boyling yre are bolne so sore As each do thyrst to sucke the others bloude But why do I sustaine the smart hereof Why should my bloud he spilte for others gilte Oh welcome were that messanger to me That brought me word of both my nephewes deathes Then should it soone be sene in euery eye Twixt prince and prince what difference would appeare Then should experience shewe what griefe it is To serue the humours of vnbridled youth Now will I goe for to prepare with spéede The funeralls of my yong giltlesse sonne The which perhaps may be accompanyed With th obsequies of proude Eteocles Creon goeth out by the gates Homoloydes Finis Actus 4. CHORVS O Blissfull concord bredde in sacred brest Of him that guides the restlesse rolling sky That to the earth for mans assured rest From heigth of heauens vouchsafest downe to flie In thée alone the mightie power doth lie With swete accorde to kepe the frouning starres And euery planet else from hurtfull warres In thée in thée suche noble vertue bydes As may commaund the mightiest Gods to bend From thée alone such sugred frendship flydes As mortall wightes can scarcely comprehend To greatest strife thou setst delightfull ende O holy peace by thée are onely founde The passing ioyes that euery where abound Thou onely thou through thy celestiall might Didst first of all the heauenly pole deuide From th' olde confused heape that Chao hight Thou madest the Sunne the Moone and starres to glide With ordred course about this world so wide Thou hast ordainde Dan Tytans shining light By dawne of day to chase the darkesome night When tract of time returnes the lustie Uer By thée alone the buddes and blossomes spring The fieldes with floures be garnisht euery where The blooming trées aboundant fruite do bring The cherefull birdes melodiously do sing Thou dost appoint the crop of sommers séede For mans reliefe to serue the winters néede Thou dost inspire the hearts of princely péeres By prouidence procéeding from aboue In flowring youth to choose their worthie féeres With whom they liue in league of lasting loue Till fearefull death doth flitting life remoue And loke how fast to death man payes his due So fast againe dost thou his stocke renue By thée the basest thing aduaunced is Thou euerie where dost graffe suche golden peace As filleth man with more than earthly blisse The earth by thée doth yelde hir swete increase At becke of thée all bloudy discords cease And mightiest Realmes in quiet do remaine Wheras thy hand doth holde the royall raigne But if thou faile then all things gone to wracke The mother then doth dread hir naturall childe Then euery towne is subiect to the sacke Then spotlesse maids then virgins be defilde Then rigor rules then reason is exilde And this thou wofull Thebes to our great paine With present spoile art likely to sustaine Me thinke I heare the wailfull wéeping cries Of wretched dames in euerie coast resound Me thinkes I sée how vp to heauenly skies From battered walls the thundring clappes rebound Me thinke I heare how all things go to ground Me thinke I sée how souldiers wounded lye With gasping breath and yet they can not dye By meanes wherof oh swete Meneceus he That giues for countries cause his guiltlesse life Of others all most happy shall he be His ghost shall flit from broiles of bloudy strife To heauenly blisse where pleasing ioyes be rife And would to God that this his fatall ende From further plagues our citie might defend O sacred God giue eare vnto thy thrall That humbly here vpon thy name doth call O let not now our faultlesse bloud be spilt For hote reuenge of any others gilt Done by F. Kinvvelmarshe Finis Actus quarti The order of the laste dumbe shevve FIrst the Stillpipes sounded a very mournfull melodye in which time came vpon the Stage a womā clothed in a white garment on hir head a piller double faced the formost face fayre smiling the other behinde blacke louring muffled with a white laune about hir eyes hir lap full of Iewelles sitting in a charyot hir legges naked hir fete set vpō a great round ball beyng drawē in by .iiij. noble personages she ledde in a string on hir right hande .ij. kings crowned and in hir lefte hand .ij. poore slaues very meanely attyred After she was drawen about the stage she stayed a lyttle changing the kings vnto the left hande the slaues vnto the right hande taking the crownes from the kings heads she crowned therwith the ij. slaues casting the vyle clothes of the slaues vppon the kings she despoyled the kings of their robes and therwith aparelled the slaues This done she was drawen eftsones about the stage in this order and then departed leauing vnto vs a plaine Type or figure of vnstable fortune who dothe oftentimes raise to heigthe of dignitie the vile and vnnoble and in like manner throweth downe frō the place of promotiō euen those whō before she hir selfe had thither aduaunced after hir departure came in Duke Creon with foure gentlemen wayting vpon him and lamented the death of Meneceus his sonne in this maner Actus