Depends on you Think first and then Command Cassand Know then that his last Thrid is on the Distaff And I can cut it now Cleanth And are resolv'd Cassand I only said I can and I can Save Disarm and hurt him not Cleanth Once more your Sword Cleom. Send off those Villains Tho' I fear 'em not Yet Cowards are offensive to my sight Nor shall they see me do an Act that looks Below the Courage of a Spartan King Cassand Cleanthes May I trust your Faith Cleanth You may Cassand Begone and wait my Call Ex. Guards Cleom. Cleanthes Stil my Friend for such I hold thee Tho' this bad Woman says thou art my Spy I cannot give a greater proof than this That I believe her not Gives him his Sword If thou art false 'T is in thy power to show it safely now And compass that by Treason which in Arms Nor Thou nor any Man alive can force Remember still I gave it to a Friend For Life and Death are equal in themselves That which would cast the Ballance is thy falshood To make my Death more wretched Cleanth Then you may think me that which you call False But Duty to my Father Cleom. Say no more I would not curse thee for thou wer 't my Friend I think thee still as honest as thou couldst Impenetrably good but like Achilles Thou hadst a soft Aegyptian Heel undipt And that has made thee Mortal Cassand Cleanthes Thou hast well approv'd thy Faith And as this Palace is thy Government On utmost peril of thy Life secure him One farther word Whispers Ex Cleanth looking concernedly on Cleomenes Cleom. So guilty as thou art and canst thou look On him thou hast betraid Go take thy hire Which thou hast dearly purchas'd and be great Cassand For you brave Sir as you have given my hopes But Air to feed on Air shall be your Food No Bread shall enter these forbidden Doors Thin hungry Diet I confess but still The liker Spartan Fare Keen Appetites And quick Digestion wait on you and yours Cleom. O mix not Innocence and Guilt together What Love have they refus'd or how offended Be Just tho' you are Cruel or be Kind And punish me alone Cassand There Nature works Then there I 'll stab thee in thy tender part Shreeks of Women within Cleom. What dismal Cries are those Cassand Nothing a trifling sum of Misery New added to the foot of thy Account Thy Wife is seiz'd by Force and born away Farewel I dare not trust thy Vengeance further Running to the Door he is stopt by Guards with drawn Swords Cleom. Cleora There stands Death but no Cleora I would find both together Enter Cratisiclea Cleonidas and Pantheus bloody on his hand Cratis Oh King of Sparta Cleom. Peace Mother Peace I have had news from Hell before you Cleora's gone to Death Is there a Door A Casement or a Rift within these Walls That can let loose my Body to her rescue Panth. All clos'd nothing but Heaven above is open Cleom. Nay that 's clos'd too The Gods are deaf to Pray'rs Hush then th' irrevocable Doom's gone forth And Pray'rs lagg after but can ne'r o'er-take Let us talk forward of our woes to come Cratis Cleanthes Oh could you suspect his Faith 'T was he that headed those who forc'd her hence Cleom. Pantheus bleeds Panth. A scratch a feeble Dart At distance thrown by an Aegyptian hand Cratis You heard me not Cleanthes is Cleom. He was no more good Mother He tore a piece of me away and still The void place akes within me O my Boy I have bad news to tell thee Cleonid None so bad As that I am a Boy Cleanthes scorn'd me And when I drove a Thrust home as I could To reach his Traytor Heart He put it by And cryed as in derision Spare the Stripling Oh that insulting word I wou'd have swopp'd Youth for old Age and all my Life behind To have been then a momentary Man Cleom. Alas Thy Manhood like a forward Spring Before it comes to bear the promis'd Fruit Is blighted in the Bud Never my Boy Canst thou fetch Manhood up with thy short steps While with long strides the Giant stalks before thee Cleonid Am I to dye before I am a Man Cleom. Yes thou must dye with me and I with her Who gave me life and our poor Infant too within Must dye before it knows what dying means Three different Dates of Nature one would think But Fate has cramm'd us all into one Lease And that even now expiring Panth. Yet we live Cleom. No even now we dye Death is within us And keeps out Life for nourishent is Life And we have fed our last Hunger feeds Death Cratis A lingring Doom but four days hence the same And we can shorten those turn Days to Hours And Hours to Moments Death is in our Call Panth. The sooner then the better Cleonid So say I. Panth. While we have spirits left to meet him boldly Cleonid I 'le hold my Breath And keep my Soul a pris'ner in my Body There let it creep and wander in the dark Till tir'd to find no