University of Virginia Library

Act 2.

Alexander,
Parmenio.
Behold, the heavens with a benigne aspect,
To prosper this brave enterprise intend,
And with propitious Starres seeme to direct
This great beginning to a glorious end.
“Who would be famous, must of force aspire,
All those (astonish'd) who my Troupes doe view,
Doubt of these two, which most they should admire,
My comming, or my conquering with so few;
“So mighty mindes whilst for great actions bent,
“Force fortune oft to favour them in all,
“Where brests more base divining bad event,
“Through superstitious feares procure their fall.
O how I wonder, when I call to minde
That monstrous campe, which not so much as doubted,
Dimme seem'd the sunne, while as their armour shin'd.
Men had not heard the thunder, whilst they shouted.
Avant-couroures advanced to examine,
When they so meane my numbers had perceiv'd,
Did thinke them small to satisfie the famine
That their huge host of slaughter had conceiv'd;
And yet in end this prov'd a poyson'd food,
Which of their owne to their confusion yeelds,
Huge mounts of murthered corpes, and seas of bloud:
Unburied bodies buried all the fields.
So now, that few whom they contemn'd so farre,
(See how mortality it selfe deceives)
Have quite o're-match'd their multitudes in warre;
And made the world neere waste to people graves.
Then, deare Parmenio, since the fates afford
So faire an entry to our first designes,
Let us goe follow (lantern'd by the sword,)
That fortune which the heavens our hopes assignes.

Parm.
This high attempt, as we would wish succeeds,
What hosts have we o'rethrown, what Cities raz'd?
Loe, populous Asia trembles at our deeds,
And martiall Europe doth remaine amaz'd;
Greece, (which both Mars and Pallas did defend:)
A humble supplicant before thee falles,
Rebellious Thebes, which durst with thee contend,
Lyes now entomb'd within her broken walles;
That Sea-commanding Tyre, reposing much
In liquid Towers that Neptune rear'd in vaine,
Hath now confirm'd thy forces to be such,
That nothing can resist thy just disdaine.
No doubt the ancient Grecians Ghosts are glad
To see the fierce Barbarians brought so low,
Yet are for envy of thy fortune sad,
And though un-bodied blush at this o're-throw:
Miltiades by all men was admir'd,
Who once in Greece their flying troupes pursu'd,
And he who with a stratagem retir'd,
And Salamina's straits with bloud imbru'd;
But yet for all the Captaines of that age,
The easterne Monarches Empire was enlarg'd,
Who in their Country (flaming all with rage,)
The Sea with shippes, the land with Armies charg'd,
He with moe swarmes of men then Autumnes clusters,
Dranke Rivers dry, and march'd on Neptunes backe,
By measure, not by number, made his musters,
Did scourge the windes, striv'd mountaines plaines to make;
All Europe fear'd then to be forc'd to bow,
Whilst th'earth did groane to beare so great an host;
But thou hast come, seene, and over-com'd them now,
Even in the bounds wherein their pow'r was most.
That haughty foe, who vilipended oft
Our predecessors force, and scorn'd our owne,
Now laid as low, as he was once aloft,
With his disgrace, must make thy valour knowne;
He doth by this acknowledge his distresse,
In labouring thus to have his friends restor'd,
This message (mighty Prince) imports no lesse,
By his request thy conquest is decor'd,
For the recovery of his captiv'd Queene,
He offred hath innumerable gold;
A masse so great, that such was never seene,
More (as they bragge) then Macedon can hold:
My counsell is, that you accept his offers,
And with his daughters render her againe,
“Who would make warre, must not have empty coffers,
“Where one for glory, thousands sight for gaine;
And if those Ladies guarded Captives stay,
It cost and trouble breeds to fit their state;
Thus more to charge, or charges to defray,
To vexe or ease, advise, and not too late.

Alex.
If come to trafficke in a servile sort,
And like a Merchant bent but to embrace
(All else despis'd) that which might gaines import,
Then your opinion purchase might a place:
But soone I surfet of such melting things,
And famish but for fame, and Crownes of Kings.

Parm.
If Alexander, I, so would I doe.

Alex.
If I Parmenio were, so would I too.

Parm.
So you binde Souldiers, let them Dames redeeme.

Alex.
Save thankes, or praise, no treasure I esteeme.

Parm.
Even good proves ill when done unto a foe.

Alex.
What greater glory then to conquer so?

Parm.
“Gold is the God that conquers in all parts.

Alex.
“True magnanimity doth ravish hearts.

Parm.
“Warrs sinewes treasures are which most not faile.

Alex.
“Stout brests, strong hands (not basely given) prevaile.

Parm.
“The want of wages makes a mutinous band.

Alex.
“But who dare disobey when I command?

Parm.
“Those are thought fooles, who riches do disdain.

Alex.
“A gallant minde likes glory more then gaine.

Parm.
But who delights in such an eiery store?

Alex.
If I be singular, I seeke no more.

