University of Virginia Library

Actus. 2.

Scena. 1.

POLLINYCES.
CHORVS. IOCASTA. ETEOCLES.
Loe here mine owne citie and natiue soyle,
Loe here the nest I ought to nestle in,
Yet being thus entrencht with mine owne towres,
And that, from him the safeconduct is giuen
Which doth enioye as much as mine should be,
My feete can treade no step without suspect:
For where my brother bides, euen there behoues
More warie scout than in an enemyes campe.
Yet while I may within this right hand holde
This brond, this blade, (vnyelden euer yet)
My life shall not be lefte without reuenge.
But here beholde the holy sancturie,
Of Bacchus eke the worthy Image loe,
The aultars where the sacred flames haue shone,
And where of yore these giltlesse handes of mine
Full oft haue offered to our mightie gods.
I see also a worthie companie
Of Thebane dames, resembling vnto me
The traine of Iocasta my deare mother:
Beholde them clad in clothes of griesly blacke,
That hellishe hewe that nay for other harmes
So well besemed wretched wightes to weare:
For why, ere long their selues themselues shall see
(Gramerry to there princes tyrannie)
Some spoyled of their sweete and sucking babes,
Some lese their husband, other some their sire,
And some their friends that were to them full dere.
But now tis time to lay this sworde aside,
And eke of them to knowe where is the Queene:
O woorthie dames, heauie, vnhappie ye,
Where resteth now the restlesse queene of Thebes?

Chor.
O woorthie impe sprong out of worthie race.
Renoumed Prince, whome wee haue lookt for long,
And nowe in happie houre arte come to vs,
Some quiet bring to this vnquiet realme.
O queene, O queene, come foorth and see thy sonne,
The gentle frute of all thy ioyfull seede.

Iocast.
My faithfull frendes, my deare beloued maydes,
I come at call, and at your wordes I moue
My feebled feete with age and agonie:
Where is my sonne? O tell me where is he,
For whome I sighed haue so often syth,
For whom I spende bothe nightes and dayes in teares?

Poli.
Here noble mother, here, not as the king,
Nor as a Citizen of stately Thebes,
But as a straunger nowe, I thanke my brother.

Iocast.
O sonne, O sweete and my desyred sonne,
These eyes they see, these handes of myne thee touche,
Yet scarsly can this mynde beleeue the same,
And scarsly can this brused breast susteyne
The sodeyne ioye that is inclosde therein:
O gladsome glasse, wherein I see my selfe.

Chor.
So graunt the Gods, that for our common good,
You freendly may your sonnes bothe frendes beholde.

Iocast.
At thy departe, O louely chylde, thou lefte
My house in teares, and mee thy wretched dame,
Myrrour of martirdome, waymenting still
Th vnworthie exile thy brother thee gaue:
Ne was there euer sonne or friende farre off,
Of his deare frendes or mother so desyred,
As thy returne, in all the towne of Thebes.
And of my selfe more than the rest to speake,
I haue as thou mayste see, cleane cast asyde
My princely roabes, and thus in wofull weede,
Bewrapped haue these lustlesse limmes of myne:
Naught else but teares haue trickled from myne eyes,
And eke thy wretched blynde and aged syre,
Since first he hearde what warre tweene you there was,
As one that did his bitter cursse repent,
Or that he prayed to Ioue for your decaye,
With stretching string, or else with blouddie knyfe
Hath sought full ofte to ende his loathed lyfe.
Thou this meanewhyle my sonne, hast lingred long
In farre and forreyn coastes, and wedded eke,
By whome thou mayste, (when heauens appoyntes it so)
Straunge issue haue by one a stranger borne,
Whiche greeues me sore, and much the more deare chylde,
Bicause I was not present at the same,
There to performe thy louing mothers due.
But for I fynde thy noble matche so meete,
And woorthie bothe for thy degree and byrthe,
I seeke to comforte thee by myne aduise,
That thou returne this citie to inhabite,
Whiche best of all may seeme to be the bowre,
Bothe for thy selfe and for thy noble spouse.
Forget thou then thy brothers iniuries,
And knowe deare chylde, the harme of all missehap,
That happes twixt you, must happe likewyse to mee:
Ne can the cruell swoorde so slightly touche
Your tender fleshe, but that the selfe same wounde
Shall deepely bruse this aged breast of myne.

“Cho.
There is no loue may be comparde to that,
“The tender mother beares vnto hir chylde:
“For euen so muche the more it dothe encrease,
“As their griefe growes, or contentations cease.

