 | The Alexandraean Tragedie |  |
Scene 1.
Antigonus,Eumenes.
Though stormy discord, and tumultuous wars,
Doe fire the mindes of men with flames of rage,
That (hauing haughty thoughts, as heaven hath Starres)
Their indignation nothing can asswage:
Yet loe, amongst the Souldiers waving bowres,
The Heraulds cryes doe calme the Trumpets sounds;
And peace dare inter-pose unarmed pow'rs,
To limit for a time Bellona's bounds;
And (whilst of fury they suspend th' effects)
The seeming-friended foes together treat,
And every one shewes what his soule affects,
Of peace a shadow: th' essence must be great.
Thus men magnanimous amidst the field,
Dare of their en'mies to the promise trust,
And (loathing what disloyaltie doth yeeld)
Not violate their vowes, nor prove unjust.
“Though love be past, yet truth should still remaine,
“I vertuous parts even in my foes applaud;
“A gallant minde doth greater glory gaine,
“To dye with honour, then to live by fraud;
And why (Eumenes) as mistrusting me,
Or standing on your reputation long,
Did you disdaine to seeke (as all men see)
A greater then your selfe, and one more strong?
149
Though we come not to plead our birth-right here,
Let him (for warriours so should take their place)
In whom best signes of Noblenesse appeare,
Be grac'd, as first who doth adorne a race;
Most Noble he who still by vertue strives,
To leave his name in mindes of men engrav'd,
And to his off-spring greater glory gives,
Then from his ancestors he hath receiv'd.
Earst, we by birth in warre not marshal'd stood,
As at the Table, upon Ivory beds;
“A Souldiers worth consists not in his bloud,
“But in their bloud which (as his foes) he sheds.
What ever others of my linage try,
I am Eumenes, and will not accord,
That there can be a greater man then I,
While as I have a heart, a hand, a sword.
“Anti.
Loe, when prosperity too much prevailes;
“Above the judgement thus of vulgar mindes,
“As little Barges burden'd with great Sayles,
“They move in state, all swolne with fortunes windes;
“And as adversity the sprite refines
“From th'abject drosse of pride, and passions base,
“That in affliction, vertue clearest shines,
“And makes one all the wayes of wit to trace:
“So doth good successe make the judgement dye,
“Then whilst the fortunate their ease doe take,
“And lull'd asleep in pleasures meadowes lye,
“As for the slaughter fat, and ripe to shake;
“Yet this the nature is of gallant men,
“To rest (as in no state too much involv'd)
“When prosp'ring warie, and most humble then,
“If cross'd couragious, when imbark'd, resolv'd.
What though your first attempts renowned are,
By which you in two fields victorious stood,
And did o're-throw two thunder-bolts of warre,
Who lost their lives amid'st a crimson flood:
Yet is that course of victory contrould,
And you have try'd what force your force exceeds,
Then, faded Lawrels should not make you bold,
As still reposing on your by-past deeds:
For, by the same to indignation mov'd,
The Macedonians all abhorre your name,
Who at that time so proud a Conquerour prov'd,
Their great mens slaughter having wing'd your fame.
Eum.
No fortune past so puffes up my conceit,
That it contempt of further danger brings;
Nor am I now dejected so of late,
But I intend to doe farre greater things.
“He (by prosperity made never proud)
“Who knowes the frailty of this earthly frame,
150
“The Sunne (although eclips'd) remaines the same.
“Worth should by th'events not be thrall'd to wit,
“On th' accidents as th'essence did depend:
“The fault of fortune cannot blemish it,
“On which oft times disasters may attend;
“Though fortune (stumbling right) concurre with worth,
“Or yet, if crosses bragge a gallant minde,
“Both like themselves are alwaies sparkling forth,
“In every state some tokens of their kinde.
Now at this time o're-match'd by num'rous pow'rs,
I kept my courage, though I lost the field:
And vaunt no more of this, for some few hour's
May once to me the like advantage yeeld.
Nor is it long since that to fortune deare,
The world had never me but victor spy'd,
Though I protest by all th'Immortals here,
Press'd by necessity, not mov'd by pride.
Proud Neoptolemus that traytour still,
(Not worthy of a Macedonians name)
He to betray the hoste, and me to kill,
Had labour'd long to his eternall shame.
But I of Craterus lament the fall,
Whom for his vertue I did dearely love,
And was constrain'd (I Iove to witnesse call)
For my defence that refuge last to prove.
Anti.
How fortun'd you your forces to dispose,
So well to scape that storme of threatned harmes?
For, then you had to deale with mighty foes,
Who were in warre growne hoarie under armes.
Eum.
