CYRUS

Y E Persians, Medians, and Hircanians, Trusty assistants, assisters in this happy war, You see the banded power of Asia, Whose number overspread the Assyrian fields And in their passage drank main rivers dry, By favour of the gods, and our devoir, Are overthrown and scattered through the plains, Like Autumn leaves before a Northern wind. Cresus is foiled, and fled to Lydia, The Arabian prince is whelmde amid the sands, And last, the old Assyrian king is slain. Now triumph in the fortune of your hands, Whose fame hath directed these affairs. Chrisandas, Like to Cresus be our foes, Glorious in show, but cowardly in mind. Cresus is gone, and gone with him his steed, This wish of yours Chrisantas is in vain, But of two hundred horses of mine own, Of gallant raze and courage singular, Take you the choice and furniture withal, The bridles bit of massy silver wrought, The boss's gold, the reins of Persian silk, The saddles all embroidered purple work, Armed through with Plataeae, with fine engraved gold, And golden trappers dangling to the ground. Now Lords we have got the honour of the day And with our feet trod down the Thrasian pride, While I do sacrify for victory, and chosen the holy altars of the gods, Do you betwixt the armies partly the spoils, and glad our men with fruits of our conquest. Araspas none for me, divide it all, It pleases me to see my soldiers rich. Exit Cyrus. Of whence art thou that craves access to us? This stout Assyrian hath a liberal look, And of my soul is fart from treachery, Albeit Gobrias I mistrust thee not, yet tell me being so wealthy and so strong, Why rather yeeldst thou to thy enemy, Then live with freedom in Assyriam, Noble Assyrian either leave to weep, Or speak no more Cyrus is full of ruth, And when a man of thy estate laments, He cannot choose but weep for company, Dry up these tears and tell the rest. Gobrius thou hast joust cause to revolt, And we to trust thy welcome unto us, And for the thousand horse which thou hast lost, we will requite them with a greater gift, be thou lieutenant of the Archaniaus. Assyrian I have captains worthy here, She shall be matched as beseems a princes born, And for revenge upon the Assyrian king, We will girded in Babylon with our high host, Or either starve them with a lingering siege, Or rip his bowels with our Persian swords, But in the mean time srolicke in our tent, Histaspis led the Assyrian to our camp. And entertain him as beseems a prince, Armuchus and Chrisantus follow him. Araspas, as I lately gave in charge Is all the spoil divided equally? Araspas wouldst thou have me visit her, when by her beauty I may be enthralled? Dost thou not think that love is violent? If love be voluntary as thou sayest, why cannot lovers leave it when they will? Have you not seen them weep and wail for death? Empty their purse of coin, their brain of wit, Sending both gifts and letters to their loves? Men are in folly when they are in love, Urge me no more, I will not visit her. For by the eye love slips into the heart, Making men idle, negligent. Nothing can more dishonour warriors, Then to be conquered with a woman's look. Araspas I resign my partly to thee, Thou shalt be keeper of that Susan Queen, Use her as fits a woman of such birth Excuse me for not coming to her tent, Bid her be merry with her singing maids, And say that Cyrus will entreat her fair. Exeunt. Gobrias you have herd the Assyrian tale. What great complaints he makes against the prince, And those not causeless if his words be true, Now Cyrus is not rashly credulous, Nor binds his faith on every strangers vows. Tell me Gobrias, dost thou simply think, That this discourse is nought but naked truth, Or else some forged or dissembled gloze, To found our secrets, and bewray our drifts. Be valiant Ctesiphon and follow me, Follow the fortune of a haphie camp, Not doubt thou, but thou shalt see the end, Shall rue the ininries of his barbarous life, Among the damned souls in darkest hell. Rise up Assyrian, Cyrus is no God. Live long to wail for thy pretended ill, As free from punishment as for reward, The lives of kings are guarded by the gods, Nor are they in the hands of mortal men, Assyrian, though thy sword were at my breast, The jealous angel that attends on us, Would snatch it from thy hands, and fling it down. And therefore muse not at this