out-let it Retreats Into my Spartan Heart and there lies pleas'd So we two are provided Sir your choice To Cleom. Cleom. Not this dispatch for we may dye at leisure This Famine has a sharp and meager Face 'T is Death in an undress of Skin and Bone Where Age and Youth their Land-mark tane away Look all one common furrow Cratis Yet you chuse it To please our Foes that when they view our Skeletons And find 'em all alike they may cry out Look how these dull obedient Spartans dy'd Just as we wish'd as we prescrib'd their Death And durst not take a nobler nearer way Cleom. Not so but that we durst not tempt the Gods To break their Images without their leave The moment e'r Cassandra came I had A Note without a Name the Hand unknown That bad me not despair but still hope well Then dye not yet For Heaven has means to free us if not me Yet these and you I am the hunted Stag Whose Life may may ransom yours Crat. No more of that I find your distant drift to die alone An unkind Accusation of us all As if we durst not die I 'll not survive you Panth. Nor I. Cleonid Nor I. Cleom. But hear my Reasons Enter Cleora in a black Veil Ha! What Shadow 's this This that can glide through Walls Or pass its subtle Limbs through Bolts and Bars Black too like what it represents our Fate Cleor. Too true a Shadow I and you the Substance Lifts up her Veil Omn. Cleora Cleom. Thus let me grow again to thee Too close for Fate to sever Or let Death find me in these dear dear Arms And looking on thee spare my better part And take me willing hence Crat. What! are you dreaming Son with Eyes cast upwards Like a mad Prophet in an Ecstasie Cleom. Musing on what we saw Just
such is Death With a black Veil covering a beauteous Face Fear'd afar off By erring Nature a mistaken Phantom A harmless lambent Fire She kisses Cold But kind and soft and sweet as my Cleora Oh could we know What Joys she brings at least what rest from Grief How should we press into her Friendly Arms And be pleas'd not to be or to be happy Crat. Look What we have forgot The Joy to see Cleora here has kept us from enquiring By what strange means she enter'd Cleom. Small Joy Heaven knows to be adopted here Into the meager Family of Famine The House of Hunger therefore ask'd I not So am I pleased to have her Company And so displeas'd to have it but in Death Cleor. I know not how or why my surly Gaoler Hard as his Irons and insolent as Pow'r When put in vulgar Hands Cleanthes gone Put off the Brute and with a gloomy Smile That show'd a sullen loathness to be kind Skreen'd me within this Veil then led me forth And using to the Guards Cassandra's Name Made that my Pass-port Every Door slew ope T' admit my Entrance and then clapt behind me To barr my going back Cleom. Some new Resolve Cassandra plots and then refines on Malice Plays with Revenge with Rage she snatch'd you hence And renders you with Scorn I thought to show you How easie 't was to die by my Example And hansel Fate before you But thy presence Has chang'd my Mind to drag this lingring life To share thy Sorrows and assist thy Weakness Come in my Friends and let us practise Death Stroke the grim Lyon till he grow familiar Cleora Thou and I as Lovers should Will hand in hand to the dark Mansions go Where Life no more can cheat us into Woe That sucking in each others latest Breath We may transfuse our Souls and put the change on Death Exeunt omnes The End of the Fourth ACT. ACT V. Enter Cassandra and Sosybius Sos. ANd what Have you determin'd Cass. He shall die Sos. A wholsome Resolution Have you fix'd The Time Cass. He daily dies by Hours and Moments All vital Nourishment but Air is wanting Three rising Days and two descending Nights Have chang'd the Face of Heav'n and Earth by turns But brought no kind Vicissitude to him His State is still the same With hunger pinch'd Waiting the slow approaches of his Death Which halting on-wards as his life goes back Still gains upon his Ground Sos. But e'er Fate reach him The Mercy of the King may interpose You have the Signet Cass. Yes In your Despite Sos. Be not displeas'd suppose he shou'd escape Cass. Suppose he shou'd have Wings Impossible Sos. Yet Keepers have been brib'd To whom can Ptolomy Impute that Crime but you Cass. He may But let him if he dares Come Statesman Do not shuffle in your pace You wou'd expose me to the People's Hatred By hurrying on this Act of Violence You know a little thing provokes the Crowd Against a Mistress She 's the Publick Mark Therefore content your self I will be safe Nor shall the Prisoner die a speedier Death Than what my Doom decreed Unless the King Reverse his Orders by my Messenger Sos. May I presume to ask you whom you sent Cass. Thy