| Document Type | Modernised |
|---|---|
| Code | Hey.0003 |
| Bookseller | Samuel Rand |
| Printer | Nicholas Okes |
| Type | |
| Year | 1613 |
| Place | London |
London,
To
Homer.
Oeneus King of Calidon
Althea, and her two brothers.
Deianeira
Meleager
Hercules
Achelous
Nessus
Iason
Atreus
Telamon
Nestor
Medes
Oetes
Absyrtus
Adonis
Atlanta
Apollo
Aurora
Iupiter
Mercury
Iuno
Mars
Venus
Gallus
Vulcan
Lychas
Omphale
Her maids
Æneas
Anchises
Laomedon
Hesione
Priam
Philoctetes
Water Nymphes
Castor
Pollux
Pyragmon
The Brazen Age, containing The labours and death of Hercules.
Enter Homer.
HOMER
As the world growes in yeares (‘tis the Heavens curse
Mens sinnes increase; the pristine times were best:
The Ages in their growth wax worse and worse
The first was pretious, full of golden rest.
Silver succeeded; good, but not so pure:
Then love and harmelesse lusts might currant passe:
The third that followes we finde more obdure,
And that we title by the Age of Brasse.
In this more grosse and courser mettal'd Age,
Tyrants and fierce oppressors we present.
Nephewes that 'gainst their Unckles wreake their rage,
Mothers against their children discontent,
A sister with her brother at fierce warre,
(Things in our former times not seene or knowne)
But vice with vertue now begins to iarre,
And sinnes (though not at height) yet great are growne.
Still with our history we shall proceed,
And Hercules vistorious acts relate:
His marriage first, next many a noble deed
Perform'd by him: last how he yeelds to Fate.
And these, I hope, may (with some mixtures) passe,
So you sit pleas'd in this our Age of Brasse.
[1]
[1]
Enter Oeneus, King of Calidon, Queene Althea, Meleager, Deianeira, Plexippus, and Toxeus, brothers to the Queene.
KING OENEUS
Thus midst our brothers, daughter, Queene and sonne,
Sits Oeneus crown'd in fertill Calidon
Whose age and weakenesse is supported only,
In those ripe ioyes that I receive from you.
PLEXIPPUS
May we long stand supporters of your royaltyes,
And glad spectators of your age and peace.
TOXEUS
The like I wish.
KING OENEUS
We have found you brothers royall,
And subiects loyall.
ALTHEA
They are of our line,
Of which no branch did ever perish yet,
By Cankers, blastings, or dry barrennesse.
But Meleager let me turne to thee,
Whose birth the Fates themselues did calculate?
MELEAGER
Pray mother how was that? I have heard you say
Somewhat about my birth miraculous,
But never yet knew the true circumstance.
ALTHEA
’Twas thus: the very instant thou wast borne,
The sisters, that draw, spinne, and clip our lives,
Entred my chamber with a fatall brand,
Which hurling in the fire, thus said: One day, one date,
Betide this brand and childe, even be their fate.
So parted they, the brand begins to burne:
And as it wasted, so didst thou consume;
Which I perceiving, leap't unto the flame,
And quenching that, stayd thy consumption.
The brand I (as a iewell) have reserv'd,
And keepe it in a casket, lock't as safe
As in thy bosome thou maintainst thy heart.
Melea. Pray keepe it well: for if not with my mother,
With whom dare Meleager trust his life?
But sister Deianeira, now to you.
Two worthy Champians must this day contend,
And try their eminence in Armes for you,
Great Achelous, and strong Hercules.
DEIANEIRA
We know it: my love must be bought with blowes,
Not Oratory wins me, but the sword:
He that can braveliest in the lists contend,
Must Deianeira's nuptiall bed ascend.
KING OENEUS
Brothers, conduct these Champions to the lists,
Meane time Althea state thee on that hand,
On this side Deianeira the rich prize
Of their contention.
MELEAGER
Clamors from a farre,
Tell us these Champions are a drest for warre.
Enter at one doore the river Achelous, his weapons borne in by Water-Nymphes. At the other Hercules.
KING OENEUS
Stand forth you warlike Champions, and expresse
Your loves to Deianeira, in your valours.
As we are Oeneus the Aetolians King,
And under us command whole Calidon.
So we contest we make her here the prize
Of the proud victor.
ACHELOUS
Dares the Theban bastard
Contend with us, as we are eldest sonne
Unto the grave and old Oceanus,
And the Nymph Nais, borne on Pindus mount,
From whence our broad and spacious currents rise?
So are we proud to coape with Hercules.
Nere let my streames wash Acarnania's bankes,
Or we confin'de in Thous, our grand seat,
Till (by the ruine of Alcmena's sonne)
We lodge bright Deianeira in our armes.
HERCULES
Have we the Cleonean Lyons torne?
And deck’t our shoulders in their honored spoyles?
The Calidonian Boare crusht with our Club?
The rude Thessalian Centaurs sunke beneath
Our Iuiall hand? pierc'd hell? bound Cerberus?
And buffeted so long, till from the fome
The dogge belch't forth strong Aconitum spring?
And shall a petty river make our way
To Deianeira's bed impassable?
Know then the pettiest streame that flowes through Greece,
Il'e make thee run thy head below thy bankes,
Make red thy waters with thy vitall bloud,
And spill thy waves in droppes as small as teares,
If thou presum'st to coape with Hercules.
ACHELOUS
What's Hercules that I should dread his name?
Or what's he greater then Amphitrio’s sonne?
When we assume the name of Demi-god
Not Proteus can trans-shape himselfe like us,
For we command our figure when we please.
Sometimes we like a serpent run along
Our medowy bankes: and sometimes like a Bull
Graze on these strands we water with our streames.
We can translate our fury to a fire,
And when we swell, in our fierce torrents swallow
The Champian plaines, and flow above the hils,
Drowne all the continents by which we run;
Yea Hercules himselfe.
HERCULES
Me Achelous!
I can do more then this: love Deianeira,
Swin with her on my shoulders through thy streames,
And with my huge Club beat thy torrents backe,
With thine owne waters quench th'infernall fires
Thy figure serpentine, flat on the earth:
And when th'art Bull, catch fast hold by thy hornes,
And whirle thee 'bout my head thus into ayre.
Thou faire Aetolian dame, I cannot wooe,
Nor paint my passions in smooth Oratory,
But fight for thee I can, 'gainst Achelous,
Or all the horrid monsters of the earth.
MELEAGER
When ’gins your proud and hostile enmity?
Behold the prize propos'd, the victors meed,
Champions your spirits inkindle at her eyes.
ACHELOUS
It is for her this bastard I despise.
Prepare thee Theban.
HERCULES
See, I am adrest
With this to thunder on thy captive crest.
I cannot bellow in thy bombast phrase;
Nor deafe these free spectators with my braves.
I cut off words with deeds, and now behold
For me, the eccho of my blowes thus scold.
Alarme. Achelous is beaten in, and immediatly enters in the shape of a Dragon.
HERCULES
Bee’st thou a God or hell-hound thus transhap't,
Thy terrour frights not me, serpent or divell Il'e pash thee.
Alarme. He beats away the dragon. Enter a Fury all fire-workes.
HERCULES
Fright us with fire? our Club shall quench thy flame,
And beat it downe to hell, from whence it came.
When the Fury sinkes, a Buls head appeares.
HERCULES
What, yet more monsters? Serpent, Bull, and Fire,
Shall all alike taste great Alcides ire.
He tugs with the Bull, and pluckes off one of his horns. Enter from the same place Achelous with his fore-head all bloudy.
ACHELOUS
No more, I am thy Captive, thou my Conquerer:
I see, no Magicke, or inchanting spell
Have power on vertue and true fortitude.
No sleight Illusion can deceive the eyes
Of him that is divinely resolute.
I lay me at thy feet, a lowly vassaile,
Since thou hast reft me of that prccious horne,
Which tearing from my head in shape of Bull,
Thus wounded me. Take Deianeira freely,
Onely restore me that rich spoyle thou hast wonne,
Which all the Nymphes and graces dwelling neere,
Shall fill with redolent flowers, and delicate fruits,
And call it Cornucopiae, plenties horne,
In memory of Achelous losse,
And this high conquest won by Hercules.
HERCULES
Hadst thou not stoopt thy horrid Taurine shape
I would have peece-meale rent, and thy tough hide
Torne into rags as thicke as Autumne leaves:
Take thee thy life, and with thy life that spoile
Pluckt from thy mangled front, give me my love,
I'le stoare no hornes at winning of a wife.
Give me bright Deianeira, take that horne,
So late from thy disfigured Temples torne.
DEIANEIRA
I have my prayers, Alcides his desires,
Both meete in love.
KING OENEUS
Receive her Hercules,
The conquest of thy warlike fortitude.
HERCULES
Wee take but what our valour purchast us,
And beauteous Queene thou shalt assure his love,
Whose puissant arme shall awe the triple world,
And make the greatest Monarches of the earth
To thy divinest beauty tributary.
MELEAGER
Will Hercules stay heere in Calidon,
To solemnize the nuptials of our sister?
I Meleager, rich Aetolians heire,
Whose large Dominions stretch to Oeta Mount,
And to the bounds of fertile Thessaly
Will grace thy Bridals with the greatest pompe
Greece can affoord, nor is't my meanest honour
To be the brother to great Hercules.
HERCULES
Thanks Meleager, soiourne heere we cannot,
My step-dame luno tasks me to more dangers:
Wee take thy beauteous sister in our guard,
Whom by Ioves aide wee straight will beare to Thebes.
KING OENEUS
A fathers wishes crowne the happinesse
Of his faire daughter.
MELEAGER
And a brothers love
Comfort thee where thou goest: If not with Hercules
Whom dare we trust thy safety.
HERCULES
Not loves guard
Can circle her with more security.
Time cals us hence, Aetolian Lords farewell.
KING OENEUS
Adiew brave sonne, and daughter, onely happy
In being thus bestowed, come Achelous,
With you we'le feast, nor let your foyle deiect you,
Or Deianeira’s losse; he's more then man,
And needes must he do this, that all things can.
Exeunt.
HERCULES
Dares Deianeira trust her persons safety
With us a stranger, onely knowne by Fame.
DEIANEIRA
Wer't gainst the Lyons in Chimera bred,
Or those rude Beares that breed in Caucasus:
The Hyrcan Tigers or the Syrian Wolues,
Nay gainst the Giants that assaulted heaven
And with their shoulders made those bases shake
That prop Olimpus: liv'd Enceladus
With whom love wrestled: even against those monsters,
I'de thinke me safe incircled in these armes.
HERCULES
Thou art as safe as if immur'd in heaven,
Pal'd with that Christall wall that girts loves house,
Where all the Gods inhabite, built by fate,
Stay, I should know that Centaure.
Enter Nessus.
NESSUS
That's Hercules I know him by his Club,
Whose ponderous weight I felt upon my Skull
At the great Bridall of the Lapithes.
What lovely Ladie's shee that in her beauty
So much exceedes faire Hypodamia?
HERCULES
Oh Nessus, thou of all thy cloud-bred race,
Alone didst scape by trusting to thy heeles
At Hypodamia's Bridals, but we now
Are friends, are wee not Nessus?
NESSUS
Yes great Hercules,
(Till I can find fit time for iust revendge)
Methinkes my braines still rattle in my skull)
What Ladie's that in great Alcides Guard?
HERCULES
Deianeira, daughter to the Aetolian King,
Sister to Meleager, now our Bride;
Wonne by the force of armes from Achelous,
The boysterous floud that flowes through Calidon.
Ness. A double enuy burnes in all my veines,
First for revenge; next, that he should enioy
That beauteous maide whom Nessus dearely loves.
Will Hercules commande me? or his Bride?
I'le lackey by thee wheresoer'e thou goest,
And be the vassall to great Hercules.
HERCULES
We are bound for Thebes, but soft, what torrent's this
That intercepts our way? How shall we passe
These raging streames?
NESSUS
This is Evenus floud,
A dangerous current, full of whirle-pooles deepe,
And yet unsounded: dar'st thou trust thy Bride
On Nessus backe? I'le undertake to swimme her
Unto the furthest strond, upon my shoulders,
And yet not lave her shooe.
HERCULES
I'le pay thee for thy waftage Centaure, well,
And make thee Prince of all thy by-form'd race,
If thou willt do this grace to Hercules:
But ferry her with safety, for by Iove,
If thou but make her tremble in these streames,
Or let the least wave dash against her skirt;
If the least feare of drowning pale her cheeke,
I'le pound thee smaller then the Autumne dust
Tost by the warring winds?
NESSUS
Have I not swomme
The Hellesepont, when waves high as yon hils
Tost by the winds, have crown'd me, yet in spight
Of all their briny weight I have wrought my selfe
Above the topmost billow to ore-looke
The troubled maine: come beauteous Deianeira,
Not Charon with more safety ferries soules,
Then I will thee through this impetuous foord,
HERCULES
Receive her Centaure, and in her the wealth
And potency of mighty Hercules.
NESSUS
Now my revenge for that inhumaine banquet,
In which so many of the Centaures fell,
I'le rape this Princesse, having past the floud
Come beauteous Deianeira, mount my shoulders,
And feare not your safe wastage.
Exeunt.
HERCULES
That done returne for us: faire Deianeira,
White as the garden lilly, pyren snow,
Or rocks of Christall hardned by the Sunne:
Thou shalt be made the potent Queene of Thebes,
And all my Ioviall labours shall to thee
Be consecrate, as to Alcides love.
Well plundge bold Centaure, how thy boysterous brest
Plowes up the streames: thou through the swelling tides,
Sail'st with a freight more rich and beautifull,
Then the best ship cram'd with Pangeous gold:
With what a swift dexterity he parts
The mutinous waves, whose waters claspe him round,
Hee plaies and wantons on the curled streames,
And Deianeira on his shoulders fits
As safe, as if she stear'd a pine-tree barke.
They grow now towards the shore: my club and armes
I'le first cast or'e the deepe Evenus foord,
But from my side my quiver shall not part,
Nor this my trusty bow.
DEIANEIRA
(within) Helpe Hercules.
HERCULES
’Twas Deianeira’s voyce.
DEIANEIRA
The Traytor Nessus
Seekes to despoile mine honour, Iove, you Gods:
Out trayterous Centaure: Helpe great Hercules.
HERCULES
Hold, lust-burnt Centaure, ’tis Alcides cals
Or swifter then Ioves lightning, my fierce vengeance
Shall crosse Evenus.
DEIANEIRA
Oh, oh.
HERCULES
Darst thou devill?
Couldst thou clime Heaven or sinke below the Center
So high, so low, my vengeance should persue thee,
Hold; if I could but fixe thee in my gripes,
I de teare thy limbes into more Atomies
Then in the Summer play before the Sunne.
DEIANEIRA
Helpe Hercules (out dog) Alcides helpe.
HERCULES
I'le send till I can come, this poisonous shaft
Shall speake my fury and extract thy bloud,
Till I my selfe can crosse this raging floud.
Hercules shoots, and goes in: Enter Nessus with an arrow through him, and Deianeira.
NESSUS
Thy beauty Deianeira is my death,
And yet that Nessus dies embracing thee
Takes from my sences all those torturing pangues
That should associate death: to shew I lou'd thee,
I'le leave thee, in my will, a legacy;
Shall stead thee more, then should thy father give thee
Unto thy Dower the Crowne of Calidon.
Of such great vertue is my living bloud,
And of such prize, that couldst thou valew it,
Thou wouldst not let one drop fall to the ground:
But oh I die.
DEIANEIRA
Teach me to rate it truely.
