 | Regulus |  |
ACT II.
SCENE Continues.Enter Spy and Batto at several Doors.
Bat.
Oh! how dost thou do? when wast thou with our Chapmen the
Romans?
Spy.
I just came from 'em.
Bat.
How went off our Commodities?
Spy.
Our Swords went off but dully; there having not been a Battle a
good while, they ha' not lost many Swords. But they have shot away a
abundance of Arrows against the Town; and were in great want of Arrows.
So they gave us any thing for our Arrows.
Bat.
That's well.
Spy.
We are a couple o' pure Rogues. We sell Arms to the Romans, to
cut the Throats of our own Countrymen, the Carthaginians.
Bat.
Ay, but we sell our Arms so dear, we cut the Throats o' the Romans
too. What News of Italian Wine? Could you meet with a Bargain?
Spy.
A rare Bargain. You must know Regulus is a severe man; he won't
suffer any man in his Army to drink Wine, unless he be sick. So, Sir, there
came the other day a Ship from Italy, loaden with Wine, and thought to
come to a great Market here, because all the Vineyards here are cut down
and spoil'd. E'gad, Regulus having Wine enough to serve sick men on occasion,
would not suffer a drop of it to be sold to his Army, so I bought it
for a Song.
Bat.
That's well; it comes in rare season; Wine is very scarce among us,
and our Countrymen will have Wine. Drunkenness is an honorable Quality
amongst us. Wine they will have, and have no stoppage of Wine
here, give my Trade the Strangury. In what Condition did you find the
Roman Army?
Spy.
A very good one.
Bat.
I am glad of it. Then the Blockade will continue, and so Corn
must rise. 'Tis true, thanks be to the Gods, there is a pretty good convenient
Famine amongst us, which makes Corn a good Commodity; and I
have a large stock. But I'll keep my Corn a while longer, and make the best o'
the Famine.
Spy.
Oh! you inhumane Rogue! your Corn already grinds all the Town,
hast thou no Conscience?
I don't see any body has any Conscience, after they come to years of
Discretion. Most People have it when they are young, as they have the
Small Pox; but when they are once cured of it, they are seldom troubled
with it any more.
Spy.
If thou hast no regard to the Gods, thou mayst have a little to the
Commonwealth.
Bat.
Hang the Commonwealth. Does not every body cheat the Commonwealth
as much as he can? why should I be honest all alone by my self?
Spy.
Does your Priest of Hercules teach you no better?
Bat.
He has no more Religion than myself. Drinking has cup'd the humor
out of him. Well, is this all you have to say to me?
Spy.
No, I have News for you worth a Talent every Syllable.
Bat.
VVhat is't? what is't?
Spy.
I'll trust you with it, for I know how to make my Pen'orths out of
you. If you be false to me, I'll get my own Pardon, and hang you. Apply
your self to my Lord Hamilcar.
Bat.
To him? The People are ready to knock out his Brains, and have
set up Asdrubal.
Spy.
The People are Asses, and meddle with that they do not understand,
State Affairs. A Roman Tribune has engaged to put Regulus into the Spartan.
General's hands. 'Twill be done to day, and then the People will knock
out Asdrubals Brains, and set up Hamilcar.
Bat.
Nay if the Romans begin to sell one another, we'll deal with 'em. I'll
to my Lord Hamilcar presently; but for fear this business should not succeed,
I'll to my Lord Asdrubal too.
Spy.
VVell, Sir, remember I have you by the Neck. If you get into
business, put me in, or I'le hang you.
Ex.
SCENE Asdrubals Palace.
Enter Asdrubal, Hiarbas, Gisgon.
Gisg.
Oh! Sir! how rarely your Highness dissembled to day?
Asd.
What did I dissemble?
Gis.
Your desire to the Crown.
Asd.
Who told you I desire the Crown?
Gis.
Did you take all this trouble for a parcel of Fellows, they call the
Country? You are of more worth than a Thousand such Countries! I love a
Court, and Pomp, and Gallantry. I hate a Nation where the People are
ador'd.
Hiar.
Adore the People, they are Antigods, nothing they make, but every
thing they mar.
Asd.
They made too much in Carthage; a great man is only Clay, till they
breath life in him.
Gis.
Oh! Sir, I am glad to hear so much come from you, we shall have
more shortly! I'd feign see you a King, great as the Persian King, as absolute
Asd.
Would you like it?
Gis.
Ay! why not Sir? You should never have my Head I warrant you.
Why should you? I'll do whatever you please.
Asd.
And would your Reverence like it too?
Hiar.
