that hel may in this pickle playne Behold the man that conquerd yt no booty bringe I will Away with me why dost thou quake for feare of Hercles still Set on me death coragiously for now I may be kilde A. Now stint thy tender tears that down thy checkes so long haue trild And mayster this thy mallady compell thy sorrowes sloupe And shew that in these plunging panges Alcides did not droupe And as it hath bene caâ—st thy guyse force death and hel to shriâ—ke Her If ougly grested Cauâ—asue In chayne of yrone linke Should bynd me as agâ—oning pray the greedy grype to feede Yet from myne eyes it should not strayne a brokeÌ„ teare indeede If wandring Symplegads would me wish eyther rocke assaile To byde the brunt of double wracke my courage would not quayle Let Pindus tumbled be on me houge Aemus let me haue Or Athos rocke in Thracian seas that breakes the weltring waue And bode the boultes of thondring Ioue although th unweildy masse Of all the world should fal on mee and might be brought to passe That Phoebus flaming apeltree should burne vppon my graue No vncouth crye should force the mynd of Hercles thus to raue Let meete a thousand sauage beastes and rent me al at once Let Stymphal foules with houling hoarse lay strokes vppon my bones Or scrowling bul on thother syde strike on with head and horne Or els of other serpentes wilde let al my partes be torne With roring earthquakes hougy lumpes be puffed vppon me With griping greefe let all my limmes to nothing pyned bee Although I be to pouder crusht I wil with pacience peace In spite of beastes or brusing blowes my sighes and teares shal seace Alc. It is not sonne the womans bane that in thy bones doth boile But festring teares and broosing knockes of thy continual toyle The wrinches old with aking panges begin to smart anew HE. O where is death where is hee now of all that I do rew Can any witnes what it is let death now bend his bow A naked hand is stronge ynough to make mee stowpe ful low Let any wight in al the worlde attempt to set on mee I warrant him approch let him Ah wretched might I bee This wayward agony hath take his perfit wits away Haue hence his tooles and eake his shaftes for daunger hence coâ—uay His ruddy gills that glow like fier some mischiefe doe pretend To shrowde my selfe alas into what corner shall I wend This mallady a frensy is this onely is the meane To conquer Hercules why then doe I as doting queanâ— Thus fall to teares and seeke to shrynke may bee that hee will haue Alcmenas hand to giue the stroke to bring him to the graue But dye he in a Murreynes name ere I for cowarde will Such deadly penaunce bee enioynde that on my doings still His baynous hand may vaunt it selfe loe how the pangues full deepe With stuggling ceast doe hinde the purple vaynes with deadly sleepe And beating sore lift vp and downe his faynt and panting breast If I O Gods of this my noble Childe bee dispossest Be gracious yet and for the worlde some lusty champion saue Rid his annoy and let his limmes agayne theyr courage haue Hyllus Alcmena Hercules O Dismall day O anguishe O the heaper vp of ill Ioues Sonne is slayne his Daughter dyes his Nephew lyueth still First by the Stepdames treason is the Sonne to ruin brought The Daughter likewyse trapt in traynes and thereby come to nought What hoary head in chaunge of tunes or teanour of his age Hath seene that Fortunes frowning Face hath sturd such stormy rage One dolefull day bereaueth mee alas of parents twayne But least I speake to spite the Gods I will somewhat refrayne I lost a Father Hercules this onely I complayne AL. O noble Impe of Hercules alas my Nephew deare That dost of wretched Alcmens Sonne the liuely feature beare Refrayne my chylde thy wayling woordes this quiet sleepe perhap Will ouercome these plonging fits But loe loe in my lap Hee doth begin to striue agayne his fits begin a fresh Sleepe gieuing vp the feeble ghost to ranckle in the flesh HE. What meaneth Thrachin craggy crest to shew before myne eyes Or now forsaking man am I aduaunst aboue the skies Why do the heauens prouyde for me the father Ioue I see And eake my stepdame Iuno dire appeased now with me What heauenly harmony is this that soundeth in myne eare Dame Iuno calles me sonne in law I se the pallace cleare Of christal skies and beaten rakes of Phoebus flaming wheele I see the dumpish moary denne of glowming lady night Here he commaundeth darknes dim to shew it self in sight What meaneth this who is it that the heauens agaynst me sparres And am I thus O father myne brought downe againe from starres Euen now Appolloës sowltring car did fume about my face So nie I past the pinch of Death lo Thrachin top in place Who brought me backe to ground agayne beneath me earst it lay And al the world was vnder me thou smart wert worne away Thou forcest me confesse the same Ah mercy mercy now In stead of farther vengeance do these humble wordes allow Lo Hillus lo thy mothers giftes such presentes shee preparde Ah might my trunchion punch her puddinges once as whilom farde The haughty Ladye Amazon wel trounsed for her pride On th edge of ysy Caucasus afront the mountayne syde O noble lady Megara were thou my wretched wyfe When rapt in rage of franticke fittes I rest thee of thy life Geue me my batt and bow in hand my wrestes I wil imbrew And force ye all your brages on me with blemish blacke to rue Thus let of Hercules exployts a woman be the last Hi. Forbeare O Syre thy hateful threates she hath it all is past The vengeance that ye seke on her already hath her spedd With wound receiued at your hand my mother lieth dead Her O blynded anguish dye she should of Hercles furious hand Thus Licas hath his marrow lost the heate of burning brest Wil haue me on the breathlesse coarse for to reuenge the rest Why doth shee not yet fele her force both let her want a graue And on her cursed flesh to feede let beastes her carkasse haue Hil. The silly woman was more woe then ye that bide the smart Ye wil release some part hereof for pitty in your hart For greefe of you with her owne hande alas her selfe she slew Thus more then ye do aske of her she doth her doyng rewe Yet is it not your Wyfes misdeede that brought you to this plight No nor my mothers traytrous hand hath wrought this deepe deceit This treason Nessus did contriue whom yee did pay his hire With arrow shot into his Ribs for rape of Deianire Thus father with the Centaures bloud your shyrt was sore embrewde At Nessus hand the vengeaunce of your deede thus haue yee rewde HE. Hee hath his will all is dispacht our Fates themselues display This is the
adulterye Haue wedlocke hurt LY. What is to Ioue to king is leefull thyng To Ioue thou gau'ste a wyfe thou shalt nowe geue one to a kyng And euen of thee shee shall it learne to bee a thing not newe Her husband euen approuing it the better man t' ensewe But if shee stubberne to be matcht with me deny it still Then euen by force a noble childe of her beget I will Meg. O Creons ghosts and all yee Gods of th house of Labdacus And wedding forches blasing bryght of wicked Oedipus To this my wedding geue yee nowe our wonted destenyes Now now yee bloudy daughters all of Aegypts king likewyse Bee here whose hands defyled are with so much bloud out spilt One daughter lacks of Danaus I wyll fyll vp the gylt Ly. Because that stubburnely thou do'st refuse my wedding so And fear'ste a king thou shalt know what the Scepters now may do Embrace thyne aulters yet no God shall euer take away Thee from my hands no not although with world vpturned may Alcides victor yet agayne to Gods aboue returne The woods on heapes together cast let all their temples burne Euen throwne vpon theyr heads his wyfe and all his flocke at laste With vnderlayed fyre let one wood pyle consume and waste AM. This only bowne I father of Alcides aske of thee Which well may me beseeme to craue that I fryst slayne may hes LY. Who all appoyncts with present death to haue their punishment He tyrunt wot not how to be more sundry greeues inuent Restrayne the wretched man from death commaunde that th' happy dye I while with beames prepar'de to burne the pyle encreaseth hye Will him with vowing sacrifyce that rules the seas entreate AM. Oh chiefest powre of Gods and oh of heauenly things so great The guyde and parent eke with whose throwne thunderbolts do shake All things humane throughout the world of king so cruell slake The wicked hande but why do I to Gods in vayne thus cry Where euer thou be heare me soone why start so sodaynely The temples thus with moouing shakte Why roareth out the graūd The noyse of Hell from bottome deepe byneathe hath made a sound Wee herde are loe it is the sound of Hercules his pace Chorus O Fortune hating men of stoutest brest How ill rewards dost thou to good deuyde Eurystheus raynes at home in easy rest Alcmendes sonne in euery battayle tryde To Monsters turnes hys hande that Skyes dyd stay And cruell Neckes cuts of of hydous Snake And Apples brynges from Systers mokt away When once to sleepe hys watchefull Eyes beetake Dyd Dragon set ryche fruicte to ouersee Hee past the Scythian bowres that straye abroade And those that in their countreys straungers bee And hardned top of frosen freate hee troade And sylent Sea with bankes full dumme about The Waters hard want there their floudes to sloe And there before the Shyps full Sayles spred out Is worne a pathe for Sarmates wylde to goe The Sea doth stande to mooue in course agayne Nowe apt to beare the Ship nowe horsemen bolde The Queene that there doth ouer Wydowes rayne That gyrds her Wombe wyth gyrth of glittring gold Her noble spoyle from body drawne hath shee And shyelde and bandes of breast as whyte as snowe Acknowledging the Conquerour with Knee Wyth what hope drawne to headlong Hell alowe So bolde to passe the vnreturned wayes Saw'ste thou Proserpines rayne of Sicylye Wyth Southern wynde or Western there no seas Aryse wyth waue and swellinge Surges hye Not there of Tyndars stocke the double broode Two starres the fearefull Shyps doe ayde and guide Wyth gulph full blacke doth stande the slouthfull floode And when pale death with greedy teeth so wyde Vnnumbred Nations hath sent downe to sprightes Wyth one Boateman all ouer feryed bee God graunt thou maist of Hell subdue the rightes And vnreuoked webs of Systers three There kyng of many people raygneth hee Who when thou did'st wyth Nestors Pylos fight Pestiferous handes applide to matche with thee And weapon bare with triple mace of might And prickt with litle wounde he fled away And lorde of death hymselfe did feare to dye Breake Fate by force and let the sight of day To sorry sprightes of Hell apparant lye And porche vnpast shew way to Gods aboue The cruell lordes of sprightes wyth pleasaunt song And humble bowne full well could Orpheus moue Whyle he Eurydicen them craues among The Arte that drew Woods Byrds and stones at will Which made delay to Floudes of flitting flight At sound whereof the sauage Beastes stoode still With tunes vnwont doth Ghosts of hell delight And clearer doth resounde in darker place And weepe wyth teares did Gods of cruell brest And they which faultes with to seuere a face