NESSUS
Now Nessus, in thy death be aveng'd on him
On whom in life thou couldst not wreake thy rage:
(My bloud is poison) all these pure drops save,
Which I bequeath thee ere I take my grave:
I know thy Lord lascivious, bent to lust,
Witnesse the fifty daughters of King Thespeius,
Whom in one night he did adulterate:
And of those fifty begot fifty sonnes:
Now if in all his quests, he be with-held
By any Ladies love, and stay from thee,
Such is the vertue of my bloud now shed,
That if thou dipst a shirt, steept in the least
Of all these drops, and sendst it to thy Lord,
No sooner shall it touch him, but his love
Shall die to strangers, and revive to thee,
Make use of this my love.
DEIANEIRA
Centaure, I will.
NESSUS
And so, whom Nessus cannot, do thou kill;
Still dying men speake true: 'tis my last cry,
Save of my bloud, ’tmay steede thee ere thou die.
DEIANEIRA
Though I my love mistrust not, yet this counsell
I'lenot despise: this if my Lord should stray,
Shall to my desolate bed teach him the way.
Enter Hercules.
HERCULES
After long strugling with Evenus streames,
I forc't the river beare me on her brest,
And land me safely on this further strond,
To make an end of what my shaft begunne,
The life of Nessus, lives the Centaure yet?
DEIANEIRA
Behold him grovelling on the sencelesse earth,
His wounded breast transfixt by Hercules.
HERCULES
That the luxurious slave were sencible
Of torture; not th'infernals with more pangues
Could plague the villaine then Alcides should.
Ixions bones rackt on the torturing wheele
Should be a pastime: the three snake-hair'd sisters,
That lash offenders with their whips of steele,
Should seeme to dally, when with every string
They cut the flesh like razors: but the dead
Wee hate to touch, as cowardly and base,
And vengeance not becomming Hercules.
Come Deianeira, first to consumate
Our high spowsals in triumphant Thebes,
That done, our future labours wee'le persue,
And by the assistance of the powers Divine,
Strive to act more then Iuno can assigne.
Exit. Enter Homer.
HOMER
Faire Deianeira unto, Thebes being guided,
And Hercules espousals solemnized.
Hee for his further labours soone provided,
As Iuno by Euritius had devised.
The Apples of Hesperia first he wan,
Mauger huge Atlas that supports the spheares:
And whilst the Gyant on his businesse ran;
Alcides takes his place, and proudly beares
The heavens huge frame: thence into Scithia hies,
And their the Amazonian Baldricke gaines,
By conquering Menalip (a brave prise)
The warlike Quene that ere the Scithians raignes.
That hee supported heaven, doth well expresse
His Astronomicke skill, knowledge in starres:
They that such practise know, what do they lesse
Then beare heavens weight so of the Lernean warres.
Where he the many-headed Hydra slew,
A Serpent of that nature, when his sword
Par'd off one head, from that another grew.
This shewed his Logicke skill: from every word
And argument confuted, there arise
From one a multiplicity, therefore we
Poets and such as are esteemed wise,
Instruct the world by such morality.
To conquer Hydra showed his powerfull skill
In disputation, how to argue well.
(By all that understand in custome still)
And in this Art did Hercules excell.
Now we the Aegyptian tyrant must present,
Bloudy Busiris, a king fell and rude,
One that in murder plac't his sole content,
With whose sad death our first Act we conclude.
Enter Busyris with his Guard and Priests to sacrifice; to them two strangers, Busyris takes them and kils them upon the Altar: enter Hercules disguis'd, Busyris sends his Guard to apprehend him, Hercules discovering himselfe beates the Guard, kils Busyris and sacrificeth him upon the Altar, at which there fals a shower of raine, the Priests offer Hercules the Crowne of Ægypt which he refuseth.
HOMER
In Aegypt there of long time fellnoraine,
For which unto the Oracle they sent:
Answeres return'd, that till one stranger slaine,
Immou'd shall be the Marble firmament.
Therefore the Tyrant all these strangers kils
That enter Aegypt, till Alcides came
And with the tyrants bulke the Altar fils:
At whose red slaughter fell a plenteous raine.
For he that stranger and usurper was,
Whose bloudy fate the Oracle forespake.
But for a while we let Alcides passe,
Whom these of Ægypt would their sover aigne make,
For freeing them from such a tyrants rage;
Now Meleager next must fill our stage.
[2]
[1]
Enter Venus like a Huntresse, with Adonis.
VENUS
Why doth Adonis flye the Queene of love?
And shun this Iuory girdle of my armes?
To be thus scarft the dreadfull God of warre
Would give me conquered kingdomes: For a kisse
(But halfe like this) I could command the Sunne
Rise 'fore his houre, to bed before his time:
And (being love-sicke) change his golden beames,
And make his sace pale, as his sister Moone.
Come, let us tumble on this violet banke:
Pre'thee be wanton; let us toy and play,
Thy Icy fingers warme betweene my breasts;
Looke on me Adon with a stedfast eye,
That in these Christall glasses I may see
My beauty, that charmes Gods, makes men amaz'd,
And stownd with wonder: doth this roseat pillow
Offend my love? come, wallow in my lap,
With my white fingers I will clap thy cheeke,
Whisper a thousand pleasures in thine eare.
ADONIS
Madame, you are not modest: I affect
The unseene beauty that adornes the minde.
This loosenesse makes you fowle in Adons eye:
If you will tempt me, let me in your face
Reade blushfulnesse, and feare; a modest blush
Would make your cheeke seeme much more beautifull.
If you will whisper pleasure in mine eare,
Praise chastity, or with your lowd voyce shrill
The tunes of hornes, and hunting; they please best:
Il'e to the chase, and leave you to the rest.
VENUS
Thou art not man; yet wer't thou made of stone,
I have heate to melt thee. I am Queene of love,
There is no practive art of dalliance
Of which I am not Mistresse, and can use.
I have kisses that can murder unkinde words,
And strangle hatred, that the gall sends forth:
Touches to raise thee, were thy spirits halfe dead:
Words that can powre affection downe thine eares.
Love me! thou canst not chuse, thou shalt not chuse.
Am I not Venus? Hadst thou Cupids arrowes,
I should have tooke thee to have beene my sonne:
Art thou so like him, and yet canst not love?
I thinke you are brothers.
ADONIS
Madame, you wooe not well, men covet not
These proffered pleasures; but love-sweets deny'd:
What I command, that cloyes my appetite;
But what I cannot come by I adore.
These prostituted pleasures surfet still,
Wheres feare, or doubt, men sue with best good will.
VENUS
Thou canst instruct the Queene of love in love.
Thou shalt not (Adon) take me by the hand;
Yet if thou needs wilt force me, theres my palme.
Il'e frowne on him (alas! my brow's so smooth
It will not beare a wrinkle:) hye thee hence
Unto the chace, and leave me: but not yet,
Il'e sleepe this night upon Endimions banke,
On which the Swaine was courted by the Moone.
Dare not to come, thou art in our disgrace;
(Yet if thou come I can affoord thee place.)
ADONIS
I must begone.
VENUS
Sweet whither?
ADONIS
To the Chace.
VENUS
What doest thou hunt?
ADONIS
The Calidonian Boare,
To which the Princes and best spirits of Greece
Are now assembled.
VENUS
I beshrew thee boy,
That very word strooke from my heart all ioy:
It startled mee, me thinkes I see thee dye
By that rude Boare. Hunt thou the beasts that flye,
The wanton Squirrell, or the trembling Hare,
The crafty Fox: these pastimes fearlesse are.
The greedy Wolues, and fierce Beares arm'd with clawes,
Rough shouldred Lyons, such as glut their iawes
With heards at once, Fell Boares, let them passe by,
Adon, these looke not with thy Venus eye.
They iudge not beauty, nor distinguish youth,
These are their prey; My pitty, love and ruth
Lives not in them. Oh to thy selfe be kinde,
Thou from their mouthes, my kisses shalt not find.
Winde hornes within.
ADONIS
The summons to the chace, Venus adue.
VENUS
Leave those, turne head, chuse those thou maist pursue
ADONIS
I am resolu'd, Il'e helpe to rouze yon beast.
VENUS
Thou art to dee// his savadge throat to feast.
Forbeare.
ADONIS
In vaine.
VENUS
Appoynt when we shall meet.
ADONIS
After the chace. Farewell then.
VENUS
Farewell sweet.
ADONIS
This kissing.
VENUS
Adon, guard thee well, expresse
Thy love to me, in being of thy selfe
Carefull and chary: they that raze thy skin
Wound me. Be wise my Adon.
ADONIS
Never doubt. So then
He kisseth her.
VENUS
But lip-labour, yet ill left out.
Exeunt. Winde hornes. Enter with Iavelings, and in greene, Meleager, Theseus, Telamon, Castor, Pollux, Iason, Peleus, Nestor, Atreus, Toxeus, Plexippus.
MELEAGER
The cause of this conuention (Lords of Greece)
Needs no expression; and yet briefly thus:
Oeneus our father, the Aetolians King,
Of all his fruits and plenty, gave due rights
To all the Gods and Goddesses, Iove, Ceres,
Bacchus, and Pallas; but among the rest,
Diana he neglects: for which inrag'd,
She hath sent (to plague us) a huge savadge Boare,
Of an un-measured height and magnitude.
What better can describe his shape and terror
Then all the pittious clamours shrild through Greece?
Of his depopulations, spoyles, and preyes?
His flaming eyes they sparkle bloud and fire,
His bristles poynted like a range of pikes
Ranck't on his backe: his foame snowes where he feeds
His tuskes are like the Indian Oliphants.
Out of his iawes (as if Ioves lightning flew)
He scortches all the branches in his way,
Plowes up the fields, treads flat the fields of graine.
In vaine the Sheepheard or his dogge secures
Their harmlesse fowlds. In vaine the furious Bull
Strives to defend the heard ore which he Lords.
The Collonies into the Citties flye,
And till immur'd, they thinke themselues not safe.
To chace this beast we have met on Oeta mount,
Attended by the noblest spirits of Greece.
TELAMON
From populous Salamine I Telamon
Am at thy faire request, King Meleager,
Come to behold this beast of Calidon,
And prove my vertue in his sterne pursuite.
IASON
Not Meleager’s love, more then the zeale
I beare my honour, hath drawne Iason hither,
To this aduenture, yet both forcible
To make me try strange maisteries 'gainst that monster,
Whose fury hath so much amaz'd all Greece.
CASTOR
That was the cause I Castor, with my brother
Pollux, arriv'd, and left our sister Hellen
Imbrac't by our old father Tyndarus,
To rouze this beast.
POLLUX
Let us no more be held
The sonnes of Leda, and be got by Iove,
Brothers, and cal'd the two Tyndarian twins
If we returne not crimson'd in the spoiles
Of this fierce Boare.
NESTOR
To that end Nestor came.
Nestor, that hath already liv'd one age,
And entred on the second, to the third
May I nere reach, if part of that wilde swine
I bring not home to Pylos where I reigne.
ATREUS
My yong son Agamemnon, and his brother
Prince Menclaus in his swathes at home,
Without some honour purchast on this Boare,
May I no more see, or Myeenes visit.
THESEUS
Well speakes Atreus, and his noble acts
Stil equalize his language. Shall not Theseus
Veoter as farre as any? heavens you know
I dare as much 'gainst any mortall foe.
TOXEUS
Wher's Hercules, that at this noble busines
He is not present, being neere ally'd
To Meleager, having late espowsed
His sister Deianeira?
PLEXIPPUS
He's for Busiris, that Aegytian tyrant.
MELEAGER
Else noble valour, he would have bin first
To have purchast honour in this hauty quest.
Enter Atlanta with a Iavelin, Hornes winded.
ATLANTA
Haile princes, let it not offend this troop,
That I a Princesse and Atlanta cald,
A virgin Huntresse, presse into the field,
In hope to double guild my Iavelins poynt
In bloud of yon wilde swine.
MELEAGER
Virgineam in puero, puerilem in virgine vultum
ASPICIO
Oh you Gods! or make her mine,
Stated with us the Calidonian Queene,
Or let this monstrous beaft confound me quite,
And in his vast wombe bury all my face.
Beauteous Atlanta welcome, grace her princes
For Meleager’s honour.
IASON
Come, shal's uncupple Lords,
Some plant the toiles, others bravely mount,
To un-den this savadge.
MELEAGER
Time and my bashfull love
Admits no courtship, Lady ranke with us.
Il'e be this day your guardian, and a shield
Betweene you and all danger.
ATLANTA
We are free,
And in the chace will our owne guardian be.
Shals to the field, my Iavelin and these shafts,
Pointed with death, shall with the formost flye,
And by a womans hand the beast shall dye.
Enter Adonis winding his horne.
MELEAGER
As bold as faire; but soft, whose bugle's that
Which cals us to the chace? Adonis yours?
ADONIS
Mine oh you noble Greekes, we have discovered
The dreadfull monster wallowing in his den:
The toyles are fixt, the huntsmen plac't on hils
Prest for the charge, the fierce Tbessalian hounds
With their flagge eares, ready to sweep the dew
From the moist earth: their breasts are arm'd with steele,
Against the incounter of so grim a beast:
The hunters long to uncupple, and attend
Your presence in the field.
ATLANTA
Follow Atlanta.
Il'e try what prince will second me in field,
And make his Iavelins point shake even with mine.
MELEAGER
That Meleager’s shall.
TELAMON
Nor Telamon
Will come behinde Atlanta, or the Prince.
IASON
Charge bravely then your Iavelins, send them singing
Through the cleare aire, and aime them at yon fiend,
Den'd in the quechy bogge, the signall Lords.
ALL
Charge, charge.
A great winding of hornes, and shouts.
MELEAGER
Princes, shrill your Bugles free.
And all Atlanta's danger fall on me.
Enter Iason and Telamon.
IASON
This way, this way, renowned Telamon,
The Boare makes through yon glade, and from the hils
He hurries like a tempest: In his way
He prostrates trees, and like the bolt of Iove,
Shatters where ere he comes.
TELAMON
Diana's wrath
Sparkles grim terrour from his fiery eyes:
One Iavelin pointed with the purest brasse,
I have blunted 'gainst his ribs, yet he unscar'd,
The head, as darted 'gainst a rocke of marble,
Rebounded backe.
IASON
He shakes off from his head
Our best Thessalian dogges, like Sommer flyes:
Nor can their sharpe phangs fasten on his hide.
Follow the cry.
A shout. Enter Castor and Pollux.
CASTOR
Wher's noble Telamon?
POLLUX
Or warlike Iason?
IASON
Here you Tyndarides,
Speake, which way bends this plague of Calidon?
CASTOR
Here may you stand him, for behold he comes
Like a rough torrent, swallowing where he spreads,
Over his head a cloud of terrour hangs
In which leane death (as in a Chariot) rides,
Darting his shafts on all sides: 'mongst the Princes
Of fertill Greece, Anceus bowels lye
Strewd on the earth, torne by his ravenous tuskes:
And had not Nestor (by his Iavelins helpe)
Leap’t up into an Oke to have scap't his rage,
He had now perisht in his second Age.
POLLUX
Peleus is wounded, Pelegon lies slaine,
Eupalemon hath all his body rent
With an oblique wound: yet Meleager still,
And Theseus, and Atreus, with the rest,
Pursue the chace, with Boare-speares cast so thicke,
That where they flye, they seeme to darke the ayre,
And where they fall, they threaten imminent ruine.
IASON
To these wee'/ adde our fury, and our fire,
And front him, though his brow bare figured hell,
And every wrinkle were the gulfe of Styx
By which the Gods contest: Come noble Telamon,
Diana's monster by our hands shall fall,
Or (with the Princes slaine) let's perish all.
Exeunt. Hornes and shouts. Enter Meleager, Atlanta.
MELEAGER
Thou beauteous Nonacris, Arcadia's pride,
How hath thy valour with thy fortune ioyn'd,
To make thee staine the generall fortitude
Of all the Princes we derive from Greece,
Thy launces poynt hath on yon armed monster,
Made the first wound, and the first crimson droppe
Fell from his side, thy ayme and arme extracted,
Thy fame shall never dye in Calidon.
