to helpe find meane to saue his life Leaue of thy piteous tears he sayd dost thou yet wayle for Troy Would God it lay on Ground ful flat so ye might saue the boy Vp stirre he sayd thy selfe in hast conuay him priuily Saue if ye may the tender bloud of Hectors progeny Then strayght in trembling feare I wakt and rold myne eyes aboute Forgettyng long my child pore wretch and after Hector sought But strayght alas I wist not how the Spright away did passe And mee forsooke before I could my husband once embrasse O childe O noble fathers broode and Troians only ioy O worthy seede of thauncient bloud and beaten house of Troy O ymage of thy father loe thou liuely bearst his face This countnaunce lo my Hector had and euen such was his pace The pitch of all his body such his handes thus would he beare His shoulders high his threatning browes euen such as thine they were O sonne begot to late for Troy but borne to soone for mee Shal euer tyme yet come agayne and happy daye may be That thou mayst once reuenge and build agayne the towres of Troy And to the towne and Troyans both restore their name with ioy But why do I forgettyng state of present destenye So great thinges wish enough for captiues is to liue only Alas what priuy place is left my litle childe to hide What seate so secret may be found where thou maist safely bide The towre that with the walles of gods so valiaunt was of might Through all the world so notable so flourishing to sight Is turnde to dust and fire hath al consumd'e that was in Troy Of all the towne not so much now is left to hide the boy What place were best to choose for guile the holy tombe is heere That then mies sword will spare to spoile wher sythe my husband deere Which costly worke his father builte king Pryame liberall And it vp raisde with charges great fo Hectors funerall Herein the bones and ashes both of Hector loe they lie Best is that I commit the sonne to his fathers custodie A colde and fearefull sweat doth runne throughout my members all Alas I carefull wretch do feare what chaunce may thee befall Sen. Hide him away this onely way hath saued many more To make the enmies to beleue that they were dead before He wil be sought scant any hope remaineth of safenes The paise of his nobility doth him so sore oppres Andr. What way wer best to worke that none our doings might bewray Sen. Let none beare witnes what ye do remoue them all away Andr. What if the enmies aske me where Astianax both remaine Sen. Then shall ye boldelie answere make that he in Troy was slaine Andr. What shal it helpe to haue him hid at length they will him finde Sen. At first the enmies rage is fierce delay doth slake his minde Andr. But what preuailes since free from feare we may him neuer hide Sen. Let yet the wretch take his defence me carelesse there to bide And. What land vnknowne out of the way what vnfrequented place May keepe thee safe who ayds our feare who shall defend our case Hector Hector that euermore thy friendes didst wel defend Now chiefly ayde thy wyfe and child and vs some succour send Take charge to keepe and couer close the treasures of thy wyfe And in thy Ashes hyde thy sonne preserue in tombe his life Draw neare my Childe vnto the Tombe why fliest thou backward so Thou takst great scorne to lurke in dens thy noble hart I know I see thou art asham'd to feare shake of thy princely mynd And beare thy breast as thee behoues as chaunce hath thee assynd Behold our case and se what flocke remayneth now of Troy The tombe I woeful captiue wretch and thou a seely boy But yeeld we must to sory fates thy chaunce must breake thy breast Go to creepe vnderneath thy fathers holy seats to rest If ought the fates may wretches helpe thou hast thy sauegard there If not already then pore foole thou hast thy sepulchere Sen. The tombe him closely hides but least your feare should him betray Let him here lie and farre from hence goe ye some other way Andr. The lesse he feares that feares at hand and yet if neede be so If ye thinke meete a litle hence for safety let vs goe Sen. A litle whyle keepe silence now refrayne your plaint and crie His cursed foote now hether moues the Lord of Cephalie And Now open earth and thou my spouse frō Stix rend vp the ground Deepe in thy bosome hyde thy sonne that he may not be found Vlysses comes with doubtful pace and chaunged countenaunce He knittes in hart deceiptful craft for some more grieuous chaunce VI. Though I be made the messenger of heauy newes to you This one thing first I shal desyre that ye take this for true That though the wordes come from my mouth and I my messuage tell Of truth yet are they none of myne ye may beleue me wel It is the word of al the Greekes and they the authors be Whome Hectors bloud doth yet forbid their countries for to see Our careful trust of peace vnsure doth stil the Greekes detayne And euermore our doubtful feare yet drawth vs backe agayne And suffreth not our wearyed handes our weapons to forsake In child yet of Andromacha while Troyans comfort take An. And sayth your Augure Calchas so Vli. Though Calchas nothing sayde Yet Hector telles it vs himselfe of whose seede are we frayde The worthy bloud of noble men oft tymes we se it playne Doth after in their heires succede and quickly springes agayne For so the hornles youngling yet of high and sturdy beste With lofty necke and braunched brow doth shortly rule the rest The tender twig that of the lopped stocke doth yet remayne To match the tree that bare the bough in time startes vp again With equall top to former wood the roume it doth supply And spreads on soyle alow the shade to heauen his braunches hye Thus of one sparke by chaunce yet left it hapneth so ful oft The fyre hath quickly caught his force and flamth agayn aloft So scare we yet least Hectors bloud might rise er it be long Feare castes in all th extremity and oft interprets wrong If ye respect our case ye may not blame these old soldiars Though after years and monthes twice flue they feare again the wars And other trauails dreadyng Troy not yet to be wel wonne A great thing doth the Grecyans moue the feare of Hectors son Rid vs of feare this stayeth our fleete and pluckes vs backe agayne And in the hauen our nauy stickes til Hectors bloud be slayne Count me not feerce for that by fates I Hectors sonne require For I as wel if chaunce it would Orestes should desyre But since that needes it must be so beare it with pacient hart And Suffer that which Agamemnon suffred in good part And. Alas my child would God
that Calchas words to vs doth prophecye And now shal all the sumptuous worke be throwne downe vtterly An That once ye sold Vl. I wil it all from toppe to bottome rend An. The fayth of Goddes I call vppon Achilles vs defend And Pyrrhus ayd thy fathers right Vl. This tombe abroad shall lye An. O mischiefe neuer durst the Greekes show yet such cruelty Ye straine the temples and the Gods that most haue fauourd you The dead ye spare not on their tombes your fury rageth now I wil their weapons all resist my selfe with naked hand The yre of hart shal geue me strength their armour to withstand As fierce as did the Amazones beate down the Greekes in fight And Menas once enspierd with God in sacrifyce doth smyght With speare in hand and while with furyous pace she treads the groūd And wood as one in rage she strykes and feeleth not the wound So wil I runne on midst of them and on theyr weapons dye And in defence of Hectors tombe among his ashes lie Vl. Cease ye doth rage and fury vayne of women moue ye ought Dispatch with speede what I commaund plucke downe al to naught An. O slay me rather here with sword rid me out the way Breake vp the deepe Auern and rid my destenies delay Rise Hector and beset thy foes breake thou Vlisses yre A spright art good enough for him behold he casteth fire And weapon shakes with mighty hand do ye not Greekes him see Or els doth Hectors spright appear but onely vnto me Vl. Downe quight withal An. What wilt thou suffer both thy sonnes be slayne And after death thy husbandes bones to be remou'd agayne Perhaps thou mayst with prayer yet aprease the Grecians all Els downe to ground the holy tombe of Hector streight shall fal Let rather die the childe pore wretch and let the Greekes him kil Then father and the sonne should cause the tone the others yll Vllisses at thy knees I fal and humbly aske mercie These handes that no mans feete els knew first at thy feete they lye Take pitty on the mothers case and sorrowes of my breast Vochsafe my prayers to receiue and graunt me my request And by how much the more the Goddes haue thee aduaunced hie More easely stryke the pore estate of wretched misery God graunt the chast bed of thy godly wyfe Penelope May thee receiue and so agayne Laerta may thee see And that thy sonne Telemachus may meete thee ioyfully His graundsires yeares and fathers witte to passe ful happely Take pity on the mothers teares her litle child to saue He is my onely comfort left and th' onely toy I haue Vl. ¶ Bryng forth thy sonne and aske THE SECOND SCENE Andromacha COme hither child out of the dennes to mee Thy wretched mothers lamentable store This Babe Vlisses loe this Babe is hee That stayeth your ships and feareth you so sore Submit thy selfe my sonne with humble hand And worship flat on ground thy maysters feete Thinke it no shame as now the case doth stand The thing that Fortune wilth a wretche is meete Forget thy worthy stocke of Kingly kynd Thinke not on Priams great nobility And put thy father Hector from thy mynde Such as thy Fortune let thy stomacke bee Behaue thy selfe as captiue bend thy Knee And though thy griefe pearce not thy tender yeares Yet learne to wayle thy wretched state by mee And take ensample at thy mothers teares Once Troy hath seene the weeping of a child When litle Priam turnde Alcides threats And he to whom all beastes in strength did yelde That made his way from hel and brake their gates His litle enmies teares yet ouercame Priam he sayd receiue thy liberty In seat of honor kepe thy Kingly name But yet thy Sceptors rule more faythfully Lo such the conquest was of Hercules Of him yet learne your hartes to mollify Do onely Hercles cruel weapons please And may no end be of your cruelty No lesse then Pryam kneeles to thee this boy That lieth and asketh onely life of thee As for the rule and gouernaunce of Troy Where euer fortune wil ther let it bee Take mercy on the mothers ruthful teares That with their streames my cheekes do ouerflow And spare this guiltles infantes tender yeares That humbly falleth at thy feete so lowe THE THIRD SCENE Vlisses Andromacha Astianax OF truth the mothers greate sorow doth moue my hart full sore But yet the mothers of the Greekes of neede must moue me more To whom this boy may cause in time a great calamtie Andr. May euer he the burnt ruines of Troy reedifie And shall these handes in time to come ereckt the towne againe If this be th onely helpe we haue there doth no hope remain For Troy we stand not now in case to cause your feare of mynde Doth ought auayle his fathers force or stocke of noble kinde His fathers heart abated was he drawen the walles abought Thus euil haps the haughttest heart at length they bring to nought If ye wil needes oppresse a wretch what thing more grieuous were Then on his noble neck he should the yoke of bondage bere To serue in life doth any man this to a King denye Vl. Not Vlisses with his death but Calchas prophecy An. O false inuentor of deceipt and hainous cruelty By manhode of whose hand in warre no man did euer dye But by disceipt and crafty trayne of mynd that mischiefe seekes Before this tyme ful many one dead is yea of the Greekes The Prophets wordes and guilties Gods saist thou my sonne require Nay mischiefe of thy breast it is thou dost his death desyre Thou night souldier and stout of hart a litle child to stay This enterprise thou takste alone and that by open day Vl. Vlisses manhood wel to Greekes to much to you is knowne I may not spend the tyme in wordes our Nauy wil be gone And. A little stay while I my last farewel geue to my child And haue with oft embracing him my greedy sorrowes fild Vli. Thy grieuous sorrowes to redresse would God it lay in mee But at thy wil to take delay of tyme I graunt it thee Now take thy last leaue of thy Sonne and fil thy selfe with teares Oft tymes the weeping of the eyes the inward griefe out weakes An. O deere O sweete thy mothers pledge farewel my onely ioy Farewel the flowre of honor left of beaten howse of Troy O Troyans last calamity and feare to Grecians part Farewel thy mothers onely hope and vayne comfort of hart Oft wish I thee thy fathers strength and halfe thy graundsires yeares But all for naught the Gods haue all dispoynted our desires Thou neuer shalt in regal court thy sceptors take in hand Nor to thy people geue decrees nor leade with law thy land Nor yet thine enmies ouercome by might of handy stroke Nor sende the conquerde nations all vnder thy seruile yoke Thou neuer shalt beat downe in fight and Greekes with sword pursew Nor at
myne with you preuayle Or shall I curse my luckelesse fate and on my Fortune rayle And iudge your Sire an happy man in that he liueth blinde And cannot see the thing which I beholde with pensiue minde In comming vnto you did I bring with mee this intent To ende these broyles or did I come to see some dyre euent Etheocles some what appeasde hath pitcht his Speare in ground And not a weapon bloud to shee l in hand of his is found Now Polynices vnto thee my former suite I bring Regard thy Mothers mournefull plight and yeelde vnto the thing That shee with teares entreates to haue O Sonne at length I see I hold with hands I kisse with mouth I touch with ioyfull glee This Face of thyne the sight whereof I wanted haue so longe And haue more often wished for then can bee tolde with tonge Thou hast from natiue Soyle bene chasde to Coaste of forraigne king And crossed bene with trouncing force of frowning Fortunes sting Thou many a Storme and many a brunt in many a foming Sea In Wandring sort and banisht guise didst oftentimes assay Thy Mother at thy Spousall feast was absent farre away And could not doe such nuptiall Rytes as tell for such a day Into thy wedding Chamber shee brought thee ne yet thy Bryde Ne yet in solemne sorte the house with herbes and odours plide Ne yet did with a Ryband white the wedding Torches tye As vse and custome willes to bee at such solemynitie Adrastus Father to thy Wife and father in lawe to thee With Daughter his hath not defraide much store of golde or Fee No Dower hath he bestowde on her her wealth was very small Of Citties Landes and Reuenewes hee gaue her none at all Warre Warre is it thou onely hadst by taking her to Wyfe In lew of other gyfts hee helpes to kindle all this Stryfe Thou Sonne in lawe arte vnto him that is our Countreyes Foe Thy Natiue soyle thou leauest and to forraigne Courts dost goe Thou feedest now at Straungers boarde and makest more accoumpt Of new acquaintaunce got abroade as though it did surmount The friendship of thy countrey heere thou art a banisht wight And liu'st in exile for no fault but through thy brothers spight In thee appeares resemblaunce playne of all thy Fathers Fate In which there lacketh not so much as thoyse of wedded Mate Whom with as ill mischaunce and hap as euer Fathers was Thou haste in lucklesse houre and time of mariage brought to passe O Sonne thy mothers onely hope for whom such care I take Whose sight now after many yeares doth mee most ioyfull make For whom I haue full many a time to Gods deuoutly praide Whereas in deede thy new retourne to mee may well bee saide To take away as great a ioye and bring as great a griefe As it to these myne aged yeares is comfort and reliefe I prostrate at the Oracle besought Apollos Grace To tell mee when I should not neede to further feare thy case Who flowting this my fond demaund anone did flatly tell And spake these words which yet I trow I doe remember well Thou fearst thy son least harme he take as is a mothers guise But thou I say more cause shalt haue to feare him otherwise For if this warre vnraisde had bene I should thy presence lacke And if thou wert not Thebane Land might free remayne from Sacke The sight of the doth cost vs all a hard and nipping price Yet doth it like thy mother well so that her sound aduice In this one thing thou follow will Dispatch these Armies hence Euen presently whyle yet of bloud there hath not bene expence So foule a Fact to bee so neere is haynous out of doubt I shake I quake to thinke thereon in euery Ioynt throughout My hayre stands vpright euen for feare two brethren thus to see Aloofe and ready one to chop at th' other cruelly How neere was I poore Mother theirs a bloudier act t' haue seene Then father blind yet euer saw or euer yet would weene And though my feare be ouerpast and th' act vnbrought to passe My selfe yet doe I wretched thincke that done so neere it was By all the throwes for tenne months space in wombe whē I thee bare And for thy Sisters sake both twaine which shine in vertue rare And by those Eyehoales of thy Syre for which with wrekefull Pawe Hee pulld his Eyes because vnwares hee stained Natures lawe I thee beseech from Thebane Walles sent backe these armed Bandes Which threatning all our throates to cut against our Countrey stands Yea though you presently depart yet are you much to blame And there is due vnto you both a lot of during shame Because this Countrey round about hath pestred bene with powre And troupes of Souldiours stout and braue it ready to deuowre With pensiue hearts a mourning minds these Eyes of ours haue seene Your praūcing couriers with their Feete spoile Theban Medowes greene Wee oft haue seene your houlty Peeres in warlike Chariot ride And oft our houses to haue brunt with wildfier haue bene spide And last of all An act wee sawe which euen to Thebes is straung Two Brethren warring mortally all Natures bondes to chaung Ech one in th' Army sawe this sight the people witnesse bee Your Systers two and Mother I this all did plainly see Your Father hee may thanke himselfe that he did not behold This lamentable spectacle and hauockes manifold Call now to thy remembraunce heere thy Father OEdipus Whose doome did Facts by errour done euen plague punishe thus With Fyre sword subuert not cleane good Sonne thy coūtrey deare And Thebes whereof thou wouldst be king surcease with force to teare What Bedlem pang enchaunts thy mind what might thy meaning bee Thou claymst a Realme which to subuert thou geeuest lycence free In seeking thus a countryes rule a countrey thou destroyest Which thou thine own would make thou marr'st as t were none annoyesto Heereby thou hindrest much thy selfe in that thou makest spoyle And burnest vp doth Corne and Grasse and keep'st a shamefull coyle In chasting men out of their homes O desprate witlesse parte What man aliue to waste his owne can thus find in his harte These thinges that thou cōmaundest thus by rage of sword flame To bee consum'de an other man thou thinkst doth owe the same If thus for princely Chayre you twayne by th' Eares your title try The state of Realme and Commonwealth will totter soone awry Seeke it while yet your Countrey standes vnblemisht by decay It so t' enioy and so to raigne I coumpt the better way Ah canst thou finde in heart to burne and spoyle these houses braue The lyke whereof in all the worlde besides thou canst not haue Canst thou destroy and ruinate the noble Thebane wall To whose first building stones apace at Dan Amphions call Came dauncing of their owne accord through tunes of warbling harpe And coucht themselues in order right vpon the Turrets sharpe
death of dompish graue Sith fates wil not permit thee life though I behest thee mine My selfe I shall in spite of fate my fatall twist vntwine This blade shall riue my bloudy breast my selfe I will dispoile Of soule and sinne at once through floods and Tartar gulphes that boyle Through Styx and through the burning Lakes I wil come after thee Thus may we please the lowring shades receiue thou heere of mee The parings of my Poll and Locks cut off from forehead torne Our hearts we could not ioyne in one yet wretches now farlorne We shal togeather in one day our fatall hower close If thou be loyall to thy spouse for him thy life then lose But if thou be vncestuous dye for thy louers sake Shall I vnto my husbandes bed agayne my corps betake Polluted with so haynous crime O death the chiefest ioy Of wounding shame Death onely ease of stinging Loues annoy We runne to thee embrace our sowles within thy gladsome breast Harke Athens harke vnto my talke and thou aboue the reste Thou Father worse vnto thy Child than bloudy stepdame I False forged tales I told with shame I fayning that did lye Which I of spite imagined when raging breast did swarue Thou father falsly punisht hast him that did not deserue The youngman chast is cast away for myne vncestuous vice Both bashful he and guiltles was now play thy wonted guyse My guilty breast with bloudy Launce of Sword deseru'd is riuen The Dirge toth ' dead to purge my spouse shal with my bloud be geuen Thou father of the stepdame learne what things thy SoÌ„ne should haue Of life depriued as to lay his carkasse in a graue Th. O wanny Iawes of blacke Auerne â—ake Tartar dungeon grim O Lethes Lake of woful Soules the ioy that therein swimme And eake ye glummy Gulphes destroy destroy me wicked wight And stil in pit of pangues let me be plunged day and night Now now come vp ye Gobline grim from water creekes alow What euer Proteus hugie swoln aloofe doth ouerflow Come dowse me drownd in swallowes depe that triumphe in my sinne And father thou that euermore ful ready prest hath binne To wreake myne yre aduentring Ia deede deseruing death With new found slaughter haue bereft myne onely Sonne of breath His tattred lims I scatred haue the bloudy field about Whyle th' innocent I punish doe by chaunce I haue found out The truth of al this wickednes heauen starres and sprites of hell I pester with my treachery that me doth ouerquell No mischiefes hap remayneth more iii. kingdomes know mee well We are returned to this World For this did Hell vnfold His gates that burials twayne I might and double death beholde Wherby I both a wyueles Wight andeakâ— a Sonles Sire May with one brand to wyse and Sonne enflame the funeral fire O tamer of blackefaced light Alcides now restore Thy booty brought from Hel redeeme to mee to mee therfore These Ghostes that now be gone ah sinful wretch to death in vayne I sue most vndiscrete by whom these wretched Wightes were slayne Imagining destruction sore aboute it wil I goe Now with thyne owne handes on thy selfe due vengeance do bestow A Pine tree bough downe straind perforce vnto the ground alow Let slip into the open ayre shal cut my corpes in twayne From top of Scyrons Rockes I wil be tumbled downe amayne More grieuous vengeance yet I haue in Phlegethon Riuer found Tormenting guilty Ghostes enclosd with fiery Channel round What pit and pangues shal plunge my soule already haue I known That tyring toyle of Sisyphus that retchles rolling stone Let yeeld vnto my guilty Ghost and beyng layed on These shoulders these these lifting handes of myne downe let it sway And let the fleeting floud aboute my lips deluded play Yea let the rauening grype come heare and Tytius paunch forsake For glutting foode with grasping Cleaze my liuer let him take Encreasyng stil to feede the Foule and for my tormentes sake And pause thou my Pyrothous Syre and eke the snackle Wheele That whirleth stil enforce my limmes thy swinging swift to feele Gape gape thou ground and swallow me thou cruell Chaos blynd This passage to th infernall Sprightes is fit for me to find My Sonne I wil ensue thou Prince of gastly ghostes in hell Dread not for chast wee come to thee geue thou me leaue to dwell Among thy dreadful dennes for aye and not to passe agayne Alas my prayer at the Gods no fauour can obtayne But if that mischiefe craue I should how ready would they bee Ch. O Theseus to thy plaint eternall tyme is graunted thee Prouyde thy Sonne his Obit rytes and shroude in dompish graue His broken lims which Monsters foule disperst and scattered haue Th. The shreadings of this deare beloued carkasse bring to mee His mangled members hether bring on heapes that tombled be This is Hyppolytus I do acknowledge myne offence For I it is that haue depriued thee of life and sense Least that but once or onely I should be a guilty Wight I Sire attempting mischiefe haue besought my Fathers might Lo I enioy my fathers gift O solitarinesse A grieuous plague when feeble yeares haue brought vs to distresse Embrace these lims and that which yet doth of thy sonne remayne O woeful wight in baleful breast preserue and entertayne These scattred scraps of body torne O Syre in order fet The straying gobbetts bring agayne here was his right hand set His left hand here instructed will to rule the raynes must be His left syde rybbs ful wel I know to be bewayld of mee With bitter teares as yet alas are lost and wanting still O trembling handes behold this woful busines to fulfil And withered Cheekes forbid your streams of flowing tears to runne Whyle that the father do accompt the members of his Sonne And eke patch vp his body rent that hath his fashion lost Disfigured foule with gorye woundes and all about be tost I doubt if this of thee be peece and peece it is of thee Here lay it here in th' empty place here let it layed be Although perhap it lye not right aye me is this thy face Whose beauty twinckled as a starre and eake did purchase grace In sight of Fâ—â— procurd to ruth Is this thy beauty lost O cruell will of Gods O rage in sinne preuayling most Doth thus the Syre that great good turne perfourme vnto his sonne Lo let thy fathers last fare wel within thyne eares to runne My child whom oft I bid farewell the whilst the fire shall burne These bones set ope his buriall bower and let vs fall to mourne With loude lamenting Mopsus wise for both the coarses sake With Princely Pompe his funerall fire see that ye ready make And seeke ye vp the broken parts in field dispersed round Stop hir vp hurlde into a Pit let heauy clodds of ground lie hard vpon hir cursed hed FINIS THE FIFTH TRAGEDY OF SENECA ENGLISHED The yeare of our Lord M. LX. BY
