The Tragedy of Dido Queene of Carthage Part 6

_Acha._ Did euer men see such a sudden storme?

Or day so cleere so suddenly orecast?

_Iar._ I thinke some fell Inchantresse dwelleth here, That can call them forth when as she please, And diue into blacke tempests treasurie, When as she mcanes to maske the world with clowdes.

_Anna._ In all my life I neuer knew the like, It haild, it snowde, it lightned all at once.

_Acha._ I thinke it was the diuels reuelling night, There was such hurly burly in the heauens: Doubtles _Apollos_ Axeltree is crackt, Or aged _Atlas_ shoulder out of ioynt, The motion was soouer violent.

_Iar._ In all this coyle, where haue ye left the Queene?

_Asca._ Nay, where is my warlike father, can you tell?

_Anna._ Behold where both of them come forth the Caue.

_Iar._ Come forth the Caue: can heauen endure this sight?

_Iarbus_, curse that vnreuenging _Ioue_, Whose flintie darts slept in _Tiphous_ den, Whiles these adulterers surfetted with sinne: Nature, why mad'st me not some poysonous beast, That with the sharpnes of my edged sting, I might haue stakte them both vnto the earth, Whil'st they were sporting in this darksome Caue?

_aen._ The ayre is cleere, and Southerne windes are whist, Come _Dido_, let vs hasten to the towne, Since gloomie _aeolus_ doth cease to frowne.

_Dido._ _Achates_ and _Ascanius_, well met.

_aen._ Faire _Anna_, how escapt you from the shower?

_Anna._ As others did, by running to the wood.

_Dido._ But where were you _Iarbus_ all this while?

_Iar._ Not with _aeneas_ in the vgly Caue.

_Dido._ I see _aeneas_ sticketh in your minde, But I will soone put by that stumbling blocke, And quell those hopes that thus employ your cares. _Exeunt._

_Enters Iarbus to Sacrifice._

_Iar._ Come seruants, come bring forth the Sacrifize, That I may pacifie that gloomie _Ioue_, Whose emptie Altars haue enlarg'd our illes.

Eternall _Ioue_, great master of the Clowdes, Father of gladnesse, and all frollicke thoughts, That with thy gloomie hand corrects the heauen, When ayrie creatures warre amongst themselues: Heare, heare, O heare _Iarbus_ plaining prayers, Whose hideous ecchoes make the welkin howle, And all the woods _Eliza_ to resound: The woman that thou wild vs entertaine, Where straying in our borders vp and downe, She crau'd a hide of ground to build a towne, With whom we did deuide both lawes and land, And all the fruites that plentie els sends forth, Scorning our loues and royall marriage rites, Yeelds vp her beautie to a strangers bed, Who hauing wrought her shame, is straight way fled: Now if thou beest a pitying G.o.d of power, On whom ruth and compa.s.sion euer waites, Redresse these wrongs, and warne him to his s.h.i.+ps, That now afflicts me with his flattering eyes.

_Enter Anna._

_Anna._ How now _Iarbus_, at your prayers so hard?

_Iar._ I _Anna_, is there ought you would with me?

_Anna._ Nay, no such waightie busines of import, But may be slackt vntill another time: Yet if you would partake with me the cause Of this deuotion that detaineth you, I would be thankfull for such curtesie.

_Iar._ _Anna_, against this Troian doe I pray, Who seekes to rob me of thy Sisters loue, And dive into her heart by coloured lookes.

_Anna._ Alas poore King that labours so in vaine.

For her that so delighteth in thy paine: Be rul'd by me, and seeke some other loue, Whose yeelding heart may yeeld thee more reliefe.

_Iar._ Mine eye is fixt where fancie cannot start, O leaue me, leaue me to my silent thoughts, That register the numbers of my ruth, And I will either moue the thoughtles flint, Or drop out both mine eyes in drisling teares, Before my sorrowes tide haue any stint.

_Anna._ I will not leaue _Iarbus_ whom I loue, In this delight of dying pensiuenes: Away with _Dido_, _Anna_ be thy song, _Anna_ that doth admire thee more then heauen.

