The Works of Christopher Marlowe Volume II Part 62

_Nav._ Long may you live, and still be king of France!

_Eper._ Or else, die Epernoun! 90

_Henry._ Sweet Epernoun, thy king must die.--My lords, Fight in the quarrel of this valiant prince, For he's your lawful king, and my next heir; Valois's line ends in my tragedy.

Now let the house of Bourbon wear the crown; And may it ne'er end in blood as mine hath done!-- Weep not, sweet Navarre, but revenge my death.-- Ah, Epernoun, is this thy love to me?

Henry, thy king, wipes off these childish tears, And bids thee whet thy sword on Sixtus' bones, 100 That it may keenly slice the Catholics.

He loves me not [the most[431]] that sheds most tears, But he that makes most lavish of his blood.

Fire Paris, where these treacherous rebels lurk.-- I die, Navarre: come bear me to my sepulchre.

Salute the Queen of England in my name, And tell her Henry dies her faithful friend. [_Dies._

_Nav._ Come, lords, take up the body of the king, That we may see it honourably interr'd: And then I vow so[432] to revenge his death, 110 As Rome, and all these popish prelates there, Shall curse the time that e'er Navarre was king, And ruled in France by Henry's fatal death.

[_They march out, with the body of_ KING HENRY _lying on four men's shoulders, with a dead_ _march, drawing weapons on the ground._

THE TRAGEDY OF DIDO, QUEEN OF CARTHAGE.

_Dido_ was published in 1594, with the following t.i.tle:--

_The Tragedie of Dido Queene of Carthage: Played by the Children of her Maiesties Chappell. Written by Christopher Marlowe, and Thomas Nash, Gent._

_Actors._

_Jupiter._ _Ascanius._ _Ganimed._ _Dido._ _Venus._ _Anna._ _Cupid._ _Achates._ _Juno._ _Ilioneus._ _Mercurie, or_ _Iarbas._ _Hermes._ _Cloanthes._ _aeneas._ _Sergestus._

_At London, Printed, by the Widdowe Orwin, for Thomas Woodc.o.c.ke, and are to be sold at his shop, in Paules Churchyeard, at the signe of the blacke Beare._ 1594. 4_to._

A copy of this edition is in the Bodleian Library; and I am indebted to my friend Mr. C. H. Firth for kindly comparing Dyce's text with the text of the Bodleian copy.

_PERSONS REPRESENTED._

JUPITER.

GANYMEDE.

HERMES.

CUPID.

JUNO.

VENUS.

aeNEAS.

ASCANIUS, his son.

ACHATES.

ILIONEUS.

CLOANTHUS.

SERGESTUS.

Other Trojans.

IARBAS.

Carthaginian Lords.

DIDO.

ANNA, her sister.

Nurse.

THE TRAGEDY OF DIDO, QUEEN OF CARTHAGE.

ACT I.

SCENE I.

_Here the curtains draw: there is discovered_ JUPITER _dandling_ GANYMEDE _upon his knee, and_ HERMES _lying asleep._

_Jup._ Come, gentle Ganymede, and play with me; I love thee well, say Juno what she will.

_Gan._ I am much better for your worthless love, That will not shield me from her shrewish blows!

To-day, whenas I filled into your cups, And held the cloth of pleasance whiles you drank, She reached me such a rap for that I spilled, As made the blood run down about mine ears.

_Jup._ What? dares she strike the darling of my thoughts?

By Saturn's soul, and this earth-threatening hair,[433] 10 That, shaken thrice, makes nature's buildings quake, I vow, if she but once frown on thee more, To hang her, meteor-like, 'twixt heaven and earth, And bind her, hand and foot, with golden cords, As once I did for harming Hercules!

_Gan._ Might I but see that pretty sport a-foot, O, how would I with Helen's brother laugh, And bring the G.o.ds to wonder at the game!

Sweet Jupiter, if e'er I pleased thine eye, Or seemed fair, wall'd-in with eagle's wings,[434] 20 Grace my immortal beauty with this boon, And I will spend my time in thy bright arms.

_Jup._ What is't, sweet wag, I should deny thy youth?

Whose face reflects such pleasure to mine eyes, As I, exhaled with thy fire-darting beams, Have oft driven back the horses of the Night, Whenas they would have haled thee from my sight.

Sit on my knee, and call for thy content, Control proud Fate, and cut the thread of Time: Why, are not all the G.o.ds at thy command, 30 And heaven and earth the bounds of thy delight?

Vulcan[435] shall dance to make thee laughing-sport, And my nine daughters sing when thou art sad; From Juno's bird I'll pluck her spotted pride, To make thee fans wherewith to cool thy face; And Venus' swans shall shed their silver down, To sweeten out the slumbers of thy bed; Hermes no more shall show the world his wings, If that thy fancy in his feathers dwell, But, as this one, I'll tear them all from him, 40 [_Plucks a feather from_ HERMES' _wings_.

Do thou but say, "their colour pleaseth me."

Hold here, my little love; these linked gems, [_Gives jewels._ My Juno ware upon her marriage-day, Put thou about thy neck, my own sweet heart, And trick thy arms and shoulders with my theft.

_Gan._ I would have a jewel for mine ear, And a fine brooch to put in[to] my hat, And then I'll hug with you an hundred times.

_Jup._ And shall have, Ganymede, if thou wilt be my love.

_Enter_ VENUS.