University of Virginia Library

THE EYGHTH TRAGEDYE OF L. ANNAEVS SENECA, Entituled AGAMEMNON: Translated out of Latin into Englishe, by IOHN STVDLEY.

The Speakers names.

• THYESTES.
• CHORVS, A company of Greekes.
• CLYTEMNESTRA.
• NVTRIX.
• AEGISTHVS.
• EVRYBATES.
• CASSANDRA.
• AGAMEMNON.
• ELECTRA.
• STROPHILVS.

THE FIRST ACTE.

THYESTES.
Departinge from the darkned dens which Ditis low doth keepe,
Loe heere I am sent out agayne from Tartar Dungeon deepe,
Thyestes I, that wheather coast to shun doe stande in doubt,
Th'infernall fiendes I fly, the foalke of earth I chase about.
My conscience lo abhors, that I should heather passage make,
Appauled sore with feare and dread my trembling sinewes shake:
My fathers house, or rather yet my brothers I espy,
This is the olde and antique porche of Pelops progeny.
Here first the Greekes on prynces heads doe place the royall crowne,
And heere in throne aloft they lye, that ietteth vp and downe,
With stately Scepter in theyr hand, eake heere theyr courts doe ly,
This is theyr place of banquetting, returne therefore will I.
Nay: better were it not to haunt the lothsome Limbo lakes,
Where as the Stygion porter doth aduaunce with lusty crakes
His tryple gorge be hong with Mane shag hairy, rusty blacke:
Where Ixions Carkasse linked fast, the whirling wheele doth racke,
And cowleth still vpon him selfe: where as full oft in vayne
Much toyle is lost, (the tottring stone down tumbling backe agayne)
Where growing guts the greedy gripe do gnaw with rauening bits.
Where parched vp with burning thirst amid the waues he sits,
And gapes to catch the fleeting flood with hungry chaps beguilde,
That payes his paynefull punishment, whose feast the Gods defilde:
Yet that olde man so stept in yeares at length by tract of time,
How great a part belonges to mee and portion of his crime?
Account wee all the grisly ghostes, whom guilty founde of ill,
The Gnosian Iudge in Plutoes pyts doth tosse in torments still:
Thyestes I in driery deedes will farre surmount the rest,
Yet to my Brother yelde I, (though I gorgde my bloudy brest)
And stuffed haue my pampred paunche euen with my chyldren three,
That crammed lye within my Rybs and haue theyr Toumbe in mee,
The bowels of my swallowed Babes, deuowred vp I haue,
Nor fickle Fortune mee alone the Father doth depraue,
But enterprysing greater guilte then that is put in vre,
To file my Daughters bawdy Bed, my lust shee doth alure.
To speake these words I doe not spare, I wrought the haynous deede,
That therefore I through all my stocke, might parent still proceede.
My Daughter driuen by force of Fates and destenyes deuyne,
Doth breede younge bones, & lades her wombe, wt sinfull seede of myne.
Loe, nature chaunged vpside downe, and out of order tornde
This myngle mangle hath shee made, (O fact to be forlornde)
A Father and a Grandsyre loe, confusedly I am,
My daughters husband both become, and Father to the same.
Those babes yt should my Nephewes bee, when nature rightly runnes,
She being tumbled doth confounde, and mingle with my sonnes.
The chrystall clearenesse of the day, and Phœbus beames so bryght,
Are myxed with the foggy cloudes, and darkenesse dim of nyght.
When wickednes had wearied vs, to late truce taken was,
Euen when our detestable deedes were done and brought to passe.
But valiaunt Agamemnon hee graund captayne of the Hoste,
Who bare the sway among the Kinges, and ruled all the roste,
Whose flaunting Flag, and Banner braue, displayde in royall sorte,
A thousand sayle of sowsing ships did garde to Phrygian porte,
And with their swelling shatling sayles the surging seas did hide,
That beateth on the bankes of Troy, and floweth by her side:
When Phœbus Carte the Zodiack ten times had ouer runne,
And waste the battred Walles doe lye of Troy destroyde and woonne,
Returnde he is to yeelde his throate vnto his traytresse Wyfe.
That shall with force of bloudy blade bereue him of his lyfe.
The glytering Swerd, the hewing Axe, and wounding weapons moe,
With bloud for bloud new set abroche shall make the floore to flow.
With sturdy stroke, and boystrous blow, of pithy Pollaxe geuen
His beaten braynes are pasht abroade, his cracked Skull is reuen.
Now myschiefe marcheth on a pace, now falshoode doth appeare,
Now Butchers slaughter doth approche, and murther draweth neare.
In honour of thy natyue day Ægisthus they prepare
The sollemne feast with iuncketing, and daynty tothsome fare.
Fy, what doth shame abashe thee so, and cause thy courage quayle?
Why doubts thy righthand what to doe? to smite why doth it fayle?
What he forecasting might suspect, why shouldst thou take aduyse?
Why frettest thou, demaunding if thou may it enterpryse?
Nay: if a mother it beseeme, thou rather mayst furmyse.
What now? how hapneth it that thus the smiling sommers night,
When Phœbus from Th'antipodes shoulde render soone the lyght,
On sudden chaung their turnes with nights that last and lynger longe,
When wynters Boreas bitter blastes, doth puffe the trees amonge?
Or what doth cause the glyding starres to stay still in the sky?
Wee wayght for Phœbus: to the Worlde bryng day now by and by.

THE SECOND ACTE.

[THE FIRST SCENE.]

Clytemnestra, Nutrix
Nut.
O worthy Queene amonge the Greekes that beares the swinging sway.
And borne of Ledas royall bloud, what muttring dost thou say?
What fury fel inforceth thee, bereaued of thy wits.
To rage and raue with bedlam braynes, to fret withfranticke fittes?
Though madam thou do counsayle keepe, and not complayne thy case,
Thyne anguish playn appeareth in thy pale and wanny face.
Reueale therfore what is thy griefe, take leasure good and stay,
What reason could not remedy, oft cured hath delay.

Clit.
So grieuous is my careful case which plungeth me so sore,
That deale I cannot with delay, nor linger any more.
The flashing flames and furious force of fiery feruent heate,
Outraging in my boyling brest, my burning bones doth beate:
It suckes the sappy marow out the iuice it doth conuay,
It frets, it teares it rents, it gnaws, my guttes and gall away.
Now feble feare stil egges mee on (with dolor beyng prest)
And cankred hate with thwacking thumpes doth bounce vpon my brest
The blynded boy that louers hartes doth reaue with deadly stroake,
Entangled hath my linked mynd with leawd and wanton yoke:
Refusing stil to take a foyle, or cleane to be confound:
Among these broyles, and agonies my mynd beseging round,
Loe feble, weary, batred downe, and vnder troden shame,
That wrestleth, striueth, strugleth hard, and fighteth with the same.
Thus am I driuen to diuers shores and beat frow banke to banke,
And tossed in the fomy floods that striues with corage cranke.
As when here wynd, and their the streame when both their force wil try,
From sandes alow doth hoyst and reare the seas with surges hye.
The waltring waue doth staggeryng stand not weting what to do,
But (houeryng) doubtes, whose furious force he best may yeld him to.
My kingdome therfore I cast of, my sceptor I forsake
As anger, sorrow, hope, me leade, that way I meane to take.
At all aduenture to the seas I yeld my beaten Barge,
At randon careles wil I runne, now wil I roue at large
Whereas my mynde to fancy fond dath gad and runne astray,
It is the best to chuse that chaunce, and follow on that way.

Nu.
This desprat dotage doth declare, and rashnes rude and blynde,
To chuse out chaunce to be the guyde and ruler of thy mynd.

Cli.
He that is driuen to vtter pinch and furthest shift of all,
What neede he doubt his doubtful lot or how his lucke befall?

Nut.
In silent shore thou saylest yet thy trespas we may hyde,
If thou thy selfe detect it not, nor cause it be descryde.

Cl.
Alas it is more blasd abroade, and further it is blowen,
Then any cryme that euer in this princely court was sowen.

Nu.
Thy former falt with pensiue hart and sorrow thou dost rew.
And fondly yet thou goest about, to set abroch a newe,

Cl.
It is a very folishnes to kepe a meane therein.

Nu.
The thing he feares he doth augment who heapeth sinne to sinne.

Cli.
But fire and swoard to cure the same the place of salue supply.

Nu.
There is no man who at the first extremity wil trye.

Cl.
In working mischiefe men do take the rediest way they fynde.

