Christopher Marlowe

“ Achates, thou shalt be so meanly clad, As Seaborne Nymphes shall swarme about thy ships, And wanton Mermaides court thee with sweete songs, Flinging in fauours of more soueraigne worth, Then Thetis hangs about Apolloes necke, So that Æneas may but stay with me.
Æn. Wherefore would Dido haue Æneas stay?
Dido. To warre against my bordering enemies: Æneas, thinke not Dido is in loue: For if that any man could conquer me, I had been wedded ere Æneas came: See where the pictures of my suiters hang, And are not these as faire as faire may be? ”

“ This Meleagers sonne, a warlike Prince, But weapons gree not with my tender yeares: The rest are such as all the world well knowes, Yet how I sweare by heauen and him I loue, I was as farre from loue, as they from hate.
Æn. O happie shall he be whom Dido loues.
Dido. Then neuer say that thou art miserable, Because it may be thou shalt be my loue: Yet boast not of it, for I loue thee not, And yet I hate thee not: O if I speake I shall betray my selfe: Æneas speake, We two will goe a hunting in the woods, But not so much for thee, thou art but one, As for Achates, and his followers. Exeunt. ”

“ O Queene of Carthage, wert thou vgly blacke, Æneas could not choose but hold thee deare, Yet must he not gainsay the Gods behest.
Dido. The Gods, what Gods be those that seeke my death? Wherein haue I offended Iupiter, That he should take Æneas from mine armes? ”

“ Dido. The man that I doe eye where ere I am, Whose amorous face like Pean sparkles fire, When as he buts his beames on Floras bed, Prometheus hath put on Cupids shape, And I must perish in his burning armes: Æneas, O Æneas, quench these flames.
Æn. What ailes my Queene, is she falne sicke of late?
Dido. Not sicke my loue, but sicke, I must conceale The torment, that it bootes me not reueale; And yet Ile speake, and yet Ile hold my peace, Doe shame her worst, I will disclose my griefe: Æneas, thou art he, what did I say? ”

“ Yet he vndaunted tooke his fathers flagge, And dipt it in the old Kings chill cold bloud, And then in triumph ran into the streetes, Through which he could not passe for slaughtred men: So leaning on his sword he stood stone still, Viewing the fire wherewith rich Ilion burnt. ”

“ But what may I faire Virgin call your name? Whose lookes set forth no mortall forme to view, Nor speech bewraies ought humaine in thy birth, Thou art a Goddesse that delud'st our eyes, And shrowdes thy beautie in this borrowd shape ”

“ Were vp in armes, for making thee my loue?
How Carthage did rebell, Iarbus storme,
And all the world calles me a second Helen,
For being intangled by a strangers lookes:
So thou wouldst proue as true as Paris did,
Would, as faire Troy was, Carthage might be sackt,
And I be calde a second Helena.
Had I a sonne by thee, the griefe were lesse,
That I might see Æneas in his face:
Now if thou goest, what canst thou leaue behind,
But rather will augment then ease my woe?
Æn. In vaine my loue thou spendst thy fainting breath, If words might moue me I were ouercome.
Dido. ”

“ Venus, sweete Venus, how may I deserue Such amourous fauours at thy beautious hand? But that thou maist more easilie perceiue, How highly I doe prize this amitie, Harke to a motion of eternall league, Which I will make in quittance of thy loue: Thy sonne thou knowest with Dido now remaines, And feedes his eyes with fauours of her Court, She likewise in admyring spends her time, And cannot talke nor thinke of ought but him: Why should not they then ioyne in marriage, And bring forth mightie Kings to Carthage towne, Whom casualtie of sea hath made such friends? ”

“ Dido. I, I, Iarbus, after this is done, None in the world shall have my loue but thou: So, leaue me now, let none approach this place. Exit Iarbus. Now Dido, with these reliques burne thy selfe, And make Æneas famous through the world, For periurie and slaughter of a Queene: Here lye the Sword that in the darksome Caue He drew, and swore by to be true to me, Thou shalt burne first, thy crime is worse then his: Here lye the garment which I cloath'd him in, When first he came on shoare, perish thou to: These letters, lines, and periurd papers all, Shall burne to cinders in this prectious flame. ”

“ Meane time, Ascanius shall be my charge,
Whom I will beare to Ida in mine armes,
And couch him in Adonis purple downe, Exeunt.
Enter Dido, Æneas, Anna, Iarbus, Achates, and followers.
Dido. Æneas, thinke not but I honor thee,
That thus in person goe with thee to hunt:
My princely robes thou seest are layd aside,
Whose glittering pompe Dianas shrowdes supplies,
All fellowes now disposde alike to sporte,
The woods are wide, and we haue store of game:
Faire Troian, hold my golden bowe awhile,
Vntill I gird my quiuer to my side:
Lords goe before, we two must talke alone. ”

“ Æn. Carthage, my friendly host adue, Since destinie doth call me from the shoare: 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, Æneas 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 glassie fieldes, And cut a passage through his toples hilles: Achates come forth, Sergestus, Illioneus, Cloanthus, haste away, Æneas calles. ”