Poli.
I knowe not mother, if I prayse deserue,
(That you to please, whome I ought not displease)
Haue traynde my selfe among my trustlesse foes:
But Nature drawes (whether he will or nill)
Eche man to loue his natue countrey soyle:
And who shoulde say, that otherwise it were,
His toung should neuer with his heart agree.
This hath me drawne besyde my bounden due,
To set full light this lucklesse lyfe of myne:
For of my brother, what may I else hope,
But traynes of treason, force and falshoode bothe?
Yet neyther perill present, nor to come,
Can holde me from my due obedience:
I graunte I can not grieflesse, well beholde
My fathers pallace, the holie aultars,
Ne louely lodge wherein I fostred was:
From whence driuen out, and chaste vnworthily,
I haue too long aboade in forreyn coastes:
And as the growing greene and pleasant plante,
Dothe beare freshe braunches one aboue an other,
Euen so amidde the huge heape of my woes,
Dothe growe one grudge more greeuous than the rest,
To see my deare and dolefull mother, cladde
In mournyng tyre, to tyre hir mourning mynde,
Wretched alonely for my wretchednesse,
So lykes that enimie my brother best:
Soone shall you see that in this wandring worlde,
No enmitie is equall vnto that
That darke disdayne (the cause of euery euill)
Dooth breede full ofte in consanguinitie.
But Ioue, he knowes what dole I doe endure,
For you and for my fathers wretched woe,
And eke howe deepely I desyre to knowe
What wearie lyfe my louing sisters leade,
And what anoye myne absence them hath giuen.

Iocast.
Alas, alas, howe wrekefull wrath of Gods
Dothe still afflicte Oedipus progenie:
The fyrste cause was thy fathers wicked bedde,
And then (Oh why doe I my plagues recompte?)
My burdein borne, and your vnhappie birth:
“But needes wee must with pacient heartes abyde,
“What so from high the heauens doe prouide.
With thee my chylde, fayne woulde I question yet
Of certaine things: ne woulde I that my woordes
Might thee anoye, ne yet renewe thy griefe.

Poli.
Saye on, deare mother, say what so you please,
What pleaseth you, shall neuer mee disease.

Iocast.
And seemes it not a heauie happe my sonne,
To be depriued of thy countrey coastes?

Poli.
So heauie happe as toung can not expresse.

Iocast.
And what may moste molest the mynde of man
That is exiled from his natiue soyle?

Poli.
The libertie hee with his countrey loste,
“And that he lacketh freedome for to speake,
“What seemeth best, without controll or checke.

Iocast.
Why so? eche seruaunt lacketh libertie
To speake his mynde, without his masters leaue.

“Poli.
In exile, euery man, or bonde or free,
“Of noble race, or meaner parentage,
“Is not in this vnlyke vnto the slaue,
“That muste of force obey to eche mans will,
“And prayse the peeuishnesse of eche mans pryde.

Iocast.
And seemed this so grieuous vnto thee?

Poli.
What griefe can greater be, than so constraynde,
Slauelyke to serue gaynst right and reason bothe,
Yea muche the more, to him that noble is,
By stately lyne, or yet by vertuous lyfe,
And hath a heart lyke to his noble mynde.

Iocast.
What helpeth moste in suche aduersitie?

Poli.
Hope helpeth moste to comfort miserie.

Ioca.
Hope to returne from whence he fyrst was driuen?

Poli.
Yea, hope that happeneth oftentymes to late,
And many die before suche hap may fall.

Iocast.
And howe didst thou before thy mariage sonne,
Mainteyne thy lyfe, a straunger so bestad?

Poli.
Sometyme I founde (though seldome so it were)
Some gentle heart, that coulde for curtesye,
Contente himselfe to succour myne estate.

Iocast.
Thy fathers friends and thyne, did they not helpe
For to releeue that naked neede of thyne?

Poli.
Mother, he hath a foolishe fantasie,
“That thinkes to fynde a frende in miserie.

Iocast.
Thou myghtst haue helpe by thy nobilitie.

“Poli.
Couerd alas, in cloake of pouertie?

“Iocast.
Wel ought we then that are but mortall heere.
“Aboue all treasure counte our countrey deare:
Yet let me knowe my sonne, what cause thee moued
To goe to Grece?

Poli.
The flying fame that thundred in myne eares,
Howe king Adrastus, gouernour of Grece,
Was answered by Oracle, that he
Shoulde knitte in linkes of lawfull mariage,
His two faire daughters, and his onely heires,
One to a Lyon, th'other to a Boare:
An answere suche as eche man wondred at.

