University of Virginia Library

THE SECONDE ACTE.

Nuntius.
OEdipus. Antigone. Iocasta.
Renowmed Prynce, of royall Race and Noble lygne yspronge:
The Thebans dreading much the drift of this your childrens thronge,
And warlicke garboyle now in hand, most humbly pray your Grace
For Countreys safety, downe to set some order in the case.
They bee not threates and menacies that thus their mindes affright:
The mischiefe is more neere then so: the Enmy is in sight.
For Polynices he that is your younger sonne of twayne,
Doth clayme the crowne, and in his turne in Thebes requires to raigne
According vnto couenaunts made: which quarrell to decide
Hee purposeth the dent of sword, and martiall force t'abide.
With him he brings a mighty Troupe from eu'ry part of Greece,
Sir, seuen Dukes, besieging Thebes are minded it to fleese.
Helpe noble King, els are wee lyke to perishe man and chylde,
These bloudy broyles of ciuill warre from vs protect and shyelde.

OEdi.
Am I one like to stop the rage of any wicked act?
Am I one like to cause these Youthes to leaue their bloudy fact?
Am I a maister like to teach what lawes of Ioue do meane?
Should I not then from former guise digresse in nature cleane?
They treade their Fathers steps aright, they play my lawlesse prankes:
Like Syre, like Sonnes, like Tree, like fruite: I con thē harty thanks:
By this I know them for my Sonnes, and praise their towardnesse:
I would they should by peeuish partes, whose Sonnes they be, expresse.
Shew forth you noble Gallante ympes, what metled minds you beare,
Shew forth by deedes your valor great, let lofty sprights appeare.
Surmount and dimme my prayses all, Eclypse my glory quight:
Attempt some enterprise in which your Syre may haue delight
To haue till now remaynd in life: hereof I haue no doubt:
For well I know your practise is straunge feates to bring about.
Your byrth and ligne from whence you spronge, assures me of no lesse
Such noble Bloudes must needes atchiue some doughty worthinesse.
Your Weapons and Artillery for warre bring out with speede,
Consume with flame your natiue Soyle, and desolation breede
In eu'ry house within the Land: a hurly burly make
Confusedly of eu'ry thinge. Make all the Realme to quake,
And in exile theyr dayes let end: make leuell with the ground
Eche fenced Fort and walled Towne: The Gods and all confound,
And throw their Temples on their heads: Their Images deface,
And melt them all: turne vpsidowne eche house in eu'ry place.
Burne, spoyle, make hauocke, leaue no iote of City free from fyre,
And let the flame begin his rage within my Chamber dyre.

AN.
Syr, banish these vnpatient panges, let plagues of Cōmon wealth
Entreate your Grace, sith vpon you stayth all their hope and health.
Procure your sonnes to reconcile themselues, as brothers ought,
Establishe peace betwene them both, let meanes of loue be sought.

OEd.
Oh daughter, see and well beholde howe I to peace am bent?
And how to end these garboyles all I seeme full well content?
My minde (I tell thee) swelles with yre: within my entralles boyles
Abundaunt stoare of Choller fell: such restlesse rage turmoyles
My inward Soule, that I must yet some greater matter brew:
Which may the Realme enwrap in bale, and cause them all to rue.
That which my rashe and heady sonnes haue hitherto begon
Is nothing in respect of that wich must by me be don.
This ciuill warre is nothing like to that which I deuise:
These trifling broyles for such a Sea of harmes cannot suffice.
Let brother cut the brothers throate with murthrous knife in hand:
Yet is not this ynough to purge the mischieues of this land.
Some haynous Fact, vnheard of yet, some detestable deede
Must practisde bee: as is to mee and myne by Fates decreed.
Such custome haunts our cursed race: such guise our house hath caught:
My vile incestuous Bed requires, such pageaunts to be wraught.
To me your Father Weapons reach, my selfe heere let me shrowde
In couert of these queachy wooddes: and let me be allowde
To lurke behinde this Craggy Rocke, or els my selfe to hyde
On backside of some thickset hedge: where lying vnespide,
I hearken may what marketfolkes in passing to and froe
Do talke: and what the countrey Clownes speake, as by way they goe.
There (syth with eyes, I cannot see) with eares yet may I heare
How cruelly my Sonnes by warre do one the other teare.

