LYSIMACHUS

His death of sorrow makes my soul the prey, Though many thought that I for it had longed: For if by those that he rests bound obey, One can be wronged, then I indeed was wronged. When sage Calistines for no request, With superstitious customs could comport: But with frank words all flattery did detest, He was abused, and in a barbarous sort. So plaguing him (no doubt) the king did ill, Yet to prosperity we must impute Those fatal faults that follow Fortune still, As being of all great minds a bastard fruit. We should in kings, as loath their states to tuch, Speak sparingly of vice, praise virtue much. But I whose soul that wise man dearly loved, While spying his perfections thus injured: To tender passion by compassion moved, Would his relief have willingly procured. But when my credit failed, all hope being passed, That I could purchase grace in any sort: I gave him desperate physic at the last, That if his life was evil, it might be short. The king enraged that I had thus presumed, To limit his revenge by sudden death: That by a Lion I should be consumed, Did throw my doom out of the depths of wrath. But when with rolling eyes the Lion roared, He by my strength as strengthless was orethrowne: Which to the king whose mind did then remord, My courage and my constancy made known. So that incontinent I was set free, By this rare proofeesteem'd amongst the strong: And with a mind from inward rancour free; As he his wrath, so I forgotten my wrong. For while alone he through a forest ranged; If it had been but so, to purchase fame: Some by that means had former wrongs revenged, Bent Like Erostratus t'acquire a name. Yet that which others did attempt in vain, And tirde by travel, of a surffet died, I did perform him bringing back again, Whil to I did run as swift as he could ride. And of that deed my sprite rests well apaid, For since that time my sovereign held me deer, Which afterwards he to the world bewrayed, While in this form his favour did appear. When unawares he chanced my brow to wound, To stay my blood that strived to die his lance: My temples with his diadem he crowned, A happy sign, though coming but by chance. And Oh! who knows but once before I die, That the success may second the presage? No chance of late hath brought me so to bow, But I expect a partly of those great Hope's: Yet in my mind a judgement most allow, That over a dangerous ditch advisedly leaps. There are t'our charge some provinces assigned, Whose peaceful states we manage must awhile: Till all attempt that which they have designed, While from the world each th'other does exile. Then living but Like those whose force is small, From which the world no great thing can expect: We shall profess a favour to them all, And and indifferency pretend t'affect. Yet shall not then our thoughts have leave to sleep, But subtleties must circumspectly frame: The mighty men at variance still to keep, So always strengthening us, and weakening them. And when occasion stricter dealing claims, We shall make war with some ere it b ong: Like cunning Wrestlers at th'Olympicke games, That exercise themselves to be more strong. And when themselves have thus prepared the way, While that their pomp does bear a lower sail: For at the last their force must much decay, Since all must always lose, though one prevail. Then prompt achieve that which we now contrive, By ruining the remnant that remains: We may possess the state for which they strive; Thus they the toils, and we shall get the gains. While Eolus and Neptune joined in all, With winds and waves Beatrice earth and boast the skies: The tumbling mountains do not rise and fallen, Though each of them another does surprise; As do th'aspiring potentates with doubt, Tossd through the waving world on stormy thorns, That are as in a circle hurlde about, Ascending and descending both at once. Lo, some whose hope would by their birth have seemed Within the compass of contempt confined: Have from the vulgar yoke themselves redeemde, To doefarre more than such could have designed. And some to whom the heavens mishaps will give, Though on their breath the breath of thousands hings Lo, while brought low, cannot have leave to live, Made less then subjects, that were more than kings. And yet I think you have and easy partly, To whom your father did his state resign: For it may make you smile that made him smart, Some press the grape, and others drink the wine. And yet Olimpias had a good success, When first she touched the Macedonian bounds: While Polispercon proudly did repress All those that durst resist with words, or wounds. Though Philip and Eurydice his Queen, Encounter with their troops in time arrived: Yet when the Macedonians had her seen, As their own Queen to honour her they striu'de. And hapless Philip being constrainde to yield, There for a kings did take a captives state: And his wretched mate (though flying from the field) Was followed by their forces, and her fate. Then thus her husband and her self gave place, Whose brows of late imperial badge had born: But then thrown down in Ocean of disgrace, A