University of Virginia Library

Scena quarta.

Carino, Montano, Nicandro, Mirtillo, Chorus of Shepherds.
Car.
Did ever man so many houses view,
And the inhabitants thereof so few?
But see the cause! If I mistake me not,
They're gotten all together here: O what
A troop! how rich! how solemn! It is sure
Some Sacrifice.

Mont.
Give me the golden Ewre
With the red wine, Nicandro.

Nic.
There.

Mont.
So may
Soft pity in thy brest revive to day
By this unguilty blood (Goddesse divine)
As by the sprinkling of these drops of wine
This pale and dying flame revives. Set up
The golden Ewre. Reach mee the silver cup.
So may the burning wrath he quencht, which in
Thy brest was kindled by a false Maid's sinne,
As with this water (powr'd out like our tears)
I quench this flame.

Car.
'T's a Sacrifice: but where's
The offering?

Mont.
Now all's prepar'd, there lacks
Onely the fatall stroak. Lend me the Axe.

Car.
I see a thing (unlesse my eyes mistake)
Like a man kneeling this way with his back.
Is he the offering? 'Tis so: Ah wretch!
And o're his head the Priest his hand doth stretch.
O my poor Country! after all these years
Is not Heav'ns wrath yet quencht with blood and tears?

Ch.Sh.
Sol's Sister, Daughter of great Jupiter,
That shin'st a second Sun in the first Sphere
To the blind world!

Mont.
Revengefull Goddesse, who a private fault
With publick rod dost punish: (Thou hast thought
Fit so to doe, and so in the Abysse
Of Providence eternall fixt it is)
Since faithlesse Lucrin's tainted blood was thought
For thy nice Justice too impure a draught:
Carouse the guiltlesse blood then of this Swain,
By me now at thy Altar to be slain
A willing Sacrifice, and to his Lasse
As true a Lover as Aminta was.

Ch.Sh.
Sol's Sister, Daughter of great Jupiter,
That shin'st a second Sun in the first Sphere
To the blind world!

Mont.
Ah, how my brest with pity now relents!
What sudden numnesse fetters every sense!
I ne're was so before; To lift this Axe
My hands lack strength, and my heart courage lacks.

Car.
I'le see the wretches face, and so be gone:
For such dire sights I cannot look upon.

Mont.
Perhaps the Sun, though setting will not look
On humane Sacrifice, and I am strook
Therefore with horrour. Shepherd, change thy place,
And to the Mountain turn thy dying face.
So, now 'tis well.

(Car.
Alas, what gaze I at?
Is't not my Son? Is't not Mirtillo, that?)

Mon.
Now I can do't.

(Car.
'Tis he.)

Mon.
And aim my blow—

Car.
Hold sacred Minister, what dost thou do?

Mont.
Nay thou, profane rash man, how dar'st thou thus
Impose a sacrilegious hand on us?

Car.
O all my joy Mirtillo! I ne're thought—

Mon.
(Avant old man, that dot'st, or art distraught,)

Car.
T'imbrace thee in this sort.

Mont.
Avant, I say
It is not lawfull impure hands to lay
Upon things sacred to the gods.

Car.
'Twas they
That sent me to this place.

Mont.
Nicandro, stay,
We'l hear him, and then let him go his way.

Car.
Ah, courteous Minister! before thy hand
Upon the life of this young man descend,
Tell me but why he dyes. This I implore
By that Divinitie thou dost adore.

Mon.
By such a Goddesse thou conjur'st me, that
I should be impious to deny. But what
Concerns it thee?

Car.
More then thou dost suppose.

Mon.
Because to die he for another chose.

Car.
Then I will die for him: O, take in stead
Of his, this old already tott'ring head.

Mon.
Thou rav'st friend.

Car.
Why am I deni'd that now
Which unto him was granted?

Mon.
Because thou
A stranger art.

Car.
And if I should prove none,
What then?

Mon.
Although thou shouldst, it were all one;
Because he cannot be exchang'd again
Who for another in exchange was ta'ne.
But who art thou, if thou no stranger be?
Thy habit speaks thee not of Arcadie.

Car.
Yet am I an Arcadian.

Mont.
I did ne're
See thee before (to my remembrance) here.

Car.
My name's Carino; I was born hard by:
(This wretche's Father who is now to die)

Mont.
Hence, hence, lest through thy fond paternal love
Our Sacrifice should vain and fruitlesse prove.

Car.
O if thou wert a Father!

Mont.
I am one:
I, and the Father of an onely Son.
A tender Father too; yet if this were
My Silvio's head (by Silvio's head I swear)
I would as forward be to do to his
What I must do to this. “For no man is
“Worthy this sacred Robe, but he that can
“For publick good put off the private man.

Car.
Yet let me kisse him 'ere he die.

Mon.
Nor touch.

Car.
O mine own flesh and blood! art thou so much
A tyrant to me too, as to afford
To thy afflicted Parent not one word?

Mir.
Dear Father, Peace.

(Mon.
Alas! we are all spoild:
The sacrifice (O Heavens!) is defil'd.)

Mir.
That blood, that life which thou didst give to me,
Spent for a better cause can never be.

Mont.
Did I not say his vow of silence hee
Would break, when he his Fathers tears should see?

Mirt.
That such a grosse mistake I should commit!
My vow of silence I did quite forgit.

Mon.
But Ministers, why do yee gazing stay?
Him to the Temple quickly reconvay.
There in the holy Cloister again take
The voluntary Oath of him: then back
Returning him with pomp along with you
For a new Sacrifice bring all things new,
New fire, and new water, and new wine.
Quickly: for Phœbus doth apace decline.