Iocasta Giocasta Iocasta HIE0333

Source text for this digital edition:
Dolce, Ludovico. Jocasta. Translated by George Gascoigne and Francis Kinwelmershe. In: A hundreth sundrie flowres bounde vp in one small poesie. [1573.] In: Mueller, Martin (gen. ed.) Shakespeare His Contemporaries Northwestern University. [Accessed: 28 October 2016]

Note on this digital edition

This electronic transcription comes from the original-spelling text in the Shakespeare His Contemporaries project, which offers curated versions of texts from Early English Books Online - Text Creation Partnership. It differs in textual corrections (detailed in the appendix) made with reference to the transcription in the English Drama collection published by Chadwyck-Healey, and in assigning role identifiers to speakers. This curation has been carried out by Sonia Sofía Perelló.
The SHC source text has been re-encoded by Jesús Tronch Pérez in order to be used in the databases of the EMOTHE project and of the HIERONIMO project.
As from October 2017 the Shakespeare His Contemporaries site is obsolete and its project is incorporated into EarlyPrint.

With the support of research project GVAICO2016-094, funded by Generalitat Valenciana (2016-2017).

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IOCASTA: A Tragedie vvritten in Greke by Euripides, translated and digested into Acte by George Gascoygne, and Francis Kinvvelmershe of Grayes Inne, and there by them presented. 1566.

The argument of the Tragedie

To scourge the cryme of vvicked Laius,
And vvrecke the foule Incest of Oedipus,
The angry Gods styrred vp theyr sonnes, by strife
VVith blades embrevved to reaue eche others life:
The vvyfe, the mother, and the concubyne,
VVhose fearefull hart foredrad theyr fatall fine,
Hir sonnes thus dead, disdayneth longer lyfe,
And slayes hirself vvith selfsame bloudy knyfe:
The daughter she, surprisde vvyth childish dreade
That durst not dye) a lothsome lyfe doth leade,
Yet rather chose to guyde hir banysht sire,
Than cruell Creon should haue his desire.
Creon is King, the type of Tyranny,
And Oedipus, myrrour of misery. Fortunatus Infoelix.

The names of the Interloquutors.

Iocasta, the Queene.

Seruus, a noble man of the Queenes traine.

Bailo, gouernour to the Queenes sonnes.

Antygone, daughter to the Queene.

Chorus, foure Thebane dames.

Pollynices & Eteocles sonnes to Oedipus & the Queene.

Creon, the Queenes brother.

Meneceus, sonne to Creon.

Tyresias, the diuine priest.

Manto, the daughter of Tyresias.

Sacerdos>, the sacrifycing priest.

Nuntij, three messangers from the campe.

Oedipus, the olde King father to Eteocles, and Pollynices, sonne and husbande to Iocasta the Queene.

The Tragedie represented in Thebes.

Act I

¶ The order of the dumme shewes and Musickes before euery Acte.

FIrst, before the beginning of the firste Acte, did sounde a dolefull and straunge noyse of violles, Cythren, Bandurion, and suche like, during the which, there came in vpon the Stage a King with an Imperiall Crowne vpon his head, very richely apparelled, a Scepter in his right hande, a Mounde with a Crosse in his left hande, sitting in a Chariote very richely furnished, drawne in by foure kinges in their Dublettes and Hosen, with Crownes also vpon their heades: Representing vnto vs Ambition, by the hystorie of Sesostres king of Egypt, who beeing in his time and reigne a mightie Conquerour, yet not content to haue subdued many Princes, and taken from them their kingdomes and dominions, did in lyke maner cause those Kinges whome he had so ouercome, to drawe in his Chariote like Beastes and Oxen, thereby to content his vnbrideled ambitious desire. After he had beene drawne twyce about the Stage, and retyred, the Musicke ceased, and Iocasta the Queene issued out of hir house, beginning the first Acte, as followeth.

Iocasta the Queene issueth out of hir Pallace, before hir twelue Gentlemen very brauely apparelled, following after hir eight Gentlewomen, whereof foure be the Chorus that remayne on the Stage after hir departure. At hir entrance the Trumpettes sounded, and after she had gone once aboute the Stage, she turneth to one of hir moste trustie and estemed seruaunts, and vnto him she discloseth hir griefe, as foloweth.

The first Acte.

The first Scene.

IOCASTA. SERVVS.

O Faithfull seruaunt of mine auncient sire,

Though vnto thée, sufficiently be knowen

The whole discourse of my recurelesse griefe

By seing me from Princes royall state

Thus basely brought into so great contempt,

As mine owne sonnes repine to heare my plaint,

Now of a Quéene but barely bearing name,

Seyng this towne, seyng my fleshe and bloude,

Against it selfe to leuie threatning armes,

(Wherof to talke my heart it rendes in twaine)

Yet once againe, I must to thée recompte

The wailefull thing that is alredy spred,

Bycause I know, that pitie will compell

Thy tender hart, more than my naturall childe,

With ruthfull teares to mone my mourning case.

Ser.

My gracious Quéene, as no man might surmount

The constant faith I beare my souraine lorde,

So doe I thinke, for loue and trustie zeale,

No sonne you haue, doth owe you more than I:

For hereunto I am by dutie bounde,

With seruice méete no lesse to honor you,

Than that renoumed prince your déere father.

And as my duties be most infinite,

So infinite, must also be my loue:

Then if my life or spending of my bloude

May be employed to doe your highnesse good,

Commaunde (O quéene) commaund this carcasse here.

In spite of death to satisfie thy will,

So, though I die, yet shall my willing ghost

Contentedly forsake this withered corps,

For ioy to thinke I neuer shewde my selfe

Ingratefull once to suche a worthy Quéene.

Ioca.

Thou knowst what care my carefull father tooke,

In wedlockes sacred state to settle me

With Laius, king of this vnhappie Thebs,

That most vnhappie nowe our Citie is:

Thou knowst, how he, desirous still to searche

The hidden secrets of supernall powers,

Unto Diuines did make his ofte recourse,

Of them to learne when he should haue a sonne,

That in his Realme might after him succéede:

Of whom receiuing answere sharpe and sowre,

That his owne sonne should worke his wailful ende,

The wretched king (though all in vayne) did séeke

For to eschew that could not be eschewed:

And so, forgetting lawes of natures loue,

No sooner had this paynfull wombe brought foorth

His eldest sonne to this desired light,

But straight he chargde a trustie man of his

To beare the childe into a desert wood,

And leaue it there, for Tigers to deuoure.

Ser.

O lucklesse babe, begot in wofull houre.

Ioc.

His seruant thus obedient to his hest,

Up by the héeles did hang this faultlesse Impe,

And percing with a knife his tender féete,

Through both the wounds did drawe the slender twigs,

Which béeing bound about his féeble limmes,

Were strong inough to holde the little soule.

Thus did he leaue this infant scarcely borne,

That in short time must néedes haue lost his life,

If destenie (that for our greater gréefes

Decréede before to kéepe it still alyue)

Had not vnto this childe sent present helpe:

For so it chaunst, a shepheard passing by,

With pitie moude, did stay his giltlesse death:

He toke him home, and gaue him to his wife,

With homelie fare to fede and foster vp:

Now harken how the heauens haue wroughte the way

To Laius death, and to mine owne decay.

Ser.

"Experience proues, and daily is it séene,

" In vaine, too vaine man striues against the heauens.

Ioca.

Not farre fro thence, the mightie Polibus,

Of Corinth King, did kepe his princely court,

Unto whose wofull wife (lamenting muche

She had no ofspring by hir noble phéere)

The curteous shepherd gaue my little sonne:

Which gratefull gift, the Quéene did so accept,

As nothing séemde more precious in hir sight:

Partly, for that, his faitures were so fine,

Partly, for that, he was so beautifull,

And partly, for bycause his comely grace

Gaue great suspicion of his royall bloude.

The infant grewe, and many yeares was demde

Polibus sonne, till tyme, that Oedipus

(For so he named was) did vnderstande

That Polibus was not his sire in déede,

Wherby forsaking frendes and countrie there,

He did returne to seke his natiue stocke:

And being come into Phocides lande,

Toke notice of the cursed oracle,

How first he shoulde his father doe to death,

And then become his mothers wedded mate.

Ser.

O fierce aspecte of cruell planets all,

That can decrée such seas of heynous faultes.

Ioca.

Then Oedipus, fraight ful of chilling feare,

By all meanes sought t'auoyde this furious fate,

But whiles he wéende to shunne the shamefull dede,

Unluckly guyded by his owne mishappe,

He fell into the snare that most he feared:

100

For loe, in Phocides did Laius lye,

To ende the broyles that ciuill discorde then

Had raysed vp in that vnquiet lande,

By meanes wherof my wofull Oedipus,

Affording ayde vnto the other side,

105

With murdring blade vnwares his father slewe.

Thus heauenly doome, thus fate, thus powers diuine,

Thus wicked reade of Prophets tooke effect:

Nowe onely restes to ende the bitter happe

Of me, of me his miserable mother.

110

Alas, howe colde I féele the quaking bloud

Passe too and fro within my trembling brest?

Oedipus, when this bloudy déede was doone,

Forst foorth by fatall doome, to Thebes came,

Where as ful soone with glory he atchieude

115

The crowne and scepter of this noble lande,

By conquering Sphinx that cruell monster loe,

That earst destroyde this goodly flouring soyle:

And thus did I (O hatefull thing to heare)

To my owne sonne become a wretched wife.

Ser.

120

No meruayle, though the golden Sunne withdrew

His glittering beames from suche a sinfull facte.

Ioca.

And so by him that from this belly sprang,

I brought to light (O cursed that I am)

As well two sonnes, as daughters also twayne:

125

But when this monstruous mariage was disclosde,

So sore began the rage of boyling wrath

To swell within the furious brest of him,

As he him selfe by stresse of his owne nayles,

Out of his head did teare his griefull eyne,

130

Unworthy more to see the shining light.

Ser.

Howe coulde it be, that knowing he had done

So foule a blot, he would remayne aliue?

Ioca.

"So déepely faulteth none, the which vnwares

" Dothe fall into the crime he can not shunne:

135

And he (alas) vnto his greater gréefe,

Prolongs the date of his accursed dayes,

Knowing that life dothe more and more increase

The cruell plagues of his detested gilte,

"Where stroke of griesly death dothe set an ende

140

" Unto the pangs of mans increasing payne.

Ser.

Of others all, moste cause haue we to mone

Thy wofull smarte (O miserable Quéene)

Suche and so many are thy gréeuous harmes.

Ioca.

Now to the ende this blinde outragious sire.

145

Should reape no ioy of his vnnaturall fruite,

His wretched sonnes, prickt foorth by furious spight,

Adiudge their father to perpetuall prison:

There buried in the depthe of dungeon darke,

(Alas) he leades his discontented lyfe,

150

Accursing still his stony harted sonnes,

And wishing all th'infernall sprites of hell,

To breathe suche poysned hate into their brestes,

As eche with other fall to bloudy warres,

And so with pricking poynt of piercing blade,

155

To rippe their bowels out, that eche of them

With others bloud might stayne his giltie hands,

And bothe at once by stroke of spéedie death

Be foorthwith throwne into the Stigian lake.

Ser.

The mightie Gods preuent so fowle a déede.

Ioca.

160

They to auoyde the wicked blasphemies,

And sinfull prayer of their angrie sire,

Agréed thus, that of this noble realme,

Untill the course of one full yere was runne,

Eteocles should sway the kingly mace,

165

And Polynice as exul should departe,

Till time expyrde: and then to Polynice

Eteocles should yéelde the scepter vp:

Thus yere by yere the one succéeding other,

This royall crowne should vnto bothe remayne.

Ser.

170

Oh thunbridled mindes of ambicious men.

Ioca.

Eteocles, thus plast in princely seate,

Drunke with the sugred taste of kingly raigne,

Not onely shut his brother from the crowne,

But also from his natiue country soyle.

175

Alas poore Polynice, what might he doe,

Uniustly by his brother thus betrayed?

To Argos he, with sad and heauie chéere

Forthwith conuayde him selfe, on whom at length

With fauning face good fortune smyled so,

180

As with Adrastus king of Argiues there,

He founde suche fauour and affinitie,

As to restore my sonne vnto his raigne,

He hath besedge this noble citie Thebes.

And hence procéedes, my most extreme annoye:

185

For, of my sonnes, who euer doe preuaile,

The victorie will turne vnto my griefe:

Alas, I feare (such is the chaunce of warre)

That one, or both shall purchase death therby.

Wherfore, to shunne the worst that may befall,

190

Thoughe comfortlesse, yet as a pitifull mother

Whom nature bindes to loue hir louing sonnes,

And to prouide the best for their auaile,

I haue thought good by prayers to intreate

The two brethren (nay rather cruell foes)

195

A while to staie their fierce and furious fight,

Till I haue tried by meanes for to appease,

The swelling wrath of their outraging willes.

And so with much to doe, at my request

They haue forborne vnto this onely houre.

Ser.

200

Small space god wot, to stint so great a strife.

Ioca.

And euen right now, a trustie man of mine,

Returned from the campe, enforming me

That Polynice will straight to Thebes come,

Thus of my woe, this is the wailefull some.

205

And for bycause, in vaine and bootelesse plainte

I haue small néede to spend this title time,

Here will I ceasse, in wordes more to bewray

The restlesse state of my afflicted minde,

Desiring thée, thou goe to Eteocles,

210

Hartly on my behalfe beseching him,

That out of hand according to his promise,

He will vouchsafe to come vnto my courte,

I know he loues thée well, and to thy wordes

I thinke thou knowst he will giue willing eare.

Ser.

215

(O noble Quéene) sith vnto such affayres

My spedie diligence is requisite,

I will applie effectually to doe

What so your highnesse hath commaunded me.

Ioca.

I wil goe in, and pray the Gods therwhile,

220

With tender pitie to appease my griefe.

Iocasta goeth off the stage into hir pallace, hir foure handmaides follovv hir, the foure Chorus also follovve hir to the gates of hir pallace, after comming on the stage, take their place, vvhere they continue to the end of the Tragedie.

SERVVS SOLVS.

"THe simple man, whose meruaile is so great

" At stately courts, and princes regall seates,

"With gasing eye but onely doth regarde

" The golden glosse that outwardly appeares,

225

"The crownes bedeckt with pearle and precious stones,

" The riche attire imbost with beaten golde,

"The glittering mace, the pompe of swarming traine,

" The mightie halles heapt full of flattering frendes,

"The huge chambers, the goodly gorgeous beddes,

230

" The gilted roofes, embowde with curious worke,

"The swéete faces of fine disdayning dames,

" The vaine suppose of wanton raigne at luste:

"But neuer viewes with eye of inward thought,

" The painefull toile, the great and greuous cares,

235

"The troubles still, the newe increasing feares,

" That princes nourish in their iealous brestes:

"He wayeth not the charge that Ioue hath laid

" On princes, how for themselues they raigne not:

"He wéenes, the law must stoope to princely will,

240

" But princes frame there noble wills to lawe:

"He knoweth not, that as the boystrous winde

" Doth shake the toppes of highest reared towres,

"So doth the force of frowarde fortune strike

" The wighte that highest sits in haughtie state.

245

Lo Oedipus, that sometime raigned king

Of Thebane soyle, that wonted to suppresse

The mightiest Prince, and kepe him vnder checke,

That fearfull was vnto his forraine foes,

Now like a poore afflicted prisoner,

250

In dungeon darke, shut vp from chéerefull light,

In euery part so plagued with annoy,

As he abhorres to leade a longer life,

By meanes wherof, the one against the other

His wrathfull sonnes haue planted all their force,

255

And Thebes here, this auncient worthy towne,

With threatning siege girt in on euerie side,

In daunger lyes to be subuerted quite,

If helpe of heauenly Ioue vpholde it not,

But as darke night succedes the shining day,

260

So lowring griefe comes after pleasant ioy.

Well now the charge hir highnesse did commaund

I must fulfill, though haplie all in vaine.

Seruus goeth off the stage by the gates called Electrae, Antygone attended vvith .iij. gentlevvomen and hir gouernour commeth our of the Queene hir mothers Pallace.

BAILO. ANTIGONE.

O Gentle daughter of King Oedipus,

O sister deare to that vnhappie wight

265

Whom brothers rage hath reaued of his right,

To whom, thou knowst, in yong and tender yeares

I was a friend and faithfull gouernour,

Come forth, sith that hir grace hath graunted leaue,

And let me knowe what cause hath moued nowe

270

So chaste a maide to set hir daintie foote

Ouer the thresholde of hir secrete lodge?

Since that the towne is furnishte euerywhere

With men of armes and warlike instrumentes,

Unto our eares there comes no other noyse,

275

But sounde of trumpe, and neigh of trampling stedes,

Which running vp and downe from place to place,

With hideous cries betoken bloude and death:

The blasing sunne ne shineth halfe so brighte,

As it was wont to doe al dawne of daye:

280

The wretched dames throughout the wofull towne,

Together clustring to the temples goe,

Beseching Ioue by way of humble plainte,

With tender ruthe to pitie their distresse.

An.

The loue I heare to my swéete Polynice,

285

My deare brother, is onely cause hereof.

Bai.

Why daughter, knowst thou any remedie

How to defend thy fathers citie here

From that outrage and fierce repyning wrathe,

Which he against it, iustly hath conceiued?

An.

290

Oh gouernour might this my faultlesse bloude

Suffise to stay my brethrens dyre debate,

With glad consent I coulde afford my life

Betwixt them both to plant a perfect peace:

But since (alas) I cannot as I woulde,

295

A hote desire inflames my feruent mind

To haue a sight of my swéete Pollynice.

