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
Saturne wyll vndoe And euen agaynst the kingdome prowde of wicked father loe My graundsyre loase let Titans now prepare agayne their fight With me theyr captaine raging stones with woods I will down smight And hye hilles tops with Centaures full in right hande will I take With dauble mountayne now I will a stayre to Gods vp make Let Chyron vnder Ossa see his Pelion mountayne gret Olympus vp to heauen aboue in thyrd degree then set Shall come it selfe or ells be cast AM. Put farre away from thee The thoughts that ought not to be spoake of mynde vnsounde to see But yet full great the furious rage asswage and lay away HE. What meaneth this the Gyauntes doe pestiferous armes assay And Tityus from the sprights is fled and bearing torne to see And empty bosome loe howe neere to heauen it selfe stoode hee Cythaeron falles the mountayne hie Pallene shakes for feare And torne are Tempe he the tops of Pindus caught hath here And Octhen he some dredfull thing threatning doth rage about Erynnis bringing flames with stripes she soundes nowe sharken out And burned brandes in funeralles loe yet more neare and neare Throwes in my face fearce Tisyphone with head and vgly heare With serpentes set nowe after dogge fet out with Hercles hand That empty gate shee hath shut vp with bolte of fyry brande But loe the stocke of enmious king doth hidden yet remayne The wicked Lycus seede but to your hatefull father slayne Euen now this right hande shall you sende let nowe his arrowes light My bowe out shoote it seemes the shaftes to goe with such a flight Of Hercles AM. Whether doth the rage and fury blinde yet goe His mighty Bowe he drewe with hornes together driuen loe And quiuer loaste great noyese makes with violence sent out The shaft and quight the weapon flewe his middle necke throughout The wound yet left HE. His other broode I ouerthrow will quight And corners all What stay I yet to me a greater fyght Remaynes then all Mycenes loe that rockye stones should all Of Cyclops being ouerturn'de with hande of myne downe fall Let shake both here and there the house with all stayes ouerthrowne Let breake the poasts and quight let shrinke the shaken piller downe Let all the Pallace fall at once I here yet hidden see The sonne of wycked father AM. Loe his flattring handes to thee Applying to thy knees dooth craue his lyfe with piteous mone O wicked gylt full sad and eke abhorde to looke vpone His humble right hand caught he hath and raging rounde about Him rolled twyse or thryse hath cast his head resoundeth out The sprinkled houses with the brayne of him throwne out are wet But shee poore wretch her little sonne in bosome hyding yet Loe Megara like one in rage doth from the corners flee HE. Though runagate in bosome of the thundrer hid thou bee This right hand shall from euery where thee seeke and bring to sight AM. Wher goest thou wretch what lurking dens seekst thou to take or flight No place of sauegarde is if once bee Hercles styrde with yre But doe thou rather him embrace and with thy meeke desyre Assay t' asswage him ME. Husband spare vs I beseech thee nowe And knowe thy Megara this sonne thy countenaunce doth showe And bodyes pytche behould'st thou howe his hands vp lyfteth hee HE. I holde my stepdame followe on due penaunce paye to mee And bounden Ioue from fylthy bonde deliuer free away But I before the mother will this litle monster slay ME. Thou mad man whither goest thou wylt thou thine owne bloude sheade AM. Th' infant with fathers fyry face astonnted all for bread Died euen before the wounde his feare hath tooke away his lyfe And now likewise his heauy club is shaken towarde his wyfe He broaken hath the bones her head from blocklyke body gone Is quight nor any where it stayes dar'ste thou this looke vpone To long lyu'de age If mouruing doe the greeue thou hast then loe The death preparde Doe thou thy breast vppon his weapons throe Or ells this club with slaughter stayn'de of monsters slayne that bee Nowe hyther turne thy parent false vnfit for name of thee Ryd hence away least he should be to thy renowne a let TH. Which way the father toward thy death dost thou thy selfe cast yet Or whyther goest thou mad man flee and lye thou cloasely hid And yet from handes of Hercules this onely myschiefe rid HE. T' is well the house of shameful king is now quight ouerthrowne To thee O spouse of greattest Ioue I haue loe beaten downe This offred flocke I gladly haue fulfill'de my wyshes all Full meete for thee and Argos now geue other offrings shall AM. Thou hast not sonne yet all perform'de fill vp the sacrifise Loe th' offring doth at th' aultars stande it waytes thy hand likewyse With necke full prone I geue my selfe I roon I follow loe Mee sacrifice what meaneth this his eyes rolle to and froe And heauines doth dull his sight see I of Hercules The trembling hands downe falles his face to sleepe and quietnes And weary necke with bowed head full fast doth downeward shrynke With bended knee nowe all at once he downe to ground doth sinke As in the woods wylde Ashe cut downe or Bulwarke for to make A Hauen in Seas Liu'ste thou or els to death doth thee betake The selfe same rage that hath sent all thy famyly to death It is but sleepe for to and fro doth goe and come his breath Let tyme bee had of quietnesse that thus by sleepe and rest Great force of his disease subdew'de may ease his greeued brest Remoue his weapons seruants least he mad get them agayne Chorus LEt th' ayre complayne and eke the parent great Of haughty Sky and fertile land throughout And wandring waue of euer mouing freat And thou before them all which lands about And trayn of Sea thy beames abroade dost throe With glittring face and mak'st the night to flee O feruent Titan bothe thy lettinges loe And rysing hath Alcides seene wyth thee And knowne lykewise hee hath thy howsen twayne From so great ills release yee nowe hys brest O Gods release to better turne agayne His ryghter mynde and thou O tamer best O sleepe of toyles the quietnesse of mynde Of all the lyfe of man the better parte O of thy mother Astrey wynged kynde Of hard and pyning death that brother arte With truth mingling the false of after state The sure but eke the worste foreteller yet O Father of all thynges of Lyfe the gate Of lyght the rest of nyght and fellowe fyt That com'st to Kyng and seruaunt equally And gently cherysshest who weary bee All mankynde loe that dreadfull is to dye Thou doost constrayne long death to learne by thee Keepe him fast bounde wyth heauy sleepe opprest Let slomber deepe his Limmes vntamed bynde Nor soner leaue his vnright raginge breaste Then former mynd his course agayne may fynd Loe layd on ground with full fierce hart yet still
touch doth flee My wicked hand Am I gladly do this hand embrace to mee By this I beyng slayed will goe this meuing to my brest I le slake my woes Her what place shall I seeke ronnagate for rest Where shall I hyde my selfe or in what land my selfe engraue What Tanais or what Nilus els or with his Persyan waue What Tygris violent of streame or what fierce Rhenus flood Or Tagus troublesome that flowes with Ibers treasures good May my ryght hand now wash from gylt although Maeotis cold The waues of all the Northen sea on me shed out now wolde And al the water ther of shoulde now pas by my two handes Yet wil the mischiefe deepe remayne alas into whet landes Wilt thou O wicked man resort to East or westerne coste Ech where wel knowen all place I haue of banishment quight loste From me the warlde doth flee a back the starres that sydelyng roue Do back warde dryue their turned course euen Cerberus the soue With better count'naunce did behold O faythfull friend I saye O Theseu seeke same lurking place farre hence out of the way O thou a warder of mens gyltes what euer Iudge thou hee That hurtful men dost loue repay a worthy thanke to me And my desertes I thee beseech to ghostes of hell againe Send me that once escaped them subiect to thy raine Restore me yet to those thy bandes that place shal me wel hyde And yet euen that place knowes me wel Th. Our land for thee doth bide There Mars his hande acquite agayne and made from slaughter free Restoard to armoure loe that land Alcides calles for thee Which wontes to quite the gods and proue them Innocent to be HERE ENDETH THE FIRST Tragedye of Seneca called Hercules furens translated into Englishe by Iasper Heywood studente in Oxenforde THE SECOND TRAGEDIE OF SENECA ENTITVtuled Thyestes faythfully Englished by Iasper Heywood Felow of Alsolne Colledge in Oxenforde The Argument of this Tragedie MEGAERA ONE OF THE Hellish furies raising vp Tantalus frō Hell incited him to set mortall hatred betwene his two nephewes Thiestes Atreus being brothers and raining as Kinges ouer Mycenae by enterchangeable turnes that is to witte Thiestes to raine the one yere and Atreus the other Now Atreus enraged with furie against his brother partly for defiling and deflouring his wife Aerope by pollicie and partly for taking from him a Ram with a golden fleese practised with his seruāt how to be reuēged of his brother This Atreus therfore dissēblīg a reconciliation inuiting Thyestes to Mycenae secretly vnknowē to him set before hī at a banquet the flesh of his own childrē to eate Afterward Atreus hauīg also geuē to his said brother the bloud of his childrē in a goblet to drinke did lastly cōmaūd the heads also to be brought in at the doleful sight wherof Thiestes greatly lamēting knowīg the he had eatē his owne childrē was wonderfully anguished But Atreus for that he had thus reuenged himselfe toke therin great pleasure and delectation THIESTES OF SENECA THE FIRST ACTE The names of the Speakers Tantalus Megaera Atrcus Seruant Thiestes Philstenes Messenger Chorus Tantalus Megaera WHAT furye fell enforceth mee to fle th' unhappy seat That gaye and gaspe with greedye lawe the fleeyng food to eate What GOD to Tantalus the bowres wher breathing bodyes dwel Doth shew agayne is ought found worse then burning thyrst of hel In lakes alow or yet worse plague then hunger is there one In vayne that euer gapes for foode shal Sisyphus his stone That slipper restles rollyng payse vppon my backe be borne Or shall my lymmes with swifter swinge of whirling whele be torne Or shal my paynes be Tytius panges th' encreasyng liuer still Whose growing guttes the gnawing gripes and fylthy foules do fyll That styl by nyght repayres the panch that was deuourd by day And wondrous wombe vnwasted lieth a new prepared pray What ill am I appoynted for O cruell iudge of sprites Who so thou be that tormentes new among the sowles delytes Stil to dispose ad what thou canst to all my deadly woe That keeper euen of dungeon darke would fore abhorre to knowe Or hel it selfe it quake to se for dread wherof likewyse I tremble wold that plague seke out lo now there doth aryse My broode that shal in mischiefe farre the grandsyers gilt out goe And gyltles make that first shall dare vnuentred ils to do What euer place remayneth yet of all this wicked land I wil fill vp and neuer once while Pelops house doth stand Shall Minos idle be Meg. Go forth thou detestable sprite And vexe the Goddes of wicked house with rage of furyes might Let them contend with all offence by turnes and one by one Let swordes be drawne and meane of ire procure there may be none Nor shame let fury blynd enflame theyr myndes and wrathful will Let yet the parentes rage endure and longer lasting yll Through childrens children spreade nor yet let any leysure be The former fawts to hate but still more mischiefe newe to see Nor one in one but ere the gylt with vengeance be acquit Encrease the cryme from brethren proud let rule of kingdom flyt To runnagates and swaruing state of all vnstable thinges Let it by doubtfull dome be toste betwene th uncertaine kyngs Let mighty fall to misery and myser clime to might Let chaunce turne th empyre vpsydowne both geue and take the right The banyshed for gylt whan god restore theyr country shall Let them to mischiefe fall a fresh as hatefull then to all As to themselues let Ire thinke nought vnlawfull to be doon Let brother dread the brothers wrath and father feare the soon And eke the soon his parents powre let babes be murdered yll But worse begot her spouse betrapt to treasons trayne to kyll Let hatefull wyfe a wayte and let them beare through seas their warre Let bloodshed lye the lands about and euery field a farre And ouer conqueryng captaynes greate of countreys far to see Let lust tryumphe in wicked house let whoredome counted he The light'st offence let trust that in the breasts of brethren breedes And truth be gone let not from sight of your so heynous deedes The heauens be hyd about the poale when shyne the starres on hye And flames with woonted beames of light doe decke the paynted skyls Let darkest night bee made and let the day the heauens forsake Dysturbe the godds of wicked house hate slaughter murder make Fyll vp the house of Tantalus with mischieues and debates Adorned be the pillers hygh with bay and let the gates Be garnysht greene and worthy there for thy returne to sight Be kyndled fyre let mischyefe done in Thracia once theyr lyght More many folde wherefore doth yet the vncles hand delaye Doth yet Thyestes not bewayle his childrens fatall day Shall he not finde them where with heat of fyres that vnder glowe The cawderne boyles their limmes eche one a peeces let them go Disperste let fathers fires with
milde and doe they gently bide The touching of thy sacred hands MA. What may this thing betide The Bull a wonder great to see his head on hie he lifts And turned still vnto the East from thence it alway shifts Still lothing as hee seemes to me of heauen to see the light Oft scouling with his blearing eyes with gastely ruthfull sight TY. But doth one blow thē driue to groūd or more the one they haue MA. The Heifer as it seemde enflamd with courage stoute and braue Vpon the mortall Blade did rush and there hirselfe destries When out the bloud it foming spoutes and mounts vnto the Skies The brawny Bull twise stroke or thrise with groueling groning tyres And toyling vp and down he moyles And still to liue desires And yet at length with much ado his brutish breath expiers TY. What doth the wounde wide open gape or is it closed vp Or doth the deepnes of the hole the bloud in soking sup MA. Out of the wounded Heifers breast Black bluish waters rush As for the Bull but little bloud out of his wounds doth gush It back rebounds and from his Mouth Eyes by streames doth flow But what these dreadfull signes portend the Gods aloane doe know TY. By this vnhappy Sacrifice great feares within mee rise But tell mee now In the inner parts what secret hidden lies MA. O Father what meanes this alas that more then wonted guise The Inwards stir and shake my hands and heauing oft arise The bloud by streames out of the vaynes full straungly skips aloft The heart all schorcht and hidden lies and strykes are seene full oft Of Colour very wan and pale The chiefest parts doe want The Lyuer blackish gall out spurts and somwhat rysing pants And that that myschiefes great to kingdoms doth foreshow Two heads are seene and yet both heads one skin doth ouergrow And ouerheales them quight But yet the skin it is so thin That easely one may discerne what lieth hid therein And that which horror doth encrease a man may plainly see How both the heart the Lights and Lungs and all disturbed bee The fearefull noyse and sound you heere is not of beasts but fier That roaring on the Alters makes presaging wrekefull yre Of angry Gods who doe foretell some purpose that they haue For to reuenge some foule misdeede that vengeance iust doth craue No part his proper place obserues nor keepes his order due But altogether quight disguisde with an vnwonted hue Mishapen out of frame transformde displaced quight alas What thing is that the Gods entend ere long to bring to pas OEd. Why than declare from whēce and why these deadly signes arise With courage stout I will it heare it shall not once aggrise By valiaunt mynd Extremest ils haue power to banish feare TY. You will wishe that vnhard which you so much desyre to heare OEd. Yet sence the Gods wil haue him known tell me I say his name That siue your King TY. Nor wing nor womb of Bird or beast that same Can tell O king new sacrifice new meanes we must inuent From dredfull darke infernall damps some Fury must be sent These mischifes great for to vnfolde Or els King Ditis hee That Empyre keepes on griesly Ghosts entreated needes must bee These things forthwith for to disclose Tell who shall haue the charge A King thou art than maist not thou go through those kingdoms large OEd. Than noble Creon thou shalt goe this payne is first for thee Who must this crown and kingdome great enioy after mee THE THIRDE ACTE THE FIRST SCENE Oedipus Creon THough that thy Face where sadnes sits in heauy mourning guise Nought els portend but dedly griefes and mischiefes stil to ryse Yet tel some meanes wherby at length the Gods we may appease And purchasē to our Kingdomes wast some hope of health and ease Cre. Alas you byd me that disclose which feare doth byd me hyde Oed. It that the Thebane Citties great by doleful plagues destryde Perce not thy hart yet oughtest thou these Kingdomes for to rue Which were vnto thy brothers house of auncient title due Cre. You wish the thing to know which you wil wish vnknown at length Oed. Why so a simple remedy of litle force and strength Is ignoraunce of our estate when daungers vs betyde But what wilt thou so great a good for common safety hide Cre. Irkesome Medcines and perilous in sickness I abhorre Oed. And I likewyse at Subiects hands disdayne to take a dorre Speake out with speed or else by proofe of torment thou shalt find How daungerous a case it is to gawle a Princes mynd Cre. Kinges often vse to wish vntolde which they bad tel before Oed. Go to dispatch and cease in time to vexe me any more Except that thou forthwith to me this heinous deede disclose The gods I do protest to death for al thou onely goes Cre. O pardon me most noble king O let me hold my pes Of al the gracis Princes graunt what fauour may be lesse Oed As though the silence hurts not more both king and countries weale Then spech oft tymes which subiects thoughts to Prices both reueale Dispatch at once stir me no more thou knowst my guise of olde CRE. Silence denied what priuileage may silly Subiect holde OED. A traytor he is who stlēce keepes whē king cōmaunds to speake CRE. Then pardon my constrayned speach sith silence for to breake You me compell A dolefull tale O king my tongue must tell And which I feare your maiesty will not interpret well OED. Was euer man rebukt for that that he was bid to say CRE. Well than since needes I must I am contented to obay A wood there is from City farre enhaunst with stately trees Where many a plant and her be doth grow which Phoebus neuer sees With euer during bushes greene the Cypresse there doth ryse And puts his alde aud leffty had withing the cloude Skyes The auncient Time eaten Oke with crooked bended lims The Teyl tree fine The Alder which in Neptunes kingdoms swims The Bayes with bitter beries eke the Elmes deere friends to Vynes And many a noble tree besides as Mirtles 〈…〉 Amidst them all one tree there is with large out 〈…〉 Whose roring sound craking noyse the lesser woods Icharmes And ouershades them all a Tree of monstrous huge estate Beset with fearefull woods there is that dyre and dreadfull gate That leades to lothsome Lymbo Lake and pyts that euer flowe Where choked miry mud doth streame with slimy course full flowe Here when the priest was entred in with comely aged pace He stayed not No neede there was for night was still in place Than all the ground wyde open gapes smouthering vapours ryse And fyre and smoke styfling stink mounts vp vnto the Skyes The Priest with wayling werde iclad his fatall red out tooke And entring in in blacke Aray full often times it shooke With heauy cheere and dolful pace his hoary haire was twynde
