Th' one Fortunes gift and th' other our owne merite By which oft times th' afflicted Mind is salued When Fortune takes what we by her inherite Croes I see what braue Desires boyle in thy Soule And make thee with immortall wings to flee This hie-bent courage nothing can controule All Lidia is not large euough for thee Go seeke an Empire equall with thy mind No common limits can confine thy thought But while a full perfection thou wouldst find I feare thy fall turne all our hopes to nought And pardon me deare Sonne it 's a great Loue That makes me watch so warily o're thy wayes Th' affection of a Father what may moue Whom such an eminent danger not dismayes The Heau'ns of late aduertisde me by Dreame That some sadde fortune did attend thy Youth New Meteors and strange Stars through th' aire still streame Which are as Oracles of Ioues owne mouth This was the cause that hastned Vs so much To haue thee bound to Himens hallow'd Law This was the cause that all our care was such Out of our sight all weapons to withdraw Scorne not th' amazing Comets that thou notes The Starres to mortall States haue termes prefixt And thinke not only that my loue but dotes For if thou fall my fate with thine is mixt Atis. Would God I had some meanes once ere my death To satisfie that infinite desart Which I shall hold so long as I haue breath Deepe registred with reu'rence in my hart Yet Sir we see it is a naturall thing For too excessiue loue t' engender feares A sport like this can no great perill bring Where either all delights the eyes or th' eares If from my former deedes I now should shrinke As void of vertue to soft pleasure thrall Of your two Sonnes what might your subiects thinke Th' one wanting but one sense and th' other all What fancies might my late spousd loue possesse To see her husband hatefull in their sights And from the height of Honour to digresse To womanize with courtly vaine delights Though women loue t' haue men at their deuotion They hate base mindes that hatch no noble motion Croes Well well my Sonne I see thou must preuaile Go follow forth the chase vse thine owne will Yet stay or let my words thus much auaile Walke warilie now t' eschue this threatned ill Thy hautie sprite t' attempt all hazards bent I feare transport thee to a fatall strife God grant I be deceau'd yet take good tent Thy ouer-franke courage may betray thy life And deere Adrastus I must let him know What benefites I haue bestow'd on thee Not to vpbraid thee no but for to show How I may trust thee best that 's bound to me When thou from Phrigia come defild with blood And a fraternall violated loue When in a most extreme estate thou stood Chac'd from thy fathers face curst from aboue Thou found me friendlie and my Court thy rest A Sanctuarie sacred for thy safetie Where thou wast entertain'd as pleas'd thee best I thinke those dangers scap't should make thee craftie Yet though I grac'd thee earst t' was but a signe Of a heroick mind that helps the wretched But in thy hands my soule I le now consigne And giue a proofe of loue not to be matched Behold how Atis of our age the shield Whose harme as you haue heard I fear'd ere now Is to go take his pastime in the field And with his custodie I le credit you I must my friend euen feruentlie exhort Wait on my sonne remember of my dreame This dangerouslie delectable sport Doth make me feare the griefe exceede the game Adras I neuer shall those courtesies neglect It irkes me not to thinke nor heare the same For while this sprite these members doth direct All shall concurre to celebrate your fame If t' were your will I would not hence depart Who all such motiues vnto mirth abhore But with my passions heere retird apart Would waile wo past and shun all cause of more For if I striue t' abandon my annoyes I feare my fellowship infect with woe Those that would recreat themselues with ioyes Still strange mishaps attend mee where I go Yet since you will commit this charge to me I le vse all meanes that you may not repent you At lest all my defects faith shall supplie I couet nothing more then to content you Atis. Now for to see this monsters ouglie shape With an enflam'd desire my thoughts do burne And Father be not feard for no mishap I hope soone and victorious to returne Caelia Returne and whither loue O deadlie word That doth import thy parting from my sight I heard thee name mishap ah my deere Lord Should such strict limits bound so large delight O cruell resolution vnkind dealing And canst thou condiscend to leaue me so Or from my presence priuilie thus stealing Thinkst thou to rob a portion of my wo This might indeede to thee yeeld some reliefe To haue thy eares not wounded with my mone But would wound me with a continuall griefe To feare all things where I should feare but one Desist in time from this intended strife With which thy thoughts haue vnaduisdlie entred Remember I haue interest in thy life Which I consent not to be thus aduentred Hast thou not giuen a proofe in thy greene prime That may content the most ambitious hopes Whilst Atis was his owne O then t' was time To follow fancies vnconfined scopes Thy selfe then only camp'd in Fortunes bounds Thou dost endanger Caelia likewise now You sigh her breath she suffer's in your wounds You liue in her and she must dye in you Atis. Life of my soule how do such broken speaches From confusde passions thus abruptlie rise I know my loue thy loue my mind o're-reaches Affection schoold with feares is too too wise I go o're-thwart the fields for sport to range Thy sighs do but my soule with sorrow fill And pardon deere I find this wondrous strange Thou neuer did till now resist my will If I trespasse in aught against my dutie Which makes thee thus my faith for to mistrust Mistrust not yet the chaines of thine owne beautie Which bind all my desires and so they must Are we not now made one such feares o'recome Though I would flie my selfe my selfe do fetter And if that I would flie from whom to whome I can loue none so well none loues me better Haue pittie of those peareles sweete eyes soules pleasures Lest they presage what thou would not haue done The heau'ns had not giu'n me those pretious treasures Of such perfections to be spoyl'd so soone Chorus THose that domine aboue High presidents of heauen By whom all things do moue As they haue order giuen What worldling can arise Against them to repine Whilst castel'd in the skies With prouidence diuine They force th' inferior round Their iudgements to confesse And in their wrath confound Prowd mortals that transgresse The couenant they made With Nature in heauens
with moe kings than other kings with men There as a god in all his subiects sights Which mirth with mourning I must still record He spent or lost a time in al delights That a successefull fortune could afford Till Thessalus for mischiefe but reseru'd Once to his house inuited him to dine Where false Cassander at the table seru'd And as he vsde with water mixt his wine Olym. Alas alas and so it proou'd in th' end But who could feare a benefited friend Rox. The creatures al esteemde of greatest worth That either are in th' earth the sea or th' aire In Persia Arabia or the Ind's brought forth That walke that swim that flie that grow were there Then when that reason drunke with pleasure slept Which all things did aboundantly afford And whilst that nought saue musicke measure kept With Ceres Bacchus onelie was ador'd But when the King beginning was to drinke As strangely moou'd he thundred forth a grone And from the table sodainly did shrinke As one whose strength was at an instant gone Then when he softly was t' a chamber led That Death a title to his bodie claimde The sorrowing souldiers swarmd about his bed With lookes once fierce then for compassion framde But he whome victorie had still arrayd This battell with the rest bent to make euen Did looke like one whome all the world obayd And boasted shortly then to take the heauen Then that he comfort might th' afflicted bands He stretcht them out to kisse respected partes More by the Sword than Scepter honord hands On which it seemde they melted all their harts Last vnto them those generous words he tolde Yet to my life my death doth bring no blot Thus to die yoong in yeeres in glorie olde Of all our familie it is the lot And since that no mo worlds now rest t' orecome It 's time to die I did an Empire found And liu'd and raignde it 's done for which I come Now my great ghost must goe beneath the ground Then hauing thus dischargde all debt of life He with a countnance constant euen in death As too victorious of that fatall strife All th' aire perfuming spent th' imperious breath But when that it once through the camp was known That from the world that world of worth was gone What anguish was it cannot well be showne I had my part yet had not all alone O let that day which makes my dayes all night Be registred amongst the dismall dayes Whose inauspicious and lugubrious light The world with some disaster still dismayes And Babilon curst be thy fatall towres Once seate of Monarches mistresse of all th' earth But from hence-foorth a slaue to forraine powres Still burden'd be thy bounds with blood and dearth Olimp. You need not vse those execrations more Though Babilon of breath that prince depriu'd Yet as an Oracle had told before In Macedonie was his death contriu'd T' Antipater t' was told how diuers times The king against him had beene mou'd to wrath And doom'd as guiltie of opprobrious crimes His sonne in law Lincestes vnto death And he had heard the king did strictly trie How his Lieutenants had their places vsde Still making all as traitours strait to die That had the same in any sort abusde Then he that priuate was t' his owne misdeeds Had learnd by others what he might exspect As whose ambitious breast in pride exceeds And alwayes did a soueraigntie affect But when Craterus was nam'd to his place And he in his requir'd the warres t' attend He thought that it was but a meanes t' embrace To plague his pride with a deserued