but what 's my own You ne're shall anger from your Sister find Though you 're a cruel Brother I 'le be kind PTOLOMY But yet methinks you do discover pride CLEOPATRA Time is the Standard whereby things are try'd PTOLOMY Your present carriage that doth plainly shew CLEOPATRA Caesar is come and you 've a Master now PTOLOMY I made him mine who the Worlds Master is CLEOPATRA Pay him your homage while I look for his In this Address you may your self be seen But I 'le remember that I am a Queen Photin will help you to receive him now Advise with him he 'll tell you what 's to do Act. II. SCEN. IV. Ptolomy Photinus PTOLOMY I have observ'd thy Counsel but find since To flatter her but swells her insolence For with her Pride she did affront me so That I at last fell into Passion too This Arm enrag'd by her could scarce forbear Without a Thought that Caesar was so near Dispatching her as safe as she does seem To have complain'd to Pompey not to him She talks already at that haughty rate That if great Caesar please her Pride and Hate And she o're him her boasted Empire have Her Brother and her King must be her Slave No no we needs must Frustrate that intent Nor poorly wait the Ills we may prevent Let 's spoil her of her Power to disdain And break those Charmes whereby she hopes to reign Nor after such indignities let 's brook That she should buy my Scepter with a look PHOTINUS Do not for Caesar Sir pretence provide That Egypt should be to his Triumphs ty'd For this Ambitious Man which through the world Hath War and Slavery together hurl'd Swell'd with his Conquest and a Rage so smart As such a loss writes in a Lovers Heart Though you but act what Equity approves Will thence ground his revenge for what he loves As for a crime Hee 'l you to Bondage bring Though you did only what became a King PTOLOMY If Cleopatra sees him shee 's a Queen PHOTINUS But if she dye your Ruine is foreseen PTOLOMY Who ruines me should on my fall attend PHOTINUS To ruine her you must your self befriend PTOLOMY What must my Crown upon her Temples shine No if my Scepter I must needs resign The Conquerour shall rather it command PHOTINUS You 'l sooner force it from a Sisters hand How great soever now his flames appear He must be gone and leave You Master here Love in such Men seldom that room can find Which to their Interest will not be resign'd With Juba Scipio and with Pompey's Sons Spain to Revenge he knows with Affrick runs And while that Party are not yet o'rethrown He cannot safely call the World his own Caesar's too great a Captain to o'resee The Pursuit of Pharsalia's Victory And leave such fierce Hearts on revenge intent To rise from their so late Astonishment If he his ends Obtain and them o'recome He his gain'd Empire must secure at Rome And there the fruit of his success enjoy Whilst he at pleasure does her laws Destroy Judge in that time what great things you may do See Caesar then and strive to please him too Resign him all but yet this Rule intend That future things on accidents Depend Your Throne and Scepter give into his hand And without murmur yield to his Command He will believe that Justice he shall do If he your Father's Testament pursue Besides this signal service you have done Will give you still some Title to your Throne Entire submission to his Orders shew Applaud his Judgment but then let him go That time for our Revenge will be most fit When we can Act as well as think of it With temper let these Passions then be born Which were excited by your Sisters scorn Boasts are but Air and he revenges best Who Acts his braver Thoughts yet talks the least PTOLOMY O thy Advice my greatest Comfort brings A Prudent Counsellour's the bliss of Kings Come dear Supporter of my Throne let 's go And to save all on Caesar all bestow His Pride let 's flatter with an empty State And with our whole Fleet on him hither Wait. After the second Act this Song is to be sung by two Egyptian Priests on the Stage 1. SEE how Victorious Caesar's Pride Does Neptune's Bosom sweep And with Thessalian Fortune ride In Triumph o're the Deep 2. What Rival of the Gods is this Who dare's do more then they Whose Feet the Fates themselves do kiss And Sea and Land obey 1. What can the Fortunate withstand For this resistless He Rivers of Blood brings on the Land And Bulwarks on the Sea 2. Since Gods as well as Men submit And Caesar's favour woe Virtue her self may think it fit That Egypt court him too 1. But Pompey's Head 's a rate too dear For by that impious price The God less Noble will appear Than do's the Sacrifice 2. If Justice be a thing divine The Gods should it maintain For us t' attempt what they decline Would be as rash as vain Chorus How desperate is our Princes Fate What hazzard doe's he run He must be wicked to be great Or to be just undone Act. III. SCEN. I. Charmion Achoreus CHARMION YEs whilst the King himself is gone to meet Caesar and lay his Scepter at