 | The Spartan Dame |  |
1
ACT I.
SCENE I.
Agesilaus, Mandrocles, and Cleon.Ages.
Propose 'em as the Business of the Day;
They'll take up all our Time.
Cleon.
I wo'not fail.
[Exit.
Ages.
Then he's a King.
Mand.
The Change will mend us all.
Cleombrotus and Thracion to 'em.
Cleom.
The Harvest of our Hopes at last is come;
Rich in a Crop that will reward the Toil;
A plenteous Crop, to fill the Reaper's Hand,
And with the Binder's Sheaves, load every Barn.
Ages.
Then let us not stand idle; Mandrocles
And Thracion, you must to your several Posts.
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Summon our Friends, and lead our Parties to
The Hyppodrome: We shall have need of you.
Thra.
You sha'not want us long.
Mand.
We wo'not fail you.
Ages.
I am the Engineer to fire the Senate;
The Flame must break out there.
Cleom.
I follow you!
If we succeed, a King shall thank your Loves.
[Exeunt.
Celona to Cleombrotus.
Cleom.
Celona here! my Wife!
Celo.
Your loving Wife.
Cleom.
You'r early up to Day.
Celo.
My Bed, my Lord,
Has no more Charms for me, when you are gone.
Cleom.
Dress'd sooner too than usual.
Celo.
My Beauties,
Such as they are, are honest, and my own;
They go to Bed with me, with me they rise,
And need not many Hours in putting on.
Besides, for me to court my Morning Glass,
And practise Looks, were Loss of Time indeed.
I am already what the Vanity
Of a fond dressing Pride, in all its height,
And Wantonness of Expectation,
Can raise my Wishes to; I am your Wife,
Most honour'd in that Title; and despise
The Applause and Breath of any other Praise,
Than of my Vertue, and Obedience now.
Cleom.
Hear this, you libelling Marriage-mortifiers!
You unhous'd, lawless, rambling Libertines!
Senseless of any Charms in Love, beyond
The Prostitution of a common Bed,
Lewdly enjoy'd, and loath'd: hear, hear, and kneel
Before this Shrine, repent, and all get Wives;
That from the healthy Constitution
Of your own chaste Endearments, you may guess
At what I feel, too mighty for my Tongue.
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O! stop not here, my list'ning Soul is charm'd
Into my Ears, and dies upon the Sound
Of ev'ry Word, soft as a Lover's Wish,
And I cou'd hear you ever.
Cleom.
O my fair One!
There is a Story, but I have not time
Now to inform thee in it—
Celo.
O my Fears!
Cleom.
That will delight thee.
Celo.
Your Words always do.
Cleom.
Ay, but these Words carry strong Sense indeed,
A sovereign Sense.
Celo.
The Meaning is too plain.
Cleom.
I won't anticipate the Happiness,
By telling what you will so quickly find:
But raise your Wishes high, mount your Desires
On bold Ambition's Wing; whose airy Flight
Shoots thro' the Clouds, to mingle with the Stars.
When next we meet, I shall behold thee—
Celo.
A miserable Woman.
[Going after him.
Cleom.
How, Celona!
Celo.
O my Cleombrotus! my Lord, my Life!
What Furies urge you on this desp'rate Course,
That leads to certain Ruin?
Cleom.
Whither wou'dst thou?
Celo.
I fear'd indeed before, but now I find
The Ephori, those Fiends of popular Pow'r,
By damning Spells have wrought upon your Soul,
Seduc'd you into a Combination
Of their black Plots against Leonidas:
Why do you turn away?
Cleom.
O! I must leave you.
Celo.
I am your self, my Lord.
Cleom.
Pray let me go.
Celo.
Half of your self, your Wife.
Cleom.
You are my Wife
Celo.
And in that Right I speak, and shou'd be heard.
My Fame must live but in your Chronicle:
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My Memory will be honour'd, or despis'd;
Therefore I speak, and therefore must be heard.
Cleom.
Then I must hear you.