whose brow did damme yet neuer teare The empty Kyne their vdders doe repayre And lyght with course vncertayne here and there In grasse full soft the wanton kidde hee flynges In toppe of boughe doth sitte with chaunting songe And to the Sunne newe rose to spreade her wynges Bestirres her selfe her mourneful nestes amonge The Nightingall and doth with byrdes aboute Confuse resound with murmure mixedryfe To witnes day his sayles to wynde set out The shypman doth committe in doubt of lyfe VVhyle gale oswynde the slacke sayles filles full strayte He leaning ouer hollow rocke doth lye And either his begiled hookes doth bayte Or els beholdes and feeles the pray from hye with paised hand The trembling fish he feeles with line extent This hope to them to whom of hurtles lyfe Is quiet rest and with his owne content And lytle house such hope in fieldes is ryfe The troblous hopes with rolling whirlewynd great And dredful feares their wayes in cityes keepe He proude repayre to prince in regall seate And hard court gates without the rest of sleepe Esteemes and endles happynes to hold Doth gather goods for treasure gaping more And is ful pore amid his heaped gold The peoples fauour him astonied sore And commons more vnconstant then the sea VVith blast of vayne renoume liftes vp full proude He selling at the brawling barre his plea Full wicked sets his yres and scoulding loud And woordes to sale a fewe hath knowne of all The careles rest who mindfull how doth flitte Swift age away the tyme that neuer shall Returne agayne do holde while fares permitte At quiet liue the lyfe full quickly glydes VVith hastned course and with the winged day The wheele is turnde of yere that hedlong slides The sisters hard perfourme their taskes alway Nor may agayne vntwist the threede once sponne Yet mankind loe vnsure what way to take To meete the greedy destenyes doth ronne And willingly wee seke the Stigian lake To much Alcides thou with stomacke stoute The sory sprites of hell dost hast to see VVith course prefixt the fares are brought aboute To none once warnd to come may respite bee To none to passe their once appointed day The tombe all people calde by death doth hyde Let glory him by many landes awaye Display and fame throughout all cityes wyde Full babling praise and euen with skye to stande Auaunce and starres let him in chariot bright Ful haughty goe let me my natiue land In safe and secrete house keepe close from sight To restful men hoare age by course doth fall And low in place yet safe and sure doth lye The poore and base estate of cottage small The prowder pompe of minde doth fall from hye But sad here comes with losed lockes of heare Loe Megara with litle company And stowe by age drawes Hercles father neare THE SECOND ACTE Megara O Guider great of heauen of the world O Iudge full hie Yet now at length apoinct a meane of carefull miserie And ende of our calamitie To mee yet neuer day Hath careles shin de the ende of one affliction past away Beginning of an other is an other ennemy Is forthwith founde before that hee his ioyfull family Retourne vnto an other fyght hee taketh by behest Nor any respite giuen is to him nor quiet rest But whyle that he commaunded is straight him pursueth shee The hatefull Iuno Was yet once from toyle and labour free His infants age the monsters lo he venquisht hath and slayne Before he knew what monsters ment The skaled serpents twayne Their double neckes drew on toward him agaynst the which to ryse The infant crept to meete with them the serpents glittring eyes Lyke fyre with quiet carelesse brest he looking last vpon With coūtnance cleere hard wrested knots of them he caught anon And strangling then the swelling throates of them with tender hand To Hydra prelude made the beast so swyfte of Maenale land That with much Golde bare vp full bright his beautified head Is caught in course of Nemey wood likewise the greatest dread The Lyon prest with Hercles armes hath roarde with dreadfull crie What should I speake of stables dyre of steedes of Bystonye Or King cast out himselfe for foode his horses fierce to fill And bristled beast in thicke tops woont of Erymanthus hill The boare of Maenalye the woods of Arcady to shake And Bull that did no litle dread to hundred peoples make Among the flocks of Hesper lande that hence farre distant bee The sheepherde of Cartesian coast of triple shape to see Is slayne and driuen is the pray from farthest parte of weast Citheton quak't when by him past to sea the well knowne beast He being bid to make by coastes of sommer sunne his way And parched landes which sore with heate doth boyle the middell day The mountaynes brake on either side and rampiers all vndoon Euen vnto swyft and raging sea hath made a way to roon Then entring in of plenteaus wood the pleasant gardeins gay The waking dragons golden spoyles with him he brought away The Lerna monsters numerous ill what neede to tell haue I Hath he not him with fyre at length subdewde and taught to dye And which were woont with wings abrode to hyde the day from sight Euen from the cloudes he sought braue the Stimphale birdes to flight Not him subdewde who euer lyes in bed vnmacht at night The wyddowe queene of them that tooke to Thermodont their flight Nor handes that well durst euterprise his noble trauayles all The filthy labour made to shrynke of foule Augias hall What vayle all these he wants the world which oft defended he And th earth well knowes the worker of his quietnes to be Away from earthe the prosperous gilt that beareth happy swey Is vertue callde and now the good to wicked doe obay The right doth stand in might of armes feare treadeth downe the lawe Before my face with cruell hand euen presently I sawe Reuengers of theyr fathers reygne the sonnes with sworde downe cast And of the noble Cadmus eke himselfe the ofspring last Then slayne I lawe his regall crowne at once from him away With head bereft Who Thebes alas enough bewayle nowe may The fertile land of Gods what lorde now quakes it for to knowe Out of the fieldes of which somtime and fruictfull bosome lowe The youth vpsprong with swarde in band preparde to battell stoode And walls of which Amphion one of mighty Ioue his broode Hath built with sounding melody in drawing to the stones To towne of whom the parent chiefe of Gods not onely ones Heauen being left hath come this land that Gods aboue alway Receiu'de and which hath made them Gods and leefull beete to say Perhaps shall make with lothsome yoake of bondage is prest downe O Cadmus stocke and citezens of olde Amphions towne Whereto are yee nowe fall'ne dread yee a cowardly exull thus His coastes to dwell in lacking and to ours iniurious Who through the worlde pursues the gilts and wrong by sea and land
father kingdome house that dearer is to mee The hate of thee the which to me with people for to be In commune woe I am how great is myne alonly part Rule on ful proude beare vp ful hye thy sprites and haughty hart Yet God the proude behynd theyr backes doth follow them to wreake I know the Thebane kingdomes what should I the mothers speake Both suffring and aduentring gyltes what double mischiefe done And mixed name of spouse at once of father and of sonne What brether as double tentes or what as many roages also The mother proude of Tantals brood congeald in mourning Ice And sory stone yet flowes with teares in Phrygian Sipylye Himselfe like wyse erected vp his sealed heade awrye Euen Cadmus measuring throughout th' Illyrian landes in flight Behynd him left of body drawne long slymy markes in sight All these examples wayte for thee rule thou as likes thy will Whyle thee our kingdomes wonted fates do call and oft hap yll Ly. God to these fierce and furious wordes thou woman mad refraine And imperyes of princes learne of Hercles to sustayne Though I the scepters gotten by the force of war do beare In conquering hand all do rule without the law his feare Which armes subdue a few wordes yet to thee now speake I shall For this my cause thy father did in bloudy battel fall Thy brethren fell the weapons kepe no measurable stay For neither easily tempred be nor yet repressed may The drawne swordes yre the battels doth the bloud delite out shedde But he yet for his kingdome fought wee altogether led With wicked lust yet th' end of war is now complayned loe And not the cause but now let all remembraunce therof goe When conquerour hath weapons left the conquerds part should be To leaue his hates Not I that thou with lowly bended knee Mee raygning worship should'st require euen this doth mee delight That thou thy myseries do'st beare with mynde so stout vpright Thou for a king a spouse art meete let 's ioyne our beds anone ME. A trembling colde doth run throughout my bloudles lims ech one What hainous thinge comes to myne eares I fear'de not then at all When all peace broake the noyse of warre did by the city wall Resounde about I bare all that vnfearefully to see I feare the wedding chambers nowe I captiue seeme to mee Let heauy chaynes my body greeue and eke with hunger long Let lingring death be slowly brought yet shall no force full strong My truthe subdue for euen thine owne Alcides will I dye LY. Doth then thy husband droun'de in hell geue thee this stomack hic ME. The hells alowe he toucht that he the height againe might get LY. The heauy paise oppresseth him of all the earth full great ME. Hee with no burdein shall be prest that heauen it selfe sustayn'de LY. Thou shalt be forst ME. He wots not how to die that is cōstrain'd LY. Speake what may rather I prepare then wedding newe for thee More royall gyft ME. Thine owne death els or els the death of mee LY. Thou shalt mad woman die ME. I shall then to my husbande go LY. More then my Sceptors is to thee a seruaunt loued so ME. How many hath this seruant slayne of kings with hendy stroake LY. Why doth he yet a king then serue and still sustayne his yoake ME. Take once away the hard behests what 's vertue then at last LY. Do'st thou it vertue counte to bee to beasts and monsters cast ME. T' is vertues part to tame the things that all men quake to know LY. Him great things braggīg darknes deepe of tartare presse ful low ME. There neuer may from ground to stars an easy passage be LY. Of whom begot the housen then of Gods through pearceth he AM. O wretched wife of Hercles great thy words a whyle now spare My parte it is the father of Alcides to declare And his true stocke yet after all of man so stoute as this So famous deebes and after all appeas'de with hand of his What euer Titan rysen vp doth see or els at fall And after all these monsters tam'de and Phlegrey sprinkled all With wicked bloud and after Gods defended all on hye Is not his father yet well knowne or Ioue doe we beelye Beleeue it yet by Iunoes hate LY. Why do'ste thou sclaunder Ioue No mortall kinred euer may be mixt with heauen aboue AM. To many of the Gods in skyes is this a common trade LY. But were they euer seruauntes yet before they Gods were made AM. Of Delos I le the sheepherde loe the flocks of Pherey fed LY. But through all coasts he wandred not abroade as banished AM. Whō straying mother first brought forth wādring loud to sight LY. Yet Phoebus did no monsters feare or beasts of cruell might AM. First Dragon with his bloud embrew'd the shalts of Phoebus lo Howe greeuous ills euen yet full yong he bare doe you not knoe From mothers wombe the babe out thrown with lightning flame frō hie Euen next his lightning Father stoode forthwith aboue in skye What he him selfe that guides the starres shakes the clouds at will Did not that Infant lurke in Den of hollowe caued hill The byrthes so great full troublous pryce to haue loe alwayes ought And euer to be borne a God with coste full great is bought LY. Whom thou a miser see'st thou mai'st know him a man to bee AM. A miser him deny yee may whom stout of heart yee see LY. Call we him stout from shoulders hye of whom the Lyon throwne A gift for mayden made and eke his Club from hand fell downe And paynted side with purple weede did shyne that he did weare Or may we him call stout of heart whose staring lockes of heare With ointmēt slowde who hands renownde knowne by prayses hye To sound vnmeete for any man of timber did applye With barbarous mytar cloasting in his forhead rounde about AM. The tender Bacchus did not blushe abroade to haue layde out His brayded heares nor yet with hand full soft the Thyrsus light For to haue shooke what time that he with pace vnstout in sight His long train'de batbarous garment drew with golde full fayre to see Still vertue after many workes is woont releast to bee LY. Of this the house of Euritus destroyde doth witnesse beare And virgins flockes that brutishly by him oppressed weare No Iuno did commaunde him this nor none Eurystheus loe But these in deede his owne workes are AM. Yet all yee doe not knoe His worke it is with weapons of his owne hand vanquished Both Eryx and to Eryx ioyn'de Antaeus Lybian ded And aulters which with slaughter of the straungers flowing fast Busyris well deserued bloud likewise haue drunke at last His deede it is that he that met the wounde and sworde is slayne Constrain'de to suffre death before those other Geryons twayne Nor ene all onely Geryon doth with one hand conquer'de lye Thou shalt among these be which yet with none
beset on euery syde Amphitryon Hercules Theseus DOo eyther els my great desyres delude and mocke myne eyes Or hath the tamer of the world and Greekes renowme likewyse Forsooke the silent howse besette with cloude full sadde to see Is this my sonne my members loe for ioy amased bee Oh sonne the sure and sauegard late of Thebes in misery See I thy body true indeede or els deceiu'de am I Mockt with thy sprite art thou the same these brawnes of armes I know And shoulders and thy noble handes from body hie that grow Her Whens father happes this vglines and why in mourning clad Is thus my wyfe how happes it that with filth so foule bestad My children are what misery doth thus my house appresse Am. The father in law is slayne the kingdome Licus doth possesse Thy sonnes thy parent and thy wyfe to death pursueth hee Her Vngrateful laud doth no man come that will an ayder bee Of Hercles house and this behelde so great and haynous wronge Hath th' ayded world but why were I the day in playnt so long Let then my dye and this renoume let strength obtayne in haste And of Alcider enmies all let Lycus be the last I driuen am to goe to shedde the bloud of enmye out Watch Theseu that no sodayne strength beset vs here aboute Me warres require embracing yet deferre O father deare And wyfe deferre them Lycus shall to hell this message beare That I am now returnd The Shake of O Queene on t of thyne eyes This weping face and thou synce that thy sonne is safe likewyse Thy drupping teares refrayne yf yet I Hercles euer knew Then Lycus shall for Creon paye the paynes to him ful due T' is lyght he shal he doth and that 's to light he hath it done Am. Now God that can them bring to passe spede wel our wishes soone And come to helpe our weary woes O noble harted mate Of my stout sonne of his renowne declare vs all the rate How long away doth leade to place where sory sprites doth dwell And how the hard and heauy bondes the dog hath borne of hell The. The deedes thou dost constrayne to tell that euen to mynde secure Are dredful yet and horrible scant yet the trust is sure Of vitall ayre sore blunted is the sharpnesse of my sight And dulled eyes do scant sustayne to see th' vnwoonted light AM. Yet Theseus throughly ouercome what euer feare remaynes In bosome deepe nor do thou not of best fruict of thy paynes Beguilde thy selfe What thing hath once to suffre beene a care To haue remembred it is sweete those dredfull haps declare TH. All ryght of worlde and thee lykewyse I praye that bearst the rayns In kingdome wyde and thee for whom all round about in vayne Thy mother throughout Aetna sought that secret things alowe And hid in ground it freely may bee lawfull for to showe The Spartane land a noble toppe of hyll aduaunceth hye Where Taenarus with woods full thick the Sea doth ouerly The house of hatefull Ditis here his mouth doth open set And rocke of hyll aboue doth gape and with a denne full gret A huge and gaping cleft of ground with Iawes full wyde doth lye And way full broade to people all doth spred to passe thereby Not straight with darkenes doth begin the way that blindes the sight A litle lingring brightnes loe behinde of late left light And doubtfull glittring yet of sonne afllicted falles alowe And mocks the sight such light is wont vndoubtedly to showe The dawne of day or twylight els at edge of euening tyde From hence to hollowe places voyde are loaste the spaces wyde To which needes peryshe must all kinde of men that once are throwne Nor it a labour is goe the way it selfe leades downe As oft the ships agaynst theyr willes doth tosse the swelling surge So downward doth that headlong way and greedy Chaos vrge And backe agayne to drawe thy pace thee neuer doe permit The sprits who what they catch hold fast alowe within doth flit In chanell wyde with silent foorde the quiet lake of lethe And cares doth rid and that there may to scape agayne from death No meane be made with many turnes and windings euery way Foldes in his floude in such sorte as with waue vnsure doth play Maeander wandring vp and downe and yeldes himselfe vnto And doubtfull stands if he toward banke or backe to spryng may goe The foule and filthy poole to see of slowe Cocytus lyes On th' one the Grype on th' other side the mournefull Howlet cries And sad lucke of th' unhappy Strix likewise resoundeth there Full vglily in shady bowes blacke Locks of lothsome heare Where Taxus tree doth ouer leane which holdeth slouthfull sleepe And hunger sad with famisht Iawe that lyes his place to keepe And shame to late doth hide his face that knowes what crimes it hath Both feare and quaking funerall and fretting raging wrath And mourning dyre doth follow on and trembling pale disease And boystrous battayles set with sworde and hid beyond all thease Doth slouthfull age his lingring pace help forth with staffe in hand AM. Of corne and wyne in hell alowe is any fertile land TH. No ioyfull Meades do there bring forth with face so greene fayre Nor yet with gentill Zephyrus wagges ripened corne in th' ayre Nor any tree hath there such bowes as doe bryng apples out The barrayne compasse of deepe soyle full filthy lyes about And withred with eternall drought the lothsome land doth waste And bond full sad of thinges and of the worlde the places laste The ayre vnmoued stands and night sits there full darke to see In slouthfull world all thinges by dread full horrible there bee And euen farre worse then death it selfe is place where death doth bide AM. What he that doth those places darke with regall sceptor guide In what seate set doth he dispose and rule those peoples light TH. A place there is in turne obscure of Tartarus from sight Which mist full thick with fearefull shade doth holde and ouergoe From hence a double parted streame from one wellspring doth floe The tone much like a standing poole by this the gods doe sweare The which the sacred Stygian lake with silent floude doth beare The t'other fierce with tumult great is drawen his course to goe And Acheron with raging floud the stones dryues to and froe Vnsaylable with double foorde is rounde about beset Agaynst it Ditis pallace dyre and manston house full gret In shadefull woode is couered from wide den here the posts And thresholds of the tyrant hang this is the walke of ghosts This of his kingdome is the gate a fielde about it goes Where sitting with a countnaunce proude abroade he doth dispose Newe soules a cruell maiesty is in the God to knowe A frowning forehead which yet of his brethren beares the showe And so great stocke there is in him of Ioue the very face But when he lightens and great part of cruell