end Then to preuent that which I thinke was still More fear'd by him then purposde by the king With guiltie thoughts best exercisde in ill He sought what might to death his soueraigne bring And this the traytor compassde at the last As I alas haue learnde although too late When to my sonne his sonne Cassander past As to congratulate his prosprous state Then in his companie he did retaine A poyson powrefull where it was imploy'd Whose violence no mettall could restraine But in a horses hoofe was still conueigh'd He and his brother then th' advantage watchde And for their prince a cup of poyson made Thus he that neuer was by th' enemies matchde Doth by the treason of his friends lye dead Rox. And could or durst those traytors be so bold The glory of the world to vndermine But ah Madam Antipater of old Against your greatnesse alwayes did repine And I remember on a time he sent A Messenger of minde to make you bow That to your sonne a letter did present Full of inuectiues to discredite you The king whilst reading what it did comprise Did with a scornefull smile t' Hephestion say In writing of such things he is not wise Which straight one mothers teare will wash away Olimp. My sonne indeed I many a time aduisde How that disloyall man striu'd to be great But as a womans wit mine was despisde And wrested still vnto the sense of hate Yet of my sonne I thought the deeds were such That t'admiration com'd they past enuy And that none durst his sacred person touch On which the daunted world did whole relye How oft haue I those bitter throwes allowde By which I brought that demi-god to light And well I might of such a birth be prowde That made me glorious in the peoples sight Though diuers too as I haue sometime knowne T' estrange his loue from me did wayes t' prepare Yet were their slights by duteous loue ore-t hrowne And I respected with a reuerent care His tender loue towards me was much extolde Then when he sought t' establish a decree That I amongst th'Imortalls might b' enrold And as t' a Goddesse honors done to me Ah how can I this tragicke time suruiue That lost a sonne so great a sonne so kinde And th' only meanes that make me now to liue Is with reuenge hope t' entertaine my minde Rox. His loue towards you no doubt behoou'd t' abound By nature parents of their owne are lou'd But those towards whom he by no bond was bound Of his humanitie the fruits haue prou'd His clemencie did make his state more sure Then all the terrors rising from his name Which whilst he liu'd did publike loue procure And after death a neuer dying fame Th' vnhappy Sisigambis taking heart Of her owne naturall sonne the death suruiu'd And t' Alexander did that loue impart The which was due to Darius whilst he liu'd But when the tidings wounded had her eares That from the world was robde that glory of men Then suddenly dissoulde in floods of teares She hated life as neuer spoilde till then And with her widdow'd-nephew at her feete That of Hephestion did the death bewayle Her soule amidst a sea of woes did fleet Whose forces as ouer-whelmde began to fayle Then barrde from food she groueling did abide Till that the course of life t'an end was runne Thus she suruiude
anguish that o're-whelms me so Though many Monarchs iealously despise The rising Sunne that their declining staines And hate the Heire who by their fall must rise As grieu'd to heare of death or others raignes My loue towards Atis otherwise appeard Whom whilst for him I did my cares engage I as a Father lou'd as King not feard The comfort not th' encombrance of mine age And hadst thou Sonne as reason would suruiu'd me Who glauncd and vanish'd like a lightning-flash Then death of life could neuer haue depriu'd me Whilst such a Phaenix had reuiu'd my ash San. Let not these woes ecclypse your Vertues light Croes Ah! rage and griefe must once be at a hight San. Striue of your sorrows for to stop the source Croes These salt eie-floods must flow haue their course San. That is not kingly Croes And yet it is kindly Where passions do domine they gouerne blindly San. Such wofull plaints cannot repaire your State Croes Th' infortunate at least may waile their Fate The meanest comfort can t' a wretch retourne Is in calamine t' haue leaue to mourne San. What graue-browd Stoick voyd of all affections With teare-lesse eyes could that Youths death behold Though greene in yeeres yet ripe in all perfections A hoarie iudgement vnder lockes of gold No no man liues but must lament to see The worlds chiefe hope euen in his blossome choaked But men cannot controll the Heau'ns decree And mischiefe done can neuer be reuoked Then let not this torment your mind no more This crosse with you alike your Countrie beares If wailing could your ruinde State restore Soules fraught with griefe should sayle in Seas of teares Lest all our comfort dash against one shelfe And his vntimely end occasion yours Haue pitie of your people spare your selfe If not to your owne vse yet vnto ours Croes When Sandanis I first thy faith did find Thou diu'd so deepely in my bosorn then That since thou kept the key still of my mind And knew what I conceald from other men Behold I go to open vp to you Deare Treasurer of all my secrets still A mightie enterprise I mind for now A Phisicke in some sort t' asswage my ill Which may vnto my soule yield some reliefe And make me to forgoe sad thoughts content Or els acquire copartners in my griefe If not for me yet with me to lament Sand. This benefite must bind me with the rest To loue your Maiestie and wish you well I 'le giue you my aduise and I protest That you take friendly what I freely tell Croes Since that it hath not pleasde the Diuine powres That of my of-spring I might comfort claime Yet lest the rauenous course of flying howres Should make a prey of my respected name I hope t' engender such a generous brood That the vnborne shall know how I haue liu'd And this no doubt would do my ghost great good To be by famous Victories reuiu'd I 'le Eagle-like so are with Fames immortall wings Vnlesse my hie-bent thoughts themselues deceaue That hauing acted admirable things I may scorne death and triumph o're the graue Yet haue I not so settled my conceate That all opinions are to be despisde Vnfold your iudgement touching my estate Take heed I 'le tell you what I haue deuisde Some Scithian Shepherd in a high disdaine As I haue heard rehearst by true discourses To plague some of the Medes with endlesse paine Did entertaine them with Thiestes courses And to content their more then Tigrish wishes They with the infants flesh the parents fed Who not suspecting such polluted dishes Did in their bowels burie whom they bred Then after this abhominable crime They come vnto my fathers famous court And working on th' aduantage of the time Did as they pleas'd of what was past report They shew'd what seru'd to help and hid the rest Whilst pittie pleaded for afflictions part He noble-minded fauouring the distrest Was woon to them by this Sinonick art San. Oft Kings of Iudges thence haue parties gone Where both their eares were patent but to one Croes Then Ciaxare Monarch of the Medes To prosecute those fugitiues to death In indignation of my fathers deedes Did boast them both with all the words of wrath My father thinking that his court should be A sanctuarie for all supplicants Did leuie men that all the world might see He helpt the weake and scorn'd the mighties vaunts Thus mortall warres on euery side proclaim'd With mutuall domage did continue long Till both the armies by Bellona tam'd Did irke t' auenge or to maintaine a wrong It chanc'd whilst peace was at the highest dearth That all their forces furiouslie did fight A suddaine darkenes courtain'd vp the earth And violentlie dispossest the light I thinke for Phaeton the Sunne lookt sad And that the bloodie obiects that he saw Did wound his memorie with griefe gone mad He from the world his wagon did withdraw Yet Ignorance the mother of confusion With wresting natures course found cause of feares Which well edg'd on by wiser mens illusion Was cause of concord and of truce from teares Then straight there was a perfect peace begunne And that it might more constantly indure Astiages the King of Medias sonne A mariage with my Sister did procure A deadlie rancour reconcil'd againe Must seal'd with consanguinitie remaine Croes He since his fathers age-worne course was ended Hath rulde his people free from blood or strife Till now a Viper of his loynes discended Would by his ruine make himselfe a life I meane by Cyrus base Cambises brood Who by a Bitch nurst with the countrey swaines Degener'd farre from any princely blood The doggish nature of his nurse retaines He come against his Grandfather to feeld And vnexpected with a mightie powre Ouerthrew his forces forc'd himselfe to yeeld Who captiue kept now waits for death each howre That you may see now what my interest is I made recitall of this ruthfull storie Those circumstances shew that shame of his Tends to the derogation of our glorie That any dare presume to trouble thus One whome our kingdomes fauour should defend In strict affinitie combind with vs Yet not respected for so great a friend My ioylesse soule with this will be reioyc'd Whilst I to warre against that rebell go I hope that both shall know how they haue choyc'd Th' one a kind friend and th' other a fearce fo San. Though Natures law you car'd not to transgresse And this your wrong'd allye would not repare Yet the regard t' a Monarch in distresse Should moue the mightie with a mutuall care These terrours to that thunder in your eare I thinke the Lidians will not well allow For when the Cedar falls the Oake may feare Th' Assirians ore-throw may astonish you And when we see our neighbours house afire Then we may iudge our owne to be in danger It 's better first with others to conspire Or we be forc'd our selues t' inuade that stranger Ah this is but the out-side
