yet that you will me procure A royall tombe within my natiue realme And now shut vp with those your tender handes These griefful eyes of mine whose daseled sight Shadowes of dreadfull death be come to close Now rest in peace thus sayde he yeelded vp His fainting ghost that ready was to part The mother thus beholding both hir sonnes Ygone to death and ouercome with dole Drewe out the dagger of hir Polinices From brothers brest and gorde hir mothers throte Falling betwéene hir sonnes Then with hir féebled armes she doth enfolde Their bodies both as if for company Hir vncontented corps were yet content To passe with them in Charons ferrie boate When cruell fate had thus with force bereft The wofull mother and hir two deare sonnes All sodenly allarme allarme they crye And hote conflict began for to aryse Betwene our armie and our enemyes For either part would haue the victorye A while they did with equall force maintaine The bloudy fight at last the Gréekes do flie Of whom could hardly any one escape For in such hugie heapes our men them slew The ground was couerde all with carcases And of our souldiers some gan spoyle the dead Some other were that parted out the pray And some pursuing Antigone toke vp The Queene locasta and the brethren both Whom in a chariot hither they will bring Ere long and thus although we gotten haue The victory ouer our enemies Yet haue we lost much more than we haue wonne Creon exit Cho. O hard mishap we doe not onely heare The wearie newes of their vntimely death But eke we must with wayling eyes beholde Their bodies deade for loke where they be brought Scena 3. ANTIGONE CHORVS MOst bitter plaint O ladyes vs behoues Behoueth eke not onely bitter plainte But that our heares dysheuylde from our heades About our shoulders hang and that our brests With bouncing blowes be all be battered Our gastly faces with our nayles defaced Behold your Queene twixt both hir sonnes lyes slayne The Queene whom you did loue and honour both The Queene that did so tenderly bring vp And nourishe you eche one like to hir owne Now hath she left you all O cruell hap With hir too cruell death in dying dreade Pyning with pensiuenesse without all helpe O weary life why bydst thou in my breast And I contented be that these mine eyes Should sée hir dye that gaue to me this life And I not venge hir death by losse of life Who can me giue a fountaine made of mone That I may weepe as muche as is my will To sowsse this sorow vp in swelling teares Cho. What stony hart could leaue for to lament Anti. O Polinice now hast thou with thy bloud Bought all too deare the title to this realme That cruell he Eteocles thée reste And now also hath reft thée of thy life Alas what wicked dede can wrath not doe And out alas for mée Whyle thou yet liuedst I had a liuely hope To haue some noble wight to be my phéere By whome I might be crownde a royall Quéene But now thy hastie death hath done to dye This dying hope of mine that hope hencefoorth None other wedlocke but tormenting woe If so these trembling hands for cowarde dread Dare not presume to ende this wretched life Cho. Alas deare dame let not thy raging griefe Heape one mishap vpon anothers head Anti. O dolefull day wherein my sory sire Was borne and yet O more vnhappie houre When he was crowned king of stately Thebes The Hymenei in vnhappie bed And wicked wedlocke wittingly did ioyne The giltlesse mother with hir giltie sonne Out of which roote we be the braunches borne To beare the scourge of their so foule offence And thou O father thou that for this facte Haste torne chine eyes from thy tormented head Giue eare to this come foorth and bende thine eare To bloudie newes that canst not them beholde Happie in this for if thine eyes could sée Thy sonnes bothe slayne and euen betwéene them bothe Thy wife and mother dead bathed and imbrude All in one bloud then wouldst thou dye for dole And so might ende all our vnluckie stocke But most vnhappie nowe that lacke of sighte Shall linger life within thy lucklesse brest And still tormented in suche miserie Shall alwayes dye bicause thou canst not dye Oedipus entreth Scena iiij. OEDIPVS ANTIGONE CHORVS WHy dost thou call out of this darkesome denne The lustleste lodge of my lamenting yeres O daughter deare thy fathers blinded eyes Into the light I was not worthy of Or what suche sight O cruell destenie Without tormenting cares might I beholde That image am of deathe and not of man Anti. O father mine I bring vnluckie newes Unto your eares your sonnes are nowe both slayne Ne doth your wife that wonted was to guyde So piteously your staylesse stumbling steppes Now see this light alas and welaway Oed. O heape of infinite calamities And canst thou yet encrease when I thought least That any griefe more great could grow in thée But tell me yet what kinde of cruell death Had these three sory soules Anti. Without offence to speake deare father mine The lucklesse lotte the frowarde frowning fate That gaue you life to ende your fathers life Haue ledde your sonnes to reaue eche others life Oed. Of them I thought no lesse but tell me yet What causelesse death hath caught from me my deare What shall I call hir mother or my wife Anti. When as my mother sawe hir deare sonnes dead As pensiue pangs had prest hir tender heart With bloudlesse cheekes and gastly lookes she fell Drawing the dagger from Eteocles side She gorde hirselfe with wide recurelesse wounde And thus without mo words gaue vp the ghost Embracing both hir sonnes with both hir armes In these affrightes this frosen heart of mine By feare of death maynteines my dying life Cho. This drearie day is cause of many euils Poore Oedipus vnto thy progenie The Gods yet graunt it may become the cause Of better happe to this afflicted realme Scena v. CREON OEDIPVS ANTIGONE GOod Ladies leaue your bootelesse vayne complaynt Leaue to lament cut of your wofull cryes High time it is as now for to prouide The funerals for the renowned king And thou Oedipus hearken to my wordes And know thus muche that for thy daughters dower Antigone with Hemone shall wedde Thy sonne our king not long before his death Assigned hath the kingdome should descende To me that am his mothers brother borne And so the same might to my sonne succéede Now I that am the lorde and king of Thebes Will not permit that thou abide therein Ne maruell yet of this my heady will Ne blame thou me for why the heauens aboue Which onely rule the rolling life of man Haue so ordeynde and that my words be true Tyresias he that knoweth things to come By trustie tokens hath foretolde the towne That while thou didst within the walles remayne It should be plagued still with penurie Wherfore
