 | The Paphian Bower ; or, Venus and Adonis |  |
Scene Second.
—Distant view of the city of Paphos.Enter Mars, meeting Esculapius.
Mars.
Great Esculapius—renowned M.D.;
You are the very friend I wished to see.
Escula.
Hah! you look flushed—a little fever there.
Permit me— (feeling his pulse)
In a gallop, I declare;
Put out your tongue.
Mars.
Pshaw! hold yours while I speak.
Escula.
Talking fatigues, and we seem rather weak;
We'd better go to bed and take some gruel.
Mars.
Take notice, you, I go to fight a duel.
Escula.
Alarming symptoms! caused by deadly drugs.
The mixture—patent gunpowder and slugs.
One pill a dose—ta'en early in the morning:
Patient popped off without a moment's warning.
Sad work for doctors.
Mars.
Can't help that, but note—
Shoot him I sha'n't, I mean to cut his throat.
Escula.
Steel med'cines! worse and worse.
Mars.
Tortures infernal
He's made me feel!
Escula.
Some injury internal.
What's the complaint?
Mars.
Flirting before my face
With Venus.
Escula.
Yellow jaundice! common case—
104
From the sword arm.
Mars.
I'll run the rascal through
The midriff!
Escula.
And my fee! If life be spilt,
How do you think my beard's to be kept gilt?
S'death, do you take me for an undertaker
Or that I live by “dead men,” like a baker?
A flesh wound if you please, or slight contusion,
But kill a man outright—fits and confusion!
Sir! 'tis a most unprincipled aggression,
'Tis interfering, sir, with our profession!
Mars.
Time's flying fast! do you decide to go?
Escula.
(looking out)
'Gad, he'll be past before I really know;
I'll catch Time by the forelock!
Enter Saturn, who is seized by Esculapius accordingly.
Saturn.
Come! let go, man!
Escula.
Stay!
Saturn.
Never! time and tide can stay for no man!
Escula.
But I am tied to time—no inflammation!
We doctors must take time for consultation!
Besides, my dad, Apollo the musician,
Taught me to keep time, and with great precision.
Ay, and to beat time! So, old Edax rerum,
As I've some things to say, you stop and hear 'em.
Saturn.
Well then! make haste, my sand must run mean time.
(turns his glass)
Escula.
(aside to him)
Mars is about to meet a rival—I'm
Desired to be in waiting! I object,
On principle, and ask Time to reflect!
Saturn.
(aside)
I have reflected! while he strives to find Time,
To fight his duel in—keep him behind Time.
And I will fly so fast, that e'er he's warning,
Time will be past, and bring to-morrow morning.
Escula.
Sharp as a lancet! now I've got him, there!
(seizes Mars)
Saturn.
Fair play's a jewel, then—let go my hair!
(Esculapius lets Time go)
105
Why, s'death! you're losing Time! quick backward haul him!
(Saturn flies away)
Escula.
He's flown! and Jove himself could not recall him!
(the scene darkens, and is lighted again directly)
Mars.
Distraction! Time has slipped with night away.
And in the east there dawns another day!
I shall be posted for a coward! zounds!
They'll say that war has got afraid of wounds!
And that false hussey, Venus, too! O scandal
Will make of this affair a precious handle!
Escula.
Scandal! pho! on insanity you border,
To mind a slight attack of that disorder.
Here's Mirth and Mercury, they'll bear me out.
Enter Momus and Mercury.
'Tis an endemic going much about.
Unpleasant! but with common prudence treated,
The virulence is very soon defeated.
Glee—Esculapius, Momus, and Mercury—“Dame Durden.”
Olympus has a crowd of gods,
And each has his female;
And I'll bet you, my friend, long odds,
There runs of each some tale.
There's Pol kissed Clio,
And Jove kissed Io,
As proved by the peacock's tail;
For Argus found his hundred eyes 'gainst love would naught avail.
And each has his female;
And I'll bet you, my friend, long odds,
There runs of each some tale.
There's Pol kissed Clio,
And Jove kissed Io,
As proved by the peacock's tail;
For Argus found his hundred eyes 'gainst love would naught avail.
Dame Juno curls her haughty lip,
And dares at others rail;
And Dian at the slightest slip,
Pretends her face to veil.
Yet Pan kissed Dian,
And Juno Ixion,
At least so runs the tale.
And they are pretty folk, alas!
To call their neighbours frail!
Then isn't he a stupid ass,
Who turns at scandal pale.
And dares at others rail;
And Dian at the slightest slip,
Pretends her face to veil.
Yet Pan kissed Dian,
And Juno Ixion,
At least so runs the tale.
And they are pretty folk, alas!
106
Then isn't he a stupid ass,
Who turns at scandal pale.
(Exeunt Esculapius, Momus, and Mercury)
Mars.
O, Time, I let you 'scape me in an ill time.
Tell me, ye gods! what shall I do to kill time?
I know! I'll rouse a boar—a bristly, bony,
And brawney savage—who shall kill young Dony.
By proxy my revenge shall now be taken,
I'll conjure up a boar, like Friar Bacon!
(Melo-dramatic music)
Goddess of vengeance! wheresoe'er thou art,
Fierce Até, rise, and take a forte part,
In my malicious glee; thy serpents don—
Put the high pressure of thine engine on,
Esteemed goddess! Mars will be thy stoker,
And stir thy fires, with his steely poker.
No safety valve shall save Adonis now,
The boiler of thy wrath shall burst and blow
The minion into pieces! speed from far,
Cry havoc, and let slip the hogs of war.
Enter Até and Furies; a Boar rushes out of the thicket.
Mars.
Thou beast, who be'est a ranger of the wood,
And relishes a slice of man for food,
Sharpen thine ivories—do my bidding right,
And I'll indulge thy beastly appetite.
This day thou wilt encounter in a broil,
A youth who seeks thy beauty, beast, to spoil;
Be bold as brass, and let him feel thy mettle,
Or to thy tail he'll surely tie a kettle.
He's rash, be rasher—we will egg him on,
And 'twixt two fires, doubtless he'll be done!
Now tramp away, I will not see thee pause,
Till he become a sandwich 'twixt thy jaws.
Exeunt Mars, Até, and Furies, driving the Boar before them.
| The Paphian Bower ; or, Venus and Adonis | |