 | Hannibal and Scipio |  |
Scene the fifth.
To them Nuntius.Mah.
Whence speakes your hast? and what?
Nun.
I come from Spaine,
And bring important newes; but sad.
Him.
Shall wee
By change ride through the Zodiack of your pleasures,
And feast our selves in every house?
1. Lad.
You still
Mistake the signe.
Mah.
'Tis not in Virgo sure.
1. Lad.
Nor yet in Taurus, though I have a husband.
You two are Gemini: a payre of—Captaines.
Him.
Shee flouts us sure.
Nun.
What should this courtship meane?
Maharball and Himulco that were character'd
For valiant Captaines, turn'd smock-souldiers?
And Hanniball?
1. Lad.
The ayre of Capua
Hath not so chang'd us, but we can preserve
Our modesties.
Mah.
Oh miracle! that Capua
Hath honest women in't.
Nun.
Will Hanniball
Attend my message?
Hast thou brought her pearles
Ravish't from necks of richest Romane dames?
I'le pave the path we tread to Hymens joy
With spoyles of all the cities I have conquer'd.
Nunt.
Not of new Carthage; Sagunt; Locris; Tarracon.
All these are re-orecome by Scipio;
In Spaine he onely triumph's.
2. Lad.
Doth not Hannibal?
Minde the sad newes? Revenge if nothing else
Should wing him to new conquest.
Hanni.
I perceive
Errours in my behaviour. Court a woman,
When I should threaten vengeance! But shee's faire.
Hang beauty: that and ease are th'onely engines
To ruine vertue. Ladies pray' withdraw:
Th'affaires of men are handling.
2. Lad.
May they prove
Your honours more in valour then in love.
Exeunt.
Han.
I am prepar'd: and if there were an accident
That did exceed in horrour, praise or wonder,
Discourse it lively, that it may impresse
Some thing within to beget an act
Shall parallel it.
Nunt.
That must be new Carthage
Her siege and taking. When the Romane generall
Approach't the walls, a cold feare shoke her Genius:
The earth groning with weight of such a multitude.
His Navy likewise at that instant made
A cloud upon the Sea. So round about
The citty was beguirt. Our resolution
Mix't with despaire soone arm'd us; and th'assault
Being suddaine, we did doe before consider:
Yet what we did thus with the wals height proving
Successefull, we had respite to advice.
The Sea we thought sufficient to defend
That part it washeth, and directed all
Our force to th'Isthmus: where we sallied forth.
To draw us farther on. And now the Sunne
Survey'd us from his heigth; when suddenly
A violent North-winde joyning with the ebbe
Swept all the channell dry. Of which the Romans
Being inform'd by certaine Fishermen
Seize th'opportunity, and freely passe
To th'unman'd walls; entring without resistance.
What more they, being fully conquerors, did,
Need's no relation: custome shew's it Hannibal.
Th'example made some other citties yeeld;
Some policy wonne; some force; some trechery
Deliv'rd up: all are possest by Scipio.
Han.
Then Rome shall ransome them. Revenge is able
Out of a flinty cowardize to strike
The fire of valour, with that new supply
I doe expect from Carthage we'l to Rome,
And emulate this victory; nor let it
Be your affliction that blinde chance hath rob'd
Your former labours of their due reward;
Rome will repaire all.
| Hannibal and Scipio | |