matter of no more import I le try another Yet me thinks such men As are the eyes and eares of princes should Not weigh so light such an intelligence Ser. My lord the summe you willed me to giue The captaine that did visit you to day To tell you plaine your coffers yeald it not Phi. How if they yeald it not haue I not then Apparell plate iewells why sel them And go your way dispatch and giue it him Me thinks I find the king much chaungd of late And vnto me his graces not so great Although they seeme in show all of one rate Yet by the touch I find them counterfeit For when I speake although I haue his eare Yet do I see his mind is other where And when he speakes to me I see he striues To giue a coulor vnto what is not For he must thinke that we whose states whose liues Depend vpon his grace learne not by rote T' obserue his actions and to know his trym And though indeede princes be manifold Yet haue they still such eies to waite on them As are to piercing that they can beholde And penetrate the inwards of the hart That no deuice can set so close a dore Betwixt their shewes and thoughtes but that their art Of shadowing it makes it appeare the more But many malicing my state of grace I know doo worke with all the powers they haue Vpon that easie nature to displace My fortunes and my actions to depraue And though I know they seeke t' inclose him in And faine would lock him vp and chamber him Yet will I neuer stoope and seeke to win My way by them that came not in by them And skorne to stand on any other feet Then these of mine owne worth and what my plaine And open actions cannot fairely get Basenes and soothing them shall neuer gaine And yet I know my presence and accesse Cleers all these mists which they haue raisd before Though with my back streight turnes that happinesse And they againe blow vp as much or more Thus do we role the stone of our owne toyle And men suppose our hell a heauen the while SCENA 3. Craterus Antigona ANtigona there is no remedie You needs must iustifie the speech you held With Thais who will your conf'rence verifie And therefore now it cannot be conceald Anti. O my good Lord I pray you vrge me not Thais onely of a cunning enuious wit Scorning a stranger should haue such alott Hath out of her inuention forged it Cra. Why then shall rackes and tortures force thee show Both this and other matters which we know Thinke therefore if t' were not a wiser part T' accept of rest rewards preferment grace And being perhaps so beautious as thou art Of fayre election for a neerer place To tell the truth then to be obstinate And fall with the misfortune of a man Who in his dangerous and concussed state No good to thee but ruine render Resolue thee of this choyce and let me know Thy minde at full at my returning back Ant. What shall I doo shall I betray my loue Or die disgrac'd what do I make a doubt Betray my loue O heauenly powres aboue Forbid that such a thought should issue out Of this confused brest nay rather first Let tortures death and horror do their worst But out alas this inconsidrate tongue Without my harts consent and priuitie Hath done already this vnwilling wrong And now it is no wisdome to deny No wisdome to deny yes yes that tongue That thus hath beene the traytor to my hart Shall either powrefully redeeme that wrong Or neuer more shall words of breath impart Yet what can my deniall profit him Whom they perhaps whether I tell or not Are purpos'd vpon matters knowne to them To ruinate on some discouered plot Let them do what they will Let not thy hart Seeme to be accessarie in a thought To giue the leaft aduantage of thy part To haue a part of shame in what is wrought O this were well if that my dangers could Redeeme his perill and his grace restore For which I vow my life I render would If this poore life could satisfie therefore But t is not for thy honour to forsake Thy loue for death that lou'd thee in this sort Alas what notice will the world take Of such respects in women of my sort This act may yet put on so fayre a cote Vpon my foule profession as it may Not blush t' appeare with those of cleanest note And haue as hye a place with fame as they What do I talke of fame do I not see This faction of my flesh my feares my youth Already entred and haue bent at me The ioyes of life to batter downe my truth O my subdued thoughts what haue you done To let in feare and falshood to my hart Whom though they haue surprizd they haue not won For still my loue shall hold the dearest part Crat. Antigona what are you yet resolud Ant. Resolu'd my Lord t' indure all misery Crat. And so be sure you shall if that b' your choice Ant What will you haue me doo my Lord I am Content to say what you will haue me say Crat. Then come go with me to Alexander CHORVS HOw dost thou weare and weary out thy dayes Restles ambition neuer at an end Whose trauails no Herculean pillor stayes But still beyond thy rest thy labors tend Aboue good fortune thou thy hopes dost raise Still climing and yet neuer canst ascend For when thou hast attaind vnto the top Of thy desires thou hast not yet got vp That heigh of fortune either is contrould By some more powrefull ouerlooking eie That doth the fulnesse of thy grace withhold Or counter-checkt with some concurrencie That it doth cost far more adoo to hold The higth attaind then was to get so hie Where stand thou canst not but with carefull toyle Nor loose thy hold without thy vtter spoile There dost thou struggle with thine owne distrust And others iealosies their conterplot Against some vnderworking pride that must Supplanted be or els thou standest not There wrong is paid with wrong and he that thrust Downe others comes himselfe to haue that lot The same concussion doth afflict his brest That others shooke oppression is opprest That either happines dwells not so hie Or els aboue whereto pride cannot rise And that the hy'st of mans felicity But in the region of affliction lies And that we clime but vp to misery High fortunes are but high calamities It is not in that Sphere where peace doth moue Rest dwels below it happines aboue For in this hight of fortvne are imbred Those thundring fragors that affright the earth From thence haue all distempratures their head That bringes forth desolation famine dearth There certaine order is disordered And there it is confusion hath her birth It is that high of fortune doth vndoo Both her owne quietnes and others too ACTVS TERTIVS Alex. Metron Ceballinus Craterus Perdiccas