accident. Thou shalt have letters to the Assyrian king, Free liberty to pass from this our camp, And conduit money from our Treasury. Attend our leisure, I will send thee straight. What virgin is it that Gobrias leads? Then princely virgin welcome to our camp. But why sighs you, why hang you down the head? And in your pale looks bury beauty's pride, T'is pity these looks should be stained with tears. From whom fair madame should I rescue him, Madame the reason of these vehement terms, Cyrus does neither know, nor can conject, It since the time of your captivity, You have not been entreated as you ought, The gods can tell t'is far against my thought. My boy, what ere thy birth and fortune be, Great does this mind and thoughts of honour taste, Expressing marks of true Nobility, And to excite thee to commended works, which are the paths that to advancement ledes, Receive this chain of gold from Cyrus neck. And wear it in the face of all the world, Not as a favour to thy person given, But as in honour to thy virtuous mind, President of manly fortitude, Exceeding far the opinion of thy years, Gobrias have and honourable care, Araspas I remit thee this amiss, although blame worthy in the highest degree, and for your tried deserts in martial praise, I am content this folly to forget, Yet would I have it seem unto the world, That my displeasure made you fly from me, And so revolted to the Assyrian arms, There this suppose shall make you entertained, and highly favoured of that graceless king, By means whereoffull safely you may learn, The garrison and strength of Babylon, The utmost force and puissance of our foes, With every purpose of Antiochns, The time and place where he intents to fight, Then having learned the full of every thing, In secret you may escape again to me. With joust relation of the Assyrian camp. This service if you please to undertake, You shall effect a singular good turn, and reap mortal thanks at Cyrus hands. To calm the heat of your offended mind, Thus have I lost as brave a warrior, As ever trodden upon the Persian fields. Is it likely Abradatus will forsake, His native prince to follow for rain arms, These horses thou speakest of makes me glory more, Then Lydian Cressusin his heaps of gold, And of them all does Cyrus make account, As of the strength's and sinews of the war, We have intelligence the Assyrian king Is come from Babylon to meet us straight, Therefore if Abradates favour us, Mount and away for we'll assail them first. Welcome Araspas, brings thou cheerful news? Is Antiochus resolved to fight? Is this Assyrian friend or foe to us? That dares approach so near the Persian camp. Man of Assyriam, what wouldst thou with me? What prince is he that thou accusest thus? Descend unto the purpose of thy tale, And make thy state and fortune plain a nce Then blood and death Bellona's waiting maid, shall ghastly marchin Babylons waste streets, And never was a bondmans death revenged, as Cyrus means for this Libanio. Lady, how far your usage disagrees, From Cyrus meaning, records be the gods, As for my self (not vainly be it said) I hold my eyes in bondage to my will, And keep my thoughts in yoke to reason love, My sighed on beauty never surfeited, And where her beams were likely to infect, My judgement was a veil before mine eyes To bear such piercing fancies from my heart, Such as I am, such must my followers be, Else let them pack they shall not follow me. The man that offered to dishonour you, shall be so thoroughly chastised for his fault, As you shall rest sufficiently revenged, and knowledge me a gracious conqueror, Histaspis carry her to your pavilion. Gobrias goes your page in that attire? But boy express in brief what means thou madest To escape so safely from the Assyrian camp Gobrias say, is Alexandra she, For whom your page these hazards hath sustainde? This is the place the men that follow me. Shall she be his on whom this turf shall light? Then throw at random when you please Gobrias, You cannot miss a good and virtuous man. Histaspis you are hit. Hist. I am my Lord, Histaspis take your love at Cyrus hand, this is our guise, and this the Persians do, they woo and wed within a word or two. Exeunt. Histaspis and the rest, with draw your selves, Only Araspas stay behind with me. Force to a Queen, and she a captive too, A Persian Lord so far misled