University of Virginia Library

Scena Prima.

Whil'st the Musicke for the first Act soundes Hanno, Carthalo, Bytheas, Gelosso enter: They place themselues to Counsell, Gisco th'impoisner waiting on them, Hanno, Carthalo, and Bytheas, setting their hands to a writing, which being offer'd to Gelosso, he denies his hand, and as much offended impatiently starts vp and speakes.
Gelasso. Hanno. Bytheas. Carthalo.
Gel.
My hand? my hand? rotte first, wither in aged shame

Han.
Wil you be so vnseasonably wood?

Byt.

Hold such preposterous zeale as stand against
the full decree of Senate? all think fitte.

Car.
Nay most vneuitable necessarie
For Carthage safty, and the now sole good
Of present state, that wee must breake all faith
With Massinissa: whilst he fights abroad
Lets gaine backe Syphax, making him our owne
By giuing Sophonisba to his bed.

Han.
Syphax is Massinissas greater, and his force
Shall giue more side to Cartthage; as fors queene
And her wise father, they loue Carthage fate,

Profit, and Honesty, are one in state.
Gel.
And what decrees our very vertuous senate
Of worthy Massinissa that now fightes
and (leauing wife and bed) bleeds in good armes
For right old Carthage?

Car.
Thus tis thougt fit
Hir father Asdruball on sudeine shall take in
Reuolted Siphax; so with doubled strength
Before that Massinissa shall suspect,
Slaughter boeth Massinissa and his troupes,
And likewise strike with his deepe stratagem
A suddeine weaknes into Scipios armes,
By drawing such alim from the maine body
Of his yet powerfull armie: which being don
Dead Massinissas kingdom we decree
To Sophonisba and great Asdruball
For their consent, so this swift plot shall bring
Two crowns to hir, make Asdruball a king.

Gel.
So first faithes breach, adultery, murder, theft,

Car.
What els?

Gel.
Nay all is don no mischeif left

Car.
Pish prosperous successe giues blackest actions glory,
The means are vnremembred in most story.

Gel.
Let me not say Gods are not.

Car.
This is fit
Conquest by bloud is not so sweet as wit,
For how so ere nice vertue censures of it,
He hath the grace of warre, that hath wars profit.
But Carthage well aduisde, that states comes on,
With slow aduice, quicke execution,
Haue here an Engineere long bred for plots,
Cal'd an impoisner, who knows this sound excuse,
The onely dew that makes men sprout in Courtes, is vse,
Be't well or ill, his thrift is to be mute,
Such slaues must act commands, and not dispute.
Knowing foule deedes with danger do begin
But with rewardes do end: Sin is no sin
But in respects.—

Gel.
Politique Lord, speake low tho heauen beares
A face far from vs, Gods haue most long eares,
Ioue has a hundred marble marble hands

Car.
O I, in Poetry or Tragique sceane.

Gel.
I feare Gods onely know what Poets mean.

Car.
Yet heare me: I will speake close truth and cease,
Nothing in Nature is vnseruisable,
No, not euen Inutility it selfe,
Is then for nought dishonesty in beeing,
And if it be somtines of forced vse,
Wherein more vrgent then in sauing nations
State shapes are sodderd vp, with base, nay faulty
Yet necessary functions; some must lie,
Some must betray, some murder, and some all,
Each hath strong vse, as poyson in all purges
Yet when some violent chance shall force a state,
To breake giuen faith, or plot some stratagems,
Princes ascribe that vile necessity
Vnto Heauens wrath: and sure tho't be no vice,
Yet t'is bad chance: states must not stick to nice
For Massinissas death sence bids forgiue
Beware to offend greate men and let them liue
For tis of empires body the mayne arme,
He that will do no good shall doe no harme: yow haue my mind

