University of Virginia Library

Actus 1.

Scœna 1.

Enter Oeneus, King of Calidon, Queene Althea, Meleager, Daianeira, Ploxippus, and Toxeus, brothers to the Queene.
K. Oen.
Thus midst our brothers, daughter, Queene and sonne,
Sits Oeneus crown'd in fertill Calidon
Whose age and weakenesse is supported only,
In those ripe ioyes that I receiue from you.

Plex.
May we long stand supporters of your royaltyes,
And glad spectators of your age and peace.

Tox.
The like I wish.

K. Oen.
We haue found you brothers royall,
And subiects loyall.

Althea.
They are of our line,
Of which no branch did euer perish yet,
By Cankers, blastings, or dry barrennesse.
But Meleager let me turne to thee,
Whose birth the Fates themselues did calculate,

Mel.
Pray mother how was that? I haue heard you say
Somewhat about my birth miraculous,
But neuer yet knew the true circumstance.

Althea.
'Twas thus: the very instant thou wast borne,
The sisters, that draw, spinne, and clip our liues,
Entred my chamber with a fatall brand,
Which hurling in the fire, thus said: One day, one date,
Betide this brand and childe, euen be their fate.
So parted they, the brand begins to burne:
And as it wasted, so didst thou consume;
Which I perceiuing, leap't vnto the flame,
And quenching that, stayd thy consumption.
The brand I (as a iewell) haue reseru'd,
And keepe it in a casket, lock't as safe
As in thy bosome thou maintainst thy heart.

Melea.
Pray keepe it well: for if not with my mother,
With whom dare Meleager trust his life?
But sister Deianeira, now to you.
Two worthy Champians must this day contend,
And try their eminence in Armes for you,
Great Achelous, and strong Hercules.

Deia.
We know it: my loue must be bought with blowes,
Not Oratory wins me, but the sword:
He that can braueliest in the lists contend,
Must Deianeira's nuptiall bed ascend.

Oen.
Brothers, conduct these Champions to the lists,
Meane time Althea state thee on that hand,
On this side Deianeira the rich prize
Of their contention.

Melea.
Clamors from a farre,
Tell vs these Champions are a drest for warre.

Enter at one doore the riuer Achelous, his weapons borne in by Water-Nymphes. At the other Hercules.
K. Oen.
Stand forth you warlike Champions, and expresse
Your loues to Deianeira, in your valours
As we are Oeneus the Ætolians King,
And vnder vs command whole Calidon.
So we contest we make her here the prize
Of the proud victor.

Ache.
Dares the Theban bastard
Contend with vs, as we are eldest sonne
Vnto the graue and old Oceanus,
And the Nymph Nais, borne on Pindus mount,
From whence our broad and spacious currents rise?
So are we proud to coape with Hercules.
Nere let my streames wash Acarnania's bankes,
Or we confin'de in Thous, our grand seat,
Till (by the ruine of Alemena's sonne)
We lodge bright Deianeira in our armes.

Herc.
Haue we the Cleonean Lyons torne?
And deck't our shoulders in their honored spoyles?
The Calidonian Boare crusht with our Club?
The rude Thessalian Centaurs sunke beneath
Our Iuiall hand? pierc'd hell? bound Cerberus?
And buffeted so long, till from the fome
The dogge belch't forth strong Aconitum spring?
And shall a petty riuer make our way
To Deianeira's bed impassable?
Know then the pettiest streame that flowes through Greece,
Il'e make thee run thy head below thy bankes,
Make red thy waters with thy vitall bloud,
And spill thy waues in droppes as small as teares,
If thou presum'st to coape with Hercules.

Ache.
What's Hercules that I should dread his name?
Or what's he greater then Amphitrio's sonne?
When we assume the name of Demi-god
Not Proteus can trans-shape himselfe like vs,
For we command our figure when we please.
Sometimes we like a serpent run along
Our medowy bankes: and sometimes like a Bull
Graze on these strands we water with our streames.
We can translate our fury to a fire,
And when we swell, in our fierce torrents swallow
The Champian plaines, and flow aboue the hils,
Drowne all the continents by which we run;
Yea Hercules himselfe.

Herc.
Me Achelous!
I can do more then this: loue Deianeira,
Swin with her on my shoulders through thy streames,
And with my huge Club beat thy torrents backe,
With thine owne waters quench th'infernall fires
Thy figure serpentine, flat on the earth:
And when th'art Bull, catch fast hold by thy hornes,
And whirle thee 'bout my head thus into ayre.
Thou faire Ætolian dame, I cannot wooe,
Nor paint my passions in smooth Oratory,
But fight for thee I can, 'gainst Achelous,
Or all the horrid monsters of the earth.

