Passages from this character's speech that contain the most distinguishing words for Cluster 22 (broom, tiff, loathsome, snakes, hercles, dismal…). Matches are highlighted.
Melpomene, Is wholly bent to tragedies discourse; And what are Tragedies but acts of death? Here means the wrathful muse in seas of tears, And loud laments to tell a dismal tale: A tale wherein she lately hath bestowed, The husky humour of her bloody quill, And now for tables takes her to her tongue. Had I not been, they had not died
Full speech
Nay, what are you both, but subjects unto Death? And I command you to forbear this place: For here the mouth of sad Melpomene, Is wholly bent to tragedies discourse; And what are Tragedies but acts of death? Here means the wrathful muse in seas of tears, And loud laments to tell a dismal tale: A tale wherein she lately hath bestowed, The husky humour of her bloody quill, And now for tables takes her to her tongue. Had I not been, they had not died so soon. I tell thee Fortune, and thee wanton Love, I will not down to everlasting night, Till I have moralised this Tragedy, Whose chiefest actor was my sable dart. And more then so: for he that found the chain, Even for that Chain shall be deprived of life. I and by Death had been surprised, If Fates had given me leave: But what I missed in him and in the rest, I did accomplish on Haleb and Amurath, The worthy brothers of great Soliman, But wherefore stay we, let the sequel prove, Who is greatest, Fortune, Death, or Love. And by that challenge I abridgde his life, And forced Erastus into banishment, Parting him from his love, in spite of Love, And here and there in ambush Death will stand, To mar what Love or Fortune takes in hand. How chance it then, that Love and Fortune's power Could neither save Philippo nor his son, Nor Guelpio, nor signior Julio, Nor rescue Rhodes from out the hands of Death. But had I slept, his conquest had been small. And I subornd Brusor with envious rage, To counsel Soliman to slay his friend, Brusor is sent to fetch him back again, Mark well what follows, for the history Proves me chief actor in this tragedy. But I bereft them both of love and life. Hence foolish Fortune, and thou wanton Love, Your deeds are trifles, mine of consequence, By wastning all, I conquer all the world, And now to end our difference at last, In this last act, note but the deeds of death, Where is Erastus now but in my triumph? Where are the murderers but in my triumph? Where judge and witness but in my triumph? Where falce Lucina but in my triumph? Where fair Perseda but in my triumph? Where Basilisco but in my triumph? Where faithful Piston but in my triumph? Where valiant Brusor but in my triumph? And where great Soliman but in my triumph? Their loves and Fortune's ended with their lives, And they must wait upon the Car of death: Pack Love and Fortune, play in Comedies, For powerful death best fits Tragedies. But Fortune shall, for when I waste the world, Then times and kingdoms Fortune's shall decay. I now will Death in his most haughty pride, Fetch his imperial Car from deepest hell, And ride in triumph through the wicked world, Sparing none but sacred Cynthia's friend, Whom Death did fear before her life began, For holy fates have graven it in their tables, That Death shall die if he attempt her end, Whose life is heavens delight and Cynthia's friend.
Plot summary
Plot — Soliman and Perseda (Zulziman)
Love, Fortune, and Death dispute which of them is the most appropriate chorus to the tragedy; they debate their roles in the choric passages that follow. Erastus proves his knightly prowess in a wedding-day tilt for the Prince of Cyprus, but loses a chain given to him by his love Perseda. Ferdinando finds it and gives it to his love, Lucina. Seeing her wearing it, Perseda believes Erastus has been unfaithful. Erastus visits Lucina in disguise and wins back the chain in a dice- game, but is confronted by Ferdinando, who is killed in the ensuing quarrel. In consequence, Erastus has to go into exile to the enemy state of Turkey, leaving the chain for Perseda as a token of his misunderstood constancy. Rhodes is strategically important, the key to the conquest of Christendom. One of the knights at the wedding tilt, Brusor, was a Turkish spy sent to investigate the island’s defences prior to an attack. He also tells Suleiman about Erastus’ magnificent tiltyard performance, so the Emperor is pleased when Erastus arrives at his court, and allows him to demonstrate his worth in a friendly bout of swordplay. He accepts and honours Erastus, allows him to remain a Christian, and spares him the task of conquering his native Rhodes, which is successfully undertaken by Brusor. . Erastus is appointed the Governor of conquered Rhodes. Prisoners of war are brought to Turkey, including the island’s women, and also the cowardly knight Basilisco, who escapes execution by converting to Islam. Suleiman falls in love with Perseda, but she refuses him for Erastus’ sake, even before she knows that he is now an honoured courtier. Suleiman gives her to Erastus, but later regrets the decision and has him recalled and executed on a false charge of treason. Perseda takes command of Rhodes and resists Suleiman’s army. Not recognizing her at first in her male clothing, Suleiman kills her. On realizing her identity, he kisses her dead lips, but they are poisoned. Rhodes is conquered, but all the principal characters are dead. Accordingly, Death claims primacy over Love and Fortune in the closing chorus.