The Works of Christopher Marlowe Volume II Part 64

_Iar._ Brave men-at-arms, abandon fruitless fears, Since Carthage knows to entertain distress.

_Serg._ I, but the barbarous sort do threat our ships, And will not let us lodge upon the sands; In mult.i.tudes they swarm unto the sh.o.r.e, And from the first earth interdict our feet.

_Iar._ Myself will see they shall not trouble ye: Your men and you shall banquet in our court, And every Trojan be as welcome here 40 As Jupiter to silly Baucis'[459] house.

Come in with me; I'll bring ye to my queen, Who shall confirm my words with further deeds.

_Serg._ Thanks, gentle lord, for such unlook'd-for grace: Might we but once more see aeneas' face, Then would we hope to quite such friendly turns, As shall[460] surpa.s.s the wonder of our speech.

[_Exeunt._

ACT II.

SCENE I.

_Enter_[461] aeNEAS, ACHATES, ASCANIUS, _and others_.

_aen._ Where am I now? these should be Carthage-walls.

_Ach._ Why stands my sweet aeneas thus amaz'd?

_aen._ O my Achates, Theban Niobe, Who for her sons' death wept out life and breath, And, dry with grief, was turned into a stone, Had not such pa.s.sions in her head as I!

Methinks, That town there should be Troy, yon Ida's hill, There Xanthus' stream, because here's Priamus; And when I know it is not, then I die. 10

_Ach._ And in this humour is Achates too; I cannot choose but fall upon my knees, And kiss his hand. O, where is Hecuba?

Here she was wont to sit; but, saving air, Is nothing here; and what is this but stone?[462]

_aen._ O, yet this stone doth make aeneas weep!

And would my prayers (as Pygmalion's did) Could give it life, that under his conduct We might sail back to Troy, and be revenged On these hard-hearted Grecians which rejoice 20 That nothing now is left of Priamus!

O, Priamus is left, and this is he!

Come, come aboard; pursue the hateful Greeks.

_Ach._ What means aeneas?

_aen._ Achates, though mine eyes say this is stone, Yet thinks my mind that this is Priamus; And when my grieved heart sighs and says no, Then would it leap out to give Priam life.-- O, were I not at all, so thou mightst be;-- Achates, see, King Priam wags his hand! 30 He is alive; Troy is not overcome!

_Ach._ Thy mind, aeneas, that would have it so, Deludes thy eye-sight; Priamus is dead.

_aen._ Ah, Troy is sack'd, and Priamus is dead!

And why should poor aeneas be alive?

_Asc._ Sweet father, leave to weep; this is not he, For, were it Priam, he would smile on me.

_Ach._ aeneas, see, here come the citizens: Leave to lament, lest they laugh at our fears.[463]

_Enter_ CLOANTHUS, SERGESTUS, ILIONEUS, _and others_.

_aen._ Lords of this town, or whatsoever style 40 Belongs unto your name, vouchsafe of ruth To tell us who inhabits this fair town, What kind of people, and who governs them; For we are strangers driven on this sh.o.r.e, And scarcely know within what clime we are.

_Ili._ I hear aeneas' voice, but see him not,[464]

For none of these can be our general.

_Ach._ Like Ilioneus speaks this n.o.bleman, But Ilioneus goes not in such robes.

_Serg._ You are Achates, or I [am] deceiv'd. 50

_Ach._ aeneas, see, Sergestus, or his ghost!

_Ili._ He names[465] aeneas; let us kiss his feet.

_Clo._ It is our captain; see, Ascanius!

_Serg._ Live long aeneas and Ascanius!

_aen._ Achates, speak, for I am overjoyed.

_Ach._ O Ilioneus, art thou yet alive?

_Ili._ Blest be the time I see Achates' face!

_Clo._ Why turns aeneas from his trusty friends?

_aen._ Sergestus, Ilioneus, and the rest, Your sight amazed me. O, what destinies 60 Have brought my sweet companions in such plight?

O, tell me, for I long to be resolved!

_Ili._ Lovely aeneas, these are Carthage-walls; And here Queen Dido wears th' imperial crown, Who for Troy's sake hath entertained us all, And clad us in these wealthy robes we wear.

Oft hath she asked us under whom we served; And, when we told her, she would weep for grief, Thinking the sea had swallowed up thy ships; And, now she sees thee, how will she rejoice! 70

_Serg._ See, where her servitors pa.s.s through the hall,[466]

Bearing a banquet: Dido is not far.

_Ili._ Look, where she comes; aeneas, view[467] her well.

_aen._ Well may I view her; but she sees not me.

_Enter_ DIDO, ANNA, IARBAS, _and train_.

_Dido._ What stranger art thou, that dost eye me thus?

_aen._ Sometime I was a Trojan, mighty queen; But Troy is not:--what shall I say I am?

_Ili._ Renowmed Dido, 'tis our general, Warlike aeneas.

_Dido._ Warlike aeneas, and in these base robes! 80 Go fetch the garment which Sichaeus ware.--

[_Exit an_ Attendant, _who brings in the garment, which_ aeNEAS _puts on_.