University of Virginia Library

Act. 5.

Sce. 1.

5t h Appearance, A Castle.
Atossa, Mandane, Ariene, with divers other women in warlike habits, discover'd on the Castle walls, with Cratander fully seated in the midst.
Crat.
Most vertuous Queen, you make me search my self,
To find the worth which you do so far prize;
As thus to hazard for one man, whose life
Is under value, that which others would not
For a whole Kingdome, Reputation.

Atos.
Where Goodness is to suffer, I would willingly
Become the Sacrifice my selfe to free it.

Crat.
Had great Arsamnes beene in danger, had
Your whole Line beene in jeopardy of ruine,
You could have done no more; Your pity hath
Thrust you into Heroick Actions, farre
Beyond the eager Valour of try'd Captaines;
Which I can never worthily admire,
When I consider your reward will only
Be, to be rank'd in story with a Slave.

Atos.
I do't not to the Man, but to the Vertue.
The deed's reward enough unto it selfe.

Crat.
'Twould be a peece of exemplary Ingratitude,
To bring you into any danger hence:
You're safe as in your Court; your Subjects shall not
Run any doubtfull hazard, in the Chance
Of an uncertaine Battle: their first step
Shall be Victorious: and when your Eloquence,
Guarded with Beauty, shall procure the freedome
Of our Enthralled City, the Ephesians
Shall know a Goddesse greater than their owne,
And you depose our magnify'd Diana;
Having Shrines in every Breast out-shining hers.
As for my selfe, I shall live still in those
Good benefits my Country shall receive.
This day instating me in Immortality:
While raising thus our City by my fall,
I shall goe downe a welcome shade, and dwell
Among the Ancient Fathers of my Country.

Atos.
Leave the Conditions to me: but peace;
Expect me quietly a while, they come.

Sce. 2.

To them below Arsamnes, Hydarnes, Orontes, Praxaspes, Masistes, and others in warlike habits.
Prax.
Can you containe Sir? looke how proudly hee
Sits in the midst, hemm'd in on every side
With Beauties, which his wheeling eye runs o're
All in a Minute.

Mas.
Here's a delicacy
That ne're was practis'd by a Captive yet,
Nor heard of since the Custome first began,
That Conquer'd Slaves should personate their King.

Arsam.
The Luxury and Ryot of arm'd Love!
O that mine eyes could dart forth peircing Lightning!
That I could shoot some quicke invisible Plague
Into his boyling marrow. Hee is seated
So, that a Dart or Arrow cannot reach him,
Without the danger of a Persian breast,
Worth all his Nation. But why name I worth,
Where I see so much Infamy? O Atossa!
Is this your amity to Vertue? this
The Pity that you lend afflicted goodnesse?
There's worke enough now for my sword, although
The Enemy approach not. Credulous woman,
Descend, Arsamnes calls thee; if he be
A Name regarded when Cratander's by.

Atos.
Most vertuous Sir, you may expect perhaps
Atossa's breast growne strange, and wrested from
Her wonted faith; but witnesse O thou Sun,
Whom with a pious eye I now behold,
That I have neither try'd t'unty, or loosen
That sacred knot: but what I've condescended
To ayde thus farre, is only a faire likenesse
Of something that I love in you.

Arsam.
If then
Your Loyalty be still intire to me,
Shew it, and yeeld Cratander up to us.

Atos.
As his designes are honourable, so
Are our intents, with which there needes must stand
A resolutenesse: it cannot be Vertue,
Unles't be constant too. Th'approach o'th' Enemy
Forbids me to say more: On to your Victory,
Your wonted art to Conquer; they're the Reliques
Of a few scatter'd troopes, the fragments of
The last meale that your swords made; on, and when
You have subdu'd them wholly, we will plant
Fresh Bayes upon your browes, and seale unto you
A peace, as everlasting as our Loves.

Sould.
within.
Arme, arme, arme, arme.

Ex. Arsam. Lords, &c. as to the Battle.
Omn.
Mithra and Victory.

Atos.
Let us be resolute now my Ladyes, and
At their returne shew them that they have something
Left yet to Conquer; Breasts, that are not shaken
With their loud noyse of Trumpets. See, they're comming:
This was a Race, no Battle; Let's prepare.

Sce. 3.

To them below Arsamnes, &c. as from the Chase.
Arsam.
What? fly upon the sight of us? to'appeare
Was here to overcome, a looke hath done
The businesse of the sword; your feares may sleepe
Securely now; Open the Castle gates.

Atos.
But you must grant us some Conditions first.

Arsam.
Must we be Articled with by our women?
What is't an't please the Gods, that you require?

