University of Virginia Library

Actus Quinti

Scena Prima.

A Base Lute and a Treble Violl play for the Act.
Syphax drawes the curtaines and discouers Erichtho lying with him.
Eri.
Ha, ha, ha,

Se.
Light, light,

Eri.
Ha, ha,

Sy.
Thou rotten scum of Hell—
O my abhorred heat! O loath'd delusion!

They leape out of the bed Syphax takes him to his sword
Eri.
Why foole of kings, could thy weake soule imagin
That t'is within the graspe of Heauen or Hell
To inforce loue? why know Loue doates the Fates
Ioue groanes beneath his waight: more ignorant thing,
Know we Erichtho, with a thirsty womb
Haue coueted full threescore Suns for bloud of kings,
We that can make inraged Neptune tosse
His huge curld lockes without one breath of wind:
We that can make Heauen slide from Atlas shoulder:
We in the pride and haight of couetous lust
Haue wisht with womans gredines to fill
Our longing armes with Syphax well strong lims:
And dost thou think if Philters or Hels charmes
Could haue inforc'd thy vse, we would hau' dam'd
Braine sleightes? no, no, Now are we full
Of our deare wishes: thy proud heat well wasted
Hath made our lims grow young: our loue farwell,
Know he that would force loue, thus seekes his Hell.

Erichtho slips into the ground as Syphax offers his sword to hir.
Sy.
Can we yet breath? is any plagued like me?
Are we? lets thinke: O now contempt, my hate
To the, thy thunder, sulphure and scorn'd name.
He whose lifes loath'd, and he who breathes to curse
His very being; let him thus with me
Syphax kneeles at the Aultar
Fall fore an Aultar sacred to black powers,
And thus dare Heauens: O thou whose blasting flames
Hurle barren droughes vpon the patient earth,
And thou gay God of riddles and strange tales
Hot-brained Phebus, all adde if you can
Something vnto my misery; if ought
Of plagues lurk in your deepe trench'd browes
Which yet I know not: let them fall like boltes
Which wrathfull Ioue driues strong into my bosom,
If any chance of war, or newes ill voyc'd,
Mischeife vnthought or lurke, come gift vs all,
Heape curse on curse, we can no lower fall.

Out of the Aultar the ghost of Asdruball ariseth.
Asd.
Lower, lower,

Sy.
What damn'd ayre is form'd
Into that shape? speake, speake, we cannot quake,
Our flesh knowes not ignoble tremblinges, speake,
We dare thy terror: me thinkes Hell and fate
Should dread a soule with woes made desperate.

As.
Know me the spirit of great Asdruball
Father to Sophonisba, whose bad heart
Made justly most vnfortunate: for know
I turn'd vnfaithfull, after which the feeld
Chanc'd to our losse, when of thy men there fell
6000 soules next fight of Lybeans ten.
After which losse we vnto Carthage flying,
Th'inraged people cride their army fell
Through my base treason: straight my reuengefull fury
Makes them persue me, I with resolute hast.
Made to the graue of all our Auncestors
Where poyson'd, hop'd my bones should haue long rest.
But see the violent multitude arriues
Teare downe our monument, and mee now dead
Deny a graue: hurle vs among the rockes
To stanch beasts hunger; therefore thus vngrau'd
I seeke slow rest: now doest thou know more woes
And more must feele: Mortals O feare to sleight
Your Gods and vowes: Ioues arme is of dread might.

Sy.
Yet speak shall I ore come approaching foes.

As.
Spirits of wrath know nothing but their woes.

Exit.
Enter Nuntius.
Nun.
My liedge, my liedge, the scouts of Cirta bring intelligēce
Of suddaine danger, full ten thousand horse
Fresh and well rid strong Massinissa leades
As wings to Roman legions that march swift
Led by that man of conquest, Scipio,

Sy.
Scipio

Nu.
Direct to Cirta.
A march far off is heard.
Harke their march is heard euen to the cittye.

