Licippess who owing their felicitie and Glorie to you shall also bestow their Labour upon yours All future Ages that shal see the pictures which these Famous men will leave of you either by their writings or by their tablets or by their statues shall doubtless envie that of the great Alexander All the Vertues of that time shall wish to have been in this You shall be the Modell of great Pinces and the foil of perverse And while there shall be men you shall be spoken of as a god I certainlie wonder an more that our great Xerxes with all his power could not perfect what designs he had conceived For since Greece ought to Educate you The gods had reason to preserve the Conquest of the World for you If Xerxes had accomplished his enterprise perhaps he should have been called the Tyrran and whip of the Universe But for you you are the Legitimate Prince of all the People whom you have Conquered You are sent from Heaven for the Worlds felicitie And there was just Subject for Hamnon the Oracle of Jupiter to say That you was his Son and was Invincible No Alexander none can exceed you neither in War nor in Vertue And after the design you have made to day of replacing Darius on the the Throne by dividing it with his Daughter Statira There is nothing more remains for you to do and nothing more for me to wish but the Continuance of your Glorie It is not that I fear it can be taken from you No there is no such thought in my mind But I fear that mens unjustice will render them unworthie of having you long for their Master Or that the gods jealous of our happiness recall you to themselves If which come to pass I do assure you O invincible Alexander not to stay in the World after you I could live after Darius who was my Son But after all the Obligations which I have had from you I shall not survive Alexander I had not told you such sad thoughts in a day of rejoicing if I had not believed that it would be advantageous to you that it should be known there was a Princess that there was I say a Mother and if I dare say a Vertuous Mother who without baseness and without unjustice hath loved you better then her own Son though you was her enemie Pardon me then so dolefull a thought because it is Glorious to you And believe that when my wishes are exhausted not onlie shall your Glorie be immortall but likewaies your Person THE EFFECT OF THIS HARRANGUE ALexander must be known if the Effect of this Discourse be questioned That great and Generous Soul did again redouble his good Offices to that Illustrious Princess And did so gain her Heart That when soon after the death of this invincible Conquerour came to pass in Babylon she failled not to keep her promise for she died of sorrow And certainlie that death was a Glorious sign of Alexanders goodness And when some Excellent Orator shall employ all his Art to make him a Famous Elogie when he has I say Magnificently Exaggerated all his brave Actions I believe I shall say something Greater and more Extraordinarie When I onlie say that Sisigambes endured the death of her Son Darius and could not bear with that of the great Alexander She lived after the one and died after the other And Vertue was of more force with her then Nature O the brave Panegirick But why it was Alexander SOPHONISBA TO MASSINISSA THE FIFTH HARRANGUE ARGUMENT AFter that by the Romans assistance Massinissa had Re-conquered the Kingdom of his Fathers and taken Siphax prisoner who had Vsurped it He Beseidged and took the town of Sirthe where Sophonisba Wife of this Captive King was retired The charms of that fair African made strong impressions in his heart and the Numideans being Naturalie inclined to Love he was no sooner Victorious but he began to feel himself Conquered But coming to make Reflections upon the Austere Humor of Scipio he questioned not his being desirous to have that Beautifull Captive Queen led in Triumph to hinder which he Married her the same day not thinking that after that any hodie would make Triumph of the Wife of a King allied to the Roman People But scarcely was this sudden Marriage celebrated when Scipio being informed of it sent by Lellius to ordaine Massinissa to come to him and give account of his Victorie But Sophonisba who had a Naturall aversion to the Romans and more also to bondage having seen something in the eyes of Lellius that threatned Triumph did in this manner speak to Massinissa at his going to part from her SOPHONISBA TO MASSINISSA MY LORD I Well see by Lellius Procedure that fortune is not yet wearie of Persecuting me That after having in one and the same day lost my Crown my Husband and my Libertie and by a Capricio of that inconstant thing found again my Libertie and Illustrious Husband and a Crown I well see I say that it is yet readie after such strange accidents to make me loss all things Lellius looking upon me hath doubtless judged me sufficientlie prettie to honour Scipios Trumph and to follow his Chariot I have seen in his eies the Idea of what he bears in his minde and the disigne which he has in his heart But perhaps he has not discovered what I have in mine He knows not that desire of Libertie is much stronger in me then that of Life And that for preserving the first I am capable of losing the other with joy Yes I clearlie perceive my dear Massinissa that You are going to fight against strong enemies The Austeritie of Scipios Humor joined to the Roman Austeritie shall doubtless make him give You a sharp Reprimand he will think it strange that in the verie day of your Victorie and in the verie day of your Re-taking the Crown which belonged to You. You should have thought of Marriage And have chosen for you Wife not onlie that of your Enemie but a Captive a Carthaginean the Daughter of Hasdruâ—â—ll and the Enemie of Rome Nevertheless my Lord remember that at this time You should not look upon me nor as the Wife of Siphax nor as a Captive nor as a Carthaginean nor as Hasdruballs Daughter nor as Enemie of Rome though I Glorie in being so But as the Wise of the Illustrious Massinissa Remember also that I consented not to receive that honour till after that you promised me that I should not fall in the Romans power You have engaged your word be sure then not to faill I desire not that You expose your self to the loss of the Senats Friendship for preserving me because your hard Fortune hath made You need it But I onlie desire that in pursuance of what You have sworn to me you will hinder me from falling alive in Scipios power I doubt not but Siphax in the condition he is in will say to his Conqerour that I am the
cause of his Misfortune That I have loaded him with Irones that I made him friend to Carthage and Romes enemie Yes Generous Massinissa I avouch all these things And if I could rob the Romans of You I would esteem my self happie And believe that my death should be trulie worthie the Daughter of Hasdruball Pardon me my dear Massinissa for speakieg so boldlie to You. But since this is the last time perhaps that I shall ever see You I shall joyfullie tell You what have alwaies been my sentiments To the end that by the knowledge I shall give You of that aversion which I ever had to bondage You may be the more easilie induced to think of my Libertie How soon I had opened my eies to the light the first thing I learned was that there Were a People who without anle right but what the strong imposes upon the weak would make themselves Masters of all others And while my infancie lasted I heard no discourse but of the Roman Triumphs Of Kings whom they had chained Of famous Captives which they had made Of the Miseries of these unfortunate men And of all the things that are done in those fatal Spectales where the Romans pride makes up the Noblest fruit of the Victorie Those images were so earlie Imprinted in my mind that nothing could ever banish them thence Since I became more Reasonable by age I have had more Aversion for that Roman Eagle which sees nothing but the rapines it makes And which flies not above the heads of Kings but to take off their Crowns Perhaps it will be said to me that the Romans give so manie Kingdoms as they Usurpe And that they make as manie Kings as they 〈◊〉 to their Chariot But my dear Massinissa if you will rightlie Consider the business You wil find that they give no Scepters but to have the more famous slaves And that if they put Crowns upon their Vassals heads it is but to have the pleasure of seeing them laid at their feet because that by their orders they will have hommage payed to them Vanitie is the Soul of that Nation It is its onlie work It is but for it that it makes Conquests Usurpes Kingdomes Desolates all the World And unsatisfied in being absolutlie Mistris of all that great Part of the Universe which is of its Continent Passes the Seas to come and Disturb our Repose For if onlie a desire of augmenting its Confines and encreassing its riches caused it make War it would be content to overturn Thrones and putting them to death who Lawfullie Possessed them But because pride is their cheif instigator A simple Citizen of Rome must for his Glorie and for the Peoples divertisement Drag Kings chained after his Triumphing Chariot O Gods Is it possible that Conqueros can be so inhumane Is it possible to find Conquered Kings so cowardlie to endure such cruell Usage Yes without doubt and too manie examples of this kind have made it known that all Princes are not Generous Nevertheless it is certain that Irons and Crowns Scepters and Chains are things which should never be seen together A Chaire drawn by Elephants should not be followed by Kings And by Kings tied like Criminall with whom no signs of Royaltie are left but to signalise their shame and the Glorie of their Conqueror But what Glorie can he have who Triumphs in this sort For if these whom he has overcome are baise as there is great appearance because they live It is no just Subject of vanitie to have outbraved them And if these unfortunate men testified courage in their defaite It is great inhumanitie in him who treats thus Princes who have done nothing but defend their Crowns Their Countrie Their Wifes Their Children Their Subjects And their Domestick-Gods But if for the Glorie of their Conquerors and for the Pleasure of the People they would have Triumphs It would be more Glorious for them to cause carrie the Enemies armes whom they have killed with their own hands then to have themselves followed by Kings whom they have not fought Chariots filled with broken armes Bucklers Launces Javelins and Standards taken from the Enemies Would make a show less Lamentable and more agreeable to the eies of the People But Gods Is it possible that Kings are destined for such infamie That these same People who have Combates of Gladiators and of wild Beasts given them for their divertisement Should also be the cause of such fatall Ceremonie And extract their pleasure from the ignominie and misfortune of Kings That it should be that they who delight in seeing four thousand men by a horrid brutalitie kill one another in one day And who find their happiness in seeing Tigers and Lyons devour each other Is it possible I say that Kings opressed with Irons should be draged for these same People For me my dear Massinissa I find something so strange in this sort of Triumph that I doubt if it be more disgracefull to the Conquered then to the Victorious and in my particular I know verie well that I shall neither do the one nor the other Judge then my dear Massinissa if a person who would not enter Rome in a Triumphing Chariot followed by a hunder chained Kings Could resolve to follow with Irons that of the proud Scipio No Sophonisbas Soul is too great for that If I were but a Carthaginean I shall never be capable of it If I were but Hasdrubals daughter I shal never resolve to do it If I were but the Wife of the unfortunate Siphax it is a weakness that shal never come in my mind And If I were but the slave of the Illustrious Massinissa I shall not follow anie other Conquerour But being both together a Carthaginean Hasdruballs daughters Wife to Siphax and Massinissa and Queen of two great Kingdoms Scipio needs not think to make Triumph of Sophonisba No Generous Massinissa if the chains they would give me were of Diamonds And all the Irons Glister with Gold and precious Stones And if they would assure me that I should be immediatlie restored to the Throne how soon I were untied from the Triumphant Chariot I would choose death in prejudice of Royalltie And if my hand should once carrie Irons I should no more think it worthie to carrie a Scepter In fine I have so strong an aversion for slaverie and bondage and my Spirit is so delicate in such matters that if I thought Scipio would cause carrie my Picture in Triumph I would pray you to put all the Limners of Numidea to death But no I condemn my self for that thought For if the insensible Scipio does carrie my Image in his entering into Rome he shall rather publish my Glorie then his own It will be seen that I could die when I could live no longer with honour And that a Feminine courage surpassed the Roman Vanitie I doubt not Generous Massinissa if you do not with all your force oppose Scipios severitie but that you will be compelled to