Parm.
“The truth by Princes is not understood:
But yet I heare your Souldiers oft exclaime,
That your ambition but exhausts their bloud,
Who perish all to purchase you a name;
Yet carelesse what they lose, so you may winne,
That like your minde, your kingdome may want bounds,
One battels end, another doth beginne,
Whilst you the glory gaine, they nought but wounds;
Such rash reports oft blowne in every eare,
Doe breed base grudge, and loftie tumults too,
“When leaving reverence, duty, love and feare,
“What dare not mutinous troupes attempt to doe?
Retire in time while as the heavens are cleare;
You have perform'd, perform'd, and that even soone,
More then your own could hope, your foes could feare,
Yea (yet more strange) then some can trust, though done;
Your worth in warre (as bright as glory) showne,
Which even by envy never could be stain'd,
Your skill in peace would likewise now be knowne:
Calme vertue guiding, what sterne valour gain'd:
“A State well rul'd, the fame of Kings doth raise,
“No lesse then foughten fields, or batter'd Townes.
“More hard it is, and doth deserve more praise
“To guide, then get, to keep, then conquer Crownes:
In Fortunes spheares chiefe height your glory plac'd,
Can now not move unlesse it be more low,
And if it once descend, then quite disgrac'd,
Each Artizan your Statues will o're-throw;
For in the warre as you may well perceive,
There doth no little part depend on Fame;
If we but once the least small check receive,
The world will gather to procure our shame;
Then tempt not Fortune further then you need,
Your rashly mounting thoughts let reason raine,
Lest whil'st your hopes with Trophees fain'd you feed,
A moment lose what many dayes did gaine.
Let Darius prove all Monarchs patterne now
(What wandring Starre doth sway the course of Crownes)
That Prince to whom the Orient once did bow,
Him onely now his misery renownes,
Scarce mov'd to call you King, though twise o're-throwne,
At last to match with you he doth agree,
And with his daughter hath for dowry showne
That great Euphrates shall your border be;
Or otherwise he condescends to give
Great store of gold, or what your selfe desires,
If that his mother, wife, and children live,
To have them rendred, as he oft requires:
And let not loftie thoughts cloud Reasons eyes,
Remember what strange Realmes will him embrace,
Which scarce he knows, by name, nor never tryes,
Where if he fled, your troups would tyre to chace.

Alex.
Peace. peace Parmenio, now thou mak'st me rage,
With those thy words not worthy of our eares;
It seemes the coldnesse of declining age
Hath kill'd thy courage with a frost of feares:
Did I abandon thee my native soyle,
And made my Ensignes shadow forraine fields,
As fear'd for danger, or else flying toyle,
That I should turne whil'st yet our foe not yeelds?
Then all my labours are but lost at last,
Which have but bred an appetite of praise,
That I might dye displeas'd, the time once past,
When meanes remain'd, a state like Ioves, to raise:
No, I will raigne, and I will raigne alone,
Disdaining to admit of more Commanders:
For (as the Heavens can hold no Sunne but one)
The Earth cannot containe two Alexanders;
The spatious circuit of this peopled Round,
Seemes not sufficient to confine my thought,
And, O, would God there could moe worlds be found,
That many might to grace our deeds be brought;
O! I could wish that th'ocean were firme Land,
Where none but hideous Gyants had retreat,
Such as at Phlegra field in strife did stand
Against the gods for the etheriall seat:
These could encourage martiall mindes to strike,
Who when subdu'd, would yeeld eternall praise.
I conquer men, but many did the like,
And after-ages may my equall raise:
But since none such my triumphs are to grace,
Such as there are, Ile to subjection bring,
And as a pest, I vow to flie all peace,
Till all the world adore me for their King:
Let them retyre in time who danger dread,
Yet thinke on this (whil'st glory bent to wed)
That ye abandon'd me in time of need,
And that I stay'd to fight when as ye fled;
Passe home in darknesse, servile rest to finde,
I measure not my courage by my numbers.

Par.
Your majestie doth much mistake my minde,
You know what I endur'd, what cares, what cumbers;
And for my part, I to your eyes appeale,
Which well can witnesse what my hands have wrought,
All what I spake, proceeded of cleare zeale,
And not of cowardice, or feare of ought;
Nor match I vile repose with honest paines,
My courage (oft-times try'd) is not grown cold,
Nor yet that vigour hath not left my veines,
Which spurr'd my sprite in youth, though I be old.

Alex.
T'is not enough, that you your selfe be so,
To be the same you should the rest exhort;
Is he return'd, who was ordain'd to go
And view the captives? what doth he report?

Parm.
As we have heard of him who thither went,
While they as yet not of support despair'd,
And courteously were led unto a Tent
Which we of purpose caus'd to be prepar'd:
Even in the way one fortun'd there to spie
The Diademe which Darius ear'st had borne,
(Though glorious once) which low on th'earth did lye,
As earst for pompe, then wondred at with scorne.
Straight they imagin'd from his Royall head,
Whose dignity it sometime did decore,
None could it cast except himselfe were dead,
And if so were, they wish'd to live no more:
When they had entred in the Tent to weep,
Your Servant came, and at the entry knock'd,
Who (finding them so quiet) thought a sleep
Had clos'd their eyes, or else that he was mock'd,
At length by force he made a patent way,
And was advanc'd them lovingly to greet,
When (loe) the Ladies prostrated all lay,
And with a floud of teares be-dew'd his feet.
Then said (by death expecting to be free)
Let us entombe great Darius like a King;
Then when we first his funerall honour see,
Death must to us a great contentment bring;
This oft they urg'd, though he attested there
That Darius was not dead (as they suppos'd)
But liv'd with hope, his ruines to repaire,
And in the pow'r of other Realmes repos'd.
Then did he urge what comfort and reliefe
They might attend, depending on your Grace;
Thus having toil'd to mitigate their griefe,
It seem'd they long'd to see my Soveraignes face,

Alex.
I pitie still, and not insult o're such,
(Though once mine Enemies) who are humbled so,
And lest weake feare oppresse their mindes too much,
To comfort them, straight to their Tent I'le go.

Exeunt.
Chorus.