Cl. His conscience wedlocke vow doth pricke bringes him home again Let vs returne the selfe same trade a new for to retayne To which at first we should haue stucke and ought not to forsake To couenaunt continent a new let vs our selues betake To take the trade of honesty at no tyme is to late He purged is from punishment whose hart the cryme doth hate Aeg. Why whither wilt thou gad o rash and vnaduysed dame What dost thou earnestly beleeue and firmly trust the same That Agamemnons spousall bed wil loyall be to thee That nought doth vnderprop thy mynd which might thy terrour bee His proud successe puft vp to high with lucky blast of wynde Might make so cranke and set aloft his hawty swelling mynd Among his peares he stately was ere Troyan turrets torne How thinke ye then his stomacke stoute by nature geuen to scorne In haughtines augmented is more in himselfe to ioy Throughe this triumphant victory and conquest got of Troy Before his voyage Miceane King most mildly did he raygne But now a Tyrant truculent returnd he is agayne Good lucke and proude prosperity do make his hart so ryse With what great preparation prepared solemne wysâ— A rabblement of strumpets come that clong about him al But yet the Prophetesse of Thebe whom God of truth we call Appeares aboue the rest she keepes the King shee doth him guyde Wilt thou in wedlocke haue a mate and not for it prouyde So would not shee the greattest greefe this is vnto a wyfe Her husbandes mimon in her house to leade an open life A Queenes estate cannot abyde her peere with her to raygne Ind ielous wedlocke wil not her companion sustayne Cl. Aegist in desprat moode agayn why seest thou mee a flote Why kindlest thou the sparkes of yre in imbers couered hot If that the victors owne free will release his captiues care Why may not I his Lady spouse haue hope as wel to fare One law doth rule in royal throne and pompous princclye Towres Among the vulgar sorte another in priuate simple bowers What though my grudging fancy force that at my husbandes hand Sharpe execution of the law I stubbernly withstand Recording this that haynously offended him I haue He gently wil me pardon graunt who neede the same to craue Aeg. Euen so on this condition thou mayst with him compound To pardon him if he agayne to pardon the be bounde The subtil science of the law the statutes of our land That long agoe decreed were thou dost not vnderstand The Iudges be malicious men they spyght and enuye vs But he shal haue them partiall his causes to discus This is the chiefest priuiledge that doth to Kinges belong What lawes forbiddeth other men they doe and doe no wronge Cly. He pardned Helen she is wed to Menela agayne Which Europe all with Asia did plunge alike in payne Aeg. No Ladies Lust hath rauisht yet Atrides in his life Nor priuily purloynd his hart betrothed to his wyfe To picke a quarrel he beginnes and matter thee to blame Suppose thou nothing hast commit that worthy is of shame What boteth him whom Princes hate an honest life to frame He neuer doth complayne his wrong but euer beares the blame Wilt thou repayre to Spart and to thy countrey trudge aryght Wilt thou become a ronnagate from such a worthy wight Deuorcement made from Kinges wil not so let the matter scape Thou easest feare by fickle hope that falsly thou dost shape Cli. My trespas is disclosd to none but to a trusty wight Aeg. At princes gates fidelity yet neuer enter might Cl. I wil corrupt and feede him so with siluer and with gold That I by bribing bynd him shall no secrets to vnfold Ae. The trust that hyred is and bought by brybes and moneis fee Thy counsell to bewray agayne with brybes entyste wil be Cl. The remnaunt left of shamefastnes of those vngracious trickes Wherin of late I did delyght my conscience freshly prickes Why kep'st thou such a busie sturre and with thy flatring speach Enstructing me with lewd aduyse dost wicked counsell preach Shall I forsooth of royal bloud with al the speede I can Refuse the King of Kinges and wed an outcast banisht man Aeg. Why should you thinke in that Thiest was father vnto mee And Agamemnon Atreus sonne he should my better be Cly. If that be but a tryfle small and nephew to the same Aeg. I am of Phoebus linage borne wherof I do not shame Cl. Why makste thou Phoebus author of thy wicked pedagrew Whom out of heauen ye forst to flye when bridle backe he drew When Lady Night with mantel blacke did spread her soden shade Why makest thou the Gods in such reproachfulnes to wade Whose father hath thee conning made by sleight and subtil guyle To make thy kinsman Cockold whyle his wyfe thou do defyle What man is he whom we do know to be thy fathers mate Abusing lust of Lechery in such vnlawful rate Auaunt go packe thee hence in hast dispatch out of my sight This infamy whose blemish staynes this bloud of worthy wyght Aeg. This is no new exile to me that wickednes do hannt But if that thou O worthy Queene commaund me to auaunt I wil not only strayght auoyde the house the towne and field My life on sword at thy request I ready am to yeeld Cli. This heynous dede permit shall I most churlish cruell drab Agaynst my wil though I offend the fault I should not blabbe Nay rather come apart with mee and let vs ioyne our wittes To wrap our selues out of this woe and parlous threatning fits Chorus NOw chaunt it lusty laddes Apollos prayse subborne To thee the frolicke flocke their crowned heads adorne To thee King Inachs stocke of wedlocke chamber voyde Brayd out their virgins lockes and theron haue employd Theyr sauory garlandes greene Itwist of laurell bow Draw neare with vs O Thebes our dauncing follow thou Come also ye that drinck of Ismen bubling flood VVheras the Laurell treeful thicke on bankes doth bood Eake ye whom Mando mild the Prophetesse diuine Foreseyng fate and borne of high Tiresias lygne Hath stird to celebrate with sacred vse and right Appollo and Dian borne of Latona bright O Victor Phaebe vnbend thy noked bow agayne Syth quietnes and peace anew we do retayne And let thy twanckling harpe make melody so shril Whyle that thy nimble hand stryke quauers with thy quill No curious descant I nor lusty musick craue No iolly rumbling note nor trouling tune to haue But on thy treble Lute according to thy vse Stryke vp a playnsong note as when thy learned muse Thy lessons do record though yet on baser string It lyketh thee to play the song that thou did singe As when from fyery heauen the dint of lightning flue Sent downe by wrath of Gods the Titans ouerthrew Or else when mountaynes were on mountaynes heaped hie That rayse for Giauntes fell theyr steppes into the skye The mountayne Ossa stoode on
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
kingdomes place Is he himselfe the lorde thereof the sight of whom doth feare What euer thing is fear'de AM. Is fame in this poynet true that there Such rygours are and gilty Ghosts of men that there remayne Forgetfull of theyr former faulte haue their deserued payne Who is the rector there of ryght and iudge of equity TH. Not onely one extorter out of faultes in seate set hye The iudgements late to trembling soules doth there by lot awarde In one appoyncted iudgement place is Gnossian Minos harde And in an other Radamanthe this crime doth Aeac heare What eche man once hath done he feeles and guilt to th' author the are Returnes and th' hurtfull with their owne example punisht bee The bloudy cruell captaynes I in pryson shee did see And backe of tyrant impotent euen with his peoples hande All torne and cut what man of might with fauour leades his lande And of his owne lyfe lorde reserues his hurtlesse handes to good And gently doth his empyre guide without the thyrst of blood And spares his soule he hauing long led forth the lingring dayes Of happy age at length to heauen doth eyther finde the wayes Or ioyfull happy places ells of fayre Elysius woode Thou then that here must be a iudge abstayne from man his bloode Who so thou be that raygnest kyng our gyltes are there acquit In greater wyse AM. Doth any place preseript of lymite shit The gylty Ghosts and as the fame reportes doth cruell payne The wicked men make tame that in eternall bondes remayne TH. Ixion roll'de on whyrling wheele is tost and turned hye Vpon the necke of Sisyphus the mighty stone doth lye Amyd the lake with thyrsty Iawes olde Tantalus therein Pursues the waues the water streame doth wet and washe his chin And when to him nowe ofte deceyu'de it doth yet promise make Straight flits the floud the fruicte at mouth his famyne doth forsake Eternall foode to fleeing foule doth Tytius hart geue still And Danaus daughters doe in vayne theyr water vessells fill The wicked Cadmus daughters all goe raging euery way And there doth greedy rauening byrde the Phiney tables fray AM. Nowe of my sonne declare to me the noble worthy fight Brings he his willing vnckles gyft or Plutocs spoyles to sight TH. A dyre and dredfull stone there is the slouthfull foordes fast bye Where sluggish freat with waue aston'd full dull and slowe doth lye This lake a dredfull fellow keepes both of attire and sight And quaking Ghosts doth ouer beare and aged vgly wyght His Bearde vnkempt his bosome foule deform'de in filthy wyse A knot byndes in full lothesome stand in head his hollowe eyes He Feary man doth steare about his Boate with his long Ore He driuing nowe his lightned Ship of burden towarde the Shore Repayres to waues and then his way Alcides doth requyre The flocke of Ghosts all geuing place alowde cryes Charon dyre What way attemptest thou so bolde thy hastening pace here stay But Nathales Alcmenaes sonne abyding no delay Euen with his owne poale bet he dothe full tame the shipman make And clymes the ship the barke that coulde full many peoples take Did yelde to one he sat the boate more heauy like to breake Whith shyuering ioyntes on eyther syde the lethey floud doth leake Then tremble all the monsters huge the Centaures fierce of myght And Lapithes kindled with much wyne to warres and bloudy fight The lowest Chanelles seeking out of Stygian poole a downe His Lerney labour sore affright his fertile heads doth drowne Of greedy Ditis after this doth then the house appere The fierce and cruell Stygian dogge doth fray the spirites there The which with great and roaring sounde his heads vpshaking three The kingdome keepes his vgly head with filth full foule to see The serpentes licke his hayres be fowle with vypers set among And at his crooked wrested tayle doth hysse a Dragon longe Lyke yre to shape when him he wyst his pace that way to take His bristle hayres he lifteth vp with fierce vp bended snake And sounde sent out he soone perceyues in his applyed eare Who euen the sprits is wont to sent as soone as stoode more neare The sonne of loue the doubtfull dogge strait couched downe in denne And eche of them did feare beholde with dolefull barking then The places dumme he makes a dred the threatning serpent stout Through all the fieldes about doth hysse the bawling noyse sent out Of dredfull voyce from triple mouth euen sprits that happy bee Doth make afrayde from left side then strayte way vndoeth hee The cruell Iawes and Lyons head once slayne in Cleon fielde Agaynst him sets and couer doth himselfe with mighty shielde And bearing in his conquering hande a sturdy club of Oke Nowe here now there he rolleth him about with often stroke His stripes he doubles he subdew'de his threates asswaged all And all his heads the weary dogge at once full lowe let fall And quite out of the denn he fled full greatly feared set In regall throne both king and queene and bad him to bee fet And me likewyse they gaue for gyft to Hercles crauing mee The monsters