v. Scena j. CREON CHORVS ALas what shall I do bemone my selfe Or rue the ruine of my Natiue lande About the which such cloudes I sée enclosde As darker cannot couer dreadfull hell With mine own eyes I saw my own deare sonne All gorde with bloud of his too bloudy brest Which he hath shed full like a friend too deare To his countrey and yet a cruell foe To me that was his friend and father both Thus to him selfe he gaynde a famous name And glory great to me redoubted payne Whose haplesse death in my afflicted house Hath put suche playnt as I ne can espie What comfort might acquiet their distresse I hither come my sister for to séeke Iocasta she that might in wofull wise Amid hir high and ouerpining cares Prepare the baynes for his so wretched corps And eke for him that nowe is not in life May pay the due that to the dead pertaynes And for the honor he did well deserue The giue some giftes vnto infernall Gods Cho. My Lorde your sister is gone forth long since Into the campe and with hir Antigone Hir daughter deare Cre. Into the campe alas and what to do Cho. She vnderstoode that for this realme foorthwith Hir sonnes were gréed in combate for to ioyne Cre. Alas the funerals of my deare sonne Dismayed me so that I ne did receiue Ne séeke to knowe these newe vnwelcome newes But loe beholde a playne apparant signe Of further feares the furious troubled lookes Of him that commeth héere so hastilie Scena ij. NVNTIVS CREON CHORVS ALas alas what shall I doe alas What shriching voyce may serue my wofull wordes O wretched I ten thousande times a wretche The messanger of dread and cruell death Cre. Yet more mishappe and what vnhappie newes Nun. My Lord your nephues both haue lost their liues Cre. Out and alas to me
yet that you will me procure A royall tombe within my natiue realme And now shut vp with those your tender handes These griefful eyes of mine whose daseled sight Shadowes of dreadfull death be come to close Now rest in peace thus sayde he yeelded vp His fainting ghost that ready was to part The mother thus beholding both hir sonnes Ygone to death and ouercome with dole Drewe out the dagger of hir Polinices From brothers brest and gorde hir mothers throte Falling betwéene hir sonnes Then with hir féebled armes she doth enfolde Their bodies both as if for company Hir vncontented corps were yet content To passe with them in Charons ferrie boate When cruell fate had thus with force bereft The wofull mother and hir two deare sonnes All sodenly allarme allarme they crye And hote conflict began for to aryse Betwene our armie and our enemyes For either part would haue the victorye A while they did with equall force maintaine The bloudy fight at last the Gréekes do flie Of whom could hardly any one escape For in such hugie heapes our men them slew The ground was couerde all with carcases And of our souldiers some gan spoyle the dead Some other were that parted out the pray And some pursuing Antigone toke vp The Queene locasta and the brethren both Whom in a chariot hither they will bring Ere long and thus although we gotten haue The victory ouer our enemies Yet haue we lost much more than we haue wonne Creon exit Cho. O hard mishap we doe not onely heare The wearie newes of their vntimely death But eke we must with wayling eyes beholde Their bodies deade for loke where they be brought Scena 3. ANTIGONE CHORVS MOst bitter plaint O ladyes vs behoues Behoueth eke not onely bitter plainte But that our heares dysheuylde from our heades About our shoulders hang and that our brests With bouncing blowes be all be battered Our gastly faces with our nayles defaced Behold your Queene twixt both hir sonnes lyes slayne The Queene whom you did loue and honour both The Queene that did so tenderly bring vp And nourishe you eche one like to hir owne Now hath she left you all O cruell hap With hir too cruell death in dying dreade Pyning with pensiuenesse without all helpe O weary life why bydst thou in my breast And I contented be that these mine eyes Should sée hir dye that gaue to me this life And I not venge hir death by losse of life Who can me giue a fountaine made of mone That I may weepe as muche as is my will To sowsse this sorow vp in swelling teares Cho. What stony hart could leaue for to lament Anti. O Polinice now hast thou with thy bloud Bought all too deare the title to this realme That cruell he Eteocles thée reste And now also hath reft thée of thy life Alas what wicked dede can wrath not doe And out alas for mée Whyle thou yet liuedst I had a liuely hope To haue some noble wight to be my phéere By whome I might be crownde a royall Quéene But now thy hastie death hath done to dye This dying hope of mine that hope hencefoorth None other wedlocke but tormenting woe If so these trembling hands for cowarde dread Dare not presume to ende this wretched life Cho. Alas deare dame let not thy raging griefe Heape one mishap vpon anothers head Anti. O dolefull day wherein my sory sire Was borne and yet O more vnhappie houre When he was crowned king of