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The Works of Christopher Marlowe

Dido

Act: 2 Scene: 1

What stranger art thou that doest eye me thus?

Warlike Aeneas, and in these base robes?

Goe fetch the garment which Sicheus ware:

[Exit servant.]

Brave Prince, welcome to Carthage and to me,

Both happie that Aeneas is our guest:

Sit in this chaire and banquet with a Queene,

Aeneas is Aeneas, were he clad

In weedes as bad as ever Irus ware.

Thy fortune may be greater then thy birth,

Sit downe Aeneas, sit in Didos place,

And if this be thy sonne as I suppose,

Here let him sit, be merrie lovely child.

Ile have it so, Aeneas be content.

And so I will sweete child: be merrie man,

Heres to thy better fortune and good starres.

Remember who thou art, speake like thy selfe,

Humilitie belongs to common groomes.

Lyes it in Didos hands to make thee blest,

Then be assured thou art not miserable.

May I entreate thee to discourse at large,

And truely to, how Troy was overcome:

For many tales goe of that Cities fall,

And scarcely doe agree upon one poynt:

Some say Antenor did betray the towne,

Others report twas Sinons perjurie:

But all in this that Troy is overcome,

And Priam dead, yet how we heare no newes.

What, faints Aeneas to remember Troy?

In whose defence he fought so valiantly:

Looke up and speake.

Nay leave not here, resolve me of the rest.

O Hector who weepes not to heare thy name?

Ah, how could poore Aeneas scape their hands?

O end Aeneas, I can heare no more.

I dye with melting ruth, Aeneas leave.

But how scapt Helen, she that causde this warre?

O had that ticing strumpet nere been borne:

Troian, thy ruthfull tale hath made me sad:

Come let us thinke upon some pleasing sport,

To rid me from these melancholly thoughts.