University of Virginia Library

Actus Quintus:

Scœna prima.

Enter Pyrhus, Hermione, Thersites, and Synon.
Pyr.
Sweete Lady, can you loue:

Her.
Forbeare my Lord,
Can such a thing as loue be once nam'd here,
Where euery Marble that supports this roofe,
In emulation doth vye teares with vs?
Nay where the wounds of such a mighty King
Haue yet scarse bled their last.

Pyr.
Tush faire Hermione,
These sights that seeme to Ladies terrible,
Are common to vs souldiers; when from field returning
All smear'd in blood, where Dukes and Kings lie slaine,
Yet in our Tents at mid-night it frights not vs
From courting a sweete Mistresse.

Syn.
Hee sayth right,
And note of this how I can poetise:
This his great father of his Loue desir'd,
When from the slaughter of his foes retyr'd
Hee doft his Cushes and vnarm'd his head,
To tumble with her on a soft day bed:
It did reioyce Briscis to imbrace
His bruised armes, and kisse his blood-stain'd face.
These hands which he so often did imbrew
In blood of warlike Troians whom hee slew,
Were then imploy'd to tickle, touch and feele,
And shake a Lance that had no print of steele.

Ther.
Continue in that veine, I'le feed thy Muse
With Crafish, Praunes and Lobsters.

Her.
You brought these of purpose to abuse mee.

Pyr.
Peace Thersites,
And Synon you no more.

Syn.
Wee see by Agamemnon all are mortall,
And I but shew his neece Hermione
The way of all flesh.

Ther.
Tis an easie path,
(The Mother and the Aunt haue troad it both)
If shee haue wit to follow.

Enter Vlysses, Menelaus, Diomed with others.
Mene.
If it be so, Egistus is a traytor,
And shee no more our sister.

Vlys.
Tis not possible
A Queene of her high birth and parentage
Should haue such base hand in her husbands death,
Her husband and her soueraigne.

Dio.
Double treason,
Could it be proou'd against her.

Men.
It appeares
So farre against humanity and nature
We dare not once suspect it, but till proofe
Explaine it further, hold it in suspence.

Vlys.
Oh but their suddaine flight and fortifying.

Mene.
These are indeed presumptions, but leaue that
To a most strict inquiry euen for reuerence
Of Maiesty and Honour to all Queenes,
For loue of vs because shee was our sister,
Both for Orestes and Electra's sake
Whose births are branded in so foule a deede
Till wee examine further circumstances
Spare your seuerer censures.

Vlis.
Tis a businesse
That least concernes vs, but for Honours sake
And that hee was our Generall.

Mene.
What, princely Pyrhus courting our faire daughter?

Her.
Yes sir, but in a time vnseasonable
Euen as the suite it selfe is.

Mene.
All delayes
Shall be cut off and she be swayd by vs.
These Royall Princes ere they leaue Mycene,
Shall see these nuptiall rights solemnized,
Weele keepe our faith with Pyrhus.

Pyr.
Wee our vowes
As constant to the bright Hermione.
First see the royall Generall here interr'd
And buried like a souldier, 'tis his due:
To question of his death concernes not vs,
Wee leaue it to Heauens iustice and reuenge.
The rights perform'd with faire Hermione,
Then to our seuerall Countries each man post,
Captaines disperse still when the General's lost.

Exeunt
Enter Cethus, Orestes, and Pylades. disguis'd.
Ore.
Egistus? and our Mother?

Ceth.
Am I Cethus,
Are you Orestes, and this Pyllades,
So sure they were his murderers: this disguise
Will suite an act of death, full to the life
Hee stands vpon a strict and secure guard,
I haue plotted your admittance, it will take
Doubt not, it cannot fayle, I haue cast it so.

Ore.
As sent from Menelaus?

Ceth.
Whose name else
Can breake through such strong guards, where feare and guilt
Keepe hourely watch?

Ore.
It is enough, I haue't,
And thou the faithful'st of all friends deare Pillades,
Doe but assist mee in my vowed reuenge
And inioy faire Electra.