Nu.
The sacred name of wedlocke once reuoke and haue in mynd.

Cli.
Ten yeares haue I bene desolate, and led a widowes life.
Yet shall I entertayne a new my husband as his wyfe?

Nu.
Consider yet thy sonne and heire whom he of thee begot.

Cly.
And eake my daughters wedding blase as yet forget I not.
Achilles eke my sonne in law to mynd I do not spare,
How wel he kept his vow that he to me his mother sware.

Nu.
When as our nauy might not passe by wynd nor yet by streame,
Thy daughters bloud in sacrifyce their passage did redeme:
Shee sturd and brake the sluggish seas, whose water stil did stand,
Whose feble force might not hoyse vp, the vessels from the land.

Cl.
I am ashamed herewithal, it maketh me repyne,
That Tyndaris (who from the Gods doth fetch her noble ligne
Should geue the ghost t'asswage the wrath of Gods and them appease,
Wherby the Grekish nauy might haue passage free by seas.
My grudging mynd stil harpes vppon my daughters wedding day,
Whom he hath made for Pelops stock the bloudy raunsome pay.
When as with cruel countenaunce embrewd with gory bloud,
As at a wedding alter syde th'unpitiful parent stoodt,
It erked Calchas woful hart, who did abhorre the same,
His Oracle he rewd, and eke the backe reflicting flame
O wicked and vngracious stocke that winnest il with yll,
Tryumphing in thy filthy feats encreasyng leaudnes still.
By bloud we win the waueryng windes, by death wee purchase warre

Nu.
But by this meanes a thousand ships at once released are:

Cly.
With lucky fate attempt the seas did not the losed rout?
For Aulis Ile, th'ungracious fleete from port did tumble out:
As with a lewde vnlucky hand the warre he did beginne,
So Fortune fauored his successe to thriue no more therin.
Her loue as captiue holdeth him whom captiue he did take
Not moued with the earnest suite that could Achilles make,
Of Phœbus prelat Sminthicall he did retayne the spoyle:
When for the sacred virgins loue his furious breast doth boyle:
Achilles rough and thundring threats could not him qualify.
Nor he that doth direct the fates aboue the starry skye.
To vs he is an Augur iuste, and keepes his promise due,
But while he threats his captiue truls of word he is not true.
The sauage people fierce in wrath once might not moue his spright,
Who did purloyne the kindled tentes with fyer blasing bryght:
When slaughter great on Greekes was made in most extreamest fyght
Without a foe he conquered, with leanes pines awaye,
In lewd and wantōn chamber trickes he spends the idle day,
And freshly still he fedes his lust, least that some other while
His chamber chast should want a stewes, that might the same defile.
On Lady Brises loue againe his fancy fonde doth stand,
Whom he hath got, that wrested was out of Achilles hand.
And carnal copulation to haue he doth not shame,
Though from her husbands bosome he hath snacht the wicked dame,
Tushe, he that doth at Paris grudge, with wound but newly stroke
Eflamd with Phrygian Prophets loue, his boyling brest doth smoke.
Now after Troyan boties braue, and Troy orewhelm'd he saw,
Retourned he is a prysoners spouse, and Pryams sonne in law.
Now heart be bold, take corage good, of stomacke now be stowt,
A field that easely is not fought, to pitch thou goest about.
In practise mischiefe thou must put, why hopst thou for a day,
While Priams daughter come from Troy in Grece do beare the sway.
But as for the poore sely wreth, a wayteth at thy place
Thy wyddow, virgyns, and Orest his fatherlyke in face,
Consyder theyr calamityes, to come, and eake their cares,
Whom all the peril of the broyle doth threat in thy affayres.
O cursed captiue, woful wretch why dost thou loyter so?
Thy little brats a stepdame haue whose wrath wil worke their woe.
With gashing sword (and if thou can none other way prouide)
Nor thrust it through anothers ribbes then launch thy gory syde,
So murther twayne with brewed bloud, let bloud immixed be,
And by destroying of thy selfe destroy thy spouse with thee.
Death is not sawst with soppes of Sorrow if some man els I haue,
Whose breathlesse corse I wish to passe with me to deadly graue.

Nu.
Queene, brydle thyne affections, and wysely rule thy rage,
Thy swelling moode now mittigate, thy choller take asswage.
Way wel the wayghty enterpryse that thou dost take in hand,
Tryumphant victor he returnes of mighty Asia land
Auenging Europes iniury with him he bringes away.
The spoyles of sacked Pargamy a huge and mighty pray.
In bondage eake he leades the foalke of long assaulted Troy,
Yet darest thou by poliecie attempt him to annoy?
Whom with the dynt of glittring sword Achilles durst not harme,
Although his rash and desperat dickes the froward Knight did arme:
Nor Aiax yet more hardy man vp yelding vitall breath,
Whom frantike fury fell enforst to wound himselfe to death:
Nor Hector he whose onely life procurde the Greekes delay,
And long in warre for victory enforced them to stay:
Nor Paris shaft, whose conning hand with shot so sure did ayme:
Nor mighty Memnon swart and blacke, had power to hurt the same:
Nor Xanthus flood, where to and fro deade carkasses did swimme,
With armour hewd and therewithall some maymed broken limme:
Nor Symois, that purple wawmes with slaughter died doth steare.
Nor Cygnus lilly whyte, the Sonne of fenny God so deare:
Nor yet the musteryng Thrasian host: nor warlike Rhesus kinge:
Nor Amazons, who to the warres did paynted Quiuers bring,
And bare theyr hatches in their handes with Target and with shield,
Yet had no powre with ghastly wound to foyle him in the field.
Syth he such scouringes hath escapt and plungde of perilles past
Entendest thou to murther him returning home at last?
And sacred alters to prophane with slaughters so vnpure?
Shal Greec thaduenger let this wronge long vnreuengde endure
The grym and fearre coragious horse, the battayles, shoutes, & cryes,
The swelling seas which bruised barkes do dread when stormes aryse,
Behold the fieldes with streames of bloud oreflowne & depely dround,
And al the cheualry of Troy in seruile bondage bounde,
Which Greekes haue writ in registers. Thy stubborne stomacke bynd,
Subdue thy fond affections, and pacify thy mynde.

THE SECOND SCENE.

Ægysthus, Clytemnestra.
Cli.
It is no plague, if such a death thy natiue destnies deale.

Ae
(O partners of my perils all begot of Leda thou)
Direct thy doynges after myne, and vnto thee I vow,
This drosel sluggish ringleader, this stout strong harted sire,
Sal pay thee so much bloud agayne as shed he hath in fyre
How haps it that his trembling cheekes to be so pale and whight,
Lying agast as in a traunce with faynting face vpright.

Cl.
His conscience wedlocke vow doth pricke & bringes him home again
Let vs returne the selfe same trade a new for to retayne,
To which at first we should haue stucke and ought not to forsake,
To couenaunt continent a new let vs our selues betake:
To take the trade of honesty at no tyme is to late:
He purged is from punishment whose hart the cryme doth hate.

Aeg.
Why whither wilt thou gad (o rash and vnaduysed dame?)
What dost thou earnestly beleeue, and firmly trust the same;
That Agamemnons spousall bed wil loyall be to thee?
That nought doth vnderprop thy mynd which might thy terrour bee?
His proud successe puft vp to high with lucky blest of wynde,
Might make so cranke, and set aloft his hawty swelling mynd:
Among his peares he stately was ere Troyan turrets torne,
How thinke ye then his stomacke stoute by nature geuen to scorne,
In haughtines augmented is more in himselfe to ioy,
Throughe this triumphant victory and conquest got of Troy?
Before his voyage Miceane King most mildly did he raygne,
But now a Tyrant truculent returnd he is agayne.
Good lucke and proude prosperity do make his hart so ryse.
With what great preparation prepared solemne wyse,
A rabblement of strumpets come that clong about him al?
But yet the Prophetesse of Thebe (whom God of truth we call)
Appeares aboue the rest: she keepes the King, shee doth him guyde:
Wilt thou in wedlocke haue a mate and not for it prouyde?
So would not shee, the greattest greefe this is vnto a wyse,
Her husbandes minion in her house to leade an open life.
A Queenes estate cannot abyde her peere with her to raygne,
And ielous wedlocke will not her companion sustayne.