ATLANTA
We trifle heere, what shall Atlanta gaine
The first wounds honour, and be absent from
The monsters death, we must have hand in both.
MELEAGER
Thou hast purchast honour and renowne enough,
Oh staine not all the generall youth of Greece,
By thy too forward spirit. Come not neere
Yon rude blood-thirsty savadge, lest he prey
On thee, as on Anceus, and the rest,
Let me betweene thee and all dangers stand.
Hornes.
Fight, but fight safe beneath our puissant hand.
ATLANTA
The cry comes this way, all my shafts Il'e spend.
To give the fury that affrights us, end.
MELEAGER
And ere that monster on Atlanta pray,
This point of steele shal through his hart make way.
Exeunt. After great shouts, enter Venus.
VENUS
Adonis, thou that makest Venus a Huntresse,
Leave Paphos, Gnidon, Eryx, Erecine,
And Amathon, with precious mettals bigge,
Mayst thou this day live bucklerd in our wing,
And shadowed in the amorous power of love:
My swannes I have unyoakt, and from their necks
Tane of their bridles made of twisted silke.
And from my chariot stucke with Doves white plumes
Lighted upon this verdure, where the Boare
Hath in his fury snow'd his scattered foame.
A cry within.
What cry was that? It was Adonis sure.
That piercesant shrike shrild through the musicall pipes
Of his sweete voyces organs, thou Diana
If thou hast sent this fiende to ruin love,
Or print the least skarre in my Adons flesh
Thy chastity I will abandon quite,
And with my loosenesse, blast thy Cinthian light.
Enter Theseus and Nestor, bringing in Adonis wounded to death.
THESEUS
There lie most beauteous of the youths of Greece,
Whose death I will not mourne, ere I revenge.
NESTOR
I'le second thee, thou pride of Greece adiew,
Whom too much valor in thy prime ore-threw.
Exit.
VENUS
Y'are not mine eyes, for they to fee him dead
Would from their soft beds drop upon the earth:
Or in their owne warme liquid moisture drowne
Their native brightnesse: th'art not Venus heart,
For wer't thou mine, at this sad spectacle
Th'dst breake these ribs though they were made of brasse,
And leap out of my bosome instantly.
My sorrowes like a populous throng, all striving
At once to passe through some inforced breach,
In stead of winning passage stop the way,
And so the greatest hast, breeds the most stay.
Oh mee! my multiplicity of sorrowes,
Makes me almost forget to grieve at all.
Speake, speake, my Adon, thou whom death hath fed on
Ere thou wast yet full ripe; and this thy beautie's
Devour'd ere tasted. Eye, where's now thy brightnesse?
Or hand thy warmth? Oh that such lovely parts
Should be by death thus made unserviceable.
That (livest then) had the power to intrance Iove:
Ravish, amaze, and surfet, all these pleasures
Venus hath lost by thy untimely fall.
And therefore for thy death eternally
Venus shall mourne; Earth shall thy trunke devoure,
But thy lives bloud I'le turne into a flower,
And every Month in sollemne rights deplore,
This beauteous Greeke slaine by Dianaes Boare.
Exit. The fall of the Boare being winded, Meleager with the head of the Boare, Atlanta, Nestor, Toxeus, Plexippus, Iason, Thesus, etc. with their iavellins bloudied.
MELEAGER
Thus lies the terror that but once to day
Aw'd all the boldest hearts of Calidon
Wallowing and weltering in his native bloud,
Transfixt by us, but bravely seconded,
By noble Iason, Theseus, Peleus,
Telamon, Nestor, the Tyndarides,
And our bold unkles, al our bore-speares stain'd
And gory hands lav'd in his reeking bloud,
To whom belongs this brave victorious spoile?
ALL
To Meleager Prince of Calidon.
MELEAGER
Is that your generall suffrage?
IASON
Let not Greece
Suffer such merite unregarded passe,
Or valour live unguerdon'd, that fel Swine
Whom yet, even dead, th'amazed people feare,
And dare not touch but with astonishment
Fell by thy hand.
TELAMON
Thou stodst his violence,
Til thy sharpe Iavelin grated gainst his broines,
Beneath his shield thou entred'st to his heart.
At that we guirt him till a thousand wounds,
Hee from a thousand hands receiv'd at once:
And in his fall it seem'd the earth did groane,
And the fixt Center tremble under him.
CASTOR
The spoile is thine, the yong Adonis death,
Anceus slaughter, and the massacre
Of Archas, Pelagon, Eupateinon
And all the Grecian Printes lost this day,
Thou hast reveng'd, therefore be thine the fame,
Which with a generall voyce Greece shall proclaime.
MELEAGER
Princes wee thanke you, 'tis mine given me free.
Which faire Atlanta we bestow on thee.
TOXEUS
Ha, to a woman.
PLEXIPPUS
And so many men,
Ingag'd in't, call backe thy gift againe.
CASTOR
Greece is by this disparaged, and our fame
Fowly eclipst.
POLLUX
Snatch't from that emulous Dame.
MELEAGER
Murmur you Lords at Meleager’s bounty,
We first bestow'd it as our owne by guift,
Yea, and by right, but now we render it
To bright Atlanta, as her owne by due
As shee that from the Boare the first bloud drew.
NESTOR
We must not suffer this disgrace to Greece.
ATREUS
Let women claime 'mongst women eminence,
Our Lofty spirits, that honour have in chace,
Cannot disgest wrongs womanish and base.
CASTOR
Restore this woman and thy sex enuy
For fortitude, aime not at quests so hye.
IASON
CASTOR forbeare.
TELAMON
Hee gives but what's his owne.
THESEUS
Tis the Kings bounty.
MELEAGER
By the immortall Gods,
That gave us this daies honour, the same hand
By which the Calidonian terror fell,
Shall him that frownes or murmurs lanch to hell.
ALL
That will we try.
MELEAGER
Then reskue for Atlanta,
This day shall fall for thee, that art divine,
Monsters more savadge then Dianaes swine.
A strange confused fray, Toxeus and Plexippus are slaine by Meleager, Iason and Telamon stand betweene the two factions.
IASON
No more, no more, behold your unkles slaine,
Save in this act two Noble Gentlemen,
Pursue not fury to the spoile of Greece,
And death of more brave Princes: let your rage
Be here confin'de, cut off this purple streame
In his mid course, and turne this torrent backe
Which in his fury else may drown'd us all.
TELAMON
I second Iason and expose my selfe,
Betweene these factions to compose a peace.
MELEAGER
Wee have done too much already, impious fury,
How boundlesse is thy power: uncircumscribed
By thought or reason, th'art all violence,
Thy end repentance, sorrow and distast:
How will Althea take her brothers death
From her sons hand, but rash deeds executed
May be lamented, never be recal'd
Shall the suruivers bee atton'd?
ATREUS
So it be done with honour on both parts
Wee have swords to guard our fortunes and our lives,
And but an equall language will keepe both
Thus at the point.
THESEUS
Ioyne hands renowned Princes,
The fury of the Prince of Calidon
Hath prey'd but on his owne, there let it end,
No further by your vrgent spleenes extend.
CASTOR
We are appeas'd.
IASON
Lords freely then embrace.
MELEAGER
First then, wee'le royally interre our unkles,
And spend some teares upon their funerall rites,
That done we'le in our Palace feast these Princes,
With bright Atlanta, whom wee'le make our Queene.
Our Unkles once bestow'de into the earth,
Our mournings shall expire in Bridall mirth.
Exeunt. Enter King Oeneus and Althea, meeting the bodies of their two brothers borne.
KING OENEUS
Come to the Temple there to sacrifice
For these glad tydings, since the Boare lies dead,
That fil'd our kingdome with such awe and dread.
ALTHEA
What ioy names Oeneus in this spectacle?
This of a thousand the most sad and tragicke,
Whose murdered trunkes be these?
SERVANT
Your royall brothers, Prince Toxeus and Plexippus.
ALTHEA
Speake, how slaine?
SERVANT
Not by the Boare, but by your sons owne hand.
ALTHEA
By Meleager’s, how? upon what quarrell?
Could the proud boy ground such a damned act.
SERVANT
Your sonne to faire Atlanta gave the prise
Of this daies travell, which for, they with-stood
In mutinous armes they losse their vitall blouds.
ALTHEA
Shall I revenge or mourne them.
KING OENEUS
O strange fate.
An obiect that must shorten Oeneus daies,
And bring these winter haires to a sad Tombe
Long ere there dare; I sinke beneath these sorrowes
Into my blacke and timelesse monument.
ALTHEA
My sorrowes turne to rage, my teares to fire,
My praiers to curses, vowes into revenge.
KING OENEUS
Peace, peace my Queene, let's beare the Gods vindiction
With patience, as wee did Dianaes wrath:
Where Gods are bent to punish, we may grieve
But can our selues nor succour, nor relieve.
Come, let us do to them their latest rites,
Wait on their Hearses in our mourning blacke;
Their happy soules are mounted 'bove the spheares,
We'le wash their bodies in our funerall teares.
Exit. Manet Althea.
ALTHEA
Althea what distraction's this within thee?
A sister or a mother wilt thou bee?
Since both I cannot, (for these Princes slaine)
Sister I chuse, a mothers name disdaine:
The fatall brand in which the murderers life
Securely lies, I'le hurle into the fire
And as it flames, so shall the slave expire.
Mischeife I'le heape on mischeife, bad on ill,
Wrong pay with wrongs, and slaughter these that kill.
And since the Gods would all our glories thrall,
I will with them have chiefe hand in our fall.
But hee's my sonne: oh pardon me deere brothers,
Being a mother if I spare his life,
Though it bee fit his sinne be plaug'd with death,
And that his life lie in yon fatall brand,
'T will not come fitly from a mothers hand.
Is this the hope of all my ten months paine,
Must he by th'hand of him that nurst him now be slaine?
Would he had perisht in his cradle, when
I gave him twice life: in his birth, and then
When I the brand snatcht from the ravenous flame,
And for this double good, hast thou with shame
And inivry repaide me? I will now
A sister be, no mother, for I vow
Revenge and death; Furies, assist my hand
Whilst in red flames I cast his vitall brand.
Exit. A banquet, enter Meleager, Iason, Theseus, Castor, Pollux, Nestor, Peleus. Atreus, Atlanta.
MELEAGER
For faire Atlanta, and your Honours, Lords
We banquet you this day: and to beginne
Our festivals we'le crowne this Ioviall health
Unto our brother, Theban Hercules
And Deianeira, will you pledge it Lords?
IASON
None but admire and love their matchlesse worths,
Not faire Atlanta will refuse this health.
ATLANTA
You beg of mee a pledge, I'le take it Iason,
As well for his sake that beginnes the round,
As those to whom 'tis vow'd.
TELAMON
Well spoke Atlanta, but I wonder Lords
What Province now holds Theban Hercules?
THESEUS
He is the mirrour and the pride of Greece,
And shall in after ages be renoun'd,
But we forget his health, come Telamon
Aime it at mee.
A fire: enter Althea with the brand.
ALTHEA
Assist my rage you sterne Eumenides,
To you this blacke deed will I consecrate.
Pitty away, hence thou consanguine love,
Maternall zeale, peccentall piety.
All cares, loves, duties, offices, affections,
That grow 'tweene sonnes and mothers, leave this place;
Let none but furies, murders, paracides,
Be my assistants in this dam'd attempt:
All that's good and honest, I confine,
Blacke is my purpose; Hell my thoughts are thine.
MELEAGER
To bright Atlanta this loud musicke sown'd,
Her health shall with our loftiest straines be crown'd.
ALTHEA
Drinke, quaffe, be blith; oh how this festive ioy
Stirs up my fury to revenge and death,
Thus, thus, (you Gods above, abiect your eies
From this unnaturall act) the murderer dies.
Shee fires the brand.
MELEAGER
Oh, oh.
ATLANTA
My Lord.
MELEAGER
I burne, I burne.
IASON
What suddaine passion's this?
MELEAGER
The flames of hell, and Pluto's fightlesse fires,
Are through my entrals and my veines dispierst, oh!
TELAMON
My Lord take courage.
MELEAGER
Courage Telamon?
I have a heart dares threate or challenge hell,
A brow front heaven; a hand to challenge both:
But this my paine's beyond all humane sufferance,
Or mortall patience.
ALTHEA
What hast thou done Althea? stay thy fury,
And bring not these strange torments on thine owne
Thou hast too much already, backe my hand,
And save his life as thou conferust this brand.
She takes out the brand.
ATLANTA
How cheeres the warlike Prince of Calidon?
MELEAGER
Well now, I am at ease and peace within,
Whither's my torture fled? that with such suddennesse
Hath freed me from disturbance, were we ill?
Come sit againe to banquet, musicke sownd,
Till this to Deianeira’s health go round.
ALTHEA
Shall mirth and ioy crowne his degenerate head?
Whilst his cold Unkles on the earth lie spread?
No, wretehed youth whilst this hand can destroy,
I'le cut thee off in midst of all thy ioy.
She fires the brand.
MELEAGER
Againe, Againe.
ALTHEA
Burne, perish, wast, fire, sparkle, and consume
And all thy vitall spirits flie with this fume.
MELEAGER
Still, still, there is an Aetna in my bosome
The flames of Stix, and fires of Acheron
Are from the blacke Chimerian shades remou'd,
And fixt heere, heere; oh for Evenus floud,
Or some coole streame, to shoote his currents through
My flaming body, make thy channell heere
Thou mighty floud that streamest through Calidon
And quench me, all you springs of Thessaly
Remove your heads, and fixe them in my veines
To coole me, oh!
IASON
Defend us heaven, what fuddaine extasy
Or unexpected torture hath disturb'd
His health and mirth?
MELEAGER
Worse then my torment,
That I must die thus, thus, that the Boare had slaine me,
Happy Anceus and Adonis blest,
You died with fame, and honour crownes your rest;
My flame increaseth still, oh father Oeneus
And you Althea, whom I would call mother
But that my genius prompts me th'art unkind,
And yet farewell, Atlanta beauteous maide,
I cannot speake my thoughts for torture, death,
Anguish and paines, all that Promethean fire
Was stolne from heaven, the Thiefe left in my bosome.
The Sunne hath cast his element on me,
And in my entralls hath he fixt his Spheare,
His pointed beames he hath darted through my heart,
And I am still on flame.
ALTHEA
So, now'tis done,
The brand consum'd, his vitall threed quite spun.
Exit.
MELEAGER
Now'gins my fire waste, and my naturall heat
To change to Ice, and my scortch't blood to freeze.
Farewell, since his blacke ensigne death displayes,
I dye, cut off thus in my best of dayes.
He dyes.
IASON
Dead is the flower and pride of Calidon.
Who would displease the Gods? Diana's wrath
Hath stretch't even to the death, and tragicke ruine
Of this faire hopefull Prince, here stay thy vengeance
Goddesse of chastity, and let it hang
No longer ore the house of Calidon:
Since thou hast cropt the yong, spare these old branches
That yet survive.
Enter Althea.
ALTHEA
She shall not, Iason no,
She shall not. Do you wonder Lords of Greece,
To see this Prince lye dead? why that's no novell,
All men must dye, thou, he, and every one,
Yea I my selfe must: but Il'e tell you that
Shall stiffe your haire, your eyes start from heads,
Print fixt amazement in your wondring fronts,
Yea and astonish all: This was my sonne,
Borne with sick throws, nurst from my tender brest
Brought up with femine care, cherisht with love:
His youth, my pride; his honour all my wishes,
So deere, that little lesse he was then life.
But will you know the wonder ('lasse) too true,
Him (all my sonnes) this my inrag'd hand slue,
This hand, that Dians quenchlesse rage to fill,
Shall with the slaine sonnes sword the mother kill.
Althea kils herselfe with Meleager’s sword.
TELAMON
The Queene hath slaine herselfe: who'l beare these newes to the sad King?
Enter a servant.
