University of Virginia Library

Act the IV.

Scene the I.

Helena, Andromach, Hecuba, Polyxena, Mute.
[Enter Helena alone, with Grecian Tires and Ornaments in her hand.]
'Tis fit a Bride-maid Helena should be
At every deadly Hymen, and where the
Mariage doth cries, grief, slaughter, blood produce.
I'm forc'd the Conquer'd Trojans to abuse;
Pyrrhus's false nuptials I am charg'd to shew,
And Grecian tires, and trimings carry to
Polyxena: So Paris sister shall
Deceived by my fraud, and Cunning fall.
Be She deceived; 'will easier be for her,
'Tis a wish'd death to die without Death's fear.
Why dost thou not as thou art bid? Crimes still
Forced, return on th'authors of the ill.

Enter Polyxena, Hecuba and Andromach.

O noble Maid of the Dardanian House!
A better God now the afflicted does
Begin for to regard: A dowry he
To Polyxena.
And happy mariage doth prepare for thee,
And such a Husband Priamus he cou'd
Not have giv'n thee though Troy it self had stood.
For

Pyrrhus.

Thessaly's great Prince desires to wed
With holy rites, thee to his lawful bed;
Whose Kingdom spreads o're Spacious Thessaly:
Great Tethis and the Lady's of the Sea,
And Thetys the proud Seas fair Lady, shall
Call thee their's; Peleus shall thee Cousen Call,
When thou art Pyrrhu's wife; and Nereus too:
[Offers her the Grecian Tires.]
Put off these mourning robes and these indue;
Forget Captivity: Let maids prepare
With art-ful hands to Curle and plait thy hair.
Thou by this fall perchance mayst higher rise;
“Many have gain'd by being made a prize.

Andr.
For to be glad the only ill has been
Wanting to ruin'd Trojans: Troy's now seen
In Flames. O Time for weddings! Who dares though
Deny? or who will be in doubt to go
For to be Married when that Helena
Perswades? to Grecians and to Trojans ah!
The ruine, Pest, and Plague. Se'st thou these Tombs
Of Captaines? and these inhumated bones
Spread o're the fields? Thy Hymen's fruites they be:
Asia's and Europ's blood was shed for thee,
Whilst thou with doubtful wishes and no care,
Thy husbands fighting Saw; Go too, prepare
The wedding. What needs Torches? fire? or bright
Nuptial Faxes? Troy'l this new wedding light.
O Trojans Pyrrhu's wedding Celebrate!
Let Tears and Groans sound it in seemly rate.

Helena.
Although great grief, wants reason, and denies
To yield, and Your sad fellows to despise
Doth cause, yet I my Cause defend do dare,
That my Griefs greater far than yours are,
Before a prejudic'd Judge. Andromacha
Bewaileth Hector, Priamus, Hecuba:
For Paris onely prively doth mourn
Helen; You servitude hard to be born
And heavy think: Ten years this Captive yoke
I bore. Your family and Troy now strook
Are to the Earth; 'Tis sad indeed to bear
Your Country's losse; but worse for me to fear.
Your ills are by partakers easie made;
Me both the Greeks and Trojans ires invade.
You know not yet whose Pris'ners you shall be,
Without a Lot my Lord will straight take me?
I Cause of these wars and Troy's overthrow.
But 'twas your fleet on Spartans Seas did row.
But if the Phrygians me a prey did make,
Being Venus gift for her victory's sake,
Then pardon Paris. Angery Menalaus
Will shortly sharply Judge my Crime and Cause.
O Andromach stop thou thy tears, and gain
Polyxena to wedd, I cann't refrain
From weeping.

Andromach.
O what mighty Evill's this!
That Helen weeps? why weeps she? Tell what is
Ulysses plot, what wickedness doth he
Contrive; what, must the Maid cast headlong be
From the Idæan rocks? must she be sent
From the high Tower's highest Battlement?
Or from those rocks must she into the vast
Sea, which Segeon's cleft side bounds be cast?
Tell tell what's hid in thy deceitful breast.
Alass! this evill's worse than all the rest.
That Hecuba's and Priam's Son in Law
Pyrrhus should be. What plagues preparest, say?
Shew, and let's not in our Misfortunes be
Beguil'd; To die we ready are you see.

Helena.
Would Calchas also would Command me to
With Sword the Stays of hated life undoe.
Or that I might by Pyrrhus's cursed hand
Be slain before Achilles tomb, and stand
O Polyxen! a part'ner in thy woo.
Achilles doth Command that thou be to
Him given; that thou thy life 'fore's ashes yield,
That he thy Spouse may be ith' Elysian field.

