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Scæna p[OMITTED]ma
Antiochus stoicque in philosophers habits. Chrysalus [(wt h a writing «&» pen«y»] Syrus. Geta. bondeme[OMITTED]Stoicque:
You are now in sight of Carthage, that greate Cittie
wch in Her empires vastnesse rivalls Rome
at her prowde height. two howers will bringe you thither.
make vse of what you haue learnde in your longe travayles,
and from the golden principles read to you
in th'Athenian Academie, stand resolude
for either fortune. you must now forget
the contemplations of a private man
and put in action that wch may complie
with the maiestie of a monarch.
Antiochus:
How that title,
that glorious attribute of maiestie
that troublesome, thowgh most trivmphant robe
designde mee in my birth, wch I haue worne
with terror, and astonishement to others
affrights mee now! o memorie! memorie!
of what I was once! when the easterne worlde
with wonder in my may of youth look'd on mee.
embassadors of the most potent kinges
with noble æmulation contendinge
to court my freindship, their faire daughters offer'd
as pledges to assure it with all pompe
and circumstance of glorie. Rome her selfe,
and Carthage æmulous, whose side I showlde
confirme in my protection. o remembrance
with what ingenious crueltie, and tortures
out of a due consideration of
my present, lowe, and desperate condition
4
[Hermit]
[stoicqe:]
you must oppose
(for soe the stoicque discipline comm̄andes you)
that wisdome, with your pacyence fortefi'd
wch holdes dominion over fate, against
the torrent of your passion.
Antiochus:
I showlde,
I doe confesse I shoulde yf I cowlde drincke vp
that river of forgetfullnesse Poets dreame of.
But still in dreadfull formes, (Philosophie wantinge
power to remoue 'em) all those innocent spirits
borroweinge againe their bodies gash'de with woundes
(wch strowde Achaias bloodie plaines, and made
rivoletts of gore) appeare to mee exactinge
a stricte accompte of my ambitious follye
for the exposinge of twelue thowsande soules
(whoe fell that fatall day) to certaine ruine.
neither the counsaile of the Persian kinge
prevaylinge with mee, nor the graue advice
of my wise enemie Marcus Scaurus hindringe
my desperate enterprise to late repented.
mee thinckes I now looke on my butcherd armie.
Stoicque:
this is meere melancholye.
Antiochus:
o 'tis more Sr
heere, there, and every where they doe pursue mee.
The Genivs of my cuntrie, made a slaue
like a weepinge mother seemes to kneele before mee
wringeinge her manacled handes; the hopefull youth,
and braverie of my kingedome in their pale,
and ghastlye lookes lamentinge that they were
to soone by my meanes forc'd from their sweete beeinge.
5
«th [OMITTED]»
trayn«e[OMITTED]n» all delights, or sacred to
the cha«ste» Dianas rites, compelde to bowe to
the souldiers [greedie] lusts, or at an outcrie solde
vnder the speare, like beasts, to be spurnde, and trod on
by their prowde mistrisses the Roman matrons.
o sr consyder [sir] then yf it can bee
in the constancie of a stoicque to indure
what now I suffer.
[Antiochus:] stoicque:
two and twentye yeares
travaylinge ore the worlde you haue pay'd the forfeite
of this ingagement, & [and] shed a sea of teares
in your sorrowe for it; and now beeinge call'd from
the rigour of a stricte philosophers life
by the cries of your poore cuntrie, you are bounde
with an obedient cheerefullnesse to follow
the path that you are enter'd in: wch will
guide you out of a wildernesse of horror
to the flourishinge plaines of safetie, the iust gods
smoothinge the way before you.
Antiochus:
thowgh I grant
that all impossibilities are easie
to their omnipotence, gieue mee leaue to feare
the more then doubtfull issue. can it fall
in the compasse of my hopes the lordlye Romans
soe longe possessde of Asia, [his] their plea
6
with their relligious authoritie
the propagation of the com̄on welth
to whose increase they are sworne to, will ere part with
a pray soe pretious, and deerelye purchasde.