Son unknown to thee for so I charg'd him And this the promis'd hour of his Return Nay wonder not I chose him with design That whatsoe'er The King ordains you both shou'd share th' Event And stand or fall with me Ponder on that and leave me Sos. aside What can she mean She neither kills nor saves Exit Sosybius Cass. Now tell me Heart Now answer for thy self What wilt thou do and what dost thou desire His Life No he 's ungrateful Or his Death I tremble at that Word What then His Love His Love my Heart What! by Restraint and Famine Are these the means to compass thy Design Revenge My Hands so soft his Heart so hard The blow recoils and hurts me while I strike Like the mad Viper scourg'd into a Rage I shoot into my self my fatal Sting Enter Mariner Marin The Ship is ready when you please to sail And waits but your Command The Wind stands fair Cass. Be secret and attend my farther pleasure Gives him a Purse and exit Mariner So this was time well manag'd In three Days To hire a Vessel Put my Wealth on board Send off th' observing Son and Fool the Father See him I will to sound his last Resolves If Love can soften him or Fear can bow If both shou'd fail th' ungrateful Wretch shall find Rage has no Bounds in slighted Woman-kind Exit Cassandra SCENE A Prison Enter Cleomenes Cleom. NO Food And this the third arising Sun But what have I to do with telling Suns And measuring Time That runs no more for me Yet sure the Gods are good I wou'd think so If they wou'd give me leave But Virtue in Distress and Vice in Triumph Make Atheists of Mankind Enter Cratisiclaea What Comfort Mother Crat. A Soul not conscious to it self of Ill Undaunted Courage and a Master-mind No Comfort else but Death Who like a lazie Master stands aloof And leaves his Work to the slow hands of Famine Cleom. All I wou'd ask of Heav'n Is but to die alone a single Ruine But to die o'er and o'er in each of you With my own hunger pinch'd but pierc'd with yours Crat. Grieve not for me Cleom. What! not for you my Mother I am strangely tempted to blaspheme the Gods For giving me so good so kind a Parent And this is my return to cause her Death Crat. Peace Your Misfortunes cause it not your Fault Enter Cleora Cleom. What! my Cleora I stretch'd my bounds as far as I could go To shun the sight of what I cannot help A Flow'r withering on the Stalk for want Of nourishment from Earth and showers from Heaven All I can give thee is but Rain of Eyes Wiping his Eyes Cleor. Alas I have not wherewithal to weep My eyes grow dim and stiffen'd up with drought Can hardly rowl and walk their feeble round Indeed I am faint Crat. And so am I. Heaven knows However aside In pity of 'em both I keep it secret Nor shall he see me fall Exit Cratisiclaea Cleom. How does our helpless Infant Cleor. It wants the Breast its kindly nourishment And I have none to give From these dry Cesterns Which unsupply'd themselves can yield no more It pull'd and pull'd but now but nothing came At last it drew so hard that the blood follow'd And that Red Milk I found upon its Lips Which made me swoon with fear Cleom. Go in and rest thee And hush the Child asleep Exit Cleora Look down ye Gods Look Hercules thou Author of my Race And Jog thy Father Iove that he may look On his neglected Work of Humane-kind Tell him I do not Curse him But Devotion Will cool in after times if none but good Men suffer What! another increase of Grief Enter Cleonidas
There 's Justice for my self and for my Son Look up sweet Boy And tell me that thou liv'st Cleonid Fain I would live To Comfort you I bleed and am asham'd To say I faint and call my self your Son O Traytor Coenus What 's become of him Cleom. Look there he lies Cleonid I am glad on 't Forgive me Heaven I hope 't is no offence To say I am glad because he kill'd me basely Still I grow fainter Hold me hold me Father Cleom. Cheer up and thou shalt live Cleonid No I 'm just dying Cleom. What shall I lose Cleonid A Boy That 's all I might have liv'd to Manhood But once I must have dy'd Cleom. But not before thy Father Cleonid Nay then you envy me that I am first Happy I go and when you come pray find me out And own me for your Son Dies Cleom. There went his Soul Fate thou hast done thy worst And all thou canst henceforth is but mean Slaughter The gleanings of this Harvest Enter Pantheus Panth. Sir y 're well found our Enemies are fled I left our men pursuing and made haste To bring this joyfull News Cleom. Look there and if thou dar'st now give me joy Panth. Enough y' have stopp'd my mouth what Coenus kill'd I ask no Questions then of who kill'd who The Bodies tell their Story as they lie Haste and revenge Cleom. Where are our Enemies Panth. Sculking