I ha' more reason to like it than he has, because I shall ha' more
share o' power than he. He can have no Power but what his Prince gives
him; but I shall give my Prince Power, and therefore he'll take none from
me.
Asd.
And will you do what I please?
Hiar.
You shall be pleased with what I do, and that's all one. I will give
you this world to do what you will with, when you are alive, and heaven
when y're dead, what would you have more? And I being so useful to
you, you will for your own sake be as useful to me. And we thus sharing
Power, are by consequence to help one another to as much as we can.
Gis.
Sir, this is a very fine Gentleman, and a Wise man.
Hiar.
I know what's what. Some half-witted men will throw away this
World to get Heaven, and some will throw away Heaven to get this World;
for my part I am for 'em both. What good Manners do we shew to Heaven
by slighting the good Creatures, which Heaven has made? I take Prayers
and Liquor both down Supernaculum, I leave not a Tittle of one, nor a Drop
o't'other.
Gis.
This Gentleman, Sir, will make a rare Companion and Counsellor
both. Well, Sir, I beseech you promise us to be King. If you will not Sir,
I'll humbly take my leave of you; and be gone to my Tenants and Vassals,
where I'll be a little King myself. There if a man asks me the reason why I
do a thing, I cut his Pate; there's my reason, Sirrah, says I.
Hiar.
Indeed, Sir, your Friends will have no heart to stand by you, if
your Enemies the Senate will reap the Benefit of all your Friends do.
Asd.
I will unbosome my self to you. I go to lodge a secret in your
Breast, will be your deaths if ever you reveal it. Know then, I've tryed all
Pleasures but Reigning, and I will Reign because 'tis a new Pleasure.
Gis.
Huzza! now things will go right, Sir, if you reign for pleasure,
then pleasure will reign; and I am a man of Pleasure. I know you will do
no business in your own Person; you will not go to bed on your own legs;
you'l ride on Necks o' Slaves to bed to Concubines.
Hiar.
Oh! fie! Senator! The Prince will make a vertuous King.
Gis.
Not over vertuous; you know it.
Hiar.
I don't know it, I never see any fault in a Person of Quality; I
ha' more manners.
Asd.
I shall make bold with a little lewdness.
Hiar.
Well, if you shall, Heaven bless you, Sir, that's all I say. Truth is,
I wou'd not have a man have too much Vertue; for a man all Vertue, like a
Pye all Spice, will not please.
He is not fit to rule, whom Vertue reigns,
He's fit to rule, who has at his Command
Vertue or Vice, as needs of State require.
Hiar.
A notable wise Maxim, and has much truth in it.
Gis.
We shall have rare times. Pray, Sir, lets ha' no Soldiering. If we
must be Soldiers, let's be Soldiers o' wit and pleasure here about the Town;
see no Fight, but a Cock-fight, or so.
Asd.
I can and will fight, if need require.
Gis.
Now we talk of new Pleasures, Sir, pray give me a Command at
Sea. I'd fain have a Command at Sea, because I never was at Sea in my life.
Asd.
You'd have me Reign, how shou'd I get the Crown?
The People follow me for their own Ends;
That I shou'd guard 'em all from being enslav'd.
Hiar.
I'l undertake, Sir, be Rome's humble Servant,
She'l make you Master of this Commonwealth.
I'l recommend to you a cunning Rogue,
Who trafficks with the Romans privately,
And shall help you to correspond with 'em.
'Tis the rich Batto.
Asd.
How? I put my Head
Into a mercenary Rascal's power?
Hiar.
Come, Sir, I'll put my Head into his power.
He will not sell it, it will yield him little.
I'll venture to talk with him.
Gis.
Have a care,
For he once serv'd Hamilcar.
Hiar.
Ay, for Gain.
Profit will make him serve Man or Fury.
Enter a Gentleman.
Gen.
Batto desires Admission to your Highness.
Asd.
Let him come in.
[Enter Batto.
How now, your business Batto?
Bat.
Only to wish your Highness prosperity and glory; and to tender my
humble service to you, who (though I say it) am able to serve you, Sir;
I've been in publick Business all my life.
Gis.
Come, you are an ill Man, who so great as you, but t'other day, with
my Lord Hamilcar?
Bat.
Sir, I found him a good Man.
Asd.
How? do you call an Enemy to the Commonwealth a good Man?
Bat.
An't please your Highness, ours is a trading Town, and we trading
Men, account a Man a good Man, if his Bond be good, and his Security for
Money good, we look for no other goodness. He was once a very thriving
Man, and I confess I have a great respect for thriving Men. But when once
a Man gives over thriving. I have done with him.
