 | Tryphon |  |
1
THE FIRST ACT.
The Scene is the Garden of Tryphon's Palace in Antioch.Demetrius and Aretus.
Dem.
Tryphon , I grant, through Seas of blood has gone
To force his passage to the Syrian Throne;
But how men gain their Pow'r the Gods do not
So much regard, as how 'tis us'd when got.
Our Murther'd King Antiochus did own,
That Tryphons Father did restore his Crown;
Which made him trust the Sons ambitious youth
With so much pow'r as did corrupt his truth:
This our dead Prince discover'd, but too late,
Which did provoke Tryphon to act his fate:
For Kings should not to too great Subjects shew
They mean their ruine, till they act it too;
And he too much deserves to lose his Throne
Who makes a Subject's power exceed his own.
Are.
What ever you in his defence have brought,
Rather then lessen doth augment his fault;
For what could show this Tyrant more unjust
Then to abuse such gratitude and trust;
Trust, which the wicked often does reclame,
This Monster's wickedness does more inflame.
That he repents nothing can us perswade,
Since what makes others good has made him bad.
Dem.
When once Ambition does the mind devour,
Men Sacrifice their Vertue to their Pow'r.
Antiochus has rais'd him up so high,
As he was either to usurp, or die;
And when he had perceiv'd the Kings distrust,
It made him think, that what was safe was just.
Are.
Oh let him not be pleaded for by you,
Who did his King depose and murther too,
Lest on your self th'Usurpers guilt you bring;
Dem.
'Tis less to kill, then to arraign a King;
2
Cannot think death a punishment, but cure.
Are.
But Actions should be taken as they are meant.
Dem.
To vindicate him is not my intent;
Since all which can in his excuse be said
Is, that his Pride his Virtue has betray'd.
Are.
No glimps of vertue e're in him could shine
Who kill'd his King, and all the Royal line.
Dem.
After he had the chief of it supprest,
He thought it was unsafe to save the rest.
Are.
Ambition made him act the Parricide,
And Cruelty must then preserve his Pride.
By the same rule he ought to shed the blood
Of all his Country-men that dare be good:
Then from the Throne let us th'Usurper fling.
To save our selves, and to Revenge the King:
For should we to this Tyranny submit,
We shall deserve as well as suffer it:
And to the virtuous 'twill much worse appear
Such a misfortune to deserve then bear.
And Cruelty must then preserve his Pride.
By the same rule he ought to shed the blood
Of all his Country-men that dare be good:
Then from the Throne let us th'Usurper fling.
To save our selves, and to Revenge the King:
For should we to this Tyranny submit,
We shall deserve as well as suffer it:
And to the virtuous 'twill much worse appear
Such a misfortune to deserve then bear.
That Tryphon calls you favourite I know,
But to his Fear alone that name you ow:
Yet though the kindness which he feigns were true,
If layes the ground of what I call you to;
From you he merits death, since he hath dar'd
To hope, such Friendship could such Guilt have spar'd.
But to his Fear alone that name you ow:
Yet though the kindness which he feigns were true,
If layes the ground of what I call you to;
From you he merits death, since he hath dar'd
To hope, such Friendship could such Guilt have spar'd.
Dem.
Whom Tryphon fears he doth to death pursue,
And if he fear'd me he might kill me too,
But, that he fears me not, he could not give
A stronger proof then that he lets me live.
And if he fear'd me he might kill me too,
But, that he fears me not, he could not give
A stronger proof then that he lets me live.
Yet do not think his friendship such a charm,
As from revenge it could confine my arme;
But if my patience you a sin esteem,
It springs from Love to Syria, not to him:
For since the Royal line are made away,
Were Tryphon kill'd, who should the Scepter sway?
All the Ambitious for the Throne would fight,
For where none has the Title, all have Right.
Thus while we cast a bloody Tyrant down
By Blood, we raise another to the Crown.
'Tis this, 'tis this which chiefly frightens me,
We may change Tyrants, not the Tyranny.
Where Force is Title, Force must make it good,
And who comes in by Armes must reign by Blood.
As from revenge it could confine my arme;
But if my patience you a sin esteem,
It springs from Love to Syria, not to him:
For since the Royal line are made away,
Were Tryphon kill'd, who should the Scepter sway?
All the Ambitious for the Throne would fight,
For where none has the Title, all have Right.
Thus while we cast a bloody Tyrant down
By Blood, we raise another to the Crown.
'Tis this, 'tis this which chiefly frightens me,
We may change Tyrants, not the Tyranny.