His cruel sleepes he turnes and not yet is The plague subdude of so great raging yll And on great club the weary head of his He wont to laye doth secke the staffe to fynde VVith empty handes his armes out casting yet VVith mouing vayne nor yet all rage of minde He hath layd downe but as with Sowthwind greate The waue once vext yet after kepeth still His raging long and though the wind now bee Asswaged swelles shake of theis madde and yll Tossinges of mynde returne let piety And vertue to the man els let be so His mynde with mouing mad toste euery waye Let errour blynd where it begun hath go For naught els now but only madnes maye Thee gyltles make in next estate it standes To hurtles handes thy mischiefe not to know Now stroken let with Hercules his handes Thy bosome sounde thyne armes the worlde allow VVere wonte to beare let greuous strypes now smyte VVith conquering hande and lowde complaying cryes Let th' ayre now heare let of darke pole and nighte The Queene them hear and who ful fyercely lyes That beares his neckes in mighty chaynes fast bounde Low lurking Cerberus in deepest caue Let Chaos all with clamour sad resound And of broad sea wide open wafting waue And th' ayre that felt thy weapons beter yet but felt them though The breastes with so great yls as these beset VVith litle stroake they must not beaten bee Let kingdomes three sound with one playnt and crye And thou neckes honour and defence to see His arrowe strong longe hanged vp on hye And quiuers light the cruell stripes now l'myte On his fierce backe his shouldars strong and stout Let oken club now strike and poast of might VVith knots ful hard his brestee load all aboute Let euen his weapons so great woes complayne Not you pore babes mates of your fathers praise VVith cruell wound reuenging kinges agayne Not you your lims in Argos barriars playes Are taught to turne with weapons strong to smie And strong of hand yet euen now daring loe The weapons of the Scithian quiuer light VVith stedy hand to paise set out from bow And stags to perce that saue them selues by flight And backes not yet ful maend of cruel beast To Stigian hauens goeye of shade and night Goe hurtles soules whom mischiefe hath opprest Euen in fyrst porch of lyfe but lately had And fathers fury goe vnhappy kind O litle children by the way ful sad Of iourney knowen Goe see the angry kynges THE FIFTHE ACTE Hercules Amphitry on Theseus WHat place is this what region or of the world what coast Where am I vnder ryse of sunne or bond els vttermost Of th' ycy beare or els doth here of sea of Hespery The fardest ground appoynt a bond for th' ocean sea to lye What ayre draw we to weary wight what ground is vnderset Of truth we are returnd from hell whence in my house downe bet See I these bloudy bodyes hath not yet my mynd of cast Th' infernall shapes but after yet returnd from hel at last Yet wander doth that belly heape before myne eys to see I am asham'de to graunt I quake I know not what to me I cannot tell what greeuou yll my mynde before doth know Where is my parent where is shee with goodly childrens show My noble harly stomackt spouse why doth my left syde lacke The lyons spoyle which way is gone the couer of my backe And selfe same bedde ful soft for slepe of Hercules also Where are my shaftes where is my bow then from my liuing who Could plucke away who taken hath the spoyles so great as these And who was he that feared not euen sleepe of Hercules To see my conquerour me lykes yt lykes me hym to know Ryse victor vp what new sonne hath my father gotten now Heauen beynge left at byrth of whom myght euer stayd bee A longer night then was in myne what mischiefe do I see My children loe do lye on ground with bloudy slaughter slayne My wyfe is kild what Lycus doth the kingdome yet obtayne Who durst so haynous giltes as these at Thebes take in hand When Hercles is returnd who so Ismenus waters land Who so Acteons fieldes or who with double seas beset The shaken Pelops kingdomes dost of Dardan dwell on yet Helpe me of cruel slaughter show who may the author bee Let rage my yre and all my foe he is who so to me Shewes not my foe dost thou yet hyde Alcides victorly Come forth euen whether thou reuenge the cruel charyots hye Of Bloudy Thracian king or yf thou Gerions catell quight Or lordes of Lybia no delay there is with thee to fight Beholde I naked stande although euen with my weapons loe Thou me vnarmed sette vppon Wherfore fleeth Theseus soe And eke my father from my syght theyr faces why hyde they Deferre your weepings and who did my wyfe and children sley Thus all at once me tell Wherfore O father dost thou whus ht But tell thou Theseu but Theseu with thy accustom'd truste Ech of them sylent hydes away their bashefull count'naunces And priuily they shed their teares in so great ils as these Of what ought wee asham'de to be doth ruler yet of might Of Argos towne or hateful band of sowldiars apt to fight Of Lycus dying vs oppresse with such calamity By prayse of all my noble actes I do desyre of thee O father and of thy great name approu'de to me alway The prosperous powre declare to mee who did my houshold flay Whose pray lay I A. Let thus thyne ylles in sylens ouerpas He. That I should vnreuenged bee Am Reuenge oft hurtful was He Did euer man so greeuous yls without reuenge sustayne A Who 's euer greater fearde H. Then these O father yet agayne May any greater thing or els more greuous feared be Am. How great apart is it thou wotst of thy calamity Her Take mercy father lo I lift to thee my humble hands What meaneth this my hand fleeth backe some priuy gylt their standes Whence comes this bloud or what doth mean flowing with death of child The shaft imbrewd with slaughter once of Lerney monster kilde I see my weapons now the hand I seeke no more to witte Whose hand could bend this bow but myne or what right at me but it Could string the bow that vnto mee euen scantly doth obay To you I turne O father deare is this my gylt I pray They held their peace it is myne own Am. Thy greuous woe is there The cryme thy stepdames this mischaunce no falt of thyne hath here Her From euery part now father throw in wrath thy thunders mighte And of thy sonne forgetful now with cruel hand requighte At least thy nephewes let the world that beares the starrs sounde out And let both th' one and th' other poale flyng downe thy flames aboute And let the bankes of Caspyan sea my bounden body teare And gredy foule Wherfore do of Prometheus lacke heare The rockes with huge and
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
vnshaken payse vnmoued yet art thou The Gods are fled Atr. but take to thee with ioy thy children now And rather them embrace at length thy children all of thee So long wisht for for no delay there standeth now in mee Enioy and kisse embracing armes deuyde thou vnto three Thy. Is this thy league may this thy loue and fayth of brother bee And doost thou so repose thy hate the father doth not craue His sonnes aliue which might haue bene without thy gylt to haue And eke without thy hate but this doth brother brother pray That them he may entoombe restore whom see thou shalt strayght waye Be burnt the father naught requires of thee that haue he shall But soone forgoe Atr. what euer part rot of thy children all Remaynes here shalt thou haue and what remayneth not thou host Thy. Lye they in fieldes a food out flung for fleerug fowles to waste Or are they kept a pray for wyld and brutish beastes to eate Atr. Thou hast deaourd thy sonnes and fyld thy selfe with wicked meat Thy. Oh this is it that sham'de the Gods and day from hence did dryue Turn'd back to east alas I wretch what waylinges may I geue Or what complayntes what woeful woordes may be enough for mee Their heads cut of and handes of torne I from their bodies see And wrenched feete from broken thighes I here behold agayn T ys this that greedy father could not suffer to sustayne In belly roll my bowels round and cloased cryme so great Without a passage stryues within and seekes away to get Thy sword O brother leud to me much of my bloud alas It hath let vs therwith make way for all my sonnes to passe Is yet the sword from me withheld thy selfe thy bosomes teare And let thy brestes resound with stroakes yet wretch thy hand forbeare And spare the deade who euer saw such mischiefe put in proofe What rude Heniochus that dwels by ragged coast aloofe Of Caucasus vnapt for men or feare to Athens who Procustes wyld the father I oppresse my children do And am opprest is any meane of gylt or mischiefe yet Atr. A meane in mischiefe ought to be when gylt thou dost commit Not when thou quytst for yet euen this to litle seemes to me The blood yet warme euen from the wound I should in sight of thes Euen in thy lawes haue shed that thou the bloud of them mightst drinke That lyued yet but whyle to much to hast my hate I thinke My wrath beguyled is my selfe with sword the woundes them gaue I strake them downe the sacred fyres with slaughter vowde I haue Wel pleasd the carcase cutting then and liueles lymmes on grounde I haue in litle parcels chopt and some of them I drounde In boyling cauderns some to fyres that burnte ful slow I put And made to droppe their synewes all and limmes a two I cut Euen yet alyue and on the spitte that thrust was through the same I harde the liuer wayle and crye and with my hand the flame I oft kept in but euery whit the father might of this Haue better done but now my wrath to lightly ended is He rent his sonnes with wicked gumme himselfe yet wotting naught Nor they therof Th. O ye encloas'd with bending bankes abought All seas me heare and to this gylt ye Gods now harken well What euer place ye fled are to here all ye sprites of hel And here ye landes and night so darke that them dost ouerly With clowde so blacke to my complayntes do than thy selfe apply To thee now left I am thou dost alone me miser see And thou art left without thy starres I wil not make for me Peticions yet nor ought for me require may ought yet bee That me should vayle for you shal all my wishes now foresee Thou guyder great of skyes aboue prince of highest might Of heauenly place now all with cloudes ful horrible to sight Enwrap the worlde and let the wyndes on euery syde breake out And send the dredfull thunder clap through al the world about Nor with what hand thou gyltes house and vndeserued wall With lesser bolt are wonte to beate but with the which did fall The three vnheaped mountaynes once and which to hils in height Stoode equall vp the gyantes huge throuw out such weapons streight And flyng thy fires and therwithall reuenge the drowned day Let flee they flames the light thus lost and hid from heauen away With flashes fyll the cause lest long thou shouldst doubte whom to hit Of ech of vs is ill if not at least let myne be it Me strike with tryple edged toole thy brande of flaminge fyre Beate through this breast if father I my children to desyre To lay in tombe or corpses cast to fyre as doth behoue I must be burnt if nothing now the gods to wrath may moue Nor powre from skies with thunder bolt none strikes the wicked men Let yet eternall night remayne and hyde with darknes then The world about I Titan naught complayne as now it standes If stil thou hyde thee thus away Atre. now prayse I well my handes Now got I haue the palme I had bene ouercome of thee Except thou sorrow'dst so but now euen children borne to mee I compt and now of bridebed chast the fayth I do repayre Thy. In what offended haue my sons Atr. In that that thyne they were Thy. Setst thou the sonnes for fathers foode Arr. I do which is best The certayne sonnes Thy. The gods that guyde all infantes I protest Atr. What wedlock gods Th. who would the gilt with gylt so quite again Atr. I know thy greefe preuented now with wrong thou dost complayne Nor this thee yrkes that sed thou art with food of cursed kind But that thou hadst not it prepared for so it was thy mynd Such meates as these to set before thy brother wotting naught And by the mothers helpe to haue likewyse my children caught And them with such like to slay this one thing letted thee Thou thought'st them thine Thy. the gods shall al of this reuengers be And vnto them for vengeance due my vowes thee render shall Atr. But vext to be I thee the whyte geeue to thy children all THE FOVRTH SCENE Added to the Tragedy by the Translatour Thyestes alone O Kyng of Dytis dungeon darke and grysly Ghosts of hell That in the deepe and dreadfull Denne of blackest Tarrace dwell Where leane and pale dyseases lye where feare and famyne are Where discord stands with bleeding browes where euery kynde of care Where furies fight in beds of steele and heares of crauling snakes Where Gorgon grimme where Harpyes are lothsome Lymbo lakes Where most prodigious vgly thinges the hollowe hell doth byde If yet a mouster more myshapt then all that there doe hyde That makes his broode his cursed foode yee all abhorre to see Nor yet the deepe Auerne it selfe may byde to couer mee Nor grisly gates of Plutoes place yet dare them selues to spred Nor gaping
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
to them Here runnes a gulphy streame With force afore it dryuing stones as bigge as mountaine beame What say you shall wee drench our selues within this fomy Flood Goe where you wil take which you list do as you deeme it good Conditionally that I may first receyue the wound of death I recke no whit I ready stand to yeld vp vitall breath I neyther draw you to nor froe but euen as best you thinke So doe so deale Would you so fayne Deathes bitter cup to drinke My lord and Father take you death so greate a boone to bee If that you dye this I assure die first you shall me see If life in shew more pleasaunt seme if so you rather chuse I am to wayte vpon you still and neuer will refuse But chaunge this mynde wherein you rest take hart a grace and show The noble magnanimity that earst in you did flow Resist these panges subdue these dumpes by valour of the mynd Let manly courage qualify these your affections blynd T is great dishonor thus to yeeld your selfe to dolor thrall No storme of aduerse hap thus ought a Princes hart t' appall Oedip. This geare surmounteth far the reach of my capacity I am astonn'd I feele my selfe rapt with an extasie Is this not wonder of so lewd and of so curst a tree Such fruite to grow of graceles Syre so good a child to see Is it not straunge that in a house distaynd in villany Such noble shew of towardnes and vertuous gyftes should lye Let me some speach to thee direct dame Fortune how haps this That here my daughter so vnlike to wretched father is Degenerating from his steps and with such vertue fraught As in her Fathers cursed house she neuer yet was taught Is it I pray thee credible that out of me should spring Such yssue as should geuen be to any honest thinge No truely no it cannot bee my fates ful well I know None such vnlesse to doe me scart and mischiefe would be so T' encrease the heape of myne annoy no straunge effect shall want Dame Nature in her Creatures wil new affectes emplant The Ryuer shall returne his course to Fountayne backe agayne Dan Phoebus Lamp shall bring the Night and Night shal day remain So that my grieuous miseryes with surplusage may grow But be as t is I for a whyle wil play my part also And shew some sparke of piety my fault to counteruayle With murtdroue knife my woeful dayes to end I wil not fayle The onely helpe for Oedipus the onely safety is To ridde himselfe and so redeeme that Hellish fact of his Let mee take vengeance on my selfe for wronges to father donne Whose Death is yet vnexpiate by mee his cursed sonne Why dost thou shake and tremble thus thou hand not good for ought Why flaggrest thou to stabbe him in who Syre to spoyle hath brought That punishment which hether to by pulling out myne eyes Thou hast inflicted on me is but as a sacrifyce Or guerdon due for villany which I committed haue With mother myne Now Daughter sloute leaue of pretences braue Alledge no gâ—oses but with speede let goe thy Fathers hand Thou mak'st me die a lingring death within this loathed land Thou thinkst I am aliue but I am dead long while agoe To this my hateful Corps at length the rytes of Buriall show Thou meanest well I know but yet therin thou dost offend Though colour for thy piety I see thou dost pretend But piety it canot be to dragge thus vp and downe Thy Fathrs Corpes vnburied through City Field and Towne For bee that doth enforce a man agaynst his will to dye And he that stayeth him that would fayne dye most willingly Are both alike in equall fault and stand in egall plight To hinder one that would be dead is morthring him outright Yet not so great as thother is I would be more content To haue my death commaunded me then from me to be set Desist from this thy purpose Mayd my lyfe and death both are To dispose at my liberty with choyse to spill or spare I willingly resigned the Crowne of Thebane soyle yet I Do still retaine vpon my selfe the entyre Soueraygntye If I may make accompt of thee as of a trusty feare And true compagnion at assayes deliuer euen heere Into thy Fathers hand a Sweard but tell me dost thou reach The Sword embrewd in fathers bloud wherewith my sonnes empeach The course of Law possessing it and kingdome all by force Where so it is doubt is there none but cleane without remorse There bee the Floudgates opned wyde to al licencious lust And thriftlesse trades I al my clayme therein do rake in dust And cleane forsake Let both my Sonnes by Legacy enioy The same wherewith they surely shall contriue non smal annoy For mee pyle rather vp a stacke of wood set all on fyre That I therein may thrust my selfe that is my chiefe desyre And make an end at once of all this carrion Tarkasse vyle Where is the surging wauous Sea why stay I all this whyle Bring mee to some stiepe breaknecke fall bring me where Ismene flood With swift and horned course doth runne bring me wheras my blood With goaryng push of sauage beastes may out be let at once To some Gulfe bring me where the fall and tide may crush my Bones If needes thou wilt my guyde remayne as oft thou dost me tell Bring me that am dispos'd to dye where Sphiox that Monster fell With double shape apposed them that passed by the way Propounding Riddles intricate and after did them slay There would I bee that place I seeke thy Father thyther bring Into that Monsters Cabin dire thy Monstrous Father fling That though that Monster be dispatcht the place may bee supplyde With one as badde or worse then bee there wil I farre and wyde In tearmes obscure report and tell my heauy lucklesse lot The misteries whereof the bearers vnderstandeth not Geue eare to that which I shal speake marke thou Assyrian borne Consider this thou Thebane where Duke Cadmus men were torne And slayne in wood by Serpentes rage where Dirce seely trull In humble sort at Aulter lies aduert my tale at full Thou that in Lacedaemon dwelles and honorst Castors grace And Pollux eake two brethren twynnes Fynd out this doubtful case Or thou that dwelst in Elis towne or by Parnassus hill Or thou that till'st Baeotia ground there reaping gayne at wil Hearke listen well and flatly say if euer heretofore That murdrous monster Sphinx of Thebes that men in peeces tore In all his riddles askt the like or of so straunge a sort Or whether so insolubly his termes he cold report The Sonne in Lavv to Graundfather the Riual of his Syre The Brother of his litle Babes to Brethren father dire The Graundmother at euery byrth to Husband graceles Elfe Brought forth a Sonne or Daughter vvhich vvas Nephevv to her selfe How say you Syrs in Ryddle darke who hath so good insight That
you thus flee OEdi. Frō none but frō my selfe Who haue a breast full fraught with guilte who wretched caitiffe Elte Haue all embrude my hands with bloud From these apace I flee And from the heauens and Gods therein and from that villanie Which I most wicked wretch haue wrought Shall I treade on thys ground Or am I worthy so to doe in whom such trickes abound Am I to haue the benefite of any Element Of Ayre for breath of water moyst or Earth for nourishment O Slaue forlorne O beastly wretch O Incestmonger vyle O Varlet most detestable O Peysaunte full of guile Why doe I with polluted Fyst and bloudy pawes presume To touch thy chast and comely hand I foame I fret I fume In hearing any speake to mee Ought I heare any tell Or once of Sonne or Father speake syth I did Father quell Would God it were within my power my Senses all to stop Would God I could these Eares of myne euen by the stumps to crop If that might bee then daughter I should not haue heard thy voyce I I thy Syre that thee be got by most incestuous choise Beegetting of thee makes my crymes moe then they were before Remorse thereof both gnaw and grype my conscience more and more Ofttymes that which myne Eyes not see with Eares that doe I heare And of my Facts afore time done the inward wound I beare Why is there stay made of my doome Why am I spard so long Why is not this blind head of myne throwne damned ghosts among Why rest I on the Earth and not among infernall Sprightes Why pester I the company of any mortall Wightes What myschiefe is there more behind to aggrauate my care My Kingdome Parents Children Wit and Vertue quayled are By sturdy stormes of froward Fate nothing remaynde but teares And they bee dryde and Eyes be gon my hardned heart forbeares Such signes of grace leaue of therefore and make no more adde A minde so mated with dispayre no suytes will slowpe vnto I practize some straunge punishments agreeing to my deede But what proportion can bee found of plagues vnto my meede Whose Fortune euer was so bad I was in sooner borne But seely Infant Iudgde I was in peeces to be torne My mother in whose wombe I lay forth had not mee yet brought And yet euen then I feared was and straight my death was sought Some Babes soone after they bee borne by stroke of death depart But I poore soule before my byrth adiudged was to dart Of death some yet in Mothers wombe ere any light they see Doe taste the dint of hasty Fate while Innocents they bee Apollo by his Oracle pronounced sentence dyre Vpon mee being yet vnborne that I vnto my Syre Should breastly parricide commit and therevpon was I Condemned straight by Fathers doome My Feete were by and by Launcde through through with yrō Pins hangde was I by the Heeles Vpon a Tree my swelling plants the printe thereof yet feeles As pray to Beastes cast out also to cramme theyr greedy Iawes In Mount Cythaeron and to fill the griping Vulturs Mawes Such Sauce to tast full lyke was I was others heeretofore Descended of the royall Sangue with smart perforce haue bore But see the chaunce I thus condemn'de by Dan Apollos hest And cast to beasts by Fathers doome and euery way distrest Could finde no death no death on mee durst seyze his lordly Pawe But fled from mee as though I had not beene within his Lawe I verified the Oracle with wicked hand I kilde Myne owne deere Father and vnwares his guiltlesse bloud I spilde Shall any satisfaction redeeme so vile an Acte May any kinde of Piety purge such a shamefull fact I rested not contented thus For Father beeing slayne I fell in linkes of lawlesse Loue with Mother Oh what payne And grudge of minde sustaynde I there in thinking on the same To tell our wicked wedlocke Yoake I loath I blush I shame I may not well this geare conceale I le tell it out it shall Though to my shame it much redound it may augment my thrall I will display straunge villanies and them in number many Most beastlike parts most lewde attempts to bee abhorr'de of any So filthy and so monstruous that sure I thinke no Age Will them belieue to haue bene done so cruell was my rage That euen ech cutthroate Partrcide thereat may be ashamde To heare it nam'de and with disdaine straight wayes will be enflamde My handes in Fathers blud embrude to Fathers Bed I brought And haue with Mother myne his Wife incestuous practyse sought To myschiefe adding mischiefe more I wis my fault to Sire Is slender in comparison my gracelesse fond desire Could not bee staide till solemnely the mariage Knot was knit Twixt mee and Mother myne alas for want of grace and wit How plungde am I in myschiefe still how is the measure full Of horrours vile which doe my minde and heart asunder pull And least the heape of these my woes might seeme to bee too skant My Mother she my Wyfe that is yong issue doth not want Can any crime in all the World more haynous be surmisde If any may by wicked Impes the same I haue deuisde My Realme and Crowne I haue resignde which I receiued as hyre For murdring most vunaturally the king my Lord and Syre Which Crowne now since twixt both my sonnes hath kindled mortall war And all the countrey by the ears remains at deadly iarre I know ful wel what destenies to this same Crowne belonges None without Bloud the same shall weare and most accursed wrongs This mynd of myne who Father am presageth many ills And gloomy dayes of slaughter dyre the plot that murther willes Already is contriu'd and cast all truth of word and deede Is quight exild al promise broke of pactes afore decreed Etheocles th one of my sonnes who now in princely throne Beates all the sway meanes stil to keepe the Diademe alone Poore Polynices th'o other sonne thus beyng dispessest And kept by force from Kingly rule his humble sute addrest Vnto the Gods this wrong to wreake this breach of league and oth T' auenge and plague he Argos soyle end Greekish Cttyes both Perswades t' assist him in this warie this quarel to mayntayne That he in Thebes as promise was might haue his turne to raygne The ruyne that to wearied Thebes shall greeuously befall And bring the pompous state therof adowne shal not be small Fire sword glaue woūds thwackīg thūps shal light vnto their share And that ere long and mischieues worse it any worse there are And this shall hap that all the worlde may know it is the race And yssue of a curied Syre that darraygnes such a case Though other causes none there were to moue you sic to liue Yet is this one sufficient that you by awe may dryue Your sonnes my Brethren tarring thus to vnity and peace For you their Father only may theyr furies cause to tease