the thing that I would not haue tolde If I haue you offended with my words Blame then your selfe and eke your frowarde fate Cre. cruell words oh oh what hast thou sayde Thou cruell southsayer Tyr. Euen that that heauen Hath ordeined once and needes it must ensue Cre. Howe many euils hast thou knit vp in one Tyr. Though euill for thée yet for thy countrey good Cre. And let my countrey perishe what care I Tyr. Aboue all things we ought to holde it deare Cre. Cruell were he that would not loue his childe Tyr. For cōmō weale were well that one man waile Cre. To loose mine owne I liste none other saue Tyr. Best Citizens care least for priuate gayne Cre. Departe for nowe with all thy prophecies Tyr. Lo thus the truthe dothe alwayes hatred get Cre. Yet pray I thée by these thy siluer heares Tyr. The harme that cōmes from heauen can not be scapt Cre. And by thy holy spirite of prophecie Tyr. What heauen hath done that can not I vndoe Cre. That to no moe this secrete thou reueals Tyr. And wouldst thou haue me learne to make a lye Cre. I pray thée holde thy peace Tyr. That will I not But in thy woe to yéelde thée some reliefe I tell thée once thou shalt be Lorde of Thebes Which happe of thine this string did well declare Which from the heart doth out alonely growe So did the péece corrupted playnly shewe An argument most euident to proue Thy sonne his death Cre. Well yet be thou content To kéepe full close this secrete hidden griefe Tyr. I neither ought ne will kéepe it so close Cre. Shall I be then the murtherer of mine owne Tyr. Ne blame not me but blame the starres for this Cre. Can heauens condemne but him alone to dye Tyr. We ought beléeue the cause is good and iust Cre. Uniust is he condemnes the innocent Tyr. A foole is he accuseth heauens of wrongs Cre. There can no ill thing come from heauēs aboue Tyr. Then this that heauen commaunds can not be ill Cre. I not beléeue that thou hast talkt with God Tyr. Bicause I tell thée that doth thée displease Cre. Out of my sight accursed lying wretche Tyr. Go daughter go oh what a foole is he That puts in vre to publishe prophecies For if he do foretell a frowarde fate Though it be true yet shall he purchase hate And if he silence kéepe or hide the truth The heauy wrath of mightie Gods ensuth Apollo he might well tell things to come That had no dread the angry to offende But hye we daughter hence some other way Tyresias vvith Manto his daughter returneth by the gates called Electrae Scena ij. CREON MENECEVS OH my deare childe well hast thou heard with eare These wéery newes or rather wicked tales That this deuine of thee deuined hath Yet will thy father neuer be thy foe With cruell doome thy death for to consent Me. You rather ought O father to consent Unto my death since that my death may bring Unto this towne bothe peace and victorie Ne can I purchase more prayseworthy deathe Than for my countreys wealth to lose my breath Cre. I can not prayse this witlesse will of thine Me. You know deare father that this life of ours Is brittle short and nothing else in déede But tedious toyle and pangs of endlesse payne And death whose darte to some men séemes so fell Brings quiet ende to this vnquiet life Unto which ende who soonest doth arriue Findes soonest rest of all his restlesse griefe And were it so that here on earth we felte No pricke of payne nor that our flattring dayes Were neuer dasht by frowarde fortunes frowne Yet béeing borne as all men are to dye Were not this worthy glory and renowne To yéelde the countrey soyle where I was borne For so long time so shorte a time as mine I can not thinke that this can be denied Then if to shunne this haughtie highe behest Mine onely cause O father doth you moue Be sure you séeke to take from me your sonne The greatest honor that I can attayne But if your owne commoditie you moue So much the lesse you ought the same allowe For looke how much the more you haue in Thebes So much the more you ought to loue the same Here haue you Hemone he that in my steade O my deare father may with you remaine So that although you be depriued of me Yet shall you not be quite depriued of heires Cre. I can not chuse deare sonne but disalowe This thy too hastie hote desire of death For if thy life thou settest all so lighte Yet oughtest thou thy father me respect Who as I drawe the more to lumpishe age So much more néede haue I to craue thine ayde Ne will I yet with stubborne tong denye That for his common weale to spende his life Doth win the subiect high renoumed name But howe in armoure to defende the state Not like a beast to bléede in sacrifice And therewithall if any should consent To such a death then should the same be I That haue prolonged life euen long enough Ne many dayes haue I nowe to drawe on And more auaile might to the countrie come Deare sonne to holde that lustie life of thine That arte both yong and eke of courage stout Than may by me that féeble am and olde Then liue deare sonne in high prosperitie And giue me leaue that worthy am to dye Mene. Yet worthy were not that vnworthy chaunge Cre. If such a death bring glorie giue it me Mene. Not you but me the heauens cal to die Cre. We be but one in flesh and body both Mene. I father ought so ought not you to die Cre. If thou sonne die thinke not that I can line Then let me die and so shall he first die That ought to die and yet but one shal die Me. Although I father ought t' obey your hestes Yet euil were not to this yelde your wil Cre. Thy wit is wylie for to worke this wo Me. Oh tender pittie moueth me thereto Cre. A beast is he that kils himselfe with knife Of pittie to preserue an others life Me. Yet wise is he that doth obey the Gods Cre. The Gods will not the death of any wight Me. Whose life they take they giue him life also Cre. But thou dost striue to take thy life thy selfe Me. Nay them to obey that will I shall not liue Cre. What fault O sonne condemneth thée to death Me. Who liueth father here without a fault Cre. I sée no gylte in thée that death deserues Me. But God it séeth that euery secrete séeth Cre. Howe shoulde we knowe what is the will of God Me. We knowe it then when he reueales the same Cre. As though he woulde come doune to tell it vs Me. By diuers meanes his secrets he discloseth Cre. Oh fonde is he who thinkes to vnderstand The mysteries of ioue his secrete mynde And for to ende this controuersie here Loe thus I say