Sy.
Helpe, our guard, my armes, bid all our leaders march,
Beate thicke allarms, I haue seene things which thou
Wouldst quake to heare,
Boldnes and strength the shame of slaues bee feare.
Vp heart, hold sword: though waues roule thee on shelfe,
Though fortune leaue thee leaue not thou thy selfe.

Exit arming

Scena Secunda.

Enter 2. Pages with targets & Ianelins Lelius & Iugurth with holberds. Scipio & Massinissa armed Cornets sounding a march.
Sc.
Stand.

Ma.
Giue the word stand.

So.
Part the fyle.

Ma.
giue way
Scipio by thy great name, but greater vertue,
By our eternall loue giue me the chance
Of this dayes battle: Let not thy enuied fame
Vouchsafe t'appose the Roman legions
Against one weakened Prince of Lybea
This quarrels mine: mine bee the stroke of fight
Let vs and Syphax hurle our well forcd dartes
Each vnto others breast, O (what should I say)
Thou beyonde epithete thou whom proude Lords of fortune
May euen enuye: (alas my ioyes so vaste
Makes me seeme lost let vs thunder and lightning
Strike from our braue armes, looke, looke, sease that hill.
Harke he comes neare: From thence discerne vs strike
Fyer worth Ioue, mount vp, and not repute
Mee very proud tho wondrous resolute.
My cause: my cause, is my bold hartning ods,
That se euen fold shield, just armes should fright the Gods

Sci.
Thy words are full of honour take thy fate,

Mas.
Which wee do scorne to feare, to Scipio state
Worthy his heart. Now let the forced brasse
Sound on.
Cornets sound a march Scipio leades his traine vp to the mount.
Iugurth claspe sure our caske
Arme vs with care, and Iugurth if I fall
Through this dayes malice, or our fathers sinnes
If it in thy sword lye, breake vp my breast
And saue my heart that neuer fell nor's adue
To ought but Ioue and Sophonisba. Sound
Sterne hartners vnto woundes and blood, sound loude
For wee haue named Sophonisba.
Cornets a florish
So.
Cornets a march far of.
Harke harke, hee comes, stand bloud, now multiply
Force more then fury, sound high, sound high, wee strike
For Sophonisba.

Enter Syphax armd his pages with shields & darts before Cornets sounding marches.
Sy.
For Sophonisba.

Ma.
Syphax.

Sy.
Massinissa.

Ma.
Be twixt vs too
Let single fight try all.

Sy.
Well vrgd,

Ma.
Well graunted
Of you my stars as I am worthy you
I implore aide, and O if angels waite
Vpon good harts my Genius bee as strong
As I am iust.

Sy.
Kinges glory is their wrong.
Hee that may onely do iust act's a slaue
My Gods my arme, my life, my heauen, my graue
To mee all end.

Ma.
Giue day Gods, life and death
To him that onely feares blaspheming breath
For Sophonisba.

Sy.
For Sophonisba.

Cornets sound a charge Massinissa & Syphax combate, Syphax falles Massinissa vnclasps Syphax caske & as reddy to kil him speakes Syphax.
Sy.
Vnto thy fortune not to thee wee yeeld

Ma.
Liues Sophonisba yet vnstaind, speake iust
Yet ours vnforcd?

Sy.
Let my heart fall more low
Then is my body, if onely to thy glory
She liues not yet all thine.

Ma.
Rise, rise, cease strife.
Heare a most deepe reuenge, from vs take life.
Cornets sounded a march Scipio & Lelius Enter, Scipio passeth to his thron Massinissa presēts Syphax to Scipios feet Cornets sounding a florish.
To you all power of strength: and next to thee
Thou spirit of triumph borne for victory.
I heaue these handes: March wee to Cirta straight,
My Sophonisba with swift hast to winne
In honor & in loue all meane is sinne.

