Reframes reformes it selfe and stealingly Retakes his force and rebecomes more great For of thy Queene the lookes the grace the words Sweetnes alurements amorous delights Entred againe thy soule and day and night In watch in sleepe her Image follow'd thee Not dreaming but of her repenting still That thou for warre hadst such a goddes left Thou car'st no more for Parth nor Parthian bow Sallies assaults encounters shocks alarmes For ditches rampiers wards entrenched grounds Thy only care is sight of Nilus streames Sight of that face whose gilefull semblant doth Wandring in thee infect thy tainted hart Her absence thee besottes each hower each hower Of staie to thee impatient seemes an age Enough of conquest praise thou deem'st enough If soone enough the bristled fields thou see Of fruitfull Aegipt and the stranger floud Thy Queenes faire eyes another Pharos lights Returned loe dishonoured despisde In wanton loue a woman thee misleades Sunke in foule sinke meane while respecting nought Thy wife Octauia and her tender babes Of whome the long contempt against thee whets The sword of Caesar now thy Lord become Lost thy great Empire all those goodly townes Reuerenc'd thy name as rebells now thee leaue Rise against thee and to the ensignes flocke Of conqu'ring Caesar who enwalles thee round Cag'd in thy hold scarse maister of thy selfe Late maister of so many Nations Yet yet which is of griefe extreamest griefe Which is yet of mischiefe highest mischiefe It 's Cleopatra alas alas it 's she It 's she augments the torment of thy paine Betraies thy loue thy life alas betraies Caesar to please whose grace she seekes to gaine With thought her crowne to saue and fortune make Onely thy foe which common ought haue beene If her I alwaies lou'd and the first flame Of her heart-killing loue shall burne me last Iustly complaine I she disloyall is Nor constant is euen as I constant am To comfort my mishap despising me No more then when the heauens fauour'd me But ah by nature women wau'ring are Each moment changing and rechanging mindes Vnwise who blinde in them thinkes loyaltie Euer to finde in beauties companie Chorus The boyling tempest still makes not Sea waters fome nor still the Northern blast disquiets quiet streames Nor who his chest to fill sayles to the morning beames on waues winde tosseth fast still kepes his ship from home Nor Ioue still downe doth cast inflam'd with bloudie ire on man on tree on hill his darts of thundring fire nor still the heat doth last on face of parched plaine nor wrinkled colde doth still on frozen furrowes raigne But still as long as we in this low world remaine mishapps our daily mates our liues doe intertaine and woes which beare no dates still pearch vpon our heads none go but straight will be some greater in their steads Nature made vs not free When first she made vs liue When we began to be To be began our woe Which growing euermore As dying life doth growe Do more and more vs greeue And tire vs more and more No stay in fading states For more to height they retch Their fellow miseries The more to height do stretch They cling euen to the crowne And threatning furious wise From tirannizing pates Do often pull it downe In vaine on waues vntride To shun them go we should To Scythes and Massagetes Who neere the Pole reside In vaine to boiling sandes Which Phaebus battry beates For with vs still they would Cut seas and compasse landes The darknes no more sure To ioyne with heauy night The light which guildes the days To follow Titan pure No more the shadow light The body to ensue Then wretchednes alwaies Vs wretches to pursue O blest who neuer breath'd Or whome with pittie mou'de Death from his cradle reau'de And swadled in his graue And blessed also he As curse may blessing haue Who low and liuing free No princes charge hath prou'de By stealing sacred fire Prometheus then vnwise prouking Gods to ire the heape of ills did sturre and sicknes pale and colde our ende which onward spurre to plague our hands too bolde to filch the wealth of skies In heauens hate since then of ill with ill enchain'd we race of mortall men ful fraught our brests haue borne and thousand thousand woes our heau'nly soules now thorne which free before from those no! earthly passion pain'd Warre and warrs bitter cheare now long time with vs staie and feare of hated foe still still encreaseth sore our harmes worse dayly grow lesse yesterday they were then now and will be more to morrow then to day Act. 2. Philostratus What horrible furie what cruell