 | The First Tragedye of Seneca, called Hercules Furens |  |
THE FIRST ACTE.
Iunoalone.
I syster of the Thunderer, (for now that name alone
Remaynes to me) Ioue euermore as though deuorst and gone,
And temples of the highest ayre as wydowe shunned haue,
And beaten out of skyes aboue the place to Harlots gaue.
I must go dwell beneath on ground, for Whoores do hold the sky.
From hence the Beare in parte aboue of ycy peale full hy,
A haughty starre the greekish shyps by Seas doth guyde about:
From this way, whence at spring time warme the day is loased out,
Europaes bearer through the waues of Tyria shynes full bright.
From thence, their stormy fearefull flocke to Ships, and seas affright,
[1]
With staring bush of hayre from hens Orion Gods doth fray:
And Perseus eke his glitteryng starres of golden glosse hath here.
From hence the twynnes of Tyndars stocke do shine, a signe full clere:
And at whose byrth first stode the grounde that erst went to and fro.
Nor onely Bacchus now himselfe, or Bacchus mother lo,
Haue clymd to Gods: least any parte should from rebuke be free,
The skies the Gnossian strumpets crownes do beare in spight of mee.
But I of old cōtemptes complayne: me, one dire, fierce, and shrewde,
Thebana land with wicked broode of Ioues base daughters strewde,
How oft hath it a stepdame made? though vp to heauen should ryse,
The conqueryng drabbe Alcmena now, and hold my place in skyes,
And eke her sonne to promisd starres obtayne the worthy way,
At byrth of whom the staying worlde so long deferd the day,
And Phœbus slow from morning sea began to glister bright,
Commaunded long in th'Ocean waues to hyde his drowned lyght.
Yet shall my hates not leaue them so, a wrathful kindled rage
His mynd in madnes shall stirre vp, and yre that may not swage
Shall euermore (all peace layd downe) wage warres eternally.
What warres? what euer hideous thinge the earth his ennemy
Begets, or what soeuer sea or ayre hath brought to syght
Both dredfull, dire, and pestilent, of cruel fiercest might,
T'is tierd and tam'd: he passeth all, and name by ills doth rayse,
And all my wrath he doth inioy, and to his greater prayse
He turnes my hates: whyle tedious toyles to much I him behest,
He proues what father him begot: both thence where light opprest
Hath sea, and where it showde agayne, where Titan day doth trayne,
And with his brand approaching nere doth dye those Aethiops twaine,
His strengh vntamde is honoured: and God eche where is hee
Now calde in worlde, and now more store of monsters want to mee,
And laboure lesse to Hercles is t'acomplish all my will,
Then me to bydde: at ease he doth myne imperies fulfyl.
What cruel hestes of tyrante now so fyerce a yong man may
Preuayle to hurt? for lo he beares for weapons now awaye
What once he feerde, and put to flight: he armed comes at syde
With Lyon fyerce and Hydra both: nor land suffiseth wyde,
But broake he hath the threshold loe of that infernall Ioue,
And spoyls with him of conquerd king he drawes to Gods aboue.
But thats but light, broke is the league of sprites that there do dwell.
I saw my selfe, I saw him lo (the night now gone, of hell
2
His brothers spoyles. Why drawes he not opprest and bound by might
Hymselfe in chaynes that equall thynges to Ioue by lot doth hold?
And beare the rule of captiue hel, and way to Styxe vnfolde?
Up opened is from lowest ghostes the backward way to skye,
And sacred secrets of dire death in open sight do lye.
But he (the dredful den of sprites brake vp ful fierce and stout
Euen ouer mee doth tryumph lo, and with proude hand about
The foule blacke dogge by Grekish townes he leades frō hel away.
When seene was vgly Cerberus I saw the fading day,
And fearefull sunne: euen me lykewyse a trembling dread opprest,
And looking on the fylthy neckes of conquerd monstruous beast,
I feared much myne owne behestes: but light things I complayne,
For heauen I may be frayde, lest he may get the highest rayne,
That lowest wonne, the sceptors from his father wil he take,
Nor hee to starres (as Bacchus dyd) his way wil gently make:
The way with ruine will he seeke, and hee in empty skyes
Wil reygne alone with force displayd hys haughty hart doth ryse,
And he that heauen it selfe by force of his might gotted bee,
It bearyng learnd: quite vnderneth the world his head set hee.
Nor once his shoulders bowde the prayse of such a mighty mas:
And midst of heauen on Hercles necke alone (loe) setled was.
His necke vnwryde the starres aboue and skyes did only stay:
And me likewyse oppressyng him, to Gods he seekes the way.
Goe ire, goe on, and beate hym downe that great things doth inuent
Match thou with him, and with thy handes now thou thy selfe him rent.
Such hates why dost thou meditate? let all wyld beastes now go:
And weary Euristheus now be free from geeuing charges mo.
The Tytans daryng once of Ioue to breake the impery
Send out: let loase the denne abroade of mount of Sicilye.
The Doricke land that with the turne of gyant quakes afrayd,
Let it bring forth the dredful neckes of monster vnder layd.
Let yet the haughty moone aboue some other beastes beget,
But these he ouercame. Seekes thou a match t'Alcides yet?
Thers none, except hymselfe: let him agaynst himselfe rebell.
Let present be from bottome deepe vpraysd of lowest hell
Th'Eumenides, let flaming lockes of theyrs the fires out flinge,
And furious hands bestowe aboute the stroakes of vipers sting.
Go now ful prowde, and scale the skyes to seates of gods make waye.
