University of Virginia Library

Scene the first.

Maharball and Himulco.
Mah.
Here's the right use of victory, to tame
Our furies with soft ease and wantonnesse,
After so many travels. Had our Hanniball
Possest himselfe of Rome without a Capua,
The conquest had beene poore.

Himul.
These spoyles of beauty,
And free ones too, that uncompel'd will runne
To imbrace a Souldier; rock him in her armes;
Sing him asleepe, and with her icy fingers
Kembing the knotted curles of his black haire
So long neglected, make her selfe the ravisher:
Oh! 'tis Elysium.

Mahar.
Nay, to have such change
Of pleasure court us; as if their inventions
Were onely busie to make our delights
The object of their care. Here we are feasted
With Chalcedonian Tuning; Rhodian guilt heads,
And more than Samian gluttony. We drinke
No wine, but of Campania's Mascicus,
Or grape crownd Aulon. Boyes more faire than hee
That beares Ioves Cup, rapt on the duskie wings
Of's sky-borne Eagle, serve the banquet up
In golden dishes, or Corinthian plate,
Luxuries chiefest.

Him.
To crowne the entertainment,
Here sits a Lady, Hebe never blusht
A colour like her cheeke: and in her eye
A thousand Cupids move in wanton friskes,
To catch the gazers. There's another deckt
In the Seas riches, which the Negro dives for:
Her pearles reflexion dimacing the darke tapers,
As if all light were borrow'd from those Sunnes
Their orient roundnesse mockes us with. A third
Betrayes through a transparent lawne the beauty
Of a complexion, white and red did never
Mixe a more perfect; and a shape exact
As Natures first Pandora's. The possession
After desire hath made a preparation
In every sense to entertaine these joyes,
Can earth affoord a Heaven, and this not bee
The best hope ever faign'd?

Mahar.
Then to be cloth'd
In silkes of Tyrian dye; to sleepe on downe,
And waking claspe a Goddesse in ones armes,
Lovely as Cytharea; revell sometimes,
And dance to th'Mermaides musicke, 'till the night
Is made one artificiall day, inverting
The course of time and's actions: oh delights,
Beyond weake comprehension! Wee begin
To taste them without sense, did not diversity
Whet appetite anew?

Him.
Yet so much change
Should make invention barren: but 'tis fruitfull,
Pregnant, and teemes as fast as 'tis delivered.
Delicious Capua!

Mah.
Pleasures onely storehouse!
Were I an Hanniball? and conquest quiet me
As faire as day-light spreads his christall wings.
One Capua should ransome all.