forces stand Ch. Water far off quenches not fire neere hand You may be faire dispatcht ere he can heare Or if he heard before he could be here And therefore do not build vppon such sand It will deceiue your hopes when all is doone For though you were the minion of the land If you breake out be sure you are vndonne When running with the current of the state Were you the weakest man of men aliue And in conuentions and in counsayle sate And did but sleepe or nod yet should you thriue These motive spirits are neuer fit to rise And t is a danger to be held so wise Ph. What call you running with the slate shall I Combine with those that do abuse the slate Whose want of iudgment wit and honesty I am ashamed to see and seeing hate Ch. Tush tush my Lord thinke not of vvhat were fit The world is gouernd more by forme then witt He that will fret at Lords and at the raine Is but a foole and grieues himselfe in vaine Cannot you great men suffer others to Haue parte in rule but must haue all to doo Now good my Lord conforme you to the rest Let not your wings be greater then your nest Ph. solus See how these vain discoursiue Booke-men talke Out of those shadows of their ayerie powres And do not see how much they must defalke Of their accoumpts to make them gree with ours They little know to what necessities Our courses stand allyed or how we are Ingag'd in reputation other-wise To be our selues in our particulare They thinke we can command our harts to lye Out of their place and still they preach to vs Pack-bearing Patience that base property And silly guilt of th'all induring Ass But let them talke their fill it is but wind I must sayle by the compasse of my minde Enters a Messenger My Lord the King calls for you come my Lord away Ph. Well then I know there 's some new stratagem In hand to be consulted on to day That I am sent for with such speede to him Whose youth and fortune cannot brooke delay But here 's a Sutor standes t' impeech my hast I would I had gone vp the priuie way Whereby we escape th' attending multitude Though I confesse that in humanity T is better to deny then to delude Enters Cebalinus My Lord Philotas I am come with news Of great importance that concerns vs all And well hath my good fortune met with you Who best can heare and best discharge my care Ph. Say what it is and pray-thee friend be briefe Ceb. The case requires your patience good my lord And therefore I must craue your eare a while Ph. I cannot now be long from Alexander Ceb. Nor Alexander will be long with vs Vnles you heare and therfore know the newes I bring concernes his life and this it is There is one Dymnus here within the campe Whose low estate and high affections Seeme to haue thrust him int' outragious wayes This man affecting one Nichomacus A youth my brother whom one day h' allures Int'a temple where being both alone He breakes out in this sort Nichomacus Sweete louely youth ah should I not impart To thee the deepest secrets of my hart My hart that hath no lock shut against thee Would let it out some-times vnwares of me But as it issues from my faithfull loue So close it vp in thine and keepe it fast Sweare to be secret deere Nichomacus Sweare by the sacred God-head of this place To keepe my councell and I will reueale A matter of the greatest consequence That euer man imparted to his friend Youth and desire drawne with a loue to know Swore to be secret and to keepe it close When Dymnus tells him that within three dayes There should b' effected a conspiracie On Alexanders person by his meanes And diuers more of the Nobillitie To free their labours and redeeme them home Which when Nichomacus my brother heard Is this your tale saith he O God forbid Mine oath should tie my tongue to keepe in this This ouglie sinne of treason which to tell Mine oath compells me faith against my faith Must not be kept My falshood here is truth And I must telle friend or friend not I le tell Dymnus amaz'd hearing beyond conceipt The self-willd youth vow to reueale their plot Stands staring on him drawing back his breath Or els his breath confounded with his thoughts Busied with death and horror could not worke Not hauing leasure now to thinke what was But what would be his feares were runne before And at misfortune ere she came to him At length yet when his reason had reduc'd His flying thoughts back to some certaine stand Perceiuing yet some distance was betwixt Death and his feares which gaue him time to worke With his returning spirits he drew his sword Puts it t' his owne then to my brothers throate Then layes it downe thē wrings his hands thē kneeles Then stedfast lookes then takes him in his armes Weepes on his neck no word but O wilt thou Wilt thou be the destruction of vs all And finding no relenting in the youth His miserie grew furious and againe He takes his sworde and sweares to sacrifice To silence and their cause his dearest bloud The boy amaz'd seeing no other way Was faine to vow and