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The Tragedie of Dido Queene of Carthage: Played by the Children of her Majesties Chappell. Written by Christopher Marlowe, and Thomas Nash. Gent.

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At London, Printed, by the Widdowe Orwin, for Thomas Woodcocke, and are to be solde at his Shop, in Paule's Churchyard, at the Signe of the Blacke Beare. 1594.

JUPITER.

GANYMEDE.

CUPID.

MERCURY.

ENEAS.

ASCANIUS.

ACHATES.

ILIONEUS.

CLOANTHUS.

SERGESTUS.

IARBAS.

JUNO.

VENUS.

DIDO.

ANNA.

NURSE.

LORDS, &c.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

DIDO,

QUEEN OF CARTHAGE.

ACT THE FIRST.

SCENE I.

Here the curtains draw :—there is discovered JUPITER dandling GANYMEDE upon his knee, and MERCURY lying asleep.

Jur. 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, when as I fill'd into your cups, And held the cloth of pleasance while 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 threat'ning air,
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 would 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 seemed fair wall'd-in with eagle's wings,
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,
When as they would have hal'd thee from my sight.
Sit on my knee, and call for thy content,
Controul 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,
Do thou but say, "their colour pleaseth me."
Hold here, my little love, these linked gems,
My Juno wore upon her marriage day,

Put thou about thy neck, my own sweet heart,

And trick thy arms and shoulders with my theft.
GAN. I would have a jewel for mine ear,
And a fine broach to put into my hat,

And then I'll hug with you a hundred times.

JUP. And shalt have, Ganymede, if thou wilt be my love.

Enter VENUS.

VEN. Aye, this is it; you can sit toying there,
And playing with that female wanton boy,
While my Eneas wanders on the seas,
And rests a prey to every billow's pride.
Junt, false Juno, in her chariot's pomp,

Drawn through the heavens by steeds of Boreas' brood,

Made Hebe to direct her airy wheels

Into the windy country of the clouds;
Where, finding Æolus intrench'd with storms,
And guarded with a thousand grisly ghosts,
She humbly did beseech him for our bane,
And charg'd him drown my son with all his train.
Then 'gan the winds break ope their brazen doors,
And all Æolia to be up in arms;

Poor Troy must now be sack'd upon the sea,
And Neptune's waves be envious men of war;
Epeus' horse to Etna's hill transform'd,
Prepared stands to wreck their wooden walls;
And Zolus, like Agamemnon, sounds

The

surges, like fierce soldiers, to the spoil : See how the night, Ulysses-like, comes forth, And intercepts the day as Dolon erst!

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