SCENE I.[4126

_Enter_ CROTOLON _and_ ORGILUS.

_Crot._ Dally not further; I will know the reason That speeds thee to this journey.

_Org._ Reason! good sir, I can yield many.

_Crot._ Give me one, a good one; Such I expect, and ere we part must have. Athens! Pray, why to Athens? You intend not 5 To kick against the world, turn cynic, stoic, Or read the logic lecture, or become An Areopagite,[4127] and judge in cases Touching the commonwealth; for, as I take it, The budding of your chin cannot prognosticate So grave an honour.

_Org._ All this I acknowledge. 11

_Crot._ You do! Then, son, if books and love of knowledge Inflame you to this travel, here in Sparta You may as freely study.

_Org._ ’T is not that, sir.

_Crot._ Not that, sir! As a father, I command thee 15 To acquaint me with the truth.

_Org._ Thus I obey ye. After so many quarrels as dissension, Fury, and rage had broacht in blood, and sometimes With death to such confederates as sided With now-dead Thrasus and yourself, my lord; Our present king, Amyclas, reconcil’d 21 Your eager swords and seal’d a gentle peace: Friends you profest yourselves; which to confirm, A resolution for a lasting league Betwixt your families was entertain’d, 25 By joining in a Hymenean bond Me and the fair Penthea, only daughter To Thrasus.

_Crot._ What of this?

_Org._ Much, much, dear sir. A freedom of converse, an interchange Of holy and chaste love, so fixt our souls 30 In a firm growth of union, that no time Can eat into the pledge: we had enjoy’d The sweets our vows expected, had not cruelty Prevented all those triumphs we prepar’d for, By Thrasus his untimely death.

_Crot._ Most certain. 35

_Org._ From this time sprouted up that poisonous stalk Of aconite, whose ripened fruit hath ravisht All health, all comfort of a happy life; For Ithocles, her brother, proud of youth, And prouder in his power, nourisht closely 40 The memory of former discontents, To glory in revenge. By cunning partly, Partly by threats, ’a woos at once and forces His virtuous sister to admit a marriage With Bassanes, a nobleman, in honour 45 And riches, I confess, beyond my fortunes.

_Crot._ All this is no sound reason to importune My leave for thy departure.

_Org._ Now it follows. Beauteous Penthea, wedded to this torture By an insulting brother, being secretly 50 Compell’d to yield her virgin freedom up To him who never can usurp her heart, Before contracted mine, is now so yok’d To a most barbarous thraldrom, misery, Affliction, that he savours not humanity, 55 Whose sorrow melts not into more than pity In hearing but her name.

_Crot._ As how, pray?

_Org._ Bassanes, The man that calls her wife, considers truly What heaven of perfections he is lord of By thinking fair Penthea his: this thought 60 Begets a kind of monster-love, which love Is nurse unto a fear so strong and servile As brands all dotage with a jealousy: All eyes who gaze upon that shrine of beauty He doth resolve[4128] do homage to the miracle; 65 Some one, he is assur’d, may now or then, If opportunity but sort,[4129] prevail. So much, out of a self-unworthiness, His fears transport him; not that he finds cause In her obedience, but his own distrust. 70

_Crot._ You spin out your discourse.

_Org._ My griefs are violent: For knowing how the maid was heretofore Courted by me, his jealousies grow wild That I should steal again into her favours, And undermine her virtues; which the gods 75 Know I nor dare nor dream of. Hence, from hence I undertake a voluntary exile; First, by my absence to take off the cares Of jealous Bassanes; but chiefly, sir, To free Penthea from a hell on earth; 80 Lastly, to lose the memory of something Her presence makes to live in me afresh.

_Crot._ Enough, my Orgilus, enough. To Athens, I give a full consent.—Alas, good lady!— We shall hear from thee often?

_Org._ Often.

_Crot._ See, 85 Thy sister comes to give a farewell.

_Enter_ EUPHRANEA.

_Euph._ Brother!

_Org._ Euphranea, thus upon thy cheeks I print A brother’s kiss; more careful of thine honour, Thy health, and thy well-doing, than my life. Before we part, in presence of our father, 90 I must prefer a suit t’ ye.

_Euph._ You may style it, My brother, a command.

_Org._ That you will promise To pass never to any man, however Worthy, your faith, till, with our father’s leave, I give a free consent.

_Crot._ An easy motion! 95 I ’ll promise for her, Orgilus.

_Org._ Your pardon; Euphranea’s oath must yield me satisfaction.

_Euph._ By Vesta’s sacred fires I swear.

_Crot._ And I, By Great Apollo’s beams, join in the vow, Not without thy allowance to bestow her 100 On any living.

_Org._ Dear Euphranea, Mistake me not: far, far ’t is from my thought, As far from any wish of mine, to hinder Preferment to an honourable bed Or fitting fortune; thou art young and handsome; 105 And ’t were injustice,—more, a tyranny,— Not to advance thy merit. Trust me, sister, It shall be my first care to see thee match’d As may become thy choice and our contents. 109 I have your oath.

_Euph._ You have. But mean you, brother, To leave us, as you say?

_Crot._ Ay, ay, Euphranea; He has just grounds direct him. I will prove A father and a brother to thee.

_Euph._ Heaven Does look into the secrets of all hearts: Gods, you have mercy with ye, else—

_Crot._ Doubt nothing; 115 Thy brother will return in safety to us.

_Org._ Souls sunk in sorrows never are without ’em; They change fresh airs, but bear their griefs about ’em. _Exeunt omnes._