stately Thebes The Hymenei in vnhappie bed And wicked wedlocke wittingly did ioyne The giltlesse mother with hir giltie sonne Out of which roote we be the braunches borne To beare the scourge of their so foule offence And thou O father thou that for this facte Haste torne chine eyes from thy tormented head Giue eare to this come foorth and bende thine eare To bloudie newes that canst not them beholde Happie in this for if thine eyes could sée Thy sonnes bothe slayne and euen betwéene them bothe Thy wife and mother dead bathed and imbrude All in one bloud then wouldst thou dye for dole And so might ende all our vnluckie stocke But most vnhappie nowe that lacke of sighte Shall linger life within thy lucklesse brest And still tormented in suche miserie Shall alwayes dye bicause thou canst not dye Oedipus entreth Scena iiij. OEDIPVS ANTIGONE CHORVS WHy dost thou call out of this darkesome denne The lustleste lodge of my lamenting yeres O daughter deare thy fathers blinded eyes Into the light I was not worthy of Or what suche sight O cruell destenie Without tormenting cares might I beholde That image am of deathe and not of man Anti. O father mine I bring vnluckie newes Unto your eares your sonnes are nowe both slayne Ne doth your wife that wonted was to guyde So piteously your staylesse stumbling steppes Now see this light alas and welaway Oed. O heape of infinite calamities And canst thou yet encrease when I thought least That any griefe more great could grow in thée But tell me yet what kinde of cruell death Had these three sory soules Anti. Without offence to speake deare father mine The lucklesse lotte the frowarde frowning fate That gaue you life to ende your fathers life Haue ledde your sonnes to reaue eche others life Oed. Of them I thought no lesse but tell me yet What causelesse death hath caught from me my deare What shall I call hir mother or my wife Anti. When as my mother sawe hir deare sonnes dead As pensiue pangs had prest hir tender heart With bloudlesse cheekes and gastly lookes she fell Drawing the dagger from Eteocles side She gorde hirselfe with wide recurelesse wounde And thus without mo words gaue vp the ghost Embracing both hir sonnes with both hir armes In these affrightes this frosen heart of mine By feare of death maynteines my dying life Cho. This drearie day is cause of many euils Poore Oedipus vnto thy progenie The Gods yet graunt it may become the cause Of better happe to this afflicted realme Scena v. CREON OEDIPVS ANTIGONE GOod Ladies leaue your bootelesse vayne complaynt Leaue to lament cut of your wofull cryes High time it is as now for to prouide The funerals for the renowned king And thou Oedipus hearken to my wordes And know thus muche that for thy daughters dower Antigone with Hemone shall wedde Thy sonne our king not long before his death Assigned hath the kingdome should descende To me that am his mothers brother borne And so the same might to my sonne succéede Now I that am the lorde and king of Thebes Will not permit that thou abide therein Ne maruell yet of this my heady will Ne blame thou me for why the heauens aboue Which onely rule the rolling life of man Haue so ordeynde and that my words be true Tyresias he that knoweth things to come By trustie tokens hath foretolde the towne That while thou didst within the walles remayne It should be plagued still with penurie Wherfore
departe and thinke not that I speake These wofull wordes for hate I beare to thée But for the weale of this afflicted realme O foule accursed fate that hast me bredde To beare the burthen of the miserie Of this colde death which we accompt for life Before my birth my father vnderstoode I should him slea and scarcely was I borne When he me made a pray for sauage beastes But what I slew him yet then caught the crowne And last of all defilde my mothers bedde By whom I haue this wicked ofspring got And to this heinous crime and filthy facte The heauens haue from highe enforced me Agaynst whose doome no counsell can preuayle Thus hath I now my life and last of all Lo by the newes of this so cruell death Of bothe my sonnes and deare beloued wife Mine angrie constellacion me commaundes Withouten eyes so wander in mine age When these my wéery weake and crooked limmes Haue greatest néede to craue their quiet rest O cruell Creon wilt thou slea me so For cruelly thou doste but murther me Out of my kingdome now to chase me thus Yet can I not with humble minde beseeche Thy curtesie ne fall before thy féete Let fortune take from me these worldly giftes She can not conquere this couragious heart That neuer yet could well be ouercome To force me yeelde for feare to villanie Do what thou canst I will be Oedipus Cre. So hast thou reason Oedipus to say And for my parte I would thee counsell eke Still to maynteine the high and hawtie minde That hath dene euen in thy noble heart For this be sure if thou wouldst kisse these knées And practise eke by prayer to preuayle No pitie coulde persuade me to consent That thou remayne one onely houre