The Works of Christopher Marlowe

Dr. Faustus (A Text)

Act: 2 Scene: 6
Faust.
When I behold the heavens, then I repent, And curse thee, wicked Mephistophilis, Because thou hast deprived me of those joys.
Faust.
How prov'st thou that?
Faust.
If it were made for man, 'twas made for me;
I will renounce this Magic and repent
Enter Good Angel and Evil Angel.
Faust.
Who buzzeth in mine ears I am a Spirit?
Be I a Devil, yet God may pity me;
Ay, God will pity me if I repent.
Faust.
My heart's so hardened I cannot repent
Scarce can I name salvation, faith, or heaven,
But fearful echoes thunder in mine ears
Faustus, thou art damned I Then swords and knives,
Poison, .gun, halters, and envenomed steel
Are laid before me to despatch myself,
And long ere this I should have slain myself,
Had not sweet pleasure conquered deep despair.
Have not I made blind Homer sing to me
Of Alexander's love and CEnon's death?
And hath not he that built the walls of Thebes
With ravishing sound of his melodious harp,
Made music with my Mephistophilis?
Why should I die then, or basely despair?
I am resolved: Faustus shall ne'er repent—
Come, Mephistophilis, let us dispute again,
And argue of divine Astrology.
Tell me, are there many heavens above the moon?
Are all celestial bodies but one globe,
As is the substance of this centric earth?
Faust.
But tell me, have they all one motion both, situ et tempore.
Faust.
Tush!
These slender trifles Wagner can decide;
Hath Mephistophilis no greater skill?
Who knows not the double motion of the planets?
The first is finished in a natural day;
The second thus: as Saturn in thirty years; Jupiter in twelve: Mars in four; the Sun, Venus, and Mercury in a year; the moon in twenty-eight days. Tush, these are freshmen'sJ suppositions. But tell me, hath every sphere a dominion or intelligentia?
Faust.
How many heavens, or spheres, are there?
Faust.
Well, resolve me in this question: Why have we not conjunctions, oppositions, aspects, eclipses, all at one time, but in some years we have more, in some less?
Faust.
Well, I am answered. Tell me who made the world.
Faust.
Sweet Mephistophilis, tell me.
Faust.
Villain, have I not bound thee to tell me anything?
Faust.
Think, Faustus, upon God that made the world.
Faust.
Ay, go, accursèd Spirit, to ugly Hell.
'Tis thou hast damned distressed Faustus' soul.
Is't not too late?
Re-enter Good Angel and Evil Angel.
Faust.
Ah, Christ my Saviour,
Seek to save distressed Faustus' soul!
Enter LUCIFER, BELZEBUB, and MEPHISTOPHILIS.
Faust.
O, who art thou that look'st so terrible?
Faust.
O Faustus! they are come to fetch away thy soul!
Luc?
Faust.
Nor will I henceforth: pardon me in this,
And Faustus vows never to look to Heaven,
Never to name God, or to pray to him,
To burn his Scriptures, slay his Ministers,
And make my Spirits pull his Churches down.
Faust.
That sight will be as pleasing unto me,
As Paradise was to Adam the first day Of his creation.
Faust.
What art thou—the first?
Faust.
What art thou—the second?
Faust.
What art thou—the third?
Faust.
What art thou—the fourth?
Faust.
Away, envious rascal! What art thou—the fifth?
Faust.
No, I'll see thee hanged: thou wilt eat up all my victuals.
Glut Then the Devil choke thee!
Faust.
Choke thyself, glutton! Who art thou—the sixth?
Faust.
What are you, Mistress Minx, the seventh and last?
Faust.
O, this feeds my soul!
Faust.
O might I see Hell, and return again, How happy were I then!
Faust.
Great thanks, mighty Lucifer! This will I keep as chary as my life.
Faust.
Farewell, great Lucifer!
[Exeunt LUCIFER and BELZEBUB. Come, Mephistophilis.
Enter CHORUS.