A Discourse of Life and Death Written in French by Ph. Mornay. Antonius, A Tragoedie written also in French by Ro. Garnier. Both done in English by the Countesse of Pembroke [i.e. Mary Herbert] |
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| 3. | [Act 3.] |
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 | A Discourse of Life and Death |  |
[Act 3.]
Cleopatra. Eras. Charmion. Diomede.Cleopatra.
That I haue thee betraid, deare Antonie,
My life, my soule, my Sunne? I had such thought?
That I haue thee betraide my Lord, my King?
That I would breake my vowed faith to thee?
Leaue thee? deceiue thee? yeelde thee to the rage
Of mightie foe? I euer had that hart?
Rather sharpe lightning lighten on my head:
Rather may I to deepest mischiefe fall:
Rather the opened earth deuower me:
Rather fierce Tigers feed them on my flesh:
Rather, ô rather let our Nilus send,
To swallow me quicke, some weeping Crocodile.
My life, my soule, my Sunne? I had such thought?
That I haue thee betraide my Lord, my King?
That I would breake my vowed faith to thee?
Leaue thee? deceiue thee? yeelde thee to the rage
Of mightie foe? I euer had that hart?
Rather sharpe lightning lighten on my head:
Rather may I to deepest mischiefe fall:
Rather the opened earth deuower me:
Rather fierce Tigers feed them on my flesh:
Rather, ô rather let our Nilus send,
To swallow me quicke, some weeping Crocodile.
And didst thou then suppose my royall hart
Had hatcht, thee to ensnare, a faithles loue?
And changing minde, as Fortune changed cheare,
I would weake thee, to winne the stronger, loose?
O wretch! ô caitiue! ô too cruell happe!
And did not I sufficient losse sustaine
Loosing my Realme, loosing my liberty,
My tender of-spring, and the ioyfull light
Of beamy Sunne, and yet, yet loosing more
Thee Antony my care, if I loose not
What yet remain'd? thy loue alas! thy loue,
More deare then Scepter, children, freedome, light.
Had hatcht, thee to ensnare, a faithles loue?
And changing minde, as Fortune changed cheare,
I would weake thee, to winne the stronger, loose?
O wretch! ô caitiue! ô too cruell happe!
And did not I sufficient losse sustaine
Loosing my Realme, loosing my liberty,
Of beamy Sunne, and yet, yet loosing more
Thee Antony my care, if I loose not
What yet remain'd? thy loue alas! thy loue,
More deare then Scepter, children, freedome, light.
So ready I to row in Charons barge,
Shall leese the ioy of dying in thy loue:
So the sole comfort of my miserie
To haue one tombe with thee is me bereft.
So I in shady plaines shall plaine alone,
Not (as I hop'd) companion of thy mone,
O height of griefe! Eras why with continuall cries
Your griefull harmes doo you exasperate?
Torment your selfe with murthering complaints?
Straine your weake breast so oft, so vehemently?
Water with teares this faire alablaster?
With sorrowes sting so many beauties wound?
Come of so many Kings want you the hart
Brauely, stoutly, this tempest to resist?
Shall leese the ioy of dying in thy loue:
So the sole comfort of my miserie
To haue one tombe with thee is me bereft.
So I in shady plaines shall plaine alone,
Not (as I hop'd) companion of thy mone,
O height of griefe! Eras why with continuall cries
Your griefull harmes doo you exasperate?
Torment your selfe with murthering complaints?
Straine your weake breast so oft, so vehemently?
Water with teares this faire alablaster?
With sorrowes sting so many beauties wound?
Come of so many Kings want you the hart
Brauely, stoutly, this tempest to resist?
Cl.
My eu'lls are wholy vnsupportable,
No humain force can them withstand, but death.
Eras.
To him that striues nought is impossible.
Cl.
In striuing lyes no hope of my mishapps.
Eras.
All things do yeelde to force of louely face.
Cl.
My face too louely caus'd my wretched case.
My face hath so entrap'd, so cast vs downe,
That for his conquest Cæsar may it thanke,
Causing that Antony one army lost
The other wholy did to Cæsar yeld.
For not induring (so his amorouse sprite
Was with my beautie fir'de) my shamefull flight,
In hottest fight, my Gallies making saile:
Forgetfull of his charge (as if his soule
Vnto his Ladies soule had bene enchain'd)
He left his men, who so couragiouslie
Did leaue their liues to gaine him victorie.
And carelesse both of fame and armies losse
My oared Gallies follow'd with his Ships
Companion of my flight, by this base parte
Blasting his former flourishing renowne.
Eras.
Are you therefore cause of his ouerthrowe?
Cl.
I am sole cause: I did it, only I.
Er,
Feare of a woman troubled so his sprite?
Cl.
Fire of his loue was by my feare enflam'd.
Er.
And should he then to warre haue ledd a Queene?
Cl.
Alas! this was not his offence, but mine.
Antony (ay me! who else so braue a chiefe!)
Would not I should haue taken Seas with him:
But would haue left me fearfull woman farre
From common hazard of the doubtfull warre.
Antony (ay me! who else so braue a chiefe!)
Would not I should haue taken Seas with him:
But would haue left me fearfull woman farre
From common hazard of the doubtfull warre.
O that I had beleu'd! now, now of Rome
All the great Empire at our beck should bende.
All should obey, the vagabonding Scythes,
The feared Germains, back-shooting Parthians,
Wandring Numidians, Brittons farre remoou'd,
And tawny nations scorched with the Sunne.
But I car'd not: so was my soule possest,
(To my great harme) with burning iealousie:
Fearing least in my absence Antony
Should leauing me retake Octauia.
All the great Empire at our beck should bende.
All should obey, the vagabonding Scythes,
The feared Germains, back-shooting Parthians,
Wandring Numidians, Brittons farre remoou'd,
And tawny nations scorched with the Sunne.
But I car'd not: so was my soule possest,
(To my great harme) with burning iealousie:
Fearing least in my absence Antony
Should leauing me retake Octauia.
Char.
Such was the rigour of your destinie.
Such was my errour and obstinacie.
Ch.
But since Gods would not, could you doe withall?
Cl.
Alwaies from Gods good happs, not harms, do fall.
Ch.
And haue they not all power on mens affaires?
Cl.
They neuer bow so lowe, as worldly cares.
But leaue to mortall men to be dispos'd
Freelie on earth what euer mortall is.
If we therin sometimes some faultes commit,
We may them not to their high maiesties,
But to our selues impute; whose passions
Plunge vs each day in all afflictions.
Wherwith when we our soules do thorned feele,
Flatt'ring our selues we say they dest'nies are:
That Gods would haue it so, and that our care
Could not empeach but that it must be so.
Char.
Things here belowe are in the heau'ns begot,
Before they be in this our wordle borne:
And neuer can our weaknes turne awry
The stailes course of powerfull destenie.
Nought here force, reason, humaine prouidence,
Holie deuotion, noble bloud preuailes:
And Ioue himselfe whose hand doth heauens rule,
Who both to Gods and men as King commaunds,
Who earth (our firme support) with plenty stores,
Moues aire and sea with twinckling of his eie,
Who all can doe, yet neuer can vndoe
What once hath been by their hard lawes decreed.
Before they be in this our wordle borne:
And neuer can our weaknes turne awry
The stailes course of powerfull destenie.
