Classic Poem

Nuntius, Chorus, Silvia, Daphne. [Nun:]

I am so full of woe, so full of horror
As all I heare and whatsoere I looke on
Me thinks afflicts, disquiets, and affrights me. Cho:

What strange newes brings this man, that seemes to me
So troubled in his lookes, and in his speech? Nun:

I bring the sad newes of Aminta's death. Sil:

Ay me what sayes he? Nun:

Aminta noblest Shepherd of these woods;
That was so comely and so gratious;
So deare unto the Nymphes, and to the Muses;
And dead but ev'ne a ladd. Cho:

Ah of what death?
Tell us, ah tell all; that we may in one
Lament with thee his mischiefe, and our owne. Sil:

Ay me my heart failes me'; I dare not approach
Th' unwelcome newes which I of force must heare.
Wilde breast of mine, obdurate heart of mine,
What fear'st thou now? go hardly, presse upon
The murth'ring knives that are in yon mans tongue;
And there display thy fiercenes? freind, I come
To beare my part of all the woe thou bringest;
Perhaps it does concerne me more by much
Then th'art aware of; It belongs to me;
Grutch me not on't then. Nun:

Nimphe I doe beleeve thee;
For ev'ne upon his death, I heard the wretch
Call still upon thy name to his last breath. Da:

Now, now beginnes, the heavy history. Nun:

I was upon the middes of yon high hill,
Where I had spred abroad some netts of mine
To drie them, when not far off from me, came
Aminta by, with a sad clowdy looke,
And altred much from what he wont to bee
Both in his face and fashion; which I spying
Ranne after him; and staying him, quoth hee
Ergastus thou must doe a curtesie
For me of much importance and availe;
'Tis to goe with me but a little hence,
For witnesse of a deede I have to doo;
But first I'le have thee binde thy faith to me
By a strict oath to stand aloofe from mee
And not approach to lett or hinder that
That I shall do: I (that could nere have dream't
Of such a furious madnesse in him) yeelded
To's will; and made desperate invocations
Calling to witness Pan, and Priapus:
Pales, Pomona ', and nightly Hecate ,
Which done, he led me higher up the hill:
Where, clambring through wilde rocky passages,
(By wayes nere found, and never trode before)
Wee gayn'd the top, that over-hung a valley,
'Twixt which and us was a steepe precipice,
And there we stay'd; I casting downe mine eye,
Began for feare to tremble, and shrunke back.
After a little pause, he smil'de me thought,
And seem'd more cheerfull then he was before;
And that made me misdoubt him lesse then ever:
After that; (quoth he to me) see thou tell
The Nimphes and Shepherds what thou shalt behold;
Then looking downe, Ah that I had (sayd he)
So ready at my will, the throat and teeth
Of those same greedy Wolves, as these rocks be;
I would not dye of other death, then she
Who was my life; nor have my carkass torne
But by those teeth that tore those delicate
And beautious limbs of hers; but since that heav'n
Denies so great a blessing to me, I
Must be content some other way to dye;
And though a worse way, yet a speedier.
Silvia I follow thee, Silvia I come
To beare thee company,
If thou disdaine me not; O I should dye
Much more contentedly; were I but sure
My follow'ing thee would not disquiet thee,
And that thy hate had ending with thy life:
Silvia I follow thee, I come. Which sayd,
Downe from the place he headlong threw himselfe,
And I turn'd yce to see't. Da:

Wretched Aminta. Sil:

Ay mee, ay mee. Cho:

Why didst not hinder him?
Perhaps the oath thou took'st barr'd thee to doo't? Nun:
Not so; for setting all such oathes at nought,
(Vaine doubtlesse in such cases) when I saw
Whither his fond and headdy madnesse tended,
I reacht at him; and (as ill hap would have it)
Layd hold but of this thinne scarfe, wherewithall
He girt himselfe: which (all too weake to beare
His bodies weight, that rested all upon't)
Remayn'd broke in my hand. Cho:

And what became
Of the unhappy carkass? Nun:

I know not;
For I was so dead strucken at the sight,
As my heart would not suffer me, to looke
And see him dasht to peeces. Cho:

O strange fate. Sil:

Ay mee, were I not made of stone indeede,
This newes would kill me. Ah if the false death
Of me that car'd no more for him, was cause
Enough to end his life;
Much more cause is there that the certaine death
Of him that lov'd me so, should be enough
To end my life; and it shall end my life;
And if griefe cannot do't, the sharpe steele shall;
Or else this girdle heere, which justly stayes
As loath to follow his sweet Masters ruines,
Till it have done on me the due revenge
Of his sad death, and my ingratitude.
Unhappy girdle (relique of a more
Unhappy Master) ah do not disdaine
T'abide a while with one so odious;
For thou shalt stay but to be th'instrument
Of his revenge, and of my punishment.
I might have bin, alas I should have bin
Yoke-fellow with Aminta heere on earth;
But since that cannot be, by thy helpe now
I'le finde him out among th'infernall shades,
And there goe beare him better company. Cho:

Content thee (thou sad soule) 'tis Fortunes fault,
And not by thy meane, that this ill is wrought. Sil:

Shepherds why plaine yee? if yee moane my woes,
I do deserve no pitty; that have bin
My selfe so pittilesse; if yee wayie the death
Of the poore Innocent, ah tis too small;
Griefe is too poore to pay his deede withall.
And Daphne thou I prethee dry thy teares;
If for my sake thou weep'st; for my sake cease.
And for his sake that was a thousand times
More worth then I: and go along and helpe me
To finde th' unhappy bones; and bury them;
'Tis that alone that keepes me still alive,
And that I do not ev'n now kill my selfe.
It is the least and last duty is left
For me to do him, for the love he bore me;
And though this vile hand of mine, might perhaps
Blemish the piety' of so just a deede;
Yet he I know will like the deede the better,
For being done by it; for I am sure
He loves me still; his death assures it me. Da:

I am content to' assist thee' in seeking him;
But talke (for heav'ns sake) of this death no more.
Alas wee've had too much of that before. Sil:

Till now I've lived only unto my selfe,
And my owne wayward humor: for the rest,
I vowe it all to' Aminta; and if to him
I may not, I'le live yet to his colde carkass,
Till I have done it the last obsequies:
So long I may; longer I will not live.
But Shepherd set me in the way (I pray')
Unto the valley at the high hills foote. Nun:

There o'that hand 'tis, and not far from hence. Da:'

I'le goe along and guide thee, for I well
Remember't. Sil:

Farwell Shepherds, Nimphes farwell;
Farwell woods, fields, and flocks; farwell, farwell. Nun:

This mayden speakes me thinkes in such a straine,
As if shee went nere to returne againe.

Chorus

Love ; thou rejoyn'st what Death unbinds
(Thou friend of Peace but shee of Bloud;)
Yet thou her Triumphes over raignest;
And in uniting gentle mindes,
Mak'st Earth so heavn'ly an abode,
As thou to dwell among us daynest:
Thou smooth'st the rugged hearts of men;
And inward rancors driv'st away
(Great prince of happy peace;) and when
Milde breasts are troubled, do'st allay
Their woes; and by thy working strange,
Framst of things mortall, an eternall change.