You and none els may turne away th occassons of this warre These bransicke youthes from further rage you onely may dibarre By this your meanes the countrey shall their quiet peace enioy And Brethren ioyntly reconcild shal worke no more ennoy If you therefore this mortall life thus to your selfe deny You many thousandes shal vndoe whose states on you relye Oed. What canst thou make me to beleue that any sparke of grece Or loue to Syre or honesty in them hath any place Which thirst for one on others bloud which after kingdomes gape Whose whole delight is villany werre wurther guile and rape Such hateful ympes on mischiefe set such wicked Termagosites As to be sonnes of such a Syre with shame may wake their vauntes At one bare woord to tel thee all thy brethren two are bent Vppon all mischiefe wayghing not what loosenes they frequent When flingbrayne rage ensots their heades they care not they a rush Vpon what Deuelish vile attemptes they geue the desprat push And as they are conceau'd and borne in most abhorred sort So still deuoyde of Grace they thincke all villany but sport Theyr Fathers shame and wretched state moues them no whit at all To Countrey they no reckning make what massacre befall Their myndes are rauisht with desyre ambitiously to raygne I know their driftes and what they hope at length by shiftes to gayne And therfore sith the case so standes I leyfer had to die With poasting speede whyle in my house there is none worse then I Ahlas deare Daughter what adoe dost thou about me make Why liest thou prostrate at my knees why dost thou trauaile take To conquere my resolued mynd with this thy spiced phraze Of fayre entreatie these thy wordes my flynty hart amaze Dame Fortune hath none other bayte to bryng me to her lure Then this alone til now I still vnbanquisht did endure No Creatures words but thyne alone could pearce this hart of myne Ne from a purpose resolute my setled mynd butwyne Thou conquere canst thaffections fond that in my breast do boyle Thou teachest grace to fathers house and zeale to natiue soyle Each thing to me delightful is which iumpeth with thy wil Commaund me Daughter I thy hestes am ready to fufill Old Oedipus if thou enioyne wil passe th' Aegaean Sea And flashing flakes of Aetna Mount with mouth he dare assay He boldly dare obiect himselfe to raumping Dragons claw Which rag'd sweld and venime spit apace when as he saw Dan Hercules away to steale his golden Aples all In Gardens of Hesperides At thy commaund he shall His Entrails offer vnto iobbe of greedy Vulturs Byll At thy commaund content he is in life to linger still THE SECONDE ACTE Nuntius OEdipus Antigone Iocasta REnowmed Prynce of royall Race and Noble lygne yspronge The Thebans dreading much the drife of this your childrens thronge And warlicke garboyle now in hand most humbly pray your Grace For Countreys safety downe to set some order in the case They bee not threates and menacies that thus their mindes affright The mischiefe is more neere then so the Enmy is in sight For Polynices he that is your younger sonne of twayne Doth clayme the crowne and in his turne in Thebes requires to raigne According vnto couenaunts made which quarrell to decite Hee purposeth the dene of sword and maritall force t' abide With him he brings a mighty Troupe from eu'ry part of Greece Sir seuen Dukes hesieging Thebes are minded it to fleese Helpe noble King els are wee lyke to perishe man and chylde These bloudy broyles of ciuill warre from vs protect and shyelde O Edi. Am I one like to stop the rage of any wicked act Am I one like to cause these Youthes to leaue their bloudy fact Am I a maister like to teach what lawes of loue do meane Should I not then from former quise digresse in nature eleane They treade their Fathers steps aright they play my lawlesse prankes Like Syre like Sonnes like Tree like fruite I con theÌ„ harty thanks By this I know them for my Sonnes and praise their towardnesse I would they should by peeuish partes whose Sonnes they be expresse Shew forth you noble Gallante ympes what metled minds you beare Shew forth by deedes your valor great let lofty sprights appeare Surmount and dimme my prayses all Eclypse my glory quight Attempt some enterprise in which your Syre may haue delight To haue till now remaynd in life hereof I haue no doubt For well I know your practise is straunge feates to bring about Your byrth and ligne from whence you spronge assures me of no lesse Such noble Bloudes must needes atchiue some doughty worthinesse Your Weapons and Artillery for warre bring out with speede Consume with flame your natiue Soyle and desolation breede In eu'ry house within the Land a hurly burly make Confusedly of eu'ry thinge Make all the Realme to quake And in exile theyr dayes let end make leuell with the ground Eche fenced Fort and walled Towne The Gods and all confound And throw their Temples on their heads Their Images deface And melt them all turne vpstdowne eche house in eu'ry place Burne spoyle make hauocke leaue no iote of City free from fyre And let the flame begin his rage within my Chamber dyre AN. Syr banish these vnpatient panges let plagues of CoÌ„mon wealth Entreate your Grace sith vpon you stayth all their hope and health Procure your sonnes to reconcile themselues as brothers ought Establishe peace betwene them both let meanes of loue be sought OEd. Oh daughter see and well beholde howe I to peace am bent And how to end these garboyles all I seeme full well content My minde I tell thee swelles with yre within my entralles boyles Abundaunt stoare of Choller fell such restlesse rage turmoyles My inward Soule that I must yet some greater matter brew Which may the Realme enwrap in bale and cause them all to rue That which my rashe and heady sonnes haue hitherto begon Is nothing in respect of that wich must by me be don This ciuill warre is nothing like to that which I deuise These trifling broyles for such a Sea of harmes cannot suffice Let brother cut the brothers throate with murthrous knife in hand Yet is not this ynough to purge the mischieues of this lend Some haynous Fact vnheard of yet some detestable deede Must practisde bee as is to mee and myne by Fates decreed Such custome haunts our cursed race such guise our house hath caught My vise incestuous Bed requires such pageaunts to be wraught To me your Father Weapons reach my selfe heere let me shrowde In couert of these queachy wooddes and let me be allowde To lurke behinde this Craggy Rocke or els my selfe to hyde On backside of some thickset hedge where lying vnespide I hearken may what marketfolkes in passing to and froe Do talke and what the countrey Clownes speake as by way they goe There syth with eyes I cannot see with earâ—s yet may I beare How
monstrous mischiefe horrible from modest minde remoue Which neuer did Barbarian commit vnto this day No not the Gadding Gothes that vp and downe the fyeldes do stray Nor craggy crested Taurus mount whose hoary and frosty face With numming cold abandons all inhabitors the place Nor yet the scattered Scithian thy mother haue in mynd And feare this forrayne venery so straunge agaynst thy kind The Fathers wedlocke with the sonnes thou seckst to be defylde And to conceiue in wicked womb a Bastard Mungrell Child Go too and turne thy Nature to the flame of burning breast Why yet do Monsters cease why is thy Brothers caue in reast That Mynotaurus hideous hole and vgly couching den Without an other greedy fyend to mounch vp flesh of men Mishapen lothly monsters borne so oft the world shall beare So oft rebels agaynst her selfe confused Nature deare As loue entangles Nimphes of Crete Ph. I know the truth ye teach O Nurce but fury forceth mee at worser thinges to reach My mynd euen wittingly to vyce falles forward prone and bent To holesome counsell backe agayne in vayne it doth relente As when the Norman tugges and toyles to bring the freighted Barke Agaynst the striuing streame in vayne he loseth al his carke And downe the shallow streame perforce the Shyp doth hedlong yeeld Where reason preaseth forth there fighting fury winnes the field And beares the swinging sway and cranke Cupidoes puissant might Tryumpheth ouer all my breast this flighty winged wight And puissant potestate throughout the world doth heare the stroke And with vnquenched flames doth force Ioues kindled breast to smoake The Battelbeaten Mars hath felt these bitter burning brandes And eke the God hath tasted these whose feruent fierye handes The thumping thunder bouncing boltes three forked wyse doth frame And he that euer busted is about the furious flame In smoltring Fornace raging hoat on dusky top so hie Of foggye Aetna mount and with such slender heat doth frie And Phoebe himselfe that weldes his dart vpon his twanging string With aymed shaft directlie driuen the wimpled Ladde doth sting With powre he scoures along the Earth and Marble Skye awayne Lust fauoring folly filthtly did falsely forge and fayne Loue for a God and that he might hys freedome 〈…〉 Ascribes the name of fayned God to shittel bed lame rage Erycina about the world doth send her rouing page Who glyding through the Azure skies with slender ioynted arme His perlous weapons weildes at will and working grieeuous uous harme Of bones and stature beyng least great might he doth display Vpon the Gods compelling them to crouch and him obay Some Brainsicke head did attribute these thinges vnto himselfe And Venus Godhead with the bow of Cupid litle elfe Who cockred is tryumphing much in fauning fortunes lap And flotes in welth or seekes and sues for thinges that seldome hap Lust mighty fortunes mischeous mate assaulteth straight his breast His tooth contempneth wonted fare and victuals homly drest Nor hansome houses pleaseth him why doth this plague refuse The simple sort and to annoy doth stately bowers chuse How haps it matrimony pure to byde in Cottage base And honest loue in middle sort of men doth purchase place And thinges that be of meane estate themselues restraine ful well But they that wallow in their luste whose stately stomackes swell Puft vp and boistred bigge with trust of Kingly scepter proude Do greater matters enterprise then may be well alowde Hee that is able much to do of powre wil also bee To do these thinges he cannot doe Now Lady dost thou see What thinges do thee beseeme thus staid on stately throne on hie Mistrust the scepter of thy spouse returning by and by Ph. In me I beare a violent and mighty payse of loue And no mans comming home againe to terrour may me moue He neuer stepped backe agayne the welkin skie to touch That swallowed once and sunke in gulfe and glummy caue did couch Shut vp in shimering shade for ay Nu. Yet do not thou suppose Though dreadful Ditis lock with barres and bolt his dongeon close And though the hideous hellicke hounde do watch the griesly gates Not Theseus alone shal haue his passages stopt by fates Ph. Perhaps he pardon wil the cryme of loues procuring heate Nu. Nay churlishly hee would of old his honest wyfe entreate Antiope his bobbing buffets felt and heauy cuffe Suppose yet thou can qualifye thy husbandes raging ruffe Yet who can moue Hippolytus most stony stubborne mynd He wil abhorre the very name detesting woman kind And faring frantickly wil gyue himselfe to single life And shunne the hated spousall bedde of euery marride wife Then shal ye playnly vnderstand his brutish Scithian blood Ph. To follow him euen through the hilles the Forrest thycke wood That keepes among the clottred cliues besmeard with siluer Snow Whose nimble heeles on craggy rockes are frisking to and froe I wysh Nu. He wil resist and not be dalyed with nor coyd Nor chaunge his chast estate for lyfe of chastity deuoyd And turne perhaps his cankred hate to light on thee alone That now he beares to all Ph. wil not he moued be with mone Nu. Stark wilde he is Ph. and I haue learnd wilde thinges by loue to tame Nu Hee 'le runne away Ph. if by the Seas heftie I on the same Will follow him Nu. Remember then thy father may thee take Ph. I may remember myne offence my mother eake wil slake Nu. Detesting womankinde he driues and courseth them away Ph. No strūpets bashful feare agaynst my breast doth hold at bay Nu. Thy husband wil be here Ph. I wis he comes I warrant him Pyrothous companion in hellicke dungeon dimme Nu Thy Father also he wil come Ph. A gentle hearted Syre Forgeuing Ariadnes fault when she did him require Nu For these my siluer shining lockes of horie drouping age And breast beduld with cloying cares restrayne thy furious rage I humbly thee beseech euen by these tender tears of myne Succor thy selfe much health it is if will to health encline Ph. Not euery iote at honesty exiled is my breast I yeeld me Nurse loue that denies thus vnder rule to rest In quietnes let him let him perforce be battered downe I wil not let my fleeting fame and glorious bright renoume With stayne to be dishonoured this onely is the gap To shunne the perlous path that leades to vices trayning trap My spouse let mee ensue with death this striue I shall subuert Nu. Deare daughter slake the ramping rage of thy unruly heart Plucke downe thy stomacke stout for this I iudge thee worthy breath In that thou dost confesse thy selfe to haue deserued death Ph. Condemde I am to die what kind of death now would I know As eyther strangled with a rope shal I my life forgoe Or runne vppon a bloudy blade with gory wound to dye Or topsie turuy headlong hurld downe Pallas turret hie In quarrel iust of Chastity Nu. Now strengthen we our hand Alas shal not my
yet TH. Why dost thou turne aside From me thy weeping Countenance thy teares why dost thou hide That gushing sodaine frō thine eyes streame downe thy cheekes apace Why hidest thou thy flowing floudes with Coate before thy Face PH. Thee thee Creator of the Neauens to witnesse I doe call And thee O glittering fiery glede of Christall Sky with all And Phoebus thou from whom at first our royall Race hath roon With fawning face flattring words in suite I was not woon For naked sword thundring threts appauled was I not My brused bones abode the blowe and stripes when sore he smote This blemish black of foule defame my bloud shall purge agayne TH Declare what villaine is he that our honour so doth slayne PH. Whom least yee would mistrust TH. To know who t is ful sore I long PH. This Sword wil tel which sore afright when people thick in thrōg Resorted fast the Leacher vile for hast did leaue behinde Because the people preasing fast he dreeded in his minde TH. Ah out alas O woe is mee what villany see I Alas what vncouth Monster fowle of mischiefe I espy Beholde the royall Iuory engrau'de and purired fine Emboast with golden studdes vpon th' enameld Hast doth shine The Iewell of Actea lande but whyther fled is hee PH. With light Heele running sore dismaide these sruants did him see TH. O sacred holinesse O Ioue betweene whose mighty hands The Marble Poale with weltring sway in course directed stands And thou that second Scepter weilds in fomy fighting waue Why doth this cursed broode with such this wicked vengeance raue Hath he bene fostred vp in Greece or craggy Taurus wilde Among hard rugged Rocks and Caues some sauage Scythian Childe Or else in brutish Colchis I le by Desart Phasis flood Cat after kinde hee is and will th' unkindly Bastard blood Returne vnto his kinreds course whence first his ligne hee clames This frantick fury vp and downe comes of the warlicke Dames To hate the loyall leagues of loue and shunning long the vse Of Cupids campe with tag and rag her body to abuse Become as good as euer twangd O detestable kinde No better Soyle by any meanes can chaunge thy filthy minde The brutish beasts themselues doe Ioath th' abuse which Venus drawes And simple shamefastnesse it selfe obserueth Natures lawes Where is the brag of Maiesty and fayned portly grace Of manly minde that hateth new and olde things doth embrace O double dealing life thou clokes deceiptful thoughtes in brest And settest out a forhead fayre where frounced mynd doth rest The saucie Iacke with bashful brow doth malipiertnes hide The rashnes of the despret Dicke by stilnesse is vnspide With show of right religion knaues villany mayntayne And guileful mealemouthd Gentlemen do hold with speaking playne The daynty wanton Carpet Knights of hardnes boast and prate That Woodraunger that brainsicke beast who liu'd in chast estate An vndefyled Bachiler thou rude and homely clowne Thus dost thou watch thy tyme to breede this blot in my renowne To make me Cuckold first of all did it delyght thy mynd First falling to thy spousall sport with mischiefe most vnkind Now now to thee supernal Ioue most hearty thankes I yeeld That with my first Antiope to dreary death I quelde That gone to dampish Stygian Dennes I left thee not behynd Thy Mother go go Vagabond rawnge rawnge about to finde Straunge forraine soyles and outcast landes aloofe at world his end And Iles enclosd with th' Ocean floud to hell thy soule shall send Beneath among th' Antipodes thy selfe of harbring sped Though in the vtmost lurking nooke thou shroude thy miching heade Aboue the grisly Pallaces thou climbe of lofty Poale Or maist aboue the clottring Snow aduaunce thy cursed Soule Beyond the brunt of Winter flawes and threatning rigour passe And stormy wrath with rumbling rough of ysse Boreas With pengeance vengeance violent fast hurling after thee With daunting plagues and pestilence thy sinnes shal scourged bee For life and death about the world in euery lurking hoale O fugitiue I shal not cease stil to pursue thy soule But seeke and search for thee I shall in landes that lye a farre Al corners blynd and caues shut vp Dennes lockt with bolt and barre A thousand wayes vnpassable no place shal me withstand My cursinges blacke shal light on thee there where reuenging hande With weapon cā not worke y harme thou knowest that Neptune great My Syre who flotes on floudes waues with forked Mace doth beat Geue licence freely vnto me three boones to chuse and craue Which willingly the God hath graunt and sworne I shal it haue Protesting vgsome Stygian Lake and hallowed hath his vow O breaker of the wrastling waues auouch thy promise now Let neuer more Hippolitus behold th' eclipsed light And for the Fathers wrathful rage the cursed child downe smight To waile among the gastly sprites o Father bend thy might To giue alas this lothsome ayde vnto thy needy Sonne I of thy Maiesty deuyne exact not to be donne This chiefest bone til puissant payse of ylles do vs oppresse In bottom deepe of boylyng Tartar pit and sore distress In grisly Lymbo Iawes nigh garglefaced Ditis dimme Amid the crumpled threatning browes of Hellick Pluto grim To claime thy promise made to mee as then I didde refrayne Now Syre thy fayth by promise due perfourme to me agayne Yet dost thou stay why rumble not the waltring waues yet busht Through foggy cloude in dusky skits with stormy blastes outrusht Vnfold the mantel blacke of Night and roll away the Skies Enforce the fighting floods brast out with mounting waues to ryse And coniure vp the water hagges that in the Rockes do keepe The Ocean surges swellyng him cast vp from bottom deepe Chorus O Nature Grandame greate of Heauenly Sprites Eake Ioue that guides Olimpus mighty sway That rakes the race of twinckling heauēly lightes On spinning Spheare and order dost for aye The stragling course of roaming planets hie And weildes about the whirling Axeltree The weltring Poales th' eternal course of Skie To keepe in frame what workes such care in thee That earst the cold which hoary winter makes Vnclothes the naked wood and now agayne The shades returne vnto the breary brakes Now doth the starre of Sommer Lion raygne VVhose scalded necke with boyling heate doth frie Perbraking flames from fiery foming iawes VVith scorching heate the parched corne do drie Ech season so his kindly course in drawes But thou that weildes these thinges of massy might By whom the hugy world with egal payse Euen Ballanced doth keepe in compasse right Each Spheare by measurd weight that iustly swaise Alas why dost thou beare a retchles breast Toward mankind not casting any care That wicked men with mischiefe be opprest And eake to see that goodmen wel do fare Dame Fortune topsieturuy turnes at wil The world and deales her dole with blinded hand And fosters vice mayntayning mischiefe ill Fowle lust triumphes on good men brought