Now must thy battels wages be ful cleere loe shynes the daye.
[2]
Thou hast escapt? nay here I wil another hel thee show.
In deepe miste hid I will call vp from bottome low of hell
Beyond the wayes of gylty ghostes debateful goddesse fell.
Wheras the roaring dreadful den resoundes with cryes about.
From depest bond of Ditis raygne beneath I wil set out,
What so is left. Let hateful hurt now come in anger wood,
And fierce impyety imbrew himselfe, with his owne bloud,
And errour eke, and fury arm'd agaynst it selfe to fight.
This meane, this meane, let wrath of myne now vse to shewe my might.
Beginne ye seruantes now of hell: the feruent burning tree
Of Pyne shake vp: and set with snakes her dreadful flocke to see.
Let now Megæra bring to sight, and with her mournful hand
For burning rage bring out of hell a huge and direful brand.
Do this, require you vengeance due, and paynes of hel his spoyle,
Strike through his breast, let fyercer flame, within his bosome boyle.
Then which in Aetna fornace beates, so furiously to see.
That mad of mind and witles may Alcides driuen bee
With fury great through pearced quight, my selfe must first of all
Be mad. Wherfore doth Iuno yet not into raging fall?
Mee, me, ye Furyes, systers three throwne quite out of my wit
Tosse fyrst, if any thing to do, I do endeuour yet
For stepdame meete: let now my hates be turnd another way,
Let him (returnd) his babes behold in safety I you pray.
And strong of hand come home, I haue now found the day at length,
In which may greatly mee auayle the hated Hercles strength.
Both mee and eke hym selfe let him subdue and wish to die
Returnd from hel, yea let it here be my commodity,
That he of Ioue begotten is: here present wil I stand,
And that his shaftes goe streyght from bow, I wil direct his hand;
The mad mans weapons will I guide, euen Hercles fyghtyng, lo,
At length Ile ayde. This gylt once done then leefull is that so
His father may admit to skies those gylty handes of his
3
The fading starres now shyne but seelde in sighte
In stipye skye, night ouercome with day
Plucks in her fyres, while spronge agayne is light.
The day starre drawes the cleresome beames theire waye,
The ycye signe of haughtye poale agayne,
VVith seuen starres markt, the Beares of Arcadye,
Do call the light with ouerturned wayne.
VVith marble horse now drawne, hys waye to hye
Doth Titan toppe of Oetha ouer spred
The bushes bright that nowe with berryes bee
Of Thebes strewde, by daye do blushe full redde.
And to returne doth Phœbus syster flee.
Now labor harde beginnes, and euerye kynde
Of cares it styrres, the Shepehearde doth vnfolde:
His flockes vnpende, do grase their foode to fynde,
And nippes the grasse with hoary frost full colde.
At will doth play in open medow faire
The Calfe whose brow did damme yet neuer teare,
The empty Kyne their vdders doe repayre.
And lyght with course vncertayne here and there,
In grasse full soft the wanton kidde hee flynges.
In toppe of boughe doth sitte with chaunting songe,
And to the Sunne newe rose to spreade her wynges,
Bestirres herselfe her mourneful nestes amonge
The Nightingall: and doth with byrdes aboute
Confuse resound mith murmure mixed ryfe
To witnes day; his sayles to wynde set out
The shypman doth committe in doubt of lyfe.
[3]
He leaning ouer hollow rocke doth lye,
And either his begiled hookes doth bayte,
Or els beholdes and feeles the pray from hye with paised hand.
The trembling fish he feeles with line extent.
This hope to them to whom of hurtles lyfe.
Is quiet rest, and with his owne content,
And lytle, house, such hope in fieldes is ryfe
The troblous hopes with rolling whirlewynd great,
And dredful feares their wayes in cityes keepe.
He proude repayre to prince in regall seate,
And hard court gates without the rest of sleepe
Esteemes, and endles happynes to hold
Doth gather goods, for treasure gaping more,
And is ful pore amid his heaped gold.
The peoples fauour him (astonied sore)
And commons more vnconstant then the sea,
VVith blast of vayne renoume liftes vpfull proude.
He selling at the brawling barre his plea,
Full wicked, sets his yres and scoulding loud
And woordes to sale, a fewe hath knowne of all
The careles rest, who mindfull how doth flitte
Swift age away, the tyme that neuer shall
Returne agayne do holde: while fates permitte,
At quiet liue: the lyfe full quickly glydes
VVith hastned course, and with the winged day
The wheele is turnde of yere that hedlong slides,
The sisters hard perfourme their taskes alway,
Nor may agayne vntwist the threede once sponne,
Yet mankind loe vnsure what way to take
4
And willingly wee seke the Stigian lake.
To much Alcides thou with stomacke stoute
The sory sprites of hell dost hast to see.
VVith course prefixt the fates are brought aboute
To none once warnd to come may respite bee
To none to passe their once appointed day,
The tombe all people calde by death doth hyde
Let glory him by many landes awaye
Display, and fame throughout all cityes wyde
Full babling praise, and euen with skye to stande
Auaunce and starres: let him in chariot bright
Ful haughty goe: let me my natiue land
In safe and secrete house keepe close from sight.
To restful men hoare age by course doth fall,
And low in place, yet safe and sure doth lye,
The poore and base estate of cottage small:
The prowder pompe of minde doth fall from hye.
But sad here comes with losed lockes of heare
Loe Megara with litle company,
And slowe by age drawes Hercles father neare
| The First Tragedye of Seneca, called Hercules Furens | |