Ours is a trading City, and the Trade
Fills us with dirty Streets, and dirty Souls;
Our Sea brings Mud up to our very Souls.
When I command the Town, I'll make it trade
With Honour, Vertue and Piety, something more.
Gis.
Here's a Prince! your Reverence bred him;
He is an honour to you.
Hiar.
Indeed I have much comfort from him.
Bat.
But suppose I be a Knave, (as I hope I am not) I'm sure I say my
Prayers often, and go to Temples at all idle hours I can spare.
Hiar.
Idle hours! y'are an idle Fellow.
Bat.
I beg your Reverences pardon, I mean I go as often as I can, for I'm
a Man of great business. But suppose I be a Knave, I'm fitter to serve your
Highness in the Revenues than any Man else, be he never so honest, because
I ha' been more employ'd in 'em than any Man has. 'Tis true, an honest
Man won't cheat you, but if he be ignorant, he'l let a thousand cheat you.
Employ me, Sir, and if I let you be cheated by any Man but my self, I'l be
hang'd. And I'l take care to enrich you, that I may cheat you insensibly, and
you never discern it.
Asd.
The Fellow talks Sense; nay, if I let Business lie still till I meet with
an honest Man, I may wait long enough.
Gis.
D'ye hear? his Highness is thinking to employ a Knave, there's
hopes for you.
Hiar.
Hark you a word—You traffick with the Romans.
Bat.
Oh dear! who tells your Reverence such a Falshood?
Hiar.
Deny it not, I know it, and can hang you,
But on the contrary I will encourage you.
The Romans are a godly Nation,
And our's a vile; I, and more godly Men
Have a design, by help of the good Romans,
To give bad Carthage a Religious Master,
That is this Prince. Though he was wild of late,
He's now reform'd, and is a heavenly Man.
Help you to make him King, when he is King,
You may be sure of a very rich Reward.
Bat.
Well, I will serve his Highness.
That is, if he succeeds—I'l stay till then—
[Aside.
If he does not succeed, I will inform
The Senate, and help them to hang up him.
If he gets all the Town into his power,
I'l help him to be King, and hang the Senate.
[A Shout.
Asd.
See, what's the meaning of that Shout.
Enter Gentleman.
Gen.
The Spartan General, and Hamilcar, have treated with Regulus about
delivering the Town.
Now the truth comes to light.
Gen.
A Roman Tribune was privately convey'd under-ground to Lord Hamilcar's
house about that design. The People have learnt the Story, thousands
are run to the Lord Hamilcar's house to pull it down, thousands are come
to your Palace to beg you to protect 'em against the Romans and Hamilcar both.
Hiar.
Where's the Spartan General?
Gen.
Gone out o' Town, to bring Regulus in.
The people have shut the Gates, and are resolv'd to kill him if ever he comes
near the walls.
Asd.
I'l among the good people, and serve 'em.
[Ex.
SCENE the Roman Camp.
Enter Fulvia and her Women, a Song sung to her.
The SONG.
My Love to War goes every day.
In every Wound of his I bleed,
I die the hour he goes away,
Yet I wou'd hate him shou'd he stay.
By Love or War I hourly die;
If I see not my Love I bleed,
Yet when I have him in my Eye,
He kills me with excess of Joy.
Ful.
Go bid the Musick cease, I find it vain.
Dark thoughts of late have my mind their haunt.
I thought to lay th'ill Spirits by sweet Sounds,
But 'twill not do, who's that Commander there?
Wom.
Lepidus, Madam.
Ful.
Oh! a gallant Man—
And one I love, because he loves the Consul.
Go call him hither, I wou'd speak with him.
Enter Lepidus.
Good morning, Lepidus, what news to day?
Lep.
Oh! Madam! joyful News! the gracious Gods
And undermin'd the Carthaginian Wall;
Thrown to the ground no little part of it.
We have an open passage into Town,
And we'l accept the invitation.
The Consul will in person view the Breach,
Then order an Assault.
Ful.
Oh! Lepidus!
I taste no Joy in this.
Lep.
Good Madam, why?
Ful.
I am distemper'd with oppressing Fears,
Which deaden all delight to me—I've none
Even in my lov'd, my ador'd Regulus.
Lep.
How? none in Regulus?
Ful.
None even in him.
My Sorrow comes from him.
Lep.
What is his Fault?
Ful.
He has no Fault, from thence my Fears arise.
We always find, Men have a check by death,
When they approach near Gods in excellence.