disperst in Garrets and in Cellars Enter Cleanthes Cleom. Not worth the seeking Are these fit t' atone For Cleomenes Mother Son and Wife But what the Gods have left us we must take Cleanth 'T is all in vain we have no further work The People will not be dragg'd out to Freedom They bar their Doors against it Nay the Prisoners Even guard their Chains as their inheritance And Man their very Dungeons for their Masters Lest Godlike Liberty the Comon Foe Should enter in and they be judg'd hereafter Accomplices of Freedom Panth. Then we may sheath our Swords Cleanth We may Pantheus But so as brave men should each in his Bosome That onely way is left us to die free Cleom. All 's lost for which I once desir'd to live Panth. Come to our business then Be speedy Sir And give the word I 'll be the first to charge The Grim Foe death Cleom. Fortune Thou hast reduc'd me very low To do the Drudgery of fate my self What! not one brave Egyptian not one worthy To do me manly Right in single Combat To fall beneath my fury For that 's Justice But then to drag me after For to die And yet in Death to Conquer is my Wish Cleanth Then have your Wish The Gods at last are kind And have provided you a Sword that 's worthy To match your own 'T is an Egyptians too Cleom. Is there that hidden Treasure in thy Countrey The Gods be prais'd for such a Foe I want Cleanth Not such a Foe but such a Friend am I. I would fall first for fear I should survive you And pull you after to make sure in Death To be your undivided Friend for ever Cleom. Then enter We into each others Breasts 'T is a sharp passage yet a kind one too But to prevent the blind mistake of Swords Lest one drop first and leave his Friend behind Both thrust at once and home and at our Hearts Let neither stand on Guard but let our Bosomes Lie open to each other in our Death As in our Life they were Cleanth I Seal it thus Kiss and embrace Panth. And where 's my part You shut me out like Churls While you devour the Feast of Death betwixt you Cleom. Cheer up thy Soul and thou shalt die Pantheus But in thy turn There 's Death enough for all But as I am thy Master wait my leisure And honestly Compose my Limbs to Rest Then serve thy self Now are you ready Friend Cleanth I am Cleom. Then this to our next happy meeting They both push together then stagger backwards and fall together in each others Arms. Cleanth Speak have I serv'd you to your Wish my Friend Cleom. Yes Friend thou hast I have thee in my heart Say art Thou sped Cleanth I am 't is my last Breath Cleom. And mine Then both are Happy both Die Panth. So this was well perform'd and soon dispatch'd Both sound asleep already And farewell both for one short moment Trumpets sound Victory within Those are the Foes our little band is lost For want of these Defenders I must hasten Lest I be forc'd to live and led in Triumph Defrauded of my Fate I 've earn'd it well And finish'd all my Task This is my place Just at my Masters feet Guard him yee Gods And save his sacred Corps from publick shame He falls on his Sword and lies at the feet of Cleom. Dies Enter Sosybius Cassandra and Aegyptians Sosyb. 'T is what my Heart foreboded There he lies Extended by the Man whom best he lov'd A better Friend than Son Cassand What 's he or Thou or Ptolomy or Aegypt Or all the world to Cleomenes lost Sosyb. Then I suspected right If my revenge Can ease my sorrow This the King shall know That thou mayst reap the due reward of Treason And violated Love Cassand Thy worst old Dotard I wish to die but if my mind should Change So well I know my Power that Thou art lost Sosyb. The King's arrival shall decide our Fate Mean time to show how much I honour Virtue Take up that Hero's Body bear it high Like the Procession of a Deity Let his arm'd Figure on his Tomb be set And We like Slaves lie grovling at his feet Whose Glories growing till his latest Breath Excell'd all others And his own in Death Ex. omnes FINIS
Cost and was very zealous to promote the same Interest and though of her self she had no Inclination to marry yet for her Son's sake she wedded one of the chiefest Citizens for Wealth and Power Cleomenes marching forth with the Army now under his Command took Leuctra a place belonging to Megalopolis and the Achaeans quickly facing him with a good body of Men commanded by Aratus in a Battle under the very Walls of the City some part of his Army was routed But Aratus commanding the Achaeans not to pass a deep Hollow and stopping the Pursuit Lydiadas the Megalopolitan fretting at the Orders encouraging the Horse which he led and pursuing the routed Enemy fell into a place full of Vines Hedges and Ditches and being forc'd to break his Ranks was put