Volume II Part 73 (1/2)
_aen. Desine_[552] _meque tuis incendere teque querelis; Italiam non sponte sequor._ 140
_Dido._ Hast thou forgot how many neighbour kings Were up in arms, for making thee my love?
How Carthage did rebel, Iarbas storm, And all the world calls me a second Helen, For being entangled by a stranger's looks?
So thou wouldst prove as true as Paris did, Would, as fair Troy was, Carthage might be sack'd, And I be called a second Helena!
Had I a son by thee, the grief were less, That I might see aeneas in his face: 150 Now if thou go'st, what canst thou leave behind, But rather will augment than ease my woe?
_aen._ In vain, my love, thou spend'st thy fainting breath: If words might move me, I were overcome.
_Dido._ And wilt thou not be mov'd with Dido's words?
Thy[553] mother was no G.o.ddess, perjured man, Nor Darda.n.u.s the author of thy stock; But thou art sprung from Scythian Caucasus, And tigers of Hyrcania gave thee suck.-- Ah, foolish Dido, to forbear this long!-- 160 Wast thou not wrecked upon this Libyan sh.o.r.e, And cam'st to Dido like a fisher swain?
Repaired not I thy s.h.i.+ps, made thee a king, And all thy needy followers n.o.blemen?
O serpent, that came creeping from the sh.o.r.e, And I for pity harbour'd in my bosom, Wilt thou now slay me with thy venomed sting, And hiss at Dido for preserving thee?
Go, go, and spare not; seek out Italy: I hope that that which love forbids me do, 170 The rocks and sea-gulfs will perform at large, And thou shalt perish in the billows' ways To whom poor Dido doth bequeath revenge: I, traitor! and the waves shall cast thee up, Where thou and false Achates first set foot; Which if it chance, I'll give ye burial, And weep upon your lifeless carca.s.ses, Though thou nor he will pity me a whit.
Why starest thou in my face? If thou wilt stay, Leap in mine arms; mine arms are open wide; 180 If not, turn from me, and I'll turn from thee; For though thou hast the heart to say farewell, I have not power to stay thee. [_Exit_ aeNEAS.
Is he gone?
I, but he'll come again; he cannot go; He loves me too-too well to serve me so: Yet he that in my sight would not relent, Will, being absent, be obdurate[554] still.
By this, is he got to the water-side;
And, see, the sailors take him by the hand; But he shrinks back; and now remembering me, 190 Returns amain: welcome, welcome, my love!
But where's aeneas? ah, he's gone, he's gone!
_Enter_ ANNA.
_Anna._ What means my sister, thus to rave and cry?
_Dido._ O Anna, my aeneas is abroad, And, leaving me, will sail to Italy!
Once didst thou go, and he came back again: Now bring him back, and thou shalt be a queen, And I will live a private life with him.
_Anna._ Wicked aeneas!
_Dido._ Call him not wicked, sister: speak him fair, 200 And look upon him with a mermaid's eye; Tell him, I never vow'd at Aulis' gulf The desolation of his native Troy, Nor sent a thousand s.h.i.+ps unto the walls, Nor ever violated faith to him; Request him gently, Anna, to return: I crave but this,--he stay a tide or two, That I may learn to bear it patiently; If he depart thus suddenly, I die.
Run, Anna, run; stay not to answer me. 210
_Anna._ I go, fair sister: heavens grant good success! [_Exit._
_Enter_ Nurse.
_Nurse._ O Dido, your little son Ascanius Is gone! he lay with me last night, And in the morning he was stoln from me: I think, some fairies have beguiled me.
_Dido._ O cursed hag and false dissembling wretch, That slay'st me with thy harsh and h.e.l.lish tale!
Thou for some petty gift hast let him go, And I am thus deluded of my boy.-- Away with her to prison presently, 220
_Enter_ Attendants.
Trait'ress too kenned[555] and cursed sorceress!
_Nurse._ I know not what you mean by treason, I; I am as true as any one of yours.
_Dido._ Away with her! suffer her not to speak.
[_Exit_ Nurse _with_ Attendants.
My sister comes: I like not her sad looks.