Cl.
Aegist in desprat moode agayn why seest thou mee a flote?
Why kindlest thou the sparkes of yre in imbers couered hot
If that the victors owne free will release his captiues care,
Why may not I his Lady spouse haue hope as wel to fare?
One law doth rule in royal throne, and pompous prince he Towres,
Among the vulgar sorte, another in priuate simple bowers.
What though my grudging fancy force that at my husbandes hand,
Sharpe execution of the law I stobbernly withstand?
Recording this that haynously offended him I haue:
He gently wil me pardon graunt who neede the same to craue?

Aeg.
Euen so on this condition thou mayst with him compound,
To pardon him if he agayne to pardon the be bounde.
The subtil science of the law, the statutes of our land,
(That long agoe decreed were) thou dost not vnderstand.
The Iudges be malicious men, they spyght and enuye vs,
But he shal haue them partiall his causes to discus.
This is the chiefest priuiledge that doth to Kinges belong.
What lawes forbiddeth other men, they doe, and doe no wronge.

Cly.
He pardned Helen, she is wed to Menela agayne
Which Europe all with Asia did plunge alike in payne.

Aeg.
No Ladies Lust hath rauisht yet Atrides in his life,
Nor priuily purloynd his hart betrothed to his wyfe.
To picke a quarrel he beginnes and matter thee to blame,
Suppose thou nothing hast commit that worthy is of shame?
What boteth him whom Princes hate an honest life to frame?
He neuer doth complayne his wrong, but euer beares the blame.
Wilt thou repayre to Spart and to thy countrey trudge aryght?
Wilt thou become a ronnagate from such a worthy wight?
Deuorcement made from Kinges wil not so let the matter scape,
Thou easest feare by fickle hope, that falsly thou dost shape:

Cli.
My trespas is disclosd to none, but to a trusty wight:

Aeg.
At princes gates fidelity yet neuer enter might.

Cl.
I wil corrupt and feede him so with siluer and with gold,
That I by bribing bynd him shall no secrets to vnfold:

Ae.
The trust that hyred is and bought by brybes and moneis fee,
Thy counsell to bewray agayne with brybes entyste wil be

Cl.
The remnaunt left of shamefastnes of those vngracious trickes,
Wherin of late I did delyght, my conscience freship prickes.
Why kep'st thou such a busie slurre and with thy flatring speach,
Enstructing me with lewd aduyse dost wicked counsell preach
Shall I forsooth of royal bloud with al the speede I can
Refuse the King of Kinges, and wed an outcast banisht man?

Aeg.
Why should you thinke in that Thiest was father vnto mee.
And Agamemnon Atreus sonne he should my better be?

Cly.
If that be but a tryfle small, and nephew to the same.

Aeg.
I am of Phœbus linage borne, wherof I do not shame.

Cl.
Why makste thou Phœbus author of thy wicked pedagrew,
Whom out of heauen ye forst to flye when bridle backe he drew,
When Lady Night with mantel blacke did spread her soden shade,
Why makest thou the Gods in such reproachfulnes to wade?
Whose father hath thee conning made by sleight and subtil guyle
To make thy kinsman Cockold whyle his wyfe thou do defyle.
What man is he whom we do know to be thy fathers mate,
Abusing lust of Lethery in such vnlawful rate?
Auaunt, go packe thee hence in hast, dispatch out of my sight
This infamy, whose blemish staynes this bloud of worthy wyght.

Aeg.
This is no new exile to me that wickednes do haunt,
But if that thou (O worthy Queene) commaund me to auaunt,
I wil not only strayght auoyde the house the towne and field
My life on sword at thy request I ready am to yeeld

Cli.
This heynous dede permit shall I (most churlish cruell drab)
Agaynst my wil though I offend, the fault I should not blabbe:
Nay, rather come apart with mee, and let vs ioyne our wittes:
To wrap our selues out of this woe and parlous threatning fits.

Chorus.

Now chaunt it lusty laddes, Apollos prayse subborne,
To thee the frolicke flocke their crowned heads adorne.
To thee King Inachs stocke of wedlocke chamber voyde,
Brayd out their virgins lockes and theron haue employd
Theyr sauory garlandes greene Itwist of laurell bow.
Draw neare with vs O Thebes our dauncing follow thou.
Come also ye that drinck of Ismen bubling flood,
VVheras the Laurell treeful thicke on bankes doth bood.
Eake ye whom Mando mild, the Prophetesse diuine,
(Foreseyng fate) and borne of high Tiresias lygne,
Hath stird to celebrate with sacred vse and right.
Appollo and Dian borne of Latona bright.
O Victor Phæbe vnbend thy noked bow agayne.
Syth quietnes and peace anew we do retayne.
And let thy twanckling harpe make melody so shril,
Whyle that thy nimble hand stryke quauers with thy quill.
No curious descant I nor lusty musick craue,
No iolly rumbling note, nor trouling tune to haue.
But on thy treble Lute (according to thy vse)
Stryke vp a playnsong note as when thy learned muse
Thy lessons do record, though yet on baser string
It lyketh thee to play the song that thou did singe:
As when from fyery heauen the dint of lightning flue,
Sent downe by wrath of Gods the Titans ouerthrew
Or else when mountaynes were on mountaynes heaped hie
That rayse for Giauntes fell theyr steppes into the skye,
The mountayne Ossa stoode on top of Pelion layd,
Olymp (wheron the Pynes theyr budding braunches braide)
Downe paised both: drawe nere O Iuno noble dame,
Both spouse of mighty Ioue and sister to the same.
Thou that dost rule with him made ioynter of his mace,
Thy people we of Grece geue honor to thy grace:
Thou onely dost protect from perilles Argos land,
That euer careful was to haue thyne honour stand,
Most supplient thereunto thou also with thy might
Dost order ioyful peace and battails fearce of fyght
Accept O conquering Queene these braunches of the bayes
That Agamemnon here doth yeld vnto thy prayse:
The hollow boxen pype (that doth with holes abound)
In synging vnto the doth geue a solemne sound:
To thee the Damsels eake that play vppon the stringes,
With conning harmony melodious musicke singes.
The matrons eke of Greece by ryper years more graue,
To thee the Taper pay that vowed oft they haue,
The Heyferd young and whyte companion of the Bull.
Vnskilful yet by proofe the paynful plow to pull.
VVhose neck was neuer worrie nor gald with print of yoke,
Is in thy temple slaine receiuing deadly stroke.
O Lady Pallas thou of most renoumed hap
Bred of the brayne of Ioue that smites with thunder clap.
Thou lofty Troian towres of craggy knotty flint
Hast bet with battring blade, and stroke with iaueling dint:
The elder matrones with the dames that yonger be
Together in myngled heapes do honour due to thee,
VVhen thou approching nighe thy comming is espyde,
The priest vnbarres the gate, and opes the Temple wide:
By clustring thronges the flocks thine altars haunt apace,
Bedeckte with twisted crownes so trim with comely grace.
The olde and auncient men well stept and grown in yeares,
VVhose feeble trembling age procureth hory hayres
Obtayning their request crau'de of thy grace deuine,
Do offer vp to thee their sacrifysed wyne,
O bright Dian whose blase sheds light three sondry waies
VVe myndful are of thee, and render thankefull prayse,
Delon thy natiue soyle thou diddest fyrmely bynde,
That to and fro was wont to wander with the wynde:
VVhich with foūdation sure mayn ground forbyds to passe
For Nauies (after which to swim it wonted was)
It is become a road defying force of wynd,
The mothers funeralles of Tantalus his kinde.
The daughters seuen by death thou victresse dost accompt
VVhose mother Niobe abydes on Sipil mount
A lamentable rocke and yet vnto this howre
Her teares new gushing, out the marble old doth powre.
The Godhead of the Twins in sumpteous solemne wyse,
Both man and wyfe adore with sauory sacrifyce,
But thee aboue the rest O father great and guide,
VVhose mighty force is by the burning lightning tryde:
Who when thou gauest a becke and didst thy head but shake
At once thextremest poales of heauen and earth did quake,
O Iupiter the roote that of our lynage arte,
Accept these offered gifts and take them in good parte:
And thou O graundsire great to thy posteritie.
Haue some remorse, that do not swarue in chyualrie.
But yonder lo with stiuing steps the souldier comes amayne
In all post hast, with token that good newes declareth plaine
A Lawrell braunch, that hangeth on his speare head he doth bringe
Eurybates is come, who hath ben trusty to the kynge.

THE THIRD ACTE.