bearing in his recklesse breast his fathers warnings wyse Was burned with the flames which hee did scatter in the Skyes None knew the costly glimsing glades where straggling Phaëton rode Passe not the path where people safe in former tyme haue trode O fondling wilfull wanton boy doe not dissolue the frame Of heauen sith Ioue with sacred hand hath halowed the same Who rowde with valiaunt Oares tough that were for Argo made Hath powled naked Pelion mounte of thycke compacted shade Who entred hath the fleeting rockes and serched out the toyle And tyring trauels of the seas and hath on saluage soyle Knit fast his stretched Cable rope and going forth to land To cloyne away the forren golde with greedy snatching hand Vnto the seas because that hee transgrest theyr lawes deuine By this vnlucky ende of his he payes his forfeyte fine The troubled seas of theyr vnrest for vengeaunce howle and weepe Syr Typhis who did conquer fyrst the daunger of the deepe Hath yeelded vp the cunning rule of his vnweldy sterne To such a guide as for that vse hath neede as yet to learne Who giuing vp his Ghost aloofe from of his natiue lande In forreyn more lyes buryed vile with durty soddes in sande He sits among the flitiring soules that straungers to him weare And Aulis Isle that in her minde her masters losse doth beare Held in the Ships to stand and wayle in croking narrow nocke That Orpheus Calliops sonne who stayde the running Brooke Whyle he recordes on heauenly Harpe with twanckling finger fine The wynde layde downe his pipling blastes his harmony diuine Procurde the woods to styr them selues and trees in traynes along Came forth with byrds that held their layes and listned to his song With lims on sunder rent in fielde of Thrace he lyeth dead Vp to the top of Heber floude eke haled was his head Gone downe he is to Stygian dampes which seene hee had before And Tartar boyling pits from whence returne hee shall no more Alcydes banging hat did bringe the Northern laddes to grounde To Achelo of sundry shapes he gaue his mortall wounde Yet after he could purchase peace both vnto sea and land And after Ditis dungeon blacke rent open by his hand He lyuing spred himselfe along on burning Oetas hill His members in his proper flame the wretch did thrust to spill His bloud he brewd with Nestors bloud and lost his lothsome lyfe By traytrous gyft that poysoned shyrt receaued of his wyfe With tuske of bristled groyning Bore Anceus lyms were torne O Meleagar wicked wight to graue by thee were borne Thy mothers brethren twayne and shee for it with ruthfull hand Hath wrought thy dolefull desteny to burne thy fatall brand The rash attempting Argonautes deserued all the death That Hylas whom Alcides lost bereft of fading breath That springall which in sowsing waues of waters drowned was Goe now yee lusty bloudes the Seas with doubtfull lot to passe Though Idmon had the calking skyll of destentes before The serpent made him leaue his lyfe in tombe of Liby shore And Mopsus that to other men could well theyr fates escry Yet onely did deceyue him selfe vncertayne where to dy And he that could the secret hap of things to come vnfoulde Yet dyde not in his countrey Thebes Dame Theris husband oulde Did wander like an outlawde man Our Palimedes syre Did headlong whelm him selfe in seas Who at the Greekes retyre From Troy to rushe on rockes did them alure with wily light Stout Aiax Oleus did sustayne the dint of thunder bright And cruell storme of surging seas to quite the haynous guilt That by his countrey was commit in seas he lyeth spilt Alceste to redeeme her husbands Phereus lyfe from death The godly Wyfe vpon her spouse bestowed her panting breath Proude Pelias that wretch him selfe who bad them first assay The golden Fleece that booty braue by ship to fetch away Perboylde in glowing cauldron hoate with feruent heate hee fryes And fleering peece meale vp and downe in water thin he lyes Inough inough reuenged are O Gods the wronges of seas Be good to Iason doing that hee did his Eame to please THE FOVRTH ACTE Nutrix MY shiuering minde amazed is agast and sore dismayde My chillish lims with quaking colde do tremble all afrayde Such plagues vengeāce is at hand in what exceding wise Do sharp assaults of greedy griefe still more more arise And of it selfe in smothering breast enkindlesse greater heate Oft haue I seene how ramping rage hath forced her to freate With franticke fits mad bedlem wise against the Gods to rayle And eke bewitched ghosts of heauen in plunging plagues to trayle But now Medea beates her busie brayne to bring to passe A myschiefe greater greater farre then euer any was Erewhile when hence she tript away astonished so sore And of her poyson closset close shee entred had the dore Shee powreth out her Iewels all abrode to light shee brings That which she dreading lothed long most irksome vgly things She mumbling coniures vp by names of ills the rable rout In hugger mugger cowched long kept close vnserched out All pestlent plagues she calles vpon what euer Libie lande In frothy boyling stream doth worke or muddy belching sande What tearing torments Taurus breedes with snowes vnthawed still Where winter flawes and hory frost knit hard the craggy hill She layes her crossing hands vpon each monstrous coniurde thing And ouer it her magicke verse with charming doth she sing A mowste rowste rusty route with cancred Scales Iclad From musty fusty dusty dens where lurked long they had Doe craull a wallowing serpent huge his cōbrous Corps out drags In fiery foming blaring mouth his forked tongue hee wags He stares about with sparkling eyes if some he might espy Whom snapping at with stinging spit he might constrayne to dy But hearing once the magycke verse he husht as all agast His body boalne big wrapt in lumps on twining knots hee cast And wambling to and fro his tayle in linkes he rowles it round Not sharp enough quoth she the plagues tooles that hollow groūd Engenders for my purpose are to heauen vp will I call To reach me stronger poyson down to frame my feate with all Now is it at the very poynt Medea thou assay To bring about some farther fetch then common Witches may Let downe let downe that sprawling Snake that doth his body spred As doth a running brooke abroade his myghty channell shed Whose swelling knobs of wondrous sise buystrous bobbing bumpes Doth thumpe the great lesser beare that feete his heauy lumpes The bygger beare with golden gleede the greekish fleete doth guyde But by the lesse the Sidon ships their passage haue espide He that with pinch of griping fist doth bruse the adders twayne His strening hard clasping hande let him vnknit agayne And crushe their squeased venome out come further thou our charme O slymy serpent Python whom Dame Iuno sent to harme Diana and Apollo both those heauenly spyrites
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
boone of thee doe craue No monstrous beastes no noysome plagues hereafter let vs haue With bloudy champions let the earth encombred bee no more Cast downe the hauty sway of Courtes if ought annoyaunce sore Shall cloy the earth a champion to bee our shylde wee caue Whom as an honour of the Crowne his ruefull realme may haue That stil will keepe his swerd from being taint with guiltlesse bloud But loe what meanes this rumbling noyse loe Hercles ster doth grone And sigheth for his sonne is it the Gods that wayle and mone Or is it Iunoes fearefull shrike whom Hercles doth aggrise That seeing him for feare shee roares and runneth from the skyes Or els did Atlas faltring feete with feeble sturring stumble And shrinking from his tottring waight thus force the Gods to rumble Or scared he the wauling ghostes the which to feare he draue Or Cerberus brast his gingling Chaynes with buskling in his caue It is not so but loe where Philoctetes doth appeare And Hercles famous shaftes to him bequeathed doth hee beare THE FIFT ACTE Nutrix Philoctetes OF Hercules most heauy haps Good youngman make reporte How did hee beare it at his death PH. In such a chearefull sorte As no man liues NV. And could he with so sweete and merry looke The scorching panges and torments of his ending fier brooke PH. That there was any heate at all his face did not bewray Who prou'de that power might force al things to stoupe and to obay That vnder sonne vntamed be NV. Where did the noble knight Among the wrastling waues of sea display his matchlesse might PH. That mischiefe witch all only yet the worlde knew not before Euen fier hath bin conquered as beastes and monsters more Among the toyles of Hercules the fier is crept in NV. Declare vs how the flaming force of fier coulde hee win PH. As soone as hee with smarting hand the Oeta hill had grypte And forthwith from the braunched Beeche the shrinking shade was wipte And felled from the stump it lyes a Pyne tree hard hee bendes That crakes the clowdes down from skyes his hawty head he sende◠The Rocke did totter ready for to reele and with the sway It tumbleth downe a little groue withall it beares away A spreading Oake of Chaon big whose leaues did euer rush And dimde the sunne and did beyonde the woode his braunches push It being hewde doth crack and eake in twayne the wedges knappes The steele startes back and thus the toole of Iron bides the rappes And flyes out of the Logge at length at roore it shogde and shooke And falling downe full lythly the ouerthrow it tooke Forthwith the place lost all his light the byrds scaard fro their nest Doe soare about the cropped wood and holes wherein to rest And chirping with their weary winges about the plot they flicker In euery tree the ringing strokes were multiplied thicker The holy Oakes in hugy hand the Iron Axe did feele No timber on the stallen stocks might scape the hewing steele Thus all the wood vpon a pile is heapt and one by one The Logges are layde as hygh as heauen that Hercules thereon Might haue a narrow roome his burning bones for to bestow On Pynetree top and towghest Oake the fler begins to glowe And on the stumped willowe flamth and thus the forrest wyde Doth make the Kill the Popler wood all Hercles blocks doth hyde But as the puissaunt Lyon when his fits doe vexe him sore Lies wallowing on his back and through the forrest lowde doth rore So fareth hee who woulde haue thought hee had to burning gon As one that climbs to heauen not fier he was to looke vpon When vp he stept on Oera mount and gazed on his Kill Being layde aloft he brake the blocke so heauy was hee still The shyues yet coulde not beare his wayght he calling for his bow Did say to mee haue Philocktet on thee I it bestow This same is it that Hydra with his swarming heads did know This did fetch downe the stimphall foules and all that wee haue daunt Goe thou with this let victory and happinesse thee haunt For neuer shall thou shute agaynst thy foes with these but speede If at a byrde amid the clowdes thou aame shee dies indeede These certayne shaftes shall bring thy marke down from the azur sky Thys bow shall not deceaue thy hand full oft I did it try And made it meete to beare a shaft and cast his leauell dew Thyne arrowes shall not fayle thyne aame if that thou nock them trew I aske but only this of thee put fier to the Stack Bestow on mee my funerall flame to bryng me to my wrack This knarry Club quoth hee the which no hand shell euer losse Shall onely with his Hercules in fier goe to losse This also quoth hee shouldst thou haue if thou could weild the same Beside his maister let it lye to help towarde the flame And then beside him down hee layes the Lyons vayry skin To burne with him the shaggy case hid all the pyle within The people sobde and none there was but sorrow straynde his teares The mother mad for egar griefe her breast all bare shee beares And naked downe toth Nauill steade displayes her tender teates And languishing with wringed hands her naked dugges shee beares And cryeth out vpon the Gods on Ioue himselfe shee cries Her shriking rang through all 〈◊〉 place so womanlike shee yalles Be still quoth hee good mother force your showres of teares to cease Your dreary dole disgraceth much the death of Hercules Wayle secretly vnto your selfe why make ye Iuno glad To se that you a weeping day with store of teares haue had It doth her good to see her bawdes to stand with weeping eyes Forbeare forbeare your malady t is deadly sinne for yee To teare the teares and rent the wombe that first did foster me And as he blustred giuing gruntes when earst he led in chayne The hownd aboute the townes of Grece what tyme he came agayne Tryumphing ouer conquerd hel defying Plutoës might And dreadful desteny so on the fyre he lay vpright What conquerour euer sat in coatch with such a chereful grace What tyrant did controll his folke by law with such a face How husht was al thing at his death himselfe he could not weepe And also we had cleane forgot the wound of sorrowes deepe None doth lament him at his death now were it shame to wayle Alemen whom nature ought to moue her teares now do her fayle And thus as yll as was the sonne the mother stoode almost N. But at his burning did hee not call on the heauenly host Remembring Ioue to heare his suite Ph. As on in depe dispayre He lay and staryng vp so rould his eyes into the ayre To spye if Ioue looke downe to him from any turret hye Then with his handes displayd to heauen quoth he where so thou lye And lokest downe to se thy sonne this same this same is hee Whom one day eeked
child as hardy as was hee Oh whether may Alcmena goe or whether shal she wend What countrey or what kingdomes may my careful hed defend Where may I couch my wretched coarse that euery where am knownde If I vnto my natiue soyle repayre among myne owne Euristeus is of Argoe lord thus woefully forlorne I wil to Thebes where I was wed and Hercules was borne And where with Ioue I did enioy dame Venus deare delight O blessed woman had I bene and in most happy plight It Ioue with flash of lightning leams and blasing flakes of fyre Had smolthred me as Semele was sowst at her desyre Would God that Hercles whyle he was a babe had rypped bene Out of my wombe then wretchedly I should not this haue seene The pangues and tormentes of my sonne whose prayse doth couÌ„teruaile Euen Ioue then had I learnd that death at length might him assayle And take him from my sight O child who wil remember thee For now vnthankfulnes is great in men of each degree 〈◊〉 for thy 〈◊〉 I do not know where entertaynd to bee The â—word of the Cleonies I will attempt and fyre Whom from the Lyon rescâ—wde he and made the monster dye Or shal I too th' Archadians go where thou didst sleâ— the boare Where thy renowne remaine 〈…〉 of great exploytes before The parlous 〈◊〉 Hydra heare was slayne there fel he dead That with the flesh of slaughtred men his greedy horses fedde And yonde 's were the Stimphall burdes compelde to leaue the saye And tamed by the handy toyle now doth the Lyon frie And belketh 〈◊〉 fumes in heauens whyle thou liest in thy groue O if mankynd but any sparke of thankful nature haue Let all men prcace to succour mee Alcmene thy mother deare What if among the Thracians I venter to appeare Or on the 〈◊〉 of Hebet floud thy prowesse euery where Hath succoured all these soylts for earst in Thrace thou did put downe The fleshy meangres of the King and put him from his crowne By slaughter of the saluage printe the people liue in peace Where diddest thou denye thy helpe to make tormoyling cease Vnhappy mother that I am a shryne where may I haue To shrowde thy coarse for all the world may striue aboute thy graue What temple may be meete to shryne thy reliques safe for aye And hallowed bones what nations vnto the ghost shal pray O noble sonne what sepulchere what hearse may serue for thee The world it selfe through flying flame thy fatal tombe shal be Who taketh here this payse from me his ashes which I beare Why loath I them imbrace his bones keepe stil his ashes here And they shal be a shield to thee his dust that thee defend To see his shadow princes prowde for feare shal stoupe and bend Ph. O mother of noble Hercules forbeare your dreary playnt His valiant death thus should not be with femal teares attaynt Ye should not languish thus for him nor count him wretched man In dying who by noble mynd preuent his destny can His cheuatry forbyddeth vs with teares him to bewayle The stately stomacke doth not sloupe they sigh whose hartes do fayle Alc. I le mone no more behold behold most wretched mother I Haue lost the sheild of land end sead where glittring Phoebe displayes With whirling wheeles in foamy gulphes and red and purple rayes The losse of many sonnes I may lament in him alone Through him I lifted Kings to frowne when crown my selfe had none Ayd neuer any mother liude that neded lesse to craue Of Gods then I I asked naught while I my sonne might haue What could not Hercles tender loue like on me to bestow What God would once denâ—â— to 〈…〉 or what he held me froe I was in my powre to aske and haue If Ioue would ought denye My Hercules did bring to passe I had 〈…〉 by What mortall mother euer bare and lost so deare a sonne Earst downe the cheekes of Niobe the 〈…〉 When of her deare and tender brattes she wholly was hereuen And did bewaâ—le with strayned sighes her children seuen and seueâ— And yet might I compare this one my Hercles vnto those And I in him as much as shee in all her impâ—s die lose The mothers that are mourning dames do lacke on hâ—d and chefe And now Alcmene shal be shee depriude of all releefe