 | The Seventh Tragedye of L. Annaevs Seneca, Entituled Medea |  |
THE SECOND ACTE.
Medea.Nutrix,
Aye mee, (alas) I am vndone, For at the Brydall cheare,
The warble note of wedding songs resounded in mine eare.
Yet for all this scant I my selfe, yet scant beleue I can,
That Iason would play such a prancke, as most vnthāckfull man,
Both of my Countrey, and my Syre, and kingdome me to spoyle,
And yet forsake mee wretch forlorne, to stray in forrein soyle.
O hath he such a stony heart, that doth no more esteeme,
The great good turnes, and benefits that I imployde on him?
Who knowes, that I haue lewdly vsed enchauntments for his sake,
The rigour rough, and stormy rage, of swelling Seas to slake.
The grunting firy foming Bulles, whose smoking guts were sluft,
With smoltring fumes, that frō theyr Iawes, & nosthrils out they puft.
I stopt their gnashīg moūching mouths, I quēcht their burning breath,
And vapors hot of stewing paunch, that els had wrought his death,
Or feedes hee thus his fansy fond, to thinke my skill of charme
Abated is, and that I haue no power to doe him harme?
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I tossed, and turmoyled am, wyth wayward crasy hart.
Now this, now that, and neyther now, but now another way,
By diuers meanes I toyle, that so my wrong reueng I may.
I would the wretch a brother had: but what? he hath a Wyfe.
Goe cut her throate, with gastly wounds bereue her of her lyfe.
On her ile worke my deadly spight: her, her alone I craue,
To quit such bitter sowsing stormes, as I sustayned haue.
If any graund notorious guilt in all Pelasga Land
Be put in practise, yet vnknowne vnto thy harming hand,
Thereof to get experience the time doth now begin:
Thy former feates doe byd thee take good hope, to thryue herein:
Let all thy guilts with thronging thick assemble thee to ayde,
The golden Fleece (the chiefe Nouell) of Colchis Ile betrayde.
My tender Brother eke, that with my Syer did mee pursue,
Whom with his secret partes cut of, I wicked Uirgin slewe,
Whose shreaded and dismembred corps, with sword in gobbits hewd,
(A wofull Coarse toth' Fathers heart) on Pontus ground I strewd.
How hory headded Pelias his wythred age to shyft
To greener yeares, for longer lyfe: his daughters by my dryft
His members all and mangled flesh with licour scalding hot
Ysodden, and perboyled haue, in seething brasen pot.
How oft in haynous bloud haue these my cruell handes bene dyed?
And neuer any guilt as yet by wrath inflamde I tryed.
But now the parlous poysning wound of Cupids percing dart,
Doth boyle and rage within my breast, it ranckles at my hart.
But how could Iason it redresse, whom fortunes froward wyll
Hath yeelde vnto anothers hande, at lust to saue or spill?
O rage of rufty cancred minde, this sclaundrous talke amende,
If Fortunes grace will graunt it thus, let him vnto his ende
Lyue still my Iason as he was: but if not Iason myne,
Yet caytife suffer Iason liue, though Iason none of thyne:
Who being mindefull still of vs some fauour let him showe,
For these good turnes that our good will could earst on him bestowe:
King Creon is in all the fault, and onely worthy blame,
Who puffed vp with Scepter proude, vnable for to frame
His fickle minde to modesty, made breach twixt vs agayne,
Whom Hymens bands, and link of loue had made but one of twayne,
By whom eke from her tender brats the mother (wretch) is drawne,
Hee breakes the vowe, that gaged is with such a precious pawne.
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Let him alone bee surely dowst, such is his due desart,
A dungell hept of Cinders burnt his Pallayce make I shall,
That Malea where in winding strights, the lingring ships doe crall,
Shall gase on smolthring turrets tops turmoylde in crackling flame.
NV.
For godsake (Madame) I you pray your tongue to silence frame.