Doe seeke and former gylt of Ghosts out wrest The Thracian Daughters wayls Eurydicen For her the Iudges weeping sit also Wee conquer'de are chy efe kyng of death sayd then To Gods but vnder this condition goe Behynde thy husbandes backe keepe thou thy way Looke thou not backe thy Wyfe before to see Than thee to sight of Gods hath brought the day And gate of Spartane Taenare present bee Loue hates delay nor coulde abyde so long His gyft hee lost while hee desires the syght The place that coulde be thus subdew'de with song That place may soone bee ouercome by myght THE THYRDE ACTE Hercules O Comfortable guyde of light and honour of the skye That cōpasting both Hemyspheres with flaming chariot hye Thy radiāt head to ioyful lāds about the world dost bring Thou Phoebus pardon geue to me if any vnlawful thing Thyne eyes haue seene cōmaūded I haue here to light out set The secretes of the worlde and thou of heauen to guider gret And parent eke in flashe out throwne of lightning hide thy fyght And thou that gouernest the seas with seconde sceptors syght To bottome synke of deepest waues who so from hye doth see And dreading yet with countnaunce newe the earth desil'de to bee Let him from hence turne backe his sight and face to heauen vpholde These monstrous sights to shun let twayn this mischiefe great behold Hee who it brought and shee that bad for paynefull toyles to mee And laboures long not all the earth thought wide inough may bee For Iunoes hate things vncome to all men I did see Vnknowne to soone and spaces wyde that darke and shadefull bee Which woorser poale geues dyrer Ioue to raygne and rule therein And yet if thyrde place pleased more for mee to enter in I there coulde raygne the Chaos of eternall nyght of hell And woorse then night the dolefull Gods I haue that there doe dwell And Fates subdu'de the death contemn'de I am return'de to light What yet remaynes I sawe and show'de the spryghts of hell to sight Appoynt if ought be moe do'ste thou my hands so long permit Iuno to ceasse what thing byd'st thou to be subdued yet But why doe cruell souldiars holde the holy temples wyde And dread of armour sacred porche
rebound The brambles rent his haled hayre the edged flinty stones The beauty batter of his Face and breake his crashing bones At Mouth his blaring tongue hangs out with squeased eyne out dasht His Iawes Skull doe crack abrode his spurting Braynes are pasht His cursed beauty thus defoylde with many wounds is spent The iotting Wheeles do grinde his guts and drenched sims they rent At length a Stake with TruÌ„chion burnt his ripped PauÌ„ch hath caught From riued Grine toth ' Nauell stead within his wombe it raught The Cart vpon his Maister pawsde agaynst the ground ycrusht The Fellies stuck within the wounds and out at length they rush So both delay and Maisters limbs are broke by stresse of Wheeles His dragling guts then trayle about the wincing horses heeles They thumping with their horny Hooues agaynst his Belly kick From bursten Paunch on heapes his blouddy bowells tumble thick The scratting Bryers on the Brakes with needle poynted pricks His gory Carkas all to race with spelles of thorny sticks And of his flesh ech ragged shrub a gub doth snatch and rent His men a mourning troupe God knowes with brackish teares besprÄ“t Doe stray about the fielde whereas Hippolytus was tore A piteous signe is to bee seene by tracing long of gore His howling Dogges their Maisters limmes with licking follow still The earnest toyle of woful Wights can not the coars vp fill By gathering vp the gobbets sparst and broken lumps of flesh Is this the flaunting brauery that comes of beauty fresh Who in his Fathers Empyre earst did raigne as pryncely Peare The Heyre apparant to the Crowne and shone in honour cleare Lyke to the glorious Stars of Heauen his Limmes in pieces small Are gathred to his fatall Graue and swept to funerall TH. O Nature that preuaylste too much alas how dost thou binde Whyth bonds of bloud the Parents breast how loue we thee by kinde Maugre our Teeth whom gullty ecke we would haue rest of breath And yet lamenting with my teares I doe bewayle thy death NVN. None can lament with honesty that which he wisht destroyde TH. The hugiest heape of woes by this I thinke to be enioyde When flickering Fortunes cursed wheele doc cause vs cry alas To rue the wrack of things which earst wee wished brought to passe NVN. If stil thou keepe thy grudge why is the Face with seates besprÄ“t TH. Because I slue him not because I lost him I repent Chorus WHat heape of happes do tumble vpsyde downe Th' estate of man lesse raging Fortune flies On little things lesse leaming lightes are throwne By hand of Ioue on that which lower lies The homely couch safe merry hartes do keepe The Cotage base doth giue the Golden sleepe The lofty Turrets top that cleaues the cloude VVithstandes the sturdy stormes of Southren wynde And Boreas boysterous blastes with threatning loud Of blusteryng Corus shedding showres by kinde The reking Dales do seldome noiance take Byding the brunt of Lightninges slashing flake Th' aduaunced crest of Caucasus the great Did quake with bolt of lofty thundring Ioue VVhen he from cloudes his thunder dintes did beat Dame Cybels Phrygian fryth did trembling moue King loue in hawty heauen ful sore affright The nighest thinges with weapons doth he smyght The ridges low of Vulgar peoples house Striken with stormes do neuer greatly shake His Kingdomes coast Ioues thundring thumpes do souse VVith wauering winges that houre his fligth doth take Nor flitting Fortune with her tickle wheele Le ts any wight assured ioy to feele VVho in the VVorld beholds the starres ful bright And chereful day forsaking gastly Death His sorrowfull returne with groning spright He rewes sith it depriude his Sonne of breath He seeth his lodging in his court agayne More doleful is then sharpe Auernus payne O. PALLAS vnto whom all Athens land Due homage oweth because that THESEVS thine Among vs worldly Wights againe doth stand And seeth the Heauens vpon himselfe to shine And passed hath the parlous myrie Mud Of stinking Stygian Fen and filthy Flud Vnto thy rauening Vncles dreery Gaile O Lady chaste not one Ghost dost thou owe The Hellick Tyrant knovves his perfect tale Who from the Court this shriking shrill doth throwe What mischiefe comes in frantick PHAEDRAS brayne With naked Svvord thus running out amayne THE FIFTE ACTE THESEVS PHAEDRA CHORVS THrough pierst with pangues of pensiuenesse what fury prickes thy brayne What meanes this bloudy blade what meanes this shriking out amayne And langishing vpon the Corps which was thy mallice made PH. O tamer of the wrastling waues mee mee doe thou inuade The Monstrous hags of Marble Seas to rampe on mee send out What euer Thetis low doth keepe with folding armes about Or what the Ocean Seas aloofe embrace with winding waue O Theseus that to thine alies dost still thy selfe behaue So Currishly O thou that for thy louing Friends auayle Dost neuer yet returne thy Sonne and Father doe bewayle Thy pasport brought by death and bloud thy stocke thou dost destroy By loue or hatred of thy wife thou workest still annoy O sweete Hippolytus thus I behold thy battred face And I it is I wretch alas that brought thee to this case What Scinis forst thy lims so torne his snatching boughes to feele Or what Procrustes rackt and rent thee streacht on bed of Steele Or else what Minotaur of Crete that grim twishaped Bull With horny head that Dedalls â—â—nues with lowing filleth full Hath thee in fitters torne aie me where is thy beauty fled Where are our twinckling stars thine eyes alas and art thou ded Appeare a while receiue my words for speake I shall none yll This hand shal strike the stroake wherwith thy bengeance quite I wil And sith that I I Caytive I abridged haue thy life Lo here I am content to yeeld thee mine with bloudy knife If ghost may here be giuen for ghost and breath may serue for breath Hippolytus take thou my soule and come againe from death Behold my bowels yet are safe my lims in lusty plight Would God that as they serue for me thy body serue they might Mine eies to render kindly light vnto thy Carkasse ded Lo for thy vse this hand of mine shall pluck them from my hed And set them in these empty cells and vacant holes of thine Thy weale of me a wicked Wight to win do not repine And if a womans wofull heart in place of thine may rest My bosom straight breake vp I shall and teare it from my brest But courage stout of thine doth loth faint womans heart to haue Thy Noble minde would rather go with manly heart to graue Alas be not so manly now this manlinesse forheare And rather choose to liue a man with womans sprite and feare Then as no man with manly heart in darcknesse deepe to sit Haue thou thy life giue me thy death that more deserueth it Can not my profer purchase place yet vengeance shal thou haue Hell shall not hold me from thy syde nor
death of dompish graue Sith fates wil not permit thee life though I behest thee mine My selfe I shall in spite of fate my fatall twist vntwine This blade shall riue my bloudy breast my selfe I will dispoile Of soule and sinne at once through floods and Tartar gulphes that boyle Through Styx and through the burning Lakes I wil come after thee Thus may we please the lowring shades receiue thou heere of mee The parings of my Poll and Locks cut off from forehead torne Our hearts we could not ioyne in one yet wretches now farlorne We shal togeather in one day our fatall hower close If thou be loyall to thy spouse for him thy life then lose But if thou be vncestuous dye for thy louers sake Shall I vnto my husbandes bed agayne my corps betake Polluted with so haynous crime O death the chiefest ioy Of wounding shame Death onely ease of stinging Loues annoy We runne to thee embrace our sowles within thy gladsome breast Harke Athens harke vnto my talke and thou aboue the reste Thou Father worse vnto thy Child than bloudy stepdame I False forged tales I told with shame I fayning that did lye Which I of spite imagined when raging breast did swarue Thou father falsly punisht hast him that did not deserue The youngman chast is cast away for myne vncestuous vice Both bashful he and guiltles was now play thy wonted guyse My guilty breast with bloudy Launce of Sword deseru'd is riuen The Dirge toth ' dead to purge my spouse shal with my bloud be geuen Thou father of the stepdame learne what things thy SoÌ„ne should haue Of life depriued as to lay his carkasse in a graue Th. O wanny Iawes of blacke Auerne â—ake Tartar dungeon grim O Lethes Lake of woful Soules the ioy that therein swimme And eake ye glummy Gulphes destroy destroy me wicked wight And stil in pit of pangues let me be plunged day and night Now now come vp ye Gobline grim from water creekes alow What euer Proteus hugie swoln aloofe doth ouerflow Come dowse me drownd in swallowes depe that triumphe in my sinne And father thou that euermore ful ready prest hath binne To wreake myne yre aduentring Ia deede deseruing death With new found slaughter haue bereft myne onely Sonne of breath His tattred lims I scatred haue the bloudy field about