For thee I longde to live, for thee now welcome death; and welcome be that happy pangue, that stops my gasping breath. Twise happy were that axe would cut my rootes downright; and sacred were that swelling sea, which would consume me quite. Blest were that bowe would breake, to bring downe clyming youth, which cracks aloft and quakes full oft for feare of thine untrueth. G. GASCOIGNE 610 Pol. Ete. POLYNICES-ETEOCLES ALTARES of my country soile. Whom thou art come to spoile and to deface. Pol. O Gods, give eare unto my honest cause. Ete. With foren power his countrie to invade. Pol. O holy temples of the heavenly gods. Ete. That for thy wicked deeds do hate thy name. Pol. Out of my kingdom am I driven by force. Ete. Out of the which thou camest me for to drive. Pol. Punish, O Gods, this wicked tyrant here. Ete. Pray to the Gods in Greece and not in Thebes. Pol. No savage beast so cruell nor unjust. Ete. Not cruell to my country like to thee. Pol. Since from my right I am wyth wrong deprived. Ete. Eke from thy life, if long thou tarry here. Pol. O father, heare what injuries I take. Ete. As though thy divellish deeds were hid from him. G. GASCOIGNE 611 C. A. C. A. C. DOEST CREON-ANTIGONE OEST thou refuse the maryage of my sonne? Against thy will then must I thee constrayne? A. With bloody knife I can this knot unknit. C. A. C. And what a foole were thou to kill thy selfe! I wil ensue some worthy woman's steps. Speake out Antigone that I may heare. A. C. This hardy hand shall soon dispatch his life. O simple foole, and darest thou be so bold? A. Why should I dread to do so doughty deede? And wherefore dost thou wedlock so despise? In cruell exile for to follow him. C. A. C. A. What others might beseem, beseems not thee. 612 Cre. WE CREON-ETEOCLES G. GASCOIGNE E be but few and they in number great. they. Our men have got more courage farre than Cre. That know I not, nor am I sure to say. Cre. In councel yet the victory consists. Ete. And wilt thou then I use some other reade? Ete. By night I wil the cammassado give. Cre. So may you do and take the overthrow. G. GASCOIGNE 614 615 PHILIP VAN ARTEVELDE TO ADRIANA E calm; BE and let me warn thee, ere thy choice be fixed, the dweller in the mountains, on whose ear WE CICERO TO CATILINE H. TAYLOR HITHER at length wilt thou abuse Still shall thy fury mock us! to what license Dost thou not feel thy counsels all laid open, and see thy wild conspiracy bound in our with each man's knowledge? Which of all this order marks and points out each man of us to slaughter. if we can shun but this man's sword and madness. B. JONSON F. S. III ΙΟ 616 PORREX EXPLAINS TO HIS FATHER GORBODUC THE TREACHERY OF FERREX HAN thus I sawe the knot of love unknitte, WHAN all honest league and faithfull promise broke, the law of kinde and trouth thus rent in twaine, his hart on mischiefe set and in his brest black treason hid; then, then did I despeire that ever time could winne him frend to me, then saw I how he smiled with slaying knife wrapped under cloke, then saw I depe deceite lurke in his face and death prepared for me; even nature moved me then to holde my life more deare to me then his, and bad this hand, since by his life my death must nedes ensue, and by his death my life mote be preserved, to shed his bloud and seeke my safetie so. And wisdome willed me without protract in speedie wise to put the same in ure. T. SACKVILLE 617 MAX PICCOLOMINI-WALLENSTEIN HOU art rich Max. and glorious; with an unpolluted heart Wal. thou canst make conquest of whate'er seems highest ; but he, who once hath acted infamy, does nothing more in this world. Calmly, Max. ! much that is great and excellent will we perform together yet. And if we only stand on the height with dignity, 'tis soon forgotten, Max., by what road we ascended. Believe me, many a crown shines spotless now, that yet was deeply sullied in the winning. To the evil spirit doth the earth belong, not to the good. All that the powers divine send from above are universal blessings: their light rejoices us, their air refreshes, but never yet was man enriched by them. S. T. COLERIDGE from Schiller 618 ARCHILAUS REFUSES ΤΟ LEAVE THE Zi. Ar. PRINCE ZIPHARES, SUSPECTING his deSIGN OF DESTROYING 'TIS `IS late: the gathering clouds like meeting armies come on apace, and mortals now must die till the bright ruler of the rising day creates them new: the wakeful bird of night Sir, I'll not leave you yet: Well I remember, Sir, how you and I have often on the watch in winter walk'd, clad in cold armour, round the sleeping camp, till, cover'd o'er from head to foot with snow, the sentinels have started at our march, and thought us ghosts stalking in winding-sheets: and do you think I cannot watch you now, thus cover'd, and beneath this bounteous roof? Sleep, Sir; I'll guard you from suspected danger. 619 Ah, prince, you cannot hide Zi. Ar. 620 your purpose from your narrow-searching friend: your hollow speech, deep musings, eager looks, Away, shall be more troublesome than one that's wiser. would watch a desperate child. KING JOHN—HUBERT N. LEE OW oft the sight of means to do ill deeds K.J. Hom makes deeds ill done! Hadst not thou been by, a fellow by the hand of nature mark'd, quoted, and signed, to do a deed of shame, |