Arraignment of Paris, The - Act 2, Scena 1
ACT II.
SCENA I.
Venus , J UNO , P ALLAS .
Ven. ex abrupto. But pray you, tell me, Juno, was it so,
As Pallas told me here the tale of Echo?
Juno. She was a nymph indeed, as Pallas tells,
A walker, such as in these thickets dwells;
And as she told what subtle juggling pranks
She play'd with Juno, so she told her thanks:
A tattling trull to come at every call,
And now, forsooth, nor tongue nor life at all.
And though perhaps she was a help to Jove,
And held me chat while he might court his love,
Believe me, dames, I am of this opinion,
He took but little pleasure in the minion;
And whatsoe'er his scapes have been beside,
Dare say for him, 'a never stray'd so wide:
A lovely nut-brown lass or lusty trull
Have power perhaps to make a god a bull.
Ven. Gramercy, gentle Juno, for that jest;
I' faith, that item was worth all the rest.
Pal. No matter, Venus, howsoe'er you scorn,
My father Jove at that time ware the horn.
Juno. Had every wanton god above, Venus, not better luck,
Then heaven would be a pleasant park, and Mars a lusty buck.
Ven. Tut, Mars hath horns to butt withal, although no bull 'a shows.
'A never needs to mask in nets, 'a fears no jealous froes.
Juno. Forsooth, the better is his turn, for, if'a speak too loud,
Must find some shift to shadow him, a net or else a cloud.
Pal. No more of this fair goddesses; unrip not so your shames,
To stand all naked to the world, that bene such heavenly dames.
Juno. Nay, Pallas, that's a common trick with Venus well we know,
And all the gods in heaven have seen her naked long ago.
Ven. And then she was so fair and bright, and lovely and so trim,
As Mars is but for Venus' tooth, and she will sport with him:
And, but me list not here to make comparison with Jove,
Mars is no ranger, Juno, he, in every open grove.
Pal. Too much of this: we wander far, the skies begin to scowl;
Retire we to Diana's bower, the weather will be foul.
The storm being past of thunder and lightning, and A TE having trundled the ball into place, crying, " Fatum Trojae, " J UNO taketh the ball up and speaketh .
Juno. Pallas, the storm is past and gone, and Phaebus clears the skies,
And, lo, behold a ball of gold, a fair and worthy prize!
Ven. This posy wills the apple to the fairest given be;
Then is it mine, for Venus hight the fairest of the three.
Pal. The fairest here, as fair is meant, am I, ye do me wrong;
And if the fairest have it must, to me it doth belong.
Juno. Then Juno may it not enjoy, so every one says no,
But I will prove myself the fairest, ere I lose it so.
The brief is this, Detur pulcherrimae ,
Let this unto the fairest given be,
The fairest of the three, — and I am she.
Pal. Detur pulcherrimae,
Let this unto the fairest given be,
The fairest of the three, — and I am she.
Ven. Detur pulcherrimae,
Let this unto the fairest given be,
The fairest of the three, — and I am she.
Juno . My face is fair; but yet the majesty,
That all the gods in heaven have seen in me,
Have made them choose me, of the planets seven,
To be the wife of Jove and queen of heaven.
If, then, this prize be but bequeathed to beauty,
The only she that wins this prize am I.
Ven . That Venus is the fairest, this doth prove,
That Venus is the lovely Queen of Love:
The name of Venus is indeed but beauty,
And men me fairest call per excellency.
If, then, this prize be but bequeathed to beauty,
The only she that wins this prize am I.
Pal . To stand on terms of beauty as you take it,
Believe me, ladies, is but to mistake it.
The beauty that this subtle prize must win,
No outward beauty hight, but dwells within;
And sift it as you please, and you shall find,
This beauty is the beauty of the mind:
This fairness, virtue hight in general,
That many branches hath in special;
This beauty wisdom hight, whereof am I,
By heaven appointed, goddess worthily.
And look how much the mind, the better part,
Doth overpass the body in desert,
So much the mistress of those gifts divine
Excels thy beauty, and that state of thine.
Then, if this prize be thus bequeathed to beauty,
The only she that wins this prize am I.
Ven . Nay, Pallas, by your leave you wander clean:
We must not conster hereof as you mean,
But take the sense as it is plainly meant;
And let the fairest ha't, I am content.
