University of Virginia Library

Scene 2.

Sisigambis,
Nuntius, Chorus.
This looke alas, hath charg'd my soule with feares:
Speak, for my life doth on thy lippes depend,
Thy count'nance (ah) a dolefull copie beares
Of some sad summons to denounce my end.
Starve not my eares, which famish for thy words,
Though they when swallow'd may but make me burst.

Nun.
The message (madame) which my soule affords
Must once be knowne, and once knowne still accurst.

Sis.
Be not a niggard of ill newes.

Nun.
And why?

Sis.
Fame will tell all the world.

Nun.
But first to you.

Sis.
Tell soone.

Nun.
Your sonne is dead.

Sis.
Then let me die.

Cho.
Her joyes and pleasures all are perish'd now.

Sis.
Why opens not the Earth straight to devoure
A hopelesse caitive who all good hath lost?
The longer that I live, my griefe growes more,
As but to mischiefe borne, kept to be crost;
Would God this masse where miserie remaines,
A weight of Earth from sight of men might keepe;
Or that the Seas all raging through the plaines
Would make my tombe amid'st their tumid deepe.
O Alexander! hast thou rob'd his life,
Yet entertain'd me still in hope to finde him?
Why did'st thou not first kill this poore old wife,
Who was not worthie to have liv'd behind him?
That I should live till thou my Sonne had'st slaine,
Was all thy kindnesse for this cause imploi'd?

Nun.
You wrong that Prince, for he with hast in vaine
Came him to helpe whom others had destroi'd.

Sis.
What impious thoughts durst dreame so vile a deed,
A monarchs murther, Asia's glories end?

Nun.
Two whom he rais'd did his confusion breed,
He found his friend his foe, his foe a friend.

Sis.
Tell on thy message, messenger of death,
And loade my minde with mountaines of distresse,
That tears may drowne my sight, sighs choake my breath,
Whilst sorrow all my sences doth possesse.

Nun.
When Alexander (who at peace repin'd)
Did (save submission) hold all offers vaine,
Bent of sterne Mars to try the doubtfull minde;
A generall muster Darius did ordaine,
And (in one battell bent to venture all)
He caus'd his will be publikely proclaim'd,
Whilst two vile Traitours did conspire his fall,
Who Bessus and Narbazanes were nam'd;
Those two in councell did discover first
Some portion of the poison of their heart,
Which caus'd the king suspect, but not the worst,
Yet with a sword he sought to make them smart.
But having scap'd what first was fear'd from rage,
They seem'd so much their errour to lament,
His indignation that they did asswage,
(False hypocrits) pretending to repent.
Whilst Artabazus as an honest man
Who judg'd of others by his vpright minde,
(No fraud conceav'd) sought more to scape then scan,
What they with craft to compasse Crownes design'd.

“Cho.
A mind sincere is ever least suspitious:
“These think all faultie, who themselves are vitious.