I will we both liue yet Prepare thée then my hestes to holde and kéepe And pull a downe that stubborne heart of thyne Me. You may of me as of your selfe dispose And since my life doth séeme so deare to you I will preserue the same to your auaile That I may spende it alwayes to your will Cre. Then thée behoues out of this towne to flie Before the bolde and blinde Tyresias Doe publish this that is as yet vnknowne Me. And where or in what place shall I become Cre. Where thou mayste be hence furthest out of sight Me. You may commaunde and I ought to obey Cre. Go to the lande of Thesbeotia Me. Where Dodona doth fit in sacred chaire Cre. Euen there my childe Me. And who shal guide my wandring steps Cre. high Ioue Me. Who shall giue sustenance for my reliefe Cre. There will I sende thée heapes of glistring golde Me. But when shall I eftesoones my father sée Cre. Cre long I hope but nowe for nowe depart For euery lingring let or little stay May purchase payne and torment both to me Me. First woulde I take my conge of the Quéene That since the day my mother lost hir life Hath nourisht me as if I were hir owne Creon goeth out by the gates Homoloydes Cre. Oh tarry not my deare sonne tarry not Me. Beholde father I goe You dames of Thebes Praye to almightie Ioue for my retourne You sée howe mine vnhappie starres me driue To go my countrie fro and if so chaunce I ende in woe my pryme and lustie yeares Before the course of Nature do them call Honor my death yet with your drery plaints And I shal eke where so this carkas come Praye to the Gods that they preserue this towne Meneceus departeth by the gates Electrae CHORVS WHen she that rules the rolling whéele of chaunce Doth turne aside hir angrie frowning face On him whom erst she deigned to aduaunce She neuer leaues to galde him with disgrace To tosse and turne his state in euery place Till at the last she hurle him from on high And yeld him subiect vnto miserie And as the braunche that from the roote is reft He neuer winnes like life to that he lefte Yea though he do yet can no tast of ioy Compare with pangs that past in his annoy Well did the heauens ordeine for our behoofe Necessitie and fates by them allowde That when we see our high mishappes aloofe As me our eyes were mufled with a cloude Our froward will doth shrinke it selfe and shrowde From our auaile wherewith we runne so farre As none amends can make that we do marre Then drawes euill happe striues to shew his strēgth And such as yeld vnto his might at length He leades them by necessitie the way That destinie preparde for our decay The Mariner amidde the swelling seas Who séeth his barke with many a billowe beaten Now here now there as wind and waues best please When thundring Ioue with tempest list to threaten And dreades in depest gulfe for to be eaten Yet learnes a meane by mere necessitie To saue him selfe in such extremitie For when he seeth no man hath witte nor powre To flie from fate when fortune list to lowre His only hope on mightie Ioue doth caste Whereby he winnes the wished hauen at last How fond is that man in his fantasie Who thinks that Ioue the maker of vs al And he that tempers all in heauen on high The sunne the mone the starres celestiall So that no leafe without his leaue can fall Hath not in him omnipotence also To guide and gouerne all things here below O blinded eies O wretched mortall wights O subiect slaues to euery euill that lights To scape such woe such paine such shame and scorne Happie were he that neuer had bin borne Well might duke Creon driuen by destinie If true it be that olde Tyresias saith Redeme our citie from this miserie By his consent vnto Meneceus death Who of him selfe wold faine haue lost his breth But euery man is loth for to fulfill The heauenly hest that pleaseth not his will That publique weale must néedes to ruine go Where priuate profite is preferred so Yet mightie God thy only aide we craue This towne from siege and vs from sorrowe saue Finis Actus tertij The order of the fourth dumbe shevve BEfore the beginning of this fourth Acte the Trumpets sounded the drummes and fifes and a greate peale of ordinaunce was shot of in the which ther entred vpon the stage .vj. knights armed at al points whereof three came in by the Gates Electrae and the other foure by the Gates Homoloides either parte beeing accompanied with vij other armed men and after they had marched twice or thrice about the Stage the one partie menacing the other by their furious lookes and gestures the .vj. knights caused their other attendants to stand by and drawing their Swords fell to cruell and couragious combate continuing therein till two on the one side were slayne the third perceiuing that he only remayned to withstand the force of .iij. enemies did politiquely runne aside wherewith immediatly one of the .iij. followed after him and when he hadde drawen his enimie thus from his companie hee turned againe and slewe him Then the seconde also ranne after him whome he slewe in like māner and consequently the thirde and then triumphantly marched aboute the Stage with hys sword in his hand Hereby was noted the incomparable force of concord betweene brethren who as long as they holde togither may not easily by any meanes be ouercome and being once disseuered by any meanes are easily ouerthrowen The history of the brethren Horatij Curiatij who agreed to like combate and came to like ende After that the dead carkasses were caried from the Stage by the armed men on both parties and that the victor was triumphantly accompanied out also came in a messanger armed from the campe seeking the Queene and to hir spake as followeth Actus iiij. Scena j. NVNCIVS IOCASTA Nuncius commeth in by the gates Homoloides O Sage and sober dames O shamefast maides O faithfull seruants of our aged Quéene Come leade hir forth sith vnto hir I bring Such secrete newes as are of great importe Come forthe O Quéene surcease thy wofull plainte And to my words vouchsafe a willing eare The Queene vvith hir traine commeth out of hir Pallace Ioca. My seruant deare doest thou yet bring me newes Of more mishappe ah werie wretch alas How doth Eteocles whome heretofore In his encreasing yeares I wonted ay From daungerous happe with fauoure to defend Doth he yet liue or hath vntimely death In cruell fight berefte his flowring life Nun. He liues O Quéene hereof haue ye no doubte From such suspecte my selfe will quite you soone Ioca. The vētrous Gréekes haue haply tane the toune Nun. The Gods forbid Ioca. Our souldiers then perchance Dispersed bene and yelden to the sword Nun. Not so they were at first in daunger sure But in the
