University of Virginia Library

Actus secundus.

Scena prima.

Appian solus.
Enter Scilla triumphant, Lucretius, Pompey, with souldiers.
Scilla:
Yon Romaine souldiers, fellow mates in Armes,
The blindfold Mistris of incertaine chaunce,
Hath turnd these traiterous crimers from the top,
And seated Scilla in the chiefest place.
The place beseeming Scilla and his minde,
For were the throne where matchles glorie sits,
Empald with furies threatning blood and death,
Begirt with famine and those fatall feares
That dwell below amidst the dreadfull vast:
Tut Scillaes sparkling eyes should dim with cleere
The burning brands of their consuming light,
And master fancie with a forward minde,
And maske repining feare with awfull power.
For men of baser mettall and conceipt
Cannot conceiue the beautie of my thought.
I crowned with a wreath of warlike state,
Imagine thoughts more greater than a crowne,
And yet befitting well a Romane minde.
Then gentle ministers of all my hopes,
That with your swords made way vnto my wish,
Hearken the frutes of your couragious fight,
In spite of all these Romane Basilisks,
That seeke to quell vs with their currish lookes,
We will to Pontus weele haue gold my harts,
Those orientall pearles shall decke our browes:
And you my gentle Irends, you Romane peeres,
Kinde Pompey worthie of a Consulls name.
You shall abide the father of the state,
Whilst these braue lads Lucretius and I,
In spight of all these brauling Senators,
Will, shall, and dare attempt on Asia,
And driue Mithridates from out his doores.

Pomp.
I Scilla, these are words of mickle worth,
Fit for the master of so great a minde:
Now Rome must stoop, for Marius and his frends
Haue left their armes, and trust vnto their heeles.

Scilla.
But Pompey, if our Spanish Iennets feete
Haue learnt to poast it of their mother winde,
I hope to trip vpon the gray beards heeles,
Till I haue cropt his shoulders from his head.
As for his sonne, the proud aspiring boy,
His beardlesse face and wanton smiling browes,
Shall (if I catch him) decke yond Capitoll:
The father, sonne, the frends, and souldiers all,
That fawne on Marius, shall with furie fall.

Lucr:
And what euent shall all these troubles bring?

Scilla.
This: Scilla infortune will exceed a king.
But frends and souldiers, with dispersed bands
Goe seeke out Marius fond confederates:
some poast along those vnfrequented paths,
That trackt by nookes vnto the neighbring sea:
Murther me Marius, and maintaine my life.
And that his fauorites in Rome may learne
The difference betwixt my fawne and frowne,
Go cut them short, & shed their hatefull blood,
Ex. Soul.
To quench these furies of my froward mood.

Lucr.
Loe scilla where our senators approach,
Perhaps to gratulate thy good successe.

Enter Anthonie, Granius, Lepidus.
Scilla.
I that perhaps was fitly placed there:
But my Lucretius, these are cunning Lords,
VVhose tongues are tipt with honnie to deceiue:
As for their hearts, if outward eyes may see them,
The diuell scarce with mischiefe might agree them.

Lep.
Good fortune to our Consull, worthy scilla.

Scilla.
And why not Generall against the king of Pontus?

Gran:
And generall against the king of Pontus.

Scilla.
sirrha, your words are good, your thoughts are ill,
Each milke white haire amidst this mincing beard,
Compard with milions of thy trecherous thoughts,
VVould change their hiew through vigor of thy hate.
But did not pitie make my furie thrall,
This sword should finish hate, thy life and all.
I prethee Granius, how doth Marius?

Gran:
As he that bydes a thrall to thee and fate,
Liuing in hope as I and others doo,
To catch good fortune, and to crosse thee too.

Scilla:
Both blunt and bold but too much Mother wit,
To play with fier where furie streames about,
Curtall your tale fond man cut of the rest:
But here I will dissemble for the best.