his Feet To her Appartment Cleopatra went And there unmov'd expects his Complement What words have you to cloath this Humour in ACHOREUS 'T is Noble Pride and worthy of a Queen Who with Heroick courage does make good The Honour of her Rank and of her Blood May I speak to Her CHARMION No but she hath sent Me to enquire this meetings great event How Caesar on this Gift himself explain'd Whether it wene acknowledg'd or disdain'd If he the fierce takes or the gentler way And what he to our Murtherers could say ACHOREUS The head of Pompey hath already cost More than they will have any cause to boast For whether Caesar be or seem severe Yet I for them have ground enough to fear If they lov'd Ptolomy they serv'd him ill You saw him part and I pursu'd him still When from the City his well order'd Fleet Advanc'd a League that they might Caesar meet He with spread Sails arriv'd and as in Wars He still had been the Favourite of Mars So Neptune to his Navy was so kind His Fortune was not fairer than his Wind. Our Prince was so astonish'd when they met As if he did his Crowned head forget Through his false joy his terrour he confess'd And all his Actions his low Thoughts express'd I my self blush'd as at a shameful thing There to see Ptolomy but not the King Caesar who saw his Courage thus expire In pity flatter'd him to raise it higher He with low voice offering his fatal gift Now Sir says he you have no Rival left What in Thessalia not the gods could do I give you Pompey and Cornelia too Here 's one and though the other flight did take Six Ships of mine will
time or company 2. What thou hast got by this Exchange Thou wilt perceive when the Revenge Shall by those treacheries be made For which our Faith thou hast betray'd 3. When thy Idolaters shall be True to themselves and false to thee Thou 'lt see that in Heart-merchandise Value not Number makes the price 4. Live to that day my Innocence Shall be my Friendship 's just defence For this is all the World can find While thou wert noble I was kind 5. The desp'rate game that thou dost play At private Ruines cannot stay The horrid treachery of that Face Will sure undo its native place 6. Then let the Frenchmen never fear The victory while thou art there For if Sins will call Judgments down Thou hast enough to stock the Town To my Excellent Lucasia on our Friendship I Did not live until this time Crown'd my felicity When I could say without a crime I am not thine but Thee This Carcass breath'd and walkt and slept So that the World believ'd There was a Soul the Motions kept But they were all deceiv'd For as a Watch by art is wound To motion such was mine But never had Orinda found A Soul till she found thine Which now inspires cures and supplies And guides my darkned Breast For thou art all that I can prize My Joy my Life my Rest No Bridegrooms nor Crown-conquerors mirth To mine compar'd can be They have but pieces of this Earth I 've all the World in thee Then let our Flames still light and shine And no false fear controul As innocent as our Design Immortal as our Soul Rosania 's private Marriage IT was a wise and kind design of Fate That none should this day's glory celebrate For 't were in vain to keep a time which is Above the reach of all Solemnities The greatest Actions pass without a noise And Tumults but prophane diviner Joys Silence with things transcendent nearest suits The greatest Emperours are serv'd by Mutes And as in ancient time the Deities To their own Priests reveal'd no Mysteries Until they were from all the World retir'd And in some Cave made fit to be inspir'd So when Rosania who hath them out-vied And with more Justice might be Deified Who if she had their Rites and Altars we Should hardly think it were Idolatry Had found a breast that did deserve to be Receptacle of her Divinity It was not fit the gazing World should know When she convey'd her self to him or how An Eagle safely may behold the Sun When weak Eyes are with too much Light undone Now as in Oracles were understood Not the Priest's only but the common good So her great Soul would not imparted be But in design of general Charity She now is more diffusive than before And what men then admir'd they now adore For this Exchange makes not her Power less But only fitter for the World's Address May then that Mind which if we will admit The Universe one Soul must sure be it Inform this All which till she shin'd out lay As drowsie men do in a cloudy day And Honour Vertue Reason so dispence That all may owe them to her influence And while this Age is thus imploy'd may she Scatter new Blessings for Posterity I dare not any other wish prefer For only her bestowing adds to her And to a Soul so in her self complete As would be wrong'd by any Epithete Whose splendour's fix'd unto her chosen Sphere And fill'd with Love and Satisfaction there What can increase the Triumph but to see The World her Convert and her