Cease woeful â—â—thers cease if that among you any are Constrayne to shed your streaming teares by force of peasâ—ue careâ— Ye Lady whom lamenting song of women fourmed rockes Geue place vnto my gluttyng greefe beat on with burning knockes Ye handes vppon my riueled breast alas am I alone Enough for such a funerall to languish and to moue Whom al the world shall shortly neede yet steech thy feble armes To thumpe vppon thy sounding breast thy griefe with boleful 〈◊〉 And in despyte of al the gods powre put thy woeful erye And to receiue thy flowing teares thy warry cheekes applye Bewayle Alcmenas woful state the sonne of Ioue bewayle Whose byrth did cause the duâ—ay day in kindly course 〈◊〉 fayle The East compact two nightes in one Lo to a greater thing Then glorious day the world hath lost now let your forrowes ring Yet people al whose lowryng lordes he draw to dennes of death Theyr blades that reckt with guiltles 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 into the sheath Bestow on him your Christall teares which he deserued wellt Howle out ye heauens ye mardle seas and goulphes with gronings yell O Crete Deare darling vnto Ioue For Ioue of Hercles roâ—e Ye hundred cityes beate yond armes my sonne for euermore Is gone among the griesâ—y ghostes and shimmering shades of hell Lament for him ye woeful mightes that here on 〈◊〉 do dwell Hercules Alcmenâ— WHy Mother wayle you mee an 〈◊〉 〈…〉 hoâ—t of hell Or 〈…〉 of death sith I among 〈◊〉 Spheares doe dwell Forbeare forbeare to moane for mee for vertue opened hath To mee the passage to the Starres and set mee in the path That guides to euerlasting Lyfe whence coâ—s this dreadfull sounde Alc. Whence roares this thundring voyce that doth against mine eares rebosid And biddeth mee to shine my teares I know it now I know The darksome dungeâ—â—â— daunied are and Demies of Lakes alow O Sonne art thou retâ—rnd to the from Stygian gulph agayne And can thou twise of ougly death the con quest thus obtayne And brast the balefull prisons twise of glum and gastly night Agaâ—â—st 〈…〉 thus by might May any scape from 〈…〉 thou stape alone Hath hell no power to holde thy sprite when breath from breast is gone Or els hath Pluto baalde thee out for feare least thou alone Should cloyne his Scepter from 〈◊〉 hand pluck him from his front For I am sure I sawe thee layde vpon the burning trees And from thy Corps the flame and sparkes agaynst the welkin flyes That sure thou wast to poâ—ldee burne and feeble lyfe was lost But sure the deepes and pits of 〈◊〉 did not lock vp thy ghost Why were the deuills alrayde of thee why quaked Ditis grim And did thy noble ghost seeme such a gastly bug to him HE. The dampy 〈◊〉 of Cocitas coulde not keepe me from light Nor Carons fusty musty Barge transported hath my sprite Now Myther 〈…〉 more once haue I seeme the 〈◊〉 of hell And all the 〈…〉 that dwell That mortall moulde I tooke of you to nought the flames haue fryed Heauen hath the substaunce that I tooke of Ioue in fier yours died And therefore rawse your playntius teares which parents vse to shed When wretchedly they wayle their sonnes that dastardly are dead Thus vulgar varlets weepe loe vertue hopes the Starres to get But faynting feare 〈◊〉 on death from heauen where I am set You heare my voyce Euristeus now shal byde the deadly push With charyot sway his cracked scull ye shal on sunder crush Now must I hence aduaunce my Ghost vp to the rolling skyes Once more I daunt the deuilles and do the goblins grim aggrise Alc. But stay awhile my sonne he fades and shrinketh from my sight Aduaunst he is among the starres doth this my charmed Spirite Dote in a traunce or do I dreame that I haue seene my sonne A troubled mynd can scante beleue the thinges he seeth done But now I see thou art a God possessing heauen for aye I see it sure I wil to Thebes thy triumphes to display Chorus LO vertue scapes the gastly shades of hell Ye noble peeres that shyne in vertue bright Dire desteny cannot constrayne you dwell Among the glowming glades of ougly might Nor sinke your fame in loathsome lakes of spyte But when deaths day drawes on the gasping howre You purchast glory shall direct your right To fynd the passage to the heauenly bower When flesh doth fall and breathing body dies Then Fame the child of Vertue doth arise But sluggish sottes that sleepe their dayes in sloth Or geue their golden age to loath some lust Them and their names the wretches bury both When as their bones shall shryned be in dust The clay shall couer their carkases forlorne As though such kaytisses neuer had bene borne But if that ought of memory they haue In thafter age it shal be filthy shame The gnawing wormes torment not so in graue Their rotten flesh as tounges do teare their name That dayly kild to further mischiefe liues Lo both the fruites that vice and virtue giues FINIS Ouid. Omne genus scripti grauitate Tragoedia vincit
SENECA HIS TENNE TRAGEDIES TRANSLATED INTO Englysh Mercurij nutrices horae IMPRINTED AT LONDON IN Fleetstreete neere vnto Saincte Dunstans church by Thomas Marsh 1581 TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPEVL SIR THOMAS HENNEAGE KNIGHT TREASVRER OF HER MAIESTIES CHAMBER Thomas Newton wisheth all abundaunce of Felicitie and Spirituall benedictions in Christe YOV may think Sir some want of discretion in mee for thus boldly presuminge to thrust into your handes these Tragedies of SENECA From whych boldnesse the very Conscience of myne own vnworthynes might easely haue dissuaded mee had not certayne learned Gentlemen of good credite and worship thereunto persuaded animated mee Assuring mee where of I thought my selfe afore assured that your VVorship such is your loue to learning the generosity of your Heroicall mynde would daygne not onely to dispence with my temerity but also take in worth my affectionate simplicity And yet all this notwithstandinge well durst I not haue geuen the aduēture to approch your presence vpon trust of any singularity that in this Booke hath vnskilfully dropped out of myne owne penne but that I hoped the perfection of others artificiall workmāship that haue trauayled herein aswell as my selfe should somewhat couer my nakednèsse 〈◊〉 pùrchase my pardon And hard were the dealing if in payment of a good round gubbe of Gold of full wayght and poyse one poore peece somewhat clypped and lighter then his fellowes may not be foysted in amōg the rest and passe in pay for currant coigne Theirs I know to be deliuered with singuler dexterity myne I confesse to be an vnflidge nestling vnhable to flye an vnnatural abortion and an vnperfect Embryon neyther throughlye laboured at Aristophanes and Cleanthes candle neither yet exactly waighed in Critolaus his precise ballance Yet this dare I saye I haue deliuered myne Authors meaning with as much perspicuity as so meane a Scholler out of so meane a stoare in so smal a time and vpon so short a warning was well able to performe And whereas it is by some squeymish Areopagites surmyzed that the readinge of these Tragedies being enterlarded with many Phrases and sentēces literally tending at the first sight some time to the prayse of Ambition sometyme to the mayntenaūce of cruelty now and then to the approbation of incontinencie and here and there to the ratification of tyranny can not be digested without great daūger of infection to omit all other reasons if it might please thē with no forestalled iudgmēt to mark and consider the circumstaunces why where by what maner of persons such sentences are pronoūced they cānot in any equity otherwise choose but find good cause ynough to leade thē to a more fauourable and milde resolutiō For it may not at any hād be thought and deemed the direct meaning of SÈNECA himselfe whose whole wrytinges penned with a peerelesse sublimity and loftinesse of Style are so farre from còuntenauncing Vice that I doubt whether there bee any amonge all the Catalogue of Heathen wryters that with more grauity of Philosophicall sentences more waightynes of sappy words or greater authority of soūd matter beateth down sinne loose lyfe dissolute dealinge and vnbrydled sensuality or that more sensibly pithily and bytingly layeth downe the guerdon of filthy lust cloaked dissimulation odious treachery which is the dryft wherunto he leueleth the whole yssue of ech one of his Tragedies Howsoeuer whatsoeuer it be your VVorships curteous acceptaūce shal easily counterpoyse any of our imperfections Vnto whose learned Censure wee humbly submit these the exercises of our blusshing Muses The Lord God in mercy long preserue you in health and dignity with daily encrease of many his gracious gyfts already rychly abounding in you to the propagation and aduauncement of his truth whereof yee are a zealous Professor to the honoure of her Maiestye to whom you are a most loyall seruitour and to the generall benefite of your Countrey whereof you are a rare and most worthy Ornament From Butley in Chesshyre the 24. of Aprill 1581 Your Worshippes most humble Thomas Newton THE NAMES OF THE TRAGEDIES OF SENECA AND by whom each of them was translated 1 Hercules Furens 2 Thyestes 6 Troas By Iasper Heywood 1560 5 Oedipus By Alex Neuile 4 Hippolytus 7 Medea 8 Agamemnon 10 Hercules Octaeus By Iohn Studley 9 Octauia By T. Nuce 3 Thebais By Thomas Newton The Argument of this Tragedy IVno the Wyfe and sister of Iupiter hating his bastard broode cometh dovvne from heauen complayning of all his iniuries done to her deuising also by vvhat despight she may vexe his base Sonne Hercules And hauing by experience proued no toyles to be to hard for him findeth the meanes to make his ovvne hand his ovvne vengeance Hercules therefore returning novv from Hell from vvhence he vvas enioyned to fet Cerberus and finding that the Tyrant Lycus had inuaded his coūtrey destroieth the tyrant For the vvhich victory as hee sacrificeth to his Goddesse vvrathfull Iuno strikes him into a sodayne frensy Wherevvith he beinge sore vexed thynking to slea the Children and Wyfe of Lycus in steede of them killeth his ovvne Wyfe and Children in his madnes This done hee sleapeth Iuno restoreth to him agayne his Wits He being vvakt seing his Wyfe and Children slayne by his ovvne hand at last also vvould kill himselfe THE SPEAKERS Iuno Chorus Megara Amphitrion Lycus Hercules Theseus THE FIRST ACTE Iuno alone I Syster of the Thunderer for now that name alone Remaynes to me Ioue euermore as though deuorst and gone And temples of the highest ayre as wydowe shunned haue And beaten out of skyes aboue the place to Harlots gaue I must go dwell beneath on ground for Whoores do hold the sky From hence the Beare in parte aboue of ycy peale full hy A haughty starre the greekish shyps by Seas doth gurde about From this way whence at spring time warme the day is loased out Europaes bearer through the waues of Tyria shynes full bright From thence their stormy fearefull flocke to Ships and seas affright The wandring daughters here and there of Atlas vpward sway With staring bush of hayre from hens Orion Gods doth fray And Perseus eke his glitteryng starres of golden glosse hath here From hence the twynnes of Tyndars stocke do shine a signe full clere And at whose byrth first stode the grounde that erst went to and fro Nor onely Bacchus now himselfe or Bacchus mother lo Haue clymd to Gods least any parte should from rebuke be free The skies the Gnossian strumpets crownes do beare in spight of mee But I of old cōtemptes complayne me one dire fierce and shrewde Thebana land with wicked broode of Ioues base daughters strewde How oft hath it a stepdame made though vp to heauen should ryse The conqueryng drabbe Alcmena now and hold my place in skyes And eke her sonne to promisd starres obtayne the worthy way At byrth of whom the staying worlde so long deferd the day And Phoebus slow frome morning sea began to glister bright Commaunded long in
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
brothers banquet now and streight a fonder cuttes The bodyes into quarters all and by the stoompes anone The shoulders wyde and brawnes of armes be strikes of euerychone He layes abroad their naked limes and cuts away the bones The onely heads he kepes and handes to him committed once Some of the guttes are broacht and in the fyres that burne full sloe They drop the boyling licour some doth tomble to end froe In moorning cawderne from the flesh that ouerstandes aloft The fyre doth flye and skatter out and into chimney ofte Up heat agayne and there constraynd by force to tary yet Unwilling burnes the liuer makes great noyse vpon the spit Nor easely wot I if the flesh or flames they be that bry But crye they do the fyre like pitch it fumeth by an by Nor yet the smake it selfe so sad like filthy miste in sight Ascendeth vp as wont it is nor takes his way vpright But euen the Gods and house it doth with fylthy turne defile O pacient Phoebus though from hence thou backeward flee the whyle And in the midst of heauen aboue dost drowne the broken day Thou fleest to late the father eats his children well away And limmes to which he once gaue life with cursed iaw doth teare He shynes with oyntment shed ful sweete all round about his heare Replete with wyne and oftentymes so cursed kynd of food His mouth hath held that would not downe but yet this one thing good In all thy yls Thyestes is that them thou dost not knoe And yet shal that not long andure though Titan backward goe And chariots turne agaynst himselfe to meete the wayes be went And heauy night so heynous deede to keepe from sight be sent And out of tyme from East aryse so foule a fact to hyde Yet shall the whole at length be seene thy ylles shall all be spide Chorus WHich way O Prince of landes and Gods on hie At whose vprise eftsones of shadowd night All beawty fleeth which way turnst thou awrye And drawest the day in midst of heauen to flight Why dost thou Phoebus hide from vs thy sight Not yet the watch that later howre bringes in Doth Vesper warne the Starres to kindle light Not yet doth turne of Hespers whele begin To loase thy chare his well deserued way The trumpet third not yet hath blowen his blast Whyle toward the night beginnes to yeld the day Great wonder hath of sodayne suppers hast The Plowman yet whose Oxen are vntierd From woonted course of Heauen what drawes thee backs What causes haue from certayne race conspierd To turne thy horse do yet from dongeon black Of hollow hell the conquerd Gyantes proue A fresh assaut doth Tityus yet assay VVith trenched hart and wounded wombe to moue The former yres or from the hil away Hath now Typhoeus wound his syde by might Is vp to heauen the way erected hie Of phlegrey foes by mountaynes set vpright And now doth Ossa Pelion ouerlye The wonted turnes are gone of day and night The ryse of Sunne nor fall shal be no more Aurora dewish mother of the light That wontes to send the horses out before Doth wonder much agayne returne to see Her dawning light she wots not how to case The weary wheeles nor manes that smoaking be Of horse with sweate to bathe amid the seas Himselfe vnwonted there to lodge likewise Doth setting sonne agayne the morning see And now commaundes the darkenes vp to ryse Before the night to come prepared bee About the Poale yet glowth no fyre in sight Nor light Moone the shades doth comfort yet What so it be God graunt it be the night Our hartes do quake with feare oppressed gret And dreadfull are least heauen and earth and all With fatall ruine shaken shall decay And least on Gods agayne and men shall fall Disfigurde Chaos and the land away The Seas and Fyres and of the glorious Skise The wandring lampes least nature yet shal hide Now shall no more with blase of his vprise The Lord of starres that leades the world so wyde Of Sommer both and Winter geue the markes Nor yet the Moone with Phoebus flames that burnes Shall take from vs by night the dreadful carkes With swifter course or passe her brothers turnes While compasse lesse she fets in croked race The Gods on heaps shal out of order fall And each with other mingled be in place The wryed vvay of holy planets all With path a slope that doth deuide the Zones That beares the sygnes and yeares in course doth brynge Shall see the starres with him fall downe at ones And he that first not yet vvith gentle spring The temperate Gale doth geue to sayles the Ramme Shall headlong fall a dovvne to Seas agayne Through vvhich he once vvith fearefull Hellen svvam Next him the Bull that doth vvith horne sustayne The systers seuen with him shall ouerturne The twins and armes of croked Cancer all The Lyon hoat that wontes the soyle to burne Of Hercules agayne from heauen shall fall To landes once left the Virgin shall be throwne And leueld payse of balance sway alow And draw with them the stinging Scorpion downe So likewyse he that holdes in Thessale bowe His swift wel fethred arrowes Chiron old Shal breake the same and eke shal lese his shotte And Capricorne that bringes the winter cold Shall ouerturne and breake the water pot VVho so thou be and downe with thee to grounde The last of all the sygnes shal Pisces fall And monsters eke in seas yet neuer drounde The water gulph shal ouerwhelme them all And he which doth betwene each vrsa glyde Lyke croked flood the slipper serpent twynde And lesser Beare by greater Dragons syde Full cold with frost congealed hard by kinde And carter dull that slowly guides his waine Vnstable shall Boòtes fall from hye VVe are thought meete of all men whom agayn Should hugy heape of Chaos ouerly And world oppresse with ouerturned masse The latest age now falleth vs vppon VVith euil hap we are begot alas If wretches we haue lost the sight of sonne Or him by fraught enforced haue to flye Let our complayntes yet goe and feare be pasts He greedy is of life that wil not die VVhen all the world shall end with him at last THE FIFTE ACTE Atreus alone NOwe equall with the Starres I goe beyond each other wight With haughty heade the heauens aboue and highest Poale I smite The kingdome nowe and seate I holde where once my father raynd I nowe lette goe the gods for all my wil I haue obtaynde Enoughe and well ye euen enough for me I am acquit But why enough I wil procede and fyl the father yet With bloud of his least any shame should me restrayne at all The day is gone go to therfore whyle thee the heauen doth call Would God I could agaynst their wils yet hold the Goddes that flee And of reuenging dish constrayne them witnesses to bee But yet which wel enough is wrought let it the father see
