune did confound them all That in the fields to match him did beginne Whilst he by thousands made their bands to fall With hoarie legions alwayes vsde to winne As Pompeys Scipioes and Petreius ghosts In lightlesse shades may by experience tell That after th' ouerthrow of their numbrous hosts All famous though infortunately fell And since prouided for the Parthian wrarre His armie in armes attends on his decree Where we sequestred from such forces farre Would if suspected strait preuented be With some few friends whom all things now t' assay A loue to vs or to their countrie bindes We to his wracke must walke another way Whilst ere our tongues our handes doe tell our mindes Now when most high and therefore hated most Th' assembled Senate seekes to make him king We must goe giue the blow before we boast And him to death Rome out of bondage bring Brut. In all this course I onely one thing blame That we should steale what we may iustly take By clothing honour with a cloake of shame Which may our cause thogh good more odious make O I could wish with honourable wounds T' affront Romes enemy in the battells dust No sweeter musicke than the Trumpets sounds When Right and Valour keepe a consort iust Then free if quicke else dead for nought being feard I alwayes once contented might remaine What tombe t' a man more glorious can be rear'd Than mountaines made of them that he hath slaine But how are my transported thoughts growne such That they disdaine a measure now t' admit As bent not what to doe but to do much I on the throne of Glorie striu'd to sit No to the state me from my selfe I giue Free from particular respects t' expose My life and all for it and whilst I liue So that it gaine I care not what I lose I le neuer rest till he for euer rest That giues my country such a cause of griefe And that t' effect no forme I will detest Nor for my fame endanger Romes reliefe But worthy Cassius ere we further doe Let vs the mindes of our familiars feele Of which I hope to haue assistance too Who will not hazard for his countries weale Cass Now whilst my soule rests rauisht in a traunce I thinke I see great Rome her courage raise Bent to beat th' aire with songs th' earth with a daunce And crowne thy vertues with deserued praise ACT. III. SCENE II. Marcus Brutus Portia MY dearest halfe my comfort my delight That onely seru'st to sweeten all my sowres Thou in my bosome vsde t' vncharge thy spright And in my presence sparde afflictions powres Still when domestike broiles disturbde thy rest Whilst by thy selfe thou labord for reliefe Thou with calme wordes disguisde a stormie breast Lest I had bin infected with thy griefe For such of me was thy respectiue care No cause of miscontentment was made knowne But with affections colors painted faire All that might make me glad was gladly showne What makes thee then thy courage thus to lose That thou can looke so sad and in my sight Lend me deere loue a portion of thy woes A burden being diuided doth grow light I see the Roses fading in thy face The Lillies languish Violets take their place Port. Thou hast deere Lord preuented my designe Which was to aske of thee what makes me pale It Phoebus had no light could Phoebe shine No with the cause of force th'effed must faile The mirrour but giues backe as it receiues A iust resemblance of th' obiected forme And such impression as th' engrauer leaues The wax retaines still to the stampe conforme O I 'm the mirrour that reflects thy minde According to the influence of thine eies I take the state in which thy state I finde Such is my colour as thy countnance dies Then how can I reioyce whilst thou art sad Whose breast of all thy crosses is the scroule I am still as thou art if grieu'd or glad Thy bodies shadow th' essence of thy soule On that great planet that diuides the yeares As th' increase of th' inferiour fields depends And as it doth euanish or appeares In th' earths cold bosome life beginnes or ends Sunne of my soule so I subsist by thee Whose course rests to thy secret motions thrall For when thou art from cloudie fortunes free I rise in ioyes but if thou faint I fall Bru. This countnance with my custome but accords That as you know yet neuer from my birth Light gestures vsde ioynd with lasciuious words Nor yet ridiculous fashions that mooue mirth My melancholious nature feedes on cares Whilst smotherd sorrow by a habite smokes A thoughtfull breast that 's burdend with affaires Doth make a silent mouth and speaking lookes As for my palenesse it imports but good Th' abasing of the bodie mounts the mind Where fatnesse com'd from food but serues for food In fattest bodies leanest sprites we finde Ah since I saw th' abhorr'd Thessalian bounds All drench'd with blood of Senators and kings As if my soule yet smarted in their wounds A secret sorrow oftentimes me stings But since thy famous father with strange blowes In the most hideous form affronted death To him my minde a sad remembrance owes