Where Force is Title, Force must make it good,
And who comes in by Armes must reign by Blood.
Are.
Banish such groundless fears, for he alone
Who kills the Tyrant should ascend his Throne.
Who from this Tyranny does Syria free,
All will confess, deserves our King to be.
3
Saving the Kingdom you'll deserve the Crown.
Dem.
Oh my Aretus should I yield to this,
T'would then be my Ambition punish'd his:
And he's unfit a Tyrant to dethrone
Who with his Countreys ends dare mix his own;
Since Tryphon is call'd King, I'le rather bear
His Tyranny then be his Murtherer,
That name Aretus is a sacred thing.
Are.
But Tryphon's an Usurper, not a King.
Ah shall he keep his blood from being spilt,
By taking off that name which makes his guilt:
If such a principle we should endure,
Then the most guilty would be most secure.
Dem.
What ever sins to gain a Crown are done,
The God's do pardon when they put in on.
We ought, when Heav'ns Vicegerent does a Crime,
To leave to Heav'n the right to punish him.
Those who for wrongs their Monarchs murther act,
Worse sins then they can punish they contract:
And while his favour I so much possess,
My Pow'r will hinder any new excess.
Are.
But from new crimes while Tryphon you withhold,
You bribe our swords from punishing the old.
Dem.
He that's so bad as to gain pow'r by Blood,
Some reparation makes if he turn good;
And 'tis my hope as much as 'tis my care,
To fill his Court with those who virtuous are.
If Virtue in his Court it self advance,
Vice there will soon grow out of countenance.
That he no more into new crimes may fall,
Hee'll make this day Nicanor General;
And our Seleucus free from Vice as Fear
Shall head the guards—
Tryphon, Nicanor, Seleucus and Tryphon's Guards.Some reparation makes if he turn good;
And 'tis my hope as much as 'tis my care,
To fill his Court with those who virtuous are.
If Virtue in his Court it self advance,
Vice there will soon grow out of countenance.
That he no more into new crimes may fall,
Hee'll make this day Nicanor General;
And our Seleucus free from Vice as Fear
Shall head the guards—
But Tryphon does appear
Who must not see me since he sent me now
On an affair which you at night shall know.
Who must not see me since he sent me now
On an affair which you at night shall know.
Demet. and Aret. go out several ways.
Try.
No, no, Nicanor, I can truly own
My safety made me chiefly take the Crown;
My safety made me chiefly take the Crown;
Antiochus had rais'd me to such height
As I had felt what was an Empire's weight,
And scarce th'Ambitious would be brought to reign
If with the Pomps of Pow'r they knew the Pain:
But when false doubts of me his mind did fill,
Then whom he Rais'd he had design'd to Kill:
And though the Father plac'd him in the Throne,
Yet this return he would have made the Son;
Finding that he or I must be opprest,
I of two evils did embrace the least;
Since to my Services he was severe,
From him what might not his best Subjects fear;
Which shows, my Countreys good in what was done
As much did urge me to it as my own.
As I had felt what was an Empire's weight,
And scarce th'Ambitious would be brought to reign
If with the Pomps of Pow'r they knew the Pain:
4
Then whom he Rais'd he had design'd to Kill:
And though the Father plac'd him in the Throne,
Yet this return he would have made the Son;
Finding that he or I must be opprest,
I of two evils did embrace the least;
Since to my Services he was severe,
From him what might not his best Subjects fear;
Which shows, my Countreys good in what was done
As much did urge me to it as my own.
Nica.
Sir, you have known me long, and that my heart
In what I speak disdains the vails of art:
If therefore you would now my silence break,
Be not offended if I freely speak.
Try.
Nought you can say, such an offence will be,
As doubting freedom can be so to me.
Nica.
Then Sir, my mind I'le freely speak to you
Yet with that reverence which to Kings is due.
I know your Fathers Valour, and your own
Did to Antiochus restore his Throne;
Since for your King you did that Service do,
Ah Sir, forget not 'twas your duty too:
Subjects, too oft, whose services are great
Consider that as merit, which is debt;
And have the ruine of their Kings design'd,
Judging them cruel when not over-kind:
Those are sad truths which Histories oft show,
Judge Sir if this has been your case, or no.
Try.
I need no clearer proof to let you see
That once Antiochus was kind to me,
Then, when he alter'd and my murther meant,
I by his ruine could my own prevent:
To me his kindness he had largely shown,
Trusting me with a Pow'r above his own;
Had he but told me he'd that Power recall,
I at his feet would have resign'd it all;
But why because he rais'd me up so high
Should he conclude I merited to Die?