SERVANT
That labour may be spar'd:
The King no sooner heard of his sonnes death,
(wrought by his mother in the fatall brand)
But he sunke dead: sorrow so chang'd his weakenesse,
And without word or motion he expir'd.
IASON
Wee'l see them (ere we part from Calidon)
Inter'd with honour: But we soiourne long
In this curst Clime; oh let us not incurro
Diana's fury, our next expedition
Shall be for Colchos, and the golden Fleece,
Unto which (Princes) we inuite you all.
Our stately Argoe we have rig'd and trim'd,
And in it we will beare the best of Greece,
Stil'd from our ship by name of Argonauts.
Great Hercules will with his company,
Grace our aduenture, and renowne all Greece,
By the rich purchase of the Colchian Fleece.
Exit.
HOMER
Let not even Kings against the Gods contest,
Lest in this fall their ruines be exprest.
Thinke Hercules, from clensing the fowle stall
And stable of Augeus, in which fed
Three hundred Oxen, (never freed at all,
Till his arrive) return'd where he was bred,
To Thebes; there Deianeira him receives
With glad imbraces, but he staies not long,
Iason the Lady of her Lord bereaves:
For in the new-rig'd Argoe, with the yong
And sprighly Heroes, he at Colchos aimes,
Where the rich Fleece must publish their high fames.
Enter Deianeira and Lychas: to her Hercules, received with ioy, after the presentment of some of his labours. To them march in all the Argonauts, Iason, Telamon, Atreus, Castor, Pollux, Theseus, etc. Iason perswades Hercules to the aduenture: hee leaves Deianeira, and marcheth off with the Argonauts.
Imagine now these Princes under saile,
Stearing their course as farre as high-rear'd Troy,
Where King Laomedon doth much bewaile
His daughter, whom a Sea-whale must destroy.
Observe this well: for here begins the iarre
Made Troy rack't after in a ten yeares warre.
Sownd. Enter King Laomedon, Anchises, yong Priam, Aeneas, Hesione bound, with other Lords and Ladyes.
KING LAOMEDON
Hesione, this is thy last on earth,
Whose fortunes we may mourne, though not prevent:
Would Troy, whose walles I did attempt to reare,
Had nere growne higher then their ground-fils, or
In their foundation buried beene, and lost,
Since their high structure must be thus maintain'd,
With bloud of our bright Ladyes: Oh Hesione!
Th'onely remainder of these female dames
Begot by us, I must be queath thy body
To be the food of Neptunes monstrous Whale.
PRIAM
Had you kept troth and promise with the Gods,
This had not chanc't: You borrowed of the Priests
Of Neptune and Apollo, Sea, and Sunne,
That quantity of gold, which to this height
And spacious compasse, hath immur'd great Troy;
But the worke finish't, you deny'd to pay
The Priests their due, for which inraged N•…ptune
Assembled his high tides, thinking to drowne
Our lofty buildings, and to ruine Troy:
But when the Moone, by which the Seas are govern'd,
Retir'd his waters by her powerfull wane,
He left behind him such infectious slime,
Which the Sunne poysoning by his persant beames.
They by their mutuall power, rais'd a hot plague,
To slacke this hot pest, Neptune made demand,
Monthly a Lady to be chus'd by lot,
To glut his huge Sea-monsters ravenous iawes:
The lot this day fell on Hesione
Our beauteous sister.
KING LAOMEDON
Priam 'tis too true,
Till now Laomedon nere knew his guilt,
Or thought the Gods could punish.
HESIONE
Royall father,
Mourne not for me, the Gods must be appeas'd,
And I in this am happy, that my death
Is made th'attonement 'tweene those angry powers
And your afflicted people, though my Innocence
Never deserv'd such rigor from the Gods.
Come good Anchises, binde me to this rocke,
And let my body glut th'insatiate fury
Of angry Neptune, and th'offended Sunne.
ANCHISES
A more unwilling monster never past
Anchises hand.
KING LAOMEDON
Now, now the time drawes nye,
That my sweet childe by Neptunes whale must dye.
PRIAM
The very thought of it swallowes my heart
As deepe in sorrow, as the monster can
Bury my sister.
A great showt within.
KING LAOMEDON
Soft, what clamor's that?
ÆNEAS
A stately ship, well rig'd with swelling failes,
Enters the harbour, bound (by their report)
For Colchos; but when they beheld the shores
Covered with multitudes, and spy'd from farre,
Your beauteous daughter fastned to the rocke,
They made to know the cause; which certified,
One noble Greeke amongst these Heroes stands,
And offers to incounter Neptunes whale,
And free from death the bright Hesione.
KING LAOMEDON
Thou hast (Æneas) quickned me from death,
And added to my date a second Age.
Admit them.
Enter Hercules, Iason, Castor, Pollux, Theseus, and all the Argonauts.
HERCULES
’Tis told us that thy name's Laomedon,
And that thy beauteous daughter must this day
Feed a sea-monster: how wilt thou reward
The man that shall incounter Neptunes whale?
Tugge with that fiend upon thy populous strond,
And with my club sowse on his armed scales?
Hast thou not heard of Theban Hercules?
I that have aw'd the earth, and ransack't hell,
Will through the Ocean hunt the God of streames,
And chace him from the deepe Abismes below.
Il'e dare the Sea-god from his watery deepes
If he take part with this Leviathan.
KING LAOMEDON
Thy name and courage warlike Hercules
Assures her life, if thou wilt undertake
This hauty quest: two milke white steeds, the best
Asia ere bred, shall be thy valours prize.
HERCULES
We accept them; keepe thy faith Laomedon,
If thou but break'st with Iove-borne Hercules,
These marble structures, built with virgins bloud,
Il'e raze even with the earth. When comes the monster?
HESIONE
Now, now, helpe Iove.
A cry within.
HERCULES
I see him sweepe the sea's along.
Blow rivers through his nostrils as he glides,
As if he meant to quench the Sunnes brightfire,
And bring a palped darknesse ore the earth:
He opes his iawes as if to swallow Troy,
And at one yawne whole thousands to destroy.
KING LAOMEDON
Fly, flye into the Citty.
Exeunt the Troians.
HERCULES
Take along
This beauteous Lady, if he must have pray,
In stead of her Alcides here will stay.
IASON
The heartlesse Troians fly into the towne
At fight of yon sea-divell: here wee'l stand
To wait the conquest of thy Ioviall hand.
HERCULES
Gramercy Iason, see he comes in tempest,
Il'e meet him in a storme as violent,
And with one stroke which this right hand shall aime,
Ding him into th'abisse from whence he came.
Hercules kils the Sea-Monster, the Troians on the walles, the Greekes below.
PRIAM
The monster's slaine, my beautuous sister freed.
IASON
Be ever for this noble deed renown'd,
Let Asia speake thy praise.
TELAMON
The Argonauts
Are glorifi'd by this victorious act.
PRIAM
All Troy shall consecrate to Hercules
Temples and Altars: lets descend and meet him.
KING LAOMEDON
Stay, none presume to stirre, wee'l parly them
First from the walles.
HERCULES
Why doth not Troy's King from those wals descend?
And since I have redeem'd Hesione,
Present my travels with two milke-white steeds,
The prize of my indevours?
KING LAOMEDON
Hercules we owe thee none, none will we tender thee,
Thou hast won thee honour, a reward sufficient
For thy attempt: our gates are shut against thee,
Nor shall you enter, you are Greekish spies,
And come to pry but where our land is weake.
PRIAM
Oh royall father!
KING LAOMEDON
Peace boy: Greekes away:
For imminent death attends on your delay.
HERCULES
The Sea nere bred a monster halfe so vile
As this Land-fiend. Darft threaten Hercules?
Would universall Troy were in one frame,
That I might whelme it on thy cursed head,
And crowne thee in thy ruine. Menace us?
KING LAOMEDON
Depart our walles, or we will fire your Argoe,
Lying in our harbour, and prevent your purpose
In the atchievement of the golden fleece,
HERCULES
Laomedon, Il'e tosse thee from thy walles,
Batter thy gates to shivers with my Club,
Nor will I leave these broad Scamander plaines,
Til thy aspiring Towers of Illium
Lye levell with the place on which we stand.
IASON
Great Hercules, th'aduenture fals to me,
Our voyage bent for Colchos, not for Troy,
The golden fleece, and not Laomedon:
Why should we hazard here our Argonauts?
Or spend our selues on accidentall wrongs?
TELAMON
Iason adviseth well, great Hercules,
We should dishonour him, and th'expectation
Greece hath of us, delude by this delay.
THESEUS
Then let us from this harbour launch our Argoe,
To Colchos first, and in our voyage home
Revenge us on this false Laomedon.
HERCULES
You sway me princes: farewell trecherous King,
Nought, save thy bloud, shall satisfie this wrong
And base dishonour done to Hercules.
Expect me; for by Olimpicke Iove I sweare.
Nere to set foot within my native Thebes,
See Deianeira, or to touch in Greecs,
Till I'have scal'd these mures, inuaded Troy,
Ransack't thy Citty, slaine Laomedon,
And venge the Gods that governe Sea and Sunne.
Come valiant Heroes, first the fleece to enioy,
And in our backe returne to ransacke Troy.
Exeunt.
KING LAOMEDON
We dread you not, wee'l answere what is done.
As well as stand 'gainst Neptune and the Sunne.
Enter Oetes, King of Colchos, Medea, yong Absyrtus, with Lords.
OETES
How may we glory above other kings
Being (by our birth) descended from the Gods?
Our wealth renowned through the world tripartite,
Most in the riches of the golden fleece,
And not the least of all our happinesse,
Medea for her powerfull magicke skill,
And Negromanticke exorcismes admir'd,
And dreaded through the Colchian territories.
MEDEA
I can by Art make rivers retrograde,
Alter their channels, run backe to their heads,
And hide them in the springs from whence they grew.
The curled Ocean with a word Il'e smooth,
(Or being calme) raise waves as high as hils,
Threatning to swallow the vast continent.
With powerfull charmes Il'e make the Sunne stand still,
Or call the Moone downe from her arched spheare.
What cannot I by power of Hecate?
ABSYRTUS
Discourse (faire sister) how the golden fleece
Came first to Colchos.
MEDEA
Let Absyrtus know,
Phrixus the sonne of Theban Athamas,
And his faire sister Helles, being betraid
By their curst step-dame Ino, fled from Greece,
Their Innocence pittied by Mercury,
He gave to them a golden-fleeced Ramme,
Which bore them safe to the Sygean sea,
Which swimming, beauteous Helles there was drown'd,
And gave that sea the name of Hellespont,
That which parts Sestus and Abidos still:
Phrixus arrives at Colchos, and to Mars
There sacrific'd his Ramme in memory
Of his safe wastage, favoured by the Gods.
The golden Fleece was by the Oracle
Commanded to be fixt there, kept and guarded
By two fierce Buls, that breath insernall fires,
And by a wakefull Dragon, in whose eyes
Never came sleepe: for in the safe conserving
Of this divine and worthy monument,
Our kingdomes weale and safety most consists.
OETES
And he that strives by purchase of this fleece,
To weaken us, or shake our Royalty,
Must tast the fury of these fiery fiends,
A shoote.
The novell: speake.
Enter a Lord.
LORD
Upon the Cholchian shores
A stately vessell, man'd it seemes from Greece
Is newly lancht, full fraught with Gentlemen
Of brave aspects and presence.
OETES
Whose their Generall?
LORD
Iason, he stiles himselfe a Prince of Greece
And Captaine o're the noble Argonautes.
OETES
Usher them in, that we may know their quest
And what aduenture drew them to these shoares.
Sound. Enter Iason, Hercules, Theseus, Castor, Pollux, etc.
IASON
Haile king of Colchos, thou beholdst in us
The noblest Heroes that inhabite Greece
Of whom I, though unworthiest, stile my selfe
The Generall; the intent of this our voyage
Is to reduce the rich and golden prise
To Greece, from whence it came, know I am come
To tug and wrastle with the infernall Buls,
And in their hot fiers double guild my armes
To place upon their necks the servile yoake,
And bondage, force them plow the field of Mars,
Till in the furrowes I have sowed the teeth
Of vipers, from which men in armour grow
To enter combat with the sleepelesse Dragon,
And mauger him fetch thence the golden Fleece.
All this Oetes, I am prest to atchieve
Against these horrid tasks my life to ingage
Buls fury, Vipers poyson, Dragons rage.
MEDEA
Such a bold spirit, and noble presence linkt,
Never before were seene in Phasis Isle,
Colchos be proud, a Prince demands thy Fleece,
Richer then that he comes for; let the Greekes
Our Phasian wealth and Oetes treasure beare,
So they in liew will leave me Iason here.
OETES
Princes, you aime at dangers more in proffe
Then in report, which if you should behold
In their true figure, would amaze your spirits:
Yea, terifye the Gods; let me advise you,
As one that knowes their terrour, to desist
Ere you enwrap your seffe into these perils,
Whence there is no evasion.
HERCULES
Oetes, know
Peril's a babe, the greater dangers threaten
The greater is his honour that breaks through.
Have we in th' Agoe rowed with sixty oares
And at each Oare a Prince; pierc't Samothrace,
The Chersoneson sea, the Hellespont;
Even to the waves that breake on Colchos shoares?
And Shall we with dishonour turne to Greece?
Know Oetes, not the least of sixty Heroes
That now are in thy Confines, but thy monsters
Dare quell and baffle.
TELAMON
Much more Hercules.
OETES
Hercules.
IASON
Starts Oetes at the name of Hercules,
What would he do to see him in his eminence;
But leaving that, this must be Iason’s quest,
A worke not worthy him; where be these monsters?
MEDEA
May all inchantments be confinde to hell,
Rather then he encounter fiends so fell.
OETES
Princes, since you will needs attempt these dangers
You shall; and if atchieve the Golden Fleece
Transport it where you please, meane time, this day
Repose your selues, wel'e feast you in our Pallace.
To morrow morning with the rising Sunne,
Our golden prise shall be conserv'd or wonne.
Exit.
MEDEA
If he attempts he dies, what's that to mee?
Why should Medea feare a strangers life?
Or what's that Iason I should dread his fall?
If //////////, my fathers glory waines,
And all our fortunes must reward his paines.
Let Iason perish then, and Colchos flourish.
Our pristine glories let us still enioy,
And these our brasse-head buls the Prince destroy.
Oh! what distraction's this within me bred,
Although he die, I would not see him dead?
The best I see, the worst I follow still,
Hee nere wrong'd mee, why should I wish him ill?
Shall the Buls tosse him whom Medea loves,
A Tygresse, not a Princesse, should I prove?
To see him tortured whom I deerely love?
Bee then a torteresse to thy fathers life,
A robber of the clime where thou wast bred,
And for some straggler that hath lost his way,
Thy fathers Kingdome and his State betray.
Tush, these are nothing, first his faith I'le crave,
That covenant made, him by enchantments save.
Enter Iason.
IASON
My task is above strength, Duke Peleus sent me
Not to atchieve, but die in this pursuite,
And to prevent the Oracle that told him
I must succeed; Iason bethinke thee then
Thou com'st to execution, not to act
Things above man; I have observ'd Medea
Retort upon me many an amorous looke,
Of which I'le studdy to make prosperous use.
If by her art the Inchantments I can bind
Immur'd with death, I certaine safety find.
MEDEA
Shall I o're-whelme upon my captive head,
The curse of all our Nation, the Crownes ruin?
Clamours of men, and woemens loud exclaimes.
Burnings of children; the universall curse
Of a great people, all to save one man,
A straggler (God knowes whence deriv'd, where borne,
Or hether where Noble? let the proud Greeke die,
Wee still in Colchos sit instated hye
Oh me! that looke upon Medea cast
Drownes all these feares, and hath the rest surpast.
IASON
Madam, because I love I pitty you,
That you a beauteous Lady, art-full wise,
Should have your beauty and your wisedome both
Inuelopt in a cloud of Barbarisme:
That on these barren Confines you should live,
Confin'd into an Angle of the world.
