THE eighth tragedy OF L. ANNAEUS SENECA, Entitled AGAMEMNON: Translated out of Latin into English, by JOHN STUDLEY.  
The Argument.  
AGAMEMNON, General of that Noble Army of the Greeks, which after ten years siege wan Troy, committed the entire Government of his Country & Kingdom (during his absence) to his Wife CLYTEMNESTRA. Who forgetting all Wifely loyalty, and Womanly chastity, fell in lawless love & used adulterous company with Aegisthus, son to THYESTES, whom aforetime ATREUS being his own natural Brother, and Father to this AGAMEMNON, in revenge of a former adultery had, caused to eat his own two Children.  
At length, understanding by EURYBATES, that Troy was wonnë, & that her husband AGAMEMNON was coming homeward with a young Lady named CASSANDRA, daughter to king PRIAMUS: partly enraged with jealousy, & disdain thereof, & partly loath to lose the company of Aegisthus her Coadulterer, practiced with him how to murder her husband. Which accordingly they brought to pass: & not resting so contented, they also put CASSANDRA to death, imprisoned ELECTRA Daughter to AGAMEMNON, and sought to have slain his Son ORESTES. Which ORESTES fleeing for safeguard of his life to on STROPHILUS, his dead Father's dear friend: was by him secretly kept a long time, till at length, coming privily into Mycene, and by his sisters means conducted where his Mother CLYTEMNESTRA and Aegisthus were, in revenge of his Father's death, killed them both.  

The Speakers names.  
THYESTES.  
CHORUS,  
CLYTEMNESTRA.  
nutrix.  
AEGISTHUS.  
EURYBATES.  
A company of Greeks.  
CASSANDRA.  
AGAMEMNON.  
ELECTRA.  
STROPHILUS.   

THE FIRST act.  THYESTES. 
Departing from the darkened dens  
which Dicis low doth keep,  
Lo here I am sent out again,  
from Tartar Dungeon deep,  
Thyestes I, that whether coast  
to shun do stand in doubt,  
Th'infernal fiends I fly, the folk  
of earth I chase about.  
My conscience lo abhors, that I should hither passage make,  
Appalled sore with fear and dread my trembling sinews shake:  
My father's house, or rather yet my brothers I espy,  
This is the old and antic porch of Pelops progeny.  
Here first the Greeks on princes heads do place the royal crown,  
And here in throne aloft they lie, that jetteth up and down,  
With stately Sceptre in their hand, eke here their courts do lie,  
This is their place of banqueting, return therefore will I.  
Nay: better were it not to haunt the loathsome Limbo lakes,  
Where as the stygian porter doth advance with lusty crakes  
His triple gorge be hung with Mane shag hatry, rusty black:  
Where Ixion's Carcase linked fast, the whirling wheel doth rack,  
And rolleth still upon himself: where as full oft in vain  
Much toil is lost, (the tottering stone down tumbling back again)  
Where growing guts the greedy gripe do gnaw with ravening bits.  
Where parched up with burning thirst amid the waves he sits,  
And gapes to catch the fleeting flood with hungry chaps beguiled,  
That pays his painful punishment, whose feast the Gods defiled:  
Yet that old man so stepped in years at length by trace of time,  
How great a part belongs to me and portion of his crime?  
Account we all the grisly ghosts, whom guilty found of ill,  
The Gnosian judge in Pluto's pits doth rose in torments still:  
Thyestes I in dreary deeds will far surmount the rest,  
Yet to my Brother yield I, (though I gorged my bloody breast)  
And stuffed have my pampered paunch even with my children three,  
That crammed lie within my ribs and have their Tomb in me,  
The bowels of my swallowed Babes, devoured up I have,  
Nor fickle Fortune me alone the Father doth deprave,  
But enterprising greater guilt than that is put in ure,  
To file my daughter's bawdy Bed, my lust she doth allure.  
To speak these words I do not spare, I wrought the heinous deed,  
That therefore I through all my stock, might parent still proceed.  
My Daughter driven by force of Fates and destinies divine,  
Doth breed young bones, & jades her womb with sinful seed of mine.  
Lo, nature changed upside down, and out of order turned  
This mingle-mangle hath she made, (O fact to be forlorn)  
A Father and a Grandsire lo, confusedly I am,  
My daughter's husband both become, and Father to the same.  
Those babes that should my nephews be, when nature rightly runs,  
She being tumbled doth confound, and mingle with my sons.  
The crystal clearness of the day, and Phoebus beams so bright,  
Are mixed with the foggy clouds, and darkness dim of night.  
When wickedness had wearied us, too late truce taken was,  
Even when our detestable deeds were done and brought to pass.  
But valiant Agamemnon he grand captain of the Host,  
Who bore the sway among the Kings, and ruled all the roast,  
Whose flaunting Flag, and Banner brave, displayed in royal sort,  
A thousand sail of sousing ships did guard to Phrygian part,  
And with their swelling shatling sails the surging seas did hide,  
That beateth on the banks of Troy, and floweth by her side:  
When Phoebus cart the Zodiac ten times had aver run,  
And waste the battered Walls do lie of Troy destroyed and won,  
Returned he is to yield his throat unto his traitress Wife.  
That shall with force of bloody blade bereave him of his life.  
The glittering Sword, the hewing Axe, and wounding weapons more,  
With blood for blood new set abroach shall make the floor to flow.  
With sturdy stroke, and boisterous blow, of pithy Pole-axe given  
His beaten brains are pashed abroad, his cracked Skull is riven.  
Now mischief marcheth on apace, now falsehood doth appear,  
Now butcher's slaughter doth approach, and murder draweth near.  
In honour of thy native day Aegisthus they prepare  
The solemn feast with junketing, and dainty toothsome fare.  
Fie, what doth shame abash thee so, and cause thy courage quail?  
Why doubts thy right-hand what to do? to smite why doth it fail?  
What he forecasting might suspect, why shouldst thou take advise?  
Why frettest thou, demanding if thou may it enterprise?  
Nay: if a mother it beseem, thou rather mayst surmise.  
What now? how happeneth it that thus the smiling summers night,  
When Phoebus from Th'antipodes should render son the light,  
On sudden change their turns with nights that last and linger long,  
When winters borea's bitter blasts, doth puff the trees among?  
Or what doth cause the gliding stars to stay still in the sky?  
we weight for Phoebus: to the World bring day now by and by.  Chorus. 
O Fortune, that dost fail the great estate of kings,  
On slippery sliding seat thou placest lofty things  
And setst on tottering sort, where perils do abound  
Yet never kingdom calm, nor quiet could be found:  
No day to Sceptres sure doth shine, that they might say,  
To morrow shall we rule, as we have done today.  
One clod of crooked care another bringeth in,  
One hurly-burly done, another doth begin:  
Not so the raging Sea doth boil upon the Sand,  
Where as the southern wind that blows in Afric Land,  
One Wave upon another doth heap with sturdy blast:  
Not so doth Euxine Sea, his swelling waves up cast:  
Nor so his belching stream from shallow bottom roll,  
That borders hard upon the icy frozen pool:  
Where as Bootes bright doth twine his Wain about,  
And of the marble seas doth nothing stand in doubt.  
O how doth Fortune toss and tumble in her wheel  
The staggering states of Kings, that ready be to reel?  
fain would they dreaded be, and yet not settled so  
whenas they feared are, they fear, and live in woe.  
The silent Lady night so sweet to man and beast,  
Can not bestow on them her safe and quiet rest:  
Sleep that doth overcome and break the bonds of grief,  
It cannot ease their hearts, nor minister relief:  
What castle strongly built, what bulwark, tower, or town,  
Is not by mischief's means, brought topsy-turvy down?  
What rampart walls are not made weak by wicked war?  
From stately courts of Kings doth justice fly afar:  
In princely Palaces, of honesty the lore,  
And wedlock vow devout, is set by little store.  
The bloody Bellon those doth haunt with gory hand,  
Whose light and vain conceit in painted pomp doth stand.  
And those Erinys wood turmoils with frenzy's fits,  
That ever more in proud and haughty houses sits,  
Which fickle Fortune's hand in twinkling of an eye,  
From high and proud degree drives down in dust to lie.  
Although that skirmish cease, no banners be displayed  
And though no wiles be wrought, and policy be stayed,  
down poised with their weight the massy things do sink,  
And from her burden doth unstable Fortune shrink.  
The swelling Sails puffed up with gale of western wind,  
Do yet mistrust thereof a tempest in their mind:  
The threatening tops (that touch the clouds) of lofty towers  
be soonest paid, and bet with south wind rainy showers:  
The darksome wood doth see his tough and sturdy Oak,  
Well waned in years to be clean over thrown and broke:  
The lightnings flashing flame out breaking in the Sky,  
First lighteth on the mounts, and hills that are most hy.  
The bodies corpulent and of the largest size  
Are rifest still to catch diseases when they rise.  
whenas the flock to graze, in pasture fat is put,  
Whose Neck is larded best, his throat shall first be cut:  
What Fortune doth advance and hoisteth up on high,  
She lets it up to fall again more grievously.  
The things of middle sort, and of a mean degree,  
Endure above the rest and longest days do see:  
The man of mean estate most happy is of all,  
Who pleased with the lot that doth to him befall,  
Doth sail on silent shore with calm and quiet tide,  
And dreads with bruised barge on swelling Seas to ride:  
Nor lancing to the deep where bottom none is found,  
May with his rudder search, and reach the shallow ground.   

THE SECOND act.  Clytemnestra, Nutrix 
O Drowsy dreaming doting soul,  
what cometh in thy brain  
To seek about for thy defence  
what way thou mayst attain?  