Granius:
Scilla my yeares hath taught me to discerne,
Betwixt ambitious pride and Princely zeale.
And from thy youth these Peeres of Rome haue markt,
A rash reuenging hammer in thy braine,
Thy tongue adornde with flowing eloquence,
And yet I see imprinted in thy browes,
A fortunate but froward gouernaunce.
And though thy riuall Marius mated late,
By backward working of his wretched fate
Is falne, yet Scilla marke what I haue seene
Euen here in Rome the Fencer Spectacus,
Hath bin as fortunate as thou thy selfe:
But when that Crassus sword assayed his crest,
The feare of death did make him droope for woe.

Scilla:
You saw in Rome this brawling fencer die,
VVhen Spectacus by Crassus was subdewd:
VVhy so, but sir I hope you will applie,
And say like Spectacus that I shall die?
Thus peeuish eld discoursing by a fire,
Amidst their cups will prate how men aspire:
Is this the greeting Romanes that you giue,
Vnto the Patron of your Monarchie?
Lucretius shall I play a prettie iest.

Lucre:
VVhat Scilla will, what Romane dare withstand?

Scilla:
A briefe and pleasing answere by my head,
VVhy tell me Granius dost thou talke in sport?

Granius:
No Scilla my discourse is resolute,
Not coynd to please thy fond and cursed thoughts:
For were my tongue be traide with pleasing words,
To feed the humors of thy haughty mind:
I rather wish the rot should roote it out.

Scilla:
The brauest brawler that I euer heard,
But souldiers since I see he is opprest
VVith crooked choller, and our Artists teach,
That fretting blood will presse through opened veines,
Let him that hath the keenest sword arrest,
The gray-beard and cut off his head in iest.
Souldiers lay hands on Granius.

Granius:
Is this the guerdon then of good aduise?

Scilla:
No but the meanes to make fond men more wise,
Tut I haue wit, and carry warlike tooles,
To charme the scolding prate of wanton sooles,
Tell me of Fencers and a tale of Fate?
No, scilla thinkes of nothing but a state.

Granius:
VVhy scilla I am armd the worst to trie.

Scilla:
I pray thee then Lucretius let him die.
Exeunt with Granius.
Beshrow me Lords but in this iolly vaine,
Twere pitty but the prating foole were slaine:
I feare me Pluto will be wroth with me,
For to detaine so graue a man as he.

Anthony:
But seeke not scilla in this quiet state,
To worke reuenge vpon an aged man,
A senator, a soueraigne of this towne.

scilla:
The more the Cedar climes the sooner down:
And did I thinke the prowdest man in Rome,
VVould winch at that which I haue wrought or done,
I would and can controwle his insolence.
VVhy senators, is this the true reward,
VVherewith you answere Princes for their paine,
As when this sword hath made our Citie free,
A brauing mate should thus distemper mee?
But Lepidus and fellow senators,
I am resolude and will not brooke your taunts,
VVho wrongeth scilla, let him looke for stripes.

Marke Anthony:
I but the milder passions show the man
For as the leafe doth beautifie the tree,
The pleasant flowres be decke the painted spring,
Euen so in men of greatest reach and powre,
A milde and piteous thought augments renowne:
Old Anthony did neuer see my Lord,
A swelling showre that did continue long,
A climing towre that did not tast the wind,
A wrathfull man not wasted with repent.
I speake of loue my Scilla, and of ioy
To see how fortune lends a pleasant gale,
Vnto the spreading sailes of thy desires:
And louing thee must counsaile thee withall,
For as by cutting fruitfull vines increase,
So faithfull counsailes workes a Princes peace.

Scilla:
Thou hony talking father speake thy minde.

Anthony:
My Scilla scarce those teares are dried vp,
That Romaine Matrons wept to see this warre:
Along the holy streets the hideous grones,
Of murthered men infect the weeping aire:
Thy foes are fled not ouertaken yet,
And doubtfull is the hazard of this warre:
Yea doubtfull is the hazard of this warre,
For now our Legions draw their wastfull swords,
To murther whom? Euen Romaine Citizens.
To conquer whom? Euen Romaine Citizens.
Then if that Scilla loue these Citizens,
If care of Rome, if threat of forraine foes,
If fruitfull counsailes of thy forward friends
May take effect, goe fortunate and driue,
The king of Pontus out of Asia,
Least while we dreame on ciuill mutenies,
Our wary foes assaile our Citie walls.

