University of Virginia Library

THE FOVRTH ACTE.

Iocasta.
Polynices.
Agaynste mee onely turne the force of wreckful Sword and Fyre:
Let all the Youthes with one accord repay to me that hyre,
That earnde I haue by due deserte: let both the gallant Band
Of them that come from Argos soyle, and them of Thebane Land
Come runne vpon me all at once: let neither freend ne foe
Refrayne a whit his bloudy blade at this my wombe to throw.
This wombe, this wombe, wherein I bare these wilful Brethren here
Begot by hym that was my sonne, and eke my wedded fere.
Dismembre this my Body vyle: cast all my lymmes abrode:
I am their mother: child wyfe throwes for them I once abode.
You two, my sonnes, neede I to speake, to wil you leaue your yre?
Ist not your partes, in such a case t'accomplish my desyre?
Wil you not plight the faythful league of true and perfect loue?
Wil you not ioyntly quarrels all at Mothers sute remoue?
That this shalbe as I request, come, geue me both, your handes
Whyle yet they vndystayned be, and cleane from murther standes.
What cryme you heretofore haue done, agaynst your wil it was.
And al that spot which staynes your fame, by Fortune came to passe.
This haynous Act, this franticke coyle you can no wise excuse:
But wittingly and willingly sound counsell yee refuse.
It resteth free within your choyse: of these take which yee list:
If peace delight for mothers sake this brabling broyle vntwist.
If such a lewde outrage as this more pleasaunt seeme to bee:
Behold, the same and greater too yee may commit on mee.
Who beeing mother, heere oppose my selfe betwene you twayne:
Ere you do one an other kill, I needes must first be slayne.
Take either therefore quight away this straunge vngodly iarre.
Or if you will not: mee dispatch, who stay your wished warre?
Ahlas in this my pensiue plight to whom should I dyrect
My piteous plaint, and earnest suyte? to whom might I detect
Myne inward griefe and throbbed heart? which of them were I best
T'encounter first and fast embrace, to breede my surest rest?
I loue them both euen equally, affection like I beare
To either party: mother fond and parciall els I weare.
The one of them these three yeares space hath liu'de in banishment.
But if all couenaunts may be kept, as at the first was ment,
The other now as turne doth fall, must trudge an otherwhile,
And learne to know what tis to liue so long in like exile.
Woe worth this haplesse heauy hap: shall I not liue the day,
To see my sonnes together once in one selfe place to stay?
Shall neuer I behold them both to better concord bent?
Is all affection naturall within them both so spent?
Then, Polynices, come thou fyrst, embrace thy Mother deare?
Thou that hast trauaild many a myle, and languisht many a yeare.
That many a storme abidden haste, and many a brunt sustainde,
And wearied long with sharpe exile, from Mothers sight bene wainde:
Come vnto mee, and neerer stand, put vp thy Sword againe
Into thy sheath: thy shyuering Speare (that out of hand so faine
Would be dischargd at Brothers throate) within this groūd sticke fast.
This Shielde of thine lay also downe. It makes mee sore agast.
It is so bigge, it will not let this louing breast of myne
To iayne and debonairely meete with that sweete heart of thine:
Take of thy helmet from thine head, the Thonge thereof unty,
That I thy Uisage may behold, and all thy face descry.
Why dost thou backward turne thy head? and glauncest still thine Eye,
And takest keepe of brothers hand for feare of villany?
Thy body all with these myne Armes I will defend and hyde:
If hee attempt thy bloud to spill, his murthrous blade shall glyde
First through these tender sydes of myne: why standst thou so amazd?
Dost thou distrust thy Mothers loue? thinkst thou her kindnes razd?

Poly.
A feare in deede, distrusting sore, Syre, Damme & all my kinne:
And thinke that truthles treachery in hartes of all hath bin.
Dame Natures lawes are flung at heele, and naught esteemed be:
No fayth in kinred planted is, ne true syncerity.
Synce I by proofe haue seene and felt what hurly burly growes
Betwixt vs Brethren: and from thence what Sea of mischiefe flowes:
I may suspect no faster fayth in Mother to remayne:
Its not vnlike, but shee likewyse wil prankes as bad mayntaine.

