NABARZANES

I will most willingly perform my partly, For, I the same exceedingly allow: Dear wealth and honour, Idols of my heart, If you I may enjoy, I care not how; Yet that this course may best be kept obscure, Our care must seem all for our Country bent; "When masked with zeal; crimes are reputed pure, "A show of good does vulgar minds content, "In dangerous plots where courage joins with Art, "Let slow advice, a quick dispatch be used: "What can (save success) justify our partly, "Who must command, or come to be accused? Well, then amongst our selves to fly debate, Which such great actions ofttimes undermines, I yield that you possess the highest seat, And will my faction frame for our designs. Yet of my thoughts some doubt new counsel claims, And with huge honour aggravates disgrace: The stain of treason still attends our names, And with our error burdens all our raze; Our purpose must accomplished be with pain, And we (though pomp a space appease our souls) Shall find afflictions to disturb our reign, And be when dead, defamed by famous scrolls. The sacred title of a Sovereign King Does work a terror more then can be thought, And Majesty to brave my mind does bring, Whose countenance only strange effects hath wrought. Now that the time and manner may be sure, The Bactrian bans shall all attend in Arms, Yet feign a cause that he may live secure, And be surprised not looking for alarms. Then through the camp a rumour must be spread, That hopeless Darius hath despair'dly gone, By violence to dwell amongst the dead, Which (as much grieved) we must appear to moan: The Persians may promises be pleased, So to disarm him of his native powers, Then taking him, our thoughts may all be eased, For whilst he is his own, we are not ours: Till strong with titles, we with power command, His shadow shrouds, while rights are forced, or feigned, And his to daunt, or strangers to gainstand, To raise our state, his show must be, maintained. To Alexander after we will send, And offer him his foe to bondage bought, Then crave that us his favour may defend, As those who all things for his good have wrought; Then if we thus his grace cannot procure, But that he us with rigour do pursue, With Darius death we will our states assure, Then first our force, and next the wars renew. My words will first your Majesty displease, Yet duty makes me speak where silence spills; "The best Physician cures a sharp disease, "With some sour potion that corruption kills; "And skilful Pilots when they fear a storm, "To save the ship, will cast out precious things, You in some sort may imitate their form, For else a tempest total ruin brings. Since bent against the Gods, how can we speed? To all our actions, fortune is opposed, We must of force some other way proceed, So have the heavens of our affairs disposed: Give (Sir,) the state, at least your titles place On some more happy man, not in effect, But with your shadow cloth him for a space, Till he your Realms from ruin may protect. This storm once calmed, that now disturbs your state, And Asia free from any foreign host, He shall with haste resign the Sovereign seat, These Kingdoms gained again, which you have lost: All Bactria yet abides at your command, The Indians, lo, would die to do you good, Yea, many thousand thousands armed stand, Bent for your State to offer up their blood; What? should we rush Like beasts to needless strife? Be well prepared, and then your fortune try, "Brave minds should death despise, not loathing life: "For fear of danger cowards crave to die. "But virtue first all Hope's accounts does cast, "And of each mean to help maturely thinks, "Then, when all else is done, death is the last, "The which to meet true courage never shrinks. Now for the time, let Bactria be our seat, To Bessus for the form your Crown resign, Who, when he once hath readvanced your state, Sh ll with your foes overthrow his charge confine. If I have erred, no pardon (Sir) I crave. First hear, and if I fail, then let me fallen; I call the Gods to testify my partly, Who can (commenting thoughts) clear truth afford, If ever treason harboured in my heart, Straight let me die, not pitied, but abhorred; I counsel gave according to my skill, It was my upright mind that made me bold, And though my wit not answered to my will, "Still zeal what it conceives, must needs unfold. "We should be loath to speak in great affairs, "Where words are damned, or balanced by the event: "For, if things fail, the fault is still thought theirs, "Who gave advice, though of a good intent, Great Prince forget this not well grounded grudge Who dare be free if thus for words rejected? At least examine first before you judge, I rather die absolved, then live suspected.