Tragedie of Dido
Queene of Carthage:
Played by the Children of her
Maiesties Chappell.
Written by Chriftopher Marlowe, and
Thomas Nafh. Gent.
Printed, by the Widdowe Orwin, for Thomas Woodcocke, and are to be folde at his fhop, in Paules Church-yeard,at
Quarto edition of that year.
Text of the play in vol. ii of Old English Drama, published by Hurst, Robinson & Co., 1825. Robinson's edition of Marlowe, 1826.
Dyce's first edition of Marlowe, 1850.
Dyce's revised edition of Marlowe, 1858, etc.
Cunningham's edition of Marlowe, 1870, etc
Bullen's edition of Marlowe, 1885.
Text of the play in Grosart's edition of Nash (vol. vi),
(vol. ii), 1885.
Text of the play in McKerrow's edition of Nash (vol. ii), 1904.
J. B.'s MS. notes in copy of Rob. (Brit. Mus. 11771d).
J. P. Collier's MS. notes in copy of Dyce' (Brit. Mus.
11771 bbb 6).
Conjectural emendations in The Old Dramatists, 1896.
Conjectural emendations in Notes on Elizabethan
Dramatists, 1889.
J. M.'s conjectures, quoted by Dyce.
The Tragedie of Dido Queene
of Carthage.
(Actus 1. Scena 1.)
Here the Curtaines draw, there is discouered Iupiter dandling Ganimed upon his knee, and Mercury lying asleepe.
Iup. Come gentle Ganimed and play with me, I loue thee well, say Iuno what she will.
Gan. I am much better for your worthles loue,
That will not shield me from her shrewish blowes :
To day when as I fild into your cups,
And held the cloath of pleasance whiles you dranke,
She reacht me such a rap for that I spilde,
As made the bloud run downe about mine eares.
Iup. What? dares she strike the darling of my thoughts?
By Saturnes soule, and this earth threatning haire,
That shaken thrise, makes Natures buildings quake,
I vow, if she but once frowne on thee more,
To hang her meteor like twixt heauen and earth,
And bind her hand and foote with golden cordes,
As once I did for harming Hercules.
Gan. Might I but see that pretie sport afoote,
O how would I with Helens brother laugh,
And bring the Gods to wonder at the game :
Sweet Iupiter, if ere I pleasde thine eye,
Or seemed faire walde in with Egles wings,
Grace my immortall beautie with this boone,
And I will spend my time in thy bright armes.
Iup. What ist sweet wagge I should deny thy youth? Whose face reflects such pleasure to mine eyes,
As I exhal'd with thy fire darting beames,
Haue oft driuen backe the horses of the night,
Act I. Scene I. add. Hurst S.D. Mercury] Hermes Dyce to Bull. 10 haire Dyce etc.: aire 1594, Hurst, Rob.
When as they would haue hal'd thee from my sight:
Sit on my knee, and call for thy content,
Controule proud Fate, and cut the thred of time.
Why are not all the Gods at thy commaund,
And heauen and earth the bounds of thy delight?
Vulcan shall daunce to make thee laughing sport,
And my nine Daughters sing when thou art sad,
From Iunos bird Ile pluck her spotted pride,
To make thee fannes wherewith to coole thy face,
And Venus Swannes shall shed their siluer downe,
To sweeten out the slumbers of thy bed:
Hermes no more shall shew the world his wings,
If that thy fancie in his feathers dwell,
But as this one Ile teare them all from him,
(Plucks a feather from Hermes' wings.) Doe thou but say their colour pleaseth me: Hold here my little loue, these linked gems, (Gives jewels.) My Iuno ware vpon her marriage day,
Put thou about thy necke my owne sweet heart,
And tricke thy armes and shoulders with my theft.
Gan. I would haue a iewell for mine eare,
And a fine brouch to put in my hat,
And then Ile hugge with you an hundred times.
Iup. And shall haue Ganimed, if thou wilt be my loue. Enter Venus.
Venus. I, this is it, you can sit toying there,
And playing with that female wanton boy,
Whiles my Eneas wanders on the Seas,
And rests a pray to euery billowes pride.
Iuno, false Iuno in her Chariots pompe,
Drawne through the heauens by Steedes of Boreas brood, 55
Made Hebe to direct her ayrie wheeles
Into the windie countrie of the clowdes,
Where finding Eolus intrencht with stormes,
And guarded with a thousand grislie ghosts,
She humbly did beseech him for our bane,
And charg'd him drowne my sonne with all his traine. Then gan the windes breake ope their brazen doores, And all Eolia to be vp in armes :
Poore Troy must now be sackt vpon the Sea,
40+S.D. add. Dyce too conj. Dyce
shalt Hurst to Cunn.
42+S.D. add. Dyce
47 in] into Hurst, Cunn., Bull.
59 ghosts] gusts conj. Coll.
And Neptunes waues be enuious men of warre,
Epeus horse, to Etnas hill transformd,
: Prepared stands to wracke their woodden walles,
And Eolus like Agamemnon sounds
The surges, his fierce souldiers, to the spoyle :
See how the night Vlysses-like comes forth,
And intercepts the day as Dolon erst :
Ay me! the Starres supprisde like Rhesus Steedes,
Are drawne by darknes forth Astræus tents.
What shall I doe to saue thee my sweet boy?
When as the waues doe threat our Chrystall world,
And Proteus raising hils of flouds on high,
Entends ere long to sport him in the skie.
False Iupiter, rewardst thou vertue so?
What? is not pietie exempt from woe?
Then dye Eneas in thine innocence,
Since that religion hath no recompence.
Iup. Content thee Cytherea in thy care,
Since thy Eneas wandring fate is firme,
Whose wearie lims shall shortly make repose
In those faire walles I promist him of yore:
But first in bloud must his good fortune bud,
Before he be the Lord of Turnus towne,
Or force her smile that het herto hath frownd:
Three winters shall he with the Rutiles warre,
And in the end subdue them with his sword,
And full three Sommers likewise shall he waste,
In mannaging those fierce barbarian mindes :
Which once performd, poore Troy so long supprest,
From forth her ashes shall aduance her head,
And flourish once againe that erst was dead :
But bright Ascanius, beauties better worke,
Who with the Sunne deuides one radiant shape,
Shall build his throne amidst those starrie towers,
That earth-borne Atlas groning vnderprops :
No bounds but heauen shall bound his Emperie,
Whose azured gates enchased with his name
Shall make the morning hast her gray vprise,
To feede her eyes with his engrauen fame.
Thus in stoute Hectors race three hundred yeares,
The Romane Scepter royall shall remaine,
Till that a Princesse priest conceau'd by Mars,
73 Astraea's Hurst, Dyce', Cunn.
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