learning, gentleness, virtue, youth, liberality, and fo forth, the fpice and falt, that feasons a man? Cre. Ay, a minc'd man; and then to be bak'd with no date in the pye, for then the man's date is out, Pan. You are fuch another woman, one knows not at what ward you lye. Cre. Upon my back, to defend my belly; upon my wit, to defend my wiles; upon my fecrefie, to defend mine honesty; my mask to defend my beauty, and you to defend all these; and at all these wards I lye, at a thousand watches. Pan. Say one of your watches. Cre. Nay, I'll watch you for that, and that's one of the chiefeft of them too; if I cannot ward what I would not have hit, I can watch you for telling how I took the blow; unless it fwell paft hiding, and then it is past watching. Pan. You are fuch another. Enter Boy. Boy. Sir, my lord would instantly speak with you. Boy. At your own houfe, there he unarms him. Pan. Good boy, tell him I come; I doubt, he be hurt. Fare ye well, good neice. Cre. Adieu, uncle. Pan. I'll be with you, neice, by and by. Cre. To bring, uncle Pan. Ay, a token from Troilus. Cre. By the fame token, you are a bawd. [Exit Pan. Words, vows, gifts, tears, and love's full facrifice, He offers in another's enterprize: But more in Troilus thoufand-fold I fee, Than in the glafs of Pandar's praise may be. 2 Atchieve Atchievement is Command; ungain'd, befeech. That though my heart's content firm love doth bear, [Exit. SCENE changes to Agamemnon's Tent in the Grecian Camp. Trumpets. Enter Agamemnon, Neftor, Ulyffes, Diomedes, Menelaus, with others. Agam. PRINCES, What grief hath fet the jaundice on your cheeks? The ample propofition, that hope makes In all defigns begun on earth below, Fails in the promis'd largenefs: Checks and difafters As knots by the conflux of meeting fap That gave't furmifed fhape. Why then, you Princes, And think them shame, which are, indeed, nought elfe To find perfiftive conftancy in men? The fineness of which metal is not found In fortune's love; for then, the bold and coward, The wife and fool, the artist and unread, The hard and foft, feem all affin'd, and kin; Puffing at all, winnows the light away; And what hath mafs, or matter by it self, Neft. With due obfervance of thy godlike Seat, (10) Great Agamemnon, Neftor fhall apply Thy latest words. In the reproof of Chance Lies the true proof of men: the Sea being smooth, Upon her patient breaft, making their way But let the ruffian Boreas once enrage The gentle Thetis, and anon, behold, The ftrong-ribb'd Bark thro' liquid mountains cuts; Like Perfeus' horfe: Where's then the fawcy boat, Ulyff. Agamemnon, Thou great commander, nerve and bone of Greece, (10) With due Obfervance of thy goodly Seat,] Goodly is an Epithet carries no very great Compliment with it; and Neftor feems here to be paying Deference to Agamemnon's State and Preheminence. The old Books have it,to thy godly Seat; godlike, as I have reform'd the Text, feems to me the Epithet defign'd; and is very conformable to what Eneas afterwards fays of Agamemnon; Which is that God in Office, guiding Men? The The which, moft mighty for thy place and fway, [To Aga. And thou, most rev'rend for thy stretcht-out life, I give to both your fpeeches; which were fuch, [To Neft. Should with a bond of air, ftrong as the axle-tree Uly. Troy, yet upon her bafis, had been down, The fpeciality of Rule hath been neglected; What honey is expected? degree being vizarded, The heavens themselves, the planets, and this center, Infifture, course, proportion, season, form, What plagues, and what portents, what mutiny? B 4 Commo Commotion in the winds? frights, changes, horrors, The unity and married calm of states Quite from their fixure? Oh, when degree is fhaken, The enterprize is fick. How could communities, And the rude fon would ftrike his father dead: (Between whose endless jar Justice refides) Would lose their names, and fo would juftice too. Then every thing includes it felf in power, And appetite (an universal wolf, So doubly feconded with will and power) And this neglection of degree is it, That by a pace goes backward, in a purpofe (11)- -Right and Wrong, Between whofe endless jar Juftice refides, Would lofe their Names ;] This is not a bad Comment upon what Horace has faid on this Subject; funt certi deniq; fines Quos ultrà citráq; nequit confiftere rectum. Exampled |