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THE
TRAGEDY OF DIDO, QUEEN OF CARTHAGE.
ACT I.
Here the curtains draw: there is discovered Jupiter dandling Ganymede upon his knee, and Hermes[1] lying asleep.
Jup. Come, gentle Ganymede, and play with me;
I love thee well, say Juno what she will.
Gan. I am much better for your worthless love,
That will not shield me from her shrewish blows!
To-day, whenas[2] I fill'd into your cups,
And held the cloth of pleasance whiles you drank,
She reach'd me such a rap for that I spill'd,
As made the blood run down about mine ears.
Jup. What, dares she strike the darling of my thoughts?
By Saturn's soul, and this earth-threatening hair,[3]
That, shaken thrice, makes nature's buildings quake,
I vow, if she but once frown on thee more,
To hang her, meteor-like, 'twixt heaven and earth,
And bind her, hand and foot, with golden cords,
As once I did for harming Hercules!
Gan. Might I but see that pretty sport a-foot,
O, how woold I with Helen's brother laugh,
And bring the gods to wonder at the game!
Sweet Jupiter, if e'er I pleas'd thine eye,
Or seemèd fair, wall'd-in with eagle's wings,[4]
Grace my immortal beauty with this boon,
And I will spend my time in thy bright arms.
Jup. What is't, sweet wag, I should deny thy youth?
Whose face reflects such pleasure to mine eyes,
As I, exhal'd with thy fire-darting beams,
Have oft driven back the horses of the Night,
Whenas they would have hal'd thee from my sight.
Sit on my knee, and call for thy content,
Control proud Fate, and cut the thread of Time:
Why, are not all the gods at thy command,
And heaven and earth the bounds of thy delight?
Vulcan shall dance to make thee laughing-sport,
And my nine daughters sing when thou art sad;
From Juno's bird I'll pluck her spotted pride,
To make thee fans wherewith to cool thy face;
And Venus' swans shall shed their silver down,
To sweeten out the slumbers of thy bed;
Hermes no more shall shew the world his wings,
If that thy fancy in his feathers dwell,
But, as this one, I'll tear them all from him,
[Plucks a feather from Hermes' wings.
Do thou but say, "their colour pleaseth me."
Hold here, my little love; these linkèd gems,
[Gives jewels.
My Juno ware upon her marriage-day,
Put thou about thy neck, my own sweet heart,
And trick thy arms and shoulders with my theft.[5]
Gan. I would have[6] a jewel for mine ear,
I love thee well, say Juno what she will.
Gan. I am much better for your worthless love,
That will not shield me from her shrewish blows!
To-day, whenas[2] I fill'd into your cups,
And held the cloth of pleasance whiles you drank,
She reach'd me such a rap for that I spill'd,
As made the blood run down about mine ears.
Jup. What, dares she strike the darling of my thoughts?
By Saturn's soul, and this earth-threatening hair,[3]
That, shaken thrice, makes nature's buildings quake,
I vow, if she but once frown on thee more,
To hang her, meteor-like, 'twixt heaven and earth,
And bind her, hand and foot, with golden cords,
As once I did for harming Hercules!
Gan. Might I but see that pretty sport a-foot,
O, how woold I with Helen's brother laugh,
And bring the gods to wonder at the game!
Sweet Jupiter, if e'er I pleas'd thine eye,
Or seemèd fair, wall'd-in with eagle's wings,[4]
Grace my immortal beauty with this boon,
And I will spend my time in thy bright arms.
Jup. What is't, sweet wag, I should deny thy youth?
Whose face reflects such pleasure to mine eyes,
As I, exhal'd with thy fire-darting beams,
Have oft driven back the horses of the Night,
Whenas they would have hal'd thee from my sight.
Sit on my knee, and call for thy content,
Control proud Fate, and cut the thread of Time:
Why, are not all the gods at thy command,
And heaven and earth the bounds of thy delight?
Vulcan shall dance to make thee laughing-sport,
And my nine daughters sing when thou art sad;
From Juno's bird I'll pluck her spotted pride,
To make thee fans wherewith to cool thy face;
And Venus' swans shall shed their silver down,
To sweeten out the slumbers of thy bed;
Hermes no more shall shew the world his wings,
If that thy fancy in his feathers dwell,
But, as this one, I'll tear them all from him,
[Plucks a feather from Hermes' wings.
Do thou but say, "their colour pleaseth me."
Hold here, my little love; these linkèd gems,
[Gives jewels.
My Juno ware upon her marriage-day,
Put thou about thy neck, my own sweet heart,
And trick thy arms and shoulders with my theft.[5]
Gan. I would have[6] a jewel for mine ear,
- ↑ Hermes] Here the old ed. has "Mercury"; but afterwards "Hermes."
- ↑ whenas] i.e. when.
- ↑ hair] Old ed. "sire."
- ↑ wall'd-in with eagle's wings] This expression is well illustrated by Titian's[?] picture (in the National Gallery) of the rape of Ganymede.—In Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost, act v. sc. 2, we have,—
"A lady wall'd-about with diamonds!"
- ↑ my theft] i.e. these jewels which I stole from Juno.
- ↑ have] Qy. "have too"? But see note 5, p. 18.
