The true Tragedy of Herod and Antipater With the Death of faire Marriam. According to Iosephvs, the learned and famous Iewe |
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Act. 5.
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 | The true Tragedy of Herod and Antipater |  |
Act. 5.
Scœna. 1.
Enter Antipater, and Niraleus.Anti.
O Niraleus; so liberall was the royall brested Cæsar,
As farre exceeds all thought or iust expression.
When he establisht me Iudea's King,
His bounty did so farre extend it selfe,
That euen his Court appeard a Paradise;
The People like so many Demi-Kings;
Himselfe, the great Vice-gerent ore them all.
Nir.
Cæsar is royall, and Antipater deseruing.
Ant.
Me thinks (as in a Mirror) still I see
Augustus dealing yellow Arabian gold
Amongst the vulgar, in Antipaters name;
So louely were his lookes, so Angel-like his words
The very thought strikes me into a Rapture:
O, I could laugh my selfe breathlesse in conceit,
To thinke on those faire honors we receiu'd.
Nir.
Liue to deferue euer.
Enter 3. Lords laughing, and pointing scornfully at Antipater.
Ant.
How now; what Motion-mongers are these? S'death,
what meane they? Doe they make mee a Batchellor Cuckond?
But that I would know the intent, I could be very angry: but
Ile nor minde 'em.
1.
That's he was carried in triumph through Rome.
2.
Poore Young-man, thy Greatnes must downe.
3.
He scornd (being great) to looke on Pouerty;
But now Pouerty scornes Basenesse: farewell.
1.
Your Greatnesse will haue a cold welcome home.
2.
See how he lookes.
1.
Pittifully pale.
1.
I doubt hee'l runne mad.
2.
Come, let's leaue him. Ha, ha, ha.
Exeunt.
Antip.
Has Nature stampt me with Deformity?
Am I of late transform'd? Am I the Owle
So lately made, for Birds to wonder at? Is't so?
I thinke I am my selfe; I haue my Voyce,
My Legs, my Hands, my Head, Face, Eyes and Nose;
I'm disproportion'd no way that I know of:
I could be naturally vex't, and haue good cause for't:
But Ile be patient, walke, obserue: here comes a friend.
Enter Animis, walking by Antipater.
Ani.
My Lord;—You are vndone.
Ant.
Ha, noble Animis; what, gone so soone?
Ant.
Noble Hillus.
Enter Hillus.
Hil.
My Lord;—Your necke is broke.
Exit.
Ant.
Ha! whats that? strange entertainment: y'are vndone:
Whom should this be; for me it cannot be? No;
I am a King, and tis a hard matter to vndoe a King.
Pish; there's no Morall in these foolish words:
Your Necke is broke; a Banquerout's Sentence.
We are vnlimited, both in Wealth, and State;
As boundlesse as the Sea; freer in guift.
No; 'tis not their words can breed amazement;
But their strange looks, gestures, and geerings at me:
Instruct me good Niraleus, thou art an honest man;
How shewes this disrespect? strangely: doe's it not?
Nir.
Nothing, nothing Sir; Courtiers you know are apish:
Tis onely some new Proiect they haue to entertaine you.
Ant.
Proiects for entertainment! Well, th'are strange;
And I finde something troubles mee.
Nir.
What ayle you Sir? D'yee faint? Y'are wondrous pale;
You change Colour strangely: D'yee bleed?
Ant.
A Drop; nothing, but a Drop.
Nir.
Tis ominous.
Ant.
True; and I finde something that staggers me:
I will retire my selfe from Court to day.
Nir.
Retire from Court! O, name it not for shame;
Least you incurre a publike Scandall on you:
Why should you flye from that most couets you?
Will you obscure your Sunne-beames in their height?
Couer your Glories in their Mornings rise?
Those that now geered; then, will laugh outright;
When lookes can put Antipater to flight.
