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
made English and will shortly be publish'd for the Common Benefit What I have added to the Story is chiefly the Love of Agathoclea the King's Mistress whose Name I have chang'd into Cassandra only for the better sound As I have also the name of Nicagoras into that of Coenus for the same Reason Cratisiclaea Pantheus and Sosybius are to be found in the Story with the same Characters which they have in the Tragedy There is likewise mention made of the Son of Cleomenes who had resolution enough to throw himself headlong from a Tower when he had heard of his Father's ill Success And for Cleora whom I make the second Wife of Cleomenes for Aegyatis was dead before you will find a hint of her in Plutarch for he tells us That after the loss of the Battle at Sellasia he return'd to Sparta and entring his own House was there attended by a Free-born Woman of Megalopolis The Picture of Ptolomey Philopater is given by the fore-mention'd Authors to the full Both agree that he was an Original of his kind a Lazy Effeminate Cowardly Cruel and Luxurious Prince manag'd by his Favourite and impos'd on by his Mistress The Son of Sosybyus whom I call Cleanthes was a Friend to Cleomenes but Plutarch says he at length forsook him I have giv'n him a fairer Character and made it only a seeming Treachery which he practis'd If any be so curious to enquire what became of Cassandra whose Fortune was left in suspence at the Conclusion of the Play I must first inform them that after the death of Cleomenes the Heroe of my Poem I was oblig'd by the Laws of the Drama to let fall the Curtain immediately because the Action was then concluded But Polybius tells us that she surviv'd Ptolomey who reign'd about Twenty seven Years that with her Brother Agathocles she govern'd Egypt in the Minority of his Son Ptolomey Epiphanes and that finally for oppressing of the People both the Brother and Sister were slain in a popular Insurrection There is nothing remaining but my Thanks to the Town in general and to the fair Ladies in particular for their kind Reception of my Play And though I cannot retract what I said before that I was not much concern'd in my own particular for the Embargo which was laid upon it Yet I think my self oblig'd at the same time to render my Acknowledgments to those Honourable Persons who were instrumental in the freeing it For as it was from a Principle of Nobleness in them that they would not suffer one to want who was grown old in their Service So it is from a Principle of another sort that I have learn'd to possess my Soul in Patience and not to be much disquieted with any Disappointment of this Nature The following Verses were sent me by a young Gentleman under Twenty Years of Age whose Modesty would have conceal'd his Name but I learn'd it from another Hand and have taken the boldness to subscribe it without his Leave I presume that on the reading of them no body can blame me for making Cleonidas speak above his Youth when you see an Englishman so far surpassing my Spartan To Mr. Dryden on his CLEOMENES HAs Youth then lost its great Prerogative And do's the Soul alone for Age survive Like Embryo's sleeping in their Seeds seem nought 'Till friendly Time does ripen it to Thought Judgment Experience that before was theirs But Fancy wanton'd in a younger Sphere Play'd with some loose and scatter'd Beams of Light And revell'd in an Anarchy of Wit Both Youth and Age unequally did charm As much too cold was this as that too warm But you have reconcil'd their differing Praise By fixing both to your immortal Bays Where Fancy mounts but Judgment holds the Reins Not checks but guides you to harmonious Strains 'T is Harmony indeed 't is all unite Like finish'd Nature and divided Light Like the vast Order and its numerous Throng Crowded to their Almighty Maker's Song Where Heav'n and Earth seem but one single Tongue O wondrous Man where have you learn'd the Art To charm our Reason while you wound the Heart Far more than Spartan Morals to inspire While your great Accents kindle Spartan Fire Thus Metals heated to the Artist's Will Receive th' Impressions of a Nobler Skill Your Hero form'd so regularly Good So nicely patient in his Want of Food That it no more th' Vndress of Death appears While the rich Garment of your Sence it wears So just a Husband Father Son and Friend Great in his Life but greater in his End That sure like Xenophon you meant