Iocast.
And how belongs this answere now to thee.

Poli.
I toke my gesse euen by this ensigne heere,
A Lyon loe, which I dyd alwayes beare:
Yet thynke I not, but Ioue alonely broughte
These handes of myne to suche an high exploite.

Iocast.
And howe yet came it to this straunge effect?

Poli.
The shining day had runne his hasted course,
And deawie night bespread hir mantell darke,
When I that wandred after wearie toyle,
To seke some harbrough for myne irked limmes,
Gan fynde at last a little cabbin, close
Adioyned faste vnto the stately walles,
Where king Adrastus helde his royall towres.
Scarce was I there in quiet well ycoucht,
But thither came an other exile eke,
Named Tydeus, who straue perforce to driue
Mee from this sorie seate, and so at laste,
Wee settled vs to fell and blouddie fight,
Whereof the rumour grewe so greate foorthwith,
That straight the king enformed was thereof,
Who seeing then the ensignes that wee bare,
To be euen suche as were to him foresayde,
Chose eche of vs to be his sonne by lawe,
And sithens did solemnize eke the same.

Iocast.
Yet woulde I know, if that thy wyfe be suche
As thou canst ioy in hir? or what she is?

Poli.
O mother deare, fayrer ne wyser dame
Is none in Greece, Argia is hir name.

Iocast.
Howe couldst thou to this doubtefull enterprise,
So many bring, thus armed all at once?

Poli.
Adrastus sware, that he woulde soone restore
Unto our right both Tydeus, and me:
And fyrst for mee, that had the greater neede,
Whereby the best and boldest blouds in Greece,
Haue followed me vnto this enterpryse.
A thing both iuste and grieuous vnto mee,
Greeuous I saye, for that I doe lamente
To be constrayned by suche open wrong,
To warre agaynst myne owne deare countrey feeres.
But vnto you (O mother) dothe pertaine
To stinte this stryfe, and bothe deliuer mee
From exile now, and eke the towne from siege:
For otherwise, I sweare you here by heauens,
Eteocles, who now doth me disdayne
For brother, shortly shall see me his lorde.
I aske the seate, wherof I ought of right
Possesse the halfe, I am Oedipus sonne,
And yours, so am I true sonne to you both.
Wherefore I hope that as in my defence
The worlde will weygh, so Ioue will me assiste.

Eteocles commeth in here by the gates Electræ, himself armed, and before him .xx. gentlemen in armour, his tvvo pages, vvherof the one beareth his Target, the other his helme.
Chor.
Beholde O queene, beholde O woorthie queene,
Unworthie he, Eteocles here cōmes,
So, woulde the Gods, that in this noble realme
Shoulde neuer long vnnoble tyrant reigne,
Or that with wrong the right and doubtlesse heire,
Shoulde banisht be out of his princely seate.
Yet thou O queene, so fyle thy sugred toung,
And with suche counsell decke thy mothers tale,
That peace may bothe the brothers heartes inflame,
And rancour yelde, that erst possest the same.

Eteocl.
Mother, beholde, youre hestes for to obey,
In person nowe am I resorted hither:
In haste therefore, fayne woulde I knowe what cause
With hastie speede, so moued hath your mynde
To call me nowe so causelesse out of tyme,
When common wealth moste craues my onely ayde:
Fayne woulde I knowe, what queynt commoditie
Persuades you thus to take a truce for tyme,
And yelde the gates wide open to my foe,
The gates that myght our stately state defende,
And nowe are made the path of our decay.

“Ioca.
Represse deare son, those raging stormes of wrath,
“That so bedimme the eyes of thine intente,
“But when disdayne is shrunke, or sette asyde,
“And mynde of man with leysure can discourse
“What seemely woordes his tale may best beseeme,
“And that the toung vnfoldes without affectes
“Then may proceede an answere sage and graue,
“And euery sentence sawst with sobernesse:
Wherfore vnbende thyne angrie browes deare chylde,
And caste thy rolling eyes none other waye,
That here doost not Medusaes face beholde,
But him, euen him, thy blood and brother deare.
And thou beholde, my Polinices eke,
Thy brothers face, wherin when thou mayst see
Thine owne image, remember therwithall,
That what offence thou woldst to him were done,
The blowes therof rebounde vnto thy selfe.
And hereof eke, I would you both forewarne,
When frendes or brethren, kinsfolke or allies,
(Whose hastie heartes some angrie moode had moued)
Be face to face by some of pitie brought,
Who seekes to ende their discorde and debate:
They onely ought consider well the cause
For which they come, and cast out of their mynde
For euermore the olde offences past:
So shall swete peace driue pleading out of place.
Wherfore the first shall Polinices be,
To tell what reason firste his mynde did rule,
That thus our walles with forrein foes enclosde
In sharpe reuenge of causelesse wrongs receiu'd,
As he alledgeth by his brothers doome:
And of this wicked woe and dire debate,
Some god of pitie be the equall iudge,
Whome I beseeche, to breath in both your breasts
A yelding hearte to deepe desire of peace.