When Neoptolemus did clearely spy,
That all his treason to the light was brought,
He, where our foes were camp'd, with haste did flye:
“A foolish traitour who was false for nought.
There he inform'd, or mis-inform'd my foes,
That (by good successe growne secure of late)
I in my Tent did carelesly repose,
Though not by force, to be o're-com'd by fate.
And to Antipater he further told,
That Macedonians, if they at that time,
Of Craterus the count'nance did behold,
All willingly would yeeld themselves to him:
Now they had labour'd earnestly before,
That I abandon would Perdiccas part,
And did protest that they would give me more
Then yet I had, or hop'd for in my heart.
“But love (born free) cannot be thrall'd nor bought,
“More then a shamefull peace I like just strife;
“To generous mindes more deare then honour nought;
“And ere I leave my faith, I'le lose my life:
151
They sought in time to plague me as a foe,
Where love could not begin, that hate might end,
And came in haste to have surpris'd me so:
But Neoptolemus to crosse by slight,
The Macedonians I for him did bend,
And Craterus concealing from their sight,
To match with him, caus'd troupes of strangers tend.
This policy which none could justly blame,
I with my selfe in secret did conspire,
And had my shirt beene privy to the same,
It should have beene an offring to the fire.
When deaths first game (with danger playd) was past,
I Neoptolemus did toile to finde,
And he me too, which happ'ned at the last;
“Two will doe much to meet, when of one minde.
Then whilst we met for whom both th'armies warr'd,
Whose fortune did depend upon our hands,
All was perform'd that force or fury dar'd,
Whilst both were bent t' abate the others bands.
And yet the heavens would not betray my trust,
(“Foule treason never had a fairer end)
But smil'd upon my cause (as which was just)
And did destruction to the traitour send:
For, forc'd by him whose force he did despise,
(Though fighting fiercely long) he lost his breath,
As one more strong then true, more stout then wise,
Whose greatest honour, was his honest death.
But weakened with huge wounds, almost I div'd
In seas of bloud, even quite from knowledge stray'd;
Yet by so great a victory reviv'd,
My courage grew more then my strength decay'd.
I (having finish'd thus this fatall strife)
Did come where Craterus his course had runne,
Even in the confines plac'd 'twixt death and life,
The one neere gone, the other not begun:
He with great valour had resisted long,
As all Briareus hands had mov'd his sword,
And did his Masters memory no wrong,
Whilst with his courage, not his fortune stor'd.
“What life refus'd, to gaine by death he thought:
“For, life and death are but indifferent things,
“And of themselves not to be shun'd, nor sought,
“But for the good or ill that either brings.
With endlesse glory bent to change his breath,
Of desp'rate valour all the pow'r was prov'd,
“And for great Captaines no more glorious death,
“Then to dy fighting with a minde unmov'd.
When it appear'd where victory did tend,
That armies courage with their Captaine fell;
152
I went where death his Spirits did expell;
And whilst I told how both to be betrayd,
By Neoptolemus were brought about,
My woe with teares I to the world bewray'd:
“Milde pitty and true kindenesse must burst out.
Ah, if the newes of this that I expresse
Had come in time unto Perdiccas eares,
He might have liv'd their pride now to represse,
Who by his fall were first divorc'd from feares.
Ant.
The humour of that man was too well knowne,
Could he have parted other men from pride,
Whose soule was sold a slave unto his owne,
And for the same (forc'd by his followers) dy'd?
“Eum.
The proud must still be plagu'd by prouder ones,
“There must be had sharp steel to smooth rough stones,
“Ant.
No vice then pride doth greater hate procure,
“Which foes doe scorne, and friends cannot endure.
“Eum.
Yet Majesty must not it selfe deject;
“A lofty carriage doth procure respect.
“Ant.
A haughty gesture shewes a tyrants heart;
“All love a courteous count'nance, voyd of Art.
“Eum.
Yet manners too submisse as much condemn'd,
“Doe make Kings scorn'd, and Captains be contemn'd.
“Ant.
A humble port, kinde looks, words smooth and soft,
“Are meanes by which great mindes may mount aloft.
“Eum.
Those are indeed for such as raise their flight,
“They may doe more whose course is at the height:
“Imperious formes an Empire must defend.
Ant.
Thus hastned was Perdiccas to his end.
Eum.
That worthy man had many faire designes,
“But vertue still by envy is pursu'd,
“Though (as a Candle in the night best shines)
“It in a vitious age may best be view'd.
There was a man who scorn'd secure delights,
As still despising paine, attemptive, bold,
A brave observer of the antient Rites,
Steele strictly grasping, prodigall of gold;
He lov'd to have the Souldiers of his band,
Chus'd at the Musters, not in markets bought,
And would not flatter where he might command;
More meet to have, then seeke that which he sought;
But Souldiers now in this degener'd age,
Are (fawn'd on by faint mindes) brib'd in such sort,
That all the reynes enlarg'd unto their rage,
They with so straight a course cannot comport.