Eke hyde your priuy languishing and greefe in secret vayne:
Who with a modest minde abides the Spurs of pricking payne,
And suffereth sorrowes paciently, may it repay agayne.
Who beares a priuy grudge in breast, and keepes his malyce close,
When least suspection is thereof, may most annoy his Foes.
He leeseth oportunity who vengeaunce doth requyre,
That shewes by open sparkes the flame the heate of kindled fyre.
ME.
Small is the grype of griefe that can to reasons lore obay,
And sneking downe with stealing steps can slyly slip away.
But they that throughly sowsed are with showers of greater payne,
Can not digest such corsyes sharpe, but cast it vp agayne:
Fayne would I giue them trouncing girds.
NV.
Good daughter deare asswage
Th'unbrydled sway, and boyling heate of this thy gyddy rage:
Scant maist thou purchase quietnesse, although thou hold thy tongue.
ME.
The valiaunt heart dame Fortune yet durst neuer harme wt wrōg,
But dreading dastards downe she driues.
NV.
If any corage dure,
And harbred be in noble breast, now put the same in vre.
ME.
The show of sturdy valiant heart, at any time doth shyne.
NV.
No hope doth in aduersity thy way to scape assygne.
ME.
Hee that hath none affiaunce left, nor any hope at all,
Yet let him not mystrust the luck of ought that may befall.
NV.
Thy Countrey cleane hath cast thee of, to let thee sinke or swim,
As for thy husband Iason bee, there is no trust in him:
Of all the wealth, and worldly mucke wherewith thou didst abounde:
No porcion remaynes at all, whereby some helpe is founde.
ME.
Medea yet is left, (to much) and here thou mayst espy
The Seas to succour vs in flyght, and landes aloofe that ly:
Yea yron tooles, with burning brands we haue to worke them woe,
And Gods that with the thunder dint shall ouerquell our foe:
NV.
Who weares ye goldēcrested crowne him dred with awe yee should.
ME.
My Father was a King, yet I betrayed his Fleece of gould.
NV.
Can not the deadly vyolence of weapons make thee feare?
ME.
No, though such grisly Lads they were, as whilom did appeare.
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When mutually in bloudy fight eche other did confounde.
N.
Thē wilt thou cast thy self to death.
M.
Would God yt I were dead.
NV.
Fly, fly to saue thy life.
ME.
Woe worth the time that once I fled.
N.
What O Medea.
M.
Why shall I fly?
N.
A mother deere art thou,
Fly therefore for thy childrens sake.
ME.
Yee see by whom, and how,
A wretched Mother I am made.
NV.
Thy lyfe by flight to saue
Dost thou mistrust?
ME.
Nay, fly I will, but vengeaunce first ile haue.
NV.
Then some shall thee at heeles pursue, to wrecke the same agayne.
ME.
Perhap ile make his cōming short.
NV.
Be still, and now refrayne
O despret dame thy thundring threates, and slake your raging ire.
Apply, and frame thy froward will as time and tides requyre.
ME.
Full well may fortunes welting wheele to begging bring my state,
As for my worthy corage, that shee, neuer shall abate.
Who bowncing at the Gates, doth cause the creaking dores to Iar?
It is the wretch (Creon his selfe,) whom princely power far
Hath lift aloft, with lordly looke, puft vp with pouncing pryde,
That hee may Corinth countrey, with the sway of Scepter guide.
Creon.
Medea.
Nedea that vngracious Imp, king Ætas wicked chylde;
Yet hath not frō our careful realme her lingring foote exilde.
Som naughty drift she goes about, her knacks of old we kno
Her iugling arts, her harming hāds are known wel long ago.
From whō will shee withhold her harme? whom will this cruell beast
Permit to liue, from perrill free, in quietnesse and rest?
Cleane to cut of this parlous plague it was our purpose bent,
But Iason by entreting hard, did cause vs to relent.