“Poli.
My woorthie dame, I fynde that tryed truthe
“Doth beste beseeme a simple naked tale,
“Ne needes to be with painted proces prickt,
“That in hir selfe hath no diuersitie,
“But alwayes shewes one vndisguysed face,
“Where deepe deceipt and lyes muste seeke the shade,
“And wrap their wordes in guilefull eloquence,
“As euer fraught with contrarietie:
So haue I often sayde, and say agayne,
That to auoide our fathers foule reproche
And bitter curse, I parted from this lande
With right good will, yet thus with him agreed,
That while the whirling wyngs of flying time
Might roll one yeare aboute the heauenly spheare,
So long alone he might with peace possesse
Our fathers seate in princely diademe,
And when the yeare should eke his course renue,
Might I succeede to rule againe as long.
And that this lawe might stil be kept for aye,
He bound him selfe by vowe of solemne oth
By Gods, by men, by heauen, and eke by earth:
Yet that forgot, without all reuerence
Unto the Gods, without respect to right,
Without respecte that reason ought to rule,
His faith and troth both troden vnder foote,
He still vsurps most tyrantlike with wrong
The right that doth of right to me belong.
But if he can with equall doome consent,
That I retourne into my natiue soile
To sway with him alyke the kingly seate
And euenly beare the bridle both in hand,
Deare mother mine I sweare by all the Gods
To raise with speede the siege from these our walles,
And send the souldiers home from whence they came:
Which if he graunt me not, then must I do
(Though loth) as much as right and reason would,
To venge my cause that is both good and iust.
Yet this in heauen the Gods my records be,
And here in earth each mortall man may know,
That neuer yet my giltlesse heart did faile
Brotherly dutie to Eteocles,
And that causlesse he holdes me from mine own,
Thus haue I said O mother, euen as much
As needefull is, wherein I me assure,
That in the iudgement both of good and badde,
My words may seeme of reason to proceede,
Constrained thus in my defence to speake.

Chor.
None may denie, O pere of princely race,
But that thy words are honest, good and iust,
And such as well beseeme that tong of thine.

“Eteo.
If what to some seemes honest, good and iust,
“Could seeme euen so in euery doubtfull mind,
“No darke debate nor quarell could arise:
“But looke, how many men so many minds,
“And that, that one man iudgeth good and iust,
“Some other deemes as deepely to be wrong.
To say the truth (mother) this minde of mine
Doth fleete full farre from that farfetch of his,
Ne will I longer couer my conceit:
If I could rule or reigne in heauen aboue,
And eke commaund in depth of darksome hell,
No toile ne trauell should my sprites abashe,
To make the way vnto my restlesse will,
To climbe aloft, nor downe for to descend.
Then thinke you not, that I can yeld consent
To yeld a parte of my possession,
Wherein I liue and lead the monarchie.
“A witlesse foole may euery man him gesse,
“That leaues the more and takes him to the lesse.
With this, reproch might to my name redound,
If he, that hath with forren power spoilde
Our pleasaunt fields, might reaue from me perforce,
What so he list by force of armes demand.
No lesse reproofe the citizens ensewes,
If I, for dread of Greekish hosts, should graunt
That he might climbe to height of his desire.
In fine, he ought not thus of me to craue
Accord or peace, with bloudy sword in hand,
But with humilitie and prayer both.
For often is it seene, and proofe doth teach,
“Swete words preuaile, where sword and fire faile.
Yet this, if here within these stately walles
He list to liue, the sonne of Oedipus,
And not as king of Thebes, I stand content.
But let him thinke, since now I can commaunde,
This necke of mine shall neuer yeld to yoke
Of seruitude: let bring his banners splaide,
Let speare and shielde, sharpe sworde, and cyndring flames
Procure the parte that he so vainely claimes:
As long as life within this brest doth last,
I nill consent that he should reigne with me.
If lawe of right may any way be broke,
“Desire of rule within a climbing brest
“To breake a vow may beare the buckler best.

“Cho.
Who once hath past the bounds of honestie
“In ernest deedes, may passe it well in words.