in band Deceipt in stately Court the sway doth weild In Lordinges levvde the vulgar sort delight With glee to such the Mace of might they yeeld Some magistrates they do both loue and spight And pensiue vertue brought to bitter bale Receyues revvard that doth of right aryse The continent to Prison neede doth hale The Leacher raygnes enhaunced by his vice O fruitles shame O counterfayted port But vvhat nevves may this messenger novv bring Who vvith maine pace comes poasting in this sort And stayes vvith mourning countnance at the Kinge THE FOVRTH ACTE Nuntius Theseus O Heauy happe and cruell chaunce of Seruantes slauish state Why am I Poast to bring the newes of this il fauord fate Th. Be not abasht the ruthful wracke with courage to declare My breast agaynst the brunt of broyles stil armed I prepare Nun. My foltring tongue doth speach vnto my glutting griefe denye Th. Our stocke with sorrow shuken sore what cares do crush escrie Nun. Hippolytus ay woe is me is slayne by doleful death Th. Now Father do I know my Sonne bereaued of his breath For why the Leacher life is lost shew in what sort he dide Nun. In all poast hast as fugitiue to shunne the Towne he hyde Once hauing caught his cutting course apace he scuddes away His prauncing Pelfrayes straite he doth with Collers close araye With curbed bittes their snaffled heads at wil he brydles in Then talking much vnto himselfe to curse he doth beginne His natiue soyle alas deare Father Father stil he cryes And angry lasheth with his whip whyle loose his Bridle lies Then sodenly a hugy swoln gan swel amid the deepe And starteth vp into the starres no pipling wind doth sweepe Along the Seas in Heauen so lith no noyse at all there was The Seas ful calme euen as their kindly Tyde doth driue them passe Nor yet no boysterous Southerne wynd the Sycill sand turmoyles Nor yet with fomie ramping surge the raging gulph vp boyles Heaude vp by Westerne puffes when as the rockes with flappyng flash Do shake and drownd Lucates cliue the hoary fome doth dash The tombling waues togeather tost on hils are heaped hie The swelling swolne with Monster much to land alofe doth flye Nor only shaken ships in Seas do suffer wracke hereby The land in hazard lyes of stormes a waltring waue is cold In tottring wise a wallowing gulph with winding compas fold Driues downe I know not what withall a flat vprisyng new An head aboue the water brim doth rayse the Starres to vew In foggie cloud eclipsed is Apollos dusky gleede And Scyros Rocks whom Trumpe of Fame aduaunst by dreary deede Corynthus eake whom double Sea on eyther side assayle While greatly we agriesh these thinges do languishing bewayle The belking Seas yell out the grunting Rockes with all do rore The slabby Cliue doth reke fro whence the water ebde before It frothes and keping course by course it spewes the waters out As doth Physeter fish that flittes the Ocean Coast about And gulping doth from yawning throat his flouds of water spoute The shaken surge did tottre strayte and brake it selfe in twayne With wracke more violent then wee did feare it rusht awayne Agaynst the shore beyond the bankes it breakes into the land And hideous Monster followes these for feare did quaking stand Th. What shape that vncouth Monster had and body vast declare Nu. A boasting Bull his marble necke aduaunced hye that bare Vpraysd his lofty bristled Mayn on curled forhead greene With shaggy eares prickt vp his diuers speckled hornes were seene Whom Bacchus earst possessed had who tames the Cattel wyld And eake the God that horne in flouds was bred a water Chyld Now puffing he perbraketh flames and now as leaming light With sparckling beams his goggle eyes do glare and glister bright His greasy larded necke a marke for to be noted well With rough and knobby curnels hie out bumping big do swell His snorting Nostrilles wyde do grunt and yawning gulphes they sosse His breast and throtebag greenishly are dawbd with clammy mosse His side along begrymed is with Lactuse red of hue On snarling knots his wrinkled rumps toward his face he drue His scaly haunch and lagging tayle most vgly dragges hee vp As Pristis in the deepe of Seas the swallowed Keele doth sup Or else perbraketh out agayne the vndigested pup The earth did quake the Cattel feard about the field do rampe The hunter starke with chilling feare beginnes to stare and stampe The heâ—â—dman had no mynd his scattrynge Heyfers to pursue The Deere amazed brake the pale and bad the Laundes adue But onely yet Hippolytus deuoyde of faynting feare His neyng horses with the raynes of Bridles hard doth beare With wonted woordes he cheareth vp his nymble Nagge 's afraide A steepe hie way at Argos lies with stony cliues decaide That nodding ouerhangs the Sea which vnderfleetes that wayes That vgly Royle heere heates him selfe and raging wrath doth rayse And kindling courage hoate him force with burning breast assayes And chauflag eft himselfe before gan fret with angry hart Lo then into a scouring course on sodayne doth hee start With whirling pace he girding forth doth scarcely touch the ground Lighting a-front the trimbling Cart with glaring Eyes hee glowmd Then also doth thy threatning Son with lowring browes vpstart Nor chaungeth Countenaunce but speakes with stout couragious hart This foolish feare doth not appaule my bold and hardned brest It comes to mee by kinde that Bulls by mee should bee opprest His Steedes defying strait the Raynes plonge forward with the Cart As rage did prick them sore afright bestoe the way they start This bias way among the Rocks they raunge and wander wyde But as the Pylot least the Barke should totter to one syde Doth beare it euen in wrastling waues so while his horses skip He ruleth them now raines them hard and now with winding whip Free lashes on their buttocks layes his Foe doth him pursue Now step by step now meeting full agaynst his face hee flue Prouoking terror euery where No further fly they might The horned beast with butting Browes gan run vpon them right The trampling Gennets straught of wits doe straight way breake their ray The struggle striuing hard to slip the Collar it they may And prauncing on their hinder Feete the burden hurle on ground Thy Son flat falling on his Face his body fast was bound Entangled in the winding ropes the more he striues to loose The slipping knots he faster sticks within the sliding noose The Horses doe perceyue the broyle and with the Waggon light While none there is to rule the Raynes with skittish feare afright At randon out they ramping runne euen as the Welkin hye The Cart that mist his woonted waight disdayning in the Skye The dreery day that falsely was commit vnto the Sun From off the fiery Marble Poale that downe a skew doth run Flang Phaeton topsie toruey tost his bloud begdres the ground And dingd agaynst the rugged Rocks his head doth oft
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
king My life is in your hand OED. Tell me the troth what child whose What was his Mothers P. Born of your wyfe OE. O gaping earth deuour my body quight Or else thou God that ruler art of houses voyde of light To Hell my Saule with thunder boltes to Hell my Soule down dryue Where griesly Ghosts in darkenesse deepe and endlesse payne do lyue For thee alone these Plagues doe rage For thee these mischiefes ryse For thee the Earth lyes desolate For thee thou wretch the Skies Infected are For thee for thee and for the filthy lust A hundred thousand guiltlesse men consumed are to dust O people throw cast heapes of stones vpon this hatefull Hed Bath all your swords within my brest you furies ouershed My restlesse thoughts with raging woes and plungde in seas of pain Let mee those hōrrors still endure which damned soules sustain You citizens of Stately Thebes vex me with torments dile Let Father Son and Wyfe and all with vengeance me pursue Let those that for my sake alone with plagues tormented bee Throw darts cast stones fling fier and flames and tortures all on mee O shame O slaunder of the World O hate of Gods aboue Confounder O of Nature thou to lawes of sacred loue Euen from thy birth an open Foe Thou didst deserue to dye As soone as thou wast born Go go vnto the Court thee hye There with thy Mother slaue triumph reioyce as thou maist do Who hast thy house encreased with vnhappy children so Make haste with speede away some thing thy mischiefs worthy finde And on thy selfe wrecke all the spight of thy reuenging minde Chorus FOrtune the guide of humaine lyfe doth al things chaūge at will And stirrīg stil with restles thoughts our wretched mīdes doth fill In vayn men striue their stats to kepe whē hideous tēpests rise And blustring windes of daungers deepe sets death before their eyis Who saith he doth her fauning feele chaūgeth not his minde When fickle fight of Fortunes wheele doth turne by course of kinde These greuous plagues frō priuat house to princely Thrones do flow And oft thier minds with cares they souse and thick vpon thē strow Whole heapes of griefe and dyre debate a wofull thing to see A Princely lyfe to mysers state conuerted for to bee O OEdipus thy fatall fall thy dreadfull mischiefs ryght Thy dolfull state thy mysery thy thrise vnhappy plight These things shall blase through all the world what heart may thē reioyce At thy distresse I can no more my teares doe stop my voyce But what is he that yonder stamps and raging puffs and blowes And often shakes his vexed head some mischiefe great hee knowes Good sir your countnaunce doth import some great and fearefull thing Tell vs therefore if that you may what newes from Court you bring THE FIFTE ACTE NVNTIVS VVhen OEdipus accursed wretch his fatall fals had spied To hell be damnd his wretched soule and on the Gods he cryed For vengeaunce due And posting fast with franticke moode griesly hue Vnto his dole full Court hee went his thoughts for to pursue Much like a Lion ramping wylde his furious head that shakes And roares with thundring mouth alowd and often gnashing makes None otherwise this miser farde A lothsome sight to see Besides himselfe for very rage he still desires to dye And rowling round his wretched Eyes with vysage pale and wan Ten thousand Curses out he powres Himselfe the vnhappiest man Of all that liue he doth account as iustly he may doe A wretch a slaue a caitife vyle The cause of all our woe And in this case enflamd with spight he cries he stamps he raues And boyling in his secret thoughts he still desyres to haue All torments vnder sun that may his Cares conceiude encrease O wretched wyght what should hee doe What man may him release Thus foming all for rage at mouth with sighes and sobs grones His damned head ten thousand times as oft his weryed bones He beats And often puffing makes and roares and swels sweats And on the Gods for death hee calles for Death hee still entreats Three times he did begin to speake and thryse his tong did stay At length he cried out alowd O wretch Away away Away thou monstrous Beast he sayd wilt thou prolong thy lyfe Nay rather some man strike this breast with strooke of bloudy knyfe Or all you Gods aboue on mee your flaming fiers outcast And dints of Thunderbolts down throw This is my prayer last What greedy vile deuouring Gripe vpon my guts will gnaw That Tigre fierce my hatefull limmes will quight asunder draw Loe here I am you Gods Lee heere wreke now on me your will Now now you fyry Feendes of Hell of vengeaunce take your fill Send out some wilde outragious beast send Dogs mee to deuoure Or els all ils you can deuise at once vpon me powre O wofull soule O sinfull wretch Why dost thou feare to dye Death only rids frō woes thou knowst Than stoutly Death defle With that his bloudy fatall Blade from out his sheath he drawes And lowd he rores with thūdring voice Thou beast why dost thou pawse Thy Father cursed caitife thou thy Father thou hast slayne And in thy Mothers bed hast left an euerduring slayne And Brothers thou hast got nay Sons thou liest thy Brothers all They are Thus for thy monstrous lust thy Countrey down doth fall And thinkst thou than for all these ils enough so short a payne Thynkst thou the Gods will be apeasde if thou forth with be slayne So many mischiefes don and i st enough one stroke to byde Account'ste thou it sufficient paynes that once thy sword should glide Quight through thy guilty breast for all why than dispatch and dye So maist thou recompence thy Fathers death sufficiently Let it be so what mends vnto thy Mother will thou make Vnto thy children what these plagues O wretch how wilt thou slake That thus for thee thy countrey mastes Ohe push shall ende them all A proper fetch A fine deuise For thee a worthy fall Inuent thou monstrous beast forthwith a fall euen worthy for Thy selfe inuent whom all men hate and loth and doe abhor And as dame Natures lawfull course is broke O wretch by thee So let to such a mischiefe great thy Death agreeing bee O that I might a thousand times my wretched lyfe renewe O that I might reuyue and dye by course in order dewe Ten hundred thousand times more than should I vengeance take Vpon this wretched head Than I perhaps in part should make A meete amends in deede for this my fowle and lothsom Sin Than should the proofe of payne reproue the life that I liue in The choyse is in thy hand thou wretch than vse thine owne discretion And finde a meanes whereby thou maist come to extreame confusion And that that oft thou maist not doe let it prolonged bee Thus thus maist thou procure at length an endlesse death to thee
assaultes they sought afar from West with Banners spred Where Tanais cold her braunches seuen abroad the world doth shed With hugie host and from the East where springes the newest dea Where Luke warme Tygris channell runnes and meetes the ruddy sea And which frō wandring land of Scythe the band of widowes sought With fire and sworde thus battered be her Turrets downe to nought The walles but late of high renowne lo here their ruinous fall The buildinges burne and flashing flame swepes through the pallas al Thus euery house ful hie it smoakes of old Assarackes lande Ne yet the flames withholdes from spoyle the greedy Victors hand The surging smoake the asure saye and light hath hid away And as with cloude beset Troyes Ashes staynes the dusky day Through pearst with ire and greedy of hart the victor from a farre Doth view the long assaulted Troy the gaine of ten yeares warre And eke the miseryes therof abhorres to looke vppon And though he se it yet scant himselfe belieues might be wonne The spoyles thereof with greedy hand they snatch and beare awaye A thousand shippes would not receiue aboorde so huge a pray The yreful might I do protest of Gods aduerse to mee My countryes dust and Troyan King I call to witnes thee Whom Troy now hydes and vnderneath the stones art ouertrode With al the Gods that guides the Ghost and Troy that lately stoode And you also you flocking Ghostes of al my children dere Ye lesser Sprightes what euer ill hath hapned to vs here What euer Phoebus watrish face in fury hath foresayde At raging rise from seas when earst the monsters had him frayde In childbed bandes I saw it yore and wist it should be so And I in vayne before Cassandra told it long agoe Not false Vlysses kindled hath these fires nor none of his Nor yet deceyptful Sinons craft that hath bene cause of this My fyre it is wherwith ye burne and Parys is the brand That smoaketh in thy towres O Troy the flowre of Phrygian sand But ay alas vnhappy age why dost thou yet so sore Bewayle thy Countries fatall fall thou knewest it long before Behold thy last calamityes and them bewayle with wares Account as old Troys ouerturne and past by many yeares I saw the slaughter of the King and how he lost his life By Th' aulter side more mischiefe was with stroake of Pyrrhus knife When in his hand he wound his lockes and drew the King to ground And hid to hiltes his wicked sword in deepe and deadly wound Which when the gored King had tooke as willing to bee slaynt Out of the old mans throate he drew his bloudy blade agayne Not pitty of his yeares alas in mans extreamest age From slaughter might his hand withhold ne yet his yre asswage The Gods are witnes of the same and eake the sacrifyes That in his kingdome holden was that flat on ground now lies The father of so many Kings Pryam of auncient name Vntombed lieth and wants in blase of Troy his funerall flame Ne yet the Gods are wreakt but loe his Sonnes and daughters all Such Lordes they serue as doth by chance of lot to them befall Whom shall I follow now for pray or where shall I be led There is perhaps amonge the Greekes that Hectors wyfe wil wed Some man desyres Helenus spouse some would Antenors haue And in the Greekes their wantes not some that would Cassandra craue But I alas most woeful wight whom no man seekes to chuse I am the only refuge left and me they cleane refuse Ye careful captiue company why stints your woful crye Beate on your breastes and piteously complayne with voyce so hye As meete may be for Troyes estate let your complayntes rebound In toppes of Trees and cause the hills to ring with terible sounde THE SECOND SCENE The VVoman Hecuba NOt folke vnapt nor nevv to vveepe O Queene Thou vvilst to vvayle by practise are vvee taught For all these yeares in such case haue vve bene Since first the Troyan guest Amiclas soughte And saild the Seas that led him on his vvay With sacred ship to Cibell dedicate From vvhence he brought his vnrepyning pray The cause alas of all this dire debate Ten tymes novv hydde the hilles of Idey bee With snovve of Syluer hevv all ouer layd And bared is for Troyan rages each tree Ten tymes in field the haruest man afrayde The spikes of Corne hath reapt since neuer day His waylyng wantes new cause renewes our woe Lift vp thy hand O Queene crie well away We follow thee we are wel taught thereto HEC. ¶ Ye faythful fellowes of your casualty Vntie th at that on your heads ye weare And as behoueth state of misery Let fall aboute your woeful neckes your hayre In dust of Troy rub all your armes about In slacker weede and let your breastes be tyed Downe to your bellies let your limmes lye out For what wedlocke should you your bosomes hyde Your garmentes loose and haue in readines Your furious handes vppon your breast to knocke This habite well beseemeth our distresse It pleaseth me I know the Troyan flocke Renew agayne your longe accustomde cryes And more then earst lament your miseryes We bewayle Hector WO. ¶ Our hayre we haue vntide now euerychone All rent for sorrow of our cursed cace Our lockes out spreads the knottes we haue vndone And in these ashes stayned is our face HEC. ¶ Fill vp your handes and make therof no spare For this yet lawful is from Troy to take Let dovvne your garmentes from your shoulders bare And suffer not your clamour so to slake Your naked breastes wayte for your handes to smight Now dolor deepe now sorrow shevv thy might Make all the coastes that compas Troy about Witnes the sounde of all your careful crye Cause from the Caues the eccho to cast out Rebounding voyce of all your misery Not as she wontes the latter word to sound But all your woe from farre let it rebound Let al the Seas it heare and eke the land Spare not your breastes vvith heauy stroake to strike Beate ye your selues ech one vvith cruell hand For yet your vvonted crie doth me not like VVe bevvayle Hector VVO. Our naked armes thus here vve rent for thee And bloudy shoulders Hector thus vve teare Thus vvith our fistes our heades lo beaten bee And all for thee behold vve hale our heare Our dugges alas vvith mothers hands be torne And vvhere the flesh is vvounded round about VVhich for thy sake vve rent thy death to morne The flovving streames of bloud they spring thereout Thy countres shore and destinies delay And thou to vvearied Troians vvast an ayde A vvall thou vvast and on thy shoulders Troy Ten yeres it stode on thee alone it staide VVith thee it fell and fatall day alas Of Hector both and Troy but one there vvas HEC. Enough hath Hector turne your plaint and mone And shed your teares for Pryame euery chone VVO. Receiue our plaintes O lord of Phrigian
spirites yre VVhose sonue we slew whereof doth yet remayne The wrath beneath and hell shal be their payne From burning lakes the furies wrath I threate And fire that nought but streames of bloud may slake The rage of winde and seas their shippes shall beate And Ditis deepe on you shall vengeance take The spirites crie out the earth and seas do quake The poole of Styx vngratefull Greekes it seath VVith slaughtred bloud reuenge Achilles death The soyle doth shake to beare my heauy foote And fearth agayne the sceptors of my hand The pooles with stroake of thunderclap ring out The doubtful starres amid their course do stand And fearfull Phoebus hides his blasing brande The trembling lakes agaynst their course do flite For dread and terrour of Achilles spright Great is the raunsome ought of due to mee Wherwith ye must the sprightes and hell appease Polyxena shal sacrifysed be Vpon my tombe their yreful wrath to please And with her bloud ye shall asswage the seas Your ships may not returne to Greece agayne Til on my tombe Polyxena be slayne And for that she should then haue bene my wyfe I wil that Pyrrhus render her to mee And in such solemne sort bereaue her life As ye are wont the weddinges for to see So shal the wrath of Hel appeased bee Nought els but this may satisfy our yre Her wil I haue and her I you require THE SECOND SCENE Talthibius Chorus ALas how long the lingring Greekes in hauen do make delay When eyther warre by seas they seeke or home to passe theyr way Ch. Why shew what cause doth hold your ships and Grecian nauy stayes Declare if any of the Gods haue stopt your homeward wayes Tal. My mynd is mai'd my trembling sinne wes quake and are affeard For straunger newes of truth then these I thinke were neuer heard Lo I my selfe haue playnly seene in dawning of the day When Phoebus first gan to approch and driue the starres away The earth all shaken sodaynly and from the hollow grownde My thought I hard with roaryng crye a deepe and dreadful sound That shoke the woods and al the trees rong out with thunder stroke From Ida hils downe fel the stones the mountayne toppes were broke And not the earth hath onely quakt but all the Sea likewyse Achilles presence felt and knew and high the surges ryse The clouen ground Erebus pittes then shewd and deepest dennes That downe to Gods that guyde beneath the way appeard from hence Then shoke the tombe from whence anone in flame of fiery light Appeareth from the hollow caues Achilles noble spright As wonted he his Thracian armes and bannars to disploy And weild his weighty weapons wel agaynst th assaultes of Troy The same Achilles seemde he than that he was wont to bee Amid the hostes and easiy could I know that this was hee With carkasse slayne in furious fight that stopt and fild each floude And who with slaughter of his hand made Xanthus runne with bloud As when in Chariot high he sate with lofty stomacke stoute Whyle Hector both and Troy at once he drew the walles aboute Alowd he cride and euery coast rang with Achilles sound And thus with hollow voyce he spake from bottom of the ground The Greekes shal not with litle pryce redeeme Achilles yre A princely raunsome must they geue for so the fates require Vnto my ashes Polyxene spoused shal here be slayne By Pyrrhus hand and al my tombe her bloud shal ouerstayne This sayd he strayght sanke downe agayne to Plutoes deepe region The earth then cloasd the hollow caues were vanished and gon Therwith the wether waxed clere the raging wyndes did slake The tombling seas began to rest and al the tempest brake THE THIRD SCENE Pyrrhus Agamemnon Calchas WHat tyme our sayles we should haue spread vppon Sygeon Seas With swift returne from long delay to seeke our homeward wayes Achilles rose whose onely hand hath geuen Greekes the spoyle Of Troia sore annoyde by him and leueld with the soyle With speede requiting his abode and former long delay At Scyros yle and Lesbos both amid the Aegaeon sea Til he came here in doubt it stoode of fall or sure estate Then though ye hast to graunt his wil ye shall it geue to late Now haue the other captaynes all the pryce of their manhood What els reward for his prewesse then her al onely blood Are his desertes thinke you but light that when he might haue fled And passing Pelyus yeares in peace a quiet life haue led Detected yet his mothers craftes forsooke his womans weede And with his weapons prou'd himselfe a manly man indeede The King of Mysya Telephus that woulde the Greekes withstand Comming to Troy forbidding vs the passage of his land To late repenting to haue felt Achilles heauy stroke Was glad to craue his health agayne where he his hurt had tooke For when his sore might not be salud as told Appollo playne Except the speare that gaue the hurte restoared help agayne Achilles plasters cur'd his cuttes and sau'd the King aliue His hand both might and mercy knew te slay and then reuyne When Thebes fel Eetion saw it and might it not withstand The captiue King could nought redresse the ruin of his land Lyrnesus litle likewyse felt his hand and downe it fill With ruine ouerturned like from top of haughty hil And taken Bryseys land it is and prisoner is she caught The cause of strife betwene the Kinges is Chryses come to naught Tenedos yle wel knowne by fame and fertile soyle he tooke That fostreth fat the Thracian flockes and sacred Cilla shooke What bootes to blase the brute of him whom trumpe of fame doth show Through all the coastes where Caicus floud with swelling stream doth flow The ruthful ruine of these realmes so many townes bet downe Another man would glory count and worthy great renowne But thus my father made his way and these his iourneyes are And battayles many one he fought whyle warre he doth prepare As wisht I may his merits more shall yet not this remayne Wel knowne and counted prayse enough that he hath Hector slayne Duryng whose life the Grecians al might neuer take the towne My father onely vanquist Troy and you haue pluct it downe Reioyce I may your parentes prayse and brute abroade his actes It seemeth the sonne to follow well his noble fathers factts In sight of Priam Hector slayne and Memnon both they lay With heauy theere his parentes wayld to mourne his dying day Himselfe abhord his handy worke in fight that had them slayne The Sonnes of Goddes Achilles knew were borne to die agayne The woman queene of Amazons that greu'd the Greekes ful sore Is turnd to flight then ceast our feare wee dread their bowes no more It ye wel waigh his worthynes Achilles ought to haue Though he from Argos or Mycenas would a Virgin craue Doubt ye herein allow ye not that straight his wil be done And count ye cruel Pryams bloud to
