 | The First Tragedye of Seneca, called Hercules Furens |  |
[4]
THE SECOND ACTE.
Megara.O guider great of heauen, & of the world O Iudge full hie,
Yet now at length apoinct a meane of carefull miserie,
And ende of our calamitie. To mee yet neuer day
Hath careles shin'de: the ende of one affliction past away
Beginning of an other is: an other ennemy
Is forthwith founde, before that hee his ioyfull family
Retourne vnto an other fyght hee taketh by behest:
Nor any respite giuen is to him nor quiet rest:
But whyle that he commaunded is: straight him pursueth shee
The hatefull Iuno. Was yet once from toyle and labour free
His infants age? the monsters (lo) he vanquisht hath and slayne,
Before he knew what monsters ment. The skaled serpents twayne
Their double neckes drew on toward him, agaynst the which to ryse,
The infant crept to meete with them, the serpents glittring eyes
Lyke fyre, with quiet carelesse brest he looking fast vpon,
With coūtnance cleere, hard wrested knots of them he caught anon:
And strangling then the swelling throates of them with tender hand,
To Hydra prelude made the beast so swyfte of Mænale land,
That with much Golde bare vp full bright his beautifled head,
Is caught in course of Nemey wood likewise the greatest dread
The Lyon prest with Hereles armes hath roarde with dreadfull crie.
What should I speake of stables dyre, of steedes of Bystonye?
Or King cast out himselfe for foode his horses fierce to fill?
And bristled beast in thicke tops woont of Erymanthus hill?
The boare of Mænalye, the woods of Arcady to shake?
And Bull that did no litle dread to hundred peoples make?
Among the flocks of Hesper lande that hence farre distant bee,
The sheepherde of Cartesian coast of triple shape to see
Is slayne, and driuen is the pray from farthest parte of weast,
Citheton quak't when by him past to sea the well knowne beast.
He being bid to make by coastes of sommer sunne his way,
And parched landes which sore with heate doth boyle the middell day,
The mountaynes brake on either side and rampiers all vndoon,
Euen vnto swyft and raging sea hath made a way to roon.
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The waking dragons golden spoyles with him he brought away.
The Lerna monsters numerous ill what neede to tell haue I?
Hath he not him with fyre at length subdewde, and taught to dye?
And which were woont with wings abrode to hyde the day from sight,
Euen from the cloudes he sought & braue the Stimphale birdes to flight.
Not him subdewde who euer lyes in bed vnmatcht at night
The wyddowe queene of them that tooke to Thermodont their flight.
Nor handes that well durst enterprise his noble trauayles all
The filthy labour made to shrynke of foule Augias hall.
What vayle all these? he wants the world which oft defended he.
And th'earth well knowes the worker of his quietnes to be
Away from earthe: the prosperous gilt that beareth happy sway,
Is vertue callde, and now the good to wicked doe obay.
The right doth stand in might of armes, feare treadeth downe the lawe.
Before my face with cruell hand, euen presently I sawe
Reuengers of theyr fathers reygne, the sonnes with sworde downe cast,
And of the noble Cadmus eke himselfe the ofspring last
Then slayne: I sawe his regall crowne at once from him away
With head bereft. Who Thebes alas enough bewayle nowe may?
The fertile land of Gods, what lorde now quakes it for to knowe?
Out of the fieldes of which somtime, and fruictfull bosome lowe,
The youth vpsprong with sworde in hand preparde to battell stoode:
And walls of which Amphion one of mighty Ioue his broode,
Hath built with sounding melody in drawing to the stones:
To towne of whom the parent chiefe of Gods not onely ones
Heauen being left hath come. this land that Gods aboue alway
Receiu'de, and which hath made them Gods, and (leefull beete to say)
Perhaps shall make, with lothsome yoake of bondage is prest downe.
O Cadmus stocke, and citezens of olde Amphions towne,
Whereto are yee nowe fall'ne? dread yee a cowardly exull thus,
His coastes to dwell in, lacking, and to ours iniurious?
Who through the worlde pursues the gilts and wrong by sea and land,
And cruell sceptors broken hath with iust and ryghtfull hand,
Nowe absent serues, and what he eas'de in other doth sustayne:
And now doth bannysht Lycus holde of Hercles Thebes the rayne.
Yet shall he not: he shall come home, and him with vengeaunce quight,
And sodaine rise to starres: he will soone flnde the way to light,
Or make it ells. returne thou safe, repayre to thine in haste:
And conquerour to conquer'de house yet come agayne at laste.
[5]
Breake vp with hand, if no way may for thee kept backe bee made,
And passage be shut vp, returne with world vprent by might.