Without all helpe of worckmans hand or Pully vp to draw Such pieces as most waighty were Wilt thou by lawlesse law Throw downe these worthy Monuments wilt thou from hence conuay And cary with thee all these spoyles wilt thou such pageaunts play Thy Fathers old acquainted mates wilt thou by force surpryze And leade as captiue where thou goest in proude triumphing wise Shall these thy cutthroate Souldiers dragge and hale the mothers old Shal they graūd Matrons ried in chaines frō husbands armes vnfold Shall Thebane Maydes Damselles chaste of freshe and lusty Age Bee mingled with the raskal rout and hamperd bee in Cage Shall they as presents forced bee in dabbling dirt to toyle Vnto the mynsing Mistresses and Trulles of Argoa Soyle Shall I thy seely Mother trudge with Pinyond hands behinde Shall I this triumph of my Chiled to furnish bee assignde Canst thou with grudgelesse minde behold thy Countreyfolkes arow Slayne mangled spoylde in peeces hewen thus to their deathes to got Canst thou bring in a deadly Foe thy Countrey to subdue Shall streates of Thebes runne all with bloud shall all the Coūtrey rue Thy comming home with flame and fyre hast thou an heart so hard A breast so tipt with flint a mynde to rage so well preparde If thus thou fare and swell with yre whiles yet thou art no King What wilt thou bee in Princely throne if thou shouldst win the Ring Surceasse therefore and qualifie this outrage of thy mynde In thee let all thy Countrey grace and Princely myldnes finde POL. Would you me haue my selfe so much to loyall duties yeeld As that I should a Pylgrims life like wandring Beast in field Skud vp and downe from place to place without both house home And fleeing natiue soyle bee forst in forraigne Landes to roame What other plagues could you award in iustice vnto mee If I my fayth or sacred Oath had broken caytifly Shall I beare all the punishment for that vile villains guile And shall hee false deceiptfull wretch at my misfortunes smyle Shall hee in wealth still flaunt it out and keepe this iolly coyle Shall hee for sinnes rewarded bee and I still put to foyle Well well goe to bee as bee may you bid mee wander hence I am content your hard decree t' obay is my pretence But tell mee whyther shall I goe Assigne mee to some place Bylike you would that brother myne should still with shamelesse face Possesse my stately Pallaces and reuell in his ruffe And I thereat to holde my peace and not a whit to snuffe But like a Countrey Mome to dwell in some poore thatched Cot Allow mee poore Exyle such one I rest content God wot You know such Noddyes as I am are woont to make exchaung Of Kingdomes for poore thatched Cots bee like this is not straung Yea more I matcht now to a Wyfe of noble ligne and race Shall like a seely Dottipoll liue there in seruile case At becke and checke of queenely Wyfe and like a kitchin drudge Shall at Adrastus lordly heeles my Wyues owne Father trudge From Princely Port to tumble downe into poore seruile state Is greatest griefe that may betyde by doome of frouncing fate IOC. If that thou gape so greedely a Kingly Crowne to weare And that thou canst not rest content till thou a Scepter beare Behold ech quarter of the world affoordeth Kingdomes store No doubt thou mayst winne some of them if that thou seke therfore On one syde here lies Tmolus mount a soyle bethwact with Vines There runnes Pactolus noble streame with golden Send and mynes On that syde crookt Maeander glydes through midst of Phrygia fieldes On this syde Hebrus swift of course much fruict to Thracia yeldes Nere thereunto lies Gargarus renoumd each where for Corne And Troian Xanthus swelling floud that pricke and price hath borne There Sestos and Abidus stand in mouth of Ionian Sea Which now is called Hellespont and here an other waye Are countreys which more Eastward lye There Lycia full of Creekes And Hauens strong is situate these kingdomes he that seekes Is like to winne these would I haue thee conquere with thy Sword These these to winne let King Adrast to thee his ayd affoorde In some of these let him thee make a King in Thebes as yit Suppose thy father Oedipus in seat of King to sit Thy banishment much better is to thee then this returne Sith all thy drift is cruelly to wast to spoyle and burne Thy banishment reputed is to grow through others crime This thy retourne in such a sort to Kingly state to clyme Is ill and faulty euery way with this thy warlicke crue Thou shalt do better Realms to seeke where bloudy guilt ne grue Yea this thy Brother whom thou dost pursue with deadly hate Whose life whose health whose house thou dost with curses dire rahate Wil ayde thee with all powre he canne himselfe will also goe And serue in field for thyne auayle gaynst him that is thy foe Aduaunce thy powre march boldly forth to take this warre in hand Wherein thy parentes wish thee good and wil thy helpers stand A Kingdome got mischieuously and snatcht with grudge of mynd More greeuous is then exiles al of what soeuer kind Of warre the doubtful hazardes all set downe before thy syght And throughly waigh thuncertayne chaūce that longes to martial fight Though al the power of Grece thou bring thy quarel to mayntayne And though great armed multitudes of Souldiours thou remayne Yet chaunce of warre stil doubtful hanges and hard it is to know Who cary shal the victory thou or thy vowed foe Mars to no party tyed in what he decrees shal be As chaunce allots so falles it out this dome abydeth free Sword hope and feare makes equall those betwene whom otherwyse Great oddes there is blynd Fortunes lot the case betweene them tryes Thy rash attempt with cryme begonne gropes after doubtful gayne And fond deuyses enterprisd oft reape deserued payne Admit that all the Gods in heauen did further thy request And to promote thy hoat desyre both willing were and prest Yet al thy frendes are fled away and al recoyled backe And Souldiours here and there in Fieldes are come to deadly wracke Although thou ioy hereat receyue although the spoyles thou take Of vanquisht Brother yet the palme of victory must slake And not to thee be geuen whole What kind of warre alas Is this thinkst thou i st not more straunge then euer any was Wherin if he that victor is ioy therein any whyt Most execrable wickednes he doubtles doth commit This Brother thyne whō now so faine thou wouldst bereaue of breath I wis if he were once dispatcht thou wouldst bewale his death And therfore make no more adoe but ceasse from wicked bral Ridde countrey out of trembling feare and parentes dole forestal Poly. What shal my Brother for this vyle and shamefull breach of pacie Goe skotfree thus shal he receyue no guerdon for his fact Ioc. Feare not my Sonne
alas is quight consumde her fauor sweete doth faynt Nor ruddy sanguine purple deye her cherry checkes doth paynt Wyth greedy gripes of gnawing griefe her pinched limmes doe pyne Her foltring legs doe stagger now the glosse of beauty tyne In body Alabaster bright is shronke away and wast Those Cristall Eyes that wonted were resemblance cleare to cast Of radiant Phoebus gold arayes now nothing gentry shyne Nor beare a sparke of Phoebus bright her fathers beams deuyne The trickling teares tril down her chekes dew dampish dropping still Doth wet her warrye plantes as on the toppe of Taurus hill The warry snowes with lukewarme shoures to moisture turnd do drop But lo the Princes pallace is set open in the top She lying downe vpon her golden bed of high estate Hurles of hir wonted royal robes which wounded hart doth hate Ph. Maydes haue our purple garmentes hence vestures wrought with gold These crimsō robes of scarlet red let not myne eyes behold And damaske weedes wheron the Seres embraudet braunches braue Whose Silken substaunce gatherd of their trees aloofe they haue My bosome shal be swadled in with cuttied gaberdine No golden coller on my necke nor Indian iewels fyne The precious pearles so whyte shal hang no more now at myne eares Nor sweete perfumes of Siria shal poulder more my heares My flaryng ruffled lockes shal dagling hang my necke aboute And shoulder poyntes then then apace it shattring in and out Let wyndes euen blow it where it list in left hand wil I take A quiuer of shaftes and in my right a Boorespere wil I shake To cruell child Hippolitus such one his mother was As fleeting from the frosen Seas those countrey costes did passe And draue her hierdes that bet with trampling feete Th' Athenian soyle Or like the trull of Tanais Or like her wil I toyle Of Meotis that on a knot wounde vp her crispen lockes Thus wil I trot with moone like targe among the wodes and rockes Nu. Leaue of thy bitter languishing vnto the sille sort That walter thus in waues of woe griefe giues not testing port Is any measure to be found in thy tormenting fire Some grace at wyld Dianaes hand with sacrifyce require O Goddesse greate of Woods in hilles that onely setst thy throne And Goddes that of the craggy clyues at worshipped alone Thy wrathful threatninges on vs all now turne to better plight O Goddesse that in forrestes wyld and groues obtaynest might O shyning lampe of heauen and thou the Diamon of the Night O threefold shapen Heccate that on the world his face Dost render light with torch by turnes vouchsafe to graūt thy grace To further this our enterprise and helpe our piteous case O mollify Hippolytus his stubborne hardned hart And let him learne the pangues of loue and tast like bitter smart And yeeld his light allured eares entreate his brutish breast And chaunge his mynd in Venus boundes compel him once to rest So froward and vntoward now so crabbed curst and mad So shalt thou be with blandishing and smyling countnaunce clad Thy shimering clowde cleane fading hence then brightly shalt thou bear And glisteryng hornes then whyle by night vpon the whirling sphere Thy cloudy heeled steedes thou guydes the raging witches charme Of Thessal shal not draw thee from the heauens nor do thy harme No Shepherd purchase shal renoume Thou comst at our request Now fauour dost thou graunt vnto the prayers of our Breast I do espye him worshipping the solemne Sacrifyce Both place and tyme conuenient by Fortune doth arise We must go craftely to worke for feare we quaking stand Ful hard it is the buysy charge of guylt to take in hand But who of Princes standes in awe let him defye all right Cast of the care of honesty from mind exiled quight A man vnfit is for the hest of King a bashful wight Hip. O Nurse how chaūce thy limping limmes do crepe into this place With blubbred Cheekes leaden lookes with sad and mourning face Doth yet my Father Theseus with health enioy his life Doth Phaedra yet enioy her health my stepdam and his wyfe Nu. Forgoe these feares and gently come thy blessed hap to take For care constrayneth me to mourne with sorrow for thy sake That hurtfully thou looudes thy selfe with pangues of plūging payne Let him rubbe on in misery whom destny doth constrayne But if that any yeld himselfe to waues of wilful woe And doth torment himselfe deserues his weale for to forgoe The which he knowes not how to vse tush be not so demure Consideryng how thy yeares do runne take part of sport and play Let mirry Bacchus cause thee cast these clogging cares away And reape the frutte of sweete delyght belonging to thy yeares For lusty youth with speedy foote ful fast away it weares Earst tender loue earst Venus feedes the young mannes appetite Be blyth my Boy why Widow like liest thou alone by night Shake of thy sollem sadnesse man that harty youth doth spill Huff royst it out couragiously take bridle at thy will Let not the flowre of plooming yeares all fruitles fade away God poynteth euery tyme his taske and leades in dus aray Each age by order lust as mirth the sappy youthfull yeares A forehed frayte with grauity becommeth hoary hayres Why dust thou bridle thus thy selfe and dulles thy pregnant wit The corne that did but lately sproute aboue the ground if it Be rancke of roote yet in the luske with enterest at large Vnto the hoping husbandman shall trauel all discharge With braunched bough aboue the Wood the tree shall raise his top Whom rusty hand of canckred hate did neuer spill nor lop The pregnant Wittes are euermore more prone to purchase prayse If noble heartes by freedome franckt be nourisht from decayes Thou churlish countrey Clowne Hodgelike not knowing Courtly life Delight in drousy doting youth without a louing wyfe Dost thou suppose that to this end Dame Nature did vs frame To suffer hardnes in this world and to abyde the same With courses and kerereyes fet the prauncing Steedes to tame Or bicker els with battails fierce and broyls of bloudy warre That soueraygne Syre of heauen and earth when fates do vs detarre With signes and plagues prognosticate prouided hath with heede For to repayre the damage done with new begotten seede Go to let bedding in the world be vsed once no more That stil mankind from age to age vpholdes and doth restore The filthy world deformd would lie in yrksome vgly stay No flotting ships on wambling Seas should hoysted Sayles display No Foule should skoare in azur Skie ne Beast to woods repayre And onely whisking windes should whirle amid the empty ayre What diuers dreery deathes driue one mankind to dumpish graue The Seas the sword and trayterous traynes whole countries wasted have Yet for to limit forth our league there is no destny thincke So downe to blackefast Stigian dampes we of our selues do sincke Let youth that neuer felt the ioyes in
be spead Her breathlesse body to the ground drops sodenly downe dead A sallow hue like gastly death ouerstrikes her frenzy Face Looke vp and speake beholde thy deare sweete heart doth thee embrace PHAEDRA NVTRIX HIPPOLYTVS ALas to flote in Waues of woe who mee reuiues agayne To pinch my minde with pining pangues and bitter drunts of nayne What ease to mee it was when as I lay in traunce at rest Why dost thou thus the pleasure of renued lyfe detest O heart be bolde assay and seeke thy purpose to attayne Be not abasht nor faced out with churlish wordes agayne Who faintly craueth any boone giues courage to deny The greatest portion of my crime dispacht ere now haue I Shame seekes to late to purchase place within our bashfull brow Sith that in foule and lothsome loue wee haue delight ere now If I obtayne my will then shall our wedlocke cloake the crime Successe corrupteth honesty with wickednesse sometime HIP. Behold this secret place is voyde from any witnesse bye PH. My faltring tong doth in my mouth my tale begun denye Great force constrayneth mee to speake but greater holde my peace O heauenly Ghostes I you protest t is this that doth me please HIP. Cannot the minde that couers talke in wordes at will out brast PH. Light cares haue words at will but great doe make vs sore agast HIP. Mother the griefe that galles your heart come whisper in mine eare PH. The name of Mother is to proude a name for me to beare Importing puissant power too much the fancy of my minde It doth behoue a baser name of lesse renowne to finde Mee if thou please Hippolytus thy Louing Sister call Or wayting Maide and rather so no drudgry spare I shall If thou through thicke and thin in snowes to trauaile me desire Or else commaunde mee for to runne through Coales of flaming fire Or set my foote on Pindus frosen Rocks it yrkes mee not Or if thou will me rashly runne thorow scorching fire hot Or rauening routes of saluage beastes I will not slowly rest With gory Launce of naked blade my bowels to vnbrest These Ringdomes left to mee in charge weild thou of them the sway And take mee as thy humble Mate it fits mee to say And thee to giue commaundement it is no womans seate To claime her Title to the Crowne to raigne in Parents seate Thou flourishing amid the pryde of lusty youthfull race Supply a valiant Prynees roome with Fathers golden Mace Protect thy humble suppliant defend thy lowly Maide Embrast in mercies bosome at thy Feete so meekely layde Take pitty on a stely Widdowes wo and wretched plight HIP. The God that raignes aloft forbid such lucklesse lot to light My Father Theseus safe in health will straight returne againe PH. The lowring Lord that deepe in strōg infernall Gaile doe raigne And damned vp alwayes to passe from Stygian Puddle glum Whereby to breathing bodies left alone the ground to cum Shall he let scape the Cloyner of his ioyes from spousall bed Vnlesse that Plutos fancy fond by doting loue be led HIP. The righteous Gods will make for him a right retourning way But while through feare our wauering wils in houering Baliāce sway Vpon my brethren will I cast a due and earnest care And thee defend beleue not that in Widdowes plight yee are And I my selfe will vnto the supply my Fathers place PH. O Loue alas of credit light O Loue of flickring Face Is this inough that hee hath sayd entreatance will I try Deare chylde rue on my wretched woe doe not my suite deny That lurcking close doth couch in secret mourning breast of mee Faine would I speake yet loth I am HIP. What mischiefe may this bee P. Such mischief as ye would not think could light in Mothers minde H. With mūbling voyce perplext yee waste your words against the winde PH. A vapor hoate and Loue doe glow within my bedlem brest It raging ranke no inwarde iuyce vndried leaues in rest The ser sonk in skalded guts through euery vayne doth frie And smothering close in seething bloud as flashing flame doth flie With egar sweeping sway along vp burning beames on hie HIP. Enamorde thus with Loue entiere of Theseus dost thou rage PH. Euen so it is the louely lookes of Theseus former age Which hee a sweete welfauorde Boy did beare with comly grace When prety dapper cutted Beard on cleare complexionde Face Gan sproute on naked Chin when hee the kennels clottred bloode Beheld of mongrell Minotaur and crooking Maze withstoode By groping long vntwined thredes the beames of beawty bright That shone then in his Face his crispen lockes with labels bight Smooth stroked lay his scarlet Cheekes by nature paincted bright Pouldred with spots of golden glosse and sharpe assaults of Loue Preuayled in his fleshly armes what grace doth shine aboue In the Dianaes Face or fiery crested Phoebus myne Or else in comely count'naunce of this louely face of thine Such Theseus had when Ariadnaes Eye he did delight Thus portly pacing did he biare his noble head vpright It is no counterfeyted glosse that shineth in thy Face In thee appeares thy manly Fathers sterue and lowring Grace Thy Mothers crabbed count'naunce cake resembled in some part Puts in full well a seemelynesse to please the Lookers hart The Scythian awfull Maiesty with Greekish fauour sweete Appeares if thou had with thy Syre attempt the Seas of Creete One of those seauen from Athens sent elect by lucklesse lot To pay such bloudy tribute which King Minos of them got The rauening and bloudthirsty Minotaurus fowle to feede My Sister Ariadne would for thee haue spunne the threede Therewith in crafty compast Maze to leade thee to and fro In vgly Laberynthus long returning from thy Fo Thee thee O Sister deare whereso in all the Heauen thou are And shinest bright with blasing beames transform'de into a Starre I thee beseech come succour mee with like distresse now cloyde Alas vs stely Sisters twaine one kinred hath desroyde The Sire thy smart the sonne hath brewd the bane that me doth lees Beholde an Impe of royall race layde humbly at thy Knees Yet neuer staynde and vndefilde an harmelesse innocent To thee alone of all the Worlde my crowching Knees are bent And for the nones my hawty heart and Princely courage stout I did abate that humbly thee with teares entreate I mought HIP. O soueraygne Sire of Gods dost thou abide so long to heare This vile abhomination so long dost thou forbeare To see this haynous villany if now the Skies be cleare Wilt thou henceforth at any time with furious raging hand Dart out thy cracking thunder dint and dreadfull lightnings brand Now battred downe with bouncing bolts the rumbling Skies let fall That foggy Cloudes with dusky drouping day may couer all And force the backward starring startes to slide a slope wythall Thou starry crested crowne and Titan prankt with beamy blase Come out with staring bush vpon thy kindreds guilt to gase Dash out