What ails thy skittish wayward wits,  
to waver up and down?  
The fittest shift prevented is,  
the best path overgrown  
Thou mightest once maintained have  
thy wedlock chamber chaste,  
And eke have ruled with majesty, by faith conjoined fast:  
Now nurture's lore neglected is, all right doth clean decay  
Religion and dignity with faith are worn away:  
And ruddy shame with blushing cheeks so far god wot is past,  
That when it would it cannot now come home again at last.  
O let me now at random run with bridle at my will:  
The safest path to mischief is by mischief open still  
Now put in practice, seek about, search out and learn to find  
The wily trains, and crafty guiles of wicked womankind:  
What any devilish traitorous dame durst do in working woe,  
Or any wounded in her wits by shot of Cupid's bow.  
whatever rigorous stepdame could commit with desperate hand,  
Or as the wench who flaming fast by Venus poisoning brand,  
Was driven by lewd incestuous love in ship of Thessail land,  
To flit away from Colchos isle, where Phasis channel deep.  
With silver stream down from the hills of Armenie doth sweep.  
Get weapons good, get bill-bow-blades or temper poison strong,  
Or with some younker trudge from Greece by theft the seas along:  
Why dost thou faint to talk of theft, exile or privy flight?  
These came by hap, thou therefore must on greater mischief light.  Nut. 
O worthy Queen among the Greeks that bears the swinging sway.  
And borne of Leda's royal blood, what muttering dost thou say?  
What fury fell enforceth thee, bereaved of thy wits.  
To rage and rave with bedlam brains, to fret with frantic fits?  
Though madam thou do counsel keep, and not complain thy case,  
Thine anguish plain appeareth in thy pale and wanny face.  
Reveal therefore what is thy grief, take leisure good and stay,  
What reason could not remedy, oft cured hath delay.  Clit. 
So grievous is my careful case which plungeth me so sore,  
That deal I cannot with delay, nor linger any more.  
The flashing flames and furious force of fiery fervent heat,  
Outraging in my boiling breast, my burning bones doth beat:  
It sucks the sappy marrow out the juice it doth convey,  
It frets, it tears, it rents, it gnaws, my guts and gall away.  
Now feeble fear still eggs me on (with dolour being priest)  
And cankered hate with thwacking thumps doth bounce upon my breast  
The blinded boy that lovers hearts doth reave with deadly stroke,  
Entangled hath my linked mind with lewd and wanton yoke:  
Refusing still to take a foil, or clean to be confound:  
Among these broils, and agonies my mind besieging round,  
Lo feeble, weary, battered down, and under trodden shame,  
That wrestleth, striveth, struggleth hard, and fighteth with the same.  
Thus am I driven to divers shores and beat from bank to bank,  
And tossed in the foamy floods that strives with courage crank.  
As when here wind, and their the stream when both their force will try,  
From sands allow doth hoist and rear the seas with surges high.  
The weltering wave doth staggering stand not witting what to do,  
But (hovering) doubts, whose furious force he best may yield him to  
My kingdom therefore I cast of, my sceptre I forsake  
As anger, sorrow, hope, me lead, that way I mean to take.  
At all adventure to the seas I yield my beaten Barge,  
At random careless will I run, now will I rove at large  
Whereas my mind to fancy fond oath gad and run astray,  
It is the best to choose that chance, and follow on that way.  Nu. 
This desperate dotage doth declare, and rashness rude and blind,  
To choose out chance to be the guide and ruler of thy mind.  Cli. 
He that is driven to utter pinch and furthest shift of all,  
What need he doubt his doubtful lot or how his luck befall?  Nut. 
In silent shore thou sailest yet thy trespass we may hide,  
If thou thyself detect it not, nor cause it be descried.  Cl. 
Alas it is more blazed abroad, and further it is blown,  
Than any crime that ever in this princely court was sown.  Nu. 
Thy former fait with pensive heart and sorrow thou dost rue.  
And fondly yet thou goest about, to set abroach a new,  Cl. 
It is a very foolishness to keep a mean therein.  Nu. 
The thing he fears he doth augment who heapeth sin to sin.  Cli. 
But fire and sword to cure the same the place of salve supply.  Nu. 
There is no man who at the first extremity will try.  Cl. 
In working mischief men do take the readiest way they find.  Nu. 
The sacred name of wedlock once revoke and have in mind.  Cli. 
Ten years have I been desolate, and led a widows life.  
Yet shall I entertain a new my husband as his wife?  Nu. 
Consider yet thy son and heir whom he of thee begot.  Cly. 
And eke my daughter's wedding blaze as yet forget I not.  
Achilles eke my son in law to mind I do not spare,  
How well he kept his vow that he to me his mother swore.  Nu. 
whenas our navy might not pass by wind nor yet by stream,  
Thy daughter's blood in sacrifice their passage did redeem:  
She stirred and broke the sluggish seas, whose water still did stand,  
Whose feeble force might not hoist up, the vessels from the land.  Cl. 
I am ashamed here withal, it maketh me repine.  
That Tyndaris (who from the Gods doth fetch her noble line  
Should give the ghost t'assuage the wrath of Gods and them appease,  
Whereby the Greekish navy might have passage free by seas.  
My grudging mind still haps upon my daughter's wedding day,  
Whom he hath made for Pelops stock the bloody ransom pay.  
whenas with cruel countenance imbrued with gory blood,  
As at a wedding alter side th'unpitiful parent stood,  
It irked Calchas woeful heart, who did abhor the same.  
His Oracle he rued, and eke the back reflecting flame  
O wicked and ungracious stock that winnest ill with ill,  
Triumphing in thy filthy feats increasing lewdness still.  
By blood we win the wavering winds, by death we purchase war  Nu. 
But by this means a thousand ships at once released are:  Cly. 
With lucky fate attempt the seas did not the losed rout?  
For Aulis I'll, th'ungracious fleet from port did tumble out:  
As with a lewd unlucky hand the war he did begin,  
So Fortune favoured his success to thrive no more therein.  
Her love as captive holdeth him whom captive he did take  
Not moved with the earnest suit that could Achilles make,  
Of Phoebus prelate sminthical he did retain the spoil:  
When for the sacred virgins love his furious breast doth boil:  
Achilles rough and thundering threats could not him qualify.  
Nor he that doth direct the fates above the starry sky.  
To us he is an Augur just, and keeps his promise due,  
But while he threats his captive trulls of word he is not true.  
The savage people fierce in wrath once might not move his sprite,  
Who did purloin the kindled tents with fire blazing bright:  
When slaughter great on Greeks was made in most extremest fight  
Without a foe he conquered, with leans pines away,  
In lewd and wanton chamber tricks he spends the idle day,  
And freshly still he feeds his lust, lest that some other while  
His chamber chaste should want a stews, that might the same defile.  
On Lady Brise's love again his fancy fond doth stand,  
Whom he hath got, that wrested was out of Achilles' hand.  
And carnal copulation to have he doth. not shame,  
Though from her husband's bosom he hath snatched the wicked dame,  
Tush, he that doth at Paris grudge, with wound but newly stroke  
inflamed with Phrygian Prophets love, his boiling breast doth smoke.  
Now after Trojan booties brave, and Troy o'erwhelmed he saw,  
Returned he is a prisoners spouse, and Priam's son in law.  
Now heart be bold, take courage good, of stomach now be stout,  
A field that easily is not fought, to pitch thou goest about.  
In practice mischief thou must put, why hopest thou for a day,  
While Priam's daughter come from Troy in Greece do bear the sway.  
But as for the poor silly wretch, 'a waiteth at thy place  
Thy widow, virgins, and Orest his fatherlike in face,  
Consider their calamities, to come, and cake their cares,  
Whom all the peril of the broil doth threat in thy affairs.  
O cursed captive, woeful wretch why dost thou loiter so?  
Thy little brats a stepdame have whose wrath will work their woe.  
With gashing sword (and if thou can none other way provide),  
Nor thrust it through another's ribs then launch thy gory side,  
So murder twain with brewed blood, let blood immixed be,  
And by destroying of thyself destroy thy spouse with thee.  
Death is not sawst with sops of Sorrow if some man else I have,  
Whose breathless corpse I wish to pass with me to deadly grave.  Nu. 
Queen, bridle thine affections, and wisely rule thy rage,  
Thy swelling mood now mitigate, thy choler eke assuage.  
Way well the weighty enterprise that thou dost take in hand,  
Triumphant victor he returns of mighty Asia land  
Avenging Europe's injury with him he brings away.  
The spoils of sacked Pargamy a huge and mighty prey.  
In bondage eke he leads the folk of long assaulted Troy,  
Yet darest thou by policy attempt him to annoy?  
Whom with the dint of glittering sword Achilles durst not harm,  
Although his rash and desperate dicks the froward Knight did arm:  
Nor Ajax yet more hardy man up yielding vital breath,  
Whom frantic fury fell enforced to wound himself to death:  
Nor Hector he whose only life procured the Greeks' delay,  
And long in war for victory enforced them to stay:  
Nor Paris shaft, whose cunning hand with shot so sure did aim:  
Nor mighty Memnon swart and black, had power to hurt the same:  
Nor Xanthus' flood, where to and fro dead carcases did swim,  
With armour hewed and therewith all some maimed broken limb:  
Nor Simois, that purple wawmes with slaughter died-doth steer.  
Nor Cygnus lily white, the Son of fenny God so dear:  
Nor yet the mustering Thracian host: nor warlike Rhesus king:  
Nor Amazons, who to the wars did painted Quivers bring,  
And bore their hatches in their hands with Target and with shield,  
Yet had no power with ghastly wound to foil him in the field.  
sith he such scourings hath escaped and plunged of perils past  
intendest thou to murder him returning home at last?  