Which sorrow shall exact still whilst I breath Yet am I grieu'd t' haue giuen thee cause of griefe That thought some new mis-hap did me dismay To such olde soares it 's worst to giue reliefe But time in end may weare my woes away Por. Why shouldst thou so from me thy thoghts conceale From thine owne soule that in thy bosome sleepes To whom though shewne thou dost them not reueale But in thy selfe more inwardly them keepst And thou canst hardly hide thy selfe from me That straight in thee each alteration spie I can comment on all that comes from thee True loue still lookes with a suspitious eye Rests not within our bosome euery thought Tun'd by a simpathy of mutuall loue Thou marrst the musicke if thou change in ought Which straight by my distemperature I proue Soule of my soule vnfold what is amisse My minde some great disaster doth diuine And euen excuse my couriousnesse in this Since it concernes thy state and therefore mine Brut. I wonder that thou dost thy frailtie
shew All women are by nature curious still And yet till now thou neuer crau'd to know More then I pleasde t' impart of my free will Nought saue the wife a man within the walles Nor nought saue him without fits her t' embrace And it 's vnseemely though it sometime falles When any sexe vsurpes anothers place Deere their wounted course thy cares inure I may haue matters that import the state Whose opning vp might my disgrace procure Whose weight would for thy weaknesse be too great Port. I was not Brutus match'd with thee to bee A partner only of thy boorde and bed Each seruile whore in those might equall me That did her selfe to nought but pleasure wed No Portia spousde thee with a minde t' abide Thy fellow in all fortunes good or ill With chaines of mutuall loue together tyde As those that haue two breasts one heart two soules one will With sacred bands whom holy Hymen bindes They tweene them should communicate all things Yea both the bodies labors and the mindes Whence either pleasure or displeasure springs If thus thou seeke thy sorrowes to conceale Through a disdaine or a mistrust of me Then to the world what way can I reueale How great a matter I would doe for thee And though our sexe too talkatiue be deem'd As those whose tongues import our greatest powres For secrets still bad treasurers esteem'd Of others greedy prodigall of ours Good education may reforme defects And I this vantage haue t' a vertuous life Which other mindes do want and mine respects I 'm Catoes daughter and I 'm Brutus wife Yet would I not repose my trust in ought Still thinking that thy crosse was great to beare Till that my courage was t' a triall brought Which suffring for thy cause can nothing feare For first t' experience how I could comport With sterne afflictions spirit-enfeebling blowes Ere I would seeke t' assault thee in this sort To whom my soule a duteous reuerence owes Loe heere a wound which makes me not to smart Though by my selfe being made to make me knowne Since thy distresse strikes deeper in my heart Thy griefe lifes ioy makes me neglect mine owne Brut. Thou must deare loue that which thou sought receiue Thy heart so high a saile t' a tempest beares That thy great courage doth deserue to haue Our enterprise entrusted to thine eares Thy magnanimitie preuailes so farre That it my resolution must controule And of my bosome doth the depths vnbarre To lodge thee in the centre of my soule Thou seest in what a state the state now stands Of whose strong pillars Caesar spoil'd the best Whilst by his owne preuenting others handes Our famous father fell amongst the rest That insolent vsurper doth presume To re-erect detested Tarquines throne Thus the worlds mistresse all-commanding Rome Must entertaine no minion now but one Th' old blood of Mars that marks to what he tends Swells with disdaine their countryes scorne to see And I 'm one of the number that intends By his death or mine owne to be made free Port. And without me can thou resolue so soone T' assay the dangers of a doubtfull strife As if dispair'd and alwayes to b' vndone Being tyr'd of me yea tyr'd of thy life Yet since thou thus thy rash designe hath showne Leaue Portias portion venter not her part Endanger nought but that which is thine owne Go where thou lik'st I will hold still thy heart But lest by holding of thy best part backe That th' other perish t' aggrauate my grones That would be so thonght guiltie of thy wrack Take all thy treasure to the Seaes at once Like th' Asian Monarks wife that with short haires Sad signes of bondage past still where he past To weare away or beare away thy cares I le folow thee and of thy fortune taste These hands that were with my owne blood imbru'd To strike another may more strength afford At least when thou by th' enemie art pursu'de I le set my selfe betwixt thee and his sword But if too great a priuiledge I claime Whose actions all should be disposde by thee Ah pardon me deare Brutus do but blame These my excessiue