heauy neckes with hand then stroaking downe all three In lynked chayne he byndeth faste forgetting then his strength The dogge the watchefull keeper of the kingdome darke at length Layth downe his eares full sore affray'de and suffring to be led And eke acknowledging his lorde following wyth lowly hed With tayle that snakes theron doth beare he both his sides doth smight But after that to Taenare mouth we came and clearenes bright Had strooke his eyes of light vnknowne good stomacke yet agayne He takes although once ouercome and now the happy chayne He raging shakes he had almost his leader pluckt from place And headlong backward drawne to hell and moued from his pace And euen to my handes Hercles then his eyes did backward cast Wee both with double ioyned strength the dogge out drawne at last For anger woode and battells yet attempting all in vayne Brought vp to world as soone as he the cleere ayre sawe agayne And spaces pure of bryght fayre poale had once behelde with eye The nyght arose his sight to ground he turned by and by Cast downe his eyes and hatefull day forthwith he put to flight And backward turnd away his looke and streight with all his might To th' earthe he falles and vnderneath the shade of Hercles then He hyd his head therewith there came a great resorte of men With clamour glad that did the bay about theyr forheads bryng And of the noble Hercules deserued prayses sing Chorus EVrystheus borne with swiftned birth in hast Did bid to bottome of the Worlde to go This onely lackt of labours all at last To spoyle the Kyng of thyrde estate also The dongeons darke to enter ventred hee Where as the way to sprits farre of doth bring Full sadde and woode so blacke and fear'de to bee But full with flocke full great him following As great a
preasse as flocke in cyties streetes To see the Playes of Theatre newe wrought As great as at Eléus thundrer meetcs When Sommer fift the sacred game hath brought As great as when comes houre of longer night And willing quiet sleepes to bee extent Holdes equall Libra Phoebus Chariots light A sorte the secrete Ceres doe frequent And from theyr howsen left doe hast to comme The Atticke priestes the nyghte to celebrate Such heape is chaste beneath by fieldes so dumme With age full slowe some taking forth their gate Full sad and fillde with life so long now led Some yet doe runne the race of better yeares The virgins yet vnioynde to Spowses bed And yonglings eke on whom grow yet no heares And Infant lately taught his mothers name To these alone that they the lesse might feare Is graunted night to ease with foreborne flame The rest full sad by darke doe wander theare As is our mynde when once away is fled The lyght when eche man sorry feeles to bee Deepe ouer whelmde with all the earth his hed Thick Chaos standes and darknesse fowle to see And colour ill of night and slouthfull state Of silent World and diuers Cloudes about Let hoary age vs thyther bring full late No man comes late to that whence neuer out When once hee is come turne agayne he may To hast the hard and heauy Fate what vayles This wandring heape in wyde landes farre away Shall goe to Ghosts and all shall geue their sayles To slowe Cocytus all is to thee enclinde Both what the fall and rise of sonne doth see Spare vs that comme to thee wee death are signde Though thou be slow our selues yet haste doe wee Fyrst houre that gaue the lyfe it loast agayne TO Thebes is come the ioyfull day Your Aulters touch yee humbylly The fat fayre Sacrifices slay Maydes myxte with men in cumpany Let them in solempne Flockes goe royle And nowe wyth yoake layde downe let câ—ase The Iillers of the fertile Soyle Made is wyth hande of Hercles peace Betweene the morne and Hespers Glade And where Sonne holding myddle seate Doth make the Bodyes caste no Shade What euer grounde is ouerweate Wyth compasse longe of Seas abought Alcydes laboure taemde full well Hee ouer foordes of Tartare brought Returnde appeased beeinge Hell There is remayning nowe no feare Nought lyes beyonde the Hell to see O Priest thy staring Lockes of heare Wrappe in wyth loued Poplar tree THE FOVRTHE ACTE Hercules Theseus Amphitryon Megara WIth my reueÌ„ging right haÌ„d slayne now Lycus loe the grouÌ„d With groueling face hath smit theÌ„ who soeuer fellow fouÌ„d Of Tyraunt was partaker of his paynes did also lye Nowe to my father sacrifice and Gods victor will I And aulters that deserue it with slayne offrings reuerence Thee thee O mate of all my toyles I pray and my defence O warrefull Pallas in whose left hand thy cleare shielde Aegis shakes Fierce threats whead that eche thing stone that looke vpon it makes Let tamer of Lycurgus nowe and of red Sea be heare That poynct of speare with Iuye greene in hand doth couer'de beare And two Gods powre doth Phoebus and his Syster to I pray The sister meeter for her shaftes but hee on th' harpe to play And what soâ—uer brother ells of myne doth dwell in sky Not of my stepdame brother bring yee hyther by and by Your plentuous flocks what euer haue all th' Indians fruicts brought out And what sweete odours th' Arabickes doe get in trees about To th' aulters bring let vapour fat and fume smoke vp full hye Let rounde about the Poplar tree my hayres now beautifye Let th' oliue bowe thee hyde with braunche accustom'de in our lande Theseu for foorthwith reuerence the thundrer shall my hande TH. O Gods the builders of the towne and which of Dragon fell The wilde woods vens and noble waues likewise of Dirces well And Tyrian house enhabite eke of straunger wandring king HE. Cast into fyres the frankencense AM. Sonne fyrst thy hands flowing With bloudy slaughter and the death of enmy purify HE. Would God the bloud of hatefull head euen vnto Gods on hye I might out shed for lycour loe more acceptable none Myght th' aulters stayne nor sacrifice more ample any one Nor yet more plentyfull may bee to Ioue aboue downe cast Then king vniust AM. Desyre that now thy father ende at last Thy labours all let quietnes at length yet gieuen bee And rest to weary folke HE. I will thee prayers make for mee And Ioue ful meete in this due place let stand the haughty skye And land and ayre and let the starres dryue forth eternally Their course vnstayde let restful peace kepe nations quietly Let labour of the hurtles land all yron now occupye And swordes lye hyd let tempest none ful vyolent and dyre Disturbe the sea let from the skyes no flash of lightning fyre Fall downe whyle Ioue ful angry is nor yet with winter snowe Encreased flood the ground vpturnde and field quyte ouerthrowe Let poysons cease and from hensforth let vp from ground aryse No greeuous hearbe with hurtful sappe nor fierce and fell lykewyse Let tyrantes raygne but if to sight some other mischiefe bringe The ground yet shall let it make hast and any monstruous thinge It it prepare let it be myne but what meanes this myd day The darkenes haue incloas'd aboute lo Phoebus goeth his way With face obscure without a clowde who dryues the day to flight And turnes to east from whence doth now his dusky hed the night Vnknowne bring forth whence fil the poale so many rownde about Of daytyme starres lo here behold my laboure first ful stout Not in the lowest parte of heauen the Lyon shyneth bryght And feruently doth rage with yre and byttes prepares to fyght Euen now loe he some star wil take with mouth full wyde to see He threatning standes and fires out blowes and mane vp rustleth he Shaking with necke the haruest sad of shape what euer thinge And what soeuer winter colde in frosen tyme doth bring He with one rage wil ouerpasse or spring tyme bull he will Both seeke and breake the neckes at once Am. what is this sodayne ylle Thy cruel count'naunce whether sonne dost thou cast here and there And seest with troubled daseld syght false shape of heauen appere Her The land is tam'de the swelling feas their surges did asswage The kingdomes lowe of hell lykewyse haue felt and knowne my rage Yet heauen is free a labour meete for Hercules to proue To spaces high I wil be borne of haughty skies aboue Let th' ayre be skaeld my father doth me promise starres t' obtayne What if he it denyde all th' earth can Hercles not contayne And geeues at length to gods me calles of one accorde beholde The whole assembly of the gods and doth their gates vnfolde Whyle one forbyddes receyu'st thou mee and openest thou the skye Or els the gate of stubburne heauen draw after me do I Do I yet doubt I euen the bondes from
Saturne wyll vndoe And euen agaynst the kingdome prowde of wicked father loe My graundsyre loase let Titans now prepare agayne their fight With me theyr captaine raging stones with woods I will down smight And hye hilles tops with Centaures full in right hande will I take With dauble mountayne now I will a stayre to Gods vp make Let Chyron vnder Ossa see his Pelion mountayne gret Olympus vp to heauen aboue in thyrd degree then set Shall come it selfe or ells be cast AM. Put farre away from thee The thoughts that ought not to be spoake of mynde vnsounde to see But yet full great the furious rage asswage and lay away HE. What meaneth this the Gyauntes doe pestiferous armes assay And Tityus from the sprights is fled and bearing torne to see And empty bosome loe howe neere to heauen it selfe stoode hee Cythaeron falles the mountayne hie Pallene shakes for feare And torne are Tempe he the tops of Pindus caught hath here And Octhen he some dredfull thing threatning doth rage about Erynnis bringing flames with stripes she soundes nowe sharken out And burned brandes in funeralles loe yet more neare and neare Throwes in my face fearce Tisyphone with head and vgly heare With serpentes set nowe after dogge fet out with Hercles hand That empty gate shee hath shut vp with bolte of fyry brande But loe the stocke of enmious king doth hidden yet remayne The wicked Lycus seede but to your hatefull father slayne Euen now this right hande shall you sende let nowe his arrowes light My bowe out shoote it seemes the shaftes to goe with such a flight Of Hercles AM. Whether doth the rage and fury blinde yet goe His mighty Bowe he drewe with hornes together driuen loe And quiuer loaste great noyese makes with violence sent out The shaft and quight the weapon flewe his middle necke throughout The wound yet left HE. His other broode I ouerthrow will quight And corners all What stay I yet to me a greater fyght Remaynes then all Mycenes loe that rockye stones should all Of Cyclops being ouerturn'de with hande of myne downe fall Let shake both here and there the house with all stayes ouerthrowne Let breake the poasts and quight let shrinke the shaken piller downe Let all the Pallace fall at once I here yet hidden see The sonne of wycked father AM. Loe his flattring handes to thee Applying to thy knees dooth craue his lyfe with piteous mone O wicked gylt full sad and eke abhorde to looke vpone His humble right hand caught he hath and raging rounde about Him rolled twyse or thryse hath cast his head resoundeth out The sprinkled houses with the brayne of him throwne out are wet But shee poore wretch her little sonne in bosome hyding yet Loe Megara like one in rage doth from the corners flee HE. Though runagate in bosome of the thundrer hid thou bee This right hand shall from euery where thee seeke and bring to sight AM. Wher goest thou wretch what lurking dens seekst thou to take or flight No place of sauegarde is if once bee Hercles styrde with yre But doe thou rather him embrace and with thy meeke desyre Assay t' asswage him ME. Husband spare vs I beseech thee nowe And knowe thy Megara this sonne thy countenaunce doth showe And bodyes pytche behould'st thou howe his hands vp