 | The Tragedie of Cleopatra Queen of Aegypt |  |
Actus Secundus.
Antonius, Sossius, Domitius, Canidius, Titius, Plancus, Ventidius.AN.
Tis not the place, nor marble wals that make
A Senate lawfull, or decrees of power,
But convocation of the men themselves
The sacred order by true Magistrates.
Then Rome is here; here both her Consuls are,
Here are her axes, and her fasces born,
And no small number of that sacred order
Are here assisting, when the barbarous Gaules
Had taken Rome, when all the Senate fled,
And with Camillus their Dictator then
As now in Ægypt. Fathers, know the face,
Of your assembly, know your lawfull power.
Consult, decree, and act what ere may be
Happy, and prosperous for the Common-wealth.
SOS.
Whilst power of laws, whilst reverence of the Senate,
And due respect t'a Consuls dignity
Could give protection to the Consuls persons
We did maintain thy cause Antonius
Against proud Cæsars faction. Now since laws
Are put to silence, and the Senate forc'd,
The Consuls sacred priviledge infring'd
By rage and lawlesse armes, we are expell'd,
And suffer banishment to be restor'd,
And re-indeniz'd by thy conquering sword.
Now justly draw it. Fate approves thy cause,
And on thy conquest sets a glorious prize,
Greater then all thy former wars could give.
Sextus Pompeius, Marcus Lepidus
Are ruin'd both, and all competitors
Are tane away; Fortune has left but one
To share the world, with thee; nor canst thou share
The world with him, his pride would barre thy right,
And Cæsar's glory dim Antonius light.
Thou canst not shine unlesse alone thou shine.
Or all the world, or nothing must be thine.
DOM.
The Consulship, that was design'd to thee,
The Senate have revoked, and decree
'Gainst Cleopatra warre, but meant 'gainst thee.
What would their malice dare Antonius,
Had Fortune frown'd, thy Kings and Provinces
Revolted from thee, that dare now ptovoke
Thy growing fortunes and assisting Gods?
Their injury has made thy quarrell just.
SOS.
Cæsar is needy; his Italian souldiers
Are apt to mutiny for want of pay,
And might with ease be tempted to revolt.
CAN.
We need them not; our strengths are greater farre
Then Cæsar's are; our præparations readier.
Nought but delay can question our successe.
Shall we decree the warre?
AN.
Stay noble Romans;
Before we publish a Decree, or shew
The reason our arms so justly tane;
Weigh but with me the means and strength we have.
Know worthy friends it is no desperate warre
Your valours are engag'd in; briefly thus:
Our Roman strength is nineteen Legions.
Ten Kings in person will attend our Camp,
The Kings of Africk, Comagena, Thrace,
Upper Cilicia, Paphlagonia,
Of Cappadocia, Pontus, Palæstine,
Of rich Arabia, and Galatia.
But strength at Sea five hundred fighting ships
Well rigg'd and mann'd: our treasuries are full;
And twenty thousand talents to the warre
Does Cleopatra freely contribute.
Why speak I more? the Crown of all my strength,
Your loves and spirits are. The injuries
On which we ground our just and lawfull warre,
Are briefly these. Cæsar unjustly holds
Those Provinces, and armies all, that late
Belong'd to Pompey and to Lepidus
Refusing to divide them, or deliver
The moity which appertains to me
Though oft demanded by my friends at Rome,
Both men and money ore all Italy,
Which country, as you know, by our agreement
Belongs to both, and should be held in common.
TI.
Most true.
CA.
These wrongs are past all sufferance.
Thy warre is but defensive, to regain
Thine own unjustly taken.
DOM.
The warre's just.
SOSS.
And Cæsar the beginner of these broyls
From whom the wrong first sprung, most justly may
Be judg'd an enemy to the peace of Rome.
AN.
If Fortune aid us in a cause so just,
And we return victorious, noble Romans,
I make a vow, and let it be recorded,
Within two moneths after the warre is ended,
I will lay down the government I hold,
And freely then resigne my power again
Unto the Senate and the people of Rome.
SOSS.
Let it be six moneths rather; for two moneths
Will be too short a time to settle it.
DOM.
Sossius speaks well, my Lord.