Celo.
Suffer not, my Lord,
The industrious Malice of our Histories,
To take the Advantage of a Crime like this,
To stain the glorious Story of our Lives,
And curse our Names to late Posterity.
Cleom.
Thou wou'dst not have me stand a Looker on,
Behold the strongest Hand carry the Prize
Of Empire from my Hopes?
Celo.
My Soul disdains
The Weakness of that Thought: No, no, my Lord,
I wou'd not have you tame at such a time,
Boldly assert the Cause of Majesty;
For yours is the Succession.
Cleom.
What I do
Is to secure it mine.
[A Servant enters.
Serv.
Crites, my Lord, attends you.
[Goes out.
Cleom.
Pray retire, and in this Confidence, that all my Actions
Shall wait upon my Honour.
Celo.
That's my Hope;
Your Honour must engage you to the King:
And in that Hope I leave you.
[Exit.
Cleom.
Tender, and Chaste, and Fair! nay, she was once
The boasted Pride, and Judgment of my Choice:
So she was thought, and so I valu'd her:
But she's my Wife—and nothing but a Wife,
With all her Charms, cou'd have been stale so soon.
[Crites enters behind him.
O Curse of Marriage! Plenty makes its Wants;
And what was meant Love's Food, starves all its Joys:
The Feasts come quicker than our Appetites:
Yet forcing Nature still, at last we cloy,
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Crit.
My good Lord,
Thelamia may restore—
Cleom.
My Health, my Life,
She only can, my Crites, O that Sound!
The very Mention of Thelamia's Name,
Like a strong Philter, rages in my Veins,
Shoots thro' the boiling Channels of my Blood,
Up to my Heart; then with fresh Fury fed,
Strikes at my Brain, where forming Fancy sits,
Divining Pleasures in Thelamia's Arms;
Which thou, and I, in all our Search of Love,
And Riots in Experience of the Sex,
Cou'd ne'er find out in any other Woman:
O! she's excellent, and in that Thought, I must enjoy her.
Crit.
She's Eurytion's now.
The Priest but Yesterday receiv'd their Vows,
Their mutual Vows, bless'd 'em, and made 'em One.
Cleom.
How! made 'em One! O! that the cunning Priest
Had conjur'd Us together, and made Us One!
Incorporated Body, Blood, and Life,
Our Spirits mix'd, and Love been all our Soul!
Then I had been his Votary for ever.
What's to be done? Speak thou who can'st advise.
Crit.
She's your Wife's Sister.
Cleom.
That's a Name indeed too distant from my Hopes.
Crit.
Then best forgotten. She knows your Love?
Cleom.
She must have known it long, but warily affects
An Ignorance, that flies the Notice of it.
Crit.
She perhaps mistakes it only for a Brother's Love.
Cleom.
No, no, she knows me, and my Meaning well—
Crit.
And flies for Refuge to Eurytion's Arms.
She must not 'scape you so. Eurytion,
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Cleom.
His Virtue bluntly stands just in my Aim
Of Empire, as of Love.
Crit.
Remove him then,
And all your Plots fly sure, point blank, and level
To the very White of your Designs.
Cleom.
Thelamia, and a Crown!
Crit.
They go together.
Cleom.
In that only Thought I'll conquer even
Impossibilities: I know the Appearance
Is to Reason, hard. But a King's Love
Shou'd never know Despair.
Crit.
Despair! name not the Word. You know, my Lord,
I'm fortunately for your Service, marry'd
Into Eurytion's Family: My Wife
Gives me a Title to their Confidence,
Which I've improv'd, by a professing Zeal,
To such a Reputation, that has been
A Key to all their Counsels. I have serv'd
Your politick Designs, and may assist your Love Affairs.
Cleom.
O! there is Life in thee.
Crit.
All, Sir, depends upon this very Day for the Success.
[Shouts
Hark, you are summon'd forth to head the Crowd.
If your Ambition thrive, you have her in your Pow'r.
Cleom.