not die desperately by mine owne hand I le die through others guilt not through mine owne None of you all haue falsified your troath But with me loyall still to th' end yee abide Now I you all disburthâ—n of your oath Leaue me alone and for your selues prouide Exeunt DARIVS O Wretched Monarchie vaine mortals choice The glorious stâ—p to a disgrace-full fall Our pow'r depends vpon the peoples voice And to seeme soueraigne needs we must serue all Yet blowne like blathers with ambitions winde On enuied scepters weaklie we relie And calling not our fraile estate to minde Not onlie earth but heauens themselues defie This hellish hag our restlesse minde doth tosse While carried with a popular applause T' enlarge our limites with our neighbours losse We of our owne confusions are the cause And when th' ecclipse comes of our glories light Then what auailes th' adoring of our name A meere illusion made to mock the sight Whose best was but the shaddow of a dreame Let greatnesse of her glascie scepters vaunt Not sceptours no but reeds soone brus'd soone brokeÌ„ And let this worldlie pompe our wits inchant All fades and scarcelie leaues behinde a token Those golden Pallaces those gorgeous halles With fourniture superfluouslie faire Those statelie Courts those sky-encountring walles Evanish all like vapours in the aire O what affliction iealous greatnesse beares That still must trauell to hold others downe Whil'st all our guardes not guard vs from our feares So greevous is the burthen of a Crowne Where are they all who at my feete did bowe While I was made the idole of so many What ioy had I not then what haue I nowe Then honoured of all now scarce of any Our painted pleasures but apparrell paine We spend our dayes in dread our liues in dangers Balles to the starres and thralles to Fortunes raigne Knowne vnto all yet to our selues but strangers A golden Crowne doth couer leaden cares The Scepter cannot lulle their thoughts a-sleepe Whose breasts are fraught with infinite dispaires Of which the vulgar wits sounds not the deepe The Bramble growes although it be obscure While mightie Cedars feele the blustering windes And milde Plebeian spirits may lieu secure While mightie tempests tosse imperiall mindes What are our daies but dreames our raignes but traÌ„ces Whil'st brain-sick reaving with our Fortunes feuer We still are vext with changes and mischances Till death vs both from life and scepter seuer The vanitie of greatnesse I haue proou'd And beene the wonder of each gazing eye Now that deceauing shaddow is remoou'd And I my wretched state too late espie Now bound with chaines which though they be of gold Diminish not my thraldome ought the more When this preposterous honour I beholde It but vpbraides me what I was before And what was I before though to each eye The forme of my affliction was not knowne But fettred in effect while I seem'd free And in a labyrinth of labours throwne Was I not bound to serue then all mens humour Or to be censur'd with some Critick storie Still clog'd with cares as slought for euery rumour O glorious bondage burthen-able glorie That dignitie which deified me late And made the world doe homage to my name Now cannot succour my accursed state But hath with my mis-fortune fethered same My best was but a momentarie blis Which leaues behinde this euerlasting sting That of all woe no woe is like to this To thinke I was and am not now a King No man with me in all accomplish'd ioyes That satisfie the soule could once compare No man may matche me now in sad annoyes And all the miseries that breede dispaire Thrise Fortune did my gallant troupes entrap And I to fall did desperately stand Yet could not be so happie in mishap As for t' haue died by some renowmed hand But for my greater griefe disgrace and scorne The mindes of men so apt are to deceaue They whome aloft my favours wings haue borne Ev'n they made me their maister thus a slaue Ah did not death in prison from me reaue The sacred soueraigne of my soules desires I wretch not being present to receaue The last cold kisse that might asswage my fires Yet ô thrise happie thou that hast not liu'd To beare a burthen of this great disgrace More then a thousand deaths this had thee grieu'd To know I died and died in such a cace Ah doe the pledges of our mutuall loue The onlie comfort that the fates haue left me Rest prison'd yet And may I not remooue My mother thence then is all blisse bereft me My paines are more then with my pleasures ev'n Since first I in authoritie did enter Was I exalted once vp to the heau'n To be cast head-long downe to mischiefes center My ample Empire and my Princelie birth My great magnificence and vaine excesse All cannot yeelde my minde one minutes mirth To ease me now in this extreame distresse Loe heere reduc'd vnto the worst of illes Past helpe past hope and only great in griefe I wait vpon two abiect vassals willes And dare not no not thinke vpon reliefe Death would I scorne my course must once haue ruÌ„ If I had first repair'd mine honours breach Whose wounds so thrill my soule as vnbegun The life I wish that does my fame impeach This mortall vaile I willinglie resigne Since to an ende my dayes the destinies bring Nor will I so from Maiestie decline As to doe ought vn-worthie of a King Exit CHORVS SOme new disasier day lie doth for showe Our comming ruine We haue seene our best Now fortune bent vs vtterly t' ore-throw Throwes down our King from her wheels top so low As by no meanes his state can be redrest And since his foes by armes haue him opprest His friendes and seruants leaue him all alone Few haue compassion of his state distrest Yea false to him them selues doe many show So foes and fâ—ined friendes conspire in one Fraile Fortune and the fates with them agree With axes all runne on this falling tree This Prince in prosperous state hath florish'd long And neuer dream'd of any euill successe But was well follow'd while his state was strong Him flattering Syrens with a charming song Striu'd to exalt while-as he did possesse This earthly drosse that with a vaine excesse He might reward their mercenary loue But now when fortune driues him to distresse His fauorites whom he remain'd among With foes and fortune straight their faith remoue And who for gaine to follow him were wont They after gaine by his destruction hunt O more then happie ten times were that King Who were vnhappie but a little space So that it did no vtter ruine bring But made him proue a profitable thing Who of his traine did best deserue his grace Then could and would of those the best imbrace And flie such vultures as deuour him liuing That these whom he found faithful might have place O how this doth a generous stomacke sting To see some grac'd for craft
mischances Would force compossion from your greatest foe Where all the griefe-begetting circumstances Doe ioyne to make a harmony in woe But naturall loue doth at our selfe begin It mooues farre more to feele then heare mishaps The perturbation that my sprite is in Me in a maze of miscontentments wraps We should such past misfortunes pretermit At least no more immoderately lament them And as for those which are but comming yet Vse ordinary meanes for to preuent them Adrast No wonder Sir although you take great care Lest all your hopes in Atis person perish Croes I will by all the meanes I may prepare To saue his youth that he my age may cherish If it be possible for mortall states To striue against the Starres and be more strong I 'le vnarme Fortune and resist the fates By barring both all meanes to do me wrong I haue commanded vnder paine of death That no such weapon be within my walles As I suppos'd should haue abridg'd his breath T' eschew such sudden euill as rashly falles He shall goe rarely to the fields and then With chosen bands be guarded all the time Loe where he communes with some countrey-men We will go trie what they would haue of him Act. III. Scen. II. CHORVS of countreymen CROESVS ATIS ADRASTVS CAELIA Lend Sir a willing eare to humble wordes Let not our basenesse barre vs from your grace Which still it selfe alike to all affords Who blesse their sight with that Maiestike face My Soueraigne all his subiects well remembers As vile as our estate is thought of now You are our head and we are of your members And you must care for vs we care for you Our pouertie to vs is no reproach Which th' innocencie of our mind adorn's We neuer on our neighbours bounds encroach But by our labours liue midst many thornes And euer busied for the Countries good We haue no time to muse of vaine conceates Yet earning with continuall toile our food We entertaine the pompe of prowder States And Sir conceiue not of our meaning ill That thus dare speake so freely as we do Whilst mediators do dilate our will They wrest it as they will and wracke vs too To count'nance such as vs you neede not shunne A great man too well grac'd may do more harme And t' is no staine vnto the glorious Sunne Though oft his beames an abiect obiect warme Croes Be not discourag'd by your base estate Yee are my people and I 'le heare your plaint A King must care for all both small and great And for to helpe th' afflicted neuer faint The Scepter such as these should chiefely shrowd Not cotages but Castles spoile the Land T' aduance the humble and t' abate the prowd This is a Vertue that makes Kings to stand Cor. Sir our estate some speedy helpe requires In Misia neere vnto the famous Mountaine Of great Olimpus that the World admires There haunt's a Boare by Dianaes Fountaine Of a big body and a hideous forme His fomie Iawe with tuskes like Iauelins strikes And all parts in deformitie conforme His backe hath bristles like to yron Pikes This Monster of Nature wonder of Men The Forrests tyran and the Countries terrour Teares all to death and drawes them to his Den That chance into his way by fatall errour Whilst tender-hearted Mothers do bewaile The goared Infants toyling in their blood Th' abhominable beast them doth assaile And in his bowels buries both for food Then when we fly the field where he soiournes To haue his hunger or his rage alayde He