sorrowes and not mee Brut. Thou ask'st what thou shouldst giue forgiue deare mate This ventrous course of mine which must haue place Though it make fortune tyrant of our state Whose fickle foot-steps vertue grieues to trace And wonder not though this towards thee I proue Since priuate passions now all powre haue left For I regard not glory profit loue Nor no respect that doth import me most So to the land of which I hold my life I may performe the worke that I intend Let me be call'd vnkind vnto my wife Yea worst of all ingrate vnto my friend But as th' instinct of nature makes vs know There are degrees of dutie to be past Of which the first we to th'immortalls owe The next t' our Countrey and t' our friends the last Prowd tyrants from his natiue bounds to driue Did th' author of my race with ardent zeale Make those to die whom he had made to liue And spoild himselfe to aduance the commonweale To raise the state which Caesar now ore-throwes That bred so many braue men whilst it stood He with the Tyrant interchanging blowes Most gloriously did offer vp his blood And did that man t' oppresse the common fo Then damne his sonnes to death and with drie eyes And is his successor degenerd so That he in abiect bondage basely lyes No his posteritie his name not staines That t' imitate his steps doth yet draw neere Yet of his spirit in vs some sparke remaines That more then life our libertie hold deare Port. Then prosecute thy course for I protest Though with some griefe my soule the same approues This resolution doth become thy breast Where in the spheare of honor vertue moues And doe this interprise no more deferre What thee contents to me contentment brings I to my life thy saftie doe preferre But hold thy honor deare aboue all things It would but let the world my weaknesse see If I sought my delights not thy desires Though it giue griefe and threaten death to me Goe follow forth that which thy fame requires Though nature sexe and education breed No power in me that 's with my purpose euen He lend assistance to th' intended deed If vowes and prayers may penetrate the heauen But difficulties huge my fancie findes Saue the successe nought can defray my feare Ah Fortune alwayes frownes on worthy mindes As hating all that trust in ought saue her Yet I dispaire not but thou may preuaile And by this course t' appease my present grones I this aduantage haue which cannot faile I le be a freemans wife or else be nones For if all prosper not as we pretend And that the heauens Romes bondage do decree Straight with thy libertie my life shall end Who haue no comfort but what comes from thee My father hath me taught what way to
defend And being brought backe will blush for going astray C. Cass Well Brutus I protest against my will From this blacke clowd what euer tempest fall That mercie but most cruellie doth kill Which thus saues one that once may plague vs all D. Brut. When Caesar with the Senators sits downe In this your iudgements generally accord That for affecting wrongfully the crowne He lawfully may perish by the sword No greater harme t' our purpose can be brought Then by protracting of th' appointed time Least that which acted would b' a vertue thought Be if preuented consterd as a crime Can one thing long in many mindes be pent No purposes would neuer be delaid That are interpreted but by th' euent If prospering reason treason if betraid There may amongst our selues some man remaine Whom if afraid his pardon to procure Or if being greedie for the hope of gaine Time to disclose his consorts may allure Then ruine for our recompence we reape If ought our course by being abortiue marre For if discouer'd once we cannot scape As Tyrants eares heare much their hands reach farre C. Cass The breast in which so deepe a secret dwelles Would not be long chargde with so weightie cares For I coniecture by appearance else Mo priuie are t' our minds then we to theirs Euen but of late one Casca came to see That curious was to haue our purpose knowne And said to him that which thou bidst from me To me by Brutus hath at length bin showen Then by some things that he had learn'd before He of our course deepe in discourse did fall Till Casca thinking that he had knowne more Scarse kept his tongue from staggering out with all Then Laena to vs once came in like sort And wish'd that our designe might prosper well Yet vs to haste did earnestly exhort Since others told what we refusde to tell Whilst strangers rest familiar with our minde And ere t' our knowledge thus t' our counsell rise Make forward fast or we will come behind Fâ—â—â—e wing'd with breath most violently flies M. Brut. Their words but from vncertainties burst forth For whilst considering of their bondage thus Of Caesars tyrranie and of our worth They thinke this should be done and done by vs Such coniurations to confirme of olde Some drinking others bloods swore on their swords And cursing those that did their course vnfold Vsde imprecations