promise secrecie And as if wonne t' allow and take that part Prayes him to tell who were his complices Which though perplext with grief for what was done Yet thinking now t' haue gained him to his side Dymnus replyes no worse then Loceus Demetrius of the priuie Chamber and Nicanor Amyntas and Archelopis Drocenus Aphebetus Leuculaus Shall be th' associats of Nichomacus This when my brother once had vnderstood And after much a do had got away He comes and tels me all the whole discourse Which here I haue related vnto you And here will I attend t' auouch the same Or bring my brother to confirme as much Whome now I leaft behinde least the conspirators Seeing him here vnusing to this place Suspecting t' b' appeachd might shifts away Phil. Well fellow I haue heard thy strange report And will finde time t' acquaint the king therewith SCENA SECVNDA Antigona and Thais WHat can a free estate afford me more Then my incaptiu'd fortune doth allow Was I beloud inrich'd and grac'd before Am I not lou'd inrich'd and graced now Tha. Yea but before thou wert a kings delight Ant. I might be his although he was not mine Tha. His greatnes made thee greater in mens sight Ant. More great perhapps without but not within My loue was then aboue mee I am now Aboue my loue Darius then had thousands more Philotas hath but me as I do know Nor none els will he haue and so he swore Tha. Nay then you may belieue him if he swore Alas poore soule she neuer came to know Her liberty nor louers periuries Ant. Stand I not better with a meaner loue That is alone to mee then
doth speed Who kings betray first their beleife betray I would your grace had first conferrd with us Since you would needes such clemency haue showne That we might yet but haue aduisd you thus That he his danger neuer might haue knowne In faults wherein an after shame will liue T is better to conceale then to forgiue For who are brought vnto the block of death Thinke rather on the perrill they haue past Then on that grace which hath preserud their breath And more their suffrings then their mercie taste He now to plot your danger still may liue But you his guilt not alwayes to forgiue Know that a man so swolne with discontent No grace can cure nor pardon can restore He knowes how those who once haue mercie spent Can neuer hope to haue it any more But say that through remorce he calmer proue Will great Parmenio so attended on With that braue Armye fostred in his loue Be thankfull for this grace you do his sonne Some benefits are odious so is this Where men are still ashamed to confesse To haue so done as to deserue to die And euer do desire that men should gesse They rather had receiud an iniury Then life since life they know in such a case May be restord to all but not to grace Perd. And for my part my liege I hold this minde That sure he would not haue so much supprest The notice of a treason in that kinde Vnlesse he were a party with the rest Can it be thought that great Parmenios sonne The generall commander of the horse The minion of the campe the onely one Of secret counsell and of free recourse should not in three dayes space haue found the king At leasure t' heare three wordes of that import Whilst he himselfe in idle lauishing Did thousands spend t' aduance his owne report Cra. And if he gaue no credit to the youth Why did he two dayes space delay him then As if he had belieu'd it for a truth To hinder his addresse to other men If he had held it but a vaine conceipt I pray why had he not dismist him streight Men in their priuate daungers may be stoute But in th' occasions and the feares of kings We ought not to be credulous but doubt The intimation of the vainest things Alex. Well howsoeuer we will yet this night Disport and banquet in vnusuall wise That it may seeme we weigh this practise light How euer heauy here within it lies Kings may not know distrust and though they feare They must not take acquaintance of their feare SCENA 2. Antigona Thais O Y' are a secret councell-keeper Thais In troth I little thought you such a one Tha. And why Antigona what have I done Ant. You know ful well your conscience you bewraies Tha. Alas good soule would you have me conceale That which your selfe could not but needes reueile Thinke you another can be more to you In what concernes them not then you can be Whom it imports Will others hold them true When you proue false to your owne secrecie But yet this is no wonder for we see Wiser then we do lay their heads to gage For ryotous expences of their tongues Although it be a property belongs Especially to vs and euery age Can shew strange presidents what we haue ben In cases of the greatest plots of men And t is the Scene on this worlds stage we play Whose reuolution we with men conuert And are to act our parte as well as they Though commonly the weakest yet a-part For this great motion of a state we see Doth turne on many wheeles and some though smale Do yet the greater moue who in degree Stirre those who likewise turne the great'st of all For though we are not wise we see the wise By vs are made or make vs parties still In actions of the greatest quallities That they can manage be they good or ill Ant. I cannot tell but you haue made mee doo That which must euer more aflict my hart And if this be my wofull parte t' vndo my dearest loue would I had had no part How haue I sealy woman sifted bene Examind tryde flattred terrifide By Craterus the cunningest of men That neuer leaft me till I had discride What euer of Philotas I had knowne Tha. What is that all perhapps I haue thereby Done thee more good then thou canst apprehend Ant. Such good I rather you should get then I If that can be a good t' accuse my friend Th. Alas thy