wastes the fruites and ruines all the cornes Thus the poore husbands hopes are all betrayde Ere this of true Repose we were the types And pastur'd on each plaine our fleecie flockes And made a consort of our warbling pypes With mouing christals th' issue of the rockes And sometime to refresh vs after trauell With flowrie garlands shielded from Sunne-beames We gazd vpon Pactolus golden grauell Glassd bathd and quenchd our thirst with his pure streames Whilst we preferd the Riuer seemd amazd Vnto his golden bed his grassye bancke And lay and lookd whereas our cattell grazd Without all enuie of a greater ranke That to represse oppression you take care This rest of ours is an effectuall token Your Lawes like Spiders webs do not ensnare The feeble flies and by the Bees are broken For we by them are fenc'd from great mens pride The Heau'ns perpetuate your prosp'rous raigne And suffer not this sauage Boare t' abide To turne that ease which men haue spar'd to paine Croes What would ye then that should be done by me For to repay your losse repayre this wrong Chorus We craue none of your wealth yet wish to see This Boare be-blood the staffe of the most strong Let valorous Atis worthily your sonne Backd with the best of all the Lidian Youth Go to the fields before the rising Sunne Quench with the mornings teares his mid-dayes drouth And we shall leade them crownd with lawrell forth Where in a circuit small yet a large Theater For men to make a tryall of their worth This Monster stayes th' earth neuer nurc'd a greater So shall we both reape profite and they pleasure Which may be brought to passe without great obstacle By making this waster of the worlds treasure Of a horrid sight a delightfull spectacle Croes I may not spare my Sonne for a respect Which is not needfull now for to be knowne But I 'le send others for the same effect That this pestiferous Beast may be o'rethrowne Th' ostentiue gallants that our Grace attend And wait th' occasion but t' aduance their strength Against the Boare shall all their forces bend With houndes and darts still till he fall at length I sweare this Monster shall when he is dead A memorable monument remaine To Dians Church I 'le consecrate his head The Virgin-goddesse darts no shaft in vaine Atis. Ah wherein Father haue I thus offended Or what vile signe of a degenerd mind Haue you remark'd in me that euer tended To the reproch of our Imperiall kind That of this praise you would giue me no part But barre me from a famous enterprise As one vnworthie for to weeld a dart Who still in vile repose inglorious lies Lies like a wanton with vaine thoughts bewitchd Who spoyld of force effeminately liues A Peacocke but with painted pennes enrichd Yet poore in all the parts that Glorie giues What glorie giues those glorious Styles to me Which by succession fall not by desart Should but my Fame with borrowd feathers flee For come of Kings a kingdome is my part Who only by his Birth aduancement claimes Like a base bastard doth his birth-right blote I will not beg my worth from dead mens names Nor conquer Credit only by my Cote What comforts this to brooke th' Imperiall seate And all the blisse that Maiestie impartes If those whom only we exceed in State Be our Superiors in farre better partes More then a Crowne true Worth is to be valued
for my offences Which once no doubt will with the world be euen And iudge our thoughts words acts and vaine pretences Sonne t' is my pride that hath procurde thy fall I 'm guiltie of thy blood I gaue the wound Which was thy death and whose remembrance shall My life each day with many deaths confound Then iniust Stars your statutes I contemne O! if I were confronted with the gods I would their partiall prouidence condemne That in such sort do exercise their rods Ah! my Sonnes death doth shew their iudgement naught What could he perpetrate against such Powres Should he haue suffred for his Fathers fault Whom without cause their wrong-spent wrath deuours Now all the world those deities may despise Which plague the guiltlesse and the guiltie spare Cease haples man t' outrage thy selfe thus waies I pardon thee and pitie thy despaire Adrast. O cruell iudgement of a rigorous fate Must I o're-liue my selfe t' entombe my Fame All things that I behold vpbraid my state Too many monuments of one mans shame All and no more then I my deedes detest Yet some not find a friend I find no foe To rid the world of such a dangerous pest Borne but to be an instrument of woe I know what makes all worthie mindes refraine The sword against a Catife for to stretch They this opprobrious office do disdaine To be the Deaths-men of so base a wretch Or must I yet a fouler fact commit And fill the world with th' horrour of my name Is there some new disaster resting yet And other funerals famous by my shame Or would some bastard thought lifes cause debate That in the blasted field of comfort gleanes No no in spite of heau'n I 'le force my fate One that 's resolu'd to die cannot want meanes Prowd tyrant Death and must thou make it strange Tinvolue my wearied soule in further strife Vnlesse my courage with my fortune change I can appoint a Period to my life But this Ay me all hope of helpe deuours What gaines my soule by death in those sad times If potent still in all her wonted powres She must remember of my odious crimes What though vnbodied she the world forsake Yet cannot from her conscience be diuorc'd It will but vexe her at the shadowie Lake Till euen to grone the god of ghosts be forc'd But welcome death and O would God I had Lesse famous or more fortunately liu'd Then had I neuer showne my selfe so mad T' haue only been by infamie suruiu'd Ah! haue I liu'd to see my Ladie die And die for me for me not worth so much Ah! haue I liu'd vnnaturall man to be My Brothers death whose loue to me was such Ah! haue I liu'd with mine owne hands to kill A gallant Prince committed to my charge And do I gaze on the dead body still And in his Fathers sight my shame enlarge Ah! haue I liu'd O execrable Monster To be accounted of a diu'lish nature And euen by them that best my actions conster For to be cal'd and iustly cal'd a Traitour Yet with my blood this staine away I 'le wash And lest my memorie make th' earth detracted Let my name perish in my bodies ash And all my life be as a thought vnacted Braue Atis now I come to pleade for grace Although thou frown'st on my affrighted ghost And to reuenge thy wrong this wound embrace Thus thus I toile t' attaine the Stygian coast Cho. The man himselfe doth desperately wound With leaden lights weake legs and head declinde The body in disdaine doth beate the ground That of his members one hath prou'd vnkinde The fainting hand falles trembling from the sword With this micidiall blow for shame growne red Which strait the blood pursues with vengeance stor'd To drowne the same with the same floods it shed Who of those parties can the combate show Where both but one one both strooke and sustaind Or who shall triumph for this strange ore'throw Whereas the Victor lost the Vanquish'd gaind Croes Cursde eies what sudden change hath drownd your lights And made your mirthfull obiects mournfull now Ye that were still inurde to stately sights Since seated vnder an Imperiall brow O'reclouded now with vapours of my cares Are low throwne downe vnto a hell of griefe And haue no prospect but my soules despaires The sad beholders of a rare mischiefe O dead Adrastus I absolue thy ghost Whose hand some secret destinie did charme Thou hated by the Heau'ns wert to thy cost An accidentall Actor of our harme No doubt some angrie God hath layd this snare And whilst thy purpose was the Boare to kill Did intercept thy shaft amidst the aire And threw it at my Sonne against thy will Ah Sonne must I be witnesse of thy death Who view thee thus with violence to bleed And yet want one on whom to powre my wrath To take iust vengeance for so vile a deed This wretch whose guiltlesse mind hath cleard his hand Grieu'd for his error loe vnforcd doth fall And not as one that did in danger stand For he liu'd still till I forgaue him all Thus haue I but the heau'ns on whom I may Powre forth the poyson of my troubled spirite In my soules bitternesse I 'm forcd to say This seconds not their custome and my merite Act. IIII. Scen. II. SANDANIS CROESVS WHy spend you Sir with sighs th' Imperious breath Which nought but words of Soueraigntie should breed O weake reuenge for one that 's wrongd by death T' adorne his triumph with a mourning weed This pale-fac'd tyrant author of our ill Who did t' ecclypse our Ioyes that blacke shaft borrow Should you frame Trophees to his Tigrish will And weare his liuery and succumbe to sorrow No though he might this outward blisse o're-throw And you saue you of all that 's yours might spoyle Yet whilst of one that yields no signe you show You triumph still and he receiues the foyle Th' o're-flowing humor that would drowne your soule In baser breasts might better be excusde Who want the sprite their passions to controule As from their birth still to subiection vsde But you in whom high Thoughts haue been innate To this decay how is your Vertue come I blush to see my Soueraigne so abated And Maiestie by miserie o'recome Nor are my words out of a rockie mind T' unnaturallize you as not feeling smart No none can barre a Prince from being kind Th' undoubted badge of an Heroick hart That supreme Powre by which great States do stand Should order but th' affection not vndoe it And I could wish you might your selfe command Which though you may not well yet seeme to doe it Croes I will not now rehearse t' enlarge my griefe On what iust reasons my laments are grounded But still will muse vpon mine owne mischiefe While as my soule a thousand wayes is wounded What pensiue pensill euer limm'd aright The sad conceats of soule-consuming woe Ah! words are weake to shew the swelling hight Of th' inward
