Читать книгу The Two Noble Kinsmen - John Fletcher - Страница 6

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Scaena 2. (Thebs).

[Enter Palamon, and Arcite.]

ARCITE.

Deere Palamon, deerer in love then Blood

And our prime Cosen, yet unhardned in

The Crimes of nature; Let us leave the Citty

Thebs, and the temptings in't, before we further

Sully our glosse of youth:

And here to keepe in abstinence we shame

As in Incontinence; for not to swim

I'th aide o'th Current were almost to sincke,

At least to frustrate striving, and to follow

The common Streame, twold bring us to an Edy

Where we should turne or drowne; if labour through,

Our gaine but life, and weakenes.

PALAMON.

Your advice

Is cride up with example: what strange ruins

Since first we went to Schoole, may we perceive

Walking in Thebs? Skars, and bare weedes

The gaine o'th Martialist, who did propound

To his bold ends honour, and golden Ingots,

Which though he won, he had not, and now flurted

By peace for whom he fought: who then shall offer

To Marsis so scornd Altar? I doe bleede

When such I meete, and wish great Iuno would

Resume her ancient fit of Ielouzie

To get the Soldier worke, that peace might purge

For her repletion, and retaine anew

Her charitable heart now hard, and harsher

Then strife or war could be.

ARCITE.

Are you not out?

Meete you no ruine but the Soldier in

The Cranckes and turnes of Thebs? you did begin

As if you met decaies of many kindes:

Perceive you none, that doe arowse your pitty

But th'un-considerd Soldier?

PALAMON.

Yes, I pitty

Decaies where ere I finde them, but such most

That, sweating in an honourable Toyle,

Are paide with yce to coole 'em.

ARCITE.

Tis not this

I did begin to speake of: This is vertue

Of no respect in Thebs; I spake of Thebs

How dangerous if we will keepe our Honours,

It is for our resyding, where every evill

Hath a good cullor; where eve'ry seeming good's

A certaine evill, where not to be ev'n Iumpe

As they are, here were to be strangers, and

Such things to be, meere Monsters.

PALAMON.

Tis in our power,

(Vnlesse we feare that Apes can Tutor's) to

Be Masters of our manners: what neede I

Affect anothers gate, which is not catching

Where there is faith, or to be fond upon

Anothers way of speech, when by mine owne

I may be reasonably conceiv'd; sav'd too,

Speaking it truly? why am I bound

By any generous bond to follow him

Followes his Taylor, haply so long untill

The follow'd make pursuit? or let me know,

Why mine owne Barber is unblest, with him

My poore Chinne too, for tis not Cizard iust

To such a Favorites glasse: What Cannon is there

That does command my Rapier from my hip

To dangle't in my hand, or to go tip toe

Before the streete be foule? Either I am

The fore-horse in the Teame, or I am none

That draw i'th sequent trace: these poore sleight sores

Neede not a plantin; That which rips my bosome

Almost to'th heart's—

ARCITE.

Our Vncle Creon.

PALAMON.

He,

A most unbounded Tyrant, whose successes

Makes heaven unfeard, and villany assured

Beyond its power there's nothing, almost puts

Faith in a feavour, and deifies alone

Voluble chance; who onely attributes

The faculties of other Instruments

To his owne Nerves and act; Commands men service,

And what they winne in't, boot and glory; on(e)

That feares not to do harm; good, dares not; Let

The blood of mine that's sibbe to him be suckt

From me with Leeches; Let them breake and fall

Off me with that corruption.

ARCITE.

Cleere spirited Cozen,

Lets leave his Court, that we may nothing share

Of his lowd infamy: for our milke

Will relish of the pasture, and we must

Be vile or disobedient, not his kinesmen

In blood, unlesse in quality.

PALAMON.

Nothing truer:

I thinke the Ecchoes of his shames have dea'ft

The eares of heav'nly Iustice: widdows cryes

Descend againe into their throates, and have not

[enter Valerius.]

Due audience of the Gods.—Valerius!

VALERIUS.

The King cals for you; yet be leaden footed,

Till his great rage be off him. Phebus, when

He broke his whipstocke and exclaimd against

The Horses of the Sun, but whisperd too

The lowdenesse of his Fury.

PALAMON.

Small windes shake him:

But whats the matter?

VALERIUS.

Theseus (who where he threates appals,) hath sent

Deadly defyance to him, and pronounces

Ruine to Thebs; who is at hand to seale

The promise of his wrath.

ARCITE.

Let him approach;

But that we feare the Gods in him, he brings not

A jot of terrour to us; Yet what man

Thirds his owne worth (the case is each of ours)

When that his actions dregd with minde assurd

Tis bad he goes about?

PALAMON.

Leave that unreasond.

Our services stand now for Thebs, not Creon,

Yet to be neutrall to him were dishonour;

Rebellious to oppose: therefore we must

With him stand to the mercy of our Fate,

Who hath bounded our last minute.

ARCITE.

So we must.

Ist sed this warres a foote? or it shall be,

On faile of some condition?

VALERIUS.

Tis in motion

The intelligence of state came in the instant

With the defier.

PALAMON.

Lets to the king, who, were he

A quarter carrier of that honour which

His Enemy come in, the blood we venture

Should be as for our health, which were not spent,

Rather laide out for purchase: but, alas,

Our hands advanc'd before our hearts, what will

The fall o'th stroke doe damage?

ARCITE.

Let th'event,

That never erring Arbitratour, tell us

When we know all our selves, and let us follow

The becking of our chance. [Exeunt.]