Pompey:
My long concealed thoughts Marke Anthony.
Must seeke discouerie through thy pliant words:
Beleeue me Scilla ciuill mutenies,
Must not obscure thy glories and our names:
Then sith that factious Marius is supprest,
Goe spread thy colours midst the Asian fields,
Meane while my selfe will watch this Cities weale.

Scilla:
Pompey I know thy loue, I marke thy words,
And Anthony thou hast a pleasing vaine,
But senators I hammer in my head,
VVith euery thought of honor some reuenge:
Enter Lucretius with the head.
Speake what shall Scilla be your Generall?

Lepidus:
We doo decree that Scilla shall be Generall:

Scilla:
And wish you Scillas weale and honour too?

Anthony:
We wish both Scillas weale and honor too.

Scilla:
Then take away the scandall of this state,
Banish the name of Tribune out of towne,
Proclaime false Marius and his other friends.
Foe men and traitors to the state of Rome,
And I will wend and worke so much by force,
As I will master false Mithridates,

Lepidus:
The name of Tribune hath continued long.

Scilla:
So shall not Lepidus if he with stand me.
Sirra you see the head of Granius,
VVatch you his hap vnlesse you change your words,
Pompey now please me Pompey graunt my sute.

Pompey:
Lictors proclaime this our vndanted doome,
we will that Marius and his wretched sonnes,
His friends Sulpitius, Claudius and the rest
Beheld for traytors, and acquit the men
That shall endanger there vnluckie lines,
And henceforth Tribunes name and state shall cease;
Graue Senators how like you this decree?

Lepidus:
Euen as our Consulls wish, so let it be,

Scilla:
Then Lepidus all friends in faith for me.
So leaue I Rome to Pompey and my friends,
Resolud to manage those our Asian warres,
Frolike braue Souldiers wee must foote it now,
Lucretius you shall bide the brunt with me,
Pompey farewell, and farewell Lepidus.
Marke Anthony I leaue thee to thy books,
study for Rome and scillas Royaltie.
But by my sword I wrong this graybeards head,
Goe sirra place it on the Capitoll:
Aiust promotion fit for scillaes foe.
Lordings farewell, come souldiers let vs goe.

Exit.
Pompey:
scilla farewell and happy be thy chaunce,
VVhose warre both Rome and Romaines must aduaunce.

Exeunt senators.
Enter the Magistrates of Minturnum with Marius very melancholie, Lucius Fauorinus, Pausanius with some attendants.
Pausanius:
My Lord the course of your vnstaied fate,
Made weake through that your late vnhappie fight,
VVithdrawes our wills that faine would worke your weale:
For long experience and the change of times,
The innocent suppressions of the iust
In leaning to forsaken mens reliefe,
Doth make vs feare lest our vnhappie towne,
should perish through the angrie Romaines sword.

Marius:
Lords of Minturnum when I shapd my course,
To flie the danger of pursuing death,
I left my friends, and all alone attaind
(In hope of succors) to this little towne,
Relying on your curtesies and truth.
VVhat foolish feare doth then amaze you thus?

Fauorinus:
O Marius, thou thy self, thy sonne, thy friends,
Are banished and exiles out of Rome,
Proclaimd for traitors, reft of your estates,
Adiudgde to death with certaine warrantize.
should then so small a towne my Lord as this,
Hazard their fortunes to supplie your wants?

Marius:
VVhy Citizens, and what is Marius?
I tell you not so base as to dispaire,
Yea able to withstand ingratitudes.
Tell me of foolish lawes decreede at Rome,
To please the angrie humors of my foe:
Beleeue me Lords I know and am assurde,
That magnanimitie can neuer feare,
And fortitude so conquer silly fate,
As scilla when he hopes to haue my head,
May hap ere long on sodaine lose his owne.

Pausanius:
A hope beseeming Marius, but I feare,
Too strange to haue a short and good euent.