And sacred altars to profane with slaughters so unpure?  
Shall Greece th'advenger let this wrong long unrevenged endure  
The grim and fierce courageous horse, the battles, shouts, & cries,  
The swelling seas which bruised barks do dread when storms arise,  
Behold the fields with streams of blood o'erflown & deeply drowned,  
And all the chivalry of Troy in servile bondage bound,  
Which Greeks have writ in registers. Thy stubborn stomach byud,  
Subdue thy fond affections, and pacify thy mind.  

THE SECOND act THE SECOND SCENE.  Aegisthus, Clytemnestra. 
THe cursed time that evermore  
my mind did most detest,  
The days that I abhorred have  
and hated in my breast,  
Are come, are come, that mine estate  
will bring to utter wrack:  
Alas my heart why dost thou fail.  
and fainting fliest back?  
What dost thou mean at first assault  
from armour thus to fly,  
Trust this, the cruel Gods intend my doleful destiny,  
To wrap thee in with perils round and catch thee in a band?  
Endeavour drudge with all thy power their plagues for to withstand:  
With stomach stout rebellious to fire and sword appeal  Cli. 
It is no plague, if such a death thy native destinies deal.  Ae 
(O partners of my perils all begot of Leda thou)  
Direct thy doings after mine, and unto thee I vow.  
This drosel sluggish ringleader, this stout strong hearted fire,  
shall pay thee so much blood again as shed he bathe in fire  
How haps it that his trembling cheeks to be so pale and white,  
Lying aghast as in a trance with fainting face upright.  Cl. 
His conscience wedlock vow doth prick & brings him home again  
Let us return the self same trade a new for to retain,  
To which at first we should have stuck and ought not to forsake,  
To covenant continent a new let us ourselves betake:  
To take the trade of honesty at no time is too late:  
He purged is from punishment whose heart the crime doth hate.  Aeg. 
Why whither wilt thou gad (o rash and unadvised dame?)  
What dost thou earnestly believe, and firmly trust the same,  
That Agamemnon's spousal bed will loyal be to thee?  
That nought doth underprop thy mind which might thy terror be?  
His proud success puffed up to high with lucky blast of wind,  
Might make so crank, and set aloft his haughty swelling mind:  
Among his pears he stately was ere Trojan turrets torn,  
How think ye then his stomach stout by nature given to scorn,  
In haughtiness augmented is more in himself to joy,  
Through this triumphant victory and conquest got of Troy?  
Before his voyage Miceane King most mildly did he reign,  
But now a Tyrant truculent returned he is again.  
Good luck and proud prosperity do make his heart so rise.  
With what great preparation prepared solemn wise,  
A rabblement of strumpets come that clung about him all?  
But yet the Prophetess of Thebe (whom God of truth we call)  
Appears above the rest: she keeps the King, she doth him guide:  
Wilt thou in wedlock have a mate and not for it provide?  
So would not she, the greatest grief this is unto a wife,  
Her husbands mimon in her house to lead an open life.  
A queen's estate cannot abide her peer with her to reign,  
Ind jealous wedlock will not her companion sustain.  Cl. 
Aegist in desperate mood again why seest thou me a float?  
Why kindlest thou the sparks of ire in embers covered hot  
If that the victors own free will release his captives care,  
Why may not. I his Lady spouse have hope as well to fare?  
One law doth rule in royal throne, and pompous princely Towers,  
Among the vulgar sort, another in private simple bowers.  
What though my grudging fancy force that at my husbands hand,  
Sharp execution of the law I stubbornly withstand?  
Recording this that heinously offended him I have:  
He gently will me pardon grant who need the same to crave?  Aeg. 
even so on this condition thou mayst with him compound.  
To pardon him if he again to pardon the be bound.  
The subtle science of the law, the statutes of our land,  
(That long ago decreed were) thou dost not understand.  
The judges be malicious men, they spite and envy us,  
But he shall have them partial his causes to discus.  
This is the chiefest privilege that doth to Kings belong.  
What laws forbiddeth other men, they do, and do no wrong.  Cly. 
He pardoned Helen, she is wed to Menela again  
Which Europe all with Asia did plunge alike in pain.  Aeg. 
No lady's Lust hath ravished yet Atrides in his life,  
Nor privily purloined his heart betrothed to his wife.  
To pick a quarrel he begins and matter thee to blame,  
Suppose thou nothing hast commit that worthy is of shame?  
What booteth him whom Princes hate an honest life to frame?  
He never doth complain his wrong, but ever bears the blame.  
Wilt thou repair to Spart and to thy country trudge aright?  
Wilt thou become a runagate from such a worthy wight?  
Divorcement made from Kings will not so let the matter scape.  
Thou easest fear by fickle hope, that falsely thou dost shape:  Cli. 
My trespass is disclosed to none, but to a trusty wight:  Aeg. 
At PRINCE's gates fidelity yet never enter might.  Cl. 
I will corrupt and feed him so with silver and with gold.  
That I by bribing bind him shall no secrets to unfold:  Ae. 
The trust that hired is and bought by bribes and money's fee,  
Thy counsel to bewray again with bribes enticed will be  Cl. 
The remnant left of shamefastness of those ungracious tricks,  
Wherein of late I did delight, my conscience freshly pricks.  
Why keepest thou such a busy stir and with thy flattering speech,  
Instructing me with lewd advise dost wicked counsel preach  
Shall I forsooth of royal blood with all the speed I can  
Refuse the King of Kings, and wed an outcast banished man:  Aeg. 
Why should you think in that Thyest was father unto me.  
And Agamemnon Atreus' son he should my better be?  Cly. 
If that be but a trifle small, and nephew to the same.  Aeg. 
I am of Phoebus' lineage borne, whereof I do not shame.  Cl. 
Why mak'st thou Phoebus author of thy wicked pedigree,  
Whom out of heaven ye forced to fly when bridle back he drew,  
When Lady Night with mantle black did spread her sudden shade,  
Why makest thou the Gods in such reproachfulness to wade?  
Whose father hath thee cunning made by sleight and subtle guile  
To make thy kinsman Cuckold while his wife thou do defile.  
What man is he whom we do know to be thy father's mate,  
Abusing lust of Lechery in such unlawful rate?  
avaunt, go pack thee hence in haste, dispatch out of my sight  
This infamy, whose blemish stains this blood of worthy wight.  Aeg. 
This is no new exile to me that wickedness do haunt,  
But if that thou (O worthy Queen) command me to avaunt,  
I will not only straight avoid the house the town and field  
My life on sword at thy request I ready am to yield  Cli. 
This heinous deed permit shall I (most churlish cruel drab)  
Against my will though I offend, the fault I should not blab:  
Nay, rather come apart with me, and let us join our wits  
To wrap ourselves out of this woe and perilous threatening fits.  Chorus. 
NOw chant it lusty lads,  
Apollo's praise suborn,  
To thee the frolic flock  
their crowned heads adorn.  
To thee King Inach's stock  
of wedlock chamber void,  
Brayed out their virgins locks  
and thereon have employed  
Their savoury garlands green Twisted of laurel bow.  
Draw near with us O Thebes our dancing follow thou.  
Come also ye that drink of Ismen bubbling flood,  
whereas the Laurel treeful thick on banks doth bood.  
eke ye whom Mando mild, the Prophetess divine,  
(Foreseeing fate) and borne of high Tiresias line,  
Hath stirred to celebrate with sacred use and right.  
Apollo and Dian borne of Latona's bright.  
O Victor Phoebe unbend thy noked bow again.  
sith quietness and peace anew we do retain.  
And let thy twangling harp make melody so shrill,  
While that thy nimble hand strike quavers with thy quill.  
No curious descant I nor lusty music crave,  
No jolly rumbling note, nor trolling tune to have.  
But on thy treble Lute (according to thy use)  
Strike up a plainsong note as when thy learned muse  
Thy lessons do record, though yet on baser string  
It liketh thee to play the song that thou did sing:  
As when from fiery heaven the dint of lightning slew,  
Sent down by wrath of Gods the Titans overthrew  
Or else when mountains were on mountains heaped high  
That raise for Giants fell their steps into the sky,  
The mountain Ossa stood on top of Pelion laid,  
Olymp (whereon the pines their budding branches braid)  
down poised both: draw near O juno noble dame,  
Both spouse of mighty jove and sister to the same.  
Thou that dost rule with him made jointer of his mace,  
Thy people we of Greece give honour to thy grate.  
Thou only dost protect from per ills Aigos' land,  
That ever careful was to have thine honour stand,  
Most suppliant thereunto thou also with thy might  
Dost order joyful peace and battles fierce of fight  
Accept O conquering Queen these branches of the bays  
That Agamemnon here doth yield unto thy praise:  
The hollow boxen pipe (that doth with holes abound)  
In singing unto thee doth give a solemn sound:  
To thee the Damsels eke that play upon the strings,  
With cunning harmony melodious music sings.  
The matrons eke of Greece by riper years more grave,  
To thee the Taper pay that vowed oft they have,  
The heifered young and white companion of the Bull.  
Unskilful yet by proof the painful plow to pull.  
Whose neck was never worn nor galled with print of yoke,  
Is in thy temple slain receiving deadly stroke.  
O Lady Pallas thou of most renowned hap  
Bred of the brain of jove that smites with thunder clap.  
