The Spanish Tragedy In Plain and Simple English
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About this ebook
William Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, and Christopher Marlowe had noe thing in common: they were influenced by Thomas Kyd's "The Spanish Tragedy." Though popular in it's day, it is often forgotten today largely because the Elizabethan language is dated and hard to understand. Let BookCaps help with this modern adaptation of Kyd's classic work!
If you have struggled in the past reading old English, then BookCaps can help you out.
We all need refreshers every now and then. Whether you are a student trying to cram for that big final, or someone just trying to understand a book more, BookCaps can help. We are a small, but growing company, and are adding titles every month.
BookCaps
We all need refreshers every now and then. Whether you are a student trying to cram for that big final, or someone just trying to understand a book more, BookCaps can help. We are a small, but growing company, and are adding titles every month.Visit www.bookcaps.com to see more of our books, or contact us with any questions.
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The Spanish Tragedy In Plain and Simple English - BookCaps
About This Series
The Classic Retold
series started as a way of telling classics for the modern reader—being careful to preserve the themes and integrity of the original. Whether you want to understand Shakespeare a little more or are trying to get a better grasps of the Greek classics, there is a book waiting for you!
Characters
Ghost of Andrea, a Spanish nobleman, }
Revenge } Chorus
KING OF SPAIN
CYPRIAN DUKE OF CASTILE, his brother
LORENZO, the Duke's son
BELLIMPERIA, Lorenzo's sister
VICEROY OP PORTUGAL
BALTHAZAR, his son
DON PEDRO, the Viceroy's brother
HIERONIMO, Marshal of Spain
ISABELLA, his wife
HORATIO, their son
Spanish General
Deputy
DON BAZULTO, an old man
Three Citizens
Portuguese Ambassador
ALEXANDRO, }
VlLLUPPO, } Portuguese Noblemen
PEDRINGANO, Bellimperia's servant
CHRISTOPHIL, Bellimperia's custodian
Lorenzo's Page
CERBERINE, Balthazar's servant
Isabella's Maid
Messenger
Hangman
Three Kings and three Knights in the first Dumb-show
Hymen and two torch-bearers in the second
BAZARDO, a Painter
PEDRO and JACQUES, Hieronimo's servants
Army. Banquet Royal suites. Noblemen. Halberdiers.
Officers. Three Watchmen. Trumpets. Servants, etc.
Comparative Version
Act I
SCENE I: INDUCTION
Enter the Ghost of Andrea, and with him Revenge.
Ghost.
When this eternal substance of my soul
Did live imprison'd in my wanton flesh,
Each in their function serving other's need,
I was a courtier in the Spanish court:
My name was Don Andrea; my descent,
Though not ignoble, yet inferior far
To gracious fortunes of my tender youth.
For there in prime and pride of all my years,
By duteous service and deserving love,
In secret I possess'd a worthy dame,
Which hight sweet Bellimperia by name.
But, in the harvest of my summer joys,
Death's winter nipp'd the blossoms of my bliss,
Forcing divorce betwixt my love and me.
For in the late conflict with Portingal
My valour drew me into danger's mouth,
Till life to death made passage through my wounds.
When I was slain, my soul descended straight
To pass the flowing stream of Acheron;
But churlish Charon, only boatman there,
Said that, my rites of burial not perform'd,
I might not sit amongst his passengers.
Ere Sol had slept three nights in Thetis' lap,
And slak't his smoking chariot in her flood,
By Don Horatio, our knight marshal's son,
My funerals and obsequies were done.
Then was the ferryman of hell content
To pass me over to the slimy strand,
That leads to fell Avernus' ugly waves.
There, pleasing Cerberus with honey'd speech,
I pass'd the perils of the foremost porch.
Not far from hence, amidst ten thousand souls,
Sat Minos, Aeacus, and Rhadamanth;
To whom no sooner 'gan I make approach,
To crave a passport for my wand'ring ghost,
But Minos, in graven leaves of lottery,
Drew forth the manner of my life and death.
This knight,' quoth he,' both liv'd and died in love;
And for his love tried fortune of the wars;
And by war's fortune lost both love and life.'
'Why then,' said Aeacus,' convey him hence,
To walk with lovers in our fields of love,
And spend the course of everlasting time
Under green myrtle-trees and cypress shades.'
' No, no,' said Rhadamanth,' it were not well,
With loving souls to place a martialist:
He died in war, and must to martial fields,
Where wounded Hector lives in lasting pain,
And Achilles' Myrmidons do scour the plain.