Wherfore (good guide) vouchsafe to guide me up

Into some tower aboute this hugie court,

From whence I may behold our enemies campe,

300

Therby at least to féede my hungry eyes

But with the sight of my beloued brother:

Then if I die, contented shall I die.

Bai.

O princely dame, the tender care thou takste

Of thy deare brother, deserueth double praise:

305

Yet crau'st thou that, which cannot be obtainde,

By reason of the distance from the towne

Unto the plaine, where tharmie lies incampt:

And furthermore, besemeth not a maide

To shew hir selfe in such vnsemely place,

310

Wheras among such yong and lustie troupes

Of harebrainde souldiers marching to and fro,

Both honest name and honour is empairde:

But yet reioyce, sith this thy great desire,

Without long let, or yet without thy paine,

315

At wishe and will shall shortly be fulfillde.

For Palynice forthwith will hither come,

Euen I my selfe was lately at the campe,

Commaunded by the Quéene to bid him come,

Who laboureth still to linke in frendly league,

320

Hir iarring sonnes (which happe so hoped for,

Eftsones I pray the gracious gods to graunt)

And sure I am, that ere this houre passe,

Thou shalt him here in person safely sée.

Auti.

O louing frend, doest thou then warrant me,

325

That Polynice will come vnto this court?

Bai.

Ere thou be ware thou shalt him here beholde.

Anti.

And who (alas) doth warrant his aduenture,

That of Eteocles he take no harme?

Bai.

For constant pledge, he hath his brothers faith,

330

He hath also the truce that yet endures.

An.

I feare alas, alas I greatly feare,

Some trustlesse snare his cruell brother layes

To trappe him in.

Bai.

Daughter, god knowes how willing I would be

335

With swéete reliefe to comfort thy distresse,

But I cannot impart to thée, the good

Which I my selfe doe not as yet enioye.

The wailefull cause that moues Eteocles

With Pollinyce to enter ciuill warres

340

Is ouer great, and for this onely cause

Full many men haue broke the lawes of truth,

And topsy-turvy turned many townes.

"To gredie (daughter) too too gredie is

" Desire to rule and raigne in kingly state.

345

Ne can he bide, that swaise a realme alone

To haue another ioynde with him therin:

Yet must we hope for helpe of heauenly powers,

Sith they be iuste, their mercy is at hand,

To helpe the weake when worldly force doth faile.

An.

350

As both my brethren be, so both I beare

As much goodwill as any sister may,

But yet the wrong that vnto Pollinyce

This trothlesse tyrant hath vniustlie shewd,

Doth leade me more, to wishe the prosperous life,

355

Of Pollinyce, than of that cruell wretch.

Besides that, Pollinyce whiles he remainde

In Thebes here, did euer loue me more,

Than did Eteocles, whose swelling hate

Is towardes me increased more and more:

360

Wherof I partly may assure my selfe,

Considering he disdaynes to visite me,

Yea, happly he intends to reaue my life,

And hauing power he will not sticke to doe it.

This therefore makes me earnestly desire

365

Oftymes to sée him: yet euer as I thinke

For to discharge the duetie of a sister,

The feare I haue of hurt, doth chaunge as fast

My doubtfull loue into disdaynefull spight.

Bai.

Yet daughter, must ye trust in mightie Ioue,

370

His will is not, that for thoffence of one

So many suffer vndeserued smarte:

I meane of thée, I meane of Polinyce,

Of Iocasta thy wofull aged mother,

And of Ismena thy beloued sister.

375

Who though for this she dothe not outwardly

From drearie eyen distill lamenting teares,

Yet do I thinke, no lesse afflicting griefe

Dothe inwardly torment hir tender brest.

An.

Besides all this, a certayne ielousie,

380

Lately conceyude (I knowe not whence it springes)

Of Creon, my mothers brother, appaules me muche,

Him doubt I more than any danger else.

Bai.

Deare daughter, leaue this foolishe ielousie,

And séeing that thou shalt héere shortly finde

385

Thy brother Polinyce, go in agayne.

An.

O ioyfull would it be to me therwhile,

To vnderstande the order of the hoste,

Whether it be suche as haue sufficient power

To ouerthrowe this mightie towne of Thebs.

390

What place supplies my brother Polynice?

Where founde ye hym? what answere did he giue?

And though so great a care perteineth not

Unto a mayde of my vnskilfull yeres,

Yet, for bicause my selfe partaker am

395

Of good and euill with this my countrey soyle,

I long to heare thée tell those fearfull newes,

Which otherwise I can not vnderstande.

Bai.

So noble a desire (O worthy dame)

I muche commende: and briefly as I can,

400

Will satisfie thy hungry minde herein.

The power of men that Polinyce hath brought,

(Wherof he, (being Adrastus sonne in lawe)

Takes chiefest charge) is euen the floure of Grece,

Whose hugie traine so mightie séemes to be,

405

As I sée not, how this our drouping towne

Is able to withstand so strong a siege.

Entring the fielde their armie did I finde

So orderly in forme of battaile set,

As though they would forthwith haue guien the charge:

410

In battailes seauen the host deuided is,

To eche of which, by order of the king,

A valiant knight for captaine is assignde:

And as you know this citie hath seuen gates,

So euerie captaine hath his gate prescribde,

415

With fierce assault to make his entrie at.

And further, passing through our frouning foes

(That gaue me countenance of a messanger)

Harde by the King I spied Pollinyce,

In golden glistring armes most richely cladde,

420

Whose person many a stately prince enpalde,

And many a comely crowned head enclosde:

At sight of me his colour straight he chaungde

And like a louing childe in clasped armes

He caught me vp, and frendly kist my cheke,

425

Then hearing what his mother did demaunde

With glad consent according to hir hest

Gaue me his hand, to come vnto the court,

Of mutuall truce desirous so he séemde,

He askt me of Antygone, and Ismena,

430

But chiefelie vnto thée aboue the rest

He gaue me charge most hartely to commend him.

An.

The gods giue grace he may at length possesse

His kingly right and I his wished sight.

Bai.

Daughter no more, t'is time ye nowe returne

435

It standeth not with the honor of your state

Thus to be séene suspiciouslie abrode:

"For vulgar tongues are armed euermore

" With slaunderous brute to bleamishe the renoume

"Of vertues dames, which though at first it spring

440

" Of slender cause, yet doth it swell to fast,

"As in short space it filleth euerie eare

" With swifte report of vndeserued blame:

"You cannot be too curious of your name,

" Fond shewe of euill (though still the minde be chast)

445

"Decayes the credite oft, that Ladies had,

" Sometimes the place presumes a wanton mynde:

"Repayre sometymes of some, doth hurt their honor:

" Sometimes the light and garishe proude attire

"Persuades a yelding bent of pleasing youthes.

450

The voyce that goeth of your vnspotted fame,

Is like a tender floure, that with the blast

Of euerie litle winde doth fade away.

Goe in déere childe, this way will I goe sée

If I can méete thy brother Pollinyce.

Antigone vvith hir maides returneth into hir mothers pallace, hir gouernour goeth oure by the gates Homoloydes.

CHORVS.

455

IF gréedie lust of mans ambitious eye

(That thristeth so for swaye of earthly things)

Would eke foresée, what mischiefes growe therby,

What carefull toyle to quiet state it brings,

What endlesse griefe from such a fountaine springs:

460

Then should he swimme in seas of swéete delight,

That nowe complaines of fortunes cruell spight.

For then he would so safely shielde himselfe

With sacred rules of wisedomes sage aduise,

As no alluring trayne of trustles pelfe,

465

To fonde affectes his fancie should entise,

Then warie héede would quickly make him wise:

Where contrary (such is our skillesse kind)

We most doe séeke, that most may hurt the minde.

Amid the troupe of these vnstable toyes,

470

Some fancies loe to beautie most be bent,

Some hunt for wealth, and some set all their ioyes,

In regall power of princely gouernement,

Yet none of these from care are cleane exempt:

For either they be got with grieuous toyle,

475

Or in the ende forgone with shamefull fayle.

This flitting world doth firmely nought retaine,

Wherin a man may boldly rest his trust,

Such fickle chaunce in fortune doth remaine,

As when she lust, she threatneth whom she lust,

480

From high renoume to throwe him in the dust:

Thus may we sée that eche triumphing ioye

By fortunes froune is turned to annoye.

Those elder heads may well be thought to erre,

The which for easie life and quiet dayes,

485

The vulgar sort would séeme for to preferre.

If glorious Phoebe, with-holde his glistring rayes,

From such a péere as crowne and scepter swayes,

No meruaile though he hide his heauenly face,

From vs that come of lesse renounied race.

490

Selde shall you sée the ruine of a Prince,

But that the people eke like brunt doe beare,

And olde recordes of auncient time long since,

From age to age, yea almost euerie where,

With proofe hereof hath glutted euery eare:

495

Thus by the follies of the princes harte,

The bounden subiect stil receiueth smart.

Loe, how vnbrideled lust of priuate raigne,

Hath pricked both the brethren vnto warre:

Yet Pollinyce, with signe of lesse disdaine,

500

Against this lande hath brought from countries farre,

A forraine power, to end this cruell iarre,

Forgetting quite the dutie, loue, and zeale,

He ought to beare vnto this common weale.

But whosoeuer gets the victorie,

505

We wretched dames, and thou O noble towne,

Shall féele therof the wofull miserie▪

Thy gorgeous pompe, thy glorious high renoume,

Thy stately towers, and all shall fall a downe,

Sith raging Mars will eache of them assist

510

In others brest to bathe his bloudie fist.

But thou O sonne of Semele, and of Ioue,

(That tamde the proude attempt of giaunts strong)

Doe thou defende, euen of thy tender loue,

Thy humble thralls from this afflicting wrong,

515

Whom wast of warre hath now tormented long:

So shall we neuer faile ne day ne night

With reuerence due thy prayses to resight. Done by F. Kinvvelmarshe.

Finis Actus primi.

Act II

Thorder of the seconde dumbe shevve.

BEfore the beginning of this seconde Acte dyd sound a very doleful noise of flutes, during the which there came in vpon the stage two coffines couered with hearce clothes, & brought in by .viij. in mourning weed, & accopanied with .viij. other mourners, & after they had caried the coffins about the stage, there opened & appeared a Graue, wherin they buried the coffins & put fire to them, but the flames did seuer & parte in twaine, signifying discord by the history of two brethren, whose discord in their life was not onely to be wondred at, but being buried both in one Tombe (as some writers affirme) the flames of their funeralls did yet part the one from the other in like manner, and would in no wise ioyne into one flame. After the Funerals were ended and the fire consumed, the graue was closed vp again, the mourners withdrew then off the stage, & immediately by the gates Homoloydes entred Pollinyces accompanied with vj. gentlemen and a page that carried his helmet and Target, he & his men vnarmed sauing their gorgets, for that they were permitted to come into the towne in time of truce, to the end Iocasta might bring the two brethren to a parle, and Pollinyces after good regard taken round about him, spake as followeth.

Actus. 2.

Scena. 1.

POLLINYCES. CHORVS. IOCASTA. ETEOCLES.

LOe here mine owne citie and natiue soyle,

Loe here the nest I ought to nestle in,

520

Yet being thus entrencht with mine owne towres,

And that, from him the safe conduct is giuen

Which doth enioye as much as mine should be,

My féete can treade no step without suspect:

For where my brother bides, euen there behoues

525

More warie scout than in an enemyes campe.

Yet while I may within this right hand holde

This brond, this blade, (vnyelden euer yet)

My life shall not be lefte without reuenge,

But here beholde the holy sancturie,

530

Of Bacchus eke the worthy Image loe,

The aultars where the sacred flames haue shotte,

And where of yore these giltlesse handes of mine

Full oft haue offered to our mightie gods.

I sée also a worthie companie

535

Of Thibane dames, resembling vnto me

The traine of Iocasta my deare mother:

Beholde them clad in clothes of griesly blacke,

That hellishe hewe that nay for other harmes

So well besemed wretched wightes to weare:

540

For why, ere long their selues themselues shall sée

(Gramercy to there princes tyrannie)

Some spoyled of their swéete and sucking babes,

Some lese their husband, other some their sire,

And some their friends that were to them full dere.

545

But now tis time to lay this sworde aside,

And eke of them to knowe where is the Quéene:

O woorthie dames, heauie, vnhappie ye,

Where resteth now the restlesse quéene of Thebes?

Chor.

O woorthie impe sprong out of worthie race,

550

Renoumed Prince, whome wée haue lookt for long,

And nowe in happie houre arte come to vs,

Some quiet bring to this vnquiet realme.

O quéene, O quéene, come foorth and sée thy sonne,

The gentle frute of all thy ioyfull séede.

Iocast.

555

My faithfull frendes, my deare beloued maydes,

I come at call, and at your wordes I moue

My féebled féete with age and agonie:

Where is my sonne? O tell me where is he,

For whome I sighed haue so often syth,

560

For whom I spende bothe nightes and dayes in teares?

Poli.

Here noble mother, here, not as the king,

Nor as a Citizen of stately Thebes,

But as a straunger nowe, I thanke my brother.

Iocast.

O sonne, O swéete and my desyred sonne,

565

These eyes they sée, these handes of myne thée touche,

Yet scarsly can this mynde beléeue the same,

And scarsly can this brused breast susteyne

The sodeyne ioye that is inclosde therein:

O gladsome glasse, wherein I sée my selfe.

Chor.

570

So graunt the Gods, that for our common good,

You fréendly may your sonnes bothe frendes beholde.

Iocast.

At thy departe, O louely chylde, thou lefte

My house in teares, and mée thy wretched dame,

Myrrour of martirdome, waymenting still

575

Th vnworthie exile thy brother thée gaue:

Ne was there euer sonne or friende farre off,

Of his deare frendes or mother so desyred,

As thy returne, in all the towne of Thebes.

And of my selfe more than the rest to speake,

580

I haue as thou mayste sée, cleane cast asyde

My princely roabes, and thus in worfull wéede,

Bewrapped haue these lustlesse limmes of myne:

Naught else but teares haue trickled from myne eyes,

And eke thy wretched blynde and aged syre,

585

Since first he hearde what warre twéene you there was,

As one that did his bitter cursse repent,

Or that he prayed to Ioue for your decaye,

With stretching string, or else with blouddie knyfe

Hath sought full ofte to ende his loathed lyfe.

590

Thou this meane whyle my sonne, hast lingred long

In farre and forreyn coastes, and wedded eke,

By whome thou mayste, (when heauens appoyntes it so)

Straunge issue haue by one a stranger borne,

Whiche gréeues me sore, and much the more deare chylde,

595

Bicause I was not present at the same,

There to performe thy louing mothers due.

But for I fynde thy noble matche so méete,

And woorthie bothe for thy degrée and byrthe,

I séeke to comforte thée by myne aduise,

600

That thou returne this citie to inhabite,

Whiche best of all may séeme to be the bowre,

Bothe for thy selfe and for thy noble spouse.

Forget thou then thy brothers iniuries,

And knowe deare chylde, the harme of all missehap,

605

That happes twixt you, must happe likewyse to mée:

Ne can the cruell swoorde so slightly touche

Your tender fleshe, but that the selfe same wounde

Shall déepely bruse this aged breast of myne.

Cho.

"There is no loue may be comparde to that▪

610

" The tender mother beares vnto hir chylde:

"For euen so muche the more it dothe encrease,

" As their griefe growes, or contentations cease.

Poli.

I knowe not mother, if I prayse deserue,

(That you to please, whome I ought not displease)

615

Haue traynde my selfe among my trustlesse foes:

But Nature drawes (whether he will or nill)

Eche man to loue his natue countrey soyle:

And who shoulde say, that otherwise it were,

His toung should neuer with his heart agrée.

620

This hath me drawne besyde my bounden due,

To set full light this lucklesse lyfe of myne:

For of my brother, what may I else hope,

But traynes of treason, force and falshoode bothe?

Yet neyther perill present, nor to come,

625

Can holde me from my due obedience:

I graunte I can not grieflesse, well beholde

My fathers pallace, the holie aultars,

Ne louely lodge wherein I fostred was:

From whence driuen out, and chaste vnworthily,

630

I haue too long aboade in forreyn coastes:

And as the growing gréene and pleasant plante,

Dothe beare freshe braunches one aboue an other,

Euen so amidde the huge heape of my woes,

Dothe grows one grudge more gréeuous than the rest,

635

To sée my deare and dolefull mother, cladde

In mournyng tyre, to tyre hir mourning mynde,

Wretched alonely for my wretchednesse,

So lykes that enimie my brother best:

Soone shall you see that in this wandring worlde,

640

No enmitie is equall vnto that

That darke disdayne (the cause of euery euill)

Dooth bréede full ofte in consangiunitie.

But Ioue, he knowes what dole I doe endure,

For you and for my fathers wretched woe,

645

And eke howe déepely I desyre to knowe

What wearre lyfe my louing sisters leade,

And what anoye myne absence them hath giuen.

Iocast.

Alas, alas, howe wrekefull wrath of Gods

Dothe still afflicte Oedipus progenie:

650

The fyrste cause was thy fathers wicked bedde,

And then (Oh why doe I my plagues recompte?)

My burdein borne, and your vnhappie birth:

"But néedes wée must with pacient heartes abyde,

" What so from high the heauens doe prouide.

655

With thée my chylde, fayne woulde I question yet

Of certaine things: ne woulde I that my woordes

Might thée anoye, ne yet renewe thy griefe.