And ne're see that which is the world indeed,
Fertile and populous Greece, Greece that beares men,
Such as resemble Gods, of which in us
You see the most deiected, and the meanest.
How harshly doth your wisedome sound in th'eares
Of these Barbarians, dull, unapprehenfible,
And such, in not conceiving your hid Arts,
Deprive them of their honour; In Greece springs
The fountaines of Divine Phylosophy,
They are all understanders; I would have you
Bright Lady with us, enter to that world
Of which this Colchos is no part at all.
Shew then your beauty to these iudging eies,
Your wisedome to these understanding eares.
In which they shall receive their merited grace,
And leave this barraine, cold, and stirrill place.
MEDEA
His presence without all this Oratory
Did much with us, but where they both conioyne
To entrap Medea, shee must needs bee caught.
IASON
I long to see this Colchian Lady clad
In Hymens stateliest roabes, whom the glad Matrones,
Bright Ladies, and Imperiall Queenes of Greece
Shall welcome and applaud, and with rich gifts
Present, for saving of their sonnes and kinsmen
From these infernall monsters: As for Iason
If you Medea shall despise his love,
He craves no other life then to die so,
Since life without you is but torturing paine,
And death to men distrest is double gaine.
MEDEA
That tongue more then Medeaes spels inchants,
And not a word, but like our exoreismes
And power of charmes prevailes, Oh lone! thy Maiesty
Is greater then the triple Hecates,
Bewitching Circes, or these hidden skils,
Ascrib'd unto th'infernall Proserpine.
I that by incantations can remove
Hils from their syts, and make huge mountaines shake,
Darken the Sunne at noone, call from their graves
Ghosts long since dead, that can command the earth,
And affright heaven, no spell at all can find
To bondage love, or free a captive minde.
IASON
Love Iason then, and by thy Divine aide,
Give me such power, that I may tug unscorcht
Amidst the flames with these thy fiery fiends,
That I unuenom'd may these Vipers teeth
Cast from my hand, through Morpheus leaden charmes,
Over that wakefull snake that guards the Fleece,
For which live Iason’s happy Bride in Greece.
MEDEA
A match, what hearbs or spels, what Magicke can
Command in heaven, earth, or in hell below,
What either aire, or sea can minister,
To guard thy person, all these helps I'le gather
To girdle thee with safety.
IASON
Be thou then
For ever Iason’s, and through Greece renown'd
In whom our Heroes have such safety found,
Our bargaine thus I seale.
He kisseth her.
MEDEA
Which I'le make good
With Colchos fall, and with my fathers bloud.
Enter Absyrtus.
ABSYRTUS
Prince Iason, all the Heroes at the banquet
Inquire for you, twice hath my father Oetes
Made search for you; Oh sister!
MEDEA
No word you saw us two in conference.
ABSYRTUS
Do you take me to be a woman, to tell all I see,
And blab all I know, I that am in hope one day to
Lie with a woman, will once lie for a woman,
Sister, I saw you not.
IASON
Remember; come Prince, will you leade the way?
ABSYRTUS
I have parted you that never parted fray
Come sir will you follow.
Exit. Manet Medea.
MEDEA
The night growes on, and now to my black Arts,
Goddesse of witchcraft and darke ceremony,
To whom the elues of Hils, of Brookes, of Groves,
Of standing lakes, and cavernes vaulted deepe
Are ministers; three-headed Hecate
Lend me thy Chariot drawne with winged snakes,
For I this night must progresse through the Aire.
What simples grow in Tempe of Thessaly,
Mount Pindus, Otheris, Ossa, Appidane,
Olimpus, Caucas. or high Teneriff.
I must select to finish this great worke,
Thence must I flye unto Amphrisus Foords,
Aud gather plants by the swift Sperchius streames,
Where rushy Bebes, and Anthedon flow,
Where hearbes of bitter iuice and strong sent grow;
These must I with the haires of Mandrakes use,
Temper with Poppy-seeds and Hemlocke iuice:
With Aconitum that in Tartar springs,
With Cypresse, E//, and Veruin, and these mix
With Incantations, Spels, and Exorcismes
Of wonderous power and vertue; oh thou night,
Mother of darke Arts hide mee in thy vaile,
Whilst I those banks search, and these mountaines skale.
Sownd. Enter King Oetes, Absyrtus, and Lords.
OETES
Upon the safeguard of this golden Fleece
Colchos depends, and he that beares it hence
Beares with it all our fortunes; the Argonautes
Have it in quest, if Iason scape our monsters
I'le rather at some banquet poyson him,
And quaffe to him his death, or in the night
Set fire upon his Argoe, and in flames
Consume the happy hope of his returne,
This purpose we, as we are Colchos King,
Absyrtus where's your sister?
ABSYRTUS
In her chamber.
OETES
When you next see her give to her this noate,
The manner of our practise, her fell hand
Cannot be mist in this, but it shall fall
Heauy on these that Colchos seekes to thrall.
The howre drawes nigh, the people throng on heapes,
To this aduenture in the field of Mars,
And noble Iason arm'd with his good shield,
Is up already and demands the field.
Enter Iason, Hercules, and the Argonauts.
IASON
Oetes, I come thus arm'd, demanding combat
Of all those monsters that defend thy Fleece:
And to these dangers singly, I oppose
My person as thou seest, when setst thou ope
The gates of hell to let thy devils out?
Glad would I wrastle with thy fiery Buls,
And from their throats the flaming dewlops teare.
Unchaine them, and to Iason turne them loose,
That as Alcides did to Achelous;
So from their hard fronts I may teare there hornes,
And lay the yoake upon their untam'd necks.
OETES
Yet valiant Greeke desist, I, though a stranger
Pitty thy youth, or if thou wilt persist
So dreadfull is the aduenture thou persuest,
That thou wilt thinke I shall unbowell hell,
Unmacle the fiends, and make a passage
Free for the Infernals.
IASON
I shall welcome all.
Medea now if there be power in love;
Or force in Magicke; if thou hast or will
Or Art, try all the power of Characters,
Vertue of Symples, Stones, or hidden spels,
If earth Elues, or nimble airy Spirits,
Charmes, Incantations, or darke Exorcismes.
If any strength remaine in Pyromancy,
Or the hid secrets of the aire or fire.
If the Moones spheare can any helpe infuse,
Or any influent Starre, collect them all
That I by thy aide may these monsters thrall.
OETES
Discover them.
Two fiery Buls are discovered, the Fleece hanging over them, and the Dragon sleeping beneath them: Medea with strange fiery-workes, hangs above in the Aire in the strange habite of a Coniuresse.
MEDEA
The hidden power of Earth, Aire, Water, Fire,
Shall from this place to Iason’s helpe conspire.
Fire withstand fire, and magicke temper flame,
By my strong spels the savadge monster's tame:
So, that's perform'd, now take the Vipers teeth
And sow them in the furrowed field of Mars.
Of which strange seed, men ready arm'd must grow
To assault Iason. Already from beneath
Their deadly pointed weapons gin to appeare,
And now their heads, thus moulded in the earth,
Streight way shall teeme; and having freed their fate
(The stalkes by which they grow) all violently
Pursue the valiant Greeke, but by my sorcery
I'le turne their armed points against themselues
And all these slaves that would on Iason flie.
Shoutes.
Shall wound themselues and by sedition die.
Yet thrives the Greeke, now kill the sleeping snake
Which I have charm'd, and thence the Trophy take,
These shouts witnesse his conquest, Ile discend,
Heare Iason’s feares and all my charmes take end.
HERCULES
Oetes, now is this rich and pretious Fleece,
By Iason’s sword repurchast, and must turne
Unto the place whence Phrixus brought his Ramme.
OETES
That practise by your ruins; Ile prevent,
And sooner then with that returne to Greece,
Your slaughtered bodies leave with this rich fleece.
IASON
Since our aduenture is atchiev'd and done,
The prize is ours, we ceize what we have wone.
OETES
Enioy it Iason, I admire thy worth,
Which as it hath exceeded admiration,
So must we needs applaud it. Noble gentlemen.
Depart not Colchos, ere your worths and valour
We with some rich and worthy gifts present.
The conquest of our Buls, and Dragons death,
(Though we esteem'd them) yet they sad us not,
Since we behold the safety of this prince.
Enter our palace, and your praise sownd hye,
Where you shall feast, (or all by treason dye.)
Exeunt.
ABSYRTUS
I have not seeene my sister to day, I muse she hath
not beene at this solemnity, me thinkes she should not have
lost this triumph; I have a note to deliver her from my fa-
ther. Here she comes.
Enter Medea.
Sister, peruse this briefe, you know the character,
It is my fathers. This is all.
Exit. She reads.
MEDEA
Iason with his Argonauts this night must perish, the
fleece not be trāsported to Greece—Medea, your assistance.
This is my fathers plot to overthrow
Prince Iason, and the noble Argonauts,
Which Il'e prevent: I know the King is sudden,
And if prevention be delay'd, they dye:
I that have ventured thus farre for a love,
Even to these arts that Nature would have hid
As dangerous and forbidden, shall I now
Undoe what I have done, through womanish feare,
Paternall duty, or for filiall love?
No Iason, thou art mine, and my desire,
Shall wade with thee through bloud, through seas, through fire.
Enter Iason.
IASON
Madam.
MEDEA
My Lord, I know what you would say,
Thinke now upon your life, the King my father
Intends your ruine, to redeeme the fleece,
And it repurchase with your tragicke deaths:
Therefore assemble all your Argonauts,
And let them (in the silence of the night)
Lanch from the Colchian harbour; Il'e associate you
As Iason’s bride.
IASON
You are my patronesse,
And under you I triumph: when the least
Of all these graces I forget, the Gods
Revenge on me my hated periury.
Must we then lanch this night? you are my directresse,
And by your art Il'e manage all my actions.
MEDEA
Then flye, Il'e send to see your Argoe trim'd,
Rig'd and made tight: night comes, the time growes on:
Hye then aboord.
IASON
I shall.
Exit.
MEDEA
Now populous Greece,
Thanke us (not Iason) for this conquer'd fleece.
Enter Oetes.
OETES
Medea, we are rob'd, despoil'd, dishonored,
Our Fleece rap't hence, we must not suffer it,
Since all our ominous fortunes it includes,
I am resolu'd Iason this night shall dye.
MEDEA
Should he survive, you might be held unworthy
The name of King; my hand shall be as deepe
As yours in his destruction.
OETES
A strong guard
I will select, and in the dead of night,
When they are sunke in Lethe, set upon them,
And kill them in their beds.
MEDEA
Il'e second you,
And lave my stain'd hands in their reeking blouds
That practise your dishonour.
OETES
Iason then dyes,
When he most hopes for this rich Colchian prize.
Exit.
MEDEA
But ere the least of all these ils betide,
This Colchian strond shall with thy bloud be dy'd.
For Iason and his Argonauts I stand,
And will protect them with my art and hand.
Enter Iason with the Fleece, and all the Greekes muffled.
IASON
Madam Medea.
MEDEA
Leave circumstance, away,
Hoyse up your sailes, death and destruction
Attends you on the shoare.
IASON
You'l follow Madam.
Exit.
MEDEA
Instantly: Blow gentle gales, assist them winds and tide,
That I may Greece see, and live Iason’s bride.
Enter Absyrtus.
ABSYRTUS
How now sister, so solitary?
MEDEA
Oh happy met, though it be late Absyrtus,
You must along with me.
ABSYRTUS
Whither pray?
MEDEA
Il'e tell you as we walke.
This lad betweene me and all harme shall stand;
And if the King pursue us with his Fleet,
His mangled limbes shall (scattered in the way)
Worke our escape, and the Kings speed delay.
Come brother.
ABSYRTUS
Any where with you sister.
Exeunt. Enter Homer.
[3]
[1]
HOMER
Let none to whom true Art is not deny'd,
Our monstrous Buls, and magicke Snakes deride.
Some thinke this rich Fleece was a golden Booke,
The leaves of parchment, or the skins of Rammes,
Which did inclide the Art of making gold
By Chimicke skill, and therfore rightly stild,
The Golden Fleece, which to attaine and compasse,
Includes as many travels, mysteries,
Changes and Chymicke bodies, fires and monsters,
As ever Iason could in Colchos meet.
The sages, and the wise, to keepe their Art
From being vulgar: yet to have them tasted
With appetite and longing, give those glosses,
And flourishes to shadow what they write,
Which might (at once) breed wonder and delight.
So did th' Ægyptians in the Arts best try'd,
In Hierogliphickes all their Science hide.
But to proceed, the Argonauts are fled,
Whom the inrag'd Oetes doth pursue,
And being in sight, Medea takes the head
Of yong Absyrtus, whom (unkinde) she slue,
And all his other limbes strawes in the way
Of the old father, his pursute to stay.
THE SHOW
In memory of this inhumane deed,
These Islands where his flaughtered limbes lye spred,
Were cal'd Absyrtides: But we proceed
With King Laomedon, 'gainst whom are led
The Argonauts, Troy by Alcides rac'd,
Askes the next place, and must in ranke be plac'd.
Enter Laomedon, Priam, Anchises, Æneas, Hesione, etc.
KING LAOMEDON
The Argonauts return'd?
ANCHISES
They are my Lord.
KING LAOMEDON
And landed?
ANCHISES
Landed.
KING LAOMEDON
Where?
ANCHISES
At Tenedos.
KING LAOMEDON
Could not those Colchian monsters in their bowels
Bury the Greekes, but must they all survive
To threat us with inuasion. Speake Anchises,
March they towards Troy?
ANCHISES
In conduct of the mighty Hercules,
Wasting with sword and fire where ere they march:
Scamander fields they have strew'd with carkasses,
And Simois streames already purpled are
With bloud of Troians.
PRIAM
Let us give them battell.
KING LAOMEDON
In vaine, our forces are disperst abroad,
Nor have we order to withstand their fury:
Best were we to immure our selues in Troy,
And trust unto the vertue of our walles.
Shouts.
ÆNEAS
Do not delay your safety, you may heare
Their cryes, and lofty clamors, threatning Troy:
They dogge us to our gates, and without speed
And expedition, they will enter with us.
Come then, our threatned lives we will immure,
And thinke us in our strong built walles secure.
Exeunt. After an alarme enter Hercules, Iason, Theseus, Telamon, and all the other Argonauts.
HERCULES
Pursue the chace even to the gates of Troy,
Then call th'ingrate Laomedon to parlee.
IASON
The periur'd King shall pay us for the wrong
Done to Alcides in his promis'd steeds.
TELAMON
Better he had the monster had devour'd
His beauteous daughter, then t'abide our furies.
NESTOR
He did exclude our vertue from the Citty,
And now therefore he shall admit our fury.
CASTOR
These wals first rear'd at the great Gods expence,
Wee'l ruine to the earth: let's summon him.
HERCULES
We will call him to parlee.
A parlee. Enter upon the wals, Laomedon, Anchises, Æneas, Priam, etc.
HERCULES
Laomedon, we do not summon thee
To parlee, but to warne thee guard thy walles,
Which (without pause) we now intend to scale.
KING LAOMEDON
Wilt heare me Hercules?
HERCULES
I listen'd thy periurious tongue too late.
Scale, batter, mount, assault, sacke, and deface,
And leave (of Troy) nought save the name and place.
Alarme. Telamon first mounts the walles, the rest after, Priam flyes, Laomedon is slaine by Hercules, Hesione taken, Enter with victory.
HERCULES
Thus is the tyrant, that but late aw'd Troy,
Buried amidst his ruines; he chastis'd,
And we reveng'd: the spoyle of this rich Towne
Rated as high as Iason’s Colchian prize,
You shall divide: but first these lofty walles,
Builded by periury, and maintain'd by pride,
Wee'l ruine to the earth: Who saw yong Priam?