Then Minos, mildest censor of the three,
Made this device to end the difference:
Send him,' quoth he,' to our infernal king,
To doom him as best seems his majesty.'
To this effect my passport straight was drawn.
In keeping on my way to Pluto's court,
Through dreadful shades of ever-glooming night,
I saw more sights than thousand tongues can tell,
Or pens can write, or mortal hearts can think.
Three ways there were: that on the right-hand side
Was ready way unto the foresaid fields,
Where lovers live and bloody martialists;
But either sort contain'd within his bounds.
The left-hand path, declining fearfully,
Was ready downfall to the deepest hell,
Where bloody Furies shakes their whips of steel,
And poor Ixion turns an endless wheel;
Where usurers are chok'd with melting gold,
And wantons are embrac'd with ugly snakes,
And murd'rers groan with never-killing wounds,
And perjur'd wights scalded in boiling lead,
And all foul sins with torments overwhelm'd.
Twixt these two ways I trod the middle path,
Which brought me to the fair Elysian green,
In midst whereof there stands a stately tower,
The walls of brass, the gates of adamant:
Here finding Pluto with his Proserpine,
I show'd my passport, humbled on my knee;
Whereat fair Proserpine began to smile,
And begg'd that only she might give my doom:
Pluto was pleas'd, and seal'd it with a kiss.
Forthwith, Revenge, she rounded thee in th' ear,
And bad thee lead me through the gates of horn,
Where dreams have passage in the silent night.
No sooner had she spoke, but we were here—
I wot not how—in twinkling of an eye.
When my eternal soul
was still inside my body,
each of them serving the other,
I was a courtier at the Spanish court:
my name was Don Andrea; although I was not
of low ancestry, I reached a far higher
position than my birth in my youth.
In the very prime of life,
through loyal service and deserving love,
I secretly gained a great lady,
called Bellimperia.
But, just as I was enjoying my fortune,
death came to take away my happiness,
forcing my love and I to separate.
In the recent war with Portugal
my bravery led me into danger,
until I died of my wounds.
When I was killed, my soul went straight
to the River Styx,
but Charon the ferryman
said that as I had not been buried
I could not be carried across by him.
Before the sun had
risen and set three times
the funeral rites were done for me
by Don Horatio, the son of our knight marshal.
Then the ferryman of the underworld was happy
to carry me over the slimy river
leading to the ugly sea of Avernus.
There I pleased Cerberus with sweet words,
and passed through the dangers of the first entrance.
Not far from there, in the middle of ten thousand souls,
sat Minos, Aeacus and Rhadamanth;
no sooner did I approach them,
asking for safe passage for my wandering spirit,
than Minos, making the choice of where I should go,
spoke of how I had lived and died.
He said, "This knight loved in life and death;
because of his love he went to the war;
and through the fortunes of war he has lost both his life and his love."
Well then,
said Aeacus, "take him away
to walk with lovers in the fields of love,
to spend eternity
under the green myrtle trees and the shades of the cypress."
No, no,
said Rhadamanth, "that's not right,
putting a soldier with the lovers:
he died in war, and must go to the military fields,
where the wounded Hector lives in eternal pain,
and the Myrmidons of Achilles roam across the plain."
Then Minos, the kindest of the three,
proposed this plan to solve the problem:
Send him,
he said, "to the king of the underworld,
to decide what he thinks is best."
I was at once given a passport to go there.
As I went to the court of Pluto,
through the dreadful shadows of eternal darkness,
I saw more sights than a thousand tongues could tell,
pens could write, or hearts of men could imagine.
There were three paths: the one on the right hand side
led straight into the aforementioned fields,
where lovers live and bloody soldiers;
each one kept within their own area.
The left-hand path sloped down terribly,
leading straight into the depths of hell,
where bloody Furies wield their steel whips,
and poor Ixion has to turn a wheel endlessly;
where moneylenders are choked with molten gold,
adulterers are wrapped round with ugly snakes,
murderers grown with wounds which never kill them,
perjurers are scalded with boiling lead,
and all vile sins are punished with tortures.
I took the middle path between these two,
which brought me to the fair fields of Elysium,
in the middle of which there is a great tower,
with brass walls and diamond gates:
I found Pluto there with Proserpine,
and I showed him my passport, bowing down to him;
then fair Prosperine began to smile,
and asked if she could decide my fate:
Pluto was pleased, kissing her in agreement.
At once, Revenge, she called to you,
and told you to lead me through the horn gates,
through which dreams pass in the night.