IOC.
A fortunate and happy Dame Agaue may be thought,
Who (though with bloudy hands) her sonne to fatall beath she brought,
And from the shoulders chopt his head, and bore the same about
In bloudy hand, at Bacchus feast withall th'inspired rout
Of sacrificers, quartering poore Pentheus mangled lymmes:
Though this her cruell facte, somewhat her commendation dymmes:
Yet euen in these her phrantick fits shee stayde her selfe in time
From further harme, not adding more to aggrauate her crime.
My guilt were light, if I had not some others guilty made:
And yet is this but matter light: I tooke a viler trade.
For, Mother I am vnto those that in all vice excell,
And who in most abhorred sinnes condignely beare the bell.
To all my woes and myseries there wanted onely this,
That I should loue my Countreyes foe, who Polynices is.
Three snowy Wynters passed are, and Sommers three be gone,
Synce he an exilde wretch abroade hath lead his lyfe in moane:
And sought his bread among the fremmd: till now compell'de perforce:
Hee craues reliefe of Greekish Kings, on him to haue remorse.
Hee maried hath the Daughter of Adrastus, who at becke
Rules Argiue people, swaying them with awe of Princely checke:
And he t'aduaunce his sonne in law to his most lawfull right
Hath with him brought from seuen Realmes a warlike Crue to fight.
What doome I should in this case geue, which syde I wish to winne,
I cannot tell: my minde amazde, yet doubtfull rests therein.
Th'one of my Sonnes (as right it is) requyres the Crowne as due:
I knowe it so accorded was: his cause is good and true.
But in such sort, by force of Armes to redemaunde the same,
Is ill and most vnnaturall, herein he is to blame.
What shall I doe, what may I say? I mother am to both:
And thus my Sonnes at deadly fewde to see I am full loth.
Without the breach of mother zeale I can no way deuise:
For what good hap I wishe to th'one, thence th'others harme doth rise.
But though I loue them both alyke, yet sure my heart enclynes
To him that hath the better cause: though wronged thus, he pynes:
As one by frowning fortune thrilde from piller vnto post:
His Credite, Countrey, friendes, and wealth, and treasure being lost.
The weaker side I will support and further al I can,
Most mercy alwayes should be shewde vnto th'oppressed man.

NV.
While (Madame) you waymēting here your heauy plaints declare
And waste the time, my Lords your Sonnes in raunged battayle are:
Eche Captaine bright in Armour standes, the Trumpet sounds amain,
And Standard is aduanc'de, amid the thronge of eyther traine.
In marshall ray full prest to fight stand seuen worthy Kynges:
And eche of them a warlicke troupe of valiaunt Souldiers bringes.
With courage not behynd the best, the Thebanes marche apace:
And like right ympes of Cadmus brood, do flash at Enmies face.
The Souldiers force and willingnes on eyther side to fyght,
Appeares: in that they nothing lesse pretend them shameful flight.
See how their trampling to and froe, the dust to Skies doth reare,
And what a Cloud of Smoke in Campe the horses make t'appeare.
And if my feare dismay me not: If all be true I see:
Me thinkes I view their glittering glaues begoard with bloud to bee.
Me thinkes I see the Uoward thrill and shake their Pikes in hand:
Me thinkes I see the Gydons gay, and Streamers where they stand:
Wherein is wrought by curious skill, in Letters all of Gold
The Scotchion, Poaste, Name and Armes of euery captayne bold.
Make hast, be gone, dispatch, (Madame) Cause Brethren to agree:
Betwyxt them stay this quarell, least a slaughter great ye see.
So shall you to your Children loue, to each syde peace restoare:
The mothers mediation may heale vp all the Soare.