University of Virginia Library

Scene the First.

The Town.
Enter Antonius, Canidius.
Ant.
Empire and Glory both farewell: Come shame,
And shed thy Venom on Antonius Name:
VVither the Lawrels on his Brows and teach
The VVorld to scorn its most inglorious VVretch.
Forsaken in the choicest hour of time,
My hopes and resolutions in their prime.
Honor, my Queen and I Dictator made,
And all his rough Commands cou'd have obey'd.
Love for a while, we purpose to dethrone,
As Mariners in Storms their Sails take down.
Can Romans thus their General forsake?

Can.
They urg'd want of Provision and of Pay.

Ant.
Both which had been redrest without delay:
Th'obliging Queen—

Can.
VVhom you may thank for this—
Their general Discontent at her was sowd:
But Souldiers are a rude uncivil Crowd.
Play'rs and Minstrels, Singers and Buffoons,
Are the great Instruments and Props of Thrones.
I my old Legions to your Aid have brought,
Firm to your Side, not tainted in a Thought—
They say Photinus in the Camp was seen,
And that he was imploy'd there by the Queen.

Ant.
At a revolt so strange I am surpriz'd.

Can.
Pray Heaven it were not in the Town devis'd.
Your upright Nature stoops not to Descry
The low and subtil ways of Treachery.
Thô you may fail, She can't; Beauty will find,
Victorious and young Monarchs ever kind.

Ant.
Your honest meaning does your life protect:
Presume no more her vertue to suspect.

Can.
May I not say Photinus is a Knave?

Ant.
Tax not the man, unless good proof you have.

Enter Photinus pursued by six Villains,
Phot.
Those two you must destroy, and me disarm.
Ah, Sir, from Murtherers defend your Life:
See with my blood, they have begun the Strife.
They draw, two of the Villains fall, the other run.
The Gods a Guard for Vertue still provide:
Courage with Treason seldome doth reside.
Th'are fled and you unhurt—

Ant.
I am:
But say, Photinus, whence these Villains came.

Phot.
Just as I left the Throng—
They set upon me Crying this is He,
That with Octavius lets us not agree,
Antonius Friend, and his own Countreys Foe;
And strait that word was followed with this blow.
Some of the popular faction set'm on,
Who think to govern all if I were gone.

Ant.
'Tis most unlucky these were Kill'd out right,
Of their whole Plot we else might gain some light.

Phot. stabs one lying on the ground, he mutters out
1. Villain.
Photinus is a Villain . . . .

Phot.
See their spight . . . .
Even at their Death, which I will thus requite—
Can. interposes.
VVhy wou'd you save from my just rage so impudent a Slave?

1. Villain.
Photinus set us on:

Phot.
Unheard of villany . . . .
My self to Kill, they did conspire with Me!
But great Antonius is himself too just
Me on a Murd'rers malice to distrust.

Canid.
Slight not too much the words of dying men,
They who hate truth before will speak it then.

Phot.
My constant zeal and firmness to your side,
So oft in Council and in Action try'd,
This accusation cannot but deride.
VVhat is't a Murth'rer missing of his blow,
In his last rage would not both say and do?

Can.
VVho dares die,
And the just Gods provoke with such a lie?

Phot.
He that dares basely Kill, what dares he not,
No Crime a Murtherer cou'd deeper blot.

Can.
Yet to that crime ingratitude may add.

Phot.
You speak as of my guilt you wou'd be glad.

Ant.
My friends, let this untimely discord fall.

Phot.
Although much wrong'd, at your Command it shall.

Can.
I wish, Sir, to my Souldiers you wou'd speak,
And let'm know how well their loves you take.

Ant.
I go: their Faith shall so rewarded be—
The rest shall soon repent their treachery.

[Ex. Ant. Can.
Phot.
Had they fought well their danger had been small,
Cou'd they not fear at first or not at all?
Curse on all middle ways: Courage enough
VVhen once engag'd, can only bring us off.
But the next blow by fate shall be my own,
And I'le strike home for Iras and a Throne.
My person is ungraceful, I well know
It was contriv'd for use and not for show.
Besides I'm old, that too when I am great,
She may have the Ambition to forget.
This gentle Maid all other ways have try'd,
Hopeless of Love, I'le now attempt her pride.
Enter Iras.
But see she comes, and charming as new light,
Appear'd to the first Mans amazed sight.
A noise of Drums.
You hear how Drums and Trumpets fill the Air,
And for a Scene of Blood our Minds prepare.

