University of Virginia Library

SCÆNA IV.

Archidamus, Roxane, Barsene, Polydamas, Lyncestes, Theagines, Meleager, Orithya, Thalæstris.
Archid:
—Have you prepar'd
The Ships, Lyncestes, to convey the Ladies
Over to th'Island?

Lync:
They are ready Sir,
And only doe expect their beauteous fraught.
The Ladies Sir, will looke like Goddesses
Borne of the Sea.

Archid.
And have you made, Polydamas,
The Castle fit to entertaine them?

Polyd:
Sir,
The Ladies lock't up in a Brasen Tower
Were not more safe? 'Tis now a place where pleasure
Dwels joyn'd with Strength. It onely wants their presence,
To be a Fort without, within a Pallace.

Arch:
You are turn'd young againe, My Lords; you speake
So amorously I do begin to doubt
Whether you may be trusted with a charge
So dangerously inflaming.

Polyd:
Sir, our sonnes
Can promise for us, we intend no sieges
Against their Beauties, in your absence; All
Our Batteries to good faces were long since
Spent on their mothers.

Arch:
Wee dare venture you.
Your sonnes, Theagines and Meleager,
Shall goe with us to th'Feild.

Rox:
And will you then,
Deprive mee of the Glory Sir, of being
A sharer in your dangers? I endur'd
The Sea with you; Why should you thinke I am
More timerous to endure the Land?

Arch:
Because
The Land's now more tempestuous then the Sea.
For that smiled on your passage; And the Waves,
As if they had teemed with a second Venus,
Or understood the sweetnesse of their burden,
Grew calme, serene, and Halcyon. But here
You will expose your selfe to Night Alarmes,
Day Battles; and runne hazards where the blinde
Sword can't distinguish 'twixt the faire and foule;
See men act Wolves parts, and behold a spectacle,
Not fit for your soft Sex, Men falne, and dying,
Striving to kill their killers and depart
With mutuall slaughter.

Rox:
What difference is there
Betwixt the eye, and fancy, but onely this
That dangers to the Absent still shew greater?
When I make these descriptions to my selfe,
And thinke you in the midst, though no Spectatour,
I shall as truely suffer. My owne Thoughts
Of you will passe for Battles; And my feares,
Where e're you place mee, will be fights and sieges.
You could not deale more cruelly, should you
Restore me to my Brother, then thus divorce
Me from your Company. Besides, It is
My Cause you fight for; I've an interest
Going in the Warre; And will you, Sir, deny mee
The poore content of binding up your Wounds
Received for mee?

Bars:
Madam, you'l give me leave,
Here to strive with you; I've a Cause going too.
Let me Sir, joyne in the request, that you
Will take us with you. If there be noe other
Use of us, We'l help to put on your Armes,
And take them off.

Meleag:
If our two Wives do joyne
In the Petition, with their Chambermaids,
They'l make a Female Regiment.

Theag:
I looke
My Wife within these three dayes shall be Knighted.

Meleag:
And I that mine be made a Collonel.

Arch:
Alas you know not what you aske; pray tell me,
How would a Speare shew in your hand Roxane?
Or Sister, How d'you thinke it would become you
To weild a Pike? or weare a sword? Or how
Could I looke on my selfe but as a guilty
Betrayer of you, if the chance of Warre
Should snatch you from mee? Or you two be made
Part of the Conquerours Triumph? Come; I have
Provided gentler entertainments for you.
Your wishes will supply your presence; and
Put Wings unto my Victory.

Rox:
'Tis part:
Of my love Sir, to be obedient.

Exeunt.