lyfteth hee HE. I holde my stepdame followe on due penaunce paye to mee And bounden Ioue from fylthy bonde deliuer free away But I before the mother will this litle monster slay ME. Thou mad man whither goest thou wylt thou thine owne bloude sheade AM. Th' infant with fathers fyry face astonnted all for bread Died euen before the wounde his feare hath tooke away his lyfe And now likewise his heauy club is shaken towarde his wyfe He broaken hath the bones her head from blocklyke body gone Is quight nor any where it stayes dar'ste thou this looke vpone To long lyu'de age If mouruing doe the greeue thou hast then loe The death preparde Doe thou thy breast vppon his weapons throe Or ells this club with slaughter stayn'de of monsters slayne that bee Nowe hyther turne thy parent false vnfit for name of thee Ryd hence away least he should be to thy renowne a let TH. Which way the father toward thy death dost thou thy selfe cast yet Or whyther goest thou mad man flee and lye thou cloasely hid And yet from handes of Hercules this onely myschiefe rid HE. T' is well the house of shameful king is now quight ouerthrowne To thee O spouse of greattest Ioue I haue loe beaten downe This offred flocke I gladly haue fulfill'de my wyshes all Full meete for thee and Argos now geue other offrings shall AM. Thou hast not sonne yet all perform'de fill vp the sacrifise Loe th' offring doth at th' aultars stande it waytes thy hand likewyse With necke full prone I geue my selfe I roon I follow loe Mee sacrifice what meaneth this his eyes rolle to and froe And heauines doth dull his sight see I of Hercules The trembling hands downe falles his face to sleepe and quietnes And weary necke with bowed head full fast doth downeward shrynke With bended knee nowe all at once he downe to ground doth sinke As in the woods wylde Ashe cut downe or Bulwarke for to make A Hauen in Seas Liu'ste thou or els to death doth thee betake The selfe same rage that hath sent all thy famyly to death It is but sleepe for to and fro doth goe and come his breath Let tyme bee had of quietnesse that thus by sleepe and rest Great force of his disease subdew'de may ease his greeued brest Remoue his weapons seruants least he mad get them agayne Chorus LEt th' ayre complayne and eke the parent great Of haughty Sky and fertile land throughout And wandring waue of euer mouing freat And thou before them all which lands about And trayn of Sea thy beames abroade dost throe With glittring face and mak'st the night to flee O feruent Titan bothe thy lettinges loe And rysing hath Alcides seene wyth thee And knowne lykewise hee hath thy howsen twayne From so great ills release yee nowe hys brest O Gods release to better turne agayne His ryghter mynde and thou O tamer best O sleepe of toyles the quietnesse of mynde Of all the lyfe of man the better parte O of thy mother Astrey wynged kynde Of hard and pyning death that brother arte With truth mingling the false of after state The sure but eke the worste foreteller yet O Father of all thynges of Lyfe the gate Of lyght the rest of nyght and fellowe fyt That com'st to Kyng and seruaunt equally And gently cherysshest who weary bee All mankynde loe that dreadfull is to dye Thou doost constrayne long death to learne by thee Keepe him fast bounde wyth heauy sleepe opprest Let slomber deepe his Limmes vntamed bynde Nor soner leaue his vnright raginge breaste Then former mynd his course agayne may fynd Loe layd on ground with full fierce hart yet still
haughty top let now prepared be Both feeding beastes and foules the syde of Caucas turne to see And bare of woods the yle that bridge of Scithe that therby standes Simplegas ioynes both here and there let it my bounden handes Stretch out abroade and when with course return'de accustomd'ly They shall togeather dryue and shall the rockes tosse vp to skye With bankes togeather beyng thrust and eke the middle seay Let me bet weene the mountaynes lye vnquiet restlesse stay But building vp with wood throwne on a heaped plie on hie My body thus with wicked bloud besprinct why burne not I So so yt mus be done to hell I Hercles will restore Am. Not yet his hart astonted lackes his ragyng tumult sore But wraths hath turnd and which of rage is property and yre Agaynst himselfe he rageth now Her The furies places dire And dungeon depe of sprites in hell and place of tormentry To gylty ghostes and banishment yf any yet do lye Beyond Erebus yet vnknowen to Cerberus and mee There hyde me ground to farthest bond of Tartarus to see To tary there I le goe O brest of myne to fierce and stoute Who you my children thus disperst through all my house about May worthely enough bewayle in all my euils yet This countnaunce hard can neuer weepe a sword now hether set My shaftes reach hether hyther reach my mighty club also To thee my weapons breake I will to thee my sonne a two I le knappe my bowes and eke my clubbe this blocke of heauy wayghte Shal to thy sprites be burned loe this selfe same quiuer frayght With Lerney shaftes to funerall of thyne shall like wyse goe Let all my weapons penance pay and you vnhappy to Euen with my weapons burne I wil O stepdames handes of myne Th. Who euer yet to ignoraunce hath geuen name of cryme Her Ful oftentymes did errour greate the place of gylt obtayne Th. T' is neede to be a Hercles now this heape of yll sustayne Her Not so hath shame yet geuen place with fury drowned quight But peoples all I rather should dryue from my wicked sight My weapons weapons Theseus I quickly craue to mee Withdraw to be restoard agayne if sound my mynd now bee Restore to me my weapons if yet last my rage of mynd Then father flee for I the waye to death my selfe shal fynde Am. By sacred holy kynreds rightes by force and duty all Of both my names if eyther me thy brynger vp thou call Or parent els and which of good men reuerenced are By these hoare hayres I the besech my desert age yet spare And wery yeares of house falne downe the one alonly stay One onely light to mee with yls afflicted euery way Reserue thy selfe yet neuer hath there happ'ned once of thee Fruite of thy toyles still eyther I the doubtful sea to see Or monsters feard who euer yet hath bene a cruell king In all the world to ghostes allow and aulters both hurtinge Of me is feard the father of thee absent stil to haue The feuite the touching and the sight of thee at length I craue He. Wherfore I longer should sustayn my life yet in this light And linger here no cause there is all good lost haue I quighte My mynd my weapons my renoume my wife my sonnes my handes And fury to no man may heale and lose from gylty handes My mynd defyeld needes must with death he heald so haynous yll Th. Wilt thou thy father IIay He. Least I shoulde do it die I will Th. Before thy fathers face He. I taught him mischief for to see Th. Thy deedes marking rather that should of al remembred bee Of this one only cryme I do a pardon of thee craue Her Sall he geue pardon to himselfe that to none els it gaue I beeing bidden prayse deseru'd this deede mine owne doth proue Helpe father now if eyther els thy piety thee moue Or els my heauy fate or els the honour and renowne Of stained strength my weapons bringe let fortune be throwen downe with my right hand Th. The prayers which thy father makes to thee Are stronge enough but yet likewyse with weeping loe of me By moued yet aryse thou vp and with thy wonted myght Subdue thyne yls now such a mynde vnmeete to beare vpright No euill hap receyus againe loe now with manhode gret Thou must preuayle euen Hercules forbyd with yre to fret HE. Alyue I hurt but if I dye I take the gylt also I hast to ridde the world of cryme euen now before me lo A wicked monster cruel and vntamed fierce and flout Doth wander now with thy ryght hand beginne to goe aboute A greate affayre yea more then all thy twyse sixe labours long Yet stayst thou wretch that late agaynst the children wast so stronge And fearful mother now except restoard my weapons see Of Thracian Pindus eyther I wil feare downe euery tree And Bacchus holly woods and tops of mount Cythaeron hye Burne with myselfe and al at once with all their housen I And with the Lordes therof the roofes with goddes of Thebes all The Thebane temples euen vppon my body will let fall And wyl be hyd in to wne vpturnd if to my shoulders might The walles themselues all cast theron shall fall a burden light And couerd with seuen gates I shall not be enough opprest Then all the wayght wheron the worlde in middle part doth rest And partes the Goddes vppon my head I le turne and ouerthrow My weapons geue Am. This word is meete for Hercles father lo With this same arrow slaine behold thy sonne is tombled downe This weapōs cruell Iuno lo from handes of thyne hath throwne This same wil I now vse loe see how leaps with feare afright My wretched harte and how it doth my careful body smight The shaft is set therto thou shalt a mischiefe lo do now Both willing it and wotting tel what thing commaundest thou I nothing craue my doloure let in saf'ty standeth now To kepe my sonne alyue to mee that onely do canst thou O Theseu yet I haue not scapte great'st feare that happen can Thou canst mee not a miser make thou mayst a happy man So order euery thyng thou dost as all thy cause in hand And fame thou mayst wel know in strayght and doubtful case to stande Thou liu'st or diest this slender soule that light is hence to flee Weried with age and no lesse bet with greuous ils to see In mouth I holde so slowly to a father with such slaye Doth any man geue lyfe I wil no longer bid delay The deadly sword throughout my breast to strike I wil apply Here here the gylt of Hercules euen sound of mynd shall lye Her Forbeare O father now forbeare with draw thy hand againe My manhood yeld thy fathers will and impery sustaine To Hercles labours now like wyse let this one labour goe Let me yet liue lift vp from ground th' afflicted lims with woe O Theseu of my parent for from Godly
