University of Virginia Library

Act the V.

Scene the I.

Nuncius, Andromach, Hecuba.

O dire! Cruel! horrid! miserable fate!
So sad and Cruel wickedness begat
This ten years wars had not. Andromacha's
Grief shall I first Condole, or Hecuba's?
Whose ills some e're thou moan'st, thou mine dost Moan.
All others ills I bear; they but their own.
For me all's spoyl'd: all wretches mine remain.

Nun.
The Child's flung from the Tow'r: the Maid is slain,
But both bore death with an Heroick minde.

Andr.
That double ill shew, how to death assign'd:
Go to, tell all for my indurate heart,
Desires to hear, o'th'mischief every part.

Nun.
One Tow'r of famous Troy's yet left, and where
Priamus us'd to Sit wars Arbiter,
And by signs guide the Armies. In that place
His Nephew in his bosom Cherish'd was,
Where whilst his Sire with fire and sword persu'th
The flying Greeks; h' his acts shew'd to the youth,
This noted Tower, once the walls chief pride,
But now a Cruel Rock, on every side
Begirt was, with the Captaines, and with the
Spread troops of Plebeans: Ships relinquish'd be
The vulgar thither run. The hill some bord
Which doth a Prospect to the place afford:
Some gain the high rock, from whose top a band
To see this doleful sight on tiptoes Stand.
Some bayes, some beaches, others pines get up:
The whole wood Shaketh with the hanging troop.
The broken mountain's highest part one gets,
Another th'halfe burnt houses tops: This sets
Upon a hanging Stone o'th' falling wall;
Another he on Hector's tomb doth Crawle
To see, O wicked! Through the Crouded place
Ulysses walketh with a Stately pace,
And Priam's little Nephew in his hand;
Who with no slow pace to the Tow'r did wend:
From whose high top with an undaunted heart,
His earnest eyes he threw on every part.
As the Stout Lion's tender whelp, who yet
Not able for to tear his prey doth threat,
His Courage swells, he tries to bite in vain:
So the fierce youth a hostile hand restrain
Did: whilst he moved into tears below
The Captaines, vulgar, and Ulysses too,
He onely tearless stood, whom all be waild.
But whilst their Prophets words Ulysses told,
And to those rites the Cruel Gods did call,
He of himself leap'd down amongst them all.

An.
What Colchian e're; or barbarous Scythe commit
Did such an act? what Caspian borderer that
A lawless people are thus much dar'd doe?
Buseris on's Altar no Children Slew:
Nor did the Horses of Diomedes
Banquet upon such tender limbs as these.
Who shall unto thy limbs give burial?

Nuncius.
What limbs remains there after such a fall?
The fall has dash'd, and Split his bones, his face,
His father's noble Marks, his bodies grace,
Confounded are by's fall. His neck is broke,
His head is rent, and by flints Cruel stroke
His braines dash'd out are; thus his members doe
Deform'd lye.

Andromach.
Thus he's like his father too.

Nun.
When that Astyanax from the Tow'r was thrown,
Waild by the Greeks who this vile fact had done,
The same unto Achilles Tomb do hie
For to perform another Tragedy.
The Rhætean Seas with gentle waves do beat,
The farther side; the field doth Compass it
On th'other; and the valley riseth there
With a small rise; Like to a Theater,
The midst inclosing. Swarmes do fill the shores;
Some hope her death will free their sluggish oars.
Some joy to see their foes Stock slain, To see
Most hate the Crime in which they actors be.
The Trojans too with fear do thither go
Where they behold Troy's utter overthrow.
Now mariage wise the Torches march before
And

Helena.

Tyndaris the bride-maid marcheth there,
In th'head. The Trojans wish Hermiona
Such marriage: and th'Adultresse Helena
So giv'n t'her Spouse. Both sides amazed are;
The Maid cast down her bashful looks doth bare.
But yet her Eyes did shine, and fairer shew
Her beauty did that it was wont to do.
So sweeter shews Phæbus's setting light,
When rising Stars bring on the neighbour night.
The people Marvail; all do greatly praise,
Th'about to die; her Beauty Moveth these,
These her soft age; Things flying changes those,
But with what Courage she doth death oppose
Moves all. Before, Pyrrhus she went: All do
Tremble, and Marvail, and her pity too.
When they unto the sad hill's top were Come,
And Pyrrhus mounted on his Father's tombe,
The bold virago not a step withdrew,
But met the fierce Stroke with a valiant hew.
Such Courage mov'd the Mindes of all, a new
Wonder Pyrrhus was slow to run her through.
But when his sword h' had hidden in her skin,
At a large wound blood flow'd, where death crept in.
Nor dying did she Courage lose, she prone
And with an angery force fell, as if on
Achilles she the Earth would heavy make.
Both Greeks and Trojans wept, these prively
With fear, the others wept more openly.
Such order had these rites, the ground no drop
But the blood-thirsty Tomb, her blood drunk up.

Hecuba.
Go Greeks, you go home now in safety may,
And your Safe Ships with spread Sayles plow the Sea.
The Maid and Child are slain: wars done; where may
I bear my Tears? where burst death's long delay?
For Daughter, Nephew, Husband shall I moan?
For Country? or for all? or me alone?
Death's my Sole vote. Infants and virgins be
Slain by thee, whore some e're, thou ragest me
Alone thou fear'st, & shun'st; from me thy flight
Thou tak'st, though 'mong swords, darts, fires, sought all Night.
Foes, dangers, fire, hath not my Members spill'd,
Though I so neer, to Priam stood when Kill'd.

Nuncius.
Hast Captives now to Sea: The sayls are spread,
The Ships already are unharboured.