History Injuria Amicitiae LOvely Apostate what was my offence Or am I punish'd for Obedience Must thy strange Rigour find as strange a time The Act and Season are an equal Crime Of what thy most ingenious scorns could do Must I be Subject and Spectator too Or were the Sufferings and Sins too few To be sustain'd by me perform'd by you Unless with Nero your uncurb'd desire Be to survey the Rome you set on fire While wounded for and by your Power I At once your Martyr and your Prospect die This is my doom and such a ridling Fate As all impossibles doth complicate For Obligation here is Injury Constancy Crime Friendship a Heresie And you appear so much on Ruine bent Your own destruction gives you now Content For our twin-Spirits did so long agree You must undo your self to ruine me And like some Frantick Goddess you 're inclin'd To raze the Temple where you are enshrin'd And what 's the Miracle of Cruelty Kill that which gave you Immortality While glorious Friendship whence your Honour springs Lies gasping in the Crowd of common things And I 'm so odious that for being kind Doubled and studied Murthers are design'd Thy sin 's all Paradox for should'st thou be Thy self again th' wouldst be severe to me For thy Repentance coming now so late Would only change and not relieve my Fate So dangerous is the consequence of ill Thy least of Crimes is to be cruel still For of thy Smiles I should yet more complain If I should live to be betray'd again Live then fair Tyrant in Security From both my Kindness and Revenge be free While I who to the Swains had sung thy Fame And taught each Echo to repeat thy Name Will now my private Sorrow entertain To Rocks and Rivers not to thee complain And though before our Union cherish'd me 'T is now my pleasure that we disagree For from my Passion your last Rigour grew And you kill'd me because I worshipp'd you But my worst Vows shall be your Happiness And not to be disturb'd by my distress And though it would my sacred flames pollute To make my heart a scorned prostitute Yet I 'le adore the Author of my Death And kiss the Hand that robs me of my breath To Regina Collier on her cruelty to Philaster TRiumphant Queen of scorn how ill doth sit In all that Sweetness such injurious Wit Unjust and Cruel what can be your prize To make one heart a double Sacrifice Where such ingenious Rigour you do shew To break his Heart you break his Image too And by a Tyranny that 's strange and new You murther him because he worships you No pride can raise you or can make him start Since Love and Honour do enrich his heart Be Wise and Good lest when Fate will be just She should o'rethrow those glories in the dust Rifle your Beauties and you thus forlorn Make a cheap Victim to another's scorn And in those Fetters which you do upbraid Your self a wretched Captive may be made Redeem the poyson'd Age let it be seen There 's no such freedom as to serve a Queen But you I see are lately Round-head grown And whom you vanquish you insult upon To Philaster on his Melancholy for Regina GIve over now thy tears thou vain And double Murtherer For every minute of thy pain Wounds both thy self and her Then leave this dulness for 't is our belief Thy Queen
and various things Link'd to their Causes by such secret Springs Are held so fast and govern'd by such Art That nothing can out of its order start The World's God's watch where nothing is so small But makes a part of what composes all Could the least Pin be lost or else displac'd The World would be disorder'd and defac'd It beats no Pulse in vain but keeps its time And undiscern'd to its own height doth climb Strung first and daily wound up by his hand Who can its motions guide and understand No secret cunning then nor multitude Can Providence divert cross or delude And her just full decrees are hidden things Which harder are to find then Births of Springs Yet all in various Consorts fitly sound And by their Discords Harmony compound Hence is that Order Life and Energy Whereby Forms are preserv'd though Matters die And shifting dress keep their own living state So that what kills this does that propagate This made the ancient Sage in Rapture cry That sure the world had full Eternity For though it self to Time and Fate submit He 's above both who made and governs it And to each Creature hath such Portion lent As Love and Wisdom sees convenient For he 's no Tyrant nor delights to grieve The Beings which from him alone can live He 's most concern'd and hath the greatest share In man and therefore takes the greatest care To make him happy who alone can be So by Submission and Conformity For why should Changes here below surprize When the whole World its revolution tries Where were our Springs our Harvests pleasant use Unless Vicissitude did them produce Nay what can be so wearisome a pain As when no Alterations entertain To lose to suffer to be sick and die Arrest us by the same