blood of chyldren fyled bee Let deynties such be drest it is no mischiefe newe to thee To banquet so behold this day we haue to thee releast And hunger starued wombe of thyne we send to such a feast With fowlest foode thy famyne fyll let bloud in wyne be drownd And dronke in sight of thee loe now such dishes haue I found As thou wouldst shonne stay whither doste thou hedlong way now take Tan. To pooles and floods of hell agayne and styll declining lake And flight of tree ful frayght with fruite that from the lippes doth flee To dungeon darke of hateful hell let leeful be for me To goe or if to light be thought the paynes that there I haue Remoue me from those lakes agayne in midst of worser waue Of Phlegethon to stand in seas of fyre beset to bee Who so beneath thy poynted paynes by destenyes decree Dost stil endure who soo thou bee that vnderliest alow The hollow denne or ruyne who that feares and ouerthrow Of fallyng hyl or cruel cryes that sound in caues of hell Of greedy roarying Lyons throats or flocke of furyes fell Who quakes to know or who the brandes of fyre in dyrest payne Halfe burnt throwes of harke to the voyce of Tantalus agayne That hastes to hel and whom the truth hath taught beleeue wel mee Loue wel your paynes they are but small when shall my hap so bee To flee the light Meg Disturbe thou fyrst thys house with dire discord Debates and battels bring with thee and of th' unhappy sworde Ill loue to kinges the cruel brest strike through and hateful hart With tumult mad Tan. To suffer paynes it seemeth wel my part Not woes to worke I am sent forth lyke vepoure dyre to ryse That breakes the ground or poyson like the plague in wondrouse wyse That slaughter makes shall I to such detested crymes applye My nephewes hartes o parentes great of Gods aboue the skie And myne though sham'de I be to graunt although with greater pain My tounge be vext yet this to speake I may no whit refrayne Nor hold my peace I warne you this least sacred hand with bloud Of slaughter dyre or strange fell of frantike fury wood The aulters stayne I wll resist And garde such gylt away With strypes why dost thou me affryght why threatst thou me to fraye Those crallyng snakes or famine fyxt in empty wombe wherfore Dost thou reuyue now fries within with thyrst enkindled sore My harte and in the bowels burnt the boyling flame do glow Meg. I follow thee through all this house now rage and fury throwe Let them be driuen so and so let eyther thirst to see Each others blood ful well hath felt the comming in of thee This house and all with wicked touch of the begune to quake Enough it is repayre agayne to dens and loathsome lake Of floud well knowen the sadder soyle with heauy fote of thyne Agreeued is seest thou from syringes how waters do declyne And inward sinke or how the bankes lye voyde by drughty heate And hoatter blast of fyery wynde the fewer cloudes doth beate The treese be spoyld and naked stand to sight in withred woddes The barayne bowes whose fruites are fled the land betwene the floods With surge of seas on eyther syde that wonted to resound And nearer foordes to seperat sometyme with lesser ground Now broader spred it heareth how aloofe the waters ryse Now Lerna turnes agaynst the streame Phoronides likewyse His poares be stopt with custom'd course Alphéus dryues not still His hollie waues the trembling tops of high Cithaeron hill They stand not sure from height adowne they shake their syluer snowe And noble fieldes of Argos feare theyr former drought to know Yea Tytan doubtes himselfe to rolie the worlde his wonted way And driue by force to former course the backward drawing daye Chorus THis Argos towne if any God be founde And Pisey boures that famous yet remayn Or kingdomes els to loue of Corinthes ground The double hauens or sundred seas in twayne If any loue of Taygetus his snowes By VVinter which when they on hils be cast By Boreas blastes that from Sarmatia blowes VVith yerely breath the sommer meltes as fast VVhere clere Alphéus runnes with floude so cold By playes wel knowen that there Olimpiks hight Let pleasaunt powre of his from hense withholde Such tunes of stryfe that here they may not light Not nephew worse then grandsier spring from vs Or direr deedes delyght the yonger age Let wicked stocke of thirsty Tantalus At length leaue of and wery be of rage Enoughe is done and naught preuaild the iust Or wrong betrayed is Mirtilus and drownde That did betray his dame and with like trust Borne as he bare himselfe hath made renound VVith chaunged name the sea and better knowne To mariners therof no fable is On wicked sword the litle infant throwne As ran the chide to take his fathers kisse Vnrype for th aulters offring fell downe deade And with thy hand O Tantalus was rent VVith such a meate for Gods thy boordes to spread Eternall famine for such foode is sent And thyrst nor for those daynty meats vnmilde Might meeter payne appoynted euer bee Vith empty throate standes Tantalus begylde Aboue thy wicked head their leanes to thee Then Phineys fowles in flight a swifter pray VVith burned bowes declynd on euery syde And of his fruites all bent to beare the sway The tree deludes the gapes of hunger wyde Though hee full greedy feede theron would fayne So oft deceyu'de neglectes to touch them yet He turnes his eyes his iawes he doth refrayne And famine fixt in closed gummes doth shet But then each braunch his plenteous ritches all Le ts lower downe and apples from an hie VVith lither leaues they flatter like to fall And famine styrre in vayne that bids to trye His handes which when he hath rought forth anone To be beguyld in higher ayre againe The haruest hanges and fickle fruite is gone Then thirst him greeues no lesse then hungers payne Wherwith when kindled is his boyling bloud Lyke fyre the wretch the waues to him doth call That meete his mouth which straight the fleeyng floud VVithdrawes and from the dryed foorde doth fall And him forsakes that followes them He drinkes The dust so deepe of gulfe that from him shrinkes THE SECONDE ACTE Atreus Seruaunt O Dastard cowrde O wretche and which the greatest yet of all To Tyrantes checke I compte that maye in waighty thinges befall O vnreuenged after guyltes so great and brothers guyle And trewth trode downe dost thou prouoke with vayne complaynts the whyle Thy wrath already now to rage all Argos towne throughout In armoure ought of thyne and all the double seas about Thy fleete to ryde now all the fieldes with feruent flames of thyne And townes to flash it wel beseemde and euery where to shyne The bright drawne sword all under foote of horse let euery syde Of Argos lande resound and let the woundes not serue to hyde Our
woes nor yet in haughty top of hilles and mountaynes hye The builded towers The people all let them to battel crye And clere forsake Mycenas towne who so his hateful head Hides and defendes with slaughter dire let bloud of him be shed This princely Pelops palace proude and bowres of high renowne On mee so on my brother to let them be beaten downe Go to do that which neuer shall no after age allow Nor none it whisht some mischefe greate ther must be ventred now Both fierce and bloudy such as woulde my brother rather long To haue bene his Thou neuer dost enough reuenge the wronge Exept thou passe And feercer fact what may be done so dyre That his exceedes doth euer he lay downe his hateful yre Doth euer he the modest meane in tyme of wealth regard Or quiet in aduerslty I know his nature harde Vntractable that broke may be but neuer wil it bend For which are he prepare himselfe or force to fight entend Set fyrst on him least while I rest he should on me aryse He wil destroy or be destroyd in midst the mischiefe lyes Prepard to him that takes it first Ser. Doth fame of people naught Aduerse thee feare Atre. The greatest good of kingdom may be thought That still the people are constraynd their princes deedes as well To prayse as them to suffer all Ser. Whom feare doth so compell To prayse the same his foes to bee doth feare enforce agoyne But who indeede the glory seckes of fauour trew t' obtayne He rather would with hates of each be praysd then tounges of all Atre. The trewer prayse ful oft hath hapt to meaner men to fall The false but vnto myghty man what nill they let them will Ser. Let first the king will honest thinges and none the fame dare nill Atre. Where leeful are to him that rules but honest thinges alone There raynes the kyng by others leaue Ser. And wher the shame is none Nor care of ryght fayth piety nor holines none stayeth That kingdome swarues Atre. Such holines such piety and fayth Are priuate goods let kinges runne one in that that likes their will Ser. The brothers hurt a mischiefe count though he be nere so ill Atre. It is but right to do to hym that wrong to brother were What heynous hurt hath his offence let passe to proue or where Refraynd the gylt thy spouse he stale away for lechery And raygne by stelth the auncient note and sygne of empery By frawde he got my house by fraud to vexe he neuer ceast In Pelops house there fostred is a noble worthy beast The close kept Ramme the goodly guyde of rych and fayrest flockes By whom throughout on euery syde depend a downe the lockes Of glittering gold with fleece of which the new kinges wonted were Of Tantals stocke their sceptors gylt and mace of might to beate Of this the owner raygneth he with him of house so great The fortune fleeth this sacred Ramme aloofe in safety shet In secret mead is wont to grase which stone on euery syde With rocky wall inclosethe rounde the fatall beast to hyde This beast aduentryng mischiefe greate adioyning yet for pray My spoused mate the traytour false hath hence conuayde away From hence the wrongs of mutuall hate and mischiefe all vpsyreng In exile wandred he throughout my kingdomes all along No part of myne remayneth safe to mee from traynes of hys My feere deflourde and loyalty of empyre broken is My house all vext my bloud in doubt and naught that trust is in But brother foe What stayst thou yet at length lo now beginne Take hart of Tantalus to thee to Pelops cast thyne eye To such examples well beseemes I should my hand applye Tell thou which way were best to bring that cruell head to death Ser. Through perst with sword let him be slayne yelde his hatefull breath Atre. Thou speak'st of th' end but I him would opres with greter payne Let tyrants vexe with torment more should euer in my rayne Be gentle death Ser. Doth piety in thee preuayle no whit Atre. Depart thou hence all piety if in this house as yet Thou euer wert and now let all the flocke of furies dyre And full of strife Erinnis come and double brands of fyre Megaera shaking for not yet enough with fury great And rage doth burne my boyling brest it ought to bee repleate With monster more Ser. What mischiefe new do'ste thou in rage pro-uide Atre. Not such a one as may the meane of woonted griefe abide No guilt will I forbeare nor none may be enough despight Ser. What sword Atr. To litle that Ser. what fire Atr. And yâ— is yet to Ser. What weapon then shall sorrow such finde fit to worke thy will Atr. Thy estes selfe Ser. Then yre it selfe yet that 's a greater ill Atr. I graunt a tombling tumult quakes within my bosomes loe And rounde it rolles I moued am and wote not wherevnto But drawen I am from bottome deepe the roryng soyle doth cry The day so fayre with thunder soundes and house as all from hy Were rent from roofe and rafters crakes and lares turnde abought Haue wryde theyr sight so bee'te so bee'te let mischiefe such be sought As yee O Gods would feare Ser. What thing seek'st thou to bring to pas I note what greater thing my mynde and more then woont it was Atre. Aboue the reache that men are woont to worke begins to swell And stayth with slouthfull handes What thinge it is I cannot tell But great it is Bee'te so my mynde now in this feate proceede For Atreus and Thyestes bothe it were a worthy deede Let eche of vs the crime commit The Thracian house did see Such wicked tables once I graunt the mischiefe great to bee But done ere this some greater guilt and mischiefe more let yre Fynde out The stomacke of thy sonne O father thou enspyre And syster eke like is the cause assist me with your powre And dryue my hand let greedy parents all his babes deuowre And glad to rent his children bee and on their lyms to feede Enough and well it is deuis'de this pleaseth me in deede In meane time where is he so long and innocent wherefore Doth Atreus walke before myne eyes already more and more The shade of such a slaughter walkes the want of children cast In fathers Iawes But why my mynde yet dreadst thou so at last And faint'st before thou enterprise it must bee done let bee That which in all this mischiefe is the greatest guilt to see Let him commit Ser. but what disceit may wee for him prepare Whereby betrapt he may be drawne to fall into the snare He wotes full well we are his foes Atre. He could not taken bee Except himselfe would take but now my kingdomes hopeth hee For hope of this he woulde not feare to meete the mighty Ioue Though him he threatned to deistroy with lightning from aboue For hope of this to passe the threats of waues
