attire never used (that I could hear of) but of old women, or pelting priests. This will make Pisidia wanton, Lycaonia stiff, all his territories wavering; and he that hath coutched so many kingdoms in one crown, will have his kingdom scattered into as many crowns as he possesseth countries. I will rouse him up, and if his ears be not ass's ears I will make them tingle. I respect not my life; I know it is my duty, and certainly I dare swear war is my profession.

1

Erist. Martius, we will all join; and though I have been (as, in Phrygia, they term it) a brave courtier; that is (as they expound it) a fine lover, yet will I set both aside, love and courting, and follow Martius; for never shall it be said, Bella gerant alii, semper Eristus amet.

Mel. And I, Martius, that honoured gold for a god, and accounted all other gods but lead, will follow Martius and say, Vilius argentum est auro, virtutibus aurum.

Mart. My lords, I give you thanks, and am glad; for there are no stouter soldiers in the world, than those that are made of lovers, nor any more liberal in wars, than they that in peace have been covetous: then doubt not if courage and coin can prevail, but we shall prevail; and besides, nothing can prevail but fortune. But here comes Sophronia, I will first talk with her.

Enter SOPHRONIA, CAMILLA, and AMERULA.

Madam, either our king hath no ears to hear, or no care to consider, both in what state we stand, being his subjects, and what danger he is in being our king: duty is not regarded; courage

contemned: altogether careless of us, and his own safety.

Sop. Martius, I mislike not thy plain dealing : but pity my father's trance; a trance I must call that, where nature cannot move, nor council, nor music, nor physic, nor danger, nor death, nor all, But that which maketh me most both to sorrow and wonder, is that music (a mithridate* for melancholy) should make him mad; crying still, uno namque modo Pan et Apollo nocent. None hath access to him but Motto, as though melancholy were to be shaven with a razor, not cured with medicine. But stay, what noise is this in those reeds?

Mel. What sound is this? Who dares utter what he hears ?

Sop. I dare, Mellacrites; the words are plain, Midas, the king, hath ass's ears."

Cam. This is strange, and yet to be told the king.

Sop. So dare I, Camilla; for it concerneth me in duty, and us all in discretion. But soft, let us hearken better.

The Reeds. Midas, of Phrygia, hath ass's ears. Erist. This is monstrous, and either portends some mischief to the king, or unto the state confusion. "Midas, of Phrygia, hath ass's ears!" It is impossible; let us with speed to the king to know his resolution, for to some oracle he must send. Till his majesty be acquainted with this

* A mithridate was a sovereign panacea in those times, composed of innumerable ingredients, and whose supposed virtues are not yet quite forgotten, as I am informed apothecaries are now sometimes asked for it.

matter, we dare not root out the reeds; himself must both hear the sound, and guess at the

reason.

Sop. Unfortunate Midas, that being so great a king, there should out of the earth spring so great a shame.

Mart. It may be that his wishing for gold, being but dross of the world, is by all the gods accounted foolish, and so discovered out of the earth for a king to thirst for gold instead of honour, to prefer heaps of worldly coin before triumphs in warlike conquests, was in my mind. no princely mind.

Mel. Let us not debate the cause, but seek to prevent the snares, for in my mind it foretelleth that which woundeth my mind. Let us in.

[Exeunt.

ACT V. SCENE I.

MIDAS, SOPHRONIA, MELLACRITES, and MAR

TIUS.

Mid. Sophronia, thou seest I am become a shame to the world and a wonder. Mine ears glow. Mine ears! ah, miserable Midas! to have such ears as make thy cheeks blush, thy head monstrous, and thy heart desperate. Yet in blushing I am impudent, for I walk in the streets; in deformity I seem comely, for I have left off my tiara; and my heart, the more heavy it is for grief, the more hope it conceiveth of re

covery.

Sop. Dread sovereign and loving sire, there are nine days past, and therefore the wonder is past*; there are many years to come, and therefore a remedy to be hoped for. Though your ears be long, yet is there room left on your head for a diadem: though they resemble the ears of the dullest beast, yet should they not daunt the spirit of so great a king. The gods dally with men, kings are no more: they disgrace kings, lest they should be thought gods: sacrifice pleas

* Nine days wonder is a proverbial expression well enough known. So Shakspeare, in the "Third Part of Henry V." "Glo. That would be ten days wonder at the least. Clar. That's a day longer than a wonder lasts."

eth them; so that if you know by the oracle what god wrought it, you shall by humble submission, by that god be released.

Mid. Sophronia, I commend thy care and courage; but let me hear these reeds, that these lothesome ears may be glutted with the report, and that is as good as a remedy.

The Reeds. Midas, of Phrygia, hath ass's ears. Mid. "Midas, of Phrygia, hath ass's ears.' So he hath, unhappy Midas. If these reeds sing my shame so loud, will men whisper it softly? No, all the world already rings of it: and as impossible it is to stay the rumour, as to catch the wind in a net that bloweth in the air; or to stop the wind of all mens' mouths that breathe out air. I will to Apollo, whose oracle must be my doom, and I fear me, my dishonour, because my doom was his, if kings may disgrace gods; and gods they disgrace, when they forget their duties. Mel. What sayeth Midas?

Mid. Nothing; but that Apollo must determine all, or Midas see ruin of all. To Apollo will I offer an ivory lute for his sweet harmony, and berries of bays as black as jet, for his love, Daphne; pure simples for his physic, and continual incense for his prophesying.

Mart. Apollo may discover some odd riddle, but not give the redress; for yet did I never hear that his oracles were without doubtfulness, nor his remedies without impossibilities. This superstition of yours is able to bring errors among the common sort, not ease to your discontented mind.

Mid. Dost thou not know, Martius, that when