Nought here force, reason, humaine prouidence,
Holie deuotion, noble bloud preuailes:
And Ioue himselfe whose hand doth heauens rule,
Who both to Gods and men as King commaunds,
Who earth (our firme support) with plenty stores,
Moues aire and sea with twinckling of his eie,
Who all can doe, yet neuer can vndoe
What once hath been by their hard lawes decreed.
When Troian walles, great Neptunes workmanship,
Enuiron'd were with Greekes, and Fortunes whele
Doubtfull ten yeares now to the campe did turne,
And now againe towards the towne return'd:
How many times did force and fury swell
In Hectors veines egging him to the spoile
Of conquer'd foes, which at his blowes did flie,
As fearfull shepe at feared wolues approche:
To saue (in vaine: for why? it would not be)
Pore walles of Troie from aduersaries rage,
Who died them in bloud, and cast to ground
Heap'd them with bloudie burning carcases.
Enuiron'd were with Greekes, and Fortunes whele
Doubtfull ten yeares now to the campe did turne,
And now againe towards the towne return'd:
In Hectors veines egging him to the spoile
Of conquer'd foes, which at his blowes did flie,
As fearfull shepe at feared wolues approche:
To saue (in vaine: for why? it would not be)
Pore walles of Troie from aduersaries rage,
Who died them in bloud, and cast to ground
Heap'd them with bloudie burning carcases.
No, Madame, thinke, that if the ancient crowne
Of your progenitors that Nilus rul'd,
Force take from you; the Gods haue will'd it so,
To whome oft times Princes are odiouse.
They haue to euery thing an end ordain'd;
All worldly greatnes by them bounded is;
Some sooner, later some, as they think best:
None their decree is able to infringe.
But, which is more, to vs disastred men
Which subiect are in all things to their will,
Their will is hidd: nor while we liue, we know
How, or how long we must in life remaine.
Yet must we not for that feede on dispaire,
And make vs wretched ere we wretched bee:
But alwaies hope the best, euen to the last,
That from our selues the mischief may not growe.
Of your progenitors that Nilus rul'd,
Force take from you; the Gods haue will'd it so,
To whome oft times Princes are odiouse.
They haue to euery thing an end ordain'd;
All worldly greatnes by them bounded is;
Some sooner, later some, as they think best:
None their decree is able to infringe.
But, which is more, to vs disastred men
Which subiect are in all things to their will,
Their will is hidd: nor while we liue, we know
How, or how long we must in life remaine.
Yet must we not for that feede on dispaire,
And make vs wretched ere we wretched bee:
But alwaies hope the best, euen to the last,
That from our selues the mischief may not growe.
Then, Madame, helpe your selfe, leaue of in time
Antonies wracke, lest it your wracke procure:
Retire you from him, saue frrom wrathfull rage
Of angry Cæsar both your Realme and you.
You see him lost, so as your amitie
Vnto his euills can yelde no more reliefe.
You see him ruin'd, so as your support
No more hencefourth can him with comfort raise.
With-draw you from the storme: persist not still
To loose your selfe: this royall diademe
Regaine of Cæsar.
Antonies wracke, lest it your wracke procure:
Retire you from him, saue frrom wrathfull rage
Of angry Cæsar both your Realme and you.
You see him lost, so as your amitie
Vnto his euills can yelde no more reliefe.
You see him ruin'd, so as your support
With-draw you from the storme: persist not still
To loose your selfe: this royall diademe
Regaine of Cæsar.
Cl.
Soner shining light
Shall leaue the daie, and darknes leaue the night:
Sooner moist currents of tempestuous seas
Shall waue in heauen, and the nightlie troopes
Of starres shall shine within the foming waues,
Then I thee, Antonie, Leaue in depe distres.
I am with thee, be it thy worthy soule
Lodge in thy brest, or from that lodging parte
Crossing the ioyles lake to take hir place
In place prepared for men Demy-gods.
Liue, if thee please, if life be lothsome die:
Dead and aliue, Antonie, thou shalt see
Thy princesse follow thee, folow, and lament,
Thy wrack, no lesse her owne then was thy weale.
Dead and aliue, Antonie, thou shalt see
Thy princesse follow thee, folow, and lament,
Thy wrack, no lesse her owne then was thy weale.
Char.
What helps his wrack this euer-lasting loue?
Cl.
Help, or help not, such must, such ought I proue.
Char.
Ill done to loose your selfe, and to no ende.
Cl.
How ill thinke you to follow such a frende?
Char.
But this your loue nought mitigates his paine.
Cl.
Without this loue I should be inhumaine.
Char.
Inhumaine he, who his owne death pursues.
Cl.
Not inhumaine who miseries eschues.
Ch.
Liue for your sonnes.
Cl.
Nay for their father die.
Cha.
Hardhearted mother!
Cl.
Wife kindhearted I.
Ch.
Then will you them depriue of royall right?
Cl.
Do I depriue them? no, it's dest'nies might.
Ch.
Do you not them not depriue of heritage,
That giue them vp to aduersaries handes,
Whome such huge numbers hold enuironned?
T'abandon one gainst whome the frowning world
Banded with Cæsar makes conspiring warre.
Cl.
The lesse ought I to leaue him lest of all.
A frend in most distresse should most assist.
If that when Antonie great and glorious
His legions led to drinke Euphrates streames,
So many Kings in traine redoubting him;
In triumph rais'd as high as highest heaun;
Lord-like disposing as him pleased best,
The wealth of Greece, the wealth of Asia:
In that faire fortune had I him exchaung'd
For Cæsar, then, men would haue counted me
Faithles, vnconstant, light: but now the storme,
And blustring tempest driuing on his face,
Readie to drowne, Alas! what would they saie?
What would himselfe in Plutos mansion saie?
If I, whome alwaies more then life he lou'de,
If I, who am his heart, who was his hope,
Leaue him, forsake him (and perhaps in vaine)
Weakly to please who him hath ouerthrowne?
Not light, vnconstant, faithlesse should I be,
But vile, forsworne, of treachrous crueltie.
Ch.
Crueltie to shunne, you selfe-cruell are.
Cl.
Selfe-cruell him from crueltie to spare.
Ch,
Our first affection to our self is due.
Cl.
He is my selfe.
Ch.
Next it extendes vnto
Our children, frends, and to our countrie soile.
And you for some respect of wiuelie loue,
(Albee scarce wiuelie) loose your natiue land,
With so strong charmes doth loue bewitch our witts:
So fast in vs this fire once kindled flames.
Yet if his harme by yours redresse might haue,
Cl.
With mine it may be clos'de in darksome graue.
Ch.
And that, as Alcest to hir selfe vnkinde,
You might exempt him from the lawes of death.
But he is sure to die: and now his sworde
Alreadie moisted is in his warme bloude,
Helples for any succour you can bring
Against deaths stinge, which he must shortlie feele.
You might exempt him from the lawes of death.
But he is sure to die: and now his sworde
Alreadie moisted is in his warme bloude,
Helples for any succour you can bring
Against deaths stinge, which he must shortlie feele.
Then let your loue be like the loue of olde
Which Carian Queene did nourish in hir heart
Of hir Mausolus: builde for him a tombe
Whose statelinesse a wonder new may make.