Pyl.
Next your friendship
It is the prise! ayme at, I am yours.

Ceth.
What slip you time and opportunity,
Or looke you after dreames?

Ore.
I am a wake.
And to send them to their eternall sleepe.
In expedition there is still successe,
In all delayes defect: the traytor dyes
Were hee in league with all the destinies.
Exe. Pilad. Orest.
And tis a fruitfull yeare for villany,
And I a thriuing Farmer. In this interim
I haue more plots on foote: King Menelaus
I haue incenc'd against proud Diomed,
Pyrhus against Orestes, hee 'gainst him,
Ulysses without parralell for wit
Against them all: so that the first combustion
Shall burne them vp to ashes. Oh Palamides,
So deare was both thy loue and memory,
Not Hellen by her whoredome caus'd more blood
Streaming from Princes brests, then Cethus shall
(Brother) for thine vntimely funerall.

Exit.
Enter Egistus, Clitemnestra with a strong guard.
Egist.
Let none presume to dare into our presence
Or passe our guard, but such well knowne to vs
and to our Queene.

Guard.
The charge hath past vs round.

Egist.
When sinnes of such hye nature 'gainst vs rise,
Tis fit wee should be kept with heedfull eyes.

Cli.
Presume it my Egistus, we are safe,
The Fort wherein we liue impregnable:
Or say we were surpris'd by stratagem,
Or should expose our liues vnto the censure
Of Law and Iustice, euen in these extreames
There were not the least feare of difficulty.

Egist.
Your reason Madam.

Cli.
Whom doth this concerne
But our owne blood? should Pyrhus grow inrag'd,
I haue at hand my neece Hermione
To calme his fury: what doth this belong to
Vlysses, or Ætolian Diomed?
Are they not strangers? If it come in question
By Menelaus, is hee not our brother.
Our sister Hellen in his bosome sleepes,
And can with him doe all things, feare not then,
Wee are euery way secure.

Egist.
Oh but Orestes
His ey's to mee like lightning, and his arme
Vp heau'd thus, shewes like Ioues thunder-bolt
Aym'd against lust and murder.

Cli.
Hee's our sonne,
The filiall duty that's hereditary
Vnto a mothers name preuents these feares:
Electra's young, and childish Pilades
Swai'd by his friend: It rests, could we but worke
Hellen and Menelaus to our faction,
Egistus should be stated in Mycene,
Wee liue his Queene and bride.

Egist.
Feare's still suspicious.

Enter one of the guard.
Guard.
A Letter sir.

Egi.
From whence?

Guard.
Tis superscrib'd from the great Spartae's King,
And the Queene Hellen.

Egi.
Who the messenger?

Guard.
Two Gentlemen who much importune you
For speedy answer.

Egi.
Bidde them waite without,
Now fates proue but propitious, then my kingdome
I shall presume establish't.

Cli.
There's no feare,
Orestes once remoou'd, and that's my charge
Either by sword or poyson.

Egi.
See faire Queene,
Reade what your brother writes, by this we are
Eternis'd in our happinesse, and our liues
Rooted in sweete security.

The Queene reades.
Cli.
Wee not suspect you in our brothers death,
A deede too base for any Noble brest.
Therefore in this necessity of state,
And knowing in this forced vacancy
So great a kingdome cannot want a guide:
The soueraignty we thought good to conferre
On Clitemnestra, or what substitute
Shee in her best discretion shall thinke fit,
The vnited Kings of Greece haue thus decreed.

Your brother Menelaus.

Egist.
We are happied euer.

Cli.
A ioy ratified,
And subiect to no change.

Egist.
Call in the messengers,
Orestes and Electra once remoou'd,
Wee haue no riuall, no competitor,
Therefore no iealousie at all.

Cli.
None, none.
The gods haue with these Kings of Greece agreed
In his supplanting and instating thee,
Thee my most deare Egistus.

