English

Inferno: Canto II

Day was departing, and the embrowned air
Released the animals that are on earth
From their fatigues; and I the only one

Made myself ready to sustain the war,
Both of the way and likewise of the woe,
Which memory that errs not shall retrace.

O Muses, O high genius, now assist me!
O memory, that didst write down what I saw,
Here thy nobility shall be manifest!

And I began: " Poet, who guidest me,
Regard my manhood, if it be sufficient,

Inferno: Canto I

Midway upon the journey of our life
I found myself within a forest dark,
For the straightforward pathway had been lost.

Ah me! how hard a thing it is to say
What was this forest savage, rough, and stern,
Which in the very thought renews the fear.

So bitter is it, death is little more;
But of the good to treat, which there I found,

ACT V.

Enter GOWER .

Gow . Marina thus the brothel scapes, and chances
Into an honest house, our story says.
She sings like one immortal, and she dances
As goddess-like to her admired lays;
Deep clerks she dumbs; and with her needle composes
Nature's own shape, of bud, bird, branch, or berry,
That even her art sisters the natural roses;
Her inkle, silk, twin with the rubied cherry:
That pupils lacks she none or noble race,
Who pour their bounty on her; and her gain
She gives the cursed bawd. Here we her place;

ACT IV.

Enter GOWER .

Gow . Imagine Pericles arriv'd at Tyre,
Welcom'd and settled to his own desire.
His woeful queen we leave at Ephesus,
Unto Diana there a votaress.
Now to Marina bend your mind,
Whom our fast growing scene must find
At Tharsus, and by Cleon train'd
In music, letters; who hath gain'd
Of education all the grace,
Which makes her both the heart and place
Of general wonder. But, alack,
That monster envy, oft the wrack
Of earned praise, Marina's life
Seeks to take off by treason's knife.

Act III

Enter GOWER .

Gow . Now sleepy slaked hath the rout:
No din but snores the house about,
Made louder by the o'er-fed breast
Of this most pompous marriage feast.
The cat, with eyne of burning coal,
Now couches fore the mouse's hole;
And crickets sing at the oven's mouth,
Aye the blither for their drouth.
Hymen hath brought the bride to bed,
Where, by the loss of maidenhead,
A babe is moulded. — Be attent,
And time that is so briefly spent
With your fine fancies quaintly eche:

ACT II.

Enter GOWER .

Gow . Here have you seen a mighty king
His child, I wis, to incest bring;
A better prince, and benign lord,
That will prove awful both in deed and word.
Be quiet, then, as men should be,
Till he hath pass'd necessity.
I'll show you those in troubles reign,
Losing a mite, a mountain gain.
The good in conversation, —
To whom I give my benison, —
Is still at Tharsus, where each man
Thinks all is writ he spoken can;
And, to remember what he does,
Gild his statue to make him glorious:

Scene , — Dispersedly in various Countries .

ACT I.

Enter GOWER .

Before the Palace of Antioch.

To sing a song that old was sung,
From ashes ancient Gower is come;
Assuming man's infirmities,
To glad your ear and please your eyes.
It hath been sung at festivals,
On ember-eves and holy-ales;
And lords and ladies in their lives
Have read it for restoratives:
The purchase is to make men glorious;
Et bonum quo antiquius, eo melius.
If you, born in these latter times,

ACT V.

Scene I. Alexandria. Caesar's camp .

Enter C ÆSAR , A GRIPPA , D OLABELLA , M ECÆNAS , G ALLUS , P ROCULEIUS , and others, his council of war .

Caes . Go to him, Dolabella, bid him yield;
Being so frustrate, tell him he mocks
The pauses that he makes.
Dol. Caesar, I shall.

Enter D ERCETAS , with the sword of A NTONY .

Caes. Wherefore is that? and what art thou that darest
Appear thus to us?
Der. I am call'd Dercetas;

ACT IV.

Scene I. Before Alexandria. Caesar's camp .

Enter C ÆSAR , A GRIPPA , and M ECÆNAS , with his army ; C ÆSAR reading a letter .

Caes. He calls me boy; and chides, as he had power
To beat me out of Egypt; my messenger
He hath whipp'd with rods; dares me to personal combat,
Caesar to Antony: let the old ruffian know
I have many other ways to die; meantime
Laugh at his challenge.
Mec. Caesar must think,
When one so great begins to rage, he 's hunted

ACT III.

Scene I. A plain in Syria .

Enter V ENTIDIUS as it were in triumph, with S ILIUS , and other Romans, Officers, and Soldiers; the dead body of P ACORUS borne before him .

Ven . Now, darting Parthia, art thou struck; and now
Pleased fortune does of Marcus Crassus' death
Make me revenger. Bear the king's son's body
Before our army. Thy Pacorus, Orodes,
Pays this for Marcus Crassus.
Sil . Noble Ventidius,
Whilst yet with Parthian blood thy sword is warm,