Pal . Our reasons will be infinite, I trow,
Unless unto some other point we grow:
But first here's none, methinks, disposed to yield,
And none but will with words maintain the field.
Juno . Then, if you will, t' avoid a tedious grudge,
Refer it to the sentence of a judge;
Whoe'er he be that cometh next in place,
Let him bestow the ball and end the case.
Ven . So can it not go wrong with me at all.
Pal . I am agreed, however it befal:
And yet by common doom, so may it be,
I may be said the fairest of the three.
Juno . Then yonder, lo, that shepherd swain is he,
That must be umpire in this controversy!
P ARIS alone. Manentibus P AL ., J UNONE , V ENERE .
Ven . Juno, in happy time, I do accept the man;
It seemeth by his looks some skill of love he can.
Par . The nymph is gone, and I, all solitary,
Must wend to tend my charge, oppressed with melancholy.
This day (or else me fails my shepherd's skill)
Will tide me passing good or passing ill.
Juno . Shepherd, abash not, though at sudden thus
Thou be arrived by ignorance among us,
Not earthly but divine, and goddesses all three;
Juno, Pallas, Venus, these our titles be.
Nor fear to speak for reverence of the place,
Chosen to end a hard and doubtful case.
This apple, lo (nor ask thou whence it came),
Is to be given unto the fairest dame!
And fairest is, nor she, nor she, but she,
Whom, shepherd, thou shalt fairest name to be.
This is thy charge; fulfil without offence,
And she that wins shall give thee recompense.
Pal . Dread not to speak, for we have chosen thee,
Sith in this case we can no judges be.
Ven . And, shepherd, say that I the fairest am,
And thou shalt win good guerdon for the same.
Juno . Nay, shepherd, look upon my stately grace,
Because the pomp that 'longs to Juno's mace
Thou mayst not see; and think Queen Juno's name,
To whom old shepherds title works of fame,
Is mighty, and may easily suffice,
At Phaebus' hand, to gain a golden prize.
And for thy meed, sith I am queen of riches,
Shepherd, I will reward thee with great monarchies,
Empires, and kingdoms, heaps of massy gold,
Sceptres and diadems curious to behold,
Rich robes, of sumptuous workmanship and cost,
And thousand things whereof I make no boast:
The mould whereon thou treadest shall be of Tagus' sands,
And Xanthus shall run liquid gold for thee to wash thy hands;
And if thou like to tend thy flock, and not from them to fly,
Their fleeces shall be curled gold to please their master's eye;
And last, to set thy heart on fire, give this one fruit to me,
And, shepherd, lo, this tree of gold will I bestow on thee!
J UNO'S Show .
Hereupon did rise a Tree of Gold laden with diadems and crowns of gold.
The ground whereon it grows, the grass, the root of gold,
The body and the bark of gold, all glistering to behold,
The leaves of burnished gold, the fruits that thereon grow
Are diadems set with pearl in gold, in gorgeous glistering show;
And if this tree of gold in lieu may not suffice,
Require a grove of golden trees, so Juno bear the prize.
Pal . Me list not tempt thee with decaying wealth,
Which is embased by want of lusty health;
But if thou have a mind to fly above,
Y-crown'd with fame, near to the seat of Jove,
If thou aspire to wisdom's worthiness,
Whereof thou mayst not see the brightness,
If thou desire honour of chivalry,
To be renown'd for happy victory,
To fight it out, and in the champaign field
To shroud thee under Pallas' warlike shield,
To prance on barbed steeds, this honour, lo,
Myself for guerdon shall on thee bestow!
And for encouragement, that thou mayst see
What famous knights Dame Pallas' warriors be,
Behold in Pallas' honour here they come,
Marching along with sound of thundering drum.
P ALLAS' Show .
Hereupon did enter Nine Knights in armour, treading a warlike almain, by drum and fife; and then [they] having marched forth again . Venus speaks .
Ven . Come, shepherd, come, sweet shepherd, look on me,
These bene too hot alarums these for thee:
But if thou wilt give me the golden ball,
Cupid my boy shall ha't to play withal,
That, whensoe'er this apple he shall see,
The God of Love himself shall think on thee,
And bid thee look and choose, and he will wound
Whereso thy fancy's object shall be found;
And lightly, when he shoots, he doth not miss:
And I will give thee many a lovely kiss,
And come and play with thee on Ida here;
And if thou wilt a face that hath no peer,
A gallant girl, a lusty minion trull,
That can give sport to thee thy bellyfull,
To ravish all thy beating veins with joy,
Here is a lass of Venus' court, my boy,
Here, gentle shepherd, here's for thee a piece,
The fairest face, the flower of gallant Greece.