execrable words And yet then this though voluntarily vow'd Free from all bonds saue that which vertue bindes More constantly no course was still allow'd Till now that th' end must manifest our minds And since so many frankly keepe their faith Still what they first design'd t' accomplish bent No doubt in spight of fickle fortunes wrath But the successe shall yeeld our soules content Might some few Thebans from the Spartans pride By diuers tyrants deaths redeeme their towne And one Athenian that his vertue tryde By thirtie Tyrants ruins win renowne And to the Greekes are we inferiour growne That where they haue so many tyrants spoild There cannot one be by vs all orethrowne Whose state yet brangling may be soone imbroyld O I 'm resolu'd and with my thoughts decree What euer fortune either sweet or sowre I shall my soyle from tyrannie set free Or then my selfe free from the tyrants powre D. Br. By Lepidus inuited this last night Whilst Caesar went to suppe and I with him Of all deaths shapes to talke we tooke delight So at the table to beguile the time And whilst our iudgements all about were tride Straight Caesar as transported to the rest With a most sodaine exclamation cride O of all deaths vnlookt for death is best For from our selues it steales our selues so fast That euen the mind no fearefull forme can see Then is the paine ere apprehended past All sowres ere tasted would disgested be The threatned destinie thus he diuinde It would appeare diuinely being inspirde For now I hope that he shall shortly finde That forme of death which he himselfe desirde C. Cass Whilst of our band the fury flames most hot And that their will t' atchiue this worke is such Lest Caesars absence disappoint the plot Which would of some abate the courage much It Decius were exceedingly well done That to his lodging you addressd your way Him by some meanes to further forward soone Lest by some sodaine chaunce allur'd to stay D. Br. There where the Senate minds this day to sit Stand all prepar'd t' approach where danger dwells And for the sacrifice when all is fit I le bring an offring consecrated else Exeunt ACT. IIII. SCENE II. Caesar Calphurnia Decius Brutus LOng-lookt for time that should the glory yeeld Which I through Neptunes trustlesse raigne haue sought And through the dust of many a bloodie field As by all dangers worthy to be bought Thy comming now those lowring shadowes cleares That did th' horizon of my hopes ore-cast This day defrayes the toyles of many yeares And brings the haru'st of all my labors past The Senators a messenger haue sent Most earnestly entreating me to come And heare my selfe discernd by their consent To weare a crowne ouer all excepting Rome Thus they deuise conditions at this houre For him of whom Mars hath made them the prey As subiects limite could their soueraignes powre That must haue minde of nought but to obey But hauing pacifide those present things I minde to leade my valorous legions forth To th' orientall realmes adoring kings That can exhibite honors due to worth Than swimme my thoughts in th' Ocean of delight Whilst on the pillow of soft praise reposde Those eies to gaze vpon my glories light That enuy op'ned admiration closde Cal. Ah though your fancies great contentment find Whilst thus the world your vertue doth aduance Yet a prepostrous terrour stings my minde And boasts me with I know not what mischance My wauering hopes oreballanc'd are with feares That to my soule sinistrous signes impart And ominous rumours so assault mine eares That they almost make breaches in my heart Caesar What doe debattelld Pompeys followers striue To recollect their ruines from the dust Dare they that only by my tollerance liue More to their strength than to my fauour trust Or dost thou feare his sonnes deiected state That steales infamous flying through those floods Which his great father Admiral of late Did plant with ships til all their waues seemd woods Then makes his brothers death his courage more Since by them straited in a bloodie strife I that in all the battel 's giuen before Did fight for victorie then fought for life Or whilst to march toward Parthia I prepare Doth a suspition thus afflict thy sprite For Crassus fortune feard that perisht there Th' opprobrious prey of the Barbarians spight To those same bands that Cassius thence brought back A place amongst my legions I le allow Whose foes shall find whilst they auenge th' olde wracke Though the same sheep another shepheard now Do not imagine matters to bemone
