 | The Roman Actor |  |
To his deare Friend the Author.
I am no great admirer of the Playes,Poets, or Actors, that are now adayes:
Yet in this Worke of thine me thinkes I see
Sufficient reason for Idolatrie.
Each line thou hast taught Ceasar is, as high
As Hee could speake, when groueling Flatterie,
And His owne pride (forgetting Heavens rod)
By His Edicts stil'd himselfe great Lord and God.
By thee againe the Lawrell crownes His Head;
And thus reviu'd, who can affirme him dead?
Such power lyes in this loftie straine as can
Giue Swords, and legions to Domitian.
And when thy Paris pleades in the defence
Of Actors, every grace, and excellence
Of Argument for that subject, are by Thee
Contracted in a sweete Epitome.
Nor doe thy Women the tyr'd Hearers vexe,
With language no way proper to their sexe.
Iust like a cunning Painter thou lets fall
Copies more faire then the Originall.
I'll adde but this. From all the moderne Playes
The Stage hath lately borne, this winnes the Bayes.
And if it come to tryall boldly looke
To carrie it cleere, Thy witnesse being thy Booke.
T. I.
| The Roman Actor | |