ANT.
Let it be so,
And all the Gods assist me as I mean
A just and true performance.
CA.
All the Gods
Preserve Antonius father of his Country.
Author and Champion of our liberty.
Exeunt. manent Titius, Plancus.
TI.
Let them believe that list; for me, I think
The resignation of a power so great
Will be a temperance too great for him
Ere to expresse.
PLA.
Or if he would, he must
Take leave of Cleopatra, and her pride
Will hardly grant him that.
TI.
nor will I fight
To make her Mistris of the world and him,
Have you consider'd, noble friend of what
We lately spake?
PLA.
And am resolved Marcus.
The friends and followers we shall bring with us
Will make us welcome guests to Cæsars side.
It seems the City favours Cæsar much
That both the Consuls fled from Rome for fear.
Nor is our action base; the scorns and wrongs
We have endur'd at Cleopatraes hands
Would tempt a moyle to fury, and both sides
Stand equall yet.
TI.
Come let's away; tis time.
PLA.
Ægypt farewell.
TI.
Farewell Antonius.
Exeunt.
Se.
How suddenly the Scene is changed here
From love and banquets to the rough alarms
And threatning noise of warre!
GLA.
The change, Seleucus
Is not so suddain as you speak; this storm
Has been expected long; the two great Lords
Of all the Roman world, Antonius
And Cæsar have in heart been enemies
These many yeers; and every man has wonder'd
'T has been withheld so long, considering
How much complaining has been daily made
By them, their friends, and factions 'gainst each other
Whose cause is justest let the Gods determine.
SE.
No other justice then ambition
Makes them to draw their swords; no other cause
Then that the world cannot endure two Suns.
GLA.
The thing that troubles me, Seleucus, is
I hear it spoken in the Court, the Queen
Her self in person will associate
Antonius to the warre.
SE.
I hear that rumour;
But hope it is not true, how nakedly
And in what great confusion would this land
Be left! and what addition can her person
Among so many Roman Legions
Bring to Antonius?
GLA.
Let us enquire
The certainty; I fain would be resolv'd.
Yon necessity must know, before
The Queen can go, that order may be taken
About the Fort I keep, what strength she means
To leave within it in her absence.
GLA.
True,
That reason will excuse thee for enquiring.
Exeunt.
Cleopatra, Canidius.
CLE.
Noble Canidius, I'll entrust no more,
Nor use more circumstances; for I know
To whom I have referr'd my businesse,
And trust your wisdome.
CA.
Loyall Cleopatra.
I am so fortify'd with reasons now
That maugre Sossius and Domitius
With all their best perswasions, I'll prevaile
You shall not stay behinde; fear it not Madam.
CLE.
Brave Roman, wear this jewell for my sake;
And be possest of Cleopatraes love.
Second my suit, there lies not in my power
Anything to grant I should deny Canidius.
CA.
The favours, Madam, you can give, have power
To oblige the greatest Monarchs of the World.
CLE.
Bee ready, worthy friend; he'll straight be here.
Exit Can.
None but Canidius has the power to work
Antonius in this action, which the rest
Shall all oppose, I know; a thing on which
My state, my hopes, and fortunes all depend.
Me with him to the warre; for if I stay
Behinde him here, I run a desperate hazard;
For should Octavia enterpose her self
In this great warre (as once before she did)
And make her brother, and her husband friends
Wher's Cleopatra then? but here he comes.
Antonius, Cleopatra.
AN.
Sweet Cleopatra, I should plead excuse
For leaving thee awhile, but that the cause
Is of a nature so immense and high,
And brings effects of such advantage home,
That thou I know art pleas'd it should be so;
And with a patience canst resolve to bear
So small an absence, that my wish'd return
May call thee mistris of the subject world.
CLE.
Cannot Antonius then be fortunate
If Cleopatra go? is there in me
So bad an Omen? did I think there were,
Not for the world would I desire to bear
You company but rather die at home.
AN.
Farre are my thoughts from giving entertainment
To such fond dreams. I would not venture thee.
CLE.
My life and fortunes both depend on yours.