Thou lofty Trojan towers of craggy knotty flint  
Hast bet with battering blade, and struck with javelin dint:  
The elder matrons with the dames that younger be  
Together in mingled heaps do honour due to thee,  
When thou approaching nigh thy coming is espied,  
The priest unbars the gate, and opes the Temple wide:  
By clustering throngs the flocks thine altars haunt apace,  
Bedecked with twisted crowns so trim with comely grace.  
The old and ancient men well stepped and grown in years,  
Whose feeble trembling age procureth hoary hairs  
Obtaining their request craved de of thy grace divine,  
Do offer up to thee their sacrify said wine,  
O bright Dian whose blaze sheds light three sundry ways  
We mindful are of thee, and render thankful praise,  
Delon thy native soil thou didst firmly bind,  
That to and fro was wont to wander with the wind:  
Which with foundation sure main ground forbids to pass  
For Navies (after which to swim it wonted was)  
It is become a road defying force of wind,  
The mother's funerals of Tantalus his kind.  
The daughters seven by death thou victress dost account.  
Whose mother Niobe abides on Sipil mount  
A lamentable rock and yet unto this hour  
Her tears new gushing, out the marble old doth power.  
The Godhead of the Twins in sumptuous solemn wise,  
Both man and wife adore with savoury sacrifice,  
But thee above the rest O father great and guide,  
Whose mighty force is by the burning lightning tried:  
Who when thou gavest a beck and didst thy head but shake  
At once th'extremest poles of heaven and earth did quake,  
O jupiter the root that of our lineage art.  
Accept these offered gifts and take them in good part:  
And thou O grandsire great to thy posterity.  
Have some remorse, that do not serve in chivalry.  
But yonder lo with stiving steps the soldier comes amain  
In all post haste, with token that good news declareth plain  
A Laurel branch, that hangeth on his spear head he doth bring  
Eurybates is come, who hath been trusty to the king.    

THE THIRD act.  Euribates. Clytemnestra 
SOre tired after many years  
with travail and with toil  
Scant crediting myself, the Gods  
of this my native soil,  
The temple, and the altars of  
the saints that rule the sky,  
In humble sort with reverence  
devoutly worship I.  
Now pay your vows unto the Gods:  
returned is again  
Unto his country court, where wont he was to rule, and reign,  
Prince Agamemnon, victor he, of Greece the great renown.  Cly. 
The tidings of a message good unto mine ears is blown.  
Where stays my spouse whom longing for ten years I have out scanned?  
What doth he yet sail on the seas, or he is come aland?  
Yet hath he fixed and set his foot bauck stepping home again.  
Upon the sandy shore, that long he wished to attain?  
And doth he still enjoy his health enhanced in glory great,  
And painted out in pomp of prays whose fame the sky doth beat?  Eu. 
Bless we with burning sacrifice at length this lucky day  Cli. 
And eke the Gods though gracious, yet dealing long delay:  
Declare if that my brother's wife enjoy the victual air  
And tell me to what kind of Coast my sister doth repair.  Euri. 
God grant, & give us better news than this that thou dost crave  
The heavy hap of fighting floods forbids the truth to have,  
Our scattered fleet the swelling seas attempts in such a plight,  
That ship from ship was taken clean out of each other's sight.  
Atrides in the waters wide turmoiled and straying far  
More violence by seas sustained then by the bloody war  
And as it were a conquered man escaping home all weet  
Now bringeth in his company of such a mighty fleet,  
A sort of bruised broken barks, beshaken, torn, and rent.  Cli. 
Show what unlucky chance it is that hath our navy spent.  
What storm of seas dispersed hath our Captains hear and there  Eury. 
Thou willest me to make report of heavy woeful gear.  
Thou biddest me most grievous news with tidings good to part:  
For uttering of this woeful hap my feeble mind doth start.  
And horribly appalled is with this so monstrous ill.  Cly, 
Speak out and utter it: himself with terror he doth fill,  
Whose heart his own calamity and cark doth loathe to know:  
The heart whom doubted damage dulls with greater grief doth glow  Eu. 
When Trojan buildings blazing bright did burn away and broil,  
Enkindled first by Greekish brand, they fall to part the spoil:  
Repairing fast unto the seas again we come aboard,  
And now the soldiers weary loins were eased of his sword,  
Their bucklers cast aside, upon the hatches lie above.  
Their warlike hands in practice put, and Oars learn to move:  
Each little hindrance seems too much to them in hasty plight,  
When of recourse the Admiral gave watchword by his light,  
And trumpet blast began to call our army from delay,  
The painted Pup with gilded snout did first guide on the way:  
And cut the course, which following on a thousand ships did rive,  
Then first a wind with pipling puffs our lancing ships did drive,  
Which glided down upon our sails the water being calm  
With breath of western wind so mild scant moved any walm.  
The shining seas bespread about with ships doth glister bright,  
And also covered with the same lay hid from Phoebus light:  
It doth us good to gaze upon the naked shore of Troy:  
The desert Phrygian plots so bare to view we hop for joy:  
The youth each one bestirs themselves, and striking altogether,  
They tough their oars & with their toil they help the wind & weather  
They tug and cheerly row by course, the spiritng seas up dash,  
Against the rattling ribs of ships the flapping floods do flash  
The hoary froth of wrestling waves which oars aloft doth raise,  
Do draw and trace a furrow through the marblefaced seas.  
When stronger blast with belly swollen our hoisted sails did fill,  
They row no more, but let the Pup to go with wind at will,  
Their shearing oars laid aside our Pilot doth espy,  
How far from any land aloof our sails reculing fly,  
Or bloody battles doth display the threats of Hector stout,  
Or of his rattling waggings tells, wherein he rode about.  
Or how his gashed carcase slain and trained about the field  
To funeral flan es and obit rights for coin again was yielded.  
How jupiter embathed was all in his royal blood.  
The frolic fish disposed was to mirth in tyrrhene flood,  
And fetching frisks both in and out plays on the water's brim,  
And on his broad and finny back about the seas doth swim,  
With gambols quick in rings around and side to side inclined,  
erewhile he sports affront the pup, and whips again behind,  
Now fiddling on the snout before the dallying wanton rout  
With jocundary jolly tricks doth skip the fleet about.  
Sometime he standeth gazing on and eyes the vessels bright,  
Now every shore is covered clean, and land is out of sight,  
The perilous point of Ida rock in sight doth open lie,  
And that alone espy we could with firmly fixed eye,  
A dusky cloud of stifling smoke from Troy did smoulder black,  
When Titan from the weary necks the heavy yokes did slack.  
The fading light did groveling bend, and down the day did shroud,  
Against the Stars amounting up a little misty cloud  
Came belching out in irksome Iompe, and Phoebus galland beams  
He spewed upon, bestaining them duct down in Western streams.  
The Sun set swerving in such sort with divers change of face,  
Did give us cause to have mistrust of Neptunes doubted grace.  
The evening first did burnish bright, and paint with stars the sky.  
The winds were laid, and clean forsook our sails that quiet lie.  
When cracking, rattling, rumbling noise, tushed down with thundering sway  
From top of hills, which greater stir doth threaten and bewray.  
With bellowings, and yellings loud, the shores do grunt & groan,  
The craggy clives and roaring rocks do howl in hollow stone.  
The bubbling waters swells upreared before the wrestling wind,  
When suddenly the lowering light of Moon is hid and blind.  
The glimpsing stars do go to glade, the surging seas are tossed  
Even to the skies among the clouds the light of heaven is lost.  
More nights in one compacted are with shadow dim and black,  
One shadow upon another doth more darkness heap and pack,  
And every spark of light consumed the waves and skies do meet,  
The ruffling winds range on the seas, through every coast they fit.  
They heave it up with violence, o'erturned from bottom low,  
The western wind flat in the face of Eastern wind doth blow.  
With hurly-burly Boreas set ope his blasting mouth,  
And girdeth out his boisterous breath against the stormy south,  
Each wind with all his might doth blow, and worketh dangers deep,  
They shake the floods, a sturdy blast along the seas do sweep.  
That rolls and rumbles wave on wave, a northern tempest strong,  
Abundance great of flaky snow doth hurl our ships among.  
The southwind out of Libya, doth rage upon a should,  
And with the puissant force thereof the quicksands up be rolled,  
Nor bideth in the south which doth with tempest lump and lower,  
And force the flowing floods to rise by pouring out a shower.  
The stubborn Eurus, Earthquakes made, and shook the country's East,  
And Eos cost where Phoebus first ariseth from his rest.  
How violent Corus stretched and tore his yawning breast full wide?  
A man would sure have thought the world did from his centre slide,  
And that the frames of Heaven broke up the Gods adown would fall  
And Chaos dark confused heap would shade and cover all.  
The stream strove with the wind, the wind did beat it down again.  
The springing sea within his banks can not itself contain,  
The raging shower his trilling drops doth mingle with the seas,  
And yet in all this misery the find not so much ease,  
To see and know what ill it is, that worketh their decay.  
The darkness dim oppresseth still and keeps the light away:  
The black-faced night with hell-like hue was clad of Stygian lake  
And yet full oft with glimpsing beams the sparkling fire out broke,  
The cloud doth crack, and being rent the lightning leapeth out,  
The wretches like the same so well it shining them about,  
That still they wish such light to have (although God wot but ill)  
The navy swaying down itself doth cast away, and spill.  
One side with other side is cracked, and helm is rent with helm,  
The ship itself the gulping seas do headlong overwhelm.  
erewhile a greedy gaping gulf doth sup it up amain,  
Then by and by tossed up aloft it spews it out again,  
She with her swagging full of sea to bottom low doth sink  
And drencheth deep aside in floods her tottering broken brink.  