Nun.
They urg'd him with the king to interceed,
That in his favour he would give them place,
And did protest that by some valorous deed,
They labour would to gaine againe his grace;
Then Artabazus came and told the king,
That in the battell he might try their faith,
And both before his majestie did bring,
Who (when submisse) did quickly calme his wrath.
With hands stretch'd up to Heaven, and humbled knees,
With teares like those which Crocodiles doe shed,
Woe in their face and pitie in their eyes,
Did for compassion (though from rigour) pleade.
The king of nature milde did them receave,
And them (who thus but for the forme complain'd)
Not onely all (relenting) quite forgave;
But wept in earnest too whil'st they but fain'd;
When in his Coach from all suspition free,
With count'nance sad long following on behinde
(As still pretending supplicants to be)
They bow'd to him whom they were bent to binde;
The Grecian Captaine curiously neare
(When mark'd a suter) crav'd what he requir'd,
By pregnant proofes did evidently cleare,
What treason was against his state conspir'd:
He told what way their purpose might be tri'd,
And how the Bactrians were for trouble bent,
Then for his safety pray'd him to provide,
By straight with him retyring to his Tent;
But in the King who did neglect his state,
No kinde of care this friendly offer bred:
So that (it seem'd) he by some pow'rfull fate
Was head-long forward to confusion led:
The Greeke past thence despairing him to save,
Who thus all meanes to help himselfe refus'd;
With subtle words then Bessus there did crave
To purge himselfe, and errours past excus'd;
Old Artabazus happ'ning to approach,
The King to him did Patrons speech report,
Who then perceiv'd what danger did encroach,
And wish'd he would where Greeks were strong resort.
But in his breast this purpose firmly plac'd,
That from his Subjects he would never flie,
With mutuall teares they tenderly embrac'd,
And parted there, like two who went to dye.
Now silent night in pitchie vapours cled,
Had must'red mysts, and march'd out of the West;
(Dayes beauties darkning, shadowie horrours spread)
The Sentinels were set, and all at rest,
When (loe) a terrour did distract the host!
Whose bands to murmure were dispers'd in parts,
With sounds resembling ships in stormes neare lost,
Whil'st each to other cause of feare imparts.
Those who their King appointed were to guard,
From what was due by fraud or feare did stray;
And (to his danger having no regard)
His Fortunes Minions fled with her away.
The desolation then growne wondrous great,
With some few Eunuchs Darius left alone,
(No strength remaining, nor no signe of state)
He thus them spake, who for his fall did mone:
Go, part in peace ere further harme be had,
Lest that my ruine likewise you surprise.
They hearing those sad words (as men gone mad)
Went howling through the host with dolorous cryes;
So that all those who heard what plaints they made,
Thought that they had their Soveraignes death bewail'd;
And (forcing trust) some forg'd reports were spread,
That he had kill'd himselfe, all hope quite fail'd.
The Persians griev'd whil'st these things did occurre,
Did first encourage all their Countrey bands
To help their Prince, but yet they durst not stirre
For feare of falling in the Bactrians hands;
Even in the time when this confusion was,
The Traitors to deferre the fact no more,
Did to their Soveraignes Tent with Squadrons passe,
And took, and bound, him whom they serv'd before;
Who in a golden Coach once proudly rode,
Was throwne in one for common carriage us'd,
And who of late was honour'd like a God,
Two of his owne (as if their slave) abus'd:
Those royall hands to beare a Scepter borne,
Were basely bound, and which the more him griev'd,
“(Thus misery can hardly scape from scorne)
“With bands of gold, which burden'd, not reliev'd.
When Alexander (great with courage) spy'd
Our Armies flie, he (who in hope them chac'd)
To follow us with diligence did ride,
“Base seem'd the Conquest which no danger grac'd;
But when at last at length by some inform'd
How he was made a captive to his owne,
At this indignity he highly storm'd,
As if by it his hopes had beene o're-throwne.
Out of his host he did select a few
Who were best hors'd, and fit for such a fight,
With whom his foes he did so fast pursue,
That e're they could suspect, he came in sight;
The Traitors vex'd when spying him appeare,
Came to the Cart whereas the King did stay,
And call'd to horse in haste, since foes were neare,
Lest that they else might finde him for a prey.
He look'd aloft, and cry'd aloud, I see
That Nemesis is frowning from above;
Should I with Traitors as a captive be?
And flie from him, who but brave warres doth move?
Then those in whom impiety abounds,
Throw'd Darts at him (vile beasts to be abhorr'd)
And hurt the horses with an hundred wounds,
Then men more trusty, dying for their Lord;
As false in hearts, so feeble with their hands,
When Guilt and Danger doubled had despaires,
The Traitors first, then all their trait'rous bands
Fled from a number lesse by halfe then theirs.
But to the bounds of Deaths pale kingdome brought,
The King retyr'd where least by people spy'd,
More wounded with ingratitude then ought,
Did leave the world, whose folly he had tri'd;
The last divorce which lasts, was scarcely made
Twixt soule and body whil'st the eyes grew dim,
When Alexander came and found him dead,
Who labour'd had so long to ruine him,
And (whil'st his teares a generall mourning mov'd)
That stately vesture which himselfe array'd,
(Much fear'd for valour, more for vertue lov'd)
With his owne hand on Darius corps he layd,
Then wailing long as for a brother lost
To have his funerals furnish'd like a Kings,
He bids you use his wealth, and spare no cost;
For, you shall want no necessary things.
He hath his body hither sent by me,
And funerall rites solemnely bent to do,
He thinks that they may best accomplish'd be,
Whil'st who him bred doth see him buried too.

Cho.
Behold how griefe hath her of sense bereft,
Whil'st breath for passage strugling is with grones,
No will, nor pow'r to live, just griefe hath left,
Since what she valued vanish'd is at once.

Sis.
Ah! shall I see (no, let me first be blinde)
That body breathlesse, which I brought to light?
Where would my soule a force sufficient finde
That could encounter with so sad a sight?
O flinty heart! what hinders thee to breake,
Since (crush'd with cares) a stranger to repose?
Why part'st thou not (poore soule) that whil'st I speake
In opening of my lips, mine eyes may close?
This heritage of death, this wither'd stocke
Is but a place appointed for despaires,
A torture to it selfe, a stumbling block,
Whose aged furrows fertile are in cares.
Once for good Fortunes, now for bad design'd,
(To state betray'd) drawne forth from calme repose,
To have beene happie most afflicts my minde,
Who, rais'd to fall, got much, the more to lose.
Ah me! malitious fates have done me wrong,
Who first come to the world, should first depart,
And ah! why should the old o're-live the yong?
This Nature wrongs by a prepost'rous art;
Ah! why should Death so indiscreet be found
To spare a caitive, and to spoyle a Prince?
My halfe-dead body, bending to the ground,
Through griefe is grown ripe for the grave long since.

Chorus.