If that shou'd fail,
I wo'not fail my self, Force shall prevail.
[Exeunt.
[Shouts, several running cross the Stage.
Lysander and Zenocles enter.
Lys.
What's to be done? All's in a wild Combustion.
Zen.
The People, like a Torrent in its Fall,
Disdaining Opposition, bear down all
Before 'em: Ceremonies, Customs, Rites,
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Devoted to the Gods, profan'd, and scorn'd.
Lys.
All Quality, Distinction, and Degree
Of Place, or Virtue, swept away, like Rubbish,
By the vile Hands of popular Confusion.
Zen.
Our Party in the Senate-House, I thought,
Was strong enough, concluding on those Fools
Of Argument, and Noise, who roar'd for us:
But when it came to Blows, our Orators,
So famous for their Battles at the Bar,
And Victory in Words, sneak'd from their Chairs,
Stinted their Rhet'rick to a single Prayer,
And wish'd us well.
Lys.
Slaves! who, but Minutes since,
Drew down the Terror of loud Laws upon us,
And spoke in Thunder; now, tho' they see the
Rabble tossing Confusion about our Streets,
Have not the Courage of a Lictor's Voice,
To bid 'em keep the Peace.
Zen.
Eurytion yet stands firm, and constant.
Lys.
O'erpower'd by the Multitude,
I saw him retreat towards Juno's Temple.
Zen.
There the Street is narrow, and may friend our Purpose well.
Lys.
The Example of his Bravery may steel us
To the performance of some glorious Action,
Great as our Cause, becoming honest Men,
[Crites with Euphemia, enters to 'em.
Zen.
The fair Euphemia!
Lys.
O! thou Royal Maid!
No Sanctuary left for Innocence!
Euph.
'Tis fit my Father's Fortune shou'd be mine.
Crit.
I've snatch'd this Casket from the common Spoil,
Worthy the Safeguard of the general Gods:
And, as my Master's Heart is treasur'd here,
Will place her in the Virgin Goddess' Shrine.
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The Gods, and good Mens Pray'rs must side with us.
[Crites with Euphemia go out one way; Lysander and Zenocles another.
Shouts, several Citizens enter.
1 Cit.
Nay, better or worse, as time shall try; but
so it is. Now we shall have the Laws for taking
away our Debts, and dividing Lands. Lycurgus, as
you have all heard, was a wise Man, and lov'd the
People. In his Days we were all equal.
2 Cit.
Equal! Neighbour, as how? How equal? pray?
1 Cit.
How equal? why—equal in respect of Equality!
How shou'd it be! that is, one Man as good as another.
2 Cit.
Ay, those were Times indeed: but we, and our Fathers afore us,
Now-a-days, are little better than Rascals, that's the Truth on't.
[Trumpets flourish.
1 Cit.
Stand aside: the new King is coming this Way;
Let's see how his Majesty has alter'd him—
The very same thing still for Courtesie.—
See how he bows, and smiles on every Hand—
Stand close, he'll speak anon.
Cleombrotus attended. Agesilaus, Mandrocles, and Thracion, with Lysander, Zenocles, and Crites, Prisoners.
Cleom.
My Thanks among you, my most worthy Friends!
This but begins, what a long happy Reign;
(The Gods and you confirm it long, and happy,)
Shall multiply in Blessings on you all.
Not One of you, who has this Day appear'd
In the Defence of Sparta, and her Laws,
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Crit.
The Sons of Sparta now are Slaves indeed.
Cleom.
And as her Sons, shall find a Parent's Care
To make you happy, and secure you so,
In all the common Goods of Government.
Omnes.
Liberty, Freedom; Liberty in Sparta.
[Shouting.
Cleom.
Enough of this. I wou'd entreat you all
To wait me to the Senate-House; there I
Will give the Reasons of my Actions:
Which, when our frighted Senators shall find
Founded on no Designs, but what intend
The publick Weal, our Liberties, and Laws,
And the kind Care of all our People's Peace;
How will they blush for so mistaking me!