Nun. The man of whom the world in doubt remain'd If that his minde or fortune was more great Whose valour conquer'd clemencie retain'd All nations subiect to the Romane state Him fraude harm'd more then force friends more then foes Ah must this sad discourse by mee be made Calph. Stay ere thou further goe defray my woes How doth my loue wher is my life Nū Dead Cal. dead Cho. Though apprehending horrors in her minde Now since she hath a certaintie receiu'd She by experience greater griefe doth finde Till borne the passions cannot be conceiu'd When as a high disaster force affords O how that tyrant whom affliction beares Barres th eares from comfort the mouth from words And being obdur'd cannot dissolue in teares Calph. Ah since the lights of that great light are set Why doth not darknesse spread it selfe ouer all At least what further comfort can I get Whose pleasures had no period but his fall O would the gods I alwayes might confine Aetna ' in my breast and th' Ocean in mine eyes That t' entertaine so great a griefe as mine Thence might sufficient furniture arise Yet I disdaine though by distresse ore-throwne By such externall meanes to seeke reliefe The greatest sorrowes are by silence showne Whilst all the sences are shut vp with griefe But miserie doth so tyrannicke grow That it of sighes and teares a tribute claimes Ah when the cup is full it must ore-flow And fires that burne must offer vp some flames Yet though that thy last words my last might be Which are deepe sunke within a melted heart Of my liues death report each point to me That I for euery circumstance may smart Nun. What fatall warnings did fore-go his end Which by his stay to frustrate some did try But he that scorn'd excuses to pretend Was by the Destinies drawne forth to die Whilst by the way he chanc'd t' encounter one That had his deaths-day nam'd he to him said Now th' Ides of March be com'd but yet not gone Straight tho'other answerd and still constant staide Another brought a letter with great speed Which the conspiracie at length did touch And gaue it Caesar in his hand to reade Protesting that it did import him much Yet did he lay it vp where still it rests As do the great whom happy th' earth reputes That grieu'd to be importun'd by requests Of simple supplicants neglect the sutes Or he of it the reading did deferre Still troubled by attendanrs at the gate Whilst some to shew their credite did conferre To flatter some for something some t' entreat Not only did the gods by diuers signes Giue Caesar warning of his threatned harmes But did disturbe all th' aduersaries designes And to their troubled thoughts gaue strange alarmes A Senator that by some words we finde To the conspiratours though none of theirs Had showne himselfe familiar with their minde Then chanc'd to deale with Caesar in affaires That sight their soules did with confusion fill For thinking that he told their purposde deeds They straight themselues or Caesar thought to kill A guiltie conscience no accuser needes But marking that he vsde when taking leaue The gesture of a suter that gaue thankes They of their course did greater hopes conceiue And rang'd themselues according to their rankes Then Caesar march'd forth to the fatall place Neere Pompyes theater where the Senate was Where when he had remain'd a little space All the confederates flock'd about Calph. Alas Nun. First for the forme Metellus Cimber crau'd To haue his brother from exile restor'd Yet with the rest a rude repulse receiu'd Whilst it they all too ernestly implor'd Then Cimber that in strife with him did stand Did draw the gowne ouer Caesars sacred head But the first blow was giuen by Cascaes hand Which on his necke a little wound but made Then Caesar starting whilst the stroke he spi'd By strength from further striking Casca stayde Whilst both the two burst out at once and cry'd Th' one traitor Casca th' other brother ayde Then all the rest against him did arise Like desperate men whose furie force affords That Caesar on no side could set his eyes But euery looke r'encountred with some swordes Yet as a Lyon when by nets surprisde Stands strugling still so long as he hath strength So Caesar as he had their powre dispisde Did with great rage resist till at the length He thus cry'd out when spying Brutus come And thou mya sonne then griefe did backe rebound Nought but vnkindnesse Caesar could ore-come That of all things doth giue the deepest wound Cho. Ah when vnkindnes is where loue was thought A tender passion breakes the strongest heart For of all those that giue offence in ought Men others hate but for th' vnkinde they smart Nun. Ah taking then no more delight in light As which would then his life haue bitter fram'd Or then from Brutus blow t' absent his sight As of so great ingratitude asham'd He with his gowne being couer'd first ouer all As one that neither sought nor wisht reliefe Not wronging maiestie in state did fall No sigh consenting to betray his griefe Yet if by chaunce or force I cannot tell Euen at the place whereas his statue stood As crauing Pompcy pardon Caesar fell That in reuenge it might exhaust his blood But when his corps abandond quite by breath Did Fortunes frailties monument remaine That all might haue like interest in his death And guilty alike looke for like praise or paine Then Cassius Brutus and the rest began With that great Emperours blood t' imbrue their hands