rebound The brambles rent his haled hayre the edged flinty stones The beauty batter of his Face and breake his crashing bones At Mouth his blaring tongue hangs out with squeased eyne out dasht His Iawes Skull doe crack abrode his spurting Braynes are pasht His cursed beauty thus defoylde with many wounds is spent The iotting Wheeles do grinde his guts and drenched sims they rent At length a Stake with TruÌ„chion burnt his ripped PauÌ„ch hath caught From riued Grine toth ' Nauell stead within his wombe it raught The Cart vpon his Maister pawsde agaynst the ground ycrusht The Fellies stuck within the wounds and out at length they rush So both delay and Maisters limbs are broke by stresse of Wheeles His dragling guts then trayle about the wincing horses heeles They thumping with their horny Hooues agaynst his Belly kick From bursten Paunch on heapes his blouddy bowells tumble thick The scratting Bryers on the Brakes with needle poynted pricks His gory Carkas all to race with spelles of thorny sticks And of his flesh ech ragged shrub a gub doth snatch and rent His men a mourning troupe God knowes with brackish teares besprÄ“t Doe stray about the fielde whereas Hippolytus was tore A piteous signe is to bee seene by tracing long of gore His howling Dogges their Maisters limmes with licking follow still The earnest toyle of woful Wights can not the coars vp fill By gathering vp the gobbets sparst and broken lumps of flesh Is this the flaunting brauery that comes of beauty fresh Who in his Fathers Empyre earst did raigne as pryncely Peare The Heyre apparant to the Crowne and shone in honour cleare Lyke to the glorious Stars of Heauen his Limmes in pieces small Are gathred to his fatall Graue and swept to funerall TH. O Nature that preuaylste too much alas how dost thou binde Whyth bonds of bloud the Parents breast how loue we thee by kinde Maugre our Teeth whom gullty ecke we would haue rest of breath And yet lamenting with my teares I doe bewayle thy death NVN. None can lament with honesty that which he wisht destroyde TH. The hugiest heape of woes by this I thinke to be enioyde When flickering Fortunes cursed wheele doc cause vs cry alas To rue the wrack of things which earst wee wished brought to passe NVN. If stil thou keepe thy grudge why is the Face with seates besprÄ“t TH. Because I slue him not because I lost him I repent Chorus WHat heape of happes do tumble vpsyde downe Th' estate of man lesse raging Fortune flies On little things lesse leaming lightes are throwne By hand of Ioue on that which lower lies The homely couch safe merry hartes do keepe The Cotage base doth giue the Golden sleepe The lofty Turrets top that cleaues the cloude VVithstandes the sturdy stormes of Southren wynde And Boreas boysterous blastes with threatning loud Of blusteryng Corus shedding showres by kinde The reking Dales do seldome noiance take Byding the brunt of Lightninges slashing flake Th' aduaunced crest of Caucasus the great Did quake with bolt of lofty thundring Ioue VVhen he from cloudes his thunder dintes did beat Dame Cybels Phrygian fryth did trembling moue King loue in hawty heauen ful sore affright The nighest thinges with weapons doth he smyght The ridges low of Vulgar peoples house Striken with stormes do neuer greatly shake His Kingdomes coast Ioues thundring thumpes do souse VVith wauering winges that houre his fligth doth take Nor flitting Fortune with her tickle wheele Le ts any wight assured ioy to feele VVho in the VVorld beholds the starres ful bright And chereful day forsaking gastly Death His sorrowfull returne with groning spright He rewes sith it depriude his Sonne of breath He seeth his lodging in his court agayne More doleful is then sharpe Auernus payne O. PALLAS vnto whom all Athens land Due homage oweth because that THESEVS thine Among vs worldly Wights againe doth stand And seeth the Heauens vpon himselfe to shine And passed hath the parlous myrie Mud Of stinking Stygian Fen and filthy Flud Vnto thy rauening Vncles dreery Gaile O Lady chaste not one Ghost dost thou owe The Hellick Tyrant knovves his perfect tale Who from the Court this shriking shrill doth throwe What mischiefe comes in frantick PHAEDRAS brayne With naked Svvord thus running out amayne THE FIFTE ACTE THESEVS PHAEDRA CHORVS THrough pierst with pangues of pensiuenesse what fury prickes thy brayne What meanes this bloudy blade what meanes this shriking out amayne And langishing vpon the Corps which was thy mallice made PH. O tamer of the wrastling waues mee mee doe thou inuade The Monstrous hags of Marble Seas to rampe on mee send out What euer Thetis low doth keepe with folding armes about Or what the Ocean Seas aloofe embrace with winding waue O Theseus that to thine alies dost still thy selfe behaue So Currishly O thou that for thy louing Friends auayle Dost neuer yet returne thy Sonne and Father doe bewayle Thy pasport brought by death and bloud thy stocke thou dost destroy By loue or hatred of thy wife thou workest still annoy O sweete Hippolytus thus I behold thy battred face And I it is I wretch alas that brought thee to this case What Scinis forst thy lims so torne his snatching boughes to feele Or what Procrustes rackt and rent thee streacht on bed of Steele Or else what Minotaur of Crete that grim twishaped Bull With horny head that Dedalls â—â—nues with lowing filleth full Hath thee in fitters torne aie me where is thy beauty fled Where are our twinckling stars thine eyes alas and art thou ded Appeare a while receiue my words for speake I shall none yll This hand shal strike the stroake wherwith thy bengeance quite I wil And sith that I I Caytive I abridged haue thy life Lo here I am content to yeeld thee mine with bloudy knife If ghost may here be giuen for ghost and breath may serue for breath Hippolytus take thou my soule and come againe from death Behold my bowels yet are safe my lims in lusty plight Would God that as they serue for me thy body serue they might Mine eies to render kindly light vnto thy Carkasse ded Lo for thy vse this hand of mine shall pluck them from my hed And set them in these empty cells and vacant holes of thine Thy weale of me a wicked Wight to win do not repine And if a womans wofull heart in place of thine may rest My bosom straight breake vp I shall and teare it from my brest But courage stout of thine doth loth faint womans heart to haue Thy Noble minde would rather go with manly heart to graue Alas be not so manly now this manlinesse forheare And rather choose to liue a man with womans sprite and feare Then as no man with manly heart in darcknesse deepe to sit Haue thou thy life giue me thy death that more deserueth it Can not my profer purchase place yet vengeance shal thou haue Hell shall not hold me from thy syde nor
shall mee excuse In such a case no meanes at all of tryall I refuse Lay what you can vnto my charge No fault in mee remayns The Thebanes long or I came heere of Laius death complayns My Mother yet alyue my Father still in like estate No no this is some doltishe drift of yon false Prophets pate Or else some mighty God aboue doth beare me no good will And seekes by Plagues on mee to wreke his wrathfull vengeaunce stil Ah Sir I am glad at length I smell your drifts and fetches fyne I know the whole confederacy your sleights I can vntwyne That beastly Priest that blearayed wretch beelyes the Gods and mee And thee thou Traytour in my place hath promist king to bee CRE. Alas would I my Sister of her lawfull kingdome spoyle Thinke you such treason may haue place in brothers breast to boyle Yf that myne Oth could me not keepe content with my degree But that contemning meane estate I would clime aloft to bee Yet should ill Fortune mee deter from such attempts I trowe Whose guise it is on Princes heads huge heapes of Cares to throwe I would aduise your grace betimes this charge from you to cast Least lingring long all vnawares you be opprest at last Assure your selfe in baser state more safer you may liue And shun a thousand Cares Griefs which Princes hearts doe riue OED. And dost thou me exhort thou slaue my kingdome for to leaue O faythlesse head O shamelesse heart that could such treasons weaue Darst thou attempt thou villayne vile this thing to me to breake And fearst thou not in such a cause so boldly for to speake CRE. I would perswade them so O King who freely might possesse Their Realmes such piteous cares I see do Prynces hearts oppresse But as for you of force you must your Fortunes chainge abyde OED. The surest way for them that gape for kingdoms large wyde Is first things meane and rest and peace and base estate to prayse And yet with Tooth and Nayle to toyle to mount aloft alwayes So often times most restlesse beastes doe chiefly rest commend CRE. Shall not my seruice long suffice my truth for to defend OED. Time is the onely meanes for such as thou to worke theyr will CRE. It is so syr but as for mee of goods I haue my fill A great resort A pleasaunt life from Princely cares exempt All these might surely mee disswade from such a foule attempt There is no day almost O King the whale yeare thorow out Where in some royall gyfts are not from countreys round about Vnto mee sent both Golde and pearles and things of greater cost Which I let passe least I should seeme but vainly for to bost Besides the life of many a man hath bin preserude by mee In such a bilsfull state O King what can there wanting bee OE. Good Fortune can no meane obserue but stil she preaseth higher CRE. Shall I than guiltlesse die alas my cause and all vntryde OED. Were vnto you at any time my life my deedes discride Did any man defend mee yet or els my causes pleade And guiltlesse yet I am condemn'de to this you doe mee leade And mee expresse example giue which I entend to take What measure you doe meat to mee lyke measure must I make CRE. The minde which causelesse dred appawls true cause of feare bewraies That cōsciēce is not guiltles sure which euery blast dismates OED. Hee that in midst of perilles deepe and daūgers hath bene cast Doth seeke all meanes to shun like ills as hee hath ouerpast CR. So hatreds ryse OE. Hee that to much doth vse ill will to feare Unskilfull is and knowes not how hee ought him selfe to beare In kings estate For feare alone doth Kingdomes chiefly keepe Than hee that thus doth arme himselfe from feare all free may sleepe CRE. Who so the cruell tyrant playes and guiltlesse men doth smight Hee dreadeth them that him doe dread so feare doth chiefly light On causers chiefe A iust reuenge for bloudy mindes at last OED. Come take this traytor vile away In dongeon deepe him fast Enclose There for his due deserts let him abide such payne And scourge of minde as meete it is false traytors to sustayne Chorus SEt see the myserable State of Prynces carefull lyfe What raging storms what bloudy broyles what toyle what endlesse stryfe Doe they endure O God what plagues what griefe do they sustayne A Princely lyfe No No No doubt an euer duringe payne A state ene fit for men on whom Fortune woulde wreke her will A place for Cares to couch them in A doore wyde open still For griefes and daungers all that ben to enter when they list A king these Mates must euer haue it bootes not to resist Whole fluds of priuy pinching feare great anguishe of the minde Apparant plagues dayly griefes These playfayres Princes finde And other none with whom they spend and passe theyr wretched dayes Thus hee that Princes liues and base Estate together wayes Shall finde the one a very hell a perfect infelicity The other eke a heauen right exempted quight from mysery Let OEdipus example bee of this vnto you all A Mirrour meete A Patern playne of Princes carefull thrall Who late in perfect Ioy as seem'de and euerlasting blis Triumphantly his life out led a Myser now hee is And most of wretched Misers all euen at this present tyme With doubtfull waues of feare Itost subiect to such a Cryme Whereat my tongue amased stayes God graunt that at the last It fall not out as Creon tolde Not yet the worst is past THE FOVRTH ACTE THE FIRSTE SCENE OEdipus Iocasta MY mynde with doubtfull waues of dread is tossed to and fro I wot not what to say Alas I am tormented so For all the Gods on me doe cry for paynes and vengeaunce due They say that these my guiltlesse hands king Laius lately slue But this my conscience voyde of crime and mynde from mischiefe free To Gods vntried to mee well known denies it so to bee Full well I doe remember once by chaunce I did dispatch A man who sought by force with mee presumptuously to match His purpose was a fond attempt my Chariot for to stay This I remember well enough the strife was in the way And he a man well steept in yeares and I a lusty bloud And yet of meere disdayne and pride in vayne hee mee withstood But this from Thebes farre was done a croked three pathd way That was the place in which we fought it hard by Phocis lay Deare Wyfe resolue my doubts at once and mee expresly tell How old was Laius the King whan this mischaunce befell Was he of fresh and lusty yeares or stricken well in age When he was kilde O ease my thoughts of this tormenting rage IOC. Betwixt an old man an a yong but nearer to an olde OED. Were there great Bands of men with him his Person to vpholde IOC. Some by the way deceiued were and
alas to set thine heart at rest Not thou if God him selfe if he his flaming fiers should throw On thee or mischiefs all by heapes vpon thy body strow Couldst once for thy deserued ills due paines or vengeaunce pay Some meanes therefore to wreak Gods wrath vpon thy selfe assay Death death now best contenteth mee then seeke a way to dye So maist thou yet at length finde end for all thy misery O Son lend mee thy hand sith that thou art a Paracyde This labour last of all remaynes this labour thee doth byde Dispatch rid mee thy mother deare from all my deadly woe It will not be no prayers auaile Thy selfe this deede must doe Take vp this sword Goe to with this thy husbande late was slayne Husband thou term'st him false hee was thy syer O deadly payne Shal I quight through my brest it driue or through my throte it thrust Canst thou not choose thy wound away die die alas thou must This hateful womb then woūd O wretch this this with thine own hand Strike strike it hard O spare it not sith both a husband and The same a Son it bare CHOR. Alas alas shee is slaine she is slayne dispatched with a push Who euer sawe the like to this see how the bloud doth gush O heauy doulfull case who can this dyrefull sight enduer Which for the hideousnesse thereof might teares of stones procuer OED. Thou God thou teller out of Fates On thee on thee I call My Father onely I did owe vnto the Destnies all Now twise a Paracide and worse than I did feare to bee My Mother I haue slayne Alas the fault is all in mee O OEdipus accursed wretch lament thine owne Calamity Lament thy state thy griefe lament thou Caitife borne to misery Where wilt thou now become alas thy Face where wilt thou hyde O myserable Slaue canst thou such shamefull tormentes byde Canst thou which hast thy Parents slain Canst thou prolong thy life Wilt thou not dye deseruing Death thou cause of all the griefe And Plagues and dreadfull mischiefs all that Thebane City prease Why dost thou seeke by longer life thy sorrowes to encrease Why dost thou toyle and labour thus in vayne It will not bee Both God and man and beast and all abhorre thy Face to see O Earth why gapst thou not for why doe you not vnfolde You gates of hell mee to receaue why doe you hence withholde The fierce Infernall Feends from me from me so wretched wight Why breake not all the Furyes lose this hatefull head to smight With Plagues which them deserued hath alas I am left alone Both light and sight and comfort all from mee O wretch is gone O cursed head O wicked wight whom all men deadly hate O Beast what meanst thou still to liue in this vnhappy state The Skies doe blush and are ashamd at these thy mischiefes great The Earth laments the Heauens weepe the Seas for rage doe freat And blustring rise and stormes doe stir and all thou wretch for thee By whose incest and bloudy deedes all things disturbed bee Quight out of course displaced quight O cursed fatall day O mischiefes great O dreadfull times O wretch away away Exile thy selfe from all mens sight thy life halfe spent in misery Goe end consume it now outright in thrise as great calamity O lying Phoebe thine Oracles my sin and shame surmount My Mothers death amongst my deedes thou neuer didst recount A meete Exploict for me that am to Nature deadly Foe With trembling fearefull pace goe forth thou wretched monster goe Grope out thy wayes on knees in darke thou miserable Slaue So maist thou yet in tract of time due paynes and vengeaunce haue For thy mischeuous lyfe Thus thus the Gods themselues decree Thus thus thy Fates thus thus the skyes appoint it for to bee Then headlong hence with a mischiefe hence thou caitife vyle away Away away thou monstrous Beast Goe Run Stand stay Least on thy Mother thou doe fall All you that wearyed bodies haue with sickenesse ouerprest Loe now I fly I fly away the cause of your vnrest Lift vp your heads a better state of Ayre shall strayght ensewe Whan I am gone for whom alone these dreadfull myschiefs grewe And you that now halfe dead yet liue in wretched misers case Help those whō present torments presse forth hye you on apace For loe with me I cary hence all mischiefes vnder Skyes All cruell Fates Diseases all that for my sake did ryse With mee they goe with me both griefe Plague Pocks Botch all The ills that eyther now you presse or euer after shall With me they goe with me these Mates bin meetst of all for mee Who am the most vnhappiest wretch that euer Sun did see FINIS THE SIXTE TRAGEDIE OF THE MOST GRAVE prudēt Author LVCIVS ANNAEVS SENECA entituled TROAS vvith diuers and sundrye Additions to the same by IASPER HEYVVOOD To the Reader ALTHOVGH GENTLE Reader thou mayst perhaps thinke mee arrogant for that I onely among so many fine wittes and towardly youth with which Englād this day florisheth haue enterprised to set forth in english this present piece of the flowre of all writers Seneca as who say not fearing what grauer heads might iudge of me in attempting so hard a thing yet vpon well pondering what next ensueth I trust both thy selfe shalt cleare thine owne suspicion and thy chaunged opinion shal iudge of me more rightfull sentence For neither haue I taken this worke first in hand as once entending it should come to light of well doynge wherof I vtterly dispayred and beynge done but for myne owne priuate exercise I am in myne opinion herein blameles thoughe I haue to proue my selfe priuately taken the part which pleased me best of so excellent an author for better is tyme spent in the best then other and at first to attempt the hardest writers shall make a mā more prompt to translate the easier with more facility But now since by request frēdship of those to whom I could denye nothinge this worke agaynst my will extorted is out of my hands I needes must craue thy pacience in reading and facility of iudgement when thou shalt apparantly se my witles lacke of learning prayng thee to consider how hard a thing it is for mee to touch at ful in all poynts the authors mynd beyng in many places verye harde and doubtfull and the worke much corrupt by the default of euil printed Bookes and also how farre aboue my power to keepe that Grace and maiestye of stile that Seneca doth when both so excellent a writer hath past the reach of all imitation and also this our English toung as many thinke and I here fynd is farre vnable to compare with the Latten but thou good Reader if I in any place haue swerued from the true sence or not kept the roialty of speach meete for a Tragedie impute the one to my youth and lacke of iudgement the other to my lacke of Eloquence Now as
