DAMON

¶Stephano, leave thy raging, and let us enter SIRACUSAE We will provide lodging, and thou shalt be eased of thy burden by What is that? tell us quickly. ¶My Pithias, where Tyrants reign, such cases are not new, Which fearing their own state for great c ltie, To fit fast as they think, do execute All such as any light suspicion have tainted. ¶So are they never in quiet, but in suspicion Still, When one is made away, they take occasion another to kill: Ever in fear, having no trusty friend, void of all peoples love, And in their own conscience, a continual Hell they prove. ¶That state is most miserable, thrice happy are we, Whom true love hath joined in perfect Amity: Which amity first sprung, without vaunting be it spoken, that is true Of likeliness of manners, took root by company, & now is conserved by virtue Which virtue always through worldly things do not frame Yet does she arc iue to her followers immortal fame: Whereof if men were careful, for Virtues sake only They would honour friendship, and not for commodity: But such as for profit in friendship do link, When storms come, they slide away sooner then a man will think: My Pithias, the some of my talk falls to this issue, To prove no friendship is sure, but that which is grounded on virtue. Stephano, because thou art careful of Me thy master, I do Thee praise, Yet think this for a surety, no state to displease: By talk or otherwise, my friend and I intend, we will here As men that come to see the soil & manners of all men of every degree, Pithagoras said, that this world was Like a Stage, Whereon many play their parts: the lookers on the sage Philosophers are says he, whose part is to learn The manners of all Nations, and the good from the bade to discern. Thou speakest according to thy learning, but I say, Omnis solum fortis patriam : A wise man may live every where: Therefore my deer friend Pithias, Let us view this Town in every place, And then consider the Peoples manners also. ¶Then let us to our lodging depart, when dinner is done, We will view this City as we have begun. EXEANT ¶ Once again in hope of good wind, I hoist up my sail, I go into the city to find some pray for mine avail: I hunger while I may see these strangers, that lately Arrived, I were safe if once I might meet them happily, Let them bark that lust, at this kind of gain, He is a fool that for his profit will not take pain: Though it be joined with other men's hurt, I care not at all, For profit I will accuse any man, hap what shall But soft sirs, I pray you buysh what are they that comes here, By their apparel, and countinaunce some strangers they appear, I will shroud my self secretly, even here for a while, To hear all their talk that I may them beguile. ¶ A shorre horse soon curried, my belly waxes thinner, I am as hungry now as when I went to dinner: Your philosophical diet, is so fine and small, That you may eat your dinner & supper at once, & not surfaite at all. ¶ Stephano, much meat breeds heaviness, thin diet makes Thee light ¶ I have had sufficiently discourse of amity, Which I had at dinner with Pithias and his pleasant company Hath fully satisfied me, it does me good to feed mine eyes on him. ¶ Ah Stephano, small diet makes a fine memory. ¶ At your pleasure sir, I will wait on my self this day, Yet attend upon Pithias, which for a purpose tarrieth at home, So doing, you wait upon me also. ¶ Not in vain the Poet says Naturam furcam expe ̄ llas, tamen usque recurrit. For train up a bonontan never to so good a behaviour, Yet in some point of servility, he will savour: As this Stephano, trusty to Me his Master, loving and kind, Yet touching his belly, a very bondman & him find: He is to be born withal, being so I st and true, I assure you, I would not change him for no new: But Me thinks, this is a pleasant City, The Seat is good, and yet not strong, and that is great pity. The Air subtle and fine, the people should be witty That dwell under this Climate in so pure a Region, A trimmer Plot I have not seen in my peregrination: Nothing misliketh Me in this Country, But that I hear such muttering of cruelty: Fame reporteth strange things of Dionisius, But kings matters passing our reach, pertain not to us. ¶ My friend, the Gods forbid so cruel a thing: That any man should lift up his Sword against the King: Or seek other means by death him to prevent, Whom to rule on earth, the mighty Gods have sent: But my friend, leave off this talk of King Dionisius. ¶What then? And nescis longas Regibus esse manus? It is no safe talking of them that strikes a far off: But leaving kings matters, I pray you show Me this courtesy: To describe in few words, the state of this City? A traveler I am, desirous to know The state of eke Country, where ever I go: Not to the hurt of any state, but to get experience thereby: It is not for nought that the Poet does cry, Dic mihi Musam virum, captae post tempore Troyae, Multorum hominum Moors qui vidit & v bis. In which verses, as some Writers do scan, The Poet describeth, a perfec to wise man: Even so, I being a stranger, addicted to Philosophy, To see the state of Countries, my self I apply. ¶My name is Damon, well known in my Country, a Gentleman born ¶I thank you for your courtesy, this chanceth well that I Met with this Gentleman so happily, Which as it seemeth, misliketh some thing, Else he would not talk so boldly of the King, And that to a stranger, but lo were he comes in haste. ¶This is he fellow Snap, snap him up: away with him. ¶To the Court sir, and why? ¶Is this the courtesy you promised Me? and that very lately. ¶O my Pithias, sing Death must part us, farewell for ever. ¶ Oh mighty king, where as no truth, my innocent life can save, But that so greedily you thrust, my guiltless blood to have: lbeit, (even for thought) for ought against your person: et now I plead not for life, ne will I crave your pardon: But sing in Greece my Country, where well I am known, have worldly things, fit for mine Alliance