 | The Tragedy of Ovid |  |
Scæna prima.
Enter Pyrontus, furiously, intending to fall upon his sword, and Phylocles after him, who with his foot strikes it away.Pyrontus.
Uncivill man begon, before my rage
Increases above my troubled patience;
And I for this untimely Courtesy,
Make thee to harbinger my Soul, in death.
Phylocles.
Alas! My Lord why will you take away
The noblest Life that ever honour'd Pontus?
I pray you think upon't.
Pyron.
I am resolv'd,
Nor will I live to see Clorina made
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Phylo.
Ah! who would not run mad, and tear his haire,
And weep untill his eye-balls did dissolve,
To see the bravest man of all this Land
So passionate; And for a scornfull Lady?
Pyron.
Kill me Phylocles: Thou wilt do a deed
The gods will love thee for; for I am One
Ful of those things that virtuous Souls abhorre,
Else sure Clorina would not use me thus.
Philo.
To my own death to do you reall Service
You may command me readily (my Lord):
But to entise me to advance my hand
Against your Life; Great Jove! and all the gods
(Whom we do reverence and fear) forbid.
Pyron.
Phylocles, dost thou love me?
Phylo.
You know (my Lord) I do above my Life.
In our late wars when we did aid our Friends
The fortunate Romans, I attended you.
And when your Horse's Fall left you a Prey
Unto the barbarous Cruelty of the Parthians
I, careless of my life, ran to your Aide
And brought you off through many of their deaths.
Command me any thing, so you except
Your noble Life, and I will do it freely.
Pyron.
Aswell except you will not stirre a foot
To do your friend the greatest favour for him;
Which with an ease, so easy as is walking,
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Phylo.
What would you have me do?
Pyron.
Begon my Phylocles. Is this a day
For me to honour with my Life, wherein
Clorina slighting all my years of service
Which I have paid to her with as great fervour
Is any of our Priests adore the gods)
Till give away her self unto Bassanes?
Away my Friend, and let me dye.
Phylo.
My Lord I will obey you on condition
That I may find you, as I leave you, safe.
And (till I see you next) untoucht, and living.
Have some hope I may bring comfort with me,
Calme all these passions, and create a Joy
That, may occasion Triumphs in your heart
Pyron.
Go then, my Friend, and prosper; but be sure
Thou dost not trifle with me. Thou well knowst
The nature of Pyrontus is averse
To suffering of Abuses.
Phylo.
I am gon
With hope to bring you Comfort speedily.
Exit.
Pyron.
False Tyrant Love! I would I had thee here,
With thy own bow Ide shoot such passions in thee
As should be over-strong for thee to bear.
Fond Boy! Ide make thee doat on chaste Diana
And pluck thy Golden Feathers from thy Wings
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Which of the Fatall Sisters did provoke
Thee, careless of mans happiness, to do
Those bloody deeds which thou art famous for
O that I knew her! And when I am dead
Ide pass the dreadfull Waves of Phlegeton
But I would find her, and destroy her too.
Upon Ixion's wheele Ide torture her
Till with her balefull Cries she did awake
The Porter Cerberus from his drowsy den,
Then would I give her body, unto him
And he should eat it, and she be forgot.
But, cruell Love, hadst thou bin kind to me
And equall fire raysd in Clorina's breast,
Not only in Tomos, but throughout all Pontus
I would have raised Altars to thy praise:
Where night and day (whilst Time make Night, and day)
I would have had such Anthems carrol'd to thee
By happy Lovers; that, eternall Jove
Should have wish'd himself to have been the god of love.
Enter Ovid, Phylocles, and Armelina.
Phylo.
My Lord, The beauteous Lady Armelina
Attended by the Poets Glory Ovid
By the Entreaty of the excellent Bride,
Are come to wooe you to your Life.
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Tis a miraculous kindness, that the fair
Clorina on this solemn day affords me.
Had shee but pleasd t'have been so mercifull
In former times, I had not drooped thus
Now all the City Tomos layes aside
Neglected Care, and puts on Jollity.
Madam! what is the pleasure of my Deity?
And thou full Soul of poetry (sweet Ovid)
What unimmagin'd harmony of Comfort
Bring you unto me?