or of the one at least Nuntius returneth to the camp by the gates Homoloides IOCASTA ANTIGONE ANtigone my swete daughter come forth Out of this house that nought but woe retaines Come forth I say not for to sing or daunce But to preuent if in our powers it lie That thy malicious brethren swolne with ire And I alas their miserable mother Be not destroide by stroke of dreadfull death Antigone commeth out of hir mothers Pallace Anti. Ah swete mother ah my beloued mother Alas alas what cause doth moue ye now From trembling voice to send such carefull cries What painefull pang what griefe doth gripe you nowe Ioca. O deare daughter thy most vnhappie brethren That sometimes lodgde within these wretched loynes Shall die this daye if Ioue preuent it not Anti. Alas what say you alas what do you say Can I alas endure to sée him dead Whom I thus long haue sought to sée aliue Ioca. They both haue vowde I quake alas to tell With trenchant blade to spill ech others blood O cruell Eteocles ah ruthlesse wretch Of this outrage thou only art the cause Not Pollinice whom thou with hatefull spight Hast reaued first of crowne and countrie soyle And now doest séeke to reaue him of his life Ioca. Daughter no more delay le ts go le ts go Anti. Ah my swéete mother whither shall I go Ioca. With me déere daughter to the gréekish host Anti. Alas how can I go vnles I go In daunger of my life or of good name Ioca. Time serues not now my welbeloued childe To way the losse of life or honest name But rather to preuent if so we may That wicked déede which only but to thinke Doth hale my hart out of my heauie brest Anti. Come then le ts go good mother let vs go But what shall we be able for to doe You a weake old woman for worne with yeares And I God knowes a silly simple mayde Ioca. Our wofull wordes our prayers our plaintes Pourde out with streames of ouerflowing teares Where Nature rules may happen to preuayle When reason power and force of armes do fayle But if the glowing heate of boyling wrath So furious be as it may not relent Then I atwixt them both will throw my selfe And this my brest shall beare the deadly blowes That otherwise should light vpon my sonnes So shall they shead my bloud and not their owne Well now déere daughter let vs hasten hence For if in time we stay this raging strife Then haply may my life prolonged be If ere we come the bloudy déede be done Then must my ghost forsake this féeble corps And thou deare childe with dolour shalt bewaile Thy brothers death and mothers all at once locasta vvith Antigone and all hir traine excepte the Chorus goeth tovvards the campe by the gates Homoloydes CHORVS WHo so hath felt what feruent loue A mother beares vnto hir tender sonnes She and none other sure can comprehende The dolefull griefe the pangs and secret paine That presently doth pierce the princely brest Of our afflicted Quéene alas I thinke No martyrdome might well compare with hirs So ofte as I recorde hir restlesse state Alas me thinkes I féele a shiuering feare Flit to and fro along my flushing vaines Alas for ruth that thus two brethren shoulde Enforce themselues to shed each others bloude Where is the lawes of nature nowe become Can fleshe of fleshe alas can bloude of bloude So far forget it selfe as slaye it selfe O lowring starres O dimme and angrie skies O giltie fate such mischiefe set aside But if supernall powers decreed haue That death must be the ende of this debate Alas what floudes of teares shall then suffise To wéepe and waile the neare approching death I meane the death of sonnes and mother both And with their death the ruine and decay Of Oedipus and all his princely race But loe here Creon cōmes with carefull cheare 'T is time that nowe I ende my iust complaint Creon commeth in by the gates Homoloydes CREON NVNCIVS ALthough I straightly chargde my tender childe To flie from Thebes for safegarde of hymselfe And that long since he parted from my sight Yet doe I greatly hand in lingring doubt Least passing through the gates the priuie watch Hath stayed him by some suspect of treason And so therewhile the prophetes hauing skride His hidden fate he purchast haue the death Which I by all meanes sought he might eschewe And this mischaunce so much I feare the more Howe much the wished conquest at the first Fell happily vnto the towne of Thebes But wise men ought with patience to sustaine The sundrie haps that slipperie fortune frames Nuncius commeth in by the gates Electrae Nun. Alas who can direct my hastie steppes Unto the brother of our wofull Quéene But loe where carefully he standeth here Cre. If so the minde maye dreade his owne mishap Then dread I much this man that séekes me thus Hath brought the death of my beloued sonne Nun. My Lorde the thing you feare is very true Your sonne Meneceus no longer liues Cre. Alas who can withstande the heauenly powers Well it beséems not me ne yet my yeares In bootelesse plaint to wast my wailefull teares Do thou recount to me his lucklesse deathe The order fourme and manner of the same Nun. Your sonne my Lorde came to Eteocles And tolde him this in presence of the rest Renoumed King neither your victorie Ne yet the safetie of this princely Realme In armour doth consist but in the death Of me of me O most victorious King So heauenly dome of mightie Ioue commaunds I knowing what auayle my death should yeeld Unto your grace and vnto natiue land Might well be demde a most vngratefull sonne Unto this worthy towne if I would shunne The sharpest death to do my countrie good In mourning weede nowe let the vestall Nimphes With fauning tunes commende my faultlesse ghost To highest heauens while I despoyle my selfe That afterwarde sith Ioue will haue it so To saue your liues I may receyue my death Of you I craue O curteous Citizens To shrine my corps in tombe of marble stone Whereon graue this Meneceus here doth lie For countries cause that vvas content to die This saide alas he made no more a doe But drewe his sworde and sheathde it in his brest Cre. No more I haue inough returne ye nowe From whence ye came Nuncius retourneth by the gates Electrae Well since the bloude of my beloued sonne Must serue to slake the wrathe of angrie Ioue And since his onely death must bring to Thebes A quiet ende of hir vnquiet state Me thinkes good reason would that I henceforth Of Thebane soyle shoulde beare the kingly swaye Yea sure and so I will ere it be long Either by right or else by force of armes Of al mishap loe here the wicked broode My sister first espoused hath hir sonne That slewe his sire of whose accursed séede Two brethren sprang whose raging hatefull hearts By force of