rage O Aegipt so extremely thee torments Hast thou the Gods so angred by thy fault Hast thou against them some such crime conceiu'd That their engrained hand lift vp in threats They should desire in thy heart bloud to bathe And that their burning wrath which noght cā quēch Should pittiles on vs still lighten downe We are not hew'n out of the monst'rous masse Of Giantes those which heauens wrack conspir'd Ixions race false prater of his loues Nor yet of him who fained lightnings found Nor cruell Tantalus nor bloudy Atreus Whose cursed banquet for Thyestes plague Made the beholding Sunne for horrour turne His backe and backward from his course returne And hastning his wing-footed horses race Plunge him in sea for shame to hide his face While sulleine night vpon the wondring world For mid-daies light her starrie mantle cast But what we be what euer wickednesse By vs is done Alas with what more plagues More eager torments could the Gods declare To heauen and earth that vs they hatefull holde With souldiors strangers horrible in armes Our land is hidde our people drown'd in teares But terror here and horror nought is seene And present death prising our life each hower Hard at our ports and at our porches waites Our conquering foe harts faile vs hopes are dead Our Queene laments and this great Emperour Somtime would now they did whom worlds did fear Abandoned betraid now mindes no more But from his euils by hast'ned death to passe Come you poore people ti'rde with ceasles plaints With teares and sighes make mournful sacrifice On Isis altars not our selues to saue But soften Caesar and him piteous make To vs his praie that so his lenitie May change our death into captiuitie Strange are the euils the fates on vs haue brought O but alas how far more strange the cause Loue loue alas who euer would haue thought Hath lost this Realme inflamed with his fire Loue playing loue which men say kindles not But in soft hearts hath ashes made our townes And his sweet shafts with whose shot none are kill'd Which vlcer not with deaths our lands haue fill'd Such was the bloudie murdring hellish loue Possest thy hart faire false guest Priams sonne Firing a brand which after made to burne The Troian towers by Graecians ruinate By this loue Priam Hector Troilus Memnon Deiphaebus Glancus thousands mo Whome
vndergo vnder foraine yoke to go Still it proues a bondage worse and doubled subiection see we shall and feele and know subiect to a stranger growne From hence forward for a King whose first being from this place should his brest by nature bring care of country to imbrace We at surly face must quake of some Romaine madly bent who our terrour to augment his Proconsuls axe will shake driuing with our Kings from hence our establish'd gouernment iustice sword and lawes defence Nothing worldly of such might but more mighty Destiny by swift Times vnbridled flight makes in end his end to see euery thing Time ouerthrowes nought to end doth steadfast staie his great sithe mowes all away as the stalke of tender rose onely immortalitie of the heauens doth it oppose gainst his powrefull Deitie One day there will come a day which shall quaile they fortunes flower and thee ruinde low shall laie in some barbarous Princes power when the pittie-wanting fire shall O Rome thy beauties burne and to humble ashes turne thy proud wealth and rich attire those guilt roofes which turretwise iustly making enuy mourne threaten now to pearce Skies As thy forces fill each land haruests making here and there reaping all with rauening hand they find growing any where from each land so to thy fall multitudes repaire shall make from the common spoile to take what to each mans shaire may fall fingred all thou shalt behold no iote left for tokens sake that thou wert so great of olde Like vnto the ancient Troie whence deriu'd thy founders be conqu'ring foe shall thee enioie and a burning praie in thee for within this turning ball this we see and see each daie all things fixed ends do staie ends to first beginnings fall that nought how strong or strāge chaungeles doth endure alwaie But endureth fatall change M. Antonius Lucilius M. Ant. Lucil sole comfort of my bitter case The only trust the only hope I haue In last despaire Ah is not this the daie That death should me of life and loue bereaue What waite I for that haue no refuge left But am sole remnant of my fortune left All leaue me flie me none noe not of them Which of my greatnes greatest good receiu'd Stands with my fall they seeme as now asham'd