into a great Disorder Cleomenes observing the Advantage commanded the Tarentines and Cretans to engage him by whom after a brave Dispute he was routed and slain The Lacedaemonians thus encouraged with a great shout fell upon the Achaeans and routed their whole Army Of the slain which were very many some Cleomenes delivered upon Articles but the Body of Lydiadas he commanded to be brought to him and then putting on it a purple Robe and a Crown upon its Head sent a Convoy with it to the Gates of Megalopolis This Lydiadas was the Man that resign'd his Crown restor'd Liberty to the Citizens and joyn'd the City to the Achaean Interest Cleomenes being very much raised by this Success and perswaded that if matters were wholly at his Disposal he should quickly be too hard for the Achaeans He taught Megistones his Mother's Husband That 't was expedient for the State to shake off the Power of the Ephori and to put all their Wealth into one common Stock for the whole Body That Sparta being restor'd to its old Equality might be rais'd up to be Mistriss of all Greece Megistones liked the Design and engaged two or three more of his Friends About that time one of the Ephori sleeping in Pasiphae's Temple dream'd a very surprizing Dream for he thought he saw the four Chairs removed out of the place where the Ephori used to sit and hear Causes and one only set there and whilst he wondred he heard a Voice out of the Temple saying This is best for Sparta The Person telling Cleomenes this Dream he was a little troubled at first fearing that he us'd this as a Trick to sift him upon some Suspicion of his Design but when he was satisfied that the Relater spoke truth he took heart again and taking with him those whom he thought would be against his model he took Eraea and Alcaea two Cities of the Achaeans furnish'd Orchomenium with Provisions besieg'd Mantinaea and with long marches so harass'd the Lacedaemonians that many of them desir'd to be left in Arcadia and he satisfy'd their Request With the Mercenaries he march'd to Sparta and by the way communicated his Design to those whom he thought fittest for his Purpose and march'd slowly that he might catch the Ephori at Supper When he was come near the City he sent Eurycleidas to the Sussitium the eating place of the Ephori under pretence of carrying some Message from him from the Army Threicion Phaebis and two of those which were bred with Cleomenes which they call Samothracae follow'd with a few Souldiers And whilst Eurycleidas was delivering his Message to the Ephori they ran upon them with their drawn Swords and slew them Agesilaus as soon as he was run through fell and lay as dead but in a little time he rose silently convey'd himself out of the Room and crept undiscover'd into a little House which was the Temple of Fear and which always us'd to be shut but was then by chance open being got in he shut the Door and lay close the other four were kill'd and above ten more that came to their Assistance to those that were quiet they did no harm stopt none that fled the City and spar'd Agesilaus who came out of the Temple the next day The Lacedaemonians have not only Temples dedicated to Fear but also to Death Laughter and the like Passions now they worship Fear not as they do those Deities which they dread esteeming it hurtfull but thinking their Polity is chiefly kept up by Law and therefore the Ephori Aristotle is my Author when they enter upon their Government make Proclamation to the People that they should shave their Whiskers and be obedient to the Laws that they might not be forc'd to be severe using this trivial Particular in my opinion to accustom their Youth to Obedience even in the smallest Matters And the Ancients I think did not imagine Fortitude to be plain fearlessness but a cautious Fear of Infamy and Disgrace for those that show most Fear towards the Laws are most bold against their Enemies and those are least afraid of any Danger who are most afraid of a just reproach Therefore he said well A Reverence still attends on Fear And Homer Fear'd you shall be dear Vncle and rever'd And again In silence fearing those that bore the sway For 't is very commonly seen that Men reverence those whom they fear and therefore the Lacedaemonians plac'd the Temple of Fear by the Sussitium of the Ephori having rais'd their Power to almost absolute Monarchy The next day Cleomenes proscrib'd 80 of the Citizens whom he thought necessary to banish and removed all the Seats of the Ephori except one in which he himself design'd to sit and hear Causes and calling the Citizens together he made an Apology for his Proceedings saying That by Lycurgus the Senate was joyn'd to the