As soon as she spoke, we were here–
I don't know how–in the twinkling of an eye.
Revenge.
Then know, Andrea, that thou art arriv'd
Where thou shalt see the author of thy death,
Don Balthazar, the prince of Portingal,
Depriv'd of life by Bellimperia.
Here sit we down to see the mystery,
And serve for Chorus in this tragedy.
Then you should know, Andrea, that you have arrived
where you will see the one who caused your death,
Don Balthazar, the Prince of Portugal,
have his life taken away by Bellimperia.
Let's sit down to see the play,
and we will be the chorus in this tragedy.
SCENE II
The Court of Spain.
Enter Spanish King, General, Castile, and Hieronimo.
King.
Now say, lord General, how fares our camp?
Now tell me, lord General, how are things in camp?
Gen.
All well, my sovereign liege, except some few
That are deceas'd by fortune of the war.
All is well, my King, except for a few
who've died through the fortunes of war.
King.
But what portends thy cheerful countenance,
And posting to our presence thus in haste?
Speak, man, hath fortune given us victory?
But why do you look so cheerful,
and why have you hurried to see us?
Speak, man, have we been lucky enough to win?
Gen.
Victory, my liege, and that with little loss.
We have won, my Lord, with few losses.
King.
Our Portingals will pay us tribute then?
So the Portuguese will pay tribute to us?
Gen.
Tribute and wonted homage therewithal.
Tribute and proper respect as well.
King.
Then bless'd be heaven and guider of the heavens,
From whose fair influence such justice flows.
Then thanks be to heaven and its ruler,
which fairly orders such a just result.
Cast.
O multum dilecte Deo, tibi militat aether,
Et conjuratae curvato poplite gentes
Succumbunt: recti soror est victoria juris.
O beloved one of God, the heavens fight with you,
and spellbound people bow down to you,
for victory always goes to those in the right.
King.
Thanks to my loving brother of Castile.
But, General, unfold in brief discourse
Your form of battle and your war's success,
That, adding all the pleasure of thy news
Unto the height of former happiness,
With deeper wage and greater dignity
We may reward thy blissful chivalry.
My thanks to my loving brother of Castile.
But, General, tell us briefly
how the battle went and how it was won,
so that we can add the pleasure of your news
to all the happiness we had already,
and reward your sweet chivalry
with better pay and higher honours.
Gen.
Where Spain and Portingal do jointly knit
Their frontiers, leaning on each other's bound,
There met our armies in their proud array:
Both furnish'd well, both full of hope and fear,
Both menacing alike with daring shows,
Both vaunting sundry colours of device,
Both cheerly sounding trumpets, drums, and fifes,
Both raising dreadful clamours to the sky,
That valleys, hills, and rivers made rebound,
And heav'n itself was frighted with the sound.
Our battles both were pitch'd in squadron form,
Each corner strongly fenc'd with wings of shot;
But ere we join'd and came to push of pike,
I brought a squadron of our readiest shot
From out our rearward, to begin the fight:
They brought another wing t'encounter us.
Meanwhile, our ordnance play'd on either side,
And captains strove to have their valours tried.
Don Pedro, their chief horsemen's colonel,
Did with his cornet bravely make attempt
To break the order of our battle ranks:
But Don Rogero, worthy man of war.
March'd forth against him with our musketeers,
And stopp'd the malice of his fell approach.
While they maintain hot skirmish to and fro,
Both battles join, and fall to handy-blows,
Their violent shot resembling th' ocean's rage,
When, roaring loud, and with a swelling tide,
It beats upon the rampiers of huge rocks,
And gapes to swallow neighbour-bounding lands.
Now while Bellona rageth here and there,
Thick storms of bullets ran like winter's hail,
And shiver'd lances dark the troubled air.
Pede pes et cuspide cuspis;
Arma sonant armis, vir petiturque viro.
On every side drop captains to the ground,
And soldiers, some ill-maim'd, some slain outright:
Here falls a body sunder'd from his head,
There legs and arms lie bleeding on the grass,
Mingled with weapons and unbowell'd steeds,
That scatt'ring overspread the purple plain.
In all this turmoil, three long hours and more,
The victory to neither part inclined;
Till Don Andrea, with his brave lanciers,
In their main battle made so great a breach,
That, half dismay'd, the multitude retir'd:
But Bathazar, the Portingals' young prince,
Brought rescue, and encourag'd them to stay.
Here-hence the fight was eagerly renew'd,
And in that conflict was Andrea slain:
Brave man at arms, but weak to Balthazar.