in Thebes And nowe prepare you worthie Citizens The funeralls that duely doe pertayne Unto the Quéene and to Eteocles And eke for them prouide their stately tombes But Pollynice as common enimie Unto his countrey carrie foorth his corps Out of the walles ne none so hardie be On paine of death his bodie to engraue But in the fieldes let him vnburied lye Without his honour and without complaynte An open praie for sauage beastes to spoyle And thou Antigone drie vp thy teares Plucke vp thy sprites and chéere thy harmelesse hearte To mariage for ere these two dayes passe Thou shalt espouse Hemone myne onely heire Antig. Father I sée vs wrapt in endlesse woe And nowe muche more doe I your state lamente Than these that nowe be dead not that I thinke Theyr greate missehappes too little to bewayle But this that you you onely doe surpasse All wretched wightes that in this worlde remayne But you my Lorde why banishe you with wrong My father thus out of his owne perforce And why will you denye these guiltlesse bones Of Polinice theyr graue in countrey soyle Creon So would not I so woulde Eteocles Anti. He cruel was you fonde to hold his hestes Creon Is then a fault to doe a kings cōmaund Anti. When his cōmaunde is cruel and vniust Creon Is it vniust that he vnburied be Anti. He not deseru'd so cruell punishment Creon He was his countreys cruell enimie Anti. Or else was he that helde him from his right Cre. Bare he not armes against his natiue land Anti. Offendeth he that sekes to winne his owne Cre. Perforce to thée he shall vnburied be Anti. Perforce to thée these hands shall burie him Cre. And with him eke then will I burie thée Anti. So graunt the gods I get none other graue Then with my Polinices deare to rest Cre. Go sirs lay holde on hir and take hir in Anti. I will not leaue this corps vnburied Cre. Canst thou vndoe the thing that is decréed Anti. A wicked foule decrée to wrong the dead Cre. The ground ne shall ne ought to couer him Anti. Creon yet I beseche thée for the loue Cre. Away I say thy prayers not preuaile Anti. That thou didst beare Iocasta in hir life Cre. Thou dost but waste thy words amid the wind Anti. Yet graunt me leaue to washe his wounded corps Cre. It can not be that I should graunt thée so Anti. O my deare Polinice this tirant yet With all his wrongfull force can not fordoe But I will kisse these colde pale lippes of thine And washe thy wounds with my waymenting teares Cre. O simple wench O fonde and foolishe girle Beware beware thy teares do not foretell Some signe of hard mishap vnto thy mariage Anti. No no for Hemone will I neuer wed Cre. Dost thou refuse the mariage of my sonne Anti. I will nor him nor any other wed Cre. Against thy will then must I thée constraine Anti. If thou me force I sweare thou shalt repent Cre. What canst thou casue that I should once repent Anti. With bloudy knife I can this knot vnknit Cre. And what a foole were thou to kill thy selfe Anti. I will ensue some worthie womans steppes Cre. Speake out Antigone that I may heare Anti. This hardie hand shall soone dispatche his life Cre. O simple foole and darst thou be so bolde Anti. Why should I dread to doe so doughtie deede Cre. And wherfore dost thou wedlocke so despise Anti. In cruell exile for to folow him pointing to Oedipus Cre. What others might beseme besemes not thée Anti. If néede require with him eke will I dye Cre. Depart depart and with thy father dye Rather than kill my childe with bloudie knife Go hellishe monster go out of the towne Creon exit Oedi. Daughter I must commend thy noble heart Anti. Father I will neuer come in company And you alone wander in wildernesse Oedi. O yes deare daughter leaue thou me alone Amid my plagues be mery while thou maist Anti. And who shall guide these aged féete of yours That banisht bene in blind necessitie Oedi. I will endure as fatall lot me driues Resting these crooked sory sides of mine Where so the heauens shall lend me harborough And in exchange of riche and stately toures The woodes the wildernesse the darkesome dennes Shal be the bowre of mine vnhappy bones Anti. O father now where is your glory gone Oedi. One happy day did raise me to renoune One haplesse day hath throwne mine honor downe Anti. Yet will I beare a part of your mishappes Oedi. That sitteth not amid thy pleasant yeares Anti. Deare father yes let youth giue place to age Oedi. Where is thy mother let me touche hir face That with these hands I may yet féele the harme That these blind eyes forbid me to beholde Anti. Here father here hir corps here put your hand Oedi. O wife O mother O both wofull names O wofull mother and O wofull wyfe O woulde to God alas O woulde to God Thou nere had bene my mother nor my wyfe But where lye nowe the paled bodies two Of myne vnluckie sonnes Oh where be they Anti. Lo here they lye one by an other deade Oedip. Stretch out this hand dere daughter stretch this hande
