Actus quintus, Shaena prima.
Diogenes, Syluius, Perim, Milo Irico, Manes.
Sylui.
I haue brought my sons Diogenes, to bee taught of thee.
Diog.
What can thy sonnes doe?
Sylui.
455
You shall see their qualities: Daunce sirha.
Then Perim daunceth.
How like you this? doth he well?
Diog.
The better, the worser.
Sylui.
The musicke very good.
Diog.
The Musitions very badde, who onelye studie to haue their stringes in tune, neuer
framing their manners to order.
Sylui.
460
Now shall you see the other: tumble sirha.
Milo tumbleth.
How like you this? why do you laugh?
Diog.
To see a wagge, that was born to break his neck by destinie, to practise it by arte.
Milo.
This dogge will bite me, I wil not be with him.
Diog.
Feare not boy, dogges eate no thistles.
Perim.
465
I meruaile what dog thou art, if thou be a dog.
Diog.
When I am hungry, a mastiue, and when my belly is full, a spaniell.
Sylui.
Doest thou beleeue that there are any gods, that thou art so dogged?
Diog.
I must needs beleeue there are Gods: for I think thee an enemie to them.
Diog.
470
Beecause thou hast taught one of thy sonnes to rule his legges, and not to follow
learning, the other to bend his body euery way, and his minde no way.
Perim.
Thou doest nothing but snarle, and barke like a dogge.
Diog.
It is the next way to driue away a theefe.
Sylui.
Now shall you heare the third, who signes like a Nightingall.
Diog.
I care not: for I haue heard a Nightingall sing her self.
Trico singeth.
Syl.
Loe Diogenes, I am sure thou canst not doe so much.
Diog.
But there is neuer a Thrush but can.
Sylui.
What hast thou taught Manes thy man?
Diog.
To be as vnlike as may be thy sonnes.
Manes
480
He hath taught me to fast, lye hard, and runne away.
Sylui.
Howe saiest thou Perim, wilte thou bee with him?
Perim.
I, so he will teach me first to runne away.
Diog.
Thou needest not be taught, thy legs are so nimble.
Sylui.
Howe sayest thou Milo wilte thou bee with him?
Diog.
485
Nay, hold your peace, he shall not.
Diog.
There is not roome enough for him and mee both to tumble in one tub.
Sylui.
Well Diogenes, I perceiue my sonnes brook not thy manners.
Diog.
I thought no lesse, when they knewe my vertues.
Sylui.
490
Farewell
Diogenes, thou neededst not haue scraped rootes, if thou woldest haue followed
Alexander.
Diog.
Nor thou haue followed Alexāder, if thou hadst scraped rootes.
Exeunt.
Actus quintus, Schaena tertia.
Milectus, Phrigius, Layis, Diogenes.
Mil.
It shal go hard, but this peace shal bring vs some pleasure.
Phry.
Downe with armes, and vp with legges, this is a world for the nonce.
Lays
495
Sweete youthes, if you knew what it were to saue your sweete bloud, you would not
so foolishly go about to spend it. What delight can there be in gasshinge, to make
foule scarres in faire faces, & crooked maimes in streight legges? as though men being
borne goodlye by nature, would of purpose become deformed by follye, and all forsooth
for a new found tearme, called valiant, a worde which breedeth more quarrelles then
the sense can commendation.
Mil.
It is true Lays, a featherbed hath no fellow, good drinke makes good bloud, and shal pelting wordes
spill it?
Phry.
I meane to enjoy the world, and to draw out my life at the wiredrawers, not to curtall
it off at the cuttelers.
Lays
You may talke of warre, speake bigge, conquer worldes with great wordes: but stay
at home, where in steede of Alarums you shall haue daunces, for hot battelles with
fierce menne, gentle skirmishes with faire womenne. These pewter coates canne neuer
sitte so well as satten dublets. Beleeue mee, you cannot conceiue the pleasure of
peace, vnlesse you despise the rudenes of warre.
Mil.
It is so. But see Diogenes prying ouer his tubbe: Diogenes, what saiest thou to such a morsel?
Diog.
500
I say, I would spit it out of my mouth, because it should not poyson my stomacke.
Phry.
Thou speakest as thou it is no meate for dogges.
Diog.
I am a dogge, and Phylosophy rates mee from carion.