Cato loved better to tear his entrails then to surrvive his contreyes freedom And that she having more valide reasons to perswade her will not faill to follow the way that he hath pathed for her When life can be neither honorable nor happie it is great wisdom to abandone it Being certain that it should be no longer dear to us then when it can serve for our Glorie or that of our Coutrey Since it is so I ought no more to preserve mine Yes Volumnius I owe my death to my own Glorie To that of Cato To that of Brutus And to that of Rome But do not think that this death shall be rude to me I go to a place where Vertue is certainlie known and rewarded That terrifying apparition which Brutus saw without being frighted at the Town of Sardis and afterwards at Philippes appears not to me I see but my husbands ghost calling me And which seems to be impatient till mine be with it I see that of Cato which retaining a fathers authoritie seems to command me to make haste and quite a place unworthie of Porcias Vertue Judge Volumnius if this Vision affrights me And if in the two wayes I have to follow I can have any difficultie in choosing From one side I see my countrey desolated All the Earth covered with the blood of our friends Our persecutors became our Masters All my relations in Bondage And to say all nothing in the World can be more dear to me then the Ashes of Brutus Behold Volumnius what I see from that side But from the other I see nothing but felicitie My Father and Husband wait for me The first requires the fruits of the instructions he gave me And the other the reward of the affection he testified to me Yes Generous Cato yes Illustrious Brutus Porcia shall do what she ought at this time and nothing shall be able to hinder her For think not O wise Volumnius that inclinations can be compelled Because by it we partlie resemble the Gods It is a priviledge which Heaven hath given us Tyrranes cannot force it It is not under their domination And when the Soul is 〈◊〉 and resolute the designs are never changed Believe not then that my Relations care can hinder me to die Or that your reasons can anie way brangle my Spirit Cato would not let himself be moved with his sons tears and Porcia shall not yeeld to those of her Relations nor your discourse Brutus to escape Bondage could resolve to leave me And by what reason should it not be easier and also juster for me then him to end my life My freedom is as dear to me as his was pretious to him But I have this advantage and pleasure in death that whereas he could not be free without aband oning me I need but follow him to preâ—erve my libertie You see then O wise Volumnius â—fter all that I have said to you That death is glorious â—ecessare and pleasing to me Think not then of hindering me because your care will be also to no purpose They who have been made change such resoâ—utions are certainlie subject to perswasion They have â—n the bottom of their heart a secret resentment which opposes their desire And their own Timeritie is a strong enough defence to preserve their life They are of such People that would die to the end that some or other might come and hinder them But with me it shall not go so I conceal not my design I will not deceive my Gaurds I tell them freely that I shall escape from their hands And that death shall free me from the pain I am in Yes Volumnius I do to die O Illustruous and great Cato O Generous Brutus Come and receive my Soul See dear ghosts if I be worthie the name â—ear do not disown me for what I am For if I be not mistaken my death shall not be unworthie of a true Roman See my dear Brutus if I have any faintings in this last hour Or rather if I have not great impatience to be with you O Generous Cato you see that daggers poison and everie thing that could seem to assist my design are taken from me My Chamber is become my prison I have neither precipes nor cordes And I have Gaurds who are carefull of me But by taking all those things from me they cannot take away my desire of death nor the memorie of your Vertue I remember O Illustrious Cato of that Glorious day Wherein you excelled Cesar by â—â—mounting your self You then told your Gaurds that your life was not iâ— their power Because to finish it you needed but stop your breath or dash your head against the Wall It is then in imitation of so Generous a pattern that I go to find my dear Brutus Behold O Illustruous Husband the last action of Porcia Judge of her life by her death And of the passion which I have had for you by these burning coals which I hold readie to choake me THE EFFECT OF THIS HARRANGUE IN saying these last words She did what she said And by a stedfast courage which procures admiration and horror she made it appear that things are not easie and impossible but according to the manner they are looked upon And that when any bodie loves one better then their life they have no prâ—uble in following their death BERINICEA TO TITUS THE EIGHT HARRANGUE ARGUMENT IN the time of the Judean War Titus became passionately in love with Berinicea Queen of Chalsis Daughter of Mariamne And according to the opinion of some he Married her Secretly At his Return to Rome where he brought her the Roman People who treat all strangers like Barbarians and Queens as well as others did not approve of that alliance so that the Emperour Vespasian ordered his Son to send her back It was in that troublesome conjuncture that this afflicted Princess speak thus to the great Titus BERINICEA TO TITUS THink not O Illustrious and generous Titus that I complain of your parting from me Siuce on the contrare knowing you as I doe I rather Pittie then Accuse you And without saying any thing against you I onlie desire your libertie to complain of Fortune Which having favoured you so much in all actions of War doth treate you so cruellie to day in my person For I doubt not but you shall be more sorrowfull to abandone me then you was joyfull in all your Victories I know that though ambition be as strong a passion as love It does not surmount it in your Soul And I will also believe to comfort me in my disgrace that if you were in condition to dispose absolutlie of your self you would prefer the possession of Berinicea to the Empire of all the World But this reason of state which Authorises so manie Crimes and so much Violence cannot endure that after the invincible Titus hath so manie times hazarded his life to secure the Romans felicitie should think of his own particular Yet I have never heard it
to embrace the houses of his murtherers The Senate changed none of the ordinances which he made They gave him new honours All his assasinates took the flight and by an universall consent he was ranked among the Gods Who ever faw a Tirran deified after his death Alexander himself who was the greatest Prince of all Antiquitie did not pass for Jupiters son but dureing his life But Cesar hath that advantage above this Illustrious Here 's that what Alexander freinds did while he was alive the witnesses of Cesars merit have done to him after he ceased to live The Gods also after they had given sinister presages of his death desired likewaies to testifie That it had infinitlie offended them That terrifying Comet which appeared seven whole days after his death was alreadie a sign of the vengeance they would take The Sun also that was a whole year without giving his accustomed hear and brightness has made it known to all the earth that by Cesars death the Republick had lost its greatest ornament and best lustre And also to testifie his innocence better the vengeance of Heaven hath pertinaciouslie pursued even to death all them who onlie by their Counsells had contributted anie thing to that unjust conspiration They all died violent deaths without so much as one escaping They found to Element where they could live quietlie The Sea was fatal to them as well as the land they who escaped the furie of their enemies killed themselves with their own hand Cassius peirced his own heart with that same sword wherewith he struck Cesar And in that manner he is punished with these same armes with which he committed the crime Brutus you know ended his dayes that same way And in fine I know that none of Cesars murtherers remains anie more in the World Judge from that Lepidus if he is not fullie justified If his death be not as Glorious to him as his life because it hath shown to us that all nature was interessed in it And to speak rationallie if Cesar was not 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 and Father of his countrey then the Romans Tyrran THE EFFECT OF THIS HARRANGUE IT belongs not to me to tell you the effect of this Hard range it belongs to you to let me know it For its object it has had the design of perswadeing you it belongs to you then to let me understand if you be It is you she hath spoken to under the name of Lepidus it belongs to you to tell me if it hath hits its aime For me I do assure you if I have seduced your reason it is but because my own is seduced And because I do not endeavour to make you believe but what I believe my self I have so great veneration for Cesar that I can have noevil thought of his intentions And Me thinks we owe that respect to all great men not to condemn them upon slight conjectures They are deceitful Great mens designs are fecret Let us then respect them and not onterprise to judge them LIVIA TO MECENAS THE SIXTEENTH HARRANGUE ARGUMENT IT is to the glorie of good learning that this Harrangue is consecrated But though this be its principall object it may be said that it doth not alienate me from the Generall design of my Book because Poesie being one of the most agreeable emploiments of Ladies and one of their dearest divertisments It vindicates their pleasure to make the merit be seen Beheld them what I have proposed to my self by this discourse which if I be not deceived is raâ—ier more reasonable then interessed At least I know if I defend this cause it is because I think it good and also because I do not contravert the oath of Orators which oblidges them not to defend any that they find evill Judge of it Reader and hear Livia speak to Mecenas upon his subject the famous Protector of the Muses But be not astonished to hear her speak to the depth of this matter Augustus loved verse too much 〈…〉 them too often not to haveinspired that same inclination in her who possessed his heart and she was too industriâ—â— not to be complacent So then if I have chosen I had reason and none shall have anie to blame me LIVIA TO MECENAS I Know Illustrious Mecenas that Augustus oweth the Em pire to your Conselles That the Romans owe to you the felicity they enjoy under a reigne so differing from Tyrranie And also that I owe to you that quality I have to day Yes Mecenas it was you who surmounted the powerful reasons of Agrippa in that day wherin Augustus becoming enemie of his own glory and of the Romans repose disputed with himself Whither he should preserve the supreame power or whither he should remit it into the disposition of the people That great Emperous would with his own hand have taken off the crown that was upon his head for saken the reines of the Empires descended from the throne whereon he was seated by so many toylings And by a retreat more shameful then Anthonies flight was from the battel of Actium Altogither lost the fruits of so many victories that he gained It might be said that at that time love caused Anthonies flight But in this encounter can Augustus be accused of any thing but imbecility It might have been said that his hand was not strong enough to carrie the scepter which it held and that he onlie abandoned what he could not keep However Mecanes you had no feeble enimes to fight with at that time Augustus and Agrippâ—â— that is to say the two first men of the world were they who opposed you their opinion seemed to be the juster as appearing the more generous And it hath been said that heshould have had more glory by destroying the Empire then by establishing of it And more advantage in obeying then in commanding Nevertheless you was conquerour in that famous battle And yet by a most extraordinar chance the conquered continued crowned And you contented your self with obeying him for whom you preserved the authority That obligation which the Emperour has to you doubtless is veric great But in my opinion he is more redeuable to you for the care you took to reconcile him to the good will of the Muses then for all the things which you have done for him It is truellie by that mean that you can give him immortality and also give it to your self It is for that that Augustus his age can call it self happy And I mantain it to be more glorious for the Emperour to be beloved of Virgill of Horace of Titus Livius and of the famous Mecenas who is protector of these favorites of Apollo then if he had bein feared of all the earth Fear by rendring him redoubtable to all nations doubtless would have made him obeyed while he was alive But the praises of Virgil and of Horace shal render him venerable to all ages to come Certainlie Mecenas if all Kings were truelie inspired with desire of glorie