That heretofore they did me ought regard They draw them backe shewing they folow'd me Not to partake my harm's but coozen me Lu. In this our world nothing is stedfast found In vaine he hopes who here his hopes doth ground An. Yet nought afflicts me nothing killes me so As that I so my Cleopatra see Practise with Caesar and to him transport My flame her loue more deare then life to me Lu. Beleeue it not Too high a heart she beares Too princely thoughts An. Too wise a head she weare Too much enflam'd with greatnes euermore Gaping for our great Empires gouerment Lu. So long time you her constant loue haue tri'de An. But still with me good fortune did abide Lu. Her changed loue what token makes you know An. Pelusium lost and Actian ouerthrow Both by her fraud my well appointed fleet And trusty Souldiors in my quarrell arm'd Whome she false she in stede of my defence Came to perswade to yelde them to my foe Such honor Thyre done such welcome giuen Their long close talkes I neither knew nor would And trecherous wrong Alexas hath me donne Witnes too well her periur'd loue to me But you O Gods if any faith regarde With sharpe reuenge her faithlesse change reward Lu. The dole she made vpon our ouerthrow Her realme giuen vp for refuge to our men Her poore attire when she deuoutly kept The solemne day of her natiuitie Againe the cost and prodigall expence Shew'd when she did your birth day celebrate Do plaine enough her heart vnfained proue Equally toucht you louing as you loue Ant. Well be her loue to me or false or true Once in my soule a cureles wound I feele I Ioue nay burne in fire of her loue Each day each night hir Image haunts my minde Her selfe my dreames and still I tired am And still I am with burning pincers nipt Extreame my harme yet sweeter to my sence Then boiling Torch of iealous torments fire This griefe nay rage in me such sturre doth keepe And thornes me still both when I wake and sleepe Take Caesar conquest take my goods take he Th' onor to be Lord of the earth alone My sonnes my life bent headlong to mishapps No force so not my Cleopatra take So foolish I I cannot her forget Though better were I banisht her my thought Like to the sicke whose throte the feauers fire Hath vehemently with thirstie drought enflam'd Drinkes still albee the drinke he still desires Be nothing else but fewell to his flame He cannot rule himself his health's respect Yealdeth to his distempered stomacks heate Lu. Leaue of this loue that thus renewes your woe An. I do my best but ah can not do so Lu. Thinke how you haue so braue a captaine bene And now are by this vaine affection falne An. The ceasles thought of my felicitie Plunges me more in this aduersitie For nothing so a man in ill torments As who to him his good state represents This makes my rack my anguish and my woe Equall vnto the hellish passions growe When I to mind my happie puisance call Which erst I had by warlike conquest wonne And that good fortune which me neuer left Which hard disastre now hath me bereft With terror tremble all the world I made At my sole word as Rushes in the streames At waters will I conquer'd Italie I conquer'd Rome that nations so redoubt I Bare meane while besieging Mutina Two consuls armies for my ruine brought Bath'd in their bloud by their deaths witnessing My force and skill in matters Martiall To wreake thy vnkle vnkind Caesar I With bloud of enemies the bankes embru'd Of stain'd Enipeus hindring his course Stopped with heapes of piled carcases When Cassius and Brutus ill betide Marcht against vs by vs twise put to flight But by my sole conduct for all the time Caesar hart-sicke with feare and feauer lay Who knowes it not and how by euery one Fame of the fact was giu'n to me alone There sprang the loue the neuer changing loue Wherin my heart hath since to yours bene bound There was it my Lucill you Brntus sau'de And for your Brutus Antony you found Better my hap in gaining such a frend Then in subduing such an enimie Now former vertue dead doth me forsake Fortune engulfes me in extreame distresse She turnes from me her smiling countenance Casting on me mishapp vpon mishapp Left and betraide of thousand thousand frends Once of my sute but you Lucill are left Remaining to me stedfast as a tower In holy loue in spite of fortunes blastes But if of any God my voice be heard And be not vainely scatt'red in the heau'ns Such goodnes shall not glorilesse be loste But comming ages
