The Works of Christopher Marlowe

Dido


Act: 4 Scene: 5
My Lord Ascanius, ye must goe with me.
No, thou shalt goe with me unto my house,
I have an Orchard that hath store of plums,
Browne Almonds, Servises, ripe Figs and Dates,
Dewberries, Apples, yellow Orenges,
A garden where are Bee hives full of honey,
Musk-roses, and a thousand sort of flowers,
And in the midst doth run a silver streame,
Where thou shalt see the red gild fishes leape,
White Swannes, and many lovely water fowles:
Now speake Ascanius, will ye goe or no?
But hereby child, we shall get thither straight.
I, so youle dwell with me and call me mother.
That I might live to see this boy a man,
How pretilie he laughs, goe ye wagge,
Youle be a twigger when you come to age.
Say Dido what she will I am not old,
Ile be no more a widowe, I am young,
Ile have a husband, or els a lover.
O what meane I to have such foolish thoughts!
Foolish is love, a toy.—O sacred love,
If there be any heaven in earth, tis love:
Especially in women of our yeares.—
Blush blush for shame, why shouldst thou thinke of love?
A grave, and not a lover fits thy age:—
A grave? why, I may live a hundred yeares,
Fourescore is but a girles age, love is sweete:—
My vaines are withered, and my sinewes drie,
Why doe I thinke of love now I should dye?
Well, if he come a wooing he shall speede,
O how unwise was I to say him nay!