to shew Not what they are but what they ought to do At once a Poet and Instructer too The Parts so manag'd as if each were thine Thou draw'st both Ore and Metal from the Mine And to be seen thou mak'st ev'n Vice to shine As if like Siam's transmigrating God A single Life in each you made abode And the whole Business of the tedious round To Copy Patterns which in each you found Sure you have gain'd from Heav'n Promethean Fire To form then kindle Souls into Desire Else why successive starts of Hopes and Fears A Martial Warmth first rais'd then quench'd with Tears Unless this Truth shines clearly through the whole Sence Rules the World but you command the Soul Theophilus Parsons THE LIFE OF CLEOMENES THus fell Agis His Brother Archidamus was too quick for Leonidas and sav'd himself by a timely Retreat But his Wife then newly brought to Bed the Tyrant forc'd her from her own House and compell'd her to marry his Son Cleomenes though at that time too young for a Wife for he was unwilling that any one else should have her she being Heiress to her Father Gylippus's great Estate for Person the finest Woman in all Greece very good-natur'd of an exemplary Life and therefore they say she did all she could that she might not be compell'd to this Match Being thus married to Cleomenes she hated Leonidas but to the Youth she show'd her self a kind and obliging Wife He as soon as they came together began to love her very much and the constant Kindness that she still retain'd for the memory of Agis wrought somewhat of Concern in the young Man for him so that he would often enquire of her concerning what had pass'd and attentively listen to the Story of Agis's Designs Now Cleomenes had a generous and great Soul he was as temperate and moderate in his Pleasures as Agis but not so very cautious circumspect and gentle a spur of Passion always gall'd him and his eagerness to pursue that which he thought good and just was violent and heady To make Men willing to obey he conceiv'd to be the best Discipline but likewise to break the stubborn and force them to be better was in his opinion commendable and brave This Disposition made him dislike the management of the City The Citizens lay dissolv'd in supine Idleness and Pleasures the King minded nothing
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
all misfortunes Curst Curst Cleomenes Panth. How 's this Are these the thanks you pay the Gods Who freed your Sparta and remov'd by Death Your only fatal Foe Cleom. O Blind Pantheus Can'st thou not find that had I but defer'd Sellasia's Fight three Days but three short Days Fate then had fought my Battle with Antigonus And I not fighting had been still a King Panth. That 's true but that you knew not when you fought Cleom. Why therefore once again Curst Cleomenes 'T is not to be endur'd That Fate of Empires and the fall of Kings Should turn on flying Hours and Catch of Moments Panth. Now by my Soul 't is Lazy Wickedness To rail at Heaven and not to help your self Heaven 's but too kind in offring you the means Your Fate once more is laid upon the Anvil Now pluck up all the Spartan in your Soul Now stretch at every stroke and Hammer out A new and nobler Fortune Else may the Peaceful Ground restore the Dead And give up Old Antigonus again Cleom. I thank thee Thou hast added Flame to Fury The Spartan Genius shall once more be rowz'd Our Houshold Gods that droop upon our Hearths Each from his Venerable Face shall brush The Macedonian Soot and shine again Panth. Now you confess the Spartan Cleom. Haste Pantheus I struggle like the Priestess with a God With that oppressing God that works her Soul Haste to Cleanthes my Egyptian Friend That only Man that Egypt ever made He 's my Lucina Say my Friendship wants him To help me bring to light a Manly Birth Which to the wondring World I shall disclose Or if he fail me perish in my Throwes Ex. Omnes ACT II. SCENE I. Enter Cleomenes Cleanthes Pantheus Cleom. THe King sent for me say'st thou and to Council Clean. And I was coming to you on that Message Just when I met Pantheus Panth. Good Omen Sir of some intended good Your Fortune mends she reconciles apace When Aegypt makes th'Advances Cleom. Rise a Prophet For since his Fathers death this Ptolomey Has minded me no more Then Boys their last Years Gugaws Petition on Petition Prayer on Prayer For Aid or free Dismission all Unanswer'd As Cleomenes were not worth his Thought Or He that God which Epicurus