obey b' it eyther right or wrong M. The prosperous pryde of wronging crownes cannot endeuer long CR. Auaunt yell out thy complaynts at Colchis get thee hence ME. Full gladly will I get mee home if he that brought me thence Vouchsafe to beare me back agayne CR. Alas to late aryse Entreating wordes when as decree is taken otherwise ME. He that not hearing eyther part pronounceth his decree Vnrighteous man accoumpted is though ryght his sentence bee CR. Whyle Pelias trusted to thy talke from lyfe to death hee fell Go to begyn we gyue you leaue your goodly tale to tell ME. That type of Regall maiesty that erst by Fortunes hand Aduaunced to I dyd attayne hath taught mee vnderstand How hard a thing it is of wrath the rygour to asswage When burning heate of boyling breast in flames begins to rage Eke for th' aduan̄cement of their power more to display in sight Theyr kingly corage bolstred out with maiesty of might They deeme it doth import asway and hath a greater grace Whome stately scepter causde to climbs aloft to prouder place To perseuer with fansye fonde in that to reasons spyght Whose greedy choyce attaynted fyrst his minde with vayne delight For though in piteous plyght I lye throwne downe to great decay With heauy hap and ruthfull chaunce to myserable stay Thus hunted out from place to place forsoke and left alone A wyddow while my husband liue with cause to wayle and mone Perplext in maze of misery wyth cloying cares so ryfe Yet whylom I in golden trone haue led in happy lyfe By high and noble parentage my bryght renowne doth shyne From Phoebus take my Graundsire great deryued is my ligue Whear syluer streamed Phasis flood his wasshing waues doth shed Or with contrary croking wayes his bathing channell spred What euer wandring coast stretcht out is left aloofe behynde From whence the roaming Scithyan Sea his channell forth doth fynde Where as Maeotis fenny plashe with pure fresh water sprynges Doth season sweete the briny Sea that tyde in thyther brynges Eke all the coastes enuyroued and kept within the bankes Of Thermodon where warlike troupes armed wyddowes ranckes With paynted bucklers on their armes holde all the land in feare With rigour rough of threatning sword with force of denting speare So farre to all these wandring coastes and countreyes round about My Fathers ample regiment at large is stretched out I being thus of noble Race and in an happy plight With glorious glosse of pryncely pomp in honour shining bright Then pearelesse Peares my Spousall bed did seeke and sue to haue But those to be theyr louing Feeres now other Ladyes craue Rashe ticle peuish vndiscreete and wauering Fortunes wheele Hath cast me out the crusshing cares of banishment to feele In Scepter proude and hauty Crowne fix thine affyaunce fast Sith vpsidowne with welkin wheele whole mounts of wealth is cast This Prynces doe possesse that should theyr royalty display Whose fame shall neuer razed be with storme of lowring day To succour those whom misery in pit of paynes doth souse To shield and harber suppliaunts in roof of loyall house This onely brought I from my Realme the precious golden Fleece That Iewell chiefe and eke the flower of Chyualry in Greece The sturdy prop the Rampter strong the bulwarke of your wealth And Hercules the boystrous Imp of Ioue I kept in health It was by meanes of my good will that Orpheus did escape Whose harmony the liuelesse Rocks with such delight did rape That forced euen the clottred lumpes with hobling prickt to praunce And eke the iocond nodding woods with footing fine to daunce And that these heauenly twins Castor and Pollux did not by My dew desart is doubled twise sith them preserued I Of Boreas blustring out with puffed Cheekes his blasting Breath His wynged Sons I kept aliue both Calais and Zeath And Linceus that with pearcing beames and sharper sight of Eye Could Nauies on the farther banke of Sicill shore espy And all the Mynians that did come the golden Fleece to win As for the Prince of Princes all I will not bring him in With silence Iason will I passe for whom though him I saue Yet is not Greece in debt to mee no recompence I craue To no man him I doe impute the rest I brought agayne For your auayle that you thereby some profit might attayne But onely on my Iason deare him for my owne loues sake I kept in store that hee of mee his wedded Wyfe should make None other fault God wot yee haue to charge mee with but this That Argo Ship by meanes of mee returned saufely is If I a shamefast mayde had not with Cupids bayte bene caught If more my Fathers health to haue then Iasons I had sought Pelasga land had bene vndone and faine to great decay The lusty valiaunt Capitaynes had cleane bene cast away And ioly Iason fyrst of all this now thy sonne in lawe The Buls had rent his swalowed lims in fiery chomping iawe Let Fortune fight agaynst my case as list her eluish will Yet neuer shall it grieue my heart repent my deede I nill That I should for so many kings their reling honour saue The guerden due that I for this my crime commit must haue It lyeth Creon in thy hande if thus it lyketh thee Condemne my guilty ghost lo death but render fyrst to mee My fault that forced me offend then Creon graunt I this Receauing Iason cause of cryme I guilty did amisse Thou knowst that I was such an one when couring low I lay Before thy feete in humble wise and did entreating pray Thy gracious goodnes mee to graunt some succour at thy hande For me a wreatch and wreatched Babes I aske within this lande Some cotage base in outcast hole some couching corner vile If from the towne thou driue vs out to wander in exile The some by place aloofe within this realme let vs obtayne CR. How I am none that tyrant like with churlish Scepter raygne Nor proudly or disdaynfully with hawty corage hie With vaūting foote doe stamp them downe that vndertroden lye And daunted are in carefull bale thys playnly doth disclose In that to mee of late I such a sonne in lawe haue chose Who was a wandring pilgrim poore with sore afflictions fraight Dismayde with terrour of his foe that lay for him in wayght Because Acastus hauing got the crowne of Thessail lande Requyreth in thy guilty bloude to bath his wreackfull hande He doth bewayle that good olde man his feeble father slayne Whom waight of yeres with bowing back to stoupe alow constrayne The godly mynded systers all yblinde with misty vale And cloking colour of thy craft durst ventrusly assayle That mount of myschiefe marueylous to mangle heaw and cut Theyr Fathers dere vnioynted limmes in boyling Caldron put But for thy open guiltinesse if thou can purge the same Strayght Iason can discharge him selfe from blot of guilty blame His gentle handes were neuer staynde with goare of any
mother had me made of chyldren seuen and seuen My barreyne wombe for my reuenge hath yeelded litle store Yet for my sire and brother twayne I haue there needes no more Whom seeke this rufflyng rowt of Feendes with gargell Visage dight Where will they deale theyr stripes or whō with whips of fier smight Or whom with cruell scorching brande and Stygian faggot fell With mischief great to cloy entendes this army black of hell A chopping Adder gan to hisse with wrethings wrapped rounde As soone as did the lasshing whyp flerte out with yerking sounde Whom bumping with thy rapping post Megaera wilt thou crush Whose ghost doth heare mishapt from hell with scatered members rush My slaughtred brothers ghost it is that vengeaunce coms to craue According to his dyre request due vengeaunce shall hee haue But flap thou fearce the fierbrandes full dashed in myne Eyes Dig rent scrape burne and squeas them out loe ope my breast it lyes To fighting furies bobbing strokes O brother brother bid These royles that preasse to worrey mee them selues away to rid Dawne to the silent soules alowe not taking any care Let mee be left heare by my selfe alone and doe not spare To bast and capperclaw these armes that drewe the bloudy blade To quench the furies of thy sprite that thus doe mee inuade With this right hand the sacrifice on th aulter shal be made What meanes this sudden trampling noyse a band of men in Armes Come bustling towarde vs that mee will cloy with deadly harmes To ende this slaughter set vpon I will my selfe conuay Vp to the garrets of our house come Nurce with me away Bestow thy body hence with mee from daunger of our foes Now thus my mynde on mischiefe set thou must thy selfe dispose Let not the flickering fame and prayse in darkenesse bee exilde Of stomack stout that you did vse in murthering of thy childe Proclaime in peoples eares the prayse of cruell bloudy hand IA. If any faythfull man here bee whom ruine of his land And slaughter of his Prynce doe cause in pensiue heart to bleede Step forth that yee may take the wretch that wrought this deadly deede Heere heere yee ioly champions lay loade with weapons heere Haue now hoyst vp this house from low Foundacion vp it reare ME. Now now my Scepter guilt I haue recouered once agayne My Fathers wronges reuenged are and eke my brother slayne The gouldens cattels Fleece returnde is to my natiue land Possession of my realme I haue reclaymed to my hand Come home is my virginity that whilom went astray O Gods as good as I coulde wisshe O ioyfull wedding day Goe shrowde thy selfe in darknesse him dispacht I haue this feate Yet vengeaunce is not done inough to coole our thristy heate O soule why dost thou make delay Why dost thou doubting stande Goe foreward with it yet thou mayst whyle doing is thy hande The wrath that might should mynister doth qualefy his flame The pryckes of sorrow twitch my heart attaynt with blusshing shame Through rygour of thy heynous gore O wretch what hast thou done Though I repent a caityfe vile I am to slea my sonne Alas I haue committed it importunate delight Still egged on my frowarde mynde that did against it fight And loe the vayne coniect of this delight increaseth still This onely is the thing that wants vnto my wicked will That Iasons eyes shoulde see this sight as yet I doe suppose Nothing it is that I haue done my trauell all I lose That I employde in dyry deedes vnlesse hee see the same IA. Loe heere shee looketh out and leanes vpon the houses frame That pitchlong hanges with falling sway heere heape your fiers fast Whereby the flames that shee her selfe enkindled may her wast ME. Goe Iason goe the obit rights the windinge sheete and graue Make ready for thy sonne as last behoueth him to haue Thy spouse and eke thy father in lawe that are entomde by mee Receiued haue the dutyes that to deade mens ghostes agree This childe hath felt the deadly stroke and launce of fatall knife And this with wailesome murther like shall lose her tender life IA. By all the sacred ghostes of heauen and by thy oft exile And spousall bed which breach of loue in mee did not defile Now spare and saue the life of him my childe and also thyne What euer cryme committed is I graunt it to be myne Make mee a bloudy sacrifice to dew deserued death Take from my sinfull guilty head the vse of vitall breath ME. Nay sith thou wilt not haue it so as greeues thy pynched minde Heere way to wreck my vengeaunce fell my burning blade shall finde Auaunt now hence thou pesaunt prowd employ thy busy payne To reape the fruites of virgins bed and cast them of agayne When mothers they are made IA. Let one for dew reuenge suffice ME. If greedy thyrst of hungry handes that stil for vengeaunce cries Myght quenched bee with bloude of one then aske I none at all And yet to staunche my hungry griefe the number is to small If onely twayne I slea if pleadge of loue lye secrete made My bowels I le vnbreast and search my wombe with poking Blade IA. Now finish out thy deadly deede that enterprised is No more entreataunce will I vse yet onely graunt mee this Delay awhyle his dolefull death that I may take my flyght Least that myne eyes with bleeding hearte should vew that heauy sight ME. Yet linger eger anguishe yet to slea this chylde of thyne Ronne not to rashe with hasty speede this dolefull day is myne The time that wee obtayned haue of Creon wee enioy IA. O vile malitious mynded wretch my lothsome life destroy ME. In crauing this thou speakst that I should shew thee some releefe Well good inough all this is done O ruthfull giddy greefe This is the onely sacrifice that I can thee prouide Vnthankfull Iason hether cast thy coyesh lookes asyde Loe heare dost thou beholde thy wyfe thus euery wonted I When murther I had made to scape my way doth open lye That I may spring into the skyes the flying serpents twayne Submited haue theyr scaly Neckes to yoake of ratling wayne Thou Father haue thy sonnes agayne I in the wandring Skye In nymble wheeled Waggon swyfte will ryde aduaunced hye IA. Goe through the ample spaces wyde infect the poysoned Ayre Beare witnesse grace of God is none in place of thy repayre FINIS THE EYGHTH TRAGEDYE OF L. ANNAEVS SENECA Entituled AGAMEMNON Translated out of Latin into Englishe by IOHN STVDLEY The Argument AGAMEMNON Generall of that Noble Army of the Greekes which after tenne yeares siege wāne Troy cōmitted the entyer Gouernment of his Countrey Kingdome duringe his absence to his Wyfe CLYTEMNESTRA Who forgetting all Wyuely loyalty and Womanly chastity fell in lawelesse loue vsed adulterus cōpany with AEGYSTHVS sonne to THYESTES whom aforetime ATREVS being his owne naturall Brother and Father to this AGAMEMNON in reueng of a former adultry had caused
to eate hys owne two Children At length vnderstandinge by EVRYBATES that Troy was wonnë that her husbaÌ„d AGAMEMNON was comming homewarde with a yonge Lady named CASSANDRA daughter to king PRIAMVS partly enraged with iealousy disdaine thereof partly loath to loose the company of AEGYSTHVS her Coadulterer practyzed with him how to murther her husbande Which accordingly they brought to passe not resting so coÌ„tented they also put CASSANDRA to deth imprisoned ELECTRA Daughter to AGAMEMNON and soughte to haue slayne his Sonne ORESTES Which ORESTES fleeing for sauegard of his lyfe to on STROPHILVS hys dead Fathers deare friend was by him secretly kept a longe time till at lenght comming priuely into Mycene and by his Systers meanes coÌ„ducted where his Mother CLYTEMNESTRA and AEGYSTHVS were in reuenge of his Fathers death killed them both The Speakers names THYESTES CHORVS CLYTEMNESTRA NVTRIX AEGISTHVS EVRYBATES A company of Greekes CASSANDRA AGAMEMNON ELECTRA STROPHILVS THE FIRST ACTE THYESTES DEpartinge from the darkned dens which Dicis low doth keepe Loe heere I am sent out agayne from Tartar Dungeon deepe Thyestes I that wheather coast to shun doe stande in doubt Th' infernall fiendes I fly the foalke of earth I chase about My conscience lo abhors that I should heather passage make Appauled sore with feare and dread my trembling sinewes shake My fathers house or rather yet my brothers I espy This is the olde and antique porche of Pelops progeny Here first the Greekes on prynces heads doe place the royall crowne And heere in throne aloft they lye that ietteth vp and downe With stately Scepter in theyr hand eake heere theyr courts doe ly This is theyr place of banquetting returne therefore will I Nay better were it not to haunt the lothsome Limbo lakes Where as the Stygion porter doth aduaunce with lusty crakes His tryple gorge be hong with Mane shag hatry rusty blacke Where Ixions Carkasse linked fast the whirling wheele doth racke And rowleth still vpon him selfe where as full oft in vayne Much toyle is lost the tottring stone down tumbling backe agayne Where growing guts the greedy gripe do gnaw with rauening bits Where parched vp with burning thirst amid the waues he stâ—s And gapes to catch the flecting flood with hungry chaps beguilde That payes his parnefull punishment whose feast the Gods defilde Yet that olde man so stept in yeares at length by trace of time How great a part belonges to mee and portion of his crime Account wee all the grisly ghostes whom guilty founde of ill The Gnosian Iudge in Plutoes pyts doth rosse in torments still Thyestes I in driery deedes will farre surmount the rest Yet to my Brother yelde I though I gorgde my bloudy brest And stuffed haue my pampred paunche euen with my chyldren three That crammed lye within my Rybs and haue theyr Toumbe in mee The bowels of my swallowed Babes deuowred vp I haue Nor fickle Fortune mee alone the Father doth depraue But enterprysing greater guilte then that is put in ure To file my Daughters bawdy Bed my lust shee doth alure To speake these words I doe not spare I wrought the haynous deede That therefore I through all my stocke might parent still proceede My Daughter driuen by force of Fates and destenyes deuyne Doth breede younge bones lades her wombe with sinfull seede of myne Loe nature chaunged vpside downe and out of order tornde This myngle mangle hath shee made O fact to be forlornde A Father and a Grandsyre loe confusedly I am My daughters husband both become and Father to the same Those babes that should my Nephewes bee when nature rightly runnes She being tumbled doth confounde and mingle with my sonnes The chrystall clearenesse of the day and Phoebus beames so bryght Are myxed with the foggy cloudes and darkenesse dim of nyght When wickednes had wearied vs to late truce taken was Euen when our detestable deedes were done and brought to passe But valiaunt Agamemnon hee graund captayne of the Hoste Who bare the sway among the Kinges and ruled all the roste Whose flaunting Flag and Banner braue displayde in royall sorte A thousand sayle of sowsing ships did garde to Phrygian parte And with their swelling shatling sayles the surging seas did hide That beateth on the bankes of Troy and floweth by her side When Phoebus Carte the Zodiack ten times had auer runne And waste the battred Walles doe lye of Troy destroyde and woonne Returnde he is to yeelde his throate vnto his traytresse Wyfe That shall with force of bloudy blade bereue him of his lyfe The glytering Swerd the hewing Axe and wounding weapons moe With bloud for bloud new set abroche shall make the floore to flow With sturdy stroke and boystrous blow of pithy Pollaxe geuen His beaten braynes are pasht abroade his cracked Skull is reuen Now myschiefe marcheth on a pace now falshoode doth appeare Now Butchers slaughter doth approche and muriher draweth neare In honour of thy natyue day Aegisthus they prepare The sollemne feast with juncketing and daynty tothsome fare Fy what doth shame abashe thee so and cause thy courage quayle Why doubts thy righthand what to doe to smite why doth it fayle What he forecasting might suspect why shouldst thou take aduyse Why freteest thou demaunding if thou may it enterpryse Nay if a mother it beseeme thou rather mayst surmyse What now how hapneth it that thus the smiling sommers night When Phoebus from Th' antipodes shoulde render sonne the lyght On sudden chaung their turnes with nights that last and lynger longe When wynters Boreas bitter blastes doth puffe the trees amonge Or what doth cause the glyding starres to stay still in the sky Wee wayght for Phoebus to the Worlde bryng day now by and by Chorus O Fortune that dost fayle the great estate of kinges On slippery sliding seat thou placest lofty thinges And setst on tottring sort where perils do abound Yet neuer kiÌ„gdome calme nor quiet could be fouÌ„d No day to Scepters sure doth shine that they might say To morow shall wee rule as wee haue done to day One clod of croked care another bryngeth in One hurly burly done another doth begin Not so the raging Sea doth boyle vpon the Sande Where as the southern winde that blowes in Afryck Lande One Waue vpon another doth heape wyth sturdy blast Not so doth Euxine Sea his swelling waues vp cast Nor so his belching streame from shallow bottom roll That borders hard vpon the ysyfrosen poall Where as Bootes bryght doth twyne his Wayne about And of the marble seas doth nothing stande in doubt O how doth Fortune tosse and tomble in her wheele The staggring states of Kynges that readdy bee to reele Fayne woulde they dreaded bee and yet not setled so When as they feared are they feare and lyue in woe The silent Lady nyght so sweete to man and beast Can not bestow on them her safe and quiet rest Sleepe that doth ouercome and breake the bonds of griefe It cannot ease theyr heartes nor mynister
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
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.