Kings and that that model of Government had continued a long time and needed no other sort of Magistrates to give it perfection But afterward in the long War with the Messenians when the Kings being to command the Army had no time to attend civil Causes they chose some of their Friends and left them to determine the Suits of the Citizens in their stead These were call'd Ephori and at first behav'd themselves as Servants to the Kings but afterward by degrees they appropriated the Power to themselves and erected a distinct sort of Magistracy An evidence of the Truth of this may be taken from the usual Behaviour of the Kings who upon the first and second Message of the Ephori refuse to go but upon the third readily attend them And Asteropus the first that rais'd the Ephori to that height of Power liv'd a great many years after their Institution therefore whil'st they modestly contain'd themselves within their own proper Sphear 't was better to bear with them than to make a disturbance But that an upstart introduc'd Power should so far destroy the old model of Government as to banish some Kings murder others without hearing their defence and threaten those who desir'd to see the best and most divine Constitution restor'd in Sparta was unsufferable Therefore if it had been
of more How I could curse my Name of Ptolomy For 't is so long it asks an Hour to write it By Heav'n I 'll change it into Iove or Mars Or any other civil Monosyllable That will not tire my Hand Sosyb. These are for Common Good Shewing Papers Ptol. I am glad of that Those shall be sure to wait Sosyb. Orders to pay the Soldiers ripe for Mutiny They may Revolt Ptol. To whom Sosyb. The Man you fear Your Brother Magas Ptol. That 's indeed the danger Give me the Physick Let me swallow quick There 's Ptolomy for that Now not one more For every Minute I expect Cassandra To call me to the Musick If she should find me at this rare Employment Of Signing out her Treasures Sosyb The rest are only Grants to her you love And places for her Friends Ptol. I 'll Sign 'em all were every one a Province Thou know'st her Humor not to brook denial And then a Quarrel on her Birth-day too Would be of ill presage Signs more Papers Enter Cassandra Women Cassand I heard you waired but you 'll pardon me I was not sooner Drest Ptol. Thus I begin my Homage to the Day Kisses her Hand That brought me forth a Mistriss and am proud To be your foremost Slave Cassand Our little Entertainment waits not worth A longer Ceremony please to Grace it The SCENE opens and discovers Cassandra's Apartment Musicians and Dancers Ptolomy leads in Cassandra Sosybius follows They Sit. Towards the end of the Song and Dance Enter Cleomenes and Cleanthes on one side of the Stage where they stand SONG NO no poor suff'ring Heart no Change endeavour Choose to sustain the smart rather than leave her My ravish'd Eyes behold such Charms about her I can dye with her but not live without her One tender Sigh of hers to see me Languish Will more than pay the price of my past Anquish Beware O cruel Fair how you smile on me 'T was a kind Look of yours that has undone me Love has in store for me one happy Minute And She will end my pain who did begin it Then no day void of Bliss or Pleasure leaving Ages shall slide away without perceiving Cupid shall guard the Door the more to please us And keep out Time and Death when they would seize us Time and Death shall depart and say in flying Love has found out a way to Live by Dying After the Musick is over Cleomenes speaks Cleom. to Cleanth Is this the Council of th' Aegyptian King And am I call'd upon the Grave Debate To judge of trilling Notes and tripping Feet Cleanth 'T is of a piece with all the rest of Ptolomey A Singing and a Dancing Government O Aegypt Aegypt Thou art grown the Lees Of all the World The slime of thy own Nyle Sure we had neither Human Syres nor Mothers The Sun and Nyle begot us W' are so Cowardly And yet so proud so many Gods we have And yet not One Cleom. No more They seem to gaze on me with wonder Cleanth And well they may to see a Man in Aegypt King Cassand Sosyb. rise and come forward Ptol. Welcome Royal Stranger Not only to my Court but to my Bosom Cleom. I heard you sent for me but on what Business Am yet to learn Ptol. The greatest in the World To see the Man Whom even his Foes extoll His Friends adore And all Mankind admire Cleom. Say rather Sir A Man forsaken of his better Stars A banish'd Prince The shadow of a King Pto. My Fathers Friend Cleom. I must not think so vainly of my self To be what you have said lest it upbraid you To let your Fathers Friend for three long Months Thus Dance attendance for a word of Audience