Whyle th' innocent I punish doe by chaunce I haue found out The truth of al this wickednes heauen starres and sprites of hell I pester with my treachery that me doth ouerquell No mischiefes hap remayneth more iii. kingdomes know mee well We are returned to this World For this did Hell vnfold His gates that burials twayne I might and double death beholde Wherby I both a wyueles Wight andeakâ— a Sonles Sire May with one brand to wyse and Sonne enflame the funeral fire O tamer of blackefaced light Alcides now restore Thy booty brought from Hel redeeme to mee to mee therfore These Ghostes that now be gone ah sinful wretch to death in vayne I sue most vndiscrete by whom these wretched Wightes were slayne Imagining destruction sore aboute it wil I goe Now with thyne owne handes on thy selfe due vengeance do bestow A Pine tree bough downe straind perforce vnto the ground alow Let slip into the open ayre shal cut my corpes in twayne From top of Scyrons Rockes I wil be tumbled downe amayne More grieuous vengeance yet I haue in Phlegethon Riuer found Tormenting guilty Ghostes enclosd with fiery Channel round What pit and pangues shal plunge my soule already haue I known That tyring toyle of Sisyphus that retchles rolling stone Let yeeld vnto my guilty Ghost and beyng layed on These shoulders these these lifting handes of myne downe let it sway And let the fleeting floud aboute my lips deluded play Yea let the rauening grype come heare and Tytius paunch forsake For glutting foode with grasping Cleaze my liuer let him take Encreasyng stil to feede the Foule and for my tormentes sake And pause thou my Pyrothous Syre and eke the snackle Wheele That whirleth stil enforce my limmes thy swinging swift to feele Gape gape thou ground and swallow me thou cruell Chaos blynd This passage to th infernall Sprightes is fit for me to find My Sonne I wil ensue thou Prince of gastly ghostes in hell Dread not for chast wee come to thee geue thou me leaue to dwell Among thy dreadful dennes for aye and not to passe agayne Alas my prayer at the Gods no fauour can obtayne But if that mischiefe craue I should how ready would they bee Ch. O Theseus to thy plaint eternall tyme is graunted thee Prouyde thy Sonne his Obit rytes and shroude in dompish graue His broken lims which Monsters foule disperst and scattered haue Th. The shreadings of this deare beloued carkasse bring to mee His mangled members hether bring on heapes that tombled be This is Hyppolytus I do acknowledge myne offence For I it is that haue depriued thee of life and sense Least that but once or onely I should be a guilty Wight I Sire attempting mischiefe haue besought my Fathers might Lo I enioy my fathers gift O solitarinesse A grieuous plague when feeble yeares haue brought vs to distresse Embrace these lims and that which yet doth of thy sonne remayne O woeful wight in baleful breast preserue and entertayne These scattred scraps of body torne O Syre in order fet The straying gobbetts bring agayne here was his right hand set His left hand here instructed will to rule the raynes must be His left syde rybbs ful wel I know to be bewayld of mee With bitter teares as yet alas are lost and wanting still O trembling handes behold this woful busines to fulfil And withered Cheekes forbid your streams of flowing tears to runne Whyle that the father do accompt the members of his Sonne And eke patch vp his body rent that hath his fashion lost Disfigured foule with gorye woundes and all about be tost I doubt if this of thee be peece and peece it is of thee Here lay it here in th' empty place here let it layed be Although perhap it lye not right aye me is this thy face Whose beauty twinckled as a starre and eake did purchase grace In sight of Fâ—â— procurd to ruth Is this thy beauty lost O cruell will of Gods O rage in sinne preuayling most Doth thus the Syre that great good turne perfourme vnto his sonne Lo let thy fathers last fare wel within thyne eares to runne My child whom oft I bid farewell the whilst the fire shall burne These bones set ope his buriall bower and let vs fall to mourne With loude lamenting Mopsus wise for both the coarses sake With Princely Pompe his funerall fire see that ye ready make And seeke ye vp the broken parts in field dispersed round Stop hir vp hurlde into a Pit let heauy clodds of ground lie hard vpon hir cursed hed FINIS THE FIFTH TRAGEDY OF SENECA ENGLISHED The yeare of our Lord M. LX. BY
king My life is in your hand OED. Tell me the troth what child whose What was his Mothers P. Born of your wyfe OE. O gaping earth deuour my body quight Or else thou God that ruler art of houses voyde of light To Hell my Saule with thunder boltes to Hell my Soule down dryue Where griesly Ghosts in darkenesse deepe and endlesse payne do lyue For thee alone these Plagues doe rage For thee these mischiefes ryse For thee the Earth lyes desolate For thee thou wretch the Skies Infected are For thee for thee and for the filthy lust A hundred thousand guiltlesse men consumed are to dust O people throw cast heapes of stones vpon this hatefull Hed Bath all your swords within my brest you furies ouershed My restlesse thoughts with raging woes and plungde in seas of pain Let mee those hōrrors still endure which damned soules sustain You citizens of Stately Thebes vex me with torments dile Let Father Son and Wyfe and all with vengeance me pursue Let those that for my sake alone with plagues tormented bee Throw darts cast stones fling fier and flames and tortures all on mee O shame O slaunder of the World O hate of Gods aboue Confounder O of Nature thou to lawes of sacred loue Euen from thy birth an open Foe Thou didst deserue to dye As soone as thou wast born Go go vnto the Court thee hye There with thy Mother slaue triumph reioyce as thou maist do Who hast thy house encreased with vnhappy children so Make haste with speede away some thing thy mischiefs worthy finde And on thy selfe wrecke all the spight of thy reuenging minde Chorus FOrtune the guide of humaine lyfe doth al things chaūge at will And stirrīg stil with restles thoughts our wretched mīdes doth fill In vayn men striue their stats to kepe whē hideous tēpests rise And blustring windes of daungers deepe sets death before their eyis Who saith he doth her fauning feele chaūgeth not his minde When fickle fight of Fortunes wheele doth turne by course of kinde These greuous plagues frō priuat house to princely Thrones do flow And oft thier minds with cares they souse and thick vpon thē strow Whole heapes of griefe and dyre debate a wofull thing to see A Princely lyfe to mysers state conuerted for to bee O OEdipus thy fatall fall thy dreadfull mischiefs ryght Thy dolfull state thy mysery thy thrise vnhappy plight These things shall blase through all the world what heart may thē reioyce At thy distresse I can no more my teares doe stop my voyce But what is he that yonder stamps and raging puffs and blowes And often shakes his vexed head some mischiefe great hee knowes Good sir your countnaunce doth import some great and fearefull thing Tell vs therefore if that you may what newes from Court you bring THE FIFTE ACTE NVNTIVS VVhen OEdipus accursed wretch his fatall fals had spied To hell be damnd his wretched soule and on the Gods he cryed For vengeaunce due And posting fast with franticke moode griesly hue Vnto his dole full Court hee went his thoughts for to pursue Much like a Lion ramping wylde his furious head that shakes And roares with thundring mouth alowd and often gnashing makes None otherwise this miser farde A lothsome sight to see Besides himselfe for very rage he still desires to dye And rowling round his wretched Eyes with vysage pale and wan Ten thousand Curses out he powres Himselfe the vnhappiest man Of all that liue he doth account as iustly he may doe A wretch a slaue a caitife vyle The cause of all our woe And in this case enflamd with spight he cries he stamps he raues And boyling in his secret thoughts he still desyres to haue All torments vnder sun that may his Cares conceiude encrease O wretched wyght what should hee doe What man may him release Thus foming all for rage at mouth with sighes and sobs grones His damned head ten thousand times as oft his weryed bones He beats And often puffing makes and roares and swels sweats And on the Gods for death hee calles for Death hee still entreats Three times he did begin to speake and thryse his tong did stay At length he cried out alowd O wretch Away away Away thou monstrous Beast he sayd wilt thou prolong thy lyfe Nay rather some man strike this breast with strooke of bloudy knyfe Or all you Gods aboue on mee your flaming fiers outcast And dints of Thunderbolts down throw This is my prayer last What greedy vile deuouring Gripe vpon my guts will gnaw That Tigre fierce my hatefull limmes will quight asunder draw Loe here I am you Gods Lee heere wreke now on me your will Now now you fyry Feendes of Hell of vengeaunce take your fill Send out some wilde outragious beast send Dogs mee to deuoure Or els all ils you can deuise at once vpon me powre O wofull soule O sinfull wretch Why dost thou feare to dye Death only rids frō woes thou knowst Than stoutly Death defle With that his bloudy fatall Blade from out his sheath he drawes And lowd he rores with thūdring voice Thou beast why dost thou pawse Thy Father cursed caitife thou thy Father thou hast slayne And in thy Mothers bed hast left an euerduring slayne And Brothers thou hast got nay Sons thou liest thy Brothers all They are Thus for thy monstrous lust thy Countrey down doth fall And thinkst thou than for all these ils enough so short a payne Thynkst thou the Gods will be apeasde if thou forth with be slayne So many mischiefes don and i st enough one stroke to byde Account'ste thou it sufficient paynes that once thy sword should glide Quight through thy guilty breast for all why than dispatch and dye So maist thou recompence thy Fathers death sufficiently Let it be so what mends vnto thy Mother will thou make Vnto thy children what these plagues O wretch how wilt thou slake That thus for thee thy countrey mastes Ohe push shall ende them all A proper fetch A fine deuise For thee a worthy fall Inuent thou monstrous beast forthwith a fall euen worthy for Thy selfe inuent whom all men hate and loth and doe abhor And as dame Natures lawfull course is broke O wretch by thee So let to such a mischiefe great thy Death agreeing bee O that I might a thousand times my wretched lyfe renewe O that I might reuyue and dye by course in order dewe Ten hundred thousand times more than should I vengeance take Vpon this wretched head Than I perhaps in part should make A meete amends in deede for this my fowle and lothsom Sin Than should the proofe of payne reproue the life that I liue in The choyse is in thy hand thou wretch than vse thine owne discretion And finde a meanes whereby thou maist come to extreame confusion And that that oft thou maist not doe let it prolonged bee Thus thus maist thou procure at length an endlesse death to thee