Poli.

Saye on, deare mother, say what so you please,

What pleaseth you, shall neuer mée disease.

Iocast.

660

And séemes it not a heauie happe my sonne,

To be depriued of thy countrey coastes?

Poli.

So heauie happe as toung can not expresse.

Iocast.

And what may moste molest the mynde of man

That is exiled from his natiue soyle?

Poli.

665

The libertie hée with his countrey loste,

"And that he lacketh fréedome for to speake,

" What séemeth best, without controll or checke.

Iocast.

Why so? eche seruaunt lacketh libertie

To speake his mynde, without his masters leaue.

Poli.

670

"In exile, euery man, or bonde or frée,

" Of noble race, or meaner parentage,

"Is not in this vnlyke vnto the slaue,

" That muste of force obey to eche mans will,

"And prayse the péeuishnesse of eche mans pryde.

Iocast.

675

And séemed this so grieuous vnto thée?

Poli.

What griefe can greater he, that so constraynde,

Slauelyke to serue gaynst right and reason bothe,

Yea muche the more, to him that noble is,

By stately lyne, or yet by vertuous lyfe,

680

And hath a heart lyke to his noble mynde.

Iocast.

What helpeth moste in suche aduersitie?

Poli.

Hope helpeth moste to comfort miserie.

Ioca.

Hope to returne from whence he fyrst was driuen?

Poli.

Yea, hope that happeneth oftentymes to late,

685

And many die before suche hap may fall.

Iocast.

And howe didst thou before thy mariage sonne,

Mainteyne thy lyfe, a straunger so bestad?

Poli.

Sometyme I founde (though seldome so it were)

Some gentle heart, that coulde for curtesye,

690

Contente himselfe to succour myne estate.

Iocast.

Thy fathers friends and thyne, did they not helpe

For to reléeue that neked néede of thyne?

Poli.

Mother, he hath a foolishe fantasie,

"That thinkes to fynde a frende in miserie.

Iocast.

695

Thou myghtst haue helpe by thy nobilitie.

Poli.

"Couerd alas, in cloake of pouertie?

Iocast.

"Wel ought we then that are but mortall héere,

" Aboue all treasure counte our countrey deare:

Yet let me knowe my sonne, what cause thée moued

700

To goe to Grece?

Poli.

The flying fame that thundred in myne eares,

Howe king Adrastus, gouernour of Grece,

Was answered by Oracle, that he

Shoulde knitte in linkes of lawfull mariage,

705

His two faire daughters, and his onely heires,

One to a Lyon, th'other to a Boare:

An answere suche as eche man wondred at.

Iocast.

And how belongs this answere now to thée.

Poli.

I toke my gesse euen by this ensigne héere,

710

A Lyon loe, which I dyd alwayes beare:

Yet thynke I not, but Ioue alonely broughte

These handes of myne to suche an high exploite.

Iocast.

And howe yet came it to this straunge effect?

Poli.

The shining day had runne his hasted course,

715

And deawie night bespread hir mantell darke,

When I that wandred after wearie toyle,

To seke some harbrough for myne irked limmes,

Gan fynde at last a little cabbin, close

Adioyned faste vnto the stately walles,

720

Where king Adrastus helde his royall towres.

Scarce was I there in quiet well ycoucht,

But thither came an other exile eke,

Named Tydeus, who straue perforce to driue

Mée from this sorie seate, and so at laste,

725

Wée settled vs to fell and blouddie fight,

Whereof the rumour grewe so greate foorth with,

That straight the king enformed was thereof,

Who séeing then the ensignes that wée bare,

To be euen suche as were to him foresayde,

730

Chose eche of vs to be his sonne by lawe,

And sithens did solemnize eke the same.

Iocast.

Yet woulde I know, if that thy wyfe be suche

As thou canst ioy in hir? or what she is?

Poli.

O mother deare, fayrer ne wyser dame

735

Is none in Greece, Argia is hir name.

Iocast.

Howe couldst thou to this doubtefull enterprise,

So many bring, thus armed all at once?

Poli.

Adrastus sware, that he woulde sone restore

Unto our right both Tydeus, and me:

740

And fyrst for mée, that had the greater néede,

Whereby the best and boldest blouds in Greece,

Haue fellowed me vnto this enterpryse.

A thing both iuste and grieuous vnto mée,

Gréeuous I saye, for that I doe lamente

745

To be constrayned by suche open wrong,

To warre agaynst myne owne deare countrey féeres.

But vnto you (O mother) dothe pertaine

To stiute this stryfe, and bothe duliuer mée

From exile now, and eke the towne from siege:

750

For otherwise, I sweare you here by heauens,

Eteocles, who now doth me disdayne

For brother, shortly shall sée me his lorde.

I aske the seate, wherof I ought of right

Possesse the halfe, I am Oedipus sonne,

755

And yours, so am I true sonne to you both.

Wherfore I hope that as in my defence

The worlde will weygh, so Ioue will me assiste.

Eteocles commeth in here by the gates Electrae, himself armed, and before him .xx. gentlemen in armour, his tvvo pages, vvherof the one beareth his Target, the other his helme.

Chor.

Beholde O quéene, beholde O woorthie quéene,

Unwoorthie he, Eteocles here comes,

760

So, woulde the Gods, that in this noble realme

Shoulde neuer long vnnoble tyrant reigne,

Or that with wrong the right and doubtlesse heire,

Shoulde banisht be out of his princely seate.

Yet thou O quéene, so fyle thy sugred toung,

765

And with suche counsell decke thy mothers tale,

That peace may bothe the brothers heartes inflame,

And rancour yelde, that erst possest the same.

Eteocl.

Mother, beholde, youre hestes for to obey,

In person nowe am I resorted hither:

770

In haste therefore, fayne woulde I knowe what cause

With hastie spéede, so moued hath your mynde

To call me nowe so causelesse out of tyme,

When common wealth moste craues my onely ayde:

Fayne woulde I knowe, what queynt commoditie

775

Persuades you thus to take a truce for tyme,

And yelde the gates wide open to my foe,

The gates that myght our stately state defende,

And nowe are made the path of our decay.

Ioca.

"Represse deare son, those reging stormes of wrath,

780

" That so bedimme the eyes of thine intente,

"☞ But when disdaynes shrunke, or sette asyde,

" And mynde of man with leysure can discourse

"What séemely woordes his tale may best beseme,

" And that the toung vnfoldes without affectes

785

"Then may proceede an answere sage and graue,

" And euery sentence sawst with sobernesse:

Wherfore vnbende thyne angry browes deare chylde,

And caste thy rolling eyes none other waye,

That here doost not Medusaes face beholde,

790

But him, euen him, thy blood and brother deare.

And thou beholde, my Polinices eke,

Thy brothers face, wherin when thou mayst sée

Thine owne image, remember therwithall,

That what offence thou woldst to him were done,

795

The blowes therof rebounde vnto thy selfe.

And hereof eke, I would you both fore warne,

When frendes or brethren, kinsfolke or allies,

(Whose hastie heartes some angrie moode had moued)

Be face to face by some of pitie brought,

800

Who séekes to ende their discorde and debate:

They onely ought consider well the cause

For which they come, and cast out of their mynde

For euermore the olde offences past:

So shall swete peace driue pleading out of place

805

Wherfore the first shall Polinices be,

To tell what reason firste his mynde did rule,

That thus our walles with forrein foes enclosde

In sharpe reuenge of causelesse wrongs receiu'd,

As he alledgeth by his brothers doome:

810

And of this wicked woe and dire debate,

Some god of pitie be the equall iudge,

Whome I beséeche, to breath in both your breasts

A yelding hearte to déepe desire of peace.

Poli.

"My woorthie dame, I fynde that tryed truthe

815

" Doth beste beséeme a simple naked tale,

"Ne néedes to be with painted proces prickt,

" That in hir selfe hath no diuersitie,

"But alwayes shewes one vndisguysed face,

" Where déepe deceipt and lyes muste séeke the shade,

820

"And wrap their wordes in guilefull eloquence,

" As euer fraught with contrarietie:

So haue I often sayde, and say agayne,

That to auoide our fathers foule reproche

And bitter curse, I parted from this lande

825

With right good will, yet thus with him agréed,

That while the whirling wyngs of flying time

Might roll one yeare aboute the heauenly spheare,

So long alone he might with peace possesse

Our fathers seate in princely diademe,

830

And when the yeare should eke his course renue,

Might I succéede to rule againe as long.

And that this lawe might stil be kept for aye,

He bound him selfe by vowe of solemne oth

By Gods, by men, by heauen, and eke by earth:

835

Yet that forgot, without all reuerence

Unto the Gods, without respect to right,

Without respecte that reason ought to rule,

His faith and troth both troden vnder foote,

He still vsurps most tyrantlike with wrong

840

The right that doth of right to me belong.

But if he can with equall doome consent,

That I retourne into my natiue soile

To sway with him alyke the kingly seate

And euenly beare the bridle both in hand,

845

Deare mother mine I sweare by all the Gods

To raise with spéede the siege from these our walles,

And send the souldiers home from whence they came:

Which if he graunt me not, then must I do

(Though loth) as much as right and reason would,

850

To venge my cause that is both good and iust.

Yet this in heauen the Gods my records be,

And here in earth each mortall man may know,

That neuer yet my giltlesse heart did faile

Brotherly dutie to Eteocles,

855

And that causlesse he holdes me from mine own,

Thus haue I said O mother, euen as much

As néedefull is, wherein I me assure,

That in the iudgement both of good and badde,

My words may séeme of reason to procéede,

860

Constrained thus in my defence to speake.

Chor.

None may denie, O pere of princely race,

But that thy words are honest, good and iust,

And such as well be that song of thine.

Eteo.

"If what to some séemes honest, good and iust,

865

" Could séeme euen so in euery doubtfull mind,

"No darke debate nor quarell could arise:

" But looke, how many men so many minds,

"And that, that one man iudgeth good and iust,

" Some other déemes as déepely to be wrong.

870

To say the truth (mother) this minde of mine

Doth fléete full farre from that farfetch of his,

Ne will I longer couer my conceit:

If I could rule or reigne in heauen aboue,

And eke commaund in depth of derksome hell,

875

No toile ne trauell should my sprites abashe,

To make the way vnto my restlesse will,

To climbe aloft, nor downe for to descend.

Then thinke you not, that I can yeld consent

To yeld a parte of my possession,

880

Wherein I liue and lead the monarchie.

"A witlesse foole may euery man him gesse,

" That leaues the more and takes him to the lesse.

With this, reproch might to my name redound,

If he, that hath with forren power spoilde

885

Our pleasaunt fields, might reaue from me perforce,

What so he list by force of armes demand.

No lesse reproofe the citizens ensewes,

If I, for dread of Gréekish hosts, should graunt

That he might climbe to height of his desire.

890

In fine, he ought not thus of me to craue

Accord or peace, with bloudy sword in hand,

But with humilitie and prayer both.

For often is it séene, and proofe doth teach,

"Swete words preuaile, where sword and fire faile.

895

Yet this, if here within these stately walles

He list to liue, the sonne of Oedipus,

And not as king of Thebes, I stand content.

But let him thinke, since now I can commaunde,

This necke of mine shall neuer yeld to yoke

900

Of seruitude: let bring his banners splaide,

Let speare and shielde, sharpe sworde, and cyndring flames

Procure the parte that he so vainely claimes:

As long as life within this brest doth last,

I nill consent that he should reigne with me.

905

If lawe of right may any way be broke,

" Desire of rule within a climbing brest

"To breake a vow may beare the buckler best.

Cho.

"Who once hath past the bounds of honstie

" In ernest déedes, may passe it well in words.

Ioca.

910

O sonne, amongst so many miseries

This benefite hath croked age, I find,

That as the tracke of trustlesse time hath taught,

"It séeth muche, and many things discernes,

" Which recklesse youth can neuer rightly iudge.

915

Oh, cast aside that vaine ambition,

That corosiue, that cruell pestilence,

That most infects the minds of mortall men:

"In princely palace and in stately townes

" It crepeth ofte, and close with it conuayes,

920

"To leaue behind it damage and decayes:

" By it be loue and amitie destroyde,

"It breaks the lawes and common concord beates,

" Kingdomes and realmes it topsie turuie turnes,

And now, euen thée, hir gall so poisoned hath,

925

That the weake eies of thine affection

Are blinded quite, and sée not to them selfe

But worthy childe, driue from thy doubtfull brest

This monstrous mate, in steade whereof embrace

"Equalitie, which stately states defends

930

" And binds the mind with true and trustie knots

"Of friendly faith which neuer can be broke,

" This, man of right should properly possesse,

And who that other doth the more embrace,

Shall purchase paine to be his iust reward

935

By wrathfull wo or else by cruell death.

"This, first deuided all by equall bonds

" What so the earth did yeld for our auaile:

"This, did deuide the nights and dayes alike,

" And that the vaile of darke and dreadfull night,

940

"Which shrowds in misty clouds the pleasaunt light,

" Ne yet the golden beames of Phebus rayes

"Which cleares the dimmed ayre with gladsome gleames

" Can yet heape hath in either of them both.

If then the dayes and nights to serue our tourne

945

Content them selues to yeld each other place,

Well oughtest thou with waightie doome to graunt

Thy brothers right to rule the reigne with thée

Which heauens ordeyned common to you both:

If so thou nill O sonne O cruell sonne,

950

"In whose high brest may iustice builde hir boure

" When princes harts wide open lye to wrong?

Why likes thée so the tipe of tyrannie

With others losse to gather gréedy gaine?

"Alas howe farre he wanders from the truth

955

" That compts a pompe, all other to command,

"Yet can not rule his owne vnbridled wil,

" A vaine desire much riches to possesse

"Whereby the brest is brusde and bettered still,

" With dread, with daunger, care and cold suspecte,

960

"Who séekes to haue the thing we call inough,

" Acquainte him first with contentation,

"For plenteousnesse is but a naked name.

" And what suffiseth vse of mortall men,

"Shall best apaye the meane and modest hearts.

965

" These hoorded heapes of golde and worldly wealth

"Are not the proper goods of any one,

" But pawnes which Ioue powres out aboundantly

"That we likewise might vse them equally,

" And as he seemes to lende them for a time,

970

"Euen so in time he takes them home agayne,

" And would that we acknowledge euery houre,

"That from his handes we did the same receiue:

" Ther nothing is so firme and stayde to man,

"But whyrles about with whéeles of restlesse time.

975

Now if I should this one thing thée demaunde,

Which of these two thou wouldest chuse to kéepe,

The towne quiet or vnquiet tyrannie?

And wouldest thou saye I chuse my kingly cheare?

O witlesse answere sent from wicked heart,

980

For if so fall (which mightie Gods defende)

Thine enimies hand should ouercome thy might,

And thou shouldst sée them sacke the towne of Thebes,

The chastest virgins rauished for wrecke,

The worthy children in captiuitie,

985

" Then shouldest thou féele that scepter, crowne, & wealth

"Yéelde déeper care to sée them tane away,

" Than to possesse them yeldeth déepe content.

Now to conclude, my sonne, Ambition

Is it that most offendes thy thought,

990

Blame not thy brother, blame ambition

From whome if so thou not redéeme thy selfe,

I feare to sée thée buy repentance deare.

Ch.

Yea deare, too deare when it shal come too late,

Ioc.

And nowe to thée my Polinices deare,

995

I say that sillie was Adrastus reade,

And thou God knowes a simple sillie soule,

He to be ruled by thy heady will,

And thou, to warre against the Thebane walls,

These walls I say whose gates thy selfe should garde:

1000

Tell me I praye thée, if the Citie yéelde,

Or thou it take by force in bloudie fight,

(Which neuer graunt the Gods I them beséeke)

What spoyles? what Palmes? what signe of victorie

Canst thou set vp to haue thy countrie woonne?

1005

What title worthy of immortall fame,

Shall blased be in honor of thy name?

O sonne, deare sonne, beléeue thy trustie dame,

The name of glorie shall thy name refuse,

And flie full farre from all thy fonde attemptes.

1010

But if so fall thou shouldst be ouercome,

Then with what face canst thou returne to Greece,

That here hast lefte so many Greekes on grounde?

Eache one shall curse and blame thée to thy face,

As him that onely caused their decaye,

1015

And eke condemne Adrastus simple heade,

That such a phéere had chosen for his childe.

So may it fall, in one accursed houre,

That thou mayst loose thy wife and countrie both,

Both which thou mayst with little toyle attaine,

1020

If thou canst leaue high minde and darke disdaine.

Cho.

O mightie Gods of goodnesse, neuer graunt

Unto these euills, but set desired peace

Betwéene the hearts of these two friendly foes.

Ete.

The question that betwixt vs two is growen,

1025

Beléeue me mother, can not ende with wordes:

You waste your breath, and I but loose my time,

And all your trauell lost and spent in vaine:

For this I sweare, that peace you neuer get

Betwéene vs two, but with condition,

1030

That whilst I liue, I wil be Lord of Thebes.

Then set aside these vaine forewasted wordes,

And yéelde me leaue to go where néede doth presse:

And now good sir, get you out of these walles,

Unlesse you meane to buy abode with bloude.

Po.

1035

And who is he that séekes to haue my bloude,

And shall not shed his owne as fast as myne?

Ete.

By thee he standes, and thou standst him before,

Loe here the sworde that shall perfourme his worde.

Po.

And this shall eke mainteine my rightfull cause.

Ioc.

1040

O sonnes, dear sonnes, away with glittring armes,

And first, before you touch each others flesh,

With doubled blowes come pierce this brest of mine.

