EMILIA.
Pray stand up, Your greefe is written in your cheeke.
3. QUEEN.
O woe, You cannot reade it there, there through my teares-- Like wrinckled peobles in a glassie streame You may behold 'em. Lady, Lady, alacke, He that will all the Treasure know o'th earth Must know the Center too; he that will fish For my least minnow, let him lead his line To catch one at my heart. O pardon me: Extremity, that sharpens sundry wits, Makes me a Foole.
EMILIA.
Pray you say nothing, pray you: Who cannot feele nor see the raine, being in't, Knowes neither wet nor dry: if that you were The ground-peece of some Painter, I would buy you T'instruct me gainst a Capitall greefe indeed-- Such heart peirc'd demonstration; but, alas, Being a naturall Sifter of our Sex Your sorrow beates so ardently upon me, That it shall make a counter reflect gainst My Brothers heart, and warme it to some pitty, Though it were made of stone: pray, have good comfort.
THESEUS.
Forward to'th Temple, leave not out a Iot O'th sacred Ceremony.
1. QUEEN.
O, This Celebration Will long last, and be more costly then Your Suppliants war: Remember that your Fame Knowles in the eare o'th world: what you doe quickly Is not done rashly; your first thought is more Then others laboured meditance: your premeditating More then their actions: But, oh Iove! your actions, Soone as they mooves, as Asprayes doe the fish, Subdue before they touch: thinke, deere Duke, thinke What beds our slaine Kings have.
2. QUEEN.
What greifes our beds, That our deere Lords have none.
3. QUEEN.
None fit for 'th dead: Those that with Cordes, Knives, drams precipitance, Weary of this worlds light, have to themselves Beene deathes most horrid Agents, humaine grace Affords them dust and shaddow.
1. QUEEN.
But our Lords Ly blistring fore the visitating Sunne, And were good Kings, when living.
THESEUS.
It is true, and I will give you comfort, To give your dead Lords graves: the which to doe, Must make some worke with Creon.
1. QUEEN.
And that worke presents it selfe to'th doing: Now twill take forme, the heates are gone to morrow. Then, booteles toyle must recompence it selfe With it's owne sweat; Now he's secure, Not dreames we stand before your puissance Wrinching our holy begging in our eyes To make petition cleere.
2. QUEEN.
Now you may take him, drunke with his victory.
3. QUEEN.
And his Army full of Bread, and sloth.
THESEUS.
Artesius, that best knowest How to draw out fit to this enterprise The prim'st for this proceeding, and the number To carry such a businesse, forth and levy Our worthiest Instruments, whilst we despatch This grand act of our life, this daring deede Of Fate in wedlocke.
1. QUEEN.
Dowagers, take hands; Let us be Widdowes to our woes: delay Commends us to a famishing hope.
ALL.
Farewell.
2. QUEEN.
We come unseasonably: But when could greefe Cull forth, as unpanged judgement can, fit'st time For best solicitation.
THESEUS.
Why, good Ladies, This is a service, whereto I am going, Greater then any was; it more imports me Then all the actions that I have foregone, Or futurely can cope.
1. QUEEN.
The more proclaiming Our suit shall be neglected: when her Armes Able to locke Iove from a Synod, shall By warranting Moone-light corslet thee, oh, when Her twyning Cherries shall their sweetnes fall Vpon thy tastefull lips, what wilt thou thinke Of rotten Kings or blubberd Queenes, what care For what thou feelst not? what thou feelst being able To make Mars spurne his Drom. O, if thou couch But one night with her, every howre in't will Take hostage of thee for a hundred, and Thou shalt remember nothing more then what That Banket bids thee too.
HIPPOLITA.
Though much unlike [Kneeling.] You should be so transported, as much sorry I should be such a Suitour; yet I thinke, Did I not by th'abstayning of my joy, Which breeds a deeper longing, cure their surfeit That craves a present medcine, I should plucke All Ladies scandall on me.