alas to set thine heart at rest Not thou if God him selfe if he his flaming fiers should throw On thee or mischiefs all by heapes vpon thy body strow Couldst once for thy deserued ills due paines or vengeaunce pay Some meanes therefore to wreak Gods wrath vpon thy selfe assay Death death now best contenteth mee then seeke a way to dye So maist thou yet at length finde end for all thy misery O Son lend mee thy hand sith that thou art a Paracyde This labour last of all remaynes this labour thee doth byde Dispatch rid mee thy mother deare from all my deadly woe It will not be no prayers auaile Thy selfe this deede must doe Take vp this sword Goe to with this thy husbande late was slayne Husband thou term'st him false hee was thy syer O deadly payne Shal I quight through my brest it driue or through my throte it thrust Canst thou not choose thy wound away die die alas thou must This hateful womb then woūd O wretch this this with thine own hand Strike strike it hard O spare it not sith both a husband and The same a Son it bare CHOR. Alas alas shee is slaine she is slayne dispatched with a push Who euer sawe the like to this see how the bloud doth gush O heauy doulfull case who can this dyrefull sight enduer Which for the hideousnesse thereof might teares of stones procuer OED. Thou God thou teller out of Fates On thee on thee I call My Father onely I did owe vnto the Destnies all Now twise a Paracide and worse than I did feare to bee My Mother I haue slayne Alas the fault is all in mee O OEdipus accursed wretch lament thine owne Calamity Lament thy state thy griefe lament thou Caitife borne to misery Where wilt thou now become alas thy Face where wilt thou hyde O myserable Slaue canst thou such shamefull tormentes byde Canst thou which hast thy Parents slain Canst thou prolong thy life Wilt thou not dye deseruing Death thou cause of all the griefe And Plagues and dreadfull mischiefs all that Thebane City prease Why dost thou seeke by longer life thy sorrowes to encrease Why dost thou toyle and labour thus in vayne It will not bee Both God and man and beast and all abhorre thy Face to see O Earth why gapst thou not for why doe you not vnfolde You gates of hell mee to receaue why doe you hence withholde The fierce Infernall Feends from me from me so wretched wight Why breake not all the Furyes lose this hatefull head to smight With Plagues which them deserued hath alas I am left alone Both light and sight and comfort all from mee O wretch is gone O cursed head O wicked wight whom all men deadly hate O Beast what meanst thou still to liue in this vnhappy state The Skies doe blush and are ashamd at these thy mischiefes great The Earth laments the Heauens weepe the Seas for rage doe freat And blustring rise and stormes doe stir and all thou wretch for thee By whose incest and bloudy deedes all things disturbed bee Quight out of course displaced quight O cursed fatall day O mischiefes great O dreadfull times O wretch away away Exile thy selfe from all mens sight thy life halfe spent in misery Goe end consume it now outright in thrise as great calamity O lying Phoebe thine Oracles my sin and shame surmount My Mothers death amongst my deedes thou neuer didst recount A meete Exploict for me that am to Nature deadly Foe With trembling fearefull pace goe forth thou wretched monster goe Grope out thy wayes on knees in darke thou miserable Slaue So maist thou yet in tract of time due paynes and vengeaunce haue For thy mischeuous lyfe Thus thus the Gods themselues decree Thus thus thy Fates thus thus the skyes appoint it for to bee Then headlong hence with a mischiefe hence thou caitife vyle away Away away thou monstrous Beast Goe Run Stand stay Least on thy Mother thou doe fall All you that wearyed bodies haue with sickenesse ouerprest Loe now I fly I fly away the cause of your vnrest Lift vp your heads a better state of Ayre shall strayght ensewe Whan I am gone for whom alone these dreadfull myschiefs grewe And you that now halfe dead yet liue in wretched misers case Help those whō present torments presse forth hye you on apace For loe with me I cary hence all mischiefes vnder Skyes All cruell Fates Diseases all that for my sake did ryse With mee they goe with me both griefe Plague Pocks Botch all The ills that eyther now you presse or euer after shall With me they goe with me these Mates bin meetst of all for mee Who am the most vnhappiest wretch that euer Sun did see FINIS THE SIXTE TRAGEDIE OF THE MOST GRAVE prudēt Author LVCIVS ANNAEVS SENECA entituled TROAS vvith diuers and sundrye Additions to the same by IASPER HEYVVOOD To the Reader ALTHOVGH GENTLE Reader thou mayst perhaps thinke mee arrogant for that I onely among so many fine wittes and towardly youth with which Englād this day florisheth haue enterprised to set forth in english this present piece of the flowre of all writers Seneca as who say not fearing what grauer heads might iudge of me in attempting so hard a thing yet vpon well pondering what next ensueth I trust both thy selfe shalt cleare thine owne suspicion and thy chaunged opinion shal iudge of me more rightfull sentence For neither haue I taken this worke first in hand as once entending it should come to light of well doynge wherof I vtterly dispayred and beynge done but for myne owne priuate exercise I am in myne opinion herein blameles thoughe I haue to proue my selfe priuately taken the part which pleased me best of so excellent an author for better is tyme spent in the best then other and at first to attempt the hardest writers shall make a mā more prompt to translate the easier with more facility But now since by request frēdship of those to whom I could denye nothinge this worke agaynst my will extorted is out of my hands I needes must craue thy pacience in reading and facility of iudgement when thou shalt apparantly se my witles lacke of learning prayng thee to consider how hard a thing it is for mee to touch at ful in all poynts the authors mynd beyng in many places verye harde and doubtfull and the worke much corrupt by the default of euil printed Bookes and also how farre aboue my power to keepe that Grace and maiestye of stile that Seneca doth when both so excellent a writer hath past the reach of all imitation and also this our English toung as many thinke and I here fynd is farre vnable to compare with the Latten but thou good Reader if I in any place haue swerued from the true sence or not kept the roialty of speach meete for a Tragedie impute the one to my youth and lacke of iudgement the other to my lacke of Eloquence Now as
thou wert yet in thy mothers hand And that I knew what destentes thee held or in what land For neuer should the mothers fayth her tender child forsake Though through my breast the enmies al their cruell weapons strake Nor though the Greekes with pinching bandes of yron my handes had bound Or els in feruent flame of fyre beset my body rounde But now my litle Child pore wretch alas where might he bee Alas what cruel desteny what chaunce hath hapt to thee Art thou yet ranging in the fieldes and wandrest ther abroad Or smothred else in dusty smoake of Troy or ouertroad Or haue the Greekes thee slayne alas and laught to see thy bloud Or torne art thou with iawes of beastes or cast to foules for foode VI. Dissemble not hard is for thee Vlisses to deceaue I can ful wel the mothers craftes and subtilty perceaue The pollecy of Goddesses Vlisses hath vndone Set al these fayned wordes assyde tel mee where is thy sonne An. Wher is Hector where al the rest that had with Troy their fall Where Priamus you aske for one but I require of all Vl. Thou shalt constrayned be to tell the thing thou dost deny And. A happy chaunce were Death to her that doth desyre to dye Vli. Who most destres to die would faynest liue when death drawth on These noble wordes with present feare of death woulde soone be gone And. Vlisses if ye wil constrayne Andromacha with feare Threaten my life for now to dye my cheefe desyre it were Vl. With stripes with fyre tormenting death we wil the truth out wrest And dolour shal thee force to tel the secrets of thy brest And what thy hart hath depest hid for payne thou shalt expresse Oft tymes th extremity preuayles much more then gentlenesse And. Set me in midst of burning flame with woundes my body rent Vse al the meanes of cruelty that ye may al inuent Proue me with thirst and hunger both and euery torment trye Pearce through my sides with burning yrons in prison let me lie Spare not the worst ye can deuyse if ought be worse then this Yet neuer get ye more of me I wot not where he is Vli. It is but vayne to hyde the thinge that strayght ye wil deteckt No feares may moue the mothers hart she doth them al neglect This tender loue ye beare your child wherin ye stand so stoute So much more circumspectly warnth the Greekes to looke about Least after ten yeares tract of tyme and battell borne so farre Some one should liue that on our children might renew the warre As for my selfe what Calchas sayth I would not feare at all But on Telemachus I dread the smart of warres would fall And. Now will I make Vlisses glad and all the Greekes also Needes must thou woeful wretch confesse declare thy hidden woe Reioyce ye sonnes of Atreus there is no cause of dread Be glad Vlisses tell the Greekes that Hectors sonne is dead Vl. By what assurance proues thou that how shal we credite thee And What euer thing the enmies hand may threaten hap to me Let speedy fates me slay forthwith and earth me hyde at ones And after death from tombe agayne remoue ye Hectors bones Except my sonne already now do rest among the dead And that except Astianax into his tomb be led Vliss. Then fully are the fates fulfild with Hectors childes disceace Now shal I beare the Grecians word of sure and certayne peace Vlisses why what dost thou nowe the Greekes wil euery chone Beleeue thy wordes whom creditst thou the mothers tale alone Thinkst thou for sauegard of her child the mother wil not lye And dread the more the worse mischaunce to geue her sonne to die Her fayth she byndes with bond of oth the truth to verify What thing is more of weight to feare then so to sweare and lye Now call thy craftes togeather al bestirre thy wittes and mynd And shew thy selfe Vlisses now the truth herein to find Search wel thy mothers mynd behold shee weepes and wayleth out And here and ther with doubtful pace she raungeth al aboute Her careful ears she doth apply to harken what I say More frayd shee seemes then sorrowful Now worke some wily way For now most neede of wit there is and crafty pollecy Yet once agayne by other meanes I wil the mother trye Thou wretched woman maist reioyce that dead he is alas More doleful death by destenie for him decreed ther was From Turrets top to haue bene cast and cruelly bene slayne Which onely towre of all the rest doth yet in Troy remayne And. My spright failth me my limmes do quake fear doth my wits cōfounde And as the Ise congeals with frost my bloud with could is bound Vl. She trēbleth loe this way this way I wil the truth out wreaste The mothers fear detecteth all the secrets of her breast I wil renew her feare goe sirs bestir ye spedely To seeke this enmye of the Greekes where euer that he lie Wel done he wil be