Would I were dead my self.Æcius.You run away well;How got you from me, friend?Max.That that leads mad men,A strong imagination made me wander.Æcius.I thought you had been more setled.Max.I am well,But you must give me leave a little sometimesTo have a buzzing in my brains.Æcius.Ye are dangerous,But I'll prevent it if I can; ye told meYou would go to th' Army.Max.Why, to have my throat cut?Must he not be the bravest man,Æcius,That strikes me first?Æci.You promised me a freedomFrom all these thoughts, and why should any strike you?Max.I am an Enemy, a wicked one,Worse than the foes ofRome, I am a Coward,A Cuckold, and a Coward, that's two causesWhy every one should beat me.Æci.Ye are neither;And durst another tell me so, he dyed for't,For thus far on mine honour, I'le assure youNo man more lov'd than you, and for your valour,And what ye may be, fair; no man more follow'd.Max.A doughty man indeed: but that's all one,The Emperour nor all the Princes livingShall find a flaw in my Coat; I have suffer'd,And can yet; let them find inflictions,I'le find a body for 'em, or I'le break it.'Tis not a Wife can thrust me out, some look't for't;But let 'em look till they are blind with looking,They are but fools; yet there is anger in me,That I would fain disperse, and now I think on't,You told me, friend, the Provinces are stirring,We shall have sport I hope then, and what's dangerous,A Battle shall beat from me.Æci.Why do ye eye me,With such a setled look?Max.Pray tell me this,Do we not love extreamly? I love you so.Æci.If I should say I lov'd not you as truly,I should do that I never durst do, lye.Max.If I should dye, would it not grieve you much?Æci.Without all doubt.Max.And could you live without me?Æci.It would much trouble me to live without ye.Our loves, and loving souls have been so us'dBut to one houshold in us: but to dyeBecause I could not make you live, were woman,Far much too weak, were it to save your worth,Or to redeem your name from rooting out,To quit you bravely fighting from the foe,Or fetch ye off, where honour had ingag'd ye.I ought, and would dye for ye.Max.Truly spoken.What beast but I, that must, could hurt this man now?Would he had ravish'd me, I would have paid him,I would have taught him such a trick, his EunuchsNor all his black-eyed Boys dreamt of yet;By all the Gods I am mad now; now wereCæsarWithin my reach, and on his glorious topThe pile of all the world, he went to nothing;The Destinies, nor all the dames of Hell,Were I once grappl'd with him, should relieve him,No not the hope of mankind more; all perished;But this is words, and weakness.Æci.Ye look strangely.Max.I look but as I am, I am a stranger.Æci.To me?Max.To every one, I am noRoman;Nor what I am do I know.Æci.Then I'le leave ye.Max.I find I am best so, if ye meet withMaximusPray bid him be an honest man for my sake,You may do much upon him; for his shadow,Let me alone.Æci.Ye were not wont to talk thus,And to your friend; ye have some danger in you,That willingly would run to action,Take heed, by all our love take heed.Max.I danger?I, willing to do any thing, I dig.Has not my Wife been dead two dayes already?Are not my mournings by this time moth-eaten?Are not her sins dispers'd to other Women,And many one ravish'd to relieve her?Have I shed tears these twelve hours?Æci.Now ye weep.Max.Some lazie drops that staid behind.Æci.I'le tell yeAnd I must tell ye truth, were it not hazard,And almost certain loss of all the Empire,I would join with ye: were it any mansBut his life, that is life of us, he lost itFor doing of this mischief: I would take it,And to your rest give ye a brave revenge:But as the rule now stands, and as he rules,And as the Nations hold in disobedience,One pillar failing, all must fall; I dare not:Nor is it just you should be suffer'd in it,Therefore again take heed: On forraign foesWe are our own revengers, but at homeOn Princes that are eminent and ours,'Tis fit the Gods should judge us: be not rash,Nor let your angry steel cut those ye know not,For by this fatal blow, if ye dare strike it,As I see great aims in ye, those unborn yet,And those to come of them, and these succeedingShall bleed the wrath ofMaximus: for meAs ye now bear your self, I am your friend still,If ye fall off I will not flatter ye,And in my hands, were ye my soul, you perish'd:Once more be careful, stand, and still be worthy,I'le leave you for this hour.[Exit.Max.Pray do, 'tis done:And friendship, since thou canst not hold in dangers,Give me a certain ruin, I must through it.[Exit.
Would I were dead my self.