propose crimes to her seeminglic true And moreover you know that that which is called Beautie in me never gave me vanitie And that I have alwayes taken more pains to be Vertuous then fair Yet I do not deny that there hath been a Picture of Mariamne which has passed among all Princes of the Earth and which perhaps will be a long time preserved there Yes Herod there is an invisible Image of Mariamne which wanders through the World which makes her innocent Conquests and which without her consent makes secret Enemies to you Her high-Birth her Vertue her Patience and your Crueltie are the onlie Colours that are made use of in this Picture And the Blood which I am going to shed shall doubtless perfect the rendering of it adorable to Posteritie But to answer the second Accusation that is made against me which though false hinders not my changing of Colonâ— by the confusion I am in to be constrained to speak of such a thing I shall say with joy that thanks to Heaven I have no other witness against me but you who during the time of this supposed crime was at Laodicea And by Consequence was incapable of answering for my Actions So well am I assured that neither your eyes nor your ears could declare any thing against my innocencie And although that your Court be all composed of your slaves or of my enemies that your veris Sister who hates me and through envie and by interest of State hath observed with Extraordinarie care even the least things that I have done or spoken I say I am verâ—â— certain that she dares not maintain before me â—o have heard on word or remarked one single look which could make the modestie of Mariamne suspected It is noâ— but that I know verie well she can tell a lie 〈…〉 which makes me speak with so much boldness is 〈◊〉 I know me to have more Vertue then she has Malice and that having Heavon for my Protector I cannot believe that if at least I do perish I shall not obtain Grace to die in that manner that your injustice and my innocencie shal be equallie manifested And trulie at this time we need but open our eyes to see that these Accusations which are made against me are but pretexts to loss me For what likelie-hood is there if I were guilty of such a crime that I would have chosen the husband of Salome my cruelest Enemie and Herods confident But a coÌ„fideÌ„t to that degree that all things were trusted to him 〈◊〉 there was no wicked design which was not communicated to him He was partner in all your crimes He was the goaler not lover of Mariamne to say all It was he should plunge the poyniard in my heart to obey your wil. O! Heaven who did ever see such Testimonies of Love Why Herod you might at parting bid me adieu with tears you might look upon as you have done with eyes wherein I saw but signes of Affection and at the same time meditate my death Ah! If you could which I doubt not you might verie well also to day feigne that you believe me culpable to make me die Innocent And tell me not as a favour that this command was the effect of the strong passion you had for me the death of the person beloved can never be a Testimonie of Affection Hatred and Love have not the same operations they may some times reign successivlie in the heart but never together Everie man who loves well lives not without the person beloved yet he can alwaies die without her and her death can never be an agreeable thought to him He should regrate his being separated from her and not regrate that she died not with him But your way of loving is onlie peculiar to your self and your inclinations are so Naturallie cruel that poisons and daggers are the best gifts that can be received from yon when you would testifie your Freindship Pray you tell me how you can Accomodate all those things You say that I have sent my picture to Anthony and consequentlie that I had an intelligence with him and at the same time you again Accuse me of having one with Joseph because say you you having trusted to him the thing in the World which was of â—greatest Importance to you and he having discovered it to me it is impossible but that I should have given my self absolutely to him for that advertisment Consider well Herod what you say Anthony and Joseph could they be both together in my heart were these two rivals of the same qualitie and merit And this Mariamne whose Birth is so great and Illustrious whose Soul is so High and so Glorious that her Noble pride is by some rather taken for a fault then a vertue could she be capable for alike weakness for two men so different who could have no conformitie together if not that it had been equallie impossible for them to have touched my heart when they would have endeavoured it This conquest is not so easie as you think and trulie I wonder that you who could never do it judges it hath cost others so little I do acknowledge that Joseph did discover to me the wicked design that you had against me but I also avouch I believed him not I did immediaâ—lie think that it was a Treacherie of Salome who to make me carrie my self the more excessivlie against you to the end of advancing my death had invented that device imagining with her self that my death would trouble me more then did that of Hircane and of my brother And that which made me the more believe it was so was that I saw him undertake to perswade me that I ought to be infinitle oblidged to you for that excess of love which you testified to me at that time adding also that he told me not the design but when you was readie to return and that so far from making a Misterious Secret he told it in presence of my Mother and before all my Women It is certain that as I ought also to know all from you I doubted the truth of what Joseph told me I thought being the Mother of your Children you was incapable of such barbarous thoughts And in effect without determinating the matter in my mind I waited your return I received you then with the same Melancholie that I have alwayies had since the death of Hireane and Aristobulus without testifying any more and observing all your actions I acknowledge that I ever doubted the truth of Josephs discourse The malice of his Wire made me also more suspicious and when I was speaking to you it is true I rather designed to informe my self of the thing then to reproach you For if 〈…〉 been true that I had a particular Affection for Joseph and that I had taken what he said as the pure effect of of his compassion to me I had sooner died then had spoken of it and that unfortunate man should have also lived Nevertheless
behold all the Testimonies of good wil that he has got from me no bodie sales that we have had too private correspondence together No bodie saies he hath come often to my appartments and in fine I have done nothing for him but what his most cruel enemie might have done if they had known the same thing surlie I should have rewarded him ill to treat him thus You say also that hatred and vengeance caused me to favour Joseph after having known your design but know that great Spirits never fail by example The erimes of others gives them so much horrour that they are never more stronglic confirmed in good then when they see evil committed and for me I think I should have been less innocent if you had been less unjust In fine for conclusiones if Mariamne descended from so manie Illusturous Kings had desired to give her affection to any it should not have been to the husband of Salome nor to the favorite of Herod And if for the punishing of others crimes she had been capable she had not caused him be put to death whom she believed would preserve her life You know too well what was my wonder when after the discourse which I made to you I knew by your answer all was true I was so surprised that I almost lost my speech Nevertheless I did not foresee the Accusation which is this day made against me And the onlie knowledge of your crime and of Josephs innocencie whom I exposed to your cruelties caused all my grief Since that Salome improving that misfortune for my Ruine as she designed long agoe hath doubtless perswaded you that I would attempt your life and behold the onlie crime wherein there can be a witness found against me but if I be not deceived she does more justifie then convict me For what liklie-hood is there that in a design of this Importance I should have trusted a man of so low condition And what seeming truth is there if it were true that I had correspondence with Joseph but that it was â—â—ther he then I made this proposition Used I to 〈◊〉 with such Persons Hath this man come to my Appartment Have I set him beside you Is he come of my Familie Is he a Relation to any of My Officers In what place have I spoken to him in what manner have I suborned him Let him show the Jewels that I have given him Make him let the money be seen that he has gotten for so great a design For it is not Rationall to think that upon simple hope he would undertake the hazard of his life It may be he will answer that since he had no design to do the deed but on the contrare to adverise you he did not think of a reward But I can say to that impostore that not to give me reason of suspecting him he alwayes accepted what I offered to him And that also not having spoken and not being able to show is a strong and convincing perswasion of his lie for in fine Gold is the Complice of all Crimes and Hope is the onlie Portion of great Spirits But for the Base and Mercenarie they must be moved by the sight of a certain reward otherwaies that sort of People will not serve you And too manie Examples of your Reign should have taught you what I say Yet though it be true that it cannot be made appear that either I or mine have had anie dealing with that man it is not so of Salome your heart and my enemie It is a long time since my Women foretold me of it that contrarie to the Custome and Decorum of the qualitie she keeps to day he often went to entertain her even in her Closer However because I could never stoop to take notice of such things and by excess of vertue did not easilie suspect others I heard that Discourse without making anie Restection upon it But if you would oblidge them to give account of so manie Conversations as they had together I am assured that you would not find them answer you punctuallie And moreover in what place have I taken poison who prepared it from whence caused I bring it And wherefore if I had such intentiones was it necessar to have emploied that man was is not easie for me when we have eat so manie times together to have poisoned you with my own hand without trusting 〈◊〉 bodie Why should not I have attempted it at your return