A Select Collection of Old English Plays Part 55

EPH. Wait on that lady forth.

RIN. Would there were not a woman in the world, So we had our prince again! Sir, are you mad?

Or have forgot you are a father? You Have undone us all.

EPH. Why, what's the matter?

RIN. O sir, the prince----

EPH. He is not dead, Rinatus, is he?

RIN. Sir, if he be, 'tis you have murder'd him: Was it for this you were so jealous t'other day?

May my Inophilus never pretend to virtue, I'll teach him a more thriving art.

Come to the window a little, sir, and hear How the good people curse you. As cold weather As it is, some are so hard at it, they sweat again.

EPH. Prythee, unriddle; hast thou drunk hemlock, Since I saw thee last?

RIN. I would not be in my wits for anything I' th' world; my grief would kill me if I were.

He's mad that will speak sense or reason, Now you have thrown away our prince thus: Whose innocence was clearer than his own eyes: Can you think how you have murder'd so much virtue, And not blush yourself to death?

EPH. I think indeed I sent him general Against the Argives; but--'twas his own desire.

RIN. 'Twas not his own desire, sir, to have But thirteen thousand men, sir, was it?

Was that army fit to oppose great Argo?

There came a messenger just now, that saw The prince not sixteen miles from hence (For thither is the foe marched) draw up his men T' engage the enemy.

EPH. For heav'n's sake, Rinatus, post him back again, bid him retreat; Command my son from me Not to go on till greater forces follow him.

If it be possible, redeem the error; I'd give my kingdom, life, or anything, It were to do again.

RIN. I am glad to see this now; Heav'n send it be n't too late!

EPH. Nay, stand not prating.

[_A horn within._

RIN. 'Tis from the army, sir. O heaven, I fear!

EPH. If from the army, prythee, put on better looks.

_Enter_ MESSENGER.

MES. Your son--nay more, your dying son-- Commanded me to bring you word, He died true to his honour, king, and countrymen; Nor let me stay to see the brightest lamp Go out, that ever grac'd this...o...b..

[_The_ KING _faints_.

RIN. O heaven, the king! why this is worse, sir, Than the other; let us not lose you both.

EPH. Let me but hear how 'twas he made his exit, And then my gla.s.s is run: I will not live One minute longer.

MES. Sir, thus it was---- 'Tis scarce three hours ago, since the brave Plangus Marched from Lixa with an army, Whose souls were richer than their clothes by far, Though their valour had put on all the bravery That soldiers ever wore. The prince, whose presence Breathed new fire into these flaming spirits, Resolv'd to meet the enemy with his handful, And with a winged speed fell down to th' Elean Straits, Determining to try it with him there.[85] His soldiers also, True sons of war, contemning so great odds, When victory and their country was to crown The conquerors, whetted their eager valours With impatient expectation of the enemy Who, trusting to his mult.i.tude, came on Wing'd both with scorn and anger to see, that paucity Should dare dispute victory against their odds.

Plangus who, though he saw, yet could not fear Destruction, and scorn'd to avoid it, When the king commanded him to meet it, Marshall'd his army to the best advantage, And having given Zopiro the left wing, The body to Evarnes, himself chose out the right; Because he would be opposite to Argo.

And keeping a reserve, as great as could be hop'd for From so small a company--not above five hundred men, He gave the command of them to Zenon, Who with his fellows took it ill they should Be so long idle, and had not the honour To be thought worthy To die with the most forward, and would, no question, Have refused the charge; but that the smiling Prince promis'd them they should have time to die.

Words here were useless, nor had he time to use them.

RIN. What, was Inophilus idle all this while?

MES. I only heard the prince wish, just as he Spurred his horse against the valiant Argo, He had fewer by a thousand men: So he had Inophilus.

RIN. O traitorous boy!

MESS. The prince and Argo met; and like Two mighty tides encountered. Here death Put on her sable livery, and the two gallants, Whose valour animated each army, bandied a long time With equal force, till at last Great Argo fell.

And, on a sudden, mult.i.tudes of men Accompani'd him, so that the wing Went presently to rout and execution.

Zopiro also and Evarnes, having slain Their opposite leaders, breath'd death and destruction To their reeling foes. Thus flush'd With victory and blood, th' Iberians revell'd Th[o]rough the flying field, till there came on The enemy's reserve of twenty thousand men, Who, fresh and l.u.s.ty, grinded their teeth for anger At their fellows' overthrow, and pouring on Our weary soldiers, turn'd the stream of victory.

But the prince's valour and good fortune soon O'ercame this opposition, and having rallied His broken troops, went to relieve his friends, Who had far'd worse; when presently he saw Evarnes, who had pil'd up enemies about him, As an obelisk of his own death and victory, Fall bleeding at his foot, and having kiss'd it With his dying lips, entreated him to save Himself for a more happy day, and died.

'Twas not long after the gallant Zenon Who had perform'd that day deeds of eternal fame, And with his few, spite of opposition, thrice charg'd And routed some thousands of the enemy, Expir'd; which when the prince beheld, Weeping for anger, he flew amongst his enemies, Sustain'd only by the greatness of his courage, For blood and strength had both forsook him; He spent that spark of life was left in him, In slaughter and revenge, when leaning on His weapon's point, that dropp'd with blood as fast As he, he then conjur'd me with all speed Only to tell the king I saw him Die worthy of his father and himself.

[_A horn without. A shout._

EPH. O heaven! what mean these acclamations?

What, do

[_A shout again._

The Iberians welcome their b.l.o.o.d.y conquerors With so much joy?

SCENE VII.

_Enter_ PLANGUS, INOPHILUS, _and_ ZOPIRO, _Captains_.

EPH. O, O!

[_He faints._

RIN. O cowardly boy! for that base word includes All baseness, doth not shame kill thee, Or fear chill thy dastard blood to an ice, At sight of that most n.o.ble injur'd ghost?

'Tis well, dear Plangus (if thy divinity deserve not A more lasting name) that thou art come To take revenge on that most traitorous son, In's father's presence, who detests his baseness More than thyself can do----

PLAN. Excuse us, dear Rinatus, That wonder froze to such a silence, If when we expected such a welcome As had that Roman son whose mother died For joy to see him, we found so cold An entertainment, something made us look'd upon So like an inconvenience, that we could Not but put on some small amazement.

EPH. And do I hear thee speak again, And see thee, or only dream a happiness, Whose reality stars and my genius deny me?

Or art thou Plangus' angel, come to rouse Me from despair?

PLAN. Sir, pray, believe it; and be not Backward in th' entertainment of these soldiers, If you esteem't a happiness; in a word, You are a conqueror: and th' audacious Argives Have paid their lives as sacrifices To your offended sword.

EPH. A messenger of comfort to a despairing lover Is a less acceptable thing than this thy presence; If what yon fellow told me were untruth, Thy welcome sight hath amply made amends For those tormenting fears he put me to.

But if it were not, let me know what chance Redeem'd you?

PLAN. If you have heard how things then went, when I Sent away that messenger----