Necessity Nor could they trouble us but that our mind Hath its own glory unto dross confin'd For outward things remove not from their place Till our Souls run to beg their mean embrace Then doting on the choice make it our own By placing Trifles in th' Opinion's Throne So when they are divorc'd by some new cross Our Souls seem widow'd by the fatal loss But could we keep our Grandeur and our state Nothing below would seem unfortunate But Grace and Reason which best succours bring Would with advantage manage every thing And by right Judgment would prevent our moan For losing that which never was our own For right Opinion's like a Marble grott In Summer cool and in the Winter hot A Principle which in each Fortune lives Bestowing Catholick Preservatives 'T is this resolves there are no losses where Vertue and Reason are continued there The meanest Soul might such a Fortune share But no mean Soul could so that Fortune bear Thus I compose my thoughts grown insolent As th' Irish Harper doth his Instrument Which if once struck doth murmur and complain But the next touch will silence all again 2 Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ Reconciling the World to himself WHen God contracted to Humanity Could sigh and suffer could be sick and die When all the heap of Miracles combin'd To form the greatest which was save Mankind Then God took stand in Christ studying a way How to repair the Ruin'd World's decay His Love Pow'r Wisdom must some means procure His Mercy to advance Justice secure And since Man in such Misery was hurl'd It cost him more to save then make the World Oh! what a desp'rate load of sins had we When God must plot for our Felicity When God must beg us that he may forgive And dye himself before Mankind could live And what still are we when our King in vain Begs his lost Rebels to be Friends again What flouds of Love proceed from Heaven's smile At once to pardon and to reconcile What God himself hath made he cannot hate For 't is one act to Love and to Create And he 's too perfect full of Majesty To need additions from our Misery He hath a Father's not a Tyrant's joy Shews more his Pow'r to save then to destroy Did there ten thousand Worlds to ruine fall One God could save one Christ redeem them all Be silent then ye narrow Souls take heed Lest you restrain the Mercy you will need But O my Soul from these be different Imitate thou a nobler Precedent As God with open Arms the World does woo Learn thou like God to be enlarged too As he begs thy consent to pardon thee Learn to submit unto thy Enemy As he stands ready thee to entertain Be thou as forward to return again As he was Crucify'd for and by thee Crucifie thou what caus'd his Agony And like to him be mortify'd to sin Die to the World as he dy'd for it then The World WE falsly think it due unto our Friends That we should grieve for their untimely ends He that surveys the World with serious eyes And strips her from her gross and weak disguise Shall find 't is Injury to mourn their Fate He only dies untimely who dies late For if 't were told to Children in the Womb To what a Stage of Mischiefs they must come Could they foresee with how much toil and sweat Men court that guilded nothing being Great What pains they take not to be what they seem Rating their bliss by others false esteem And sacrificing their Content to be Guilty of grave and serious Vanity How each Condition hath its proper Thorns And what one man admires another scorns How frequently their Happiness they miss So far even from agreeing what it is That the same Person we can hardly find Who is an hour together in one mind Sure they would beg a Period of their breath And what we call their Birth would count their Death Mankind is mad for none can live alone Because their Joys stand by comparison And yet they quarrel at Society And strive to kill they know not whom nor why We all live by Mistake delight in Dreams Lost to our selves and dwelling in Extremes Rejecting what we have though ne're so good And prizing what we never understood Compar'd t' our boisterous inconstancy Tempests are calm and Discords harmony Hence we reverse the World and yet do find The God that made can hardly please our Mind We live by chance and slip into Events Have all of Beasts except their Innocence The Soul which no man's pow'r can reach a thing That makes each Woman Man each Man a King Doth so much lose and from its height so fall That some contend to have no Soul at all 'T is either not observ'd or at the best By Passion fought withal by Sin deprest Freedom of Will God's Image is forgot And if we know it we improve it not Our Thoughts though nothing can be more our own Are still unguided very seldom known Time ' scapes our hands as Water in a Sieve We come to die e're we begin to live Truth the most sutable and noble prize Food of our Spirits yet neglected