And what soeuer li'the possest byneath in darkest night,
Send out with thee, as when the tops of haughty hylles vndoon
A headlong passage making through for hasty floude to roon
Thou somtime stoodst, whā with great might of thyne a sunder broake
The Tempye woods wyde open lay: and beaten with thy stroake
The mount, now here, now there fell downe: and [illeg.]amp[illeg.]er rente of slay,
The raging brooke of Thessaly did roon a newe found way,
Thy parentes so, thy sonnes, thy land repayring home to see,
Breake out, and lowest bonde of things out bringing thence with thee,
And what soeuer greedy age in all these long yeares race
Hath hid, shew forth, & ghosts that haue forgot theyr former case,
And people vp before thee driue that fearefull are of light.
Unworthy spoyles for thee they are, if thou but bring to sight
What bidden is. great thinges, but farre to much I speake for mee,
Unwotting of myne owne estate. when shall I hap to see,
The day when thee, and thy right hand, I may embrace agayne,
And slowe returnes, nor yet of me once myndefull, may complayne?
To thee for this O guide of Gods, vntamed Bulls shall bring
Their hundred necks: to thee O Queene of fruits on earth that spring
I'le geue thee secret sacrifice: to thee with much fayth loe
Long fyre brands at Eleusis towne full silent wyll I throe.
Then to my brethren shall I thinke to bee restoarde agayne
Theyr soules, and eke himselfe aliue and guiding of his rayne
My father for to flouryshe yet. if any greater might
Doe keepe thee shet, we followe thee: with thy returne to sight
Defend vs all, or els to hell drewe downe vs all to thee.
Thou shalt vs drawe, no God shall rayse vs vp that broken bee.
6
MEGARA.
O faythfull fellowe of our bloud, with chaste true faythfulnes
The [illeg.]ed keeping, and the sonne of haughty Hercules,
Conceiue in mynde some better thinges, and take good heart to thee:
He will come home, as after all his labours woonteth hee,
Of more renowned
ME.
What wretches doe most chiefly wishe of all,
They soone beleue.
AM.
Nay what they feare to much lest it may fall,
They thinke it, neuer may bee shoon'de, nor rid by remedy.
ME.
Beleefe is ready still to dreade the woorser mysery.
Deepe drown'de, & whellm'de, & farthermore with all ye world full lowe
Oppressed downe, what way hath he to light agayne to goe?
AM.
What way I pray you had he then whē through the burning coste,
And tumbling after maner of the troubled Sea vp toste
He went by sands: and freate that twyse with ebbe away doth slip,
And twyse vpflowe: and when alone with his forsaken ship,
Fast caught he stucke in shallowe foordes of shelfye Syrtes sande,
And (nowe his ship on grounde) did passe through seas a foote to land?
ME.
Iniurious fortune vertue most of men most stout and strong
Doth seldome spare: no man alyue himselfe in safety long
To perills great and daungers may so often times out cast,
Whom chaunce doth often ouerslip, the same it findes at last.
But cruell loe, and greeuous threats euen bearing in his face,
And such as he of stomacke is, doth come euen such of pace,
Proude Lycus who the sceptors shakes in hande of other king,
The plentuous places of the towne of Thebes gouerning,
And euery thinge about the whych with fertile soyle doth goe
Sloape Phocis, and what euer doth Ismenus ouerfloe,
What euer thing Cithæron seeth with haughty top and hye,
And slender Isthmos Ile, the which betweene two seas doth lye.
[6]
Amphitrion.
Not I of natiue countrey bowres possesse the auncient right
Unworthy heir, nor yet to me are noble men of might
The grandfathers, nor stocke renownd with titles hie of name,
But noble vertue: who so boastes of kinred whence he came,
Of others vertue makes his vaunt, but got with fearful hand
My sceptors are obtaynd: in sword doth all my safety stand.
What thee thou wotst agaynst the will of cytesyns to get,
The bright drawne sword must it defend: in forrayne countrey set
No stable kingdome is. But one my pompe and princely might
May ratify once ioynd to me with regall torche ful bright,
And chambers Megara: of stocke of such nobility
Let vpstart state of myne take shape. I do not thinke that shee
Refuse it will, or in the bed with mee despyse to lye.
But if with proude vnbridled mynde shee stubburn do denye,
Then quite I purpose to destroy the house of Hercules
The hate of men will then my pryde, and peoples speach oppres.
Chiefe knacke of kingdome is to beare thy subiectes hates eche one.
Lets proue her then, chaunce geuen hath to vs a place alone.