Po.

Ah wretch, thou art both vile and cowardlike,

Thy high estate estéemes thy life too deare.

Ete.

1045

If with a wretch or cowarde shouldest thou fighte,

Oh dastarde villaine, what first moued thée

With swarmes of Gréekes to take this enterprise?

Po.

For well I wist, that cancred heart of thine

Coulde sefely kepe thy heade within these walles,

1050

And flée the fielde when combate should be callde.

Ete.

This truce assured thée Polinices,

And makes thée bolde to gyue suche bosting wordes:

So be thou sure, that had this truce not bene,

Then long ere this, these handes had bene embrude,

1055

And eke this soyle besprinkled with thy bloude.

Po.

Not one small drop of my bloude shalt thou spill,

But buy it deare against thy cancred will.

Ioc.

O sonnes, my sonnes, for pittie yet refrayne.

Ch.

Good Gods, who euer sawe so strange a sight?

1060

True loue and friendship both be put to flight.

Po.

Yelde villein, yelde my right which thou with-holds.

Ete.

Cut of thy hope to reigne in Thebane walles,

Nought hast thou here, nor nought shal euer haue,

Away.

Po.

1065

O aultars of my countrie soyle.

Ete.

Whome thou art come to spoyle and to deface.

Po.

O Gods, giue eare vnto my honest cause.

Ete.

With forreine power his countrie to inuade.

Po.

O holy temples of the heauenly Gods.

Ete.

1070

That for thy wicked deedes do hate thy name.

Po.

Out of my kingdome am I driuen by force.

Ete.

Out of the which thou camest me to driue.

Po.

Punish O Gods this wicked tyrant here.

Ete.

Praye to the Gods in Greece and not in Thebes.

Po.

1075

No sauage beast so cruell nor vniust.

Ete.

Not cruell to my countrie like to thée.

Po.

Since from my right I am with wrong depriued.

Ete.

Eke from thy life if long thou tary here.

Po.

O father heare what iniuries I take.

Ete.

1080

As though thy diuelishe déedes were hid from him.

Po.

And you mother.

Eteo.

Haue done thou not deseruest

With that false tong thy mother once to name.

Po.

O deare Citie.

Eteo.

1085

When thou ariuest in Greece,

Chuse out thy dwelling in some mustie Moores.

Po.

I must depart, and parting must I prayse

Oh deare mother the depth of your good will.

Ioc.

O Sonne.

Eteo.

1090

Away I say out of these walls.

Po.

I can not chuse but must thy will obey,

Yet graunt me once my father for to sée.

Ete.

I heare no prayers of my enimie.

Po.

Where be my swéete sisters.

Eteo.

1095

And canst thou yet

With shamelesse tong once name thy noble race

That art become a common foe to Thebes?

Be sure thou shalt them neuer sée againe,

Nor other friend that in these walls remaine.

Po.

1100

Rest you in peace, O worthy mother myne.

Ioc.

Howe can that be and thou my ioye in warre?

Po.

Hence forth n'am I your ioy ne yet your sonne.

Ioc.

Alas the Heauens me whelme with all mishap.

Po.

Lo here the cause that stirreth me by wrong.

Ete.

1105

Much more is that he profereth vnto me.

Po.

Well, speake, darest thou come armed to the fielde?

Ete.

So dare I come, wherefore dost thou bemaunde?

Po.

For néedes or thou must ende this life of minde

Or quenche my thirst with pouring out thy bloud.

Eteo.

1110

Ah wretch, my thirst is all as drie as thine.

Io.

Alas and welaway, what heare I sonnes?

How can it be? deare children can it be

That brethrens hearts suche rancour should enrage?

Eteo.

And that right soone the proofe shall playnely shewe.

Io.

1115

Oh say not so, yet say not so deare sonnes.

Po.

O royall race of Thebes now take thine ende.

Cho.

God shield.

Eteo.

O slow & sluggish heart of mine,

Why do I stay t' embrew these slouthfull hands?

1120

But for his greater griefe I will departe,

And at returne if here I finde my foe,

This hastie hande shall ende our hote debate.

Eteocles here goeth out by the gates Electrae.

Po.

Deare Citizens, and you eternall Gods,

Beare witnesse with me here before the worlde,

1125

How this my fierce and cruell enimie,

Whom causelesse now my brother I do call,

With threats of death my lingring steps doth driue

Both from my right and from my countrey soyle,

Not as beséemes the sonne of Oedipus,

1130

But as a slaue, an abiect, or a wretche:

And since you be both pitifull and iuste,

Uouchsafe O Gods, that as I parte with griefe,

So may I yet returne with ioyfull spoyle

Of this accursed tyraunt, and he slayne

1135

I may recouer quietly mine owne.

Polinyces goeth out by the gates Homoloides.

Io.

O wretched wretche Iocasta, where is founde

The miserie that may compare to thine?

O would I had nor gasing eyes to sée,

Nor listning eares to heare that now I dread:

1140

But what remaynes, saue onely to entreate

That cruell dole would yet so curteous be

To reaue the breath out of this wofull brest,

Before I hearken to some wofull newes.

Rest you here dames, and pray vnto the Gods

1145

For our redresse, and I in that meane while

Will shut my selfe from sight of lothsome light.

Iocasta goeth into hir Pallace.

Cho.

O mightie God, the gouernour of Thebes,

Pitie with speede the payne Iocasta bydes,

And eke our néedes, O mightie Bacchus helpe,

1150

Bende willing care vnto our iust complaynt:

Leaue them not comfortlesse that trust in thée,

We haue nor golde nor siluer thée to giue,

Ne sacrifice to those thine aulters due,

In steede wherof we consecrate our hearts

1155

To serue thy will, and hestes for to obey.

VVhyles the Chorus if thus praying to Bacchus, Eteocles returneth by the gates called Electrae.

Actus. ij. Scena. ij.

ETEOCLES. CREON.

SInce I haue ridde mine enmie out of sight,

The best shall be, for Creon now to sende,

My mothers brother, that with him I may

Reason, consulte, conferre, and counsell bothe,

1160

What shall be best to vse in our defence,

Before we venter forth into the fielde.

But of this trauayle, loe, he me acquites

That comes in haste towards these royall towres.

Here Creon attended by foure gentlemen, cometh in by the gates Homoloydes.

Cre.

O mightie king, not causelesse nowe I come,

1165

To finde, that long haue sought your maiestie.

So to discharge the duetie that I owe

To you, by comfort and by counsell bothe.

Ete.

No lesse desire this harte of mine did presse,

To sende for thée Creon, since that in vayne

1170

My mother hath hir words and trauayle spent,

To reconcile Pollinices and me:

For he (so dull was his capacitie)

Did thinke, he could by dread of daunger, winne

My princely heart to yéelde to him this realme.

Cre.

1175

I vnderstande, the armie that he brings

Agaynst these walles, is suche, that I me doubte

Our cities force may scarce the same resist.

Yet true it is, that right and reason bothe

Are on our side, which bring the victorie

1180

Oftetimes: for we our countrey to defende,

They to subdue the same in armes are come.

But what I would vnto your highnesse shewe,

Is of more weight, and more behoues to knowe.

Ete.

And what is that? oh quickly tell it me.

Cre.

1185

A Gréeke prisner is come vnto my hands.

Ete.

And what sayth he that doth so muche importe?

Cre.

That euen already be their rankes in raye,

And streight will giue assault to these our walles.

Ete.

Then must I streight prepare our Citizens

1190

In glittring armes to marche into the fielde.

Cre.

O Prince (and pardon me) thy youthfull yeres

Nor sée them selfe, ne let thée once discerne,

What best behoueth in this doubtfull case.

"For Prudence, she that is the mightie quéene

1195

" Of all good workes, growes by experience,

"Which is not founde with fewe dayes seeking for.

Ete.

And were not this both sounde and wise aduise,

Boldly to looke our foemen in the face,

Before they spred our fields with hugie hoste,

1200

And all the towne beset by siege at once?

Cre.

We be but few; and they in number great.

Ete.

Our men haue yet more courage farre than they.

Cre.

That know I not, nor am I sure to say.

Ete.

Those eyes of thine in little space shall sée

1205

How many I my selfe can bring to grounde.

Cre.

That would I like, but harde it is to doe.

Ete.

I nill panne vp our men within the walles.

Cre.

In counsell yet the victorie consistes.

Ete.

And wilt thou then I vse some other reade?

Cre.

1210

What else? be still awhile, fir haste makes wast.

Ete.

By night I will the Camuassado giue.

Cre.

So may you do and take the ouerthrowe.

Ete.

The vauntage is to him that dothe assaulte.

Cre.

Yet skirmishe giuen by night is perillous.

Ete.

1215

Let set vpon them as they sit at meate.

Cre.

Sodayne assaults affray the minde no doubt,

But we had néede to ouercome.

Ete.

So shall we do.

Cre.

No sure, vnlesse some other counsell helpe.

Ete.

1220

Amid their trenches shall we them inuade?

Cre.

As who should say, were none to make defence.

Ete.

Should I then yeelde the Citie to my foes?

Cre.

No, but aduise you well if you be wise.

Ete.

That were thy parte, that knowest more than I.

Cre.

1225

Then shall I say that best doth séeme to me?

Ete.

Yea Creon yea, thy counsell holde I deare.

Cre.

Seuen men of courage haue they chosen out.

Ete.

A slender number for so great emprise.

Cre.

But they them chose for guides and capitaynes.

Ete.

1230

To suche an hoste? why they may not suffise.

Cre.

Nay, to assault the seuen gates of the citie.

Ete.

What then behoueth so bestad to done?

Cre.

With equall number sée you do them matche.

Ete.

And then commit our men in charge to them?

Cre.

1235

Chusing the best and boldest blouds in Thebes.

Ete.

And how shall I the Citie then defende?

Cre.

Well with the rest, for one man sées not all.

Ete.

And shall I chuse the boldest or the wisest?

Cre.

Nay both, for one without that other fayles.

Ete.

1240

"Force without wisedome then is litle worthe.

Cre.

That one must be fast to that other ioynde

Ete.

Creon I will thy counsell follow still,

For why, I hold it wise and trusty both,

And out of hand for now I will departe

1245

That I in time the better may prouide

Before occasion slip out of my handes,

And that I may this Pollinices quell:

For well may I with bloudy knife him slea

That commes in armes my countrie for to spoyle,

1250

But if so please to fortune and to fate

That other ende than I doe thinke may fall,

To thée my frend it resteth to procure

The mariage twixt my sister Antygone

And thy deare sonne Haemone, to whom for dowre

1255

At parting thus I promise to performe

As much as late I did beheste to thée:

My mothers bloude and brother deare thou arte,

Ne néede I craue of thée to garde hir well,

As for my father care I not, for if

1260

So chaunce I dye, it may full well be sayd

His bitter curses brought me to my bane,

Cre.

The Lord defend, for that vnworthy were.

Ete.

Of Thebes towne the rule and scepter loe

I néede nor ought it other wise dispose

1265

Than vnto thée, if I dye without heyre.

Yet longs my lingring mynde to vnderstande

The doubtfull ende of this vnhappie warre:

Wherfore I will thou send thy sonne to seke

Tyresias the deuine, and learne of him,

1270

For at my call I knowe he will not come

That often haue his artes and him reproude.

Cre.

As you commaund, so ought I to performe.

Ete.

And last, I thée and citie both commaund,

If fortune frendly fauour our attemptes,

1275

And make our men triumphant victors al,

That none there be so hardie ne so bolde

For Pollinices bones to giue a graue:

And who presumes to breake my heste herein,

Shall dye the death in penaunce of his paine,

1280

For thoughe I were by bloud to him conioynde

I part it now, and iustice goeth with me

To guide my steppes victoriously before.

Pray you to Ioue he deigne for to defende,

Our Citie safe both nowe and euermore.

Cre.

1285

Gramercie worthie prince, for all thy loue

And faithfull trust thou doest in me repose,

And if should hap, that I hope neuer shall,

I promise yet to doe what best behoues,

But chieflie this I sweare and make a vowe,

1290

For Pollinices nowe our cruell foe,

To holde the hest that thou doest me commaunde.

Creon attendeth Eteocles to the gates Electrae, he returneth and goeth out by the gates called Homoloydes.

CHORVS.

O Fierce and furious God, whose harmefull harte,

Reioyceth most to shed the giltlesse blood,

Whose headie wil doth all the world subuert,

1295

And doth enuie the pleasant mery moode,

Of our estate that erst in quiet stoode,

Why doest thou thus our harmelesse towne annoye,

Which mightie Bacchus gouerned in ioye?

Father of warre and death, that dost remoue

1300

With wrathfull wrecke from wofull mothers breast,

The trustie pledges of their tender loue,

So graunt the Gods, that for our finall rest,

Dame Uenus pleasant lookes may please thée best,

Wherby when thou shalt all amazed stand,

1305

The sword may fall out of thy trembling hand.

And thou maist proue some other way full well

The bloudie prowesse of thy mightie speare,

Wherwith thou raisest from the depth of hell,

The wrathfull sprites of all the furies there,

1310

Who when they wake, doe wander euery where,

And neuer rest to range aboute the coastes,

T'enriche that pit with spoile of damned ghostes.

And when thou hast our fieldes forsaken thus,

Let cruell discorde beare thée companie,

1315

Engirt with snakes and serpents venemous,

Euen she that can with red vermilion dye

The gladsome gréene that florished pleasantly,

And make the gréedie grounde a drinking cup,

To suy the bloud of murdered bodyes vp.

1320

Yet thou returne O ioye and pleasant peace,

From whence thou didst against our will departe,

Ne let thy worthie minde from trauell cease,

To chase disdaine out of the poysoned harte,

That raised warre to all our paynes and smarte,

1325

Euen from the brest of Oedipus his sonne,

Whose swelling pride hath all this iarre begonne.

And thou great God, that doth all things decrée,

And sitst on highe aboue the starrie skies,

Thou chiefest cause of causes all that bee,

1330

Regard not his offence but heare our cries,

And spedily redresse our miseries,

For what can we poore wofull wretches doe

But craue thy aide, and onely cleaue therto? Done by G. Gascoygne.

Finis Actus secundi.

Act III

The order of the thirde dumbe shevve.

BEfore the beginning of this .iij. Act did sound a very dolefull noise of cornettes, during the which there opened and appeared in the stage a great Gulfe, immediately came in .vj. gentlemen in their dublets and hose bringing vpon their shulders baskets full of earth and threwe them into the Gulfe to fill it vp, but it would not so close vp nor be filled. Then came the ladyes and dames that stoode by, throwing in their cheynes & Iewels, so to cause it stoppe vp and close it self, but when it would not so be filled, came in a kinghte with his sword drawen, armed at all poyntes, who walking twise or thrise about it, & perusing if, seing that it would neither be filled with earth nor with their Iewells and ornamentes, after solempne reuerence done to the gods, and curteous leaue taken of the Ladyes and standers by, sodeinly lepte into the Gulfe the which did close vp immediatly, betokening vnto vs the loue that euery worthy person oweth vnto his natiue contrie, by the historye of Curtius, who for the lyke cause aduentured the like in Rome. This done, blinde Tyresias the deuine prophete led in by hys daughter, and conducted by Meneceus the sonne of Creon, entreth by the gates Electrae, and sayth as followeth.

Actus. iij.

Scena 1.

TYRESIAS. CREON. MANTO. MENECEVS. SACERDOS.

THou trustie guide of my so trustlesse steppes

1335

Déer daughter mine go we, lead thou the way,

That since the day I first did léese this light

Thou only art the light of these mine eyes:

And for thou knowst I am both old & weake

And euer longing after louely rest,

1340

Derect my steppes amyd the playnest pathes,

That so my febled féete may féele lest paine.

Meneceus thou gentle childe, tell me,

It is farre hence, the place where we must goe,

Where as thy father for my comming stayes?

1345

For like vnto the slouthfull snayle I drawe,

Deare sonne, with paine these aged legges of mine,

Creon returneth be the gates Homoloydes.

And though my minde be quicke, scarce can I moue.

Cre.

Comfort thy selfe deuine, Creon thy frend

Loe standeth here, and came to méete with thée

1350

To ease the payne that thou mightest else sustaine.

"For vnto elde eche trauell yeldes annoy:

And thou his daughter and his faithfull guide,

Loe rest him here, and rest thou there withall

Thy virgins hands, that in sustayning him

1355

Doest well acquite the duetie of a childe.

" For crooked age and hory siluer heares

"Still craueth helpe of lustie youthfull yeares.

Tyr.

Gramercie Lord, what is your noble will?

Cre.

What I would haue of thée Tyresias

1360

Is not a thing so soone for to be sayde,

But rest a whyle thy weake and weary limmes

And take some breath now after wearie walke,

And tell I pray thée, what this crowne doth meane,

That sits so kingly on thy skilfull heade?

Tyr.

1365

Know this, that for I did with graue aduise,

Foretell the Citizens of Athens towne,

How they might best with losse of litle bloude,

Haue victories against their enimies,

Hath bene the cause why I doe weare this Crowne,

1370

As right rewarde and not vnméete for me.

Cre.

So take I then this thy victorious crowne,

For our auaile in token of good lucke,

That knowest, how the discord and debate

Which late is fallen betwene these brethren twaine,

1375

Hath brought all Thebes in daunger and in dreade.

Eteocles our king, with threatning armes,

Is gone against his gréekish enemies,

Commaunding me to learne of thée (who arte

A true deuine of things that be to come)

1380

What were for vs the safest to be done,

From perill now our country to preserue.