Orestes and Pyllades disguised are conducted in.
Egist.
You the men?

Ore.
Those, whom the Spartan King made speciall choice of
To trust this great affaire with.

Egist.
And y'are welcome,
But are you men of action: such I meane,
As haue beene Souldiers bred, whose eyes inur'd
To slaughter and combustions: at the like
Would not change face, or tremble?

Pil.
They that to see
Legges, armes, and heads strowed on Scamander Plaine,
Kings by the common souldiers stew'd in goare,
And three parts hid with their imboweld Steedes,
Shadowing their mangled bodies from the Sunne,
As if aboue the earth to bury them:
They that to see an Asian Potentate
Kil'd at the holy Altar, his owne blood
Mixt with his sonnes and daughters, Towers demolisht
Crushing whole thousands, of each sexe and age
Beneath their ruines: and these horrid sights
Lighted by scathe-fires, they that haue beheld
These and more dreadfull obiects; can their eyes
Moue at a private slaughter?

Cli.
Y'are for vs,
Will you for hire, for fauour, or aduancement,
(Now warres are done) to be made great in Court,
And vndertake that one man easily spar'd
Amongst so many millions (now suruiuing)
That such a creature, no way necessary
But a meere burden to the world wee liue in,
Hee might no longer liue?

Ore.
But name the man,
And as I loue Egistus, honour you
And al that glory in such noble deeds.
Be what hee will; hee's lost.

Egist.
Orestes, then?

Ore.
Is there none then the world so well may spare
As young Orestes? Hee to doe't?

Hee kils Egistus, first discouering himselfe.
Egist.
Vaine world farewell,
My hopes withall, no building long hath stood
Whose sleight foundation hath bin layd in blood.

Cli.
I'le dye vpon his bosome.

Ore.
Secure the Fort my deare friend Pillades,
And to your vtmost pacifie the guard:
Tell them we are Orestes and their Prince,
And what wee did was to reuenge the death
Of their dead Lord and Soueraigne.

Pil.
Sir i'le doe't.

Exit.
Cli.
Oh mee, that thinking to haue catcht at Heauen,
Am plung'd into an hell of misery.
Egistus dead? what comfort can I haue,
One foote Inthron'd, the tother in the graue.

Ore.
Can you finde teares for such an abiect Groome,
That had not for an husband one to shed?
Oh monstrous, monstrous woman! is this carrion,
Is this dead Dog, (Dog said I?) nay what's worse,
Worthy the sigh or mourning of a Queene,
When a King lies vnpittied?

Cli.
Thou a sonne?

Ore.
The name I am asham'd of: oh Agamemnon,
How sacred is thy name and memory!
Whose acts shall fill all forraigne Chronicles
With admiration, and most happy hee
That can with greatest Art but booke thy deeds:
Yet whilst this rottennesse, this gangreen'd flesh
Whose carkas is as odious as his name
Shall stinking lie, able to breede a Pest,
Hee with a Princesse teares to be imbalm'd,
And a King lie neglected?

Cli.
Bastard.

Ore.
If I be,
Damn'd be the whore my Mother, I, I am sure
Nor my dead father had no hand in it.

Cli.
Oh that I could but lengthen out my yeares
Onely to spend in curses.

Ore.
Vpon whom?

Cli.
On whom but thee for my Egistus death?

Ore.
And I could wish my selfe a Nestors age
To curse both him and thee for my dead father.

Cli.
Doest thou accuse mee for thy fathers death?

Ore.
Indeede 'twould ill become me being a sonne,
But were I sure it were so, then I durst;
Nay, more then that, reuenge it.

Cli.
Vpon mee?

Ore.
Were all the mothers of the earth in one,
All Empresses and Queenes cast in one mould,
And I vnto that one a onely sonne,
My sword should rauish that incestuous breast
Of nature, and of state.

Cli.
I am as innocent of that blacke deede,
As was this guiltlesse Gentleman here dead.