accusation did but quote The mergin of some text of greater note Ant. But that is more then thou or I can tell Th. Yes yes Antigona I know it well For be thou sure that alwayes those who seeke T' attack the Lyon so prouide that still Their toyles be such as that he shall not skape To turne his rage on those that wrought his ill Philotas neither was so strong nor high But malice ouerlookt him and discride Where he lay weake where was his vanity And built her contermonts vpon that side In such sorte as they would be sure to raze His fortunes with the ingins of disgrace And now maist thou perhapps come great hereby And gracious with his greatest enemie For such men thinke they haue no full succes vnles they likewise gaine the mistresses Of those they maister and succeed the place And fortunes of their loves with equall grace Ant. Loue 's out alas loue such a one as hee That seekes t' vndoo my loue and in him me Th. Tush loue his fortunes loue his state his place What euer greatnesse doth it must haue grace Ant. I weigh not greatnesse I must please mine eye Th. Th' eye nothing fairer sees then dignity Ant. But what is dignity without our loue Th. If we haue that we cannot want our loue Ant. Why that giues but the outside of delight The day-time ioy what comfort hath the night Th. If powre procure not that what can it doo Ant. I know not how that can b' attaind vnto Th. Nor will I teach thee if thou knowst it not T is vaine I see to learne an Asian wit Exit Ant. If this be that great wit that learned skill You Greekes professe let me be foolish still So I be faithfull And now being here alone Let me record the heauy notes of mone SCENA 3. Craterus Ephestion Clitus c. MY Lords you see the flexible conceipt Of our indaungered soueraigne and you know How much his perile and Philotas pride Imports the state and vs and therefore now We either must oppose against deceipt Or be vndon For now hath time discride An open passage to his farthest ends From whence if negligence now put vs back Returne we neuer can without our wrack And good my Lords since you conceiue as much And that we stand alike make not me prosecute The cause alone as if it did but touch Onely my selfe and that I did both breed And vrge these doubts out of a priuate griefe Indeed I know
to the safetie of the state in the case of so great an aspirer who no doubt had he not beene preuented hosoeuer popularly in the Armie it might be otherwise deemed he had turnd the course of gouernment ment vpon his Father and himselfe or else by his imbroylments made it a monster of many heads as it afterwards proued vpon the death of Alexander The Chorus consisting of three Graecians as of three estates of a Kingdome and one Persian representing the multitude and body of a people who vulgarlie according to their affections carryed rather with compassion on great mens misfortunes then with the consideration of the cause frame their imaginations by that square and censure what is done The names of the Actors Philotas Cebalinus Chalisthenes Polidamas Alexander Nichomachus Ephestion Metron Craterus Thais a Curtizan Antigone sometimes one of the concubines of Darius Attarras Clitus Sostratus Perdiccas Chorus 3. Graecians and a Persian THE TRAGEDIE of PHILOTAS ACTVS I. Philotas Chalisthenes Philotas reading his Fathers letter MAke thy selfe lesse Philotas then thou art What meanes my father thus to write to me Lesse then I am in what how can that bee Must I be then set vnderneath my hart Shall I let go the holde I haue of grace Gaynd with so hard aduentures of my bloud And suffer others mount into my place And from below looke vp to where I stood Shall I degrade th' opinion of my worth By putting off imployment as vndone In spirit or grace whilst other men set forth To get that start of action I haue wonne As if such men as I had any place To stay betwixt their ruine and their grace Can any go beyond me but they will Goe ouer me and trample on my state And make their fortune good vpon my ill Whilst feare hath powre to wound me worse thē hate Ch. Philotas you deceiue your selfe in this Your father meanes not you should yeeld in place But in your popular dependences Your entertainments guifes and publique grace That doth in iealous Kings distaste the Peeres And makes you not the greater but in feares Phi. Alas what popular dependences Do I retaine can I shake off the zeale Of such as do out of their kindnesses Follow my fortunes in the common-weale Cha. Indeed Philotas therein you say true They follow do your fortunes and not you Phi. Yea but I find their loue to me sincere Cha. Euen such as to the Wolfe the Fox doth beare That visits him but to pertake his pray And seeing his hopes deceiu'd turnes to betray Phi. I know they would if I in danger stood Runne vnto me with hazard of their bloud Cha. Yea like as men to burning houses run Not to lend ayde but to be lookers on Phi. But I with bountie and with guifts haue tyde Their harts so sure I know they will not slide Cha. Bounty guifts loose more then they do find Where many looke for good few haue their mind Each thinkes he merits more then than he hath And so guifts laid for loue do catch men wrath Phi. But many meerely out of loue attend Cha. Yea those that loue and haue no other end Thinke you that men can loue you when they know You haue them not for friendship but for show And as you are ingag'd in your affaires And haue your ends thinke likewise they haue theirs Phi. But I do truly from my hart affect Vertue and worth where I do finde it set Besides my foes do force me in effect To make my partie of opinion great And I must arme me thus against their scornes Men must be shodd that go among the thornes Cha. Ah good