boyling yre are bolne so sore As each do thyrst to sucke the others bloude But why do I sustaine the smart hereof Why should my bloud he spilte for others gilte Oh welcome were that messanger to me That brought me word of both my nephewes deathes Then should it soone be sene in euery eye Twixt prince and prince what difference would appeare Then should experience shewe what griefe it is To serue the humours of vnbridled youth Now will I goe for to prepare with spéede The funeralls of my yong giltlesse sonne The which perhaps may be accompanyed With th obsequies of proude Eteocles Creon goeth out by the gates Homoloydes Finis Actus 4. CHORVS O Blissfull concord bredde in sacred brest Of him that guides the restlesse rolling sky That to the earth for mans assured rest From heigth of heauens vouchsafest downe to flie In thée alone the mightie power doth lie With swete accorde to kepe the frouning starres And euery planet else from hurtfull warres In thée in thée suche noble vertue bydes As may commaund the mightiest Gods to bend From thée alone such sugred frendship flydes As mortall wightes can scarcely comprehend To greatest strife thou setst delightfull ende O holy peace by thée are onely founde The passing ioyes that euery where abound Thou onely thou through thy celestiall might Didst first of all the heauenly pole deuide From th' olde confused heape that Chao hight Thou madest the Sunne the Moone and starres to glide With ordred course about this world so wide Thou hast ordainde Dan Tytans shining light By dawne of day to chase the darkesome night When tract of time returnes the lustie Uer By thée alone the buddes and blossomes spring The fieldes with floures be garnisht euery where The blooming trées aboundant fruite do bring The cherefull birdes melodiously do sing Thou dost appoint the crop of sommers séede For mans reliefe to serue the winters néede Thou dost inspire the hearts of princely péeres By prouidence procéeding from aboue In flowring youth to choose their worthie féeres With whom they liue in league of lasting loue Till fearefull death doth flitting life remoue And loke how fast to death man payes his due So fast againe dost thou his stocke renue By thée the basest thing aduaunced is Thou euerie where dost graffe suche golden peace As filleth man with more than earthly blisse The earth by thée doth yelde hir swete increase At becke of thée all bloudy discords cease And mightiest Realmes in quiet do remaine Wheras thy hand doth holde the royall raigne But if thou faile then all things gone to wracke The mother then doth dread hir naturall childe Then euery towne is subiect to the sacke Then spotlesse maids then virgins be defilde Then rigor rules then reason is exilde And this thou wofull Thebes to our great paine With present spoile art likely to sustaine Me thinke I heare the wailfull wéeping cries Of wretched dames in euerie coast resound Me thinkes I sée how vp to heauenly skies From battered walls the thundring clappes rebound Me thinke I heare how all things go to ground Me thinke I sée how souldiers wounded lye With gasping breath and yet they can not dye By meanes wherof oh swete Meneceus he That giues for countries cause his guiltlesse life Of others all most happy shall he be His ghost shall flit from broiles of bloudy strife To heauenly blisse where pleasing ioyes be rife And would to God that this his fatall ende From further plagues our citie might defend O sacred God giue eare vnto thy thrall That humbly here vpon thy name doth call O let not now our faultlesse bloud be spilt For hote reuenge of any others gilt Done by F. Kinvvelmarshe Finis Actus quarti The order of the laste dumbe shevve FIrst the Stillpipes sounded a very mournfull melodye in which time came vpon the Stage a womā clothed in a white garment on hir head a piller double faced the formost face fayre smiling the other behinde blacke louring muffled with a white laune about hir eyes hir lap full of Iewelles sitting in a charyot hir legges naked hir fete set vpō a great round ball beyng drawē in by .iiij. noble personages she ledde in a string on hir right hande .ij. kings crowned and in hir lefte hand .ij. poore slaues very meanely attyred After she was drawen about the stage she stayed a lyttle changing the kings vnto the left hande the slaues vnto the right hande taking the crownes from the kings heads she crowned therwith the ij. slaues casting the vyle clothes of the slaues vppon the kings she despoyled the kings of their robes and therwith aparelled the slaues This done she was drawen eftsones about the stage in this order and then departed leauing vnto vs a plaine Type or figure of vnstable fortune who dothe oftentimes raise to heigthe of dignitie the vile and vnnoble and in like manner throweth downe frō the place of promotiō euen those whō before she hir selfe had thither aduaunced after hir departure came in Duke Creon with foure gentlemen wayting vpon him and lamented the death of Meneceus his sonne in this maner Actus v. Scena j. CREON CHORVS ALas what shall I do bemone my selfe Or rue the ruine of my Natiue lande About the which such cloudes I sée enclosde As darker cannot couer dreadfull hell With mine own eyes I saw my own deare sonne All gorde with bloud of his too bloudy brest Which he hath shed full like a friend too deare To his countrey and yet a cruell foe To me that was his friend and father both Thus to him selfe he gaynde a famous name And glory great to me redoubted payne Whose haplesse death in my afflicted house Hath put suche playnt as I ne can espie What comfort might acquiet their distresse I hither come my sister for to séeke Iocasta she that might in wofull wise Amid hir high and ouerpining cares Prepare the baynes for his so wretched corps And eke for him that nowe is not in life May pay the due that to the dead pertaynes And for the honor he did well deserue The giue some giftes vnto infernall Gods Cho. My Lorde your sister is gone forth long since Into the campe and with hir Antigone Hir daughter deare Cre. Into the campe alas and what to do Cho. She vnderstoode that for this realme foorthwith Hir sonnes were gréed in combate for to ioyne Cre. Alas the funerals of my deare sonne Dismayed me so that I ne did receiue Ne séeke to knowe these newe vnwelcome newes But loe beholde a playne apparant signe Of further feares the furious troubled lookes Of him that commeth héere so hastilie Scena ij. NVNTIVS CREON CHORVS ALas alas what shall I doe alas What shriching voyce may serue my wofull wordes O wretched I ten thousande times a wretche The messanger of dread and cruell death Cre. Yet more mishappe and what vnhappie newes Nun. My Lord your nephues both haue lost their liues Cre. Out and alas to me
