University of Virginia Library

With Him, who sways all nations, sea and earth,
I dwell in fellowship, a denizen
Of heav'n's high city, the abode of Gods.
I'm, as you see, a fair and splendid star,
Keeping my regular and fixed course
On earth here, and in heav'n: my name Arcturus.
By night I shine in heav'n among the Gods,
And in the day-time mix with mortal men,
Passing, with other stars, from heav'n to earth.
Jove, supreme sovereign of Gods and men,
Spreads us throughout all nations several ways,
To mark the people's actions, learn their manners,
Their piety and faith, that so each man
May find reward according to his virtues.
Those, who suborn false witnesses to gain
A villainous suit in law, who shuffle off
Due payments by false swearing, we return
Their names in writing to high Jove: each day
He is inform'd of those that call for vengeance,
And seek their own perdition by their crimes.
Whoe'er by perjury obtain their cause,
Or bribe the judge to an unfair decision,
The case adjudg'd he judges o'er again,
And does amerce them in a larger fine
Than they were 'vantag'd by the foul decree.
In other registers are noted down
The upright and the good.—Yet wicked men
Fondly imagine they can Jove appease
With gifts and sacrifice; and thus they lose
Their labour and their cost: for no petition
Is acceptable to him from bad men.
He that is good and just, will sooner find
Grace from above, in praying to the Gods,
Than will the wicked. Therefore I advise you,
You that are just and good, who pass your days
In piety and virtue, persevere,
That so you may rejoice from all your doings.

Now will I tell the subject of our Play,
Which is my errand hither.—First of all
Know, Diphilus has nam'd this place Cyrene;
There in a neighbouring villa, on that spot
(Pointing
Adjoining to the sea, dwells Dæmones,
A good old gentleman, who hither fled
From Athens; not that any misdemeanour
Forc'd him to leave his country, but himself
By saving others was involv'd in ruin:
By gentle courtesy his means were wasted.
He had a daughter when a little child
Kidnap'd away, whom a girl-merchant bought,
A villainous knave, and brought her to Cyrene.
A young Athenian spark, now of this city,
Saw her returning from the musick-school,
And grew enamour'd of her: strait he comes
To the girl-merchant, bargains for the wench
At thirty Minæ, gives him earnest, binds him
Moreover with an oath. The merchant, like
A villain as he is, car'd not a rush
For honour, honesty, or all he swore.
He had a certain guest, like to himself,
A villainous old rascal,—a Sicilian,
From Agrigentum,—of so vile a stamp,
That he was even traitor to his country.
This rogue extols the beauty of the girl,
And of the other damsels, which our merchant
Held in possession, and, in short, persuades him,
To go with him to Sicily: “There,” says he,
“The men are debauchees; there you may soon
“Grow rich; there damsels bear the best of prices.”
Well,—he prevails. A ship is hir'd by stealth;
All that he had our merchant puts on board
By night; and tells the youth, that bought the girl,
He's going to perform a vow to Venus.—
(Pointing)
This is her temple, where he has invited
The spark to dinner.—Presently he gets
On board, and carries all his damsels with him.
The young man was inform'd from other hands,
How matters were transacted, how the merchant
Was fairly gone: he hastens to the port;
But now the vessel was far off at sea.
I, seeing that the girl was borne away,
Brought her relief, and ruin to her owner.
I rais'd a hurricane, and stir'd the billows:
For I Arcturus am, of all the signs,
Most turbulent; outrageous, when I rise,
And at my setting more outrageous.—Now
The merchant and his comrade are both cast
Upon a rock, their ship dash'd all in pieces.
The maid, affrighted, and a damsel with her,
Have leap'd into the boat, and now the surge
Drives them aloof off from the rock to land,
Close to the old man's villa, which the storm
Has stript of all it's tiles, and quite uncover'd it.
This is the servant, that is coming forth.
The spark, that bought the damsel of the merchant,
Will presently arrive, and you shall see him.
Now fare ye well, and heartless be your foes!