That underneath a dozen waves lay drowned out of sight,  
Her broken planks swim up and down, spoiled is her tackle quite,  
Both sail and Oars clean are lost, the main mast eke is gone.  
That wonted was to bear upright the sail yard thereupon,  
The timber and the broken boards lie on the water's brim,  
When cold and shivering fear in us doth strike through every limb,  
The wisest wits intoxicate dare nothing enterprise,  
And cunning practice nought avails when fearful storms arise,  
The mariners letting duty slip stand staring all aghast,  
Their scoping oars suddenly out of their hands are wrest.  
To prayer then apace we fall, when other hope is none,  
The Greeks and Trojans to the Gods alike do make their moan.  
Alack what succour of the fates may we poor wretches find?  
Against his father Pyrrhus bears a spiteful cankered mind,  
At Ajax's grudge Ulysses doth, king Menela doth hate  
Great Hector: Agamemnon is with Priam at debate.  
O happy man is he that doth lie slain in Trojan ground,  
And hath deserved by handy stroke to take his fatal wound,  
Whom fame preserveth, taking up his tomb in conquered land  
Those momes whose melting cowards heart durst never take in hand  
Or enterprise no noble act, those force of floods shall drown  
But fate forbearing long, will take stout Brutes of high renown,  
Full well we may ashamed be, in such a sort to die,  
If any man his spiteful mind yet can not satisfy,  
With these outrageous plunging plagues that down from Gods are sent,  
Appease at length thy wrathful God again and take relent.  
even Troy for pity would have wept, to see our woeful case,  
But if that in thy boiling breast black rancour still have place,  
And that the Greeks to ruin run, it be thy purpose bent,  
Why do these Trojans go to wrack? for whom thus are we spent?  
Assuage the rigour of the sea that threatening hills up rears:  
This drenched Fleet the Trojan folk and Greeks together bears.  
Then from their prayers are they put, their faltering tongues do stay,  
The roaring seas doth drown their voice and caries their cries away.  
Then mighty Pallas armed with the leaping lightning sire,  
That tasty jove doth use to hurl provoked to swelling ire,  
With threatening javelin in her hand, her prowess means to try.  
And eke her force whose boiling breast with Gorgon fits doth fry,  
Or what with Target she can do, and with her Father's fire.  
Then from the Skies another storm begins abroad to spire,  
But Ajax nothing yet dismayed all force withstandeth stout,  
Whom when he spread his swelling sails with Cable stretched out,  
She lighting down did wring him hard, and wrapped him in her flame,  
And flung another flashing dint of lightning on the same,  
With all her force and violence her hand brought back again,  
She tossed him out, as late that feat her father taught her plain.  
Both over Ajax and his Pup she flieth overthwart,  
And renting man and ship, of both she bears away a part,  
His courage nought abated yet he all to singed doth seem,  
Even like a stubborn ragged Rock amid the striving stream,  
He trains along the roaring seas and eke the waltering wave  
By shoving on his burly breast in sunder quite he drove,  
The Bark with hand he caught, and on itself did ripe it over,  
Yet Ajax shineth in the flood which darkness blind doth cover.  
At length attaining to a rock his thundering cracks were these,  
I conquered have the force of fire and rage of fighting seas,  
It doth me good, to master thus the anger of the sky,  
With Pallas wrath, the lightning flames and floods tumulting high.  
The terror of the warlike god once could not make me fly,  
The force of Mars and Hector both at once sustained have I.  
Nor Phoebus darts could me constrain, from him one foot to shoes,  
All these beside the Phrygians subdued we have, and won.  
When other Mecocks flings his darts shall I not them withhis stand?  
Yea, what if Phoebus came himself, to pitch them with his hand?  
When in his melancholy mood he boasted without mean.  
Then father Neptune life his heat about the waters clean.  
The beaten rock with forked mace he undermining pluck  
From bottom loose, and sunk it down, when down himself he duck.  
There Ajax lay, by land, by fire, and storm of seas destroyed  
But we by suffering shipwreck; are with greater plagues annoyed.  
A subtile shallow flood there is flown on a stony should,  
Where crafty Caphar out of sight the lurking rocks doth hold,  
Upon whose sharp and ragged tops the swelling side doth flow,  
The boiling waves do beat thereon still swaying to and fro:  
A turrret nodding over it doth hang with falling sway,  
From whence on either side from height prospect espy we may  
Two seas: and on this hand the coast where Pelops once did reign,  
And Isthmus' flood in narrow creak, reculing back again,  
Doth stop Ionian sea, lest into Hellespont it run,  
On th'other part is Lemnon flood that fame by bloodshed won.  
On th'other side Calcedon to one doth stand against this fort,  
And Aulis I'll that stayed out ships that thither did resort.  
This Castle here inhabit doth our Palimedes' sire,  
Whose cursed hand held in the top a brand of flaming fire.  
That did allure our fleet, to turn on lurking rocks a right,  
Enticing them with with blaze to come unto the light.  
All into fitters shaken are the vessels on thee should,  
But other some do swim, and some upon the rocks are rolled.  
And other slipping back again so to eschew the Rocks,  
His bruised ribs, and rattling sides against each other knocks,  
Whereby the other he doth break, and broken is himself,  
Then would they launee into the deep, for now they dread the shelf,  
This peck of troubles chanced to hap in dawning of the day.  
But when the Gods (besought of us) began the rage to stay,  
And Phoebus golden beams began a fresh to render light,  
The doleful day descried all the damage done by night.  CLY. 
O whether may I now lament, and weep with wailing sad?  
Or shall I else in that my Spouse returned is be glad?  
I do rejoice, and yet I am compelled to bewail  
My countries great calamity that doth the same assail.  
O Father great whose majesty doth thundering Sceptres shake,  
The souring Gods unto the Greeks now favourable make,  
With garlands green let every head rejoicing now be crowned.  
To thee the pipe in sacrifice melodiously doth sound,  
And on thine altar lieth slain an heifered lily white,  
Before the same do present stand with hanging locks undight,  
A careful Trojan company in heavy woeful plight,  
On whom from high the Laurel tree with spreading branch doth shine,  
Whose virtue hath inspired them with Phoebus grace divine,  CHORUS. CASSANDRA. 
ALas the cruel sting of love  
how sweetly doth it taste,  
A misery is mortal man  
annexed while life doth last?  
The path of mischief for to fly,  
now sith there is a gap,  
And wretched souls be frankly called  
From every woeful hap,  
By death, a pleasant port, for aye in rest themselves to shroud,  
Where dreadful tumults never dwell nor storms of Fortune proud:  
Nor yet the burning fiery flakes of jove the same doth doubt,  
When wrongfully with thwacking thumps be raps his thunder out:  
Here Lady Peace th'inhabitors doth never put in flight,  
Nor yet the victors threatening wrath approaching right to fight,  
No whirling westernwind doth urge the ramping seas to prance,  
No dusty cloud that raised is by savage demi-lance,  
On horseback riding rank, by rank no fierce and cruel host,  
No people slaughtered, with their towns clean topsy-turvy tossed:  
While that the foe with flaming fire doth spoil and waste the wall,  
Untamed and unbridled Mars destroys and batters all:  
That man alone who forceth not the fickle fates a straw,  
The visage grim of Acheron whose eyes yet never saw,  
Who never viewed with heavy cheer the ugsome Limbo lake,  
And putting life in hazard, dare to death himself betake.  
That person is a princes pear, and like the Gods in might,  
Who knoweth not what death doth mean is in a piteous plight  
The ruthful ruin of our native country we beheld:  
That woeful night, in which the roofs of houses overquelled,  
In dardan's City blazing bright with flashing fiery flames.  
whenas the Greeks with burning brands enkindle did the frames,  
That: Troy whom war & deeds of arms might not subdue and take.  
As once did mighty Hercules, whose Ouyuer caused it quake,  
Which neither he that Peleus' son, and son to Thetis was,  
Nor whom Achilles loved to well, could ever bring to pass,  
When glittering bright in field he wore false armour on his back,  
And counterfeiting fierce Achill the Trojans drove to wrack.  
Nor when Achilles he himself his mind from sorrow wrest,  
And Trojan women to the walls did scudding leap in haste.  
In misery she lost her proud estate, and fast renown,  
By being stoutly overcome, and hardly pulled down.  
Years five & five did Troy resist, that yet hereafter must,  
In one night's space by destiny he laid in the dust.  
Their feigned gifts well have we tried that huge and fatal gin,  
We light of credit, with our own right hand have haled in,  
That fatal gift of Greeks: what time at entry of the gap  
The hugy horse did shivering stand, where in the in selves did wrap  
The captains close, in hollow vaults with bloody war yfreight.  
When lawfully we might have tried, and searched their deceit:  
So by their own contrived snares the greeks had been confound:  
The brazen bucklers being shook did give a clattering sound.  
A privy whispering often times came tickling in our ear.  
And Pyrrhus (in a murrain's name so ready for to hear.  
The crafty council picked out of false Ulysses' brain,)  
Did tangle in the hallow vaults that range thereof again.  
But fearing and suspecting nought the heady youth of Troy  
Laid hands upon the sacred ropes, to hale and pull with joy,  
On this side young Astyanax came guarded with his train,  
On th'other part Polyxena disponed to be slain  
Upon Achilles' tomb, she comes with maids, and he with men,  
A jolly flock with equal years as young as they were then.  
Their vowed oblations to the gods in holy day attire,  
The matrons bring and so to church repaireth every sire.  
And all the city did alike, yea Hecuba our queen  
(That since the woeful Hector's death or now was never fene)  
She merry is: O grief accursed, of all thy sorrows deep  
For which that first, or last befell intendest thou to weep?  