If they will be ador'd, they must ascend,
And put off mortal Natures. Had he Faults,
To moderate my Bliss, and make it fit
For humane Creature, I shou'd have more hope.
But nothing mortal, must presume to reach
At perfect happiness, the lot of Heaven.
Lep.
You hunt out Griefs, as they were hard to find;
And study Arts how to perplex your self.
Consider, Madam, how belov'd he seems
By Fortune, how she fondly clings to him,
Caresses him with strange extravagance.
At his first landing here, she tore in two
This Empire, and gave him the fairest piece.
Now she has torn yon' Wall, as she were mad,
To have him nearer, faster in her Arms.
And the truth is, he has her now so fast,
She cannot if she wou'd break from him now.
Ful.
I know his Fortunes are like his Deserts.
In great Excess, but all Excess destroys.
Excessive Lustre, like excessive Heat,
Frail Man bears not. We very rarely find,
Men in intemp'rate Glories are long-liv'd.
Oh! he is near his end.
Lep.
Nay, this is strange!
Ful.
I must lament his death before he dies,
And the dear Man will fall unmourn'd by me.
Lep.
Misery deserves not sure this great Respect;
That you shou'd run to meet it e're it comes.
Ful.
You make me mad; have I more fear than you,
Or any in the Camp? did not this Morn
Spread Terrors through you all?
Lep.
Then have you heard?—
Ful.
I cou'd hear Thunder sure;
Thunder, which seem'd to burst the Firmament.
And I cou'd see the ruddy Face of Morn
Turn'd o' the sudden black; one wou'd ha' thought
The Night had wheel'd about, and strangled her.
Night ne're was clad in such thick woven Blacks,
As were of late, spread like a Funeral Pall
O're day, as day were dead.
Lep.
'Twas wonderful.
Ful.
Why d'ye abuse me then, and hide the truth,
As I were th'only Woman in your Camp?
The boldest of you all, was turn'd this Morn
To things, like heartless Women at the least.
And by a Woman too, by something less
The shadow of a Woman. I've heard all—
Lep.
I'm sorry for't.
Ful.
Day turn'd away its Face,
That a dead Beauty boldly might appear
In all the wretched nakedness of Death,
To the great Man, to whom she once was fair,
The Consul. Did not his late beautiful
Chaste modest Wife, the dead Apamin,
Appear to him this Morning in his Tent?
Ay, and to you, and many more great Officers
Assembled there.
Lep.
She did, if we dreamt not.
Ful.
Oh! you were far from such repose as sleep.
The Fantom whiter than the Shroud she wore
Dissolv'd you all into a thin cold dew,
You lay all vanishing beneath her eye,
Which brightly shone thro' the dim mists of death.
She was the firmest substance of you all,
Bating the Consul; he remain'd the same,
And was the only living person there;
Whom yet she seem'd to say, with speaking looks,
She pitied much, she pierc'd his eyes with hers,
As with their points she wou'd upon his Soul
Engrave her pitying thoughts.
'Twas so indeed.
But they were much to blame who told you this,
And frightned you; I wou'd no more ha' don't
Than thrown a poyson'd Dart into your breast.
Ful.
VVhy should you hide from me what is my own?
I've in this dismal story too much share,
More than my understanding can dispose,
'Twill make me mad. Ah! may I lose my wits,
E're I lose him; that I may have no sence
When the Blow comes.
Lep.
VVhy do you think 'twill come?
Ful.
VVhat else should move the dead Apamia
To bear the light, which living beauties shun,
But to have him? Oh! that's her Errant here!
Lep.
I'll not presume to combat with your fear;
One will soon do it, who can conquer it,
He conquers all things, 'tis your Regulus,
Your griefs and fears have reach'd his ear and heart,
And he will come to ease your soul and his.
[Trumpets.
He's come; I see his Guards, I see himself.
I see your Father the Proconsul too.
Enter Regellus, Metellus, an Augur.
Reg.
Most beautiful reward of all my Labors,
In whose kind Love I am before hand paid,
And overpaid for all my Sword can do;
Permit me to be careful of my Treasure,
And lodge you safely in the Fort of Clypea.
The Enemy have met with some Recruits,
And make a shew of fighting us to day.
If fighting will oblige them, I will serve them.
Retire my Love from danger, for the sake
Of me and Rome, else I shall fight to day
Greatly disorder'd by my fears for you.
Ful.
I know the pleasure which you take in Glory.
That a brave Enemy who fights you well,
Does entertain you well. I would not dare
To call you from the Glory you pursue
VVith so much ardor, were I not compell'd
By many Thousand Omens and Presages,
VVhich seem to me the Messengers of Heaven.