Tyr.

Long haue I bene within the towne of Thebes,

Since that I tyed this trustie toung of mine

From telling truth, fearing Eteocles:

1385

Yet, since thou doest in so great néede desire

I should reueale things hidden vnto thée,

For common cause of this our common weale,

I stand content to pleasure thée herein.

But first, that to this mightie God of yours

1390

There might some worthy sacrifice be made,

Let kill the fairest goate that is in Thebes,

Within whose bowells when the Préest shall loke,

And tell to me what he hath there espyed,

I trust t'aduyse thée what is best to doen.

Cre.

1395

Lo here the temple, and ere long I looke

To sée the holy préest that hither comes,

Bringing with him the pure and faire offrings,

Which thou requirest, for not long since, I sent

For him, as one that am not ignorant

1400

Of all your rytes and sacred ceremonyes:

He went to choose amid our herd of goates,

The fattest there: and loke where now he commes.

Sacerdos accompanyed vvith. xvth .xvj. becchanales and all his rytes and ceremonies entreth by the gates Homoloydes.

Sacer.

O famous Citizens, that holde full deare

Your quiet country: Loe where I doe come

1405

Most ioyfully, with wonted sacrifice,

So to beséeche the supreme Citizens,

To stay our state that staggringly do stand,

And plant vs peace where warre and discord growes:

Wherfore, with harte deuoute and humble chéere,

1410

Whiles I breake vp the bowels of this beast,

That oft thy vyneyarde Bacchus hath destroyed,

Let euery wight craue pardon for his faultes,

With bending knée about his aultars here.

Tyr.

Take here the salte, and sprinckle therwithall

1415

About the necke, that done, cast all the rest

Into the sacred fire, and then annoynte

The knife prepared for the sacrifice.

O mightie Ioue, preserue the precious gifte

That thou me gaue, when first thine angrie Quéene,

1420

For déepe disdayne did both mine eyes do out,

Graunt me, I may foretell the truth in this,

For, but by thée, I know that I ne may,

Ne will ne can, out trustie sentence say,

Sa.

This due is done.

Tyr.

1425

With knife then stick the kid.

Sac.

Thou daughter of deuine Tyresias,

With those vnspotted virgins hands of thine

Receiue the bloude within this vessell here,

And then deuoutly it to Bacchus yelde.

Man.

1430

O holy God of Thebes, that doest both praise

Swete peace and doest in hart also disdayne

The noysome noyse, the furies and the fight

Of bloudie Mars and of Bellona both:

O thou the giuer both of ioy and health,

1435

Receyue in grée and with well willing hand

These holy whole brunt offrings vnto thée,

And as this towne doth wholy thee adore,

So by thy helpe do graunt that it may stand

Safe from the enmyes outrage euermore.

Sac.

1440

Now in thy sacred name I bowell here

This sacrifice.

Tyre.

And what entralls hath it?

Sac.

Faire and welformed all in euery poynt,

The liuer cleane, the hart is not infect,

1445

Saue loe, I finde but onely one hart string

By which I finde somwhat I wote nere what,

That séemes corrupt, and were not onely that,

In all the rest, they are both sounde and hole.

Tyr.

Now cast at once into the holy flame

1450

The swete incense, and then aduertise mée

What hew it beares, and euery other ryte

That ought may helpe the truth for to coniecte.

Sac.

I see the flames doe sundrie colours cast,

Now bloudy sanguine, straight way purple, blew,

1455

Some partes séeme blacke, some gray, and some be gréene.

Tyr.

Stay there, suffyzeth this for to haue séene,

Know Creon, that these outward séemely signes

By that the Gods haue let me vnderstand

Who vnderstandeth al and séeth secrete things,

1460

Betokeneth that the Citie great of Thebes

Shall Uictor be against the Greekish host,

If so consent be giuen, but more than this

I lyst not say:

Cre.

Alas for curtesie

1465

Say on Tyresias, neuer haue respect

To any liuing man, but tell the truth.

Sacerdos returneth vvith the Bacchan by the gates homoloides.

Sac.

In this meane while I will returne with spéede

From whence I came, for lawfull is it not,

That suche as I should heare your secretnesse.

Tyr..

1470

Contrary then to that which I haue sayde,

The incest foule, and childbirth monstruous

Of Iocasta, so stirres the wrath of Ioue,

This citie shall with bloudy channels swimme,

And angry Mars shall ouercome it all.

1475

With famine, flame, rape, murther, dole and death:

These lustie towres shall haue a headlong fall,

These houses burnde, and all the rest be rasde,

And soone be sayde, here whilome Thebes stoode.

One onely way I finde for to escape,

1480

Which bothe would thée displease to heare it tolde,

And me to tell percase were perillous.

Thée therfore with my trauell I commende

To Ioue, and with the rest I will endure,

What so shall chaunce for our aduersitie.

Cre.

1485

Yet stay a whyle.

Tyr.

Creon make me not stay

By force.

Cre.

Why fléest thou?

Tyr.

Syr 'tis not from thée

1490

I flée, but from this fortune foule and fell.

Cre.

Yet tell me what behoues the citie doe?

Tyr.

Thou Creon séemest now desirous still

It to preserue: but if as well as I

Thou knewest that which is to thée vnknowne,

1495

Then wouldste thou not so soone consent therto.

Cre.

And would not I with eagre minde desire

The thing that may for Thebes ought auayle?

Tyr.

And dost thou then so instantly request

To know which way thou mayest the same preserue?

Cre.

1500

For nothing else I sent my sonne of late

To séeke for thée.

Tyr.

Then will I satisfie

Thy gréedie minde in this: but first tell me,

Menetius where is he?

Cre.

1505

Not farre from me.

Tyr.

I pray thée sende him out some other where.

Cre.

Why wouldest thou that he should not be here?

Tyr.

I would not haue him heare what I should say.

Cre.

He is my sonne, ne will he it reueale.

Tyr.

1510

And shall I then while he is present speake?

Cre.

Yea, be thou sure that he no lesse than I,

Doth wishe full well vnto this common weale.

Tyr.

Then Creon shalt thou knowe: the meane to saue

This Citie, is, that thou shalt slea thy sonne,

1515

And of his bodie make a sacrifice

For his Countrey: lo héere is all you séeke

So muche to knowe, and since you haue me forst

To tell the thing that I would not haue tolde,

If I haue you offended with my words,

1520

Blame then your selfe, and eke your frowarde fate.

Cre.

cruell words, oh, oh, what hast thou sayde,

Thou cruell southsayer?

Tyr.

Euen that, that heauen

Hath ordeined once, and needes it must ensue.

Cre.

1525

Howe many euils hast thou knit vp in one?

Tyr.

Though euill for thée, yet for thy countrey good.

Cre.

And let my countrey perishe, what care I?

Tyr.

"Aboue all things we ought to holde it deare.

Cre.

Cruell were he, that would not loue his childe.

Tyr.

1530

"For como weale, were well, that one man waile.

Cre.

To loose mine owne, I liste none other saue.

Tyr.

"Best Citizens care least for priuate gayne.

Cre.

Departe, for nowe, with all thy prophecies.

Tyr.

"Lo, thus the truthe dothe alwayes hatred get.

Cre.

1535

Yet pray I thée by these thy siluer heares,

Tyr.

"The harme that comes from heauen can not be scapt.

Cre.

And by thy holy spirite of prophecie,

Tyr.

"What heauen hath done, that can not I vndoe.

Cre.

"That to no moe this secrete thou reueals.

Tyr.

1540

And wouldst thou haue me learne to make a lye?

Cre.

I pray thée holde thy peace.

Tyr.

That will I not:

But in thy woe to yéelde thée some reliefe,

I tell thée once, thou shalt be Lorde of Thebes.

1545

Which happe of thine this string did well declare,

Which from the heart doth out alonely growe.

So did the péece corrupted playnly shewe,

An argument most euident to proue

Thy sonne his death.

Cre.

1550

Well, yet be thou content

To kéepe full close this secrete hidden griefe.

Tyr.

I neither ought, ne will kéepe it so close.

Cre.

Shall I be then the murtherer of mine owne?

Tyr.

Ne blame not me, but blame the starres for this.

Cre.

1555

Can heauens condemne but him alone to dye?

Tyr.

We ought beléeue the cause is good and iust.

Cre.

"Uniust is he condemnes the innocent.

Tyr.

"A foole is he accuseth heauens of wrongs.

Cre.

"There can no ill thing come from heauens aboue.

Tyr.

1560

Then this that heauen commaunds can not be ill.

Cre.

I not beléeue that thou hast talkt with God.

Tyr.

Bicause I tell thée that doth thée displease.

Cre.

Out of my sight accursed lying wretche.

Tyr.

Go daughter go, oh what a foole is he

1565

That puts in vre to publishe prophecies?

"For if he do foretell a frowarde fate,

" Though it be true, yet shall he purchase hate:

"And if he silence kéepe, or hide the truth,

" The heauy wrath of mightie Gods ensuth.

1570

Apollo he might well tell things to come,

That had no dread the angry to offende:

But hye we daughter hence some other way.

Tyresias vvith Manto his daughter, returneth by the gates called Electrae.

Scena. ij.

CREON. MENECEVS.

OH my deare childe, well hast thou heard with eare

These wéery newes, or rather wicked tales

1575

That this deuine of thee deuined hath:

Yet will thy father neuer be thy foe,

With cruell doome thy death for to consent.

Me.

You rather ought, O father, to consent

Unto my death, since that my death may bring

1580

Unto this towne bothe peace and victorie.

"Ne can I purchase more prayseworthy deathe

" Than for my countreys wealth to lose my breath.

Cre.

I can not prayse this witlesse will of thine.

Me.

"You know deare father, that this life of ours

1585

" Is brittle, short, and nothing else in déede

"But tedious toyle and pangs of endlesse payne:

" And death, whose darte to some men séemes so fell,

"Brings quiet ende to this vnquiet life.

" Unto which ende who soonest doth arriue,

1590

"Findes soonest rest of all his restlesse griefe.

" And were it so, that here on earth we felte

"No pricke of payne, nor that our flattring dayes

" Were neuer dasht by frowarde fortunes frowne,

"Yet béeing borne (as all men are) to dye,

1595

" Were not this worthy glory and renowne,

"To yéelde the countrey soyle where I was borne,

" For so long time, so shorte a time as mine?

I can not thinke that this can be denied.

Then if to shunne this haughtie highe behest,

1600

Mine onely cause, O father, doth you moue,

Be sure, you séeke to take from me your sonne,

The greatest honor that I can attayne:

But if your owne commoditie you moue,

So much the lesse you ought the same allowe:

1605

For looke, how much the more you haue in Thebes,

So much the more you ought to loue the same:

Here haue you Hemone, he that in my steade

(O my deare father) may with you remaine,

So that, although you be depriued of me,

1610

Yet shall you not be quite depriued of heires.

Cre.

I can not chuse, deare sonne, but disalowe

This thy too hastie, hote desire of death:

For if thy life thou settest all so lighte,

Yet oughtest thou thy father me respect,

1615

Who as I drawe the more to lumpishe age,

So much more néede haue I to craue thine ayde:

Ne will I yet, with stubborne tong denye,

"That for his common weale to spende his life,

" Doth win the subiect high renoumed name.

1620

"But howe? in armoure to defende the state,

" Not like a beast to bléede in sacrifice:

And therewithall, if any should consent

To such a death, then should the same be I,

That haue prolonged life euen long enough,

1625

Ne many dayes haue I nowe to drawe on.

And more auaile might to the countrie come,

Deare sonne, to holde that lustie life of thine

That arte both yong and eke of courage stout,

Than may by me that féeble am and olde.

1630

Then liue deare sonne in high prosperitie,

And giue me leaue that worthy am to dye.

Mene.

Yet worthy were not that vnworthy chaunge.

Cre.

If such a death bring glorie, giue it me,

Mene.

Not you, but me, the heauens cal to die.

Cre.

1635

We be but one in flesh and body both.

Mene.

I father ought; so ought not you, to die.

Cre.

If thou sonne die, thinke not that I can line:

Then let me die, and so shall he first die,

That ought to die, and yet but one shal die.

Me.

1640

Although I, father, ought t'obey your hestes,

Yet euil were not to this yelde your wil.

Cre.

Thy wit is wylie for to worke this wo.

Me.

Oh, tender pittie moueth me thereto.

Cre.

"A beast is he, that kils himselfe with knife,

1645

" Of pittie to preserue an others life.

Me.

"Yet wise is he, that doth obey the Gods.

Cre.

The Gods will not the death of any wight.

Me.

"Whose life they take, they giue him life also.

Cre.

But thou dost striue to take thy life thy selfe.

Me.

1650

Nay them to obey, that will I shall not liue.

Cre.

What fault, O sonne, condemneth thée to death?

Me.

"Who liueth (father) here without a fault?

Cre.

I sée no gylte in thée that death deserues.

Me.

But God it séeth that euery secrete séeth.

Cre.

1655

Howe shoulde we knowe what is the will of God?

Me.

We knowe it then, when he reueales the same.

Cre.

As though he woulde come doune to tell it vs.

Me.

By diuers meanes his secrets he discloseth.

Cre.

Oh, fonde is he, who thinkes to vnderstand

1660

The mysteries of ioue his secrete mynde:

And for to ende this controuersie here,

Loe thus I say, I will we both liue yet:

Prepare thée then, my hestes to holde and kéepe,

And pull a downe that stubborne heart of thyne.

Me.

1665

You may of me, as of your selfe dispose,

And since my life doth séeme so deare to you,

I will preserue the same to your auaile,

That I may spende it alwayes to your will.

Cre.

Then▪ thée behoues out of this towne to flie:

1670

Before the bolde and blinde Tyresias

Doe publish this that is as yet vnknowne.

Me.

And where, or in what place shall I become?

Cre.

Where thou mayste be hence furthest out of sight.

Me.

You may commaunde, and I ought to obey.

Cre.

1675

Go to the lande of Thesbeotia.

Me.

Where Dodona doth fit in sacred chaire?

Cre.

Euen there my childe.

Me.

And who shal guide my wandring steps?

Cre.

high Ioue.

Me.

1680

Who shall giue sustenance for my reliefe?

Cre.

There will I sende thée heapes of glistring golde.

Me.

But when shall I eftesoones my father sée?

Cre.

Cre long I hope: but nowe, for nowe depart,

For euery lingring let or little stay,

1685

May purchase payne and torment both to me.

Me.

First woulde I take my conge of the Quéene,

That since the day my mother lost hir life,

Hath nourisht me as if I were hir owne.

Creon goeth out by the gates Homoloydes.

Cre.

Oh, tarry not my deare sonne, tarry not.

Me.

1690

Beholde father, I goe. You dames of Thebes.

Praye to almightie Ioue for my retourne,

You sée howe mine vnhappie starres me driue

To go my countrie fro, and if so chaunce,

I ende in woe my pryme and lustie yeares

1695

Before the course of Nature do them call,

Honor my death yet with your drery plaints,

And I shal eke, where so this carkas come,

Praye to the Gods that they preserue this towne.

Meneceus departeth by the gates Electrae.

CHORVS.

WHen she that rules the rolling whéele of chaunce,

1700

Doth turne aside hir angrie frowning face,

On him, whom erst she deigned to aduaunce,

She neuer leaues to galde him with disgrace,

To tosse and turne his state in euery place,

Till at the last she hurle him from on high

1705

And yeld him subiect vnto miserie:

And as the braunche that from the roote is reft,

He neuer winnes like life to that he lefte:

Yea though he do, yet can no tast of ioy

Compare with pangs that past in his annoy.

1710

Well did the heauens ordeine for our behoofe

Necessitie, and fates by them allowde,

That when we see our high mishappes aloofe

(As me our eyes were mufled with a cloude)

Our froward will doth shrinke it selfe and shrowde

1715

From our auaile, wherewith we runne so farre

As none amends can make that we do marre:

Then drawes euill happe & striues to shew his strength,

And such as yeld vnto his might, at length

He leades them by necessitie the way

1720

That destinie preparde for our decay.

The Mariner amidde the swelling seas

Who séeth his barke with many a billowe beaten,

Now here, now there, as wind and waues best please,

When thundring Ioue with tempest list to threaten,

1725

And dreades in depest gulfe for to be eaten,

Yet learnes a meane by mere necessitie

To saue him selfe in such extremitie:

For when he seeth no man hath witte nor powre

To flie from fate when fortune list to lowre,

1730

His only hope on mightie Ioue doth caste,

Whereby he winnes the wished hauen at last.

How fond is that man in his fantasie,

Who thinks that Ioue the maker of vs al,

And he that tempers all in heauen on high,

1735

The sunne, the mone, the starres celestiall,

So that no leafe without his leaue can fall,

Hath not in him omnipotence also

To guide and gouerne all things here below?

O blinded eies, O wretched mortall wights,

1740

O subiect slaues to euery euill that lights,

To scape such woe, such paine, such shame and scorne,

Happie were he that neuer had bin borne.

Well might duke Creon driuen by destinie,

If true it be that olde Tyresias saith,

1745

Redeme our citie from this miserie,

By his consent vnto Meneceus death,

Who of him selfe wold faine haue lost his breth,

"But euery man is loth for to fulfill

" The heauenly hest that pleaseth not his will:

1750

"That publique weale must néedes to ruine go

" Where priuate profite is preferred so.

Yet mightie God, thy only aide we craue,

This towne from siege, and vs from sorrowe saue.

Finis Actus tertij.

Act IV

The order of the fourth dumbe shevve.