THE TRAGEDIE OF Antonie Doone into English by the Countesse of Pembroke Imprinted at London for William Ponsonby 1595 ¶ The Argument AFTER the ouerthrowe of Brutus and Cassius the libertie of Rome being now vtterly oppressed and the Empire setled in the hands of Octauius Caesar and Marcus Antonius who for knitting a straiter bonde of amitie betweene them had taken to wife Octauia the sister of Caesar Antonius vndertooke a iourney agà inst the Parthians with intent to regaine on them the honor won by them from the Romanes at the discomfiture and slaughter of Crassus But comming in his iourney into Siria the places renewed in his remembrāce the long intermitted loue of Cleopatra Queene of Aegipte who before time had both in Cilicia and at Alexandria entertained him with all the exquisite delightes and sumptuous pleasures which a great Prince and voluptuous louer could to the vttermost desire Wherevpon omitting his enterprice he made his returne to Alexandria againe falling to his former loues without any regarde of his vertuous wife Octauia by whom neuertheles he had excellent children This occation Octauius toke of taking armes against him preparing a mighty fleet encoūtred him at Actium who also had assembled to that place a great nūber of Gallies of his own beside 60. which Cleopatra brought with her from Aegipt But at the very beginning of the battel Cleopatra with all her Gallies betooke her to flight which Antony seeing could not but follow by his departure to Octauius the greatest victory which in any Seabattell hath beene hard off Which he not negligent to pursue followes them the next spring and besiedgeth them with in Alexandria where Antony finding al that he trusted to faile him beginneth to growe iealouse and to suspect Cleopatra She therevpon enclosed her selfe with two of her women in a monumēt she had before caused to be built thence sends him worde she was dead which he beleeuing for truth gaue himselfe with his Sworde a deadly woūd but died not vntil a messenger came frō Cleopatra to haue him brought to her to the tombe Which she not daring to open least she should bee made a prisoner to the Romaines carried in Caesars triumph cast downe a cord from an high window by the which her womē helping her she trussed vp Antonius halfe dead so got him into the monumēt The stage supposed alexandria the chorus first Egiptians after Romane souldiors The history to be read at large in Plutarch in the life of Antonius ¶ The Actors Antonius Cleopatra Eras and Charmiō Cleopatras womē Philostratus a Philosopher Lucilius Diomede Secretarie to Cleopatra Octauius Caesar Agrippa Euphron teacher of Cleopatras children Children of Cleopatra Dircetus the Messenger ANTONIVS SInce cruell Heau'ns against me obstinate Since all mishappes of the round engin doo Conspire my harme since mē since powers diuine Aire earth and Sea are all iniurious And that my Queene her selfe in whome I liu'd The Idoll of my harte doth me pursue It 's meete I dye For her haue I forgone My Country Caesar vnto warre prouok'd For iust reuenge of Sisters wrong my wife Who mou'de my Queene ay me to iealousie For loue of her in her allurements caught Abandon'd life I honor haue despisde Disdain'd my freends and of the statelye Rome Despoilde the Empire of her best attire Contemn'd that power that made me so much fear'd A slaue become vnto her feeble face O cruell traitres woman most vnkinde Thou dost forsworne my loue and life betraie And giu'st me vp to ragefull enemie Which soone ô foole will plague thy periurye Yeelded Pelusium on this countries shore Yeelded thou hast my Shippes and men of warre That nought remaines so destitute am I But these same armes which on my back I weare Thou should'st haue had them too and me vnarm'de Yeelded to Caesar naked of defence Which while I beare let Caesar neuer thinke Triumph of me shall his proud chariot grace Not thinke with me his glory to adorne On me aliue to vse his victorie Thou only Cleopatra triumph hast Thou only hast my fredome seruile made Thou only hast me vanquisht not by force For forste I cannot be but by sweete baites Of thy eyes graces which did gaine so fast vpon my libertie that nought remain'd None els henceforth but thou my dearest Queene Shall glorie in commaunding Antonie Haue Caesar fortune and the Gods his freends To him haue Ioue and fatall sisters giuen The Scepter of the earth he neuer shall Subiect my life to his obedience But when that death my glad refuge shall haue Bounded the course of my vnstedfast life And frosen corps vnder a marble colde Within tombes bosome widdowe of my soule Then