Philotas you your selfe be guile T is not the way to quench the fire with oyle The meeke and humble Lambe with small adoo Sucks his owne dam we see and others too In Courtes men longest liue and keepe their rankes By taking iniuries and giuing thankes Phi. And is it so then neuer are these haires Like to attaine that sober hew of gray I cannot plaster and disguise m' affaires In other coulours then my hart doth lay Nor can I patiently indure this fond And strange proceeding of authoritie That hath ingrost vp all into their hand By idoliuing feeble maiestie And impiously do labour all they can To make the King forget he is a man Whilst they deuide the spoyles and pray of powre And none at all respect the publique good Those hands that guard and get vs what is our The Solderie ingag'd to vent their bloud In worse case seeme then Pallas old-growne Moyle Th' Athenians fostred at their publique cost For these poore soules consum'd with tedious toile Remayne neglected hauing done their most And nothing shall bring home of all these wars But emptie age and bodies chardgd with skarres Ch. Philotas all this publique care I feare Is but some priuat touch of your dislike Who seeing your owne designes not stand to square With your desires no others courses like The griefe you take things are not ordred well Is that you feele your selfe I feare not well But when your fortunes shall stand parallel With those you enuy now all will be well For you great men I see are neuer more Your ends attain'd the same you were before You with a finger can point out the staynes Of others errors now and now condem The traine of state whilst your desire remaines without But once got in you iumpe with them And interleague ye with iniquity And with a like neglect do temporize And onely serue your owne commodity Your fortune then viewes things with other eyes For either greatnesse doth transforme the hart Int' other shapes of thoughts or certaynly This vulgar honesty doth dwell apart From powre and is some priuate quallity Or rather those faire parts which we esteeme In such as you are not the same they seeme You double with your selues or els with vs And therefore now Philotas euen as good T imbrace the times as swell and do no good Ph. Alas Chalisthenes you haue not layde True leuell to my nature but are wide From what I ame within all you haue sayde Shall neuer make me of another side Then that I am and I do skorne to clyme By shaking hands with this vnworthy time Ch. The time Philotas then will break thy neck Ph. They dare nor freind my faith wil keep my neck My seruice to the state hath causioned So surely for myne honor as it shall Make good the place my deedes haue purchased With daunger in the loue and harts of all Ch. Those seruices will serue as waights to charge And presle you vnto death if your foot faile neuer so little vnderneath your charge And will be deem'd donne for your owne auayle And who haue spirits to do the greatest good May do most hurt if they remaine not good Ph. Tush They cannot want my seruice in the state Ch These times want not men to supply the state Ph. I feare not whilst Parmenios
must a weightie accident impart Which lies so heauie as I tell you true I finde the burthen much t' oppresse my hart Ingratitude and stubborne carriage In one of whom my loue deseru'd respect Is that which moues my passion into rage And is a thing I ought not to neglect You see how I Philotas raised haue Aboue his ranck his Peeres beyond his terme You see the place the offices I gaue As th' earnest of my loue to binde his firme But all he deeming rather his desartes Then the effects of my grace any way Begins to play most peremptorie parts As fitter to controule then to obay And I haue bene inform'd he fosters too The faction of that home-bent cowardize That would run back from glory and vndoo All the whole wonder of our enterprize And one day to our selfe presumes to write Seeming our stile and title to obrayd Which th' oracles themselues held requisite And which not I but men on me haue laid And said he pittied those who vnder him should liue Who held himselfe the sonne of Iupiter Alas good man as though what breath could giue Could make mine owne thoughts other then they are I that am Arbiter betwixt my hart And theyr opinion know how it stands within And find that my infirmities take part Of that same frailty other men liue in And yet what if I were disposd to winke At th' intertaind opinion spred so far And rather was content the world should thinke Vs other then we are then what we are In doing which I know I am not gone Beyond example seeing that Maiestie Needs all the propps of admiration That may be got to beare it vp on hye And much more mine which but eu'n now begun By miracles of fortune and our worth Needes all the complements to rest vpon That reu'rence and opinion can bring forth Which this wise man conceiues not and yet takes Vpon him to instruct vs what to do But these are but the florishes he makes Of greater malice he is bent vnto For sure me thinkes I view within his face The mapp of chaunge and innouacion I see his pride contented with no place Vnles it be the throne I sit vpon Eph Had I not heard this from your sacred tongue Deare soueraigne I would neuer haue beleeued Philotas folly would haue done that wrong T' his owne worth and th' honors he receiued And yet me thought of late his carriage In such exceeding pompe and gallantry And such a world of followers did presage That he affected popularity Especially since for his seruice done He was adiudgd to haue the second place In honor with Antigonus which wonne To some th' opinion to be high in grace Then this last action leading the right winge And