Venus' Show .
Here H ELEN entereth in her bravery; with four Cupids attending on her, each having his fan in his hand to fan fresh air in her face: she singeth as followeth .
Se Diana nel cielo e una stella
Chiara e lucente, piena di splendore,
Che porge luc' all' affanato cuore;
Se Diana nel ferno e una dea,
Che da conforto all' anime dannate,
Che per amor son morte desperate;
Se Diana, ch' in terra e delle nimphe
Reina imperativa di dolci fiori,
Tra bosch' e selve da morte a pastori;
Io son un Diana dolce e rara,
Che con li guardi io posso far guerra
A Dian' infern', in cielo, e in terra.
The song being ended , H ELEN departeth, and P ARIS speaketh .
Par . Most heavenly dames, was never man as I,
Poor shepherd swain so happy and unhappy;
The least of these delights that you devise,
Able to rape and dazzle human eyes.
But since my silence may not pardon'd be,
And I appoint which is the fairest she,
Pardon, most sacred dames, sith one, not all,
By Paris' doom must have this golden ball.
Thy beauty, stately Juno, dame divine,
That like to Phaebus' golden beams doth shine,
Approves itself to be most excellent;
But that fair face that doth me most content,
Sith fair, fair dames, is neither she nor she,
But she whom I shall fairest deem to be,
That face is hers that hight the Queen of Love,
Whose sweetness doth both gods and creatures move;
And if the fairest face deserve the ball,
Fair Venus, ladies, bears it from ye all.
Ven . And in this ball doth Venus more delight
Than in her lovely boy fair Cupid's sight.
Come, shepherd, come; sweet Venus is thy friend;
No matter how thou other gods offend.
Juno . But he shall rue and ban the dismal day
Wherein his Venus bare the ball away;
And heaven and earth just witnesses shall be,
I will revenge it on his progeny.
Pal . Well, Juno, whether we be lief or loth,
Venus hath got the apple from us both.
SCENA I.
Venus , J UNO , P ALLAS .
Ven. ex abrupto. But pray you, tell me, Juno, was it so,
As Pallas told me here the tale of Echo?
Juno. She was a nymph indeed, as Pallas tells,
A walker, such as in these thickets dwells;
And as she told what subtle juggling pranks
She play'd with Juno, so she told her thanks:
A tattling trull to come at every call,
And now, forsooth, nor tongue nor life at all.
And though perhaps she was a help to Jove,
And held me chat while he might court his love,
Believe me, dames, I am of this opinion,
He took but little pleasure in the minion;
And whatsoe'er his scapes have been beside,
Dare say for him, 'a never stray'd so wide:
A lovely nut-brown lass or lusty trull
Have power perhaps to make a god a bull.
Ven. Gramercy, gentle Juno, for that jest;
I' faith, that item was worth all the rest.
Pal. No matter, Venus, howsoe'er you scorn,
My father Jove at that time ware the horn.
Juno. Had every wanton god above, Venus, not better luck,
Then heaven would be a pleasant park, and Mars a lusty buck.
Ven. Tut, Mars hath horns to butt withal, although no bull 'a shows.
'A never needs to mask in nets, 'a fears no jealous froes.
Juno. Forsooth, the better is his turn, for, if'a speak too loud,
Must find some shift to shadow him, a net or else a cloud.
Pal. No more of this fair goddesses; unrip not so your shames,
To stand all naked to the world, that bene such heavenly dames.
Juno. Nay, Pallas, that's a common trick with Venus well we know,
And all the gods in heaven have seen her naked long ago.
Ven. And then she was so fair and bright, and lovely and so trim,
As Mars is but for Venus' tooth, and she will sport with him:
And, but me list not here to make comparison with Jove,
Mars is no ranger, Juno, he, in every open grove.
Pal. Too much of this: we wander far, the skies begin to scowl;
Retire we to Diana's bower, the weather will be foul.
The storm being past of thunder and lightning, and A TE having trundled the ball into place, crying, " Fatum Trojae, " J UNO taketh the ball up and speaketh .