Hee is escapte and gone and with vnmeasurable might The Chariot horse with rayne at will doe scud out of my sight Now free from perill on my foes attendaunce will I make And offer willingly my head the deadly wounde to take The cruell conqueresse of her spouse is come whose spotted weede With sprinkels signe of slaughter doe beare recorde of her deede Her goary handes new bathde in bloude as yet they bee not dry Her rough and churlishe rigorous lookes the fact doe notify Unto the Temple will I trudge Cassandra suffer mee Opprest with egall griefe take parte of sacrifice with thee THE FIFTE ACTE THE FOVRTH SCENE Clytemnestra Electra AEgisthus Cassandra O Thou thy Mothers Enemy vngracious saucy face After what sorre dost thou a mayde appeare in publyque plate ELEC. I haue wyth my virginity the bowres of Baudes forsooke CLY. What man is het that euer thee to bee a vyrgin tooke E. What your own daughter C. With thy mother more modest should EL. Doe you at length begin to preach such godlines to me thou be CL. A marily stomacke stout thou bast with swelling hawty hart Subdued with sorrow learne thou shall to play a womans part EL. A swerd and buckler very well a woman doth beseeme Except I dote CL. Thy selfe dost thou haylefellowe with vs esteeme EL. What Agamemnoon new is this whom thou hast got of late CL. Hereafter shall I tame and teach thy gyrlish tongue to prate And make thee know how to a Queene thy taunting to forbeare EL. The whilst thou Wyddow aūsware me directly to this geare Thy husband is bereued quight of breath his lyfe is donne CL Enquier where thy brother is so seeke about my sonne EL. Hee is departed out of Greece CL. Goe fetch him out of hande EL. Fetch thou my father vnto mee CL. Giue me to vnderstande Where doth he lurking hyde his head where is he shrunke away EL. All plunge of perills past hee is and at a quiet stay And in another Kyngdome where no harme hee doth mistrust This aunswere were sufficient to please a Parent trust But one whose breast doth boyle in wrath it cannot satisefy CL. To day by death thou shalt receyue thy fatall destiny EL. On this condition am I pleasde the Aulter to forsake If that this hanc shall doe the deede my death when I shall take Or els if in my throate to bath thy blade thou doe delight Most willingly I yeelde my throate and giue thee leaue to smite Or if thou will chop of my heade in brutishe beastly guise My necke a wayting for the wounde out stretched ready lies Thou hast committed sinfully a great and grieuous guilt Goe purge thy hardned hands the which thy husbands bloud haue spilt CL. O thou that of my perills all dost suffer part with mee And in my realme dost also rule with egall dignity Aegisthus art thou glad at this as doth her not behoue With checks and taunts the daughter doth her mothers mallice moue Shee keepes her brothers counsell close conueyde out of the way AEGI. Thou malipert and witlesse wenche thyne cluishe prating stay Refrayne those wordes vnfit thy Mothers glowing cares to vex EL. What shall the breeder of this broyle controll me with his checks Whose fathers gut it hath caused him to haue a doubtfull name Who both is to his sister sonne and Nephew to the same CL. To snap her head of with thy swerd Aegist dost thou refrayne Let her giue vp the ghost or bryng her brother straight agayne Let her be lockt in dungeon darck and let her spend her dayes In Caues Rocks with painefull pangues torment her euery wayes I hope him whom she hidden hath shee will agayne discry Through being clapt in pryson strong and suffring pouerty With yrksome and vnsauory smells on euery syde annoyde Enforst to weare a wyddowes weede er wedding day enioyde Put in exile and banishment when eche man doth her hate So shall she bee by misery compeld to yeelde to late Prohibyted of holsome ayre fruition to haue EL. Graunt me my dome by meanes of death to passe vnto my graue CL. I would haue graunted it to thee if thou should it deny Unskilfull is the tyraunt who by suffring wretches dy Doth ende theyr paynes EL. what after death doth any thing remayne CL. And if thou doe desyre to dye the same see you refrayne Lay hands sirs on this wondrous wretch whom being caryed on Euen to the furthest corner of my iurisdiction Farre out beyond Mycoenas land in bonds let her be bound With darknesse diui in hiddeous holde let her be closed round This captiue Spouse and wicked Queane the Trull of Prynces bed Shall pay her paynes and suffer death by losing of her head Come hale her on that she may followe that way my spouse is gon Whose loue from mee entised was CAS. Doe not thus hale mee on I will before you take the way these tydings first to tell Vnto my countrey men of Troy beneath in lowest hell How ouerquelmed ships ech where are spread the seas vppon And Micœne countrey conquerde is brought in subiection He that of thousand captaynes was graunde captayne generall Come to as great calamity as Troy it selfe did fall Entrapped was by traytrous trayne and whoredome of his Wyfe And by a gyft receaued of her depriued of his Lyfe Let vs not linger on with mee and thankes I doe you giue I ioy that it might be my hap thus after Troy to liue CL. Go to prepare thy selfe to dye thou frantique raging wight CAS. The fransy fits of fury fell on you shall also light EVRIBATES Added to the Tragedy by the Translator ALas yee hatefull hellish Hagges yee furies foule and fell Why cause yee rusty rancours rage in noble heartes to dwell And cancred hate in boyling breastes to grow from age to age Coulde not the graundstres paynefull pangues the childrens wrath asswage Nor famyne faynt of pyning paunche with burning thyrst of hell Amid the blackest streame of Sticks where poysning breathes do dwel Where vapors bile parbraking out from dampishe myry mud Encrease the paynes of Tantalus deserude by guiltles bloud Could not thine owne offence suffice Thyestes in thy Lyfe To file thy brothers spousall Bed and to abuse his Wyfe But after breath from body fled and Lyfe thy Lymmes hath left Can not remembraunce of reuenge out of thy breast be reft What yet hast thou not layde thy lips taiaste of Lethes floude Now afte death why dost thou come to moue thy sonne to bloude Coulde cruell Ditis graunt to thee thy pasporte backe agayne To worke this woe vpon the world and make such rigour raygne That Clytemnestra is become the fifty sister dyre Of Danaus daughters that did once theyr husbands death conspyre Loe here how fickle fortune giues but brytle fading ioy Lot hee who late a Conquerour tryumphed ouer Troy Enduring many sturdy stormes with mighty toyle and payne To sowe the seede of fame hath reapt small fruite thereof agayne
He all bedasht your fathers princely hall Eft stepped into seruile Pallace stroke To filthy vices lore one easly broke Of Diuelish wicked with this Princocks proude By stepdames wyle prince Claudius Sonne auoude VVhome deadly damme did bloudy match ylight And thee against thy will for feare did plight Through which successe this Dame of corage fine Durst venture mighty Ioue to vndermine VVho can so many cursed kindes report Of wicked hopes and actes in any sort Or such a womans glosed guyles can name That raumpes at rule by all degrees of shame Then holy sacred zeale put out of grace Her stagring steppes directed forth apace And sterne Erinnis in with deadly steps To Claudius Court all desert left yleps And with hir dririe drakes of Stygian fort Hath quite distainde the sacred princely port And raging riuen in twaine both natures lore And right to wrongs mishapen fourme hath tore That haughty minded dame first gaue her make A deadly poysoned cup his thyrst to slake Straight wayes againe through vise vnkindly touch Her Nero causde with him in hell to couch And thee vnhappy Britt in all that broyle Till that of breth and life he did dispoyle Thilk greedie bloudy tyraunt neuer stent VVhose dolefull death for aye we may lament Ere whyle vnto the world the starre that shone And was the stay of princely court alone Now loe light ashes easly puft aforne And griesly goast to graue with torche yborne VVhom blessed Babe thy stepdame did lament Nor from hir gushing teares did scarce relent VVhen as shee gaue eche trimme appointed parte And goodly portraide limmes with natures arte Of flaming stacke to be deuoured quite And sawe the scortching feruent fire in sight Thy naked ioynts to rauin vp a pace And like the flittring God thy comely face Oct. Dispatch he me least with this hand he fall Nut. That power you nature graunted not at all Oct. But wondrous dolor great and wrathfull yre And miseries will it graunt without desyre Nu. Nay rather cause your angry moody make VVith souple cheere his fury for to slake Oct. VVhat that he will by guilt once slaine before Aliue againe my brother mee restore Nut. Nay safe that you may liue and issue beare Your fathers auncient court for to repayre Oct. That court doth wayte another broode they say And poore Britts death tugges me another way Nut. Yet let the cities loue vnto your grace Your troubled minde confirme but for a space Oct. Their mindes so prest to pleasure me I know Great comfort brings but do not slake my wo Nut. Of mighty power the people haue bene aye Oct. But princes force doth beare the greater sway Nut. He will respect his lawfull wedded wife Oct. His mynion braue can not so leade her life NV. Of no man shee esteemde Oct. But dear to make NV. She can not truely yet of wifehood crake Oct. Ere longe she shall a mother eke be made So farre therein I dare most boldly wade Nut. His youthfull heate at first in filthy loue With lusty crusty pangs doth boyle aboue Thylke corage quickly colde in lust apace As vapour sone extinct in flame giues place But holy louing chaste vnspotted spouse Her loue endureth aye with sacred vowes That wanton first that there durst couch hir hed And tumbling stayned quite your spousall bed And being but your mayde hath ruled longe Hir soueraine Lord with beauties grace bestong That pranked Paramour pert shal croutch with pain VVhen she your grace shall see preferd againe For Poppie subiect is and meeke of spright And now begins her goastly tombs to dight VVhereby she closely graunting doth bewray Hir secret hidden feare eche other day That swift vnconstant double winged lad With cloute before his blinded eyes yclad That fickle brayned God th unhappy boy Shall leaue hir in the midst of all hir ioy Although for beauty bright the bell she beare And goodly glistring garments new she weare And now do vaunt her selfe in gorgeous geere Shee shall not long enioy this gladsome cheere Be not dismayde Madame for such like paine The queene of gods was forced to sustaine VVhen to ech pleasaunt shape the heauenly guide And syre of Gods yturned from skyes did glyde The swannes white wings to se how they could fadge He did on him and cuckoldes bullysh badge That God shone bright in Golden raynie showre To Danaes brest through top of fortred towre The twinckling starres the twinnes of Laeda bright Whom Pollux some and Castor call aryght In large and ample space of starry scope With cristal glimering faces shyne wyde ope And Semeles sonne whom Bacchus we do call In heauenly byrthright doth himselfe ystall And Hercules that puissant Champion stoute His sturdy brawnes his Hebe wyndes aboute Nor once regardes how Goddesse Iuno fare Whose lowring stepdame now she is yframde That whyle on earth his prowes he did declare Agaynst that maryage aye was sore inflamd Yet loe her wise and closly couched greefe Debonaire face obeisaunce to her leefe Causde him at length his mynd for to remoue Through mortall feeres estraundge from Iunos loue And now that mighty heauenly Goddesse great No more adred of mortall strumpets feat Aloft alone in cloudy bowre contentes The thundring Lord which now to her relentes Nor now with earthly Ladyes beauty bright Yfyred leaues his starry specked right Now madam sith on earth your powre is pight And haue on earth Queene Iunos princely place And sister are and wyfe to Neroes grace Your wondrous restles dolours great appease Oct. Nay sooner shall the roaring froathy seas And mounting flashing flawes ymatch the skye And smoaking stifling parching fyer drye With dankish pooles agree and watrye fenne And griesly Plutoes filthy feltred denne With starbright heauen shal sooner coupled be And shyning light with glomy shades agree And with the cleere drye day the dewy night Than vnto seruile lore of husbande wight That brutish wyse in bloud takes his delight My heauy woeful mynd can I addresse Whyle brothers death my heart doth stil possesse O that of heauenly powers the prince and syre That shogges and shakes the earth with thūdring fyre And with his wondrous feareful cursed crackes And straunge mishapen monsters which he makes Our feareful musing myndes doth sore amase Would coyne some cureles burning wildfyre blase To pelt and pash with thumping fyer bright That diuelish pate that cruell cursed wight We saw from heauen with beames forthshoting farre Doubtles a dreadful heary blasing starre That spouted out a mortall fiery flake Whose force a princes bloud can only slake Euen where that hayting carman sloe Boote With chilling cold al starcke of frosen pole Doth guyde aright Charles whirling running rote In steade of night that neuer away doth role Loe now the open ayre in euery streate With doggish tyrantes breath is poysoned quite And dreadful starres some sodayne death do threate To people rulde by wicked Neroes spright So sterne a freake or mankynd tyrant stoute Not Tellus with the Gods displeasd brought out
The shepherd starre his course did enterchaunge With the loade starre and vp the Moone doth sty That couched Phoebe durst not the Welkin raunge No Launce can pearce his monsters ruggy skin The blunted Iron tryed it with thumping thwack And Steele is not so tough on naked skin A swerd was brast and stones rebounded back The force of fate he vtterly defies And toughly timberd as he is of lim Hee doth contriue how quarrells may arise That death might proue his febled force in him The quaries coulde not enter to his flesh Nor yet the bowe with Scythian steule drawn deepe No nor the glaues vvith vvhich Sarmacians fresh Hot skirmishes in th' ysy Clyme doe keepe No nor the Parthian better Archer farre Then Creete who parcht with Phaētons soultring flame Vnder the Equinoctiall rayseth werre Gaynst th' easterling discomfetinge the same Hee with his body did batter downe the wall Of Oechalie nothing may him withstande By valiaunt prowesse hee hath conquerd all T is woon before that hee doth take in hande The howgy Briar that fifty paunches had The hawty Giges with hundred armes likewise That clamb vp Thassayle hills as Gyant mad When rebells rage woulde take from loue the skyes Such steaming Eyes such gastly visage foule Such Gargle face such countnaunce glaring grim Wherewith stearne Hercles glowningly doth scowle Those Gyaunts had resembling playnely him Thus greatest blisse is prone to greatest bale There wants no woe whose cup wee haue not taste Wee wretched women haue with countnaunce pale IOLE BVt carefull caytiffe I doe not bewayle forlorne The sweeping flames nor Idolles wyth their taitred Temples torne Nor that the Fathers burne together with theyr Sonnes That Gods men that tombes Church at once to ruin runnes Vpon the common care wec doe not powre our playnt For Fortune wills vs turne our teares with other woes attaynt And thus my frowning face allotteth vnto mee Another kinde of wretchednes that must lamented bee What shall I first beweepe Or chiefly what complayne And to bewayle them all at once woulde mitigate my payne Alas that but on breast Dame Nature did mee frame That blowes agreeing to my griefe might bounce vpon the same With weeping Sipill rocke broose yee my balefull breast Or on Eridanus silent shore in sorrowes let wee rest Where as the mourning troupe of Nymphes doe hale theyr heares To wayle the death of Phaïron with showres of dropping teares Or els in Sicill rocke cause mee encoucht to dwell Where Scilla Hag with howling noyse and barking big doth yell Or else in Lynnets shape let me tell on my tale And weepe with Adon in the woods or turnde to Nightingale As Lady Philomele recordes with weeping lay In shade of hawly Ismar hill vpon a tender spray With soking sighes her griefe O Gods and mee addight In shape that may be suetable vnso my playntiffe plight And of my piteous moane let craggy Trachin sounde Sith Myrra sawe the teares where in Dame Venus eyes were drownde That shee for Adonis with smoky sighes did shed And Halcion might wayle at will her louing Ceyx dead The Lady Tastalis get life to weepe alone And Philomele did chaunge her shape and earnefully did moue Her tender Itis death alas why are not yet With flickering Fethers fit for wynges my naked armes beset O happy shall I bee and happily bee bleast When in the woods as in an house I make my shrowding neast And sitting like a birde vpon my countrey grounde In dolefull harmony shall tune the cares that me confounde That thus the people fond may talke how they haue seene In piteous likenesse of a Byrde the Daughter of a Queene I carefull caytiffe I behelde my Fathers fate When in the Courte a deadly club did Pale him on the pate And sprawling on the floore with braynes pasht out hee laye Alas if fates would let thy Coarse be shrynde in pit of Claye What flowing teares O Syer would I on thee bestowe And coulde I brooke it Toxeus to see thy death with woe That wert vnwaynde in yeares and take in pits vnpaysde Vpon whose naked Cheekes the pregnaunt sap no hayres had raysor Why should I parents deare your fates with teares detest Whom death with hand indifferent hath taken hence to rest My Fortune seekes my teares due is myne owne distresse Now as a captiue must I dawnce attendaunce more and lesse Vpon my Ladyes rock and twyst her threde yspoon Woe worth my beauty for the which in dread of death I run And for thy sake alone my stock hath lost his lyfe Whyle that my syer Denyeth me to Hercles as his wyfe And did for feare refuse his stepfather to bee But to our Laydes balefull bower as Captiues hence goe wee THE SECONDE ACTE Nutrix Deianira WHat furious fits of ramping rage doth boyle in Womens brayne When in one roofe both wedded wyfe and Harlor doe remayne Both Scylla and Charibdis gulfe no daunger like it haue That raging roll on Sicill shore by heapes the wrastling waue Ne saluage beaste so bad there is that betters not the same For bruite no sooner blew abroade the captiue Harlots name And that the beauty of Iolas countnaunce shyned brym As doth the day when marble skies no filthy fog doth dim Or like the glimse of twinckling starre that in the welkin bright Displayes abroade his shooting beames amid the frosty mght But Deianira Hercles Wyfe all bedlem like doth stande And scowleth as the Tiger wilde which couched on the sande In shade of rocke doth shrowde his whelpes and buskells vp in hesse Espying him that of his younge both come to make the waste Or like as Menas ouercharg with Bacchus licour sixeete With Iuy bunche on thurled Darte from place to place doth fleete Shee makes a pawse in doubt where to shee might derect her pace Then frantickly as on bestraught shee fiskes from place to place In Hercles douse thus was shee rayt in rage of flaming yre The house to narrow was to coole the despret dames desire Shee runneth in shee trots about shee makes a soddayne stay The mallady in frowning face it selfe doth playne display No galling griefe remaynes at heart The teares gush from her Eyes Nor in on kinde of temper still in frenly sits shee fryes Her glowning lookes with fury fell doe chaunge her former hew Now glaring stande her steaming Eyes and palenesse doth ensew The ruddy colour in her Cheekes the anguish of her heart Driues out her dolors deepe to shew them selues in euery part Shee languisheth shee moanes for helpe shee wayles her froward fate And all the house an Echo makes resounding her estate Loe headlong to and froe shee hies and running still about Goes mumbling and the secrets of her minde shee mutters out Oh Iuno Spouse to Ioue what part of heauen soeuer thou keepe Rayse vp some saluage beast agaynst lewde Hercules to creepe That I shall thinke sufficient If any combrous snake With breeding hee doe craule more big in alt the slimy lake That
