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Full speech
Why, what is Love, but Fortune's tenis-ball? Nay then it seems you both do miss the mark, Did not I change long love to sudden hate? And then rechange their hatred into love: And then from love deliver them to death? Fortune is chorus. Love and death be gone. Nay then though Fortune have delight in change, I'll stay my flight, and cease to turn my wheel, Till I have shown by demonstration, What interest I have in a Tragedy. Tush, Fortune can do more then Love or Death. Fortune that first by chance brought them together, For till by Fortune persons meet each other, Thou canst not teach their eyes to wound their hearts. Nay onealone to honour his beloved, The rest by turning of my tickle wheel, Came short in reaching of fair honours mark: I gave Erastus only that days prize, A sweet renown, but mixed with bitter sorrow: For in conclusion of his happiness, I made him lose the precious Carcanet, Whereon depended all his hope and joy. I but thou seest how he was overthrown. By Fortune's high displeasure: But Fortune would not let her keep it long, I placed Erastus in the favour, Of Solyman the Turkish Emperor. Why Brusors victory was Fortune's gift. Mean time I filled Erastus sails with wind, And brought him home unto his native land. Mean time will Fortune govern as she may. I but those tokens, the Ring and Carkanet, Were Fortune's gifts, Love gives no gold or jewels. I gave Erastus woe and misery, Amid his greatest joy and jollity. I give world's happiness, and woes increase. Mean time I brought Fernando on the way, To see and challenge what Lucina lost. And doubt not to, but Fortune will be there, And cross him too, and sometime flatter him, And lift him up, and throw him down again. I brought Perseda to the presence, Of Soliman the Turkish Emperor, And gave Lucina into Brusors hands.
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.