The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. Уильям Шекспир

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СКАЧАТЬ The boding Raven, nor Chough hore

       Nor chattring Pie,

       May on our Bridehouse pearch or sing,

       Or with them any discord bring,

       But from it fly.

       [Enter 3. Queenes in Blacke, with vailes staind, with imperiall

       Crownes. The 1. Queene fals downe at the foote of Theseus; The

       2. fals downe at the foote of Hypolita. The 3. before Emilia.]

       1. QUEEN.

       For pitties sake and true gentilities,

       Heare, and respect me.

       2. QUEEN.

       For your Mothers sake,

       And as you wish your womb may thrive with faire ones,

       Heare and respect me.

       3. QUEEN

       Now for the love of him whom Iove hath markd

       The honour of your Bed, and for the sake

       Of cleere virginity, be Advocate

       For us, and our distresses. This good deede

       Shall raze you out o’th Booke of Trespasses

       All you are set downe there.

       THESEUS.

       Sad Lady, rise.

       HIPPOLITA.

       Stand up.

       EMILIA.

       No knees to me.

       What woman I may steed that is distrest,

       Does bind me to her.

       THESEUS.

       What’s your request? Deliver you for all.

       1. QUEEN.

       We are 3. Queenes, whose Soveraignes fel before

       The wrath of cruell Creon; who endured

       The Beakes of Ravens, Tallents of the Kights,

       And pecks of Crowes, in the fowle feilds of Thebs.

       He will not suffer us to burne their bones,

       To urne their ashes, nor to take th’ offence

       Of mortall loathsomenes from the blest eye

       Of holy Phoebus, but infects the windes

       With stench of our slaine Lords. O pitty, Duke:

       Thou purger of the earth, draw thy feard Sword

       That does good turnes to’th world; give us the Bones

       Of our dead Kings, that we may Chappell them;

       And of thy boundles goodnes take some note

       That for our crowned heades we have no roofe,

       Save this which is the Lyons, and the Beares,

       And vault to every thing.

       THESEUS.

       Pray you, kneele not:

       I was transported with your Speech, and suffer’d

       Your knees to wrong themselves; I have heard the fortunes

       Of your dead Lords, which gives me such lamenting

       As wakes my vengeance, and revenge for’em,

       King Capaneus was your Lord: the day

       That he should marry you, at such a season,

       As now it is with me, I met your Groome,

       By Marsis Altar; you were that time faire,

       Not Iunos Mantle fairer then your Tresses,

       Nor in more bounty spread her. Your wheaten wreathe

       Was then nor threashd, nor blasted; Fortune at you

       Dimpled her Cheeke with smiles: Hercules our kinesman

       (Then weaker than your eies) laide by his Club,

       He tumbled downe upon his Nemean hide

       And swore his sinews thawd: O greife, and time,

       Fearefull consumers, you will all devoure.

       1. QUEEN.

       O, I hope some God,

       Some God hath put his mercy in your manhood

       Whereto heel infuse powre, and presse you forth

       Our undertaker.

       THESEUS.

       O no knees, none, Widdow,

       Vnto the Helmeted Belona use them,

       And pray for me your Souldier.

       Troubled I am. [turnes away.]

       2. QUEEN.

       Honoured Hypolita,

       Most dreaded Amazonian, that hast slaine

       The Sith-tuskd Bore; that with thy Arme as strong

       As it is white, wast neere to make the male

       To thy Sex captive, but that this thy Lord,

       Borne to uphold Creation in that honour

       First nature stilde it in, shrunke thee into

       The bownd thou wast ore-flowing, at once subduing

       Thy force, and thy affection: Soldiresse

       That equally canst poize sternenes with pitty,

       Whom now I know hast much more power on him

       Then ever he had on thee, who ow’st his strength

       And his Love too, who is a Servant for

       The Tenour of thy Speech: Deere Glasse of Ladies,

       Bid him that we, whom flaming war doth scortch,

       Vnder the shaddow of his Sword may coole us:

       Require him he advance it ore our heades;

       Speak’t in a womans key: like such a woman

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