land And old tvvise captiue king receiue our feare VVhile thou vvert king Troy hurtles then could stand Though shaken tvvise with Grecian sword it weare And twise did shot of Hercles quiuer beare At latter losse of Hecubes sonnes all And roges for kings that high on piles we reare Thou father shutst our latest funerall And beaten downe to Ioue for sacrifies Like liueles blocke in Troy thy carkas lies HEC. Yet turne ye once your teares another way My pryams death should not lamented be O Troyans all ful happy is Pryame say For free from bondage downe descended hee To the lowest Ghoste and neuer shall sustayne His Captiue necke with Greekes to yoked bee Hee neuer shal behold the Atrids twayne Nor false Vlisses euer shal he see Not hee a pray for Greekes to triumph at His necke shall subiect to their conquestes beare Ne geue his handes to tye behynde his backe That to the rule of Scepters wonted weare Nor following Agamemnons chare in bande Shall he bee pompe to proude Mycenas land WO. ¶ Ful happy Pryame is each one wee say That toke vvith him his Kingdome then that stoode Now safe in shade he seekes the wandring way And treads the pathes of all Elizius wood And in the blessed Sprightes ful happy hee Agayne there seekes to meete with Hectors Ghost Happy Pryam happy whoso may see His Kingdome all at once with him be lost Chorus added to the Tragedy by the Translator O Ye to whom the Lord of Lande and Seas Of Life and Death hath graunted here the powre Lay dovvne your lofty lookes your pride appeas The crovvned King fleeth not his fatall howre Who so thou be that leadst thy land alone Thy life vvas limite from thy mothers vvombe Not purple robe not Glorious glittering throne Ne crovvne of Gold redeemes thee from the tombe A King he was that wayting for the vayle Of him that slew the Minotaure in fight Begilde with blacknes of the wonted saile In seas him sonke and of his name they hight So he that wild to vvin the golden spoyle And first vvith ship by seas to seeke renovvne In lesser vvaue at length to death gan boyle And thus the daughters brought their father dovvne Whose songes the vvoodes hath dravven and riuers held And birdes to heare his notes did theirs forsake In peece meale throvvne amid the Thracian field Without returne hath sought the Stigian lake They sit aboue that holde our life in line And vvhat vve suffer dovvne they fling from hie No carke no care that euer may vntwine The thrids that vvoued are aboue the skie As vvitnes he that sometyme King of Greece Had Iason thought in drenching seas to drovvne Who scapt both death and gaind the Golden fleece Whom fates aduaunce there may no povvre plucke dovvne The highest God sometyme that Saturne hight His fall him taught to credite their decrees The rule of heauens he lost it by their might And Ioue his sonne novv turnes the rolling Skies Who vveneth here to vvin eternall vvelth Let him behold this present perfite proofe And learne the secrete stoppe of chaunces stelth Most nere alas vvhen most it seemes aloofe In slipper ioy let no man put his trust Let none dispayre that heauy haps hath past The svvete vvith sovvre she mingleth as she lust Whose doubtful web pretendeth nought to last Frailtie is the thride that Clothoes rocke hath sponne Novv from the Distaffe dravvne novv knapt in tvvaine With all the world at length his end he wonne Whose works haue wrought his name should great remaine And he whose trauels twelue his name display That feared nought the force of worldly hurt In fine alas hath found his fatall daye And died with smart of Dianyraes shurt If prowes might eternity procure Then Priam yet should liue in lyking lust Ay portly pompe of pryde thou art vnsure Lo learne by him O Kinges yee are but dust And Hecuba that wayleth now in care That was so late of high estate a Queene A mirrour is to teach you what you are Your wauering wealth O Princes here is seene Whom dawne of day hath seene in high estate Before Sunnes set alas hath had his fall The Cradels rocke appoyntes the life his date From setled ioy to sodayne funerall THE SECOND ACTE The Spright of Achilles added to the tragedy by the Translator The first Scene FOrsaking now the places tenebrouse And deepe dennes of th infernall region From all the shadowes of illusions That wāder there the pathes ful many one Lo here am I returned al alone The same Achil whose fierce and heauy hande Of al the world no wight might yet withstand What man so stout of al the Grecians host That hath not sometyme crau'd Achilles aide And in the Troyans who of prowes most That hath not feard to see my Banner splaide Achilles lo hath made them all affrayde And in the Greekes hath bene a piller post That stvrdy stode agaynst their Troyan host Where I haue lackt the Grecians went to wracke Troy proued hath what Achills sword could doe Where I haue come the Troyans fled a backe Retyring fast from field their walles vnto No man that might Achilles stroke fordoe I dealt such stripes amid the Troian route That with their bloud I staynd the fieldes aboute Mighty Memnon that with his Persian band Would Pryams part with all might mayntayne Lo now he lyeth and knoweth Achilles hand Amid the field is Troylus also slayne Ye Hector great whom Troy accompted playne The flowre of chiualry that might be found All of Achilles had theyr mortall wound But Paris lo such was his false deceipt Pretending maryage of Polixeine Behynd the aulter lay for me in wayte Where I vnwares haue falne into the trayne And in Appolloes church he hath me slayne Wherof the Hel will now iust vengeance haue And here agayne I come my right to craue The deepe Auerne my rage may not sustayne Nor beare the angers of Achilles spright From Acheront I rent the spoyle in twayne And though the ground I grate agayne to sight Hell could not hide Achilles from the light Vengeance and bloud doth Orcus pit require To quench the furies of Achilles yre The hatefull land that worse then Tartare is And burning thrust excedes of Tantalus I here beholde againe and Troy is this O trauell worse then stone of Sisyphus And paines that passe the panges of Tityus To light more lothsome furie hath me sent Then hooked wheele that Ixions flesh doth rent Remembred is alowe where sprites do dwell The wicked slaughter' wrought by wyly way Not yet reuenged hath the deepest hell Achilles bloud on them that did him slay But now of vengeance come the yrefull day And darkest dennes of Tartare from beneath Conspire the fautes of them that wrought my death Now mischiefe murder wrath of hell draweth nere Aud dyre Phlegethon floud doth bloud require Achilles death shall he reuenged here VVith slaughter such as Stygian lakes desyre Her daughters bloud shal slake the
twayne With whom Latona traueling did grone with pynching payne O Hydra whom in Lerna poole Alcides gaue the foyle And all the noysome vermen vyle that Hercules did spoyle Which when on sunder they were cut with slysing deadly knyfe Can knit agayne their sodred partes and so recouer lyfe Help wakefull Dragon Argos whom first magicke wordes of myne Made Morpheus locke thy sleepy liddes and shut thy slugring eyne Then hauing brought aboue the ground of Serpents all the rout Of filthy weedes the ranckest bane shee pyckes and gathers out That spryng on knotty Eryx hill where passage none is founde Among the ragged Rockes or what on Caucasus his grounde Doth grow that still is clad in Coate of hoary moary frost That euermore vnmelt abydes whose spattred fylde is soste With gubbs of bloud that spowteth from Prometheus gaping maw Whose guts with twitching talent out the gastly gripe doth draw Or any other venemous herbe amonge the Medes that growes That with their sheafe of arowes sharp in field do scare their foes Or what the light held Parthian to serue her turne can sende Or els the rych Arabians that dyp theyr arrowes ende In poyson strong the iuyce of all Medea out doth wrynge That vnderneath the frosen poale in Svveuia land doth sprynge Whose noble state Hircinus woode doth high enhaunce and reare Or what the pleasaunte soyle doth yeelde in pryme of smiling veare When nature byddes the byrd begin her shrowding nest to builde Or when the churlyshe Boreas blast sharpe winter hath exilde The trym aray of braunche and bough to cloth the naked tree And euery thinge with bitter coulde of Snowe congealed bee In any pestilent flower on stalke of any hearbe doth growe Or noysome iuyce doth lye in rotten wrythen rootes alowe Hath any force in breading bane those takes shee in her hande Some plaugy hearbes did Athos yeelde that mount of Thessayle lande And other Pindus roches hye and some vppon the top Of Pingeus but tender twigges the cruell Sythe did lop These Tigris ryuer norisht vp that choakes his whyrlpoale deepe With stronger streame Danubius those in fostring waue did keepe Those did Hidaspus mynister who by the parching zone With lukewarme siluer channell runnes so rych with precious stone And Bethis sonne who gaue the name vnto his countrey great And with his shallowe foarde agaynst the Spanyshe seas doth beat This hearbe aboade the edge of knyfe in dawning of the day Ere Phoebus Face gan peepe bedect with glittring goulden spray His slender stalke was suepped of in deepe of silent nyght His corne was cropt whyle she with charme her poysned nayles did dight Shee chops the deadly hearbes wrings the squesed clottered bloud Of Serpentes out and filthy byrdes of irkesome miry mud She tempers with the same and eake she brayes the heart of Owle Foreshewing death with glaring Eyes and moaping Vysage foule Of shryke Owle hoarce alyue she takes the durty stinking guts All these the framer of this feate in dyuers percels puts This hath in it deuouring force of greedy spoyling flame The frosen ysle dulling coulde engenders by the same Shee chauntes on those the magicke verse that workes no lesser harme With bustling frantickely shee stampes and ceaseth not to charme MEDEA O Flittring Flockes of grisly ghostes that sit in silent seat O ougsome Bugges O Gobblins grym of Hell I you intreat O lowryng Chaos dungeon blynde and dreadfull darkned pit Where Ditis muffled vp in Clowdes of blackest shades doth sit O wretched wofull wawling soules your ayde I doe implore That linked lye with gingling Chaynes on wayling Limbo shore O mossy Den where death doth couche his gastly carrayne Face Relesse your pangues O spryghts and to this wedding hye apace Cause yee the snaggy wheele to pawse that rentes the Carkas bound Permit Ixions racked Lymmes to rest vpon the ground Let hungry bytten Tantalus wyth gawnt and pyned panche Soupe vp Pirenes gulped streame his swelling thyrst to staunche Let burning Creon byde the brunt aud gyrdes of greater payne Let payse of slyppery slyding stone type ouer backe agayne His moylyng Father Sisyphus amonges the craggy Rockes Yee daughters dyre of Danaus whom perced Pychers morckes So oft with labour lost in vayne this day doth long for you That in your lyfe with bloudy blade at once your husband slewe And thou whose aares I honored haue O torch and lampe of night Approche O Lady myne with most deformed vysage dight O three folde shapē Dame that knitst more threatning browes then one According to the countrey guise with dagling locks vndone And naked foote the secrete groue about I halowed haue From dusky dry vnmoysty cloudes the showers of rayne I craue Through me the chinked gaping ground the soked seas hath drunk And mayner streame of th' ocian floud beneath the earth is sunk That swelteth out through hollow gulph with stronger gushing rage Then were his suddy wambling waues whose power it doth asswage The heauens with wrong disturbed course and out of order quight The darkned sonne glimmering stars at once hath shewed theyr light And drēched Charles his stragling wayne hath ducie in dasshing waue The framed course of roaming time racte out of frame I haue So my enchauntments haue it wrought that when the flaming sunne In sommer bakes the parched soyle then hath the twigges begunne With sprowting blossom fresh to blome and hasty winter corne Hath out of haruest seene the fruite to barnes on sudden borne Into a shallowe foorde his sture distreame hath Phasis wast And Isters channell being in so many braunches cast Abated hath his wrackfull waues on euery silent shore He lyeth calme The tumbled flouds with thundring noyse did rore When couched close the windes were not mouing pippling soft With working waue the prauncing seas haue swolne leapt aloft Whereas the wood in alder time with thicke and braunched bowe Did spread his shade on gladsome soyle no shade remayneth now I rolling vp the magicke verse at noone time Phoebus stay Amyd the darkned Sky when fled was light of drowsy day Eke at my charme the watry flockes of Heyaeds went to glade Time is it Phoeba to respect the seruice to thee made To them with cruell bloudy hands these garlands greene were twynde Which with his folding circles nyne the serpent rough did bynde Haue here Tiphoias fleshe that doth in Aetnas Foruace grone That shoke with battery violent king Ioues assaulted trone This is the Centaures poysoned bloud which Nessus villayne vyle Who made a rape of Dianire entending her to fyle Bequethed her when newly wounde he gasping lay for breath While Hercles shaft stack in his Ribs whose laūce did worke his death Beholde the Funerall cinders heere which vp the poyson dryed Of Hercules who in his fyre on Oeta mountayne dyed Loe heere the fatall brand which late the fatall sisters three Conspyred at Meleagers byrth such should his destiny bee To saue alyue his brethyng corpes while that might whole remayne Which saufe his
top of Pelion layd Olymp wheron the Pynes theyr budding braunches braide Downe paised both drawe nere O Iuno noble dame Both spouse of mighty Ioue and sister to the same Thou that dost rule with him made ioynter of his mace Thy people we of Grece geue honor to thy grate Thou onely dost protect from per illes Aigos land That euer careful was to haue thyne honour stand Most supplient thereunto thou also with thy might Dost order ioyful peace and battails fearce of fyght Accept O conquering Queene these braunches of the bayes That Agamemnon here doth yeld vnto thy prayse The hollow boxen pype that doth with holes abound In synging vnto the doth geue a solemne sound To thee the Damsels eake that play vppon the stringes With conning harmony melodious musicke singes The matrons eke of Greece by ryper years more graue To thee the Taper pay that vowed oft they haue The Heyferd young and whyte companion of the Bull Vnskilful yet by proofe the paynful plow to pull VVhose neck was neuer worne nor gald with print of yoke Is in thy temple slaine receiuing deadly stroke O Lady Pallas thou of most renoumed hap Bred of the brayne of Ioue that smites with thunder clap Thou lofty Troian towres of craggy knotty flint Hast bet with battring blade and stroke with iaueling dint The elder matrones with the dames that yonger be Together in myngled heapes do honour due to thee VVhen thou approching nighe thy comming is espyde The priest vnbarres the gate and opes the Temple wide By clustring thronges the flocks thine altars haunt apace Bedeckte with twisted crownes so trim with comely grace The olde and auncient men well stept and grown in yeares VVhose feeble trembling age procureth hory hayres Obtayning their request crau de of thy grace deuine Do offer vp to thee their sacrify sed wyne O bright Dian whose blase sheds light three sondry waies VVe myndful are of thee and render thankefull prayse Delon thy natiue soyle thou diddest fyrmely bynde That to and fro was wont to wander with the wynde VVhich with foūdation sure mayn ground forbyds to passe For Nauies after which to swim it wonted was It is become a road defying force of wynd The mothers funeralles of Tantalus his kinde The daughters seuen by death thou victresse dost accompt VVhose mother Niobe abydes on Sipil mount A lamentable rocke and yet vnto this howre Her teares new gushing out the marble old doth powre The Godhead of the Twins in sumpteous solemne wyse Both man and wyfe adore with sauory sacrifyce But thee aboue the rest O father great and guide VVhose mighty force is by the burning lightning tryde Who when thou gauest a becke and didst thy head but shake At once th extremest poales of heauen and earth did quake O Iupiter the roote that of our lynage arte Accept these offered gifts and take them in good parte And thou O graundsire great to thy posteritie Haue some remorse that