Part 3 (1/2)

_Char._ But this your loue nought mitigates his paine.

_Cl._ Without this loue I should be inhumaine.

_Char._ Inhumaine he, who his owne death pursues.

_Cl._ Not inhumaine who miseries eschues.

_Ch._ Liue for your sonnes.

_Cl._ Nay for their father die.

_Cha._ Hardhearted mother!

_Cl._ Wife kindhearted I.

_Ch._ Then will you them depriue of royall right?

_Cl._ Do I depriue them? no, it's dest'nies might.

_Ch._ Do you not them not depriue of heritage, That giue them vp to aduersaries handes, A man forsaken fearing to forsake, Whome such huge numbers hold enuironned?

T' abandon one gainst whome the frowning world Banded with _Caesar_ makes conspiring warre.

_Cl._ The lesse ought I to leaue him lest of all.

_A frend in most distresse should most a.s.sist._ If that when _Antonie_ great and glorious His legions led to drinke _Euphrates_ streames, So many Kings in traine redoubting him; In triumph rais'd as high as highest heaun; Lord-like disposing as him pleased best, The wealth of _Greece_, the wealth of_Asia_: In that faire fortune had I him exchaung'd For _Caesar_, then, men would haue counted me Faithles, vnconstant, light: but now the storme, And bl.u.s.tring tempest driuing on his face, Readie to drowne, _Alas_! what would they saie?

What would himselfe in _Plutos_ mansion saie?

If I, whome alwaies more then life he lou'de, If I, who am his heart, who was his hope, Leaue him, forsake him (and perhaps in vaine) Weakly to please who him hath ouerthrowne?

Not light, vnconstant, faithlesse should I be, But vile, forsworne, of treachrous crueltie.

_Ch._ Crueltie to shunne, you selfe-cruell are.

_Cl._ Selfe-cruell him from crueltie to spare.

_Ch._ Our first affection to our selfe is due.

_Cl._ He is my selfe.

_Ch._ Next it extendes vnto Our children, frends, and to our countrie soile.

And you for some respect of wiuelie loue, (Albee scarce wiuelie) loose your natiue land, Your children, frends, and (which is more) your life, With so strong charmes doth loue bewitch our witts: So fast in vs this fire once kindled flames.

Yet if his harme by yours redresse might haue,

_Cl._ With mine it may be clos'de in darksome graue.

_Ch._ And that, as _Alcest_ to hir selfe vnkinde, You might exempt him from the lawes of death.

But he is sure to die: and now his sworde Alreadie moisted is in his warme bloude, Helples for any succour you can bring Against deaths stinge, which he must shortlie feele.

Then let your loue be like the loue of olde Which _Carian_ Queene did nourish in hir heart Of hir Mausolus: builde for him a tombe Whose statelinesse a wonder new may make.

Let him, let him haue sumtuouse funeralles: Let graue thereon the horror of his fights: Let earth be buri'd with vnburied heaps.

Frame ther _Pharsaly_, and discoulour'd stream's Of depe _Enipeus_: frame the gra.s.sie plaine, Which lodg'd his campe at siege of _Mutina_.

Make all his combats, and couragiouse acts: And yearly plaies to his praise inst.i.tute: Honor his memorie: with doubled care Breed and bring vp the children of you both In _Caesars_ grace: who as a n.o.ble Prince Will leaue them Lords of this most gloriouse realme.

_Cl._ What shame were that? ah G.o.ds! what infamie!