For shee her head in fold of vayle ful sad and wofully
Enwrapt the Gods that are her guides for succour standes fast by,
And at the syde of her doth leane Alcides father trewe.
Meg.
What thing doth this destroyer of our stocke agayne anew
Prepare? what proueth he?
Ly.
O Queene that name renowmed hye
And tytle takste of regall stocke ful gentle and easily
A litle whyle receiue and heare my wordes with pacient eare,
If alwayes men eternal hates should one to th'other beare,
And rage be gone out of the hart should neuer fall away,
But th'happy still should armour holde, th'vnhappy stil obay,
Then shall the battayles nothing leaue: with wide fieldes then the lande
Shall lie vntild, with vnderlayd to housen fiery brand
Then ashes deepe shal ouerwhelme the buried people all.
Expedient is to conquerour to wish that peace befall:
To conquerd nedefull partner of the kingdome come to me:
Let's ioyne our myndes, take here this pledge of fayth and truth to thee.
7
Meg.
Should I abyde, that I the hand sprinkt with my fathers bloud,
Should ouch, and double death imbrewd of both my brethren? nay
Fyrst shall sunne ryse extinguish quite, and West shal bring the day:
First faythful peace betweene the snowes and fiers there shalbe tryde,
And Scilla shall t'Ausonius fyrst ioyne his Sicilian syde:
And fyrst, the fleetyng floud that with swift turnes of course doth flowe
Euripus with Euboik waue shall standful stil and slow.
My father, th'empire, bretherne, house, thou hast me cleare bereft,
My countrey to: what may be more? one thing to me is left,
Then brother, father, kingdome, house, that dearer is to mee
The hate of thee, the which to me with people for to be
In commune woe I am: how great is myne alonly part?
Rule on ful proude, beare vp ful hye thy sprites and haughty hart:
Yet God the proude behynd theyr backes doth follow them to wreake.
I know the Thebane kingdomes: what should I the mothers speake,
Both suffring, and aduentring gyltes? what double mischiefe done?
And mixed name of spouse at once, of father and of sonne?
What bretherns double tentes? or what as many roages also?
The mother proude of Tantals brood congeald in mourning loe,
And sory stone yet flowes with teares in Phrygian Sipylye.
Himselfe likewyse erected vp his scaled heade awrye.
Euen Cadmus measuring throughout th'Illyrian landes in flight,
Behynd him left of body drawne long slymy markes in sight.
All these examples wayte for thee: rule thou as likes thy will,
Whyle thee our kingdomes wonted fates do call and oft hap yll.
Ly.
Goe to, these fierce and furious wordes thou woman mad refraine.
And imperyes of princes learne of Hercles to sustayne.
Though I the scepters gotten by the force of war do beare,
In conquering hand & all do rule without the law his feare.
Which armes subdue, a few wordes yet to thee now speake I shall
For this my cause thy father did in bloudy battel fall:
Thy brethren fell, the weapons kepe no measurable slay.
For neither easily tempred be, nor yet repressed may
The drawne swordes yre, the battels doth the bloud delite out shedde.
But he yet for his kingdome fought, wee altogether led
With wicked lust: yet th'end of war is now complayned, loe,
And not the cause, but now let all remembraunce therof goe:
When conquerour hath weapons left, the conquerds part should be
To leaue his hates. Not I that thou with lowly bended knee
[7]
That thou thy myseries do'st beare with mynde so stout vpright.
Thou for a king a spouse art meete, let's ioyne our beds anone.
ME.
A trembling colde doth run throughout my bloudles lims ech one.
What hainous thinge comes to myne eares? I fear'de not then at all,
When (all peace broake) the noyse of warre did by the city wall
Resounde about, I bare all that vnfearefully to see,
I feare the wedding chambers: nowe I captiue seeme to mee.
Let heauy chaynes my body greeue, and eke with hunger long
Let lingring death be slowly brought, yet shall no force full strong
My truthe subdue: for euen thine owne Alcides will I dye.
LY.
Doth then thy husband droun'de in hell geue thee this stomack hie?
ME.
The hells alowe he toucht, that he the height againe might get.
LY.
The heauy paise oppresseth him of all the earth full great.
ME.
Hee with no burdein shall be prest, that heauen it selfe sustayn'de.
LY.
Thou shalt be forst.
ME.
He wots not how to die, that is cōstrain'd.
LY.
Speake, what may rather I prepare then wedding newe for thee.
More royall gyft?
ME.
Thine owne death els, or els the death of mee.
LY.
Thou shalt mad woman die.
ME.
I shall then to my husbande go.
LY.
More then my Sceptors is to thee a seruaunt loued so?
ME.
