University of Virginia Library

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.