Let him, let him haue sumtuouse funeralles:
Let graue thereon the horror of his fights:
Let earth be buri'd with vnburied heaps.
Frame ther Pharsaly, and discoulour'd stream's
Of depe Enipeus: frame the grassie plaine,
Which lodg'd his campe at siege of Mutina.
Make all his combats, and couragiouse acts:
And yearly plaies to his praise institute:
Honor his memorie: with doubled care
Breed and bring vp the children of you both
In Cæsars grace: who as a noble Prince
Will leaue them Lords of this most gloriouse realme.
Which Carian Queene did nourish in hir heart
Of hir Mausolus: builde for him a tombe
Whose statelinesse a wonder new may make.
Let him, let him haue sumtuouse funeralles:
Let graue thereon the horror of his fights:
Let earth be buri'd with vnburied heaps.
Frame ther Pharsaly, and discoulour'd stream's
Of depe Enipeus: frame the grassie plaine,
Which lodg'd his campe at siege of Mutina.
Make all his combats, and couragiouse acts:
And yearly plaies to his praise institute:
Honor his memorie: with doubled care
Breed and bring vp the children of you both
In Cæsars grace: who as a noble Prince
Will leaue them Lords of this most gloriouse realme.
Cl.
What shame were that? ah Gods! what infamie?
With Antonie in his good happs to share,
And ouerliue him dead: deeming enough
To shed some teares vpon a widdowe tombe?
That I him onlie for his empire lou'd,
And high state: and that in hard estate
I for another did him lewdlie leaue?
Like to those birds wafted with wandring wings
From foraine lands in spring-time here arriue:
And liue with vs so long as Somers heate,
And their foode lasts, then seke another soile.
And as we see with ceaslesse fluttering
Flocking of seelly flies a brownish cloud
To vintag'd wine yet working in the tonne,
Not parting thence while they swete liquor taste:
Aster, as smoke, all vanish in the aire,
And of the swarme not one so much appeare.
Eras.
By this sharp death what profit can you winne?
Cl.
I neither gaine, nor profit seke therin.
Er.
What praise shall you of after-ages gett?
Cl.
Nor praise, nor glory in my cares are sett.
Er.
What other end ought you respect, then this?
Cl.
My only ende my onely dutie is.
Er.
your dutie must vpon some good be founded.
Cl.
On vertue it, the onlie good, is grounded.
Er.
What is that vertue?
Cl.
That which vs beseemes.
Er.
Outrage our selues? who that beseeming deemes?
Cl.
Finish I will my sorowes dieng thus.
Er.
Minish you will your glories doing thus—
Cl.
Good frends I praie you seeke not to reuoke
My fix'd intent of folowing Antonie.
I will die. I will die: must not his life,
His life and death by mine be folowed?
My fix'd intent of folowing Antonie.
I will die. I will die: must not his life,
His life and death by mine be folowed?
Meane while, deare sisters, liue: and while you liue,
Doe often honor to our loued Tombes.
Straw them with flowrs: and sometimes happelie
The tender thought of Antonie your Lorde
And me poore soule to teares shall you inuite,
And our true loues your dolefull voice commend.
Straw them with flowrs: and sometimes happelie
The tender thought of Antonie your Lorde
And me poore soule to teares shall you inuite,
And our true loues your dolefull voice commend.
Ch.
And thinke you Madame, we from you will part?
Thinke you alone to feele deaths ougly darte?
Thinke you to leaue vs? and that the same sunne
Shall see at once you dead, and vs aliue?
Weele die with you: and Clotho pittilesse
Shall vs with you in hellish boate imbarque.
Cl.
Ah liue, I praie you: this disastred woe
Which racks my heart, alone to me belonges:
My lott longs not to you: seruants to be
No shame, no harme to you, as is to me.
Which racks my heart, alone to me belonges:
My lott longs not to you: seruants to be
No shame, no harme to you, as is to me.
Liue sisters, liue, and seing his suspect
Hath causlesse me in sea of sorowes drown'd,
And that I can not liue, if so I would,
Nor yet would leaue this life, if so I could,
Without, his loue: procure me, Diomed,
That gainst poore me he be no more incensd.
Wrest out of his conceit that harmfull doubt,
That since his wracke he hath of me conceiu'd
Though wrong conceiu'd: witnesse you reuerent Gods,
Barking Anubis, Apis bellowing.
Tell him, my soule burning, impatient,
Forlorne with loue of him, for certaine seale
Of her true loialtie my corpse hath left,
T'encrease of dead the number numberlesse.
Hath causlesse me in sea of sorowes drown'd,
And that I can not liue, if so I would,
Nor yet would leaue this life, if so I could,
Without, his loue: procure me, Diomed,
That gainst poore me he be no more incensd.
Wrest out of his conceit that harmfull doubt,
That since his wracke he hath of me conceiu'd
Though wrong conceiu'd: witnesse you reuerent Gods,
Barking Anubis, Apis bellowing.
Tell him, my soule burning, impatient,
Forlorne with loue of him, for certaine seale
Of her true loialtie my corpse hath left,
T'encrease of dead the number numberlesse.
Go then, and if as yet he me bewaile,
If yet for me his heart one sigh fourth breathe
Blest shall I be: and farre with more content
Depart this world, where so I me torment.
Meane season vs let this sadd tombe enclose,
Attending here till death conclude our woes.
If yet for me his heart one sigh fourth breathe
Depart this world, where so I me torment.
Meane season vs let this sadd tombe enclose,
Attending here till death conclude our woes.
Diom.
I will obey your will.
Cl.
So the desert
The Gods repay of thy true faithfull heart.
Diomed.
And is't not pittie, Gods, ah Gods of heau'n!
To see from loue such hatefull frutes to spring?
And is't not pittie that this firebrand so
Laies waste the trophes of Philippi fieldes?
Where are those swete allurements, those swete lookes,
Which Gods themselues right hart-sicke would haue made?
What doth that beautie, rarest guift of heau'n,
Wonder of earth? Alas! what doe those eies?
And that swete voice all Asia vnderstoode,
And sunburnt Afrike wide in deserts spred?
Is their force dead? haue they no further power?
Can not by them Octauius be supriz'd?
Alas! if Ioue in middst of all his ire,
With thunderbolt in hand some land to plague,
Had cast his eies on my Queene, out of hande
His plaguing bolte had falne out of his hande:
Fire of his wrathe into vaine smoke should turne,
And other fire within his brest should burne.
To see from loue such hatefull frutes to spring?
And is't not pittie that this firebrand so
Laies waste the trophes of Philippi fieldes?
Where are those swete allurements, those swete lookes,
Which Gods themselues right hart-sicke would haue made?
What doth that beautie, rarest guift of heau'n,
Wonder of earth? Alas! what doe those eies?
And that swete voice all Asia vnderstoode,
And sunburnt Afrike wide in deserts spred?
Is their force dead? haue they no further power?
Can not by them Octauius be supriz'd?
Alas! if Ioue in middst of all his ire,
With thunderbolt in hand some land to plague,
Had cast his eies on my Queene, out of hande
His plaguing bolte had falne out of his hande:
Fire of his wrathe into vaine smoke should turne,
And other fire within his brest should burne.
Nought liues so faire. Nature by such a worke
Her selfe, should seme, in workmanship hath past.