Ex. Ma. & Iug.
Sc.
As we are Romes great Generall thus wee prests
Thy Captiue neck, but as still Scipio
And sensible of iust humanitie
We weepe thy bondage: speake thou ill chanc'd man
What spirit tooke thee when thou wert our friend
(Thy right hand giuen both to Gods and vs
With such most passionate vowes and solemne faith)
Thou fledst with such most foule disloyalty
To now weak Carthage strēgthning their bad arms
Who lately scornd thee with all lothd abuse
Who neuer intertaine for loue but vse

Sy.
Scipio my fortune is captiud not I
Therefore Ile speake bold truth: nor once mistrust
What I shall say, for now beeing wholy yours
I must not faine, Sophonisba t'was shee
T'was Sophonisba that solicited
My forc'd reuolt, t'was hir resistles sute
Hir loue to hir deare Carthage 'tic'd mee breake
All faith with men: t'was shee made Syphax false
Shee that lou's Carthage with such violence
And hath such mouing graces to allure
That shee will turne a man that once hath sworne
Himselfe on's fathers bones hir Carthage foe
To bee that citties Champion and high friend
Hir Himeneall torch burnt downe my house
Then was I captiud when hir wanton armes
There mouing claspt about my neck, O charmes
Able to turne euen fate: but this in my true griefe
Is some iust ioy, that my loue sotted foe
Shall sease that plague, that Massinissas breast
Hir handes shall arme, and that ere long youle try
Shee can force him your foe as well as I,

Sci.
Lelius, Lelius, take a choice troupe of horse
And spur to Cirta. To Massinissa thus
Syphax pallace, crowne, spoile citties sack
Be free to him but if our new laughd friend
Possesse that woman of so mouing art
Charge him with no lesse waight then his deare vow
Our loue, all faith, that hee resigne her thee
As hee shall aunswere Rome will him giue vp
A Roman prisoner to the Senates doome
Shee is a Carthaginian, now our lawes
VVise men preuent not actions, but euer cause

Sy.
Good malice, so, as liberty so deere
Proue my reuenge: what I cannot possesse
Another shall not: thats some happines.

Exeunt the Cornets flourishing.

Scena tertia,

The Cornets a far off sounding a charge, A Souldier wounded at one dore, Enters at the other Sophonisba, two Pages before her with lightes, two women bearing vppe her traine.
Sol.
Princes O flie, Syphax hath lost the day,
And captiu'de lies, the Roman Legeons
Haue seisde the towne, and with inueterate hate,
Make slaues or murder all: Fier and steele,
Fury and night hold all: faire Queene O flie,
We bleede for Carthage, all of Carthage die.

Exit.
The Cornets sounding a March, Enter Pages with iauelings and Targets, Massinissa and Iugurth, Massinissas heauer shut.
Ma.
March to the Pallace.

So.
What ere man thou art
Of Libea, thy faire armes speake: giue hart,
To amazde weakenes, heare her, that for long time,
Hath seene no wished light. Sophonisba,
A name for misery much knowne, tis she,
Intreates of thy gracd sword, this onely boone,
Let me not kneele to Rome, for though no cause,
Of mine deserues their hate, though Massinissa,
Be ours to hart, yet Roman Generals
Make proud their triumphs, with what euer captiues
O tis a Nation which from soule I fearc,
As one well knowing the much grounded hate,
They beare to Asdrubal and Carthage bloud,
Therefore with teares that wash thy feet, with hands
Vnusde to beg I claspe thy manlie knees,
O saue me from their fetters and contempt,
Their proud insultes, and more then insolence,
Or if it rest not in thy grace of breath,
To grant such freedome, giue me long wishd death,
For tis not much loathde life, that now we craue,
Onely an vnshamd death, and silent graue
We will now daine to bend for.

Ma.
Rarity
Mas. disarmes his head.
By thee and this right hand thou shalt liue free.

So.
We cannot now be wretched.

Ma.
Stay the sword.
Let slaughter cease, Soundes soft as Ledas breast,
Soft Musique.
Slide through all eares, this night be loues high feast,

So.
O're whelme me not with sweetes, let me not drinke,
Till my breast burst, O Ioue thy Nectar, thinke

She sinkes into Massi. armes.
Ma.
She is orecome with ioy.