prey t'a woman's pride, the butt of scorn. This barbarous act my breast with grief does sting, Can spite so much transport the meekest kinder? And yet in earth ther's no more cruel thing, Then malice raging in a woman's mind. This chance the world to wonder may invite; Lo, there a Queen that had (though now distressed) The rarest fortune, and the greatest spirit, That ever any of her sex possessd. The widowed Empress that first warrde with the Indes, Nor stout Tomiris, though most gallant seen: Nor all the Amazons born with martial minds, Had never stouter stomachs then this Queen. Her lives first progress did but prove too sweet, Whom all th'earths treasures once concurred to bless: But now sad soul, trod under Fortune's feet, Her misery no creature can express. Yet of Olimpias, though abased by you, The sighed her son, and husband will revive: And so may make the Macedonians now, For her relief strange courses to contrive. Of those whose greatness does regard extort, Th'afflictions must entender every mind: And still th'affections of the vulgar sort, Are headlong led, too cruel, or too kind. As those to whom all other things are free, Must have their life, and reign both of one date: So private men that pass their own degree, Can hardly turn to take their former state. Thus you commit your fortune to the fates, None can retire that enters in such things: For those that ought attempt against great states, Must die as traitors, or else live as kings. And though you would but some disorders stay, You deal with those that born not to be thrall As torrents bear away what stops their way, And either must do nothing, or do all. No, keep not such, to sighs when they are gone, That scorn to take the thing that they should give; For all must die, that dare but touch a throne, Those that might take their life, they must not live. It's better to pursue then to defend. Some doubtful rumours did frequent each ear, Such as rash fame confusedly durst unfold: But yet concealed, by favour, or for fear, The certainty to us hath not been told. And yet what surety can you have of her? Can Laws bind them that are above the Law? It's hard t'establish concord betwixt the two, Where th'one must hate, and th'other always fear. What can his freedom and your peace procure? And would you do such evil to shed her blood? The Macedonians will abhor this wrong. But who shall have the realm amid those broils? So to possess the realm you have no right. This state does to it self and heir afford. The people all will grudge against your state. And in their hearts they will detest you too. What though Olympias in a little space, May loose her pour, together with her breath? Yet there remains another of her raze, That is by nature bound avenge her death. I'll be your friend, yet wish you would refrain, From doing this; but ere you be undone, Since that I by your guiltiness may gain, I'll suffer that which I would not have done. You from a dangerous yoke have us relieved, Which I suspect we had experienced soon: And why then should we labour to seem grieved At that thing done, which we wish not undone? No, since that all for sovereignty do strive, And have once tasted what it is to reign: Theres none of us but rather die, than live Embrace a subjects servile state again. And though perchance with Alexanders son, If heir both of his father's worth and state: We might have most respected places won, As special pillars of the Princes seat. Yet though more great than others, as before, It would have grieved us, less then one to fallen: The fallen from first to second grieves one more, Then from the second to the last of all. Our old renown to us had ruin brought, And would have made us odious to remain: It's dangerous for a subject to be thought, One that desires, or yet deserves to reign. When any tempest threatened had his throne, He would have sought assurance at our cost: For when that jealousy hath seized on one, The greatest virtues are suspected most. Yea though we could to quite our state consent, Us from suspicion nought but death could purge: Still greatness must turmoil, or then torment, If born, a burden, if laid down, a scourge. Thus Time the truth of all things does proclaim, Man is a crafty creature, hard to know, That can a face for every fortune frame, No trust in mortals, nor no faith below. While as our own particulars do move, We what we wish for most, seem to mislike: And oft of others do the course disprove, While we want nought but means to do the Like. Then while Perdicca's did attempt before To make the rest that were his equals thrall, Who than Antigonus detested more, Ambitious mind of one that would have all? But since Perdicca's and his faction fell, Whom he as traitors to the state pursued: He in his place succeeding to rebel, Hath what he seemed undo again renude. And yet I many a time have mused of this, How from the world he did Eumenes send. I know, that after diverse doubtful fights, He hath orethrowne Eumenes at the last: But by what stratagems or treacherous slights, I would be glad to hear how all hath passed