She is all heau'nlie: neuer any man
But seing hir was rauish'd with her sight.
The Allablaster couering of hir face,
The corall coullor hir two lipps engraines,
Her beamie eies, two Sunnes of this our world,
Of hir faire haire the fine and flaming golde,
Her braue streight stature, and hir winning partes
Are nothing else but fiers, fetters, dartes.
Her selfe, should seme, in workmanship hath past.
She is all heau'nlie: neuer any man
But seing hir was rauish'd with her sight.
The corall coullor hir two lipps engraines,
Her beamie eies, two Sunnes of this our world,
Of hir faire haire the fine and flaming golde,
Her braue streight stature, and hir winning partes
Are nothing else but fiers, fetters, dartes.
Yet this is nothing th' e'nchaunting skilles
Of her cælestiall Sp'rite, hir training speache,
Her grace, hir Maiestie, and forcing voice,
Whither she it with fingers speach consorte,
Or hearing sceptred kings embassadors
Answer to eache in his owne language make.
Of her cælestiall Sp'rite, hir training speache,
Her grace, hir Maiestie, and forcing voice,
Whither she it with fingers speach consorte,
Or hearing sceptred kings embassadors
Answer to eache in his owne language make.
Yet now at nede she aides hir not at all
With all these beauties, so hir sorowe stings.
Darkned with woe hir only studie is
To wepe, to sigh, to seke for lonelines.
Careles of all, hir haire disordred hangs:
Hir charming eies whence murthring looks did flie,
Now riuers grown', whose well spring anguish is,
Do trickling wash the marble of hir face.
Hir faire discouer'd brest with sobbing swolne
Selfe cruell she still martireth with blowes,
With all these beauties, so hir sorowe stings.
Darkned with woe hir only studie is
To wepe, to sigh, to seke for lonelines.
Careles of all, hir haire disordred hangs:
Hir charming eies whence murthring looks did flie,
Now riuers grown', whose well spring anguish is,
Do trickling wash the marble of hir face.
Hir faire discouer'd brest with sobbing swolne
Selfe cruell she still martireth with blowes,
Alas! It's our ill happ, for if hir teares
She would conuert into hir louing charmes,
To make a conquest of the conqueror,
(As well shee might, would she hir force imploie)
She should vs saftie from these ills procure,
Hir crowne to hir, and to hir race assure.
Vnhappy he, in whome selfe-succour lies,
Yet self-forsaken wanting succour dies.
She would conuert into hir louing charmes,
To make a conquest of the conqueror,
(As well shee might, would she hir force imploie)
She should vs saftie from these ills procure,
Hir crowne to hir, and to hir race assure.
Vnhappy he, in whome selfe-succour lies,
Yet self-forsaken wanting succour dies.
O swete fertile land, wherin
Phæbus did with breath inspire
Man who men did first begin,
Formed first of Nilus mire.
Whence of Artes the eldest kindes,
Earthes most heauenly ornament,
Were as from their fountaine sent,
To enlight our mistie mindes.
Whose grosse sprite from endles time,
As in darkned prison pente,
Neuer did to knowledg clime.
Phæbus did with breath inspire
Man who men did first begin,
Formed first of Nilus mire.
Whence of Artes the eldest kindes,
Earthes most heauenly ornament,
Were as from their fountaine sent,
To enlight our mistie mindes.
Whose grosse sprite from endles time,
As in darkned prison pente,
Neuer did to knowledg clime.
Wher the Nile, our father good,
Father-like doth neuer misse
Yearely vs to bring such food,
As to life required is:
Visiting each yeare this plaine,
And with fatt slime cou'ring it,
Which his seauen mouthes do spitt,
As the season comes againe.
Making therby greatest growe
Busie reapers ioyfull paine,
When his flouds do highest flowe.
Father-like doth neuer misse
Yearely vs to bring such food,
As to life required is:
Visiting each yeare this plaine,
And with fatt slime cou'ring it,
Which his seauen mouthes do spitt,
As the season comes againe.
Making therby greatest growe
Busie reapers ioyfull paine,
When his flouds do highest flowe.
Wandring Prince of riuers thou,
Honor of the Æthiops lande,
Of a Lord and master now
Thou a slaue in awe must stand.
Now of Tiber which is spred
Lesse in force, and lesse in fame
Reuerence thou must the name,
Whome all other riuers dread,
For his children swolne in pride,
Who by conquest seeke to treade
Round this earth on euery side.
Honor of the Æthiops lande,
Of a Lord and master now
Thou a slaue in awe must stand.
Now of Tiber which is spred
Lesse in force, and lesse in fame
Whome all other riuers dread,
For his children swolne in pride,
Who by conquest seeke to treade
Round this earth on euery side.
Now thou must begin to sende
Tribute of thy watrie store,
As Sea pathes thy stepps shall bende,
Yearely presents more and more.
Thy fatt skumme, our frutefull corne,
Pill'd from hence with theeuish hands
All vncloth'd shall leaue our lands
Into foraine Countrie borne.
Which puft vp with such a pray
Shall therby the praise adorne
Of that scepter Rome doth sway.
Tribute of thy watrie store,
As Sea pathes thy stepps shall bende,
Yearely presents more and more.
Thy fatt skumme, our frutefull corne,
Pill'd from hence with theeuish hands
All vncloth'd shall leaue our lands
Into foraine Countrie borne.
Which puft vp with such a pray
Shall therby the praise adorne
Of that scepter Rome doth sway.
Nought thee helps thy hornes to hide
Farre from hence in vnknowne grounds,
That thy waters wander wide,
Yearely breaking bankes, and bounds.
And that thy Skie-coullor'd brookes
Through a hundred peoples passe,
Drawing plots for trees and grasse
With a thousand turn's and crookes.
Whome all weary of their way
Thy throats which in widenesse passe
Powre into their Mother Sea.
Farre from hence in vnknowne grounds,
That thy waters wander wide,
Yearely breaking bankes, and bounds.
And that thy Skie-coullor'd brookes
Through a hundred peoples passe,
Drawing plots for trees and grasse
With a thousand turn's and crookes.
Whome all weary of their way
Thy throats which in widenesse passe
Powre into their Mother Sea.
Nought so happie haplesse life
“In this worlde as freedome findes:
“Nought wherin more sparkes are rife
“To inflame couragious mindes.
“But if force must vs enforce
“Nedes a yoke to vndergoe,
“Vnder foraine yoke to goe
“Still it proues a bondage worse.
“And doubled subiection
“See we shall, and feele, and knowe
“Subiect to a stranger growne.
“In this worlde as freedome findes:
“Nought wherin more sparkes are rife
“To inflame couragious mindes.
“Nedes a yoke to vndergoe,
“Vnder foraine yoke to goe
“Still it proues a bondage worse.
“And doubled subiection
“See we shall, and feele, and knowe
“Subiect to a stranger growne.
From hence forward for a King,
Whose first being from this place
Should his brest by nature bring
Care of Countrie to embrace,
We at surly face must quake
Of some Romaine madly bent:
Who, our terrour to augment,
His Proconsuls axe will shake.
Driuing with our Kings from hence
Our establish'd gouerment,
Iustice sworde, and Lawes defence.