found at length goe to stil seke him out Now shal he dye what dost thou feare why dost thou looke about And Would God that any cause there were yet left that might me fray My hart at last now all is lost hath layd all feare away Vliss. Sins that your child now hath ye say already suffred death And with his bloud we may not purge the hostes as Caschas sayth Our fleete passe not as wel inspired doth Calchas prophecy Till Hectors ashes cast abroad the waues may pacify And tombe be rent now sins the boy hath skapt his desteny Needes must we breake this holy tombe wher Hectors ashes lie An. What shal I doe my mynd distracted is with double feare On th one my sonne on thother syde my husbandes ashes deare Alas which part should moue me most the cruel Goddes I call To witnes with me in the truth and Ghostes that guide thee all Hector that nothing in my sonne is else that pleaseth me But thou alone God graunt him life he might resemble thee Shal Hectors ashes drowned bee hide I such cruelty To see his bones cast in the Seas yet let Astyanax die And canst thou wretched mother bide thyne owne childes death to see And suffer from the hie towres top that headlong throwne he be I can and wil take in goad part his death and cruel payne So that my Hector after death be not remou'd agayne The boy that life and sences hath may feele his payne and dye But Hector lo his death hath plast at rest in tombe to lie What dost thou stay determine which thou wilt preserue of twayne Art thou in doubt saue this loe here thy Hector doth remayne Both Hectors be th one quicke of spright drawing toward his strēgth And one that may perhaps reuenge his fathers death at length Alas I cannot saue them both I thinke that best it were That of the twayne I saued him that doth the Grecians feare Vl. It shal be done
When mighty Ioue neglected she vphorlde Huge vgly monstrous Typhon to the worlde A sorer plague a cleaner scouryng scourge With bloudy pawes that cityes boundes doth purge Is Nero dyre this cruell cursed wyght That doth himselfe gaynst God and man ydyght And thrustes from sacred shrynes their quiet porte And goodly temples gay the sancted sort That cittyes dwellers puts from countries fort That hath bereft his brother of his lyfe And launcht his mothers sides with goary knyfe Yet doth this present lightsome day enioye And leades his lyfe that doth vs sore annoy O Father of heauen in vayne why dost thou throwe Thy great vnuanquisht ratling thundring blowe Vppon the whistling woods and ample seas With force of princely power thy wrath t' appease Ou such an hurtful and pernicious freake Thy due and iust conceyued yre to wreake Why stay thy mighty puissaunt braunds so long Ere thou fling downe thy ratling cracking throng O Lord that Nero once might pay the price Of all his deuilish deedes and euery vyce Th' whole wyde worlds tyrant sterne wher he a stroke Doth beare which he ouerlades with burdnous yoke Of princely syre yborne but doth defame With beastly manners vyle his princely name Nun. Vnworth he is your spousall chamber place But yet your destnies force you must imbrace And wel abyde your fortunes crooked race Nor moue vnkyndly Neroes gauly yre One day perchaunce there wil as I desyre Some God reuenge your lamentable case And once I trust a gladsome day shal be When you shal ioy a fresh in wonted place Oct. Ah. no now long this court alas we see With heauy wrath of Gods displeased yre Hath ouercharged bene which Venus dyre With Messalinas monstrous ramping lust Shee first hath brought adowne into the dust Who madly maryed to prince Claudius grace But little myndful then of that same case And not regarding much th appoynted payne With cursed cressets maried once againe To which vnlucky incestuall brydall bed That drosell dyre that furious slut Erin With hanging hayre aboute her hellish hed And gyrt with snakes with deadly step went in And flaming brandes from spousall chamber cought In both their blouds ybathd hath quenched cleane And hath incenst prince Claudius burning thought In bloudy thratling stroake to passe all meane My mother first of wretches all the most With stripe of deadly sword gaue vp her ghost And now extinguisht quite left me forlorne With dolours pyning panges and mourning worne And after her in hellish teame doth hayle Vnto the senseles soules of Plutoes iaile Her make and Brittannick her sonne that way And first this ruinous court did she betray Nut. Let be Madame with teares your face to dight Ne so renew your bitter wayling iust Ceasse troubling now your parents piteous spright That payed hath the price of raging lust THE FIFT SCENE Chorus God graunt the talke wee hearde of late To rashly trusted euery where And blowne abroad through each estate No badge of truth that it may beare And that no fresh espoused dame Our Princes thewes do enter in But that OCTAVIA keepe the same And that the seede of GLADIV Skin May once bring forth some pledge of peace That to the world rest may redowne And wrangling stryfe may easly cease And Rome retayne her great renowne The peerlesse Princesse Iuno hight Her brothers wedlocke yoke retaynes VVhy is AVGVSTVS sister bright VVhere like betroathed league remaynes From stately pompe of court reiect VVhat doth deuoutnes her auayle To sayncted syre who hath respectt VVhat doth her Virgins life preuayle And CLAVDIV Snow in ground ylayed Euen wee to much vnmyndefull be VVhose worthy steme we haue betrayed Throught feare that made vs to agree In breast our elders did embrace The perfect Romayne puissaunce The true vnstayned worthy race And bloud of Mars they did aduaunce The proude and lofty stomackt trayne Of lusty hauty mynded Kinges They could not suffer to remayne VVithin this noble Cities winges And iustly they reuengd thy death O Virgin chast VIRGINIA pure Depriude by syre of vitall breath That bondage thou mightst not endure And that his shameles brutish lust So good a meede might not enioy Although by filthy force vniust Thy chastity he would annoy Thee likewyse whom thyne owne right hande VVith sword did pearce LVCRETIA true VVho tyrantes rape could not withstand Did bloudy broyles and warres ensue And with her proude disdaynfull Make Lord TARQVIN ympe of cursed seede Correction due doth TVLLIA take For her vnkindly shameles deede VVho on her Fathers mangled corse To mischiefe bent and wicked bane The Carman shee to driue did force His cruell brusing wombling wane And quite agaynst all natures law Euen from her owne dismembred syre The sacred rytes she did withdraw Denaying wonted burial fire This griefe our woeful age doth feele Through monstruous act agaynst all kinde VVhen as in deadely crafty keele To TYRRHEN seas and wrastling wynd The proude presuming Prince did put His mother trapt in subtil sort The Mariners appoynted cut The swelling Seas from pleasaunt port The clash resoundes with stroake of Ores The Ship out launcht apace doth spinne In surging froath aloofe from shores And ample course of seas doth winne VVhich glydyng forth with leusned plankes In pressed streames with peysed weight The riftes do open closed crankes That hidden were with secrete sleight And gulpeth vp the leaking waue The woeful roaring noyse and crye VVith womans shrikes themselues to saue Do reach and beate the starry skye Then griesly present death doth daunce Before their eyes with pyning Cheekes VVhose deadly stroake and heauy chaunce For to auoyde then each man seekes On ryuened ribs some naked lie And cutte the beating waues in twayne And some theyr skilful swimming trye To get vnto the shore agayne The greatest part that sayled there By destnies dire to men prefixt In whirling swallowes drowned were The brinkes of Seas and ground betwixt Queene AGRIPPYNE her garments rendes Shee teares her ruffled lockes of hayre Abundant blubbring teares she spendes Through deepe distresse of faynting feare VVho when no hope of health shee spies Enflamde with wrath which woes appeasde O sonne for so greate giftes shee cryes Hast thou with such reward me pleasd This keele I haue deserued sure That bare and brought thee first to light VVho empyre witles did procure And CAESARS title for thy ryght Shew forth thy feareful spritish face O CLADIVS now from Limbo lake And of thy wyfe in wretched case Reuenge and due correction take Thy deth I causeles did conspyre VVhich now I rue with woeful harte I dressed eake a funerall fyre Vnto thy sonne by deadly smart Lo now as I deserued haue Vntombde go to thy guiltles Ghost Encloasd in seas in stead of graue And wrestling waues of Romayne coast The flasshing flawes do flappe her face And on her speaking mouth do beate Anone shee sinkes a certayne space Depressed downe with surges grea Anone shee fleetes on weltring brim And pattes them of with tender handes Through faynting
feare then taught to swim Approaching death and fates withstandes At length on troubled Seas displayde Shee geuing ouer working vayne And tyrd with streames is weary layd Not able toyling strength to strayne In close and secrete silent breastes Of mates with her to sea that yode In whom no feare of death there restes True fayth vnto theyr Queene abode Theyr Ladyes weather beaten limmes To helpe some freely venter dare Some in the combrous waters swymmes And desperate daunger do not spare VVith cheereful voyce they comfort her Though drawling dragling limmes shee drew To lift her vp with helpe they stirre And nummed corpes to strength renew VVhat bootes it thee the death to shonne Of roaring raging rauening waues From deadly sword of wicked sonne Alas pore wretch thee nothing saues VVhose huge and heinous cursed rage Agaynst all course of natures lore Our after slow beleeuing age VVil scarce beleeue it done before The deuillish man repynde with griefe VVhen he is mother saued sawe From swallowing seas haue safe releefe And that she vitall breath did draw He grudgde with griefe and in his heate He huger mischiefe heapes to this He doth not once delay his feate But headlong rashly caryed is Vpon her death A souldiour sent Dispatcheth that he had in charge His Ladies breast his blade doth rent Shee yeelding vp her soulde at large From wretched corpes for to entombe Her slaughter man she then besought That bloudy blade within her wombe That fyrst this woe to her had brought This this accursed breast quoth shee VVhich this vnkindly monster bare From pinching payne may not be free Digge slash the same no mischiefe spare VVhen this with foltring tounge was sayde At last her sad and trembling ghost VVith latter sobbing sighes vnstayd Through goryd woundes leaues vitall coast THE SECOND ACTE THE FIRST SCENE Seneca ON me with like consent why didst thou smile With glosed lookes deluding mee a whyle O fortune much of might and princely powre To lift aloft to noble royall bowre To th e'nde that I to honours court extold From stately seate might haue the greater fall And round aboute in euery place beholde Such dreadful threating daungers to vs all I safer lay aloofe from enuyes knockes Remou'd among the craggy corsicke rockes Where as my mynd there free at proper sway With leysure did repeate my studies aye A gladsome ioy alone it