Euribates, Clytemnestra
Cly.
The tydings of a message good vnto mine eares is blowne.
Where stayes my spouse whō longing for ten yeres I haue out scand?
What doth he yet sayle on the seas, or he is come a land?
Yet hath he fyxt and set his foote back stepping home agayne.
Uppon the sandy shore, that longe he wished to attayne?
And doth he styll enioy his health enhauncte in glory great,
And painted out in pompe of prayes whose fame the sky doth beate?

Eu.
Blesse we with burning sacrifice at length this lucky day

Cli.
And eke the Gods though gracious, yet dealing long delay:
Declare if that my brothers wyfe enioy the vytall ayre
And tel me to what kind of Coast my sister doth repayre.

Euri.
God graunt, & geue vs better newes then this that thou dost craue
The heauy hap of fyghting flouds forbiddes the truth to haue,
Our scattred fleete the swelling seas attemptes in such a plight,
That ship from ship was taken cleane out of each others sight.
Atrides in the waters wyde tormoyld and straying farre
More vyolence by seas sustaynd then by the bloudy warre
And as it were a conquerd man escaping home al weete
Now bringeth in his company of such a mighty fleete,
A sort of brused broken barkes, beshaken, torne, and rent.

Cli.
Shew what vnlucky chaunce it is that hath our nauy spent.
What storme of seas dispersed hath our Captaynes hear and there

Eury.
Thou willest me to make report of heauy woful geare.
Thou biddest me most greeuous newes with tydinges good to part:
For vttring of this woeful hap my feeble mynd doth start.
And horribly appauled is with this so monstruous ill.

Cly,
Speake out and vtter it: himselfe with terrour he doth fill,
Whose hart his owne calamity and carke doth loath to know:
The hart whom doubted domage dulles with greater griefe doth glow

Eu.
When Troyan buildings blasing bright did burne away and broyle,
Enkindled first by Grekish brand, they fall to part the spoyle:
Repayring fast vnto the seas agayne we come aboord,
And now the souldiers weary loynes were eased of his sword,
Their bucklers cast aside, vppon the hatches lie aboue.
Their warlike handes in practise put, and Oers learne to moue:
Ech litle hindraunce seemes to much to them in hasty plight,
When of recourse the Admirall gaue watchword by his light,
And trumpet blast beganne to cal our army from delay.
The paynted Pup with gilded snowt did first guyde on the way:
And cut the course, which following on a thousand shippes did ryue,
Then first a wynd with pipling puffes our launcing ships did dryue,
Watch glyded downe vpon our sayles the water beyng calme
With breath of westerne wynd so myld scant moued any walme.
The shyning seas bespred about with shippes doth glister bright,
And also couerd with the same lay hid from Phœbus syght:
It doth vs good to gase vppon the naked shore of Troy:
The desart Phrygian plots so bare to vew wee hop for ioye:
The yeuth each one besturres themselues, and striking altogeather,
They tough their oers & with their toyle they helpe the wynd & weather
They tug and chearely row by course, the spirting seas vp dash,
Agaynst the tatling ribs of ships the flapping floods do flash
The hory froth of wrestling waues which ores aloft doth rayse,
Do draw and trace a furrow through the marblefaced seas.
When stronger blast with belly swolne our hoysted sayles did fil,
They row no more, but let the Pup to goe with wynd at wil,
Their sheryng oers layd assyde our Pilot doth espye,
How farre from any land aloofe our sayles reculing flye.
Or bloudy battels doth display the threats of Hector stout,
Or of his ratling waggings tels, wherein he rode about.
Or how his gashed carkas slayne and traynd about the field
To funeral flames and obit rightes for coyne agayne was yeld.
How Iupiter embathed was al in his royall bloud.
The frolicke fish disposed was to mirth in Tyrren floud,
And fetching friskes both in and out playes on the waters brim,
And on his broade and fynny backe about the seas doth swim,
With gambals quicke in ringes around and side to side enclynd,
Erwhyle he sportes afront the pup, and whips agayne behynd,
Now fidling on the snout before the dalying wanton route
With iocundary ioly tryckes doth skip the fleete about.
Sometyme he standeth gasing on and eyes the vessels bright,
Now euery shore is couered cleane, and land is out of sight,
The parlous poynt of Ida rocke in sight doth open lye,
And that alone espie we could with fyrmly fixed eye,
A duskye clowde of stifling smoake from Troy did smolter blacke,
When Titan from the weary neckes the heauy yokes did slacke.
The fading light did groueling bend, and downe the day did shrowd,
Agaynst the Starres amounting vp a litle misty clowde
Came belching out in yrksome lompe, and Phœbus galland beams
He spewd vppon, bestayning them duct downe in Westerne streams.
The Sunne set swaruing in such sort with diuers chaunge of face,
Did geue vs cause to haue mistrust of Neptunes doubted grace,
The euening first did burnish bright, and paynt with starres the sky.
The wyndes were layed, and cleane forsooke our sayles that quiet lie.
When cracking, ratling, rumbling noyse, rusht down wt thundring sway
From top of hills, which greatter sturre doth threaten and bewraye.
With bellowinges, and yellinges lowde, the shores do grunt & grone,
The craggy clyues and roaring rocks do howle in hollow stone.
The bubling waters swelles vpreard before the wrastling wynd,
When sodaynly the lowring light of Mone is hid and blynd.
The glymsing starres do goe to glade, the surging seas are tost
Euen to the skyes among the clowdes the light of heauen is lost.
More nightes in one compacted are with shadow dim and blacke,
One shadow vpon another doth more darknes heape and packe,
And euery sparke of light consum'd the waues and skyes do meete,
The ruffling windes range on the seas, through euery coast they fitt.
They heaue it vp with violence, oreturnde from bottom low,
The westerne wynd flat in the face of Easterne wynd doth blow.
With hurley burley Boreas set ope his blasting mouth,
And girdeth out his boysteous breth agaynst the stormy south,
Each wynd with al his might doth blow, and worketh daungers deepe,
They shake the floods, a sturdy blast along the seas do sweepe.
That rolles and tumbles waue on waue, a northren tempest stronge,
Aboundance great of flacky snow doth hurle our shippes amonge.
The southwynd out of Libia, doth rage vppon a shold,
And with the puissant force therof the quicksandes vp be rold,
Nor bydeth in the south which doth with tempest lumpe and lower,
And force the flowing floods to rise by powring out a shower.
The stubberne Eurus, Earthquakes made, and shoke the coūtries East,
And Eos cost where Phœbus first aryseth from his rest.
How violent Corus stretcht and tare his yawning breast ful wyde?
A man would sure haue thought the world did from his center slyde,
And that the frames of Heauen broke vp the Gods adowne would fall
And Chaos darke confused heape would shade and couer all.
The streame straue with the wynd, the wynd dyd beate it downe againe
The springing sea within his bankes can not it selfe contayne,
The raging showre his trilling droppes doth mingle with the seas,
And yet in all this misery the fynd not so much ease,
To see and know what ill it is, that worketh theyr decay.
The darknes dim oppresseth still and keepes the light away:
The blackfacst night with Hellicke hue was clad of Stygian lake
And yet ful oft with glimsing beames the sparkling fyre out brake,
The clowde doth cracke, and beyng rent the lightning leapeth out,
The wretches like the same so well it shyning them about,
That stil they wish such light to haue (although God wot but yll)
The nauy swaying downe it selfe doth cast away, and spill.
One side with other side is crackt, and helme is rent with helme,
The ship it selfe the gulping seas do headlong ouerwhelme.
Erwhyle a greedy gaping gulph doth sup it vp amayne,
Then by and by tost vp aloft it spewes it out againe,
She with her swagging full of sea to bottome lowe doth sinke
And drencheth deepe asyde in floods her totring broken brinke.
That vnderneath a dosen waues lay drowned out of sight,
Her broken plankes swim vp and downe, spoyld is her tackle quight,
Both sayle and Oers cleane are lost, the mayne mast eke is gone.
That wonted was to beare vpright the sayle yard thereuppon,
The limber and the broken bordes lye on the waters brim,
When cold and shiuering feare in vs doth strike through euery lim,
The wysest wits entocksicate dare nothing enterprise,
And cunning practise naught auayles when feareful stormes aryse,
The mareners letting duty slip stand staring all agast,
Their scoping ores sodaynly out of their handes are wrast.
To prayer then apace we fall, when other hope is none,
The Greekes and Troyans to the Gods alyke do make their mone.
Alacke what succour of the fates may wee poore wretches fynd?
Agaynst his father Pyrrhus beares a spyteful cankred mynd,
At Ayax grudge Vlisses doth, king Menela doth hate
Great Hector: Agamemnon is with Priam at debate.
O happy man is he that doth lye slayne in Troyan ground,
And hath deserude by handy stroake to take his fatall wound,
Whom same preserueth, taking vp his tombe in conquerd land
Those momes whose melting cowardes hart durst neuer take in hand
Or enterprise no noble acte, those force of floods shall drowne
But fate forbearing long, wil take stoute Brutes of high renoume,
Ful wel we may ashamed be, in such a sort to dye,
If any man his spyteful mynd yet can not satisfye,
With these outragious plunging plagues that downe frō Gods are sēt,
Appease at length thy wrathful God agayne and eake relent.
Euen Troy for pity would haue wept, to see our woefull case,
But if that in thy boyling breast black rancour still haue place,
And that the Greekes to ruin run, it bee thy purpose bent,
Why doe these Troyans goe to wrack? for whom thus are wee spent?
Asswage the rygaur of the sea that threatning hilles vp reares:
This drenched Fleete the Troyan folke and Greekes together beares.
Then from theyr prayers are they put, theyr foultring tonges doe stay,
The roring seas doth drowne their voyce and caryes their cries away.
Then mighty Pallas armed with the lepping lightning fyre,
That teasty loue doth vse to hurle prouokt to swelling yre,
With threatning Iaueling in her hand, her prowesse meanes to try,
And eke her force whose boyling breast with Gorgon fits doth fry,
Or what with Target she can doe, and with her Fathers fyre.
Then from the Skyes another storme begins abroade to spyre,
But Aiax nothing yet dismaide all force withstandeth stout,
Whom when hee spred his swelling sayles with Cable stretched out,
She lighting downe did wryng him hard, and wrapt him in her flame,
And slang another flasshing dint of lightning on the same,
With all her force and violence her hand brought back agayne,
She tost him out, as late that feate her father tought her playne.
Both ouer Aiax and his Pup she flyeth ouerthwart,
And renting man and shyp, of both shee beares away a part,
His corage nought abated yet hee all to singde doth seeme,
Euen like a stubberne ragged Rocke amid the striuing streame,
Hee traynes along the roaring seas and eke the waltring waue
By shouing on his bourly breast in sunder quite he draue,
The Barke with hand he caught, and on it selfe did type it ouer,
Yet Aiax shyneth in the floud which darknesse blinde doth couer.
At length attayning to a rocke his thundring crakes were these,
I conquered haue the force of fyre and rage of fighting seas,
It doth mee good, to mayster thus the anger of the skye,
With Pallas wrath, the lightning flames and floods tumultyng hye.
The terrour of the warlyck god once could not make me flye,
The force of Mars and Hector both at once sustaynd haue I.
Nor Phœbus dartes could me constrayne, from him one foote to shoon,
All these beside the Phrygians subdued we haue, and woon.
When other Mecocks flinges his darts shall I not them withstand?
Yea, what if Phœbus came himselfe, to pytch them with his hand?
When in hys melancholy moode he boasted without meane.
Then father Neptune lyft his heat aboue the waters cleane.
The beaten rocke with forked mace he vndermyning pluckte
From bottom loose, and suncke it downe, when downe himself he duckt.
There Aiax lay, by land, by fyre, and storme of seas destroid
But we by suffering shypwrack, are with greater plagues anoyd.
A subtyle shallow floud there is flowne on a stony shold,
Where crafty Caphar out of syght the lurking rocks doth hold,
Uppon whose sharpe and ragged tops the swelling tide doth flow,
The boyling waues do beat thereon still sweaing to and fro:
A turrret nodding ouer it doth hange with fallyng sway,
From whence on either side from height prospect espy wee may
Two seas: and on this hand the coast where Pelops once did raygne,
And Isthmus floud in narrow creeke, reculing back agayne,
Doth stop Ionian sea, least into Hellespont it run,
On th'other part is Lemnon floud that fame by bloudshed woon.
On th'other side Calcedon towne doth stand agaynst this forte,
And Aulis Ile that stayde our ships that thyther did resorte.
This Castell heere inhabyte doth our Palimedes sier,
Whose cursed hand helde in the top a brand of flaming fier.
That did alure our fleete, to turne on lurking rockes a ryght,
Entysing them with wily blaze to come vnto the lyght.
All into fitters shaken are the vessels on the sholde,
But other some doe swym, and some vpon the rockes are roulde,
And other slipping backe agayne so to eschew the Rocks,
His brused Rybs, and ratling sides agaynst eche other knocks,
Whereby the other hee doth breake, and broken is himselfe,
Then woulde they launce into the deepe, for now they dread the shelfe,
This peck of troubles chaunct to hap in dawning of the day.
But when the Gods (besought of vs) began the rage to stay,
And Phœbus golden beames began a freshe to render lyght,
The dolefull day diserted all the domage done by nyght.