Melea.
When 'gins your proud and hostile enmity?
Behold the prize propos'd, the victors meed,
Champions your spirits inkindle at her eyes.

Ache.
It is for her this bastard I despise.
Prepare thee Theban.

Herc.
See, I am adrest
With this to thunder on thy captiue crest.
I cannot bellow in thy bombast phrase;
Nor deafe these free spectators with my braues.
I cut off words with deeds, and now behold
For me, the eccho of my blowes thus scold.

Alarme. Achelous is beaten in, and immediatly enters in the shape of a Dragon.
Herc.
Bee'st thou a God or hell-hound thus transhap't,
Thy terrour frights not me, serpent or diuell Il'e pash thee.

Alarme. He beats away the dragon. Enter a Fury all fire-workes.
Herc.
Fright vs with fire? our Club shall quench thy flame,
And beat it downe to hell, from whence it came.

When the Fury sinkes, a Buls head appeares.
Herc.
What, yet more monsters? Serpent, Bull, and Fire,
Shall all alike taste great Alcides ire.

He tugs with the Bull, and pluckes off one of his horns. Enter from the same place Achelous with his fore-head all bloudy.
Ache.
No more, I am thy Captiue, thou my Conquerer:
I see, no Magicke, or inchanting spell
Haue power on vertue and true fortitude.
No sleight Illusion can deceiue the eyes
Of him that is diuinely resolute.
I lay me at thy feet, a lowly vassaile,
Since thou hast rest me of that precious horne,
Which tearing from my head in shape of Bull,
Thus wounded me. Take Deianeira freely,
Onely restore me that rich spoyle thou hast wonne,
Which all the Nymphes and graces dwelling neere,
Shall fill with redolent flowers, and delicate fruits,
And call it Cornucopiæ, plenties horne,
In memory of Achelous losse,
And this high conquest won by Hercules.

Hercu.
Hadst thou not stoopt thy horrid Taurine shape
I would haue peece-meale rent, and thy tough hide
Torne into rags as thicke as Autumne leaues:
Take thee thy life, and with thy life that spoile
Pluckt from thy mangled front, giue me my loue,
I'le stoare no hornes at winning of a wife.
Giue me bright Deyanira, take that horne,
So late from thy disfigured Temples torne.

Deyan.
I haue my prayers, Alcides his desires,
Both meete in loue.

Oen.
Receiue her Hercules,
The conquest of thy warlike fortitude.

Herc.
Wee take but what our valour purchast vs,
And beauteous Queene thou shalt assure his loue,
Whose puissant arme shall awe the triple world,
And make the greatest Monarches of the earth
To thy diuinest beauty tributary.

Meleag.
Will Hercules stay heere in Calidon,
To solemnize the nuptials of our sister?
I Meleager, rich Ætolians heire,
Whose large Dominions stretch to Oeta Mount,
And to the bounds of fertile Thessaly
Will grace thy Bridals with the greatest pompe
Greece can affoord, nor is't my meanest honour
To be the brother to great Hercules.

Herc.
Thanks Meleager, soiourne heere we cannot,
My step-dame Iuno tasks me to more dangers:
Wee take thy beauteous sister in our guard,
Whom by Ioues aide wee straight will beare to Thebes.

Oen.
A fathers wishes crowne the happinesse
Of his faire daughter.

Mel.
And a brothers loue
Comfort thee where thou goest: If not with Hercules
Whom dare we trust thy safety.

Herc.
Not Ioues guard
Can circle her with more security.
Time cals vs hence, Ætolian Lords farewell.

Oen.
Adiew braue sonne, and daughter, onely happy
In being thus bestowed, come Achelous,
With you we'le feast, nor let your foyle deiect you,
Or Deyaniraes losse; he's more then man,
And needes must he do this, that all things can.

Exeunt.
Herc.
Dares Deyaneira trust her persons safety
With vs a stranger, onely knowne by Fame.

Deyn.
Wer't gainst the Lyons in Chimera bred,
Or those rude Beares that breed in Caucasus:
The Hyrcan Tigers or the Syrian Wolues,
Nay gainst the Giants that assaulted heauen
And with their shoulders made those bases shake
That prop Olimpus: liu'd Enceladus
With whom Ioue wrestled: euen against those monsters,
I'de thinke me safe incircled in these armes.

Herc.
Thou art as safe as if immur'd in heauen,
Pal'd with that Christall wall that girts Ioues house,
Where all the Gods inhabite, built by fate,
Stay, I should know that Centaure.