Cassand Now by my Soul 't is nobly urg'd He speaks As if he were in Sparta on his Throne aside Not asking Aid but granting How little looks our Pageant Prince to him This is the only King I ever saw Cleom. By all the Gods when I have stood repuls'd Before your Gates and could not gain admittance I have not Sigh'd so much for my own sorrows As I have blush'd for your ungenerous Usage Cleanth Not a word Ptolomey Asham'd by all that 's good to be miscall'd A King when this is present Cleom. Think you 't is nothing For me to beg That I constrain my Temper To sue for Aid which you should first have offer'd Believe me Ptolomey a Noble Soul Does much that asks He gives you pow'r t' oblige him Know Sir There 's a proud Modesty in merit Averse from begging and resolv'd to pay Ten times the Gift it asks Pto. I have been to blame And you have justly tax'd my long neglect I am Young and am a Lover and how far Fair Eyes may make even Kings forgetful Look And read my best Excuse Cleanth O Miracle He blushes Aside The first red Virtue I have ever seen Upon that Face Cassand I am sorry Sir y'have made me your Excuse As if I stood betwixt the Good you meant And intercepted every Royal Grace Now in my own Defence I must solicite All his concerns as mine And if my Eyes have pow'r He should not sue In vain nor linger with a long delay Ptolo. Well! J'll consider Cassand Say that word again And I 'll consider too Ptolo. Prithee be satisfy'd He shall be aided Or I 'll no more be King Cleanth When wert thou one For shame for shame ye Gods aside That e'er you put it in a Strumpets power To do so good a Deed Cleom. I am a Spartan Madam scarce of Words We have but just enough to speak our Meaning Be thank'd That 's all I could have said to Iove Had Iove like you restor'd me to my Crown Sosyb. The Gods have giv'n you Sir the speedy means to Cleom. To satisfie your Debt of Gratitude Cleom. Oh make me happy Tell me how this Sword This and my Heart are all that 's left me now Can be Employ'd to serve the Crown of Aegypt Cleanth Well said Father Thou art a true Statesman aside So much for so much is the way at Court Sosyb. My King has in the Camp a Younger Brother Valiant they say but very Popular He gets too far into the Soldiers Grace And Inches out my Master Cleom. Is the King Assur'd of this by any Overt-Act Or any close Conspiracy reveal'd Ptolo. He has it in his pow'r to be a Traytor And that 's enough Sosyb. He has it in his will too Else why this Ostentation of his Virtues His Bounty Valour and his Temperance Why are they thus expos'd to publick View But as a Venus set besides a Monster To make an Odious Comparison As if his Brother wanted what he boasts Ptolo. What 's to be done with him Cassand There needs no more I think but to contrive With Secresy and Safety to Dispatch him Cleanth I thank thee that thou hast not Cozen'd me aside In this Advice For two good deeds together Had been too much in
Sovereign Drops whose Pow'r Will soon recal his wander'd sense He instills somewhat out of a Vial into his Mouth He stirs And stretches now and seems t' essay his Limbs Cleom. Where am I Standing a while they support him Cleanth In his Arms who dy'd with you And now you live revives Cleom. Art thou Panthaeus Panth. Believe your Eyes I am Cleom. Speak then and truly for I trust not him Who brought me back to Life Panth. Who but he who was left single with you Who caught you falling in his faithful Arms And not alone sufficient to restore you Call'd loud for my Assistance I found him propping you with trembling Hands His Eyes so haggard I could scarce distinguish Who was the living Friend and who the dead Cleom. All this Cleanthes This What this Cleanthes Panth. Yes your Cleanthes Cleanth Your suspected Friend Much wrong'd but ever faithful Cleom. Art thou sure I live Or am I in the Regions of the dead And hear the Fables there my self a Fable Panth. Go in and see your chearful Family Eating his Bread brought in their last Distress And with a good mistaking Piety First blessing him then Heaven Cleom. When I hear this I have no need of Food I am restor'd without it Cleanth Then now hear me How I was forc'd into this seeming Falshood To save my self the only means remaining To save the Man I lov'd beyond my self And gain a needful Credit with Cassandra And yet even then deceiv'd and sent far off For three long Days unknowing of your wants Not thinking she who lov'd could use you thus By Famishment to Cleom. O no more no more For now I understand e'er thou can'st speak it half To thee I ow'd the seizing of my Sword Lest I should fall by odds My Wife's return All all to thee And thou art more than all Can'st thou forgive me Can'st