with lust, Intend dishonour to a silly dame, Araspas they that would be conquerors, Should chiefly learn to conquer their desire, Least while they seek dominion over others, They prove but slaves and bondmen to themselves. Now where are those your big and brave disputes, Wherein you pleaded love was voluntary, And fancy left and entertained at will, When you embrace it in such raging heat, That where entreaties fail of your desires, You fallen from vows to violence with the dame, Araspas for the excuse of this offence, You find no president in Cyrus life Then go with fortune, and return with health and grant the gods this enterprise of thine, May end and prosper with desired effect. To pacify the angry Pantbeas mood, I will persuade her of Araspas flight. That he is revolted to the Assyrian king. Enter Panthea. Araspas, who in fear of my displeasure, I fled from me unto the Assyrian camp, And hath forsook the Persians colours quite, Thus madame for your sake hath Cyrus done, Even lost the worthiest soldier of his band. Believe me Madam, if your Lord be armed, With such soar grounded malice to the prince, His help may greatly further my affairs, And therefore if you can procure the man, To stand assistant to the Persian arms, You shall deserve great thanks at Cyrus hand, And Madam, he shall want at Cyrus hands, No praise, nor honour endue to good deserts. Exeunt. Is Abradates come from Bactria, Then will I leave to moan Araspas lose, and think on conquest and sweet victory? Gobrias go with lovely Panthea, and bring him presently unto our tent, With those brave horsemen of Assyriam, You warlike and victoriousmen, Marshal your several bans in equipage, That Abradates king of Susia, May wonder at the hugeness of our camp, and be the willinger to league with us. Enter Abrdates with other. Here he comes, and if by his aspect, I may conjecture of his qualities, He is valiant, wise, trusty and liberal, Sweet Abradates thou embracing me, Hath stolen my heart, I love and honour thee, Araspas, let him come, he is our friend. And brings us tidings from our enemies. Enter Araspas. What is the number of his fighting men? If every soldier had a wall of brass, It could not daunt us, we are resolute, And vowed and sworn unto our swords, which teaches us to scorn a brazen wall. Had I four to encounter with, you all should led the vanguard of the field, But only one must have the charge Though all deserve it, therefore draw you all. Crysantas make the lots. I'll have it so, Histaspis be content. Histaspis I command thee to begin, Now Abradates and the rest. Then thou shalt led the forefront, let us match, Here Abradates, Cyrus places thee, Lead warily, and fight courageously. Fair Lady, virtuous, chased, and amiable, I trust your love among the living dwells, and Like a champion and a knight at arms, will show himself or many hours expire, His temples adorned with victorious palm. Madam, I trust the presence of your Lord, Returning back in triumph and renown, Shall soon remove those thoughts out of your mind, So grant the Gods my countries presidents, What slaughtered body do you Persians bring? Oh Persians see if any breath remains. Mirror of honour and true Nobility, No age, no time shall ever raze thy fame, Whilst Euphrates does keep his running stream. What Abradates, and chased Panthea too, Oh Abradates worthy man at arms, Oh Panthea chased virtuous and amiable, This office Cyrus to your wandering ghost, Reserves in store to grace your funerals, with monuments of fatal Elonie, Of Cedar, Marble, let, and during brass, That future world's and infants yet unborn, May kiss your tombs wherein your bodies lie, And wonder at the virtues of your mind, Assyrian Lord, such honour thou shalt have, As never had Assyrian at his graven. Six hundred head of cattle shall be slain, And sacrificed upon the funerals day. Twelve thousand horses being manned each one, Trapped all in black shall go before thy hearse, The towered battlements of Babylon, Bend in contempt of heaven and earth, and men Those marks of pride shall be abated down, To make a show of mourning for thy death. Such honour as you both receyude in life, Such honour shall you both receive in death. The deed was full of honour and deceit, If gold will pay his ransom, he shall live, And therefore Alexandra be not sad. The lots are ready.