No, forage on; and, like a daring Lion,
Single your Game; let not pale Feare dismay you:
Gainst those that thus contemn'd your Soueraignty:
True Valour in the weakest Trench doth lie;
Then beare you brauely on, and scorne to flye.
Ant.
Th'ast new created me: I loue this Honor,
That is by merit purchas'd: second me then;
And let the worst of fortunes fall vpon me:
This Guard Ile keepe; grapling this Sword,
(Though wall'd with Pikes) Ile beat my passage through;
And to great Herod make my Supplication.
He that feares Enuy shall be sure to finde it:
But he securest, that the least doe's minde it.
Stay, a new Onser.
Enter Animis, with a Guard.
Ani.
Great Antipater.
Ant.
I, that sounds nobly; why not this before?
Ani.
This cause and this Authority.
Wips forth his Sword.
Ant.
What, betraid; and sleeping taken? Niraleus:
Slaues let me goe, Ile to the King for Iustice:
Ha yee caught the Lambe within the Lions Denne?
Cowardly wretches: O for my good Sword,
And liberty to gratulate your Trecheries.
Nir.
Your Treasons must be first answer'd Sir;
Til then, you must to Prison.
Ant.
Ha, Niraleus; art thou my accuser?
Haue I within my bosome kept a Snake,
To sting mee first? Trecherous Lords,
My Treasons? 'gainst whom? or, by whom acted?
Innocence protect me: guide me to Herod,
That, to his sacred person, I may tell
The Iniuries Antipater does suffer:
He comes; O happy houre: Iustice; Iustice Sir.
Enter Herod, Hillus, and Attendants.
Her.
The Iustice that you merit; hence away with him.
Ant.
O sacred Herod, heare thy Vassall speake:
Consider what I am; thy Sonne: if my offences
Proue preiudiciall to thee; Ile lay my life
As foot-stoole to thy mercies: O, consider,
That did in any thing oppose his Father:
But with a greedinesse, still ranne to act,
Ere thy Command was past: if these Honours,
These titular glories, great Augustus gaue me;
If these offend my Soueraigne, cut them off;
Raze them from off my head; and let me be
Any thing, but Herods scorne; no misery
Can worke vpon me halfe that troubled griefe,
As does one frowne from those thy glorious eyes:
Let not those white haires now be staind with blood,
Blood of thine owne begetting; euery drop
In me, from thee had being; canst thou be so vnkind,
To cast thy selfe away? O sacred Sir,
I see compassion in your tender eyes;
Weeping for me, that mone your miseries.
Her.
Through what a Labyrinth is mercy led;
Rise in our fauour euermore belou'd.
Nir.
Rise in your fauour! O Herod be more iust;
As thou art King; so be a God in Iustice;
The blood of Babes, cryes for thine equity:
Remember but his Strattagems forepast;
All which, acquitting, you are accessary.
Thinke first on Aristobulus fell death;
Your two braue Sonnes, and noble Iosephs fall:
Next Pheroas your Brother; O, your natiue blood:
And Alexandra, that most innocent Lady;
Vniustly and vntimely brought to death,
All through his poysnous Complots.
Her.
All these are past and cannot be recal'd.
Nir.
Let not his smooth words Sir intice you to him;
In stillest Riuers are the greatest dangers:
If none of these can moue you to doe Iustice,
Whose Soules yet houering still doe cry Reuenge;
Yet there is one whose cause must not be slipt;
Though Cannons roare yet must not you be deafe;
But (like the glory you were made for) be
A King, a God in Iudgement, and in Iustice:
When Nature leaues them, we may leaue our claime:
Be this your warrant, iustly to execute
Iudgement on him, that ha's vniustly murdred
Your Mother, Sons, Brothers, Sisters: if not for these;
Thinke vpon her as deare as was your life,
Your Marriam; you innocent, chast, faire Marriam;
By his false witnesse, turn'd to vntimely dust:
O as y'are great, be good, gracious, and iust.