Enter Nessus.
Ness.
That's Hercules I know him by his Club,
Whose ponderous weight I felt vpon my Skull
At the great Bridall of the Lapithes.
What louely Ladie's shee that in her beauty
So much exceedes faire Hypodamia?

Herc,
Oh Nessus, thou of all thy cloud-bred race,
Alone didst scape by trusting to thy heeles
At Hypodamia's Bridals, but we now
Are friends, are wee not Nessus?

Ness.
Yes great Hercules,
(Till I can find fit time for iust reuendge)
Methinkes my braines still rattle in my skull)
What Ladie's that in great Alcides Guard?

Herc.
Deyaneira, daughter to the Ætolian King,
Sister to Meleager, now our Bride;
Wonne by the force of armes from Achelous,
The boysterous floud that flowes through Calidon.

Ness.
A double enuy burnes in all my veines,
First for reuenge; next, that he should enioy
That beauteous maide whom Nessus dearely loues.
Will Hercules commande me? or his Bride?
I'le lackey by thee wheresoer'e thou goest,
And be the vassall to great Hercules.

Herc.
We are bound for Thebes, but soft, what torrent's this
That intercepts our way? How shall we passe
These raging streames?

Ness.
This is Euenus floud,
A dangerous current, full of whirle-pooles deepe,
And yet vnsounded: dar'st thou trust thy Bride
On Nessus backe? I'le vndertake to swimme her
Vnto the furthest strond, vpon my shoulders,
And yet not laue her shooe.

Herc.
I'le pay thee for thy waftage Centaure, well,
And make thee Prince of all thy by-form'd race,
If thou willt do this grace to Hercules:
But ferry her with safety, for by Ioue,
If thou but make her tremble in these streames,
Or let the least waue dash against her skirt;
If the least feare of drowning pale her cheeke,
I'le pound thee smaller then the Autumne dust
Tost by the warring winds?

Ness.
Haue I not swomme
The Hellesepont, when waues high as yon hils
Tost by the winds, haue crown'd me, yet in spight
Of all their briny weight I haue wrought my selfe
Aboue the topmost billow to ore-looke
The troubled maine: come beauteous Deyaneira,
Not Charon with more safety ferries soules,
Then I will thee through this impetuous foord,

Herc.
Receiue her Centaure, and in her the wealth
And potency of mighty Hercules.

Ness.
Now my reuenge for that inhumaine banquet,
In which so many of the Centaures fell,
I'le rape this Princesse, hauing past the floud
Come beauteous Deyaneira, mount my shoulders,
And feare not your safe waftage.

Exeunt.
Herc.
That done returne for vs: faire Deianeira,
White as the garden lilly, pyren snow,
Or rocks of Christall hardned by the Sunne:
Thou shalt be made the potent Queene of Thebes,
And all my Iouiall labours shall to thee
Be consecrate, as to Alcides loue.
Well plundge bold Centaure, how thy boysterous brest
Plowes vp the streames: thou through the swelling tides,
Sail'st with a freight more rich and beautifull.
Then the best ship cram'd with Pangeous gold:
With what a swift dexterity he parts
The mutinous waues, whose waters claspe him round,
Hee plaies and wantons on the curled streames,
And Deyanira on his shoulders fits
As safe, as if she stear'd a pine-tree barke.
They grow now towards the shore: my club and armes
I'le first cast or'e the deepe Euenus foord,
But from my side my quiuer shall not part,
Nor this my trusty bow.

Deyan.
Helpe Hercules.

Within.
Herc.
'Twas Deyaneiraes voyce.

Deyan.
The Traytor Nessus
Seekes to despoile mine honour, Ioue, you Gods:
Out trayterous Centaure: Helpe great Hercules.

Herc.
Hold, lust-burnt Centaure, 'tis Alcides cals
Or swifter then Ioues lightning, my fierce vengeance
Shall crosse Euenus.

Deyan.
Oh, oh.

Herc.
Darst thou deuill?
Couldst thou clime Heauen or sinke below the Center
So high, so low, my vengeance should persue thee,
Hold; if I could but fixe thee in my gripes,
I'de teare thy limbes into more Atomies
Then in the Summer play before the Sunne.

Deyan.
Helpe Hercules (out dog) Alcides helpe.

Herc.
I'le send till I can come, this poisonous shaft
Shall speake my fury and extract thy bloud,
Till I my selfe can crosse this raging floud.

Hercules shoots, and goes in: Enter Nessus with an arrow through him, and Deianeira.
Ness.
Thy beauty Deyaneira is my death,
And yet that Nessus dies embracing thee
Takes from my sences all those torturing pangues
That should associate death: to shew I lou'd thee,
I'le leaue thee, in my will, a legacy;
Shall stead thee more, then should thy father giue thee
Vnto thy Dower the Crowne of Calidon.
Of such great vertue is my liuing bloud,
And of such prize, that couldst thou valew it,
Thou wouldst not let one drop fall to the ground:
But oh I die.