expressing of the toong Who euer did full satisfaction finde Yet with satietie were neuer cloy'd We seem'd two bodies gouern'd by one mind Such was the happines that we enioy'd He lou'd me deerely I obey'd his will Prowd of my selfe because that I was his A harmonie remaind betwixt vs still Each in another plac'd their chiefest blisse This mou'd th'Immortalls to a high disdaine That thus two worldlings who of death were heires Should in a paradise of ioyes remaine Which did exceede at least did equall theirs But chiefly Iuno did dispight it most Who through a iealousie still iarres with Ioue That bodie-prison'd soules of that could boast Which she although Heauens Queene had not aboue Thus euen for enuy of our rare delights The fatall Sisters by the heauens subborn'd Of my soules treasure closd the louely lights By which they thought the earth too much adorn'd O but he is not dead he liues in me Ah but I liue not for I dide in him The one without the other can not be If death haue set his eyes mine must looke dim Since to my sight that Sunne no more appeer'd From whom my beauties borrowed all their rayes A long ecclipse that neuer shall be cleer'd Hath darkned all the points of my sad dayes Ay me I liue too long he dide too soone Thus still the worst remaine the best depart Of him who told how this black deede was done The words like swords shall euer wound my hart Fierce tyrant Death that in thy wrath didst take One halfe of me and left an halfe behind Take this to thee or giue me th' other backe Be altogether cruell or all kind For whilst I liue thou canst not wholy dye O! euen in spite of death yet still my choyce Oft with th' Imaginations loue-quicke eye I thinke I see thee and I heare thy voyce And to content my languishing desire Each thing to ease my mind some helpe affords I fancie whiles thy forme and then afire In euery found I apprehend thy words Then with such thoughts my memorie to wound I call to mind thy lookes thy words thy grace Where thou didst haunt yet I adore the ground And where thou stept O sacred seemes that place My solitary walks my widowd bed My driery sighs my sheets oft bathd with teares These can record the life that I haue led Since first sad newes breath'd death into mine eares I liue but with despaire my sprite to dash Thee first I lou'd with thee all loue I leaue For my chaste flames extinguishd in thy ash Can kindle now no more but in thy graue By night I wish for day by day for night Yet wish farre more that none of both might bee But most of all that banishd from the light I were no more their courses for to see At night revoluing my despaird estate I go to summe with sighs my wonted ioyes When in an agonie a grieu'd conceate Doth blot th' unperfect compt with new annoyes When Sleepe the eldest brother of pale Death The Child of darkenesse and Father of rest In a free prison hath confinde my breath That it may vent but not with words exprest Then with my sprite thou enterst for to speake With honyed speaches to appease my griefe And my sad heart that labourd for to breake In this fayn'd comfort finds a while reliefe Yea it our soules remaind vnited so This late diuorcement would not vexe my mind But when I waken it augments my woe Whilst this a dreame and me a wretch I find O happy if I had been happy neuer But happier if my happinesse had lasted Yet had I in this state chanc'd to perseuer My dayes had with excessiue ioyes soone wasted Why waste I thus whilst vainely I lament The precious treasure of that swift Post Time Ah! pardon me deare Loue for I repent My lingring here my Fate and not my crime Since first thy body did enrich the Tombe In this spoild world my eye no pleasure sees And Atis Atis loe I come I come To be thy Mate amongst the Mirtle trees CHORVS LOe all our time euen from our birth In nought but miserie exceeds For where we find a moments mirth A Month of mourning still succeeds By all the euills that Nature breeds Which daily do our sprites appall Th' infirmities that frailtie sends The losse of it that fortune lends And such disasters as oft fall Yet to farre worse our states are thrall Whilst wretched man with man contends And euery one his whole force bends How to procure anothers losses But this torments vs most of all The mind of man which many a fancie tosses Doth forge vnto it selfe a thousand crosses O how the Soule with all her might Doth all her heau'nly forces straine How to attaine vnto the light Of Natures wonders that remaine Hid from our eyes we striue in vaine To seeke out things that are vnsure In Sciences to seeme profound We diue so deepe we find no ground And the more knowledge we procure The more it doth our minds allure Of mysteries the depth to sound Thus our desires we neuer bound Which by degrees thus drawne on still The memorie may not indure But like the tubs that Danaus daughters fill Doth drinke no faster then it 's forc'd to spill Yet how comes this and O how can Diuine Knowledge the Soules chiefe treasure Occasion such a crosse to man That should afford him greatest pleasure O it 's because we cannot measure The limits that to it belong But for to tempt forbidden things Do soare too high with Natures wings Still weakest whilst we thinke vs strong The Heau'ns that thinke we do them wrong To trie what in suspence still hings This crosse vpon vs iustly brings With knowledge knowledge is confusde And growes a griefe ere it be long That which a blessing is being rightly vsde Doth grow the greatest crosse when it 's abusde Ah! what auailes this vnto vs Who in this vaile of woes abide With endlesse toile to studie thus To learne the thing that Heau'n would hide And trusting in too blind a guide To spie the Planets how they moue And too transgressing common barres The constellation of the starres And all that is decreed aboue Whereof as oft th' euent doth proue Th' intelligence our welfare marres And in our breasts breeds endlesse warres Whilst what our Horoscopes foretell Our expectations do disproue Those apprehended plagues proue such a Hell That we would wish t' vnknow them till they fell This is the pest of great Estates They by a thousand meanes deuise How to foreknow their doubtfull Fates And like new Giants scale the Skies Heau'ns secret store-house to surprise Which sacriligious skill we see With what great payne they apprehend it And then how foolishly they spend it To learne the thing that once must be Why should we seeke our destinie If it be good we long attend it If it be euill none may amend it Such knowledge further rest exiles T' is best to abide
re-enforced his troupes comming forwarder to fight with greater force then before was enformed how his wife had died in prison whose death he bewaild with exceeding great sorrowe And vnderstanding what courtesie Alexander had vsed towards her he sent to sue for peace not for any feare of his force but allured as he alledged by his courtesie This sute being likewise reiected he fought beside Arbella with no better Fortune then before Yet for all these misfortunes being of an inuincible courage and dispayring of peace he re-assembled all his forces which were augmented by the comming of the Bactrians was comming forward with intention at last either to die or preuaile But in the meane time two traiterous subiects of his owne to wit Bessus whom he had promoted to be gouernour of Bactria Nabarzanes one in speciall credite with him conspired his death VVhich danger though it was reuealed to him by Patron Captaine of the Greekes yet he could not or rather would not eschue At length those two traitours tooke and bound him with golden chaines and cast him in an olde Chariot with purpose to present him to Alexander But they hearing how he would not accept their present and how he was comming to inuade them threw their darts at Darius and left him for dead In this estate he was found by Polistratus and after the deliuery of some fewe words dyed Alexander hauing exceedinglie lamented his miserable and vndeserued end directed his bodie to his mother Sisigambis to be honourably buried The persons names that speakes Darius Sisigambis his mother Statira Re. his wife Statira Virg his daughter Tiriotes their Eunuch Nabarzanes two traitours Bessus two traitours Patron Captaine of the mercenary Greekes Nuntius Alexander Parmenio his Lieutenant Hephestion his Minion Polistratus a souldier Artabazus a noble man of Persia Chorus all Persians The Scene supposed in Babilon THE TRAGEDY OF DARJVS Actus Primus DARIVS WHat thundering power grow'n jealous of my state With such hostilitie my troupes o're-throwes And arm'd with lightning breathing flames of hate Big with disdaine high indignation showes Whil'st sooth'd with selfe conceits asham'd to doubt In greatnesse shadowe I securelie slept Lo change-affecting Fortune wheeles about And ruines all that me from ruine kept Thus I whose onlie name amaz'd my foes Whom th' earth ador'd as Monarche once ouer all Am so degraded now and sunke in woes That who admir'd my might admire my fall Ah then indeed I fell when gallants stood And Phoenix-like renew'd their life by death Who hauing seald their force and faith with blood Would rather die then draw a borrowed breath Yet I but then not I view'd not aveng'd Those monstrous mountaines of my subjects slaine Although my conscience hath my courage cleng'd And knowes what valour was employ'd in vaine Through greatest dangers death I did pursue Till heapes of slaughtred bodies bar'd my way And chang'd my Chariot to a scarlet hue Ere wounded honour could be drawne away O how I enuy yet their happie Ghostes Who died whil'st hope of victorie remain'd And in the presence of two famous hostes Left bloodie recordes that they died vnstain'd Shall I suruiue that soule-ouerwhelming shame To be th' eternall staine of Persians praise No rather let me die and let my name Be quite exstinguish'd with my hatefull dayes Starre-bosting Babilon blush to behold One cald thy King surmounted and abated How may thy Towrs but tremble when it 's told Thy Prince entreats whome Princes earst entreated Not vassal-like I will not yeeld to this Were all my Empire to a period