If he did erre, placing me where I stood,
Why must his fault be washt off with my Blood.
Nica.
Ah Sir, though this had been the state of things,
Yet subjects, Sir, should die to save their Kings;
Much rather they their own death should endure
Then by their King's their Safety's to procure;
And Virtue does oblige us, where 'tis strong,
Rather to suffer then to act a wrong.
Try.
But Natures Dictates which no man can wave
Obliges every one his Life to save.
5
Nature whose Dictates in defence you bring,
Ties subjects by their Deaths to save their King,
Nature is Reason, Sir, and that does show
More to our Kings then to ourselves we owe,
For in a subjects Death but one does fall,
But a King's Life contains the Life of All.
Seleu,
Yet though your Safety, Sir, did you Incline
To Kill your King, you might have spar'd his Line,
Oh, Sir, you needed not their Bloods have spilt.
Try.
Their Births to me Seleucus, made their Guilt,
Who his own Murther by his Monarch's Shuns,
Makes it more certain if he spares his Sons.
Sel.
But though to save the Sons unsafe was held,
Why was Antiochus the grandchild kill'd?
An Infant who was then not two years old?
Try.
Whatever of his Death my Foes have told,
Yet to you both here solemnly I Vow,
That child, for ought I know, is living now,
And one who oft informes me what is True
Tell's me Nicanor, he's conceall'd by you.
Nica.
I doe not doubt but many there may be,
Too apt to give ill Characters of me,
But, Sir, I think if you reflection make,
With what Affront the King from me did take
The Generals place, you'l scarce believe he durst
To one so wrong'd commit so great a Trust,
Yet if you think it true—
Try.
—Nicanor hold,
'Tis not what I believe but what I'm told;
And to convince you what I say is true,
The Generals Office I restore to you;
If I to Syria meant not to be Just,
I would not lodge in you so great a Trust;
A Trust which if I use the Syrians ill,
Gives power to punish me, and Pow'r gives Will!
Nic.
That Trust which, Sir, you now on me would lay,
Does merit more then I have Pow'r to pay,
But when my King did wrong me, I did swear
No publick Office I again would bear,
Forgive me, Sir, since 'tis a Sacred Vow
Makes me decline what you have offer'd now,
I should for such a Trust appear unfit,
If I forswore my self accepting it.
Try.
Take heed, for if this Offer be refus'd,
I may believe you Justly are accus'd.
Nic.
You should methinkss much rather, Sir, from thence
See my Foes Malice and my Innocence;
6
Why should I wave a Pow'r might place him there.
Try.
But if you would accept what I restore,
That Action would convince me of it more,
For since your Vertue binds you to be just,
'Twould bind you too not to betray your Trust;
Yet I'l believe 'tis nothing but your Vow
Keeps you from taking what I offer'd now,
You shall therein by me no more be prest,
And that you may still on my Friendship rest,
Demetrius is this day imploy'd by me
In an Affair shall let Nicanor see,
That I have made it now my chiefest End
To make him by a sacred tye my Friend
Seleucus, whose High Worth deserves Rewards,
Shall from this day be Captain of my Guards.
Sel.
This Trust I'l strive to merit by my Care.
Nic.
Those clearliest show that they your Servants are
Who at your Faults judge it a sin to winke,
And tell you Truths which others scarce dare think.
Sel.
Those who their Princes flatter May be thought
Guiltier then those who have against them fought,
Since more by Flattery have been undone
Then have been ruin'd by Rebellion.
Nic.
Monarchs those servants highest should esteem
Who, when they err, dare not but tell it them,
And he who does by Force a Throne obtain,
Ought to repair it by a Generous Reign.
Try.
This Freedome and the Council which you give
As Proofs of both your Friendships I receive,
And I resolve my Reign shall be so good
As shall outweigh my want of right by Blood.
(They all goe out
Enter Cleopatra. Stratonice, Irene, and Hermione.
The Scene Nicanor's Pallace.
Stra.
That sacred Friendship which so firm has stood,
And joyns us more than Nature does by Blood,
Makes me not fear, dear Sister, you'l believe,
That 'tis my Envy this advice does give;
Demetrius has but too officious been,
Perswading Tryphon to make you his Queen;
Improve his Error to exalt your Fame,
And scorn both Tryphon's scepter and his Flame,
You'l merit to a lawful Throne to rise,
If an unlawfull one you can despise,
7
A Crown to Merit then a Crown to Wear.