What beast in th' earth more cruell is than man When ouer his reason passion once commands Calph. Whilst brutish Brutus and prowde Cassius thus Romes greatest Captaine vnder trust deceiu'd Where was Anthonius since a friend to vs That he not lost himselfe or Caesar sau'd Nun. The whole conspirators remainde in doubt Had he and Caesar ioyn'd to be vndone And so causde one him t' entertaine without Who fain'd a conference till the fact was done Then knowing well in such tumultuous broyles That the first danger alwayes is the worst He fled in haste disguisde with vnknowne spoiles For rage and for disdaine being like to burst Calph. The Senators that were assembled there When they beheld that great man brought t'an end What was their part to what inclin'd their care I feare affliction could not find a friend Nun. Of those that in the Senate-house did sit As greeu'd so sad an obiect to behold Or feard what further murdrers might commit Each towards his house a seuerall way did hold This act with horror did confound their sight And vnawares their iudgement did surprise When any hastie harmes vnlook'd for light The resolution hath not time to rise That man on whome the world did once rely By all being reuerenc'd and ador'd by some Had none t' attend him left but two and I. Cho. To what an ebbe may fortunes full whiles come Why should men following
on the smoake of pride Leaue certaine ease to seeke a dream'd delight Which when they haue by many dangers tride They neither can with safetie keepe nor quite The people that by force subdude remaine May pittie those by whome oppressd they rest They but one tyrant haue where as there raigne A thousand Tyrants in one tyrants breast What though that Caesar once commanded kings Whose only name whole nations did appall Yet now let no man trust in worldly things A little earth holdes him that held it all Calph. Ah had he but beleeu'd my faithfull cares That t' haue his state establish'd alwayes striu'd Then scaping this conspiracie of theirs He honorde still and I had happie liu'd Did I not spend of supplications store That he within his house this day would waste As I by dreames aduertis'd was before Which shew'd that was to come which now is past Whilst the sooth-sayers sacrifiz'd did finde A beast without a heart their altars staine By that presage my soule might haue diuin'd That I without my heart would soone remaine But all those terrors could not terrors giue To that great mind whose thoghts could not be tam'd But by his fortune confident did liue As him t' obey the heauens had all things fram'd Yet though he ended haue his fatall race T' insult for this let not his murdrers striue For O I hope to see within short space Him dead ador'd and them abhor'd aliue Though now his name the multitude respects Since murdering one that had held him so deare Whilst th' inward thoughts ech outward thing reflects Some monstrous shape to Brutus must appeare Iust Nemesis must plague prowde Cassius soone And make him kill himselfe from hopes estrang'd Once all the wrongs by foes to Caesar done May by themselues be on themselues reueng'd Chor. Some for th' earths soueraigne Fortune striue to proue As heauens their course confusdly did aduance Nought comes to men below but from aboue By prouidence not by a staggering chance Though to the cause that last foregoes the end Some attribute th' euent of euery thing That cause on other causes doth depend From heauen to earth that chaind together hing Of those decrees that heauens for vs appoint Who-euer them approues or yet disprooues No mortall man can dissappoint a point But as they please heere mooues or hence remooues We when once com'd the worlds vaine pomp to trie Led by the fates t' our iournies end must haste For when first borne we striaght begin to die Lifes first day is a steppe vnto the last And is there ought more swift than daies and yeares Which weare away this breath of ours so soone Whilst Lachesis to no request giues eares But spinnes the threedes of life till they be done Yet foolish worldelings following that which flies As if they had assurance still to breathe To fraile preferrement fondly striue to rise Which but a burden weighes them downe to death Nun. Ther 's none of vs but must remember still How that the gods by many a wondrous signe Did shew as 't were how that against their will The destinies would Caesars dayes confine A monstrous starre amidst the heauen hath beene Stil since they first against him did conspire The solitary birds at noone were seene And men to walke enuirond all with fire What woonder though the heauens at such a time Vpbraide the earth with apparitions strange Then whilst intending such a monstrous crime Vnnaturall men make natures course to change Cho. Thogh all such things seem wonderful to some They may by reason comprehended be Yet if ought more than common custome come It th' ignorant with wondring eies must see Those bastard starres not heritours