such affayres My spedie diligence is requisite I will applie effectually to doe What so your highnesse hath commaunded me Ioca. I wil goe in and pray the Gods therwhile With tender pitie to appease my griefe Iocasta goeth off the stage into hir pallace hir foure handmaides follovv hir the foure Chorus also follovve hir to the gates of hir pallace after comming on the stage take their place vvhere they continue to the end of the Tragedie SERVVS SOLVS THe simple man whose meruaile is so great At stately courts and princes regall seates With gasing eye but onely doth regarde The golden glosse that outwardly appeares The crownes bedeckt with pearle and precious stones The riche attire imbost with beaten golde The glittering mace the pompe of swarming traine The mightie halles heapt full of flattering frendes The huge chambers the goodly gorgeous beddes The gilted roofes embowde with curious worke The swéete faces of fine disdayning dames The vaine suppose of wanton raigne at luste But neuer viewes with eye of inward thought The painefull toile the great and greuous cares The troubles still the newe increasing feares That princes nourish in their iealous brestes He wayeth not the charge that Ioue hath laid On princes how for themselues they raigne not He wéenes the law must stoope to princely will But princes frame there noble wills to lawe He knoweth not that as the boystrous winde Doth shake the toppes of highest reared towres So doth the force of frowarde fortune strike The wighte that highest sits in haughtie state Lo Oedipus that sometime raigned king Of Thebane soyle that wonted to suppresse The mightiest Prince and kepe him vnder checke That fearfull was vnto his forraine foes Now like a poore afflicted prisoner In dungeon darke shut vp from chéerefull light In euery part so plagued with annoy As he abhorres to leade a longer life By meanes wherof the one against the other His wrathfull sonnes haue planted all their force And Thebes here this auncient worthy towne With threatning siege girt in on euerie side In daunger lyes to be subuerted quite If helpe of heauenly Ioue vpholde it not But as darke night succedes the shining day So lowring griefe comes after pleasant ioy Well now the charge hir highnesse did commaund I must fulfill though haplie all in vaine Seruus goeth off the stage by the gates called Electrae Antygone attended vvith .iij. gentlevvomen and hir gouernour commeth our of the Queene hir mothers Pallace BAILO ANTIGONE O Gentle daughter of King Oedipus O sister deare to that vnhappie wight Whom brothers rage hath reaued of his right To whom thou knowst in yong and tender yeares I was a friend and faithfull gouernour Come forth sith that hir grace hath graunted leaue And let me knowe what cause hath moued nowe So chaste a maide to set hir daintie foote Ouer the thresholde of hir secrete lodge Since that the towne is furnishte euerywhere With men of armes and warlike instrumentes Unto our eares there cōmes no other noyse But sounde of trumpe and neigh of trampling stedes Which running vp and downe from place to place With hideous cries betoken bloude and death The blasing sunne ne shineth halfe so brighte As it was wont to doe al dawne of daye The wretched dames throughout the wofull towne Together clustring to the temples goe Beseching Ioue by way of humble plainte With tender ruthe to pitie their distresse An. The loue I heare to my swéete Polynice My deare brother is onely cause hereof Bai. Why daughter knowst thou any remedie How to defend thy fathers citie here From that outrage and fierce repyning wrathe Which he against it iustly hath conceiued An. Oh gouernour might this my faultlesse bloude Suffise to stay my brethrens dyre debate With glad consent I coulde afford my life Betwixt them both to plant a perfect peace But since alas I cannot as I woulde A hote desire inflames my feruent mind To haue a sight of my swéete Pollynice Wherfore good guide vouchsafe to guide me up Into some tower aboute this hugie court From whence I may behold our enemies campe Therby at least to féede my hungry eyes But with the sight of my beloued brother Then if I die contented shall I die Bai. O princely dame the tender care thou takste Of thy deare brother deserueth double praise Yet crau'st thou that which cannot be obtainde By reason of the distance from the towne Unto the plaine where th armie lies incampt And furthermore besemeth not a maide To shew hir selfe in such vnsemely place Wheras among such yong and lustie troupes Of harebrainde souldiers marching to and fro Both honest name and honour is empairde But yet reioyce sith this thy great desire Without long let or yet without thy paine At wishe and will shall shortly be fulfillde For Palynice forthwith will hither come Euen I my selfe was lately at the campe Commaunded by the Quéene to bid him come Who laboureth still to linke in frendly league Hir iarring sonnes which happe so hoped for Eftsones I pray the gracious gods to graunt And sure I am that ere this houre passe Thou shalt him here in person safely sée Auti. O louing frend doest thou then warrant me That Polynice will come vnto this