will declare Their voice perhaps may strike the Ear But it can never move the heart Th' obscure and naked Word they sow But thou dost open our dim Eye And the dead letter to supply The Living Spirit dost bestow Mysterious truth 's to us they brought But thou expound'st the Riddle too And thou alone canst make us do All the great things that they have taught They may indeed the way direct But thou inablest us to walk I' th ear alone sticks all they talk But thou dost even the Heart dessect They wash the surface of the mind But all her fruit thy Goodness claims All that e're enlightens or enflames Must be to that alone assign'd POMPEY A Tragedy LONDON Printed for H. Herringman and are to be sold at his Shop at the Blew-Anchor in the lower walk of the new Exchange 1667. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE Countess of Cork Madam AS some untimely Flower whose bashful head Ready to drop into her humble Bed Is rescu'd by the Sun 's prevailing Ray To share that Light with which he guilds the Day So this Translation of strict Eyes afraid With conscious blushes would have sought a shade When your resistless Power did Orders give Thus to recall the timerous Fugitive Which to your breath must all her being own Thrive when you smile and wither if you frown Yet from submission this assurance grows That you 'll protect the Person you expose Who more delight from such a shelter draws Than to obtain or to desire applause And your indulgence would much rather chuse Than to be Favorite to every Muse For even they request to wait on you Who can best judge and best reward them too You who are more than Poets can invent Of most illustrious and most innocent Under your beams their faint Ideas sink And you more nobly live than they could think In you the humble and the brave are met To shew what 's truly and what 's only great And all the Cliffords Fame in you does shine The greatest Honour of the Noblest Line To whom your debt of splendour you have paid And that and more to after times convey'd In such a Race as must those wonders do That none could act but they inspire but you But as your Merit does all Praise excel So does your Mercy all injurious zeal And you in that ador'd advantage live That nothing else is left you to forgive But ev'n your goodness will its self outshine If it can pardon this Address of mine So Altars once did Fire from Heaven enjoy Sent but to kindle what it might destroy The Printer to the Reader I Hope you expect no Eloquence from a Printer nor Regularity in a Preface which hath nothing to say to you but that Pompey being a Translation out of the French of Monsieur Corneille the Hand that did it is responsible for nothing but the English and the Songs between the Acts which were added only to lengthen the Play and make it fitter for the Stage when those that could not be resisted were resolved to have it acted and that no abuses of Transcribers though they were numerous could have prevailed to send it to the Press if the Person most concern'd had not fear'd to disobey an excellent Lady who commanded this publication more than the severity of the Censorious World The Persons of the Play Julius Caesar Marcus Antonius Lepidus Ptolomy King of Aegypt Cleopatra His Sister Photinus His Governour Achillas His Lieutenant General Septimius A Romane Tribune in the Aegyptian Kings Army Achoreus Cleopatra's Gentleman Usher Charmion Cleopatra's Maid of Honour Cornelia Pompey's Widdow Philip Pompey's Freedman Romans and Aegyptians The Scene Ptolomy's Pallace in Alexandria PROLOGUE For the Theatre at Dublin written by the Earl of Roscomon THe mighty Rivals whose destructive Rage Did the whole World in Civil Arms engage Are now agreed and make it both their Choice To have their Fates determin'd by your Voice Caesar from none but You will hear his Doom He hates th' obsequious Flatteries of Rome He scorns where once he rul'd now to be try'd And he hath rul'd in all the World beside When he the Thames the Danube and the Nile Had stain'd with Blood Peace flourish'd in this Isle And you alone may Boast you never saw Caesar 'till now and now can give him Law Great Pompey too comes as a suppliant here But sayes He cannot now begin to fear He knows your equal Justice and to tell A Roman Truth He knows himself too well Success t is true waited on Caesar's side But Pompey thinks he conquer'd when he dy'd His Fortune when she prov'd the most unkind Chang'd his Condition but not Cato's Mind Then of what Doubt can Pompey's Cause admit Since here so many Cato's Judging sit But you bright Nymphs give Caesar leave to woo To the Ladies The greatest Wonder of the World but you And hear a Muse who has that Hero taught To speak as gen'rously as e're he fought Whose Eloquence from such a Theme deters All Tongues but English and all Pens but Hers. By the just Fates your Sex is doubly blest You Conquer'd Caesar and you praise him best And You Illustrious Sir receive as due A