BEfore the beginning of this fourth Acte, the Trumpets sounded, the drummes and fifes, and a greate peale of ordinaunce was shot of, in the which ther entred vpon the stage .vj. knights armed at al points, whereof three came in by the Gates Electrae, and the other foure by the Gates Homoloides, either parte beeing accompanied with vij, other armed men: and after they had marched twice or thrice about the Stage, the one partie menacing the other by their furious lookes and gestures, the .vj. knights caused their other attendants to stand by, and drawing their Swords, fell to cruell and couragious combate, continuing therein, till two on the one side were slayne: the third perceiuing, that he only remayned to withstand the force of .iij. enemies, did politiquely runne aside, wherewith immediatly one of the .iij. followed after him, and when he hadde drawen his enimie thus from his companie, hee turned againe and slewe him: Then the seconde also ranne after him, whome he slewe in like manner, and consequently the thirde, and then triumphantly marched aboute the Stage with hys sword in his hand. Hereby was noted the incomparable force of concord betweene brethren, who as long as they holde togither may not easily by any meanes be ouercome, and being once disseuered by any meanes, are easily ouerthrowen. The history of the brethren Horatij & Curiatij, who agreed to like combate and came to like ende. After that the dead carkasses were caried from the Stage by the armed men on both parties, and that the victor was triumphantly accompanied out, also came in a messanger armed from the campe, seeking the Queene, and to hir spake as followeth.

Actus. iiij.

Scena. j.

NVNCIVS IOCASTA.

Nuncius commeth in by the gates Homoloides

O Sage and sober dames, O shamefast maides,

1755

O faithfull seruants of our aged Quéene,

Come leade hir forth, sith vnto hir I bring

Such secrete newes as are of great importe.

Come forthe, O Quéene, surcease thy wofull plainte,

And to my words vouchsafe a willing eare.

The Queene vvith hir traine commeth out of hir Pallace.

Ioca.

1760

My seruant deare, doest thou yet bring me newes

Of more mishappe? ah werie wretch, alas,

How doth Eteocles? whome heretofore

In his encreasing yeares, I wonted ay

From daungerous happe with fauoure to defend,

1765

Doth he yet liue? or hath vntimely death

In cruell fight berefte his flowring life?

Nun.

He liues (O Quéene) hereof haue ye no doubte,

From such suspecte my selfe will quite you soone.

Ioca.

The ventrous Gréekes haue haply tane the toune.

Nun.

1770

The Gods forbid.

Ioca.

Our souldiers then, perchance,

Dispersed bene and yelden to the sword.

Nun.

Not so, they were at first in daunger sure,

But in the end obteined victorie.

Ioca.

1775

Alas, what then becoÌ„mes of Polinice?

Oh canst thou tell? is he dead or aliue?

Nun.

You haue (O Quéene) yet both your sonnes aliue.

Ioca.

Oh, how my harte is eased of this paine.

Well, then procéede, and briefly let me heare,

1780

How ye repulst your proud presuming foes,

That thereby yet at least I may assuage

The swelling sorrowes in my dolefull brest,

In that the towne is hitherto preserude:

And for the rest, I trust that mightie Ioue

1785

Will yelde vs ayde.

Nun.

No soner had your worthy valiant sonne,

Seuerde the Dukes into seauen seuerall partes,

And set them to defence of seuerall gates,

And brought in braue arraye his horssemen out,

1790

First to encounter with their mightie foen,

And likewise pitcht, the footemen face to face

Against the footemen of their enimies,

But fiercely straight, the armies did approche,

Swarming so thicke, as couerde cleane the fielde,

1795

When dreadfull blast of braying trumpets sounde,

Of dolefull drummes, and thundring cannon shot,

Gaue hideous signe of horrour of the fight,

Then gan the Greekes to giue their sharpe assaulte,

Then from the walls our stout couragious men,

1800

With rolling stones, with paisse of hugie beames,

With flying dartes, with flakes of burning fire,

And deadly blowes, did beate them backe againe:

Thus striuing long, with stout and bloudie fighte,

Whereby full many thousande slaughtered were,

1805

The hardie Greekes came vnderneath the walls,

Of whome, first Capaney (a lustie Knight)

Did scale the walls, and on the top thereof

Did vaunt himselfe, when many hundred moe,

With fierce assaultes did followe him as fast.

1810

Then loe, the Captaines seauen bestirrde themselues,

(Whose names ye haue alreadie vnderstoode)

Some here, some there, nought dreading losse of life,

With newe reliefe to feede thée fainting breach:

And Polinice, he bended all the force

1815

Of his whole charge, against the greatest gate,

When sodenly a flashe of lightning flame

From angrie skies strake captaine Capaney,

That there downe dead he fell, at sight whereof

The gazers one were fraught with soden feare.

1820

The rest, that stroue to mount the walles so fast,

From ladders toppe did headlong tumble downe.

Herewith our men encouragde by good happe,

Toke hardy harts, and so repulst the Grekes.

There was Eteocles and I with him,

1825

Who setting first those souldiers to their charge,

Ranne streight to thother gates, vnto the weake

He manly comforte gaue, vnto the bold

His lusty words encreased courage still,

In so much as th'amased Grecian king

1830

When he did heare of Capaney his death,

Fearing thereby the Gods became his foen

Out from the trench withdrewe his wearie host.

But rashe Eteocles (presuming too too much

Uppon their flight) did issue out of Thebes,

1835

And forwarde straighte with strength of chiualrie,

His flying foes couragiously pursude.

To long it were to make recompt of all

That wounded bene, or slaine, or captiue now,

The cloudy ayre was filled round aboute

1840

With houling cries and wofull wayling plaints:

So great a slaughter (O renowmed Quéene)

Before this day I thinke was neuer séene.

Thus haue we now cut of the fruitlesse hope

The Grecians had, to sacke this noble towne.

1845

What ioyfull end will happen herevnto

Yet know I not: the gods tourne all to good.

"To conquere, lo, is doubtlesse worthy praise,

" But wisely for to vse the conquest gotte,

"Hath euer wonne immortall sound of fame

1850

Well, yet therewhile in this we may reioice,

Sith heauen and heauenly powers are pleased therewith.

Ioca.

This good successe was luckie sure, and such,

As for my parte I little loked for:

To saue the towne and eke to haue my sonnes

1855

(As you report) preserued yet aliue.

But yet procéede, and further let me know

The finall ende that they agréed vpon.

Nun.

No more (O Quéene) let this for now suffise,

Sith hitherto your state is safe inough.

Ioca.

1860

Those words of thine, do whelme my iealous mind

With great suspecte of other mischiefes hidde.

Nun.

What would ye more, alredy being sure

That both your sonnes in safetie do remaine?

Ioca.

I long to know the rest, or good or bad.

Nun.

1865

O let me now retourne to Eteocles,

That of my seruice greately stands in néede.

Ioca.

Right well I sée, thou doest conceale the woorst.

Nun.

Oh force me not, the good now béeing past,

To tell the yll.

Ioca.

1870

Tell it I say, on paine of our displeasure.

Nun.

Since thus ye séeke to heare a dolefull tale,

I will no longer stay: witte ye therefore,

Your desperate sonnes togither be agréed

For to attempt a wicked enterprise,

1875

To priuate fight they haue betroutht themselues,

Of which conflicte, the end must needes be this,

That one do liue, that other die the death.

Ioca.

Alas, alas, this did I euer feare.

Nun.

Now, sith in summe I haue reuealed that,

1880

Which you haue heard with great remorse of mind,

I will procéede, at large to tell the while.

When your victorious sonne, with valiaunt force

Had chast his foes into their ioyning tents,

Euen there he staide, and straight at sound of trumpe

1885

With stretched voice the herault thus proclaimde:

You princely Gréekes, that hither be arriued

To spoile the fruite of these our fertile fields,

And vs to driue from this our Natiue soile,

O suffer not so many giltlesse soules

1890

By this debate descend in Stigian lake,

For priuate cause of wicked Pollinice,

But rather let the brethren, hand to hand,

By mutuall blowes appease their furious rage,

And so to cease from sheding further bloud:

1895

And, to the end you all might vnderstand

The profite that to euery side may fall,

Thus much my Lord thought good to profer you,

This is his will, if he be ouercome,

Then Polinice to rule this kingly realme:

1900

If so it happe (as reason would it should)

Our rightfull prince to conquere Polinice,

That then no one of you make more adoo,

But straight to Argos. Ile hast home againe.

This, thus pronounst vnto the noble Gréeks,

1905

No soner did the sound of trumpet cease,

But Polinice stept forth before the host,

And to these words this answere did he make:

O thou, (not brother) but my mortall foe,

Thy profer here hath pleased me so well,

1910

As presently, without more long delay,

I yeld my selfe prepared to the field.

Our noble King no soner heard this vaunt,

But forth as fast he prest his princely steppes,

With eger mind, as hoouering falcon wonts

1915

To make hir stoope, when pray appeares in fight:

At all assayes they both were brauely armed,

To eithers side his sword fast being girt,

In eithers hand was put a sturdy launce:

About Eteocles our souldiers cloong,

1920

To comforte him, and put him then in mind,

He fought for safetie of his country soile,

And that in him consisted all their hope.

To Polinice the king Adrastus swore,

If he escaped victor from the fielde,

1925

As his retourn he would in Greece erecte

A golden Image vnto mightie Ioue

In signe of his triumphing victorie:

But all this while séeke you (O noble quéene)

To hinder this your furious sonnes attempte.

1930

Intreat that Gods it may not take effecte,

Els must you néedes ere long depriued be

Of both your sonnes, or of the one at least.

Nuntius returneth to the camp by the gates Homoloides.

IOCASTA. ANTIGONE.

ANtigone my swete daughter, come forth

Out of this house, that nought but woe retaines,

1935

Come forth I say, not for to sing or daunce,

But to preuent (if in our powers it lie)

That thy malicious brethren (swolne with ire)

And I alas, their miserable mother,

Be not destroide by stroke of dreadfull death.

Antigone commeth out of hir mothers Pallace.

Anti.

1940

Ah swete mother, ah my beloued mother,

Alas alas what cause doth moue ye now

From trembling voice to send such carefull cries?

What painefull pang? what griefe doth gripe you nowe?

Ioca.

O deare daughter, thy most vnhappie brethren

1945

That sometimes lodgde within these wretched loynes

Shall die this daye, if Ioue preuent it not.

Anti.

Alas what say you? alas what do you say?

Can I (alas) endure to sée him dead,

Whom I thus long haue sought to sÃ©e aliue?

Ioca.

1950

They both haue vowde (I quake alas to tell)

With trenchant blade to spill ech others blood.

O cruell Eteocles, ah ruthlesse wretch,

Of this outrage thou only art the cause,

Not Pollinice, whom thou with hatefull spight

1955

Hast reaued first of crowne and countrie soyle,

And now doest séeke to reaue him of his life.

Ioca.

Daughter no more delay, lets go, lets go.

Anti.

Ah my swéete mother, whither shall I go?

Ioca.

With me, déere daughter, to the gréekish host,

Anti.

1960

Alas how can I go? vnles I go

In daunger of my life, or of good name?

Ioca.

Time serues not now (my welbeloued childe)

To way the losse of life or honest name,

But rather to preuent (if so we may)

1965

Doth hale my hart out of my heauie brest.

Anti.

Come then, lets go, good mother let vs go,

But what shall we be able for to doe,

You a weake old woman for worne with yeares,

1970

And I God knowes a silly simple mayde?

Ioca.

Our wofull wordes, our prayers & our plaintes,

Pourde out with streames of ouerflowing teares,

(Where Nature rules) may happen to preuayle,

When reason, power, and force of armes do fayle,

1975

But if the glowing heate of boyling wrath

So furious be, as it may not relent,

Then I atwixt them both will throw my selfe,

And this my brest shall beare the deadly blowes

That otherwise should light vpon my sonnes:

1980

So shall they shead my bloud and not their owne.

Well now déere daughter, let vs hasten hence,

For if in time we stay this raging strife,

Then haply may my life prolonged be:

If ere we come the bloudy déede be done,

1985

Then must my ghost forsake this féeble corps:

And thou, deare childe, with dolour shalt bewaile,

Thy brothers death and mothers all at once.

locasta vvith Antigone, and all hir traine (excepte the Chorus) goeth tovvards the campe, by the gates Homoloydes.

CHORVS.

WHo so hath felt, what feruent loue

A mother beares vnto hir tender sonnes,

1990

She and none other sure, can comprehende

The dolefull griefe, the pangs and secret paine,

That presently doth pierce the princely brest

Of our afflicted Quéene: alas, I thinke

No martyrdome might well compare with hirs.

1995

So ofte as I recorde hir restlesse state,

Alas me thinkes I féele a shiuering feare

Flit to and fro along my flushing vaines.

Alas for ruth, that thus two brethren shoulde,

Enforce themselues to shed each others bloude.

2000

Where is the lawes of nature nowe become?

Can fleshe of fleshe, alas, can bloude of bloude,

So far forget it selfe, as slaye it selfe?

O lowring starres, O dimme and angrie skies,

O giltie fate, such mischiefe set aside.

2005

But if supernall powers decreed haue,

That death must be the ende of this debate,

Alas what floudes of teares shall then suffise,

To wéepe and waile the neare approching death:

I meane the death of sonnes and mother both,

2010

And with their death the ruine and decay,

Of Oedipus and all his princely race?

But loe, here Creon comes with carefull cheare.

'Tis time that nowe I ende my iust complaint.

Creon commeth in by the gates Homoloydes.

CREON NVNCIVS.

ALthough I straightly chargde my tender childe

2015

To flie from Thebes for safegarde of hymselfe,

And that long since he parted from my sight,

Yet doe I greatly hand in lingring doubt,

Least passing through the gates, the priuie watch

Hath stayed him by some suspect of treason.

2020

And so therewhile, the prophetes hauing skride

His hidden fate, he purchast haue the death

Which I by all meanes sought he might eschewe:

And this mischaunce so much I feare the more,

Howe much the wished conquest at the first,

2025

Fell happily vnto the towne of Thebes.

"But wise men ought with patience to sustaine

" The sundrie haps that slipperie fortune frames.

Nuncius commeth in by the gates Electrae.

Nun.

Alas, who can direct my hastie steppes

Unto the brother of our wofull Quéene?

2030

But loe where carefully he standeth here.

Cre.

If so the minde maye dreade his owne mishap,

Then dread I much, this man that séekes me thus,

Hath brought the death of my beloued sonne.

Nun.

My Lorde, the thing you feare is very true,

2035

Your sonne Meneceus no longer liues.

Cre.

Alas who can withstande the heauenly powers?

Well, it beséems not me, ne yet my yeares,

In bootelesse plaint to wast my wailefull teares:

Do thou recount to me his lucklesse deathe,

2040

The order, fourme, and manner of the same.

Nun.

Your sonne (my Lorde) came to Eteocles,

And tolde him this in presence of the rest,

Renoumed King, neither your victorie,

Ne yet the safetie of this princely Realme

2045

In armour doth consist, but in the death

Of me, of me, (O most victorious King)

So heauenly dome of mightie Ioue commaunds,

I (knowing what auayle my death should yeeld

Unto your grace, and vnto natiue land)

2050

Might well be demde a most vngratefull sonne

Unto this worthy towne, if I would shunne

The sharpest death to do my countrie good,

In mourning weede nowe let the vestall Nimphes,

With fauning tunes commende my faultlesse ghost

2055

To highest heauens, while I despoyle my selfe,

That afterwarde (sith Ioue will haue it so)

To saue your liues, I may receyue my death.

Of you I craue, O curteous Citizens,

To shrine my corps in tombe of marble stone,

2060

Whereon graue this: Meneceus here doth lie,

For countries cause that vvas content to die.

This saide, alas, he made no more a doe,

But drewe his sworde and sheathde it in his brest.

Cre.

No more, I haue inough, returne ye nowe

2065

From whence ye came.

Nuncius retourneth by the gates Electrae.

Well, since the bloude of my beloued sonne,

Must serue to slake the wrathe of angrie Ioue,

And since his onely death must bring to Thebes

A quiet ende of hir vnquiet state,

2070

Me thinkes good reason would, that I henceforth,

Of Thebane soyle shoulde beare the kingly swaye,

Yea sure, and so I will ere it be long,

Either by right, or else by force of armes.

Of al mishap loe here the wicked broode,

2075

My sister first espoused hath hir sonne

That slewe his sire, of whose accursed séede

Two brethren sprang, whose raging hatefull hearts,

By force of boyling yre are bolne so sore

As each do thyrst to sucke the others bloude:

2080

But why do I sustaine the smart hereof?

Why should my bloud he spilte for others gilte?

Oh welcome were that messanger to me

That brought me word of both my nephewes deathes,

Then should it soone be sene in euery eye,

2085

Twixt prince and prince what difference would appeare,

Then should experience shewe what griefe it is

To serue the humours of vnbridled youth.

Now will I goe for to prepare with spéede

The funeralls of my yong giltlesse sonne,

2090

The which perhaps may be accompanyed

With thobsequies of proude Eteocles.

Creon goeth out by the gates Homoloydes.

Finis Actus. 4.

CHORVS.

O Blissfull concord, bredde in sacred brest

Of him that guides the restlesse rolling sky,

That to the earth for mans assured rest

2095

From heigth of heauens vouchsafest downe to flie,

In thée alone the mightie power doth lie,

With swete accorde to kepe the frouning starres

And euery planet else from hurtfull warres.