do not swarue in chyualrie But yonder lo with stiuing steps the souldier comes amayne In all post hast with token that good newes declareth plaine A Lawrell braunch that hangeth on his speare head he doth bringe Eurybates is come who hath ben trusty to the kynge THE THIRD ACTE Euribates Clytemnestra SOre tyred after many yeares with trauayle and wyth toyle Scant credityng my selfe the Gods of thys my natyue soyle The temple and the alters of the saincts that rule the skye In kumble sort wyth reuerence deuoutly worship I Now pay your vowes vnto the Gods returned is agayne Vnto his countrey court where wont he was to rule and reigne Prynce Agamemnon victor he of Grece the great renoume Cly. The tydings of a message good vnto mine eares is blowne Where stayes my spouse whō longing for ten yeres I haue out scand What doth he yet sayle on the seas or he is come a land Yet hath he fyxt and set his foote bauck stepping home agayne Vppon the sandy shore that longe he wished to attayne And doth he styll enioy his health enhauncte in glory great And painted out in pompe of prayes whose fame the sky doth beate Eu. Blesse we with burning sacrifice at length this lucky day Cli. And eke the Gods though gracious yet dealing long delay Declare if that my brothers wyfe enioy the vytall ayre And tel me to what kind of Coast my sister doth repayre Euri. God graunt geue vs better newes then this that thou dost craue The heauy hap of fyghting flouds forbiddes the truth to haue Our scattred fleete the swelling seas attemptes in such a plight That ship from ship was taken cleane out of each others sight Atrides in the waters wyde torwoyld and straying farre More vyolence by seas sustaynd then by the bloudy warre And as it were a conquerd man escaping home al weete Now bringeth in his company of such a mighty fleete A sort of brused broken barkes beshaken torne and rent Cli. Shew what vnlucky chaunce it is that hath our nauy spent What storme of seas dispersed hath our Captaynes hear and there Eury. Thou willest me to make report of heauy woful geare Thou biddest me most greeuous newes with tydinges good to part For vttring of this woeful hap my feeble mynd doth start And horribly appauled is with this so monstruous ill Cly, Speake out and vtter it himselfe with terrour he doth fill Whose hart his owne calamity and carke doth loath to know The hart whom doubted domage dulles with greater griefe doth glow Eu. When Troyan buildings blasing bright did burne away and broyle Enkindled first by Grekish brand they fall to part the spoyle Repayring fast vnto the seas agayne we come aboord And now the souldiers weary loynes were eased of his sword Their bucklers cast aside vppon the hatches lie aboue Their warlike handes in practise put and Oers learne to moue Ech litle hindraunce seemes to much to them in hasty plight When of recourse the Admirall gaue watchword by his light And trumpet blast beganne to cal our army from delay The paynted Pup with gilded snowt did first guyde on the way And cut the course which following on a thousand shippes did ryue Then first a wynd with pipling puffes our launcing ships did dryue Which glyded downe vpon our sayles the water beyng calme With breath of westerne wynd so myld scant moued any walme The shyning seas bespred about with shippes doth glister bright And also couerd with the same lay hid from Phoebus lyght It doth vs good to gase vppon the naked shore of Troy The desart Phrygian plots so bare to vew wee hop for ioye The yeuth each one besturres themselues and striking altogeather They tough their oers with their toyle they helpe the wynd weather They tug and chearely row by course the spiritng seas vp dash Agaynst the ratling ribs of ships the flapping floods do flash The hory froth of wrestling waues which ores aloft doth rayse Do draw and trace a furrow through the marblefaced
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
your subiectes all Ne. Our foes to slea a cheftaynes vertue call Se. A worthier vertue t is in countries syre His people to defend with sword and fyre Ne. It wel beseemes such aged wightes to teach Vnbridled springolles yong and not to preache Both to a man and prince of ryper yeares Se. May rather frolicke youthful bloud appeares To haue more neede of counsell wyse and graue Ne. This age sufficient reason ought to haue Se. That heauenly powers your doinges may allow Ne A madnes t' were to Gods for me to bow When I my selfe can make such Gods to be As Claudius now ycounted is we see Se. So much the more because so much you may Ne. Our power permittes vs all without denay Se. Geue slender trust to Fortunes flattring face She topsie turuy turnes her wheele apace Ne. A patch he is that knoweth not what he may Se. A Princes prayse I compted haue alway To do that same which with his honor stoode Not that which franticke fancy counteth good Ne. If that I were a meacocke or a slouch Each stubborne clubbish daw would make mee couch Se. And whom they hate with force they ouerquell Ne. Then dynt of sword the prince defendeth well Se. But fayth more sure defence doth seeme to mee Ne. Ful meete it is that Caesar dreaded be Se. More meete of subiectes for to be belou'd Ne. From subiects myndes feare must not be remou'd Se. What so by force of armes you do wringe out A grieuous worke it is to bring aboute Ne. Well hardly then our will let them obay Se. Will nothing then but that which wel you may Ne. We wil decree what we shall best suppose Se. What peoples voyce doth ioyntly bynd or lose Let that confirmed stand Ne. Swordes bloudy dynt Shal cause them else at me to take their hint Se. God sheeld and far that facte from you remoue Ne. What then why Senec do you that approue That we contemnde despysde and set at nought With finger put in hole ful wysely wrought Our bodies bloud to seeke should them abyde That they might vs sometyme destroy vnspyde Their natiue countrey boundes to banisht bee Nor Plautius brest nor Scillas eake we see Hath broke or camd whose cankred churlish yre Shapes bloudy freakes to quench our bodyes fyre And chiefly when these trayterous absent clounes Such wondrous fauour fynd in cityes bownes Which those same exiles lingring hope doth feede Suspected foes with sword we wil out weede And so Octauia shall that ioly dame Continue after them their bloudy game And wend that way her nowne whyte brother went Such hye mistrusted thinges must needes be bent Se. It is O Prince a worthy famous thing Amids redoubted Lordes alone to ring And wysely worke your countries prayse to saue And wel your selfe to captiue folke behaue From cruell brutish slaughter to abstayne And voyde of moode to wreake your angry payne And to the world a quiet calme to geue That al your age in peace their liues may liue This is a Princes prayse without al cryme This is the path to heauen wherby we clyme So is Augustus prince and father cald Of countrie first in starbright throne ystald Whom as a God in minsters we adorne Yet troublous fortune tossed him beforne A great while long on lands and ruffling seas Vntil his fathers foes he could appease And throught wars diuerse course could quel them quite To you did fortune yeelde her power and might And raynes of rule without all bloud and fight And to your beck both land and seas hath bent Grim deadly enuye daunted doth relent The Senate Lordes gaue place with free consent The battaylous route of knights with willing hartes That same decree from sager sires departes Vnto the lay mens choyse do well agree Your grace the spring of peace they count to bee And chosen Iudge and guyde of mortal stocke Your grace your countreys sacred syre doth rocke And rule with princely gorgeous tytle bright The cyrcled world in rundel wyse ydight Which mighty mounting name to keepe so great This noble citty Rome doth you entreat And doth commend vnto your royall grace Her liuely limmes in charge for your liues space Ne. The gyft of Gods it is as we discus That Rome with Senate sorte doth honor vs And that the feare of our displeasure great From cankred enuyous stomackes maketh sweat Both humble talke and supplications meeke And were not feare all these would be to seeke Vnweldy combrous cityes members ill That Prince and countrey both do seeke to spill To leaue alyue which swell and puffed bee Bycause of lynage great and high degre What madnes meere is it when as we may Euen with a word such freakes dispatch away Sir Brutus sterne his brawnes and armes did dight His soueraygne liege to slayne by force and might That erst had holpen him and geuen him health And had endued him with princely wealth In brunt of raging warre vndaunted out That vanquisht many people strong and stoute Prince Caesar matcht by great degrees of power To loue in stately chayre of starry bower By diu'lish citizens wicked wyle was slayne What store of bloudy stiffling streames on molde Did tatred Rome of her owne lims beholde He by his noble vertues worthy prayse Whō peoples common bruite to heauē doth raise August among the Gods ysayncted well How many noble breastes did he compel How many springoldes young and hoary heads Each where disperst to lig in molded heds How many men did he bereaue of breath Tofore proscript that were condemnd to death When for the griesly feare of deadly dart From propre home they were constraind to part And flye Octauius force and Lepidus might And not abyde sterne Marke Antonius sight Which then the ample world at once did guyde That into kingdomes three they did deuyde To dumpish sadded syres with heauy cheere Their childrens griesly cropped pates appeere Hong out beforne the Senates iudgement seate For each man to behold in open streate Ne durst they once lament their piteaus case Nor inward seeme to mourne to Claudius face The market stead with bloud from bodies spued And lothsome mattrie streames is all imbrued And quite throughout their faces foule arayed The piteous gubbes of bloud drop downe vnstayd Nor here did this same slaughterous bloudshed stay Phillyps Pharsalia gastly fieldes each day The cromming rauening foules and cruell beastes Long fed with gobbets bigge of manlye breastes Besyde all this the cost he scoured quite Of Sicill sea and ships to ware ydyght With force of armes did win and hauocke made Of propper subiectes slayne with his owne blade The rundle round of landes with mighty mayne Of noble Chieftaynes stroake reboyles agayne Antonius ouercome in Nauale fight To Egipt poastes in shippes preparde to flight Not looking long to liue nor hoping life Incesteous Egipt through Antonius wyfe That worthy Romayne princes bloud did sucke And couerd lye their ghostes with durty mucke Long wicked waged ciuil warre there stayed
In Marcke Antonius graue with him ylayed Augustus at the last of conquest greate His dulled swords that wounded soules did beate In peaceable sheathes reposd hath layd at rest And feare doth rule and guyde his kingdome best By ready force of armes at all assayes And Captaynes fayth he shieldes him selfe alwaies Whō now his sōnes most worthy vertuous praise To heauen a consecrated God doth rayse And causeth all in Churches for to place The sacred Picture of Prince Claudius grace And vs the starry raigne of Gods shall bide If first with dreadful sword about vs wyde We wype away what so our person stayne And found our court with worthy stem agayne Se. Your noble spouse sprong forth of saincted peer Of Claudius stocke the starbright diamond cleere That Goddesse Iuno wise her brothers bed Partaking pressed downe with buttockes red Your graces princely court shal garnish gay With wondrous heauenly fayre descended stay Ne. Incestuous maryed dames from stocke stem Detract all hope that we should haue of them Nor vs could she once loue that we could see Nor with our person once at all agree Se. In tender budding yeares when loue supprest With blusshing hydes the flames of burning breast Scant playne appeares the loue they bare indeed Ne. Thus wee our selues with hope in vaine did feede Although vndoubted signes as bodye wryed And frowning lookes which we haue oft espyed Her spyteful hating stomacke did bewray Which shee doth beare whom duty byndes t' obaye Which yet at last big boyling grieuous payne With death determind hath t auenge agayne Wee haue found out for byrth and beauties grace A worthy make for such an Empresse place To whom that louely goddesse Venus bright And mighty Ioue his spouse that Iuno hight and goddesse fierce in boysterous warlike artes Geues place for bodyes seemly portrayd partes Se. Fayth meeknes manners mild bashfull shame Of spouse those ought an husband to reclayme The perles of iudging mynd alone remayne Not subiect once to any rulers raygne The passing pryde of beautyes numming grace Each day appals and bleamisheth apace Ne. What prayses woman wights haue in them closd All those in her alone hath God reposde And such a peerlesse peere the guydes of lyfe The destnies would haue borne to be our wyfe Se. O noble prince such blynd vnlawful loue Do rashly credite naught from you remoue Ne. Whom Ioue can not repell that rules the cloudes And pearcing raging floods therein him shroudes And raungeth through the raigne of Plutoes pit And pulleth downe in welkin hie that sit The mighty powers of heauen the God of loue And can I then his force from me remoue Se. Swift winged loue mens fancy fond in vayne A mercy wanting God to bee doth fayne And armes his handes with woundinge weapons keen And bowes with burning brondes for louers greene Of Venus to be sprong they al accorde and blyndly forgde of thunders limping Lorde Bland loue the myndes great torment sore appeares And buddeth first in frolicke youthful yeares Who while we drinke of Fortunes pleasaunt cuppe With laysie pampring ryot is nestled vp Whom if to to ster vp you leaue at length It fleeting falles away with broken strength This is in all our life as I suppose The greattest cause how pleasure first arose Which sith mankind by broodyng bydeth aye Through gladsom loue the fierce wild beastes doth sway It neuer can from manly breast depart Ne. This selfe same God I wish with all my hart The wedlocke lightes to beare before our grace And fasten Poppie sure in our bed place Se. The peoples griefe might neuer yeeld to it Nor vertue can the same at all permit Ne. Shall I alone to do forbidden be That euery patch may do that grieueth mee Se. No tryfling toyes the people lookes to haue Of him that ought to rule with wisdome graue Ne. It pleaseth vs with daunted power to trye If peoples rash conceiued rage will flie Se. Seeke rather for to please and calme their moode Ne. Ill ruled is that raygne where people wood Their subiect Prince doth weld as they thinke good Se. When nought that they require they can obtayne They iustly then agrieued are agayne Ne. That gentle prayers cannot win with ease By force to wring it out it doth vs please Se. An hard thing t is the people not to haue That of theyr Prince which they do iustly craue Ne. And horrible 't is a Prince to be constraynd Se. Let not your subiectes then so sore be raynd Ne. Why then the common brute abroade wil be How that the people haue subdued mee Se. That no man trustes that is of credite light Ne. Be it so yet many it markes with deadly spyghte Se. With countrie peeres to medle it is afrayd Ne. To quip and frump 't is nothing lesse dismayd Se. Your grace may easly couch that budding bruite Let Sayncted sires desertes with pliant sute Your graces mynd remoue let spouses age And curteous bashfull shame disrumpe your rage Ne. Leaue off I say that we entend to grutch For now your talke our pacience moueth much I pray you let it lawful be to do That Senec geueth not aduyse vnto And we our peoples wishes do defer While Poppie feele in wombling wombe to sterre The pledge of faythful loue to me and her Why do we not appoynt the morrow next When as our mariage pompe may be context THE THIRD ACTE THE FIRST SCENE Agrippyna THrough paunch of riuened earth from Plutoes raigne With ghostly steps I am returnd agayne In writhled wristes that bloud do most desyre For guyding wedlocke vyle with Stygian fire Let Poppie which these cressets coupled sure Vnto my sonne be ioynd in mariage pure Whom mothers griefe and hand reuenging wrackes Shal send with heaue and hoe to funeral stackes I always do remember wel beneath Where piteous ghostly crauling soules do breath Th' unkindly slaughterous deede which to our spright Yet vnreuengd is grieuous and of right And for the good I did a cruell prise That deadly framed ship in crafty wyse And due reward that he gaue me agayne For helping him to rule of Empyres raygne And eake that night when as I did bewayle Both losse of shippe wherin we then did sayle And mates vnhappye death and whyle I thoughte For this accursed deede to haue besought The Gods to trickling teares he gaue scant tyme But twice encreased hath his deuillish cryme Quite slayne with sword thrust through my bodyes boundes And filthy layed through goary mattring woundes Deliuered safe from seas deuouring sup In antique court my ghost I yeelded vp Nor yet his cancred and vnsatiate hate For all this bloud doth Nero once abate That Tyrant dyre doth rage at mothers name And seeketh wayes my deedes for to defame Who threating death to them that doe withstand My shapes he dingeth downe in euery land My princely tytles large hee scrapeth out In euery place the whole wyde world aboute Which my vnlucky parentes loue did geue To much vnto