Juno. Pallas, the storm is past and gone, and Phaebus clears the skies,
And, lo, behold a ball of gold, a fair and worthy prize!
Ven. This posy wills the apple to the fairest given be;
Then is it mine, for Venus hight the fairest of the three.
Pal. The fairest here, as fair is meant, am I, ye do me wrong;
And if the fairest have it must, to me it doth belong.
Juno. Then Juno may it not enjoy, so every one says no,
But I will prove myself the fairest, ere I lose it so.
The brief is this, Detur pulcherrimae ,
Let this unto the fairest given be,
The fairest of the three, — and I am she.
Pal. Detur pulcherrimae,
Let this unto the fairest given be,
The fairest of the three, — and I am she.
Ven. Detur pulcherrimae,
Let this unto the fairest given be,
The fairest of the three, — and I am she.
Juno . My face is fair; but yet the majesty,
That all the gods in heaven have seen in me,
Have made them choose me, of the planets seven,
To be the wife of Jove and queen of heaven.
If, then, this prize be but bequeathed to beauty,
The only she that wins this prize am I.
Ven . That Venus is the fairest, this doth prove,
That Venus is the lovely Queen of Love:
The name of Venus is indeed but beauty,
And men me fairest call per excellency.
If, then, this prize be but bequeathed to beauty,
The only she that wins this prize am I.
Pal . To stand on terms of beauty as you take it,
Believe me, ladies, is but to mistake it.
The beauty that this subtle prize must win,
No outward beauty hight, but dwells within;
And sift it as you please, and you shall find,
This beauty is the beauty of the mind:
This fairness, virtue hight in general,
That many branches hath in special;
This beauty wisdom hight, whereof am I,
By heaven appointed, goddess worthily.
And look how much the mind, the better part,
Doth overpass the body in desert,
So much the mistress of those gifts divine
Excels thy beauty, and that state of thine.
Then, if this prize be thus bequeathed to beauty,
The only she that wins this prize am I.
Ven . Nay, Pallas, by your leave you wander clean:
We must not conster hereof as you mean,
But take the sense as it is plainly meant;
And let the fairest ha't, I am content.
Pal . Our reasons will be infinite, I trow,
Unless unto some other point we grow:
But first here's none, methinks, disposed to yield,
And none but will with words maintain the field.
Juno . Then, if you will, t' avoid a tedious grudge,
Refer it to the sentence of a judge;
Whoe'er he be that cometh next in place,
Let him bestow the ball and end the case.
Ven . So can it not go wrong with me at all.
Pal . I am agreed, however it befal:
And yet by common doom, so may it be,
I may be said the fairest of the three.
Juno . Then yonder, lo, that shepherd swain is he,
That must be umpire in this controversy!
P ARIS alone. Manentibus P AL ., J UNONE , V ENERE .
Ven . Juno, in happy time, I do accept the man;
It seemeth by his looks some skill of love he can.
Par . The nymph is gone, and I, all solitary,
Must wend to tend my charge, oppressed with melancholy.
This day (or else me fails my shepherd's skill)
Will tide me passing good or passing ill.
Juno . Shepherd, abash not, though at sudden thus
Thou be arrived by ignorance among us,
Not earthly but divine, and goddesses all three;
Juno, Pallas, Venus, these our titles be.
Nor fear to speak for reverence of the place,
Chosen to end a hard and doubtful case.
This apple, lo (nor ask thou whence it came),
Is to be given unto the fairest dame!
And fairest is, nor she, nor she, but she,
Whom, shepherd, thou shalt fairest name to be.
This is thy charge; fulfil without offence,
And she that wins shall give thee recompense.
Pal . Dread not to speak, for we have chosen thee,
Sith in this case we can no judges be.
Ven . And, shepherd, say that I the fairest am,
And thou shalt win good guerdon for the same.
Juno . Nay, shepherd, look upon my stately grace,
Because the pomp that 'longs to Juno's mace
Thou mayst not see; and think Queen Juno's name,
To whom old shepherds title works of fame,
Is mighty, and may easily suffice,
At Phaebus' hand, to gain a golden prize.