court Bai. Ere thou be ware thou shalt him here beholde Anti. And who alas doth warrant his aduenture That of Eteocles he take no harme Bai. For constant pledge he hath his brothers faith He hath also the truce that yet endures An. I feare alas alas I greatly feare Some trustlesse snare his cruell brother layes To trappe him in Bai. Daughter god knowes how willing I would be With swéete reliefe to comfort thy distresse But I cannot impart to thée the good Which I my selfe doe not as yet enioye The wailefull cause that moues Eteocles With Pollinyce to enter ciuill warres Is ouer great and for this onely cause Full many men haue broke the lawes of truth And topsy-turvy turned many townes To gredie daughter too too gredie is Desire to rule and raigne in kingly state Ne can he bide that swaise a realme alone To haue another ioynde with him therin Yet must we hope for helpe of heauenly powers Sith they be iuste their mercy is at hand To helpe the weake when worldly force doth faile An. As both my brethren be so both I beare As much goodwill as any sister may But yet the wrong that vnto Pollinyce This trothlesse tyrant hath vniustlie shewd Doth leade me more to wishe the prosperous life Of Pollinyce than of that cruell wretch Besides that Pollinyce whiles he remainde In Thebes here did euer loue me more Than did Eteocles whose swelling hate Is towardes me increased more and more Wherof I partly may assure my selfe Considering he disdaynes to visite me Yea happly he intends to reaue my life And hauing power he will not sticke to doe it This therefore makes me earnestly desire Oftymes to sée him yet euer as I thinke For to discharge the duetie of a
or of the one at least Nuntius returneth to the camp by the gates Homoloides IOCASTA ANTIGONE ANtigone my swete daughter come forth Out of this house that nought but woe retaines Come forth I say not for to sing or daunce But to preuent if in our powers it lie That thy malicious brethren swolne with ire And I alas their miserable mother Be not destroide by stroke of dreadfull death Antigone commeth out of hir mothers Pallace Anti. Ah swete mother ah my beloued mother Alas alas what cause doth moue ye now From trembling voice to send such carefull cries What painefull pang what griefe doth gripe you nowe Ioca. O deare daughter thy most vnhappie brethren That sometimes lodgde within these wretched loynes Shall die this daye if Ioue preuent it not Anti. Alas what say you alas what do you say Can I alas endure to sée him dead Whom I thus long haue sought to sée aliue Ioca. They both haue vowde I quake alas to tell With trenchant blade to spill ech others blood O cruell Eteocles ah ruthlesse wretch Of this outrage thou only art the cause Not Pollinice whom thou with hatefull spight Hast reaued first of crowne and countrie soyle And now doest séeke to reaue him of his life Ioca. Daughter no more delay le ts go le ts go Anti. Ah my swéete mother whither shall I go Ioca. With me déere daughter to the gréekish host Anti. Alas how can I go vnles I go In daunger of my life or of good name Ioca. Time serues not now my welbeloued childe To way the losse of life or honest name But rather to preuent if so we may That wicked déede which only but to thinke Doth hale my hart out of my heauie brest Anti. Come then le ts go good mother let vs go But what shall we be able for to doe You a weake old woman for worne with yeares And I God knowes a silly simple mayde Ioca. Our wofull wordes our prayers our plaintes Pourde out with streames of ouerflowing teares Where Nature rules may happen to preuayle When reason power and force of armes do fayle But if the glowing heate of boyling wrath So furious be as it may not relent Then I atwixt them both will throw my selfe And this my brest shall beare the deadly blowes That otherwise should light vpon my sonnes So shall they shead my bloud and not their owne Well now déere daughter let vs hasten hence For if in time we stay this raging strife Then haply may my life prolonged be If ere we come the bloudy déede be done Then must my ghost forsake this féeble corps And thou deare childe with dolour shalt bewaile Thy brothers death and mothers all at once locasta vvith Antigone and all hir traine excepte the Chorus goeth tovvards the campe by the gates Homoloydes CHORVS WHo so hath felt what feruent loue A mother beares vnto hir tender sonnes She and none other sure can comprehende The dolefull griefe the pangs and secret paine That presently doth pierce the princely brest Of our afflicted Quéene alas I thinke No martyrdome might well compare with hirs So ofte as I recorde hir restlesse state Alas me thinkes I féele a shiuering feare Flit to and fro along my flushing vaines Alas for ruth that thus two brethren shoulde Enforce themselues to shed each others bloude Where is the lawes of nature nowe become Can fleshe of fleshe alas can bloude of bloude So far forget it selfe as slaye it selfe O lowring starres O dimme and angrie skies O giltie fate such mischiefe set aside But