at his will let him it subiect make Then what he will let Caesar doo with me Make me limme after limme be rent make me My buriall take in sides of Thracian wolte Poore Antonie alas what was the day The daies of losse that gained thee thy loue Wretch Antonie since Maegaera pale With Snakie haires enchain'd thy miserie The fire thee burnt was neuer Cupids fire For Cupid beares not such a mortall brand It was some furies torch Orestes torche Which somtimes burnt his mother-murdering soule When wandring madde rage boiling in his bloud He fled his fault which folow'd as he fled kindled within his bones by shadow pale Of mother slaine return'd from Stygian lake Antony poore Antony since that daie Thy olde good hap did farre from thee retire Thy vertue dead thy glory made aliue So ofte by martiall deeds is gone in smoke Since then the Baies so well thy forehead knewe To Venus mirtles yeelded haue their place Trumpets to pipes field tents to courtly bowers Launces and Pikes to daunces and to feastes Since then ô wretch in stead of bloudy warres Thou shouldst haue made vpon the Parthian Kings For Romain honor filde by Crassus foile Thou threw'st thy Curiace off and fearfull healme With coward courage vnto Aegipts Queene In haste to runne about her necke to hang Languishing in her armes thy I doll made In summe giuen vp to Cleopatras eies Thou breakest at length frō thence as one encharm'd Breakes from th' enchaunter that him strongly helde For thy first reason spoyling of their force the poisned cuppes of thy faire Sorceres Recur'd thy sperit and then on euery side Thou mad'st again the earth with Souldiours swarme All Asia hidde Euphrates bankes do tremble To see at once so many Romanes there Breath horror rage and with a threatning eye In mighty squadrons crosse his swelling streames Nought seene but horse and fier sparkling armes Nought heard but hideous noise of muttring troups The Parth the Mede abandoning their goods Hide them for feare in hilles of Hircanie Redoubting thee Then willing to besiege The great Phraate head of Media Thou campedst at her walles with vaine assault Thy engins fit mishap not thither brought So long thou stai'st so long thou dost thee rest So long thy loue with such things nourished
Whereby my faire entising foe entrap'd My hedelesse Reason could no more escape It was not fortunes euer chaunging face It was not Destinies chaungles Violence Forg'd my mishap Alas who doth not know They make nor marre nor any thing can doe Fortune which men so feare adore detest Is but a chaunce whose cause vnknow'n doth rest Although oft times the cause is well perceiu'd But not th' effect the same that was conceiu'd Pleasure nought else the plague of this our life Our life which still a thousand plagues pursue Alone hath me this strange disastre spunne Falne from a souldior to a chamberer Careles of vertue careles of all praise Nay as the fatted swine in filthy mire With glutted heart I wallowed in delights All thoughts of honor troden vnder foote So I me lost for finding this sweet cupp Pleasing my tast vnwise I drunke my fill And through the sweetnes of that poisons power By steps I draue my former wits astraie I made my frends offended me forsake I holpe my foes against my selfe to rise I robd my subiects and for followers I saw my selfe be set with flatterers Mine idle armes faire wrought with spiders worke My scattred men without their ensignes strai'd Caesar meane while who neuer would haue dar'de To cope with me me sodainely despis'de Tooke hart to fight and hop'de for victorie On one so gone who glorie had forgone Lu. Enchaunting pleasure Venus sweete delights Weaken our bodies ouer-cloud our sprights Trouble our reason from our hearts out chase All holie vertues lodging in thir place Like as the cunnig fisher takes the fishe By traitor baite whereby the hooks is hid So Pleasure serues to vice in steede of foode To baite our soules thereon too liquorishe This poison deadly is alike to all But on great kings doth greatest outrage worke Taking the roiall scepters from their hands Thence forward to be by some stranger borne While that their people charg'd with heauie loades Their flatt'rers pill and suck their mary drie Not rul'd but left to great men as a pray While this fonde Prince himselfe in pleasur's drowns Who hears nought sees noght doth nought of a king Seming himselfe against himselfe conspirde Then equall Iustice wandreth banished And in her seat sitts greedie Tyrannie Confus'd disorder troubleth all estates Crimes