Ioca.
O sonne, amongst so many miseries
This benefite hath croked age, I find,
That as the tracke of trustlesse time hath taught,
“It seeth muche, and many things discernes,
“Which recklesse youth can neuer rightly iudge.
Oh, cast aside that vaine ambition,
That corosiue, that cruell pestilence,
That most infects the minds of mortall men:
“In princely palace and in stately townes
“It crepeth ofte, and close with it conuayes,
“To leaue behind it damage and decayes:
“By it be loue and amitie destroyde,
“It breaks the lawes and common concord beates,
“Kingdomes and realmes it topsie turuie turnes,
And now, euen thee, hir gall so poisoned hath,
That the weake eies of thine affection
Are blinded quite, and see not to them selfe
But worthy childe, driue from thy doubtfull brest
This monstrous mate, in steade whereof embrace
“Equalitie, which stately states defends
“And binds the mind with true and trustie knots
“Of friendly faith which neuer can be broke,
“This, man of right should properly possesse,
And who that other doth the more embrace,
Shall purchase paine to be his iust reward
By wrathfull wo or else by cruell death.
“This, first deuided all by equall bonds
“What so the earth did yeld for our auaile:
“This, did deuide the nights and dayes alike,
“And that the vaile of darke and dreadfull night,
“Which shrowds in misty clouds the pleasaunt light,
“Ne yet the golden beames of Phebus rayes
“Which cleares the dimmed ayre with gladsome gleames
“Can yet heape hate in either of them both.
If then the dayes and nights to serue our tourne
Content them selues to yeld each other place,
Well oughtest thou with waightie doome to graunt
Thy brothers right to rule the reigne with thee
Which heauens ordeyned common to you both:
If so thou nill O sonne O cruell sonne,
“In whose high brest may iustice builde hir boure
“When princes harts wide open lye to wrong?
Why likes thee so the tipe of tyrannie
With others losse to gather greedy gaine?
“Alas howe farre he wanders from the truth
“That compts a pompe, all other to command,
“Yet can not rule his owne vnbridled wil,
“A vaine desire much riches to possesse
“Whereby the brest is brusde and battered still,
“With dread, with daunger, care and cold suspecte.
“Who seekes to haue the thing we call inough,
“Acquainte him first with contentation,
“For plenteousnesse is but a naked name.
“And what suffiseth vse of mortall men,
“Shall best apaye the meane and modest hearts.
“These hoorded heapes of golde and worldly wealth
“Are not the proper goods of any one,
“But pawnes which Ioue powres out aboundantly
“That we likewise might vse them equally,
“And as he seemes to lende them for a time,
“Euen so in time he takes them home agayne,
“And would that we acknowledge euery houre,
“That from his handes we did the same receiue:
“Ther nothing is so firme and stayde to man,
“But whyrles about with wheeles of restlesse time.
Now if I should this one thing thee demaunde,
Which of these two thou wouldest chuse to keepe,
The towne quiet or vnquiet tyrannie?
And wouldest thou saye I chuse my kingly cheare?
O witlesse answere sent from wicked heart,
For if so fall (which mightie Gods defende)
Thine enimies hand should ouercome thy might,
And thou shouldst see them sacke the towne of Thebes,
The chastest virgins rauished for wrecke,
The worthy children in captiuitie,
“Then shouldest thou feele that scepter, crowne, & wealth
“Yeelde deeper care to see them tane away,
“Than to possesse them yeldeth deepe content.
Now to conclude, my sonne, Ambition
Is it that most offendes thy thought,
Blame not thy brother, blame ambition
From whome if so thou not redeeme thy selfe,
I feare to see thee buy repentance deare.

Ch.
Yea deare, too deare when it shal come too late,

Ioc.
And nowe to thee my Polinices deare,
I say that sillie was Adrastus reade,
And thou God knowes a simple sillie soule,
He to be ruled by thy heady will,
And thou, to warre against the Thebane walls,
These walls I say whose gates thy selfe should garde:
Tell me I praye thee, if the Citie yeelde,
Or thou it take by force in bloudie fight,
(Which neuer graunt the Gods I them beseeke)
What spoyles? what Palmes? what signe of victorie
Canst thou set vp to haue thy countrie woonne?
What title worthy of immortall fame,
Shall blased be in honor of thy name?
O sonne, deare sonne, beleeue thy trustie dame,
The name of glorie shall thy name refuse,
And flie full farre from all thy fonde attemptes.
But if so fall thou shouldst be ouercome,
Then with what face canst thou returne to Greece,
That here hast lefte so many Greekes on grounde?
Eache one shall curse and blame thee to thy face,
As him that onely caused their decaye,
And eke condemne Adrastus simple heade,
That such a pheere had chosen for his childe.
So may it fall, in one accursed houre,
That thou mayst loose thy wife and countrie both,
Both which thou mayst with little toyle attaine,
If thou canst leaue high minde and darke disdaine.