At his request we graunted haue, her life she shall enioy,
Let her acquit our countrey free from feare of all annoy:
Yea saufely let her pack her hence, in eger giddy fit,
With lumpish lowring looke shee comes in talke with me to knit:
Sirs keepe her of and set her hence, least vs she touch perhap,
And driue her backe from cōming nigh commaunde her keepe her clap.
And let her learne at length, how that her selfe submit she may,
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Run, hie thee quickly, trudge apace, haue hence out of my sight
This horrible, most odious quean, this monstrous wicked wight.
ME.
My soueraygne liege, what greater crime haue I or lesse offence
Commit against thy maiesty, to be exiled hence?
CR.
Alas, the guiltlesse woman doth demaunde a reason why:
ME.
If thou be Iudge indifferent, ordaynde my cause to try,
Consider then my doubtfull case, and wey the ground of it:
If thou be king, cōmaund a Iudge for such a matter fit.
CR.
The princes powre thou shalt obey, b'it eyther right or wrong.
M.
The prosperous pryde of wronging crownes cannot endeuer long.
CR.
Auaunt, & yell out thy complaynts at Colchis, get thee hence.
ME.
Full gladly will I get mee home, if he that brought me thence,
Uouchsafe to beare me back agayne.
CR.
Alas, to late aryse
Entreating wordes, when as decree is taken otherwise.
ME.
He that not hearing eyther part, pronounceth his decree,
Unrighteous man accoumpted is, though ryght his sentence bee.
CR.
Whyle Pelias trusted to thy talke, from lyfe to death hee fell.
Go to, begyn, we gyue you leaue your goodly tale to tell.
ME.
That type of Regall maiesty, that erst by Fortunes hand,
Aduaunced to I dyd attayne, hath taught mee vnderstand,
How hard a thing it is of wrath the rygour to asswage,
When burning heate of boyling breast in flames begins to rage.
Eke for th'aduaūcement of their power more to display in sight
Theyr kingly corage bolstred out with maiesty of might.
They deeme it doth import asway, and hath a greater grace,
Whome stately scepter causde to climbe aloft to prouder place.
To perseuer with fansye fonde, in that to reasons spyght,
Whose greedy choyce attaynted fyrst his minde with vayne delight.
For though in piteous plyght I lye, throwne downe to great decay.
With heauy hap, and ruthfull chaunce, to myserable stay,
Thus hunted out from place to place, forsoke and left alone,
A wyddow while my husband liue, with cause to wayle and mone,
Perplext in maze of misery, wyth cloying cares so ryfe,
Yet whylom I in golden trone haue led in happy lyfe.
By high and noble parentage my bryght renowne doth shyne.
From Phœbus eake my Graundsire great deryued is my ligne.
Whear syluer streamed Phasis flood his wasshing waues doth shed,
Or with contrary croking wayes his bathing channell spred,
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From whence the roaming Scithyan Sea his channell forth doth fynde,
Where as Mæotis fenny plashe with pure fresh water sprynges,
Doth season sweete the briny Sea, that tyde in thyther brynges.
Eke all the coastes enuyroned and kept within the bankes
Of Thermodon, where warlike troupes, & armed wyddowes ranckes,
With paynted bucklers on their armes holde all the land in feare,
With rigour rough of threatning sword, with force of denting speare.
So farre to all these wandring coastes and countreyes round about,
My Fathers ample regiment at large is stretched out.
I being thus of noble Race, and in an happy plight,
With glorious glosse of pryncely pomp in honour shining bright,
Then pearelesse Peares my Spousall bed did seeke and sue to haue,
But those to be theyr louing Feeres, now other Ladyes craue:
Rashe, ticle, peuish, vndiscreete, and wauering Fortunes wheele,
Hath cast me out, the crusshing cares of banishment to feele.
In Scepter proude and hauty Crowne fix thine affyaunce fast.
Sith vpsidowne with welkin wheele, whole mounts of wealth is cast.
