ARSACE

So sweet a man as thy description makes him? Such a majesty Accompanying that sweetness too? So active and broad shouldered as thou sayest, So tall and portly? Thou hast kindled A fire within me; but what Country owns This wonder of a man? when landed he At Memphis shore? who brought him, canst thou tell? Where does he lodge? Thou must devise some way to bring him to me, And lodge him in our palace, for I have And itching humour to enjoy the man. But who is the maid Thou sayest did bear him company, and was So near his bosom? Is she fair as he? Thou makest me jealous With praises of my rival. If thou canst bring, deer nurse, this thing to pass, Thou shalt at once cure two diseases in me, Fell love and jealousy. Oh what a sugared time have I to use My sweet disports now that the Deputy My husband is employed in the war Against Hydaspes King of Aethiopia About the Smaragd mines, pray heaven they end not Before my pleasures perjod. See Cibile who knocks there. one knocks. Heavens! conduct them in. What needs this compliment? you're welcome sir, So are your friends, when did you ever know me Unkind to strangers, or inhospitable To such as these whose outward looks declare Their inward minds, and speak their noble parts? So elegant a grace and stately beauty, As shines in their countenances cannot Proceed but from some Princely pedigree, Pray r speak whence you are? Is this Lady Your sister, or your wife? but now those storms are passed, and you are in A quiet harbour: pleasant calms appear. Sir, I must rob you of your guests. Cibile, Prepare their lodging near our own, and let No costly furniture be wanting there, My noble guests, I know not if you would retire alone Into your private chambers, travel does Require repose, please you to follow me, I'll be your glad conductor. How makest my hight blood cold within my veins As if and ague ceased me; how depart, Ere he get oh to my power, I am resolved Enjoy him, or destroy him. 'Tis well advised, but how can I endure To see that body bleed? First try all means, before You put this last devise in execution; But Cibile what cause or colour have we To hold them prisoners, or detain them here Against their wills? Excellent. How shall we handle fair Cariclea His beauteous sister? Oh strange discovery! If this be true, hence may proceed the cause Of my repulse and his unkind denial; Sift out this business further, and observe Their looks, their gestures, give and ear unto Their privatest discourse, for this concerns My business mainly; if Cariclea prove A bar to my desires, we must remove her. Go presently and know the young men mind, If he will yield yet, but if he refuse, Let Euphrates the Eunuch punish him With irons to pull down his lofty heart. So far I'm gone, pursuing my desire, Hell shall not make me now back to retire. Exeunt. Fair without, but foul within. That's a rule Deceives us, for the choicest fruits of all Ofttimes have rotten cores, and underneath The fairest Hours lurk most the foulest snakes. That cannot hold, Bring forth the prisoners; You are accused for poisoning Cibile, How do you answer this? My self, and these my servants, who were present When the old woman died, and herd her name Thee, a worser that other guilty of her death; Canst thou deny the fact? Base quean, how durst thou take unto thy self Such liberty of speech? judicious sirs. And magistrates of Persia, understand That this she says is false touching my honour; I take the gods to witness that when first This woman and her friend came to the Palace, I entertained them as became the state Of greater persons, and so long continued My favours to them till by open proof I found they came as spies to Memphis sent From King Hydaspes army, then indeed I did begin to draw back my affection, Many more things inciting me to do it Which I forbear to speak of, but in brief Although I loved this maid so as to make her My bosom-friend, and my most deer companion, She hath repaid me as you see, and poisoned My trusty woman, is't not to be doubted Her purpose stretched yet further, even to me? This is a forged devise, believe it not, This woman is a traitor, and conspires With them in all their plots, as privy to them. Here are five Will be deposed they herd Cibile charge These two here with her death. You stern Eumenides, and direful powers Of the infernal kingdoms, muster all Your troops together by a general summon, For I do cite you to the court of hell, My grievances beget this invocation; Have I so long served you, and bent my thoughts To your low centre? have my actions been As lewd as you would wish them, and as black As you your selves, and could you suffer me To fail in this achievement of my lust? So much your instigation? is this justice? Justice that is a word not known in hell; Is this injustice? no, then are you rebels To your own laws, I do insist on this: What other doctrine preach your ministers But foul inj stice, rapes, impieties, Adulteries, murders, slanders, ignominies, False accusations and the Like, all which My life hath practised? yet you punish me With justice never till now herd in your courts: You thought it just Cariclea should escape The poisoned cup, and afterwards the fire, You thought it just Theagines and she Should escape my hands, and Oroondates know All my proceedings, cursed fates of mine! Wretched Arsace, wilt thou live and feel Thy punishment augmented by thy shame? Shall the laws triumph over Arsaces will? Or Oroondates say he was revenged Upon the high and royal blood of Persia For wrong I did him? no, since I have failed In my desire, these fa es I will withstand, And die by none but by this Persi n hand. Thy counsel pleases me, and i'll command This stop to be removed presently.