Cho.
O mightie Gods of goodnesse, neuer graunt
Unto these euills, but set desired peace
Betweene the hearts of these two friendly foes.

Ete.
The question that betwixt vs two is growen,
Beleeue me mother, can not ende with wordes:
You waste your breath, and I but loose my time,
And all your trauell lost and spent in vaine:
For this I sweare, that peace you neuer get
Betweene vs two, but with condition,
That whilst I liue, I wil be Lord of Thebes.
Then set aside these vaine forewasted wordes,
And yeelde me leaue to go where neede doth presse:
And now good sir, get you out of these walles,
Unlesse you meane to buy abode with bloude.

Po.
And who is he that seekes to haue my bloude,
And shall not shed his owne as fast as myne?

Ete.
By thee he standes, and thou standst him before,
Loe here the sworde that shall perfourme his worde.

Po.
And this shall eke mainteine my rightfull cause.

Ioc.
O sonnes, dear sonnes, away with glittring armes,
And first, before you touch each others flesh,
With doubled blowes come pierce this brest of mine.

Po.
Ah wretch, thou art both vile and cowardlike,
Thy high estate esteemes thy life too deare.

Ete.
If with a wretch or cowarde shouldest thou fighte,
Oh dastarde villaine, what first moued thee
With swarmes of Greekes to take this enterprise?

Po.
For well I wist, that cancred heart of thine
Coulde safely kepe thy heade within these walles,
And flee the fielde when combate should be callde.

Ete.
This truce assured thee Polinices,
And makes thee bolde to gyue suche bosting wordes:
So be thou sure, that had this truce not bene,
Then long ere this, these handes had bene embrude,
And eke this soyle besprinkled with thy bloude.

Po.
Not one small drop of my bloude shalt thou spill,
But buy it deare against thy cancred will.

Ioc.
O sonnes, my sonnes, for pittie yet refrayne.

Ch.
Good Gods, who euer sawe so strange a sight?
True loue and friendship both be put to flight.

Po.
Yelde villein, yelde my right which thou with-holds.

Ete.
Cut of thy hope to reigne in Thebane walles,
Nought hast thou here, nor nought shal euer haue,
Away.

Po.
O aultars of my countrie soyle.

Ete.
Whome thou art come to spoyle and to deface.

Po.
O Gods, giue eare vnto my honest cause.

Ete.
With forreine power his countrie to inuade.

Po.
O holy temples of the heauenly Gods.

Ete.
That for thy wicked deedes do hate thy name.

Po.
Out of my kingdome am I driuen by force.

Ete.
Out of the which thou camest me to driue.

Po.
Punish O Gods this wicked tyrant here.

Ete.
Praye to the Gods in Greece and not in Thebes.

Po.
No sauage beast so cruell nor vniust.

Ete.
Not cruell to my countrie like to thee.

Po.
Since from my right I am with wrong depriued.

Ete.
Eke from thy life if long thou tary here.

Po.
O father heare what iniuries I take.

Ete.
As though thy diuelishe deedes were hid from him.

Po.
And you mother.

Eteo.
Haue done thou not deseruest
With that false tong thy mother once to name.

Po.
O deare Citie.

Eteo.
When thou ariuest in Greece,
Chuse out thy dwelling in some mustie Moores.

Po.
I must depart, and parting must I prayse
Oh deare mother the depth of your good will.

Ioc.
O Sonne.

Eteo.
Away I say out of these walls.

Po.
I can not chuse but must thy will obey,
Yet graunt me once my father for to see.

Ete.
I heare no prayers of my enimie.

Po.
Where be my sweete sisters.

Eteo.
And canst thou yet
With shamelesse tong once name thy noble race
That art become a common foe to Thebes?
Be sure thou shalt them neuer see againe,
Nor other friend that in these walls remaine.

Po.
Rest you in peace, O worthy mother myne.

Ioc.
Howe can that be and thou my ioye in warre?

Po.
Hence forth n'am I your ioy ne yet your sonne.

Ioc.
Alas the Heauens me whelme with all mishap.

Po.
Lo here the cause that stirreth me by wrong.