Marius:
VVhy sir Pausanius haue not you beheld,
Campania plaines fulfild with greater foes,
Than is that wanton milke-sop natures scorne.
Base minded men to liue in perfect hope,
VVhose thoughts are shut within your cottage eues,
Refuse not Marius that must fauour you:
For these are parts of vnaduised men,
VVith present feare to lose a perfect friend,
That can, will, may controwle, commaund, subdue,
That brauing boy that thus bewitcheth you.

Fauorinus:
How gladly would we succour you my Lord,
But that we feare.

Marius:
VVhat? the Moone-shine in the water.
Thou wretched stepdame of my fickle state,
Are these the guerdons of the greatest minds,
To make them hope and yet betray their hap,
To make them clime to ouerthrow them straight?
Accurst thy wreake, thy wrath, thy bale, thy wheele,
That makst me sigh the sorrowes that I feele.
Vntroden paths my feete shall rather trace,
Than wrest my succours from inconstant hands.
Rebounding Rocks shall rather ring my ruth,
Than these Campanian piles where terrors bide.
And nature that hath lift my throne so hie,
Shall witnes Marius triumphs if he die.
But shee that gaue the Lictors rod and axe,
To wait my sixe times Consulship in Rome,
will not pursue where erst she flattered so,
Minturnum then farewell for I must goe,
But thinke for to repent you of your no.

Pausa:
Nay stay my Lord and daine in priuate here,
To waight a message of more better worth,
Your age and trauels must haue some releefe,
And be not wroth, for greater men than we
Haue feared Rome and Romaine tirranie.

Marius:
You talke it now like men confirmde in faith,
well let me trie the fruits of your discourse,
For care my minde and paine my bodie wrongs.

Pausanius:
Then Fauorinus shut his Lordship vp,
within some secret chamber in the state,
Meane while we will consult to keepe him safe,
And worke some secret meanes for his supplie.

Marius:
Be trustie Lords, if not I can but die.
Exit Ma.

Pausanius:
Poore haples Romaine, little wottest thou,
The wearie end of thine oppressed life.

Lucius:
Why my Pausanius, what imports these words?

Pausanius:
Oh Lucius age hath printed in my thoughts,
A memorie of many troubles past,
The greatest townes and Lords of Asia,
Haue stood on tickle tearmes through simple truth,
The Rhodian records well can witnes this.
Then to preuent our meanes of ouerthrow,
Finde out some stranger that may sodainely,
Enter the chamber where as Marius lies,
And cut him short, the present of whose head
Shall make the Romaines praise vs for our truth,
And Scilla prest to graunt vs priuiledge.

Lucius:
A barbarous act to wrong the men that trust.

Pausanius:
In Countries cause in iustice proueth iust.
Come Lucius let not sillie thought of right,
Subiect our Citie to the Romaines might:
For why you know in Marius onely end,
Rome will reward and scilla will be stand,

Lucius:
Yet all successions will vs discommend.

Exeunt.
Enter Marius the younger: Cethegus: Lectorius with other Romaine Lords and souldiers.
Young Marius:
The wayward Ladie of this wicked world.
That leads in luckles triumph wretched men,
My Romaine friends hath forced our desires,
And framde our minds to brooke too base reliefe.
VVhat land or Libian desert is vnsought,
To finde my father Marius and your friend:
Yea they whom true relent could neuer touch,
These fierce Numidians hearing our mishaps,
VVeepe flouds of mone to waile our wretched fates.
Thus we that erst with terrors did attaint,
The Bactrian bounds and in our Romaine warres.
Enforst the barbarous borderers of the Alpes,
To tremble with the terrors of our looks.
Now flie poore men affrighted with our harmes,
Seeking amidst the desert rocks and dens,
For him that whilom in our Capitoll,
Euen with a becke commaunded Asia.
Thou wofull sonne of such a famous man,
Vnsheath thy sword, conduct these warlike men
To Rome, vnhappie Mistris of our harmes:
And there since tyrants powre hath thee opprest,
And robd thee of thy father, friends and all,
So die vndaunted, killing of thy foes,
That were the offspring of these wretched woes.

