 | The Tragedie of Cleopatra |  |
SCENA III.
Cæsario, with a Guard conueying him to Execution.
Now gentle Guard, let me in curtesie
Best me a little here, and ease my bands
You shall not neede to hold me for your eye
May now as well secure you as your hands.
Best me a little here, and ease my bands
You shall not neede to hold me for your eye
May now as well secure you as your hands.
Gu.
Doe, take your ease Cæsario, but not long,
We haue a charge, which we must needs performe.
Ces.
Loe here brought back, by subtile traine to death,
Betraid by Tutors faith, or traitors rather,
My fault, my bloud, and mine offence my birth,
For being the sonne of such a mighty father.
I now am made th'oblation for his feares,
Who doubts the poore reuenge these hands may do him,
Respecting neither bloud, nor youth nor yeeres,
Or how small safetie can my death be to him.
Betraid by Tutors faith, or traitors rather,
My fault, my bloud, and mine offence my birth,
For being the sonne of such a mighty father.
I now am made th'oblation for his feares,
Who doubts the poore reuenge these hands may do him,
Respecting neither bloud, nor youth nor yeeres,
Or how small safetie can my death be to him.
And is this all the good of being borne great?
Then wretched greatnesse golden misery,
Pompous distresse, glittering calamitie.
Is it for this th'ambitious fathers sweat
To purchase blood and death, for them and theirs:
In this th'inheritance that glories get,
To leaue th'estate of ruine to their heires?
Then how much better had it been for me,
From low descent, deriu'd from humble birth,
T'haue eate the sweet-sowre bread of pouertie,
And drunke of Nylus streames, in Nylus earth?
Vnder the couering of some quiet cottage,
Free from the wrath of heauen, secure in mind,
Vntoucht, when proud attempts of Princes dotage,
Imbroyle the world, and ruinate mankind,
So had he not impeach'd their high condition,
Who must haue all things cleere, and al made plaine
Betweene them, and the marke of their ambition,
That nothing let the prospect of their raigne:
Where nothing stands, that stands not in submission,
Whose greatnesse must all in it selfe containe.
Kings will alone, competitors must downe,
Neere death he stands, who stands too neere a crown
Then wretched greatnesse golden misery,
Pompous distresse, glittering calamitie.
Is it for this th'ambitious fathers sweat
To purchase blood and death, for them and theirs:
In this th'inheritance that glories get,
To leaue th'estate of ruine to their heires?
Then how much better had it been for me,
From low descent, deriu'd from humble birth,
T'haue eate the sweet-sowre bread of pouertie,
And drunke of Nylus streames, in Nylus earth?
Vnder the couering of some quiet cottage,
Free from the wrath of heauen, secure in mind,
Imbroyle the world, and ruinate mankind,
So had he not impeach'd their high condition,
Who must haue all things cleere, and al made plaine
Betweene them, and the marke of their ambition,
That nothing let the prospect of their raigne:
Where nothing stands, that stands not in submission,
Whose greatnesse must all in it selfe containe.
Kings will alone, competitors must downe,
Neere death he stands, who stands too neere a crown
Such is my case, Augustus will haue all,
My blood must seale th'assurance of his state,
Yet ah weake state, which blood assure him shall,
Whose wrongfull shedding, gods and men doe hate.
Iniustice cannot scape and flourish still,
Though men doe not reuenge it, th'heauens will.
My blood must seale th'assurance of his state,
Yet ah weake state, which blood assure him shall,
Whose wrongfull shedding, gods and men doe hate.
Iniustice cannot scape and flourish still,
Though men doe not reuenge it, th'heauens will.
And he that thus doth seeke with bloudy hand,
T'extinguish th'ofspring of anothers race,
May finde the heauens, his vowes so to withstand,
That others may depriue him in like case.
When he shall see his proud contentious bed
Yeilding him none of his that may inherit,
Subuert his blood, place others in their steed,
To pay this his iniustice, her due merit,
T'extinguish th'ofspring of anothers race,
May finde the heauens, his vowes so to withstand,
That others may depriue him in like case.
When he shall see his proud contentious bed
Yeilding him none of his that may inherit,
Subuert his blood, place others in their steed,
To pay this his iniustice, her due merit,
If it be true, (as who can that deny
Which sacred Priests of Memphis, doe foresay,)
Some of the ofspring yet of Antony,
Shall all the rule of this whole Empire sway
And then Augustus what is it thou gainest
By poore Antillus blood, and this of mine?
Nothing but this, thy victory thou stainest,
And pulst the wrath of heauen on thee and thine.
In vaine doth man contend against the starres,
For what he seekes to make, his wisedome mars.
But in the meane time, he whom fates reserue,
The bloody sacrifices of ambition,
We feele the smart, what euer they deserue,
And we endure the heauy times condition,
The iustice of the heauens reuenging thus,
Doth onely satisfie it selfe not vs.
But yet Cæsario thou must die content,
God will reuenge, and men bewaile the innocent.
Well now alone, I rested haue ynow,
Performe the charge, my friends, you haue to doe.
Which sacred Priests of Memphis, doe foresay,)
Some of the ofspring yet of Antony,
Shall all the rule of this whole Empire sway
And then Augustus what is it thou gainest
By poore Antillus blood, and this of mine?