Atos.
Cratanders life.

Crat.
It is not in your Pow'r
To grant it great Arsamnes: your Queene speakes
Out of a tender pitty to no purpose.

Atos.
Heare me Arsamnes: whom the raging sword
Hath spar'd, why should the peaceable destroy?
All hate's not ended in the field, I see:
There's something still more cruell after warre.

Arsam.
Alas! you know not what you aske, the Gods
Permit not that he live; he falls to them.

Crat.
You must not heare her, Sir, against the Gods,
Who now expect their solemne Feast and Banquet.

Atos.
If they are Gods, Pitty's a Banquet to 'em.
When e're the Innocent and Vertuous
Doth escape death, then is their Festivall.
Nectar ne're flowes more largely, then when bloud's
Not spilt, that should be sav'd. Do y'thinke the smoake
Of humane Entralls is a steame that can
Delight the Deities? Who e're did burne,
The Building to the honour of the Architect?
Or breake the Tablet in the Painters prayse?
'Tis Mercy is the Sacrifice they like.

Crat.
Let not Affection call a Curse upon you,
While you permit it to take place of your
Religion.

Arsam.
See, he will not live Atossa;
To doe the unwilling man a courtesie
Is but a specious Tyranny.

Atos.
Alas!
He would be neare the Gods, he would leave us.
You must not, shall not kill him, my Arsamnes.
Speake Ariene, call to him Mandane.

Arie.
You owe him, Sir, the honour of your Court;
Slaves had defil'd our Husbands beds, and we
Brought forth a Race of unlike Children, to
Blemish your Realme, and us; when now by him
Wee're all preserv'd immaculate and spotlesse,
As tender Votaries.

Mand.
Consider next,
No heated rage hath snatch'd a sacred Goblet
From any Altar, to profane it with
The streames of bold intemperance; no cryes
Of Virgins came unto your Eares; you've liv'd
This while as safe, as if you had beene guarded
By the revengefull Thunder.

Arsam.
I may not
Afflict him with a Court'sie; it can't be
A Guift, that he must be compell'd to take.

Crat.
'Tis the best time to fall, when there are most
Requests made for our preservation.
Though, great Atossa, I could wish that your
Blest Pray'rs were spent in gaining a good peace
For hopefull Ephesus. The Gods that doe
Require my ruine, would accept their safety.

Arsam.
He durst not be so bold, unlesse h'were Innocent.

Atos.
Will you be so ungratefull then, Cratander,
As after all to cast away your selfe?
Forbid him good Arsamnes, by these Teares
I aske you:—but I am too womanish.

Oron.
Your Majestie is not Rock: you had a Nurse
That was no Tyger; looke but up upon her.

Hyd.
Can you deny ought, when the Soule is powr'd
Out at the eyes in a Petition?

Arsam.
Cratander, live; we doe command thee, Live.

Crat.
Beare witnesse ô yee Gods, that I doe suffer
This as his Servant too. And yee the Soules
Of my deceased Country-men, who fell
In the last Battle, if there yet be sense
In the forgetfull Urne, know that it was
No stratagem of mine to be detayn'd
Thus long from your Society. Now to you,
Arsamnes: Good Kings equall those in Lawes
Whom they have overcome in war; and to
The Valiant, that chiefe part of good, to which
We all are borne, sweet Liberty, is pleasing
Ev'n in the Enemy. Your Queene, and others
Her Ladyes here, with the most beautifull
Part of your Royall Court, are in my pow'r.
But farre be't from me t'injure but the meanest:
Only one life I'm so much Master of,
(Since you have put it in my Pow'r) that I
Must give it backe againe, if it must be
Beyond the Ephesian safety: the Altar comes
More welcome than the Throne, if this shall bring
Freedome to me, and Slav'ry to my City.

Atos.
Here I must dwell, Arsamnes, ty'd by great
And solemne Vowes, (our Gods do now require it)
Till you shall grant that the Ephesians may
Still freely use their antient Customes, changing
Neither their Rites nor Lawes, yet still reserving
This honest Pow'r unto your Royall selfe,
To command only what the free are wont
To undergoe with gladnesse. I presume
You scorne to have them subject as your owne,
And vile as strangers, Tyrants conquer thus.

Arsam.
It is a time of Mercy; you have only
Call'd forth those Favours which were freely comming.
These generous thoughts have added to our Conquest.
It is no Victory, that's got upon
The sluggish, and the abject. Descend then;
And when wee've joyn'd our hands, as Pledges of
Our hearts combining so, let us returne
To th'Celebration of an equall Triumph,
In an united marriage of our joyes.