Our battered walls which heavenly hands erected have and framed?  
Or else the burning temples which upon their Idols flamed?  
Lamenting these calamities we have not time and space,  
O mighty parent Priam we poor Trojans wail thy case.  
The old man's thrattling throat I saw, (alas) I saw aboard  
With cruel Pyrrhus' blade, that scant with any blood was gored:  CAS. 
Refrain your tears that down your cheeks should trickle evermore  
With woeful wailings piteously your private friends deplore  
My miseries refuse a mate, so much accursed as I:  
To rue my careful case, refrain your lamentable cry.  
As for mine own distress to mourn, I shall suffice alone.  CHO. 
To mingle tears with other tears it doth us good to moan:  
In those the burning teary streams more ardently do boil,  
Whom secret thoughts of lurking cares in privy breast turmoil:  
Though that thou were a gossip stout, that brook much sorrow may  
I warrant thee, thou mightest well, lament this sore decay,  
Not sad and solemn Aedon that in the woods doth sing  
Her sugared Ditties finely tuned on sweet and pleasant string:  
Recording Iris' woeful hap in divers kind of note,  
Whom Progne though he were her child and of her womb begot,  
For to revenge his father's fault, she did not spare to kill:  
And gave his flesh and blood for food the father's Maw to fill.  
Nor Progne who in Swallows shape: upon the ridge's high,  
Of houses sits in Biston town bewailing piteously,  
With chattering throat, of Tereus her spouse the cruel act,  
(Who did by strength and force of arms a shameful brutish fact.  
Defile the sister of his wife, fair Philomel by name,  
And eke cut out her tongue, lest she should blab it to his shame)  
Though Progne this her husbands rape lamenting very sore  
Do wail, and weep with piteous plaint, yet can she not deplore  
Sufficiently, though that she would, our countries piteous plight:  
Though he himself among the Swans sir Cygnus lily white.  
Who dwells in stream of Ister flood, and Tanais channel could,  
His weeping voice most earnestly though utter out her would:  
Although the morning haltions with doleful sighs do wail,  
At such time as the fighting floods their Cyex did assail,  
Or rashly waxing bold attempt the Seas now laid at rest,  
Or being very fearful feed their brood in tottering nest,  
Although as squeamish hearted men those priests in bedlam rage,  
Whom mother Cyble being borne on high in lofty stage,  
Doth move, to play on shawms, Atys the Phrygian to lament,  
Yet can not they this lot bewail, though brawn from arms they rent.  
Cassandra, in our tears there is no measure to refrain,  
Those miseries all measure pass, that plunged us in pain.  
The sacred fillets from thy heads, why dost thou hale and pull?  
They chiefly aught to worship God, whose hearts with grief be dull.  CAS. 
My fear by this affliction is clean abated all,  
Nor praying to the heavenly Ghosts for mercy will I call.  
Although they were disposed to chafe and fret in fustian fumes,  
They nothing have me to displease, Fortune her force consumes.  
Her spite is worn unto the stumps, what country have I left?  
Where is my Sire? am I of all my sisters quite bereft.  
The sacred tombs and alter stones our blood have drunk & swilled,  
Where are my brethren blessed knor? destroyed in the field.  
All widow Wives of Priam's sons may easily now behold,  
The Palace void and cast of court of silly Priam old.  
And by so many marriages so many Widows are,  
But only Helen coming from the coast of Lacon far.  
That Hecuba the mother of so many a princely wight,  
Whose fruitful Womb did breed the brand, of fire blazing bright:  
Who also bore the swinge in Troy, by practice now doth learn,  
New laws and guise of destiny in bondage to discern.  
On her she taketh heart of grace with looks so stern and wild,  
And barketh as a bedlam bitch about her strangled child  
Dear Polidor, the remnant left, and only hope of Troy,  
Hector, and Priam to revenge, and to restore her joy.  CHO. 
The sacred Phoebus Prophet is with sudden silence hushed:  
A quaking trembling shivering fear throughout her Isms hath rushed:  
Her Face as pale as Ashes is, her Fillets stand upright,  
The soft and gentle goldilocks start up of her affright.  
Her panting breathing breast stuffed up within doth grunt and groan.  
Her glaring bright and steaming Eyes are hither and thither thrown.  
Now glancing up and down they roll: now standing stiff they stare.  
She stretcheth up her head more straight then commonly she bore,  
bolt up she goes, her wrestling jaws that fast together cling,  
She doth attempt by divers means, on sunder how to wring.  
Her mumbling words in gambling mouth shut up she doth assuage,  
As Menas mad that Bacchus aares doth serve in furious rage.  CAS. 
How doth it hap (O sacred tops of high Parnassus hill)  
That me berapt of sense, with pricks of fury fresh ye fiill?  
Why do you me with ghost inspire, that am beside my wits?  
O Phoebus none of thine I am, release me from the fits:  
Infixed in my burning breasts the flames extinguish out,  
Who forceth me with fury fell to gad and trot about?  
Or for whose sake inspired with sprite mad mumbling make must I?  
Why play I now the Prophet cold, sith Troy in dust doth lie?  
The day doth shrink for dread of war, the night doth dim mine eyes.  
With mantel black of darkness deep clean covered is the skies:  
But lo two shining Suns at once in heaven appeareth bright,  
Two Grecian houses muster do their armies twain to fight.  
Among the mighty goddesses in Ida woods I see,  
The fatal shepherd in his throne as umpire placed to be:  
I do advise you to beware, beware (I say) of kings,  
(A kindred in whose cankered hearts old privy grudges springs)  
That country clown Aegisthus he this stock shall overthrow,  
What doth this foolish desperate dame her naked weapons show?  
Whose crown intendeth she to crack in weed of Lacon land,  
With Hatchet (by the Amazons invented first) in hand?  
What face of mighty majesty be witched hath mine eyes?  
The conqueror of savage beasts Marmarick Lion lies,  
Whose noble neck is worried with currish fang and tooth  
The curlish snaps of eager Lioness abide he doth.  
Alack ye ghosts of all my friends why should ye say that I,  
Among the rest am only safe, from perils far to lie?  
Fain father follow thee I would, Troy being laid in dust.  
O brother terror of the Greeks, O Trojans aid and trust.  
Our ancient pomp I do not see, nor yet thy warmed hands,  
(That fierce on Greekish flaming fleet did fling the fiery brands)  
But mangled members, scorched corpse, and sake thy valiant arms,  
Hard pinned and bound in bands sustaining grievous harms:  
O Troilus, a match unfit encountering with Achill  
(That mighty man of arms) to soon come unto thee I will.  
I do delight, to sail with them on stinking Sigean flood.  
To view the churlish mastiff cur of hell, it doth me good.  
And gaping mouthed Kingdom dark of greedy Ditis' reign.  
The Barge of filthy Phlegethon this day shall entertain,  
Me conquering, and conquered, and princes souls with all.  
You flittering shades I you beseech, and cake on thee I call,  
O Stygian pool (whereon the Gods their solemn oaths do take  
Unbolt a while the Brasne bars of darksome Lymoo lake.  
Whereby the Phrygian folk in hell may Mycean state behold.  
Look up ye silly wretched souls, the fates are backward rolled.  
The sqally sisters do approach, and deal their bloody strokes,  
Their smouldering faggots in their hands half brunt to ashes smokes.  
Their visages so pale do burn, with fiery flaming eyes:  
A garment black their gnawed guts doth gird in mourning guise.  
Dire dread of night begins to howl, the bones of body baste  
With lying long do rot corrupt in miry puddle cast.  
Behold, the weary aged man his burning thirst forgot,  
The waters dallying at his lips to catch endeavours not:  
But mourneth for the funeral, that shall ensue anon.  
The Trojan Prince his royal robes triumphant putteth on.  CHO. 
The furious rage clean overpast begins itself to slake.  
And slips away, even as a Bull that deadly wound doth take  
On gashed neck affront the aares: come let us ease at last  
Her limbs, that of the sprite of God hath felt the mighty blast.  
Returning home again at length and crowned with Laurel bow  
(A sign of worthy victory) is Agamemnon now.  
The Wife to meet her Husband, doth her speedy passage ply,  
Returning hand in hand, and foot by foot most lovingly.   

THE FOURTH act.  AGAMEMNON. CASSANDRA. 
AT length I do arrive again  
upon my native soil:  
God save thee O dear loved Land,  
to thee so huge a spoil  
So many barbarous people yield:  
the flower of Asia. Troy:  
To bear thy yoke submits herself,  
that long did live in joy.  
Why doth this Prophet (on the ground her sprawling body laid)  
Thus reel and stagger on her neck, all trembling and dismayed?  
Sirs, take her up, with liquor warm let her be cherished.  
Now peeps she up again, with drooping eyes sunk in her head:  
Pluck up thy sprite, here is the port wished for in misery:  
This day is festival.  CAS. 
At Troy so was it wont to be.  AG. 
Let us to Th'altars worship give.  C. 
At Th'altars died my sire:  
A, Pray we to jove.  C. 
To love whose grace divine doth me inspire?  AG. 
Dost thou suppose that Troy thou seest?  C. 
And Priam eke I see.  AG. 
Troy is not here.  C. 
where Helen is there take I Troy to be,  AG. 
Fear not as maid to serve thy dame.  C. 
Nay freedom draweth nigh.  AG. 
Take thou no thought how thou shalt live.  C. 
All cares for to defy,  
Death gives a courage unto me.  AG. 
Yet say I once again  
There is no danger left, whereby thou mightest hurt sustain.  CA. 