if supernall powers decreed haue That death must be the ende of this debate Alas what floudes of teares shall then suffise To wéepe and waile the neare approching death I meane the death of sonnes and mother both And with their death the ruine and decay Of Oedipus and all his princely race But loe here Creon cōmes with carefull cheare 'T is time that nowe I ende my iust complaint Creon commeth in by the gates Homoloydes CREON NVNCIVS ALthough I straightly chargde my tender childe To flie from Thebes for safegarde of hymselfe And that long since he parted from my sight Yet doe I greatly hand in lingring doubt Least passing through the gates the priuie watch Hath stayed him by some suspect of treason And so therewhile the prophetes hauing skride His hidden fate he purchast haue the death Which I by all meanes sought he might eschewe And this mischaunce so much I feare the more Howe much the wished conquest at the first Fell happily vnto the towne of Thebes But wise men ought with patience to sustaine The sundrie haps that slipperie fortune frames Nuncius commeth in by the gates Electrae Nun. Alas who can direct my hastie steppes Unto the brother of our wofull Quéene But loe where carefully he standeth here Cre. If so the minde maye dreade his owne mishap Then dread I much this man that séekes me thus Hath brought the death of my beloued sonne Nun. My Lorde the thing you feare is very true Your sonne Meneceus no longer liues Cre. Alas who can withstande the heauenly powers Well it beséems not me ne yet my yeares In bootelesse plaint to wast my wailefull teares Do thou recount to me his lucklesse deathe The order fourme and manner of the same Nun. Your sonne my Lorde came to Eteocles And tolde him this in presence of the rest Renoumed King neither your victorie Ne yet the safetie of this princely Realme In armour doth consist but in the death Of me of me O most victorious King So heauenly dome of mightie Ioue commaunds I knowing what auayle my death should yeeld Unto your grace and vnto natiue land Might well be demde a most vngratefull sonne Unto this worthy towne if I would shunne The sharpest death to do my countrie good In mourning weede nowe let the vestall Nimphes With fauning tunes commende my faultlesse ghost To highest heauens while I despoyle my selfe That afterwarde sith Ioue will haue it so To saue your liues I may receyue my death Of you I craue O curteous Citizens To shrine my corps in tombe of marble stone Whereon graue this Meneceus here doth lie For countries cause that vvas content to die This saide alas he made no more a doe But drewe his sworde and sheathde it in his brest Cre. No more I haue inough returne ye nowe From whence ye came Nuncius retourneth by the gates Electrae Well since the bloude of my beloued sonne Must serue to slake the wrathe of angrie Ioue And since his onely death must bring to Thebes A quiet ende of hir vnquiet state Me thinkes good reason would that I henceforth Of Thebane soyle shoulde beare the kingly swaye Yea sure and so I will ere it be long Either by right or else by force of armes Of al mishap loe here the wicked broode My sister first espoused hath hir sonne That slewe his sire of whose accursed séede Two brethren sprang whose raging hatefull hearts By force of
and to this towne Thou doest accompt great ruine and decay You royall familie of Oedipus And heare you this your liege and soueraigne Lordes The brethren bothe are slayne and done to death Cho. O cruell newes most cruell that can come O newes that might these stony walles prouoke For tender ruthe to burst in bitter teares And so they would had they the sense of man Cre. O worthy yong Lordes that vnworthy were Of suche vnworthy death O me moste wretche Nun. More wretched shall ye déeme your selfe my lord When you shall heare of further miserie Cre. And can there be more miserie than this Nun. With hir deare sonnes the quéene hir self is slaine Cho. Bewayle ladies alas good ladies waile This harde mischaunce this cruell common euill Ne hencefoorth hope for euer to reioyce Cre. O Iocasta miserable mother What haplesse ende thy life alas hath hent Percase the heauens purueyed had the same Moued therto by the wicked wedlocke Of Oedipus thy sonne yet might thy scuse Be iustly made that knewe not of the crime But tell me messanger oh tel me yet The death of these two brethren driuen therto Not thus all onely by their drearie fate But by the banning and the bitter cursse Of their cruell sire borne for our annoy And here on earth the onely soursse of euil Nun. Then know my Lorde the battell that begonne Under the walles was brought to luckie ende Eteocles had made his foemen flée Within their trenches to their foule reproche But herewithall the bretheren streightway Eche other chalenge foorth into the fielde By combate so to stinte their cruell strife Who armed thus amid the field appeard First Pollinices turning towarde Gréece His louely lookes gan Iuno thus beséeche O heauenly quéene thou séest that since the day I first did