Crat.
There I confesse a Conquest, where I finde
He that subdu'd my body, gaines my minde.

[Ex. Arsam. and Lords, as to the Ladyes.

Sce. 4.

Molops, Philotas, Stratocles, Leocrates, Archippus.
Mol.

Nay, remember you kick'd me Gentlemen.

Arch.

Faith Landlord Molops, I'd have
sworne thou hadst beene of a better Nature, than to remember
Pot-quarrels.

By my troth I should have kick'd my Father in that humour.

Mol.

Well you collogue now: say I should present you to
Arsamnes and Cratander, what would you doe?

Leoc.

Only welcome their returne with a Dance, that so
we might friske into Liberty.

Mol.

Yes, and kicke me againe.

Str.

Dost thou thinke we are Rogues and Villaines?

Mol.

Well, with all my heart, but upon this Condition.
that you unty neither Leg, nor Arme; you know Cratanders
charge.

Phil.

Dost thou thinke wee'd bring thee into any danger?
We have study'd the Figure, and the Measure already.

Mol.

You must let the two old women dance with you.

Phil.

Who, the two whores that Cratander committed?

Mol.

The very same. They are wondrous sutable now:
for you must know, that when such slippery Eeles doe come
under my fingers, the first thing that I doe, is to strip 'em and
to put 'em into other cases. You'le make a most perfect
Gobline's Masque among you.

Str.

Why? they will fall in peeces, If they stirre but any

thing violently.

Mol.

No matter for falling in peeces; I'le pawne my word
to you, they shall not sweat.

Leoc.

Any thing, good honest Molops, we are content.

Mol.

You, within there, Polecats; do y'heare? I have
procur'd so much of the Gentlemen, hold your breaths be
sure, and remember you doe not drowne the Musicke with
your Coughing.

[Exeunt.

Sce. 5.

6t h Appearance, the Court againe.
Arsamnes, Cratander, Atossa, Lords and Ladyes as Victorious; to them after a while Molops.
Ars.
Whiles thus we're joyn'd we are too hard for fortune,
Scarce Heav'n it selfe can hurt us, for it will not.
There's no care now remaining, but t'invent
New pleasures. Let the houres wheele swiftly away
In sports and Dances. Then we pay the Gods
Best thankes, when we doe shew most sense of joy.

To them Molops.
Mol.

I have an humble suit to your Majesty in the behalfe
of some distressed people.

Arsam.

Let's heare't: what is't?

Mol.

There are halfe a dozen of sinners at the doore,
foure of them are the Captives which your Majesty refus'd:
two of 'em are of another Sexe, but would willingly joyne
with 'em, and present you with a Dance, in congratulation
of your happinesse.

Arsam.
Goe, bring 'em in, let Prisons this day know
The joyes of Palaces. We will receive
[Ex. Mol.
All the delights the world can yeeld us. Hearke.

The foure Slaves as they were sent to Prison, and the two whores are presented by Molops. They dance in their Cripple Postures.
Atos.
I hope your Majesty will not deny
To grace a Company of younger Ladyes,
With the like favourable eye.

Arsam.
The Ladyes in a solemne march, present themselves all in war-like habits, and dance: the whole Dance expressing these verses of Claudian.

Arsam.
I see that Sardis hath it's Amazons:
An Army of these would subdue the world.

Sce. 6.

To them 1. Priest.
1. Priest.
The fire is fully kindled, and the people
All in their festivall attire; there wants
Only the Sacrifice, and your selfe to kill it.

Arsam.
The voyce of Ravens in the dead of night
Conveighs not harsher notes into mine eares.
I've pardon'd him.

1. Priest.
You cannot, unlesse you
Will be more impious in preserving him,
Than you were valorous in conquering.

Arsam.
Will not the Gods receive an Hecatombe
Of Oxen in exchange? may we not finde
The Destiny's in Beasts entralls? we will choake
The fire with weighty lumps of richer gummes,
And send perfum'd clouds up into their seates
In one continued thankefulnesse, if that
They'le spare this humane Sacrifice.

1. Priest.
To promise
The fairest Captive, and redeeme him with
A Beast, or Teare of some relenting Tree,
Is not to worship, but delude.

Arsam.
Cratander,
The Gods recall my courtesy; I stand
Doubly ingag'd, to Heav'n, and to thee;
But thou canst easier pardon; for I know
Thy Vertue's such, that thou hadst rather suffer
Thy selfe, than Heav'n should be violated.
Being then this sword must cut thy pretious thread,
If Statues may preserve thee, and thou thinkst it
A life to florish in faire memory,
I'le people all my Kingdome with thy Images,
To which they shall pay vowes, as to those Gods
Who now require thy company.