So.
Helpe, helpe to beare
Some happinesse yee powers, I haue ioy to spare,
Inough to make a God, O Massinissa.

Ma.
Peace,
A silent thinking makes full ioyes increase.

Enter Lelius.
Le.
Massinissa.

Ma.
Lelius.

Le.
Thine eare.

Ma.
Stand off

Le.
From Scipio thus: by thy late vow of faith,
And mutuall league of endles amity,
As thou respects his vertue or Romes force,
Deliuer Sophonisba to our hand,

Ma.
Sophonisba?

Le.
Sophonisba.

So.
My Lord,
Lookes pale, and from his halfe burst eyes a flame,
Of deepe disquiet breakes, the Gods turne false,
My sad presage.

Ma.
Sophonisba?

Le.
Euen she,

Ma.
Shee kilde not Scipios father nor his vnkle,
Great Cucius.

Le.
Carthage did.

Mas.
to her whats Carthage?

Le.
Know twas her father Asdrubal strooke off
His fathers head, giue place to faith and fate,

Ma.
Tis crosse to honor.

Le.
But tis iust to state,
So speaketh Scipio, doe not thou detaine,
A Roman prisoner, due to this great triumph,
As thou shalt answere Rome and him.

Ma.
Lelius.
We now are in Romes power, Lelius,
View Massinissa do, a loathed act,
Most sinking from that state his hart did keepe,
Looke Lelius looke, see Massinissa weepe,
Know I haue made a vow more deere to me,
Then my soules endles being: she shall rest,
Free from Romes bondage.

Le.
But dost thou forget,
Thy vow yet fresh thus breathd: When I desist:
To be commaunded by thy vertue: Scipio,
Or fall from friend of Rome, Reuenging Gods,
Afflict me with your torture.

Ma.
Lelius enough:
Salute the Roman, tell him wee will act
What shall amaze him.

Le.
Wilt thou yeeld her then?

Ma.
Shee shall ariue there straight.

Le.
Best fate of men,
To thee.

Ma.
and Scipio: Haue I liude O Heauens,
To be inforcedly perfidious?

So.
What vniust griefe afflicts my worthy Lord,

Ma.
Thanke me yee Gods, with much beholdingnes,
For marke, I doe not curse you:

So.
Tell mee sweet
The cause of thy much anguish.

Ma.
Ha, the cause?
Lett's see, wreath backe thine armes, bend down thy necke,
Practise base Praiers, make fit thy selfe for bondage,

So.
Bondage.

Ma.
Bondage, Roman bondage.

So.
No, No.

Ma.
How then haue I vowde well to Scipio?

So.
How then to Sophonisba?

Ma.
Right which way
Runne mad impossible distraction,

So.
Deere Lord thy patience; let it maze all power,
And list to her in whose sole heart it rests,
To keepe thy faith vpright.

Ma.
Wilt thou be slau'd,

So.
No free.

Ma.
How then keepe I my faith?

So.
My death,
Giu's helpe to all: From Rome so rest we free,
So brought to Scipio, faith is kept in thee.

Enter a Page with a bole of wine.
Ma.
Thou darst not die, some wine, thou darst not die.

So.
How neere was I vnto the curse of man, Ioye,
How like was I yet once to haue beene glad:
He that neere laught may with a constant face,
Contemne Ioues frowne. Happinesse makes vs base.
She takes a bole into which Mas. puts poison.
Behold me Massinissa, like thy selfe,
A king and souldier, and I preethee keepe,
My last command,

Ma.
Speake sweet.