IASON
Hee's fled, and tooke the way to Samothrace,
With him Anchises, that on Venus got
The yong Æneas, they are fled together,
And left the spoyle of all the towne to us.
HERCULES
Which shall enrich Thebes, and the townes of Greece,
And Telamon, to do thy valour right,
For mounting first over the walles of Troy,
The first and choyce of all the spoyle be thine.
TELAMON
Then let Alcides honour Telamon
With this bright Lady, faire Hesione,
Sister to Priam, daughter to Laomedon,
Whose beauty I preferre before the state
And wealth of Troy.
HERCULES
Receive her Telamon,
Shee is thine owne by gift of Hercules.
TELAMON
A present more delighting Telamon,
Then were I made Lord of high Illiums Towers,
And heire unto the dead Laomedon.
HESIONE
I am a Princesse, shall my fathers ils
Fall on my head? If he offended Hercules,
He hath made satisfaction with his life.
Oh be not so severe, to stretch his punishment
Even after life; hast thou from death redeem'd me,
To give me captive, and to slave my youth?
Things worse then death: rather let Hercules
Expose me to the rocke, where first he found me,
To abide the wrath both of the Sea and Sunne.
Oh! rather make my body food for monsters,
Then brand my birth with bondage.
TELAMON
Faire Hesione,
I will not loose thy beauty, nor thy youth,
Nor part with this my honour, couldst thou give me
For ransome of them, both our Argoes cram'd
With gold and gemmes; you are my valours prize,
And shall with me to populous Salamine.
HESIONE
Can you so wrong the daughter of a king,
To give her as a Dukes base Concubine?
Touch me not Telamon, for I devine,
Ifere my brother Priam re-build Troy,
And be the king of Asia, hee'l revenge
This base dishonour done Hesione;
And for his sister, ravish't hence perforce,
Do the like out-rage on some Grecian Queene,
In iust revenge of my iniurious wrong.
HERCULES
Should all the kings in Asia, or the world,
Take part with Priam in that proud designe,
Like fate, like fortune with Laomedon
They shall abide: renowned Telamon,
She is the warlike purchase of thy sword,
Enioy her as the gift of Hercules.
And now brave Grecian Hero's, lets towards Greece
With al these honored spoils from Colchos brought
And from the treasures of defaced Troy.
Faire Deianeira longs for us in Thebes,
Whom we will visit next, and thence proceed
Unto our future labours. Cacus lives
A bloudy tyrant, whom we must remove:
And the three-headed Gerion swayes in Spaine,
Notorious for his rapes and out-rages;
Both these must perish by Alcides hand,
And when we can the earth from tyrants cleare,
In the worlds vtmost bounds our pillers reare.
Exit.
[4]
[1]
HOMER
Loath are we (curteous auditors) to cloy
Your appetites with viands of one tast,
The beauteous Venus we must next imploy,
Whom we saw mourning for Adonis last.
Suppose her still for the yong Adon sad,
But cheer'd by Mars, their old loves they renue,
And she, that (whil'st he liv'd) preferd the Lad,
Hath quite forgot him, since the Boare him slue.
Mars is in grace, a meeting they devise,
Iealous of all, but fearing most the Sunne,
Hee that sees all things from his first up-rise,
And like a blab, tels all that hee knowes done.
Our mortals must a while their spleenes asswage,
And to the Gods, for this Act, leave the Stage.
Enter Mars and Venus.
MARS
I knew loves Queene could not be long unkind,
Though (whil'st I absent, to teach Armes in Thrace)
You tooke th'aduangtage to forget your Mars,
To doate on Adon, and Anchises too;
Yet (those worne out) let us renue our loves,
And practise our first amorous dalliance.
VENUS
How can I hate; that am the Queene of love?
Or practise ought against my native power?
As I one day, playd with my Cupids shafts,
The wanton with his arrow raz'd my skin.
Trust me, at first I did neglect the smart:
At length it rankled, and it grew unsound,
Till he that now lies wounded, cut'd my wound.
MARS
Come shall we now, whilst Vulcan plyes his forge,
Sweats at his Anuill, choakes himselfe with dust,
And labours at his bellowes, kisse and toy?
VENUS
Why met we else? Here is a place remote,
An obscure cave, fit for our amorous sport:
In this darke caverne wee'l securely rest,
And Mars shall adde unto my Vulcan’s crest.
But how if we be spy'd?
MARS
Whom need we feare?
Unlesse the Sunne, who now the lower world
Lights with his beames; I meane the Antipodes,
The tell-tale blab is busie now else-where:
And I will set to watch at the caves doore,
My trusty groome, who (ere the Sunne shall rise
With his bright beames to light our Hemispheare)
Shall waken us.
VENUS
For all the world I would not have the Sunne
Discover our sweet sport, or see whats done.
MARS
Be that my charge. Wher's Gallus?
Enter Gallus.
GALLUS
At hand fir: I am not that Gallows that is made of three trees, or one that is never without hangers on: nor that Gallus that is latine for a French-man; but your owne Gallus gallinacius, servant and true squire to God Mars.
MARS
Syrrah, you know this Lady.
GALLUS
Yes, Mistresse Vulcan, shee is as well knowne in Paphos here for her Meretrix, as any Lady in the land, shee was the first that devis'd stew'd meate, and proclaim'd pickle-oysters to bee good for the backe; shee is the first that taught wenches the trade of Venery, and such as were borne to nothing but beauty, she taught them how to use their Talent: Yes, I know her I warrant you.
MARS
Syrrah attend, this night yon Queene and I
Must have some private conference, in yon cave,
Where whilst we stay, 'tmust be thy care to watch
That no suspicious eye pry through these chinks,
Especially I warne thee of the Sunnes.
GALLUS
I smell knavery, if my Lady Venus play the whoore
What am I that keepe the dore?
MARS
See thou do call us, e're the Sunne uprise,
But sleepe not for by all my Armes I sweare,
If by thy carelesse floth, or negligence
We be describe, thy body I'le translate,
To some strange Monster.
GALLUS
I'me hard favor'd enough already, you need not
Make my face worse then it is.
MARS
Com enter then faire Queene, we are secure,
Now safely maist thou claspe the God of warre,
Spight of Sunne, Moone, or a iealous starre.
VENUS
Love answers love, desire with ardor meetes,
Both which this night shall tast a thousand sweetes.
Exeunt.
GALLUS
I see you can make shift to go too't without sheetes: How shall I passe this night away till morning, I am
as drowsy as a dormouse, the very thought that I must wake, charmes mee a sleepe already, I would I durst venture on a nap; Hey ho, sure I may wake againe afore they rise, and never the wiser, I will stand to't, there is not a more sleepy trade in the world then a watchman, nor one that is more acquainted with deeds of darkenesse, tell mee of the Sunne! the Sunne will not rise this two houres; well, let them watch that will, or can, I must have a nod or two, God night to you all, for here am I fast till morning.
Enter Aurora, attended with Seasons, Daies, and Howers.
AURORA
The day-starre shines and cals me blushing up.
From Tithons bed to harnesse Phoebus Steeds.
My roseate fingers have already stroakt
The element where light beginnes to appeare,
And straight Apollo with his glistering beames,
Will guild the East, the Seasons, Months, and Daies
Attend him in the pallace of the Sunne.
The Howers have brought his Chariot to the gate
Of Christall, where the Sunne-God mounts his throne,
His fiery Steeds have all their traces fet,
Th'unruly stalions fed with Ambrosy
(With their round hoofes shod with the purest gold)
Thunder against the Marble floores of Heaven,
And waite till Phoebus hath but don'd his beames,
Which I the blushing Morning still put on.
And now's the howre (for thus time fleeteth still)
That the Sunnes up to clime the Easterne hill.
Enter Phoebus to them, kisses Aurora, and they all exeunt.
PHOEBUS
Beauteous Aurora, for full twice twelue howers
Till in my spheare I have compast round the world
Farewell, I with my beames will dry these teares
Thou shedst at parting; we have chac't hence night,
And frighted all the twinkling starres from heaven,
And now the steepe Olimpus we must clime,
Till from the high Meridian we peruse
The spatious bounds of this large universe,
And thence decline our Chariot towards the West,
Till we have washt our Coach-steeds and our selfe
In Isters icy streames: Wee with this eye
Can all things see that mortals do on earth,
And what wee find inhumane, or to offend,
Wee tell to Iove, that he may punish sinnes.
For this I am term'd a tel-tale and a blab,
And that I nothing can conceale abroad.
But let spight spit the worst and wrong me still,
Day hateth sinnes, and light despiseth ill.
Hee spies Mars and Venus.
And now behold a most abhorred deed,
Mars beds with Venus, shall not Vulcan know it?
By my light hee shall; I have seene, and I will tell,
The Sunne hates sinne but crownes them that do well.
Exit. Enter Mars.
MARS
Venus awake, wee have ore-slept our selues,
The Sunne's above in his diurnall taske,
I saw his piercing beames pry through a cranny,
And cast his right eye full upon our bed.
Enter Venus.
VENUS
We are betraide, the blab will tell the Smith,
Our love will come to th'eare of Iupiter
And all the other Gods, what will Diana
Say when shee heares of our inchastity?
Or how will Iuno take this spouse-breach from us?
MARS
Nay rather, how will Vulcan tast our sport?
He might suspect, but never prove till now,
Where is the villaine Gallus set to watch?
VENUS
See where he snorts, the slave is dead asleep.
MARS
Awake thou drowsy Groome, thy chaflisement
Shall exceed torture.
GALLUS
Hey ho, what's the matter there, ha?
MARS
Looke, hast thou eies? is not the Sun two howres
Mounted aloft? hath he not seene theesleeping
At the Caves dore, Yea beheld us too?
GALLUS
More shame for him to looke in at any bodies window.
MARS
Speake, how canst thou excuse this?
GALLUS
Oh great God Mars.
MARS
Behold, this is thy doome, thy negligence
Thus I'le chastice, thou shalt thy humane shape
Henceforth forgo, I will translate thy body
Into a bird shall ever beare thy name,
Bee Gallus still, a Cocke, and be thy nature
Ever hereafter this; to watch the Sunne,
And by thy crowes and clamours warne the world
Two howres before he rise, that the Sunne comes
Clap with thy wings, and with thy shrieking loud,
Proclaime his comming when thou thrice hast crowed.
Gallus sinkes, and in his place riseth a Cocke and crowes.
VENUS
The slaves right serv'd, let this his punishment
Live to all ages, and let Gallus name
Thy iust revenge to all the world proclaime.
But whither shall we now?
MARS
I will to Thrace, go you to Lemnos.
VENUS
Will you leave me then
To Vulcan’s rage, no let us once more meete
In Paphos, and if Vulcan needs will chide
Give him some cause.
MARS
Content faire Queene of love.
For more, he cannot be much more displeas'd,
Let's score on still, and make our reckoning full,
As yet, alas faire Queene, the debts but small,
Make up the summe, and answere once for all.
VENUS
Content sweete Mars, and since that he was borne
To be a Cuckold, let's augmennt his horne.
Exeunt. Enter Vulcan with two Ciclops, Pyragman, and Berontes.
VULCAN
Make hast with that shield, see’t hammer'd well,
For when 'tis done I'le give't my father Iove,
'Tis of the purest mettall Lemnos yeelds.
PYRAGMAN
I shall sir, must the plate of two cubes high,
Be put into the Forge?
VULCAN
Pyragmon yes, that masse must be wrought well
And soundly temper'd, bid your fellow Cyclops
Worke lustily, it must be soone dispatcht.
PYRAGMAN
When saw you my Lady Venus?
VULCAN
No matter when, the Huswiffe's too fine finger'd,
And saith, the very smoake my Fordge doth cast
Choakes her, the very aire of Lemnos (man)
Blasts her white cheekes, she scarce will let me kisse her,
But shee makes vergisse faces, saith my visadge
Smug'd thus with cole-dust, doth infect her beauty,
And makes her weare a beard, shee's, sure, in Paphos,
Cypresse, or Candy, shee's all for play
Whilst we Ioves thunders hammer hard all day.
PYRAGMAN
I heard her once mocke that polt-foote of yours
How came it pray?
VULCAN
I'le tell thee man, I was when I was borne
A pretty smug knave, and my father Iove
Delighted much to dance me in his lap.
Upon a time as hee was toying with mee
In his high house above, that Phaeton
Had at that instant set the world a fire,
My father when he saw heavens bases smoake,
Th'earth burne, and Neptunes broth to seeth with heate;
But startles up to thunder-strike the lad,
And lets me fall: downe tumbled I towards the earth:
I fell through all the Planets by degrees,
From Saturne first, so by the Moone at last:
And from the Moone downe into Lemnos Isle
Where I still live, and halt upon my fall,
No maruell if't lam'd mee, for, Pyragmon.
How high I tumbled, who can gesse aright,
Falling a Summers day from morne to night?
PYRAGMAN
’Twas maruell you did not breake your necke.
VULCAN
Had I not bene deriv'd from God-like seed,
Trust me Pyragmon I had don't indeed.
The Cocke crows and enter Phoebus.
But to the Forge, for I Appollo spie,
Hee that sees all things with the daies bright eye.
Good morrow Phoebus, what's the newes abroad?
For thou seest all things in the world are done,
Men act by day-light, or the sight of Sunne.
PHOEBUS
Sometime I cast mine eie upon the sea,
To see the tumbling Seale, or Porpoise play,
There see I Marchants trading, and their sayles
Big bellied with the wind; sea fights some times
Rise with their smoake, thicke clouds to darke my beames.
Sometimes, I fixe my face upon the earth
With my warme fervour, to give mettals, trees,
Hearbes, plants, and flowers life; here in gardens walke
Loose Ladies with their lovers arme in arme,
Yonder the labouring Plow-man drives his Teeme.
Further, I may behold maine battels pitcht,
And whom I favour most (by the winds helpe)
I can assist with my transparant raies.
Heere, spye I Cattell feeding, Forrests there
Stor'd with wilde beasts; here Shepeheards with their lasses
Piping beneath the trees, whilst their flockes graze.
In Citties, I see trading, walking, bargening,
Buying, and selling, goodnesse, badnesse, all things.
And shine alike on all.
VULCAN
Thrice happy Phoebus,
That whilst poore Vulcan is confin'd to Lemnos
Hast every day these pleasures. What newes else.
PHOEBUS
No Emperour walks forth, but I see his State,
Nor sports, but I his pastimes can behold,
I see all Coronations, Funerals,
Marts, Faires, Assemblies, Pageants, Sights; and Showes.
No hunting, but I better see the chase
Then they that rowse the game, what see not I?
There's not a window but my beames breakes in,
No thinke or cranny but my raies pierce through,
And there I see (oh Vulcan) wondrous things.
Things that thy selfe nor any God besides
Would give beliefe to.
VULCAN
What, good Phoebus speake.
PHOEBUS
Here, wantons on their day-beds, I see spread
Clasping their amorous lovers in their armes,
Who even before my face, are not sometimes
Asham'd to shew all.
VULCAN
Could not god Phoebus bring mee to see this pastime.
PHOEBUS
Sometimes even meane fellowes
A bed with noble Ladies whom they serve,
Servant with servant, married men with maides,
And wives with Batchelours.
VULCAN
There's simple doing.
PHOEBUS
And shall I tell thee Vulcan, tother day
What I beheld, I saw the great God Mars.
VULCAN
God Mars.
PHOEBUS
As I was peeping through a cranny; a bed.
VULCAN
A bed; with whom? some pretty wench I warrant.
PHOEBUS
Shee was a pretty wench.
VULCAN
Tell me good Phoebus,
That when I meete him I may floute God Mars,
Tell mee, but tell me truely on thy life.
PHOEBUS
Not to dissemble Vulcan, 'twas thy wife!
VULCAN
Out on her whore, out on him Cuckold-maker,
Phoebus I'le be revendge on great God Mars,
Who, whilst I hammer here his swords and shields,
Hammers upon my head, I will complaine
To Iove, and all the Gods, and tell them flat
I am a Cuckold.