th' ouerthrow he gaue might happ inlarge Th' opinion of himselfe considering Th' especiall grace and honor of his charge Whereby perhaps in rating his owne worth His pride might vnder-ualew that great grace From whence it grew and that which put him forth And made his fortune suting to the place But yet I thinke he is not so vnwise Although his fortune youth and iollity Makes him thus mad as he will enterprize Ought against course his faith and loyalty And therefore if your grace did but withdraw Those beames of fauour which doo daze his wants He would be soone reduc'd t' his rank of awe And know himselfe and beare him as befits Alex. With-draw our grace and how can that be donne Without some sulliuation to insue Can he be safe brought in being so far gone I hold it not Say Craterus what thinke you Cra. Soueraigne I know the man I find his spirit And malice shall not make me I protest Speake other then I know his pride doth merit And what I speake is for your interest Which long ere this I would haue vttered But that I feard your maiesty would take That from some priuate grudg it rather bred Then out of care for your deare sisters sake Or rather that I sought to crosse your grace Or to confine your fauour within boundes And finding him to hold so high a place In that deuine conceipt which ours confounds I thought the safest way to let it rest In hope that time some passage open would To let in those cleere lookes into that brest That doth but malice and confusion hold And now I see you haue discernd the man Whome I protest I hold most dangerous And that you ought with all the speed you can Worke to represse a spirit so mutinous For eu'n already he is swolne so high That his affections ouer-flowe the brime Of his owne powres not able to deny Passage vnto the thoughts that gouerne him For but euen now I heard a strange report Of speeches he should vse t' his Curtizan Vaunting what he had done and in what sort He labourd to aduance that proud yong man So terming of your sacred maiesty With other such extrauagant discourse Whereof we shall attaine more certainty I doubt not shortly and discry his course Meane while about your person I aduise Your grace should call a more sufficient guard And on his actions set such wary eyes As may thereof take speciall good regarde And note what persons chiefly he frequents And who to him haue the most free accesse How he bestowes his time where he presents The large reuenue of his bounteousnesse And for his wench that lyes betwixt his armes And knowes his hare I will about with her She shal be wrought t' apply her vsuall charmes And I will make her my discouerer Alex This counsell Craterus we do well allow And giue thee many thankes for thy great care But yet we must beare faire lest he should know That we suspect what his affections are For that you see he holdes a side of powre which might perhapps call vp some mutinie His father old Parmenio at this howre Rules Medea with no lesser powres then I Himselfe you see gallantly followed Holds next to vs a speciall gouerment Canus that with his Sister married Hath vnder him againe comandement Amintas and Symanus his deare friends With both their honorable offices And then the priuate traine that on them tendes With all perticuler dependences Are motiues to aduice vs how to deale Crat Your grace saies true but yet these cloudes of smooke Vanish before the sun of that respect Whereon mens long-inurd affections looke With such a natiue zeale and so affect As that the vaine and shallow practisies Of no such giddy traytor if the thing Be tooke in time with due aduisednesse Shall the least shew of any fealing bring Alex Well then to thee deare Craterus I refer Th' especiall care of this great busines SCENA 2. Philotas Ceballinus Seruius Ceb. MY Lord I here haue long attendance made Expecting to be calld t' auouch my newes Ph. In troth my friend I haue not found the king At any leasure yet to heare the same Ceb. No not at leasure to preuent his death And is the
the remoue Or raisd by some al'arme or some distrust I told him that the king had some distrust Why what will Nabarzanes play saith he The villaine with the king as he hath done Already with his miserable Lord I seeing he would or did not vnderstand His owne distreste told him the charge I had Wherewith he rose and rising vsd these words O Alexander now I see my foes Haue got aboue thy goodnes and preuaild Against my innocency and thy word And as we then inchain'd and fettred him Looking on that base furniture of shame Poore body said he hath so many alarme Raysd thee to bloud and danger from thy rest T' inuest thee with this armor now at last Is this the seruice I am cald to now But we that were not to attend his plaints Couering his head with a disgracefull weed Tooke and conuaid him suddainly to warde From whence he shal be instantly brought forth Here to b' arraignd before the king who sits According to the Macedonian vse In cases capitall himselfe as Iudge Sost. Well then I see who are so high aboue Are nere to lightning that are nere to Ioue SCENA 2. Alexander with al his coūcel the dead body of Dymnus the reuealers of the conspiracie Philotas THe haynous treason of some few had like T' haue rent me from you worthie soldiers But by the mercy of th' immortall Gods I liue and ioy your sight your reuerend sight Which makes mee more t' abhore those parracides Not for mine owne respect but for the wrong You had receiued if their designe had stood Since I desire but life to do you good But how will you be mou'd when you shall know Who were the men that did attempt this shame When I shall show that which I grieue to show And name such as would God I could not name But that the