Cleo.
Though Tryphon did by Blood the Crown obtain,
Yet a Crown worn doth wash off every Stain.
Stra
When Heaven admits a Tyrant to a Throne,
'Tis but from Vaster Heights to cast him down,
To doe it whil'st hee's climbing would appear
A less Revenge, then being seated there,
And since such Guilt does most the Gods incense,
The Punishment should equall the Offence.
Cleo.
Since he, while Wicked, in the Throne has stood,
The Gods will not depose him now hee's Good,
His past Offences he does much deplore.
Stra.
That for their Vengeance ripens him the more,
For men might think, were not quick Justice done,
Repentance Usurpation might atone.
Cleo.
Ah Sister, those to whom the Gods allow
Repentance, with it give their Pardon too.
Stra.
But those who to destroy their Kings consent,
Heaven lets them never perfectly Repent,
But leaves them quite, when they so Wicked bee,
His Sorrow is but his Hypocrisy.
Cleo.
Let not your Vertue Judge against your Sight,
Nor limit Mercy which is Infinite;
But since a Crown is still the gift of Heaven.
What matter is it by what Hand 'tis given.
Stra.
When by a Tyrants Hand a Crown is given,
How can you think that Crown the Gift of Heaven.
Cleo.
Since Tryphon's in the Throne, what Syrian dare,
Without a Crime, dispute how he came there.
Stra,
Rather what Syrian who dares Vertue own,
Thinks not hee's bound to cast him from the Throne.
My Father great Nicanor, I dare say,
Thinks this a Duty which he ought to Pay;
You from this Duty may his hand restrain,
If you wish Tryphon in one Throne should Reign.
Cleo.
Usurpers, who inforc'd their Crimes forsake,
For all past Crimes full satisfaction make;
If I by Love continue Tryphon Good,
Nicanor ought not then to shed his Blood;
If he relapse, he by his Death may prove,
His Countrey he more then his Son does love,
Syria to us, what Tryphon ere shall doe,
Either his Change or her Revenge shall owe.
Stra.
Ah think not Love the softest thing that is
Can dwell in such a Cruel Heart as his.
Cleo.
Rather believe since Love has him Inflam'd,
His Heart from Cruelty is now reclaim'd.
8
Since by such Guilt he in the Throne does sit,
Rather believe his Vertue Counterfeit.
Cleo.
'Tis the least Miracle which Love can doe
To change dissembled Vertue into true.
Stra.
Ah Cleopatra, this discourse has shown
You'l lose your Happiness to gain his Throne,
For I was now, in brave Aretus name,
To have disclos'd to you his hidden Flame,
A Flame so High and so Respectfull too,
As it appear'd worthy of him and you;
Oh had you seen the Fear in which he spoke,
When he my help did in his Love invoke,
It would have you as well as me it mov'd,
That Fear had let you see how much he Lov'd.
Cleo.
Aretus ought to blush that durst appear
At once my Lover and admit a Fear.
Stra.
He of that Fear, rather then blush, should boast,
Since Flames which highest rise still tremble most.
Cleo.
Sure, my dear Stratonice, this is but said
Me from the Love of Tryphon to diswade,
For did Aretus Burn to such degree,
He would have first disclos'd his flame to me;
Draw not from what his High Respect does prove,
An argument that he is not in Love.
Her.
I have observ'd, so has Irene too,
Of late Aretus often gaz'd on you,
And when by chance your Eyes on him were turnd,
He with a Sigh would seem to say he burn'd.
Irene.
I must acknowledge, Madam, I admire,
That you did ne'r take notice of his Fire;
Hermione and I have often said,
Never more Love in any Looks were read.
Cleo.
Tis haypy for him that he ne'r did dare
Himself to me his Passion to declare,
For if he had been Guilty of that Crime
Twould have supprest th'Esteem I have for him.
Stra.
His Vertue the Esteem of all does move,
But is there nothing due unto his Love?
Cleo.
Yes, yes, my Pitty while it is conceal'd,
But hate when 'tis by him to me reveal'd.
Stra.
You more then he should this Resolve deplore,
Cleo.
Press me, dear Stratonice, in this no more,
Tryphons Addresse has so Succesfull been,
As he has now my Word to be his Queen.
Stra.
Ah such as have to Thrones of Tyrants rose,
Have bin the more expos'd to Fortunes blowes.
Cleo.
She does not merit on a Throne to sit,
Who can fear ought more then to miss of it.
Exeunt
| Tryphon | |