her desire fulfill Shee sometime subiect to hir slaue To death was put with souldiours blade VVhat shee that easly hope might haue Toth skies hir raigne to rise haue made Prynce Neroes lusty Parent great First tost with shipmans boysterous force Then torne with sword in Prynces heat Did shee not lye a senceles corse Oct. Loe mee the tyrant stern will send To yrcksome shades and hellish sprits Why wretch doe I the tyiue thus spend Draw mee to death you to whose myghts False Fortune hath bequeathed mee I witnesse now the heauenly powre What dost thou bedlame leaue to flee With prayer to Gods who on thee lowre I call to witnesse Tartar deepe And sprytes of Hell reuenging freakes Of haynous facts in Dungeon steepe And Syre whom death deserued wreakes I doe not now repyne to dye Deck vp your Ship and hoyse your Sayle On frothing seas to windes on hye Let him that guides the Helm not fayle To seeke the shore of Pharian Land Cho. O pippling puffe of western wynde Which sacrifice didst once with stand Of Iphigen to death assignde And close in Cloude congealed clad Did cary hir from smòking aares Which angry cruell Virgin had This Prynce also opprest with cares Saue from this paynefull punishment To Dians temple safely horne The harbarous Moores to rudenesse bent Then Prynces Courtes in Rome forlorne Haue farre more Cyuile curtesie For there doth straungers death appease The angry Gods in heauens on hie But Romayne bloude our Rome must please FINIS THE TENTH TRAGEDY OF L. ANNAE SENECA Entituled HERCVLES OETAEVS Translated out of Latin into Englishe by I. S. The Argument HERCVLES hauinge subdued the Sonnes of EVRITVS Kynge of OEchalia who contrary to theyr promise denied to geue their Sister IOLE vnto him hauing made conquest of the City and countrey thereabout meant to sacryfice vnto the Gods for his victory in that behalfe and successe in briging away perforce his beeloued IOLE For the solemne celebration whereof he sent LYCAS his seruaunt vnto DEIANEIRA his Wyfe to fetche his Robe which hee alwayes vsed when hee sacrifized DEIANEIRA dippinge and besprinckling the same Robe in the bloude of NESSVS the Centaure because she feared least her husband loued IOLE better then he did her for NESSVS being shot through and slayne by HERCVLES had perswaded aduised her that shee shoulde so doe whensoeuer shee doubted that her husbands loue were alienated from her to any other sent it vnto him Which Garment when HERCVLES had put on the poyson wherein it was dipped and washed enuenomed all his Vitall partes and droue him into most intollerable tormentes For remedy vvhereof hee sent to APOLLO his Oracle at Delphos from vvhence hee receiued aunswere that hee should bee caryed vnto Mounte OEtus and there that a greate fier shoulde bee made and as for all other things they should bee referred to the pleasure and direction of IVPITER The fier being there made and kindled by PHILOCTETES vnto vvhom HERCVLES bequeathed his Arrowes HERCVLES vvent vp into it was there burned Whose boanes being afterward sought for and not founde the standers by vvere fully perswaded that he vvas deified taken vp into Heauen When knowledge thereof vvas broughte vnto DEIANIRA shee thinking herselfe to bee the cause of her husbandes tormenting death strangled her selfe FINIS The Speakers names HERCVLES ALCMENA HYLLVS NVTRIX IOLE CHORVS PHILOCTETES DEIANIRA THE FIRST ACTE HERCVLES alone O Lorde of Ghostes whose fyrye flashe that forth thy hand doth shake Doth cause the trembling Lodges twayne of Phoebus Carre to quake Raygne reachlesse nowe in euery place thy peace procurde I haue Aloofe where Nereus lockes vp lande Empalde in winding Waue Thwack not about with thunder thumpes the rebell kinges bee downe The rauening tyrauntes Scepterlesse are pulled from their crowne By mee all daunted is whereon thy boults thou shouldst bestowe And yet O Father yet the Heauens are still withhelde mee froe At all assayes I serue as might an Impe of Ioue behoue And that thou ought to Father mee my stepdame well doth proue Why dost thou linger in delay is Heauen of vs afraide Seeme wee so awfull fell and fierce and wherefore are wee staide And cannot Atlas boysteous backe on stouping shoulder tough Vpholde the payse of Hercules and heauen well inough What is it sier what is it Ioue that thee so much detarres What may thee force keepe backe thy sonne from scaling of the Starres For death hath let me passe againe from dungeon darke to thee When mischiefes fell and monsters all destroyde and spoyled bee That eyther Lande or Seas or Ayre Or hell engender coulde Arcadian Lion none to raunge in saluage Nemea wolte The Stymphall Foule hath chased bin with Bowe and Brusell boulte No nimble heart of Menalus doth lye in hill nor houlte The Dragon daunting with his bloud hath goarde the goulden groue And Hydra hath his courage coolde and Diomedes droue Whose puffed paunches pampred were with stoare of straungers bloud That scoarde the Coaste and barren bankes of cruell Heber floud I slaughterd them and that the force of foe might well bee seene I prowlde away the boottes of the prowde Amazon Queene Of silent shades in glummy Goulphes the dreadfull doomes I saw On Cerber black the Tartar Tike the sonne did shine with awe And he with steaming Goggle eyes hath glyed vpon the soone Anteus yawnes and gapes no more whose gasping breath to doone A-front his alters Busir fell was knockt vnto the grounde By him whose hande gaue Gerion his deepe and deadly wounde And slew the mighty Bull that was to hundred heartes a dreade All noyous plagues I spoyled haue that euer Tellus bread And daunted by my hand they lye the Gods now neede not free The worlde to aunswere Iunoes yre no monsters now can get Now shew thy valiaunt sonne his sire or set him in the clowdes Thou shalt not neede to bee my guide my selfe will climbe the shrowdes Doe thou my passage but allow and I shall finde away But if thou dreade that monsters more the earth engender may Hast on eache monster hideous to shew it selfe in time Whyle Hercules hath his aboade beneath the heauenly Clyme For who encounter shall the fiendes who i st that Grecia hath That may be meete to bide the brunt of mighty Iunoes wrath My prayse burtes not my health my fame doth fly from land to land The ysy poale doth know mee where the northerne beare doth stand The easterlings encombred with the gleede of scorching sunne The south where Phoebe by crooked cleare of Tropick Crab doth rūne In euery coast O Titan where thou dost thy selfe reueale How I haue met thee face to face to thee I doe appeale Aloofe beyonde the compasse of thy light I set my foote And neuer coulde thy blaze so farre his glymsinge glory shoote As I haue forst the honour of my triumphes for to streatch The day it selfe hath had his stint within my trauells reatch Dame Nature faylde the worlde was shogd
vnfeareful arme loe ouerchargde with woe My breast lies bare vnto thy hand Stryke I thy gylt forgeue The fâ—endes infernall for their sinne thy soule shal neuer greeue What yerking noyse is this we heare what hagge here haue we fowndâ— That beares aboute her writhen lockes these vgly adders wound And one her yrksome temples twayne her blackysh â—innes do wagge Why chase ye mee with burning brandes Megera filthy hagge Alcides can but vengeance aske and that I wil him get But haue the iudges dyre of hell for yt in counsell set But of the dreadful dongeon dores I see th unfoulding leaues What auncient sier is he that on his tatred shoulder heaues Th' unweildy stone that borne toth top agayne doth downward reele Or what is â—e that spraules his lims vppon the whirling wheele Lo heare stood ougly Tisiphon with sterne and ghastly face And did demaunde with steaming eies the manner of the case O spare thy strypes Megera spare and with thy brandes away Th' offence I did was ment in loue but whether do I sway The grouÌ„d doth sinke the roofe doth cracke whether went this raging route Now al the world with gasing eyes stand staring me about On euery side the people grudge and call for their defence Be good to me O nations whither shall I get mee hence Death onely is my loade of rest there may my sorrowes byde I do protest the fiery wheeles that Phoebus charyot guide That heare I dye and leaue the worlde ther 's Hercles yet behynde Hi. Away she runnes agast aye me shee hath fullylde her mynd For purposed she was to dye and now remaynes my wil For to preuent her that by force her selfe she shall not kill O mise rable prety if I my mother saue I sin agaynst my father then but if vnto the graue I let her goe then toward her a trespas soule there lyes And tâ—hus alas on eyther syde great mischiefe doth aries And needes her purpose must be stayde I le hie and take in hand To stop her despret enterpryse and mischiefy to withstand Chorus FVll true the dytty is That holy ORPHEVS sang On Thracian harpe with sounde whereof the Rocks of Rodop rang That nothing is creat For euer to endure Dame Natures byrdes each on must stoupe when death throwes out the lure The head wyth Crispen lockes or goulden hayres full In time hath borne an hoary bush or bin a naked scull And that which tract of time doth bring out of the grayne Olde SATVRNE sharps his Syth at length to reape it downe agayne Though PHOEBVS ryse at morne with glistring rayes full proude Hee runnes his race and ducketh downe at length in foggy Clowde Toth Gaetans ORPHEVS sang such kinde of melody And how the gods themselues were bounde to lawes of destiny The God that doth the yeare By egall partes dispose Howe fatall webbe in euery clyme are dayly spunne he showes For all thinges made of moulde The grounde agayne will gape As Hercles preacheth playne by proofe that nothing can escape For shortly shall ensue Discarge of Natures Lawe And out of hande the gloming daye of doome shall onwarde drawe Then all that lies within The scorching Libicke clyme The poale antarticke of the South shall ouerwhelme in tyme Poale articke of the North Shall iumble all that lyes VVithin the Axeltree whereon drye BORES blasinge flyes The shiuerynge Sunne in Heauen Shall leese his fadyng lighte The Pallace of the frames of Heauens shall runne to ruin quight And all these blockish Gods Some kynd of Death shall quell And in confused CHAOS blynde they shall for euer dwell And after ruin made Of Goblin Hegge and Elfe Death shall bringe finall destenye at last vppon it selfe VVhere shall be then bestowde The world so huge a masse The beaten hye way vnto hell is like away to passe To leade vnto the Heauens That shall be layed flatt The space betwene the Heauen and earth inough thinke ye is that Or is it not to much For worldly miseryes VVher may such heaps of sinnes be lodgd what place aboue the skyes Remaynes but that the sea VVith Heauen and lowest Hell Three Kingdomes cast in one are like within one roofe to dwell But hark what roaring crye Thus beates my fearefull eare But lo it s Hercules that yelles t is Hercules I heare THE FOVRTH ACTE Hercules Chorus REtyre retyre thy breathing breastes O Titan blasing bright Vnfold thy mysty mantle blacke of dim and darkesome Night And dash this dreary day wherin I Hercules must die With blemish black of filthy fogge defyle the griesly skye Preâ—â— enâ— my stepdames naughty mynd Now should I haue resignde O Father my inheritaunce of Plutoes dungeon blynd Heauen frames should here there be brast eyther poale should crack Why sparest thou the starres and least thy Hercles go to wracke Now Ioue loke round aboute the heauens and if thou can espye On gyant heaue the Thessaill cliues agaynst th assalted skye Vnburdned be Enceladus of hugye Osir hill And hurled be on Hercules the mighty mountayne still Prowde Pluto shall vnbarre the gates of blacke and glummy caue Yet maugre all their might o Father Ioue I wil thee saue From fury of thy foes and set thee vp agayne in skyes Yet lo Ioue loe her that on earth thy thunderdint supplies And for to be liuetenaunt of thy boultes on earth was borne Is sent to burning Limbo lake in tormentes to be torne The sterne Enceladus agayne in ramping rage shal ryse And hurle the weighte that now doth croâ—de him downe against the skies Thus by my death they shal presume to conquer heauen all But ere that day vppon my corse compel the heauens to fall Breake downe breake downe the welkin that thou suffrest to decay Ch. O sonne of thunder thumping Ioue no shadowes do thee fray Now Ossa mount of Thessalie shal Pelion hill downe crush And Athos pilde on Pindus toppe his bushy hed shall push Among the starry skes therby aboue the craggy rockes Typhoëus vp shal clyme and thumpe with store of baâ—tryng knockes Iuarmen stone in Tyrren sea from thence eake shall he beat The smoaky forge of Aetna mount that glowes with stewing heate Enceladus not ouerthrowne yet with the thunder cracke Shal hew the mountayne syde in twayne and trusse it on his backe The signes of heauen shal follow thee and goe with thee to wracke Her I that returnde from dennes of death and Stigian streame defyed And ferryed ouer Lethes lake and dragd vp chaind and tyde The tryple headded mastiffe hownd when Tytans teeme did start So at the ougly sight that he fel almost from his cart Euen I whose pith the kingdomes three of Gods ful wel haue knowne Lo yet myne end I daunted am by death and ouerthrowne But yet no bloudy blade agaynst my riued rybbes doth crash It is no rock that vnto death my brused bones doth pash Nor as it were with O sir hill that clouen were in twayne Nor with the sway of all 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
he doth feare Cr. Great cause makes mee my Princes death conceale and closly beare Oed. Ought any cause of feare or griefe the duty for to let Cre. The threatning of the prophesyes do stil my breast beset Oe. Let vs sith God cōmaunds forthwith some good attonement make If any way or meanes there be their wrathful rage to slake Thou God that sits on seate on high and al the world dost guide And thou by whose commaundement the Starres in Skies do glide Thou thou that onely ruler art of Seas of Floods and all On thee and on thy Godhead great for these requestes I call Who so hath slayne king Laius oh Ioue I do thee pray Let thousand ils vpon him fall before his dying day Let him no health ne comfort haue but al to crusht with cares Consume his wretched yeares in griefe though that death him spares Awhyle Yet mischiefes all at length vppon him light With all the euils vnder Sun that vgly monster smight In exile let him liue a Slaue the rated course of life In shame in care in penury in daunger and in strife Let no man on him pity take let all men him reuyle Let him his Mothers sacred Bed incestuously defyle Lim him his father kill And yet let him do mischiefes more What thing more haynous can I wish then that I wisht before Let him do all those illes I say that I haue shund and past All those and more if more may be oh God vpon him cast Let him no hope of pardon haue but sue and all in vayne All hellish Furies on him light for to encrease his payne O Ioue powre downe thy fury greate thy thūdring thumpes out throw Let Boreas boysterous blastes and stormy plagues vpon him blow Consume him quight Fret out his guttes with pockes and botches vile Let all diseases on him light that wretched bodyes fyle Let these and more if more may be vppon that Monster fall Let Harpies pawes and greedy paunche deuoure his members all Let no man him regard or seeke his limmes in grade to lay But let him dye ten thousand deathes before his dying day By this my Kingdome I do sweare and Kingdome that I left By al my Countrey Gods that bene in Temples closely kept I sweare I vow I do protest and thereto witnes take The Starres the Seas the Earth and all that ere thy hand did make Except that I my selfe forthwith this bloudy monster find To wreake the wrath of God some way with solempne oth I bynde And so my father Polybius his happy dayes out lyue And so my mother Merope no mariage new contriue As he shall dye that did this deede and none shal him excuse Whoso he be here I protest for that he shortly rues But where this wicked deede was don Creon now tell me playne Both by what meanes where and how Ring Laius was slayne Creon Passing through Castalia woods mountayns heapt with snoe Where groues and scrubs and bushes thicke brambles sharp do groe A threepathd crooked way there is that diuersly doth goe One vnto Bacchus citty bends that Phoce doth hight The other to Olenius forth stretcheth out aright The third that reacheth through the vales and by the riuers lyes Tends downe vnto the Bancks wherby Eleia water plyes There vnawares O piteous chaunce a troup of theues entraps The noble prince and murders him hence spring these great mishaps which heape you realms with hideous woes and plagues on euery side By iust decree of heauenly powers which can no murder bide But see Tiresias where he coms with old and trembling pace I thincke Apolloes heauenly might haue brought him to this place See where he comes and Manto too his steps directing stayes T is he who for your grace O king and for your countrie prayes THE SECOND ACTE THE SECOND SCENE OEDIPVS TYRESIAS MANTO COme holy priest to Phoebus next these doubtfull aunswers lose And whom that destnies will to dye Straightwayes to me disclose TY. Renowmed Prince though still I stand in silence dūme dismayde And though by inwarde feare of mynde my lingring tonge is stayde Yet pardon me O noble Prince and geue me leaue a while From lack of sight springs Ignoraunce which powre hath to exile Vnspotted Truth frō doubtfull breasts This thing ful well you knoes But whither God and Countrey calles with willing minde I goe Let deadly fatall destentes be boulted out at length O King if I of greener yeares had now my wonted strength This matter soone discust should be and I would take in hande My selfe in presence of the Gods in temple for to stande A mighty Oxe all coulourd white vp on the Aulters reare Which neuer yet on weried necke the croked yoake did beare And Manto thou O daughter mine mine onely prop and stay The secret hidden misteries and sacred signes out say M A. The beast before the Aulter stands T Y. To Gods a prayer make And on the holy Aulters cke some pleasaunt odors shake M A. T is done And all the fiers fierce with incence bright doe flame T Y. O Manto now what signes seest thou how doe thy matters frame What doth the fire the Sacrifice encompas rounde about MA. Not so But first it mounts aloft and streight it flasheth out TY. Well Yet how doth the sacred flame all shining bright and cleare It selfe on high vnto the Skies with sparkelting flakes vpreare Or doth it oft rebounding backe it selfe from Skyes vnfould Or all with rumbling roring noyse about the place i st rould Or dim'd with smoke i st tost from place to place now heere now theare MA. Not one But diuerse colours mixt the flame doth with it beare Much like vnto the Rainbow which with sundry paynted hues Foreshewes vnto the husbandmen the weather that ensues What colour it wants or what it hath to me is like vncertayne Now is it black now blue now red and euen now agayne Quight out it is Yet once agayn all fierce it flashing flames But lo yet mischiefs more then this vnluckely it frames The fier quight a sunder parts and flame with flame doth fight O father I abhorre to see this vgly lothsome sight The Wyne to blud is turned quight and all the Prynces hed With thicke black clouds encōpast is with smoke all ouerspred O father tell what this portends TY. What should I tell alas My mynde for feare astonied stands and trembling cold doth pas Through all my lims What shall I say or where shall I begin O cruell Plagues O wrekfull Gods O vengeaūce due for sin Some dyre and blouddy deed Alas these hydeous signes declare What 's that the Gods would haue reuealde and yet doe bid beware To vtter it By certaine signes their wrath is oft descride Such signes appeere and yet they seeme their fury great to hide They are ashamde I wot nere what Come hither quickly bring Some salt with thee and it vpon the sacrifice goe fling What are their lookes pleasant and