Theyr wedding is not vnto them theyr woe When thousand stormes in Ladyes hearts doe dwell By wedlocke breach that breedes their noysom hell VVho so he is that shunnes the middle waye Shall neuer fynd fast footing any where The wilful lad that needes would haue a day And wayghty charge of Fathers charyot beare VVhile he from wonted wayes his Iades doth iaunce Amonge straunge starres they pricking forward praunce Enforcing them with Phoebus flames to frye Whose roaming wheeles refuse the beaten rutt Thus both himselfe and all the Cristall skye In peril of the soulthring fyre he put So hawty myndes that clymbe aboue their skill Do worke their owne decay and others yll While Daedalus in flying through the ayre Did keepe the midst betweene the skie and grounde He could in safe to Italy repayre And gaue no gulph his name by beyng dround But Icarus presumes to mount on hie And stryues aboue the fethered foules to flye And scornes the guyding of his fathers trayne And in his flight wil coape to lofty sonne Which molt his winges so downe he droppes agayne Into the seas whereby his name they woone Thus proud attemptes of hauty clyming hier Receiue shrewde falles to quit their fond desyre Let other mount aloft let other sore As happy men in great estate to sitte By flattring name of Lord I set no store For vnder shore my little keele shall flitt And from rough wyndes my sayles fayne would I kepe Least I be driuen into the daungerous deepe Prowde Fortunes rage doth neuer stoupe so low As litle roades but them shee ouerflyes And seekes amid mayne seas her force to shew On argosies whose toppes do reach the skyes But lo here comes our Lady Deianire Straught of her wits and ful of furious yre THE THIRD ACTE Deianira Chorus ALas through all my quiueryng ioyntes a running feare doth rest My staryng hayre standes stiffe vpright and in my quaking breast Deepe terrour dwelles and eake my hart with dread amazde doth pant With swelling vaynes my liuer beates as when the wynd doth want Asswagd in calmy day and yet the raging Seas do rore Whose wrastling waues were rais'd aloft by Southren blastes before So yet my wits be tocksicate although my feare be gone Thus God turmoyles vs when he meanes to cloy th' unhappy one Thus prowd attempts bedasht at length Ch. Oh wretch O carefull wight What mischiefe may it be wherwith thou art so sore affright Dei The shirt with Nessus bane imbrewde no souer hence was sent And wretched woman that I am toth closet strayght I went My mynd mistrusts I knowe not what and treason dath surmyse And Nessus by the heate bewrayed that faynted was the bloud The God foreshewed that here the force of all the treason stoode For by good hap the fomy glede no foggy clowde doth dim But with ful power of burning beames he shyned blasing brim Scant yet I can for feeble feare vnlocke my fastned iawes The scorching heate doth drye away and vp by force it drawes The soaked bloud that beyng layed amid the frying flame And boyling heate of shyning sonne did shrinke before the same Wherein the shyrt was steept and all the royall robe imbrewde I cannot shew the villany wherwith it was indewde For as the Easterne wynd doth force the winter snow to melt Or lukewarme South when in the spring frō Mimas mount they swelt As Lucas els that fronters on Ionian sea a land Doth breake the waue the beaten surge lies foaming on the strand Or by the warmth of heauenly heat the frankinsence doth drop So all the venim wastes away and melteth euery croppe And while I wonder stil hereon the wonder shrynkes away But with a froath it spottes the ground and there the poyson lay It rotts the cloth my woman boalne and sweld doth follow me And shakes her head my sonne as one astonished I see And hying hether all in hast declare what newes ye bring Hillus Deianira Nutrix GO mother goe seeke out aloofe yf place of bydyng dwell Beyond the ground both goulfe and starres beyond both heauen and hell Flye mother far beyond the boundes of Hercules his toyle Dei A mischiefe great I know not what within my breast doth boyle Hil. Unto the royall temples of dame Iunoes tryumph hie These will allow the sanctuary though other it denye Dei What heauy hap is it that may annoy my guiltlesse ghost Hyl. Oh mother O that diamond of the world that piller post Whom fate as Ioues lieuetenaunt heare haue placed for the nones Is dead and Nessus burning bane deuouers Hercles boanes The daunter of the brutish beastes he conquering knight before Is conquerd now he mournes he walles what aske ye any more Dei We wretches loue the order of our wretchednes to heare Tell me the state now of our stocke what countnance doth it beare O stock O sylly wretched stocke now shal I be esteemd A widdow now a cost of now and now a beggar deemd Hil. Thou dost not languish all alone for Hercules yes dead For whom the eyes of all the world haue cause their teares to shed Count not thy fate allotted thee alone now all our kind Do howle and mourne for him whom thou bewaylest in thy minde Thou suffrest greefe the smart wherof belonges to euery land Although the sower tast therof first happen to thy hande Thou careful caytiffe dost not wayle for Hercules alone D. Speake speake how nigh to Deathward was my deare Alcides gon Hi. Death whom in his owne empyre hee had conquered before Did shrinke from him and fate durst not allow a deede so sore And Clotho she perhap put out her rocke with trembling arme As one that hastning Hercles death did feare to do such harme O day O dismall day and shall euen Hercules the greate Passe thus to death and silent shades and to a worser seate De. Is he thinke you already dead or may I dye before Speake on if yet he be not deade Hi. Enceladus that doth rise With hauty crest ringes euery where and Caphar rocke likewyse Deuydeth Hellespontus sea and turnes that side to south Wheras it bides the boysteous blastes of Boreas wyndy mouth Euripus bendes his wandring streame and windes in creakes about His croked course seuentymes and doth as often breake it out While Phoebus drencht his wery teame amid the Westerne waue Here on a rocke aboue the reach of cloudes a temple braue Of Caenaei Ioue shew bright whyle all the beastes for sacrifice At th' alter stoode and through the woode the noyse began to rise Of al the herd then of he put he matterd Lyons case And likewyse did discharge him of his houge and heauy mace And easde his shoulder from the burthen of his quiuer light Then tuckt in your attyre he shone among the people bright With ougly lockes and on the alter made the fier flame Receyue quoth hee these fruits O syre though fyer send the same And not the haruest Sithe but let with frankinsence good
that hel may in this pickle playne Behold the man that conquerd yt no booty bringe I will Away with me why dost thou quake for feare of Hercles still Set on me death coragiously for now I may be kilde A. Now stint thy tender tears that down thy checkes so long haue trild And mayster this thy mallady compell thy sorrowes sloupe And shew that in these plunging panges Alcides did not droupe And as it hath bene caâ—st thy guyse force death and hel to shriâ—ke Her If ougly grested Cauâ—asue In chayne of yrone linke Should bynd me as agâ—oning pray the greedy grype to feede Yet from myne eyes it should not strayne a brokeÌ„ teare indeede If wandring Symplegads would me wish eyther rocke assaile To byde the brunt of double wracke my courage would not quayle Let Pindus tumbled be on me houge Aemus let me haue Or Athos rocke in Thracian seas that breakes the weltring waue And bode the boultes of thondring Ioue although th unweildy masse Of all the world should fal on mee and might be brought to passe That Phoebus flaming apeltree should burne vppon my graue No vncouth crye should force the mynd of Hercles thus to raue Let meete a thousand sauage beastes and rent me al at once Let Stymphal foules with houling hoarse lay strokes vppon my bones Or scrowling bul on thother syde strike on with head and horne Or els of other serpentes wilde let al my partes be torne With roring earthquakes hougy lumpes be puffed vppon me With griping greefe let all my limmes to nothing pyned bee Although I be to pouder crusht I wil with pacience peace In spite of beastes or brusing blowes my sighes and teares shal seace Alc. It is not sonne the womans bane that in thy bones doth boile But festring teares and broosing knockes of thy continual toyle The wrinches old with aking panges begin to smart anew HE. O where is death where is hee now of all that I do rew Can any witnes what it is let death now bend his bow A naked hand is stronge ynough to make mee stowpe ful low Let any wight in al the worlde attempt to set on mee I warrant him approch let him Ah wretched might I bee This wayward agony hath take his perfit wits away Haue hence his tooles and eake his shaftes for daunger hence coâ—uay His ruddy gills that glow like fier some mischiefe doe pretend To shrowde my selfe alas into what corner shall I wend This mallady a frensy is this onely is the meane To conquer Hercules why then doe I as doting queanâ— Thus fall to teares and seeke to shrynke may bee that hee will haue Alcmenas hand to giue the stroke to bring him to the graue But dye he in a Murreynes name ere I for cowarde will Such deadly penaunce bee enioynde that on my doings still His baynous hand may vaunt it selfe loe how the pangues full deepe With stuggling ceast doe hinde the purple vaynes with deadly sleepe And beating sore lift vp and downe his faynt and panting breast If I O Gods of this my noble Childe bee dispossest Be gracious yet and for the worlde some lusty champion saue Rid his annoy and let his limmes agayne theyr courage haue Hyllus Alcmena Hercules O Dismall day O anguishe O the heaper vp of ill Ioues Sonne is slayne his Daughter dyes his Nephew lyueth still First by the Stepdames treason is the Sonne to ruin brought The Daughter likewyse trapt in traynes and thereby come to nought What hoary head in chaunge of tunes or teanour of his age Hath seene that Fortunes frowning Face hath sturd such stormy rage One dolefull day bereaueth mee alas of parents twayne But least I speake to spite the Gods I will somewhat refrayne I lost a Father Hercules this onely I complayne AL. O noble Impe of Hercules alas my Nephew deare That dost of wretched Alcmens Sonne the liuely feature beare Refrayne my chylde thy wayling woordes this quiet sleepe perhap Will ouercome these plonging fits But loe loe in my lap Hee doth begin to striue agayne his fits begin a fresh Sleepe gieuing vp the feeble ghost to ranckle in the flesh HE. What meaneth Thrachin craggy crest to shew before myne eyes Or now forsaking man am I aduaunst aboue the skies Why do the heauens prouyde for me the father Ioue I see And eake my stepdame Iuno dire appeased now with me What heauenly harmony is this that soundeth in myne eare Dame Iuno calles me sonne in law I se the pallace cleare Of christal skies and beaten rakes of Phoebus flaming wheele I see the dumpish moary denne of glowming lady night Here he commaundeth darknes dim to shew it self in sight What meaneth this who is it that the heauens agaynst me sparres And am I thus O father myne brought downe againe from starres Euen now Appolloës sowltring car did fume about my face So nie I past the pinch of Death lo Thrachin top in place Who brought me backe to ground agayne beneath me earst it lay And al the world was vnder me thou smart wert worne away Thou forcest me confesse the same Ah mercy mercy now In stead of farther vengeance do these humble wordes allow Lo Hillus lo thy mothers giftes such presentes shee preparde Ah might my trunchion punch her puddinges once as whilom farde The haughty Ladye Amazon wel trounsed for her pride On th edge of ysy Caucasus afront the mountayne syde O noble lady Megara were thou my wretched wyfe When rapt in rage of franticke fittes I rest thee of thy life Geue me my batt and bow in hand my wrestes I wil imbrew And force ye all your brages on me with blemish blacke to rue Thus let of Hercules exployts a woman be the last Hi. Forbeare O Syre thy hateful threates she hath it all is past The vengeance that ye seke on her already hath her spedd With wound receiued at your hand my mother lieth dead Her O blynded anguish dye she should of Hercles furious hand Thus Licas hath his marrow lost the heate of burning brest Wil haue me on the breathlesse coarse for to reuenge the rest Why doth shee not yet fele her force both let her want a graue And on her cursed flesh to feede let beastes her carkasse haue Hil. The silly woman was more woe then ye that bide the smart Ye wil release some part hereof for pitty in your hart For greefe of you with her owne hande alas her selfe she slew Thus more then ye do aske of her she doth her doyng rewe Yet is it not your Wyfes misdeede that brought you to this plight No nor my mothers traytrous hand hath wrought this deepe deceit This treason Nessus did contriue whom yee did pay his hire With arrow shot into his Ribs for rape of Deianire Thus father with the Centaures bloud your shyrt was sore embrewde At Nessus hand the vengeaunce of your deede thus haue yee rewde HE. Hee hath his will all is dispacht our Fates themselues display This is the
with a night engendred hath to thee If East and West if Scithia and euery burning plot That parched is with glowing glede of Phoebus fier hot Doth sing my prayse and if the earth ful satisfyde with peace If languishing and wayling woords in euery towne doe cease If none their alters do imbrew with any guiltles gore Then Ioue let my vncaged spirite haue heauen for euermore As for th infernall dennes of death they do not me detarre Nor scouling Plutoes dungeon darck but Ioue I do abhorre Vnto those gastly Goblins as a stlly shade to goe Sith I am he whose conquering hand gaue them their ouerthrowe Withdraw these foggy clowdes of night display the glimsyng light That Hercles broyld with flying flames the Gods may haue in sight And if thou do denye O fyre the starres and heauen to mee To geue me them agaynst thy will thou shalt constrayned bee If glutting griefe do stop thy speach the Stygian goulphes set oape Aud let mee dye but first declare within the heauenly coape That thou accepst me as thy soone this day it shal be wrought That to bee raysd aloft to starres I may be worthy thought Thou hast doone litle for me yet it may be doubted well Whether Ioue did first beget his sonne or damnd him first to hell And quoth he let my stepdame see how wel I can abyde The scorching heate of burning brandes for fyer then he cride And sayth to me O Philoctet in hast vppon me throw The burning logges why quakest thou dost dastard thow forslow For feare to this wicked deede O coward peasant slaue Thou art to weake to bende my bow vnmeete my shaftes to haue What aylest thou to loke so pale and as thou seest mee lye With cherefull looke couragiously do thou the fier plye Behold me wretch that broyle and burne my father opes the Skyes And vnto me sonne Hercules come come away he cryes O father Ioue quoth he I come with that I waxed pale And toward him a burning beame with might and mayne I hale But backe from him the billets flye and tumbling out they leape And from the limmes of Hercules downe falleth all the heape But he encrocheth on the fyre as it from him doth shrinke That many mountaynes whole were set on fyer a man would thinke No noyse was hard and all was husht but that the fyer did hisse In Hercles glowing paunch when as his liuer burning is It boysteous gyant Typhus had amid this fire bene throwne These torments would haue straind his teares forst him sigh grone Or tough Euceladus that tost a mountayne on his backe But Hercles lifted vp himselfe amid his fyres all blacke With smoake besmeard his corps halfe burnt in shiuers gube flawes And downe the throate his gasping breath flames at once he drawes Then to Alemen he turnd himselfe O mother myne quoth hee Should ye so stand at Hercles death should you thus wayle for me And thus betwene the fire and smoke vpright and stiffe he standes And neyther stoupes nor leanes awrye but moues and stirs his hands With al his liuely gestures still and thus he doth perswade His mother leaue the langusshing and mourning that she made And did encourage all his men t' encrease the fyre than As though he were not burning but would burne some other man The people stoode astonished and scant they would beleeue That fire had any force on him or that it did him greeue Because his chereful looke had such a maiesty and grace And neuer wilde vs meue the fyre that he might burne apace And now when as he thought he had endured pangues ynough And stoutly bode the brunt of death the blocks hee doth remoue That smothering lay to make theÌ„ burne then downward doth he shoue And where the stewing heate did chiefely scorch and burne most hot That way he thrusts his frying lims and thether hath hee got With steaming countnaunce vnapaulde his mouth now doth he fill With burning coales his comely Bearde theÌ„ blazde about his cheekes And now when as the sparkling fier vnto his visage seekes The flame lickt vp his sâ—â—ged hayre and yet he did not winke But open kept his staring eyes But what is this my thinke Alomene cometh yonder as a woefull wight forlorne With sighes and sobs and all her hayre befrounced rent and torne And beares the remnaunt in her Lap of Hercules the great Alcmena Philoctetes LEarne Lordings learne to feare and dread th' unwelldy fatall force This little dust is all that 's lefâ— of Hercles hugy coarse That boysteous Giaunt is consumde vnto these ashes small O Titan what a mighty masse is come to nought at all Aye me an aged womans lappe all Hercules doth shrowde her lap doth serue him for a graue and yet the champion prowde With all his lumpe stils not the roome Aye mee a burthen small I feele of him to whom whole heauen no burthen was at all O Hercules beare chylde O sonne the season whilom was That thou to Tartar pits and sluggish deus aloofe didst passe For to repasse from deepe of hell when wilt thou come agayne For to put loyne the spoyles thereof or bring from captiue chayne To life thy friendly Theseus But when wilt thou returne Alone can flaming Phelegethon thy ghost in torments burne Or can the mastiâ—â—e Dogge of hell keepe downe thy woefull sprite Where then might I come see thy soule and leaue this loathed light When shall I rap at Tartar gate what Iawes shall mee deuower What death shall dâ—wnt mee goest thou to hell and hast no power To come agayne alas why do I wast the day in teares and 〈◊〉 O wretched lyfe why dost thou last thou shouldest droupe and saynt And loath this dreary daye how can I beare to Ioue agayâ—e Another noble Hercules what sonne may I obtayne So valiunt to call mee thus Alcmena mother myne O happy spouse Ampliterio twyse happy hast thou bene In entring at the dennes of death and through the noble sonne The Deutis arthy presentes quake to see thee thether come Though thou but forged father were to Hercules of late Whether shall old beldam goe whom many kinges do hate If any prince remayne with blody breast and murdring mynde Then woe to mee if groning babes be any left behynd That sorrow for theyr parentes deathes now now for Hercles sake Theyr mallice let them wrecke on mee on mee dyre vengeance take If any young Bustris be I feare the Persians sore Wil come and take me captiue hence in chaynes for euermore If any tyrant feede his horce with gubbes of straungers flesh Now let his pampred iades vnto my Carksse fall a fresh Perhap dame Iuno coueteth on me to wrecke her yrâ— And eâ—vs of her burning breast wil turne the flaming fire Her wreckful hand doth loyter now sith Hercules is slayne And now to feele her spurning spyte as harlot I remayne My valyant sonne is cause of this my wombe shall barrayne be Least I should beare another