of th' aire Are first conceiu'd below then borne aboue And when fore-knowing things sprites take most care And by illusions superstition moue Yet this no doubt a great regard should breed When Nature hath brought forth a monstrous birth Where men in secret characters may reade The wrath of heauen and wickednesse of earth The Naturalists and th' Astrologians skill May whiles r'encountring manifest like care Since th' one lookes backe and th' other forward still Th' one may tell what and th' other why things are Nu. Shall sorrow through the waues of woes to saile Haue still your teares for seas your sighs for windes T'affliction what do base complaints auaile A higher course becomes heroicke mindes None are orecom'd saue onely those that yeelde Though they from froward fortune blowes haue borne Let Vertue be t'Aduersitie a shield No greater griefe to griefe than th' enemies scorne This makes your foes but laugh to see you weepe At least these teares but for your selfe bestow And not for that great sprite whose spoils heauens keep For he no doubt rests deified ere now Calp. I onely waile my life and not his death That now amongst th'immortalls doth repose And shall so long as I haue blood or breath To furnish forth those elements of woes I care not who reioyce so I lament That do to darkenes dedicate my daies And since the light of my delight is spent Shall haue in horror all Apolloes raies I will retire my selfe to waile alone As do the trustie Turtles for their mates And my misfortune alwayes bent to mone Will spurne at pleasures as empoisond baites No second guest shall presse great Caesars bed Warmd by the flames to which he first gaue life I thinke there may be greater honour had Being Caesars widow than anothers wife This had afforded comfort for my harmes If I ere chancde abandond thus to be Had had a little Caesar in mine armes That represented had his sire to me Yet doth that idoll which my thoughts adore With me of late most strictly match remaine For where my armes but held him whiles before Now in my heart I shall him still retaine That though I haue no pretious things t' impart Thy deity may by me b' acknowledgde oft Still offring vp my thoughts vpon my hart My sacred flame shall alwayes mount aloft Exeunt Chorus WHat fooles are those that do repose their trust On what this masse of miserie affords And bragging but of th' excrements of dust Of lifelesse treasures labour to be lords Which like the Syrens songs or Circes charmes With shadows of delight hide certaine harmes Ah whilst they sport on pleasures icie ground Oft poisond by prosperitie with pride A sodaine fall doth floating ioyes confound Of those that stumble after th' eielesse guide That so inconstantly her selfe doth beare To hope th' vnhappy happy haue cause to feare The fortunate that bathe in flouds of ioyes To perish whiles amidst their pleasures chaunce And mirthlesse wretches wallowing in annoyes Oft by aduersitie themselues aduance Whilst fortune bent to mocke vain worldlings eares Doth change dispaires in hopes hopes in dispaires That gallant Graecian whose great wit so soone Th' innumerable army did orecome Were not he was vndone had bin vndone And if not banisht had not had a home
her sonne yet with him dide In whom she found th' affections of a sonne Olimp. If but by hearing of his dolorous end A stranger once his captiue dide for griefe Ah shall his mother on new hopes depend As such a losse might looke for some reliefe And so I will for t were a great disgrace To me the mother of th'all conquering man Like other women to giue fortune place And yeeld to miserie as many can Though griefe at first must molifie me once Else as vnnaturall I might be admirde Yet will I not still burst my brest with grones Than that of me more courage is requirde I le not degener from my generous kinde Faint-hearted hindes brought neuer Lyon forth Nor yet a mother of an abiect minde Had neuer borne a monarch of such worth And O who knowes but once the time may come That I t' auenge my selfe a meanes may haue And may against these traytors yet mooue some That with their blood may bathe their sou'raignes graue Now on Perdiccas repose my trust That with Eumenes would our wrongs redresse Their valor ventring in a cause so iust Doth by appearance promise good successe Rox. Loe now of late deliuered of a sonne I to these captaines scarce dare make it knowne That else to part his kingdomes haue begunne And might by killing him make all their owne Ay me Madam this makes me most to pause That still th' ambition of those great men feare Lest by pretending but a publike cause They seeke themselues th' authoritie to beare Ah they of my yong babe as mou'd with ruth Would but be Tutors first and traytors then Voyd of obedience dutie loue or truth No deerer things then diadems to men Olimp. As those whose courage cannot be dismaide Let vs a faction studie now to finde And whilst that pittie doth procure for aide Go tune