Nothing but this, thy victory thou stainest,
And pulst the wrath of heauen on thee and thine.
In vaine doth man contend against the starres,
For what he seekes to make, his wisedome mars.
But in the meane time, he whom fates reserue,
We feele the smart, what euer they deserue,
And we endure the heauy times condition,
The iustice of the heauens reuenging thus,
Doth onely satisfie it selfe not vs.
But yet Cæsario thou must die content,
God will reuenge, and men bewaile the innocent.
Well now alone, I rested haue ynow,
Performe the charge, my friends, you haue to doe.
Exeunt.
CHORVS.
Misterious
Egypt, wonder breeder,
Strict Religions strange obseruer,
State-order zeale the best rule-keeper,
Fostring still in temp'rate feruor:
O how cam'st thou to lose so wholy,
All religion, law, and order?
And thus become the most vnholy
Of all Lands, that Nylus border?
How could confus'd Disorder enter
Where sterne Law sate so seuerely?
How durst weake lust and riot venter,
Th'eye of iustice looking neerely?
Could not those meanes that made thee great,
Be still the meanes to keepe thy state?
Strict Religions strange obseruer,
State-order zeale the best rule-keeper,
Fostring still in temp'rate feruor:
O how cam'st thou to lose so wholy,
All religion, law, and order?
And thus become the most vnholy
Of all Lands, that Nylus border?
How could confus'd Disorder enter
Where sterne Law sate so seuerely?
How durst weake lust and riot venter,
Th'eye of iustice looking neerely?
Could not those meanes that made thee great,
Be still the meanes to keepe thy state?
Ah no, the course of things requireth
Change and alteration euer:
That staid continuance man desireth,
Th'vnconstant world yeildeth neuer.
We in our councels must be blinded,
and not see what doth import vs:
And oftentimes the thing least minded,
is the thing that most must hurt vs.
Yet they that haue the sterne in guiding,
tis their fault that should preuent it,
Who when they see their country sliding,
for their priuate are coutented.
We imitate the greater powers,
The Princes manners fashion ours
Change and alteration euer:
That staid continuance man desireth,
Th'vnconstant world yeildeth neuer.
and not see what doth import vs:
And oftentimes the thing least minded,
is the thing that most must hurt vs.
Yet they that haue the sterne in guiding,
tis their fault that should preuent it,
Who when they see their country sliding,
for their priuate are coutented.
We imitate the greater powers,
The Princes manners fashion ours
Th'example of their light regarding,
vulgar loosenesse much incenses:
Vice vncontroul'd, growes wide inlarging,
Kings small faults be great offences.
And this hath set the window open
vnto licence, lust, and riot:
This wry confusion first found broken,
whereby entred our disquiet,
Those lawes that old Sesostris founded,
and the Ptolomies obserued,
Hereby first came to be confounded.
which our state so long preserued.
The wanton luxurie of Court,
Did forme the people of like sort.
vulgar loosenesse much incenses:
Vice vncontroul'd, growes wide inlarging,
Kings small faults be great offences.
And this hath set the window open
vnto licence, lust, and riot:
This wry confusion first found broken,
whereby entred our disquiet,
Those lawes that old Sesostris founded,
and the Ptolomies obserued,
Hereby first came to be confounded.
which our state so long preserued.
The wanton luxurie of Court,
Did forme the people of like sort.
For all (respecting priuate pleasure,)
vniuersally consenting
To abuse their time, their treasure,
in their owne delights contenting:
And future dangers nought respecting,
whereby, (O how easie matter
Made this so generall neglecting,
confus'd weaknesse to discatter?)
Cæsar found th'effect true tried,
in his easie entrance making.
Who at the sight of armes, discried
all our people, all forsaking.
For riot (worse then warre) so sore
Had wasted all our strength before.
vniuersally consenting
To abuse their time, their treasure,
in their owne delights contenting:
And future dangers nought respecting,
whereby, (O how easie matter
Made this so generall neglecting,
confus'd weaknesse to discatter?)
Cæsar found th'effect true tried,
Who at the sight of armes, discried
all our people, all forsaking.
For riot (worse then warre) so sore
Had wasted all our strength before.
And thus is Egypt seruile rendred
to the insolent destroyer:
And all their sumptuous treasure tendred,
all her wealth that did betray her.
Which poyson (O if heaueu be rightfull,)
may so farre infect their sences,
That Egypts pleasures so delightfull.
may breed them the like offences.
And Romans learne our way of weakenesse,
be instructed in our vices:
That our spoyles may spoyle your greatnesse,
ouercome with our deuises.
Fill full your hands, and carry home
Enough from vs to ruine Rome.
to the insolent destroyer:
And all their sumptuous treasure tendred,
all her wealth that did betray her.
Which poyson (O if heaueu be rightfull,)
may so farre infect their sences,
That Egypts pleasures so delightfull.
may breed them the like offences.
And Romans learne our way of weakenesse,
be instructed in our vices:
That our spoyles may spoyle your greatnesse,
ouercome with our deuises.
Fill full your hands, and carry home
Enough from vs to ruine Rome.
| The Tragedie of Cleopatra | |