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_ [
Enter AEneas with a paper in his hand, drawing the platform of the
city, with him Achates, Cloanthus, and Illieneus.]
AENEAS.
Triumph my mates, our travels are at end,
Here will Aeneas build a statelier Troy ,
Then that which grim Atrides overthrew:
Carthage shall vaunt her petty walls no more,
For I will grace them with a fairr frame,
And clad her in a Chrystall livery,
Wherein the day may evermore delight:
From golden India Ganges will I fetch,
Whose wealthy streams may waite upon her towers,
And triple wise intrench her round about:
The Sun from Egypt shall rich odors bring,
Wherewith his burning beams like labouring Bees,
That load their thighes with Hyblas honeys spoils,
Shall here unburden their exhaled sweetes,
And plant our pleasant suburbs with her fumes.
ACHATES.
What length or bredth shall this brave town contain?
AENEAS.
Not past foure thousand paces at the most.
ILIONEUS.
But what shall it be calde, Troy as before?
AENEAS.
That have I not determine with myself.
Cloan.
Let it be term'd _AEnea_ by your name.
SERGESTUS.
Rather _Ascania_ by your little son.
AENEAS.
Nay, I will have it calde _Anchisaon_,
Of my old fathers name.
[Enter Hermes with Ascanius.]
Hermes.
Aeneas stay, Joves Herald bids thee stay.
AENEAS.
Whom do I see, Jove's winged messenger?
Welcome to Carthage new erected town.
Hermes.
Why cousin, stand you building Cities here,
And beautifying the Empire of this Queen,
While Italy is cleane out of thy mind?
To too forgetfull of thine owne affairs,
Why wilt thou so betray thy sons good hap?
The king of Gods sent me from highest heaven,
To sound this angrie message in thine ears.
Vain man, what Monarky expectst thou here?
Or with what thought sleepst thou in Libia shore?
If that all glorie hath forsaken thee,
And thou despise the praise of such attempts:
Yet think upon Ascanius prophesie,
And yong Iulus more then thousand years,
Whom I have brought from Ida where he slept,
And bore yong Cupid unto Cypresse Isle.
AENEAS.
This was my mother that beguild the Queen,
And made me take my brother for my son:
No marvell Dido though thou be in love,
That daylie danlest Cupid in thy arms:
Welcome sweet child, where hast thou been this long?
ASCANIUS.
Eating sweet Comfites with Queen Dido's maid,
Who ever since hath luld me in her arms.
AENEAS.
_Sergestus_, bear him hence unto our ships,
Lest Dido spying him keep him for a pledge.
Hermes.
Spendst thou thy time about this little boy,
And givest not care unto the charge I bring?
I tell thee thou must straight to Italy,
Or else abide the wrath of frowning Jove.
AENEAS.
How should I put into the raging deep,
Who have no sails nor tackling for my ships?
What would the Gods have me Deucalion like,
Flote up and down where ere the billows drive?
Though she repairde my fleet and gave me ships,
Yet hath she tane away my oares and masts,
And left me neither sail nor sterne aboard.
[Enter to them Iarbus.]
IARBUS
How now Aeneas, sad, what means these dumpes?
AENEAS.
Iarbus, I am cleane besides myself,
Jove hath heapt on me such a desperate charge,
Which neither art nor reason may atchieve,
Nor I devise by what means to contrive.
IARBUS
As how I pray, may I entreat you tell.
AENEAS.
With speed he bids me sail to Italy.
When as I want both rigging for my fleet,
And also furniture for these my men.
IARBUS
If that be all, then cheer thy drooping looks,
For I will furnish thee with such supplies:
Let some of those thy followers go with me,
And they shall have what thing so ere thou needst.
AENEAS.
Thanks good Iarbus for thy friendly aide,
Achates and the rest shall waite on thee,
Whil'st I rest thankfull for this courtesy.
[Exit Iarbus and AEneas train.]
Now will I haste unto Lavinian shore,
And raise a new foundation to old Troy ,
Witnes the Gods, and witnes heaven and earth,
How loth I am to leave these _Libian_ bounds,
But that eternall Jupiter commands.
[Enter Dido and AEneas.]
DIDO.
I fear I saw Aeneas little son,
Led by Achates to the Trojan fleet:
If it be so, his father means to fly:
But here he is, now Dido trie thy wit.
Aeneas, wherefore go thy men aboard?,
Why are thy ships new rigd? or to what end
Launched from the haven, lie they in the Rhode?
Pardon me though I ask, love makes me ask.
AENEAS.
O pardon me, if I resolve thee why:
Aeneas will not faine with his dear love,
I must from hence: this day swift Mercury
When I was laying a platform for these walls,
Sent from his father Jove, appeard to me,
And in his name rebukt me bitterly,
For lingering here, neglecting Italy.
DIDO.
But yet Aeneas will not leave his love.
AENEAS.
I am commanded by immortal Jove,
To leave this town and passe to Italy,
And therefore must of force.
DIDO.