Iras.
'Tis Love, vile Love whence this Disorder springs.

Phot.
The tender Parent of the frightful'st Things.
Yet blame not Love, when to it's object fixt;
It only harms when with Ambition mixt.
When raging Winds raise Tempests on the Main,
The gentle Brooks creep mildly through the Plain.
'Tis only to the Great these Storms are known,
Photinus passion fears your scorn alone.

Iras.
What is this Love, we never can exclude?
But whatsoe're we talk of, 'twill intrude.

Phot.
Of Storms the Seaman tells, of ploughs the Hind;
Lovers in such discourses ease their mind.
'Tis the glad business of young Hearts, the pain,
The old, for their presumption must sustain.

Iras.
Is't a disease beauties infection spreads?
Pray does it seize you in your hearts or heads?

Phot.
Sweet Innocence! it enters at the eyes,
And to the heart like subtle lightning flies.
When Lovers meet it is all extasie,
And when they part again they more than die.

Iras.
How chance that I have scap't this mighty ill?
I gaze and stare at every thing my fill.
The Wise, the Handsome, and the Brave, I love,
Yet feel no pain at all when they remove.

Phot.
Passions lye yet within your tender breast,
Harmless and weak as Eagles in the Nest:
But Love hereafter on your heart will prey.

Iras.
If ever any one escap't, I may.

Phot.
'Twere most unfit you shou'd, Nature does still
Provide some soveraign thing for every ill.
For Beauties wounds their kindness is the cure:
Scorpions who cou'd without their oyl endure?

Iras.
If I have hurt you 'twas against my will.

Phot.
Your Charms not like a Foe, but weapon, kill.

Iras.
Their farther ill effects I will prevent,
And of what's past, though innocent, repent:
I'll go where you shall never see me more.

Phot.
That must not be, from you whom I adore.
Absence is raging pain, presence a joy;
Which will at least voluptuously destroy.

Iras.
Wou'd you not have me go nor stay! what then?
This Love I see makes errant Fools of men.

Phot.
Stay gentle Iras; learn to love of me,
How easie were it, cou'd I charm like thee.

Iras.
Does no man else adore me as you do?

Phot.
None ever did; I'l place you on a Throne,
A Scepter may for pers'nal wants attone.
Beauty and Youth, your Sexes glories are,
In men they soon decay, or not appear.

Iras.
I did not know you were a Prince disguis'd:
At your new Majesty I'm much surpriz'd.

Phot.
I am no King.

Iras.
How then shall I be Queen?
O I could strut with Cleopatra's Mein.

Phot.
The Roman Empire can a Crown bestow.

Iras.
Such gifts may be Antonius overthrow.

Phot.
So let 'em be.

Iras.
But what, he gives you, Rome
Will take away, if Cæsar overcome.

Phot.
My hopes, sweet Innocence, in Cæsar lye,
And e're I reign Antonius must dye.

Iras.
You have but the Reversion of a Crown,
And e're he dies how old you will be grown.

Phot.
Your youth a while may for such glories wait,
But you may trust my Love to urge his Fate.

Iras.
Must I then marry you,
or be no Queen?

Phot.
I'm not so wither'd, nor are you so green:
Nay Charmion will accept what you refuse,
And when she reigns your peevishness accuse—
It works—

Iras.
No no! my self I'll have you first—
To see her Queen I should with envy burst.

Phot.
Will she then promise to love me alone,
When I have plac'd my Iras on a Throne?

Iras.
I will do any thing, to be a Queen;
I could love one whom I had never seen.

Enter Messenger.
Mess.
Madam, the Queen much wonders at your stay.

Ex. Iras.
Phot.
She's gone, she's gone, and I me-thinks have more
A thousand times to utter than before,
So inexhaustible's a Lovers store.
To her Ambition I her Love must own;
But Fate her youth, my age will have it so.
How false a Joy in that fair Sex he takes,
Whom once the hope of equal love forsakes.