Atos.
Yee Powers,
Why are you growne thus cruell unto Vertue?
'T will be a wish hereafter to be foule.
I cannot see him die, and live my selfe.
Pray you defer his death a while, don't post him
Away; perhaps the Gods may spare him yet.

Crat.
I know that divers mindes are here contain'd
Under one silence, all expecting how
I'le beare this sudden accident. T'accuse
Or Gods, or Men's, the part of him that would
Live longer. If I looke on the desires
Of some here, whensoever I shall fall,
I shall be thought t'have liv'd too little: if
On the Actions I have done, I've liv'd enough:
If on the injuries of Fortune, too much:
If on mine honour, and my fame, I shall
Live still; he gaines by death that doth die prays'd.
Others have longer kept an Empire, but
None better left it. To speake more, were but
A sluggard's Policy, to defer his suffrings.
On to the Altar.

Arsam.
Art thou willing too?
Curs'd be my Victory! and thou my Sword
Be never henceforth happy, if there be
Another Sacrifice to fall like this.
Witnesse yee Gods, how I unwilling pay
My vowes in kinde. Most vertuous Cratander,
(Worthy of Heav'n, but yet to tarry longer,
And make Earth happy by thy presence,) looke;
These teares I pay thee as a sad farewell.
I feele the blow my selfe that I must give thee.

Crat.
These teares doe neither befit you to pay,
Nor me to take; be then Arsamnes, on.

Arsam.
I feele a numnesse seize me; I am stone;
I shall not lift mine arme against thee. Sure
The Gods desire it not.

[Exeunt.

Sce. 7.

7t h Appearance, the Temple again discover'd an Altar, and one busie placing fire thereon.
Enter Molops bearing the Sagar, then the 4 Slaves, 2 by 2; next the 4 Lords, then 4 Priests; after them Cratander alone, then the King and Queene, next Mandane and Ariene, last the Masquers: they all solemnely goe round the Stage, and having placed themselves, Cratander standing by the Altar, a Priest singes the first song.
1. Priest.
Thou ô bright Sun who seest all,
Looke downe upon our Captives fall.
Never was purer Sacrifice:
'Tis not a Man, but Vertue dyes.

Cho.
While thus we pay our thankes, propitious be;
And grant us either Peace or Victory.

After the Song, Molops delivers the Sagar to Arsamnes, and Cratander kneeles downe at the Altar; then another Priest sings the second Song.
2. Priest.
But thou ô Sun mayst set, and then
In brightnesse rise next morne agen.
He, when he shall once leave this light,
Will make and have eternall night.

Cho.
Good deedes may passe for Sacrifice, ô than
Accept the Vertues, and give backe the Man.

8t h Appearance, the Sun eclipsed, and a showre of raine dashing out the fire.
Whiles the last Chorus is singing, the Sunne appeares eclipsed, &c. After the Song Arsamnes prepares to give the stroke, but is interrupted by the Priest.
2. Priest.
Hold, hold Arsamnes;
Heav'n is not pleased with your Sacrifice.
The glorious Sun hath veyl'd his face in clouds
Not willing to behold it, and the skyes
Have shed such numerous teares, as have put out
The fire though fully kindled.

Atos.
Thou hast now,
The voyce and visage of the Gods, good Priest.
The Heav'ns were never more serene. The Gods
Have justify'd my care, Cratander.

Arsam.
Happy newes,
Death sends thee backe unto us; this comes not
From any humane pow'r; 'tis not my hand
That spares thee, blest Cratander, 'tis some God,
Some God reserves thee unto greater workes
For us, and for thy Country.

Crat.
Being then
You so interpret it, I'le thus divide
That life they lend me, one halfe shall be yours,
The other Ephesus's, that mine Actions
Wearing both Gratitude and Piety,
Like to some well wrought Picture, may at once
Behold both you, and that. 'T shall ne're be said,
The Gods reserv'd Cratander to a crime,
To make him fall more foule.

Arsam.
Thy faith hath beene
So firme and try'd, thy moderation
So stayd, that in a just reward I must
My selfe conduct thee into Greece, and there
Continue thee a King; that what was meant
For sport and mirth, may prove a serious honour;
And thy Three Dayes passe o're into a long
And happy government; to be rul'd by thee
Will be as freedome to them; 'twill not be
Accounted slavery to admit a Prince
Chosen from out themselves: thy Vertues there
May shine, as in their proper Spheare. Let others
When they make warre, have this ignoble end
To gaine 'em Slaves, Arsamnes gaines a Friend.