Lays
Vnciuill wretch, whose manners are aunswerable to thy callynge, the tyme was thou
wouldest haue hadde my companie, had it not beene, as thou saidst too deare.
Diog.
I remember there was a thing, that I repented me of, and now thou haste told it, indeede
it was too deare of nothing, and thou deare to no bodye.
Lays
505
Downe villaine, or I wil haue thy head broken?
Phry.
Auaunt curre: Come sweete Lays, let vs goe to some place, and possesse peace. But first let vs sing, there is more
pleasure in tuning of a voyce, then in a vollye of shotte.
Milec.
Now let vs make haste, least Alexander finde vs here.
Exeunt,
Actus quintus, Schaena quarta.
Alexander. Hephestion, Page, Diogenes, Apelles, Campaspe.
Alex.
Mee thinketh Hephestion you are more melancholy then you were accustomed; but I perceiue it is all for Alexander. You can neither brooke this peace, nor my pleasure, be of good cheare, though I
winke, I sleepe not.
Hephest.
510
Melancholy I am not, nor well content: for I know not how there is such a ruste crept
into my bones with this long ease, that I feare I shall not scowre it out with infinite
labours.
Alex.
Yes, yes, if all the trauailes of conquering the world will set either thy body or
mine in tune, wee will vndertake them. But what think you of Apelles? Did yee euer see any so perplexed? Hee neither aunswered directly to any question,
nor looked stedfastly vppon anye thing. I hold my life the painter is in loue.
Hephe.
It may be: for commonly we see it incident in artificers to be inamoured of their
own workes, as Archidamus of his woodden doue, Pygmalion, of his iuorie Image, Arachne of his woddē swan, especially painters, who playing with their own conceites, now
coueting to draw a glauncing eie, then a rolling, now a wincking; stil mending it,
neuer ending it, till they bee caught with it, and then poore soules they kisse the
colours with their lippes, with which before they were loth to tainte theyr fingers.
Alex.
I wil finde it out. Page, goe speedelye for Apelles, will him to come hether, and when you see vs earnestly in talke, sodenly cry out,
Apelles shoppe is on fire.
Alex.
515
Forget not your lesson
Hephe.
I meruaile what your deuice shalbe.
Alex.
The euent shall proue.
Hephe.
I pittie the poore painter, if he be in loue.
Alex.
Pittie him not, I pray thee, that seuere grauity set aside, what do you think of loue?
Hephe.
520
As the Macedonians doe of their Hearbe Beet, which looking yellow in the ground; and
blacke in the hand, thinke it better seene then toucht.
Alex.
But what do you imagine it to be.
Hephe.
A word by superstition thought a God, by vse turned to an humour, by self will made
a flattering madnesse.
Alex.
You are too hard harted to think so of loue. Let vs go to Diogenes. Diogenes, thou maist think it somwhat, that Alexander commeth to thee againe so soone
Diog.
If you come to learn, you could not come soone enough, if to laugh, you be come too
soone.
Hephe.
525
It would better become thee to be more curteous, and frame thy self to please.
Diog.
And you better to be lesse, if you durst displease.
Alex.
What dost thou think of the time we haue here?
Diog.
That we haue lit be; and lose much.
Alex.
If one be sick, what wouldest thou haue him do?
Diog.
530
Be sure that he make not his Phisition his hiere.
Alex.
If thou mightest haue thy wil, how much groūd would content thee?
Diog.
As much as you in the ende must bee contented withall.
Diog.
No, the length of my body.
Alex.
535
Hephestion, shal I be a litle pleasaunt with him?
Heph.
You may: but he wil be very peruerse with you.
Apel.
It skilleth not, I cannot be angry with him. Diogenes, I pray thee, what dost thou think of loue?
Diog.
A litle worser then I can of hate.
Diog.
540
Because it is better to hate the thinges, which make to loue, thē to loue the things,
which giue occasion of hate.
Alex.
Why, be not women the best creatures in the world?
Alex.
What dost thou dislike chiefly in a woman?
Diog.
That she is a woman.
Alex.
In mine opinion thou wert neuer born of a woman, that thou thinkest so hardly of womē.
But not cōmeth Apelles, who I am sure is as far from thy thoghts, as thou art frō his cunning. Diogenes, I wil haue thy cabin remoued nerer to my court, because I wil be a philosopher
Diog.
And when you haue done so, I pray you remoue your court further from my cabinne, because
I wil not be a courtier.