_Iar._ I may nor will list to such loathsome chaunge, That intercepts the course of my desire: Seruants, come fetch these emptie vessels here, For I will flye from these alluring eyes, That doe pursue my peace where ere it goes. _Exit._

_Anna._ _Iarbus_ stay, louing _Iarbus_ stay, For I haue honey to present thee with: Hard hearted, wilt not deigne to heare me speake, Ile follow thee with outcryes nere the lesse, And strewe thy walkes with my discheueld haire. _Exit._

_Enter aeneas alone._

_aen._ _Carthage_, my friendly host adue, Since destinie doth call me from the sh.o.a.re: _Hermes_ this night descending in a dreame, Hath summond me to fruitfull _Italy_: _Ioue_ wils it so, my mother wils it so: Let my Phenissa graunt, and then I goe: Graunt she or no, _aeneas_ must away, Whose golden fortunes clogd with courtly ease, Cannot ascend to Fames immortall house, Or banquet in bright honors burnisht hall, Till he hath furrowed _Neptunes_ gla.s.sie fieldes, And cut a pa.s.sage through his toples hilles: _Achates_ come forth, _Sergestus_, _Illioneus_, _Cloanthus_, haste away, _aeneas_ calles.

_Enter Achates, Cloanthus, Sergestus, and Illioneus._

_Acha._ What willes our Lord, or wherefore did he call?

_aen._ The dreames (braue mates) that did beset my bed, When sleepe but newly had imbrast the night, Commaunds me leaue these vnrenowmed beames, Whereas n.o.bilitie abhors to stay, And none but base _aeneas_ will abide: Abourd, abourd, since Fates doe bid abourd, And slice the Sea with sable coloured s.h.i.+ps, On whom the nimble windes may all day waight, And follow them as footemen through the deepe: Yet _Dido_ casts her eyes like anchors out, To stay my Fleete from loosing forth the Bay: Come backe, come backe, I heare her crye a farre, And let me linke my bodie to my lips, That tyed together by the striuing tongues, We may as one saile into _Italy_.

_Acha._ Banish that ticing dame from forth your mouth, And follow your foreseeing starres in all; This is no life for men at armes to liue, Where daliance doth consume a Souldiers strength, And wanton motions of alluring eyes, Effeminate our mindes inur'd to warre.

_Illio._ Why, let vs build a Citie of our owne, And not stand lingering here for amorous lookes: Will _Dido_ raise old _Priam_ forth his graue, And build the towne againe the Greekes did burne?

No no, she cares not how we sinke or swimme, So she may haue _aeneas_ in her armes.

_Cloan._ To _Italy_, sweete friends to _Italy_, We will not stay a minute longer here.

_aen._ Troians abourd, and I will follow you, I faine would goe, yet beautie calles me backe: To leaue her so and not once say farewell, Were to transgresse against all lawes of loue: But if I vse such ceremonious thankes, As parting friends accustome on the sh.o.a.re, Her siluer armes will coll me round about, And teares of pearle, crye stay, _aeneas_, stay: Each word she sayes will then containe a Crowne, And euery speech be ended with a kisse: I may not dure this female drudgerie, To sea _aeneas_, finde out _Italy_. _Exit._

_Enter Dido and Anna._

_Dido._ O _Anna_, runne vnto the water side, They say _aeneas_ men are going abourd, It may be he will steale away with them: Stay not to answere me, runne _Anna_ runne.

O foolish Troians that would steale from hence, And not let _Dido_ vnderstand their drift: I would haue giuen _Achates_ store of gold, And _Illioneus_ gum and Libian spice, The common souldiers rich imbrodered coates, And siluer whistles to controule the windes, Which _Circes_ sent _Sicheus_ when he liued: Vnworthie are they of a Queenes reward: See where they come, how might I doe to chide?

_Enter Anna, with aeneas, Achates, Illioneus, and Sergestus._

_Anna._ Twas time to runne, _aeneas_ had been gone, The sailes were hoysing vp, and he abourd.

_Dido._ Is this thy loue to me?

_aen._ O princely _Dido_, giue me leaue to speake, I went to take my farewell _Achates_.

_Dido._ How haps _Achates_ bid me not farewell?

_Acha._ Because I feard your grace would keepe me here.

_Dido._ To rid thee of that doubt, abourd againe, I charge thee put to sea and stay not here.

_Acha._ Then let _aeneas_ goe abourd with vs.

_Dido._ Get you abourd, _aeneas_ meanes to stay.