 | The Tragedy of Philotas |  |
Scena I.
Alexander, Ephestion, Craterus.Alexander.
Ephestion
, thou doest Alexander loue,
Craterus, thou the King: yet both you meet
In on selfe point of loyalty and loue,
And both I find like carefull, like discreet,
Therefore my faithfull'st Counsellers, to you
I must a weighty accident impart,
Which lies so heauy, as I tell you true
I finde the burthen much t'oppresse my hart.
Craterus, thou the King: yet both you meet
In on selfe point of loyalty and loue,
And both I find like carefull, like discreet,
Therefore my faithfull'st Counsellers, to you
I must a weighty accident impart,
Which lies so heauy, as I tell you true
I finde the burthen much t'oppresse my hart.
Ingratitude and stubburne 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.
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 ranke, 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 desarts,
Than the effects of my grace any way,
Beginnes to play most peremtory parts,
As fitter to controule than to obay.
And I haue beene inform'd, he fosters too
The faction of that home-bent cowardize,
That would run backe 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 abraid,
Which th'oracles themselues held requisite,
And which not I, but men on me haue laid)
And sayd he pitied 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 than they are!
I that am Arbitrer betwixt my heart
And their opinion, know how it stands within,
And finde that my infirmities take part
Of that same frailty other men liue in.
And yet, what if I were dispos'd to winke
At th'entertain'd opinion spred so farre,
And rather was content the world should thinke
Vs other than we are, that what we are.
In doing which, I know I am not gone
Beyond example, seeing that maiesty
Needs all the props of admiration
That may be got, to beare it vp on hie;
And much more mine, which but eu'n now begun
By miracles of fortune, and our worth,
Needs 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 flourishes he makes
Of greater malice he is bent vnto:
For sure, me thinkes, I view within his face
The map of change and innouation:
I see his pride contented with no place,
Vnlesse it be the throne I sit vpon.
Aboue his ranke, 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 desarts,
Than the effects of my grace any way,
Beginnes to play most peremtory parts,
As fitter to controule than to obay.
And I haue beene inform'd, he fosters too
The faction of that home-bent cowardize,
That would run backe 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 abraid,
Which th'oracles themselues held requisite,
And which not I, but men on me haue laid)
And sayd he pitied those who vnder him should liue,
Who held himselfe the sonne of Iupiter.
Alas good man, as though what breath could giue
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I that am Arbitrer betwixt my heart
And their opinion, know how it stands within,
And finde that my infirmities take part
Of that same frailty other men liue in.
And yet, what if I were dispos'd to winke
At th'entertain'd opinion spred so farre,
And rather was content the world should thinke
Vs other than we are, that what we are.
In doing which, I know I am not gone
Beyond example, seeing that maiesty
Needs all the props of admiration
That may be got, to beare it vp on hie;
And much more mine, which but eu'n now begun
By miracles of fortune, and our worth,
Needs 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 flourishes he makes
Of greater malice he is bent vnto:
For sure, me thinkes, I view within his face
The map of change and innouation:
I see his pride contented with no place,
Vnlesse it be the throne I sit vpon.
Ephest.
Had I not heard this from your sacred tongue,
Deare Souereigne, I would neuer haue beleeued
Philotas folly would haue done that wrong
To his owne worth and th'honours 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 adiudg'd to haue the second place
In honour with Antigonus: which wonne
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Then his last action, leading the right wing,
And th'ouerthrow he gaue, might hap in large
Th'opinion of himselfe, considering
Th'especiall grace and honour of his charge,
Whereby perhaps in rating his owne worth,
His pride might vnder-value 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 enterprise
Ought against course, his faith, and loyalty:
And therefore, if your Grace did but withdraw
Those beames of fauour, which do daze his wits,
He would be soone reduc'd t'his ranke of aw,
And know himselfe, and beare him as befits.
Alex.
Withdraw our grace, and how can that be done,
Without some sulliuation to ensue!
Can he be safe brought in, being so farre gone?
I hold it not. Say Craterus, What thinke you?
Cra.
Souereigne, I know the man: I finde his spirit;
And malice shall not make me (I protest)
Speake other than 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 fear'd your Maiesty would take,
That from some priuate grudge it rather bred,
Than out of care, for your deare sisters sake;
Or rather, that I sought to crosse your Grace,
Or, to confine your fauour within bounds:
And finding him to hold so high a place
In that diuine conceit 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
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And now I see you haue discern'd the man
Whom (I protest) I hold most dangerous.
And that you ought, with all the speede you can,
Worke to represse a spirit so mutinous:
For eu'n already he is swoll'n so hie,
That his affections ouerflow the brim
Of his owne pow'rs, not able to deny
Passage vnto the thoughts that gouerne him:
For but eu'n now I heard a strange report,
Of speeches he should vse t'his Curtizan,
Vanting what he had done, and in what sort
He labour'd to aduance that proud yong man.
(So terming of your sacred Maiesty)
With other such extrauagant discourse,
Whereof we shall attaine more certeinty
(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 regard;
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 lies betwixt his armes,
And knowes his heart, I will about with her,
She shalbe 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 holds a side of pow'r,
Which might perhaps call vp some mutiny.
His father, old Parmenio, at this howre
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Himselfe, you see, gallantly followed,
Holds next to vs a speciall gouernment;
Cænus, that with his sister married,
Hath vnder him againe commandement;
Amentas and Symanus, his deare friends,
With both their honourable offices;
And then the priuate traine that on them tends,
With all particular dependences,
Are motiues to aduise vs how to deale.
Crat.
Your Grace saies true, but yet these clouds of smoke
Vanish before the sun of that respect
Whereon mens long-inur'd affections looke
With such a natiue zeale, and so affect,
As that the vaine and shallow practises
Of no such giddy traytour (if the thing
Be tooke in time with due aduisednesse)
Shall the least shew of any fearing bring.
Alex.
Well, then to thee (deare Craterus) I refer
Th'especiall care of this great businesse.
| The Tragedy of Philotas | |