grounde to swallowe him whom Gods and day haue fled Yet breake yee out from cursed seates and heere remayne with mee Yee neede not now to be affrayde the Ayre and Heauen to see Nor triple headed Cerberus thou needst not bee affryght The day vnknowne to thee to see or els the lothsome lyght They both be fled and now doth dwell none other count'naunce heere Then doth beneath the fowlest face of hatefull hell appeere Come see a meetest match for thee a more then monstrous wombe That is of his vnhappy broode become a cursed tombe Flocke here yee fowlest flendes of hell and thou O graundsyre greate Come see the glutted guts of myne with such a kinde of meate As thou didst once for Gods prepare Let torments all of hel Now fall vppon this hatefull head that hath deserude them well Yee all be plagued wrongfully your guiltes be small in sight Of myne and meete it were your pange on me alone should light Now thou O graundsier guiltlesse arte and meeter were for mee With fleeing floud to be beguilde and fruite of fickle tree Thou slewst thy sonne but I my sonnes alas haue made my meate I coulde thy famyne better beare my paūch is now repleate With foode and with my children three my belly is extent O filthy fowles and gnawyng gripes that Tytius be some rent Beholde a fitter pray for you to fill your selues vppone Then are the growing guts of him foure wombes enwrapt in one This paūche at once shall stll you all if yee abhorre the foode Nor may your selues abide to bathe in such a cursed bloode Yet lend to me your clinching clawes your pray a while forbeare And with your tallons suffer mee this monstrous mawe to teare Or whirling wheeles with swinge of which Ixion still is rolde Your bookes vpon this glutten gorge would catche a surer holde Thou filthy floud of Lymbo lake and Stygian poole so dyre From chocked chanell belche abrode Thou fearefull freate of fyre Spue out thy flames O Phlegethon and ouershed the grounde With vomit of thy fyry streame let me and earth be drownde Breake vp thou soyle from bottome deepe and geue thou roome to hell That night where day the ghosts where Gods were woōt to raigne may dwel Why gapst thou not Why do you not O gates of hell vnfolde Why do yee thus th infernall fiendes so long from hence withholde Are you likewyse affrayde to see and knowe so wretched wight From whom the Gods haue wryde theyr lookes turned are to flight O hatefull head whom heauen and hell haue shoonde and left alone The Sunne the starres the light the day the Gods the ghosts be gone Yet turne agayne yee Skyes a while ere quight yee goe fro mee Take vengeance fyrst on him whose faulte enforceth you to flee If needes yee must your flight prepare and may no longer bide But rolle yee must with you forthwt the Gods and Sunne a syde Yet slowly flee that I at length may you yet ouertake While wandring wayes I after you and speedy iorney make By seas by lands by woods by rocks in darke I wander shall And on your wrath for right rewarde to due deserts will call Yee scape not fro me so yee Gods still after you I goe And vengeaunce aske on wicked wight your thunder bolte to throe FINIS THE THYRD TRAGEDY OF L. ANN AEVS Seneca entituled Thebais translated out of Latin into Englishe by Thomas Newton 1581 The Argument LAIVS King of Thebes hadde by his Wyfe and Queene IOCASTA a Sonne named OEDIPVS Who being yet in his Mothers Wombe APOLLO his Oracle pronounced that by the handes of that childe King LAIVS the father should bee murthered The feare whereof caused the King to commaūd him to be put to death The Kinges heardman who had the charge to see this done on th one side mooued with compassion ouer a tender weakeling and on the otherside afraid to incurre the King his maisters displeasure contented himselfe onely to boare two hoales through the Infants two feete and with certayne plyable Twigges beinge thrust through the same hong him vp on a tree by the Heeles supposing that heereby hee should cōmit a lesse crime in suffring the childe to perishe by famine then in playing the Butcher himsefe It fortuned that one PHORBAS heardman to POLYBIVS King of Corynth passing by that way hearing a yong Childe cyre went and cut him downe and caryinge him to Corynth it so fell out that at length hee was giuen for a present or gyft to MEROPE Wyfe to the said King POLYBVS This OEDIPVS afterward going to Thebes in a certayne sedicious hurly burly in the countrey there vnawares and vnwitting slewe King LAIVS his Father About which tyme the City of Thebes and Countrey there about was meruelously infested with a monster called Sphinx who propounding a certaine Riddle or obscure question to such as passed that vvay and deuouringe as many as coulde not assoyle the same To him that coulde assoile it and so rid the Countrey from that so vgly and daūgerous a monster the mariage of Queene IOCASTA and the kingdome of Thebes was promysed as a recompence OEDIPVS after many others taking the matter in hand assoyled the Ryddle slew the mōster Whereupō marying the Queene not knowing her to bee his owne Mother had by her foure Chyldren ETHEOCLES POLYNICES ANTIGONE ISMENE In the end hauing knowledg how first hee had kylled his Father and then incestuously maryed his Mother hee forsooke his kingdome being continually infested wyth the plague as one ashamed to loke any man in the face pulled out his own Eyes and hid himselfe in corners and solitary places His Sonnes ETHEOCLES POLYNICES agreed to raigne enterchaungeably that is to wit ETHEOCLES one yeare and POLYNICES the other ETHEOCLES hauing raigned his yeare refused according to the articles of agrement to resigne the Crowne to his brother for the next yeare Whereupō they fel to mortal warres and in the end meaning by combat to ende the matter they mutually slew one the other And note that this Tragedy was left by the Authour vnperfect because it neyther hath in it Chorus ne yet the fifth Acte The names of the speakers OEdipus Nuntius Antigone Iocasta THE FIRSTE ACTE OEdipus Antigone DEare Daughter vnto Father blynde a Staffe of steady stay To weary Syre a comfort greate and Guide in all his way And whom to haue begotten I may glad and ioyfull bee Yet leaue me now thy haplesse Syre thus plungde in misery Why seekst thou meanes still to direct my stalking steppes aright Let mee I pray thee headlong slyde in breaknecke tumbling plight I better shall and sooner fynde a way my selfe alone To rid mee out of all the thrall wherein I now am throwne Whereby both heauen shall eased bee and earth shall want the sight Of mee vile wretch whom guilt hath made a most abhorred wight Alas what litle triffling tricke hath hitherto bene wrought By these my hands what
MarchauÌ„ts vvhych suffer no mens doings almost to scape vndefiled In fine I beseech all to gether if so it might be to beare vvith my rudenes consider the grosenes of our owne Countrey language which caÌ„ by no meanes aspire to the high lofty Latinists stile Myne onely entent vvas to exhorte men to embrace Vertue and shun Vyce according to that of the right famous excellent Poet Virgil Discite iusticiam moniti non temnere diuos This obtayned I hold my selfe throughly coÌ„tented In the meane season I ende wishing all men to shun Sin the plaine but most perilous pathway to perfect infelicity The Speakers names OEdipus Choruâ— Tiresias Sanex Iocasta Creon Manto Phorbas Nuntius THE FIRST ACTE OEDIPVS the King IOCASTA the Queene THe Night is gon and dredfull day begins at length t' appeere And Phoebus all bedim'de with Clowdes himselfe aloft doth reere And glyding forth with deadly hue a dolefull blase in Skies Doth beare Great terror dismay to the beholders Eyes Now shall the houses voyde bee seene with Plague deuoured quight And slaughter that the night hath made shall day bring forth to light Doth any man in Princely throne reioyce O brittle Ioy How many ills how fayre a Face and yet how much annoy In thee doth lurke and hidden lies what heapes of endles strife They iudge amisse that deeme the Prince to haue the happy life For as the Mountaynes huge and bie the blustring windes withstand And craggy Rocks the belching fluds do dash and driue fro land Though that the Seas in quiet are and calme on euery side So kingdoms great all Windes and Waues of Fortune must abide How well shund I my Father deare Polybius Scepters late Exil'de bereft of carefull feare in Pilgrims happy state I call the Gods to witnes this and Stars that glyde in Skyes A Kingdome is befauln to mee I frare least thereof ryse A mischiefe mighty Ioue to great I feare alas I feare Least these my handes haue reft the life or thee my Father deare Apollo byds mee this beware and yet a mischiefe more Foretels IOC. Can any greater bee than that you tolde before Of Father slayne by sonnes own hand OE. O thrice vnhappy state With horror all dismaide I stand in dred of threatned fate I am ashamed my destinies fowle O Queene to thunder out And openly to blase my feare my trembling minde doth dout Yet out it goes Phoebus me bids my Mothers Bed to fly As though that I her Sonne with her incestuously should ly This feare and onely this me causde my fathers kingdome great For to forsake I fled not thence when feare the minde doth beat The restlesse thought still dreds the thing it knows can neuer chaunce Such fansies now torment my heart my safety to aduaunce And eke thyne euer sacred lawes O Nature for to keepe A stately Scepter I forsooke yet secret feare doth creepe Within my breast and frets it still with doubt and discontent And inward pangues which secretly my thoughts a sunder rent So though no cause of dred I see yet feare and dred I all And scant in credit with my selfe my thoughts my minde appall That I cannot perswaded be though reason tell mee no But that the Web is weauing still of my decreed wo For what should I suppose the cause a Plague that is so generall And Cadmus country wholy spoyles and spreds it selfe through all Should mee amongest so huge a heape of plagued Bodies spare And we alone amongst the rest reserude to mischiefes are O heauy hap And bide I stil alone the spoyle to see Of Cities great of men of beasts by plague that wasted bee And thou amongst so many ils a happy lyfe to lead Couldst once perswade thy selfe O wretch without all feare or dread Of Phoebus secret Iudgements to and that in Kinges estate Thou thou infected hast the ayre in such a filthy rate Thou art the onely cause of woe by thee these euils rise By thee to graue on such a sorte this wretched people plies The firy flaming frying heate afflicted hearts that wasts Is not relieude as wont it was by cold and pleasaunt blasts The gentle western windes haue left with healthfull puffes to blow And now the fiery Dog with blase of boyling heate doth glow The Sunne in Leo burns so hoate and so the earth doth broyle That fluds and hearbes are dryed vp and nought remaynes but soyle So throughly schorcht and stued with heate that moisture all is gone And now amongst so many fluds remaynes alas not one The places dry are onely seene the streames are drunken vp And water that doth yet remayne the soaking Earth doth sup The Moone with clowds quight over cast all sadly forth she glides And dolefull darksom shades of night the whole worlde ouer hides No Star on high at all doth shine but black and heliâ—ke hue Hath ouershaded all the Skyes whence deadly mists ensue The corne that wonted was to growe and fruitfully to spring Now to the voyded Barnes nought els but empty stalkes doth bring No part of all our kingdome is free from destruction But all together run and rush to vtter confusion The old men with the yong alas the Father with the chylde The plague consumes Both man wife all beasts both tame wylde Are spoyled by the Pestilence No pompe at all remaynes That wonted was in Funeralles to ease the mourners paynes Alas this spoile of people made by plague hath dryde myne eyes And secretly within my breast the griefe it boyling fryes And that that wonted is to hap in most extremest ills My tearees are dry and glutting griefe my wretched breast it fills The crased father beares the son vnto theyr dampish graues And after him with burden like the Mother comes and raues And euen lamenting as they stand 〈…〉 both they fall And mourners new in like estate for them and theirs they call Who likewise in the midst of all their toyle and paynfull payne Do drop into the graue they digd and so the place doe gayne That was prepar'de for others erst A hell it were to heere The horror and the miseries that euery where appeere A Tombe is made for noble men fast on the people die And in their burdens fling Great Pieres all vnregarded lye For lack of Graues to Ashes cleane their bodyes some doe wast And some halfe burnt doe leaue them there and home away for hast They run more they fetch and then wood fier graue and all Doth want And downe for very griefe the wretched mysers fall No prayers auaile No Arte can help this raging Plague t' appease For none almost is left aliue each others woe to ease Before thine aulters heere O God my feeble hands I hold Requiring all my destinies at once with courage bold And that by death I may preuent my Countrey prest to fall For this and only this O God vpon thy name I call Let mee not be the last that dies The last that goes to