Her.
All those forenamed were of no effect:
My Marriam; O my heart: hence with the Slaue;
Ile heare no more of his inchanting words.
Antip.
O Herod, Kingly Father.
Exit Antip. with a Guard.
Her.
Away with him; Ile blot out all Affinity:
O Niraleus, he was so deeply rooted in our loue;
All those and thousands more could neuer worke
Me to haue sent him from my presence: but
My Marriam; O, the very name of her
Is like a passing-Knell, to a sicke man:
For, if to be a King, is to be wretched;
Then to be meane is to be glorious:
The thought of Marriam, like a Feuer burnes,
Dissects me euery Nerue; I feele within
My cogitations beating, things long past
Are now presented, now I suffer for them;
Im growne a Monster, and could chafe my selfe
Out of my selfe; I'm all on fire within:
O Marriam, Marriam, Mistris of my Soule;
I shall expire with breathing on thy name:
Thy deare remembrance burnes me: who attends?
Giue me some Fruit to coole me.
Nir.
What, will you tast some Sirrop, or some grapes?
Her.
No, giue me an Apple.
Nir.
Here are faire ones Sir.
Her.
Lend me a knife to pare it: O Niraleus,
I haue done cruell Iustice; is there left
A good thing to succeed me? All my Sonnes,
My Brothers, Sisters; nay, the very last
Of all my blood is vanisht.
Say not so; Your Childrens Children liue yet:
Her.
Passing true, young Archelaus and Antipas;
Bee't your charge to see them sent for home;
Something I must act, worthy my Meditation;
Ile not liue to haue care dwell so neere me; one small pricke
With this will doe it: thus Ile trye it.
Stabs himselfe.
Nir.
Hold, in the name of wonder; what haue you done Sir?
Her.
Nothing but sought to ease my misery;
A little more had done it.
Nir.
Good Sir haue patience; a Surgeon there.
Her.
Patience, thou seest I haue, to kill my selfe;
I shall ere long rest in my Marriams armes:
I would not be a King another yeare,
For both the Crownes of Iuda and of Rome:
Prouide my Bed, I'm faint and something sicke:
Antipater, be close, Ile sift your knauery;
A King has eye-balls that can pierce through stone;
His very lookes, shall make the Slaue confesse,
Who's iust, and who's vniust: all is not well;
Lend me your hands, wee'l try who is the strongest;
A wager, of vs two, I liue the longest.
Exeunt.
Enter Antipater, Hillus and a Guard.
Hil.
These are (my Lord) your Lodgings; here you may
Rest at your noble pleasure; when you call,
W'are ready to attend you.
Ant.
Why tis well;
Yet, if a man should aske this Chambers name,
You would call it a Prison.
Hil.
Tis no lesse.
Exe. Guard.
Ant.
Then Gentlemen I thanke you; take your ease.
Neuer till now hadst thou Antipater,
True cause t'account with wisedome; all thy Life
Ha's beene but sport and Tennis-play: but this,
O this is Serio Ioco, such a Game,
As cals thy Life in question; nay, thy Fame;
Thy Vertue, Praise, and Reputation:
What art thou now? a Prisoner; that's a Slaue:
Nay, Slaue to Slaues; slauish extremity!
But now a King; but now a Cast-away;
Crown'd, and vncrown'd; and vndone euery way:
My strong bewitcht perswasion? Rise, O rise;
And once more shew me my deliuerance:
Tut, all mute and hidden; tis the Diuels tricke
Sill to forsake men in their misery;
And I am pleas'd they doe so: let none share
Either in my downefall, or welfare.
Enter Animis.
Keeper, welcome: what newes hath ill lucke now?
Ani.
Strange Sir, and heauy; Rumour saith, the King
Hath slaine himselfe.
Ant.
Ha, cal'st thou that ill newes?
What, is he dead?
Ani.