Ioc.
Thy sword in hand fast clasped keepe: On heade thy Basnet tye:
On Left Arme holde thy Targat sure, and on thy Gard relye.
At all poyntes armd prepared stand: all future doubtes preuent:
Be sure to see thy Brother first t'vnarme himselfe content.
And now to thee Etheocles some speech I am to vse:
Thou first wast cause of all this warre, doe not therfore refuse
Downe first to lay thy brawling Blade, and yeld to Reasons lore:
If name of peace so hateful be, if that thou any more
Entendst this warre to prosecute, in this so sauage sort,
Let mother yet this curtesy from thee (her sonne) extort
That some small tyme of trusty truce thou wilt with willing mynd
Consent vnto: til I my Sonne thy Brother most vnkind
May after flight goe kisse and col, now first or last of all.
Whyle I for peace entreaty make, you men vnarmd I call
To listen vnto that I say: thy Brother feareth thee:
And thou fearst him: and I feare both. But this my feare you see
Is nothing for my selfe at all, but for th'auayle of both.
Why seemest thou thy naked sword to put in sheath so loth?
Be glad to take the benefyte of any litle stay:
In matters lewde tis wysedome good to stand vpon delay.
You enter into such a warre, wherein he speedeth best
That vanquisht is: both of you feare to be by fraud distrest
Through practisd meanes and subtil plots of Brothers spitefull drift,
Or ouerreacht by pollicy of some deuysed shift.
But if deceiue or be deceyu'd by him that is our Frend
Wee needes must be: in such a case wee shall the lesse offend
In suffring wrong then doyng harme: But feare thou not a whit,
You both from ambusht treacheryes your Mother wil acquit.
What say you Sonnes: shall this request of myne with you preuayle,
Or shall I curse my luckelesse fate, and on my Fortune rayle:
And iudge your Sire an happy man, in that he liueth blinde
And cannot see the thing which I beholde with pensiue minde?
In comming vnto you, did I bring with mee this intent,
To ende these broyles? or did I come to see some dyre euent?
Etheocles, somewhat appeasde, hath pitcht his Speare in ground,
And not a weapon bloud to sheed, in hand of his is found.
Now Polynices, vnto thee my former suite I bring,
Regard thy Mothers mournefull plight, and yeelde vnto the thing
That shee with teares entreates to haue. O Sonne, at length I see,
I hold with hands, I kisse with mouth, I touch with ioyfull glee
This Face of thyne, the sight whereof I wanted haue so longe:
And haue more often wished for, then can bee tolde with tonge.
Thou hast from natiue Soyle bene chasde to Coaste of forraigne King,
And crossed bene with trouncing force of frowning Fortunes sting.
Thou many a Storme, and many a brunt in many a foming Sea,
In Wandring sort and banisht guise, didst oftentimes assay.
Thy Mother at thy Spousall feast was absent farre away,
And could not doe such nuptiall Rytes as fell for such a day.
Into thy wedding Chamber shee brought thee, ne yet thy Bryde,
Ne yet in solemne sorte the house with herbes and odours plide:
Ne yet did with a Ryband white the wedding Torches tye,
As vse and custome willes to bee at such solempnitie.
Adrastus, Father to thy Wife, and father in lawe to thee,
With Daughter his, hath not defraide much store of golde or Fee.
No Dower hath he bestowde on her, her wealth was very small,
Of Citties, Landes, and Reuenewes hee gaue her none at all.
Warre, Warre is it thou onely hadst, by taking her to Wyfe:
In lew of other gyfts, hee helpes to kindle all this Stryfe.
Thou Sonne in lawe arte vnto him, that is our Countreyes Foe:
Thy Natiue soyle thou leauest, and to forraigne Courts dost goe.
Thou feedest now at Straungers boarde, and makest more accoumpt
Of new acquaintaunce got abroade: as though it did surmount
The friendship of thy countrey heere: thou art a banisht wight,
And liu'st in exile, for no fault, but through thy brothers spight.
In thee appeares resemblaunce playne of all thy Fathers Fate,
In which there lacketh not so much as choyse of wedded Mate.
Whom with as ill mischaunce and hap as euer Fathers was,
Thou haste in lucklesse houre and time of mariage brought to passe.
O Sonne, thy mothers onely hope, for whom such care I take:
Whose sight, now after many yeares, doth mee most ioyfull make.
For whom I haue full many a time to Gods deuoutly praide:
Whereas in deede, thy new retourne to mee, may well bee saide
To take away as great a ioye, and bring as great a griefe,
As it to these myne aged yeares is comfort and reliefe.
I prostrate at the Oracle, besought Apollos Grace
To tell mee, when I should not neede to further feare thy case.
Who flowting this my fond demaund, anone did flatly tell,
And spake these words, which yet (I trow) I doe remember well.
Thou fearst thy son, least harme he take, as is a mothers guise:
But thou I say more cause shalt haue, to feare him otherwise.
For if this warre vnraisde had bene I should thy presence lacke:
And if thou wert not, Thebane Land might free remayne from Sacke.
The sight of the doth cost vs all a hard and nipping price,
Yet doth it like thy mother well: so that her sound aduice
In this one thing thou follow wilt. Dispatch these Armies hence:
Euen presently, whyle yet of bloud there hath not bene expence.
So foule a Fact to bee so neere, is haynous out of doubt:
I shake, I quake to thinke thereon, in euery Ioynt throughout.
My hayre stands vpright euen for feare, two brethren thus to see
Aloofe, and ready one to chop at th'other, cruelly.
How neere was I (poore Mother theirs, a bloudier act t'haue seene.)
Then father blind yet euer saw, or euer yet would weene?
And though my feare be ouerpast and th'act vnbrought to passe:
My selfe yet doe I wretched thincke, that done so neere it was.
By all the throwes for tenne months space, in wombe whē I thee bare,
And for thy Sisters sake both twaine, which shine in vertue rare:
And by those Eyehoales of thy Syre, for which with wrekefull Pawe
Hee pulld his Eyes, because (vnwares) hee stained Natures lawe,
I thee beseech from Thebane Walles send backe these armed Bandes,
Which threatning all our throates to cut, against our Countrey stands:
Yea though you presently depart: yet are you much to blame,
And there is due vnto you both, a blot of during shame:
Because this Countrey round about hath pestred bene with powre,
And troupes of Souldiours stout and braue, it ready to deuowre.
With pensiue hearts & mourning minds, these Eyes of ours haue seene
Your praūcing coursers wt their Feete, spoile Theban Medowes greene.
Wee oft haue seene your houlty Peeres in warlike Chariot ride:
And oft our houses to haue brunt with wildfier haue bene spide.
And last of all. An act wee sawe (which euen to Thebes is straung.)
Two Brethren warring mortally, all Natures bondes to chaung.
Ech one in th'Army sawe this sight, the people witnesse bee.
Your Systers two, and Mother I this all did plainly see.
Your Father, hee may thanke himselfe: that he did not behold
This lamentable spectacle and hauockes manifold.
Call now to thy remembraunce heere, thy Father OEdipus,
Whose doome, did Facts (by errour done) euen plague, & punishe thus.
With Fyre, & sword subuert not cleane (good Sonne) thy coūtrey deare,
And Thebes (whereof thou wouldst be king) surcease with force to teare.
What Bedlem pang enchaunts thy mind? what might thy meaning bee?
Thou claymst a Realme, which to subuert thou geeuest lycence free.
In seeking thus a countryes rule; a countrey thou destroyest:
Which thou thine own would make, thou marr'st, & (as twere none) annoyest.
Heereby thou hindrest much thy selfe, in yt thou makest spoyle,
And burnest vp both Corne and Grasse, and keep'st a shamefull coyle,
In chasing men out of their homes: (O desprate witlesse parte)
What man aliue, to waste his owne, can thus find in his harte?
These thinges that thou cōmaundest thus by rage of sword & flame
To bee consum'de: an other man thou thinkst doth owe the same.
If thus for princely Chayre you twayne by th'Eares your title try:
The state of Realme and Commonwealth will totter soone awry.
Seeke it, while yet your Countrey standes vnblemisht by decay:
It so t'enioy, and so to raigne, I coumpt the better way.
Ah, canst thou finde in heart to burne, and spoyle these houses braue?
The lyke whereof in all the worlde besides, thou canst not haue:
Canst thou destroy and ruinate the noble Thebane wall,
To whose first building stones apace at Dan Amphions call
Came dauncing of their owne accord, through tunes of warbling harpe:
And toucht themselues in order right vpon the Turrets sharpe,
Without all helpe of worckmans hand, or Pully vp to draw
Such pieces as most waighty were? Wilt thou by lawlesse law
Throw downe these worthy Monuments? wilt thou from hence conuay
And cary with thee all these spoyles? wilt thou such pageaunts play?
Thy Fathers old acquainted mates, wilt thou by force surpryze
And leade as captiue where thou goest in proude triumphing wise?
Shall these thy cutthroate Souldiors dragge and hale the mothers old?
Shal they, graūd Matrons tied in chaines, frō husbands armes vnfold?
Shall Thebane Maydes, & Damselles chaste of freshe and lusty Age,
Bee mingled with the raskal rout, and hamperd bee in Cage?
Shall they as presents, forced bee in dabbling dirt to toyle
Unto the mynsing Mistresses, and Trulles of Argos Soyle?
Shall I thy seely Mother trudge with Pinyond hands behinde?
Shall I this triumph of my Chiled to furnish bee assignde?
Canst thou with grudgelesse minde, behold thy Countreyfolkes arow.
Slayne, mangled, spoylde, in peeces hewen, thus to their deathes to goe?
Canst thou bring in a deadly Foe, thy Countrey to subdue?
Shall streates of Thebes runne all with bloud? shall all ye Coūtrey rue
Thy comming home with flame and fyre? hast thou an heart so hard?
A breast so tipt with flint? a mynde to rage so well preparde?
If thus thou fare, and swell with yre whiles yet thou art no King:
What wilt thou bee in Princely throne, if thou shouldst win the Ring?
Surceasse therefore and qualifie this outrage of thy mynde:
In thee let all thy Countrey, grace and Princely myldnes finde.