CLY.
O whether may I now lament, and weepe with wayling sad?
Or shall I els in that my Spouse returned is bee glad?
I doe reioyce, and yet I am compelled to bewayle
My countreyes great calamity that doth the same assayle.
O Father great whose maiesty doth thundring Scepters shake,
The sowring Gods vnto the Greekes now fauourable make,
With garlands greene let euery head reioysing now be crounde.
To thee the pype in sacryfice melodiously doth sounde,
And on thyne aulter lyeth slayne an Heyferd lilly whight,
Before the same doe present stand with hanging lockes vndight,
A carefull Troyan company in heauy wofull plight,
On whom frō high the Lawrell tree with spredding braunch doth shyne,
Whose vertue hath inspyred them with Phœbus grace diuine,

CHORVS. CASSANDRA.
CAS.
Refraine your teares yt down your cheekes should tricle euermore
With woefull waylings piteously your pryuate friendes deplore
My myseries refuse a mate, so much accurst as I:
To rewe my carefull case, refrayne your lamentable cry.
As for myne owne distresse to moorne, I shall suffice alone.

CHO.
To mingle teares with other teares it doth vs good to mone:
In those the burning teary streames more ardently doe boyle,
Whom secret thoughts of lurking cares in priuy breast turmoyle:
Though that thou were a Gossop stout, that brooke much sorrow may
I warraunt thee, thou myghtest well, lament this sore decay.
Not sad and solemne Aedon that in the woodes doth singe
Her sugred Ditties finely timde on sweete and pleasaunt stringe:
Recording Itys woefull hap in diuers kynde of note,
Whom Progne though he were her chylde and of her wombe begot,
For to reueng his fathers fault, she did not spare to kill:
And gaue his flesh and bloude for foode the fathers Maw to fill.
Nor Progne who in Swallowes shape: vpon the rydges hye,
Of houses sits in Biston towne bewayling piteously,
With chattering throate, of Tereus her spouse the cruell act,
(Who did by strength and force of armes a shamefull brutishe fact.
Defile the syster of his wyfe, fayre Philomel by name,
And eke cut out her tonge, least shee should blab it to his shame)
Though Progne this her husbandes rape lamenting very sore
Doe wayle, and weepe with piteous plaint, yet can shee not deplore
Sufficiently, though that shee woulde, our countreyes piteous plight:
Though he himselfe among the Swans syr Cygnus lilly whight.
Who dwelles in streame of Ister floud, and Tanais channell coulde,
His weeping voyce most ernestly though vtter out hee woulde:
Although the morninge Halcyons with dolefull sighes doe wayle,
At such time as the fighting floudes their Cyex did assayle,
Or rashly wexing boulde attempt the Seas now layde at rest,
Or being very fearefull feede their broode in tottring nest,
Although as squemishe hearted men those priestes in bedlem rage,
Whom mother Cyble being borne on high in lofty stage,
Doth mooue, to play on shalmes, Atys the Phrygian to lament,
Yet can not they this lot bewayle, though brawn frō armes they rent.
Cassandra, in our teares there is no measure to refrayne,
Those miseryes all measure passe, that plunged vs in payne.
The sacred fillets from thy heads, why dost thou hale and pull?
They chiefly ought to worship God, whose hearts with griefe be dull.