Tis strongly so reported.
Ant.
Thou dost not mocke my Fortune; prethee speake,
Speake, and speake freely; thou hadst wont to loue
And ioy in what did please me: say; Is the King dead indeed?
Ani.
Vpon my life, tis firmely so reported.
Ant.
Excellent, excellent; noble, happy newes;
Why, what heart could wish better? I am traunc't
And rapt with admiration; why, I knew
Fortune durst not forsake me: now hee's dead,
I may say, as the Diuell sayes, all's mine:
My hopes, my thoughts, my wishes; prethee ioy
Doe not too much orecome me: once againe,
Say, is he dead? is Herod vanished?
An.
Questionles, so talkes Rumour.
Antip.
Name it truth;
Doe not abuse a thing so excellent:
And now hee's dead; who thinkst thou is the King?
Ani.
I thinke your Greatnesse only.
Ant.
Why, tis true;
Exceeding true; who, but Antipater:
Hath not Augustus chose me? set the Crowne
Here? here, my Animis? hath not publique Rome
Stil'd me the King of Iuda? is there left
Any of Casmonani; or the Seede
Which they doe call the holy Israel?
No, I haue sent them packing; th'are as dead
As Herod and my feares are: O, my Ioyes,
How nimble haue you made me! To behold
The Hangman hang himselfe; would it not please
(Which this sweet newes hath lengthened) had I seene
The Old man kill himselfe; I thinke I should
Haue burst my sides with laughing: Come, let's goe;
Ile haue the Crowne imediately.
Ani.
Go, my Lord, whither?
Ant.
Vnto the Court, the City, any where;
Whither my pleasure leads me.
Ani.
Pardon me;
I haue not that Commission.
Ant.
How; not that Commission? S'foot, dare any heart
Harbor a thought 'gainst me? Come, th'art wise;
Open thy Dores vnto me; I haue power
That knowes, and can requit thee; by this hand
If thou withstandst my purpose; looke to be
Despis'd and wretched.
Ani.
Good my Lord, be pleas'd.
Ant.
Not to haue you dispute my sufferance:
Come will you let me goe?
Ani.
Sir, I dare not.
Ant.
Expect a damned mischiefe.
Ani.
Take better thoughts,
And good my Lord conceiue, this is but Newes;
It may be true, or false, or any way.
Ant.
You will not let me go then?
Ani.
Would I could;
Yet if you will take patience, with all hast
Ile flye vnto the Court: if there I finde
The Newes be firme and certaine; I'm your Slaue:
You shall dispose your selfe, and me and all things.
Ant.
Poxe of your purity, your Ginger-bread,
And nice, safe reseruations: but, since force
Makes me obay you; goe, away, be gone;
Flye as thou lookst for fauour.
Ani.
I am vanisht.
Exit Ani.
Ant.
O, what a thing is Man! how quickly made
And mar'd, and yet againe reedified,
All with a breath; to make vs know, in Kings,
Consists the great worke of Creation:
Why, I was lost but now; and now againe,
Am found as great as euer; thus can Fate
Change and rechange at pleasure; he that would
Haue kil'd, is kil'd in killing: foolish Fiends,
You are deceiu'd to leaue me; I shall liue
To make you bound to mine Iniquity;
Cite onely my example; then (my Soule)
Sit, and sleepe out thy dangers.
Antipater sits downe and slumbers; then, Enter Herod, Augustus, Niraleus, Archelaus, Antipas, and Hillus.
Her.
O royall Cæsar, this grace thus perform'd
In my poore Visitation; makes my Soule
A Bondslaue to thy Vertue.
Aug.
Tis no more
Then what your worth may challenge; onely Sir,
This violence on your person, by your selfe,
Must craue my reprehension.
Her.
Tis but fit:
Yet royall Cæsar, what should Nature doe;
When, like to me, its growne vnnaturall?