Orest.
Oh all you powers of Heauen I inuocate,
And if you will not heare me, let Hell do't:
Giue me some signe from eyther feinds or angell,
I call you both as testates.
Enter the Ghost of Agamemnon, poynting vnto his wounds: and then to Egistus and the Queene, who were his murderers, which done, hee vanisheth.
Godlike shape,
Haue you (my father) left the Elizium fieldes,
Where all the ancient Heroes liue in blisse,
To bring your selfe that sacred testimony,
To crowne my approbation: Lady see.

Cli.
See what? thy former murder makes thee mad,

Orest.
Rest Ghost in peace, I now am satisfied,
And neede no further witnesse: saw you nothing?

Cli.
What should I see saue this sad spectacle,
Which blood-shootes both mine eyes.

Orest.
And nothing else?

Cli.
Nothing.

Orest.
Mine eyes are clearer sighted then, and see
Into thy bosome. Murdresse.

Cli.
How?

Orest.
Incestuous strumpet, whose adulteries,
When Treason could not hide, thou thoughts to couer,
With most inhumane murder.

Cli.
Meaning vs?

Orest.
Then, monster, thou didst first instruct mine hand,
How to write blood, when being a Wife and Queene,
Thou kildst a King and husband, and hast taught
Mee being a sonne, how to destroy a mother.

He wounds her.
Cli.
Oh most vnnaturall.

Orest.
That I learnt of thee.

Cli.
Vnheard of cruelty, but heauens are iust.
And all remarkeable sinnes punish with marke,
One mischiefe still another doth beget,
Adultery murder: I am lost, vndone.

Shee dyes.
Orest.
Being no wife, Orestes is no sonne.

Enter Cethus and Pillades with the guard.
Pil.
The guard all stand for you, acknowledging
Orestes Prince and King.

Orest.
I now am neither.

Ceth.
What obiect's this? Queene Clitemnestra slaine?

Pil.
I hope no sonnes hand in't

Orest.
Orestes did it,
The other title's lost.

Ceth.
All my plots take
Beyond my apprehension.

Pil.
This is an age
Of nothing but portents and prodigies.

Orest.
The fathers hand as deepe was in her death
As was the sonnes, hee pointed, and I strooke:
Was hee not then as vnkind to a Wife,
As I was to a Mother?

Pil.
Oh my friend,
What haue you done?

Orest.
There is a Plasma, or deepe pit
Iust in the Center fixt for Parricides,
I'l keepe my Court there, and Erinnis, shee
In stead of Hebe, shall attend my Cup,
Charon the Ferri-man of Hell shall bee
My Ganimed.

Pil.
The Prince is sure distracted.

Ceth.
New proiect still for me.

Orest.
I'le haue a guard of Furies which shall light mee
Vnto my nuptiall bed with funerall Teades,
The fatall sisters shall my hand-maides bee,
And waite vpon the faire Hermione.

Ceth.
Hermione? shee is betroth'd to Pyrhus,
And (mourning for your absence) all the way
Vnto the Temple shee will strowe with teares.

Orest.
Ha? Pyrhus rape my deare Hermione?
Hee that shall dare to interpose my purpose,
Or crosse mee in mine Hymineall rights,
I'le make him lie as flat on the cold earth
As doth this hound Egistus.

Ceth.
And I would so.

Orest.
Would? nay I will, his father woare a smocke,
And in that shape rap't Deiadamia.
Hee shall not vse my Loue so, oh my Mother;
Friend take that obiect hence.

Ceth.
But you Hermione,

Orest.
My hand's yet deepe in blood, but to the wrist,
It shall shall be to the elbowe: gods, nor men,
Angels, nor Furies shall my rage withstand,
Not the graue Honour of th'assembled Kings,
Not Reuerence of the Altar, nor the Priest:
No superstition shall my fury slay,
Till Pyrhus from the earth be swept away,

Exit.
Ceth.
Pillades attend your friend.

Pil.
Hee's all my charge,
My life and his are twinnes.

Ceth.
Their mines are countermin'd, Cethus, thy fall
Is either plotted, or to blowe vp all.