thou my Cleanthes Can I deserve thus to grow here once more Embracing him Let me embrace my self quite into thee Cleanth Come come as fiercely as thou wilt I meet thee Embraces Cleomenes I close within thee and am thou again Panth. Why this is as it should be Cleom. I could not thus have taken to the Death Anothers Falshood but thine only thine For infinitely infinitely loving 'T was a wide gap thou mad'st within my Bosom And as my Soul rent from me Cleanth But thy Hunger This violent Transport of my Reconcilement Makes me forget thy Wants When I embrac'd thee Thy spungy Body dwindled in my Arms And like a Ghost fled from me Cleom. I could eat Going in Now my first Appetite of Love is serv'd And that was much the keenest Let us in For Life looks lovely now and worth preserving Cleanth Not that way Friend It leads you to the Women and the Boy Cleom. And why must I avoid those tender Blessings Cleanth Even such because they are you must avoid them For I must tell you Friend you have but time To snatch a hasty Morsel and away Nothing of Manhood must be clogg'd or soften'd With Womanish Sighs and Tears and kind Adieu's And those ill-tim'd Remorses of good Nature When your whole Soul is needful Panth. You tell us Wonders Cleanth At the King's Return Which daily we expect your Death 's resolv'd This hour 's your own Take it and tempt your Fortune Some few brave Friends I hope to add If not all Aegypt's number'd in my self Cleom. I am all on Fire now for a lucky pull At Fate 's last Lottery I long to see the Colour white or black That 's the God's Work And if I fall their shame Let 'em ne'er think of making Heroes more If Cowards must prevail Panth. The fewer Hands The fewer Partners in the share of Honour Cleom. Come my Pantheus Lead my best Cleanthes We three to all the World Cleanth Magas and Liberty let be the Word Magas is lov'd and Liberty desir'd A short Refection waits at the Lieutenant's That honest Friend who sent you back your Wife We 'll drink a Bowl of Wine and pour the rest Not to the Dog Anubis but to Iove The Freer and Avenger Exeunt Enter Cratisiclaea Cleora Cleonidas Cleora Gone and without taking leave Crat. The better He bated me the Forms and you the Fondness Cleon. Pantheus too and he who brought the Food The brave Aegyptian vanish'd all together Cleora Oh my fore-boding Soul he 's gone to Death And that Cleanthes whom thou call'st the Brave Has basely train'd him out to his Destruction Crat. Suspect him not When Fate was in his power And by a Method so secure as Famine To save us then shows he had little need To trick my Son to Death I have a better prospect of th' Event Cleor. Dear Mother Comfort me and tell your Thoughts For I see nothing but a gathering Tempest Horror on Horror to the end of Heaven Crat. No no you are not of a Soul to bear The mighty Good and Ill that meet mid-way As from two Goals and which comes first upon us Fate only knows Cleon. Then speak to me for I can stand the Shock Like a young Plant that fastens in a Storm And deeper drives the Root Crat. Thy Soul 's too strong thy Body yet too weak To bear the Crush Be still and wait thy Doom A Cry within Liberty Liberty Magas Magas To Arms for Magas and for Liberty Cleon. What noble sound was that So smart and vigorous A Soul in every Word Crat. Why that was it I thought was doing but I durst not tell Till now it shows it self The Works begun my Boy the Works begun There was thy Father in that Warlike Shout Stemming the Tide of Aegypt Cleor. O comfort me my Husband's Mother say My Lord may live and conquer Crat. Possibly But still make sure of Death Trust we to that As to our last Reserve Cleor. Alas I dare not die Crat. Come come you dare Do not belie your Courage Cleor. Heaven help me I have none Crat. Then dare you be a Slave to base Aegyptians For that must be if you outlive your Husband Cleor. I think I durst to save my self from Death Crat. Then as a Slave you durst be ravish'd too Cleor. The Gods forbid Crat. The Gods cannot forbid it By any way but Death Cleor. Then I dare die Crat. I told you so You did not know your Vertue Poor trembling thing I 'll warm thee in my Bosom And make thee take Death kindly Another Shout within Liberty and Magas Cleon. What must become of me Crat. More Trouble yet about this paltry Being For shame no more such Qualms Cleon. No more such vile Mistakes I would die warm And not in Women's Company but Men's Whether some God inspires me to this Act Or Fate inevitably calls me on I will not cannot stay But as a generous unflesh'd Hound that hears From far the Hunter's Horn and chearful Cry So will I haste and by the Musick led Come up with Death or Honour Exit Cleor. Stop him