But yet much troublous danger both hang over thy head I wot.  AG. 
What mischief may a victor dread?  CA. 
Even that he dreadeth not.  AG. 
Ye trusty many of my men come carry her away,  
Till of the sprite she rid herself, least fury force her say  
That may be prejudicial, her tongue she cannot frame.  
To thee O Father flinging forth the lightnings flashing flame,  
That dost disperse the clouds, and rule the course of every star,  
And guide the Globe of Earth, to whom the boots won by war  
With triumph victors dedicate: to thee O juno height  
The sister dear of doughty jove, (thy husband full of might)  
Both I and Greece with flesh and blood, and eke our vowed beast,  
And gorgeous gifts of Arabia, give worship to thy hest.  Chorus. 
O GREECE by noble Gentlemen  
in honour shining clear,  
O GREECE to wrathful JUNO thou  
that art the darling dear,  
Some jolly worthy lusty blood  
thou fosters evermore,  
Thou hast made even the Gods, that were  
a number odd before.  
That puissant mighty Hercules a noble Imp of thine  
deserved by his travels twelve, rapt up in heaven to shine.  
For whom the heavens did alter course, and jupiter with all  
Did iterate the hours of night, when dampish dew doth fall.  
And charged Phoebus chariot swift to trot with slower pace,  
And leisurely bright lady Moon thy homeward Wain to trace,  
Bright Lucifer that year by year his name a new doth change,  
Came back again, to whom the name of Hesper seemed strange.  
Aurora to her common course her reared head addressed,  
And couching backward down again the same she did arrest,  
Upon the shoulder of her spouse, whose years with age are worn  
The east did feel, so felt the west, that Hercules was borne.  
Dame nature could not clean dispatch, to utter in one night,  
That boisterous lad: the whirling world did weight for such a wight.  
O babe whose shoulders underprop, the ample spacious sky,  
In clasped arms thy prowess did the crushed Lion try.  
Who from his fiery yawning throat spews out his broiling brand,  
The nimble hind in Menall mount hath known thy heavy hand▪  
The Boar hath felt thy fist, which did Arcadia destroy.  
The monstrous conquered Bull hath roared that Creta did annoy.  
The Dragon dire that breeding beast in Lerna pool he slew,  
And chopping of one head forbade thereof to rise anew.  
With clubbed bruising battering bat he crankly did subdue.  
(The brethren twins the tewde un Teat) whereof three monsters grew.  
Of triple formed Geryon the spoil into the east,  
A drove of ECttell Hercules did fetch out of the west.  
Away from tyrant Diomede the Thracian horse he led,  
Which neither with the grass that grew by Strymon flood he fed,  
Nor yet on Heber banks, but them the villain did refresh  
His greedy munching cramming tades with aliaunts blood and flesh.  
Their raw-fed jaws imbrued were with the carman's blood at last,  
The spoils and shafts Hipolyte saw from her bosom wrest  
As soon as he with clattering shaft the dusky cloud did smite,  
The stymphal bird that shadowed the sun, did take her flight.  
The fertile tree that apples bears of gold, did fear him sore,  
Which never yet acquaintance had with taster's tooth before.  
But whipping up with lively twigs into the air she flies,  
And while the chinking plate doth found then Argos full of eyes,  
The watchman shrinking close for cold that sleep yet never knew,  
Doth hear the noise while Hercules with metal of yellow hue  
Well laden packs away, and left the grove befliched clean.  
The hound of hell did hold his tongue drawn by in triple chain,  
Nor bark with any boughing throat, nor could abide the heme,  
Or colour of the heavenly light, whose beams he never knew.  
When thou wert captain General, and didst conduct our Host,  
(They that) of dardan's line, to come their Stock do falsely boast,  
Were vanquished by force of arms and since they felt again  
Thy Grey goose wing, whose bitterness to fear might them constrain.   

THE fift act.  CASSANDRA. 
WIthin a revel rexe is kept,  
as sore as ever was,  
Even at the ten years siege of Troy:  
What thing is this? (alas)  
Get up my soul, and of the rage  
avengement worthy crave:  
Though Phrygians we be vanquished,  
the victory we have.  
The matter well is brought about:  
up Troy thou risest now,  
Thou flat on floor hast pulled down Greece, to lie as low as thou.  
Thy Conqueror doth turn his Face: my prophesying sprite  
Did never yet disclose to me so notable a sight:  
I see the same, and am thereat, and busied in the broil,  
No vision fond fantastical my senses doth beguile:  
Such fare as Phrygians feasts with on last unhappy night  
At Agamemnon's royal court full daintily they dight:  
With purple hangings all adorned the broidered Beds do shine,  
In old Assarack's goblet's gylt they swink and swill the wine.  
The King in gorgeous royal robes on chair of State doth sit,  
And pranked with pride of Priam's pomp of whom he conquered it.  
Put of this hostile weed, to him, (the Queen, his Wife 'gan say,)  
And of thy loving Lady wrought wear rather this array.  
This garment knit. It makes me loath, that shivering here I stand.  
O shall a King be murdered, by a banished wretch's hand?  
Out, shall Th'adulterer destroy the husband of the Wife?  
The dreadful destinies approached, the food that last in life  
He tasted of before his death, their masters blood shall see,  
The gubs of blood down dropping on the wind shall powered be.  
By traitorous trick of trapping weed his death is brought about,  
Which being put upon his head his hands could not get out,  
The stopped poke with mouth set ope his muffled head doth hide,  
The mankind dame with trembling hand the sword drew from her side,  
Nor to the utmost of her might it in his flesh she thrust,  
But in the giving of the stroke she stayed all aghast,  
He as it were a bristled Boar entangled in the net  
Among the briars in bushy woods yet trieth out to get.  
With struggling much the shrinking bands more straightly he doth bind.  
He strives in vain, and would fly of the snare that doth him blind.  
Which catcheth hold on every side. But yet th'entangled wretch  
Doth grope about, his subtle foes with griping hand to catch.  
But furious Tyndaris prepared the Pole-axe in her hand,  
And as the priest to sacrifice at Th'altar side doth stand,  
And views with eye the bullocks neck, ere that with Axe he smite,  
So to and fro she heaves her hand to strike and level right.  
He hath the stroke: dispatched it is: not quite chopped of the head  
It hangeth by a little crop: here from the Carcase dead  
The spouting blood came gushing out: and there the head doth lie,  
With wallowing, bobling, mumbling tongue: nor they do by and bye  
Forsake him so: the breathless corpse Aegist doth all to coil:  
And mangled hath the gashed corpses: while thus he doth him spoil,  
She putteth to her helping hand: by detestable deed  
They both accord unto the kind, whereof they do proceed.  
Dame Helen's sister right she is, and he Thyestes son:  
Lo doubtful Titan standeth still the day now being done,  
Not knowing whether best to keep still on his wonted way,  
Or turn his wheels unto the path of dire Thyestes day.  

THE fift act. THE second scene.  ELECTRA. 
O Thou whom of our Father's death  
the only help we have,  
Fly, fly, from force of furious foes,  
make haste thyself to save:  
Our house is topsy-turvy tossed,  
our Stock is cast away,  
Our ruthful realms to ruin run, our kingdoms do decay.  
Who cometh here in Chariot swift thus galloping a main?  
Brother, disguised in thy weed let me thy person fain.  
O Buzzard blind, what dost thou mean from foreign folk to fly?  
Whom dost thou shun? it doth behove to fear this family.  
Orestes now be bold, and set all shivering fear aside,  
The certain succour of a trusty friend I have espied.   

THE fift act. THE THIRD SCENE.  Strophilus. Electra. 
WIth solemn Pomp I Strophilus  
forsaking Phocis' land,  
Bearing a branch of palm, that grows  
at Elis, in my hand,  
Returned back I am, the cause  
that willed me hither wend,  
Is with these gifts to gratify  
and welcome home my friend,  
Whose valiant army scaled, and shook  
the tattered Trojan walls,  
Who wearied with the ten years war, now flat on floor she falls.  
What woeful wight is this that stains her mourning face with tears,  
And drowned deep in drousp dumps oppressed is with fears?  
I know full well this damsel is of princes lineage borne.  
What cause Electra hath this joyful family to morn?  ELE. 
By treason that my mother wrought, my Father lieth slain,  
And drinking of their father's cup the children do complain.  
Aegist engrosseth castles got by fornication.  STR. 
A lack that of so long a time, felicity is none.  ELE. 
I thee request even for the jove my father thou dost owe,  
And for the honour of the crown, whose brute abroad both grow  
In every coast: and by the Gods that diversly do deal,  
Take into thy tuition, convey away, and steal,  
This poor Orest: such kind of theft is piety in deed.  STR. 
Although that Agamamemnon's death doth teach me to take heed,  
Yet will I undertake the same, and with all diligence  
Orestes shall I go about with strength to have thee hence.  
Prosperity requireth faith, but trouble exacts the same,  
Have here a price for those that do contend and wage in game.  
An Ornament with comely grace ordained to deck the brow,  
And let thy head be covered with this green and pleasant bow.  
And carry this victorious triumphant branch in hand.  
God grant this palm that planted was in fertile Pisa land,  
(Where solemn games were celebrate jove's honour to express)  
May both a safeguard be to thee, and bring thee good success.  
Thou that bestrides thy father's steeds, as he before hath done,  
Go strike a league of amity with Pylades my son.  
Now nimble Nags let Greece hereof recording testify,  
With headlong scouring course amain this traitorous country fly.  ELE. 
He is escaped and gone, and with unmeasurable might  
The Chariot horse with rain at will do scud out of my sight.  
