The Tragedy of Dido Queene of Carthage. Christopher Marlowe

men and you shall banquet in our Court,

      And euery Troian be as welcome here,

      As Iupiter to sillie Vausis house:

      Come in with me, Ile bring you to my Queene,

      Who shall confirme my words with further deedes.

      Serg. Thankes gentle Lord for such vnlookt for grace,

      Might we but once more see Æneas face,

      Then would we hope to quite such friendly turnes,

      As shall surpasse the wonder of our speech.

      Actus 2

      Enter Æneas, Achates, and Ascanius.

      Æn. Where am I now? these should be Carthage walles.

      Acha. Why stands my sweete Æneas thus amazde?

      Æn. O my Achates, Theban Niobe,

      Who for her sonnes death wept out life and breath,

      And drie with griefe was turnd into a stone,

      Had not such passions in her head as I.

      Me thinkes that towne there should be Troy, yon Idas hill,

      There Zanthus streame, because here's Priamus,

      And when I know it is not, then I dye.

      Ach. And in this humor is Achates to,

      I cannot choose but fall vpon my knees,

      And kisse his hand: O where is Hecuba,

      Here she was wont to sit, but sauing ayre

      Is nothing here, and what is this but stone?

      Æn. O yet this stone doth make Æneas weepe,

      And would my prayers (as Pigmalions did)

      Could giue it life, that vnder his conduct

      We might saile backe to Troy and be reuengde

      On these hard harted Grecians; which reioyce

      That nothing now is left of Priamus:

      O Priamus is left and this is he,

      Come, come abourd, pursue the hatefull Greekes.

      Acha. What means Æneas?

      Æn. Achates though mine eyes say this is stone, Yet thinkes my minde that this is Priamus: And when my grieued heart sighes and sayes no, Then would it leape out to giue Priam life: O were I not at all so thou mightst be. Achates, see King Priam wags his hand, He is aliue, Troy is not ouercome.

      Ach. Thy mind Æneas that would haue it so Deludes thy eye sight, Priamus is dead.

      Æn. Ah Troy is sackt, and Priamus is dead, And why should poore Æneas be aliue?

      Asca. Sweete father leaue to weepe, this is not he: For were it Priam he would smile on me.

      Acha. Æneas see here come the Citizens, Leaue to lament lest they laugh at our feares.

      Enter Cloanthus, Sergestus, Illioneus.

      Æn. Lords of this towne, or whatsoeuer stile

      Belongs vnto your name, vouchsafe of ruth

      To tell vs who inhabits this faire towne,

      What kind of people, and who gouernes them:

      For we are strangers driuen on this shore,

      And scarcely know within what Clime we are.

      Illio. I heare Æneas voyce, but see him not, For none of these can be our Generall.

      Acha. Like Illioneus speakes this Noble man, But Illioneus goes not in such robes.

      Serg. You are Achates, or I deciu'd.

      Acha. Æneas see Sergestus or his ghost.

      Illio. He meanes Æneas, let vs kisse his feete.

      Cloan. It is our Captaine, see Ascanius.

      Serg. Liue long Æneas and Ascanius.

      Æn. Achates, speake, for I am ouerioyed.

      Acha. O Illioneus, art thou yet aliue?

      Illio. Blest be the time I see Achates face.

      Cloan. Why turnes Æneas from his trustie friends?

      Æn. Sergestus, Illioneus and the rest,

      Your sight amazde me, O what destinies

      Haue brought my sweete companions in such plight?

      O tell me, for I long to be resolu'd.

      Illio. Louely Æneas, these are Carthage walles,

      And here Queene Dido weares th'imperiall Crowne,

      Who for Troyes sake hath entertaind vs all,

      And clad vs in these wealthie robes we weare.

      Oft hath she askt vs vnder whom we seru'd,

      And when we told her she would weepe for griefe,

      Thinking the sea had swallowed vp thy ships,

      And now she sees thee how will she reioyce?

      Serg. See where her seruitors passe through the hall Bearing a banket, Dido is not farre.

      Illio. Looke where she comes: Æneas viewd her well.

      Æn. 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?

      Æn. Sometime I was a Troian mightie Queene: But Troy is not, what shall I say I am?

      Illio. Renowmed Dido, tis our Generall: warlike Æneas.

      Dido. Warlike Æneas, and in these base robes? Goe fetch the garment which Sicheus ware: Braue Prince, welcome to Carthage and to me, Both happie that Æneas is our guest: Sit in this chaire and banquet with a Queene, Æneas is Æneas, were he clad In weedes as bad as euer Irus ware.

      Æn. This is no seate for one thats comfortles,