Armel.
My Lord! if that my sister
Still doth retain the least of power over you
By me she doth entreat you to continue
Among the Living. By all the Love you have
Profes'd unto her, she conjures you t'bear
The Chances of this Day worthy your birth,
And all the noble Actions of your Life.
Ovid.
It is an unbeseeming weakness in you
Degenerating from the former fulness
Of all your Honours, all your immense knowledge
Of sage Philosophy, and of your self
Thus to captive your Reason, and become
Slave to the passions of an heart let loose
To the pursuit of barbarous Appetites.
Pyron.
Sweet Armelina! you whose every word
Strikes Musick through my ears unto my Soul;
You who in, your soft language have apparal'd
The Commands of my goddess, must have power
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Ovid.
Assume a better Courage, and contemn
These Trifles, which you rashly deem Misfortunes.
My Lord, you are the Glory of this Country
The Basis upon which not only Tomos,
But the Nobility of Pontus, build
Their Glories on; instructed hitherto
By imitating You their great Example.
A little Time may alter your Opinion
Of Beauty; you may chance to see ere Long
Another Lady that may please you better:
And then this day you do account so miserable
You in your Kalender will mark a Festival.
Pyron.
Peace gentle Ovid, this is blasphemy
Against the Divinity of her fair soul,
And that rich Heaven of happiness, her body
Jove hath no Beauty, like her, on Olympus;
She's nature's Master-piece, and glorifies
This Angle of the world so, that I prize it
Above triumphant Rome, and all the Splendours
The Court of great Tiberius is renowned for.
Ovid.
You shall orecome Me, so you will Yourself:
Say any thing (my Lord) and I will hear you
Do any thing, and I will honour it;
So you forbear to trespass 'gainst your Life.
Armel.
My Sister doth expect (if you have ever
Born reall affection to her) that you should
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This Resolution of self-Murther, she will
Love you as far as Honor wil give leave,
Entertain welcomly your Company,
And conversation, whilst you prove your self
Delighted with her virtue. And she knows
The Lord Bassanes will most joyfully
Continue you within the Catalogue
Of his Friends most belov'd, while you exceed not
The Limits of a candid Amity,
Nor attempt treason to her Nuptials.
Phylo.
I see a Calmnesse in your looks (my Friend!)
Thanks (gratious Madam) for your pains; And may
Thy Roman Gods reward this kindness (Ovid).
Yet he were savage that had ears so deafe,
And dull an Intellect, as not to yield
To your great Reason, and most eloquent Tongue,
Ovid.
Your partiall Love doth too much overvalue
My poor Endeavours. Hark!
Musick within
Armel.
The Musick doth
Invite us in. Pray, Glorify this Ceremony
With your fair presence
Phylo.
Hymen will (my Lord)
Owe you a blessing for it.
Ovid.
Light a more
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So timely given) crown your more happy head
With future bliss above your Hopes.
Pyron.
Lead in.
Exeunt, Ovid.
I'le but collect my self, and follow you.
Armel.
You will oblige us all.
Armelina
Pyron.
My Friend Phylocles!
Phylo.
I am here, my Lord.
Pyron.
Oh! how a thousand passions combate here!
But which of them shall prove predominant
Commands (received from my fair, cruell Mistriss)
Already have determind. What strange Miracles,
Great Deity of Love, are in thy power!
Affection prompts me to advance my hand,
And turn the Geniall Bed into an Urne.
By setting this Bassanes Soul at Liberty.
But I must needs recall this infant-thoughts;
Or an inglorious stain may fix upon
My Reputation. He was ever noble
In all his Actions to me, and we
Have long ago contracted such a friendship,
That it hath been look't on, as an Example
Worthy an Imitation. Besides, he
Was never made acquainted with my Love.
He then is innocent of any Injury
Committed against me; and doth no more
Then I. The bright Clorina be affects
And so do I, and so must all the world
That are not blind, or senseless when they see,
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Did look a-squint at my Nativity:
And he hath far more Merit to deserve her.
Come Phylocles: She is my only goddess
And I must quit me of profaness too
What she commands, strike no forbidden Blow.
Exeunt.
| The Tragedy of Ovid | |