POL.
Would you me haue, my selfe so much to loyall duties yeeld,
As that I should a Pylgrims life like wandring Beast in field
Skud vp and downe from place to place, without both house & home,
And fleeing natiue soyle, bee forst in forraigne Landes to roame?
What other plagues, could you award in iustice vnto mee,
If I my fayth or sacred Oath had broken caytifly?
Shall I beare all the punishment for that vile villains guile?
And shall hee false deceiptfull wretch at my misfortunes smyle?
Shall hee in wealth still flaunt it out, and keepe this iolly coyle?
Shall hee for sinnes rewarded bee? and I still put to foyle?
Well, well, goe to, bee as bee may: you bid mee wander hence:
I am content: your hard decree t'obay is my pretence.
But tell mee whyther shall I goe? Assigne mee to some place:
Bylike, you would that brother myne should still with shamelesse face
Possesse my stately Pallaces, and reuell in his ruffe,
And I thereat to holde my peace, and not a whit to snuffe,
But like a Countrey Mome to dwell in some poore thatched Cot:
Allow mee poore Exyle such one: I rest content, God wot.
You know, such Noddyes as I am, are woont to make exchaung
Of Kingdomes, for poore thatched Cots, bee like this is not straung.
Yea more: I, matcht now to a Wyfe of noble ligne and race
Shall like a seely Dottipoll liue there in seruile case,
At becke and checke of queenely Wyfe, and like a kitchin drudge
Shall at Adrastus lordly heeles, (my Wyues owne Father) trudge.
From Princely Port to tumble downe into poore seruile state,
Is greatest griefe that may betyde by doome of frouncing fate.