was to viewe And earnestly to marke the heauens so blew And sacred Phoebus double wheeled wayne And eake the worldes swift whirling motion mayne The Sunne so euen his second course to keepe And Phoebes glyding globe so swiftly sweepe Whom wondrous starting starres encompasse round And to behold that shynes in euery stound The glistring beauty bright of welkin wyde Than which in al the world nothing besyde Of all this huge and endles worke the guyde More wondrous nature fram'de that I espyde For all the bumping bignes it doth beare Yet waxing old is like agayne to weare And to be chaungde to an vnwyldy lumpe Now prest at hand this worldes last day doth iumpe With boystrous fall and tumbling rush of skye To squease and make this cursed kynd abye That springing once agayne it may yeeld out An other straunge renued vertuous route As once before it did new sprong agayne What tyme Saturnus held his golden raygne That blamelesse chast vnspotted Virgin cleere A goddesse much of might clept Iustice heere With sacred sooth sent downe from heauenly space At ease on earth did rule the mortal race That people playne knew not of warlicke feates Nor trembling trompets tunes that rendes and beates The souldiers eares nor clashing armour bright That warring wightes defend in field and fight Nor wonted was with walles to rampyre round Their open cityes set in any stound To each man passage free lay open than Nothing there priuate was to any man And then the ground it selfe and fertil soyle Hir fruitful bosome baard all voyd of toyle Into such bounden barnes a Matrone good And peaceable vnto so iust a broode But then an other second race arose Perceyued not to be so meeke as those A third more wyse and witty sort vp startes Of nature forged fit t' inuent new artes As yet vnspotted quite with filthy vyce Soone after thoe they raungd with new deuyce That boldly venture dare in scudding race Vnweldy beastes for to pursue apace And mighty weying strugling fishes great With watry coats yclad with fishers feat With net in window wyse draw forth and streeke With craft of quill the nibling fysshes cheeke And silly byrdes begylde with pyning trayne And light foote deare for lyfe that flyng amayne Intangling gins entrapt that safely hold And sturdy scouling visage buls controld On fleshye fillet neckes make weare the yoake And earth ere that vngrubbed vp that broake Which then turnd vp with Plowmans shyning share In sacred bosome deepe her fruits kept thare But now this age much worse then all the rest Hath lept into her mothers broken breast And rusty lumpish yron and massye Gold Hath digged out that was quite hid with mold And fighting fistes haue armd without delay And drawing forth their bondes for rule to stay Haue certayne seuerall ioly kingdomes made And cities new haue raysde now rulde with blade And fenseth eyther with their proper force Straūge stoundes or them assaults the which is worse The Starry specked virgin flowre of skies Which Iustice hight that guilty folke discries Now lightly esteemd of mortall people here Each earthly stound is fled and comes not neere The sauage mannerd route and beastly rude With dabbed wristes in goary bloud embrude The great desyre of griesly warre is sprong And raping thurst of gold it is not young Throughout the worlde a mighty monstruous vice Fowle filthy monstruous lust hath got the price A pleasaunt tickling plague whom longer space And errour deepe haue fostred vp apace The heaps of vyce rakte vp in yeares long past Abounding flowe in these our dayes at last And this same troublous tyme and combrous age Oppresseth all men sore both yong and sage Wherein those wicked wayes that be do raygne And cruell raumping woodnes boyles agayne Lust strong in filthy touch doth beare a sway And Princes ryot now doth catch away With greedy pawes to bring it to decay Th whole worldes vncredible wealth without delay But loe which staggring steppes where Nero flinges And visage grymme I feare what newes hee brynges THE SECOND SCENE THE SECOND ACTE Nero Prefectus Seneca DIspatch with speede that we commaunded haue Go send forthwith some one or other slaue That Plautius cropped scalpe and Sillas eke May bring befor our face goe some man seeke Pre. I nill protract your noble graces hest But to their campes to goe am ready prest Se. Gaynst lynage naught should rashly poynted bee Ne. A light thing t is for to be iust I see For him whose heart is voyd of shrinking feare Se. A soueraigne salue for feare is for to beare Your selfe debonair to
beside his center dew And ougsome night in shimmering shade from dungeon darck I drew And cankred Chaos lodged aloafe encountred mee awayne Yet from the deepe I gat to ground whence none returnes agayne Wee straue against the Ocean stormes I balasen the keele Fraught with my waight that wrestling waues could not cōpell it reele What heapes of hazardes tempted I through all the open ayre To qualify thy wedlocks wrath can mischiefe none repayre The earth would loath such baggage bred as I would match by might Yea monsters none are to be founde the fiendes doe shun my sight And Hercules for want of fiendes agaynst him selfe did rage What eluishe creatures curst did I with naked arme asswage Was euer any peuish thing so big vpon the ground That coapt with mee but that my hand alone did it confound Not hether to from vermin vyle through faynting feare I leapt In babish yeares not when to me in Cradell layde they leapt Eache thing that was commaunded me at ease I did obay Thus free from paynefull toyle to me there neuer past a day What vermin haue I vanquished no king commaunding it My courage cloyes me more then all the wyles of Iunoes wit But what auayleth me to rid mankinde of fickle feare The Gods yet cannot raygne in rest while vp the world doth peare New rid of furious fiendes it sees a loft in starry skies The cruell creatures all that earst on earth did fore aggrise Dame Iuno hath transport the elues The scorching Crab doth creepe Abouth the burning zone and loofe at Affrica doth keepe The Tropick line and Haruest fat he feedes with parching heate To Virgo Leo turnes the time and in a reaking sweate He buskling vp his burning Mane doth dry the dropping south And swallowes vp the slabby cloudes in fyry foming mouth The Vrchins all are creapt to skies and haue preuented mee I Conqueror from Earth to Heauen my trauells all may see These gargle Faces grim on heauen Dawe Iuno first did set As though thereof the terrour might to skies my passage let Although she scatter them in Skyes or make the Heauens forlorne More then the Earth or hellike Goulphes wherby the Gods are sworne Yet roome for Hercles shal be made if after monsters quelde Or battells fought or hellike hound in Chaynes as captiue helde If all exploytes cannot preuayle in skies a place to gayne Then soukt vp bee the midland Sea twixt Barbarie and Spayne That eyther shore may ioyne in one with channell none betweene There will I dam the running streame that Sea shall none be seene Or as for Corinth out shot land that tweene two seas doth lye It shall giue way to eyther streame that through the same shall fly And when the seas on passage haue the Fleete of Athens towne May floate in Channell new thus shall the world turne topsidown Let Ister turne his streame and Tanaus slow another way Graunt Ioue a placket graunt whereby the Gods vpholde I may Discharge thy thunder dint where I shall keepe due watch warde If eyther to the ysy poale thou bid mee haue regarde Or burning zone heere let the Gods full safe all force defy Prynce Paean purchast hath an house amid the cristall sky And well deserued he the temples of Pernassus hill For slaughter of a Dragon made how oft recouering still In Hydra poyson Python lay with Bacchus Perseus strong By lesse desert then Hercules haue crept the Gods among But all the East a mighty coast to bond is brought by him Whom Iuno spightes how stearne a bug was snaky Gorgon grim What Impe is he begot betweene my stepdame dyre and thee Whose praysed paynes haue purchaste him a place in heauen to be The heauen that on my shoulders I haue hoisterd vp I craue But Lycas partner of my paynes dispatch our triumph braue Display in pomp the ruin of Euritus house and Crowne And for the sacrifice with speede strike yet the Bullocks downe Where as the Aare that doth adnaunce the Church of Cenei Ioue Lyes open to Euboea sea that wrackfull waue doth moue Chorus THe Gods in blisse that man doth coūteruaile That can at once both Graue glory gayne Death vpon death the whilst doth him assaile Whose wretched life is lingred on in payne With frowning fate in spurning spighte who shiues And sets the Keele of gaping goulphe at nought Will not submit his captiue handes to giues As dishe of dishonour in triumph to bee brought Like carefull caytife hee shall neuer droupe Whelmed in storming thoughts of sower annoy Whose stomacke scornes for dawnting death to stoupe Though seas amid the deepe in hoysted hoy Driue him aloofe when as a southern gale Beates Boreas back or eastern puffe agayne Recoiles the western winde and seemes to hale From deepest sandes the surges torne in twayne Tht broken planckes to catche hee scrambles not Of wracked barke as one that hopes to haue Amid the Channell deepe a landing plot When dismall death appeares in euery waue Hee cannot suffer shipwracke all alone With pined karrayne coarse and streames of teares And with our countrey dust our heades vpon Powldring our lockes wee languishe out our yeares Neyther flashing flame nor thumping thunder cracke Will once dawnt vs O death thou dost pursew Where fortune fawnes but where shee worketh wracke Thou shunnest those that woulde thee not eschew Wee stand not in our razed countrey wall Whose ground shall now bee ouergrowne alas With bramble and bryer and down the temples fall While mucky sheepecotes are planted in their place And now the frostifaced Greeke alas This way this way with all his droue of Neate By so much of AEchalia must passe As heapt on ashes gloweth still with heate The Tessayle sheepherd sitting by the way On iarringe Pype shall play his countrey ryme Singing wyth sighes alacke and weladay Thus to bewayle the sorrowes of our time Ere tyme shall roll the race of many a yeare It will be askt where earst the towne did stand O well was I when as I liued a leare Not in the barren balkes of fallow land Nor in Thessalia on the foodelesse cliues But now among rough Trachin craggy Rocks And ougly shrubs necessity mee driues Whose flaming toppes detarres the feeding Oxe And in the way lesse woods vntrode before All comfortlesse afright and in a maze Needes must I trot alone that would abhorre The saluage beastes that on the mountaynes graze But better lot if any Dames may haue They ouer Inach wambling streame shall row Or shrowd in Dirce Walles where Ismen waue With feeble force of shallow fourde doth flow The hawty Hercles mother heere was wed What Scythian crag what stones engendred him What Rocky mountayne Rhodope thee bred Of Tyrant Titans race a cursed lim Stipe Athos hill the brutish Caspia land With teate vnkinde fed thee twixt rocke stoane False is the tale wherewith thou bearst in hande Two nights for thee thy Mother deare did groane While lingring starres long lodged in purple sky