the peoples passions now t' our minde Vnlesse their loue haue perishde with his life Of Alexander in a high degree I thinke the sonne the mother and the wife Must of the Macedonians reuerenc'd be And this doth with disdaine my soule consume That Arideus amongst other wrongs And prowde Euridice his wife presume To vsurpe those honours that but t 'vs belongs O they shall finde my fortune not so changde But I am able yet t' abate their pride What what Olimpias must be reuengde That saue her selfe a Queene disdaynes t' abide Exeunt Chorus LOe how all good decayed And euills begin t' abound In this skie-compasst round There is no kinde of trust For mankind whilst it strayes In pleasure-paued wayes With floods of vice is drown'd And doth farre from refuge In endlesse shaddowes lodge Yet striues to rise no more No doubt as most vniust The world once perish must And worse now to restore Then that it was before When at the last deluge Men by Ducalion once Were made againe of stones And well this wicked race Bewrayes a stonie kinde That beares a stubborne minde Still hardned vnto sinne Lo now in euery place All vertuous motions cease And sacred faith we finde Now farre from th' earth is fled Whose flight huge euills hath bred And fills the world with warres Whilst impious breasts begin Still to let treason in Which common concord marres Whilst all men liue at iarres And nets of fraud do spred Th' vnwarie to surprise Too wittie but not wise Yet those that in deceit Their confidence repose A deerer thing do lose Then can by guile be gain'd Which being repented late Brings ruine to their state Whilst purer spirits disclose Wherewith their breasts are stord For though they would remord They get not trust againe But hauing honor stain'd And couenants prophain'd Are held in high disdaine And do in end remaine Of all the world abborr'd Not trustie when they should Not trusted when they would But ah our Nobles now Lo like Lisander still So that they get their will Regard not by what way And with a shamelesse brow Doe of th' effect allow Euen though the meanes were ill Which all the world may see Disgraces their degree That should not learne to lowre But throwe base sleights away What can braue mindes dismay Whose worth is as a towre Against all fortunes powre Still from all fraud being free These keepe their course vnknowne Whom it would shame if shewn VVho not from worth digresse T' vse sleights that feare imparts Doe shew heroicke hearts The which would rather farre An open hate professe Then secretly suppresse Honor scornes fearefull artes But those that doe vs leade As for dissembling made Euen though that they intend Amongst themselues t' haue warre Seeme in no sort to iarre But friendship do pretend Not like their Lord that 's dead That trusting to his worthy Still what hee meant spake forth The great men not for nought Do seeke the peoples loue And them their deeds t' approue Do labor still t' allure But Perdiccas it 's thought Too sparingly hath sought Our mindes towards him to moue As one that still conceits Hee may command the fates His pride so great is growne That none can it indure Yet stands his state vnsure Since odious to his owne He must b' at last ore-throwne Whose humour each man hates Pride doth her followers all Lead headlong to a fall ACT. IIII. SCENE I. Antigonus Eumenes TOugh stormie discord and tumultuous warres Doe fire the minds of men with flames of rage That hauing hautie thoughts as heauen hath starres Their indignation nothing can asswage Yet loe amongst the souldiers wauing bowres The Heraulds cryes whiles calmes the trumpets sounds And peace dare inter-pose her vnarm'd powres To limit for a time Bellonaes bounds And whilst of furie they suspend th' effects The seeming-friended foes haue conference whiles And each shewes th' other what his soule affects A shadow of the blisse that Mars exiles Thus men magnanimous amidst the field Dare to th' assurance of their enemies trust And loathing what disloyaltie doth yield Not violate their vowes nor proue vniust Though Loue be past yet Truth should still remaine I vertuous partes euen in my foes applaud A gallant mind doth greater glorie gaine To die with honor than to liue by fraude And why Eumenes as mistrusting me Else standing on your reputation long Did you disdaine to come as all men see T' a greater than yourselfe and t 'one more strong Eu. Thogh we not come to plead our birthright here Let him but warriors take not so their place In whom best signes of noblenesse appeere Be thought extracted of the noblest race Most noble he that still by vertue striues To leaue his name in minds of men engrau'd And to his of-spring greater glorie giues Than of his ancestors he hath receiu'd Erst we by birth in warre not marshalld stoode As at the table vpon Iuorie beds A souldiers worth consists not in his blood But in the blood of th' enemies that he sheds What euer others of my linage try I am Eumenes and I scorne t'