“ Æn. The sea is rough, the windes blow to the shoare.
Dido. O false Æneas, now the sea is rough, But when you were abourd twas calme enough, Thou and Achates ment to saile away.
Æn. Hath not the Carthage Queene mine onely sonne? Thinkes Dido I will goe and leaue him here? ”

“ If that your maiestie can looke so lowe, As my despised worths, that shun all praise, With this my hand I giue to you my heart, And vow by all the Gods of Hospitalitie, By heauen and earth, and my faire brothers bowe, By Paphos, Capys, and the purple Sea, From whence my radiant mother did descend, And by this Sword that saued me from the Greekes, Neuer to leaue these newe vpreared walles, Whiles Dido liues and rules in Iunos towne, Neuer to like or loue any but her. ”

“ 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. ”

“ Say Dido what she will I am not old, Ile be no more a widowe, I am young, Ile haue a husband, or els a louer.
Cupid. A husband and no teeth!
Nurse. O what meane I to haue such foolish thoughts! Foolish is loue, a toy, O sacred loue, If there be any heauen in earth, tis loue: Especially in women of your yeares. Blush blush for shame, why shouldst thou thinke of loue? A graue, and not a louer fits thy age: A graue, why? I may liue a hundred yeares, Fourescore is but a girles age, loue is sweete: My vaines are withered, and my sinewes drie, Why doe I thinke of loue now I should dye? ”

“ But bright Ascanius beauties better worke, Who with the Sunne deuides one radiant shape, Shall build his throne amidst those starrie towers, That earth-borne Atlas groning vnderprops: No bounds but heauen shall bound his Emperie, Whose azured gates enchased with his name, Shall make the morning halt her gray vprise, To feede her eyes with his engrauen fame. Thus in stoute Hectors race three hundred yeares, The Romane Scepter royall shall remaine, Till that a Princesse priest conceau'd by Mars, Shall yeeld to dignitie a dubble birth, Who will eternish Troy in their attempts. ”

“ 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 God of power, On whom ruth and compassion euer waites, Redresse these wrongs, and warne him to his ships, That now afflicts me with his flattering eyes. ”

“ Frighted with this confused noyse, I rose, And looking from a turret, might behold Yong infants swimming in their parents bloud, Headles carkasses piled vp in heapes, Virgins halfe dead dragged by their golden haire, And with maine force flung on a ring of pikes, Old men with swords thrust through their aged sides, Kneeling for mercie to a Greekish lad, Who with steele Pol-axes dasht out their braines. ”

“ See what strange arts necessitie findes out, How neere my sweet Æneas art thou driuen?
Æn. Hold, take this candle and goe light a fire, You shall haue leaues and windfall bowes enow Neere to these woods, to rost your meate withall: Ascanius, goe and drie thy drenched lims, Whiles I with my Achates roaue abroad, To know what coast the winde hath driuen vs on, Or whether men or beasts inhabite it.
Acha. The ayre is pleasant, and the soyle most fit
For Cities, and societies supports:
Yet much I maruell that I cannot finde,
No steps of men imprinted in the earth. ”

“ Dido. These words are poyson to poore Didos soule, O speake like my Æneas, like my loue: Why look'st thou toward the sea? the time hath been When Didos beautie chaungd thine eyes to her; Am I lesse faire then when thou sawest me first? O then Æneas, tis for griefe of thee: Say thou wilt stay in Carthage with my Queene, And Didos beautie will returne againe: Æneas, say, how canst thou take thy leaue? Wilt thou kisse Dido? O thy lips haue sworne To stay with Dido: canst thou take her hand? ”

“ Enter Æneas with Ascanius, with one or two more.
What? doe I see my sonne now come on shoare:
Venus, how art thou compast with content,
The while thine eyes attract their sought for ioyes:
Great Iupiter, still honourd maist thou be,
For this so friendly ayde in time of neede.
Here in this bush disguised will I stand,
Whiles my Æneas spends himselfe in plaints,
And heauen and earth with his vnrest acquaints.
Æn. You sonnes of care, companions of my course,
Priams misfortune followes vs by sea,
And Helens rape doth haunt thee at the heeles.
How many dangers haue we ouer past? ”

“ But whether thou the Sunnes bright Sister be, Or one of chast Dianas fellow Nimphs, Liue happie in the height of all content, And lighten our extreames with this one boone, As to instruct us vnder what good heauen We breathe as now, and what this world is calde, On which by tempests furie we are cast, Tell vs, O tell vs that are ignorant, And this right hand shall make thy Altars crack With mountaine heapes of milke white Sacrifize. ”

“ And fanne it in Æneas louely face,
O that the Clowdes were here wherein thou fleest,
That thou and I vnseene might sport our selues:
Heauens enuious of our ioyes is waxen pale,
And when we whisper, then the starres fall downe,
To be partakers of our honey talke.
Æn. O Dido, patronesse of all our liues,
When I leaue thee, death be my punishment,
Swell raging seas, frowne wayward destinies,
Blow windes, threaten ye Rockes and sandie shelfes,
This is the harbour that Æneas seekes,
Lets see what tempests can anoy me now. ”

