ABSTRACT
Of Itys in his fathers face. And never more was shee } Desirous to have had hir speache, that able she might be Hir inward joy with worthie wordes to witnesse franke and
free. The tyrant with a hideous noyse away the table shoves, And reeres the fiends from Hell. One while with yauning
mouth he proves To perbrake up his meate againe, and cast his bowels out. Another while with wringing handes he weeping goes about. 840 And of his sonne he termes himselfe the wretched grave. Anon With naked sword and furious heart he followeth fierce upon Pandions daughters. He that had bin present would have
deemde Their bodies to have hovered up with fethers. As they seemde, So hovered they with wings in deede. Of who me the one away To woodward flies,l the other still about the house doth stay.2 And of their murther from their brestes not yet the token goth, For even still yet are stainde with bloud the fethers of them
both. And he through sorrow and desire of vengeance waxing,
The sorrow of this great mischaunce did stop Pandions breath
What furye fell enforceth me to flee thunhappie seate, That gape and gaspe with greedy jawe, the fleeyng foode to
eate? What god to Tantalus the bowres where breathyng bodies
dwell Doth showe agayne? is ought found worse then burning
be tome? Or shall my paynes be Tityus pangs thencreasing lyver stylI, Whose growyng gutts the gnawyng grypes and fYlthie foules
doe fylI? 10 That styll by night repayres the panche that was devowrde
by daie, And wondrows wombe unwasted lythe a new prepared praie. What yll am I appoynted for? 0 cruell judge of sprights, Who so thou be that torments newe among the soules
delights StylI to dyspose, adde what thou canst to all my deadly woe, That keper even of dungeon darke wolde sore abhorre to knoe, Or hell it selfe it quake to see: for dreade whereof lykewyse I tremble woulde, that plague seeke out: Loe nowe there dothe
aryse My broode, that shall in mischiefe farre the grandsiers gyIt out
goe, And gyltles make: that fyrst shall dare unventred ylls to doe. 20 What ever place remaineth yet of all this wycked lande, I will fylI up: and never once while Pelops house dothe stande Shall Minos idle be. MEG. goe foorth thou detestable spright, And vexe the godds ofwycked house with rage offuries might. Let them contende with all offence, by turnes and one by one
Let swoordes be drawen: and meane of ire procure there maie
be none, Nor shame: let furie blynde enflame their myndes and wrath-
full wyll, Let yet the parents rage endure, and longer lastyng yll, Through childerns childern spreade: nor yet let any leysure be The former fawte to hate, but styH more mischiefe newe to see, 30 Nor one in one: but ere the gyIt with vengeance be acquyt, Encrease the cryme: from brethern proude let rule of kyng-
dome flyt, To runagates: and swarvyng state of all unstable things, Let it by doubtfull dome be toste, betwene thuncertayne kyngs. Let mightie fall to miserie, and myser clyme to myght, Let chaunce turne thempyre up so downe both geve and take
the ryght. The banyshed for gylt, whan god restore theyr countrey shall, Let them to mischiefe fall a freshe: as hatefull then to all, As to them selves: let Ire thinke nought unlawfull to be doon. Let brother dreade the brothers wrathe, and father feare the
soon, 40 And eke the soon his parents powre. let babes be murdered yH, But woorse begotte: her spouse betrapt in treasons trayne to
kyll, Let hatefull wyfe awayte. and let them beare through seas
their warre, Let bloodshed lye the lands about and every feelde afarre: And over conqueryng captaynes greate, of countreys farre to
see, Let luste tryumphe: in wycked house let whoordome counted be The lightst offense: let trust that in the breasts of brethern
breedes, And truthe be gone: let not from sight of your so heynous
deedes The heavens be hyd, about the poale when shyne the starres
on hye, And flames with woonted beames of light doe decke. the
paynted skye. 50 Let darkest night be made, and let the daye the heavens
forsake. Dysturbe the godds of wycked house, hate, slaughter, murder
make. Fyll up the house of Tantalus with rnischieves and debates. Adorned be the pyllers hyghe, with baye and let the gates
Be garnysht greene: and woorthie there for thy returne to
syght, Be kyndled fyre: let myschiefe doone in Thracia onse, there
lyght More manyfolde. wherfore dothe yet the uncles hande delaie? Dothe yet Thyestes not bewayle his childerns fatall daye? Shall he not fynde them where with heate of fyres that under
glowe The cawdern boyles? their lymms eche one a peeces let them
goe 60 Dysperste: let fathers fires, with blood of childern fyled bee: Let deynties suche be dreste: it is no myschiefe newe to thee, To banquet so: beholde, this daie we have to the releaste, And hunger starved wombe of thyne we sende to suche a feaste. With fowlest foode thy famyne fyll, let bloode in wyne be
drownde, And droonke in syght of thee: loe nowe suche dyshes have I
founde, As thou wouldst shonne. staie whither doste thou hedlong waie
nowe take? TAN. To pooles and floods of hell agayne, and stylI
declynyng lake, And flight of tree full fraight with fruite that from the lyppes
dothe flee, To dungeon darke of hatefull hell let leefull be for mee 70 To goe: or if to light be thought the paynes that there I have, Remove me from those lakes agayne: in mydst ofworser wave Of Phleghethon to stande, in seas of fyre besette to be. Who so beneath thy poynted paynes by destenies decree Dooste stylI endure, who so thou be that underliest alowe The hollowe denne, or ruyne who that feares and overthrowe Of fallyng hyll, or cruell cryes that sounde in caves of hell Of greedy roaryng lyons throates, or flocke of furies fell Who quakes to knowe, or who the brands of fyre, in dyrest
payne Halfe burnte throwes of, harke to the voice of Tantalus:
agayne 80 That hastes to hell. and (whom the truthe hath taught)
beleve well mee Love well your paynes, they are but small. when shall my
happe so bee To flee the lyght? MEG. disturbe thou fyrst this house with
dyre discorde:
Debates and battels bryng with thee, and of th'unhappie
swoorde III love to kynges: the cruell brests tryke through and hatefull
harte, With tumuIte madde. TAN. To suffre paynes it seemeth well
my parte, Not woes to woorke: I am sent foorth lyke vapour dyre to ryse, That breakes the ground, or poyson lyke the plague, in
wondrowse wyse That slaughter makes. shall I to suche detested crymes, applye My nephewes hartes? 0 parents greate of godds above the skye, go And myne, (though shamde I be to graunte,) although with
greatter payne My tounge be vexte, yet this to speake I maie no whit ref rayne, Nor holde my peace: I warne you this, leaste sacred hand with
bloode Of slaughter dyre, or fransie fell of fran tyke furie woode The auIters stayne, I will resyste: And garde suche gyIt awaye. With strypes why dooste thou me affryght? why threatst thou
me to fraye Those crallyng snakes? or famyne fyxt in emptie wombe,
wherfore Dooste thou revyve? nowe fryes within with thyrst enkyndled
sore My hart: and in the bowels burnte, the boylyng flames doe
glowe. MEG. I followe thee: through all this house nowe rage and
furie throwe. 100 Let them be dryven so, and so let eyther thyrst to see Eche others blood. Full well hathe felte the cummyng in of thee This house: and all with wycked touche of the[e] begun to
quake ...
