VENUS

I this is it, you can fit toying there, And playing with that female wanton boy, While my Aeneas wanders on the Seas, And rests a pray to every billows pride. Juno, false Juno in her Chariots pomp, Drawn through the heavens by Steeds of Boreas brood, Made Hebe to direct her airy wheels Into the windy country of the clouds, Where finding Aeolus entrenched with storms, And guarded with a thousand grisly ghosts, She humbly did beseech him for our bane, And charged him drown my son with all his train. Then gan the winds break open their brazen doors, And all Aeolia to be up in arms: Poor Troy must now be sacked upon the Sea, And Neptune's waves be envious men of war, Epeus horse to Aetnas hill transformed, Prepared stands to wrack their wooden walls, And Aeolus Like Agamemnon sounds The surges, his fierce soldiers to the spoil: See how the night Ulysses -Like comes forth, And intercepts the day as Dolon erst: Ay me! the Stars supprised Like Rhesus Steeds, Are drawn by darkness forth Astraus tents. What shall I do to save thee my sweet boy? When as the waves do threat our Crystal world, And Proteus raising hills of floods on high, Intends ere long to sport him in the sky. False Jupiter, rewardst thou virtue so? What? is not piety exempt from woe? Then die Aeneas in thine innocence, Since that religion hath no recompense. How may I credit these thy flattering terms, When yet both sea and sands beset their ships, And Phœbus as in stygian pools, refrains To taint his tresses in the Tyrrhen main? Disquiet Seas lay down your swelling looks, And court Aeneas with your calmy cheer, Whose beauteous burden well might make you proud, Had not the heavens conceived with hellborn clouds. Veiled his resplendant glory from your view, For my sake pity him Oceanus, That erstwhile issued from thy watery loins, And had my being from thy bubbling froth: Triton I know hath filled his trump with Troy, And therefore will take pity on his toil, And call both Thetis and Cimodea, To succour him in this extremity. What? do I see my son now come on shore: Venus, how art thou compassed with content, The while thine eyes attract their sought for joys: Great Jupiter, still honoured mayest thou be, For this so friendly aid in time of need. Here in this bush disguised will I stand, While my Aeneas spends himself in plaints, And heaven and earth with his unrest acquaints. See what strange arts necessity finds out, How near my sweet Aeneas art thou driven? Now is the time for me to play my partly: Hoe young men, saw you as you came Any of all my Sisters wandering here? Having a quiver girded to her side, And clothed in a spotted Leopards skin. Such honour, stranger, do I not affect: It is the use for Turen maids to wear Their bow and quiver in this modest sort, And suit themselves in purple for the nonce, That they may trip more lightly over the lawndes, And overtake the tusked Boar in chase. But for the land whereof thou dost inquire, It is the punic kingdom rich and strong, Adjoining on Agenors stately town, The kingly seat of Southern Libya, Whereas Sidonian Dido rules as Queen. But what are you that ask of me these things? Whence may you come, or whither will you go? Fortune hath favoured thee what ere thou be, In sending thee unto this courteous Coast: A Gods name on and hast thee to the Court, Where Dido will receive you with her smiles: And for thy ships which thou supposest lost, Not one of them hath perished in the storm, But are arrived safe not fane from hence: And so I leave thee to thy Fortune's lot, Wishing good luck unto thy wandering steps. Exit. Fair child stay thou with Didos waiting maid, I'll give thee Sugar-almonds, sweet Conserves, A silver girdle, and a golden purse, And this young Prince shall be thy playfellow. Such bow, such quiver, and such golden shafts, Will Dido give to sweet Ascanius: For Didos sake I take thee in my arms, And stick these spangled feathers in thy hat, Eat Comfits in mine arms, and I will sing. Now is he fast asleep, and in this grove Amongst green brakes I'll lay Ascanius, And strew him with sweet smelling Violets, Blushing Roses, purple Hyacinth: These milk white Doves shall be his Centronels: Who if that any seek to do him hurt, Will quickly fly to Citheidas fist. Now Cupid turn thee to Ascanius shape, And go to Dido, who in stead of him Will set thee on her lap and play with thee: Then touch her white breast with this arrow head, That she may dote upon Aeneas love: And by that means repair his broken ships, Victual his Soldiers, give him wealthy gifts, And he at last depart to Italy, Or else in Carthage make his kingly throne. What should this mean? my Doves are back returned, Who warn me of such danger pressed at hand, To harm my sweet Ascanius lovely life. Juno, my mortal foe, what make you here? Avant old witch and trouble not my wits. Out hateful hag, thou wouldst have slain my son, Had not my Doves discou'rd thy intent: But I will tear thy eyes from forth thy head, And feast the birds with their bloodshotten balls, If thou but lay thy fingers on my boy. Sister of Jove, if that thy love be such, As these thy protestations do paint forth, We two as friends one fortune will divide: Cupid shall lay his arrows in thy lap, And to a Sceptre change his golden shafts, Fancy and modesty shall live as mates, And thy fair peacocks by my pigeons perch: Love my Aeneas, and desire is thine, The day, the night, my Swans, my sweets are thine. Well could I Like this reconcilements means, But much I fear my son will never consent, Whose armed soul already on the sea, Darts forth her light to Lavinia's shore. Sister, I see you savour of my wiles, Be it as you will have for this once, Mean time, Ascanius shall be my charge, Whom I will bear to Id in mine arms, And couch him in Adonis purple down. Exeunt. Sleep my sweet nephew in these cooling shades, Free from the murmur of these running streams, The cry of beasts, the rattling of the winds, Or whisking of these leaves, all shall be still, And nothing interrupt thy quiet sleep, Till I return and take thee hence again. Exit.