without feare and outrages are done Then mutinous Rebellion shewes her face Now hid with this and now with that pretence Prouoking enimies which on each side Enter at ease and make them Lords of all The hurtfull workes of pleasure here behold An. The wolfe is not so hurtfull to the folde Frost to the grapes to ripened frutes the raine As pleasure is to princes full of paine Lu. There nedes no proofe but by th' Assirian kinge On whom that Monster woefull wrack did bring An. There nedes no proofe but by vnhappie I Who lost my empire honor life thereby Lu Yet hath this ill so much the greater force As scarcely any do against it stand No not the Demy-gods the olde world knew Who all subdu'de could Pleasures power subdue Great Hercules Hercules once that was Wonder of earth and heauen matchles in might Who Anteus Lycus Geryon ouercame Who drew from hell the triple-headed dogg Who Hydra kill'd vanquishd Achelous Who heauens weight on his strong shoulders bare Did he not vnder Pleasures burthen bow Did he not Captiue to this passion yelde When by his Captiue so he was inflam'd As now your self in Cleopatra burne Slept in hir lapp hir bosome kist and kiste With base vnseemely seruice bought her loue Spinning at distaffe and with sinewy hand Winding on spindles threde in maides attire His conqu'ring clubbe at rest on wal did hang His bow unstring'd he bent not as he vs'de Vpon his shafts the weauing spiders spunne And his hard cloake the fretting mothes did pierce The monsters free and fearles all the time Throughtout the world the people did torment And more and more encreasing daie by daie Scorn'd his weake heart become a mistresse play An. In onely this like Hercules am I In this I proue me of his lignage right In this himselfe his deedes I shew in this In this nought else my ancestor he is But goe we die I must and with braue end Conclusion make of all foregoing harmes Die die I must I must a noble death A glorious death vnto my succour call I must deface the shame of time abus'd I must adorne the wanton loues I vs'de With some couragious act that my last day By mine owne hand my spots may wash away Come deare Lucill alas why weepe you thus This mortall lot is common to vs all We must all die each doth in homage owe Vnto that God that shar'd the Realmes belowe Ah sigh no more alas appeace your woes For by your greife my griefe more eager growes Chorus Alas with what tormenting fire Vs martireth this blind desire to stay our life from flieng How ceasleslie our minds doth rack How heauie lies vpon our back This dastard feare of dieng Death rather healthfull succour giues Death rather all mishapps relieues That life vpon vs throweth And euer to vs death vnclose The dore whereby from curelesse woes Our weary soule out goeth What Goddesse else more milde then she To burie all our paine can be What remedie more pleasing Our pained hearts when dolor stings And nothing rest or respite brings What help haue we more easing Hope which to vs doth comfort giue And doth our fainting harts reuiue Hath not such force in anguish For promising a vaine reliefe She oft vs failes in midst of griefe And helples le ts vs languish But Death who call on her at neede Doth neuer with vaine semblant feed But when them sorrow paineth So riddes their soules of all distresse Whose heauie weight did them oppresse That not one griefe remaineth Who feareles and with courage bolde Can Acherons black face behold Which muddie water beareth And crossing ouer in the way Is not amaz'd at Perruque gray Olde rusty Charon weareth Who voide of dread can looke vpon The dreadfull shades that Rome alone On bankes where sound no voices Whome with hir fire-brands and her Snakes No whit afraide Alecto makes Nor triple-barking noises Who freely can himselfe dispose Of that last hower which all must close And leaue this life at pleasure This noble freedome more esteemes And in his heart more precious deemes Then crowne and kinglie treasure The waues which Boreas blasts turmoile And cause with foaming furie boile Make not his heart to tremble Nor brutish broile when with strong head A rebell people madly ledde Against their Lords assemble Nor fearefull face of Tirant wood Who breaths but threats drinks but bloud No nor the hand which thunder The hand of Ioue which thunder beares And ribbs of rocks in sunder teares Teares mountains sides in sunder Nor bloudy Marses butchering bands Whose lightnings desert laie the lands Whome dustie cloudes do couer From of whose armour sun-beames flie And vnder