CAS.
My feare by this affliction is cleane abated all,
Nor praying to the heauenly Ghostes for mercy will I call.
Although they were disposde to chafe and fret in fustten fumes,
They nothing haue me to displease, Fortune her force consumes.
Her spyte is worne vnto the stumpes, what countrey haue I left?
Where is my Syre? am I of all my systers quite bereft.
The sacred tombes and alter stones our bloud haue drunke & swylde,
Where are my brethren blessed knot? destroyed in the fylde.
All widdow Weues of Priams sonnes may easly now beholde,
The Pallace voyde and cast of court of silly Priam olde.
And by so many marriages so many Wyddowes are,
But onely Hellen comming from the coast of Lacon farre.
That Hecuba the mother of so many a pryncely wyght,
Whose fruitfull Wombe did breede the brand, of fyer blasing bryght:
Who also bare the swinge in Troy, by practise now doth learne,
New lawes and guise of desteny in bondage to discerne.
On her shee taketh heart of grace with lookes so sterne and wylde,
And barketh as a bedlem bitch about her strangled chylde
Deare Polidor, the remnaunt left, and onely hope of Troy,
Hector, and Priam to reuenge, and to restore her ioy.

CHO.
The sacred Phœbus Prophet is with sodayne silence husht:
A quaking trembling shiuering feare throughout her lims hath rusht:
Her Face as pale as Ashes is, her Fillits stande vpryght,
The soft and gentle goldilockes starte vp of her affright.
Her panting breathing breast stuft vp within doth grunt and grone.
Her glaring bryght and steaming Eyes are hether and thyther throwne.
Now glauncing vp and downe they roll: now standing stiffe they stare.
She stretcheth vp her head more streyght then commonly she bare,
Boult vp she goes, her wrastling Iawes that fast together clinge,
She doth attempt by diuers meanes, on sunder how to wringe.
Her mumbling words in gabling mouth shut vp she doth asswage,
As Menas mad that Bacchus aares doth serue in furious rage.

CAS.
How doth it hap (O sacred tops of high Parnassus hill)
That me berapt of sence, with prickes of fury fresh yee fill?
Why doe you me with ghost inspyre, that am besyde my wits?
O Phœbus none of thyne I am, releasse me from the fits:
Infixed in my burning breastes the flames extinguish out,
Who forceth me with fury fell to gad and trot about?
Or for whose sake inspyrde with spryte mad mumbling make must I?
Why play I now the Prophet colde, sith Troy in dust doth ly?
The day doth shrynke for dread of warre, the night doth dim mine eyes.
With mantell blacke of darknesse deepe cleane couerd is the skyes:
But loe two shining Sunnes at once in heauen appeareth bryght,
Two Grecian houses muster doe their armies twayne to fight.
Amonge the mighty Goddesis in Ida woodes I see,
The fatall sheepherd in his throne as vmpier plast to bee:
I doe aduise you to beware, beware (I say) of kynges,
(A kindred in whose cancred heartes olde priuy grudges springes)
That countrey clowne Ægisthus he this stocke shall ouerthrowe,
What doth this foolish despret dame her naked weapons showe?
Whose crowne entendeth shee to cracke in weede of Lacon lande,
With Hatchet (by the Amazons inuented first) in hand?
What face of mighty maiesty bewitched hath myne eyes?
The conquerour of saluage beastes Marmarick Lyon lyes,
Whose noble necke is wurried with currish fange and tooth
The churlish snaps of eger Lyonesse abyde hee dooth.
Alacke yee ghostes of all my friendes why should yee say that I,
Among the rest am onely safe, from perils farre to ly?
Fayne father follow thee I would, Troy being layde in dust.
O brother terrour of the Greekes, O Troyans ayde and trust.
Our auncient pomp I doe not see, nor yet thy warmed handes,
(That fearce on Greekish flaming fleete did fling the fyry brandes)
But mangled members, schorched corps, and cake thy valiaunt armes,
Hard piniond and bounde in bands sustayning greeuous harmes:
O Troyolus, a match vnfit encountering with Achill
(That myghty man of armes) to soone come vnto thee I will.
I doe delight, to sayle with them on stinking Stygian flood.
To vew the churlishe mastife our of hell, it doth mee good.
And gaping mouthed Kingdome darke of greedy Ditis raygne.
The Barge of filthy Phlegethon this day shall entertayne,
Mee conquering, and conquered, and Prynces soules with all.
You flitering shades I you beseeche, and eake on thee I call,
O Stygian poole (whereon the Gods theyr solemne othes doe take
Unbolt a whyle the Brasen bars of darksome Lymbo lake.
Whereby the Phrygian folke in hell may Micean state beholde.
Looke vp yee silly wretched soules, the fates are backward roulde.
The sqally sisters doe approch, and deale their bloudy strokes,
Their smultring faggots in their handes halfe brunte to ashes smokes.
Their vysages so pale doe burnt, with fyry flaming eyes:
A garment blacke theyr gnawed guts doth gyrde in mourning guyse.
Dire dread of night begins to howle, the bones of body vast
With lying long doe rot corrupt in miry pudle cast.
Beholde, the wery aged man his burning thyrst forgot,
The waters dalying at his lippes to catch endeuors not:
But mourneth for the funerall, that shall ensue anon.
The Troyan Prynce his royall robes tryumphant putteth on.

CHO.
The furious rage cleane ouerpast begins it selfe to slake,
And slyps away, euen as a Bull that deadly wounde doth take
On gasshed neck afront the aares: come let vs ease at last
Her lymbes, that of the spryte of God hath felt the mighty blast.
Returning home agayne at length and crounde with Lawrell bow
(A signe of worthy victory) is Agamemnon now.
The Wyfe to meete her Husband, doth her speedy passage ply,
Returning hand in hand, and foote by foote most louingly.

THE FOVRTH ACTE.

AGAMEMNON. CASSANDRA.
CAS.
At Troy so was it wont to bee.

AG.
Let vs to Th'alters worship gyue.

C.
At Th'alters died my sire:

A.
Pray wee to Ioue.

C.
To Ioue whose grace diuine doth me inspire?

AG.
Dost thou suppose that Troy thou seest?

C.
And Priam eke I see.

AG.
Troy is not heere.

C.
where Helen is there take I Troy to bee,

AG.
Feare not as maide to serue thy dame.

C.
Nay fredome draweth ny.

AG.
Take thou no thought how thou shalt liue.

C.
All cares for to defy,
Death giues a courage vnto mee.

AG.
Yet say I once agayne
There is no daunger left, whereby thou mightest hurt sustayne.

CA.
But yet much troublous daūger doth hong ouer thy head I wot.

AG.
What mischiefe may a victor dread?

CA.
Euen yt hee dreadeth not.

AG.
Yee trusty meny of my men come cary her away,
Till of the spryte shee ryd her selfe, least fury force her say
That may be preiudiciall, her tongue she cannot frame.
To thee O Father flinging forth the lightnings flasshing flame,
That dost disperse the cloudes, and rule the course of euery starre,
And guyde the Globe of Earth, to whom the boottes woon by warre
With triumphe victors dedicate: to thee O Iuno hight
The syster deare of doughty Ioue, (thy husband full of might)
Both I and Greece with flesh and bloude, and eke our vowed beast,
And gorgious gyftes of Arabie, giue worship to thy hest.

Chorus.

O GREECE by noble Gentlemen in honour shyning cleare,
O GREECE to wrathfull IVNO thou that art the darling deare,
Some iolly worthy lusty bloude thou fosters euermore,
Thou hast made euen the Gods, that were a number odde before.
That puissaunt mighty Hercules a noble Impe of thyne
Deserued by his trauels twelue, rapt vp in heauen to shyne.
For whom the heauens did alter course, and Iupiter with all
Did iterate the howles of nyght, when dampishe dewe doth fall.
And charged Phœbus chariot swyfte to trot with slower pace,
And leasurely bright lady Moone thy homwarde Wayne to trace,
Bryght Lucifer that yeare by yeare his name a newe doth chaunge,
Came backe agayne, to whom the name of Hesper seemed straunge.
Aurora to her common course her reared head addrest,
And couching backward downe agayne the same shee did arest,
Upon the shoulder of her spouse, whose yeares with age are worne
The east did feele, so felt the west, that Hercules was borne.
Dame nature coulde not cleane dispatch, to vtter in one night,
That boystous lad: the whyrling worlde did wayght for such a wight.
O babe whose shoulders vnderprop, the ample spacious sky,
In clasped armes thy prowesse did the crusshed Lyon try.
Who from his fyry yawning throate spewes out his broyling brande,
The nimble hynde in Menall mount hath knowne thy heauy hande.
The Bore hath felt thy fyst, which did Arcadia destroy.
The monstrous conquerde Bull hath rorde that Creta did anoy.
The Dragon dyre that breeding beast in Lerna poole he slewe,
And chopping of one head forbad thereof to ryse anewe.
With clubbed brusing battring batte he crankly did subdew.
(The brethren twins yt lewde on Teate) whereof three monsters grew.
Of tryple formed Gerion the spoyle into the east,
A droue of Cattell Hercules did fetch out of the weast.
Away from tyraunt Diomede the Thracian horse he led,
Which neyther with the grasse that grew by Styrmon floud he fed,
Nor yet on Heber bankes, but them the villayne did refresh
His greedy mounching cramming iades with avaunts bloud and flesh.
Their rawfed Iawes imbrewde were with the carmans bloud at last,
The spoyles and shaftes Hipolyte saw from her bosome wrast
As sone as he with clattring shaft the dusky cloude did smite,
The Stymphall byrde that shadowed the sunne, did take her flight.
The fertill tree that apples beares of golde, did feare him sore,
Which neuer yet acquayntaunce had with Tasters tooth before.
But whipping vp with liuely twigges into the ayre she flyes,
And whyle the chinking plate doth sound then Argos full of eyes,
The watchman shrinking close for colde that sleepe yet neuer knew,
Doth heare the noyse whyle Hercules with mettall all of yellow hew
Well loden packs away, and left the groue befliched cleane.
The hound of hell did holde his tongue drawne vp in tryple cheane,
Nor barkt with any boughinge throate nor coulde abyde the hewe,
Or colour of the heauenly lyght, whose beames hee neuer knewe.
When thou wert captayne Generall, and didst conduct our Hoste,
(They that) of Dardans Lygne, to come theyr Stocke doe falsly boste,
Were vanquished by force of armes and since they felt agayne
Thy Gray goose winge, whose bitternesse to feare might thē constrayne.

