The Online Library of Liberty

A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.

• Publisher's Notice
• To My Worthy Friend , Master Thomas Hammon, of Gray's Inn , &c.
• Persons Represented.
• The Jew of Malta.
• Act the First.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Act the Second.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Act the Third.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Scene VI.
• Act the Fourth.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Scene VI.
• Act the Fifth.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Edward the Second.
• Act the First.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Act the Second.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Act the Third.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Act the Fourth.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Scene VI.
• Act the Fifth.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Scene VI.
• The Massacre At Paris.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Scene VI.
• Scene VII.
• Scene VIII.
• Scene IX.
• Scene X.
• Scene XI.
• Scene XII.
• Scene XIII.
• Scene XIV.
• Scene XV.
• Scene XVI.
• Scene XVII.
• Scene XVIII.
• Scene XIX.
• Scene XX.
• Scene XXI.
• Scene XXII.
• Scene XXIII.
• Scene XXIV.
• The Tragedy of Dido, Queen of Carthage.
• Act I.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Act II.
• Scene I.
• Act III.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Act IV.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene Iii
• Scene IV.
• Scene V
• Act V.
• Scene I.

SCENE III.

Enter1Dido, æneas, Anna, Iarbas, Achates, CupidasAscanius, and Followers.

Dido.

• Æneas, think not but I honour thee,
• That thus in person go with thee to hunt:
• My princely robes, thou see'st, are laid aside,
• Whose glittering pomp Diana's shroud2 supplies;
• All fellows now, disposed alike to sport;
• The woods are wide, and we have store of game.
• Fair Trojan, hold my golden bow a while,
• Until I gird my quiver to my side.—
• Lords, go before; we two must talk alone.

Iar.

• Ungentle, can she wrong Iarbas so?

  10

• I'll die before a stranger have that grace.
• “We two will talk alone”—what words be these!
• [Aside.

Dido.

• What makes Iarbas here of all the rest?
• We could have gone without your company.

Æn.

• But love and duty led him on perhaps
• To press beyond acceptance to your sight.

Iar.

• Why! man of Troy, do I offend thine eyes?
• Or art thou grieved thy betters press so nigh?

Dido.

• How now, Gætulian! are you grown so brave,
• To challenge us with your comparisons?

  20

• Peasant, go seek companions like thyself,
• And meddle not with any that I love.—
• Æneas, be not moved at what he says;

Iar.

• Women may wrong by privilege of love;
• But, should that man of men, Dido except,
• Have taunted me in these opprobrious terms,
• I would have either drunk his dying blood,
• Or else I would have given my life in gage.

  29

Dido.

• Huntsmen, why pitch you not your toils apace,
• And rouse the light-foot deer from forth their lair?

Anna.

• Sister, see, see Ascanius in his pomp,
• Bearing his hunt-spear bravely in his hand!

Dido.

• Yea, little son, are you so forward now?

Cup.

• Ay, mother; I shall one day be a man,
• And better able unto other arms;
• Meantime these wanton weapons serve my war,
• Which I will break betwixt a lion's jaws.

Dido.

• What? dar'st thou look a lion in the face?

Cup.

• Ay; and outface him too, do what he can.

  40

Anna.

• How like his father speaketh he in all!

Æn.

• And mought I live to see him sack rich Thebes,
• And load his spear with Grecian princes' heads,
• Then would I wish me with Anchises' tomb,

Iar.

• And might I live to see thee shipp'd away,
• And hoist aloft on Neptune's hideous hills,
• Then would I wish me in fair Dido's arms,
• And dead to scorn that hath pursu'd me so.
• [Aside.

Æn.

• Stout friend Achates, dost thou know this wood?

  50

Ach.

• As I remember, here you shot the deer
• That saved your famish'd soldiers' lives from death,
• When first you set your foot upon the shore;
• And here we met fair Venus, virgin—like.
• Bearing her bow and quiver at her back.

Æn.

• O, how these irksome labours now delight,
• And overjoy my thoughts with their escape!
• Who would not undergo all kind of toil,
• To be well—stor'd with such a winter's tale?

Dido.

• Æneas, leave these dumps, and let's away.

  60

• Some to the mountains, some unto the soil,1
• You to the valleys,—thou unto the house.
• [Exeunt all exceptIarbas.

Iar.

• Ay, this it is which wounds me to the death,
• To see a Phrygian, far—fet1 o'er the sea,
• Preferr'd before a man of majesty.
• O love! O hate! O cruel women's hearts,
• That imitate the moon in every change,
• And, like the planets, ever love to range!
• What shall I do, thus wronged with disdain?
• Revenge me on Æneas or on her?

  70

• On her! fond man, that were to war 'gainst heaven,
• And with one shaft provoke ten thousand darts.
• This Trojan's end will be thy envy's aim,
• Whose blood will reconcile thee to content,
• And make love drunken with thy sweet desire.
• But Dido, that now holdeth him so dear,
• Will die with very tidings of his death:
• But time will discontinue her content,
• And mould her mind unto new fancy's shapes,
• O God of heaven, turn the hand of Fate

  80

• Unto that happy day of my delight!
• And then—what then? Iarbas shall but love:
• So doth he now, though not with equal gain;
• That resteth in the rival of thy pain,
• Who ne'er will cease to soar till he be slain.
• [Exit

[1]Scene: a wood near Carthage.

[2]Old ed. “shrowdes.”

[1]A deer or other animal was said to “take soil” when it fled from its pursuers to the water, Dyce quotes from Cotgrave.—”Souil de sangher. The soile of a wild Boare; the slough or mire wherein he hath wallowed.”

[1]Far—fetched. There was a common proverb “far—fet and dear—bought is good for ladies.”—Old ed. “far fet to the sea.