As much in Ægypt will my danger be,
As in your army, and my torment more,
To die each houre for feare: and to remain
In sad suspence till messengers can bring
The news so farre: but if my company
Distast my Lord, I cannot wish his grief.
Can Cleopatra think her heavenly presence,
Can be distastfull, or not valued more
Then all joys else; parted from thee I think,
All places sad, all lands disconsolate,
Before this life I prize thy company,
But must not have it now, do not entreat;
I have deny'd it to my self already.
And in the Camp should be asham'd to rise
From Cleopatraes arms, when wars rough noise
Shakes all the world, when Kings and Senators
Are venturing lives and fortunes in my service.
Oh stay behinde! and let thy presence make
Ægypt a place, to which I would desire
If Cæsar's fortune conquer, to retire.
CLE.
If that should happen (which the Gods avert)
What land, alas! could comfort me, or lend
A safe retreat to vanquish'd Antony?
Thou would'st disdain to draw a wretched breath,
And I as much should scorn captivity.
But I had thought the Roman Antony
Had lov'd so great a Queen with nobler love;
Not as the pleasure of his wanton bed
Or mistris only of some looser houres,
But as a partner in his highest cares,
And one whose soul he thought were fit to share
In all his dangers, all his deeds of honour.
Without that love I should disdain the other.
AN.
Do not mistake me, noble Queen, I know
Thy brest is full of high heroike worth.
CLE.
How can you think it so, that could so long
In times of peace and pleasure recreate
Your self with me in Ægypt Court; yet now
AN.
I should desire it rather then my life;
But that my Roman friends are all against it.
Enter Sossius, Domitius, Canidius.
See here they come, if they agree tis done.
Now noble friends on whose oraculous counsels
And matchlesse valour my whole fate depends,
Speak what you think, should Cleopatra go
In person to the warre, or stay behinde?
SO.
I have delivered my opinion,
And so has my Colleague.
AN.
What thinks Canidius?
CA.
I think tis fit, my Lord, the Queen, whose bounty
Has brought so great assistance to the warre,
Should not be left behinde, besides her presence
Will much encourage her Ægyptian souldiers,
Of which a great part of the fleet consists.
AN.
Tis true Canidius.
CLE.
Let not my sex
Disparage me, for which of all those Kings
That now in person serve Antonius
Have more experience in affairs of weight
Then I, my Lord, which have so long been privy
To your high counsels, and in love to you
And your designes who should compare with me?
AN.
What think you friends? you heare Canidius.
DOM.
If you be pleas'd, I will subscribe.
And I,
Since things go so.
CLE.
My wishes are effected.
AN.
Titius, and Plancus are both fled to Cæsar.
CAN.
You shall not need their help my Lord, at all.
AN.
Come, let's away.
CLE.
My strengths are ready all,
And wait but your command.
AN.
Spoke like Bellona.
Canidius, return you to your charge
And bring those sixteen Cohorts down to sea;
Meet me at Samos with them, both the Consuls
Shall go along with me. Great Father Mars,
And all you Gods, that from the skies behold
The Roman labours, whose propitious aid
Advanc'd my fortunes to so great an height,
Make perfect that, which you your selves begun.
This is the swords last work, the judging houre
Of Nations fates, of mine and Cæsar's power.
In which the stars and destinies attend,
And all the fortunes of Mankinde depend.
Exeunt
Achoreus.
What dire portents sent from the wrathfull Gods?
Threaten th'astonish'd world? What plagues are those
Which in the skies prodigious face I read?
Tumultuous Nature teems with monstrous births,
As if the throws would break her labouring wombe.
The mourning face of Nature? what great fate,
What kinde of mischief is it? oh ye Gods,
Why did you adde to wretched men a care
So past their strength to bear, to let them know
By sad presages their ensuing woe?
Unknown and sectet let your vengeance be,
And none foresee their following misery;
But hope as well as fear. Jove hide thy dooms;
Keep shut, oh fates, your adamantine books!
Let not the bainfull curiosity
Of humane knowledge search your secret counsels,
And read your purposes, to nourish so
A killing fear before the danger grow.
Enter Seleucus, Glaucus.
Se.
That Comet's gone.
GLA.
It mov'd directly upward,
And did not vanish till it seem'd to reach
The firmament.