These words proceed not from Aeneas heart.
AENEAS.
Not from my heart, for I can hardly go,
And yet I may not stay, Dido farewell.
DIDO.
Farewell: is this the mends for Dido'slove?
do Trojans use to quit their Lovers thus?
Fare well may Dido, so Aeneas stay,
I die, if my Aeneas say farewell.
AENEAS.
Then let me go and never say farewell,
Let me go, farewell, I must from hence.
DIDO.
These words are poison to poor Dido's soul,
O speak like my Aeneas, like my love:
Why look'st thou toward the sea? the time hath been
When Dido's beauty chained thine eyes to her;
Am I lesse fair then when thou sawest me first?
O then Aeneas, tis for grief of thee:
Say thou wilt stay in Carthage with my Queen,
And Dido's beauty will return again:
Aeneas, say, how canst thou take thy leave?
Wilt thou kisse Dido? O thy lips have sworne
To stay with Dido: canst thou take her hand?
Thy Hand and mine have plighted mutuall faith,
Therefore unkinde Aeneas, must thou say,
Then let me go, and never say farewell.
AENEAS.
O Queen of Carthage, wert thou ugly black,
Aeneas could not choose but hold thee dear,
Yet must he not gainsay the Gods behest.
DIDO.
The Gods, what Gods be those that seek my death?
Wherein have I offended Jupiter,
That he should take Aeneas from mine arms?
O no, the Gods wey not what Lovers do,
It is Aeneas calls Aeneas hence,
And wofull Dido by these blubbred cheeks,
By this right hand, and by our spousall rites,
Desires Aeneas to remain with her:
Si bene quid de te merui, fuit aut tibi quidquam
Dulce meum, miserere domus labentis: & istam
Oro, si quis ad hac precibus locus, exue mentem.
AENEAS.
Desine meque tuis incendere teque querelis,
Italiam non sponte sequor.
DIDO.
Hast thou forgot how many neighbour kings
Were up in arms, for making thee my love?
How Carthage did rebell, Iarbus storm,
And all the world calls me a second Helen,
For being intangled by a strangers looks:
So thou wouldst prove as true as Paris did,
Would, as fair Troy was, Carthage might be sacked,
And I be calde a second Helena.
Had I a son by thee, the grief were lesse,
That I might see Aeneas in his face:
Now if thou gost, what canst thou leave behind,
But rather will augment then ease my woe?
AENEAS.
In vain my love thou spendst thy fainting breath,
If words might move me I were overcome.
DIDO.
And wilt thou not be mou'd with Dido's words?
Thy mother was no goddess perjured man,
Nor _Dardanus_ the author of thy stocke:
But thou art Sprung from _Scythian Caucasus_,
And Tygers of _Hircania_ gave thee sucke:
Ah foolish Dido to forbear this long!
Wast thou not wrackt upon this _Libian_ shore,
And cam'st to Dido like a Fisherswaine?
Repairde not I thy ships, made thee a King,
And all thy needy followers Noblemen?
O Serpent that came creeping from the shore,
And I for pity harbord in my bosome,
Wilt thou now slay me with thy venomed sting,
And hisse at Dido for preserving thee?
go go and spare not, seek out Italy,
I hope that that which love forbids me do,
The Rocks and Sea-gulfs will perform at large,
And thou shalt perish in the billows ways,
To whom poor Dido doth bequeath revenge,
I traytor, and the waves shall cast thee up,
Where thou and false Achates first set foote:
Which if it chance, I'll give ye buriall,
And weep upon your liveless carcases,
Though thou nor he will pity me a whit.
Why star'st thou in my face? if thou wilt stay,
Leap in mine arms, mine arms are open wide:
If not, turn from me, and I'll turn from thee;
For though thou hast the heart to say farewell,
I have not power to stay thee: is he gone?
I but he'll come again, he cannot go,
He loves me to too well to serve me so:
Yet he that in my sight would not relent,
Will, being absent, be abdurate still.
By this is he got to the water side,
And, see the Sailers take him by the hand,
But he shrinkes back, and now remembring me,
Returns amaine: welcome, welcome my love:
But wheres Aeneas? ah hees gone hees gone!
ANNA.
What means my sister thus to rave and cry?
DIDO.
O Anna, my Aeneas is aboard,
And leaving me will sail to Italy.
Once didst thou go, and he came back again,
Now bring him back, and thou shalt be a Queen,
And I will live a private life with him.
ANNA.
Wicked Aeneas.
DIDO.
Call him not wicked, sister speak him fair,
And Look upon him with a Mermaids eye,
Tell him, I never vow'd at Aulis gulfe
The desolation of his native Troy ,
Nor sent a thousand ships unto the walls,
Nor ever violated faith to him:
Request him gently (Anna) to return,
I crave but this, he stay a tide or two,
That I may learne to bear it patiently,
If he depart thus suddenly, I die:
Run Anna, run, stay not to answere me.
ANNA.
I go fair sister, heavens grant good successe.
[Exit Anna.] _
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