present Destiny reserv'd for You. To the Lord Lieutenant Rome France and England join their Forces here To make a Poem worthy of your Ear. Accept it then and on that Pompey's Brow Who gave so many Crowns bestow one now POMPEY ACT I. SCENE I. Ptolomy Achillas Photinus Septimius PTOLOMY FAte hath declar'd her self and we may see Th' Intrigue of the great Rivals Destiny That quarrel which did all the Gods divide Pharsalia hath the Honour to decide Whose Rivers swelling with new bloody Tides Sent thither from so many Parricides The Horrour of torn Ensigns Chariots Shields Spread in Confusion o're th' infected Fields Those slaughter'd heaps whose shades no rest obtain'd By Nature to their own revenge constrain'd Their Putrefactions seeming to revive The War with those that do remain alive Are dreadful rules by which the Sword thinks fit Pompey to cast and Caesar to acquit That distress'd Leader of the Juster Side Whose wearied Fortune hath all Help deny'd A terrible Example will create To future times of the Extreams of Fate He flies whose happy Courage had till now Confin'd the Bay to his Victorious Brow He in our Ports chuses his last Retreat And wanting Refuge from a Foe so great His bold Misfortune seeks it in abodes Which from the Titans once preserv'd the Gods And from so fam'd a Climate doth expect That it should Earth as well as Heav'n protect And lending his Despair a kind Effort It should the staggering Universe support Yes the World's Fortune Pompey with him brings And hopes a Land whose Fame such Wonder sings A Prop or Tomb might to her Freedom give And Pompey's Fall attend if not relieve This Friends the Subject is of our debate Our Triumphs he or Ruine will create He hazards me who did my
Father save And does expose that Memphis which he gave We must now hasten or prevent his Fate His Ruine hinder or precipitate That is unsafe and this ignoble is I dread injustice or unhappiness And angry fortune each way offers me Either much danger or much infamy It is my part of chuse yours to advise What you believe to be most safe and wise Pompey's concern'd nay we the fame shall get Caesar's success to trouble or compleat And never Monarchs Fortune did afford So great a Subject for a Councel Board PHOTINUS When things Sir are determin'd by the Sword Justice is nothing but an empty word And he who then Affairs would rightly weigh Must not his Reasons but his power obey View your own strength let Pompey be survey'd Whose Fortune Droops and Valour is betray'd Who not from Caesar only takes his flight But from the Senates just reproach and sight Whose greater part were cheaply left a Prey To the keen Vultures of Pharsalia He flies lost Rome and every Roman now Who must to his defeat their Fetters owe. He flies those Kings who would chastise his Guilt Of all the blood that in this cause was spilt Their Kingdoms now of Men and Money void Their broken Scepters and their Thrones destroy'd As Author of all Woes abhor'd by all He flies the whole World shatter'd by his Fall Can you alone resist so many Foes His safety he did in himself Repose He falls and you may yield without a Blush To such a weight as Rome her self does Crush A weight which hath the Universe prest down And the yet greater Pompey overthrown He that will save whom Heaven will have wrackt By too much Justice may a Guilt Contract And a fidelity so indiscreet May a short Fame but long Repentance meet He but a more illustrious wound will have Which will not smart the less for being brave Do not for Egypt Thunderbolts provide But chuse with Fortune and the Gods to side Believe not they can an injustice do But where they favour pay your Homage too Whatever they decree for them declare And think it impious where they frown to spare With Divine Anger Pompey now beset Comes to involve you too in his Defeat His Head for which both Gods and Men do call Already shakes and seeks but where to fall His coming hither an Offence does seem And shews his hatred rather than esteem He would his safety with your ruine buy And can you doubt if he deserve to die Had he fulfill'd what we both wisht and thought And a victorious Navy hither brought We then should him a joyful welcom shew Who must the gods blame for his usage now I of his Fortune not of him complain But with regret Act what the Gods Ordain And the same Ponyard once for Caesar meant Shall with a sigh to Pompey's Heart be sent Nor can you at a less rate than his Head Secure your own and shun the storm you dread Let this be thought a Crime if so it must 'T is not a States-man's Virtue to be Just When Right and Wrong are in the Ballance laid The Interest of Kingdoms is betray'd Extreamest Rigour is the Right of Kings When Timerous Equity their Ruine brings Who fears a Crime shall ever be afraid But he 'll rule all who all things dares invade Who dangerous virtue as disgrace does shun And to an useful Crime as swiftly run