iagged skin is ript and out my smoaky Bowells swelt From bursten Paunch my selfe doe flea the skin with grasping pawse And from the naked boanes doe teare the mangled flesh by flawes I searched for thee through my Mawe yet further dost thou creepe And festring farther in my flesh hast gnawne an hole more deepe O mischiefe match to Hercules what griefe coulde make mee greete WheÌ„ce flow these streames of trilliÌ„g teares that down my cheekes do fleete The time hath bin no plunging pangues could cause our courage quaile That neuer vse with cristall teares our anguish to bewayle Ah fy I am ashamde that I should learne these teares to shed That Hercules in weeping wise his griefe hath languished Who euer saw at any day in any time or place All bitter brunes I bare with dry and eake vnreky face The manhoode that so many ills hath maistred heretofore Hath yeelded onely vnto thee to thee thou Cankar sore Thou first of all hast straynde the teares out of my weeping eyes Thy gargle face thy visage man that doth mee sore aggrise More towgh then mossy Rockes more hard then Gads of sturdy steele Or roaming streame of Simplegade whereby this smart I feele Hath crusht my cracking Iawes wronge the streaming teares froÌ„ me O wielder of the Welkin swifte loe loe the Earth doth see How Hercules doth weepe and wayle and to my greater payne My Stepdame Iuno sees the same beholde beholde agayne My Lunges doe fry the scorching heate preuayleth more and more Whence fell this thunder Boult on mee that burnes in mee so sore C. Who stoupeth not wheÌ„ griefe doth gal more tough theÌ„ Aem of Thrace Whas whilom hawty Hercules and did no more gieue place Then doth the marble axelltree his Lims hee now doth yeelde To paynefull pangues and on his Neck his aking heade doth wielde And tossing still from side to side hee bendes with hugy sway And oft his noble heart doth force his trilling teares to stay Hercules Alcmena O Father wyth thy heauenly Eyes Beholde my wretched plight For neuer HERCVLES till nowe bid craue thy hande of might Not when as Hydraës fruictfull heads about my Lyms were wounde Nor when I locke in Lakes alow fought with th' infernall hownde These hideous fiends I foylde with kings tyraunts prowde likewise Yet in these broyles I neuer lookt for succour to the skyes This hand did still auouch the vowe no thunder for my sake Did glitter in the holy heauens this day hath hid mee make Some suite to thee and of my boones yet heere 's the first and last One onely Thunder boult I craue at mee O Ioue to cast Count mee a Giaunt of my selfe I can no lesse deuise While Ioue I thought of promise true I spaarde the starry skies Bee thou eyther a cruell sier or pity if thou haue Yet lend thy sonne thy help and get the glory of my graue Preuenting this my dreary death of this if thou doe skorne Or that thy hand abhorre the guilt from Sicill cliue suborne The soultring Giaunts that in hand high Pindus mount can weilde Or Ossa that it hurlde on mee I may therewith bequielde Brast vp hell Gates and let Bellone scourge mee with Iron rod And let in armes encounter mee the mighty Martiall God My brother I acknowledge him but by my sâ—epdames side And Pallas thou my sister take let at thy brother slide A thirling Darte O stepdame myne with humble suite I craue A wounde of thee that womans hand may bring mee to my graue Why dost thou feede thy fury nowe as one whose wrath were ende And satisfied what seeke yee more I stoupe I yeelde I bende Thou seest Alcides humbly layde where as vnto this day That euer I entreated thee no Land no Beast can say Now doe I neede thy deadly wrath to rid mee of my payne And now thy rankour is appeasde thy hate is quencht agayne And thus thou sparest mee my life when as I wishe to dye O Earth will none make mee the fier wherein my bones may fry Nor reach a blade to Hercules conuay yee all from mee So let no country Monsters breede when I shall buried be And let none wayle the losse of mee if 〈◊〉 more aryse God send another Hercules to succour Earth and skyes But as for mee on euery side ding out my broosed brayne And crash with sturdy stroke of stones my cursed Scull in twayne And rid my torments wilt thou not O worlde to mee vnkynde And are so soone our benefits forgotten in thy mynde Een to this bower with bugs and beasts thou had 〈◊〉 ouer layde Had not I bin good people cause his torments to be stayde That succored you time giues you leaue to recompence my payne If yee with death will guerden mee I aske none other gayne AL. Where shall I wretched mother of Alcides wishe to bee Where is my chylde where is my sonne If sight deceaue not mee With gasping mouth and panting heart loe where hee sprawling lyes Where as alas in raging heart of boyling fits hee fryes Hee groues all is dispacht deare childe let mee Alcides myne Embrace thy pining lims with kisse enfoulde my armes in thyne Where are the lims where is the neck that bare the skies alone What thus hath mangled thee that all thy corps is waste and gone HE. I am your Hercles mother deare whom thus yee see here lost Acknowledge mee all though God knowes I seeme but as a ghost Why doe you turne your face away and mourning visage mylde Are yee ashamde that Hercules should counted bee your chylde AL. What world hath bred this vncouth bug what land engendred it Or els what monstrous mischiefe may on thee triumphing sit Who i st that conquers Hercules HE. By treason of his Wyfe Thou seest how wretched Hercules do leese his lothed Lyfe AL. To ouerthrow my Hercules what treason hath the might HE. That which a wrathfull Dame doth seeke to case her of her spight AL. How hath this pestilence gotten to thy Lims and bleeding bones HE. Iâ—to a Shyrt the woman had conuayde it for the nonce AL. Where is the Shyrt for nothing but thy naked coips I see HE. The vesture by the poyson ranke deâ—owred is with mee AL. And can such poyson be contriued HE. I thinke within my guts That hideous Hydra hissing Snake his slowghy body puts A thousand plagues of Lerna Poole within my Bowelles rampes What raging deare is this that driues vp all Sicilia dampes What Eâ—me of Hell forbids the day to passe the boyling â—one O Maâ—es amid the greedy gulphes and pooles let me be throwne What Ister can my Carkas coole no not the Ocean mayne Of these my stewing vapours may the raging quench agayne Al moysture of my limmes in these my fits are fryde away The iuyce wil sone be soaked vp what president of hel Let me returne from vnder grounde agayne with Ioue to dwell He ought to haue retaynd me still receiue me once agayne Into thy dungeon darke
with a night engendred hath to thee If East and West if Scithia and euery burning plot That parched is with glowing glede of Phoebus fier hot Doth sing my prayse and if the earth ful satisfyde with peace If languishing and wayling woords in euery towne doe cease If none their alters do imbrew with any guiltles gore Then Ioue let my vncaged spirite haue heauen for euermore As for th infernall dennes of death they do not me detarre Nor scouling Plutoes dungeon darck but Ioue I do abhorre Vnto those gastly Goblins as a stlly shade to goe Sith I am he whose conquering hand gaue them their ouerthrowe Withdraw these foggy clowdes of night display the glimsyng light That Hercles broyld with flying flames the Gods may haue in sight And if thou do denye O fyre the starres and heauen to mee To geue me them agaynst thy will thou shalt constrayned bee If glutting griefe do stop thy speach the Stygian goulphes set oape Aud let mee dye but first declare within the heauenly coape That thou accepst me as thy soone this day it shal be wrought That to bee raysd aloft to starres I may be worthy thought Thou hast doone litle for me yet it may be doubted well Whether Ioue did first beget his sonne or damnd him first to hell And quoth he let my stepdame see how wel I can abyde The scorching heate of burning brandes for fyer then he cride And sayth to me O Philoctet in hast vppon me throw The burning logges why quakest thou dost dastard thow forslow For feare to this wicked deede O coward peasant slaue Thou art to weake to bende my bow vnmeete my shaftes to haue What aylest thou to loke so pale and as thou seest mee lye With cherefull looke couragiously do thou the fier plye Behold me wretch that broyle and burne my father opes the Skyes And vnto me sonne Hercules come come away he cryes O father Ioue quoth he I come with that I waxed pale And toward him a burning beame with might and mayne I hale But backe from him the billets flye and tumbling out they leape And from the limmes of Hercules downe falleth all the heape But he encrocheth on the fyre as it from him doth shrinke That many mountaynes whole were set on fyer a man would thinke No noyse was hard and all was husht but that the fyer did hisse In Hercles glowing paunch when as his liuer burning is It boysteous gyant Typhus had amid this fire bene throwne These torments would haue straind his teares forst him sigh grone Or tough Euceladus that tost a mountayne on his backe But Hercles lifted vp himselfe amid his fyres all blacke With smoake besmeard his corps halfe burnt in shiuers gube flawes And downe the throate his gasping breath flames at once he drawes Then to Alemen he turnd himselfe O mother myne quoth hee Should ye so stand at Hercles death should you thus wayle for me And thus betwene the fire and smoke vpright and stiffe he standes And neyther stoupes nor leanes awrye but moues and stirs his hands With al his liuely gestures still and thus he doth perswade His mother leaue the langusshing and mourning that she made And did encourage all his men t' encrease the fyre than As though he were not burning but would burne some other man The people stoode astonished and scant they would beleeue That fire had any force on him or that it did him greeue Because his chereful looke had such a maiesty and grace And neuer wilde vs meue the fyre that he might burne apace And now when as he thought he had endured pangues ynough And stoutly bode the brunt of death the blocks hee doth remoue That smothering lay to make theÌ„ burne then downward doth he shoue And where the stewing heate did chiefely scorch and burne most hot That way he thrusts his frying lims and thether hath hee got With steaming countnaunce vnapaulde his mouth now doth he fill With burning coales his comely Bearde theÌ„ blazde about his cheekes And now when as the sparkling fier vnto his visage seekes The flame lickt vp his sâ—â—ged hayre and yet he did not winke But open kept his staring eyes But what is this my thinke Alomene cometh yonder as a woefull wight forlorne With sighes and sobs and all her hayre befrounced rent and torne And beares the remnaunt in her Lap of Hercules the great Alcmena Philoctetes LEarne Lordings learne to feare and dread th' unwelldy fatall force This little dust is all that 's lefâ— of Hercles hugy coarse That boysteous Giaunt is consumde vnto these ashes small O Titan what a mighty masse is come to nought at all Aye