A Tigresse circlde with her famishd whelpes
will sooner yeelde a lambe snatchde from the flocke
to the dumbe oratorie of the ewe
then Rome restore one foote of earth that may
diminishe her vast empire
Stoicque:
In her will
this may bee granted: but you haue a title
soe stronge, and cleare, that there's noe colour left
to varnishe Romes pretences. ad this sr.
the Asian princes warn'd by your example
and yet vnconque'rd, never will consent
that such a foule example of iniustice
shall to the scandall of the present age
hereafter bee recorded. they in this
are equallie ingag'd with you, and must
thowgh not in loue to iustice for their safetie
in policie assist, garde, and protecte you
and you may rest assur'd neither the kinge
of Parthia, the Gauls, nor big bonde Germans
nor this greate Carthage growne alreadie iealous
of Romes incrochinge empire will crie aime
to such an vsurpation, wch must
take from their owne securitie. besides
your mother was a Roman for her sake
and the famelies from wch shee is deriud
you must finde favour.
Antiochus:
for her sake alas sr
ambition knowes noe kinred, right, and lawfull
7
in the blacke booke of profit. I am suncke
to lowe to bee bouyde vp, it beeinge helde
a foolishe weakenesse, and disease in statists
in favour of a weakeman to provoke
such as are mightie; the imperious waues
«[OMITTED]f[OMITTED]» callamities [OMITTED]e alreadie sw«*»lne
[OMITTED]a will
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An[OMITTED]
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Chry[OMITTED]
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Get[OMITTED]
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Syru[OMITTED]
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Get[OMITTED]
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Syru[OMITTED]
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Geta[OMITTED]
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Chrysalus[OMITTED]
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w[OMITTED]
Syrus:
hau[OMITTED]
a k[OMITTED]
8
a ki[OMITTED]
alas[OMITTED]
[buri]
[buried—]all[OMITTED]
in tr[OMITTED]
to m«e»
this is [OMITTED]
Geta:
wee kn[OMITTED]
Chrysalus:
but wh[OMITTED]
to bee [OMITTED]
noe soon[OMITTED]
shall for«g[OMITTED]»
Hee's pr[OMITTED]
all that [OMITTED]
Syrus:, [Geta:-]
Humph. [OMITTED]
Chrysalus:
and wher [OMITTED]
your bu[OMITTED]
Geta:
I am in [OMITTED]
& feele my[OMITTED]
Chrysalus:
a bulls [pi][OMITTED]
when you [OMITTED]
make the cur[OMITTED]
Syrus:
what woulde y[OMITTED]
Geta:
or what doe yo[OMITTED]
Chrysalus:
to saue my se[OMITTED]
and what is m[OMITTED]
not one in supp[OMITTED]
bee wantinge s[OMITTED]
9
[OMITTED]more
[OMITTED][toicque.]
[OMITTED]y forth
[OMITTED]nd malice
[OMITTED]nde you
exit stoicque
[OMITTED]rms
[OMITTED]anishde!
[OMITTED]yrus.
[OMITTED]s mischief.
[OMITTED]y open
[OMITTED]e torne booke
10
[OMITTED]ore my head; the golde with wch
[OMITTED]ans furnish'd mee to supplie my wants
[OMITTED]made my first apparence like my selfe
[OMITTED] disloyall villaines ravishd from mee!
[OMITTED]ch that I was to tempt their abiect mindes
[OMITTED]h such a purchase. can I in this weede
[OMITTED]ithout gold to fee an advocate
[OMITTED] pleade my royall title nourishe hope
[OMITTED]f a recoverie? forlorne maiestie
wantinge the outward glosse, and cerimonie
to gieue it lustre, meetes noe more respecte
then knowledge with the ignorant. Ha! what is
containde in this wast paper? 'tis indor'sde
reads:—
to the noe kinge Antiochus. and subscribde
noe more thy servant but superior. Chrysalus.
what am I falne to? there is somethinge writ more.
why this small peece of silver? what I read may
reads:—
reveale the misterie—forget thow wert ever
calld kinge Antiochus, with this charitie
I enter thee a begger—to towgh Heart
will nothinge breake thee? o that now I stood
on some high Pyramid from whence I might
bee seene by the whole worlde, & with a voice
lowder then thunder, pierce the eares of prowd,
and secure greatenesse with the trewe relation
of my remarkeable storie, that my fall
might not bee fruitlesse, but still liue the greate
example of mans frayletie. I that was
borne, and bred vp a kinge, whose frowne, or smile
11
environde with an armie; now exposde
to the contempt, and scorne of my owne slaue
whoe in his pride, as a god compar'd with mee
bids mee become a begger. but complaynts
are weake, and womanishe. I will like a palme tree
growe vnder my huge waight: nor shall the feare
of death, or torture, that deiection bringe
to make me liue, or dye, lesse then a kinge.
exit.
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