With bowes of mortall Ewe A tree wherewith the mourners winde Theyr mourning heads Garlands make In this guise all arayde The sacred Priest doth enter in with trembling lims dismayde Than in the Sheepe and Oxen blacke by backwarde course are drawn And odoures sweete Frankencence on flaming fyres are thrown The beasts on burning Altars cast do quake with schorched lims And bloudy streames with fyre mixt about the Aultars swims Than on the darke internall Gods and him that rules them all With deadly shriking voyce aloude the Prophet gins to call And rouls the Magick verse in mouth and hidden Artes doth proue Which eyther power haue to appease or els the Gods to moue Thair bloudy streaming Lycours black with broyling heate doe boyle And all the Beasts consume and burn The Prophet than to toyle Begins And mixed wyne and Mylke vpon the Aultars throwes And all the Dongeon darke and wyde with streaming blood it flowes Than out with thundring voyce agayne the Prophet calles and cryes And straight as much with mumbling mouth he champs in secret wyse The trees do turne The Riuers stÄd The ground with roring shakes And all the world as seemes to mee with fearefull trembling quakes I am heard I am heard than out aloude the Priest began to cry Whan all the dampned soules by heapes abrode outrushing fly Then woods with rumbling noyse doe oft resounding make And Heauen and Earth together goe And bowes and trees do crake And ThuÌ„ders roore And Lightnings flash And waues aloft doe fly And ground retyres and Dogs doe bawl and Beastes are heard to cry And whyther long of Acheron that lothsom Flud that flowes All stinking streames or of the earth that out her Bowels throwes Free place to Sprights to geue or of that fierce infernall Hound That at such times doth bustling make with chayns railing sound The Earth al wide it open gapes And I did see on ground The Gods with colour pale and wan that those dark kingdoms keepe And very night I saw in deede and thousand shapes to creepe From out those filthy stinking Lakes and lothsom pits of Hell Where all the euils vnder Son in darksom shades doe dwell So quaking all for feare I stoode with minde right sore apalde Whilst on those Gods with trembling mouth the Priest full often calde Who all at once out of theyr dens did skip with griesly Face And Monsters grim and stinging Snakes seemd wander in that place And all the fowlest Feendes of Hell and Furies all were theare And all traÌ„sformed Ghosts sprights that euer Hell did beare With Cares ahd all Diseases vyle that mortall mynds doe crush All those and more I sawe out of those Dungeons deepe to rush And Age I sawe with riueled Face and Neede Feare and Death And Fyre and flames thousand ills out fro those Pits to breath Then I was gon and quight amazd The wenche in worser case And yet of olde acquaynted with her Fathers Artes she was The Priest himselfe vnmooued stoode and boldly cited owt Whole Armies of king Ditis men who clustring in a Rowt All flittring thin like Cloudes disperst abrode in Ayre doe fly And bearing sundry shapes and formes doe scud aboue in Sky A thousand woods I thinke haue not so many leaues on trees Ten thousand medowes fresh haue not so many flowers for bees Ten hundred thousand riuers not so many Foule can show Nor all the drops and streams and gulphes that in the Seas do flow If that they might be wayed can sure so great a number make As could those shapes and formes that flew from out of Limbo lake Both Tantalus and Zetus too and pale Amphions Ghost And A gaue and after her ten thousand Sprightes do post Than Pentheus and more and more in like estate ensue Til out at length comes Laius with foule and grisly hue Vncomly brest in wretched plight with fylth all ouergrowne All perst with wounds I loth to speake with bloud quight ouerflown A Miser ryght as seemd to me and most of Misers all Thus in this case at length he spake and thus began to call O Cadmus cruel Citty vyle that stil delightste in bloud O Cadmus thou which kinsmens death accountst as chiefest good Teare out the bloudy Bowels of your Children learne of me Do that and rather more then you would byde the day to see Like ills as late on mee are light Loe mothers loue alas Hath causd the greatest misery that ere in Theba was The Countrey with the wrath of Gods at this tyme is not tost Nor yearth nor ayre infect is not the cause that all bene lost No No A bloudy King is cause of all these mischiefes great A bloudy wretch A wretched child that sits in Fathers Seate And Mothers bed defyles O wretch and entreth in agayne In places whence he came from once and doubleth so her payne Whilst that hee fils the haples wombe wher in himselfe did lie With graceles seede and causeth her twise childbirthes pangues to try Vnhappy Sonne but Father worse and most vnhappy hee By whom the lawes of sacred shame so sore confounded bee For that that very bestes almost do all abhorre to do Euen of his mothers body he hath brothers gotten two O mischiefe great O dredful deede then Sphinx O moÌ„ster more Example vnto ages all of Gods foretold before But I thee thee that Scepter holdst thy Father wil pursue And wreacke my selfe on thee and thyne with plagues vengeance due All restles rage of spite and paine I will vppon thee blow And all the furies foule of hell vppon thee I will throw I wil subuert thy Houses cleane for this thy lothsome lust I wil do this thou wretch And thee and thyne consume to dust Wherfore dispatch at once I say into exile driue your King That ground that first of all he leaues with fresh grene grasse shall spring And sweete and pleasaunt Ayre and healthfull blasts shall ryse And all the euills vnder Sun that mortall men surprise The Pocks the Piles the Botch the blaine death with him shall fly And with him mischiefs all shall passe and Monsters vnder Sky And as for him I know hee would depart with willing mynde But I will clog his Feete and hands his way he shall not finde But groping with his aged staffe shall passe from place to place This shall he doe And none shall rue vpon his ruthfull case Rid you the Monster from the Earth for Heauen let mee alone No sooner sayd but straight away his dreadfull Ghost was gone And fast by thousands after him th' other Sprights in hyde Than Cold trembling feare began through all my bones to glyde OED. The thing I alwayes fearde I see vpon mee now is layde But slender props they are God wot whereby your Treason is stayde Meropa my Mother deare shall mee from this defend Polybius eke shall purge mee quight from Actions all that tend To murder or to incest vile they both
land And old tvvise captiue king receiue our feare VVhile thou vvert king Troy hurtles then could stand Though shaken tvvise with Grecian sword it weare And twise did shot of Hercles quiuer beare At latter losse of Hecubes sonnes all And roges for kings that high on piles we reare Thou father shutst our latest funerall And beaten downe to Ioue for sacrifies Like liueles blocke in Troy thy carkas lies HEC. Yet turne ye once your teares another way My pryams death should not lamented be O Troyans all ful happy is Pryame say For free from bondage downe descended hee To the lowest Ghoste and neuer shall sustayne His Captiue necke with Greekes to yoked bee Hee neuer shal behold the Atrids twayne Nor false Vlisses euer shal he see Not hee a pray for Greekes to triumph at His necke shall subiect to their conquestes beare Ne geue his handes to tye behynde his backe That to the rule of Scepters wonted weare Nor following Agamemnons chare in bande Shall he bee pompe to proude Mycenas land WO. ¶ Ful happy Pryame is each one wee say That toke vvith him his Kingdome then that stoode Now safe in shade he seekes the wandring way And treads the pathes of all Elizius wood And in the blessed Sprightes ful happy hee Agayne there seekes to meete with Hectors Ghost Happy Pryam happy whoso may see His Kingdome all at once with him be lost Chorus added to the Tragedy by the Translator O Ye to whom the Lord of Lande and Seas Of Life and Death hath graunted here the powre Lay dovvne your lofty lookes your pride appeas The crovvned King fleeth not his fatall howre Who so thou be that leadst thy land alone Thy life vvas limite from thy mothers vvombe Not purple robe not Glorious glittering throne Ne crovvne of Gold redeemes thee from the tombe A King he was that wayting for the vayle Of him that slew the Minotaure in fight Begilde with blacknes of the wonted saile In seas him sonke and of his name they hight So he that wild to vvin the golden spoyle And first vvith ship by seas to seeke renovvne In lesser vvaue at length to death gan boyle And thus the daughters brought their father dovvne Whose songes the vvoodes hath dravven and riuers held And birdes to heare his notes did theirs forsake In peece meale throvvne amid the Thracian field Without returne hath sought the Stigian lake They sit aboue that holde our life in line And vvhat vve suffer dovvne they fling from hie No carke no care that euer may vntwine The thrids that vvoued are aboue the skie As vvitnes he that sometyme King of Greece Had Iason thought in drenching seas to drovvne Who scapt both death and gaind the Golden fleece Whom fates aduaunce there may no povvre plucke dovvne The highest God sometyme that Saturne hight His fall him taught to credite their decrees The rule of heauens he lost it by their might And Ioue his sonne novv turnes the rolling Skies Who vveneth here to vvin eternall vvelth Let him behold this present perfite proofe And learne the secrete stoppe of chaunces stelth Most nere alas vvhen most it seemes aloofe In slipper ioy let no man put his trust Let none dispayre that heauy haps hath past The svvete vvith sovvre she mingleth as she lust Whose doubtful web pretendeth nought to last Frailtie is the thride that Clothoes rocke hath sponne Novv from the Distaffe dravvne novv knapt in tvvaine With all the world at length his end he wonne Whose works haue wrought his name should great remaine And he whose trauels twelue his name display That feared nought the force of worldly hurt In fine alas hath found his fatall daye And died with smart of Dianyraes shurt If prowes might eternity procure Then Priam yet should liue in lyking lust Ay portly