ACH.
What talk you of my sonnes?
GLA.
That Comet, father, ore the Græcian Sea.
ACH.
It was a strange one both for form and greatnesse,
And bodes some mischief whersoere it light.
The Gods avert it from our Ægypts coast.
SE.
Pinnarius Scarpus had received news
That Italy and Rome it self are fill'd
With prodigies: an ugly Owle of late
Did fly into the house of Concord first,
Within the Temple of the peoples Genius.
There, though all striv'd, it neither could be caught,
Nor driven away, but flew at leisure out.
A sacred Trophey on Mount Aventine,
Victoriaes Image on the Theater
By suddain tempests were thrown down and broken.
GLA.
In Rome and other parts of Italy
Sudden and strangely kindled fires have done
Exceeding waste; and we are certifi'd
That now Sicilian Ætna nourishes
More horrid flames then usually it does,
And farther casts his scorching entrails forth,
Blasting the fields and burning up the corn.
SE.
A two-legg'd Dragon in Etruria
Full fourscore foot in length was lately seen,
Which after much annoyance of the Country
It self with lightning was consum'd at last.
But these portents do threaten Italy.
ACH.
Alas, my sonne, there need no prodigies
To shew the certain losse of Italy.
For on both sides do Roman Eagles stand,
And Rome must bleed who ere be conquerour,
Besides her liberty for ever lost
When this sad field is fought: but that's not all,
What clime so farre, what region so remote,
But that the Roman fortune reaches thither?
All nations share in this.
GLA.
What hast thou got
By all thy conquest Rome, by all the bloud
Which thy ambition through the world has shed,
But rais'd a power, which now thou canst not rule,
SE.
Would none but Roman bloud might quench the fire
Of Romes dissentions, and no land beside
Be forc'd to pay the forfeit of their pride.
With evill Omen did Æneas first
Transport the reliques of Troyes fatall fire
To Italy, that kindled greater there
It might at last like lightning through the world
Rend every Nation. Was it not enough,
That first your conquests strew'd the earth with slaughter
And dy'd all Regions with their natives blouds,
But your dissentions still must tear the world?
ACHO.
I'll go within, and make an offering
To great Osiris.
Exit Achoreus
GLA.
Well may it succeed.
Ægypt will flourish if Antonius conquer.
SE.
If he should fall, the fury of the warre
Would light on Ægypt most, and we should rue
That ere Antonius lov'd this haplesse land.
Enter Mardio.
Oh Gentlemen, the strongest news, that ere
Was seen in Ægypt.
GLA.
What's that Mardio?
MAR.
Thousands of people with astonishment
And fear beheld it: on those fruitfull plains
That Southward ly from Alexandria,
Where never rain was known to fall before,
It rain'd whole showers of bloud, whose colour set
And in the clouds that horrid noise was heard
That meeting armies make, beating of drums.
Shrill trumpets sound, armor against armor clashing,
As if the bloud that fell, dropp'd from the wounds
Those aëry battails made.
GLA.
This is more strange
Then all the rest: this is our own Seleucus.
SE.
Well Gentlemen, I'll to Pelusium,
And fortifie the town to keep our foes,
If foes be conquerours, from entring there.
GLA.
Yes, and our friends, if they be vanquished,
Keep out our friends, Seleucus, if their presence
May pluck a warre, and ruine on our heads.
SE.
As there's occasion wee'll determine that.
Enter Achoreus.
Avert your anger, Gods, if all too late
Our prayers came not now.
GLA.
What is it father?
Your looks, I see, are full of ruth and wo.
ACHO.
Ah wretched Ægypt, ah unhappy land
On what hast thou so stor'd the wrath of heaven?
The grieved God refus'd his offering
Bellowing aloud that all the Temple rung,
And from his sacred eys the tears run down.
Would I could contradict, or not beleeve
The skill which surest observations teach.
This signifies a change of government.
What heaven is pleas'd to send, we much endure.
ACO.
True sonne; and let a wise man place his strengths
Within himself, nor trust to outward aids.
That whatsoever from the Gods can come
May finde him ready to receive their doom.
Exeunt.
| The Tragedie of Cleopatra Queen of Aegypt | |