from Laodicea as well as they pretend I have done after your return from Rhodes since the unhappie Joseph discovered to me then your cruel Intentiones as walk as when the unfortunate Son hath told me since In fine Herod all those things are without likeliehood and there is no Spirit so ignorant who sees not clearlie that if I were not descended from the Kings of Judea If I were not vertuous I should have no enemies and my Death should not be resolved upon I should not have sent my Picture to Anthonie I should not have had Intelligence with Joseph I should not have attempted your life and consequentlie mine should have been secure But because I am of too Illustrious blood and because my Soul is too great to suffer the baseness and unworthiness of my enemies Mariamne must die she must perish she must be sacrificed to the hatred of her Persecutores they desire it so and she is resolved to it Think not unjust and cruel Herod that I speak with intention to incline you to pittie I think of preserving my Reputation and not of moving your heart For as I said in the beginning of my discourse it is neither fear of death nor desire of life that makes me speak to day The first prepares Crowns for me and the other can give me nothing but troubles It is not then hope of escaping from the danger I am in that makes me take care to justifie my self I know my sentenee is signed my Executioners are readie to strik off my head and that my Tomb is alreadie opened to receive me But that which moved me to it was to the end that all who hear me may let Posterity know that my verie enemies could not with all their malice stain the vertue of Mariamne Nor find a plausible pretext for condemning her If I obtain this favour from them who hear me I die almost without grief and I shall absolutlie say without Regrate if the Children I leave you were Banished their paternall house For I doubt not because they are Vertuous but that they will acquire your hatred as well as I. The complaints that they shall make for my death will be crimes against you You will believe they design against your life by lamenting the loss of mine Wo is me I see them alreadie Maltreated by that slave who was your first wife I see them submit to the violent humor of your Son Antipater to the calumnies of Solome to the outrages of 〈◊〉 and to your own crueltie And perhaps
better to follow her though unfortunate then to pâ—â—sue the Victorie and in fine that the Empire of the Worâ—â— was not so dear to him as Cleopatra This thought 〈◊〉 so pleasant that though my fright ranked us among the conquered I cannot repent me and as the case is the Battle of Actium shall not be so glorious â—â— Cesar as to Cleopatra He overcame Souldiers who wanted their Commander but Cleopatra saw the most Valiant of all the Heroes throw away his Armes and follow her But to perfect my vindication 〈…〉 my dear Anthonie that how soon you was disingaged from your Ships I caused a Banner be set upon the Poupe of mine to advertise you where you should find me Judge then if that could be the action of a Criminall For if I had designed to be separated from you it was easie for me not to have received you Because I had sixtie sail and you had but one single Galley If I had betrayed you I might have easilie delivered you unto Cesars hands And by that given him truelie the Victorie If I had essaied to rank my self on the enemies side if the flight which I took might have been suspicious to you I shall say your suspicions are lawfull But on the contrare my flight having been the effect of my despair and love you should complain of fortune and not accuse Cleopatra Further do not imagine that that Victorie shall either be verie Glorious to Cesar or your retrait shamfull to you You fled not from your enemies you but followed Cleopatra Your Souldiers were conquered by Cesar but you was onlie by love If this Battle had been the first occasion of War wherein you had been found your Valior might have been questioned but it is so Universallie known that none are ignorant of it There are almost no People among whom you have not given proof of your courage in the beginning of your Youth And certainlie you must have given manie because the great Julius Cesar choise you to command the left wing of his armie in the famous Battle of Pharsalia and in a day whereon the conquest of the Empire of all the World depended And moreover Octavius knows sufficientlie that you are skilfull in the art of fighting and conquering That Battle which you gained against Cassius will not permit him to doubt And less also the Victorie you had of Brutus When at this time it may be said that you have overcome Octavius his Conquerours Because you know that he lost the Battle some daies before and baselie fled in presence of these whom you soon after did overcome But with this difference that Love caused your flight and perhaps fear made his You â—ee then my dear Anthonie that you are conquered without disgrace and that your enemies has overcome without honor And moreover our affairs are not yet desperate you have a strong Armie near Actium which is not yet under Cesars Colours My Kingdoms have also men monie fortified places and I wish that all my Subjects may loss to the last drop of their blood to preserve yours and your libertie But in fine when fortune shall unjustlie take from you these Crowns which your merit and valiour have gained by force Know that Cleopatras love shall not diminish No my dear Anthonie when that enemie of Illustrious Persons shall reduce us to live under a Cotage of Straw in some place remote from the Societie of the World I shal have for you the same passion that I had in that blessed hour wherein you gave Kingdoms And wherein twentie two Kings were to be seen in your Train Think not then that misfortune can fright me there is but one which I can never suffer with you And doubtless which you also will not endure Yes Cleopatra can be exiled with Anthonie and not complain She can Renounce all the Splendour of Royalitie and yet preserve her desires of life but bondage is that which she can never endure and which she knows you will not suffer no more then she Be then assured that so far from having intelligence with Cesar I give you my promise to die rather then trust to him or put my self in hazard of serving his Triumph No Anthonie Cleopatra shall never carrie Chains â— And if fortune be so perverse to her that she can have no way to choose but that of Rome or of Death The surrendering of her life shall justifie your love to her and her innocencie But before we come to that extream remedie let us do all things to resist our enemies Let us preserve life so long as we can without shame For in fine it should not be indifferent to us while we love each other perfectlie My dear Anthonie I perceive me thinks by your eyes that my discourse hath not been unprofitable They tell me that your heart repents of having unjustlie suspected me That it sees my innocencie as pure as it is and that the love it has for me is so great that it forebears not yet to love the person who robbed your hands of the Victorie For me my dear Anthonie you shall alwayes be my strongest and last passion I do acknowledge that in the time I did not know you Julius Cesars glorie did touch my heart And that I could not hinder my self from loving a man who over all the Earth passed for the first or Mortals A man I say whom you formerlie judged worthie the Empire of all the World Because you gave him his first honour by putting a Diadem upon his head in the middle of Rome and who after his death by a brave and Heroick Oration which you made to the Roman People caused him be set up amongst the gods Who chased Brutus and Cassius burned their Places And Signalised your Courage and Friend ship But since the time I have seen you I can assure you that you have soveraignlie reigned in my Soul and shall reign there continuallie It is an Empire which fortune hath not given you and which being without its domination shall ever be yours in spight of its unjustice It may overturn Kingdoms and Empires but it shall never change my heart And whatever doth usuallie destroy the strongest affections shall but fortifie mine And to testifie to you that I can love better then you I will not suspect your Friendship of anie weakness Yes Anthonie I do believe that although Cleopatra hath caused all your misfortunes she shall ever make all your happiness and that without repenting you of having ever loved her she shall alwayes reign in your heart as you do in hers Let us go then my dear Anthonie Let us go to Alexandria to do our last Endeavours to conquer those who have overcome us it is there where perhaps we shal yet find wherewithall to subdue the insolence of our enemies But if it come to pass that Heaven hath resolved our Ruine that fortune become constant to persecute as that hope be absolutlie denyed us that all your friends
abandon you that all my subjects betray me and join with the stronger partie if I say it come to pass that all those things befal us we shal stil find our Tomb in Alexandria And to merit from our enemies the favour of letting our Ashes remain there together we must Signalise our death by shunning bondage and in that manner we shall Rob them of the Noblest fruits of their Victorie and conquer Cesar himself by death THE EFFECT OF THIS HARRANGUE THey who Love let themselves be easily perswaded by things which can please them And the volâ—â— of this fair Monster of Nilus failed not to Attract Anthonies minde to what she desired He did not follow Cleopatra to forsake her afterward And his Choller being the Effect of his love as well as his flight had been it was as easie to apease it as to flie He then believed all she said to him He repented that he had suspected her fidelity But repenred not the loss of the Empire of the World for preserving Cleopatra He followed her to Alexandria Where though she was more Generous that second then the first time they were not alwayes happy And of all the things which she promised him Cleopatra could give Anthonie but the half of her Tomb. SISIGAMBES TO ALEXANDER THE FOURTH HARRANGUE ARGUMENT AFter Conquering the Indians Alexander the Great Married Statira one of Darius his Daughters Then was it that Sisigambes Mother of that Princess abandoned her Soul to the joyes and Inclinations which she had for that Invincible Conqueror She at that time Remembered all that he had done for her And as her Soul was Noble she immediatlie testified her gratitude to him in this manner SISIGAMBES to ALEXANDER IT is truelie this day O Invincible Alexander that I believe you to be the son of Jupiter an ordinarie man cannot be capable of so much Vertue There have been severall times Victories and Conquerors known But there was never a person found like you who has made the portion of the Conquâ—red equall with the Victorious Nor none who have divided the Empire which they have Conquered with the Children of their enemies In fine Alexander though you were of Humane Blood and not of that of the gods It is most certain that you deserve Incense and Altars I leave to the Famous Testimonies of your Valour the Publication of those Marvellous Exploits you have done in making you Master of the World For I Propose to entertain you onlie with your Clemencie and Goodness You know Generous Alexander if I should for your glorie Erect a Trophie of your Enemies Spoils I should there find Subject of making sorrowfull Tears flow abundantlie in a day wherein I ought to express joy This does not proceed from my not knowing that I shall not there see the Bodie of my Son For I Remember you was so generouslie good as to cover it with your Royall Cloack and bedew it with your Tears When coming to the Place where he expired by the cruelties of Treacherous Bessus you saw that great Prince in so deplorable a condition No. Alexander in this Juncture of affairs I should not look upon you as the old enemie of Darius but as the revenger of his Death as the protector of his Mother and Wife as the Husband of his Daughter and as the lawfull Heir of the great Cyrus his Throne In Effect you know what were my Sons last words He testified his Gratitude of the Obligations that I was indebted to you for He made Vowes for your Glorie He assured you he died your Friend