PARMENIO

Clytus, it becomes the son of Philip to be none other then Alexander is: therefore seeing in the father a full perfection, who could have doubted in the son and excellency. For as the moon can borrow no thing else of the sun but light, so of a fire, in whom nothing but virtue was, what could the child receive but singular? It is for Turks to stain each other, not for Dyamordes, in the one to be made a difference in goodness, in the other no comparison. I but Clytus I perceive you are born in the East, and never laugh but at the sun rising, which ar gueth though a duty where you ought, yet no great devotion where you might. Soft Clytus, behold the spoils & prisoners, a pleasant sighed to us, because profit is joined with ho nou_r_, not much painful to them, because their captivi tie is eased by mercy. Madame, you need not doubt, it is Alexan der, that is, the conqueror. Thebes was not. In kings causes I rather love to doubt then conjecture and think it better to be ignorant then in quisitiue: they have long ears and stretched arms, in whose heads suspicion is a proof, and to be accused is to be condemned. In love Clytus, no, no, it is as far from his thought, as treason in ours: he, whose ever waking eye, whose never tired heart, whose body patient of labour, whose mind unsatiable of victory hath always been no ted, cannot so soon be melted into the weak conceits of love: Aristotle told him there were many world's, and that he hath not conquered one that gapeth for all, Gall leth Alexander. But here he comes. Clytus, I mislike this new delicacy and pleasing peace: for what else do we see now then a kind of softness in every men mind, Bees to make their hives in soldi ers helmets, our steeds furnished with foot clothes of gold, instead of saddles of steel: More time to be re quired to scour the rust of our weapons, the ̄ there was wont to be in subduing the countries of our enemies. Since Alexander fell from his harden armour to his soft robes, behold the face of his court, youths that were wont to carry devises of victory in their shields, engrave now posies of love in their rings: they that were accustomed on trotting horses to changed ge the ene my with a lance, now in easy coach de up & down to court Ladies: in steed of sword and target to hazard their lives, use pen and paper to paint their loves. Yea, such a fear and faintness is grown in court, that they wish rather to hear the blowing of a horn to hunt, the ̄ the found of a trumpet to fight? Oh Philip, Wertenberg thou a live to see this alteration, thy men turned to women, thy soldiers to lovers, gloves worn in velvet, caps in steed of plumes in graven helmets, thou wouldst either die among them for sorrow, or confound them for anger. It grieveth me not a little for Hephestion, who thirsteth for honour, not ease, but such is his fortune & nearness in friendship to Alexander, that he must lay a pillow under his head, when he would put a target in his hand. But let us draw in, to see how well it beecomes them to tread the measures in a dance, that were wont to set the order for a march. To bring all under his subjection is to continued ̄ quer.