Upon their faces Anti. Loe father here lo nowe you touche them both Oedi. O bodies deare O bodies dearely boughte Unto your father bought with high missehap Anti. O louely name of my deare Pollinice Why can I not of cruell Creon craue Ne with my death nowe purchase thée a graue Oedi. Nowe commes Apollos oracle of passe That I in Athens towne should end my dayes And since thou doest O daughter myne desire In this exile to be my wofull mate Lende mée thy hande and let vs goe togither Anti. Loe here all prest my deare beloued father A féeble guyde and eke a simple skowte To passe the perills in a doubtfull waye Oedi. Unto the wretched be a wretched guyde Anti. In this all onely equall to my father Oedi. And where shall I sette foorth my trembling féete O reache mée yet some surer staffe to staye My staggryng pace amidde these wayes vnknowne Anti. Here father here and here set forth your féete Oedi. Nowe can I blame none other for my harmes But secrete spight of foredecréed fate Thou arte the cause the crooked olde and blynde I am exilde farre from my countrey soyle And suffer dole that I myghte not endure Anti. O father father Iustice lyes on sléepe Ne doth regarde the wrongs of wretchednesse Ne princes swelling pryde it doth redresse Oedi. O carefull caytife howe am I nowe chang'd From that I was I am that Oedipus That whylome had triumphant victorie And was bothe dread and honored eke in Thebes But nowe so pleaseth you my frowarde starres Downe headlong hurlde in depth of myserie So that remaynes of Oedipus no more As nowe in mée but euen the naked name And lo this image that resembles more Shadowes of death than shape of Oedipus Antig. O father nowe forgette the pleasaunt dayes And happie lyfe that you did whylom leade The muse whereof redoubleth but your griefe Susteyne the smarte of these your present paynes With pacience that best may you preserue Lo where I come to liue and die with you Not as sometymes the daughter of a king But as an abiect nowe in pouertie That you by presence of suche faithfull guide May better beare the wracke of miserie Oedi. O onely comforte of my cruell happe Anti. Your daughters pitie is but due to you Woulde God I might as well ingraue the corps Of my deare Pollinice but I ne maye And that I can not doubleth all my dole Oedi. This thy desire that is both good and iuste Imparte to some that be thy trustie frendes Who moude with pitie maye procure the same Anti. Beléeue me father when dame fortune frownes Be fewe that fynde trustie companions Oedi. And of those fewe yet one of those am I Wherefore goe we nowe daughter leade the waye Into the stonie rockes and highest hilles Where fewest trackes our steppings may be spyde Who once hath sit in chaire of dignitie May shame to shewe him selfe in miserie Anti. From thée O countrey am I forst to parte Despoyled thus in floure of my youth And yet I leaue within mine enimies rule Ismene my infortunate sister Oed. Deare Citizens beholde your lorde and king That Thebes set in quiet gouernement Nowe as you sée neglected of you all And in these ragged ruthfull wéedes bewrapt Ychased from his natiue countrey soyle Betakes him selfe for so this Tyraunt will To euerlasting banishment but why Do I lament my lucklesse lotte in vayne Since euery man must beare with quiet minde The fate that heauens haue earst to him assignde CHORVS EXample here lo take by Oedipus You kings and princes in prosperitie And euery one that is desirous To sway the seate of worldly dignitie How fickle is to trust in fortunes whéele For him whom now she hoyseth vp on hye If so be chaunce on any side to reele She hurles him downe in twinkling of an eye And him agayne that grouleth now on grounde And lyeth lowe in dungeon of dispaire Hir whirling whéele can heaue vp at a bounde And place aloft in stay of stately chaire As from the Sunne the Moone withdrawes hir face So might of man dothe yéelde dame fortune place Finis Actus quinti. Epilogus LO here the fruite of high aspiring minde Who wéeues to mount aboue the mouing skies Lo here the trappe that titles proud do finde Sée ruine growes when most we reache to ryse Swéete is the name and stately is the raigne Of kingly rule and sway of royall seate But bitter is the taste of Princes gayne When climbing heads do hunte for to be great Who would forecast the banke of restlesse toyle Ambitious wightes do fraight their brestes withall The growing cares the feares of dreadfull foyle The euill successe that on suche flightes do fall He would not stayne his practise to atchiue The largest limites of the mightiest states But oh what fansies swéete do still relieue The hungry humor of these swelling hates What poyson swéete inflameth highe desire How soone the hawty heart is puft with pride How soone is thirst of scepter set on fire How soone in rising mindes doth mischiefe slyde What bloudy sturres doth glut of honour bréede Th ambitious sonne doth ofte surpresse his syre Where natures power vnfayned loue should spread There malice raynes and reacheth to be higher O blinde vnbridled searche of Soueraintie O tickle trayne of euill attayned state O fonde desire of princely dignitie Who climbs too soone he ofte repents too late The golden meane the happie dothe suffise They leaue the posting day in rare delight They fill not féede their vncontended eyes They reape suche rest as dothe begile the might They not enuie the pompe of haughtie reigne Ne dreade the dinte of proude vsurping swoorde But plaste alowe more sugred ioyes attaine Than swaye of loftie Scepter can afoorde Cease to aspire then cease to soare so high And shunne the plague that pierceth noble breastes To glittring courtes what fondnesse is to flée When better state in baser Towers rests Done by Chr. Yeluerton Finis Epilogi