This Prynces doe possesse, that should theyr royalty display,
Whose fame shall neuer razed be, with storme of lowring day,
To succour those whom misery in pit of paynes doth souse,
To shield and harber suppliaunts in roofe of loyall house.
This onely brought I from my Realme, the precious golden Fleece,
That Iewell chiefe, and eke the flower of Chyualry in Greece,
The sturdy prop, the Rampier strong the bulwarke of your wealth,
And Hercules the boystrous Imp of Ioue Ikept in health.
It was by meanes of my good will that Orpheus did escape,
Whose harmony the liuelesse Rocks with such delight did rape,
That forced euen the clottred lumpes with hobling prickt to praunce,
And eke the iocond nodding woods with footing fine to daunce.
And that those heauenly twins Castor, and Pollux did not dy,
My dew desart is doubled twise, sith them preserued I.
Of Boreas blustring out with puffed Cheekes, his blasting Breath,
His wynged Sons I kept aliue both Calais, and Zeath.
And Linceus, that with pearcing beames, and sharper sight of Eye,
Could Nauies on the farther banke of Sicill shore espy.
And all the Mynians that did come the golden Fleece to win.
As for the Prince of Princes all, I will not bring him in.
With silence Iason will I passe, for whom though him I saue,
Yet is not Greece in debt to mee, no recompence I craue.
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For your auayle, that you thereby some profit might attayne.
But onely on my Iason deare, him for my owne loues sake
I kept in store, that hee of mee his wedded Wyfe should make.
None other fault (God wot) yee haue to charge mee with but this,
That Argo Ship by meanes of mee returned saufely is.
If I a shamefast mayde had not with Cupids bayte bene caught,
If more my Fathers health to haue then Iasons I had sought,
Pelasga land had bene vndone, and falne to great decay,
The lusty valiaunt Capitaynes, had cleane bene cast away:
And ioly Iason fyrst of all this now thy sonne in lawe,
The Buls had rent his swalowed lims in fiery chomping iawe.
Let Fortune fight agaynst my case as list her eluish will,
Yet neuer shall it grieue my heart, repent my deede I nill,
That I should for so many kings their reling honour saue,
The guerden due that I for this my crime commit must haue,
It lyeth Creon in thy hande, if thus it lyketh thee,
Condemne my guilty ghost lo death, but render fyrst to mee,
My fault that forced me offend, then Creon graunt I this,
Receauing Iason (cause of cryme) I guilty did amisse.
Thou knowst that I was such an one when couring low I lay,
Before thy feete in humble wise and did entreating pray,
Thy gracious goodnes mee to graunt some succour at thy hande.
For me a wreatch and wreatched Babes I aske within this lande
Some cotage base, in outcast hole, some couching corner vile,
If from the towne thou driue vs out to wander in exile,
Then some by place aloofe within this realme let vs obtayne.
CR.
How I am none that tyrant like with churlish Scepter raygne,
Nor proudly or disdaynfully, with hawty corage hie,
With vaūting foote doe stamp them downe that vndertroden lye,
And daunted are in carefull bale, thys playnly doth disclose,
In that to mee of late I such a sonne in lawe haue chose,
Who was a wandring pilgrim poore, with sore afflictions fraight,
Dismayde with terrour of his foe, that lay for him in wayght.
Because Acastus hauing got the crowne of Thessail lande,
Requyreth in thy guilty bloude to bath his wreackfull hande.
He doth bewayle that good olde man his feeble father slayne,
Whom waight of yeres with bowing back to stoupe alow constrayne
The godly mynded systers, all yblinde with misty vale
And cloking colour of thy craft durst ventrusly assayle.
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Theyr Fathers dere vnioynted limmes in boyling Caldron put.
But for thy open guiltinesse if thou can purge the same,
Strayght Iason can discharge him selfe from blot of guilty blame.