come Yet none shall vaunt that euer I was his Hartes holding courage are not all o're-come This tongue inur'd still to command doth scorne To breath base words to scape a minutes paines Let them obey who to obey were borne For Darius this indignitie disdaines Since I was once iudg'd worthie to command Shall I returne to be a base entreater No whil'st a sword yeelds homage to this hand I le not acknowledge in the world a greater Braue spirites who now possesse the pleasant bowers And glorious gardens of th' Elisian plaine For if deserts may moue th' infernall powers That happie shade your shadowes must containe Those fields where-as your praises are set forth Do burie but your bodies not your fame Men shall adore the relickes of your worth And reare immortall Trophees to your name I le sacrifize as incense to your soules His dying sighes and sorrowing parents teares Who now while none his insolence controules Our conquer'd ensignes in his triumphe beares For it may ease your Ghostes to heare his grones Whil'st th' earth ouer-burdend sends rebounding back A plaintife Echo from the woods and stones To sound through all the aire his armies wrack Why spend I speaches to disturbe your rest What idle disputations do I hold A mightie furour hath enflam'd my brest And burnes me till I be aueng'd seuen-fold Did I that strong Cadusian first affront Who durst aduance himselfe to braue our bandes Then turn'd applauded and in high account Charg'd with his spoiles the honour of my hands And could I then all kinde of doubt remoouing Aduenter only to an Armies shame And should I now that auncient praise disprouing With squadrons compast loose that glorious name Blinde fortune O thy stratagems are strange Thou wrak'st my greatnes wound'st mine honour to And hauing made my state the stage of change Hast acted all inconstancie could do Lo I who late of swarming troupes did bost Am spoil'd of all in whome I then repos'd And those imprison'd whome I fancie most Are to th' insulting victours pride expos'd O torment but to thinke death to beleeue That any may command my deerest part And wretched I notable to releeue The Iewell of mine eye ioy of my hart Deere obiect of my thoughtes my life my loue Sweete source of my delights my one my all Bright Image of excellencies aboue What do'st thou breath and com'st not when I call And can I be and not be where thou art Hath heauen the force me from thy face to barre Or are my hands growne traitors to my hart That they should shrinke from doing what it dare O could my minde but distribute a space These emulating thoughts that tosse my brest Among those pointles Cyphers that spend place Then I alone might animate the rest Since in this great disgrace I chanc'd to fall Now nothing rests to rase my fame forlorne But to doe desperatly and hazard all I le liue with praise or by my death flie scorne Some prosperous issue afterward may purge This crime with which th' euent would burthen me This crime that carries with it selfe a scourge No greater torment than the want of thee But what hope rests to re-obtaine that treasure Which auaritious tyrants once possesse Another now disposes at his pleasure Of all my wealth how can I looke for lesse Now not till now I deeme my state in danger When I imagine how my best belou'd Must
wonderfully thirst Per. Where do you think that we should then begin And exercise hostility at first Eu. Though we our selues in strangers thrones instal And hauing Asia to subiection brought Make Nilus Indus and Euphrates thrall Yet all those victories would serue for nought Whilst martiall Macedonie liuing free The spring that still will powre new armies forth Doth not acknowledge you her king to be Nor hath not proou'd your militarie worth To those that would pursue a Prince in armes His chiefest realme the greatest vantage giues Where if the warre hold out t' is with his harmes Since that within his bowells th' enemy liues And warres protracted with a peoples losse Doe from their soueraigne alienate their loue They lose their hearts whom fortune once doth crosse And foild at home can no where else remoue He that hath Macedonie hath the best Which of our Monarchie the Mistresse is That conquerd hath couragiously the rest And but depends on Mars as onely his If you were Lord of that vndaunted soile And by Olympias conntenaunc'd but a while Strait from Antipater all would recoile And him as traitor to the state exile To you that are a Macedonian borne If match'd with Cleopatra great in powres The Macedonians gladly would be sworne And if commaunding them then all were yours Perd. Yet this opinion partly I disprooue Which would not as you thinke our troubles end For if that we from hence our force remooue And to the Aemathian bounds directly tend There must at first a doubtfull warre be proou'd With those braue bands whose valour is well knowne Of whom Craterus deerely is belou'd That bound t' Antipater are all his owne And though indeede as kindely to those parts My friendship is affected to by some Yet others haue preoccupi'd their harts And will discredite vs before we come Then whilst that we the Macedonians boast And leaue those realmes vnarm'd that else are ours Strait Ptolomie when strengthned is his hoste May enter Asia and supplant our powres I by my iudgement willingly would take The course that seemes to make our state most sure It dangerous is t' haue foes behind our backe That vnawares our ruine may procure My purpose is though yet to none made knowne That Egipt first shall burdend be with warre For if that Ptolomie were once orethrowne Then that from Greece all hope of help would barre Eum. Hold still with you those of the sacred blood Whom to protect you alwayes must pretend The countnance of the great may doe much good Whome still though weake the world delights t' attend Exeunt ACT. III. SCENE II. Olympias Roxane LEt sorrow then euen tyrannize my soule Whose rage with reason now no measure keepes What of my teares the torrent can controule Since flowing from afflictions deepest deeps How can my breast but burst whilst sobs rebound Since once the seate of ioys now not the same May not huge horrors presse me to the ground In thinking what I was and what I am I was a great mans wife a greaters mother Euen she to whome the heauens their best did giue Yet I euen I more plagu'd than any other In dungeons now of desolation liue My sonne that was the glorie of his time Staine of times past and light of times to come O fraile mortalitie O sliderie slime Though hauing all orecom'd death did orecome And I deiected wretch whose dying eies He was by Natures custome bound t' haue closde Was not to shut his starres with th' iuorie skies That tapestried where maiestie reposde But ah his falling in a forraine part Hath if it can b' enlargde enlargde my griefe Else I on him would melted haue my hart And spent my selfe t' haue purchasde his reliefe Yet though I was not present at his death He shall not be defrauded of my teares But for his funerall fires my flaming breath Doth smoake and to his ghost a tribute beares Rox. Ah to what corner rolles my watry sight Where it not findes some matter to bemone O foolish eies whie loose ye not your light Since that your treasure is to ruine gone Once of all Queenes I might the fortune scorne To whom iust loue that great man did engage Whose match in worth the world hath neuer borne Nor neuer shall enrich another age When those perfections whiles transport my minde Which admiration onely doth dilate I 'm woe that me the destinies designde To be the partner of his glorious state And I repent that to his sight I past Though highly gracde on a festiuall day A feast that many a time must make me fast And with slowe woe that flying mirth defray Then if my fortune had not blinded me But ah whose iudgement had it not bereau'd Whilst the worlds Monarke daignd to like of me I had th' euent of my high flight conceiu'd He of th' Asian Prince whose state did then decline Had both the wife and daughters at his will Whose beauties glorie would haue darkned mine Yet free from snares retainde his fancies still Then when my father chose out from the rest Those virgins all whom Fame affirmd for rare Though hauing viewd them all he lou'd me best Then thought most fortunate if not most faire And when his martiall nobles were dismaid That he himselfe with captiues had alide He by that meanes as loue had dited saide Tooke from the vanquisht shame from victors pride Then me as Empresse all did entertaine Though his inferior farre in all respects Till I from him by death diuorcde remaine Whom with his sonne now all the world neglects Olym. Although this will but aggrauate my woe From whom the Fates all comfort now seclude Yet do I reuerence his remembrance so That of my sonne to heare it doth me good And daughter now to double my distresse Make me at length acquainted with his death That sorrow may each part of me possesse Sad newes mine eares teares eies and sighes my breath Rox. Though griefe to me scarse libertie affordes T' expresse the passions that oppresse my mind Yet would affection wrestle out some wordes To speake of him that all my ioyes confind When he had conquerd all that could resist A monarchie not equall with his minde Still in his haughty course he did insist And search'd out th' Ocean other worlds to finde But when from it his nauie was redeemde He stoode in doubt where trophees next to reare For all the world for him too little seemde His minde could more conceiue than nature beare Then ah this Emprour purposde was in th' end At Babylon his glories height to shew Where all the world his comming did attend As Ioue aboue he onely raignde below When he drew neere that then thrice Monarks seate All th' Astrologians by their skill foretold What dangers there were threatned to his state The which else-where might better be controld But he that was not capable of feare And could not muse of misaduentures then Causde through that towne him selfe in triumph beare Backd