THE FIFTE ACTE.

[THE FIRST SCEANE.]

CASSANDRA.
Within a reuell rexe is kept, as sore as euer was,
Euen at the ten yeares siege of Troy: What thing is this? (alas)
Get vp my soule, and of the rage auengmeent worthy craue:
Though Phrygians wee bee vanquished, the victory we haue.
The matter well is brought aboute: vp Troy thou rysest now,
Thou flat on floore hast pulde down Greece, to ly as low as thou.
Thy Conquerour doth turne his Face: my prophesying spright
Did neuer yet disclose to mee so notable a sight:
I see the same, and am thereat, and busted in the broyle,
No vision fond fantasticall my senses doth beguile:
Such fare as Prygians feasted with on last vnhappy night
At Agamemnons royall courte full daintily they dight:
With purple hangings all adornde the brodred Beds doe shyne,
In olde Assaracks goblets gylt they swincke and swill the wyne.
The King in gorgyous royall robes on chayre of State doth sit,
And pranckt with pryde of Pryams pomp of whom he conquerd it.
Put of this hostile weede, to him, (the Queene, his Wyfe gan say,)
And of thy louing Lady wrought weare rather thys aray.
This garment knit. It makes mee loth, that shiuering heere I stande.
O shall a King be murthered, by a banisht wretches hande?
Out, shall Th'adulterer destroy the husbande of the Wyfe?
The dreadfull destinies approcht, the goode that last in lyfe
He tasted of before his death, theyr maysters bloud shall see,
The gobs of bloude downe dropping on the wynde shall powred bee.
By traytrous tricke of trapping weede his death is brought about,
Which being put vpon his heade his handes coulde not get out.
The stopped poake with mouth set ope his muffled head doth hyde,
The mankinde dame with trembling hand the swerd drew from her side,
Nor to the vtmost of her might it in his flesh shee thrast,
But in the gieuing of the stroke shee stayed all agast,
Hee as it were a bristled Bore entangled in the net
Among the bryars in busshy woodes yet tryeth out to get.
With strugling much the shrinking bands more streightly he doth bind.
He stryues in vayne, and would slip of the snare that doth him blind.
Which catcheth holde on euery syde. But yet th'entangled wreatch
Doth grope about, his subtle foes with griping hand to catch.
But furious Tyndaris preparde the Pollaxe in her hande,
And as the priest to sacrifice at Th'alter side doth stande,
And vewes with eye the Bullockes necke, eare that with Axe he smite,
So to and fro shee heaues her hand to stryke and leauell right.
He hath the stroke: dispatcht it is: not quite chopt of the head
It hangeth by a litle crop: heere from the Carkasse dead
The spouling bloude came gusshing out: and there the head doth lye,
With wallowing, bobling, mumbling tongue: nor they do by and bye
Forsake him so: the breathlesse coarse Ægist doth all to coyle:
And mangled hath the gasshed corpes: whyle thus hee doth him spoyle,
She putteth to her helping hand: by detestable deede
They both accorde vnto the kynde, whereof they doe proceede.
Dame Helens syster right shee is, and hee Thyestes sonne:
Loe doubtfull Titan standeth still the day now being donne,
Not knowing whether best to keepe still on his wonted way,
Or turne his wheeles vnto the path of dyre Thyestes day.

THE SECONDE SCEANE.

ELECTRA.
O thou whom of our Fathers death the onely helpe wee haue,
Fly, fly, from force of furious foes, make hast thy selfe to saue:
Our house is topsey turuey tost, our Stocke is cast away,
Our ruthfull realmes to ruin ronne, our kingdomes doe decay.
Who cometh heere in Chariot swift thus galloping a mayne?
Brother, disguised in thy weede let mee thy person fayne.
O Bussard blynde, what dost thou meane from forrayne folke to fly?
Whom dost thou shun? it doth behoue to feare this family.
Orestes now bee boulde, and set all shiuering feare a side,
The certayne succour of a trusty friende I haue espide.

THE THIRD SCENE.

Strophilus. Electra.
ELE.
By treason that my mother wrought, my Father lieth slayne,
And drincking of their fathers cup the chyldren doe complayne.
Ægist engroceth Castels got by fornication.

STR.
A lack that of so longe a tyme, filicity is none.

ELE.
I thee request euen for the loue my father thou doest owe,
And for the honour of the crowne, whose brute abrode doth growe
In euery coast: and by the Gods that diuersly doe deale,
Take into thy tuicion, conuey away, and steale,
This poore Orest: such kinde of theft is piety in deede.

STR.
Although that Agamemnons death doth teach mee to take heede,
Yet will I vndertake the same, and with all diligence
Orestes shall I goe about with strength to haue thee hence.
Prosperity requireth faith, but trouble exacts the same,
Haue heere a pryce for those that doe contende and wage in game.
An Ornament with comely grace ordaynde to deck the brow,
And let thy heade be couerde with this greene and pleasaunt bow,
And cary this victorious triumphant braunche in hand.
God graunt this Paulme that planted was in fertill Pisa land,
(Where solemne games were celebrate Ioues honour to expresse)
May both a sauegarde bee to thee, and bring thee good successe.
Thou that bestryds thy fathers steedes, as he before hath done,
Goe stryke a league of amity with Pylades my sonne.
Now nimble Nagges let Greece heereof recording testify,
With headlong scouring course amayne this traytrous country fly.

ELE.
Hee is escapte and gone, and with vnmeasurable might
The Chariot horse with rayne at will doe scud out of my sight.
Now free from perill on my foes attendaunce will I make.
And offer willingly my head the deadly wounde to take.
The cruell conqueresse of her spouse is come, whose spotted weede
With sprinkels (signe of slaughter) doe beare recorde of her deede.
Her goary handes new bathde in bloude as yet they bee not dry,
Her rough and churlishe rigorous lookes the fact doe notify.
Unto the Temple will I trudge. Cassandra suffer mee,
Opprest with egall griefe, take parte of sacrifice with thee.

THE FOVRTH SCENE.

Clytemnestra. Electra. Ægisthus, Cassandra.
ELEC.
I haue wyth my virginity the bowres of Baudes forsooke.

CLY.
What man is hee, that euer thee to bee a vyrgin tooke?

E.
What your own daughter?

C.
With thy mother more modest should thou be.

EL.
Doe you at length begin to preach, such godlines to me.

CL.
A manly stomacke stout thou hast with swelling hawty hart.
Subdued with sorrow learne thou shall to play a womans part.

EL.
A swerd and buckler very well a woman doth beseeme,
(Except I dote.)

CL.
Thy selfe dost thou haylefellowe wt vs esteeme?

EL.
What Agamemnon new is this, whom thou hast got of late?

CL.
Hereafter shall I tame, and teach thy gyrlish tongue to prate.
And make thee know, how to a Queene thy taunting to forbeare.

EL.
The whilst (thou Wyddow) aūswere me directly to this geare.
Thy husband is bereued quight of breath, his lyfe is donne.