PHOEBUS
Vulcan be advis'd,
I have had notice where they use to meete,
Couldst not devise to catch them by some wile?
And lay their guilt, wide open to the Gods,
Then mightst thou have fit colour of complaint.
VULCAN
Enough, I have devis'd a secret snare,
A draw-net, which I'le place upon the Couch
Where they still use to bed, a wire so temper'd,
And of such finenesse to deceive the eie.
So catch them when they are at it, and by this
I may presume, and be sure I am Cuckold.
PHOEBUS
That's the way to be satisfied.
VULCAN
If I can catch them, all the Gods I'le call
To see my wrongs, there sports I'le neere to marre,
And venge me on that letcherous God of warre.
Enter the Nymph, Cloris, with two more, with floures in their laps.
NYMPH
Cloris, you are the Nymph whose office is
To strow faire Venus bed with hearbes and flowers,
Here is the place shee meanes to sport her selfe.
CLORIS
I am the hand-maide to the Queene of love,
And unto all her pleasures minister,
When she drinkes Nectar, 'tis from Cloris hand,
If feede on sweete Ambrotia, or those fruits
That Cornu-copia yeelds, I serve them up,
Come let us with fresh Roses strow her Couch
With pances and the buds of Eglantine,
Her pillow is the purple Violet banke,
About whose verges the blancht Lillies grow,
Whose bodies twin'd about with wood-byne leaves
Make a confused sweetnesse, so 'tis well,
Come Venus when shee please to take her rest,
Her Arbour's dight, and all things well addrest.
Enter Vulcan and Pyragmon with his net of wire.
VULCAN
By her baud Charis, this I know the place,
Which with adulterate pastimes they pollute.
Here will I set my pit-fall for these birds,
And catch them in the closure of this wire,
So, so, al's fit, my snare in order plac't,
Happy the time, that I this Charis trac't.
Enter Mars and Venus.
MARS
Once more in spight of Phoebus and these eies,
That dog our pastimes, we are closely met,
And whilst the Cuckold Vulcan blowes the fire,
Our amorous soules their sportive blisse conspire.
VENUS
Hee's limping thus, and like a cripple halts
From Forge to Fornace; where were Venus eies,
When she made choise of that foule polt-foote Smith,
He smels all smoake, and with his nasty sweate
Tawnies my skinne, out on him vgly knave,
Mars is my love, and he my sweets shall have.
VULCAN
Gramercy my kind wife.
VENUS
Come God of warre,
I'le teach thee a new skirmish, better farre
Then thy sterne battails, meete me with a kisse
Which I retort thus, there's spirit in this,
What's he would play the coward and turne face,
When such sweete amorous combats are in place?
My hot incounters, leave me wound nor skarre
Yet naked I dare meete the God of Warre.
VULCAN
Out of her Whoore.
MARS
I am arm'd for thee, prepare thee, for this night
Il'e breast to breast dare thee to single fight.
VENUS
Come tumble in my lap, great Mars I dare
To do his worst.
Vulcan catcheth them fast in his net.
VULCAN
’Tis well, your sports are faire.
MARS
Betraid? bound? catcht? release me, or by Iove,
Thou dy'st what ere thou art.
VULCAN
God Mars, good words;
This is a fight in which you use no swords.
You have left your steele behinde.
VENUS
Sweet vulcan.
VULCAN
No more.
VENUS
Canst thou use Venus thus? Vul. Away you whore,
Il'e keepe you fast, and call the Gods to see
Your practise, Neptune, Iove, and Mercury,
Phoebus and Iuno, from your spheares looke downe,
And see the cause I weare a forked crowne.
All the Gods appeare above, and laugh, Iupiter, Iuno, Phoebus, Mercury, Neptune.
MARS
The Gods are all spectators of our shame,
And laugh at us.
VENUS
Oh! I could cry for anger.
Sweet Vulcan let me loose.
VULCAN
When Gods and men
Have seene thy shame, but (strumpet) not till then.
IUPITER
See how Mars chafes.
IUNO
But Venus weeps for rage
NEPTUNE
Why should Mars fret? if it so tedious be,
Good God of warre bestow thy place on me.
MERCURY
By all the Gods, would she do me that grace,
I would fall too't even before Vulcan’s face.
VULCAN
To Gods and men let it be fully knowne
I am a Cuckold.
ALL
Vulcan is no lesse.
VULCAN
Now since red shame your cheeks with bloud hath dy'd,
I am reveng'd, and see my net's unti'd.
PHOEBUS
The Gods have laught their fill, Vulcan's reveng'd,
And now all friends: speake, are we?
IUPITER
Mars still frownes.
IUNO
And Venus scarce well pleas'd.
VULCAN
For my part (oh you Gods!) what's past is past,
And what is once done, cannot be recald:
If Vulcan in this ieast hath pleas'd the Gods,
All his owne wrongs he freely can forgive.
Venus we are friends, to Lemnos we will hast,
And never more record what's done and past.
VENUS
No foole, before I did offend with feare,
My guilt was but suspected, but not prou'd:
And therefore I selected privacy,
Closenesse of place, and bashfully transgrest;
But since both Gods and men now know my sinne,
Why should I dread to say I love God Mars?
What helpe hast thou in proving thy wife false?
Onely to make me doe with impudence,
What I before with feare did, on thy selfe
Brought a most certaine shame, where it before
Was but suspected.
VULCAN
Venus speakes good sence,
That's certaine now, which was before suspence.
VENUS
Now fare well iealous foole, for my disgrace,
Him whom I love, I blushlesse thus imbrace,
And may all such as would their wives so take,
(Although they might) be serv'd thus for thy sake.
VULCAN
I am undone, be warn'd by me oh men,
Although you know your wives false, where and when,
Take them not in the manner, though you may:
They that with feare before, now blushlesse stray,
Their guilt 'tis better to suspect then know,
So you may take some part of that you owe.
Where I by seeking her good name to thrall,
Have made my selfe a scorne, and quite left all.
IUPITER
To Lemnos then, to make our Thunders fit,
Which against mortals we have cause to use,
Mars, you to Thrace, Venus in Paphos stay,
Or where you please, we to our severall spheares.
Vulcan, thy morrall this good use contrives,
None search too farre th'offences of their wives.
Exeunt.
[5]
[1]
HOMER
Our last Act comes, which lest it tedious grow,
What is too long in word, accept in show.
Thinke Hercules his labours having ended,
The Spanish Gerion kild, and Cacus slaine,
As farre as Lydea he his palme extended,
Where beauteous Omphale this time doth raigne.
He that before to Deianeira sent,
As presents, all the spoyles that he could win,
Now fils her heart with iealous discontent,
She heares how Hercules doth card and spin
With Omphale, and serves her as a slave.
(She quite forgot in Thebes) her griefe to cheare,
Th'assembled Princes with their Counsels grave,
Are come to comfort and remove her feare.
By these all his stor'd labours he hath sent
To call him home, to free her discontent.
Ashew. Enter Deianeira sad, with Lychas: to her Iason, Telamon, Castor, Pollux, Nestor, etc. They seeme to comfort her, she sends Lychas, who brings the Trophies of his twelue labours, she delivers them to the Princes, to beare to her husband. They part severall waies.
HOMER
Iason, and the other Hero's for her sake,
Travell to Lydia, to perswade him thence
And by his twelue knowne labours, undertake
To move him, quite t'abandon his faire wench.
Further then this her iealousie extends,
Afarre worse present she by Lychas sends.
Enter Deianeira, and her servant Lychas.
LYCHAS
Madam, these sorrowes are too violent
For your weake sex, I do not thinke tis true,
Your husband can preferre that Omphale
Before your beauty.
DEIANEIRA
Hee's forgot in Greece.
Greece that was wont to clangor with his fame,
Is now all silent, who but Iason now,
And Telamon, that scal'd the walles of Troy,
Alcides is a name for got amongst us,
And Deianeira too forgot with him.
Oh! that I had the tempting strumpet here
That keepes my Lord away, confining me
Unto the coldnesse of a widowed bed.
LYCHAS
Madam, these presents sent, and so wel knowne
Coming from you, must needs prevaile with him.
These Princes have great interest in his love,
And can perswade much.
DEIANEIRA
But that strumpet more.
Lychas, he doates upon her tempting lookes,
And is so much with her inchantments blear'd,
That hee's turn'd woman: woman Lychas, spinnes,
Cards, and doth chare-worke, whilst his mistres sits
And makes a cushion of his Lyons skin,
Makes of his club a rocke. I loose my selfe
In thismy sorrow, and forget the meanes;
I still keepe by my me, to restore my love,
Lychas, fetch me the shirt within my chamber,
I have bethought me now.
LYCHAS
Madam I shall.
DEIANEIRA
This shirt (in bloud of Centaur Nessus dipt,
And since washt out) Il'e send my Hercules,
Which hath the power to make his hot love dye
To any stranger, and revive to me.
This (as his last) the dying Centaur spake,
To this Il'e trust, all other hopes forsake.
Enter Lychas.
LYCHAS
Madam the shirt.
DEIANEIRA
This as my best and deerest,
Present me (trusty Lychas) to my Lord,
Intreat withall, that if he have not quite
Put off my love, hee'l daine to put on this.
If he despise my gift, returne it backe,
And in it my death.
LYCHAS
Feare not faire Princesse,
I hope to prove as fortunate as faithfull.
DEIANEIRA
Farewell, prove as thou speakest. If my gift faile,
I have sentenced all my sorrowes to one death,
Whilst Deianeira hath a hand to use,
Shee'l not live hated where she once did chuse.
Exit. Enter Omphale, Queene of Lydia, with 4 or 5 maids, Hercules attired like a woman, with a distaffe and a spindle.
OMPHALE
Why so, this is a power infus'd in love,
Beyond all magicke; Is't not strange to see
A womans beauty tame the Tyrant-tamer?
And the great Monster-maister over-match?
Have you done your taske?
HERCULES
Beauteous Queene, not yet.
OMPHALE
Then I shall frowne.
HERCULES
Before that (lovely faire)
Augment my taske, unto a treble chare.
For one sweet smile from beauteous Omphale,
Il'e lay before thee all the monstrous heads
Of the grim tyrants that oppresse the earth.
I that before, at Iuno's strict behest,
The hundred gyants of Cremona slue,
Will twice five hundred kill for Omphale.
Finde me a Cacus in a cave of fire,
Il'e dragge him from the mountaine Aventine,
And lay his bulke at thy victorious feet.
Finde me me another Gerion to captive,
All his three heads Il'e tumble in thy skirt.
Bid me once more sacke hell, to binde the furies,
Or to present thee with the Gods in chaines,
It shall be done for beauteous Omphale.
OMPHALE
Leave prating, ply your worke.
HERCULES
Oh what a sweetnesse
Lives in her lookes! no bondage, or base slavery
Seemes servitude, whilst I may freely gaze
(And uncontrold) on her: but for one smile,
Il'e make her Empresse ore the triple world,
And all the beauteous Queenes from East to West,
The Lydians vassails, and my fellow-slaves.
There is no Lord but Love, no vassailage
But in affection, and th'Emperious Queene
Doth tyranize ore captive Hercules.
Enter a maid.
MAID
Madam, some Dukes of Greece attend without,
And crave to see your captive Theban here.
OMPHALE
Admit them, they shall see what pompe we have,
And that our beauty can the loftiest slave.
Enter Iason, Telamon, Castor, Pollux, Nestor, Atreus, etc.
IASON
Our businesse was to Thehan Hercules,
'Twas told us he remain'd with Omphale,
The Lydian Queene.
TELAMON
Speake, which is Omphale? or which Alcides?
OMPHALE
We are queene of Lydia,
And this our vassaile. Do you know him Lords?
Stoope slave, and kisse the foot of Omphale.
HERCULES
I shall.
NESTOR
Oh wonderous alteration!
CASTOR
Till now I trusted this report was false,
And scarcely can I yet beleeve mine eyes.
POLLUX
Lady, our purpose was to Hercules,
Shew us the man.
OMPHALE
Behold him Greekes there.
ATREUS
Where?
OMPHALE
There at his taske.
IASON
Alas! This Hercules?
This is some base effeminate groome, not hee
That with his puissance frighted all the earth:
This is some woman, some Hermophrodite.
HERCULES
Hath Iason, Nestor, Castor, Telamon,
Atreus, Pollux, all forgot their friend?
We are the man.
IASON
Woman we know thee not.
We came to seeke the Iove-borne Hercules,
That in his cradle strangled Iuno's snakes,
And triumpht in the brave Olimpicke games.
He that the Cleonean Lyon slue,
The Eremanthian Boare, the Bull of Marathon,
The Lernean Hydra, and the winged Hart.
He that drag'd Cerberus from hell in chaines,
And stownded Pluto in his Ebon Chaire.
That Hercules, by whom the Centaurs fell.
Great Achelous, the Stymphalides,
And the Cremona giants? Where is he?
Telamon That traiterous Nessus with a shaft trans-fixt,
Strangled Antheus, purg'd Augeus stalles,
Wan the bright Apples of the Hesperides,
And whilst the Giant Atlas eas'd his limbes,
Bore on his shoulders the huge frame of heaven.
HERCULES
And are not we the man? see Telamon,
A woman do this? we would see the Theban,
That Cacus slue, Busiris sacrific'd,
And to his horses hurl'd sterne Diomed
To be devour'd.
POLLUX
That freed Hesione
From the Sea-whale, and after ransackt Troy,
And with his owne hand slue Laomedon.
NESTOR
He by whom Dercilus and Albion fell,
He that Oecalia and Betricia wan.
ATREUS
That monstrous Gerion with his three heads vanquisht
With Linus, Lichas that usurp't in Thebes,
And captiv'd there his beauteous Megara.
IASON
He that the Amazonian Baldricke wan,
That Achelous with his club subdu'd,
And wan from him the pride of Calidon
Bright Deianeira, that now mournes in Thebes
For absenc of that noble Hercules.
To him we came, but since he lives not here,
Come Lords, we wil returne these presents backe
Unto the constant Lady, whence they came.
HERCULES
Stay Lords.
IASON
’Mongst women?
HERCULES
For that Thebans sake
Whom you professe to love, and came to seeke,
Abide awhile, and by my love to Greece,
Il'e bring before you that lost Hercules,
For whom you came to enquire.
IASON
On that condition (Princes) lets stay a little.
TELAMON
It workes, it workes.
HERCULES
How have I lost my selfe?
Did we all this? where is that spirit become
That was in us? no maruell Hercules,
If thou beest strange to them, that thus disguis'd,
Art to thy selfe unknowne. Hence with this distaffe
And base effeminate chares.
OMPHALE
How slave? submit and to thy taske againe.
Dar'st thou rebell?
HERCULES
Pardon great Omphale.
IASON
Will Telamon perswade me this is Hercules
The Libian Conquerer, now a slaves slave.
He liv'd in midst of battailes, this 'mongst truls:
This welds a distaffe, he a conquering Club.
Shall we bestow faire Deianeira’s presents
On this (heaven knowes) whether man or woman?
HERCULES
Who nam'd my Deianeira? Iason you?
How fares my love? how fares my beauteous wife?
I know these presents, did they come from her?
What strumpet's this that hath detain'd my soule?
Captiv'd my fame, trans-shap't me to a foole?
Made me (of late) but little lesse then God,
Now scarce a man? Hence with these womanish tyres,
And let me once more be my selfe againe.
TELAMON
Keep from him Omphale, be that your charge,
Wee'l second these good thoughts.
OMPHALE
Alcides heare me.
CASTOR
By your favour madam.
HERCULES
Who spake?
IASON
Thinke that was Deianeira's voyce,
That cals thee home to dry her widowed teares,
And to bring comfort to her desolate bed.
HERCULES
Oh Deianeira.
OMPHALE
Heare me Hercules.
HERCULES
Ha Omphale?