and Servant And without imploying those few Moments he had to live in Deploring his Misfortune He wished you Conqeror of the Universe He hoped you would revenge his Death That you would take care to perpetuate his Memorie and he also left to you the rewarding Polistratus for that little water he gave him that he might the more distinctlie pronounce those things which he had to say for your Glorie O my dear Darius you was truelie my Son in speaking so of Alexander I give thanks to the gods that at last you had Power to acknowledge what we owe to his Clemencie and Goodness It is for those two Vertues O Invincible Heros That I admire you this day The whole Earth is filled with the noise of your Victories you are the Master aâ— Conqueror of all men the meanest of your Exploits are known to all The verie Playes of your infancie shall be Patterns to all Kings that come after you What your Conquests have been is everie where known None are ignorant of what a Glorious War you made in Greece The Splendid Ruines of Thebes which you razed are eternall signs that you was its Conqueror The Battle which you gave at the passage of the Garnick equallie manifests your conduct and courage None can be ignorant of what you did in the day of Issus Nor of what passed at the famous Seidge of Tyre The Battle of Arbella had too remarkable Circumstances not to be known of all the Earth The Conquest of the Indians and the defaite of Porrus on the Banck of Hidaspes are Eternal Monuments of your Glorie For not onlie is it known that you excelled that great King But it is also known that after you had Conquered his Kingdom you Restored it to him greater then it was before And in this manner if it be allowed so to speak You may not onlie be called the overcomer of this Prince but the Conqueror of Porrus Because it seems you did not fight but to make him greater The Cittie of Oxidraxes where you so resolutlie 〈◊〉 your self is seen of all the Earth It is looked upon as the field of Battle Where your great Heart seemed equallie to defie death and fortune and where you Surmounted both In fine Alexander there may be everie where found Testimonies of your Valour and Conquests Wherefore without speaking to you I content my self with praising your Clemencie and Goodness But what do I say Those two Vertues are as Generallie known as your courage for if as I have alreadie said you are Master and conqueror of all men It may be also said that you are all mens Benefactor It will be said that the gods have remitted into your hands all the favours they used to bestow That they have established you to be the distributor of good deeds And that they have given you Commission to make all the World happie You do no sooner Conquer a Kingdom but you give it your enemies are no sooner your Subjects but they become your friends And you not sooner Conquer them but you become their Protector I have so famous an example in my Person of what I say that I cannot doubt it without being Criminall For O Invincible Alexander I shall never forget the favours I have received from you Yes I shall alwaies remember that dismal-day wherein my Daughter and I became your Prisoners Fear of bondage had possest our Spirits with such horrid
that are most necessare for Princes Constancie is the more Illustrious as being the most difficile But for that despair which puts the dagger in the hand of them who would evit Bondage it is rather infirmitie then Vertue They cannot look upon Fortune when it is Irritated It would no sooner attack them but they shun fighting it It would no sooner destroy them but they promot its designs By a weakness unworthie of them they yeeld the Victorie to this airy thing And by a Precipitous action without knowing often what they do they quit the Irons in abandoning their lives whose sweetness they only loved without being able to endure the bitter For me my Daughters who am of an other opinion I mantain that they who live with Glorie should die as slowlie as possible And that to speak rationallie a sudden death is rather a sign of Remorse of Repentance and Imbecillitie then of great courage It may be some will say to me that I am of a Race which should never carrie Irons That since Cleopatra would not follow Augustus his Chariot I should never have followed that of Aurelian But there is such a difference between that great Queen and me that all her Glorie consisted in her death And I made mine consist in my life Her reputation had not been advantagious to her if she had not died by her own hand And mine should never have been at the height it is come to if I had deprived my self of the Glorie of knowing to carrie Irons with such Grandure of Courage as if I had Triumphed over Aurelian as he did of me If Cleopatra had followed Augustus his Chariot she would have seen a hundered odious objects in her traversing Rome which would have reproached her of her former Imprudences The People would have certainlie caused her understand by their murmurings a part of her wanting conduct But for me I was verie certain that I could see nothing about the Chariot which I followed but men whom I had formerly conquered and witnesses of my Valor and Vertue I was I say assured to hear no Contumelie and to Understand no Speeches but of my present misfortune and of my former Victories Behold said the People the Valiant Zenobia Behold the Woman who did gain manie Victories Admire her constancy in this encounter Might it not be said that these chains of Diamonds which she carries do rather seen to adorn then bind her And that she leads the Chariot which she follows In fine my Daughters in the time I was all loaded with Irons or to name them better Chains of Gold and Jewels like a Noble Slave In the time of all that Magnificent Triumph which is undoubtedlie the most unpleasant day of Bondage I was at freedom in my heart and had my minde quiet enough to see with pleasure that my constancie drew tears from some of my enemies Yes my Daughters Vertue hath so strong charmes that their Roman austeritie could not resist them And I saw some among them weep for Aurelians Victorie and my misfortune Moreover none should be so cowardlie as to let the minde be troubled with things that do not at all touch it if they be perfectlie wise All the great preparations that are made for these Triumphs should not fright a rationall Soul All these guilded Chariots these chaines of Diamonds these Trophies of Armes and the multitudes of People who flock together to see that fatall Ceremonie should not make a Generous Person timeâ—ous It is true my chains were weightie But when they hurt not the minde they do not much incomode the armes that carrie them And for me in that deplorable state I manie times thought that as fortune had made me follow a Chariot I my self had done it for Triumph By that same Revolution which befalls all things in the World You may perhaps one day have Scepters made to you of these same chains which I carried But in fine if this should not come to pass afflict your selves moderatlie Be more carefull to approve your selves worthie of the Throne Then to remount it For in the humor I am of I have more esteem of a simple slave if he be faithfull then of the most potent King in the World if he be not Generous Think then my Daughters of induring your Bondage with more constancie And believe certainlie that if I have been conquered by Aurelian Mine surpassed fortune it may be seen through all the course of my life that death did not fright me if I could have had Glorie by it I have seen it a hundered times under a more terrifying countenance then the most desperate have ever seen Cato his dagger Brutus his sword Porcias burning coals Mithradates his poison nor Cleopatras aspes are anie way so fearfull I have seen greeles of darts and arrowes fall upon my head I have seen the points of a hundered lances presented to my heart And all this without anie thoughts of fear Think not then if I had believed death could have been Glorious to me but that I could have found it by my own hand It was accustomed to conquer others And it would have broken my Irons if I would But I thought my shaire of Glorie would be greater to carrie them without weeping then to spill my Blood through feebleness or despair They whose satisfaction onlie consists in themselves quits the Throne with less regrate then others They who encounter nothing but contentment in their minds are constrained to seek their happiness in things that they are strangers to It may be then you will ask me what remains for Princesses to do who have lost their Empire and Libertie I shall answer you reasonablie that since the Gods were desirous to give your courage so Noble a Subject you are oblieged to use it well And to make all the World know by your Patience and Vertue that you merit the Scepter which is taken from you And that the Irons which were given you were unworthie of you This my Daughters is what remains for you to do And if you could let your selves be moved by my example and reasons You should find that your life might yet be pleasing and Glorious to you At least you have this advantage that in the condition your Fortune is it cannot become worse then it is So that if you can but once accustome your selves to it nothing can afterwards trouble your repose Remember that of the manie millions of men whom the World contains there are not an hundreth who carrie Crowns And do you believe my Daughters that all these men are unhappie and that there is no pleasure but on the Throne If it be so O how you are deceived There is no condition of life but hath pain and pleasure And it is true Wisdom to know how to use all equallie if Fortune bring you to the triall of it They who kill themselves know not that while People are living they are in a state of acquiring Glorie There is no
Valor to the oppressed Reipublick Nevertheless after he had done all these things these cowardlie and insensible People exiled him for whom they should have erected atues in all their publick places Yet this great ungratitude wearied not the vertue of Brutus you know O wise Volumnius All that he has done for his Countrey Nor do I tell it to make you learn But to employ that little life that remains in me to speak of his Heroick Actions and to conjure you to make them known to Posteritie Remember then Volumnius that though all the Romans were ungrate to him he desisted not to do all things for them And when these Sluggards in place of one Tyrran had suffered three He had more compassion for them then resentment of their ungratitude And without thinking of his own Preservation what did he not to make them happie Maugre what they had been But these enemies of Vertue are so well accustomed to slaverie that they hoard up their chaines as their deâ—â—est Treasures And all along after that Brutus had broken them they themselves renewed them with care And Rome which manie ages by-past commanded all the Earth now voluntarlie submits to Tyrranie O Cato O Brutus Who could ever have thought it And who could believe that the gods would protect crime and oppress innocence Yet I plainlie see what it is that provockes Heaven to pâ—mish us The death of Brutus is Romes chastisement and the greatest unhappiness that can ever besail it And certainlie it is for Romes punishment that the gods permitted him to end his dayes For Brutus his pains are his reward The Romans ungratitude contributes to his Glorie And his verie death doth so Illustrate his life that it is almost a shame for me to weep Moreover I assure you that I have weeped more for his absence then death I then looked upon my 〈◊〉 as being unlimited And my Soul being ballanced between hope and fear I solaced my self with weeping But to day when I have no more to loss and when I see an infallible way of ending my miserie My Soul is more tranquill And though my grief be greater then anie was ever felt I endure it with less impatience Because I know it shall be quicklie finished Do not then tell me that I ought to live for preserving the memorie of Brutus The action he did is so Heroick and Noble that it shall ever be remembered by all men He shall alwaies be regarded as the first and last of the Romans And the Tyrrans who shall reign after this we have now shall likewaies serve to preserve a Glorious remembrance of