And for thy meed, sith I am queen of riches,
Shepherd, I will reward thee with great monarchies,
Empires, and kingdoms, heaps of massy gold,
Sceptres and diadems curious to behold,
Rich robes, of sumptuous workmanship and cost,
And thousand things whereof I make no boast:
The mould whereon thou treadest shall be of Tagus' sands,
And Xanthus shall run liquid gold for thee to wash thy hands;
And if thou like to tend thy flock, and not from them to fly,
Their fleeces shall be curled gold to please their master's eye;
And last, to set thy heart on fire, give this one fruit to me,
And, shepherd, lo, this tree of gold will I bestow on thee!
J UNO'S Show .
Hereupon did rise a Tree of Gold laden with diadems and crowns of gold.
The ground whereon it grows, the grass, the root of gold,
The body and the bark of gold, all glistering to behold,
The leaves of burnished gold, the fruits that thereon grow
Are diadems set with pearl in gold, in gorgeous glistering show;
And if this tree of gold in lieu may not suffice,
Require a grove of golden trees, so Juno bear the prize.
Pal . Me list not tempt thee with decaying wealth,
Which is embased by want of lusty health;
But if thou have a mind to fly above,
Y-crown'd with fame, near to the seat of Jove,
If thou aspire to wisdom's worthiness,
Whereof thou mayst not see the brightness,
If thou desire honour of chivalry,
To be renown'd for happy victory,
To fight it out, and in the champaign field
To shroud thee under Pallas' warlike shield,
To prance on barbed steeds, this honour, lo,
Myself for guerdon shall on thee bestow!
And for encouragement, that thou mayst see
What famous knights Dame Pallas' warriors be,
Behold in Pallas' honour here they come,
Marching along with sound of thundering drum.
P ALLAS' Show .
Hereupon did enter Nine Knights in armour, treading a warlike almain, by drum and fife; and then [they] having marched forth again . Venus speaks .
Ven . Come, shepherd, come, sweet shepherd, look on me,
These bene too hot alarums these for thee:
But if thou wilt give me the golden ball,
Cupid my boy shall ha't to play withal,
That, whensoe'er this apple he shall see,
The God of Love himself shall think on thee,
And bid thee look and choose, and he will wound
Whereso thy fancy's object shall be found;
And lightly, when he shoots, he doth not miss:
And I will give thee many a lovely kiss,
And come and play with thee on Ida here;
And if thou wilt a face that hath no peer,
A gallant girl, a lusty minion trull,
That can give sport to thee thy bellyfull,
To ravish all thy beating veins with joy,
Here is a lass of Venus' court, my boy,
Here, gentle shepherd, here's for thee a piece,
The fairest face, the flower of gallant Greece.
Venus' Show .
Here H ELEN entereth in her bravery; with four Cupids attending on her, each having his fan in his hand to fan fresh air in her face: she singeth as followeth .
Se Diana nel cielo e una stella
Chiara e lucente, piena di splendore,
Che porge luc' all' affanato cuore;
Se Diana nel ferno e una dea,
Che da conforto all' anime dannate,
Che per amor son morte desperate;
Se Diana, ch' in terra e delle nimphe
Reina imperativa di dolci fiori,
Tra bosch' e selve da morte a pastori;
Io son un Diana dolce e rara,
Che con li guardi io posso far guerra
A Dian' infern', in cielo, e in terra.
The song being ended , H ELEN departeth, and P ARIS speaketh .
Par . Most heavenly dames, was never man as I,
Poor shepherd swain so happy and unhappy;
The least of these delights that you devise,
Able to rape and dazzle human eyes.
But since my silence may not pardon'd be,
And I appoint which is the fairest she,
Pardon, most sacred dames, sith one, not all,
By Paris' doom must have this golden ball.
Thy beauty, stately Juno, dame divine,
That like to Phaebus' golden beams doth shine,
Approves itself to be most excellent;
But that fair face that doth me most content,
Sith fair, fair dames, is neither she nor she,
But she whom I shall fairest deem to be,
That face is hers that hight the Queen of Love,
Whose sweetness doth both gods and creatures move;
And if the fairest face deserve the ball,
Fair Venus, ladies, bears it from ye all.
Ven . And in this ball doth Venus more delight
Than in her lovely boy fair Cupid's sight.
Come, shepherd, come; sweet Venus is thy friend;
No matter how thou other gods offend.
Juno . But he shall rue and ban the dismal day
Wherein his Venus bare the ball away;
And heaven and earth just witnesses shall be,
I will revenge it on his progeny.
Pal . Well, Juno, whether we be lief or loth,
Venus hath got the apple from us both.
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