Ete.
Much more is that he profereth vnto me.

Po.
Well, speake, darest thou come armed to the fielde?

Ete.
So dare I come, wherefore dost thou demaunde?

Po.
For needes or thou must ende this life of minde
Or quenche my thirst with pouring out thy bloud.

Eteo.
Ah wretch, my thirst is all as drie as thine.

Io.
Alas and welaway, what heare I sonnes?
How can it be? deare children can it be
That brethrens hearts suche rancour should enrage?

Eteo.
And that right soone the proofe shall playnely shewe.

Io.
Oh say not so, yet say not so deare sonnes.

Po.
O royall race of Thebes now take thine ende.

Cho.
God shield.

Eteo.
O slow & sluggish heart of mine,
Why do I stay t'embrew these slouthfull hands?
But for his greater griefe I will departe,
And at returne if here I finde my foe,
This hastie hande shall ende our hote debate.

Eteocles here goeth out by the gates Electræ.
Po.
Deare Citizens, and you eternall Gods,
Beare witnesse with me here before the worlde,
How this my fierce and cruell enimie,
Whom causelesse now my brother I do call,
With threats of death my lingring steps doth driue
Both from my right and from my countrey soyle,
Not as beseemes the sonne of Oedipus,
But as a slaue, an abiect, or a wretche:
And since you be both pitifull and iuste,
Uouchsafe O Gods, that as I parte with griefe,
So may I yet returne with ioyfull spoyle
Of this accursed tyraunt, and he slayne
I may recouer quietly mine owne.

Polinyces goeth out by the gates Homoloides.
Io.
O wretched wretche Iocasta, where is founde
The miserie that may compare to thine?
O would I had nor gasing eyes to see,
Nor listning eares to heare that now I dread:
But what remaynes, saue onely to entreate
That cruell dole would yet so curteous be
To reaue the breath out of this wofull brest,
Before I hearken to some wofull newes.
Rest you here dames, and pray vnto the Gods
For our redresse, and I in that meane while
Will shut my selfe from sight of lothsome light.

Iocasta goeth into hir Pallace.
Cho.
O mightie God, the gouernour of Thebes,
Pitie with speede the payne Iocasta bydes,
And eke our needes, O mightie Bacchus helpe,
Bende willing eare vnto our iust complaynt:
Leaue them not comfortlesse that trust in thee,
We haue nor golde nor siluer thee to giue,
Ne sacrifice to those thine aulters due,
In steede wherof we consecrate our hearts
To serue thy will, and hestes for to obey.

VVhyles the Chorus is thus praying to Bacchus, Eteocles returneth by the gates called Electræ.

Scena. ij.

ETEOCLES.
CREON.
Since I haue ridde mine enmie out of sight,
The best shall be, for Creon now to sende,
My mothers brother, that with him I may
Reason, consulte, conferre, and counsell bothe,
What shall be best to vse in our defence,
Before we venter forth into the fielde.
But of this trauayle, loe, he me acquites
That comes in haste towards these royall towres.

Here Creon attended by foure gentlemen, cōmeth in by the gates Homoloydes.
Cre.
O mightie king, not causelesse nowe I come,
To finde, that long haue sought your maiestie.
So to discharge the duetie that I owe
To you, by comfort and by counsell bothe.

Ete.
No lesse desire this harte of mine did presse,
To sende for thee Creon, since that in vayne
My mother hath hir words and trauayle spent,
To reconcile Pollinices and me:
For he (so dull was his capacitie)
Did thinke, he could by dread of daunger, winne
My princely heart to yeelde to him this realme.

Cre.
I vnderstande, the armie that he brings
Agaynst these walles, is suche, that I me doubte
Our cities force may scarce the same resist.
Yet true it is, that right and reason bothe
Are on our side, which bring the victorie
Oftetimes: for we our countrey to defende,
They to subdue the same in armes are come.
But what I would vnto your highnesse shewe,
Is of more weight, and more behoues to knowe.

Ete.
And what is that? oh quickly tell it me.

Cre.
A Greeke prisner is come vnto my hands.

Ete.
And what sayth he that doth so muche importe?

Cre.
That euen already be their rankes in raye,
And streight will giue assault to these our walles.

Ete.
Then must I streight prepare our Citizens
In glittring armes to marche into the fielde.

Cre.
O Prince (and pardon me) thy youthfull yeres
Nor see them selfe, ne let thee once discerne,
What best behoueth in this doubtfull case.
“For Prudence, she that is the mightie queene
“Of all good workes, growes by experience,
“Which is not founde with fewe dayes seeking for.