Turn'd a deuouring Serpent; eating vp
The whole Frye it ingendred; nay, the armes
And branches of it's body. Sir, 'twas I
That kil'd the vertuous high Priest Aristobulus;
Enter E. Aristobulus, and Q. Alexandra like Ghosts.
See where he comes bright Angel-like: O stay,
Doe not afflict me further: how he moues
Like gentle ayre about me: see, to him,
Enters his royall Mother; hold, O hold;
I doe confesse my vengeance, and will shed
My life-bloud to appease you.
Aug.
Why, this is
But fancy which torments you; here appeares
Nothing that's strange about vs.
Her.
See my Sonnes;
Enter P. Alexander, Y. Aristobulus, and Marriam.
My louely Boyes; tis true, I murder'd you;
Come, take reuenge, and spare not: art thou there;
O, let me flye and catch thee: bee'st thou Flame,
Blastings, or mortall Sicknesse; yet I dare
Leape and imbrace my dearest Marriam:
Marriam, O Marriam; Villaines, let me goe;
You shall not hold me from her: O, a Sword,
A Sword for Heauens mercy; for, but death,
Nothing can ioyne me to her.
Aug.
This is strange;
Nor haue I seene Passion more powerfull: See you hold him fast.
Her.
Shall I not reach my comfort? then, O come
The Arrowes of your Poyson: so; it workes, it workes.
Nir.
A Slumber ouertakes him.
Aug.
Let him rest.
Enter, like Ghosts, Pheroas Achitophel, Disease & Tryphon.
Ant.
Hold, O hold; whither is courage vanish't? Poxe of feares,
And Dreames imaginations: shall I turne
Coward whilst I am sleeping? No, Ile laugh
Euen in my Graue, at all my Villanies:
Yes, in despight of thee, and thee, and both
Your damned base Brauadoes: ha, ha, ha;
My Mountebanke ands Zany! How can Hell
Spare such neate skipping Raskals? What, my fine
Neate shauing amorous Barber! See, I dare
Face, and out-face yee all; I Death himselfe;
For, none of you, but dyed most worthily.
Ha, I am now transfigur'd: stand away;
Accuse me not you blessed Innocents:
O, you doe breake my brest vp, teare my Soule;
And burne Offence to an Anatomy:
I know my mischiefe slew you; giue me leaue,
And Ile become both Priest and Sacrifice:
They will not haue mine Offering: see, th'are gone;
And I am onely fool'd with Visions.
Sit, and sleepe out Phantasmas.
Her.
Ha, ha, ha;
This Vision doth not scarre me; that you fell,
'Twas Iustice and my Vertue; all your threats
Doe but augment my Triumph: go, pack hence;
Exe. Ghosts, & Enter Animis.
I grieue for naught but iniur'd innocence.
Ani.
Where is the King my Maister?
Aug.
What's thy will?
Ani.
Emperiall Sir, Tis from Antipater.
Her.
Antipater? speake forth, I heare thee; that's a sound
Euer craues mine attention.
Ani.
Gracious Sir,
The rumour of your death, when it had fild
The City; flew to him.
Her.
Yes, and then
How tooke he my departing? Come, I see
Strange things in thy deliuerance: speake, speake free;
How tooke he that sad Message?
Ani.
Not toth' heart.
Aug.
No 'twas enough the count'nance languished.
That was as light as any.
Her.
On thy life
Tell me his whole demeanour.
Ani.
Sir, in briefe;
When I had told the fatall Accident
Both of your wound and dying; sodaine mirth
Ranne through him like a Lightning; and he seemd
Onely a flame of Iest and Merriment:
His ioy was past example; and he swore,
His sinnes had made him King of Israel:
What shall I say; if threatnings or reward
Could but haue bought his freedome; at my choyce
Lay all my heart could number.
Her.
Peace, no more;
I thinke what thou canst vtter: O, this Sonne,
This Bastard Sonne hath onely ruind me:
Hell neuer knew his equall; all my sinnes
Are but the seeds he planted: fie, O fie.