Exit.
Enter Synon and Thersites.
Syn.
My head akes brother.

Ther.
What a batchiler,
And troubled with the Spartan Kings disease?

Syn.
No, there's a wedding breeding in my braine,
Pyrhus the Bride-groome: thou strange creature woman,
To what may I compare thee?

Ther.
Canst thou deuise ought bad inough?

Syn.
Tis sayd they looke like Angels, and of light:
But for the most part, such light Angels prooue,
Ten hundred thousand of their honesties
Will scarce weigh eleauen Dragmaes.

Ther.
Clitemnestra,
And Hellen for example.

Syn.
Young Hermione
Hath face from both.

Ther.
The sharpe shrewes nose, they hate hereditary.

Syn.
Thersites, I commend that fellowes wit
Proffred a wife young, beautifull and rich,
Onely one fault she had, she wanted braine:
Who answered in a creature of that sexe,
I nere desire more wisedome, then to know
Her husbands bed from anothers.

Ther.
I commend him,
But tis not in th' Atrides family,
To finde out such a woman.

An Altar set foorth, Enter Pyrhus Leading Hermione as a bride, Menelaus, Vlisses, Diomed. A great trayne, Pyrhus and Hermione kneele at the altar.
Syn.
See now the sacred nuptiall rights proceede,
The Priests prepare the Alter.

Pyr.
Hymen to whom my vowes I consecrate
As all my loue. To thee Hermione,
Whom in the presence of these Argiue Kings,
I heare contract, be thou auspitious to vs:
This flamming substitute to Saturnes sonne,
Within whose sacred Temple wee are rooft,
And before all these high Celestiall gods
And goddesses, in whose eyes now we kneele:
Especially you Iuno Queene of marriage,
And faire Lucina, who haue child-births charge,
Your fauours I inuoake: Let your chast fires
Drye vp this Virgins teares; make her so fruitefull
That in her issue great Achilles name
And fame withall, may liue eternally.
Proceede Priest to your other Ceremonies.

Enter Orestes, Cethes, and Pilades, with the guard, all their weapons drawne, Orestes runnes at Pyrhus.
Orest.
Priam before the holy Alter fell,
Before the Alter bid thy life farwell:
Rescue Hermione.

Pyr.
Achilles sonne
Cannot reuengelesse dye, then witnesse all,
Blood must flow high where such great Princes fal.

Pil.
Orestes is in danger.

Mene.
Saue Prince Pyrhus.

Cethus whispers with Diomed.
Ceth.
This plot was layd
Both for your life and Kingdome.

Dio.
Menelaus: shall neuer beare it so.

Vlys.
Fy Thersites,
Thy sword against me.

Ther.
Curse vpon all whoores.

A confused scuffle, in which Orestes kils Pyrhus: Pyrhus, Orestes: Cethus wounds Pillades, Diomed, Menelaus, Vlisses, Thersites, &c. All fall dead saue Vlisses, who beareth thence Hermione: Which done, Cethus riseth vp from the dead bodies and speakes.
Ceth.
What all asleepe? and are these gossiping tongues,
That boasted nought saue Warre and Victory,
Now mute and silent? Oh thou vgly rogue,
Where's now thy rayling? and thou parracide,
Thy madnesse is now tam'd, thou need'st no chaines
To bring thee to thy wits, darknesse hath don't.
This Diomed? who dar'd to encounter Mars,
And sayd to wound faire Uenus in the hand:
Where's your valour now? Ægiale,
Vnlesse (as some say) she be better stor'd,
Is like to lye without a bed-fellow:
Rise Pillades, and helpe to awake thy friend,
What doth your friendship sleepe now? Menelaus
Hellen's with a new sweete-heart ith'next roome,
Wilt thou be still a Cuckold? winke at errors
As pandors do and wittoles? Cethus now
Be crown'd in Hystory for a reuenge,
Which in the former World wants president:
Methinks, as when the Giants warr'd 'gainst heauen,
And dar'd for primacy with Ioue himselfe:
Hee darting 'gainst their mountaines thunder-bolts,
Which shattred them to peeces: the warre done,
I like the great Olimpicke Iupiter,
Walke ore my ruines, tread vpon my spoyles
With maiesty, I pace vpon this floore
Pau'd with the trunkes of Kings and Potentates,
For what lesse could haue sated my reuenge?
This arch-rogue falne amongst them? he whose eies
Had the preposterous vertue to fire Troy,
Now is thy blacke soule for thy periuries
Swimming in red damnation.