me an aged womans lappe all Hercules doth shrowde her lap doth serue him for a graue and yet the champion prowde With all his lumpe stils not the roome Aye mee a burthen small I feele of him to whom whole heauen no burthen was at all O Hercules beare chylde O sonne the season whilom was That thou to Tartar pits and sluggish deus aloofe didst passe For to repasse from deepe of hell when wilt thou come agayne For to put loyne the spoyles thereof or bring from captiue chayne To life thy friendly Theseus But when wilt thou returne Alone can flaming Phelegethon thy ghost in torments burne Or can the mastiâ—â—e Dogge of hell keepe downe thy woefull sprite Where then might I come see thy soule and leaue this loathed light When shall I rap at Tartar gate what Iawes shall mee deuower What death shall dâ—wnt mee goest thou to hell and hast no power To come agayne alas why do I wast the day in teares and 〈◊〉 O wretched lyfe why dost thou last thou shouldest droupe and saynt And loath this dreary daye how can I beare to Ioue agayâ—e Another noble Hercules what sonne may I obtayne So valiunt to call mee thus Alcmena mother myne O happy spouse Ampliterio twyse happy hast thou bene In entring at the dennes of death and through the noble sonne The Deutis arthy presentes quake to see thee thether come Though thou but forged father were to Hercules of late Whether shall old beldam goe whom many kinges do hate If any prince remayne with blody breast and murdring mynde Then woe to mee if groning babes be any left behynd That sorrow for theyr parentes deathes now now for Hercles sake Theyr mallice let them wrecke on mee on mee dyre vengeance take If any young Bustris be I feare the Persians sore Wil come and take me captiue hence in chaynes for euermore If any tyrant feede his horce with gubbes of straungers flesh Now let his pampred iades vnto my Carksse fall a fresh Perhap dame Iuno coueteth on me to wrecke her yrâ— And eâ—vs of her burning breast wil turne the flaming fire Her wreckful hand doth loyter now sith Hercules is slayne And now to feele her spurning spyte as harlot I remayne My valyant sonne is cause of this my wombe shall barrayne be Least I should beare another
child as hardy as was hee Oh whether may Alcmena goe or whether shal she wend What countrey or what kingdomes may my careful hed defend Where may I couch my wretched coarse that euery where am knownde If I vnto my natiue soyle repayre among myne owne Euristeus is of Argoe lord thus woefully forlorne I wil to Thebes where I was wed and Hercules was borne And where with Ioue I did enioy dame Venus deare delight O blessed woman had I bene and in most happy plight It Ioue with flash of lightning leams and blasing flakes of fyre Had smolthred me as Semele was sowst at her desyre Would God that Hercles whyle he was a babe had rypped bene Out of my wombe then wretchedly I should not this haue seene The pangues and tormentes of my sonne whose prayse doth couÌ„teruaile Euen Ioue then had I learnd that death at length might him assayle And take him from my sight O child who wil remember thee For now vnthankfulnes is great in men of each degree 〈◊〉 for thy 〈◊〉 I do not know where entertaynd to bee The â—word of the Cleonies I will attempt and fyre Whom from the Lyon rescâ—wde he and made the monster dye Or shal I too th' Archadians go where thou didst sleâ— the boare Where thy renowne remaine 〈…〉 of great exploytes before The parlous 〈◊〉 Hydra heare was slayne there fel he dead That with the flesh of slaughtred men his greedy horses fedde And yonde 's were the Stimphall burdes compelde to leaue the saye And tamed by the handy toyle now doth the Lyon frie And belketh 〈◊〉 fumes in heauens whyle thou liest in thy groue O if mankynd but any sparke of thankful nature haue Let all men prcace to succour mee Alcmene thy mother deare What if among the Thracians I venter to appeare Or on the 〈◊〉 of Hebet floud thy prowesse euery where Hath succoured all these soylts for earst in Thrace thou did put downe The fleshy meangres of the King and put him from his crowne By slaughter of the saluage printe the people liue in peace Where diddest thou denye thy helpe to make tormoyling cease Vnhappy mother that I am a shryne where may I haue To shrowde thy coarse for all the world may striue aboute thy graue What temple may be meete to shryne thy reliques safe for aye And hallowed bones what nations vnto the ghost shal pray O noble sonne what sepulchere what hearse may serue for thee The world it selfe through flying flame thy fatal tombe shal be Who taketh here this payse from me his ashes which I beare Why loath I them imbrace his bones keepe stil his ashes here And they shal be a shield to thee his dust that thee defend To see his shadow princes prowde for feare shal stoupe and bend Ph. O mother of noble Hercules forbeare your dreary playnt His valiant death thus should not be with femal teares attaynt Ye should not languish thus for him nor count him wretched man In dying who by noble mynd preuent his destny can His cheuatry forbyddeth vs with teares him to bewayle The stately stomacke doth not sloupe they sigh whose hartes do fayle Alc. I le mone no more behold behold most wretched mother I Haue lost the sheild of land end sead where glittring Phoebe displayes With whirling wheeles in foamy gulphes and red and purple rayes The losse of many sonnes I may lament in him alone Through him I lifted Kings to frowne when crown my selfe had none Ayd neuer any mother liude that neded lesse to craue Of Gods then I I asked naught while I my sonne might haue What could not Hercles tender loue like on me to bestow What God would once denâ—â— to 〈…〉 or what he held me froe I was in my powre to aske and haue If Ioue would ought denye My Hercules did bring to passe I had 〈…〉 by What mortall mother euer bare and lost so deare a sonne Earst downe the cheekes of Niobe the 〈…〉 When of her deare and tender brattes she wholly was hereuen And did bewaâ—le with strayned sighes her children seuen and seueâ— And yet might I compare this one my Hercles vnto those And I in him as much as shee in all her impâ—s die lose The mothers that are mourning dames do lacke on hâ—d and chefe And now Alcmene shal be shee depriude of all releefe Cease woeful â—â—thers cease if that among you any are Constrayne to shed your streaming teares by force of peasâ—ue careâ— Ye Lady whom lamenting song of women fourmed rockes Geue place vnto my gluttyng greefe beat on with burning knockes Ye handes vppon my riueled breast alas am I alone Enough for such a funerall to languish and to moue Whom al the world shall shortly neede yet steech thy feble armes To thumpe vppon thy sounding breast thy griefe with boleful 〈◊〉 And in despyte of al the gods powre put thy woeful erye And to receiue thy flowing teares thy warry cheekes applye Bewayle Alcmenas woful state the sonne of Ioue bewayle Whose byrth did cause the duâ—ay day in kindly course 〈◊〉 fayle The East compact two nightes in one Lo to a greater thing Then glorious day the world hath lost now let your forrowes ring Yet people al whose lowryng lordes he draw to dennes of death Theyr blades that reckt with guiltles 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 into the sheath Bestow on him your Christall teares which he deserued wellt Howle out ye heauens ye mardle seas and goulphes with gronings yell O Crete Deare darling vnto Ioue For Ioue of Hercles roâ—e Ye hundred cityes beate yond armes my sonne for euermore Is gone among the griesâ—y ghostes and shimmering shades of hell Lament for him ye woeful mightes that here on 〈◊〉 do dwell Hercules Alcmenâ— WHy Mother wayle you mee an 〈◊〉 〈…〉 hoâ—t of hell Or 〈…〉 of death sith I among 〈◊〉 Spheares doe dwell Forbeare forbeare to moane for mee for vertue opened hath To mee the passage to the Starres and set mee in the path That guides to euerlasting Lyfe whence coâ—s this dreadfull sounde Alc. Whence roares this thundring voyce that doth against mine eares rebosid And biddeth mee to shine my teares I know it now I know The darksome dungeâ—â—â— daunied are and Demies of Lakes alow O Sonne art thou retâ—rnd to the from Stygian gulph agayne And can thou twise of ougly death the con quest thus obtayne And brast the balefull prisons twise of glum and gastly night Agaâ—â—st 〈…〉 thus by might May any scape from 〈…〉 thou stape alone Hath hell no power to holde thy sprite when breath from breast is gone Or els hath Pluto baalde thee out for feare least thou alone Should cloyne his Scepter from 〈◊〉 hand pluck him from his front For I am sure I sawe thee layde vpon the burning trees And from thy Corps the flame and sparkes agaynst the welkin flyes That sure thou wast to poâ—ldee burne and feeble lyfe was lost But sure the deepes and pits of 〈◊〉 did not lock vp thy ghost Why were the deuills alrayde of thee why quaked Ditis grim And did thy noble ghost seeme such a gastly bug to him HE. The dampy 〈◊〉 of Cocitas coulde not keepe me from light Nor Carons fusty musty Barge transported hath my sprite Now Myther 〈…〉 more once haue I seeme the 〈◊〉 of hell And all the 〈…〉 that dwell That mortall moulde I tooke of you to nought the flames haue fryed Heauen hath the substaunce that I tooke of Ioue in fier yours died And therefore rawse your playntius teares which parents vse to shed When wretchedly they wayle their sonnes that dastardly are dead Thus vulgar varlets weepe loe vertue hopes the Starres to get But faynting feare 〈◊〉 on death from heauen where I am set You heare my voyce Euristeus now shal byde the deadly push With charyot sway his cracked scull ye shal on sunder crush Now must I hence aduaunce my Ghost vp to the rolling skyes Once more I daunt the deuilles and do the goblins grim aggrise Alc. But stay awhile my sonne he fades and shrinketh from my sight Aduaunst he is among the starres doth this my charmed Spirite Dote in a traunce or do I dreame that I haue seene my sonne A troubled mynd can scante beleue the thinges he seeth done But now I see thou art a God possessing heauen for aye I see it sure I wil to Thebes thy triumphes to display Chorus LO vertue scapes the gastly shades of hell Ye noble peeres that shyne in vertue bright Dire desteny cannot constrayne you dwell Among the glowming glades of ougly might Nor sinke your fame in loathsome lakes of spyte But when deaths day drawes on the gasping howre You purchast glory shall direct your right To fynd the passage to the heauenly bower When flesh doth fall and breathing body dies Then Fame the child of Vertue doth arise But sluggish sottes that sleepe their dayes in sloth Or geue their golden age to loath some lust Them and their names the wretches bury both When as their bones shall shryned be in dust The clay shall couer their carkases forlorne As though such kaytisses neuer had bene borne But if that ought of memory they haue In thafter age it shal be filthy shame The gnawing wormes torment not so in graue Their rotten flesh as tounges do teare their name That dayly kild to further mischiefe liues Lo both the fruites that vice and virtue giues FINIS Ouid. Omne genus scripti grauitate Tragoedia vincit