Yet while the prince, insulting over him,
Breath'd out proud vaunts, sounding to our reproach,
Friendship and hardy valour, join'd in one,
Prick'd forth Horatio, our knight marshal's son,
To challenge forth that prince in single fight.
Not long between these twain the fight endur'd,
But straight the prince was beaten from his horse,
And forc'd to yield him prisoner to his foe.
When he was taken, all the rest they fled,
And our carbines pursu'd them to the death,
Till, Phoebus waving to the western deep,
Our trumpeters were charged to sound retreat.
Where the frontiers of Spain and Portugal
meet, their boundaries touching,
that's where our glorious armies met:
both were well armed, both full of hope and fear,
both looking menacing in their force,
both waving their various coloured banners,
both cheerfully playing trumpets, drums and fifes,
both making a terrible noise,
so that the valleys, hills and rivers echoed,
and heaven itself was frightened by the sound.
We both formed up in squadrons,
with each corner strongly reinforced with artillery;
but before we got to close quarter fighting
I brought a squadron of our best artillery
out from our rear, to start the battle:
they brought out one of their own to match us.
Meanwhile, we fired away at each other,
and captains fought to test their bravery.
Don Pedro, the colonel of their best cavalry,
tried bravely with his troop
to break up the order of our ranks:
but Don Rogero, a worthy soldier,
marched out against him with our musketeers,
and blocked the force of his terrible attack.
While they skirmished vigourously to and fro,
the battle was joined, and hand-to-hand fighting began,
the violent shots sounded like the roaring ocean,
when it crashes with great force
on the buttresses of huge rocks,
and floods over the coastal lands.
Now while the war raged over the battlefield,
thick storms of bullets fell like winter hail,
and the disturbed air was dark with spears.
It was toe to toe, spear to spear,
weapons clashing, man against man.
Captains fell to the ground on every side,
as well as soldiers, some badly wounded, some killed outright:
here a body fell headless,
there were legs and arms lying bleeding on the grass,
mixed in with weapons and disembowelled forces,
scattered all over the bloodstained plain.
For more than three long hours, after all this turmoil,
victory had not come to either side;
until Don Andrea, with his brave Lancers,
made such a great inroad into their main forces
that, dismayed, most of them retreated:
but Balthazar, the young Prince of Portugal,
rallied them, and encouraged them to stand.
So the battle was eagerly rejoined there,
and Andrea was killed in the fight:
he was a brave soldier, but he could not resist Balthazar.
But the Prince rejoiced over his victory,
shouting out proud boasts, insulting us,
both our loyalty and our bravery together,
and that made Horatio, the son of our knight marshal,
challenge that Prince to single combat.
The fight did not last long between those two,
the Prince was knocked off his horse straight away,
and forcibly taken prisoner by his enemy.
When he was captured, all the rest fled,
and we chased after them, firing and killing,
until the sunset came
and our trumpeters were ordered to sound the retreat.
King.
Thanks, good lord General, for these good news;
And for some argument of more to come,
Take this and wear it for thy sovereign's sake.
[Gives him his chain.
But tell me now, hast thou confirm'd a peace?
Thank you good lord General, for this good news;
with the promise of more to come,
take this and wear it to show the favour of your king.
But now tell me, have you signed a peace agreement?
Gen.
No peace, my liege, but peace conditional,
That if with homage tribute be well paid,
The fury of your forces will be stay'd:
And to this peace their viceroy hath subscrib'd,
[Gives the King a paper.
And made a solemn vow that, during life,
His tribute shall be truly paid to Spain.
Not complete peace, my lord, but a conditional one,
that if tribute is respectfully paid,
we will hold back the fury of your forces:
their viceroy has agreed to this peace,
and made a solemn promise that, during his life,
he will pay proper tribute to Spain.
King.
These words, these deeds, become thy person well.
But now, knight marshal, frolic with thy king,
For 'tis thy son that wins this battle's prize.
These words and these deeds are very praiseworthy.
But now, knight marshal, celebrate with your king,
for it's your son who won the battle.
Hier.
Long may he live to serve my sovereign liege,
And soon decay, unless he serve my liege.
May he live long to serve my great King,
and soon die if he doesn't.
King.
Nor thou, nor he, shall die without reward.
[A tucket afar off.
What means the warning of this trumpet's sound?
Neither you nor him will die without their reward.
What does this warning trumpet mean?
Gen.
This tells me that your grace's men of war,
Such as war's fortune hath rescrv'd from death,
Come marching on towards your royal seat,
To show themselves before your majesty:
For so I gave in charge at my depart.