her sonne yet with him dide In whom she found th' affections of a sonne Olimp. If but by hearing of his dolorous end A stranger once his captiue dide for griefe Ah shall his mother on new hopes depend As such a losse might looke for some reliefe And so I will for t were a great disgrace To me the mother of th'all conquering man Like other women to giue fortune place And yeeld to miserie as many can Though griefe at first must molifie me once Else as vnnaturall I might be admirde Yet will I not still burst my brest with grones Than that of me more courage is requirde I le not degener from my generous kinde Faint-hearted hindes brought neuer Lyon forth Nor yet a mother of an abiect minde Had neuer borne a monarch of such worth And O who knowes but once the time may come That I t' auenge my selfe a meanes may haue And may against these traytors yet mooue some That with their blood may bathe their sou'raignes graue Now on Perdiccas repose my trust That with Eumenes would our wrongs redresse Their valor ventring in a cause so iust Doth by appearance promise good successe Rox. Loe now of late deliuered of a sonne I to these captaines scarce dare make it knowne That else to part his kingdomes haue begunne And might by killing him make all their owne Ay me Madam this makes me most to pause That still th' ambition of those great men feare Lest by pretending but a publike cause They seeke themselues th' authoritie to beare Ah they of my yong babe as mou'd with ruth Would but be Tutors first and traytors then Voyd of obedience dutie loue or truth No deerer things then diadems to men Olimp. As those whose courage cannot be dismaide Let vs a faction studie now to finde And whilst that pittie doth procure for aide Go tune the peoples passions now t' our minde Vnlesse their loue haue perishde with his life Of Alexander in a high degree I thinke the sonne the mother and the wife Must of the Macedonians reuerenc'd be And this doth with disdaine my soule consume That Arideus amongst other wrongs And prowde Euridice his wife presume To vsurpe those honours that but t 'vs belongs O they shall finde my fortune not so changde But I am able yet t' abate their pride What what Olimpias must be reuengde That saue her selfe a Queene disdaynes t' abide Exeunt Chorus LOe how all good decayed And euills begin t' abound In this skie-compasst round There is no kinde of trust For mankind whilst it strayes In pleasure-paued wayes With floods of vice is drown'd And doth farre from refuge In endlesse shaddowes lodge Yet striues to rise no more No doubt as most vniust The world once perish must And worse now to restore Then that it was before When at the last deluge Men by Ducalion once Were made againe of stones And well this wicked race Bewrayes a stonie kinde That beares a stubborne minde Still hardned vnto sinne Lo now in euery place All vertuous motions cease And sacred faith we finde Now farre from th' earth is fled Whose flight huge euills hath bred And fills the world with warres Whilst impious breasts begin Still to let treason in Which common concord marres Whilst all men liue at iarres And nets of fraud do spred Th' vnwarie to surprise Too wittie but not wise Yet those that in deceit Their confidence repose A deerer thing do lose Then can by guile be gain'd Which being repented late Brings ruine to their state Whilst purer spirits disclose Wherewith their breasts are stord For though they would remord They get not trust againe But hauing honor stain'd And couenants prophain'd Are held in high disdaine And do in end remaine Of all the world abborr'd Not trustie when they should Not trusted when they would But ah our Nobles now Lo like Lisander still So that they get their will Regard not by what way And with a shamelesse brow Doe of th' effect allow Euen though the meanes were ill Which all the world may see Disgraces their degree That should not learne to lowre But throwe base sleights away What can braue mindes dismay Whose worth is as a towre Against all fortunes powre Still from all fraud being free These keepe their course vnknowne Whom it would shame if shewn VVho not from worth digresse T' vse sleights that feare imparts Doe shew heroicke hearts The which would rather farre An open hate professe Then secretly suppresse Honor scornes fearefull artes But those that doe vs leade As for dissembling made Euen though that they intend Amongst themselues t' haue warre Seeme in no sort to iarre But friendship do pretend Not like their Lord that 's dead That trusting to his worthy Still what hee meant spake forth The great men not for nought Do seeke the peoples loue And them their deeds t' approue Do labor still t' allure But Perdiccas it 's thought Too sparingly hath sought Our mindes towards him to moue As one that still conceits Hee may command the fates His pride so great is growne That none can it indure Yet stands his state vnsure Since odious to his owne He must b' at last ore-throwne Whose humour each man hates Pride doth her followers all Lead headlong to a fall ACT. IIII. SCENE I. Antigonus Eumenes TOugh stormie discord and tumultuous warres Doe fire the minds of men with flames of rage That hauing hautie thoughts as heauen hath starres Their indignation nothing can asswage Yet loe amongst the souldiers wauing bowres The Heraulds cryes whiles calmes the trumpets sounds And peace dare inter-pose her vnarm'd powres To limit for a time Bellonaes bounds And whilst of furie they suspend th' effects The seeming-friended foes haue conference whiles And each shewes th' other what his soule affects A shadow of the blisse that Mars exiles Thus men magnanimous amidst the field Dare to th' assurance of their enemies trust And loathing what disloyaltie doth yield Not violate their vowes nor proue vniust Though Loue be past yet Truth should still remaine I vertuous partes euen in my foes applaud A gallant mind doth greater glorie gaine To die with honor than to liue by fraude And why Eumenes as mistrusting me Else standing on your reputation long Did you disdaine to come as all men see T' a greater than yourselfe and t 'one more strong Eu. Thogh we not come to plead our birthright here Let him but warriors take not so their place In whom best signes of noblenesse appeere Be thought extracted of the noblest race Most noble he that still by vertue striues To leaue his name in minds of men engrau'd And to his of-spring greater glorie giues Than of his ancestors he hath receiu'd Erst we by birth in warre not marshalld stoode As at the table vpon Iuorie beds A souldiers worth consists not in his blood But in the blood of th' enemies that he sheds What euer others of my linage try I am Eumenes and I scorne t'
without appearance do procure The most respected place where greatnes stayes And some whose states seem'd once t' all eyes secure Thrown from their fortunes height lose glorious bayes My father lo t' attaine th' imperiall place March'd through impossibilities of late And greater then the greatest for a space Was Monarch of the Macedonian state But I his sonne that as some would suppose Might keep with ease that which he got with paine Can by no meanes my restles thoughts repose Such raging tyrants ouer my fancies raigne Lisim And yet I thinke you haue an easie part To whom your father did his state resigne For it may make you smile that made him smart Some presse the grape and others drinke the wine Cass I le not beleeue that euer any ill Was bred for me within my fathers breast Since children must suppose their parents will Though seeming bad still purposde for the best And yet my fathers ghost must pardon me Though when from vs he minded to remoue I thinke the tenor of his last decree Shew lacke of iudgement or at least of loue For what base course had euer bin begun To make me seeme vnworthy of his place That he preferr'd a stranger to his sonne And sought t' obscure the glory of his race Thus since in such a sort he did neglect The sonne that should his name from death exempt As dis-regarded for some great defect All other men may haue me in contempt But ere his age expirde th' expected date He saw my browes with Laurell boughes arrai'd And spi'd my skill in warre and wit in state Which grew as much as th' other mans decai'd Nor can my courage so be brought to bow But Polispercon shall experience soone That in my fathers wil1 I will allow Not what he did but what he should haue done And since by him high dignities were wonne I mind to prosecute what he began For such a fathers greatnesse from his sonne Takes the securitie of a priuate man Lo Polispercon by our powre repeld From Macedonie hath retirde dismaide And for the feare of vs hath bin compeld T' engage his glory for anothers ayde Let him not thinke the shaddow of the kings Can match my powre with these his borrow'd bands For his faint flight that 's fram'd with others wings Will neuer beare him from Cassanders hands And though Olimpias countnanc'd once his cause As from Epirus brought to ruine mee Now of her owne mishap she most must pause Since brought by vs of late t' a low degree Lisim And yet Olimpias had a good successe When first she touch'd the Macedonian bounds Whilst Polispercon prowdly did represse All those that durst resist with words or wounds Though Philip and Euridice his Queene T' encounter with their troupes in time arriu'de Yet when the Macedonians had her seene As their owne Queene to honor her they striu'de And haplesse Philip being constrainde to yield There for a kings did take a captiues state And his wretch'd mate though flying from the field Was follow'd by their forces and her fate Then thus her husband and her selfe gaue place Whose browes of late th' imperiall badge had borne But then throwne downe in th' Ocean of disgrace A prey t' a womans pride the butt of scorne Cass Those were the meanes that did them first entrap But haue you heard how after they were thrall To plague the world with honour and mis-hap Th' enragde Olimpias tyrranizde ouer all Lisi Some doubtfull