him So long as there shall be Kings seen in Rome it will be remembered that the Old Brutus chased them and that the last died in saving that libertie which the first had acquired For I doubt not but Rome shall be continuallie in slaverie Being undoubtable that if its freedom could have been recovered Brutus would have restored it But since he could not do it he had at least the Glorie of dying without being a slave Think it not strange then that being Daughter and Wife to two men who were even free to death I would partake of that Glorie with them And yet to speak truelie Brutus shall not be altogether at libertie If I were so base as to live a Captive There will be somewhat wanting to his Glorie if I forget mine The affection that he had alwayes to me makes our interests unseparable I was of the conspiracie because I knew it before it was executed It is but just then that I should follow Brutus his destinie And know Volumnius that she whose minde was resoluâ—e enough to stab her self with a Proigniard to endure and suppress the smart thereby to testifie to her husband that she could conceall a secret Will not easilie change her resolution of dying The images of Cato and of my dear Brutus do so fill my spirit that I see no other thing And me thinks their death is so worthie of envie that I took upon it as the cheifest good can ever befall me Remember Volumnius that the true zeall of Vertue consists in the desires of imitating it For they who praise Vertuous People without traceing them so much as they can deserves blame raither then praise because they know the good and do not follow it Cato is dead with this advantage to have had it said by Cesar that he envied his death because it deprived him of the Glorie of his Pardon And I wish that Octavius may envie Brutus for having chosen a Wife abundantlie couragious to follow him to the Tomb. It is there we shall enjoy a libertie which we can nomore loss While the Romans shall groan under the weight of their Irons But a day will come when the name of Brutus shall be in veneration among them When they shall desire that good which they refused And when the blood of Cato and Brutus shall confound and make them blush Yes these Roman Citizens who saw themselves Masters of the Earth Who had Kings for their Subjects whose Glorie was without tashe and whose power had no Authoritie above it but that of the Gods shall become infamous slaves And their Bondage shall be so rigid that they shall not be Masters of their own will They shall take from the Tyrrans all their vices And Rome which was a Seminarie of Vertue shall be a receptacle of vile Adulatores O Heavens That the Inclinatons of such mightie People should be thus altered in an instant All these millions of men who fought on the plains of Pharsalia under Pompeyes coulors were they all killed in that battle Or have they lost their hearts in losing it All these Kings who hold their Crowns of the Senats authoritie are they all ungrate And is there none who could suffer Brutus to unburthen them of their chains The desire of freedom which is so strong among all the creatures who live upon the Earth is it extinguished among men And is the bloud of a dead Tyrran so dear to the Romans that to honor his memorie and to wear mourning they must load themselves with chains all their life Yes all the Roman Legiones have lost their hearts All the Kings own Vassals are readie to lay their Crowns at their Tyrrans feet All the Romans do preferr servitude to libertie Cesars Ashes are in veneration among them And for their last misfortune Brutus hath abandoned them However do not think Volumnius that he desired to forsake me It is true when we parted in the Citie of Elea he would not let me go with him although I did all things possible for it Because said he the journey would be verie troublesome to me And because I might be of more profit to him at Rome Then in this armie But at that time it was not so I know Brutus minded me a dying He expects me in the place where he is And he doubts not but Porcia remembers that the Illustrious
What object to my eyes And what grief to my soul It is so great that I wonder it hath not alreadie deprived me of all sorrow everie thing I see Torments me and everie thing I think of makes me dispair for Cyrus when the unlawful passion of Araspes gave me cause to complain If I had then had my recourse to Death I had preserved Abdradates his life I had secured my honor And you should not have had cause to accuse a man who was beloved of you I should have altogether satisfied my husband my own glory and the great Cyrus I owed him that respect not to have complained of his favorite and if I had been rationall death should have hindred my complaints then And my tears to day But fate had otherwise resolved it Would t the Gods in so sad as adventure that as Abdradates showed himself a husband worthie of Panthea and worthy of Cyrus his friendship I may also manifest to posterity that Panthea was a wife worthy of Abdradates And that she was not unworthie of Cyrus his protection I well perceive O excellent Prince by the many sacrifices that are prepared and by the magnificent ornaments That are brought to me upon your account That you design to make the obsequies of my dear Abdradates such as are suitable to this Illustrious Conqueror But because his Glorie is the onlie thing that I ought to care most for O great Cyrus let Posteritie know by a Glorious Monument and by true Inscriptions what Abdradates was Eternise altogether your glorie his and my unhappiness The Gold and the Marble which you will make use of in it will not be unprofitable to you And the Tomb which you cause build to Immortalise Abdradates shall make your self immortall There are more People who can do a brave action then give account of it themselves Who can acknowledge and publish it as it ought to be Have not that Jealousie which Glorie gives to the most Illustrious And believe that if You take care of that of Abdradates the Gods will also take care of yours The blood which he has lost for you merits me thinks this gratitude Nor shall I doubt my obtaining what I desire of you I see that you consent to me And that I have no sooner thought of my request but your goodness oblidges me to thank you However I have another yet to ask of you It is O Illustrious Cyrus that without hastening the doolfull Pomp of my dear Abdradates I may be yet suffered a while to wash his wounds with my tears All the Victims that are necessare for appeasing his Ghost are not yet in that order they should be O Cyrus let them not then be pressed I shall not make them wait long my last fare-wells shall be quicklie said And moreover it is verie just that since he died for me I shed so manie tears as he did drops of blood And since I ought to see him no more in this World I may enjoy the sight of him so long as it is possible for me Yes Cyrus that lamentable and most pittifull object is the onlie good I have remaining It is both my despare and comfort I cannot see it without dying and perhaps I shall die how soon I am deprived of seeing it any more Wherefore I 〈◊〉 you that I be not pressed And because you â—â—tyed me to tell you into what place I would go I promise to you that you shall quickly know the place that I shall choose for my retirement THE EFFECT OF THIS HARRANGUE ALace This beautifull and sad Queen was but too true For scarcelie had she deceived Cyrus by making him believe that she was capable to live after the death of Abdradates And that Generous deceipt was the issue of her Harrangue but she choose her retiring place I mean her husbands Tomb. I say Cyrus was not well gone from her but she plunged a Poiniard in her heart and expired upon the dead body of Abdradates This Generous monarch was incredibly greived And to eternise the memorie of these two rare persons and his own gratitude with them He builded for them a Glorious Monument Where manie ages after his the Marble and the Brass declared the Vertues of Panthea and the Valor of Abdradates And the River Pactose which is there represented upon whose banks this Tom was builded seems to tell that she esteems their Reliques more precious then all the Gold that rolles on her sands AMALASONTHA TO THEODATES THE TENTH HARRANGUE ARGUMENT A Malasontha daughter of Theodorick the great Reigned after the death of Eutharick her Husband eight years in Italie with a marvollous Splendor dureing the minority of Athalarick her Son But this young Prince being dead whither it was that she would discharge her self partlie of state affairs Or that she believed the Goths were desirous of a King She placed upon the Throne Theodates Son of Amalfreda Sister to Theodorick her Father Yet with intention to partake of the Soveraign Authoritie with him But this ungrate man had the Scepter no sooner in his hand then he banished this great Princess Who immediatly upon her departure did express her self in these words AMALASONTHA TO THEODATES HAve you forgot Theodates which way you was conducted to the Throne Have you forgot how you received that Crown which you carrie Have you forgot of whom you hold that Scepter which I see in your hands And that absolute power which I so cruellie have triall of to day Did it come to you by your Valor Was it given you by the Laws of this Kingdome Or by the depopulation of all the Goths Have you conquered that great Extent of Earth which acknowledges your Authoritie Are you either Conqueror Usurper or Legittimate King Answer everie thing Theodates Or at least let me answer for you Because if I be not deceived you cannot make it for your advantage And I am more indulgent then to oblidge you to tell anie thing that would be irkesome to you They who desire not to acknowledge a benefit can have no greater punishment then to be forced to publish it Wherefore I will not constrain you to avouch from your own mouth that neither by right of Birth nor of a Conquerour nor by that of our Lawes could you while I am alive have anie pretensions to the Kingdom of the Gothes Because I was in possession of it as Daughter Wife and Mother of them whose in was And who left it to me after them as their lawfull Heiress Nor are you ignorant that you are born my Subject And that you would have still been so If by a verie extraordinare goodness I had not descended from the Throne to conduct you to it However after I had taken the Crown from off my own head to give it you After I had deposited my Scepter in your hands and was resolved to make a King of your Person After all that it was seen that I had much ado to make the Gothes obey you