IOC.
If that thou gape so greedely a Kingly Crowne to weare:
And that thou canst not rest content, till thou a Scepter beare:
Behold ech quarter of the world affoordeth Kingdomes store.
No doubt thou mayst winne some of them, if that thou seke therfore.
On one syde here, lies Tmolus mount, a soyle bethwact with Uines:
There runnes Pactolus noble streame with golden Sand and mynes.
On that syde crookt Meander glydes through midst of Phrygia fieldes:
On this syde Hebrus swift of course much fruict to Thracia yeldes.
Nere thereunto lies Gargarus, renoumd each where for Corne,
And Troian Xanthus swelling floud, that pricke and price hath borne.
There Sestos and Abidus stand in mouth of Ionian Sea,
Which now is called Hellespont: and here an other waye
Are countreys, which more Eastward lye. There Lycia full of Creekes
And Hauens strong is situate: these kingdomes, he that seekes,
Is like to winne: these would I haue thee conquere with thy Sword:
These, these to winne let King Adrast to thee his ayd affoorde.
In some of these, let him thee make a King: in Thebes as yit,
Suppose thy father Oedipus in seat of King to sit.
Thy banishment much better is to thee, then this returne,
Sith all thy drift is cruelly to wast, to spoyle, and burne.
Thy banishment reputed is to grow through others crime:
This thy retourne, in such a sort to Kingly state to clyme,
Is ill and faulty euery way: with this thy warlicke crue
Thou shalt do better Realms to seeke, where bloudy guilt ne grue.
Yea, this thy Brother, whom thou dost pursue with deadly hate
Whose life, whose health, whose house thou dost with curses dire rahate
Wil ayde thee with all powre he canne: himselfe will also goe
And serue in field for thyne auayle, gaynst him that is thy foe.
Aduaunce thy powre, march boldly forth to take this warre in hand.
Wherein thy parentes wish thee good, and wil thy helpers stand.
A Kingdome got mischieuously, and snatcht with grudge of mynd,
More greeuous is then exiles al, of what soeuer kind.
Of warre, the doubtful hazardes all set downe before thy syght,
And throughly waigh thuncertayne chaūce, that longes to martial fight.
Though al the power of Grece thou bring thy quarel to mayntayne,
And though great armed multitudes of Souldiours thou retayne:
Yet chaunce of warre stil doubtful hanges, and hard it is to know,
Who cary shal the victory, thou or thy vowed foe.
Mars to no party tyed is: what he decrees, shal be,
As chaunce allots, so falles it out: this dome abydeth free.
Sword, hope and feare makes equall those, betwene whom otherwyse
Great oddes there is: blynd Fortunes lot the case betweene them tryes.
Thy rash attempt with cryme begonne, gropes after doubtful gayne:
And fond deuyses enterprisd oft reape deserued payne.
Admit that all the Gods in heauen did further thy request,
And to promote thy hoat desyre both willing were, and prest:
Yet al thy frendes are fled away, and al recoyled backe,
And Souldiours here and there in Fieldes are come to deadly wracke.
Although thou ioy hereat receyue, although the spoyles thou take
Of vanquisht Brother, yet the palme of victory must slake,
And not to thee be geuen whole. What kind of warre (alas)
Is this, thinkst thou? ist not more straunge then euer any was?
Wherin if he that victor is, ioy therein any whyt,
Most execrable wickednes he (doubtles) doth commit.
This Brother thyne, whō now so faine thou wouldst bereaue of breath,
I wis, if he were once dispatcht, thou wouldst bewale his death.
And therfore make no more adoe, but ceasse from wicked bral,
Ridde countrey out of trembling feare, and parentes dole forestal.