In thée, in thée suche noble vertue bydes,

2100

As may commaund the mightiest Gods to bend,

From thée alone such sugred frendship flydes

As mortall wightes can scarcely comprehend,

To greatest strife thou setst delightfull ende.

O holy peace, by thée are onely founde

2105

The passing ioyes that euery where abound.

Thou onely thou, through thy celestiall might,

Didst first of all the heauenly pole deuide,

From th'olde confused heape that Chao hight:

Thou madest the Sunne, the Moone, and starres to glide,

2110

With ordred course about this world so wide:

Thou hast ordainde Dan Tytans shining light,

By dawne of day to chase the darkesome night.

When tract of time returnes the lustie Uer,

By thée alone, the buddes and blossomes spring,

2115

The fieldes with floures be garnisht euery where,

The blooming trées, aboundant fruite do bring,

The cherefull birdes melodiously do sing,

Thou dost appoint, the crop of sommers séede

For mans reliefe, to serue the winters néede.

2120

Thou dost inspire the hearts of princely péeres

By prouidence, procéeding from aboue,

In flowring youth to choose their worthie féeres,

With whom they liue in league of lasting loue,

Till fearefull death doth flitting life remoue:

2125

And loke how fast, to death man payes his due,

So fast againe, dost thou his stocke renue.

By thée, the basest thing aduaunced is,

Thou euerie where, dost graffe suche golden peace,

As filleth man, with more than earthly blisse,

2130

The earth by thée, doth yelde hir swete increase

At becke of thée, all bloudy discords cease,

And mightiest Realmes in quiet do remaine,

Wheras thy hand, doth holde the royall raigne.

But if thou faile, then all things gone to wracke,

2135

The mother then, doth dread hir naturall childe,

Then euery towne is subiect to the sacke,

Then spotlesse maids, then virgins be defilde,

Then rigor rules, then reason is exilde:

And this, thou wofull Thebes, to our great paine,

2140

With present spoile, art likely to sustaine.

Me thinke I heare the wailfull wéeping cries

Of wretched dames, in euerie coast resound,

Me thinkes I sée, how vp to heauenly skies

From battered walls, the thundring clappes rebound

2145

Me thinke I heare, how all things go to ground,

With gasping breath, and yet they can not dye.

By meanes wherof, oh swete Meneceus he,

That giues for countries cause his guiltlesse life,

2150

Of others all, most happy shall he be:

His ghost shall flit, from broiles of bloudy strife,

To heauenly blisse, where pleasing ioyes be rife:

And would to God, that this his fatall ende

From further plagues, our citie might defend.

2155

O sacred God, giue eare vnto thy thrall,

That humbly here vpon thy name doth call,

O let not now, our faultlesse bloud be spilt,

For hote reuenge of any others gilt. Done by F. Kinvvelmarshe.

Finis Actus quarti.

Act V

The order of the laste dumbe shevve.

FIrst the Stillpipes sounded a very mournfull melodye, in which time came vpon the Stage a womā clothed in a white garment, on hir head a piller, double faced, the formost face fayre & smiling, the other behinde blacke & louring, muffled with a white laune about hir eyes, hir lap full of Iewelles, sitting in a charyot, hir legges naked, hir fete set vpō a great round ball, & beyng drawē in by .iiij. noble personages, she ledde in a string on hir right hande .ij. kings crowned, and in hir lefte hand .ij. poore slaues very meanely attyred. After she was drawen about the stage, she stayed a lyttle, changing the kings vnto the left hande & the slaues vnto the right hande, taking the crownes from the kings heads she crowned therwith the ij. slaues, & casting the vyle clothes of the slaues vppon the kings, she despoyled the kings of their robes, and therwith aparelled the slaues. This done, she was drawen eftsones about the stage in this order, and then departed, leauing vnto vs a plaine Type or figure of vnstable fortune, who dothe oftentimes raise to heigthe of dignitie the vile and vnnoble, and in like manner throweth downe frō the place of promotiō, euen those whō before she hir selfe had thither aduaunced: after hir departure came in Duke Creon with foure gentlemen wayting vpon him, and lamented the death of Meneceus his sonne in this maner.

Actus. v.

Scena. j.

CREON. CHORVS.

ALas what shall I do? bemone my selfe?

2160

Or rue the ruine of my Natiue lande,

About the which such cloudes I sée enclosde

As darker cannot couer dreadfull hell.

With mine own eyes I saw my own deare sonne

All gorde with bloud of his too bloudy brest,

2165

Which he hath shed full like a friend, too deare

To his countrey, and yet a cruell foe

To me that was his friend and father both.

Thus to him selfe he gaynde a famous name,

And glory great, to me redoubted payne,

2170

Whose haplesse death in my afflicted house,

Hath put suche playnt, as I ne can espie

What comfort might acquiet their distresse.

I hither come my sister for to séeke,

Iocasta, she that might in wofull wise

2175

Amid hir high and ouerpining cares

Prepare the baynes for his so wretched corps,

And eke for him that nowe is not in life,

May pay the due that to the dead pertaynes,

And for the honor he did well deserue,

2180

The giue some giftes vnto infernall Gods.

Cho.

My Lorde, your sister is gone forth long since,

Into the campe, and with hir Antigone

Hir daughter deare.

Cre.

Into the campe? alas and what to do?

Cho.

2185

She vnderstoode, that for this realme foorthwith

Hir sonnes were gréed in combate for to ioyne.

Cre.

Alas, the funerals of my deare sonne

Dismayed me so, that I ne did receiue,

Ne séeke to knowe these newe vnwelcome newes.

2190

But loe, beholde a playne apparant signe

Of further feares, the furious troubled lookes

Of him that commeth héere so hastilie.

Scena. ij.

NVNTIVS. CREON. CHORVS.

ALas, alas what shall I doe? alas,

What shriching voyce may serue my wofull wordes?

2195

O wretched I, ten thousande times a wretche,

The messanger of dread and cruell death.

Cre.

Yet more mishappe? and what vnhappie newes?

Nun.

My Lord, your nephues both haue lost their liues.

Cre.

Out and alas, to me and to this towne

2200

Thou doest accompt great ruine and decay:

You royall familie of Oedipus,

And heare you this? your liege and soueraigne Lordes

The brethren bothe are slayne and done to death.

Cho.

O cruell newes, most cruell that can come,

2205

O newes that might these stony walles prouoke

For tender ruthe to burst in bitter teares,

And so they would, had they the sense of man.

Cre.

O worthy yong Lordes, that vnworthy were

Of suche vnworthy death, O me moste wretche.

Nun.

2210

More wretched shall ye déeme your selfe, my lord,

When you shall heare of further miserie.

Cre.

And can there be more miserie than this?

Nun.

With hir deare sonnes the quéene hir self is slaine,

Cho.

Bewayle ladies, alas good ladies waile

2215

This harde mischaunce, this cruell common euill,

Ne hencefoorth hope for euer to reioyce.

Cre.

O Iocasta, miserable mother,

What haplesse ende thy life alas hath hent?

Percase the heauens purueyed had the same,

2220

Moued therto by the wicked wedlocke

Of Oedipus thy sonne, yet might thy scuse

Be iustly made, that knewe not of the crime.

But tell me messanger, oh tel me yet

The death of these two brethren, driuen therto,

2225

Not thus all onely by their drearie fate,

But by the banning and the bitter cursse

Of their cruell sire, borne for our annoy,

And here on earth the onely soursse of euil.

Nun.

Then know my Lorde, the battell that begonne

2230

Under the walles, was brought to luckie ende,

Eteocles had made his foemen flée

Within their trenches, to their foule reproche:

But herewithall the bretheren streightway

Eche other chalenge foorth into the fielde,

2235

By combate so to stinte their cruell strife,

Who armed thus amid the field appeard.

First Pollinices turning towarde Gréece

His louely lookes, gan Iuno thus beséeche:

O heauenly quéene, thou séest, that since the day

2240

I first did wedde Adrastus daughter deare,

And stayde in Gréece, thy seruaunt haue I bene:

Then (be it not for mine vnworthinesse)

Graunt me this grace, the victorie to winne,

Graunt me, that I with high triumphant hande,

2245

May bathe this blade within my brothers brest:

I know I craue vnworthy victorie,

Unworthy triumphes, and vnworthy spoyles,

Lo he the cause, my cruell enimie.

The people wept to heare the wofull wordes

2250

Of Pollinice, foreséeing eke the ende

Of this outrage and cruell combate tane,

Eche man gan looke vpon his drouping mate,

With mindes amazde, and trembling hearts for dread,

Whom pitie perced for these youthfull knightes.

2255

Eteocles with eyes vp cast to heauen.

Thus sayde:

O mightie loue his daughter graunt to me,

That this right hande with this sharpe armed launce

Passing amid my brothers cankred brest,

2260

It may eke pierce that cowarde harte of his,

And so him slea that thus vnworthily

Disturbes the quiet of our common weale.

So sayde Eteocles, and trumpets blowne,

To sende the summens of their bloudy fighte,

2265

That one the other fiercely did encounter,

Like Lions two yfraught with boyling wrath,

Bothe coucht their launces full agaynst the face,

But heauen it nolde that there they should them teinte:

Upon the battred shields the mightie speares

2270

Are bothe ybroke, and in a thousande shiuers

Amid the ayre flowne vp into the heauens:

Beholde agayne, with naked sworde in hande,

Eche one the other furiously assaultes.

Here they of Thebes, there stoode the Greekes in doubt,

2275

Of whom doth eche man féele more chilling dread,

Least any of the twayne should lose his life,

Than any of the twayne did féele in fight.

Their angry lookes, their deadly daunting blowes,

Might witnesse well, that in their heartes remaynde

2280

As cankred hate, disdayne, and furious moode,

As euer bred in beare or tygers brest.

The first that hapt to hurt was Polinice,

Who smote the righte thighe of Eteocles:

But as we déeme, the blow was nothing déepe,

2285

Then cryed the Gréekes, and lepte with lightned harts,

But streight agayne they helde their peace, for he

Eteocles gan thrust his wicked sworde

In the lefte arme of vnarmed Pollinice,

And let the bloud from thinne vnfenced fleshe

2290

With falling drops distill vpon the ground,

Ne long he stayes, but with an other thrust

His brothers belly boweld with his blade,

Then wretched he, with bridle left at large,

From of his horsse fell pale vpon the ground,

2295

Ne long it was, but downe our duke dismountes

From of his startling steede, and runnes in hast,

His brothers haplesse helme for to vnlace,

And with such hungry minde desired spoyle,

As one that thought the fielde already woonne:

2300

That at vnwares, his brothers dagger drawne,

And griped fast within the dying hand,

Under his side he recklesse doth receiue,

That made the way to his wyde open hart:

Thus falles Eteocles his brother by,

2305

From both whose breasts the bloudfast bubling, gaue

A sory shewe to Greekes and Thebans both.

Cho.

Oh wretched ende of our vnhappie Lordes.

Cre.

Oh Oedipus, I must be the death

Of thy deare sonnes, that were my nephewes both,

2310

But of these blowes thou oughtest feele the smarte,

That with thy wonted prayers, thus hast brought

Such noble blouds to this vnnoble end.

But now tell on, what followed of the Quéene?

Nun.

Whē thus with pierced harts, by there owne hands

2315

The brothers fell had wallowed in their bloud,

Th one tumbling on the others gore,

Came their afflicted mother, then to late,

And eke with hir, hir chast childe Antygone,

Who saw no sooner how their fates had falne,

2320

But with the doubled echo of alas,

Sore dymmde the ayre with loude complaints and cryes:

Oh sonnes (quod she) too late came all my helpe,

And all to late haue I my succour sent:

And with these wordes, vpon their carcas colde.

2325

She shriched so, as might haue stayed the Sunne

To mourne with hir, the wofull sister eke,

That both hir chekes did bathe in flowing teares,

Out from the depth of hir tormented brest,

With scalding sighes gan draw these weary words:

2330

O my deare brethren, why abandon ye

Our mother deare, when these hir aged yeares,

That of themselues are weake and growne with griefe,

Stoode most in néede of your sustaining helpe?

Why doe you leaue hir thus disconsolate?

2335

At sounde of such hir wéeping long lament,

Eteocles our king helde vp his hand,

And sent from bottome of his wofull brest.

A doubled sighe, deuided with his griefe,

In faithfull token of his féeble will

2340

To recomfort his mother and sister both:

And in the steade of swéete contenting words,

The trickling teares raynde downe his paled chekes:

Then claspt his handes, and shut his dying eyes.

But Pollinice that turned his rolling eyen

2345

Unto his mother and his sister deare,

With hollow voyce and fumbling toung, thus spake:

Mother, you see how I am now arryued

Unto the hauen of myne vnhappie ende,

Now nothing doth remaine to me, but this,

2350

That I lament my sisters life and yours

Left thus in euerlasting woe and griefe:

So am I sory for Eteocles,

Who though he were my cruell enimy,

He was your sonne, and brother yet to me:

2355

But since these ghosts of curs must needes go downe

With staggering steppes into the Stigian reigne,

I you beseche, mother and sister bothe,

Of pitie yet, that you will me procure

A royall tombe within my natiue realme,

2360

And now shut vp with those your tender handes,

These griefful eyes of mine, whose daseled sight

Shadowes of dreadfull death be come to close,

Now rest in peace, thus sayde, he yeelded vp

His fainting ghost, that ready was to part.

2365

The mother thus beholding both hir sonnes

Ygone to death, and ouercome with dole,

Drewe out the dagger of hir Polinices,

From brothers brest, and gorde hir mothers throte

Falling betwéene hir sonnes,

2370

Then with hir féebled armes, she doth enfolde

Their bodies both, as if for company

Hir vncontented corps were yet content

To passe with them in Charons ferrie boate.

When cruell fate had thus with force bereft

2375

The wofull mother and hir two deare sonnes,

All sodenly allarme allarme they crye,

And hote conflict began for to aryse

Betwene our armie and our enemyes:

For either part would haue the victorye.

2380

A while they did with equall force maintaine

The bloudy fight, at last the Gréekes do flie,

Of whom could hardly any one escape,

For in such hugie heapes our men them slew,

The ground was couerde all with carcases:

2385

And of our souldiers, some gan spoyle the dead,

Some other were that parted out the pray,

And some pursuing Antigone toke vp

The Queene locasta and the brethren both,

Whom in a chariot hither they will bring

2390

Ere long: and thus, although we gotten haue

The victory ouer our enemies,

Yet haue we lost much more than we haue wonne.

Creon exit.

Cho.

O hard mishap we doe not onely heare

The wearie newes of their vntimely death,

2395

But eke we must with wayling eyes beholde

Their bodies deade, for loke where they be brought.

Scena. 3.

ANTIGONE. CHORVS.

MOst bitter plaint, O ladyes, vs behoues,

Behoueth eke not onely bitter plainte,

But that our heares dysheuylde from our heades

2400

About our shoulders hang, and that our brests

With bouncing blowes be all be battered,

Our gastly faces with our nayles defaced:

Behold, your Queene twixt both hir sonnes lyes slayne,

The Queene whom you did loue and honour both,

2405

The Queene that did so tenderly bring vp

And nourishe you, eche one like to hir owne,

Now hath she left you all (O cruell hap)

With hir too cruell death in dying dreade,

Pyning with pensiuenesse without all helpe.

2410

O weary life, why bydst thou in my breast,

And I contented be that these mine eyes

Should sée hir dye that gaue to me this life,

And I not venge hir death by losse of life?

Who can me giue a fountaine made of mone,

2415

That I may weepe as muche as is my will,

To sowsse this sorow vp in swelling teares?

Cho.

What stony hart could leaue for to lament?

Anti.

O Polinice, now hast thou with thy bloud

Bought all too deare the title to this realme,

2420

That cruell he Eteocles thée reste,

And now also hath reft thée of thy life,

Alas, what wicked dede can wrath not doe?

And out alas for mée,

Whyle thou yet liuedst I had a liuely hope

2425

To haue some noble wight to be my phéere,

By whome I might be crownde a royall Quéene:

But now, thy hastie death hath done to dye

This dying hope of mine, that hope hencefoorth

None other wedlocke, but tormenting woe,

2430

If so these trembling hands for cowarde dread

Dare not presume to ende this wretched life.

Cho.

Alas deare dame, let not thy raging griefe

Heape one mishap vpon anothers head.

Anti.

O dolefull day, wherein my sory sire

2435

Was borne, and yet O more vnhappie houre

When he was crowned king of stately Thebes,

The Hymenei in vnhappie bed,

And wicked wedlocke, wittingly did ioyne

The giltlesse mother with hir giltie sonne,

2440

Out of which roote we be the braunches borne,

To beare the scourge of their so foule offence:

And thou, O father, thou that for this facte,

Haste torne chine eyes from thy tormented head,

Giue eare to this, come foorth, and bende thine eare

2445

To bloudie newes, that canst not them beholde:

Happie in this, for if thine eyes could sée

Thy sonnes bothe slayne, and euen betwéene them bothe

Thy wife and mother dead, bathed and imbrude

All in one bloud, then wouldst thou dye for dole,

2450

And so might ende all our vnluckie stocke.

But most vnhappie nowe, that lacke of sighte

Shall linger, life within thy lucklesse brest,

And still tormented in suche miserie,

Shall alwayes dye, bicause thou canst not dye.

Oedipus entreth.

Scena. iiij.

OEDIPVS. ANTIGONE. CHORVS.

2455

WHy dost thou call out of this darkesome denne,

The lustleste lodge of my lamenting yeres,

O daughter deare, thy fathers blinded eyes,

Into the light I was not worthy of?