rumours did frequent ech eare Such as rash fame confus'dly durst vnfould But yet conceald by fauor or for feare The certaintie to vs hath not bin tolde Cass When thus the famish'd tygresse did surprise Those miserable soules as in a dreame Her heart at first seemde scarse to trust her eyes She surfetted her sight so with their shame But when she sawe by reason of her powre That she might safely let her rage burst out She causde about them both to build a towre Within whose walles they scarce could turne about And in that dungeon as entomb'd they stood With high disgrace t' asswage more high disdaines Farre from all comfort whilst a litle foode Their life prolong'd but to prolong their paines But Pittie for th' vnfortunate contendes As Enuy still prosperitie controules The Macedonians doubtfull of their ends Would sometime murmure for those marterd soules The peoples grudge Olimpias did perceiue And to preuent what fury might effect She strait resolu'd lifes remnant to bereaue From weakned powres that did no lesse exspect And when some barbarous Thracians bent for blood As she appointed in th' excesse of spight Had murdred Philip and his Queene imbrude With purple streames that spoil'd her husbands spright She sent to her whose soule in griefe did sinke As messengers of death t' assault her breast A sword a cord and an empoison'd drinke A Tirants presents yet a wretches best Those when the Queene perceiu'd vnmou'd she spake As one that had imbrac'd some great reliefe Fit gifts for her to giue for me to take Since she exceeds in hate and I in griefe And tell the tirant that I gladly die That th' irritated gods t' auenge my death May thunder foorth that iudgement which I spie With blood must choke that bloodie womans breath Then looking on her Lord that there lay slaine Once partner or his ioy then of his woe Whilst that his roses did her lillies staine She kist his wounds as taking leaue to goe And lest her resolution were betraide Her snowie necke not vsde with such a chaine She binding with her belt di'd vndismaide And if she sighd she sighd but for disdaine Lisim This barbarous act my breast with griefe doth sting Can spight so much transport the meekest kinder And yet in th' earth ther 's no more cruell thing Then mallice raging in a womans minde Cass But yet this sacrifice could not asswage The boiling thoughts of her vnbounded will For entring thus she rioted in rage As dogges that once get blood would alwayes kill Ech light occasion kindling still her wrath The soueraigntie she shamefully abusde And put my brother Nicanor to death Though for no crime condemn'd no not accusde Yea more her hate extended toward the dead Whose crueltie no flood of blood confin'd The monument that t' Iolas was made She raz'd and rent his ashes with the wind To be Cassanders friend was such a crime As none could scape that euer fauour'd me Thus huge disorders did abound a time Where nothing lawfull is all things are free Then when I heard of this outragious pride That made my natiue soyle contemn'd to be I those indignities could not abide The shame whereof redounded most to me So that at last mou'd by my countries care As much as by particular respects I with great speed an armie did prepare To punish or preuent the like effects But when I was to Macedonie comd To fortifie a towne she did dissigne Which by my valour quickly was ore-comd Whilst famine
I le tell a tale that may moue stones to teares My Father of the Phrigian Princes come Had in my growing age a tender care That all my education might become One whom he might for mightie hopes prepare As yet foure lusters scarcely had begun For to discerne my sex with downie cheekes When I into that Labirinth was runne Whence back in vaine the straying entrer sheekes I lou'd O fatall loue vnlouely fate The vertuouslie faire yet fairest Dame That euer was enshrin'd in soules conceat Or gaue a dittie to the sounds of fame Straight were my fancies to her beauties tyed None can paint passions but in feeling mindes I burnd freezd hopd dispaird and liud and dyed My actions chang'd as oft as th' Autumnes windes Yet after many doubtfull hopes and feares That I attaind the height of my desires She had subscrib'd a truce vnto my teares And temperd with encountring flames my fires For as she was the most affected Saint Whose image was erected in my thought She had compassion too of my complaint And to acquit my firme affection sought Thus whilst I triumphd in mine owne conceat As one whose loue his Ladie did preferre I was corriuald O vnhappie fate By one who lou'd but was not lou'd by her He looking as I look'd saw what I saw Saw Natures wonder and the worlds delight And as a blind god blind guide did him draw Still like a lizard liu'd but by her sight Then strait he striues the Iewell for to wonne Whose vnstaind worth he rates aboue his breath He hates the light that comes not from my Sunne And thinks to liue without her worse then death And this affection fauour'd was by Fortune Which seem'd to ratifie his high rear'd hopes The Nymph her parents dayly did importune For to confine his flying fancies scopes Now iudge if that my miseries were rife Who threatned thus with eminent mishap Was like to lose a deerer thing then life Whilst others striu'd my treasure to entrap The man that sought my ioyes to vndermine I could not wish for this t' haue him ouerthrowne Nor blame the sprite that sympathiz'd with mine I enuied not his hap but wail'd mine owne Now in my breast a battell did begin Which forc'd my soule with inward wounds to bleede Some fancies fear'd to what his loue might winne And possibilitie for to come speede Then others call'd her constancie to mind Which would not yeeld although she were inuaded Yet forc'd to feare the frailtie of her kind A woman that hath eares may be perswaded Thus toss'd with doubts into a deepe of wo Which with suspition had my ioyes supplanted I blam'd the thoughts that durst accuse her so As vertues patterne had one vertue wanted As I concluded so it come to passe Th' affliction seru'd for fuell to affection For she who th' ornament of women was Would neuer wrong her worth with a defection When in my absence they had oft assay'd To haue me from her memorie remou'd The Sunne burn's hottest when his beames are stay'd The more that they would let the more she lou'd And finding that delay no ende affords And that faire generals are th' abusers Arte She did repell him with disdainfull words To raze all thought of her out of his harte Loue is a ioy that vpon paine depends A drop of sweet drown'd in a sea of sowres What Follie doth begin oft Furie ends They hate for euer that haue lou'd for howres When all his arguments prou'd of no force Strait with disdaine his soule in secret bur'nd And what he thought was euill to make farre worse He vnto furour all his fauour turn'd As he extreamely lou'd farre more he hated And musde of many meanes how to annoy her Which was the best a long time he debated To see her dead or to see me enioy her What saith he when he first had musde a space So hard it is to quench a great affection Shall I disfigure that angelike face And make the world ecclypsde of all perfection Shall she by me be to confusion brought To whom I vowes and prayers did impart To whom I sacrific'd my secret thought And on her beauties altar burn'd my hart Or shall I see her in anothers powre And in his bosome lie t' vpbraid my losse Whilst both with scornefull smiles then death more sowre To poynt me out for sport report my crosse That sight which sometime did me sweetly charme Should it become a cause of griefe to me No none that liue's shall glorie in my harme Since she will not be mine she shall not be Th' unlouing Louer hauing vow'd her death Did with a cup of poison drowne my ioyes The fairest body from the sweetest breath Was parted thus O Ocean of annoyes That Monster Fame whose many mouthes and eares Must know but not conceale a rare thing long And prodigall of ill most chiefly beares The worst newes first inform'd me of this wrong For neighbouring neere the most vnhappy part That had been spoild of such a beeauteous guest No sooner had death seazde on the chaste hart Then sorrow on my eares to rob my rest How the sadde newes first sounded in my soule I will not wearie you with long laments Rage did the outward signes of griefe controule When great windes blow the fire the smoke worst vents Whilst generous disdaine disguisde my griefe As one transported with a mighty rage I ranne vnto the Theater of mischiefe A tragicke Actor for a bloody stage For I was come no sooner to the place Whereas I thought the Murtherer to haue found But I re'ncountred O vnhappie case Too deare a friend to catch an enemies wound Ah passions dim'd mine eyes wrath led my hand I was no more my selfe sorrow had kild me The first t' was night that did before me stand I fiercely did pursue as Furor willd me And as it chanc'd ere one could speake a word I filld his bosome with a luke warme flood And in his kind breast drown'd the cruell sword That in anothers body dranke my blood When as a Torch had partly robde the night Prowd of supposde reuenge ah bitter gaine I saw I knew blacke knowledge cruell sight T' was mine owne brother that my selfe had slaine O bitter losse that nothing can repaire My soule at once with all woes armie wounded Griefe rage spite shame amazement and despaire Gauld tossd burnd dashd astonishd and confounded The thought of my offence torments me most Yet am I whiles by my Loues verdict cleansde And whiles my brothers violated ghost By dreadfull dreames doth boast to be reuengde Croes Now whilst this great disaster did occurre What came of him who was the cause of all Adra. He hauing heard this lamentable sturre Whom selfe-accusing thoughts did guiltie call Srait strucken with a wonderful remorse I wot not whether feare or pitie mou'd him If not t' ore-liue her death or dreading worse He killd himselfe his conscience so disproou'd him Croes I grant the manner of so rare