His gentle handes were neuer staynde with goare of any bloude.
Aloofe from your conspyracie refrayning farre hee stoode.
His harmelesse handes put not in vre with goary tooles to mell.
But thou that setst on fyre fyrst these mighty mischiefes fell,
Whom shamelesse womans wily braine and manly stomack slout
Doe set a Gog, for to attempt to bring all us about.
And no regarde at all thou hast, how sounding trumpe of fame
With ringing blast of good or ill doe blowe abrode thy name:
Get out and clense my fyled realme, away together beare
Thyne hearbes vnmilde of sorcery, my Lyeges ryd fro feare.
Transporte thee to some other lande, whereas thou may at ease
With odious noyse of diuelish charme, the troubled Gods disease.
ME.
If needes thou wylt haue me auoyde, my shyp to mee restore,
Or els my mate with whom I fyrst aryued on this shore:
Why dost thou bid that by my selfe I onely should be gone?
I came not heather at fyrst wythout my company alone.
If this do thee aggryefe, that brunt of warres thou shalt sustayne,
Commaund vs both the cause thereof to shun thy realme agayne:
Sith both are guilty of one art, why dost thou part vs twayne?
For Iasons sake not for myne owne, poore Pelias was slayne.
Annex vnto my traytrous flight the conquerde booty braue,
My hoary headded naturall sler, whom I forsaken haue,
With brothers bloudy flesh that mangled was with caruing knife,
Or ought of Iasons forged lies he gabbes vnto his wyfe.
These dreary deedes are none of myne, so oft as I offend,
Not for myne owne cōmodity, to come thereby inthende.
CR.
Time is expierd, by which thou ought to haue bene gone away,
Wyth keeping such a chat, why dost thou make so long delay?
ME.
Yet of thy bounty ere I goe, this one boone will I craue.
Although the mother banished, so sore offended haue,
Let not the vengeaunce of my fault through wrathfull deadly hate,
Myne innocent and guiltlesse Babes torment in wreached state.
CR.
Away: with louing friendly grype thy children I embrace,
And as a father naturall take pity on theyr case.
ME.
Euen for the prosperous good encreace of fertill spousall bed,
Of Glauce bright thy Daughter deare, whom Iason late hath wed.
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By th'onour of thy glystring crowne, ythralde to fortunes doome,
Whych shee so full of chop and chaunge, with ticle turning wheele
Whirls vp and downe, in staggring state makes to and fro to reele.
I thee beseech, sith to exile I am departing now
O Creon but a little pawse for mercy mee alow,
Whyle of my mourning brats with kysse, my last farewell I take.
Whyle gaspe of fayling breath perhap my shyuering lyms forsake.
CR.
With craft entending some deceipt thou crauest this delay.
ME.
What falshode for so little time be cause of terrour may?
CR.
No tot of time is short ynough displeasure to preuent.
ME.
Can not one iot to weeping Eyes, and trylling teares be lent?
CR.
Although agaynst thy ernest suite vnlucky dread do stryue,
One day to settle thee away, content I am to gyue.
ME.
This is to much, and of the same somwhat abrydge yee may.
CR.
Make speede apace if from our land thou get thee not away,
Ere Phœbus horse with golden gleede theyr streaming beames doe shed,
Of dawning lampe, thou art condemde to leese thy wretched hed.
The holy day, and brydall both doe call me hence away:
And wils mee at the sacred aare of Hymeneus to pray.
Chorus.
Lauish of life and dreadlesse was the wyght,
Attempting fyrst in slender tottring Barge
Wyth sliuing Ore the slyced waue to smyte,
And durst commit the dainty tender charge
Of hazered life to inconstant course of wynde,
That turnes with chaunge of chaunces euermore,
To vew the land forsooke aloofe behynde,
And shoouing forthe the Ship fro safer shore,
And glauncing through the fomy Channell deepe
On sunder cut with slender Stemme the waue,
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In narrow gut him selfe to spill or saue:
Experience yet of Planets no man had,
They needed not the wandring course to knowe
Of Starres, (wherewith the paynted sky is clad,)
Not Pleiads, (which returne of sayling show)
Nor Hyads (that with showrs the Seas doe beate)
No nor the sterne Amaltheas horned head
(Who gaue the lyppes of sucking Ioue the Teate)
Were wont to put the blundering ships in dread.