I beg you for the sake of Rome and me,
You'll stay till some few threatning days are past.
Reg.
Stay till those days bring all the ills they threat,
Succor to Carthage, infamy to me.
To joyn in consort with a womans fears.
And beg a Consul to forsake his Post.
To please a Woman, and to cure her frights,
VVould not suit well with a Proconsuls voice:
Yet Consul for my Daughter this I'll say,
Her fears are all for you. She has no sence
Of her own dangers. I have seen her oft
In bloody Fields gaze on your Victories
With the same unconcern she'd see a Masque.
Yet I must counsel you to what she prays,
That you would let some frowning hours go by.
I do not second her, let her fear on,
It suits her Sex, and is a proof of Love,
I plead for one more excellent than she,
I mean Religion. I beseech you Sir,
Give her those rights which are her due by Law,
You know our Laws give her the casting Voice,
In all our Councils both of Peace and War,
No Roman dares start a great Enterprize
Till she has given the sign, and she has mark'd
This day for bad, by many a black Portent,
And charg'd you not to interfere with it,
Lest it should drop some horrors on your head;
As this learn'd Augur better can inform.
Aug.
'Tis true, Sir, all the flights of birds to day,
And all the entrails o' the victim'd Beasts
Threaten much ill.
Reg.
In reverence
To our own Laws, Augur, I reverence you.
You are our Scout to discern coming ills,
Our Spy on Heaven, and I'll be rul'd by you
When I am not otherwise advis'd by reason,
Which I think soars higher than birds can do,
And can discover more of Heaven's will.
[A Noise of a Storm.]
Lep.
Ha! all the Heavens are troubled once again.
Reg.
Let 'em be troubled.
Lep.
And it thunders loud.
[Thunder.]
Reg.
Well, let it thunder.
Met.
Would you take advice.
Reg.
Of Thunder? 'tis no Counsellor o' mine.
[The Ghost of Apamia rises.]
Lep.
Oh! Sir! I see another Counsellor.
Look there, in yon dark cave, so dark the night
Seems to skulk there in day to rob the day,
Apamia stands.
Let her stand there, I see her.
Ful.
What d'ye see?
Reg.
Nothing, Love, you frighten Fulvia.
Ful.
I heard you name the dead Apamia,
What should make her leave Heaven, but for you?
She has some knowledge you are hasting to her,
And rushes through the bars of death to meet you.
But I've more right to you, than she has now,
Her death has cancell'd all your bonds to her.
But those you made to me are new and firm,
I'll keep my right, I will not let you go.
Reg.
Must I give such a fatal proof of Love,
To leap from Honor into wanton Ease,
And be no more a Consul? well I'll do't.
Consul and Shame suit not.
Now come my Dear, let us to private shades,
For darkness and dishonor best agree.
My noble Friends eternally farewel,
For after this I must not shew my face.
I pray conceal what has befallen me;
Report you saw me like great Romulus
Assum'd to Heaven, is not this a Heaven?
(Pointing to Fulvia.
'Tis like one, it resembles Fulvia,
'Tis not that warlike Virgin I confess,
But 'tis her Image; and my Love is such
To Fulvia's Image I will sacrifice
A Roman Consul.
Ful.
I will strive no more
Since 'tis your pleasure. Go; but I believe
After this fatal day we shall not meet,
Except in Fetters, or in Blood, or Death.
Met.
Something within my heart divines the same.
Reg.
Your fears are against reason, the Recruits
Come to the Enemy are few and heartless,
Dispirited, and cowed by fear of us,
And if we baffle them Carthage is lost;
At our next meeting Fortune shall be fetter'd,
And this short parting shall be all the Death
Your fears have boded.
Ful.
No, we will not part.
Reg.
Yes, you must to the Fort, I to the Field.
Ful.
I'll to the Field, so was I woo'd and won.
Your Battles were the Courtship of my Love.
And so will I return your glorious Love.
Nor Enemies, nor worlds shall part us long.
By guarding this great man, but if you must
Resign him up to death, (I shake to think of it)
If among all the doors Nature has made
To let us into death, I can find one,
My Ghost within few hours shall be with his.
Met.
Thou hast well vow'd, daughter, perform thy vow.
Reg.
Could we not meet elsewhere, there were enough
To make me rush on death, but our next meeting
Shall be attended with unequall'd Glory.
Ful.
Nay we'll be great and blest befal what will
We will so dye, if Death must be our doom,
We'll triumph o're all ages in our Tomb.
Ex.
| Regulus | |