Whereby by demonstration shall appear,
That all, except three hundred or few more,
Are safe return'd, and by their foes enrich'd.
It tells me that your grace's soldiers,
those ones that have been spared from death by the fortunes of war,
are marching towards your throne,
to show themselves to your Majesty:
that's what I ordered when I left.
And so you will be able to see
that all of them, except for three hundred or a few more,
have come back safe, with prisoners as well.
The Army enters; Balthazar, between Lorenzo and Horatio, captive.
King.
A gladsome sight! I long to see them here.
[They enter and pass by.
Was that the warlike prince of Portingal,
That by our nephew was in triumph led?
A fine site! I'm longing to see them.
Was that the warlike Prince of Portugal,
being led in triumph by our nephew?
Gen.
It was, my liege, the prince of Portingal.
It was the Prince of Portugal, my lord.
King.
But what was he that on the other side
Held him by th' arm, as partner of the prize?
But who was that on the other side
holding his arm, sharing the prize?
Hier.
That was my son, my gracious sovereign;
Of whom though from his tender infancy
My loving thoughts did never hope but well,
He never pleas'd his father's eyes till now,
Nor fill'd my heart with over-cloying joys.
That was my son, my gracious lord;
whom I have always lovingly thought
since he was a child that he would do well,
he never pleased his father until now,
not filled my heart with overflowing joy.
King.
Go, let them march once more about these walls,
That, staying them, we may confer and talk
With our brave prisoner and his double guard.
Hieronimo, it greatly pleaseth us
That in our victory thou have a share,
By virtue of thy worthy son's exploit.
[Enter again.
Bring hither the young prince of Portingal ;
The rest march on; but, ere they be dismiss'd,
We will bestow on every soldier
Two ducats and on every leader ten,
That they may know our largess welcomes them.
[Exeunt all but Balthazar, Lorenzo, and Horatio.
Welcome, Don Balthazar! welcome, nephew!
And thou, Horatio, thou art welcome too.
Young prince, although thy father's hard misdeeds,
Deserve but evil measure at our hands,
Yet shalt thou know that Spain is honourable.
Go, have them march once more round the walls,
so that we can stop them and talk
with our brave prisoner and his two guards.
Hieronimo, I'm very pleased
that you have a share in our victory,
through the exploits of your good son.
Bring the young Prince of Portugal here;
the rest can be dismissed, but before they are,
we shall give every soldier
two ducats, and ten to every officer,
so they know how pleased we are with them.
Welcome, Don Balthazar! Welcome, nephew!
And you, Horatio, you are welcome too.
Young Prince, although the wrongs of your father
only deserve harsh punishment from our hands,
you shall find out that Spain is honourable.
Bal.
The trespass that my father made in peace
Is now controll'd by fortune of the wars;
And cards once dealt, it boots not ask why so.
His men are slain, a weak'ning to his realm;
His colours seiz'd, a blot unto his name;
His son distress'd, a cor'sive to his heart:
These punishments may clear his late offence.
The transgression my father made in peace time
has now been punished by the fortune of war;
once the cards have been dealt, there's no point in asking why.
His men have been killed, which weakens his country;
his banners have been captured, which is a stain on his honour;
his son is a prisoner, which will tear at his heart:
these punishments may forgive his recent offence.
King.
Ay, Balthazar, if he observe this truce,
Our peace will grow the stronger for these wars.
Meanwhile live thou, though not in liberty,
Yet free from bearing any servile yoke;
For in our hearing thy deserts were great,
And in our sight thyself art gracious.
Yes, Balthazar, if he keeps the truce,
we will have a better peace because of these wars.
Meanwhile, you shall live, though not free,
but without any humiliating punishment;
for we have heard that you are a fine man,
and you look the same in the flesh.
Bal.
And I shall study to deserve this grace.
I shall do my best to deserve your kindness.
King.
But tell me—for their holding makes me doubt—
To which of these twain art thou prisoner?
But tell me–I can't see with them both holding you–
which of these two took you prisoner?
Lor.
To me, my liege.
I did, my lord.
Hor.
To me, my sovereign.
I did, my king.
Lor.
This hand first took his courser by the reins.
I was the first one to catch the reins of his warhorse.
Hor.
But first my lance did put him from his horse.
But it was my lance which first knocked him from his horse.
Lor.
I seiz'd his weapon, and enjoy'd it first.
I was the first one to get hold of his weapon.
Hor.
But first I forc'd him lay his weapons down.