pompe of pryde thou art vnsure Lo learne by him O Kinges yee are but dust And Hecuba that wayleth now in care That was so late of high estate a Queene A mirrour is to teach you what you are Your wauering wealth O Princes here is seene Whom dawne of day hath seene in high estate Before Sunnes set alas hath had his fall The Cradels rocke appoyntes the life his date From setled ioy to sodayne funerall THE SECOND ACTE The Spright of Achilles added to the tragedy by the Translator The first Scene FOrsaking now the places tenebrouse And deepe dennes of th infernall region From all the shadowes of illusions That wāder there the pathes ful many one Lo here am I returned al alone The same Achil whose fierce and heauy hande Of al the world no wight might yet withstand What man so stout of al the Grecians host That hath not sometyme crau'd Achilles aide And in the Troyans who of prowes most That hath not feard to see my Banner splaide Achilles lo hath made them all affrayde And in the Greekes hath bene a piller post That stvrdy stode agaynst their Troyan host Where I haue lackt the Grecians went to wracke Troy proued hath what Achills sword could doe Where I haue come the Troyans fled a backe Retyring fast from field their walles vnto No man that might Achilles stroke fordoe I dealt such stripes amid the Troian route That with their bloud I staynd the fieldes aboute Mighty Memnon that with his Persian band Would Pryams part with all might mayntayne Lo now he lyeth and knoweth Achilles hand Amid the field is Troylus also slayne Ye Hector great whom Troy accompted playne The flowre of chiualry that might be found All of Achilles had theyr mortall wound But Paris lo such was his false deceipt Pretending maryage of Polixeine Behynd the aulter lay for me in wayte Where I vnwares haue falne into the trayne And in Appolloes church he hath me slayne Wherof the Hel will now iust vengeance haue And here agayne I come my right to craue The deepe Auerne my rage may not sustayne Nor beare the angers of Achilles spright From Acheront I rent the spoyle in twayne And though the ground I grate agayne to sight Hell could not hide Achilles from the light Vengeance and bloud doth Orcus pit require To quench the furies of Achilles yre The hatefull land that worse then Tartare is And burning thrust excedes of Tantalus I here beholde againe and Troy is this O trauell worse then stone of Sisyphus And paines that passe the panges of Tityus To light more lothsome furie hath me sent Then hooked wheele that Ixions flesh doth rent Remembred is alowe where sprites do dwell The wicked slaughter' wrought by wyly way Not yet reuenged hath the deepest hell Achilles bloud on them that did him slay But now of vengeance come the yrefull day And darkest dennes of Tartare from beneath Conspire the fautes of them that wrought my death Now mischiefe murder wrath of hell draweth nere Aud dyre Phlegethon floud doth bloud require Achilles death shall he reuenged here VVith slaughter such as Stygian lakes desyre Her daughters bloud shal slake the
Greeckes what tyme at entry of the gap The hugye hors did shyueryng stand where in the in selues did wrap The captaynes close in holow vautes with bloudy war yfreight When lawfully we might haue tryde and serched their deceit So by theyr owne contryued snares the grekes had bin confound The brasen bucklers being shooke did gyue a clattring sound A priuy whyspering often tymes came tyckling in our ear And Pyrrhus in a murreynes name so ready for to heare The crafty councell picked out of false Vlifsses brayne Did tangle in the halow Uautes that range thereof agayne But fearing and suspecting nought the headdy youth of Troy Layde handes vpon the sacred ropes to hale and pull with ioy On this syde younge Astyanax came garded with his trayne On th' other part Pollixena disponsed to bee slayne Vpon Achilles tombe she coms with maydes and hee with men A ioly flocke with equall yeares as younge as they were then Theyr vowd oblations to the gods in holy day attyre The matrons bryng and so to church repayreth euecry syre And all the city did alyke yea Hecuba our queene That synce the woful Hectors death or now was neuer fene She mery is O griefe accurst of all thy sorowes depe For whych that first or last befell entendest thou to wepe Our battred walles which heauenly hands erected haue and framde Or els the burning temples which vpon their Idols flamde Lamenting these calamyties wee haue not time and space O mighty parent Pryam we poore Troyans wayle thy case The olde mans thratling throate I sawe alas I saw yborde With cruell Pyrrhus blade that scante with any bloud was gorde CAS. Refraine your teares that down your cheekes should tricle euermore With woefull waylings piteously your pryuate friendes deplore My myseries refuse a mate so much accurst as I To rewe my carefull case refrayne your lamentable cry As for myne owne distresse to moorne I shall suffice alone CHO. To mingle teares with other teares it doth vs good to mone In those the burning teary streames more ardently doe boyle Whom secret thoughts of lurking cares in priuy breast turmoyle Though that thou were a Gossop stout that brooke much sorrow may I warraunt thee thou myghtest well lament this sore decay Not sad and solemne Aedon that in the woodes doth singe Her sugred Ditties finely tunde on sweete and pleasaunt stringe Recording Irys woefull hap in diuers kynde of note Whom Progne though he were her chylde and of her wombe begot For to reueng his fathers fault she did not spare to kill And gaue his flesh and bloude for foode the fathers Maw to fill Nor Progne who in Swallowes shape vpon the rydges hye Of houses sits in Biston towne bewayling piteously With chattering throate of Tereus her spouse the cruell act Who did by strength and force of armes a shamefull brutishe fact Defile the syster of his wyfe fayre Philomel by name And eke cut out her tonge least shee should blab it to his shame Though Progne this her husbandes rape lamenting very sore Doe wayle and weepe with piteous plaint yet can shee not deplore Sufficiently though that shee woulde our countreyes piteous plight Though he himselfe among the Swans syr Cygnus lilly whight Who dwelles in streame of Ister floud and Tanais channell coulde His weeping voyce most ernestly though vtter out her woulde Although the morning Halcyons with dolefull sighes doe wayle At such time as the fighting floudes their Cyex did assayle Or rashly wexing boulde attempt the Seas now layde at rest Or being very fearefull feede their broode in tottring nest Although as squemishe hearted men those priestes in bedlem rage Whom mother Cyble being borne on high in lofty stage Doth mooue to play on shalmes Atys the Phrygian to lament Yet can not they this lot bewayle though brawn frō armes they rent Cassandra in our teares there is no measure to refrayne Those miseryes all measure passe that plunged vs in payne The sacred fillets from thy heads why dost thou hale and pull They chiefly ought to worship God whose hearts with griefe be dull CAS. My feare by this affliction is cleane abaled all Nor praying to the heauenly Ghostes for mercy will I call Although they were disposde to chafe and fret in fustten fumes They nothing haue me to displease Fortune her force consumes Her spyte is worne vnto the stumpes what countrey haue I left Where is my Syre am I of all my systers quite bereft The sacred tombes and alter stones our bloud haue drunke swylde Where are my brethren blessed knor destroyed in the fylde All widdow Wyues of Priams sonnes may easly now beholde The Pallace voyde and cast of court of silly Priam olde And by so many marriages so many Wyddowes are But onely Hellen comming from the coast of Lacon farre That Hecuba the mother of so many a pryncely wyght Whose fruitfull Wombe did breede the brand of fyer blasing bryght Who also bare the swinge in Troy by practise now doth learne New lawes and guise of desteny in bondage to discerne On her shee takath heart of grace with lookes so sterne and wylde And barketh as a bedlem bitch about her strangled chylde Deare Polidor the remnaunt left and onely hope of Troy Hector and Priam to reuenge and to restore her ioy CHO. The sacred Phoebus Prophet is with sodayne silence husht A quaking trembling shiuering feare throughout her Isms hath rusht Her Face as pale as Ashes is her Fillits stande vpryght The soft and gentle goldilockes starte vp of her affright Her panting breathing breast stuft vp within doth grunt and grone Her glaring bryghe and steaming Eyes are hether and thyther throwne Now glauncing vp and downe they roll now standing stiffe they stare She stretcheth vp her head more streyght then commonly she bare Boult vp she goes her wrastling Iawes that fast together clinge She doth attempt by diuers meanes on sunder how to wringe Her mumbling words in gabling mouth shut vp she doth asswage As Menas mad that Bacchus aares doth serue in furious rage CAS. How doth it hap O sacred tops of high Parnassus hill That me berapt of sence with prickes of fury fresh yee fiill Why doe you me with ghost inspyre that am besyde my wits O Phoebus none of thyne I am releasse me from the fits Infixed in my burning breastes the flames extinguish out Who forceth me with fury fell to gad and trot about Or for whose sake inspyrde with spryte mad mumbling make must I Why play I now the Prophet colde sith Troy in dust doth ly The day doth shrynke for dread of warre the night doth dim mine eyes With mantell blacke of darknesse deepe cleane couerd is the skyes But loe two shining Sunnes at once in heauen appeareth bryght Two Grecian houses muster doe their armies twayne to fight Amonge the mighty Goddesis in Ida woodes I see The fatall sheepherd in his throne as vmpier plast to bee I doe aduise you to beware beware I say of kynges A kindred
shaft the dusky cloude did smite The Stymphall byrde that shadowed the sunne did take her flight The fertill tree that apples beares of golde did feare him sore Which neuer yet acquayntaunce had with Tasters tooth before But whipping vp with liuely twigges into the ayre she flyes And whyle the chinking plate doth found then Argos full of eyes The watchman shrinking close for colde that sleepe yet neuer knew Doth heare the noyse whyle Hercules with mettall of yellow hew Well loden packs away and left the groue befliched cleane The hound of hell did holde his tongue drawne by in tryple cheane Nor barke with any boughinge throate nor coulde abyde the heme Or colour of the heauenly lyght whose beames hee neuer knewe When thou wert captayne Generall and didst conduct our Hoste They that of Dardans Lygne to come theyr Stocke doe falsly boste Were vanquished by force of armes and since they felt agayne Thy Gray goose winge whose bitternesse to feare might thē constrayne THE FIFTE ACTE CASSANDRA WIthin a reuell rexe is kept as sore as euer was Euen at the ten yeares siege of Troy What thing is this alas Get vp my soule and of the rage auengmeent worthy craue Though Phrygians wee bee vanquished the victory we haue The matter well is brought aboute vp Troy thou rysest now Thou flat on floore hast pulde down Greece to ly as low as thou Thy Conquerour doth turne his Face my prophesying spright Did neuer yet disclose to mee so notable a sight I see the same and am thereat and busied in the broyle No vision fond fantasticall my senses doth beguile Such fare as Prygians feastes with on last vnhappy night At Agamemnons royall courte full daintily they dight With purple hangings all adornde the brodred Beds doe shyne In olde Assaracks goblets gylt they swincke and swill the wyne The King in gorgyous royall robes on chayre