Aug.
Do not afflict your selfe; tis Iustice now
Shall take the Cause in handling: Captaines harke,
And harke Niraleus, doe as I command;
Be vigilant and serious: goe, away.
Whisper, & Exe. Animis, Niraleus & the Guard.
Ant.
It shall be so; these Visions are to me,
Like Old-wiues Tales, or Dreames of Goblins;
And shall passe like them, scorn'd and iested at:
Why, what to me is Conscience? if I could
Neglect it in my whole Course; shall I now
Now when the Goale is gotten, stand affraid
Of such poore morall Shadowes? No, tis here,
Harden'd by Hell and Custome which shall keepe
And out-face all such Battry: I'm my selfe,
A King, a royall King; and that deare Ioy
Shall bury all Offences: Herod's dead;
And in his Graue, sleepe my distemperance.
Enter Niraleus, Animis bearing a Crowne, and a Guard.
Nir.
Health to the King of Iuda.
Ant.
Ha, what's that?
Ani.
Long life vnto the King Antipater.
Is the newes true then? is the Old man dead?
The wretched poore Old man; and, haue my Starres
Made me the man I wisht for? O, you are
Notes farre aboue your Fortunes.
Nir.
Sir, hee's dead;
And in his death hath giuen you all, that Rome
Before confirm'd vpon you; which we thus
Fixe on your sacred Temples; onely craue,
You will be pleas'd (as Herod did desire)
That ere you do ascend the Soueraigne Chayre,
First to behold his Body, and on it
Bestow one Teare or naturall Sacrifice.
Ant.
O tis a Rent most ready; Teares in me
Are like Showers in the Spring time, euer blacke;
But neuer farre from Sunshine: Come, I haue
A longing heart and busie thoughts, which knowes
There's much to doe in little time: away:
I long to meet my glory; neuer hower
Was Crown'd with better fate, or stronger power.
Exeunt.
Enter Hillus, Officers with the Scaffold, & the Executioner.
Aug.
This Preparation's honest; so dispatch,
And place these mortall Triumphs handsomely:
Sirrah, conceale your person; let no feare
Make his feare grow too early.
Exe.
Tis, my Lord,
My part to couch like Mischiefe, close, but sure;
When I breake out I'm fatall.
Her.
Thou speakst truth;
Would this day did not need thee: tis a world
To thinke how strong our cares are; and how weake
All things which doe but looke like comfort: there's
Not left in me a shadow; not a breath
Of any hope hereafter; this Bastards faith,
On which so much I doted, to be lost
Thus against kinde and nature; tis a sinne,
That teares my heart in pieces.
Aug.
Say not so;
Tis rather comfort well discouered:
But peace; see th'are approaching.
Sound Trumpets.
Enter Antipater, Niraleus, Animis, and the Guard.
Nir.
Giue way, stand backe; roome for the King of Iuda.
Ant.
No, let them throng about me; and behold
Their glory, and Redeemer, Ha; what's this? a Vision?
No; a mortall Prodigie: the King is liuing: O, I'm lost
The Emperour Augustus: then I see,
There is no way, but to destruction.
Her.
Yes, to deserue destruction: wretched thing;
Thou scorne of all are scorned; see, I liue
Only to sound thy Iudgement: thou, that thought'st
To build thy Throane vpon my Sepulchre;
See how th'art dasht in pieces.
Ant.
Gracious Sir.
Aug.
Labour not for excuses; you haue runne
A strange Cariere in Villany; and thrust
All goodnesse from you with such violence,
That Mercy dares not helpe you.
Ant.
Yet, my Lord,
Heare mine vnfaigned Answere.
Her.
