Let the man keep his fortune, since he found it ;
He's worthy on't.-On, cousin!

[Exeunt NEARCHUS, CALANTHA, CHRIS

TALLA, and PHILEMA.

Ith. [to AMELUS]

I'll force ye to a fawning else.

Ame.

Follow, spaniel; 35

You dare not. [Exit.

Arm. My lord, you were too forward.
Ith.

Look ye, uncle,

Some such there are whose liberal contents
Swarm without care in every sort of plenty;
Who after full repasts can lay them down
To sleep; and they sleep, uncle: in which silence
Their very dreams present 'em choice of pleasures,
Pleasures-observe me, uncle-of rare object;
Here heaps of gold, there increments of honours,
Now change of garments, then the votes of people;
Anon varieties of beauties, courting,

In flatteries of the night, exchange of dalliance :
Yet these are still but dreams. Give me felicity
Of which my senses waking are partakers,

A real, visible, material happiness;

And then, too, when I stagger in expectance
Of the least comfort that can cherish life.—
I saw it sir, I saw it! for it came

From her own hand.

Arm.

Ith.

The princess threw it t'ye.

40

46

50

True; and she said—well I remember what—

Her cousin prince would beg it.

Arm.

In anger at your taking on't.

Yes, and parted 56

Ith.

Penthea,

O, thou hast pleaded with a powerful language!
I want a fee to gratify thy merit;

But I will do

Arm.

Ith.

What is't you say?

In anger! 60

In anger let him part; for could his breath,
Like whirlwinds, toss such servile slaves as lick
The dust his foosteps print into a vapour,

It durst not stir a hair of mine, it should not;

I'd rend it up by the roots first. To be anything 65 Calantha smiles on, is to be a blessing

More sacred than a petty prince of Argos

Can wish to equal or in worth or title.

• Arm. Contain yourself, my lord: Ixion, aiming

To embrace Juno, bosomed but a cloud,
And begat Centaurs; 'tis an useful moral :
Ambition hatched in clouds of mere opinion
Proves but in birth a prodigy.

Ith.

I thank ye;

Yet, with your license, I should seem uncharitable

To gentler fate, if, relishing the dainties

Of a soul's settled peace, I were so feeble

Not to digest it.

Arm.

He deserves small trust

Who is not privy-counsellor to himself.

Re-enter NEARCHUS and AMELUS, with ORGILUS.

Near. Brave me?

70

75

Your excellence mistakes his temper ;

Org.

For Ithocles in fashion of his mind

80

Is beautiful, soft, gentle, the clear mirror

Of absolute perfection

Ame.

Was't your modesty

Termed any of the prince's servants " spaniel "?
Your nurse, sure, taught you other language.

Ith.

Language!

Near. A gallant man-at-arms is here, a doctor 85 In feats of chivalry, blunt and rough-spoken, Vouchsafing not the fustian of civility, Which less rash spirits style good manners.

Ith.

Manners!

Org. No more, illustrious sir; 'tis matchless
Ithocles.

Near. You might have understood who I am.
Ith.

Yes, 90

I did; else—but the presence calmed the affrontYou're cousin to the princess.

Near.

To the king too;
A certain instrument that lent supportance

To your colossic greatness-to that king too,
You might have added.

Ith. Come back!-What pitiful dull thing am I

100

So to be tamely scolded at ! come back!-
Let him come back, and echo once again
That scornful sound of mushroom! painted colts—
Like heralds' coats gilt o'er with crowns and sceptres-
May bait a muzzled lion.

The princess threw away, and I took up :
Admit she threw't to me, what arm of brass
Can snatch it hence? No; could he grind the hoop
To powder, he might sooner reach my heart

Than steal and wear one dust on't.-Orgilus,
I am extremely wronged.

III

These vain unruly passions, which will render ye 115

Into a madness.

Org.

Griefs will have their vent.

Enter TECNICUS with a scroll.

Arm. Welcome; thou com'st in season, reverend

man,

To pour the balsam of a suppling patience

Into the festering wound of ill-spent fury.

Org. [aside] What makes he here?

Tec.
Which shortly will prove deadly. To the king,
Armostes, see in safety thou deliver

The hurts are yet but mortal,

This sealed-up counsel; bid him with a constancy
Peruse the secrets of the gods.-O Sparta,

O Lacedæmon! double-named, but one

121

125

In fate when kingdoms reel,-mark well my saw,-
Their heads must needs be giddy. Tell the king
That henceforth he no more must inquire after
My agèd head; Apollo wills it so :

A greater prince commands me.-Ithocles,

"When youth is ripe, and age from time doth part,

The lifeless trunk shall wed the broken heart."

Ith. What's this, if understood?

Tec.
Remember what I told thee long before,
These tears shall be my witness.

Arm.

Tec.

Org.

List, Orgilus; 135

'Las, good man!

"Let craft with courtesy a while confer,
Revenge proves its own executioner."

Dark sentences are for Apollo's priests;

I am not Edipus.

Tec.

My hour is come;

Cheer up the king; farewell to all.--O Sparta,
O Lacedæmon !

141

[Exit.