foulnesse of their practise now Blots out all memory of what they were And though I would suppresse them yet I know This shame of theirs will neuer but appeare Parmenio is the man a man you see Bound by so many merits both to me And to my father our ancienst frend A man of yeares experience grauity Whose wicked minister Philotas is Who here Dimetrius Luculaus and This Dymnus whose dead body here you see With others hath subornd to slaughter mee And here comes Metron with Nichomacus To whom this murthred wretch at first reueald The proiect of this whole conspiracie T' auere as much as was disclosd to him Nichomacus looke here aduise thee well What dost thou know this man that here lies dead Nic. My soueraigne Lord I know him very well It is one Dymnus who did three dayes since Bewray to me a treason practised By him and others to haue slaine your grace Al. Where or by whome or when did he report This wicked act should be accomplished Nic. He said within three dayes your maiesty Should be within your chamber murthered By speciall men of the nobillity Of whom he many namd and they were these Loceus Dimetrius and Archelopis Nicanor and Amyntas Luculous Droceus with Aphebaetus and himselfe Mot Thus much his brother Ceballinus did Reueale to me from out this youthes report Ceb. And so much with the circumstance of all Did I vnto Philotas intimate Alex. Then what hath bene his mind who did suppresse The information of so foule a traine Your selues my worthy Souldiers well may gesse Which Dymnus death declares not to be vaine Poore Ceballinus not a moment stayes To redischarge himselfe of such a waight Philotas careles fearelesse nothing weighes Nor ought reueales His silence shews deceipt And tels he was content it should be done Which though he were no party makes him one For he that knew vpon what powre he stood And saw his fathers greatnes and his owne Saw nothing in the way which now withstood His vast desires but onely this my crowne Which in respect that I am issulesse He thinkes the rather easie to b' attaind But yet Philotas is deceiud in this I haue who shall inherit all I gaind In you I haue both children kindred friends You are the heires of all my purchases And whilst you liue I am not issulesse And that these are not shadowes of my feares For I feare nought but want of enemies See what this intercepted letter beares And how Parmenio doth his sonnes aduise This showes their ends hold read it Craterus Crat. reads it My sonnes First haue a special care vnto your selues Then vnto those which do depend on you So Shall you do what you intend to doo Alex. See but how close he writes that if these lines Should come vnto his sonnes as they are sent They might incourage them in their disseignes If interpris'd might mock the ignorant But now you see what was the thing was ment You see the fathers care the sonnes intent And what if he as a conspirator Was not by Dymnus nam'd among the rest That shewes not his innocencie but his powre Whom they account too great to be supprest And rather will accuse themselues then him For that whilst he shall liue there 's hope for them And how h' hath borne himselfe in priuate sorte I will not stand to vrge it 's too well knowne Nor what hath bene his arrogant reporte T' imbase my actions and to bragge his owne Nor how he mockt my letter which I wrote To shew him of the stile bestowd on mee By th' Oracle of Ioue these things I thought But weaknesses and wordes of vanity Yet words that read the vlcers of his hart Which I supprest and neuer ceast to yeald The cheife rewards of worth and still compart the best degrees and honors of the field In hope to win his loue yet now at length There haue I danger where I lookt for strength I would to God my bloud had rather bene Powrd out the offring of an enemy Then practizd to be shed by one of mine That one of mine should haue this infamy Haue I bene so reserud from feares to fall There where I ought not to haue feard at all Haue you so oft aduisd me to regard The safety which you saw mee running from When with some hote pursute I pressed hard My foes abrode to perish thus at home But now that safty only rests in you Which you so oft haue wisht me looke vnto And now vnto your bosomes must I fly Without whose will I will not wish to liue And with your wils I cannot lesse I giue Due punishment vnto this treachery Amyn. Attarras bring the hatefull prisoner forth This traitor which hath sought t' vndoo vs all To giue vs vp to slaughter and to make Our bloud a skorne here in a barberous land That none of vs should haue retourned back Vnto our natiue country to our wiues Our aged parents kindred and our friends To make the body of this glorious host A most deformed trunke without a head Without the life or soule to guide the same Caenus O
before his face Philotas all vnmou'd vnchaungd appeares As he would deathes ougliest brow out-face And skornd the worst of force and askt them why They staid to torture the kings enemy Cho. That part was acted well God grant we heare No worse a Scene then this and all goes cleare So should worth act and they who dare to fight Against corrupted times should dye vpright Such harts kings may dissolue but not defeat a great man where he falles he should lye great Whose ruine like the sacred carkeses Of skattred temples which still reuerent lie And the religious honour them no lesse Then if they stood in all their gallantry But on with thy report Nu. Straight were hote-yrons appli'd to sere his flesh Then wresting racks his comely body straine Then yron whipps and then the rack a-fresh Then fire againe and then the whipps againe Which he indures with so resolud a looke As if his mind were of another side Then