Volume II Part 67 (1/2)

_Dido._ Name not Iarbas: but, sweet Anna, say, Is not aeneas worthy Dido's love?

_Anna._ O sister, were you empress of the world, aeneas well deserves to be your love!

So lovely is he, that, where'er he goes, 70 The people swarm to gaze him in the face.

_Dido._ But tell them, none shall gaze on him but I, Lest their gross eye-beams taint my lover's cheeks.

Anna, good sister Anna, go for him, Lest with these sweet thoughts I melt clean away.

_Anna._ Then, sister, you'll abjure Iarbas' love?

_Dido._ Yet must I hear that loathsome name again?

Run for aeneas, or I'll fly to him. [_Exit_ ANNA.

_Cup._ You shall not hurt my father when he comes.

_Dido._ No; for thy sake I'll love thy father well.-- 80 O dull-conceited Dido, that till now Didst never think aeneas beautiful!

But now, for quittance of this oversight, I'll make me bracelets of his golden hair; His glistering eyes shall be my looking-gla.s.s; His lips an altar, where I'll offer up[482]

As many kisses as the sea hath sands; Instead of music I will hear him speak; His looks shall be my only library; And thou, aeneas, Dido's treasury, 90 In whose fair bosom I will lock more wealth Than twenty thousand Indias can afford.

O, here he comes! Love, love, give Dido leave To be more modest than her thoughts admit, Lest I be made a wonder to the world.

_Enter_ aeNEAS, ACHATES, SERGESTUS, ILIONEUS, _and_ CLOANTHUS.

Achates, how doth Carthage please your lord?

_Ach._ That will aeneas show your majesty.

_Dido._ aeneas, art thou there?

_aen._ I understand your highness sent for me.

_Dido._ No; but, now thou art here, tell me, in sooth, 100 In what might Dido highly pleasure thee.

_aen._ So much have I receiv'd at Dido's hands, As, without blus.h.i.+ng, I can ask no more: Yet, queen of Afric, are my s.h.i.+ps unrigg'd, My sails all rent in sunder with the wind, My oars broken, and my tackling lost, Yea, all my navy split with rocks and shelves; Nor stern nor anchor have our maimed fleet; Our masts the furious winds struck overboard: Which piteous wants if Dido will supply, 110 We will account her author of our lives.

_Dido._ aeneas, I'll repair thy Trojan s.h.i.+ps, Conditionally that thou wilt stay with me, And let Achates sail to Italy: I'll give thee tackling made of rivelled[483] gold, Wound on the barks of odoriferous trees;[484]

Oars of ma.s.sy ivory, full of holes, Through which the water shall delight to play; Thy anchors shall be hewed from crystal rocks, Which, if thou lose, shall s.h.i.+ne above the waves; 120 The masts, whereon thy swelling sails shall hang, Hollow pyramides of silver plate; The sails of folded lawn, where shall be wrought The wars of Troy,--but not Troy's overthrow; For ballace,[485] empty Dido's treasury: Take what ye will, but leave aeneas here.

Achates, thou shalt be so seemly[486] clad, As sea-born nymphs shall swarm about thy s.h.i.+ps, And wanton mermaids court thee with sweet songs, Flinging in favours of more sovereign worth 130 Than Thetis hangs about Apollo's neck, So that aeneas may but stay with me.

_aen._ Wherefore would Dido have aeneas stay?

_Dido._ To war against my bordering enemies.

aeneas, think not Dido is in love; For, if that any man could conquer me, I had been wedded ere aeneas came: See, where the pictures of my suitors hang; And are not these as fair as fair may be?

_Ach._ I saw this man at Troy, ere Troy was sack'd. 140

_aen._[487] I this in Greece, when Paris stole fair Helen.

_Ili._ This man and I were at Olympia's[488] games,

_Serg._ I know this face; he is a Persian born: I travell'd with him to aetolia.

_Cloan._ And I in Athens with this gentleman, Unless I be deceived, disputed once.

_Dido._ But speak, aeneas; know you none of these?