POLLUX
You shall not trouble him.
IASON
’Twas she that made Alcides womanish,
But Deianeira to be more then man.
For thy wives sake thou art renown'd in Greece,
This Strumpet hath made Greece forget thee quite,
And scarce remember there was such a man.
Thebes that was wont to triumph in thy glories,
Is now all silent. Tyrants every where
Beginne to oppresse, thinking Alcides dead
For so the fame's already. Shall a Strumpet
Do this upon the Theban Hercules?
And Deianeira, faire, chast absolute
In all perfections, live despis'd in Thebes?
HERCULES
By Iove she shall not, first I'le rend these eies out,
That sotted with the love of Omphale
Hath transhapt me, and deepely iniur'd her.
Come we will shake off this effeminacy
And by our deeds repurchase our renowne.
Iason and you brave Greekes, I know you now,
And in your honours I behold my selfe
What I have bene, hence Strumpet Omphale,
I cast thee off, and once more will resume
My native vertues, and to prove this good
This day unto the Gods I'le sacrifice
To grace which pompe, and that we may appeare
The same we were, before us shall be borne
These of our labours twelue, the memory,
Unto Ioves Temple, grace us worthy Heroes
To assist us in this high sollemnity.
Whilst we upon our manly shoulders beare
These massy pillars we in Gades must reare.
Exeunt. Manet Omphale.
OMPHALE
We have lost our servant, never yet had Lady
One of the like ranke. All King Thespius daughters,
Fifty in number, childed all one night,
Could not prevaile so much with Hercules
As we have done; no not faire Yole
Daughter to Cacus, beauteous Megara,
Nor all the faire and amorous queenes of Greece,
Could slave him like the Lydian Omphale.
Therefore where e're his labours be renown'd,
Let not our beauty passe unregistred.
Bondaging him that captiv'd all the earth,
Nor will we leave him, or yet loose him thus
What either beauty, cunning, flattery, teares
Or womans Art can, we will practise on him.
But now the Priests and Princes are prepar'd
For the great sacrifice, which we will grace
With our high presence, and behold aloofe
These rights unto the gods perform'd and done
We'le gaine by Art, what we with beauty won.
Enter to the sacrifice two Priests to the Altar, sixe Princes with sixe of his labours, in the midst Hercules bearing his two brazen pillars, six other Princes, with the other six labours, Hercules staies them.
HERCULES
Now Iove behold us from thy spheare of Starres,
And shame not to acknowledge us thy sonnes.
Thus should Alcides march amidst his spoiles,
Inguirt with slaughtered Lyons, Hydraes, Whales,
Boares, Buls, grim Tyrants, Hel-hounds, Monsters, Furies,
And Princes his spectators: oh you Gods,
To whom this day we consecrate your praiers,
And dedicate our sacred orisons,
Daine us your cies, behold these sholders beare
Two brazen pillars, trophies of our fame,
That have eas'd Atlas, and supported heaven,
And had we shrunke beneath that heavenly structure
The Spheares, Orbs, Planets, Zeniths, Signes, and Stars,
With loves high Pallace, all confusedly
Had shattered, falne, and o're-whelm'd earth and sea,
Wee have done that, and all these labours else,
Which we this day make sacred, lune see
These we surrender to thy love and thee.
Set on. As they march over the Stage, enter Lychas with the shirt.
LYCHAS
From Deianera I present this guift,
Wrought with her owne hand, with more kind commends
Then I have measured steps to Lydia
From Thebes, which she intreats you weare for her.
HERCULES
More welcome is this guift to Hercules
Then Iason's Fleece, Laomedon's white Steeds,
Or should Iove grace me with eternity,
Here stand our pillars, with non vltra insculpt,
Which we must reare beyond the Pyrene Hils
At Gades in Spaine (Alcides vtmost bounds)
Whilst we put on this shirt, the welcome present
Of Deyianeira, whom we deerely love,
Lychas thy hand, In this wee'le sacrifice
And make our peace with her and Iupiter.
IASON
Never was Hercules so much himselfe,
How will this newes glad Deianeira’s heart,
Or how this sight inrage faire Omphale?
TELAMON
All his dead honours he revives in this,
And Greece shall once more echoe with his fame.
Hercules puts on the shirt.
HERCULES
With this her present, I put on her love,
Witnesse heaven, earth, and all you Peeres of Greece,
I wed her once more in this ornament,
Her love and her remembrance sit to me
More neere by thousands then this roabe can cleave.
So now before Ioves Altar let us kneele,
And make our peace with heaven, attone our selfe
With beauteous Dyaneira our chast wife
And cast away the love of Omphale.
All the Princes knele to the Altar.
PRIEST
Princes of Greece assist us with your thoughts,
And let your prayers with ours ascend the Speares,
For mortals orisons are sonnes to Iove,
And when none else can, they have free accesse
Unto there fathers eare, haile sonne of Saturne,
To whom when the three lots of heaven, of sea,
And hell were cast, the high Olimpus fell.
HERCULES
Oh, oh.
PRIEST
That with a nod canst make heavens collomes bend,
And th'earths Center tremble, whose right hand
Is arm'd with lightning, and the left with feare.
HERCULES
No more, are all the furies with their tortures,
Their whips and lashes crept into my skin?
Hath any sightlesse and infernall fire
Laid hold upon my flesh? when did Alcides
Thus shake with anguish? thus change face, thus shrinke?
Shall torture pale our cheeke? no, Priest proceed,
We will not feele the paine, thou shalt not breed,
IASON
What alteration's this? a thousand pangues
I see even in his visage, in his silence
He doth expresse even hell.
PRIEST
Thou sacred Iove
Behold us at thy Altar prostrate here
To beg attonement 'tweene our sins and thee,
Lend us a gracious eare and eye.
HERCULES
Priest no more,
I'le rend thy Typet, hurle Ioves Altars downe,
Havock his Offerings, all his Lamps extinguish,
Raze his high Temples, and skale heaven it selfe
Unlesse he stay my tortures.
IASON
Warlike Theban,
Whence comes this fury? is this madnes forc't,
That makes Alcides thus blaspheme the Gods.
TELAMON
Patient your selfe.
HERCULES
I will not Iason, cannot Telamon,
A stipticke poyson boyles within my veines,
Hell is within me, for my marrow fries,
A vulture worse then that Prometheus feeles,
Fiers on my entrails, and my bulke in flames.
IASON
Yet be your selfe, renowned Hercules,
Strive with your torture, with yourrage contend
Seek to ore-come this anguish.
HERCULES
Well, I will,
See Iason, see renowned Telamon
I will be well, I'le feele no poison boyle,
Though my bloud skal'd me, though my hot suspires,
Blast where I breath like lightning, though my lungs
Seeth in my bloud, I will not pale a cheeke,
Nor change a brow, I will not, spight of torture
Anguish, and paine, I will not.
OMPHALE
What strange fury
Hath late possest him to be thus disturb'd?
IASON
Why this is well, once more repaire Ioves Altar.
Kindle these holy Tapers and proceed.
HERCULES
To plucke the Thunderer from his Christall throne
And throw the Gallaxia, by the locks,
And amber tresses, drag the Queene of heaven.
NESTOR
Alcides.
HERCULES
Princes, Iason, Telamon,
Helpe me to teare of this infernall shirt,
Which rawes me where it cleaves, unskin my brawnes,
And like one nak't rowl'd in a Tun of spikes
Of thousands, make one universall wound,
And such is mine: oh Deianeira false,
Treacherous, unkind, disloyall; plucke, teare, rend
Though you my bones leave naked, and my flesh
Frying with poyson you cast hence to dogs.
Dread Neptune, let me plundge me in thy seas,
To coole my body, that is all on flame.
Or with thy tri-sulke thunder strike me Iove,
And so let fire quench fire, unhand me Lords,
Let me spurne mountaines downe, and teare up rockes
Rend by the roots huge Okes, till I have dig'd
Away to hell, or found a skale to heaven.
Something I must, my torments are so great,
To quench this flame and qualify this heate.
Exit.
IASON
Let us not leave him Princes least this out-rage
Make him lay violent hands upon him selfe.
If Deianeira’s heart, were with her hand,
She is her sexes scandall, and her shame
Even whilst Time lives, shall every tongue proclaime.
Exit.
OMPHALE
I'le follow to, and with what Art I can,
Strive this his rage and torture to allay.
Exit.
LYCHAS
What's in this shirt unknowne to me that brought it?
Or what hath iealous Deianeira done?
To employ me, an unwilling messenger,
In her Lords death: well, whosoe're it prove
My innocence I know, I'le, if I may
Looke to my life, and keepe out of his way.
Enter Hercules.
HERCULES
Lychas, Lychas, where's he that brought this poyson'd shirt,
That I may teare the villaine lim from lim.
And flake his body small as Winters snow,
His shattered flesh shall play like parched leaves,
And dance in th'aire, tost by the sommer winds.
LYCHAS
Defend me heaven.
HERCULES
Oh that with stamping thus,
I could my selfe beneath the Center sinke,
And tombe my tortured body beneath hell.
Had I heavens massy columnes in my gripes,
Then with one sway I would or'e-turne yon frame,
And make the marble Elementall sky
My Tombe-stone to enterre dead Hercules.
Oh father Iove thou laist upon thy sonne
Torments above supporture, Lichas, oh!
I'le chase the villaine o're Oetaes rockes,
Till I have nak't those hils, and left no shade
To hide the Traytor.
LYCHAS
Which way shall I flye
To scape his fury? if I stay I dye.
Hercules sees him.
HERCULES
Stay, stay, what's he that creeps into yon cave?
Is not that Lycas Dyaneiraes squire,
That brought this poysoned shirt to Hercules?
I thanke thee Iove, yet this is some allayment
And moderation to the pangues I feele,
Nay, you shall out fir Lychas by the heeles.
Hercules swings Lychas about his head, and kils him.
Thus, thus, thy limbs about my head I twine,
Eubaean sea receive him, for he's thine.
Enter Iason, Telamon, and all the Princes, after them Omphale.
IASON
Princes, his torments are 'bove Physicke helpe,
And they that wish him well, must wish his death,
For that alone gives period to his anguish.
TELAMON
In vaine we follow and pursue his rage,
There's danger in his madnesse.
NESTOR
Yet aloofe,
Let's observe him, and great Iove implore
To qualifie his paines.
PHILOCTETES
As I am Philoctetes I'le not leave him,
Untill he be immortall, Princes harke,
HERCULES
(within) Cannot these grones peirce heaven and move to pitty
The obdure Iuno.
OMPHALE
Beneath this rocke where we have often kist,
I will lament the noble Thebans fall,
The Lydian Omphale will be to him
A truer Mystresse, then his wife, whose hate
Hath brought on him this sad and ominous fate.
Nor hence, for any force or prayer remove,
But die with him whom I so deerely love.
Cry within.
CASTOR
His torments still increase, heare oh you Gods,
And hearing pitty.
Enter Hercules from a rocke above, tearing downe trees.
HERCULES
Downe, downe, you shadowes that crowne Oeta Mount,
And as you tumble beare the Rockes along.
I will not leave an Oake or standing Pine
But all these mountaines with the dales make even,
That Oetaes selfe may mourne with Hercules.
Hah! what art thou?
OMPHALE
I am thy Omphale.
HERCULES
Art thou not Deianeira come to mocke
Alcides madnesse, and his pangues deride?
Yes, thou art she, thou, thou hast fier'd my bones,
And mak'st me boyle in poyson, for which (minion)
And for (by fate) thou hast shortned my renowne,
Behold, this monstrous rocke thy death shal crowne,
Hercules kils Omphale, with a peece of a rocke.
So Deianeira and her squire are now
Both in their sins extinct.
THESEUS
What hath Alcides done? slaine Omphale,
A guiltlesse queene that came to mourne his death.
HERCULES
Torment on torment. But shall Hercules
Dye by a womans hand? No, ayd me Princes,
(If you have in you any generous thoughts)
In my last fabricke: Come, tosse trees on trees,
Till you have rear'd me up a funerall pile,
Which all that's mortall in me shall consume.
CASTOR
Princes, let none deny their free assistance,
In his release of torture. Ther's for me.
POLLUX
My hand shall likewise helpe to bury him,
And of his torments give him ease by death.
All the Princes breake downe the trees, and make a fire, in which Hercules placeth himfelfe.
HERCULES
Thanks, thus I throne me in the midst of fire,
And with a dreadlesse brow confront my death.
Olimpicke thunderer now behold thy sonne,
Of whose divine parts make a starre, that Atlas
May shrinke beneath the weight of Hercules.
And step-dame Iuno, glut thy hatred now,
That hast beene weary to command, when we
Have not beene weary to performe and act.
I that Busiris slue, Antheus strangled,
And conquer'd still at thy unkinde behest,
The three-shap't Gerion, and the dogge of hell,
The Bull of Candy, and the golden Hart,
Augeus and the fowles of Stymphaly,
The Hesperian fruit, and bolt of Thermidon,
The Lernean Hydra, and Arcadian Boare,
The Lyon of Naemea, Steeds of Thrace,
The monster Cacus; thousands more then these,
That Hercules in death dares thee to chide,
And shewes his spirit, which torments cannot hide.
Lye there thou dread of Tyrants, and thou skin,
Invulner'd still, burne with thy maisters bones:
For these be armes which none but we can weild.
My bow and arrowes Philoctetes take.
He burns his Club, and Lyons Skin.
Reserve them as a token of our love,
For these include the vtmost fate of Troy,
Which without these; the Greekes can nere destroy.
You Hero's all fare-well, heape fire on fire,
And pile on pile, till you have made a structure
To flame as high as heaven, and record this
Though by the Gods and Fates we are ore-throwne,
Alcides dies by no hand but his owne.
Iupiter above strikes him with a thunder-bolt, his body sinkes, and from the heavens discends a hand in a cloud, that from the place where Hercules was burnt, brings up a starre, and fixeth it in the firmament.
IASON
Iuno thou hast done thy worst; he now defies
What thou canst more, his fame shall mount the skies.
What heavenly musicke's this?
TELAMON
His soule is made a star, and mounted heaven,
I see great Iove hath not forgot his sonne:
All that his mothers was is chang'd by fire,
But what he tooke of Iove, and was devine,
Now a bright star in the high heavens must shine.
Enter Atreus.
NESTOR
We all have seene Alcides deifi'd.
But what newes brings Atreus?
ATREUS
A true report of Deianeira's death,
Who when she heard the tortures of her Lord,
And what effect her fatall present tooke,
Exclaim'd on Nessus, and to prove herselfe
Guiltlesse of treason in her husbands death,
Witth her owne hand she boldly slue herselfe.
POLLUX
That noble act proclaim'd her innocent,
And cleares all blacke suspition: but faire princes,
Let universall Greece in funerall blacke,
Mourne for the death of Theban Hercules.
IASON
Who now shal monsters quel, or tyrants tame?
Th'oppressed free, or fill Greece with their fame.
Princes your hands, take up these monuments
Of his twelue labours in a marble Temple
(We will erect and dedicate to him)
Reserve them to his lasting memory:
His brazen pillers shall be fixt in Gades,
On which his monumentall deeds wee'l grave.
Arm'd with these worthy Trophies lets march on
Towards Thebes, that claimes the honour of his birth.
His body's dead, his fame shall nere expire,
Earth claimes his earth, heaven shewes his heavenly fire.
Exeunt omnes.
HOMER
He that expects five short Acts can containe
Each circumstance of these things we present,
Me thinkes should shew more barrennesse then braine:
All we have done we aime at your content,
Striving to illustrate things not knowne to all,
In which the learnd can onely censure right:
The rest we crave, whom we unlettered call,
Rather to attend then iudge: for more then sight
We seeke to please. The understanding eare
Which we have hitherto most gracious found,
Your generall love, we rather hope then feare:
For that of all our labours is the ground.
If from your love in any point we stray,
Thinke Homer blind, and blind men misse their way.