what liketh thée best I make thée supra visour of this supper Pa. By the masse if you should haue studied this seuenight you could not haue appoynted me an office to please me better you shall sée what dishes I will deuise Pasiphilo goeth in Erostrato tarieth Scena iij. Fayned EROSTRATO alone I Was glad to rid him out of the way least he shoulde sée me burst out these swelling teares which hitherto with great payne I haue prisoned in my brest least he should heare the Eccho of my doubled sighes which bounce from the botome of my heuy heart O cursed I O cruell fortune that so many dispersed griefes as were sufficient to subuert a legion of Louers hast sodenly assembled within my carefull carcase to freat this fearfull heart in sunder with desperation thou that hast kepte my master all his youthe within the realme of Sicilia reseruing the wind and waues in a temperate calme as it were at his commaunde nowe to conuey his aged limmes hither neither sooner nor later but euen in the worst time that may be if at any time before thou haddest conducted him this enterprise had bene cut off without care in the beginning and if neuer so little longer thou hadst lingred his iorney this happie day might then haue fully finished our driftes and deuises But alas thou hast brought him euē in the very worst time to plunge vs all in the pitte of perdition Neither art thou content to entangle me alone in thy ruinous ropes but thou must also catche the righte Erostrato in thy crooked clawes to rewarde vs bothe with open shame and rebuke Two yeres hast thou kepte secret our subtil Supposes euen this day to discipher them with a sorowfull successe What shall I do Alas what shifte shall I make it is too late nowe to imagine any further deceite for euery minute séemeth an houre till I find some succour for the miserable captiue Erostrato Well since there is no other remedie I wil go to my master Philogano and to him will I tell the whole truthe of the matter that at the least he may prouide in time before his sonne féele the smart of some sharpe reuenge punishment this is the best and thus will I do yet I know that for mine owne parte I shal do bitter penance for my faults forepassed but suche is the good wil and duetie that I beare to Erostrato as euen with the losse of my life I muste not sticke to aduenture any thing which may turne to his cōmoditie But what shall I do shall I go séeke my master about the towne or shall I tarrie his returne hither If I méete him in the stréetes he will crie out vpon me neither will he harken to any thing that I shall say till he haue gathered all the people woondring about me as it were at an Owle Therefore I were better to abide here and yet if he tarrie long I will go séeke him rather than prolong the time to Erostratos perill Pasiphilo returneth to Erostrato Scena iiij. PASIPHILO Fayned EROSTRATO YEa dresse them but lay them not to the fire till they wil be ready to sit downe this géere goeth in order but if I had not gone in there had fallen a foule faulte Ero. And what fault I pray thée Pa. Marie Dalio would haue layd the shoulder of mutton and the Capon bothe to the fire at once like a foole he did not consider that the one woulde haue more roasting than the other Ero. Alas I would this were the greatest fault Pa. Why and either the one should haue bene burned before the other had bene roasted or else he muste haue drawne them off the spitte and they would haue bene serued to the boorde either colde or rawe Ero. Thou hast reason Pasiphilo Pa. Now sir if it please you I will go into the towne and buye oranges olyues and caphers for without suche sauce the supper were more than halfe lost Ero. There are within already doubt you not there shal lacke nothing that is necessarie Erostrato exit Pa. Since I tolde him these newes of Dulipo he is cleane beside him selfe he hath so many hammers in his head that his braynes are ready to burst and let them breake so I may suppe with him to night what care I But is not this Dominus noster Cleandrus that commeth before well sayde by my truthe we will teache master Doctor to weare a cornerd cappe of a new fashion by God Polynesta shall be his he shall haue hir out of doubt for I haue tolde Erostrato suche newes of hir that he will none of hir Cleander and Philogano come in talking of the matter in controuersie Scena v. CLEANDER PHILOGANO LITIO PASIPHILO YEa but how wilt ye proue that he is not Erostrato hauing suche presumptiōs to the cōtrarie or how shal it be thought that you are Philogano when an other taketh vpon him this same name and for proofe bringeth him for a witnesse which hath bene euer reputed here for Erostrato Phi. I will tell you sir let me be kepte héere faste in prison and at my charges let there be some man sente into Sicilia that may bring hither with him two or thrée of the honestest men in Cathanea and by them let it be proued if I or this other be Philogano and whether he be Erostrato or Dulipo my seruant and if you finde me contrarie let me suffer death for it Pa. I will go salute master Doctour Cle. It will aske great labour great expences to proue it this way but it is the best remedie that I can see Pa. God saue you sir Cle. And rewarde you as you haue deserued Pa. Then shall be giue me your fauour continually Cle. He shall giue you a halter knaue and villein that thou arte Pa. I knowe I am a knaue but no villein I am your seruaunt Cle. I neither take thée for my seruāt nor for my friend Pa. Why wherin haue I offended you sir Cle. Hence to the gallowes knaue Pa. What softe and fayre sir I pray you I prae sequor you are mine elder Cle. I will be euen with you be you sure honest man Pa. Why sir I neuer offended you Cle. Well I wil teache you out of my sight knaue Pa. What I am no dogge I would you wist Cle. Pratest thou yet villein I will make thée Pa. What wil you make me I sée wel the more a man dothe suffer you the worsse you are Cle. A villein if it were not for this gentlemā I would tell you what I Pa. Uillein nay I am as honest a man as you Cle. Thou liest in thy throate knaue Phi. O sir stay your wisedome Pas. What will you fight marie come on Cle. Well knaue I will méete with you another time goe your way Pas. Euen when you list sir I will be your man Cle. And if I be not euen with thée call me cut Pas. Nay by the masse all is one I care not for I haue