Whose first being from this place
Should his brest by nature bring
Care of Countrie to embrace,
We at surly face must quake
Of some Romaine madly bent:
Who, our terrour to augment,
His Proconsuls axe will shake.
Driuing with our Kings from hence
Our establish'd gouerment,
Iustice sworde, and Lawes defence.
Nothing worldly of such might
But more mightie Destinie,
By swift Times vnbridled flight,
Makes in ende his ende to see.
Euerything Time ouerthrowes,
Nought to ende doth stedfast staie:
His great sithe mowes all away
As the stalke of tender rose.
Onlie Immortalitie
Of the Heau'ns doth it oppose
Gainst his powerfull Deitie.
But more mightie Destinie,
By swift Times vnbridled flight,
Makes in ende his ende to see.
Euerything Time ouerthrowes,
Nought to ende doth stedfast staie:
His great sithe mowes all away
As the stalke of tender rose.
Onlie Immortalitie
Of the Heau'ns doth it oppose
Gainst his powerfull Deitie.
One daie there will come a daie
Which shall quaile thy fortunes flower,
And thee ruinde low shall laie
In some barbarous Princes power.
When the pittie-wanting fire
Shall, O Rome, thy beauties burne,
And to humble ashes turne
Thy proud wealth, and rich attire,
Those guilt roofes which turretwise,
Iustly making Enuie mourne,
Threaten now to pearce Skies.
Which shall quaile thy fortunes flower,
In some barbarous Princes power.
When the pittie-wanting fire
Shall, O Rome, thy beauties burne,
And to humble ashes turne
Thy proud wealth, and rich attire,
Those guilt roofes which turretwise,
Iustly making Enuie mourne,
Threaten now to pearce Skies.
As thy forces fill each land
Haruests making here and there,
Reaping all with rauening hand
They finde growing any where:
From each land so to thy fall
Multitudes repaire shall make,
From the common spoile to take
What to each mans share maie fall.
Fingred all thou shalt beholde:
No iote left for tokens sake
That thou wert so great of olde.
Haruests making here and there,
Reaping all with rauening hand
They finde growing any where:
From each land so to thy fall
Multitudes repaire shall make,
From the common spoile to take
What to each mans share maie fall.
Fingred all thou shalt beholde:
No iote left for tokens sake
That thou wert so great of olde.
Like vnto the auncient Troie
Whence deriu'de thy founders be,
Conqu'ring foe shall thee enioie,
And a burning praie in thee.
For within this turning ball
This we see, and see each daie:
All things fixed ends do staie,
Ends to first beginnings fall.
And that nought, how strong or strange,
Chaungles doth endure alwaie,
But endureth fatall change.
Whence deriu'de thy founders be,
Conqu'ring foe shall thee enioie,
And a burning praie in thee.
For within this turning ball
This we see, and see each daie:
All things fixed ends do staie,
Ends to first beginnings fall.
And that nought, how strong or strange,
Chaungles doth endure alwaie,
But endureth fatall change.
M. Ant.
Lucil, sole comfort of my bitter case,
The only trust, the only hope I haue,
In last despaire: Ah! is not this the daie
That death should me of life and loue bereaue?
What waite I for that haue no refuge left,
But am sole remnant of my fortune left?
All leaue me, flie me: none, no not of them
Wbich of my greatnes greatest good receiu'd,
Stands with my fall: they seeme as now asham'de
That heretofore they did me ought regarde:
They draw them back, shewing they folow'd me,
Not to partake my harm's, but coozen me.
Lu.
In this our world nothing is stedfast found,
In vaine he hopes, who here his hopes doth groūd.
Ant.
Yet nought afflicts me, nothing killes me so,
As that I so my Cleopatra see
Practize with Cæsar, and to him transport
My flame, her loue, more deare then life to me.
Lu.
Beleeue it not: Too high a heart she beares,
Too Princelie thoughts.
Ant.
Too wise a head she weare
Too much enflam'd with greatnes, euermore
Gaping for our great Empires gouerment.
Li.
So long time you her constant loue haue tri'de.
Ant.
But still with me good fortune did abide.
Lu.
Her changed loue what token makes you know?
An.
Pelusium lost, and Actian ouerthrow,
Both by her fraud: my well appointed fleet,
And trustie Souldiors in my quarell arm'd,
Whom she, false she, instede of my defence,
Came to persuade, to yelde them to my foe:
Such honor Thyre done, such welcome giuen,
Their long close talkes I neither knew, nor would,
And treacherouse wrong Alexas hath me done,
Witnes too well her periur'd loue to me.
But you O Gods (if any faith regarde)
With sharpe reuenge her faithles change reward.
Whom she, false she, instede of my defence,
Came to persuade, to yelde them to my foe:
Such honor Thyre done, such welcome giuen,
Their long close talkes I neither knew, nor would,
And treacherouse wrong Alexas hath me done,
Witnes too well her periur'd loue to me.
But you O Gods (if any faith regarde)
With sharpe reuenge her faithles change reward.
Lu.
The dole she made vpon our ouerthrow,
Her Realme giuen vp for refuge to our men,
Her poore attire when she deuoutly kept
The solemne day of her natiuitie,
Againe the cost, and prodigall expence
Shew'd when she did your birth day celebrate,
Do plaine enough her heart vnfained proue,
Equally toucht, you louing, as you loue.
Ant.
Well; be her loue to me or false, or true,
Once in my soule a cureles wound I feele.
I loue, nay burne in fire of her loue:
Each day, each night her Image haunts my minde,
Her selfe my dreames: and still I tired am,
And still I am with burning pincers nipt.
Extreame my harme: yet sweeter to my sence
Then boiling Torch of iealouse torments fire:
This grief, nay rage, in me such sturre doth kepe,
And thornes me still, both when I wake and slepe.
Once in my soule a cureles wound I feele.
I loue, nay burne in fire of her loue:
Each day, each night her Image haunts my minde,
Her selfe my dreames: and still I tired am,
And still I am with burning pincers nipt.
Extreame my harme: yet sweeter to my sence
Then boiling Torch of iealouse torments fire:
This grief, nay rage, in me such sturre doth kepe,
And thornes me still, both when I wake and slepe.
Take Cæsar conquest, take my goods, take he
Th' onor to be Lord of the earth alone,
My Sonnes, my life bent headlong to mishapps:
No force, so not my Cleopatra take.
So foolish I, I can not her forget,
Though better were I banisht her my thought.
Like to the sicke, whose throte the feauers fire
Hath vehemently with thirstie drouth enflam'd,
Drinkes still, albee the drinke he still desires
Be nothing else but fewell to his flame:
He can not rule himselfe: his health's respect
Yeldeth to his distempred stomackes heate.
Th' onor to be Lord of the earth alone,
My Sonnes, my life bent headlong to mishapps:
No force, so not my Cleopatra take.
Though better were I banisht her my thought.
Like to the sicke, whose throte the feauers fire
Hath vehemently with thirstie drouth enflam'd,
Drinkes still, albee the drinke he still desires
Be nothing else but fewell to his flame:
He can not rule himselfe: his health's respect
Yeldeth to his distempred stomackes heate.
Lu.
Leaue of this loue, that thus renewes your woe.
Ant.
I do my best, but ah! can not do so.
Lu.
Thinke how you haue so braue a captaine bene,
And now are by this vaine affection falne.
Ant.