of his body and his sence for sooke The part of nature to be wholy tyde To honor that he would not once consent So much as with a sight his punishment Ch. Yet doth he like himselfe yet all is well This Argument no tyrant can refell This plea of resolution winnes his cause More right then all more admiration drawes For we loue nothing more then to renowne Men stoutely miserable highly downe N. But now Ch. We feare that but O if he ought discend Leaue here and let the Tragedie here end Let not the least act now of his at last Marre all his act of life and glories past Nu, I must tell all and therefore giue nie leaue Swolne with raw tumors vlcered with the ierkes Of Iron whips that flesh from bene had razed And no part free from wounds it erkes His soule to see the house so foule defast Wherein his life had dwelt so long time clene And therefore craues he they would now dismisse His grieuous tortures and he would begin To open all wherein h 'had donne amisse Streight were his tortures ceast and after they Had let him to recouer sense he said Now Craterus say what you will haue me say Wherewith as if deluded or delaid Cratetus in wrath calles presently againe To haue the tortures to be reapplied When what soeuer secret of his hart Which had bene fore-conceiued but in a thought What friend soeuer had but tooke his part In common loue h' accus'd and so forgot Himselfe that now he was more forward to Confesse then they to vrge him thereunto Whether affliction had his spirits vndonne Or seeing to hide or vtter was all one Both waies lay death and therefore he would vie Now to be sure to say enough to die And then began his fortunes to deplore Humbly besought them whom he skornd before That Alexander where he stood behind A Trauers out of sight was heard to speake I neuer thought a man that had a mind T' attempt so much had had a heart so weake There he confest that one Hegelochus When first the King proclaimd himselfe Ioues sonne Incens'd his fathers heart against him thus By telling him that now we were vndone If we indur'd that he which did disdaine To haue beene Philips sonne should liue and raigne He that aboue the state of man will straine His stile and will not be that which we are Not onely vs contemnes but doth disdaine The godds themselues with whom he would compare We haue lost Alexander lost said he The King and falne on pride and vanitie And we haue made a God of our owne bloud That glorifies himselfe neglects our good Intollerable is this impious deed To Godds whom he would match to men he would exceed Thus having over-night Hegelochus Discoursd my father sends next day For me to heare the same and there to vs All he had said to him made him re-say Supposing out of wine the night before He might but idlie raue When he againe Far more inragd in heat and passion more Vrgd vs to clere the state of such a stayne Coniurd vs to redeeme the common-weale And doo like men or els as men conceale Parmenio thought whilst yet Darius stood This course was out of season and thereby Th' extinguishing of Alexanders bloud Would now not profit vs but th' enemy But he once dead we seazing th' others powres Might make all th' orient and all Asia ours That course we lik't to that our councell stands There-to we tyde our othes and gaue our hands And as for this he said for Dymnus plot Though he were cleere yet now it cleer'd him not And yet the force of racks at last could do So much with him as he confest that too And said that fearing Bactra would detaine The king too long he hastned on his endes Least that his father Lord of such a traine And such a wealth an whome the whole depends Should being aged by his death preuent These his designes and frustrate his intent Cho. O would we had not heard this latter iarre This all his former straines of worth doth marre Before this last his foes his spirit commends But now he is vnpittied of his friends Nun. Then was Demetrius likewise brought in place And put to torture who denies the deed Philotas he auerres it to his face Demetrius still denies then he espide A youth one Calm that was standing by Calin said he how long wilt thou abide Demetrius vainely to auouch a lie The youth that neuer had ben nam'd before In all his tortures gaue them cause to gesse Philotas car'd not now to vtter more Then had bene priuie to his practises And seeing they had as much as they desir'd They with Demetrius ston'd him vnto death And all whom Dymnus nam'd to haue conspird With greeuous tortures now must loose their breath And all that were allyde which could not flie Are in the hands of Iustice now to dye Ch. What must the punishment ariue beyond Th' offence not with th' offender make an end Nu. They all must dye who may be feard in time To be the heires vnto their kindreds crime All other punishments end with our breath But treason is pursude beyond our death Ch. The wrath of Kings doth seldome measure keepe Seeking to cure bad parts they lance too deepe When punishment like lightning should appeare To few mens hurt but vnto all mens feare Great Elephants and Lyons murther least Th' ignoble beast is the most cruell beast But all is well if by the mightie fall Of this great man the King be safely freed But if this Hydra of ambition shall Have other heads to spring vp in his stead Then hath he made but way for them to rise Who will assault him with fresh trecheries The which may teach vs to obserue this straine T' admire high hills but liue within the plaines FINIS Plutarch in the life of Alex. Q. Curtius lib. 6. Plutarch in the life of Alexander No testimonijs sīe testibsu Dum inficiatus eft facinus crudeliter torquerividebatur post confessione Philotas ne amicorü quidë misericordiam meruit