Æcius.You run away well;How got you from me, friend?
Max.That that leads mad men,A strong imagination made me wander.
Æcius.I thought you had been more setled.
Max.I am well,But you must give me leave a little sometimesTo have a buzzing in my brains.
Æcius.Ye are dangerous,But I'll prevent it if I can; ye told meYou would go to th' Army.
Max.Why, to have my throat cut?Must he not be the bravest man,Æcius,That strikes me first?
Æci.You promised me a freedomFrom all these thoughts, and why should any strike you?
Max.I am an Enemy, a wicked one,Worse than the foes ofRome, I am a Coward,A Cuckold, and a Coward, that's two causesWhy every one should beat me.
Æci.Ye are neither;And durst another tell me so, he dyed for't,For thus far on mine honour, I'le assure youNo man more lov'd than you, and for your valour,And what ye may be, fair; no man more follow'd.
Max.A doughty man indeed: but that's all one,The Emperour nor all the Princes livingShall find a flaw in my Coat; I have suffer'd,And can yet; let them find inflictions,I'le find a body for 'em, or I'le break it.'Tis not a Wife can thrust me out, some look't for't;But let 'em look till they are blind with looking,They are but fools; yet there is anger in me,That I would fain disperse, and now I think on't,You told me, friend, the Provinces are stirring,We shall have sport I hope then, and what's dangerous,A Battle shall beat from me.
Æci.Why do ye eye me,With such a setled look?
Max.Pray tell me this,Do we not love extreamly? I love you so.
Æci.If I should say I lov'd not you as truly,I should do that I never durst do, lye.
Max.If I should dye, would it not grieve you much?
Æci.Without all doubt.
Max.And could you live without me?
Æci.It would much trouble me to live without ye.Our loves, and loving souls have been so us'dBut to one houshold in us: but to dyeBecause I could not make you live, were woman,Far much too weak, were it to save your worth,Or to redeem your name from rooting out,To quit you bravely fighting from the foe,Or fetch ye off, where honour had ingag'd ye.I ought, and would dye for ye.
Max.Truly spoken.What beast but I, that must, could hurt this man now?Would he had ravish'd me, I would have paid him,I would have taught him such a trick, his EunuchsNor all his black-eyed Boys dreamt of yet;By all the Gods I am mad now; now wereCæsarWithin my reach, and on his glorious topThe pile of all the world, he went to nothing;The Destinies, nor all the dames of Hell,Were I once grappl'd with him, should relieve him,No not the hope of mankind more; all perished;But this is words, and weakness.
Æci.Ye look strangely.
Max.I look but as I am, I am a stranger.
Æci.To me?
Max.To every one, I am noRoman;Nor what I am do I know.
Æci.Then I'le leave ye.
Max.I find I am best so, if ye meet withMaximusPray bid him be an honest man for my sake,You may do much upon him; for his shadow,Let me alone.
Æci.Ye were not wont to talk thus,And to your friend; ye have some danger in you,That willingly would run to action,Take heed, by all our love take heed.
Max.I danger?I, willing to do any thing, I dig.Has not my Wife been dead two dayes already?Are not my mournings by this time moth-eaten?Are not her sins dispers'd to other Women,And many one ravish'd to relieve her?Have I shed tears these twelve hours?
Æci.Now ye weep.
Max.Some lazie drops that staid behind.
Æci.I'le tell yeAnd I must tell ye truth, were it not hazard,And almost certain loss of all the Empire,I would join with ye: were it any mansBut his life, that is life of us, he lost itFor doing of this mischief: I would take it,And to your rest give ye a brave revenge:But as the rule now stands, and as he rules,And as the Nations hold in disobedience,One pillar failing, all must fall; I dare not:Nor is it just you should be suffer'd in it,Therefore again take heed: On forraign foesWe are our own revengers, but at homeOn Princes that are eminent and ours,'Tis fit the Gods should judge us: be not rash,Nor let your angry steel cut those ye know not,For by this fatal blow, if ye dare strike it,As I see great aims in ye, those unborn yet,And those to come of them, and these succeedingShall bleed the wrath ofMaximus: for meAs ye now bear your self, I am your friend still,If ye fall off I will not flatter ye,And in my hands, were ye my soul, you perish'd:Once more be careful, stand, and still be worthy,I'le leave you for this hour.[Exit.
Max.Pray do, 'tis done:And friendship, since thou canst not hold in dangers,Give me a certain ruin, I must through it.[Exit.