Synon who had before counterfeited death, riseth vp, and answereth.
Syn.
Sir, not yet,
All pollicies liue not in Cethus brayne,
Synon hath share, and know if thou hast craft,
I haue reseru'd some cunning: see my body
Free and vntoucht from wounds.

Ceth.
Speake, shall we then
Diuide these dead betwixt vs, and both liue?

Syn.
If two Sunnes cannot shine within one spheare,
Then why should two arch-villaines? thou hast discouered
Proiects almost beyond me, and for which
I haue ingrost a mortall enuy here,
I will be sole, or none.

Ceth.
Cease then to be,
That I may liue without Competitor.
Cause Synons name be rac'd out of the World,
And onely mine remembred.

Syn.
Thine's but frailty,
My fame shall be immortall; made more glorious
In treading vpon thee, as thou on these;
Scoope thou my Vnderling.

Ceth.
I still shall stand
They fight, and kill one another.
Rooted.

Syn.
And yet cut downe by Synons hand.

Ceth.
I now am dust like these.

Syn.
One single fight
Ends him, who millions ruin'd in one night.

Enter Hellena, Electra, and Hermione.
Her.
Can you behold this slaughter?

Hel.
Yes, and dye
At sight of it: for why should Hellen liue?
Hellen the cause of all these Princes deaths;
Cease to lament, reach me my Glasse Hermione,
Sweete Orphant do; thy fathers dead already,
Nor will the fates lend thee a mother long.
Enter Hermione with a looking glasse, then exit.
Thankes, and so leaue me. Was this wrinkled fore-head
When 'twas at best, worth halfe so many liues?
Where is that beauty? liues it in this face
Which hath set two parts of the World at warre,
Beene ruine of the Asian Monarchy,
And almost this of Europe? this the beauty
That launch'd a thousand ships from Aulis gulfe?
In such a poore repurchase, now decayde?
See fayre ones, what a little Time can doe;
Who that considers when a seede is sowne,
How long it is ere it appeare from th'earth,
Then ere it stalke, and after ere it blade,
Next ere it spread in leaues, then bud, then flower:
What care in watring, and in weeding tooke,
Yet crop it to our vse: the beauties done,
And smel: they scarse last betwixt Sunne and Sunne.
Then why should these my blastings still suruiue,
Such royall ruines: or I longer liue,
Then to be termed Hellen the beautifull.
I am growne old, and Death is ages due,
When Courtiers sooth, our glasses will tell true.
My beauty made me pittied, and still lou'd,
But that decay'd, the worlds assured hate
Is all my dowre, then Hellen yeeld to fate,
Here's that, my soule and body must diuide,
Shee strangles herselfe
The guerdon of Adultery, Lust, and Pride.

Enter Ulysses.
Vlyss.
In thee they are punisht: of all these Princes,
And infinite numbers that opposed Troy,
And came in Hellens quarrell (saue my selfe)
Not one suruies, (thankes to the immortall powers)
And I am purposde now to acquire by Sea,
My Kingdome and my deare Penelope,
And since I am the man soly reseru'd,
Accept me for the Authors Epilogue.
If hee haue beene two bloody? tis the Story,
Truth claimes excuse, and seekes no farther glory,
Or if you thinke he hath done your patience wrong
(In teadious Sceanes) by keeping you so long,
Much matter in few words, hee bad me say
Are hard to expresse, that lengthned out his Play.