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Will Dido give to sweet Ascanius.

For Dido's sake I take thee in my arms,
And stick these spangled feathers in thy hat;
Eat comfits in mine arms, and I will sing.
Now is he fast asleep, and in this grove,
Amongst green brakes I'll lay Ascanius,
And strew him with sweet-smelling violets,
Blushing roses, purple hyacinth :

These milk-white doves shall be his sentinels,
Who, if that any seek to do him hurt,
Will quickly fly to Cytherea's fist.

Now, Cupid, turn thee to Ascanius' shape,

And go to Dido, who, instead of him,

Will set thee on her lap, and play with thee;
Then touch her white breast with this arrow head,
That she may dote upon Æneas' love,

And by that means repair his broken ships,
Victual his soldiers, give him wealthy gifts,
And he, at last, depart to Italy,

Or else in Carthage make his kingly throne.

CUP. I will, fair mother, and so play my part
As every touch shall wound Queen Dido's heart.
VEN. Sleep, my sweet nephew, in these cooling
shades,

Free from the murmur of these running streams,
The cry of beasts, the rattling of the winds,

Or whisking of these leaves; all shall be still,
And nothing interrupt thy quiet sleep,

Till I return and take thee hence again.. [Exeunt.

VOL. I.

24

ACT THE THIRD.

SCENE I.

Enter CUPID.

CUP. Now, Cupid, cause the Carthaginian queen To be enamour'd of thy brother's looks. Convey this golden arrow in thy sleeve, Lest she imagine thou art Venus' son; And when she strokes thee softly on the head, Then shall I touch her breast and conquer her. Enter IARBAS, ANNA, and DIDO.

IAR. How long, fair Dido, shall I pine for thee? 'Tis not enough that thou dost grant me love, But that I may enjoy what I desire:

That love is childish which consists in words.
DIDO. Iarbas, know, that thou, of all my wooers,
And yet have I had many mightier kings,
Hast had the greatest favours I could give.

I fear me, Dido hath been counted light,
In being too familiar with Iarbas;

Albeit the gods do know, no wanton thought
Had ever residence in Dido's breast.

IAR, But Dido is the favour I request.
DIDO. Fear not, Iarbas, Dido may be thine.
ANNA, Look, sister, how Æneas' little son
Plays with your garments and embraceth you.
CUP. No, Dido will not take me in her arms.
I shall not be her son, she loves me not.

DIDO. Weep not, sweet boy, thou shalt be Dido's

son;

Sit in my lap, and let me hear thee sing. [Cupid sings.
No more, my child, now talk another while,
And tell me where learn'st thou this pretty song.
CUP. My cousin Helen taught it me in Troy.
DIDO. How lovely is Ascanius when he smiles!
CUP. Will Dido let me hang about her neck?
DIDO. Aye, wag, and give thee leave to kiss her too.
CUP. What will you give me? Now, I'll have this
fan.

1

DIDO. Take it, Ascanius, for thy father's sake.
IAR. Come, Dido, leave Ascanius, let us walk.
DIDO. Go thou away, Ascanius shall stay.
IAR. Ungentle queen! is this thy love to me?
DIDO. O stay, Iarbas, and I'll go with thee.
CUP. And if my mother go, I'll follow her.
DIDO. Why stay'st thou here? thou art no love of

mine!

IAR. larbas, die, seeing she abandons thee.

DIDO. No; live larbas: what hast thou deserv'd,
That I should say thou art no love of mine?
Something thou hast deserv'd. Away, I say;
Depart from Carthage-come not in my sight.
IAR. Am I not king of rich Getulia?

DIDO. Iarbas, pardon me, and stay awhile.
CUP. Mother, look here.

DIDO. What tell'st thou me of rich Getulia?

Am not I queen of Lybia? then depart.
IAR. I go to feed the humour of my love,
Yet not from Carthage for a thousand worlds.
DIDO. Iarbas!

IAR. Doth Dido call me back?

DIDO. No; but I charge thee never look on me. IAR. Then pull out both mine eyes, or let me die. [Exit Iarbas. ANNA. Wherefore doth Dido bid Iarbas go?

DIDO. Because his loathsome sight offends mine eye,

And in my thoughts is shrin'd another Jove.

O Anna! didst thou know how sweet love were,

Full soon would'st thou abjure this single life.
ANNA. Poor soul! I know too well the power of

love.

O that Iarbas could but fancy me!

DIDO. Is not Æneas fair and beautiful?
ANNA. Yes, and Iarbas foul and favourless.
DIDO. Is he not eloquent in all his speech?
ANNA. Yes, and Iarbas rude and rustical.
DIDO. Name not larbas; but, sweet Anna, say,

Is not Æneas worthy Dido's love?

ANNA. O sister! were you empress of the world, Eneas well deserves to be your love.

So lovely is he, that, where'er he goes,

The people swarm to gaze him in the face.

DIDO. But tell them, none shall gaze on him but I, Lest their gross eye-beams taint my lover's cheeks. Anna, good sister Anna, go for him,

Lest with these sweet thoughts I melt clean away.

ANNA. Then, sister, you'll abjure Iarbas' love? DIDO. Yet must I hear that loathsome name again? Run for Æneas, or I'll fly to him. [Exit Anna. CUP. You shall not hurt my father when he comes.

DIDO. No, for thy sake, I'll love thy father well.

O dull-conceited Dido! that till now

Didst never think Eneas beautiful!

But now, for quittance of this oversight,
I'll make me bracelets of his golden hair;
His glist'ring eyes shall be my looking-glass,
His lips an altar, where I'll offer up

As many kisses as the sea hath sands.
Instead of music I will hear him speak,—
His looks shall be my only library,—
And thou, Eneas, Dido's treasury,

'In whose fair bosom I will lock more wealth
Than twenty thousand Indians can afford.

O here he comes: Love, love, give Dido leave
To be more modest than her thoughts admit,
Lest I be made a wonder to the world,

Enter ENEAS, ACHATES, SERGESTUS, ILIONEUS, and CLOANTHUS.

Achates, how doth Carthage please your lord?
ACHA. That will Eneas shew your majesty.

DIDO. Æneas, art thou there?

EN. I understand your highness sent for me.
DIDO. No; but now thou art here, tell me in sooth

In what might Dido highly pleasure thee.

EN. So much have I receiv'd at Dido's hands,
As, without blushing, I can ask no more:
Yet, queen of Afric, are my ships unrigg'd,
My sails all rent in sunder with the wind,
My oars broken, and my tackling lost,
Yea, all my navy split with rocks and shelves;

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