This is my Thought Sir but Achillas may Or else Septimius chuse some other way But this I know whatever others like They fear no Conqueror who the conquer'd strike ACHILLAS Photin saies true Sir but though Pompey we Devested of his former Grandeur see Yet that Blood Precious does to me appear Which the Gods did in Thessaly revere Not that a crime of State should be refrain'd But 't is not lawful till it be constrain'd And what need is there of such Rigour here Who quits the conquer'd needs no Conqueror fear You may be Neuter as you were before And Caesar may if him you must adore But though you treat him as a Power Divine This is too great an Off'ring for his Shrine To Mars himself should this head offer'd be 'T would fix on yours too black an infamy Let him not be assisted nor destroy'd And such a Conduct will all blame avoid You owe him much Sir for Rome mov'd by him Help'd our last King his Scepter to redeem But Gratitude and Hospitality In Monarchs Breasts must regulated be Nor can a King Contract so great a debt But that his Subjects claim a greater yet And all Engagements are to Princes void To cancel which their bloud must be imploy'd Consider too what Pompey did expose When he your Father help'd against his Foes By that he made his Power the greater seem And rais'd his own Fame by restoring him He did in serving him but language spend But Caesar's Purse appear'd the better Friend Had we not Caesar's thousand Talents seen Pompey's Orations had small succours been Let him not then his verbal merits boast For Caesar's Actions have oblig'd you most But if a benefit to him be due Speak now for him as he did once for you His kindness safely thus requite you may But here receiv'd he will your Scepter sway This conquer'd Roman yet a King will brave And in your own Dominions you enslave Refuse him welcome then but spare his Head But if 't must fall this arm shall strike him dead I can obey Sir and should Jealous grow If any Hand but mine should strike the blow SEPTIMIUS Sir I 'm a Roman and these Hero's know Pompey needs aid and from you seeks it now You are his fate may his lost hopes revive Banish or kill or give him up alive The first would cost you much too dear a rate I 'le only then the other three debate His exile draws on you enraged Pow'r And does but half oblige the Conquerour Since to a long suspense you will him leave What fate his future battels shall receive And both on you Revenge when weary grown The Ills which but for you they had not known To render him to Caesar were the same Who must forgive him to augment his Fame He will a brav'ry on himself impose And swell in that false mercy he bestows Glad if that way he Pompey can o'recome And in the same Act please subjected Rome But whilst you him to this necessitate You 'll purchase his as well as Pompey's hate His danger and dishonour then prevent Both make him great and keep him innocent Whilst Pompey's Faction you in him destroy Let Caesar at your cost the fruit enjoy By this advice which you 'l I hope allow You 'l gain a Friend and need not fear a Foe But if Achillas unsafe course you choose You neither gain but both their Friendships lose PTOLOMY Let us no more debate what 's Just and fit But to the Worlds vicissitude submit Your Major votes do with my thoughts agree Who in so great a change
so ill-guarded it By you I swear it then Mournful remain My only Deity now he is slain That no extinction or decay shall be In that revenge which must enoble me To Caesar Ptolomy by base surprize Rome of thy Pompey made a Sacrifice And I thy injur'd walls will never see Till Priest and God to him shall offer'd be Put me in mind and my just hate sustain O Ashes now my hope as well as Pain And to assist me in that great design Shed in all Hearts what now is felt by mine But Thou who on so infamous a shore Gavist him a flame so Pions though so Poor Tell me what God thy Fortune made so great To pay to such a Hero such a Debt PHILIP Cover'd with Blood and much more dead then he When I had curs'd the Royal Treachery My wandring Feet were by my grief convey'd Where yet the wind upon the Water plaid After long search I on a Rock did stand And saw the Headless Trunk approach the Sand Where th' angry Wave a pleasure seem'd to take To cast it off and then to snatch it back I to it leap'd and thrust it to the banks Then gathering a heap of Shipwrack'd Planks An hasty artless Pile I to him rais'd Such as I could and such as Fortune pleas'd 'T was hardly kindled when Heaven grew so kind To send me help in what I had design'd Codrus an Ancient Roman who lives here Returning from the City spy'd me there And when he did a headless Carcass view By that sad mark alone he Pompey knew Then weeping said O thou who e're thou art To whom the Gods such honours do impart Thy fortune's greater then thou dost believe Thou shalt rewards not Punishments receive Caesar's in Egypt and