The ceasles thought of my felicitie
Plunges me more in this aduersitie.
For nothing so a man in ill torments,
As who to him his good state represents.
This makes my rack, my anguish, and my woe
Equall vnto the hellish passions growe,
When I to minde my happie puisance call
Which erst I had by warlike conquest wonne,
And that good fortune which me neuer left,
Which hard disastre now hath me bereft.
Plunges me more in this aduersitie.
For nothing so a man in ill torments,
As who to him his good state represents.
This makes my rack, my anguish, and my woe
Equall vnto the hellish passions growe,
When I to minde my happie puisance call
Which erst I had by warlike conquest wonne,
And that good fortune which me neuer left,
Which hard disastre now hath me bereft.
With terror tremble all the world I made
At my sole worde, as Rushes in the streames
At waters will: I conquer'd Italie,
I conquer'd Rome, that Nations so redoubt.
I bare (meane while besieging Mutina)
Two Consuls armies for my ruine brought,
Bath'd in their bloud, by their deaths witnessing
My force and skill in matters Martiall.
At my sole worde, as Rushes in the streames
At waters will: I conquer'd Italie,
I conquer'd Rome, that Nations so redoubt.
I bare (meane while besieging Mutina)
Two Consuls armies for my ruine brought,
Bath'd in their bloud, by their deaths witnessing
My force and skill in matters Martiall.
To wreake thy vnkle, vnkinde Cæsar, I
With bloud of enemies the bankes embru'd
Of stain'd Enipeus, hindering his course
Stopped with heapes of piled carcases:
When Cassius and Brutus ill betide
Marcht against vs, by vs twise put to flight,
But by my sole conduct: for all the time
Cæsar heart-sicke with feare and feauer laie.
Who knowes it not? and how by euery one
Fame of the fact was giu'n to me alone.
With bloud of enemies the bankes embru'd
Stopped with heapes of piled carcases:
When Cassius and Brutus ill betide
Marcht against vs, by vs twise put to flight,
But by my sole conduct: for all the time
Cæsar heart-sicke with feare and feauer laie.
Who knowes it not? and how by euery one
Fame of the fact was giu'n to me alone.
There sprang the loue, the neuer changing loue,
Wherin my hart hath since to yours bene bound:
There was it, my Lucil, you Brutus sau'de,
And for your Brutus Antonie you found.
Better my happ in gaining such a frende,
Then in subduing such an enemie.
Now former vertue dead doth me forsake,
Fortune engulfes me in extreame distresse:
She turnes from me her smiling countenance,
Casting on me mishapp vpon mishapp,
Left and betraide of thousand thousand frends,
Once of my sute, but you Lucil are left,
Remaining to me stedfast as a tower
In holy loue, in spite of fortunes blastes.
But if of any God my voice be heard,
And be not vainely scatt'red in the heau'ns,
Such goodnes shall not glorilesse be loste,
But comming ages still therof shall boste.
Wherin my hart hath since to yours bene bound:
There was it, my Lucil, you Brutus sau'de,
And for your Brutus Antonie you found.
Better my happ in gaining such a frende,
Then in subduing such an enemie.
Now former vertue dead doth me forsake,
Fortune engulfes me in extreame distresse:
She turnes from me her smiling countenance,
Casting on me mishapp vpon mishapp,
Left and betraide of thousand thousand frends,
Once of my sute, but you Lucil are left,
Remaining to me stedfast as a tower
In holy loue, in spite of fortunes blastes.
But if of any God my voice be heard,
And be not vainely scatt'red in the heau'ns,
Such goodnes shall not glorilesse be loste,
But comming ages still therof shall boste.
Lu.
Men in their frendship euer should be one,
And neuer ought with fickle Fortune shake,
Which still remoues, nor will, nor knowes the way,
Her rowling bowle in one sure state to staie.
Wherfore we ought as borrow'd things receiue
The goods light she lends vs to pay againe:
As one such goods as cannot faile, and fall:
But thinke againe, nothing is dureable,
Vertue except, our neuer failing hoste:
So bearing saile when fauouring windes do blowe,
As frowning Tempests may vs least dismaie
When they on vs do fall: not ouer-glad
With good estate, nor ouer-grieu'd with bad.
Resist mishap.
Ant.
Alas! it is too stronge.
Mishappes oft times are by some comfort borne:
But these, ay me! whose weights oppresse my hart,
Too heauie lie, no hope can them relieue.
There rests no more, but that with cruell blade
For lingring death a hastie waie be made.
Lu.
Cæsar, as heire vnto his Fathers state:
So will his Fathers goodnes imitate,
To you warde: whome he know's allied in bloud,
Allied in mariage, ruling equallie
Th' Empire with him, and with him making warre
Haue purg'd the earth of Cæsars murtherers.
You into portions parted haue the world
Euen like coheir's their heritages parte:
And now with one accord so many yeares
In quiet peace both haue your charges rul'd.
Ant.
Bloud and alliance nothing do preuaile
To coole the thirst of hote ambitious breasts:
The sonne his Father hardly can endure,
Brother his brother, in one common Realme.
So feruent this desier to commaund:
Such iealousie it kindleth in our hearts.
Sooner will men permit another should
Loue her they loue, then weare the Crowne they weare.
Amitie, kindred, nought so holie is
But it defiles. A monarchie to gaine
None cares which way, so he maie it obtaine.
Lu.
Suppose he Monarch be and that this world
No more acknowledg sundrie Emperours.
That Rome him onelie feare, and that he ioyne
The East with west, and both at once do rule:
Why should he not permitt you peaceablie
Discharg'd of charge and Empires dignitie,
Priuate to liue reading Philosophie,
In learned Greece, Spaine, Asia, anie lande?
Ant.
Neuer will he his Empire thinke assur'de
While in this world Marke Antonie shall liue.
Sleeples Suspicion, Pale distrust, colde feare
Alwaies to princes companie do beare
Bred of Reports: reports which night and day
Perpetuall guests from Court go not away.
Lu.
He hath not slaine your brother Lucius,
Nor shortned hath the age of Lepidus,
Albeit both into his hands were falne,
And he with wrath against them both enflam'd.
Yet one, as Lord in quiet rest doth beare
The greatest sway in great Iberia:
The other with his gentle Prince retaines
Of highest Priest the sacred dignitie.
Ant.
He feares not them, their feeble force he knowes.
Lu.
He feares no vanquisht ouerfill'd with woes.
Ant.
Fortune may chaunge againe,
L.
A down-cast foe
Can hardlie rise, which once is brought so lowe.
Ant.
All that I can, is done: for last assay
(When all means fail'd) I to entreatie fell,
Of combate I vnto him proffer made:
Though he in prime, and I by feeble age
Mightily weakned both in force and skill.
Yet could not he his coward heart aduaunce
Baselie affraid to trie so praisefull chaunce.
This makes me plaine, makes me my selfe accuse,
Fortune in this hir spitefull force doth vse
'Gainst my gray hayres: in this vnhappie I
Repine at heau'ns in my happes pittiles.
A man, a woman both in might and minde,
In Marses schole who neuer lesson learn'd,
Should me repulse, chase, ouerthrow, destroie,
Me of such fame, bring to so lowe an ebbe?
Alcides bloud, who from my infancie
With happie prowesse crowned haue my praise.