Lectorius:
VVhy how now Marius, will you mate vs thus,
That with content aduenture for your loue?
VVhy Noble youth resolue your selfe on this,
That sonne and father both haue friends in Rome
That seeke olde Marius rest and your reliefe.

Marius:
Lectorius, friends are geafon now adaies,
And grow to fume before they tast the fire:
Aduersities bereauing mans auailes,
They flie like feathers dallying in the winde,
They rise like bubbles in a stormie raine,
Swelling in words and flying faith and deedes.

Cethegus:
How fortunate art thou my louely Lord,
That in thy youth maist reape the fruits of age,
And hauing lost occasions hold-fast now,
Maist learne hereafter how to entertaine her well:
But sodaine hopes doo swarme about my hart,
Be merry Romaines see where from the Coast,
A wearie messenger doth poast him fast.

Enter Cinnas slaue with a letter inclosed posting in hast.
Lectorius:
It should be Cinnas slaue or els I erre,
For in his forhead I behold the scar,
Wherewith he marketh still his barbarous swaines.

Marius:
Oh stay him good Lectorius for me seeme,
His great post hast some pleasure should present.

Lectorius:
Sirra art thou of Rome?

Slaue:
Perhaps Sir no?

Lectorius:
VVithout perhaps say Sirra is it so?

Slaue:
This is Lectorius Marius friend I trow,
Yet were I best to learne the certainetie,
Lest some dissembling foes should me discry.

Marius:
Sirra leaue off this foolish dalliance,
Lest with my sword I wake you from your trance.

slaue:
Oh happie man, Oh labours well atchieude,
How hath this chance my wearie lims reuiude:
Oh Noble Marius, Oh Princelie Marius.

Marius:
what meanes this Pesant by his great reioice.

slaue:
Oh worthy Romaine, many months haue past,
Since Cinna now the Consul and my Lord,
Hath sent me forth to seeke thy friends and thee:
All Libia with our Romaine Presidents,
Numidia full of vnfrequented waies,
These wearie limbs haue troad to seeke you out,
And now occasion pitying of my paines,
I late arriude vpon this wished shore,
Found out a Sailer borne in Capua,
That told me how your Lordship past this way,

Marius:
A happie labor worthie some reward,
How fares thy master? whats the newes at Rome?

Slaue.
Pull out the pike from off this iauelin top,
And there are tidings for these Lords and thee.

Marius:
A pollicie beseeming Cynna well:
Lectorius read, and breake these letters vp.

[Lectorius]

Letters.
To his honourable frend Marius the yonger
greeting.

Being Consull (for the welfare both of father and sonne, with
other thy accomplices) I haue vnder an honest policie since
my instalment in the Consulship, caused all Scillas frauds that
were indifferent with the other neighbring Cities to reuolt: Octauius
my fellow Consull with the rest of the Senate mistrusting
me, and hearing how I sought to vnite the old Citizens with the
new, hath wrought much trouble, but to no effect. I hope the
souldiers of Capua shall follow our faction, for Scilla hearing of
these hurly-burlies is hasting homeward verie fortunate in his
warres against Mithridates. And it is to be feared, that some
of his frends here haue certified him of my proceedings, and purpose
to restore you. Cethegus and Lectorius I heare say are with
you. Censorinus and Albinouanus will shortly visit you. Therefore
hast and seeke out your father, who is now as I heare about
Minturnum. Leuie what power you can with all expedition,
and stay not. Rome the y. Kalends of December,

Your vnfained frend, Cinna Consull,

Marius:
Yea Fortune, shall yong Marius clime aloft,
Then woe to my repining foes in Rome,
And if I liue (sweete Queene of change) thy shrines,
Shall shine with beautie midst the Capitoll,
Lectorius, tell me what were best be done.

Lector:
To sea my Lord, seeke your warlike Sire,
Send backe this pesant with your full pretence,
And thinke alreadie that our paines haue end,
Since Cynna with his followers is your frend.

Marius:
Yea Romanes we will furrow through the fome
Of swelling flouds, and to the sacred Twins
Make sacrifice to shield our ships from stormes.
Follow me Lords, come gentle messenger,
Thou shalt haue gold and glorie for thy paines.

Exeunt.