How many hath this seruant slayne of kings with hendy stroake?
LY.
Why doth he yet a king then serue, and still sustayne his yoake?
ME.
Take once away the hard behests, what's vertue then at last?
LY.
Do'st thou it vertue counte, to bee to beasts, and monsters cast?
ME.
T'is vertues part, to tame the things, that all men quake to know.
LY.
Him great things braggīg, darknes deepe of tartare presse ful low.
ME.
There neuer may from ground to stars an easy passage be.
LY.
Of whom begot, the housen then of Gods through pearceth he?
AM.
O wretched wife of Hercles great, thy words a whyle now spare.
My parte it is, the father of Alcides to declare,
And his true stocke, yet after all of man so stoute as this
So famous deedes, and after all appeas'de with hand of his
What euer Titan rysen vp, doth see, or els at fall,
And after all these monsters tam'de, and Phlegrey sprinkled all
With wicked bloud, and after Gods defended all on hye,
Is not his father yet well knowne? or Ioue doe we beelye?
Beleeue it yet by Iunoes hate.
LY.
Why do'ste thou sclaunder Ioue?
No mortall kinred euer may be mixt with heauen aboue.
AM.
To many of the Gods in skyes is this a common trade.
LY.
But were they euer seruauntes yet, before they Gods were made?
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Of Delos Ile the sheepherde loe the flocks of Pherey fed.
LY.
But through all coasts he wandred not abroade as banished.
AM.
Whō straying mother first brought forth in wādring lond to sight?
LY.
Yet Phœbus did no monsters feare, or beasts of cruell might.
AM.
First Dragon with his bloud embrew'd the shafts of Phœbus lo.
Howe greeuous ills euen yet full yong he bare, doe you not knoe?
From mothers wombe ye babe out thrown with lightning flame frō hie,
Euen next his lightning Father stoode forthwith aboue in skye.
What? he him selfe that guides the starres, & shakes the clouds at will,
Did not that Infant lurke in Den of hollowe caued hill?
The byrthes so great full troublous pryce to haue loe alwayes ought:
And euer to be borne a God, with coste full great is bought.
LY.
Whom thou a miser see'st, thou mai'st know him a man to bee.
AM.
A miser him deny yee may, whom stout of heart yee see.
LY.
Call we him stout, from shoulders hye of whom the Lyon throwne
A gift for mayden made, and eke his Club from hand fell downe,
And paynted side with purple weede did shyne that he did weare?
Or may we him call stout of heart, whose staring lockes of heare
With ointmēt flowde? who hands renownde & knowne by prayses hye
To sound vnmeete for any man of timber did applye,
With barbarous mytar cloasing in his forhead rounde about?
AM.
The tender Bacchus did not blushe abroade to haue layde out
His brayded heares, nor yet with hand full soft the Thyrsus light
For to haue shooke, what time that he with pace vnstout in sight
His long train'de barbarous garment drew with golde full fayre to see.
Still vertue after many workes is woont releast to bee.
LY.
Of this the house of Euritus destroyde doth witnesse beare,
And virgins flockes that brutishly by him oppressed weare.
No Iuno did commaunde him this, nor none Eurystheus loe.
But these in deede his owne workes are.
AM.
Yet all yee doe not knoe,
His worke it is, with weapons of his owne hand vanquished
Both Eryx, and to Eryx ioyn'de Antæus Lybian ded:
And aulters which with slaughter of the straungers flowing fast,
Busyris well deserued bloud likewise haue drunke at last.
His deede it is, that he that met the wounde, and sworde is slayne
Constrain'de to suffre death before those other Geryons twayne.
Nor one all onely Geryon doth with one hand conquer'de lye.
Thou shalt among these be which yet with none adulterye
Haue wedlocke hurt.
LY.
What is to Ioue, to king is leefull thyng:
To Ioue thou gau'ste a wyfe, thou shalt nowe geue one to a kyng.
[8]
Her husband euen approuing it the better man t'ensewe.
But if shee stubberne to be matcht with me deny it still,
Then euen by force a noble childe of her beget I will.
Meg.
O Creons ghosts and all yee Gods of th'house of Labdacus,
And wedding torches blasing bryght, of wicked Oedipus,
To this my wedding geue yee nowe our wonted destenyes.
Now, now yee bloudy daughters all of Ægypts king likewyse,
Bee here whose hands defyled are with so much bloud out spilt:
One daughter lacks of Danaus, I wyll fyll vp the gylt.
Ly.
Because that stubburnely thou do'st refuse my wedding so,
And fear'ste a king, thou shalt know what the Scepters now may do.