Witnesse thou Gaule vnus'd to seruile yoke,
Thou valiant Spaine, you fields of Thessalie
With millions of mourning cries bewail'd,
Twise watred now with bloude of Italie.
Lu.
witnesse may Afrique, and of conquer'd world
All fower quarters witnesses may be.
For in what part of earth inhabited,
Hungrie of praise haue you not ensignes spredd?
An.
Thou know'st rich Ægypt (Ægypt of my deeds
Faire and foule subiect) Ægypt ah! thou know'st
How I behau'd me fighting for thy kinge,
When I regainde him his rebellious Realme:
Against his foes in battaile shewing force,
And after fight in victorie remorse.
Faire and foule subiect) Ægypt ah! thou know'st
How I behau'd me fighting for thy kinge,
When I regainde him his rebellious Realme:
Against his foes in battaile shewing force,
And after fight in victorie remorse.
Yet if to bring my glorie to the ground,
Fortune had made me ouerthrowne by one
Of greater force, of better skill then I;
One of those Captaines feared so of olde,
Camill, Marcellus, worthy Scipio,
This late great Cæsar, honor of our state,
Or that great Pompei aged growne in armes;
That after haruest of a world of men
Made in a hundred battailes, fights, assaults,
My bodie thorow pearst with push of pike
Had vomited my bloud, in bloud my life,
In midd'st of millions felowes in my fall:
The lesse hir wrong, the lesse should my woe:
Nor she should paine, nor I complaine me so.
Fortune had made me ouerthrowne by one
One of those Captaines feared so of olde,
Camill, Marcellus, worthy Scipio,
This late great Cæsar, honor of our state,
Or that great Pompei aged growne in armes;
That after haruest of a world of men
Made in a hundred battailes, fights, assaults,
My bodie thorow pearst with push of pike
Had vomited my bloud, in bloud my life,
In midd'st of millions felowes in my fall:
The lesse hir wrong, the lesse should my woe:
Nor she should paine, nor I complaine me so.
No, no, wheras I should haue died in armes,
And vanquisht oft new armies should haue arm'd,
New battailes giuen, and rather lost with me
All this whole world submitted vnto me:
A man who neuer saw enlaced pikes
With bristled pointes against his stomake bent,
Who feares the field, and hides him cowardly
Dead at the verie noise the souldiors make.
And vanquisht oft new armies should haue arm'd,
New battailes giuen, and rather lost with me
All this whole world submitted vnto me:
A man who neuer saw enlaced pikes
With bristled pointes against his stomake bent,
Who feares the field, and hides him cowardly
Dead at the verie noise the souldiors make.
His vertue, fraude, deceit, malicious guile,
His armes the arts that false Vlisses vs'de,
Knowne at Modena, wher the Consuls both
Death-wounded were, and wounded by his men
To gett their armie, warre with it to make
Against his faith, against his countrie soile.
Of Lepidus, which to his succours came,
To honor whome he was by dutie bounde,
The Empire he vsurpt: corrupting first
With baites and bribes the most part of his men,
Yet me hath ouercome, and made his pray,
And state of Rome, with me hath ouercome.
His armes the arts that false Vlisses vs'de,
Knowne at Modena, wher the Consuls both
Death-wounded were, and wounded by his men
To gett their armie, warre with it to make
Against his faith, against his countrie soile.
Of Lepidus, which to his succours came,
To honor whome he was by dutie bounde,
The Empire he vsurpt: corrupting first
With baites and bribes the most part of his men,
Yet me hath ouercome, and made his pray,
And state of Rome, with me hath ouercome.
Strange! one disordred act at Actium
The earth subdu'de, my glorie hath obscur'd.
For since, as one whome heauens wrath attaints,
With furie caught, and more then furious
Vex'd with my euills, I neuer more had care
My armies lost, or lost name to repaire:
I did no more resist.
The earth subdu'de, my glorie hath obscur'd.
For since, as one whome heauens wrath attaints,
With furie caught, and more then furious
Vex'd with my euills, I neuer more had care
My armies lost, or lost name to repaire:
I did no more resist.
Lu.
All warres affaires,
But battailes most, daily haue their successe
Now good, now ill: and though that fortune haue
Great force and power in euery wordlie thing,
Rule all, do all, haue all things fast enchaind
Vnto the circle of hir turning wheele:
Yet seemes it more then any practise else
She doth frequent Ballonas bloudie trade:
And that hir fauour, wauering as the wind,
Hir greatest power therin doth oftnest shewe.
Whence growes, we dailie see, who in their youth
Gatt honor ther, do loose it in their age,
Vanquisht by some lesse warlike then themselues:
Whome yet a meaner man shall ouerthrowe.
Hir vse is not to lende vs still her hande,
But sometimes headlong back a gaine to throwe,
When by hir fauor she hath vs extolld
Vnto the topp of highest happines.
Ant.
well ought I curse within my grieued soule,
Lamenting daie and night, this sencelesse loue,
Whereby my faire entising foe entrap'd
My hedelesse Reason, could no more escape.
It was not fortunes euer chaunging face,
It was not Dest'nies chaungles violence
Forg'd my mishap. Alas! who doth not know
They make, nor marre, nor anything can doe.
Is but a chaunce whose cause vnknow'n doth rest.
Although oft times the cause is well perceiu'd,
But not th' effect the same that was conceiu'd.
Pleasure, nought else, the plague of this our life,
Our life which still a thousand plagues pursue,
Alone hath me this strange disastre spunne,
Falne from a souldior to a Chamberer,
Careles of vertue, careles of all praise.
Nay, as the fatted swine in filthy mire
With glutted heart I wallow'd in delights,
All thoughts of honor troden vnder foote.
So I me lost: for finding this swete cupp
Pleasing my tast, vnwise I drunke my fill,
And through the swetenes of that poisons power
By stepps I draue my former witts astraie.
I made my frends, offended me forsake,
I holpe my foes against my selfe to rise.
I robd my subiects, and for followers
I saw my selfe besett with flatterers.
Mine idle armes faire wrought with spiders worke,
My scattred men without their ensignes strai'd:
Cæsar meane while who neuer would haue dar'de
To cope with me, me sodainlie despis'de,
Tooke hart to fight, and hop'de for victorie
On one so gone, who glorie had forgone.
Lu.
Enchaunting pleasure, Venus swete delights
Weaken our bodies, ouer-cloud our sprights,
Trouble our reason, from our harts out chase
All holie vertues lodging in their place.
Like as the cunning fisher takes the fishe
By traitor baite wherby the hooke is hidde:
To baite our soules theron too licourishe.
This poison deadlie is alike to all,
But on great kings doth greatest outrage worke,
Taking the Roiall scepters from their hands,
Thence forward to be by some straunger borne:
While that their people charg'd with heauy loades
Their flatt'rers pill, and suck their mary drie,
Not ru'lde but left to great men as a pray,
While this fonde Prince himselfe in pleasur's drowns:
Who heares nought, sees nought, doth nought of a king,
Seming himselfe against himselfe conspirde.
Then equall Iustice wandreth banished,
And in hir seat sitts greedie Tyrannie.
Confus'd disorder troubleth all estates,
Crimes without feare and outrages are done.
Then mutinous Rebellion shewes hir face,
Now hid with this, and now with that pretence,
Prouoking enimies, which on each side
Enter at ease, and make them Lords of all.