“ That they may trip more lightly ore the lawndes,
And ouertake the tusked Bore in chase.
But for the land whereof thou doest enquire,
It is the punick kingdome rich and strong,
Adioyning on Agenors stately towne,
The kingly seate of Southerne Libia,
Whereas Sidonian Dido rules as Queene.
But what are you that aske of me these things?
Whence may you come, or whither will you goe?
Æn. Of Troy am I, Æneas is my name,
Who driuen by warre from forth my natiue world,
Put sailes to sea to seeke out Italy ”

“ Æn. Stoute friend Achates, doest thou know this wood?
Acha. As I remember, here you shot the Deere,
That sau'd your famisht souldiers liues from death,
When first you set your foote vpon the shoare,
And here we met fair Venus virgine like,
Bearing her bowe and quiuer at her backe.
Æn. O how these irksome labours now delight,
And ouerioy my thoughts with their escape:
Who would not vndergoe all kind of toyle,
To be well stor'd with such a winters tale?
Dido. Æneas, leaue these dumpes and lets away, Some to the mountaines, some vnto the soyle, You to the vallies, thou vnto the house. ”

“ But dye in furie of this ouersight?
I, I must be the murderer of my selfe:
No but I am not, yet I will be straight.
Anna be glad, now haue I found a meane
To rid me from these thoughts of Lunacie:
Not farre from hence there is a woman famoused for arts,
Daughter vnto the Nimphs Hesperides,
Who wild me sacrifice his ticing relliques:
Goe Anna, bid my seruants bring me fire. Exit Anna.
Enter Iarbus.
Iar. How long will Dido mourne a strangers flight,
That hath dishonord her and Carthage both?
How long shall I with griefe consume my daies,
And reape no guerdon for my truest loue?
Dido. ”

“ Dido. Ile frame me wings of waxe like Icarus, And ore his ships will soare vnto the Sunne, That they may melt and I fall in his armes: Or els Ile make a prayer vnto the waues, That I may swim to him like Tritons neece: O Anna, fetch Orions Harpe, That I may tice a Dolphin to the shoare, And ride vpon his backe vnto my loue: Looke sister, looke louely Æneas ships, See see, the billowes heaue him vp to heauen, And now downe falles the keeles into the deepe: O sister, sister, take away the Rockes, Theile breake his ships, O Proteus, Neptune, Ioue, Saue, saue Æneas, Didos leefest loue! ”

“ Hermes no more shall shew the world his wings, If that thy fancie in his feathers dwell, But as this one Ile teare them all from him, Doe thou but say their colour pleaseth me: Hold here my little loue these linked gems, My Iuno ware vpon her marriage day, Put thou about thy necke my owne sweet heart, And tricke thy armes and shoulders with my theft. Gan. I would haue a iewell for mine eare, And a fine brouch to put in my hat, And then Ile hugge with you an hundred times. ”

“ Wretches of Troy, enuied of the windes, That craue such fauour at your honors feete, As poore distressed miserie may pleade: Saue, saue, O saue our ships from cruell fire, That doe complaine the wounds of thousand waues, And spare our liues whom euery spite pursues. We come not we to wrong your Libian Gods, Or steale your houshold lares from their shrines: Our hands are not prepar'd to lawles spoyle, Nor armed to offend in any kind: Such force is farre from our vnweaponed thoughts, Whose fading weale of victorie forsooke, Forbids all hope to harbour neere our hearts. ”

“ 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?
Æn. The ayre is cleere, and Southerne windes are whist, Come Dido, let vs hasten to the towne, Since gloomie Æolus doth cease to frowne.
Dido. Achates and Ascanius, well met.
Æn. 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 Æneas in the vgly Caue. ”

“ And charg'd him drowne my sonne with all his traine.
Then gan the windes breake ope their brazen doores,
And all Æolia to be vp in armes:
Poore Troy must now be sackt vpon the Sea,
And Neptunes waues be enuious men of warre,
Epeus horse to Ætnas hill transformd,
Prepared stands to wracke their woodden walles,
And Æolus like Agamemnon sounds
The surges, his fierce souldiers to the spoyle:
See how the night Ulysses-like comes forth,
And intercepts the day as Dolon erst:
Ay me! the Starres supprisde like Rhesus Steedes,
Are drawne by darknes forth Astræus tents. ”

“ 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 Æneas in her armes. ”

“ Braue men at armes, abandon fruitles feares, Since Carthage knowes to entertaine distresse. Serg. I but the barbarous sort doe threat our ships, And will not let vs lodge vpon the sands: In multitudes they swarme vnto the shoare, And from the first earth interdict our feete. Iar. My selfe will see they shall not trouble ye, Your men and you shall banquet in our Court, And euery Troian be as welcome here, As Iupiter to sillie Vausis house: Come in with me, Ile bring you to my Queene, Who shall confirme my words with further deedes. ”