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_ [
Enter Juno to Ascanius asleep.]
JUNO.
Here lies my hate, Aeneas cursed brat,
The boy wherein false destiny delights,
The heire of fury, the favorite of the face,
That ugly impe that shall outwear my wrath,
And wrong my deity with high disgrace:
But I will take another order now,
And race th'eternall Register of time:
Troy shall no more call him her second hope,
Nor Venus triumph in his tender youth:
For here in spight of heaven I'll murder him,
And feede infection with his left out life:
Say Paris, now shall Venus have the ball?
Say vengeance, now shall her Ascanius die.
O no God wot, I cannot watch my time,
Nor quit good turns with double fee down told:
Tut, I am simple without made to hurt,
And have no gall at all to grieve my foes:
But lustfull Jove and his adulterous child,
Shall find it written on confusions front,
That onely Juno rules in Rhamnuse town.
[Enter Venus.]
VENUS.
What should this mean? my Doves are back returned,
Who warn me of such danger prest at hand,
To harm my sweet Ascanius lovely life.
Juno, my mortall foe, what make you here?
Avaunt old witch and trouble not my wits.
JUNO.
Fie Venus, that such causeles words of wrath,
Should ere defile so fair a mouth as thine:
Are not we both sprong of celestiall rase,
And banquet as two Sisters with the Gods?
Why is it then displeasure should disjoyne,
Whom kindred and acquaintance counites.
VENUS.
Out hateful hag, thou wouldst have slain my son,
Had not my Doves discou'rd thy intent:
But I will tear thy eyes fro forth thy head,
And feast the birds with their blood-shotten balles,
If thou but lay thy fingers on my boy.
JUNO.
Is this then all the Thanks that I shall have,
For saving him from Snakes and Serpents stings,
That would have kild him sleeping as he lay?
What though I was offended with thy son,
And wrought him mickle woe on sea and land,
When for the hate of Trojan Ganymede ,
That was advanced by my Hebes shame,
And Paris judgement of the heavenly ball,
I mustred all the winds unto his wracke,
And vrg'd each Element to his annoy:
Yet now I do repent me of his ruth,
And wish that I had never wrongd him so:
Bootles I saw it was to war with fate,
That hath so many unresisted friends:
Wherefore I change my counsell with the time,
And planted love where envy erst had sprong.
VENUS.
Sister of Jove, if that thy love be such,
As these thy protestations do paint forth,
We two as friends one fortune will devide:
Cupid shall lay his arrowes in thy lap,
And to a Scepter change his golden shafts,
Fancy and modesty shall live as mates,
And thy fair peacockes by my pigeons pearch:
Love my Aeneas, and desire is thine,
The day, the night, my Swannes, my sweetes are thine.
JUNO.
More then melodious are these words to me,
That overcjoy my soul with their content:
Venus, sweet Venus, how may I deserve
Such amourous favours at thy beautious hand?
But that thou maist more easily perceive,
How highly I do prize this amity,
Harke to a motion of eternal league,
Which I will make in quittance of thy love:
Thy son thou knowest with Dido now remains,
And feedes his eyes with favours of her Court,
She likewise in admiring spends her time,
And cannot talk nor think of ought but him:
Why should not they then join in marriage,
And bring forth mighty Kings to Carthage town,
Whom casualty of sea hath made such friends?
And Venus, let there be a match confirmed
Betwixt these two, whose loves are so alike,
And both our Deities conioynd in one,
Shall chain felicity unto their throne.
VENUS.
Well could I like this reconcilements means,
But much I fear my son will nere consent,
Whose armed soul already on the sea,
Darts forth her light to Lavinias shore.
JUNO.
Fair Queen of love, I will divorce these doubts,
And find the way to weary such fond thoughts:
This day they both a hunting forth will ride
Into these woods, adioyning to these walls,
When in the midst of all their gamesome sports,
I'll make the clouds dissolve their watrie workes,
And drench Silvanus dwellings with their showers,
Then in one Cave the Queen and he shall meete,
And interchangeably discourse their thoughts,
Whose short conclusion will seale up their hearts,
unto the purpose which we now propound.
VENUS.
Sister, I see you savour of my wiles,
Be it as you will have for this once,
mean time, Ascanius shall be my charge,
Whom I will bear to Ida in mine arms,
And couch him in Adonis purple down.
[Exeunt.] _
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