In thy brest
Was neuer thing lookt like Simplicity;
Thou hast made Goodnesse wretched, and defam'd
All vertuous things that grac'd Nobility;
Th'ast eate my blood vp; made my loathed life
Onely a Scale to reach Confusion;
Of these things I accuse thee; this I proue
Both by my Life, my Death, and Infamie;
And for this thou must perish: One, call forth
The Minister of death; and in my view,
Some minutes ere my dying; let me see
His head tane from his body.
Ant.
Sir, O Sir;
Thinke that you are a Father.
Aug.
No, a King,
And thence ordain'd for Iustice; to put backe
Ought of that heauenly Office, were to throw
Mountaines ith face of Iupiter; know y'are lost,
Lost to all Mankinde and Mortality:
Therefore to make your last houre better seeme,
Then all that went before it; what you know
Of Treasons vnreuealed; lay them forth:
The worke will well become you.
Ant.
Is there no mercy?
Aug.
Not vpon earth; nor for Antipater.
Ant.
Then farewell Hope for euer; welcome Death;
I, that haue made thee as mine Instrument,
Will make thee my Companion; and, I thus
Ascend and come to meete thee: Here I am
And doe despise what all you tremble at:
Sir, it is true, I meant your Tragedy;
Did quite roote out your Issue; and if life
Had held, would haue wipte out your Memory:
This I confesse; and to this had no helpe;
But mine ill thoughts and wicked Salumiths.
Aug.
Was she assistant to you?
Ant.
Sir, shee was.
Aug.
Produce her presently.
Ani.
Sir, tis too late;
The heart-strong Lady once imprisoned,
Forsooke all foode, all comfort, and with sighes,
Broke her poore heart in sunder.
Her.
And that word
Hath brought mine vnto cracking; strike, O strike;
Dispatch the Execution; or mine eyes
Will not continue to behold the grace
Of the reuenge I thrist for.
Ant.
Feare me not;
I am as swift in my desire of death,
As you are in your longings: Come, thou friend
To great mens Feares, and poore mens Miseries,
Strike, and strike home with boldnesse; here's a Life
Thy steele may quench, not conquer; for the thought
Exceeds all mortall Imitation:
Greatnesse grew in my Cradle; with my Blood,
Twas fed to mature ripenesse; on my Graue,
It shall, to all the Ages of the World,
Liue in eternall dreadfull Epitaphs:
This seruice men shall doe me; and my name
Remaine a Bug-beare to Ambition. Come; I am now prepar'd.
Exe.
Sir, will you please to kneele.
Ant.
What to thy vildnes? Slaue, Ile stand as high
And strong as is a Mountaine; strike, or perish.
Exe.
I cannot then Sir doe mine Office.
Enter Salumith betweene two Furies, wauing a Torch.
Ant.
Poxe of your forme in these extremities.
What art thou there, poore tortur'd Wickednes?
And dost thou waft me to thee? Then, I come;
I stoope, I fall, I will doe any thing;
Thou art to me as Destiny: O stay,
Neuer two reacht the height of Villany.
Strike, O strike.
Her.
O-o-o-
Here the Executioner strikes, and Herod dies.
Aug.
Whence came that deadly groane.
Nir.
From the King; the blow the Hangman gaue Antipater,
Tooke his life in the Instant: Sir, hee's dead.
Aug.
The Gods haue shewd their wonders; some withdraw
The Bodies and interre them: that; where none
May pittie or lament him: th'other so;
As all men may admire him: for the Crowne,
Thus I bestow it on young Archelaus:
Rome makes thee King of Iuda; and erects
Thy Chayre and Throane within Ierusalem.
Sound Trumpets.
All.
Long liue Archelaus, King of Ierusalem.
Arch.
I will be Cæsars seruant; and my life,
I hope shall purge these woes from Israell.
Aug.
Tis a sweet royall Promise; prosper in't;
Make Vertue thy Companion: for we see,
She builds their ruines, spring from Tyrannie.
Exeunt omnes.
| The true Tragedy of Herod and Antipater | |