alace can I tell it Yes Lucretia for your vindication and chastisement thou must to day be altogether thy accuser thy witness thy partie thy defender and thy judge Know then Collatinus that that Lucretia who did ever love her honor better then her life or yours Whose chastitie was alwayes without blemish The puritie of whose Soul is incorruptible Hath suffered in your place a base an infamous Person the son of a Tirran and a verie Tirran himself Yes Collatinus the perfidious Tarquin whom you called your friend when you brought him to me the first time that I had seen him and would to the Gods it had been the last day of my life That Traitor I say hath made Triumph of Lucretias chastity By despising his own Glorie he hath lessened yours by having absolutlie benighted mine Aud by a crueltie which never had example he hath reduced me to the most deplorable condition that Woman whose whole inclinations are Noble could ever see I perseive Generous Collatinus that my discourse astonishes you And that you are in pain to believe what I say Yet it is a certain truth I am witness and asociate of Lucretias crime Yes Collatinus though I am yet alive I am not innocent Yes my Father your daughter is guiltie for having survived her glorie Yes Brutus I merit the hatred of all my Neighbours And when I have commited no other crime but the giving love to a cruell Tirran who by the abuse he hath done to me hath altogether violated the Laws of men of friendshp offended the Roman People and despised the Gods It is enough to merit the hatred of all the World Wo is me Is it possible that Lucretia could inspire such base thoughts that her fatal beautie could kindle a flame which should be her own destruction And that her looks which were so innocent could give such criminall desires But what is thy wonder insensible that thou art Rather wonder that thou did not tear thy heart before thy great misfortune Then was the time Lucretia wherein you should have testified courage and the love that you had to Glorie You should have then died innocent Your life would have been spotless and without question the Gods would have â—een carefull of your reputation Butinfine the busifiess is not so I am unhappie unworthie to fee the right Unworthie of being Spurius Lucretius his Daughter Unworthie of being Collatinus his Wife And unworthie of being a Roman Now Collatinus I ask of you what punishment Lucretia deserves Deprive her of your affection Blot her our of your Remembrance Revenge the abuse that has been done to her onlie for love to your self and not out of love her Look upon her no more but as infamous And though her misfortune be extream deny her that compassion which is had of all that are miserable But nevertheless if it were permitted me after I have spoken against my self to say some what in my defence I would say Collatinus without contradicting truth That I have not obscured my Glorie but by having loved Glorie too well Tarquins cajolleries did not touch my heart His passion gave me none His presents did not at all suborn my fidelitie Nor love nor ambition brangled my Soul And if I desired to speak for my self I can onlie say that I loved my Reputation too much Yes Collatinus Lucretias crime was that she preferred fame to true Glorie When the insolent Tarquin came into my Chamber I being awaked saw a Poiginard in his hand And having brought it to my Throat to hinder my out-cries he began to speak of a passion he had for me The Gods knows what were then my thoughts And if death appeared terrible to me In that condition I equallie despised the praiers and threats of the Tyrran His demands and offers were equallie rejected Neither love nor fear had anie place in my Soul Death did not affright me And so far from apprehending I manie times desired it My Vertue had nothing to fight against at that time I was not pendulous to preser death to the Tyrrans love And I know no horrid pain which I would not have joyfullie endured to have preserved my honour But when my coustancie had wearied the Tirrans patience That he saw neither his praiers tears presents promises threats nor death it self could move my heart That Barbarian inspired by the furies said it I resisted his desires anie longer he would not onlie kill me But to make me infamous to Posteritie he would 〈◊〉 slave who accompanied him To the end that 〈…〉 him dead in my bed it should be thought that I 〈◊〉 forgot my honour for that slave and that he wing 〈…〉 zeal to you had punished us as being guiltie of that crime I avouch with shame that that discourse wrought on my Spirit what the certaintie of death could not do I lost strength and reason I yeelded to the Tirran And the fear of being thought infamous is the onlie thing that made me so No Collatinus I cannot endure that Lucretia should be accused to have failled in her honour That the memorie of it was eternallie blasted And thinking that she should be execrable to you hindered her from dying at that instant and makes her live till now I did all things to oppose the Tyrrans violences except killing my self I desired to live that I might preserve my Reputation and that I should not die unrevenged And a false image of true Glorie taking possession of my heart made me commit a crime which I feared to be accused of However the Gods are my witnesses that my Soul and desires are whollie pure my consent contributed nothing to that doolefull accident neither in the beginning progress nor end of it You know Generous Collatinus that when you brought the Tirran as your Friend I was not voluntarlie the cause of his unjust passion I scarce lifted up my eies to look upon him And that Illustrious Victorie which my Modestie gained to you that day should make you sufficientlie remember that I have not drawn upon my self the misfortune that is befallen me After that I did not see the treacherous Tarquin untill that dismall day wherein he made prise of Lucretia Vertue But what do I say Tirrans have no power over the will I am yet the same Lucretia who so much loved glorie Because it is certain that mine is altogether innocent The tears which flow from my eies are not the effects of my remorse I repent not for the fault I have committed but onlie that I died not before that of another We were two in the crime and but one Criminall And my conscience does check me of nothing but my having preferred my reputation and revenge to a Glorious death That which hath caused my misfortune is that I believed the Glorie of my death would not be known I doubted the equitie of the Gods at that time And without remembering that they do miracles when they please and that they are protectors of innocence
did for that Excellent man it was he who did generouslie oppose Pompeyes faction when it would have had Cesar lay down his armes and his enemie not lay down his He spake zealouslie at that time and feared not the exposing of himself to receve an outrage as in effect he was unworthâ—lie used in consideration of that And was constrained to disguise himself like a slave to goe and seek a refuge in the Camp of him whom he had protected But what He did at that time He did also at a hundered others as important He hath repayed with his blood and with his person the friendship that Cesar did bear to him He was seen severall times to rallie his troupes bring them back to the battle and render them victorious when they were almost ready to be conquered He was seen at the battle of Pharsalia command the right wing of Cesars armie fight for glolrie and expose his life to secure in his hands that soveraign Power which at last hath come to yours Further if he fought for Cesar dureing his life he hath also caused Cesar conquer after his death His eloquence did that which the valour of anie other had not power to doe For you are not ignorant that without that fervent zeal that made him speak the Roman people dared not to testifie how near the blood of Cesar did touch them They would have bein contented with shedding of tears and would not have set fire to the houses of his murtherers You see then my Lord in what manner he erected the first stepp by which you obtained the power that you have But if after what he hath done for Cesar it be permitted to put in account what he hath done for the common cause both against Cassjus and against Brutus You will find that he was alwaies their conqueror And that in some encounters wherein you was not in condition to fight he was as advantageous to you as he was to your freinds Because that without his valor they should have doubtlesse gained a victorie which perhaps would have put them in condition of not being anie more conquered I well know my Lord that since that you have not still being equallie well together And that this noble jealousie that inseparablie followes them who are lovers of glorie and who aspyre at great things hath altered your freindship But if I be not mistaken this kind of hatred should not so much as reach the person Ane enemie must be excelled in grandour of courage and in generositie He must be opposed if he attempts to destroy us But for particular causes the publick repose must never be troubled nor for everie flight reason should a warr be begun whose successe is allwaies dubious Hatred is a pass on for particulars And if it be permitted to persones who have the supreame power to have it it should be a hatred of vice of slaverie and of infamie Other wayes if they fight not against that passion and if they let it bear sway with them they shall doubtlesse be capable of all sort of unjustice For revenging their own injuries they will make no difficultie to violate the lawes of men to forget naturall equitie to infringe the justest Lawes to destroy their countrey and to despise the power of the gods Behold my Lord the disorders that hatred may cause sometimes in the most steaddie mind And to hinder you from falling in the like misfortune consider a little what ane excesse of love makes the unfortunat Anthonie doe Think you my Lord that â—atred can give you juster sentiments And that jealousie if I were capable of it permitts me to act with lesse violence No my Lord these three passiones being put in opposition to one another as they will be in this encounter will be capable of destroying the whole earth Doe not engadge your self then in such a perverse designe but how ever if you will revenge your self of Anthonie abandone him to his own judgement and to the charms of Cleopatra Let him preserve that fair conquest in repose And doe not fear that he will attempt to oppose yours if you let him enjoy that peaceablie But my Lord consider if you doe jrritate him he may parhaps give you much trouble Anthonies first valour is not dead it is but benumed Perhaps it may at last rouse it self with furie And without quitting the passion that reignes in his soul he may oppose your designs with all the fervour that man can have who fights to defend himself to revenge himself for his own glorie and to preserue his Mistress Make not then a redoubtable enemie of ane unfortunat freind I conjure you never to let me see you undertake a warr wherein it will not be permitted me to have the power of wishing you to gain the victorie Consider I pray you in what condition my soul will find it self if I should again see you ready to come to shedding of blood But with this cruel difference from the first that that was but for love to you and that this will be for love of me No No revenge not the injurie that is done to me and seek not a remedie worse then the desease The sole thought of seing my brother and my husband ready to give death to each other for my sake transports me with horror I almost know no more what I say And in so greata trouble I am ready to give my blood and my life to preserve yours and that of Anthonies But since you would naither accept of my blood nor of my life see my tears with with compassion At least hear my prayers and my sighs And since by your command I am Anthonies wife Doe not command inâ—e to quit his house as that of my enemie Consider I am mother of Anthonies children And that in that quality I should natther forsake them nor make them goe out of their fathers house That will be almost to say that they are not legittimat successors if â—â— should cause them depart And it will be also my giving of armes to destroy my self to all Anthonies flatterers and to Cleopatras â—â—aves But I am verie well assured not to use it so my patience shall laâ—â—â—onger then Anthonies love And let the contempt he has of me goe to what height it can my vertue shall yet goe further yes my Lord though his affection should never return to me And though he should live and die in Cliopatras armes I shall shed tears for his death His memorie shall be dear to me The children of Fulvia and also of Cleopatra shonld become mine I will take care of their education and of their fortune And so long as Octavia shall be alive she shall never forbear to give new proofes of her constancie Since I am of a Sex to whom valor is forbidden at least patience may be permitted me and that that vertue may serve me for courage There is sometimes as much generosity in knowing how to endure misfortunes as