Or what suche sight (O cruell destenie)

2460

Without tormenting cares might I beholde,

That image am of deathe and not of man?

Anti.

O father mine, I bring vnluckie newes

Unto your eares, your sonnes are nowe both slayne,

Ne doth your wife, that wonted was to guyde

2465

So piteously your staylesse stumbling steppes,

Now see this light, alas and welaway.

Oed.

O heape of infinite calamities,

And canst thou yet encrease when I thought least

That any griefe more great could grow in thée?

2470

But tell me yet, what kinde of cruell death

Had these three sory soules?

Anti.

Without offence to speake, deare father mine,

The lucklesse lotte, the frowarde frowning fate

That gaue you life to ende your fathers life,

2475

Haue ledde your sonnes to reaue eche others life.

Oed.

Of them I thought no lesse, but tell me yet

What causelesse death hath caught from me my deare,

(What shall I call hir) mother or my wife?

Anti.

When as my mother sawe hir deare sonnes dead,

2480

As pensiue pangs had prest hir tender heart,

With bloudlesse cheekes and gastly lookes she fell,

Drawing the dagger from Eteocles side,

She gorde hirselfe with wide recurelesse wounde:

And thus, without mo words, gaue vp the ghost,

2485

Embracing both hir sonnes with both hir armes.

In these affrightes this frosen heart of mine,

By feare of death maynteines my dying life.

Cho.

This drearie day is cause of many euils,

Poore Oedipus, vnto thy progenie.

2490

The Gods yet graunt it may become the cause

Of better happe to this afflicted realme.

Scena. v.

CREON. OEDIPVS. ANTIGONE.

GOod Ladies leaue your bootelesse vayne complaynt

Leaue to lament, cut of your wofull cryes,

High time it is as now for to prouide

2495

The funerals for the renowned king:

And thou Oedipus hearken to my wordes,

And know thus muche, that for thy daughters dower,

Antigone with Hemone shall wedde.

Thy sonne our king not long before his death

2500

Assigned hath the kingdome should descende

To me, that am his mothers brother borne,

And so the same might to my sonne succéede.

Now I that am the lorde and king of Thebes,

Will not permit that thou abide therein:

2505

Ne maruell yet of this my heady will,

Ne blame thou me, for why, the heauens aboue,

Which onely rule the rolling life of man,

Haue so ordeynde, and that my words be true,

Tyresias he that knoweth things to come,

2510

By trustie tokens hath foretolde the towne,

That while thou didst within the walles remayne,

It should be plagued still with penurie:

Wherfore departe, and thinke not that I speake

These wofull wordes for hate I beare to thée,

2515

But for the weale of this afflicted realme.

O foule accursed fate, that hast me bredde

To beare the burthen of the miserie

Of this colde death, which we accompt for life:

Before my birth my father vnderstoode

2520

I should him slea, and scarcely was I borne,

When he me made a pray for sauage beastes.

But what? I slew him yet, then caught the crowne,

And last of all defilde my mothers bedde,

By whom I haue this wicked ofspring got:

2525

And to this heinous crime and filthy facte

The heauens haue from highe enforced me,

Agaynst whose doome no counsell can preuayle.

Thus hath I now my life, and last of all,

Lo by the newes of this so cruell death

2530

Of bothe my sonnes and deare beloued wife,

Mine angrie constellacion me commaundes

Withouten eyes so wander in mine age,

When these my wéery, weake, and crooked limmes

Haue greatest néede to craue their quiet rest.

2535

O cruell Creon, wilt thou slea me so,

For cruelly thou doste but murther me,

Out of my kingdome now to chase me thus:

Yet can I not with humble minde beseeche

Thy curtesie, ne fall before thy féete.

2540

Let fortune take from me these worldly giftes,

She can not conquere this couragious heart,

That neuer yet could well be ouercome,

To force me yeelde for feare to villanie:

Do what thou canst I will be Oedipus.

Cre.

2545

So hast thou reason Oedipus, to say,

And for my parte I would thee counsell eke,

Still to maynteine the high and hawtie minde,

That hath dene euen in thy noble heart:

For this be sure, if thou wouldst kisse these knées,

2550

And practise eke by prayer to preuayle,

No pitie coulde persuade me to consent

That thou remayne one onely houre in Thebes.

And nowe, prepare you worthie Citizens,

The funeralls that duely doe pertayne

2555

Unto the Quéene, and to Eteocles,

And eke for them prouide their stately tombes.

But Pollynice, as common enimie

Unto his countrey, carrie foorth his corps

Out of the walles, ne none so hardie be

2560

On paine of death his bodie to engraue,

But in the fieldes let him vnburied lye,

Without his honour, and without complaynte,

An open praie for sauage beastes to spoyle.

And thou Antigone, drie vp thy teares,

2565

Plucke vp thy sprites, and chéere thy harmelesse hearte.

To mariage: for ere these two dayes passe,

Thou shalt espouse Hemone myne onely heire.

Antig.

Father, I sée vs wrapt in endlesse woe,

And nowe muche more doe I your state lamente,

2570

Than these that nowe be dead, not that I thinke

Theyr greate missehappes too little to bewayle,

But this, that you, you onely doe surpasse

All wretched wightes that in this worlde remayne.

But you my Lorde, why banishe you with wrong

2575

My father thus out of his owne perforce?

And why will you denye these guiltlesse bones

Of Polinice, theyr graue in countrey soyle?

Creon.

So would not I, so woulde Eteocles.

Anti.

He cruel was, you fonde to hold his hestes.

Creon.

2580

Is then a fault to doe a kings comaund?

Anti.

When his comaunde is cruel and vniust.

Creon.

Is it vniust that he vnburied be?

Anti.

He not deseru'd so cruell punishment.

Creon.

He was his countreys cruell enimie.

Anti.

2585

Or else was he that helde him from his right.

Cre.

Bare he not armes against his natiue land?

Anti.

Offendeth he that sekes to winne his owne?

Cre.

Perforce to thée he shall vnburied be.

Anti.

Perforce to thée these hands shall burie him.

Cre.

2590

And with him eke then will I burie thée.

Anti.

So graunt the gods, I get none other graue,

Then with my Polinices deare to rest.

Cre.

Go sirs, lay holde on hir, and take hir in.

Anti.

I will not leaue this corps vnburied.

Cre.

2595

Canst thou vndoe the thing that is decréed?

Anti.

A wicked foule decrée to wrong the dead.

Cre.

The ground ne shall ne ought to couer him.

Anti.

Creon, yet I beseche thée for the loue.

Cre.

Away I say, thy prayers not preuaile.

Anti.

2600

That thou didst beare Iocasta in hir life,

Cre.

Thou dost but waste thy words amid the wind.

Anti.

Yet graunt me leaue to washe his wounded corps.

Cre.

It can not be that I should graunt thée so.

Anti.

O my deare Polinice, this tirant yet

2605

With all his wrongfull force can not fordoe,

But I will kisse these colde pale lippes of thine,

And washe thy wounds with my waymenting teares.

Cre.

O simple wench, O fonde and foolishe girle,

Beware, beware, thy teares do not foretell

2610

Some signe of hard mishap vnto thy mariage.

Anti.

No, no for Hemone will I neuer wed.

Cre.

Dost thou refuse the mariage of my sonne?

Anti.

I will nor him, nor any other wed.

Cre.

Against thy will then must I thée constraine.

Anti.

2615

If thou me force, I sweare thou shalt repent.

Cre.

What canst thou casue that I should once repent.

Anti.

With bloudy knife I can this knot vnknit.

Cre.

And what a foole were thou to kill thy selfe?

Anti.

I will ensue some worthie womans steppes.

Cre.

2620

Speake out Antigone, that I may heare.

Anti.

This hardie hand shall soone dispatche his life.

Cre.

O simple foole, and darst thou be so bolde?

Anti.

Why should I dread to doe so doughtie deede?

Cre.

And wherfore dost thou wedlocke so despise?

Anti.

2625

In cruell exile for to folow him.

pointing to Oedipus.

Cre.

What others might beseme, besemes not thée.

Anti.

If néede require, with him eke will I dye.

Cre.

Depart, depart, and with thy father dye,

Rather than kill my childe with bloudie knife:

2630

Go hellishe monster, go out of the towne.

Creon exit.

Oedi.

Daughter, I must commend thy noble heart.

Anti.

Father, I will neuer come in company

And you alone wander in wildernesse.

Oedi.

O yes deare daughter, leaue thou me alone

2635

Amid my plagues: be mery while thou maist.

Anti.

And who shall guide these aged féete of yours,

That banisht bene, in blind necessitie?

Oedi.

I will endure, as fatall lot me driues,

Resting these crooked sory sides of mine

2640

Where so the heauens shall lend me harborough.

And in exchange of riche and stately toures,

The woodes, the wildernesse, the darkesome dennes

Shalbe the bowre of mine vnhappy bones.

Anti.

O father, now where is your glory gone?

Oedi.

2645

"One happy day did raise me to renoune,

" One haplesse day hath throwne mine honor downe.

Anti.

Yet will I beare a part of your mishappes.

Oedi.

That sitteth not amid thy pleasant yeares.

Anti.

"Deare father yes, let youth giue place to age.

Oedi.

2650

Where is thy mother? let me touche hir face,

That with these hands I may yet féele the harme

That these blind eyes forbid me to beholde.

Anti.

Here father, here hir corps, here put your hand.

Oedi.

O wife, O mother, O both wofull names,

2655

O wofull mother, and O wofull wyfe,

O woulde to God, alas, O woulde to God

Thou nere had bene my mother, nor my wyfe.

But where lye nowe the paled bodies two,

Of myne vnluckie sonnes, Oh where be they?

Anti.

2660

Lo here they lye one by an other deade.

Oedip.

Stretch out this hand, dere daughter, stretch this hande

Upon their faces.

Anti.

Loe father, here, lo, nowe you touche them both.

Oedi.

O bodies deare, O bodies dearely boughte

2665

Unto your father, bought with high missehap.

Anti.

O louely name of my deare Pollinice,

Why can I not of cruell Creon craue,

Ne with my death nowe purchase thée a graue?

Oedi.

Nowe commes Apollos oracle of passe,

2670

That I in Athens towne should end my dayes:

And since thou doest, O daughter myne, desire

In this exile to be my wofull mate,

Lende mée thy hande, and let vs goe togither.

Anti.

Loe, here all prest my deare beloued father,

2675

A féeble guyde, and eke a simple skowte,

To passe the perills in a doubtfull waye.

Oedi.

Unto the wretched, be a wretched guyde.

Anti.

In this all onely equall to my father.

Oedi.

And where shall I sette foorth my trembling féete?

2680

O reache mée yet some surer staffe, to staye

My staggryng pace amidde these wayes vnknowne.

Anti.

Here father here, and here set forth your féete.

Oedi.

Nowe can I blame none other for my harmes

But secrete spight of foredecréed fate,

2685

Thou arte the cause, the crooked, olde and blynde,

I am exilde farre from my countrey soyle,

And suffer dole that I myghte not endure.

Anti.

"O father, father, Iustice lyes on sléepe,

" Ne doth regarde the wrongs of wretchednesse,

2690

"Ne princes swelling pryde it doth redresse.

Oedi.

O carefull caytife, howe am I nowe chang'd

From that I was? I am that Oedipus,

That whylome had triumphant victorie,

And was bothe dread and honored eke in Thebes:

2695

But nowe (so pleaseth you my frowarde starres)

Downe headlong hurlde in depth of myserie,

So that remaynes of Oedipus no more

As nowe in mée, but euen the naked name,

And lo, this image, that resembles more

2700

Shadowes of death, than shape of Oedipus.

Antig.

O father, nowe forgette the pleasaunt dayes

And happie lyfe that you did whylom leade,

The muse whereof redoubleth but your griefe:

Susteyne the smarte of these your present paynes

2705

With pacience, that best may you preserue.

Lo where I come, to liue and die with you,

Not (as sometymes) the daughter of a king,

But as an abiect nowe in pouertie,

That you, by presence of suche faithfull guide,

2710

May better beare the wracke of miserie.

Oedi.

O onely comforte of my cruell happe.

Anti.

Your daughters pitie is but due to you:

Woulde God I might as well ingraue the corps

Of my deare Pollinice, but I ne maye,

2715

And that I can not, doubleth all my dole.

Oedi.

This thy desire, that is both good and iuste,

Imparte to some that be thy trustie frendes,

Who moude with pitie, maye procure the same.

Anti.

"Beléeue me father, when dame fortune frownes,

2720

" Be fewe that fynde trustie companions.

Oedi.

And of those fewe, yet one of those am I:

Wherefore, goe we nowe daughter, leade the waye

Into the stonie rockes and highest hilles,

Where fewest trackes our steppings may be spyde.

2725

"Who once hath sit in chaire of dignitie,

" May shame to shewe him selfe in miserie.

Anti.

From thée, O countrey, am I forst to parte,

Despoyled thus in floure of my youth,

And yet I leaue within mine enimies rule

2730

Ismene my infortunate sister.

Oed.

Deare Citizens, beholde your lorde and king

That Thebes set in quiet gouernement,

Nowe as you sée, neglected of you all,

And in these ragged ruthfull wéedes bewrapt,

2735

Ychased from his natiue countrey soyle,

Betakes him selfe (for so this Tyraunt will)

To euerlasting banishment: but why

Do I lament my lucklesse lotte in vayne?

"Since euery man must beare with quiet minde,

2740

" The fate that heauens haue earst to him assignde.

CHORVS.

EXample here, lo take by Oedipus,

You kings and princes in prosperitie,

And euery one that is desirous

To sway the seate of worldly dignitie,

2745

How fickle is to trust in fortunes whéele:

For him, whom now she hoyseth vp on hye,

If so be chaunce on any side to reele,

She hurles him downe in twinkling of an eye:

And him agayne, that grouleth now on grounde,

2750

And lyeth lowe in dungeon of dispaire,

Hir whirling whéele can heaue vp at a bounde,

And place aloft in stay of stately chaire.

As from the Sunne the Moone withdrawes hir face,

So might of man dothe yéelde dame fortune place,

Finis Actus quinti.

Epilogus.

2755

LO here the fruite of high aspiring minde,

Who wéeues to mount aboue the mouing skies:

Lo here the trappe that titles proud do finde,

Sée, ruine growes when most we reache to ryse:

Swéete is the name, and stately is the raigne

2760

Of kingly rule, and sway of royall seate,

But bitter is the taste of Princes gayne,

When climbing heads do hunte for to be great.

Who would forecast the banke of restlesse toyle,

Ambitious wightes do fraight their brestes withall,

2765

The growing cares, the feares of dreadfull foyle,

The euill successe that on suche flightes do fall,

He would not stayne his practise to atchiue

The largest limites of the mightiest states.

But oh, what fansies swéete do still relieue

2770

The hungry humor of these swelling hates?

What poyson swéete inflameth highe desire?

How soone the hawty heart is puft with pride?

How soone is thirst of scepter set on fire?

How soone in rising mindes doth mischiefe slyde?

2775

What bloudy sturres doth glut of honour bréede?

Thambitious sonne doth ofte surpresse his syre:

Where natures power vnfayned loue should spread,

There malice raynes and reacheth to be higher.

O blinde vnbridled searche of Soueraintie,

2780

O tickle trayne of euill attayned state,

O fonde desire of princely dignitie,

Who climbs too soone, he ofte repents too late.

The golden meane the happie dothe suffise,

They leaue the posting day in rare delight,

2785

They fill (not féede) their vncontended eyes,

They reape suche rest as dothe begile the might,

They not enuie the pompe of haughtie reigne,

Ne dreade the dinte of proude vsurping swoorde,

But plaste alowe, more sugred ioyes attaine,

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Than swaye of loftie Scepter can afoorde.

Cease to aspire then, cease to soare so high,

And shunne the plague that pierceth noble breastes:

To glittring courtes what fondnesse is to flée,

When better state in baser Towers rests? Done by Chr. Yeluerton.

Finis Epilogi,

[ EDITORIAL CASTLIT

Iocasta,, the Queene.

Seruus,, a noble man of the Queenes traine.

Bailo,, gouernour to the Queenes sonnes.

Antygone,, daughter to the Queene.

Chorus,, foure Thebane dames.

Pollynices & Eteocles, sonnes to Oedipus & the Queene

Pollycines

Eteocles

Creon,, the Queenes brother.

Meneceus,, sonne to Creon.

Tyresias,, the diuine priest.

Manto,, the daughter of Tyresias.

Sacerdos,, the sacrifycing priest.

Nuntij,, three messangers from the campe.

Oedipus,, the olde King father to Eteocles, and Pollynices, sonne and husbande to Iocasta the Queene.

Nuntio 1

Nuntio 2

Epilogus ]

Iocasta

Ludovico Dolce, Giocasta

Act I

¶ The order of the dumme shewes and Musickes before euery Acte.

The first Acte.

The first Scene.

Finis Actus primi.

Act II

Thorder of the seconde dumbe shevve.

Actus. 2.

Scena. 1.

Actus. ij. Scena. ij.

Finis Actus secundi.

Act III

The order of the thirde dumbe shevve.

Actus. iij.

Scena 1.

Scena. ij.

Finis Actus tertij.

Act IV

The order of the fourth dumbe shevve.

Actus. iiij.

Scena. j.

Finis Actus quarti.

Act V

The order of the laste dumbe shevve.

Actus. v.

Scena. j.

Scena. ij.

Scena. 3.

Scena. iiij.

Scena. v.

Finis Actus quinti.

Epilogus.

Finis Epilogi,