An.
See with what joy her death pronounc'd she hears,
With Princely ornaments herself she tires,
Her hair she suffers to be Curl'd, It seems,
She Mariage Death, and Death a Mariage deems.
But see! my Mother swoons at this sad news,
She faints! Arise! take Courage Mother! use
Courage! take heart—.How small a thread doth stay
Her parting Soul! A small thing Hecuba
Can happy make!—She breaths:—She lives: thus still
“Desired death fly from the wretched will.

Hecuba.
Doth yet Achilles Live to punish us?
Rebels he yet? O Paris hand that thus
So lightly struck! His Tomb and ashes they
Thirst for our blood. About my side a gay.
Troop once did stand. I wearied was to deal
My Kisses and my Love amongst them all.
This onely's left, Hecuba's onely Child,
Companion, joy, she who my griefs beguild.
I onely her call Child. Unhappy still!
Fly hence Soul ease me of this onely ill.
See Tears bedew her Cheeks, a sudden shower
From her dejected Countenance doth power.
Be glad O Child Cassandra would rejoyce,
Or Andromach, to be espoused thus.

Andr.
'Tis we! 'tis we! O Hecuba 'tis we
Should be lamented, scatter'd on the Sea
And up and down dispers'd: But Helen then
Shall her dear Earth and Country see agen.

Hel.
You'd grudge my State more did you know your own.

Andromach.
Is any part of my Torment unknown?

Helena.
The Fickle lot hath giv'n you masters shall.

Andramach.
Whose Servant ? who must I master Call?

Helena.
The

Pyrrhus.

Scyrian youth by Lot doth Challenge thee.

Andromach.
Happy Cassandra! Phæbus sets thee free.

Helena.
The General has her.

Hecuba.
Is Hecuba by any claim'd?

Helena.
Thou art Ulisses's prey.

Hecuba.
What Cruel and unjust Lot sorting Guide
Was this, Princes to Princes that deny'd?
What God the Captives lots thus badly drew?
What Cruel Judge, who for poor wretches knew
Not how to chuse them Lords? And whose dire hand
Has gi'n us such unequal Fates? who send
Doth Hector's mother to Achilles Arms?
I'm to Ulysses sent. And now all harms,
Captivity, and Death, doth me behem:
Not of my Bondage but my Lord I am
Asham'd. He Hector's spoyle doth bear, who does
Achilles Arms bear? Land that Seas inclose
And barren shall that hold my grave? Away
Ulysses lead me; for I make no stay.
My Lord I follow: me my Fates. The Sea
May it no Calm retain! But let it be
With Winds disturb'd. The Fates of Priamus
And of my self, wars, Fire follow us!
So shall my pain prove gain to me, so that
Such prize Ulysses by his Lot may get.
But Pyrrhus with a hasty pace doth run,
And Cruel Look. why stay'st thou Pyrrhus? Come
[Priamus and She.]
Pierce my breast too, and let us now Conjoyne:
Old Priam's Murtherer, fit this blood of mine
Is by thee to be shed. Polyxena
Take hence and with her Cruel death beray
The Gods above, and eke below. why should
I you beseech? To such rites Seas I would
Have answerable. On your mighty fleet,
And Ship that Carries me all Curses light.

Chorus.
Companions Sweeten Grief; 'tis found
Less hard when Cries whole Swarmes resound.
Sorrow and Tears more gently bite
When Troops with like tears are in sight.
Great grief desires still to see,
Many fellows in Miserie:
And not alone the pain to bear.
None nills when all suffer a share.
No man wretched himself doth hold
If all are so: Men rich in Gold
Remove: Remove all such that use
To Cut rich land with a hunder'd ploughs;
And then the poors Cast minds will rise.
None's poor but when he rich espies.
In great mishaps 'tis Sweet to see
In Sadness every face agree.
He doth his fate moan and deplore,
Who naked gains the sought-for shore,
By swiming from Shipwrack alone.
He danger less and's Chance doth moan,
Who a Thousand ships did see
Together swallow'd by the Sea:
Whilst Shipwrack'd planks spread on the Shore
When that the North-west wind doth rore,
Holding back the Constrained waves.
Phrixus for Helle's drowning raves,
When that the Golden-fleeced Ram
On's guilded back bore she and him,
And she fell thence into the Sea.
Deucalion and Pyrrha they
When they nothing beheld but waves
Where all but they had made their graves,
Griev'd less together. Alass! all we
Anon shall seperated be;
And tossed Ships disjoyn our tears,
When that the Sayles the Mariners
At Trumpet sound shall hoist; and when
With winds, and hasty oars they from
The flying Shores hast to the Deep.
What State of mind shall wretches keep
When Seas increase, and Earth grows small?
When Ida high, lye hidden shall,
Then Children to their Mothers, they
To th'Children where Troy stood shall shew,
And poynting with their fingers Cry,
That's Troy where the Smoak on high,
Creeps to Heav'n. The Trojans so
By black Smoak shall their Country know.