Embrace thyne aulters, yet no God shall euer take away
Thee from my hands: no not although with world vpturned, may
Alcides victor yet agayne to Gods aboue returne.
The woods on heapes together cast, let all their temples burne
Euen throwne vpon theyr heads: his wyfe, and all his flocke at laste
With vnderlayed fyre, let one wood pyle consume and waste.
AM.
This only bowne I father of Alcides aske of thee,
Which well may me beseeme to craue, that I fyrst slayne may bee.
LY.
Who all appoyncts with present death to haue their punishment,
He tyrant wots not how to be: more sundry greeues inuent.
Restrayne the wretched man from death, commaunde that th'happy dye.
I, while with beames prepar'de to burne the pyle encreaseth hye,
Will him with vowing sacrifyce that rules the seas entreate.
AM.
Oh chiefest powre of Gods, and oh of heauenly things so great
The guyde, and parent eke, with whose throwne thunderbolts do shake
All things humane throughout the world of king so cruell slake
The wicked hande: but why do I to Gods in vayne thus cry?
Where euer thou be, heare me soone, why start so sodaynely
The temples thus with moouing shakte? Why roareth out the groūd?
The noyse of Hell from bottome deepe byneathe hath made a sound:
Wee herde are, loe it is the sound of Hercules his pace.
9
O fortune hating men of stoutest brest,
How ill rewards dost thou to good deuyde?
Eurystheus raynes at home in easy rest,
Alcmenaes sonne in euery battayle tryde,
To Monsters turnes hys hande that Skyes dyd stay:
And cruell Neckes cuts of, of hydous Snake,
And Apples brynges from Systers mokt away,
When once to sleepe hys watchefull Eyes beetake,
Dyd Dragon set ryche fruicte to ouersee.
Hee past the Scythian bowres that straye abroade,
And those that in their countreys straungers bee
And hardned top of frosen freate hee troade,
And sylent Sea with bankes full dumme about.
The Waters hard want there their floudes to sloe.
And where before the Shyps full Sayles spred out
Is worne a pathe for Sarmates wylde to goe.
The Sea doth stande to mooue in course agayne,
Nowe apt to beare the Ship, nowe horsemen bolde
The Queene that there doth ouer Wydowes rayne,
That gyrds her Wombe wyth gyrth of glittring gold,
Her noble spoyle from body drawne hath shee
And shyelde, and bandes of breast as whyte as snowe,
Acknowledging the Conquerour with Knee.
Wyth what hope drawne to headlong Hell alowe,
So bolde to passe the vnreturned wayes
Saw'ste thon Proserpines rayne of Sicylye?
Wyth Southern wynde, or Western there no seas
Aryse wyth waue and swellinge Surges hye.
Not there of Tyndars stocke the double broode
Two starres the fearefull Shyps doe ayde and guide.
Wyth gulph full blacke doth stande the slouthfull floode
And when pale death with greedy teeth so wyde.
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Wyth one Boateman all ouer feryed bee.
God graunt thou maist of Hell subdue the rightes
And vnreuoked webs of Systers three.
There kyng of many people raygneth hee,
Who when thou did'st wyth Nestors Pylos fight,
Pestiferous handes appli'de to matche with thee
And weapon bare with triple mace of might:
And prickt with litle wounde he fled away,
And lorde of death hymselfe did feare to dye.
Breake Fate by force: and let the sight of day
To sorry sprightes of Hell apparant lye
And porche vnpast shew way to Gods aboue.
The cruell lordes of sprightes wyth pleasaunt song
And humble bownefull well could Orpheus moue,
Whyle he Eurydicen them craues among.
The Arte that drew Woods, Byrds, and stones at will:
Which made delay to Floudes of flitting flight
At sound whereof the sauage Beastes stoode still
With tunes vnwont doth Ghosts of hell delight
And clearer doth resounde in darker place:
And weepe wyth teares did Gods of cruell brest:
And they which faultes with to seuere a face
Doe seeke, and former gylt of Ghosts out wrest:
The Thracian Daughters wayls Eurydicen.
For her the Iudges weeping sit also.
Wee conquer'de are, chyefe kyng of death sayd then
To Gods (but vnder this condition) goe,
Behynde thy husbandes backe keepe thou thy way,
Looke thou not backe thy Wyfe before to see.
Than thee to sight of Gods hath brought the day
And gate of Spartane Tænare present bee.
Loue hates delay, nor coulde abyde so long.
His gyft, hee lost, while hee desires the syght.
The place that coulde be thus subdew'de with song
That place may soone bee ouercome by myght.
| The First Tragedye of Seneca, called Hercules Furens | |