Ete.
And were not this both sounde and wise aduise,
Boldly to looke our foemen in the face,
Before they spred our fields with hugie hoste,
And all the towne beset bysiege at once?

Cre.
We be but few, and they in number great.

Ete.
Our men haue yet more courage farre than they.

Cre.
That know I not, nor am I sure to say.

Ete.
Those eyes of thine in little space shall see
How many I my selfe can bring to grounde.

Cre.
That would I like, but harde it is to doe.

Ete.
I nill penne vp our men within the walles.

Cre.
In counsell yet the victorie consistes.

Ete.
And wilt thou then I vse some other reade?

Cre.
What else? be still awhile, for haste makes wast.

Ete.
By night I will the Camuassado giue.

Cre.
So may you do and take the ouerthrowe.

Ete.
The vauntage is to him that dothe assaulte.

Cre.
Yet skirmishe giuen by night is perillous.

Ete.
Let set vpon them as they sit at meate.

Cre.
Sodayne assaults affray the minde no doubt,
But we had neede to ouercome.

Ete.
So shall we do.

Cre.
No sure, vnlesse some other counsell helpe.

Ete.
Amid their trenches shall we them inuade?

Cre.
As who should say, were none to make defence.

Ete.
Should I then yeelde the Citie to my foes?

Cre.
No, but aduise you well if you be wise.

Ete.
That were thy parte, that knowest more than I.

Cre.
Then shall I say that best doth seeme to me?

Ete.
Yea Creon yea, thy counsell holde I deare.

Cre.
Seuen men of courage haue they chosen out.

Ete.
A slender number for so great emprise.

Cre.
But they them chose for guides and capitaynes.

Ete.
To suche an hoste? why they may not suffise.

Cre.
Nay, to assault the seuen gates of the citie.

Ete.
What then behoueth so bestad to done?

Cre.
With equall number see you do them matche.

Ete.
And then commit our men in charge to them?

Cre.
Chusing the best and boldest blouds in Thebes.

Ete.
And how shall I the Citie then defende?

Cre.
Well with the rest, for one man sees not all.

Ete.
And shall I chuse the boldest or the wisest?

Cre.
Nay both, for one without that other fayles.

“Ete.
Force without wisedome then is litle worthe.

Cre.
That one must be fast to that other ioynde

Ete.
Creon I will thy counsell follow still,
For why, I hold it wise and trusty both,
And out of hand for now I will departe
That I in time the better may prouide
Before occasion slip out of my handes,
And that I may this Pollinices quell:
For well may I with bloudy knife him slea
That commes in armes my countrie for to spoyle,
But if so please to fortune and to fate
That other ende than I doe thinke may fall,
To thee my frend it resteth to procure
The mariage twixt my sister Antygone
And thy deare sonne Hæmone, to whom for dowre
At parting thus I promise to performe
As much as late I did beheste to thee:
My mothers bloude and brother deare thou arte,
Ne neede I craue of thee to garde hir well,
As for my father care I not, for if
So chaunce I dye, it may full well be sayd
His bitter curses brought me to my bane,

Cre.
The Lord defend, for that vnworthy were.

Ete.
Of Thebes towne the rule and scepter loe
I neede nor ought it otherwise dispose
Than vnto thee, if I dye without heyre.
Yet longs my lingring mynde to vnderstande
The doubtfull ende of this vnhappie warre:
Wherfore I will thou send thy sonne to seke
Tyresias the deuine, and learne of him,
For at my call I knowe he will not come
That often haue his artes and him reproude.

Cre.
As you commaund, so ought I to performe.

Ete.
And last, I thee and citie both commaund,
If fortune frendly fauour our attemptes,
And make our men triumphant victors al,
That none there be so hardie ne so bolde
For Pollinices bones to giue a graue:
And who presumes to breake my heste herein,
Shall dye the death in penaunce of his paine,
For thoughe I were by bloud to him conioynde
I part it now, and iustice goeth with me
To guide my steppes victoriously before.
Pray you to Ioue he deigne for to defende,
Our Citie safe both nowe and euermore.

Cre.
Gramercie worthie prince, for all thy loue
And faithfull trust thou doest in me repose,
And if should hap, that I hope neuer shall,
I promise yet to doe what best behoues,
But chieflie this I sweare and make a vowe,
For Pollinices nowe our cruell foe,
To holde the hest that thou doest me commaunde.

Creon attendeth Eteocles to the gates Electræ, he returneth and goeth out by the gates called Homoloydes.
CHORVS.