departe and thinke not that I speake These wofull wordes for hate I beare to thée But for the weale of this afflicted realme O foule accursed fate that hast me bredde To beare the burthen of the miserie Of this colde death which we accompt for life Before my birth my father vnderstoode I should him slea and scarcely was I borne When he me made a pray for sauage beastes But what I slew him yet then caught the crowne And last of all defilde my mothers bedde By whom I haue this wicked ofspring got And to this heinous crime and filthy facte The heauens haue from highe enforced me Agaynst whose doome no counsell can preuayle Thus hath I now my life and last of all Lo by the newes of this so cruell death Of bothe my sonnes and deare beloued wife Mine angrie constellacion me commaundes Withouten eyes so wander in mine age When these my wéery weake and crooked limmes Haue greatest néede to craue their quiet rest O cruell Creon wilt thou slea me so For cruelly thou doste but murther me Out of my kingdome now to chase me thus Yet can I not with humble minde beseeche Thy curtesie ne fall before thy féete Let fortune take from me these worldly giftes She can not conquere this couragious heart That neuer yet could well be ouercome To force me yeelde for feare to villanie Do what thou canst I will be Oedipus Cre. So hast thou reason Oedipus to say And for my parte I would thee counsell eke Still to maynteine the high and hawtie minde That hath dene euen in thy noble heart For this be sure if thou wouldst kisse these knées And practise eke by prayer to preuayle No pitie coulde persuade me to consent That thou remayne one onely houre in Thebes And nowe prepare you worthie Citizens The funeralls that duely doe pertayne Unto the Quéene and to Eteocles And eke for them prouide their stately tombes But Pollynice as common enimie Unto his countrey carrie foorth his corps Out of the walles ne none so hardie be On paine of death his bodie to engraue But in the fieldes let him vnburied lye Without his honour and without complaynte An open praie for sauage beastes to spoyle And thou Antigone drie vp thy teares Plucke vp thy sprites and chéere thy harmelesse hearte To mariage for ere these two dayes passe Thou shalt espouse Hemone myne onely heire Antig. Father I sée vs wrapt in endlesse woe And nowe muche more doe I your state lamente Than these that nowe be dead not that I thinke Theyr greate missehappes too little to bewayle But this that you you onely doe surpasse All wretched wightes that in this worlde remayne But you my Lorde why banishe you with wrong My father thus out of his owne perforce And why will you denye these guiltlesse bones Of Polinice theyr graue in countrey soyle Creon So would not I so woulde Eteocles Anti. He cruel was you fonde to hold his hestes Creon Is then a fault to doe a kings cōmaund Anti. When his cōmaunde is cruel and vniust Creon Is it vniust that he vnburied be Anti. He not deseru'd so cruell punishment Creon He was his countreys cruell enimie Anti. Or else was he that helde him from his right Cre. Bare he not armes against his natiue land Anti. Offendeth he that sekes to winne his owne Cre. Perforce to thée he shall vnburied be Anti. Perforce to thée these hands shall burie him Cre. And with him eke then will I burie thée Anti. So graunt the gods I get none other graue Then with my Polinices deare to rest Cre. Go sirs lay holde on hir and take hir in Anti. I will not leaue this corps vnburied Cre. Canst thou vndoe the thing that is decréed Anti. A wicked foule decrée to wrong the dead Cre. The ground ne shall ne ought to couer him Anti. Creon yet I beseche thée for the loue Cre. Away I say thy prayers not preuaile Anti. That thou didst beare Iocasta in hir life Cre. Thou dost but waste thy words amid the wind Anti. Yet graunt me leaue to washe his wounded corps Cre. It can not be that I should graunt thée so Anti. O my deare Polinice this tirant yet With all his wrongfull force can not fordoe But I will kisse these colde pale lippes of thine And washe thy wounds with my waymenting teares Cre. O simple wench O fonde and foolishe girle Beware beware thy teares do not foretell Some signe of hard mishap vnto thy mariage Anti. No no for Hemone will I neuer wed Cre. Dost thou refuse the mariage of my sonne Anti. I will nor him nor any other wed Cre. Against thy will then must I thée constraine Anti. If thou me force I sweare thou shalt repent Cre. What canst thou casue that I should once repent Anti. With bloudy knife I can this knot vnknit Cre. And what a foole were thou to kill thy selfe Anti. I will ensue some worthie womans steppes Cre. Speake out Antigone that I may heare Anti. This hardie hand shall soone dispatche his life Cre. O simple foole and darst thou be so bolde Anti. Why should I dread to doe so doughtie deede Cre. And wherfore dost thou wedlocke so despise Anti. In cruell exile for to folow him pointing to Oedipus Cre. What others might beseme besemes not thée Anti. If néede require with him eke will I dye Cre. Depart depart and with thy father dye Rather than kill my childe with bloudie knife Go hellishe monster go out of the towne Creon exit Oedi. Daughter I must commend thy noble heart Anti. Father I will neuer come in company And you alone wander in wildernesse Oedi. O yes deare daughter leaue thou me alone Amid my plagues be mery while thou maist Anti. And who shall guide these aged féete of yours That banisht bene in blind necessitie Oedi. I will endure as fatall lot me driues Resting these crooked sory sides of mine Where so the heauens shall lend me harborough And in exchange of riche and stately toures The woodes the wildernesse the darkesome dennes Shal be the bowre of mine vnhappy bones Anti. O father now where is your glory gone Oedi. One happy day did raise me to renoune One haplesse day hath throwne mine honor downe Anti. Yet will I beare a part of your mishappes Oedi. That sitteth not amid thy pleasant yeares Anti. Deare father yes let youth giue place to age Oedi. Where is thy mother let me touche hir face That with these hands I may yet féele the harme That these blind eyes forbid me to beholde Anti. Here father here hir corps here put your hand Oedi. O wife O mother O both wofull names O wofull mother and O wofull wyfe O woulde to God alas O woulde to God Thou nere had bene my mother nor my wyfe But where lye nowe the paled bodies two Of myne vnluckie sonnes Oh where be they Anti. Lo here they lye one by an other deade Oedip. Stretch out this hand dere daughter stretch this hande