Gel.
Although a stagelike passion & weake heate
Full of an empty wording might sute age
Know Ile speake strongly truth: Lordes neere mistrust
That he who'le not betray a priuate man
For his country, will neer betray his country
For priuate men; then giue Gelosso faith
If treachery in state be seruiceable,
Let hangmen doe it: I am bound to loose
My life but not my honour for my country;
Our vow, our faith, our oath, why th'are our selues
And he thats faithlesse to his proper selfe,
May be excusd if he breake faith with princes:
The Gods assist just hearts, & states that trust,
Plots before Prouidence are tost like dust.
For Massinissa: (O let me slake a little
Austere discourse and feele Humanitie)
Methinkes I heare him cry. O fight for Carthage,
Charge home, wounds smart not, for that so just so great
So good a Citty: methinks I see him yet
Leaue his faire bride euen on his nuptiall night
To buckle on his armes for Carthage: Harke-
Yet, yet, I heare him cry—Ingratitude
Vile staine of man. O ouer be most far
From Massinissas breast: vp, march amaine,
Fame got with losse of breath, is godlike gaine.
And see by this he bleedes in doubtfull fight:
And cries for Carthage, whilst Carthage—Memory
Forsake Gelosso, would I could not think:
Nor heare, nor bee, When Carthage is
So infinitely vile: see see looke here,
Cornets. Enter two Vshers. Sophonisba. Zanthia. Arcathia. Hanno Bytheas and Carthalo present Sophonisba with a paper, which shee hauing perused, after a short silence speakes
Who speakes? what mute? fair plot: what? blush to breake it?
How lewd to act when so sham'd but to speake it.

So.
Is this the Senates firme decrees

Car.
It is.

Sopho.
Is this the Senates firme decree?

Car.
It is

Sopho.
Hath Syphax entertaind the stratagem?

Car.
No doubt he hath, or will.

So.
My answers thus,
Whats safe to Carthage, shall be sweet to me

Car.
Right worthy

Ha.
Roialest

Ge.
O very woman!

So.
But tis not safe for Carthage to destroy,
Be most vniust, cunninglie politique,
Your heads still vnder Heauen, O trust to fate,
Gods prosper more a iust then crafty state.
Tis lesse disgrace to haue a pitied losse
Then shamefull victory.

Ge.
O very Angel!

So.
We all haue sworne good Massinissa faith,
Speach makes vs men, and thers no other bond
Twixt man and man, but words: O equall Gods
Make vs once know the consequence of vowes—

Ge.
And wee shall hate faith-breakers worse then man-eaters

So.
Ha! good Gelosso is thy breath not here?

Ge.
You doe me wrong as long as I can die,
Doubt you that old Gelasso can be vile?
States may afflict, tax, orture, but our mindes
Are ōly sworne to Ioue: I greiue and yet am proud
That I alone am honest: high powers you know
Virtue is seldom seene with troupes to goe.

So.
Excellent man Carthage & Rome shall fall
Before thy fame: our Lords know I the worst.

Car.
The Gods foresaw, tis fate we thus are forc'd.

So.
Gods naught foresee, but see, for to their eyes
Naught is to come, or past, Nor are you vile
Because the Gods foresee: for Gods and We
See as thinges are things are not, for we see
But since affected wisdom in vs Women
Is our sex highest folly: I am silent,
I cannot speake lesse well, vnlesse I were
More void of goodnesse: Lordes of Carthage, thus
The ayre and earth of Carthage owes my body,
It is their seruant; what decree they of it?

Car.
That you remoue to Cirta, to the pallace
Of well form'd Syphax, who with longing eyes
Meetes you: he that giues way to Fate is wise.

So.
I goe: what power can make me wretched? what euill
Is there in life to him, that knowes lifes losse
To be no euill: show, show thy vgliest brow
O most blacke chaunce: make me a wretched story
Without misfortune Vertue hath no glorie
Opposed trees makes tempests show their power
And waues forc'd back by rocks maks Neptune tower
Tearelesse O see a miracle of life
A maide, a widdow, yet a haplesse wife.

Cornets. Sopho. accompanied with the Senators depart, onely Gelosso staies.
Ge.
A prodegy! let nature run crosse legd
Ops goe vpon thy head, let Neptune burne
Cold Saturne cracke with heate for now the world
Hath seene a Woman:
Leape nimble lightning from Ioues ample shield
And make at length, an end, the proud hot breath
Of thee contemning Greatnesse, the huge drought
Of sole selfe louing vast Ambition.
Th'vnnaturall scorching heate of all those lamps
Thou reard'st to yeeld a temperate fruitfull heat
Relentlesse rage whose hart hath no one drop
Of humane pittie: all all loudly cry
Thy brand O Ioue, for know the world is dry
O let A generall end saue Carthage fame
When worlds doe burne vnseens a Citties flame.
Phœbus in me is great: Carthage must fall
Ioue hats all vice but vows breach worst of all.

Exit.