University of Virginia Library

Scena tertia.

Chorus, Ergasto.
Cho.
Have ye heard Shepherds that our Demy-God
(Montano's and Alcides worthy blood)
This day hath freed us from that dreadfull beast
Which all Arcadia lately did infest?
And that he is preparing himself now
I'th'Temple for it to perform his vow?
If for so great a benefit wee'd show
Our gratitude, to meet him let us go,
And joyn our tongues and hearts together there,
To honour him as our Deliverer.
“Which honour, though it be reward too small
“For such a fair and valiant soul; 'tis all
“Vertue can have on earth.

Erg.
O sad disaster!
O bitter chance! O wound that hath no plaister!
O day to be for ever steep'd in tears!

Cho.
What dolefull voice is this that strikes our ears?

Erg.
Starres, that are enemies to man alwayes,
Why do you mock our faith? why do you raise
Our hope on high, that when it falls again
The precipice may be with greater pain?

Cho.
Ergasto by his voice; and it is hee.

Erg.
But why do I accuse Heav'n wrongfully?
Accuse thy self Ergasto: Thou alone,
Thou, thou against the steel didst knock the stone;
Thou layd'st the match unto the tinder; whence
A flame unquenchable is kindled since.
But Heav'n doth know, I for the best did do it,
And pitie onely did induce me to it.
O ill starr'd Lovers! wretched Titiro!
Poor Amarillis! childlesse Father! O
Mourning Montano! O Arcadia gone
In a consumption far! and we undone!
In short, most sad, all I have seen! or see!
Or speak! or hear! or think!

Cho.
What may this be
(Alas!) that in one accident alone
Includes a generall desolation?
This way hee bends his course, let us go meet
Him (swains).

Erg.
Eternall Gods! is it not yet
Time to abate your wrath?

Cho.
Unfold to us
(Courteous Ergasto) what afflicts thee thus.
What dost thou moane?

Erg.
Your ruine and mine own:
The ruine of Arcadia I moane.

Cho.
Alas! why so?

Erg.
The very staffe, the stay
Of all our hope is broke, is pull'd away.

Cho.
Speak plainer.

Erg.
Titiro's daughter, that sole prop
Of her old House, and Father, the sole hope
Of our deliverance, promis'd here below,
Above decreed to marry Silvio,
As th'onely means that should Arcadia save;
That Heav'nly Maid, so sober, and so grave,
That President of honour (crown'd with Lillies
Of chastitie) that peerlesse Amarillis;
Shee, she (alas! I have no heart, no breath
To tell it you).

Cho.
Is dead?

Erg.
Is neer her death.

Cho.
Alas! what have we heard?

Erg.
Nothing as yet:
She dies a malefactresse: That, That's it.

Cho.
A malefactresse Amarillis? how
Ergasto?

Erg.
Caught with an Adult'rer now.
And, if ye stay a little longer here,
Led pinion'd to the Temple ye shall see her.

Cho.
“O female structures, glorious and most fair,
“But weak withall! O chastitie, how rare
Art thou! and shall it then be truly taxt,
No woman's chast but shee that ne're was akst?

Erg.
Indeed, when she that's vertue's self doth fall,
We well may doubt the vertue of them all.

Cho.
Pray, if it will not too much trouble be,
Tell the whole story to these swains and me.

Erg.
I will: The Priest early to day (ye know)
Did with this wretched Nymph's sad Father go
Unto the sacred Temple; with one care
Both moved, to facilitate with pray'r
Their childrens desired marriage. For this end
At once their incense did to heav'n ascend,
At once their offrings bled, their sacrifice
At once was done with due solemnities,
And such glad auspice, that no entrails e're
Were fairer seen, no flame was more sincere,
And lesse ecclips'd with smoke: mov'd with such signes,
Thus the blind prophet speaks, and thus divines;
This day (Montano) shall thy Silvio love:
Thy Daughter (Titiro) a wife shall prove:
Go and prepare the Marriage. O absurd,
And vain depending on an Augur's word!
And thou as blind in soul, as in thy eyes!
If thou hadst said, Prepare her Obsequies,
Then a true Prophet thou hadst prov'd indeed.
Yet all the standers by were comforted,
And the old Fathers wept for joy apace,
And Titiro was parted from the place.
When in the Temple suddenly were heard
Sinister omens, and dire signes appear'd
Boading Heav'ns wrath. At which (alas!) if each
Stood there astonisht and berest of speech
After so fair beginnings, Friends, judge you.
Mean while the Priests themselves alone withdrew
Into an inner room: and whilst they there
And we without intent in praying were,
Devout and weeping; puffing through the presse
The curled Satyr (loe!) demands accesse
Unto the Priests. I (Porter of that place)
Admit him: Hee then (O he has a face
To bring ill news!) cry'd; Fathers, if your Pray'r
Find not the Gods, your vows and incense are
Not acceptable, and your sacrifice;
If from your altars an impure flame rise,
Think it not strange, that likewise is impure
Which is committing now hard by your door,
In Ericina's cave: a false Nymph there
Is breaking with a base adulterer
Your lawes, and her own faith. Send with me now
Your Ministers, and I will shew them how
I'th'act to take 'em. Then (O humane mind,
When thy Fate's neer, how dull thou art! how blind!)
The good Priests breath'd: supposing 'twas no more
But remove them, and Heaven would as before
Look on their sacrifice beni'nely. Thereupon
they order their chief Minister
Nicandro presently to take that guide,
And bring both Lovers to the Temple ty'd:
With all his under-ministers he goes,
Pursuing that vile Satyr through a close
And crooked way into the cave. The Maid,
Strook with their torches sudden light, assay'd
From where she was to run out of the door,
Which that base dog had stopt (it seems) before.

Cho.
And what did he the while?

Erg.
He went his waies
When he had led Nicandro to the place.
But (friends) I cannot tell the generall
Astonishment that fell upon us all,
When it the Daughter prov'd of Titiro:
Who taken, in a trice (I do not know
Out of what place) forth bold Mirtillo flew,
And a sharp dart which he was arm'd with threw
Like lightning at Nicandro: which, if it
The place that it was aimed at had hit,
Had sent him to the shades: But (whether I
May call it Fortune, or agility)
At the same instant the one aim'd his blow,
The other stept a little backward; so
The mortall steel past by, leaving his brest
Untoucht, and in his coat of skins did rest,
Into the which (I know not how) 'twas wove
So intricately, that Mirtillo strove
In vain to pull it out; and so he too
Was taken.

Cho.
And with him what did they do?

Erg.
He to the Temple by himself was brought.

Cho.
For what?

Erg.
To try if he'd discover ought
Touching the fact in question. Perhaps too
Th'affront he in their Minister did do
Unto the priestly majesty might some
Penance deserve. Would yet I might have come
To comfort my poor friend!

Cho.
What hindred thee?

Erg.
The waiters at the altar may not be
Admitted to delinquents: therefore I
Sequesterd from the other company,
Go by my self unto the Temple; where
With many a prayer and devouter tear
I'le beg of Heaven that it would chase away
This sullen storm that overclouds our day.
Deer Shepherds rest in peace, and joyn with ours
Your pray'rs, to batter the celestiall towers.

Cho.
We will, when we have paid to Silvio
That duty first we to his goodnesse owe.
O ye great Gods! now, now, if ever, prove
Your anger lesse eternall then your love.