But I was the one who forced him to lay down his weapons.
King.
Let go his arm, upon our privilege.
[They let him go.
Say, worthy prince, to whether did'st thou yield?
Let go of his arm, I trust him.
Tell me, good prince, to whom did you surrender?
Bal.
To him in courtesy, to this perforce:
He spake me fair, this other gave me strokes;
He promis'd life, this other threaten'd death;
He won my love, this other conquer'd me,
And, truth to say, I yield myself to both.
To this one through courtesy, this one by force:
he spoke to me kindly, this one beat me;
he promised I would live, this one threatened death;
he won my friendship, the other one conquered me,
and, to tell the truth, I surrendered to both.
Hier.
But that I know your grace for just and wise,
And might seem partial in this difference,
Enforced by nature and by law of arms
My tongue should plead for young Horatio's right:
He hunted well that was a lion's death,
Not he that in a garment wore his skin;
So hares may pull dead lions by the beard.
If I didn't know that your grace is just and wise,
and might think both sides equal,
both nature and military law
would make me plead for the rights of young Horatio:
the good hunter is the one who killed the lion,
not the one who wears the skin as clothes;
even a hare could tease a lion once he's dead.
King.
Content thee, marshal, thou shalt have no wrong;
And, for thy sake, thy son shall want no right
Will both abide the censure of my doom?
Rest assured, marshal, you won't suffer any wrong;
and, for your sake, your son will get his rights:
will you both abide by my decision?
Lor.
I crave no better than your grace awards.
I want nothing more and what your grace gives.
Hor.
Nor I, although I sit beside my right.
Nor do I, although I insist I'm in the right.
King.
Then, by my judgment, thus your strife shall end:
You both deserve, and both shall have reward.
Nephew, thou took'st his weapon and his horse:
His weapons and his horse are thy reward.
Horatio, thou did'st force him first to yield:
His ransom therefore is thy valour's fee;
Appoint the sum, as you shall both agree.
But, nephew, thou shalt have the prince in guard,
For thine estate best fitteth such a guest:
Horatio's house were small for all his train.
Yet, in regard thy substance passeth his,
And that just guerdon may befall desert,
To him we yield the armour of the prince.
How likes Don Balthazar of this device?
Then, this is how I say your disagreement shall end:
you are both deserving, and you shall both be rewarded.
Nephew, you took his weapon and his horse:
his weapons and his horse are your reward.
Horatio, you forced him to surrender:
and so your bravery will be repaid with his ransom;
decide on the sum, agreed between you.
But, nephew, you shall have the Prince as your prisoner,
for your estate is the most suitable for such a guest:
Horatio's house is too small for all his attendants.
But, given that you have more than him,
and to make sure everyone gets a fair share,
we award him the prince's armour.
What does Don Balthazar think of this plan?
Bal.
Right well, my liege, if this proviso were,
That Don Horatio bear us company,
Whom I admire and love for chivalry.
I like it very much, my lord, if we can just add
that Don Horatio should come with us,
because I admire and love him for his chivalry.
King.
Horatio, leave him not that loves thee so.—
Now let us hence to see our soldiers paid,
And feast our prisoner as our friendly guest.
Horatio, don't leave someone who loves you so much–
now let's go and make sure our soldiers are paid,
and entertain our prisoner as a guest and a friend.
[Exeunt.
SCENE III
The Court of Portugal.
Enter Viceroy, Alexandro, Villuppo.
Vic.
Is our ambassador despatch'd for Spain?
Has our ambassador been sent to Spain?
Alex.
Two days, my liege, are past since his depart.
My lord, two days have gone since he left.
Vic.
And tribute-payment gone along with him?
And has the tribute payment gone with him?
Alex.
Ay, my good lord.
Yes, my good lord.
Vic.
Then rest we here awhile in our unrest,
And feed our sorrows with some inward sighs;
For deepest cares break never into tears.
But wherefore sit I in a regal throne?
This better fits a wretch's endless moan.
[Falls to the ground.
Yet this is higher than my fortunes reach,
And therefore better than my state deserves.
Ay, ay, this earth, image of melancholy,
Seeks him whom fates adjudge to misery.
Here let me lie; now am I at the lowest.
Quij acet in terra, non habet unde cadat.
In me consumpsit vires fortuna nocendo:
Nil superest ut jam possit obesse magis.
Fortune may bereave me of my crown:
Here, take it now;—let Fortune do her worst,
She will not rob me of this sable weed :
O no, she envies none but pleasant things.
Such is the