Now free from peril on my foe's attendance will I make.  
And offer willingly my head the deadly wound to take.  
The cruel conqueress of her spouse is come, whose spotted weed  
With sprinkles (sign of slaughter) do bear record of her deed.  
Her gory hands new bathed in blood as yet they be not dry,  
Her rough and churlish rigorous looks the fact do notify.  
Unto the Temple will I trudge. Cassandra suffer me,  
Oppressed with equal grief, take part of sacrifice with thee.   

THE fift act. THE FOURTH SCENE.  Clytemnestra. Electra. AEgisthus. Cassandra. 
O Thou thy Mother's Enemy,  
ungracious saucy face.  
After what sorre dost thou a maid  
appear in public plate?  ELEC. 
I have with my virginity  
the bowers of Bawds forsook.  CLY. 
What man is het, that ever thee to be a virgin took?  E. 
What your own daughter?  C. 
With thy mother more modest should,  EL. 
Do you at length begin to preach, such godliness to me. thou be.  CL. 
A marily stomach stout thou baste with swelling haughty heart.  
Subdued with sorrow learn thou shall to play a woman's part.  EL. 
A sword and buckler very well a woman doth beseem,  
(Except I dote.)  CL. 
thyself dost thou hail-fellow with us esteem?  EL. 
What Agamemnon new is this, whom thou hast got of late?  CL. 
Hereafter shall I tame, and teach thy girlish tongue to prate.  
And make thee know, how to a Queen thy taunting to forbear.  EL. 
The whilst (thou widow) answered me directly to this gear.  
Thy husband is bereaved quite of breath, his life is done.  CL 
Inquire where thy brother is, so seek about my son.  EL. 
He is departed out of Greece.  CL. 
Go fetch him out of hand.  EL. 
Fetch thou my father unto me.  CL. 
Give me to understand,  
Where doth he lurking hide his head? where is he shrunk away?  EL. 
All plunge of perils past he is, and at a quiet stay,  
And in another Kingdom where no harm he doth mistrust,  
This answer were sufficient, to please a Parent trust.  
But one whose breast doth boil in wrath, it cannot satisfy.  CL. 
Today by death thou shalt receive thy fatal destiny.  EL. 
On this condition am I pleased, the Altar to forsake,  
If that this hanc shall do the deed, my death when I shall take.  
Or else if in my throat to bathe thy blade, thou do delight,  
Most willingly I yield my throat, and give thee leave to smite.  
Or if thou will chop of my head in brutish beastly guise,  
My neck a waiting for the wound out stretched ready lies.  
Thou hast committed sinfully a great and grievous guilt.  
Go purge thy hardened hands, the which thy husband's blood have spilled.  CL. 
O thou that of my perils all dost suffer part with me,  
And in my realm dost also rule with equal dignity,  
Aegisthus, art thou glad at this? (as doth her not behove,)  
With checks and taunts the daughter doth her mother's malice move.  
she keeps her brother's counsel close conveyed out of the way.  AEGI. 
Thou malapert and witless wench, thine cluishe prating stay,  
Refrain those words unfit thy Mother's glowing cares to vex.  EL. 
What shall the breeder of this broil control me with his checks,  
Whose father's gut it hath caused him to have a doubtful name,  
Who both is to his sister, son, and Nephew to the same?  CL. 
To snap her head of with thy sword Aegist dost thou refrain?  
Let her give up the ghost: or bring her brother straight again:  
Let her be locked in dungeon dark, and let her spend her days,  
In Caves & Rocks, with painful pangs, torment her every ways.  
I hope him whom she hidden hath she will again descry,  
Through being clapped in prison strong and suffering poverty  
With irksome and unsavoury smells on every side annoyed,  
enforced to wear a widow's weed, ere wedding day enjoyed:  
Put in exile and banishment when each man doth her hate:  
So shall she be by misery compelled to yield too late,  
prohibited of wholesome air fruition to have.  EL. 
Grant me my doom by means of death to pass unto my grave.  CL. 
I would have granted it to thee, if thou should it deny.  
Unskilful is the tyrant, who by suffering wretches die  
Doth end their pains.  EL. 
what after death doth any thing remain?  CL. 
And if thou do desire to die, the same see you refrain.  
Lay hands sirs on this wondrous wretch, whom being carried on,  
Even to the furthest corner of my jurisdiction.  
Far out beyond Mycenae's land in bonds let her be bound,  
With darkness divi in hideous hold let her be closed round.  
This captive Spouse and wicked Quean, the Trull of princes bed  
Shall pay her pains, and suffer death by losing of her head.  
Come, hale her on, that she may follow, that way my spouse is gone,  
Whose love from me enticed was.  CAS. 
Do not thus hale me on.  
I will before you take the way, these tidings first to tell  
Unto my country men of Troy beneath in lowest hell.  
How overwhelmed ships each where are spread the seas upon:  
And Mycenae country conquered, is brought in subjection.  
He that of thousand captains was grand captain general,  
Come to as great calamity as Troy itself did fall,  
Entrapped was by traitorous train, and whoredom of his Wife,  
And by a gift received of her, deprived of his Life.  
Let us not linger: on with me, and thanks I do you give.  
I joy, that it might be my hap, thus after Troy to live.  CL. 
Go to, prepare thyself to die thou frantic raging wight.  CAS. 
The frenzy fits of fury fell on you shall also light.  EURIBATES. Added to the Tragedy, by the Translator. 
ALas ye hateful hellish Hags,  
ye furies foul and fell,  
Why cause ye rusty rancours rage  
in noble hearts to dwell?  
And cankered hate in boiling breasts  
to grow from age to age?  
Could not the grandsire's painful pangs  
the children's wrath assuage?  
Nor famine faint of pining paunch, with burning thirst of hell,  
Amid the blackest stream of Sticks where poisoning breathes do dwell.  
Where vapours boil parbraking out from dampish miry mud,  
Increase the pains of Tantalus deserved by guiltless blood,  
Could not thine own offence suffice Thyestes in thy Life,  
To file thy brother's spousal Bed, and to abuse his Wife?  
But after breath from body fled, and Life thy Limbs hath left,  
Can not remembrance of revenge out of thy breast be reft?  
What, yet hast thou not laid thy lips, taste of Lethe's flood?  
Now after death why dost thou come to move thy son to blood?  
Could cruel Ditis grant to thee thy passport back again?  
To work this woe upon the world, and make such rigour reign,  
That Clytaemnestra is become the fifty sister dire  
Of Danaus' daughters, that did once their husband's death conspire.  
Lo here how fickle fortune gives but brittle fading joy.  
Lot, he who late a Conqueror triumphed over Troy,  
Enduring many sturdy storms with mighty toil and pain  
To sow the seed of fame, hath reaped small fruit thereof again.  
whenas his honour budding forth with flower began to bloom,  
(Alas) the stock was hewed down and sent to deadly doom.  
And they that of his victory and coming home were glad,  
To sudden mourning change their mirth with heaviness bestead.  
The lusty pomp of royal court is dead: (O doleful day)  
The people moan their princes death with woe and weal away:  
With howling crying, wringing hands, with sobs, with sighs, & tears,  
And with their fists they beat their breasts, they pull & hale their hears.  
And as the sheep amazed run, and ramp about the field,  
whenas their shepherd to the Wolf his gory throat doth yield  
Even so as mad they rage and rave throughout Mycenae's land,  
Deprived of their Prince, they fear the bloody tyrants hand.  
While thus were woeful wailings heard in every place about,  
The good Cassandra (come from Troy) to death is haled out.  
Like as the Swan, who when the time of death approacheth nigh,  
By nature warned is thereof, and pleased well to die,  
Doth celebrate her funeral with dirge and solemn song:  
Even so the noble virgin who in woe hath lived long,  
Most joyful goes she to her death with mild and pleasant face,  
Stout bovistring out her burly breast with princely port and grace.  
Nothing dismayed with courage bold, and cheerful countenance,  
On stage ordained for her death she 'gan herself advance:  
As though she had not thither come, to leave her loathsome life,  
As though she had not come, to taste the stroke of fatal knife.  
But even as it in bridal bed her journey were to meet  
Corebus dear, not having mind of death, nor winding sheet,  
When looking round on every side she took her leave of all,  
From vapoured eyes of young and old the trickling tears do fall.  
The Greeks themselves to grief are moved to see this heavy sight,  
So pity pierced the hdadman's heart, that thrice about to smite  
He stayed the smote: with shivering hand yet once again he tried.  
And from her shoulders stroke her head. And thus the virgin died.  
But now the Greeks another cause of mourning have in hand:  
Orestes, Agamemnon's some, is forced to fly the land.  
Among old rotten ragged Rocks there lies an ugly place.  
A Dungeon deep, as dark as hell, unknown to Phoebus face.  
An hollow huge wide gaping hole, with way still bending down,  
Whose mouth with venomous withered weeds is hid and overgrown,  
Where stinking smells come belching out from filthy dirty dyke.  
Where vermin vile do creep and crawl, in hell is not the like.  
Ill-favoured, foul misshapen bugs, do luck about this cave,  
With dreadful sounds, and roaring noise within the pit they rave.  
Even heather is Electra sent, in darkness deep to lie,  
In poverty, and comfortless without the light of sky,  
Fast clogged with Iron bolts and Chains, thus by her mother laid  
In torments, till by her to death Orestes be betrayed:  
gave (as Cassandra telleth) shall revenge his father's death,  
Deprive with sword th'adulteror, and Mother both of breath.  
So after all these bloody broil, Greece never shall be free:  
But blood for blood, and death by turns, the after age shall see.  
FINIS.