Part 2 (1/2)

_Serg._ See where her seruitors pa.s.se through the hall Bearing a banket, _Dido_ is not farre.

_Illio._ Looke where she comes: _aeneas_ viewd her well.

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

_Enter Dido and her traine._

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

_aen._ Sometime I was a Troian mightie Queene: But _Troy_ is not, what shall I say I am?

_Illio._ Renowmed _Dido_, tis our Generall: warlike _aeneas_.

_Dido._ Warlike _aeneas_, and in these base robes?

Goe fetch the garment which _Sicheus_ ware: Braue Prince, welcome to Carthage and to me, Both happie that _aeneas_ is our guest: Sit in this chaire and banquet with a Queene, _aeneas_ is _aeneas_, were he clad In weedes as bad as euer _Irus_ ware.

_aen._ This is no seate for one thats comfortles, May it please your grace to let _aeneas_ waite: For though my birth be great, my fortunes meane, Too meane to be companion to a Queene.

_Dido._ Thy fortune may be greater then thy birth, Sit downe _aeneas_, sit in _Didos_ place, And if this be thy sonne as I suppose, Here let him sit, be merrie louely child.

_aen._ This place beseemes me not, O pardon me.

_Dido._ Ile haue it so, _aeneas_ be content.

_Asca._ Madame, you shall be my mother.

_Dido._ And so I will sweete child: be merrie man, Heres to thy better fortune and good starres.

_aen._ In all humilitie I thanke your grace.

_Dido._ Remember who thou art, speake like thy selfe, Humilitie belongs to common groomes.

_aen._ And who so miserable as _aeneas_ is?

_Dido._ Lyes it in _Didos_ hands to make thee blest, Then be a.s.sured thou art not miserable.

_aen._ O _Priamus_, O _Troy_, oh _Hecuba_!

_Dido._ May I entreate thee to discourse at large, And truely to how _Troy_ was ouercome: For many tales goe of that Cities fall, And scarcely doe agree vpon one poynt: Some say _Antenor_ did betray the towne, Others report twas _Sinons_ periurie: But all in this that _Troy_ is ouercome, And _Priam_ dead, yet how we heare no newes.

_aen._ A wofull tale bids _Dido_ to vnfould, Whose memorie like pale deaths stony mace, Beates forth my senses from this troubled soule, And makes _aeneas_ sinke at _Didos_ feete.

_Dido._ What faints _aeneas_ to remember _Troy_?

In whose defence he fought so valiantly: Looke vp and speake.

_aen._ Then speake _aeneas_ with _Achilles_ tongue, And _Dido_ and you Carthaginian Peeres Heare me, but yet with _Mirmidons_ harsh eares, Daily inur'd to broyles and Ma.s.sacres, Lest you be mou'd too much with my sad tale.

The Grecian souldiers tired with ten yeares warre; Began to crye, let vs vnto our s.h.i.+ps, _Troy_ is inuincible, why stay we here?

With whose outcryes _Atrides_ being apal'd, Summoned the Captaines to his princely tent, Who looking on the scarres we Troians gaue, Seeing the number of their men decreast, And the remainder weake and out of heart, Gaue vp their voyces to dislodge the Campe, And so in troopes all marcht to _Tenedos_: Where when they came, _Vlysses_ on the sand a.s.sayd with honey words to turne them backe: And as he spoke to further his entent, The windes did driue huge billowes to the sh.o.a.re, And heauen was darkned with tempestuous clowdes: Then he alleag'd the G.o.ds would haue them stay, And prophecied _Troy_ should be ouercome: And therewithall he calde false _Sinon_ forth, A man compact of craft and periurie, Whose ticing tongue was made of _Hermes_ pipe, To force an hundred watchfull eyes to sleepe: And him _Epeus_ hauing made the horse, With sacrificing wreathes vpon his head, _Vlysses_ sent to our vnhappie towne: Who groueling in the mire of _Zanthus_ bankes, His hands bound at his back, and both his eyes Turnd vp to heauen as one resolu'd to dye, Our Phrigian shepherd haled within the gates, And brought vnto the Court of _Priamus_: To whom he vsed action so pitifull, Lookes so remorcefull, vowes so forcible, As therewithall the old man ouercome, Kist him, imbrast him, and vnloosde his bands, And then, O _Dido_ pardon me.

_Dido._ Nay leaue not here, resolue me of the rest.

_aen._ O th'inchaunting words of that base slaue, Made him to thinke _Epeus_ pine-tree Horse A sacrifize t'appease _Mineruas_ wrath: The rather for that one _Laoc.o.o.n_ Breaking a speare vpon his hollow breast, Was with two winged Serpents stung to death.

Whereat agast, we were commanded straight With reuerence to draw it into _Troy_.