What was mis-fortune knowne unto them all,
Their malice as some great neglect did cite:
“All things must helpe th' unhappy men to fall,
Thus forth they spu'd the poyson of their spite,
153
By that occasion whetting their desires,
They in his body boldly sheath'd their swords,
A deed which even barbarity admires.
Those trait'rous troups may spot the purest bands,
If for a fact so vile they be excus'd:
This will set swords in all our souldiers hands,
Against us, and not for us, to be us'd.
Ant.
I wish that Souldiers never could be brought
To prove so mut'nous as they oft have beene,
And that they durst not violate in ought,
Those who by them (as sacred) should be seene:
Nor like I Captaines who (like blustring windes)
Would o're their troupes insult (as tyrants still),
Not weighing merits, nor respecting mindes,
As carried head-long with a blinded will.
“Pride by presumption bred (when at a height)
“Encount'ring with contempt both match in ire,
“And 'twixt them bring base cruelty to light,
“The loath-some off-spring of a hated Syre.
Such of Perdiccas was the monstrous pride,
(The vice from which that vice more vile proceeds)
That it strange wayes for his advancement try'd,
And did burst forth in most prodigious deeds;
At first by Meleagers death when stain'd,
He show'd what tyrants harbour'd in his heart,
To whom faith given, nor yet the Church he gain'd,
(Though sacred both) no safety could impart.
The Cappadocians (when all else was try'd)
Choos'd (rather then his insolence to beare)
By massacring themselves to scape from pride:
“Pride, spight and horrour, death breeds onely feare.
Yet what against his foes he did performe,
From martiall mindes might plead for some excuse,
Since irritated thoughts which (wrong'd) doe storme,
In mindes offended, fury doe infuse:
But yet why sought he in a servile sort,
To play the tyrant, braving his best friends,
Who with disdainefull formes could not comport?
“More then an enemies yoke, a friends offends.
And when of late by Ptolomie constrain'd,
He brought his bands with disadvantage backe,
How by the same his governement was stayn'd,
The world can witnesse by his Armies wracke:
“But hate made judge, each errour seemes a crime,
“Whilst present ils doe aggravate things gone:
His Souldiers mov'd by fortune and the Time,
Did by his death venge all their wrongs in one.
“Eum.
As nought smels well to a distemper'd taste,
“So to conceits pre-occupy'd before;
154
“Men must mislike where they can like no more.
To you who loath'd Perdiccas and his state,
What ever came of him could not seeme good:
And I not wonder though your soule did hate
One who had right and pow'r, to take your bloud:
For, fled from him to whom you once belong'd,
His Trumpet still breath'd terrour in your eare:
“Then all men hate those whom they once have wrong'd,
“And by no meanes can love them whom they feare.
“Ant.
That which you speake of hate, in love I spy,
“Love cannot finde an imperfection forth,
“But doth excuse, extenuate, or deny,
“Faults (where it likes) with shadowes of no worth:
I left Perdiccas, but did him no wrong,
Who first to take my life, all meanes did prove;
I told Antipater how he so long
Had been abus'd by a pretended love:
For, as I frankely love, whilst lov'd againe,
If the ingrate, ingrately me acquite,
Straight kindling fury with a just disdaine,
I by love past, proportion then my spite;
And yet (Eumenes) I commend thy minde,
Who to defend thy friend, hast prov'd so free,
And since in love so constantly inclin'd,
A friendship firme I would contract with thee;
Then where that now thy state hath been brought low,
(Since spoil'd of him in whom thou did'st repose)
Whilst ayded by our power, thou great maist grow,
And raise thy hopes of kingdomes to dispose.
Eum.
I'le be your friend, whilst friend to right you rest:
“For, without vertue, friendship is but vaine,
“Which cannot lodge in a polluted brest,
“Whose impious thoughts do sacred things prophane.
While as the oath is kept, which once was sworne
To Alexanders selfe, and to his race,
Still shall this sword for your defence be borne,
But in my heart they hold the highest place,
And doe not thus, as o're one vanquish'd, vaunt,
Nor thinke me thrall'd, though once by chance o'rethrowne,
“The world must perish ere advent'rers want,
“Who tosse all States to stablish once their owne.
“Whil'st bravely taking or yet giving place,
“How ever feare (objecting danger) comes,
“Misfortune, bondage, torment, death, disgrace,
“And all things else, a minde resolv'd o're-comes.
| The Alexandraean Tragedie | |