wedde Adrastus daughter deare And stayde in Gréece thy seruaunt haue I bene Then be it not for mine vnworthinesse Graunt me this grace the victorie to winne Graunt me that I with high triumphant hande May bathe this blade within my brothers brest I know I craue vnworthy victorie Unworthy triumphes and vnworthy spoyles Lo he the cause my cruell enimie The people wept to heare the wofull wordes Of Pollinice foreséeing eke the ende Of this outrage and cruell combate tane Eche man gan looke vpon his drouping mate With mindes amazde and trembling hearts for dread Whom pitie perced for these youthfull knightes Eteocles with eyes vp cast to heauen Thus sayde O mightie loue his daughter graunt to me That this right hande with this sharpe armed launce Passing amid my brothers cankred brest It may eke pierce that cowarde harte of his And so him slea that thus vnworthily Disturbes the quiet of our common weale So sayde Eteocles and trumpets blowne To sende the summens of their bloudy fighte That one the other fiercely did encounter Like Lions two yfraught with boyling wrath Bothe coucht their launces full agaynst the face But heauen it nolde that there they should them teinte Upon the battred shields the mightie speares Are bothe ybroke and in a thousande shiuers Amid the ayre flowne vp into the heauens Beholde agayne with naked sworde in hande Eche one the other furiously assaultes Here they of Thebes there stoode the Greekes in doubt Of whom doth eche man féele more chilling dread Least any of the twayne should lose his life Than any of the twayne did féele in fight Their angry lookes their deadly daunting blowes Might witnesse well that in their heartes remaynde As cankred hate disdayne and furious moode As euer bred in beare or tygers brest The first that hapt to hurt was Polinice Who smote the righte thighe of Eteocles But as we déeme the blow was nothing déepe Then cryed the Gréekes and lepte with lightned harts But streight agayne they helde their peace for he Eteocles gan thrust his wicked sworde In the lefte arme of vnarmed Pollinice And let the bloud from thinne vnfenced fleshe With falling drops distill vpon the ground Ne long he stayes but with an other thrust His brothers belly boweld with his blade Then wretched he with bridle left at large From of his horsse fell pale vpon the ground Ne long it was but downe our duke dismountes From of his startling steede and runnes in hast His brothers haplesse helme for to vnlace And with such hungry minde desired spoyle As one that thought the fielde already woonne That at vnwares his brothers dagger drawne And griped fast within the dying hand Under his side he recklesse doth receiue That made the way to his wyde open hart Thus falles Eteocles his brother by From both whose breasts the bloudfast bubling gaue A sory shewe to Greekes and Thebans both Cho. Oh wretched ende of our vnhappie Lordes Cre. Oh Oedipus I must be the death Of thy deare sonnes that were my nephewes both But of these blowes thou oughtest feele the smarte That with thy wonted prayers thus hast brought Such noble blouds to this vnnoble end But now tell on what followed of the Quéene Nun. Whē thus with pierced harts by there owne hands The brothers fell had wallowed in their bloud Th one tumbling on the others gore Came their afflicted mother then to late And eke with hir hir chast childe Antygone Who saw no sooner how their fates had falne But with the doubled echo of alas Sore dymmde the ayre with loude complaints and cryes Oh sonnes quod she too late came all my helpe And all to late haue I my succour sent And with these wordes vpon their carcas colde She shriched so as might haue stayed the Sunne To mourne with hir the wofull sister eke That both hir chekes did bathe in flowing teares Out from the depth of hir tormented brest With scalding sighes gan draw these weary words O my deare brethren why abandon ye Our mother deare when these hir aged yeares That of themselues are weake and growne with griefe Stoode most in néede of your sustaining helpe Why doe you leaue hir thus disconsolate At sounde of such hir wéeping long lament Eteocles our king helde vp his hand And sent from bottome of his wofull brest A doubled sighe deuided with his griefe In faithfull token of his féeble will To recomfort his mother and sister both And in the steade of swéete contenting words The trickling teares raynde downe his paled chekes Then claspt his handes and shut his dying eyes But Pollinice that turned his rolling eyen Unto his mother and his sister deare With hollow voyce and fumbling toung thus spake Mother you see how I am now arryued Unto the hauen of myne vnhappie ende Now nothing doth remaine to me but this That I lament my sisters life and yours Left thus in euerlasting woe and griefe So am I sory for Eteocles Who though he were my cruell enimy He was your sonne and brother yet to me But since these ghosts of curs must needes go downe With staggering steppes into the Stigian reigne I you beseche mother and sister bothe Of pitie