when I am gone, dispose them or I die, if I might obtain leisure, would account it (Oh king) for a passing great pleasure: ot to prolong my life thereby, for which I reckon not this, ut to set my things in a stay: and surely I will not miss, Pon the faith which all gentlemen ought to embrace, oh return again at your time to appoint, to yield my body here in this place: rant me (Oh King (such time to dispatch this injury, and I will not fail, when you appointed, even here my life to pay. ¶There is no surer nor greater pledge, then the faith of a Gentleman O my Pithias, my Pledge farewell, I part from Thee weeping But joyful at my day appointed I will return again, When I will deliver Thee from all trouble and pain: Stephano will I leave behind me to wait upon Thee in prison alone, And I whom fortune hath reserved to this misery, will walk home, Ah my Pithias, my Pledge, my life, my friend, farewell. Loath I am to depart, sith sobs my trembling tongue does stay O Music, sound my doleful plaints when I am gone my way. O Stephano, hast thou been so long with me, And yet dost not know the force of true amity? I tell thee once again, my friend and I are but one, Wait upon Pithias, and think thou art with Damon. Whereof I may not now discourse, the time passes away, The sooner I am gone, the shorter shall be my journey: Therefore farewell Stephano, commend me to my friend Pithias Whom I trust to deliver in time out of this woeful case. Not so, Oh mighty King, to Justice it is contrary, hat for and other men fault, the Inno ent should die: yet is my time plainly expire, it is not fully noon, f this my day appointed, by all the Clocks in the Town. Ah my Pithias, shall we now break the bonds of Amity? Till you now overthwart Me, which heretofore so well did agree. That you were contented for me to die, fame cannot deny, et fame shall never touch me with such a villainy: oh report that Damon did suffer his friend Pithias, for him guiltless to die, herfore content thy self, the Gods requi e thy constant faith, one but Damons blood can appease Dionisius wrath: and now Oh mighty King, to you my talk I convey, ecause you gave me leave, my worldly things to stay: oh requite that good turn ere I die, for your behalf this I say, lthough your Regal state, dame Fortune decketh so, hat Like a king in worldly wealth, ab ndantly you fl e: et fickle is the ground whereon all Tirrants tread, thousand sundry cares and fears, do haunt their restless head: oh trusty band; no faithful f iendes worser worser guard thy hateful state, and why? whom men obey for deadly fear, sure them they deadly hate That you may safely reign, by love get friends, whose constant fait Will never fail, this counsel gives poor Tam n at his death: Friends are the surest guard, for Kings golden time do wear away And other precious things do fade, friendship will never decay: Have friends in store therefore, so shall you safely sleep, Have friends at home of foreign foes, so need you take no keep: Abandon flattering tongues, whose clacks truth never tells, Abase the ill, advance the good, in whom dame virtue dwells: Let them your play fellows be, but Oh you earthly kings, Your sure defence and strongest guard, S andes chifely in faithful fry ̄ worser Then get you friends by liberal deeds, and here I make and end, Accept this counsel mighty King of Damon Pithias friend: O my Pithias, now farewell for ever, let me kiss Thee or I die, My soul shall honour Thee, thy constant faith above the heavens shall fli Come Gronno do thine office now, why is thy colour so dead? My neck is so is short, that thou Wilt never have honesty in striking oh this hea Not so, he hath not offended, there is no cause why? My constant Friend my Pithias, for Damons sake should die Alas he is but young, he may do good to many, Thou coward minister, why dost thou not let me die? Oh mighty king, first for my life most humble thanks I give, and ne to, I praise the immortal Gods, that did your heart so meum That you would have respect to friendships heavenly lore, orseing well, he need not fear which hath true fry ̄ ds in store or my partly, most noble king, as a third Friend, welcome to our friendly society But you must forget you ar a king, for friendship stands in true equality Stephano, for thy good service, be thou free. EXEUNT. DION Use no violence, I will go with you quietly. Exiunt omn S. Ah Sira, yr lady, Aristippus likes Dionisius Court very well, hiche in passing joys and pleasures does excel: here he hath Dapsilae caena , gemalis lectes, & auro. gentii turgmani zonam. we plied the Harvest, and stroke when the Iron was hot, hen I spied my time, I was not squeamish to crave God wot: to with some pleasant tyoe, I rept into the Kings bosom. which, Dionisius gave me Aure talentum magnum, arge reward, for so simple services, hat then? the Kings praise stands chiefly in bountifulness: hiche thing, though I told the king very pleasantly, can I prove it by good Writers of great Antiquity: to that shall not need at this time, since that I have abundantly en I lack hereafter, I will use this poinctt of Philosophy: to now, where as I have felt the kings lyberalytie, princely as it came, I will sponde it as regally: is currant men say, and currant comes of currendo en will I make money run, as his nature requires I trow, what becomes a Philosopher best, to to despise money above the rest: yet not so despise it, but to have in store ough to serve his own turn, and somewhat more, that sundry sports and taunts, yester night I delighted the king, at with his loud laughter, the whole court did ring: I thought he laughed not merrier then I, when I God this money, mumbouget for Carisophus I espy aste to come hither, I must handle the knave finely: Carisophus, my dearest Friend, my trusty companion, at news with you? where have you heen so long? My best beloved friend Aristippus, I am come at last, iue not spent all my time in wast, e God a pray, and that a good one I tr w.