So.
Deere doe not weepe
And now with vndismaid resolue behold,
To saue You, you, (for honor and iust faith.
Are most true Gods, which we should much adore)
With euen disdainefull vigour I giue vp,
An abhord life. She drinks.
You haue beene good to me,
And I doe thanke thee heauen, O my stars,
I blesse your goodnes, that with breast vnstaind,
Faith pure: a Virgin wife, try'de to my glory,
I die of female faith, the long liu'de story,
Secure from bondage, and all seruile harmes,
But more most happy in my husbands armes.

she sinks
Iug.
Massinissa, Massinissa,

Ma.
Couetous
Fame greedy Lady, could no scope of glory,
No reasonable proportion of goodnes
Fill thy great breast, but thou must proue immense
Incomprehence in vertue, what wouldst thou,
Not onely be admirde, but euen adorde?
O glory ripe for heauen? Sirs helpe, helpe, helpe,
Let vs to Scipio with what speed you can.
For piety make haste, whilst yet we are man.

Exeunt bearing Soph. in a chaire,
Cornets, A March, Enter Scipio in full state triumphalornamentes carried before him and Sy. bound at the other dore Lelius.
Sc.
What answers Massinissa will he send,
That Sophonisba of so mouing tongs

Le.
Full of dismaid vnsteddines he stood,
His right hand lookt in hers, which hand he gaue
As pledge from Rome, she euer should liue free
But when I entred, and well vrg'd this vow
And thy command his great hart sunke with shame:
His eyes lost spirite, and his heat of life,
Sanke from his face, as one that stood be numbde,
All mazde, t'effect, impossibilities,
For eyther vnto her or Scipio,
He must breake vow, long time he tossd his thoughts
And as you see a snow ball being rolde
At first a handfull, yet long bould about,
Infensibly acquires a mighty globe,
So his cold griefe through agitation growes,
And more he thinkes, the more of griefe he knowes
At last hee seemde to yeeld her.

Sy.
Marke Scipio,
Trust him that breaks a vow?

Sci.
How thē trust thee?

Sy.
O misdoubt him not, when hee's thy slaue like me

Enter Massinissa all in black,
Mas.
Scipio,

Sc.
Massinissa,

Ma.
Generall.

Sc.
King.

Mas.
Liu's there no mercy for one soule of Carthage
But must see basenes?

Sc.
Wouldst thou ioy thy peace,
Deliuer Sophonisba straight and cease,
Do not graspe that which is too hote to hold,
We grace thy griefe, and hold it with soft sense.
Inioy good courage, but voide insolence,
I tell thee Rome and Scipio daine to beare,
So low a breast as for her say, we feare.

Ma.
Do not, doe no tilet not the fright of Nations
Know so vile termes. Shee rests at thy dispose

Sy.
To my soule ioy, shall Sophonisba then
With me go bound and waite on Scipios wheele?
VVhen th'whole worlds giddy one man cānot reele,

Ma.
Starue thy leane hopes, and Romans now behold
A sight would sad the Gods? make Phæbus cold.
Orgaine and Recorders play to a single voice: Enter in the mean time the mournful solemnity of Massinissas presenting Sophon. body:
Looke Scipio, see what hard shift we make
To keepe our vowes; here, take I yeeld her thee,
And Sophonisba I keepe vow thou art still free.

Sy.
Burst my vext heart, the torture that most rackes
An enimie, is his foes royall actes.

Sc.
The glory of thy vertue liue for euer,
Braue heartes may be obscur'd, but extinct neuer.
Scipio adornes Massinissa.
Take from the Generall of Rome this crowne,
This roabe of triumph, and this conquests wreath
This scepter, and this hand for euer breath,
Romes very minion: Liue worth thy fame
As far from faintings as from now base name.

Ma.
Thou whom like sparkling steele the strokes of Chance
Made hard and firme; and like wild fier turnd
The more cold fate, more bright thy vertue burnd,
And in whole seas of miseries didst flame.
On thee lou'd creature of a deathlesse fame
Massinissa adornes Sophonisba.
Rest all my honour: O thou for whom I drinke
So deepe of greefe, that he must onely thinke,
Not dare to speake) that would expresse my woe,
Small riuers murmur, deepe gulfes silent flow,
My griefe is here, not here, heaue gently then,
Womens right wonder, and iust shame of men.

Cornets a short florish. Exeuntque, manet Ma.