On the contrare he said he searched to be instructed of his faults that he might amend them Behold Romans what Germanicus was His Soul was whollie Noble and Generous And under whatsoever form death did present it self he looked upon it with a fixed countenance he hath seen tempest disperse his armie and drive his ship against the rocks without having anie other fear then that of seeing the Roman Legions perish He has beenseen after ship-wrack repay to all the Souldiers who escaped what the storme had made them loss He was seen while he livedserve his greatest enemies And that which is morestrange and more mervalous he is dead without having said anie thing against the chief of the conspiracie that was done against his life And he is contented with having prayed his friends to cause punish the complices Me thinks Romans that it is the least thing can be granted to the Ashes of Anthonies Nephew of Augustus his grand-son and of Agrippinaes husband yes Romans if Tiberius were chief of that conspiration which none among you dare say that it be by his order that Germanicus is put to death Being a great Politician as he is he ought alwaies to put the complices of his crime to death Piso and Plancina should be sacrificed to Germanicus though it should be but for to hinder them from speaking and to dry up your tears their blood ought to be shed All they who concern themselves with doing of horrid Villanies have alwaies used to let the executioners of their wicked designs be lost to the end that they be not suspected Piso hath alreadie had the audacity to say to Marsus Vibius by an insolent rallerie that seems to be like a person whom I name not because I have more respect then he that he would come to Rome to justifie the death of Germanicus when the Praetor informed of the poisons had summoned there all the criminals and all the accusers Yes Romans I tell you again that whatsoever way Germanicus was put to death Piso should die And I have so much hope from the prudence of Tiberius that I doubt not but Piso shall die And that in some manner the death of Germanicus will be revenged But to obtain this satisfaction employ your tears and prayers Let the name of Germanicus be heared over all Do not enclose your sorrow in the tomb of Augustus with those pittifull Reliques which we are carieing to it Follow me Romans Let us go to the Senat and demand justice for Germanicus Let us represent that it will be disgracefull to it not to revenge the death of a man for whom Triumphant Arches were erected Who was seen enter Rome in a Triumphant Chariot And who past among all Nations and among the Barbarians themselves for the most accomplished among mortals Let us not use charmes nor enchantments for destroying our enemies as they have done to destroy Germanicus Let us not revenge his death by the same armes which caused it let us trust to the justice of the Gods to the prudence of Tiberius and to the Senats authoritie The justice that we desire cannot be refused to us You Souldiers who have followed him ask the blood of Piso to revenge the death of your Captain Recount to the Senate the perills wherein you did accompanie him show the wounds you received in the fights where he was Tell truelie the things which you was witnesses of And in fine desire that the death of the Father of his Legions and your Generall may be revenged You generous Citizens who hear me desire boldlie that the death of Germanicus may be revenged Remember what he was Remember his vertue his modestie his goodness his courage his liberalitie and his moderation Say that he was the Modell by which you hoped to regulate the lives of your children to hinder them from following the perniciousexamples which they see everie day Tel that you have lost your Supporter and your upholder And desire at least that they may revenge on the person of the treacherous Piso him who is taken from you in fine who ever you be that hears my voice employ yours in asking this equitable vengeance Echo over all the names of Julius Cesar of Anthonie of Marcellus and of Augustus thereby to obtain what you desire Speak of Tombs of Urnes and of Ashes to excit compassion in the most cruel heart Joyn also some menaces with prayers if they be unprositable And forget nothing of all that can cause Piso his death comfort Agrippina and â—â—venge Germanicus THE EFFECT OF THIS HARRANGUE THis Harrangue failed not of an advantageous Effect all the Senate and all the Roma People were sensibly touched with it The one and the other shed tears breathed complaints and abandoned themselves to forrow And it was said that all the glorie of Rome entered the Tomb with the Ashes of Germanicus Everie on called Agrippina the honour of her countrey the blood of Augustus the onlie and last example of the ancient Roman Vertue And everie one prayed the Gods that they would preserve her Race and make her live beyond and after the intire ruine of these wicked men In fine the publick zeal was so arduous for Germanicus and for Agrippina that Tiberius was constrained to abandone â—iso to the rigour of justice But he prevented his judgement by the wound of a sword which he gave himself in the throat and whereof he instantly dyed SAPHO TO ERINNA THE TWENTIETH HARRANGUE ARGUMENT YOw are to hear that Illusticus Woman speak of whom all ages have said so much Whom Plato himself admired whose image was engraven like that of a great Prince of whom we have yet remaining a species of Poesie whose verses are called Saphick because it was she who invented their measure and whom two great men of Antiquity a Grecian and a Roman called the tenth Muse I cause her take occasion to exhort her freind to make verses as she did thereby to make it appear that Ladies are sapable of it And that they wrong themselves by neglecting such an agreealâ— occupation It is the Argument of this Harrangue that I give in particular to the glorie of this fair Sex as in generall I have given all this Volumn SAPHO TO ERINNA I Must Erinnae I must this day overcome in your mynd that disttrust of your self and thatfalse shame that hinders you from employing yourmind with things which it is Capable of But before I speak to you particularlie of your merit I must let you see that of our Sex in general that by the knowledge thereof I may the more easily bring you to what I would They who say that beauty is the portion of women And thatfine arts good learning and all the sublime and eminent sciences are of the domination of men without our having power to pretend to any part of them Are equallie differing from justice and vertue If it were so all women would be born with beautie and â—ll men with a strong disposition
give me death for acquitting you of your promise For besides the publick interest there is also his own particular He Remembers that his Father and Unckle are formerlie dead in Africa He looks upon me as a fit victime to appease their Ghosts And Joyning together in his heart Romes Glorie and his own vengeance it is not to be believed that Hasdruballs Daughter shall obtain her Libertie Yet Generous Massinissa I think it will be verie unjust if in the same day wherein you Re-take the Crown of Numidea your Wife should be tied to a Triumphing Chariot It is me thinks to make you at once a King and a Slave Because if what you have said to me be true that my sorrow and tears added to the little beautie I have hath touched your heart and forced you to love me as much as your self This will be a Triumphing over you as well as me Consider well Massinissa If you can be my Spectator that day Or if you will not think me unworthie of having done me the honor to Marrie me if I should be capable of disgracing you so much But do not fear that I shall expose you to such sorrow If Scipio be inexorable and you keep your promise to me my death shall vindicat what choise you have made How ever before we have recourse to this last extreamitie do all you can to move the heart of that insensible Creature Tell him I have whollie rendered my self to you That of all the bootie which your Valour hath acquired to the Romans You ask onlie one slave from them But if his unjustice would oblidge you to deliver her into his hands as if you were the meanest Souldier of his Legions Tell him then that this slave is your Wife And that she cannot be made Triumph of without Triumphing over you And that the Blood which you have lost in the service of the Reipublick deserves their giving you Permission to let her live in Freedom Let him know that you have found her in your Kingdom in your Palace and upon your Throne That in Reason she belongs to you And cannot be taken from you without injustice But if these weightie Reasons prevaill not pray him tenderlie And if at last you cannot make him flexible Remember your promise and fail not to keep it I perceive by your eies my dear Massinissa that it will grieve you to present me with such a lamentable gift I well see I say that it will trouble you to send poison to her to whom you have given a Diadem your heart and libertie I know that it is a rigid thought and that it will be a doolefull sight to you to see those same Torches which gave light at my Marriage must burn at my Funeralls And that the same hand which you gave me in pledge of your faith must be that which must open my Tomb But in fine all those things shall be more supportable to you if you be Generous as I believe you are then to see me chained They who say that true Generositie consists in undergoing fatall accidents with constancie And that abandoning life for eviting misfortune is according to their opinion a yeelding the Victorie to Fortune These People I say knows not what is the true Glorie of Princes This thought is good for Philosophers but not for Kings whose whole Actions should be Heroick Patterns of Valour But if quitting of life be allowed which I doubt not it must assuredlie be to shune the infamie of being led in Triumph It is a great unhappiness to a King to have his Subjects revolt But if he should then think of dying I would esteem him baise Because he may fight and punish them It is a great misfortune for a Prince to loss a Battle But because it is often seen that they who are conquered to day may be Victorious to morrow He must stand firme and not abandon himself to despair In fine all misfortunes that can have an honorable remedie should not make us have recourse to the Tomb But when all things are lost there remains no more for our choise but enains or death We must break the cords of life to escape those of bondage Behold my dear Massinissa all I had to say to you Remember it then I conjure you And do not Listen so much to what Scipio will say to you as not to Remember your promise and the discourse which I have made to you It is if I be not deceived so just and rationall that you cannot dissaprove of it Go then my dear and well beloved Massinissa go fight for my libertie and your Glorie against the insensible Scipio Ask him Venerablie if after he was not willing to see the fair prisoners he hath made in his new conquests why he should desire to see a Woman tied to his Chariot whose looks had power to conquer Massinissa Let him fear that I become not his conquerour in stead of his desiring to be mine And that at least the austere Vertue which he professes should serve to hinder his desires of Triumphing over me You may well perceive my dear Massinissa that my mind is not troubled and that I speak to you with abundance of tranquillitie And I do also assure you that in the condition I find my self there is nothing I regrate but my being constrained to be so soon separated from you Doubtless this is the onlie thing can touch my heart For having seen my Countrie desolated Siphax prisoner The Crown fallen from off my head And what is yet worse Sophonisba readie to be Scipios Captive After I say all those things My Tomb shall be a refuge and resting place to me if I could enter there without abandoning you But I have this comfort in my miserie that having ever had an Irreconcilable hatred to the Romans Tirranie I have at least this advantage to have been the captive of a Numidean and not of a Roman But also of a Numidean who is my Husband and Liberator And whose slave I no sooner was but I was absolute Mistris of his Soul Go then my dear Massinissa and faill not to keep your promise to the unhappie Sophonisba Who will with much impatience expect Libertie or Poison THE EFFECT OF THIS HARRANGUE THis beautifull and deplorable Queen obtained her desire because Massinissa obtained nothing from Scipio He sent death to her because he could not preserve her Libertie free from danger And this Sluggard preferred his interest and the Romans Friendship to the life of that Generous Person I should have patientlie endured his losing of it to have preserved his Glorie if he could do it no other way But that this Gallant man should have lived eightie years after such a loss and still freind to the Romans Is that which hath made me Chollerick against him every time I see this accident in Historie And which also makes me Silent because if I had writ more I must have reproached him Pittie Sophonisba with me my dear