Alex.
But here commeth Apelles. Apelles, what peece of work haue you now in hand?
Apel.
550
None in hand, if it like your maiestie: but I am deuising a platforme in my head.
Alex.
I think your hand put it in your head. Is it nothing about Venus?
Apel.
No, but some thing about Venus.
Page
Apelles, Apelles, looke about you, your shope is on fire.
Apel.
Ay me, if the picture of Campaspe be burnt, I am vndone.
Alex.
555
Stay
Apelles, no haste, it is your hart is on fire, not your shop, & if
Camp. hang there, I wold she were burnt. But haue you the picture of
Campaspe? Beelike you loue her wel, that you care not thogh al be lost, so she be safe.
Apel.
Not loue her: but your Maiestie knowes that painters in their last works are said
to excell themselues, and in this I haue so much pleased my self, that the shadow
as much delighteth mee beeing an artificer, as the substaunce doth others that are
amorous.
Alex.
You lay your colours grosely, though I could not paint in your shop, I cā spy into
your excuse. Be not ashamed Apelles, it is a Gentlemans sport to be in loue. Call hither Campaspe. Me thinks I might haue bin made priuie to your affection, though my counsel had
not beene necessary, yet my countenance might haue bin thought requisite. But Apelles forsooth loueth vnder hand, yea & vnder Alexanders nose, and, but I say no more.
Apel.
Apelles loueth not so: but he liueth to do as Alexander will.
Alex.
Campaspe, here is newes, Apel. is in loue with you.
Camp.
560
It pleaseth your maiesty to say so.
Alex.
Hephestion, I wil try her to. Campaspe, for the good qualities I know in Apelles and the vertue I see in you, I am determined you shal enioy one the other. Howe saye
you Campaspe, would you say, I?
Camp.
Your handmaid must obey, if you commaund.
Alex.
Think you not Hephestion that shee would faine be commaunded?
Heph.
I am no thought catcher, but I gesse vnhappily.
Alex.
565
I will not enforce mariage, where I cannot cōpel loue.
Camp.
But your maiestie may moue a question, where you be willing to haue a match.
Alex.
` Hephestion, these parties are agreed, they would haue me both priest and witnesse. Apelles, take Campaspe, why moue ye not? Campaspe, take Apelles, wil it not be? If you be ashamed one of the other, by my consent you shal neuer
come togeather. But dissemble not Campaspe, do you loue Apelles?
Camp.
Pardon my Lord, I loue Apelles.
Alex.
Apelles, it were a shame for you, being loued so openly of so faire a virgin, to say the
contrary. Doe you loue Campaspe?
Alex.
Two louing wormes, Hephestion, I perceiue Alexander cannot subdue the affections of menne, though he cōquer their countries. Loue falleth
like dew aswel vpō the low grasse, as vppon the high Caedar. Sparkes haue their heate,
Antes their gall, Flyes their splene. Well, enioy one an other, I giue her thee frāckly
Apelles. Thou shalt see that Alexander maketh but a toye of loue, and leadeth affection in setters, vsing fācie as a foole
to make him sport, or as a minstrell to make him merry. It is not the amorous glaunce
of an eie can settle an idle thought in the heart, no no, it is childrens game, a
life for seamesters and schollers, the one pricking in cloutes haue nothing els to
thinke on, the other picking fancies out of books, haue litle els to meruaile at.
Go Apelles take with you your Campaspe, Alexander is cloied with looking on that, which thou wondredst at.
Apel.
Thankes to your maiestie on bended knee; you haue honoured Apelles.
Camp.
Thankes with bowed hearte, you haue blessed Campaspe.
Exeunt.
Alex.
Page, go warne Clitus and Parmenio and the other Lordes to be in a readines, let the trumpet sounde, strike vp the drumme,
and I will presently into Persia. How now Hephestion, is Alexander able to resiste loue as he lift?
Hephe.
575
The conquering of
Thebes was not so honourable, as the subdueing of these thoughts.
Alex.
It were a shame Alexander should desire to commaund the world, if he could not commaund himselfe. But come,
let vs goe, I wll try whether I can better beare my hand with my heart, then I could
with mine eie. And good Hephestion, when, al the world is woone, and euery countrey is thine and mine, either find me
out an other to subdue, or of my word I will fall in loue.
Exeunt.