CL.
Enquier where thy brother is, so seeke about my sonne.

EL.
Hee is departed out of Greece.

CL.
Goe fetch him out of hande.

EL.
Fetch thou my father vnto mee.

CL.
Giue me to vnderstande,
Where doth he lurking hyde his head? where is he shrunke away?

EL.
All plunge of perills past hee is, and at a quiet stay.
And in another Kyngdome where no harme hee doth mistrust,
This aunswere were sufficient, to please a Parent iust.
But one whose breast doth boyle in wrath, it cannot satisefy.

CL.
To day by death thou shalt receyue thy fatall destiny,

EL.
On this condition am I pleasde, the Aulter to forsake,
If that this hand shall doe the deede, my death when I shall take.
Or els if in my throate to bath thy blade, thou doe delight,
Most willingly I yeelde my throate, and giue thee leaue to smite.
Or if thou will chop of my heade in brutishe beastly guise,
My necke a wayting for the wounde out stretched ready lies.
Thou hast committed sinfully a great and grieuous guilt.
Goe purge thy hardned hands, the which thy husbands bloud haue spilt.

CL.
O thou that of my perills all dost suffer part with mee,
And in my realme dost also rule with egall dignity,
Ægisthus, art thou glad at this? (as doth her not behoue,)
With checks and taunts ye daughter doth her mothers mallice moue,
Shee keepes her brothers counsell close conueyde out of the way.

ÆGI.
Thou malapert and witlesse wenche, thyne eluishe prating stay,
Refrayne those wordes vnfit thy Mothers glowing cares to vex.

EL.
What shall the breeder of this broyle controll me with his checks,
Whose fathers guilt hath caused him to haue a doubtfull name,
Who both is to his sister, sonne, and Nephew to the same?

CL.
To snap her head of with thy swerd Ægist dost thou refrayne?
Let her giue vp the ghost: or bryng her brother straight agayne:
Let her be lockt in dungeon darck, and let her spend her dayes,
In Caues & Rocks, with painefull pangues, torment her euery wayes.
I hope him whom she hidden hath shee will agayne discry,
Through being clapt in pryson strong and suffring pouerty
With yrksome and vnsauory smells on euery syde annoyde,
Enforst to weare a wyddowes weede, er wedding day enioyde:
Put in exile and banishment when eche man doth her hate:
So shall she bee by misery compeld to yeelde to late,
Prohibyted of holsome ayre fruition to haue.

EL.
Graunt me my dome by meanes of death to passe vnto my graue.

CL.
I would haue graunted it to thee, if thou should it deny.
Unskilfull is the tyraunt, who by suffring wretches dy
Doth ende theyr paynes.

EL.
what after death doth any thing remayne?

CL.
And if thou doe desyre to dye, the same see you refrayne.
Lay hands sirs on this wondrous wretch, whom being caryed on,
Euen to the furthest corner of my iurisdiction
Farre out beyond Mycœnas land in bonds let her be bound,
With darknesse dim in hiddeous holde let her be closed round.
This captiue Spouse and wicked Queane, the Trull of Prynces bed
Shall pay her paynes, and suffer death by losing of her head.
Come, hale her on, that she may followe, that way my spouse is gon,
Whose loue from mee entised was.

CAS.
Doe not thus hale mee on.
I will before you take the way, these tydings first to tell
Unto my countrey men of Troy beneath in lowest hell.
How ouerquelmed ships ech where, are spread the seas vppon:
And Micœne countrey conquerde, is brought in subiection.
He that of thousand captaynes was graunde captayne generall,
Come to as great calamity as Troy it selfe did fall,
Entrapped was by traytrous trayne, and whoredome of his Wyfe,
And by a gyft receaued of her, depriued of his Lyfe.
Let vs not linger: on with mee, and thankes I doe you giue.
I ioy, that it might be my hap, thus after Troy to liue.

CL.
Go to, prepare thy selfe to dye thou frantique raging wight.

CAS.
The fransy fits of fury fell on you shall also light.

EVRIBATES, Added to the Tragedy, by the Translator.
Alas yee hatefull hellish Hagges, yee furies foule and fell,
Why cause yee rusty rancours rage in noble heartes to dwell?
And cancred hate in boyling breastes to grow from age to age?
Coulde not the graundsires payneful pangues the childrens wrath asswage?
Nor famyne faynt of pyning paunche, with burning thyrst of hell,
Amid the blackest streame of Sticks where poysning breathes do dwel.
Where vapors vile parbraking out from dampish myry mud,
Encrease the paynes of Tantalus deserude by guiltles bloud,
Could not thine owne offence suffice Thyestes, in thy Lyfe,
To file thy brothers spousall Bed, and to abuse his Wyfe?
But after breath from body fled, and Lyfe thy Lymmes hath left,
Can not remembraunce of reuenge out of thy breast be reft?
What, yet hast thou not layde thy lips, ta taste of Lethes floude?
Now afte death why dost thou come to moue thy sonne to bloude?
Coulde cruell Ditis graunt to thee thy pasporte backe agayne?
To worke this woe vpon the world, and make such rigour raygne,
That Clytemnestra is become the fifty sister dyre
Of Danaus daughters, that did once theyr husbands death conspyre.
Loe here how fickle fortune giues but brytle fading ioy.
Loe, hee who late a Conquerour tryumphed ouer Troy,
Enduring many sturdy stormes with mighty toyle and payne
To sowe the seede of fame, hath reapt small fruite thereof agayne.
When as his honour budding forth with flowre began to bloome,
(Alas) the stocke was hewed downe and sent to deadly doome.
And they that of his victory and comming home were glad,
To sodayne mourning chaunge their myrth with heauinesse bestad.
The lusty pompe of royall courte is deade: (O dolefull day)
The people mone theyr prynces death with woe and weale away:
With howling, crying, wringing hands, with sobs, wt sighes, & teares,
And wt their fists they beate their breasts, they pull & hale their heares.
And as the sheepe amased run, and rampe abonte the fielde,
When as theyr shepherd to the Wolfe his goary throate doth yeelde,
Euen so as mad they rage and raue throughout Micœnas land,
Depriued of theyr Prynce, they feare the bloudy Tyrauntes hand.
While thus were woefull waylings hard in euery place about,
The good Cassandra (come from Troy) to death is haled out.
Like as the Swan, who when the time of death approcheth nye,
By nature warned is thereof, and pleased well to dye,
Doth celebrate her funerall with dirge and solemne songe:
Euen so the noble vyrgin who in woe hath liued longe,
Most ioyfull goes she to her death with milde and pleasaunt face,
Stout boulstring out her burly breast with pryncely porte and grace.
Nothing dismayde with courage bolde, and chearefull countenaunce,
On stage ordeyned for her death shee gan her selfe aduaunce:
As though she had not thyther come, to leaue her lothsome lyfe,
As though she had not come, to taste the stroke of fatall knyfe.
But euen as if in brydale bed her iourney were to meete
Corebus deare, not hauing mynde of death, nor winding sheete,
When looking rounde on euery side she tooke her leaue of all,
From vapourde eyes of younge and olde the trickling teares doe fall.
The Greekes them selues to griefe are moude to see this heauy sight,
So pity pearst the headmans heart, that thrise aboute to smite
He stayde the smot: with shiuering hand yet once agayne he tryed.
And from her shoulders stroke her heade. And thus the vyrgin dyed.
But now the Greekes another cause of mourning haue in hand:
Orestes, Agamemnons sonne, is forst to fly the land.
Amonge olde rotten ragged Rockes there lies an vgly place,
A Dungeon deepe, as darke as hell, vnknowne to Phœbus face.
An holow huge wyde gaping hole, with way still bending downe,
Whose mouth with venonous wythred weedes is hid and ouergrowne,
Where stinking smels come belching out from filthy durty dyke,
Where Uerment vyle doe creepe and craule, in hell is not the lyke.
Ilfauourde, foule misshapen bugges, doe lurke about this caue,
With dreadfull sounds, and roaring noyse within the pit they raue.
Euen heather is Electra sent, in darckenesse deepe to lye,
In pouerty, and comfortlesse without the lyght of skye,
Fast clogde with Yron boults and Chaynes, thus by her mother layde
In torments, till by her to death Orestes be betrayde:
Who (as Cassandra telleth) shall reuenge his fathers death,
Depryue with swerd th'adulterour, and Mother both of breath.
So after all these bloudy broyle, Greece neuer shall bee free:
But bloud for bloud, aud death by turnes, the after age shall see.