They feared not the northerne Isy wayne,
Whych lazy olde bootes wieldes behinde,
And twynes about, no name yet could they fayne
For Boreas rough, nor smother western wynde.
Yet Typhys bould on open seas durst show
His hoysted sayles, and for the wyndes decree
New lawes: as now full gale aloofe to blow,
Now tackle turnde to take syde wynde alee,
Now vp to farle the crossayle on the mast,
There safe to hang, the topsayle now to spred,
Now missel sayle, and drabler out to cast,
VVhen dagling hanges his shottring tackle red
VVhyle stearsman stur, and busye neuer blin,
VVith pyth to pull all sayles eke to display,
VVith tooth and nayle all foree of winde to wyn,
To sheare the seas, and quick to scud awaye.
The golden worlde our fathers haue possest,
VVhere banysht fraude durst neuer come in place,
All were content to liue at home in rest
VVith horye head, gray beard, and furrowed face.
VVhych tract of time within his countrey brought.
Riche hauing lytle, for more they did not toyle,
No vente for wares, nor Traficque far they sought,
No wealth that sprange beyond theyr natiue soyle,
The Thessail shyp together now hath set,
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The Worlde that well with Seas disseuered lay,
It biddes the flouds with Oares to be bet,
And streames vnknowen with shipwrack vs to fray
That wicked Keele was lost by ruthfull wrack
Ytossed through such perylles passing great,
Where Cyanes Rocks gan rore as thunder crack,
Whose bouncing boult the shaken soyle doth beat.
The sowsing Surges dasshed euery starre,
The pesterd seas the cloudes aloft berayde,
This scuffling did bould TYPHIS minde detarre,
Hys helme did slip from trembling hande dismayde.
Then ORPHEVS with his drowping Harp was mum
Dead in her dumpes the flaunting ARGOS glee,
All husht in rest with silence wexed dum,
What hardy heart astound heere would not bee?
To see at once eche yawning mouth to gape,
Of Syllas gulph compact in wallowing paunch,
Of dogges, who doth not loth her mongrell shape,
Her visage, breast, and hyddeous vgly haunch:
Whom erketh not the scoulde with barking still?
To here the Mermaydes dyre who doth not quayle,
That lure the Eares with pleasaunt singing shrill
Of such as on Ausonius Sea doe sayle:
When ORPHEVS on his twanckling Harpe did play,
That earst the Muse Calliop gaue to him
Almost those Nymphes that wonted was to stay
The shyps, he causd fast following him to swim.
How deerely was that wicked iourney bought?
MEDEA accurst, and eke the golden Fleece,
That greater harme then storme of seas hath wrought
Rewarded well that voyage first of Greece.
Now seas controulde doe suffer passage free,
The Argo proude erected by the hand
Of PALLAS first, doth not complayne that shee,
Conueyde hath back, the kynges vnto theyr land
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All stynts and warres are taken cleane away,
The Cities frame new walles themselues to keepe,
The open worlde lettes nought rest where it lay:
The Hoyes of Ind Arexis lukewarme leake,
The Perseans stout in Rhene and Albis streame
Doth bath their Barkes, time shall in fine out breake
When Ocean waue shall open euery Realme.
The wandring World at will shall open lye.
And TYPHIS vvill some nevve founde Land suruay
Some trauelers shall the Countreys farre escrye,
Beyonde small Thule, knovven furthest at this day.
| The Seventh Tragedye of L. Annaevs Seneca, Entituled Medea | |