Deyan.
Teach me to rate it truely.

Ness.
Now Nessus, in thy death be aueng'd on him
On whom in life thou couldst not wreake thy rage:
(My bloud is poison) all these pure drops saue,
Which I bequeath thee ere I take my graue:
I know thy Lord lasciuious, bent to lust,
Witnesse the fifty daughters of King Thespeius,
Whom in one night he did adulterate:
And of those fifty begot fifty sonnes:
Now if in all his quests, he be with-held
By any Ladies loue, and stay from thee,
Such is the vertue of my bloud now shed,
That if thou dipst a shirt, steept in the least
Of all these drops, and sendst it to thy Lord,
No sooner shall it touch him, but his loue
Shall die to strangers, and reuiue to thee,
Make vse of this my loue.

Deyan.
Centaure, I will.

Ness.
And so, whom Nessus cannot, do thou kill,
Still dying men speake true: 'tis my last cry,
Saue of my bloud, 'tmay steede thee ere thou die.

Deyan.
Though I my loue mistrust not, yet this counsell
I'le not despise: this if my Lord should stray,
Shall to my desolate bed teach him the way.

Enter Hercules.
Herc.
After long strugling with Euenus streames,
I forc't the riuer beare me on her brest,
And land me safely on this further strond,
To make an end of what my shaft begunne,
The life of Nessus, liues the Centaure yet?

Deyan.
Behold him grouelling on the sencelesse earth,
His wounded breast transfixt by Hercules.

Herc.
That the luxurious slaue were sencible
Of torture; not th'infernals with more pangues
Could plague the villaine then Alcides should.
Ixions bones rackt on the torturing wheele
Should be a pastime: the three snake-hair'd sisters,
That lash offenders with their whips of steele,
Should seeme to dally, when with euery string
They cut the flesh like razors: but the dead
Wee hate to touch, as cowardly and base,
And vengeance not becomming Hercules.
Come Deyaneira, first to consumate
Our high espowsals in triumphant Thebes,
That done, our future labours wee'le persue,
And by the assistance of the powers Diuine,
Striue to act more then Iuno can assigne.

Exit.
Enter Homer.
Faire Deyaneira vnto Thebes being guided,
And Hercules espousals solemnized.
Hee for his further labours soone prouided,
As Iuno by Euritius had deuised.
The Apples of Hesperia first he wan,
Mauger huge Atlas that supports the spheares:
And whilst the Gyant on his businesse ran;
Alcides takes his place, and proudly beares
The heauens huge frame: thence into Scithia hies,
And their the Amazonian Baldricke gaines,
By conquering Menalip (a braue prise)
The warlike Quene that ore the Scithians raignes.
That hee supported heauen, doth well expresse
His Astronomicke skill, knowledge in starres:
They that such practise know, what do they lesse
Then beare heauens weight: so of the Lernean warres.
Where he the many-headed Hydra slew,
A Serpent of that nature, when his sword
Par'd off one head, from that another grew.
This shewed his Logicke skill: from euery word
And argument confuted, there arise
From one a multiplicity, therefore we
Poets and such as are esteemed wise,
Instruct the world by such morality.
To conquer Hydra showed his powerfull skill
In disputation, how to argue well.
(By all that vnderstand in custome still)
And in this Art did Hercules excell.
Now we the Ægyptian tyrant must present,
Bloudy Busiris, a king fell and rude,
One that in murder plac't his sole content,
With whose sad death our first Act we conclude.

Enter Busyris with his Guard and Priests to sacrifice; to them two strangers, Busyris takes them and kils them vpon the Altar: enter Hercules disguis'd, Busyris sends his Guard to apprehend him, Hercules discouering himselfe beates the Guard, kils Busyris and sacrificeth him vpon the Altar, at which there fals a shower of raine, the Priests offer Hercules the Crowne of Ægypt which he refuseth.
Homer.
In Ægypt there of long time fell no raine,
For which vnto the Oracle they sent:
Answeres return'd, that till one stranger slaine,
Immou'd shall be the Marble firmament.
Therefore the Tyrant all these strangers kils
That enter Ægypt, till Alcides came
And with the tyrants bulke the Altar fils:
At whose red slaughter fell a plenteous raine.
For he that stranger and vsurper was,
Whose bloudy fate the Oracle forespake.
But for a while we let Alcides passe,
Whom these of Ægypt would their soueraigne make,
For freeing them from such a tyrants rage;
Now Meleager next must fill our stage.