of State doth sit And pranckt with pryde of Pryams pomp of whom he conquerd it Put of this hostile weede to him the Queene his Wyfe gan say And of thy louing Lady wrought weare rather thys aray This garment knit It makes mee loth that shiuering heere I stande O shall a King be murthered by a banisht wretches hande Out shall Th' adulterer destroy the husbande of the Wyfe The dreadfull destinies approcht the foode that last in lyfe He tasted of before his death theyr maysters bloud shall see The gubs of bloude downe dropping on the wynde shall powred bee By traytrous tricke of trapping weede his death is brought about Which being put vpon his heade his handes coulde not get out The stopped poake with mouth set ope his muffled head doth hyde The mankinde dame with trembling hand the swerd drew from her side Nor to the vtmost of her might it in his flesh shee thrast But in the gieuing of the stroke shee stayed all agast Hee as it were a bristled Bore entangled in the net Among the bryars in busshy woodes yet tryeth out to get With strugling much the shrinking bands more streightly he doth bind He stryues in vayne and would fliy of the snare that doth him blind Which catcheth holde on euery syde But yet th' entangled wreatch Doth grope about his subtle foes with griping hand to catch But furious Tyndaris preparde the Pollaxe in her hande And as the priest to sacrifice at Th' alter side doth stande And vewes with eye the Bullockes necke eare that with Axe he smite So to and fro shee heaues her hand to stryke and leauell right He hath the stroke dispatcht it is not quite chopt of the head It hangeth by a litle crop heere from the Carkasse dead The spouting bloude came gusshing out and there the head doth lye With wallowing bobling mumbling tongue nor they do by and bye Forsake him so the breathlesse coarse Aegist doth all to coyle And mangled hath the gasshed corpes whyle thus hee doth him spoyle She putteth to her helping hand by detestable deede They both accorde vnto the kynde whereof they doe proceede Dame Helens syster right shee is and hee Thyestes sonne Loe doubtfull Titan standeth still the day now being donne Not knowing whether best to keepe still on his wonted way Or turne his wheeles vnto the path of dyre Thyestes day THE FIFTE ACTE THE SECONDE SCEANE ELECTRA O Thou whom of our Fathers death the onely helpe wee haue Fly fly from force of furious foes make hast thy selfe to saue Our house is topsey turuey tost our Stocke is cast away Our ruthfull realmes to ruin ronne our kingdomes doe decay Who cometh heere in Chariot swift thus galloping a mayne Brother disguised in thy weede let mee thy person fayne O Bussard blynde what dost thou meane from forrayne folke to fly Whom dost thou shun it doth behoue to feare this family Orestes now bee boulde and set all shiuering feare a side The certayne succour of a trusty friende I haue espide THE FIFTE ACTE THE THIRD SCENE Strophilus Electra WIth solemne Pompe I Strophilus forsaking Phocis lande Bearing a braunch of Paulme that growes at Elis in my hand Returned backe I am the cause that wild mee heather wend Is with these gyftes to gratefie and welcome home my frend Whose valiaunt army skalde and shooke the tattred Troyan walles Who wearied with the ten yeares warre now flat on floore shee falles What wofull wight is this that staynes her mourning face with teares And drowned deepe in drousp dumpes oppressed is with feares I know full well this damsell is of Prynces lynage borne What cause Electra hath this ioyfull family to morne ELE. By treason that my mother wrought my Father lieth slayne And drincking of their fathers cup the chyldren doe complayne Aegist engroceth Castels got by fornication STR. A lack that of so longe a tyme filicity is none ELE. I thee request euen for the Ioue my father thou doest owe And for the honour of the crowne whose brute abrode both growe In euery coast and by the Gods that diuersly doe deale Take into thy tuicion conuey away and steale This poore Orest such kinde of theft is piety in deede STR. Although that Agamemnoas death doth teach mee to take heede Yet will I vndertake the same and with all diligence Orestes shall I goe about with strength to haue thee hence Prosperity requireth faith but trouble exacts the same Haue heere a pryce for those that doe contende and wage in game An Ornament with comely grace ordaynde to deck the brow And let thy heade be couerde with this greene and pleasaunt bow And cary this victorious triumphant braunche in hand God graunt this Paulme that planted was in fertill Pisa land Where solemne games were celebrate Ioues honour to expresse May both a sauegarde bee to thee and bring thee good successe Thou that bestryds thy fathers steedes as he before hath done Goe stryke a league of amity with Pylades my sonne Now nimble Nagges let Greece heereof recording testify With headlong scouring course amayne this traytrous country fly ELE.
my paine whyle I did liue Vnto a boy to guyde which now I rue My poysoned make my Ghost doth oft pursue And in my face with burning brondes doth flye He stayes a space with earnest talke hard by And threatneth sore and doth impute his death And tombe he should haue had to mee beneath And now desyres to haue some factious wight That dare despoyle my sonne of breathing spright Let be you shall haue one to worke this cryme I do require no long delayed tyme Reuenging spright Erin a death doth coine Of life that wicked tyrant to purloyne Sore smarting leaden strypes and shameful flight And pyning panges with thurst and hunger dight That Tantalus spungelike thursty mouth befurde And Sisyphus toyle shal passe and Tityus burde And Ixions paynful wombling wheele aboute That teareth all his bodyes partes throughout Although that Tyrant proude and scornful wight His court with marble stone do strongly dyght And princelike garnish it with glistring golde Though troupes of souldiours shielded sure vpholde Their chieftaynes princely porch and though yet still The world drawne drye with taskes euen to his will Great heapes of riches yeeld themselues to saue Although his bloudy helpe the Parthians craue And Kingdomes bring and goods al that they haue The tyme and day shall come when as he shall Forlorne and quite vndone and wanting all Vnto his cursed deedes his life and more Vnto his foes his bared throate restore Alas vnto what ende is all my payne Or in what case do now my vowes remayne Wherto doth now thy rage and destnies spyte Draw thee O Sonne with brayne benummed quite That to such monstruous heapes of ylles thy dame Whom thou with cursed mischiefe ouercame Hir wrath should yeeld O that ere to the light A sucking babe I brought thee foorth in sight And fedd thee fyne with pappe as princely borne The fierce wild sauage beastes had rent and torne My wombe and bloudy entrails all beforne Without all cryme and wanting reasons pride Mine own deere dādling child thou shouldst haue dide And fastned sure to me shouldst aye beholde The quiet place where Ghostly soules be rolde And see thy graundsyres great of worthy fame And syre Domitius eake of princely name Whom now both shame and wayling doth abyde That whyle they dure from them shal neuer slyde For which both thee O cursed Barne they may And mee that thee haue borne geeue thankes for aye But why ceasse I with hel to hyde my face Wyfe stepdame mother dire in my life space THE SECOND SCENE Octauia Chorus DO not alas thus sore lament But rather yet your mourning stay Sith that the city whole is bent To celebrate this ioyful day Least your great loue and fauour both Which I do count to be most sure The more cause Nero me to loth And eake his bitter wrath procure And I fal out to be the ground To you of many mischieues vyle This same is not the first deepe wounde That I haue felt now this good whyle Farre worse then this haue I abode But of these troublous cares this day Shall make an end I trust in God Although with Death he do me pay No man to see shal me constrayne His bended browes knit furrowyse Nor step within the Chamber ragyne Of mayde drest vp in brydall guise Augustus sister I wil bee And not his wyfe as wont I was But onely paynes remoue from mee And feare of death I wil not passe Yet canst thou piteous wreth once trust Thy cruell husbandes father law Or these few thinges to haue so lust Whyle mischieues yet in mynd are rawe Now long reserud vntil this day And these same maryage rytes be past Thou shalt poore wretch without delay A bloudy offring dye at last Why thus with teares disfigured sore Thy wonted home dost thou behold Make hast to shunne this deadly shore And leaue this straughtrous Princes fold Cho. Lo see that day suspected long And whispered Fame in all mens eares With glisteryng pompe of brydall throng To vs pore wretches now appeares And Claudius broode Octauias grace From Neroes wedlocke place expelde Departed is whose spousall space Hath Poppie conquerour long tyme helde The whyle our pyety couched lyes Kept downe with heauy combrous feare And slow reuenging grief likewyse Where doth the peoples power appeare That brake the force of Princes great That conquerous city lawes hath framde That worthy men to honours seat Preferd that warre and peace proclaymd That sauage people straunge did tame That Kinges and Princes caught in fight Shut surely vp in prison frame To keepe them close from all mens sight Loe which wee cannot once abyde To see wher Poppies ymage trym Conioyned vnto Neroes syde All glistring bright shynes very brim Let force of Armes pul downe that frame And match with grounde that Ladyes face Too likely carued to his name And snatch her downe from beddig place And let it forthwith flye with brandes With Dartes and Iauelins fiercely flonge From pythy braunes and sturdy handes Vnto the princes courtly throng THE FOVRTH ACTE THE FIRST SCENE Nutrix Poppea FRom out of spousal bower dismayd with feare Whither go you what secrets daughter deare Vnknowen makes you to looke so drousely Why spungelike lokes your face with tears frō eye That fell of truth the tyme desyred long And wished for by prayers and vowes among Hath shyned bright Caesars wedlock are you Your golden grace whereof he tooke the view Him prisoner caught and did him surely bynde So much the more how much Senec his mynd Did seeke to chaunge and wild from loue to weeld And Venus chiefe in loue hath made him yeeld O in beauty passing all what beds then downe More soft haue borne thy weight when thou with crowne Didst sit in middes of court the Senate all At thy great beauty agast thou didst appall Whylst thou the Goddes with perfume sendest fyne And sacred alters drencht with thankful wyne Thy head attyrd with veyle of yellow hiew By Caesars side thou wentst as princesse new When he aloft extold aboue the rest With hauty courage merily went to feast Like as kyng Peleus went sometymes to take Queene Tethis whom salt seas fome bred his make Whose bridinge chambers banquet wise ydrest The Gods vouchsaft to hallow with their hest Both they that rule in skyes and eake in Seas But tel O Lady tell if it you please What sodayne chaūce doth shade your beautyes light What meanes your colour chaūge from red to white What moues those trickling tears how standes your plight Po. With dreames and griesly sightes this last night Nurse My mynd was troubled sore but frayd much worse For when sir Phoebe his weary course had ryd Whyle quiet restyng night each thing shadid My sences weary fel in slumber deepe Whyle Nero me within his armes did cleepe Resoluing lims at length gan sleepe discharge And long I rest not vnder quiets targe For loe I saw a route that brought me feare Come to my chaumber with