Ages.
Mistaking you indeed, and all your Ends.
Cleom.
Agesilaus, you are the Ephorus,
The People's first chief Magistrate in Sparta.
Ages.
But you their Champion and Deliverer.
Mand.
The Patron of the People's Liberties.
Thras.
Their Lives, and Freedoms, all redeem'd by you.
Cleom.
These are high sounding Titles, but the way
To keep 'em mine?
Ages.
By passing of the Laws
For cancelling Debts.—
Cleom.
And the dividing Lands.
Ages.
Sir, cancelling their Debts, at present will
Content 'em: still keep something in your Hands;
Dividing of the Lands may serve a Turn
Another time, and make an After-Game.
Cleom.
I am advis'd: lead to the Senate-House.
Ages.
Yet e'er you go, begin a Justice here,
Upon the People's, and your Enemies.
Cleom.
My Mercy had forgot 'em. Zenocles,
And you Lysander, what you have advis'd,
And acted against me, I freely pardon.
But as you have betrayed the People's Trust,
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Leonidas, against their Interest:
I, in the People's Name, discard you Both
From that high Office; which I will supply.
With Men of worthier Note: You Mandrocles,
And Thracion, shall fill up this Vacancy.
Mand. and Thra.
We are your Servants ever.
Zen.
We are doom'd.
Lys.
Is there ought else?
Ages.
Release 'em: You are free. But here's a Rogue
Just ripe, and ready for the Hangman's Hands.
Cleom.
Thou Firebrand of Fools! what canst thou say
To qualify thy Mischiefs by Excuse, in hopes of Pardon?
Crit.
What I did, I did in honest Earnest, and by open Day.
In Duty to the Interest I serv'd:
And now to stammer out a weak Defence,
Can't make me innocent, but wou'd betray
A Fear, that never shall be Part of me.
Cleom.
I know thee dangerous; yet since thou hast
Some Virtues, which prefer and place thee near
The Trust, and Bosom of a Man I love,
And wou'd engage, I pardon all that's past,
Eurytion pardons thee: but his Heart scorns
To be oblig'd: and therefore we are forc'd
Not to depend upon him. Forward, Friends.
[Exeunt.
Eurytion enters to Lysander, Zenocles, and Crites.
Crit.
Life is not yet become a Burden to me;
Therefore I offer up, in thankfulness,
To my Preserver, to Eurytion,
My Days to come, and their best Services, to wait upon your Fortune.
Eury.
I accept them, and thy Love. Thou truly gallant Man!
Come to my Arms: and O! embrace him all.
This Spirit seems inspir'd to raise the Hopes of honest Men,
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Be our Hearts Strangers to each others Breasts:
Fearless, and free, we'll interchange our Souls,
Both of the past; and what we may expect from what's to come.
Zen.
What is there to expect?
Lys.
Or what can come?
Eury.
Let not the Carriage of Cleombrotus
Lull us in a supine Security,
Sooth our Credulity to the fond Thought,
That he can pardon us. We are not safe,
Till he be satisfied his Pow'r is so:
And that can't be, but by the Fall of those
Who have appear'd his Enemies.
Crit.
And how we stand in his Opinion, is well known.
Eury.
We are not Boys, nor is Cleombrotus;
Whose quick Suspicion, as it will awake
His Fears of us, so let our Reason too
Provide against the Danger of those Fears,
Which always end in Blood.
Crit.
For my own part, I value Life, but just as Life deserves.
Eury.
A sudden Thought, but hudled and confus'd,
Unargu'd yet, inspires me with high Hopes,
Which our united Counsels may digest
To a maturity of Growth and Pow'r.
Lys.
This Place is much frequented, and too publick
For our present Purpose.
Eury.
Pray withdraw with me,
And you shall know the Ground I work upon.
If then you find my Means sufficient
To lead us on in this great Enterprize;
Our Dangers, as our Hopes, will be the same,
A Life with Honour, or a Death with Fame
[Exeunt.
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