Our frie of writers, may beflime his fame, And giue his action that adulterate name. As one, that knowes the ftrength of his owne mufe. 20 25 T OVID, LVSCVs. Hen, when this bodie falls in funerall fire, My name fhall liue, and my best part aspire. Lvsc. Young master, master OVID, doe you heare? gods a mee! away with your fongs, and fonnets; and on with your gowne and cappe, quickly: here, here, your father will be a man of this roome presently. Come, nay, nay, nay, nay, be briefe. These verses too, a poyfon on 'hem, I cannot abide 'hem, they make mee readie to caft, by the bankes of helicon. Nay looke, what a rafcally vntoward thing this poetrie is; I could teare 'hem now. OVID. Giue me, how neere's my father? Hart a'man: get a law-booke in your hand, I will not answere you elfe. Why fo: now there's ACTVS PRIMVS. SCENA PRIMA. Q Scene draws, and discovers OVID in his study. G study. N 1 Ovid. 1716+ cap. G Enter Luscus. N 5 ΙΟ 15 Act. . . Lvscvs.] OVID discovered in his 3 Enter LUSCUS with a gown and 5 Gods a'me N (regularly) 9 'hem 15 elfe] [Ovid puts on some formalitie in you. By love, and three or foure of the gods more, I am right of mine olde masters humour for that; this villanous poetrie will vndoe you, by the welkin. [278] OVID. What, haft thou buskins on, Lvscvs, that thou fwear'st so tragically, and high? Lvsc. No, but I haue bootes on, fir, and so ha's your father too by this time: for he call'd for 'hem, ere I came from the lodging. OVID. Why? was he no readier? Lvsc. O no; and there was the madde skeldring captaine, with the veluet armes, readie to lay hold on him as hee comes downe: he that presses euerie man he meets, with an oath, to lend him money, and cries; (Thou must doo't, old boy, as thou art a man, a man of worship.) OVID. Who? PANTILIVS TVCCA? Lvsc. I, hee: and I met little master Lvpvs, the Tribune, going thither too. OVID. Nay, and he be vnder their arrest, I may (with fafetie inough) reade ouer my elegie, before he come. Lvsc. Gods a mee! What'll you doe? why, young master, you are not caftalian mad, lunatike, frantike, desperate? ha? OVID. What aileft thou, Lvscvs? Lvsc. God be with you, fir, I'le leaue you to your poeticall fancies, and furies. I'le not be guiltie, I. OVID. Be not, good ignorance: I'm glad th'art gone: For thus alone, our eare fhall better judge The haftie errours of our morning mufe. 30-1 () om., words italicized, Q larly) an G, N, (uniformly) Moning 1692 20 25 30 35 40 45 35 and] an' 1716, W (regu43 [Exit. G, N 46 morning] Ouid. Lib. 1. Amo. Ele. 15. E Nuie, why twit'ft thou me, my time's fpent ill? And call'ft my verfe, fruits of an idle quill? Wars duftie honours I purfue not young? 50 Or that I ftudie not the tedious lawes; And prostitute my voyce in euerie caufe? Thy fcope is mortall; mine eternall fame: Which through the world shall euer chaunt my name. 55 Or, to the fea, fleet SIMOIS doth flide: And fo fhall HESIOD too, while vines doe beare, 60 No loffe fhall come to SOPHOCLES proude vaine. Whil'ft harlots flatter, shall MENANDER flourish. ENNIVS, though rude, and AccIvs high-reard flraine, 65 Of VARRO's name, what eare shall not be told? Whil'ft ROME of all the conquer'd world is head. Kings fhall giue place to it, and kingly showes, 70 75 The bankes ore which gold-bearing Tagus flowes. “Enuie, the liuing, not the dead, doth bite: OVID Senior, OVID Iunior, Lvscvs, Our name shall liue indeed, fir; you fay true: but Your how infamously, how scorn'd and contemn'd in the eyes and eares of the best and grauest Romanes, that you thinke not on: you neuer so much as dreame of that. Are these the fruits of all my trauaile and expenfes? is this the scope and aime of thy ftudies? are these the hopefull courfes, wherewith I haue fo long flattered my expectation from thee? verses? poetrie? OVID, whom I thought to see the pleader, become OVID the play-maker? OVID. fe. Yes, fir. Yes, fir. I heare of a tragedie of yours comming foorth for the common players there, call'd MEDEA. By my houfhold-gods, if I come to the acting of it, Ile adde one tragick part, more then is yet 15 expected, to it: beleeue me when I promise it. What? fhall I haue my fonne a ftager now? an enghle for 83 The frost-drad Q 84 Ile be] I be G SCENA SECVNDA. Q Act... PYRGUS.] Enter OVID senior, followed by LUSCUS, TUCCA, and LUPUS. G, N 6 travel 1692, 1716 players? a gull? a rooke? a fhot-clogge? to make fuppers, and bee laught at? PVBLIVS, I will fet thee on the funerall pile, first. OVID iu. Sir, I beseech you to haue patience. Lvsc. Nay, this tis to haue your eares damm'd vp to good counsell. I did augure all this to him aforehand, without poring into an oxes panch for the matter, and yet he would not be fcrupulous. [280] Tvcc. How now, good man flaue? what, rowle powle? all riualls, rafcall? why my Master, of worship, do'ft heare? Are thefe thy beft proiects? is this thy deffeignes and thy difcipline, to suffer knaues to bee competitors with commanders and gentlemen? are wee paralells, rafcall? are wee paralells? OVID. fe. Sirrah, goe get my horfes ready. You'll still be prating. Tvcc. Doe, you perpetuall stinkard, doe, goe, talke to tapfters and oftlers, you flaue, they are i' your element, goe: here bee the Emperours captaines, you raggamuffin rascall; and not your cam'rades. LVPV. Indeed, MARCVS OVID, these players are an idle generation, and doe much harme in a state, corrupt yong gentrie very much, I know it: I haue not beene a Tribune thus long, and obferu'd nothing: befides, they will rob vs, vs, that are magistrates, of our respect, bring vs vpon their ftages, and make vs ridiculous to the plebeians; they will play you, or me, the wifest men they can come by ftill; me: only to bring vs in contempt with the vulgar, and make vs cheape. Tvcc. Th'art in the right, my venerable cropfhin, they will indeede: the tongue of the oracle neuer twang'd truer. Your courtier cannot kiffe his miftris flippers, in quiet, for 'hem: nor your white innocent gallant pawne his reuelling fute, to make his punke a 23-4 before-hand 1716+ Knight of worshippe Q G, N 26-7 rowly powly 1692+ 37 [Exit Luscus. G, N 38 Sir Marcus Ouid Q 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 27 my comrades Q, |