dreamt Disclaiming Care and lolling on a Cloud Panth. At length it seems it pleases him to wake Cleanth Yes for himself not you he 's drench'd too deep To wake on any Call but his own danger My Father his wise Pilot has observ'd The Face of Heaven and sees a gathering Storm I know not from what quarter but it threatens And while it Threats he wants such hands as yours But when 't is o're the Thoughtless King returns To Native sloth shifts sides and slumbers on Panth. Sure he 'll remember to reward those Hands That help'd him from the plunge Cleanth You Dream Pantheus Of former times when Gratitude was Virtue Reward him Yes like Aesop's Snake the wretch That warm'd him in his Bosom We are Tools Vile abject things created for his use As Beasts for Men as Oxen draw the Yoke And then are sacrific'd Cleom. I would not use him so Cleanth You are not Ptolomy Nor is He Cleomenes Cleom. I 'll press him home To give me my dispatch few Ships will serve To bear my little Band and me to Greece I will not ask him one of his Aegyptians No Let 'em keep 'em all for Slaves and Stallions Fit only to beget their Successors Cleanth Excepting one Aegyptian that 's my self Cleom. Thou need'st not be excepted Thou art only Misplanted in a base degenerate Soil But Nature when she made thee meant a Spartan Panth. Then if your Father will but second us Cleanth I dare not promise for him but I 'll try He loves me Love and Interest sometimes May make a Statesman honest Cleom. For the King I know he 'l not refuse us for he dares not A Coward is the kindest Animal 'T is the most giving Creature in a fright Cleanth Say the most promising and there you hit him Cleom. Well I 'le attack him on the shaking side That next his fearful Heart Enter Coenus Coenus I come to mind you of the late Request You would not hear Be pleas'd t' engage this Lord And then it may succeed Cleom. What wouldst thou Coenus Coenus I brought along Some Horses of the best Thessalian breed High spirited and strong and made for War These I would sell the King Cleom. Mistaken Man Thou shouldst have brought him Whores and Catamites Such Merchandize is fit for such a Monarch Cleanth Would'st thou bring Horses here to shame our Men Those very words of Spirited and War Are Treason in our Clime Cleom. From the King downward if there be a downward From Ptolomy to any of his Slaves No true Aegyptian ever knew in Horses The Far Side from the Near. Cleanth Cleomenes told thee true Thou should have brought A soft pad Strumpet for our Monarch's use Tho' thank'd be Hell we want not one at home Our Master's Mistriss she that Governs all 'T is well ye Pow'rs ye made us but Aegyptians You could not have impos'd On any other People such a Load As an Effeminate Tyrant and a Woman Cleom. Sell me thy Horses and at my return When I have got from Conquer'd Grecce the Pelf That Noble Sparta scorns I 'll pay their value Coenus Just as you paid me for the fair Estate I sold you there aside Cleom. What 's that you mutter Coenus aside Nothing That 's what his Hopes are worth Ex. Coen Panth. I fear he 's gone away dissatisfy'd Cleanth I 'll make it up Those Horses I present you You 'll put 'em to the use that Nature meant ' em Cleom. I burden you too much Cleanth If you refuse you burden me much more A Trifle this A singing Eunuch's price A Pandar's Fee Exceeds this Sum at Court The King expects us Cleom. Come after us Pantheus And bring my Boy Cleonidas along I 'll shew his Youth this base Luxurious Court Just as in sober Sparta we expose Our drunken Helotes Only with design To wean our Children from the vice of Wine Exeunt SCENE II. The Apartment of Cassandra Enter King Ptolomey Sosybius with Papers after him Ptolom No more of Business Sosyb. Sir the Council waits you Ptolom Council What 's that a pack of Bearded Slaves Grave Faces Sawcy Tongues and Knavish Hearts That never speak one word but Self 's at bottom The Scavengers that sweep State-nusances And are themselves the greatest I 'll no Council Sosyb. Remember you appointed them this day Ptol. I had forgot 't was my Cassandra's Birth-day Sosyb. Your Brother Magas daily grows more dangerous And has the Soldiers Hearts Ptol. I 'll cut him off Sosyb. Not so soon done as said The Spartan King Was summon'd for Advice and waits without Ptol. His Business is to wait Sosyb. Be pleas'd to Sign these Papers They are all Of great concern Ptol. My pleasure is
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