Poly.
What, shal my Brother for this vyle and shamefull breach of pacte
Goe skotfree thus? shal he receyue no guerdon for his fact?

Ioc.
Feare not my Sonne, he shall be payd, and payd agayne, I trow:
He shalbe King and raygne in Thebes, his payne shal euen be so.
A payne in grayne I warrant him. And if thou doubtful be,
Let Graundsyre Laius and thy Syre examples be to thee.
Sir Cadmus wil the same display, and Cadmus ofspring all
Can witnes be that none in Thebes yet raygnd without a fall.
None yet the Theban Scepter swayd, that hath not felt the whippe.
And promise breach made most of them from regall Crowne to skippe.
Now if thou wilte, thou mayst insert within this bedroll heere
Thy Brother.

POLY.
Mary, that I wil, in shame hath he no peere.
And vnto mee it seemes a world of blisse to bee a king
And dye with Kings.

IOC.
Thy case doth thee in rank of exiles bring.
Raygne Kinge, but yet a loathed wight vnto thy Subiectes all.

Poly.
For that I neyther recke ne care what shall to me befall.
That Prince that feares disdaynful hate, vnwilling seemes to raygne,
The God that swayes the Golden Globe, together hath these twayne
Conioynd and coupled Hate and Rule: and him do I suppose
To be a noble King indeede, that can supplant his foes,
And Subiectes cancred hate suppresse. A King is often stayed
From doyng many thinges he would, when Subiectes loue is wayed,
But vnto them that do repyne to se him sit aloft,
He may more rigour boldly shew, and pare their pates more oft.
He that will loue of Subiectes winne, with Clemency must raygne:
A King that's hated, cannot long in Kingly seate remayne.
For Kingdomes Kinges can best describe, what preceptes needfull are.
Mell thou in cases of Exile: for Kingdomes take no care.

Pol.
To be a King, I would engage to force of flaming Fire,
Both Countrey, house, land, Wyfe, and Chyld, to compasse my desyre.
No Fee, to purchase Princely seate, ne labour coumpt I lost:
A Kingly Crowne is neuer deare, what euer price it cost.