Duke. Come, Master Doctor, follow us and receive your reward. SCENE XIII. [Exeunt. Enter1 WAGner. Wag. I think my master shortly 2 means to die, As Wagner ne'er beheld in all his life. See where they come! belike the feast is ended. [Exit. SCENE XIV. Enter 3 FAUSTUS, with two or three Scholars and 1st Schol. Master Doctor Faustus, since our conference about fair ladies, which was the beautifullest in all the world, we have determined with ourselves that Helen of Greece was the admirablest lady that ever lived: there 1 Scene: a room in Faustus' house. Ed. 1616 reads:"Thunder and lightning. Enter Devils with covered dishes; MEPHISTOPHILIS leads them into FAUSTUS' study; then enter WAGNER. "Wag. I think my master means to die shortly; he has made his will, and given me his wealth, his house, his goods, and store of golden plate, besides two thousand ducats ready-coined. I wonder what he means: if death were nigh, he would not frolic thus. He's now at supper with the scholars, where there's such belly-cheer as Wagner in his life ne'er saw the like: and, see where they come ! belike the feast is done. [Exit." 2 I have adopted Cunningham's obvious correction. Eds. 1604, 1609, means to die shortly." Scene: a room in Faustus' house. fore, Master Doctor, if you will do us that favour, as to let us see that peerless dame of Greece, whom all the world admires for majesty, we should think ourselves much beholding unto you. Faust. Gentlemen, For that I know your friendship is unfeigned, The just requests of those that wish him well, Be silent, then, for danger is in words. [Music sounds, and HELEN 2 passeth over the stage. 2nd Schol. Too simple is my wit to tell her praise, Whom all the world admires for majesty.3 1 Perhaps an allusion to the legend that Paris when carrying off Helen plundered Sparta. 2 Dyce quotes from the prose History of Dr. Faustus the following description of Helen : "This lady appeared before them in a most rich gowne of purple velvet, costly imbrodiered; her haire hanged downe loose, as faire as the beaten gold, and of such length that it reached downe to her hammes; having most amorous cole-black eyes, a sweet and pleasant round face, with lips as red as a cherry; her cheekes of a rose colour, her mouth small, her neck white like a swan; tall and slender of personage; in summe, there was no imperfect place in her she looked round about with a rolling hawkes eye, a smiling and wanton countenance, which neere-hand inflamed the hearts of all the students; but that they perswaded themselves she was a spirit, which made them lightly passe away such fancies." 3 Ed. 1616 reads: "2nd Schol. Was this fair Helen, whose admired worth Made Greece with ten years' wars afflict poor Troy? 3rd Schol. No marvel though the angry Greeks pur sued With ten years' war the rape of such a Queen, 20 1st Schol. Since we have seen the pride of Nature's works, And only paragon of excellence, Let us depart; and for this glorious deed Happy and blest be Faustus evermore. Faustus. Gentlemen, farewell-the same I wish to you. Enter an Old Man. [Exeunt Scholars. Old Man.1 Ah, Doctor Faustus, that I might prevail To guide thy steps unto the way of life, "3rd Schol. Too simple is my wit to tell her worth, Whom all the world admires for majesty. "1st Schol. Now we have seen the pride of Nature's work, We'll take our leaves; and for this blessed sight," &c. 1 In ed. 1616 this speech runs as follows :— "Old Man. O gentle Faustus, leave this damnèd art, This magic, that will charm thy soul to hell, And quite bereave thee of salvation! Though thou hast now offended like a man, Do not persever in it like a devil: Yet, yet thou hast an amiable soul, If sin by custom grow not into nature; Then, Faustus, will repentance come too late; Then thou art banish'd from the sight of Heaven: No mortal can express the pains of hell. It may be, this my exhortation Seems harsh and all unpleasant: let it not; For, gentle son, I speak it not in wrath, Or envy of thee, but in tender love, And pity of thy future misery; And so have hope that this my kind rebuke, By which sweet path thou may'st attain the goal Of thy most vild and loathsome filthiness, But Mercy, Faustus, of thy Saviour sweet, 30 Faust. Where art thou, Faustus? wretch, what hast thou done? 40 Damned' art thou, Faustus, damned; despair and die ! [MEPHISTOPHILIS gives him a dagger. Old Man. Ah stay, good Faustus, stay thy desperate steps! I see an angel hovers o'er thy head, Faust. Ah, my sweet friend, I feel VOL. I. 1 This line is omitted in ed. 1616. S 50 se. Old Man. I go, sweet Faustus, but with heavy cheer, Hell strives with grace for conquest in my breast: Meph. Thou traitor, Faustus, I arrest thy soul Faust. Sweet Mephistophilis, entreat thy lord And with my blood again I will confirm My former vow I made to Lucifer, Meph. Do it then quickly, with unfeignèd heart, 60 [FAUSTUS stabs his arm and writes with his blood on a paper.4 Faust. Torment, sweet friend, that base and crooked age,5 That durst dissuade me from thy Lucifer, With greatest torments that our Hell affords. Meph. His faith is great: I cannot touch his soul; But what I may afflict his body with I will attempt, which is but little worth. 1 Ed. 1616,— "Faustus, I leave thee, but with grief of heart, 70 2 Ed. 1616 "Accursed Faustus, wretch, what hast thou done?" Before this line ed. 1616 inserts "I do repent I e'er offended him." 4 This stage-direction is not in the old copies; it was suggested by Dyce. Ed. 1616 "that base and aged man. |