Revenge declares For him to whom thou pay'st these Pious Cares These Ashes to his Widow thou mayst bear In Alexandria for now she is there By Pompey's Conquerour so entertain'd As by a God it would not be disdain'd Go on till I return this said he went And quickly brought me this small Monument Then we betwixt us into it convey'd That Hero's Ashes which the fire had made CORNELIA With what great Praises should this act be crown'd PHILIP Entring the Town I great disorders found A numerous People to the Port did flye Which they believ'd the King would fortifie The eager Romans fiercely these pursu'd Rage in their eyes their hands with blood imbrew'd When Caesar with brave Justice did Command Photin to perish by a Hangmans hand On me appearing he vouchsaf'd to look And with these words my Masters Ashes took Remainders of a Demi-god whose Name I scarce can equal Conquerour as I am Behold guilt punish'd and till Altars call For other Victims let these Traytors fall Greater shall follow To the Court go thou On Pompey's Widow this from me bestow And whilst with it she makes with grief some truce Tell her how Caesar her Revenge pursues That great Man sighing then from me did turn And humbly kissing did restore the Urne CORNELIA O Formal Grief how easie is that Tear That 's shed for Foes whom we no longer fear How soon revenge for others fills that brest Which to it is by its own danger prest And when the Care we take to right the dead Secures our Life and does our glory spread Caesar is generous 't is true but he By the King wrong'd and from his Rival free Might in an envious mind a doubt revive What he would do were Pompey yet alive His courage his own safety does provide Which does the Beauty of his actions hide Love is concern'd in 't too and he does fight In Pompey's Cause for Cleopatra's Right So many Int'rests with my Husband 's met Might to his Virtue take away my debt But as Great Hearts judge by themselves alone I chuse to guess his honour by my own And think we only make his fury such Since in his Fortune I should do as much SCEN. II. Cleopatra Charmion Cornelia Philip. CLEOPATRA I come not to disturb a grief so due To that affliction which hath wounded you But those remains t' adore which from the wave A faithful freed-man did so lately save To mourn your fortune Madam and to swear You 'd still enjoy'd a man so justly dear If Heaven which did persecute you still Had made my power equal to my will Yet if to what that Heaven sends you now Your grief can any room for joy allow If any sweetness in revenge there be Receive the certainty of yours from me The false Photinus But you may have heard CORNELIA Yes Princess that he hath his just reward CLEOPATRA Have you no comfort in that news discern'd CORNELIA If there be any you are most concern'd CLEOPATRA All hearts with joy receive a wish'd event CORNELIA Our thoughts are as our int'rests different Though Caesar add Achillas death 't will be To you a satisfaction not to me For nobler Rites to Pompey's Ghost belong These are too mean to expiate his wrong No reparation by such blood is made Either to my grief or his injur'd shade And the revenge which does my Soul enflame Till it hath Caesar Ptolomy doth claim Who though so much unfit to reign or live Caefar I know will for his safety strive But though his love hath dar'd to promise it Yet juster Heaven dares it not permit And if the Gods an Ear to me afford They shall both perish by each others Sword Such an event would my hearts grief destroy Which now is such a Stranger grown to joy But if ye gods think this too great a thing And but one fall O let it be the King CLEOPATRA Heaven does not govern as our Wills direct CORNELIA But gods what causes promise will effect And do the guilty with revenge pursue CLEOPATRA As they have justice they have mercy too CORNELIA But we may judge as here events have past They now the first will act and not the last CLEOPATRA Their Mercie oft does through their Justice break CORNELIA Queen you as Sister I as Widow speak Each hath her cause of kindness and of hate And both concern'd are in this Princes Fate But by the blood which hath to day been shed We shall perceive whose vows have better sped Behold your Achoreus SCEN. III. To them Achoreus CLEOPATRA But alas I read no good presages in his Face Speak Achoreus let us freely hear What yet deserves my sorrow or my fear ACHOREUS Assoon as Caesar did the Treason know CLEOPATRA 'T is not his Conduct I enquire of now I know he cut and stopt that secret vault Which to him should the Murtherers have brought That to secure the Streets his men he sent Where Photin did receive his Punishment Whose sudden fall Achillas so amaz'd That on th' abandon'd Port he quickly seiz'd Whom the King follow'd and that to the land Antonius all his Souldiers did command Where Caesar join'd him and I thence do guess Achillas punishment and his success ACHOREUS His