The hurtfull workes of pleasure here behold.
An.
The wolfe is not so hurtfull to the folde,
Frost to the grapes, to ripened fruits the raine:
As pleasure is to Princes full of paine.
Lu.
Ther nedes no proofe, but by th' Assirian kinge,
On whome that Monster woefull wrack did bring.
An.
Ther nedes no proofe, but by vnhappie I,
Who lost my empire, honor, life therby.
Lu.
Yet hath this ill so much the greater force,
As scarcelie anie do against it stand:
No, not the Demy-gods the olde world knew,
Who all subdu'de, could Pleasures power subdue.
As scarcelie anie do against it stand:
No, not the Demy-gods the olde world knew,
Who all subdu'de, could Pleasures power subdue.
Great Hercules, Hercules once that was
Wonder of earth and heau'n, matchles in might,
Who Anteus, Lycus, Geryon ouer came,
Who drew from hell the triple-headed dogg,
Who Hydra kill'd, vanquishd Achelous,
Who heauens weight on his strong shoulders bare:
Did he not vnder Pleasures burthen bow?
Did he not Captiue to this passion yelde,
When by his Captiue, so he was enflam'de,
As now your selfe in Cleopatra burne?
Slept in hir lapp, hir bosome kist and kiste,
With base vnsemelie seruice bought her loue,
Spinning at distaffe, and with sinewy hand
Winding on spindles threde, in maides attire?
His conqu'ring clubbe at rest on wal did hang:
His bow vnstringd he bent not as he vs'de:
Vpon his shafts the weauing spiders spunne:
And his hard cloake the freating mothes did pierce.
The monsters free and fearles all the time
Throughout the world the people did torment,
And more and more encreasing daie by day
Scorn'd his weake heart become a mistresse plaie.
Wonder of earth and heau'n, matchles in might,
Who Anteus, Lycus, Geryon ouer came,
Who drew from hell the triple-headed dogg,
Who Hydra kill'd, vanquishd Achelous,
Who heauens weight on his strong shoulders bare:
Did he not vnder Pleasures burthen bow?
Did he not Captiue to this passion yelde,
When by his Captiue, so he was enflam'de,
As now your selfe in Cleopatra burne?
Slept in hir lapp, hir bosome kist and kiste,
With base vnsemelie seruice bought her loue,
Spinning at distaffe, and with sinewy hand
Winding on spindles threde, in maides attire?
His conqu'ring clubbe at rest on wal did hang:
His bow vnstringd he bent not as he vs'de:
Vpon his shafts the weauing spiders spunne:
And his hard cloake the freating mothes did pierce.
The monsters free and fearles all the time
Throughout the world the people did torment,
And more and more encreasing daie by day
Scorn'd his weake heart become a mistresse plaie.
An.
In onelie this like Hercules am I,
In this I proue me of his lignage right:
In this himselfe, his deedes I shew in this,
In this, nought else, my ancestor he is.
In this I proue me of his lignage right:
In this himselfe, his deedes I shew in this,
In this, nought else, my ancestor he is.
But goe we: die I must, and with braue ende
Conclusion make of all foregoing harmes:
Die, die I must: I must a noble death,
A glorious death vnto my succor call:
I must deface the shame of time abus'd,
I must adorne the wanton loues I vs'de
With some couragiouse act: that my last daie
By mine owne hand my spotts may wash away.
Conclusion make of all foregoing harmes:
Die, die I must: I must a noble death,
A glorious death vnto my succor call:
I must deface the shame of time abus'd,
I must adorne the wanton loues I vs'de
By mine owne hand my spotts may wash away.
Come deare Lucill: alas! why wepe you thus!
This mortall lot is common to vs all.
We must all die, each doth in homage owe
Vnto that God that shar'd the Realmes belowe.
Ah sigh no more: alas: appeace your woes,
For by your griefe my griefe more eager growes.
This mortall lot is common to vs all.
We must all die, each doth in homage owe
Vnto that God that shar'd the Realmes belowe.
Ah sigh no more: alas: appeace your woes,
For by your griefe my griefe more eager growes.
Chorus.
Alas, with what tormenting fire.
Vs martireth this blinde desire
To staie our life from flieng!
How ceasleslie our minds doth rack,
How heauie lies vpon our back
This dastard feare of dieng!
Death rather healthfull succor giues,
Death rather all mishapps relieues
That life vpon vs throweth:
And euer to vs doth vnclose
The doore, wherby from curelesse woes
Our wearie soule out goeth.
What Goddesse else more milde then shee
To burie all our paine can be,
What remedie more pleasing?
Our pained hearts when dolor stings,
And nothing rest, or respite brings,
What help haue we more easing?
Hope which to vs doth comfort giue,
And doth or fainting hearts reuiue,
Hath not such force in anguish:
She oft vs failes in midst of griefe,
And helples letts vs languish.
But Death who call on her at nede
Doth neuer with vaine semblant feed,
But when them sorow paineth,
So riddes their soules of all distresse
Whose heauie weight did them oppresse,
That not one griefe remaineth.
Who feareles and with courage bolde
Can Acherons black face beholde,
Which muddie water beareth:
And crossing ouer, in the way
Is not amaz'd at Perruque gray
Olde rustie Charon weareth:
Who voide of dread can looke vpon
The dreadfull shades that rome alone,
On bankes where sound no voices:
Whom with her fire-brands and her Snakes
No whit afraide Alecto makes,
Nor triple-barking noyses:
Who freely can himselfe dispose
Of that last hower which all must close,
And leaue this life at pleasure:
This noble freedome more esteemes,
And in his hart more precious deemes,
Then Crowne and kingly treasure.
The waues which Boreas blasts turmoile
And cause with foaming furie boile,
Make not his heart to tremble:
Nor brutish broile, when with strong head
Against their Lords assemble:
Nor fearfull face of Tirant wood,
Who breaths but threats, and drinks but bloud,
No, nor the hand which thunder,
The hand of Ioue which thunder beares,
And ribbs of rocks in sunder teares,
Teares mountains sides in sunder:
Nor bloudie Marses butchering bands,
Whose lightnings desert laie the lands
whome dustie cloudes do couer:
From of whose armour sun-beames flie,
And vnder them make quaking lie
The plaines wheron they houer:
Nor yet the cruell murth'ring blade
Warme in the moistie bowells made
of people pell mell dieng
In some great Cittie put to sack
By sauage Tirant brought to wrack,
At his colde mercie lieng.
How abiect him, how base think I,
Who wanting courage can not dye
When need him therto calleth?
From whom the dagger drawne to kill
The curelesse griefes that vexe him still
For feare and faintnes falleth?
O Antonie with thy deare mate
Both in misfortunes fortunate!
Whose thoughts to death aspiring
Shall you protect frrom victors rage,
Who on each side doth you encage,
That Cæsar may you not offend
Nought else but Death can you defend,
which his weake force derideth,
And all in this round earth containd,
Powr'les on them whom once enchaind
Auernus prison hideth:
Where great Psammetiques ghost doth rest,
Not with infernall paine possest,
But in swete fields detained:
And olde Amasis soule likewise,
And all our famous Ptolemies
That whilome on vs raigned.
| A Discourse of Life and Death | |