Æn. Hath not the Carthage Queene mine onely sonne? Thinkes Dido I will goe and leaue him here?
Dido. Æneas pardon me, for I forgot
That yong Ascanius lay with me this night:
Loue made me iealous, but to make amends,
Weare the emperiall Crowne of Libia,
Sway thou the Punike Scepter in my steede,
And punish me Æneas for this crime.
Æn. This kisse shall be faire Didos punishment.
Dido. O how a Crowne becomes Æneas head! Stay here Æneas, and commaund as King.
Æn. How vaine am I to weare this Diadem,
And beare this golden Scepter in my hand?
A Burgonet of steele, and not a Crowne,
A Sword, and not a Scepter fits Æneas.
Dido. O keepe them still, and let me gaze my fill:
Now lookes Æneas like immortall Ioue,
O where is Ganimed to hold his cup,
And Mercury to flye for what he calles,
Ten thousand Cupids houer in the ayre,
And fanne it in Æneas louely face,
O that the Clowdes were here wherein thou fleest,
That thou and I vnseene might sport our selues:
Heauens enuious of our ioyes is waxen pale,
And when we whisper, then the starres fall downe,
To be partakers of our honey talke.
Æn. O Dido, patronesse of all our liues,
When I leaue thee, death be my punishment,
Swell raging seas, frowne wayward destinies,
Blow windes, threaten ye Rockes and sandie shelfes,
This is the harbour that Æneas seekes,
Lets see what tempests can anoy me now.
Dido. Not all the world can take thee from mine armes,
Æneas may commaund as many Moores,
As in the Sea are little water drops:
And now to make experience of my loue,
Faire sister Anna leade my louer forth,
And seated on my Gennet, let him ride
As Didos husband through the punicke streetes,
And will my guard with Mauritanian darts,
To waite vpon him as their soueraigne Lord.
Anna. What if the Citizens repine thereat?
Dido. Those that dislike what Dido giues in charge,
Commaund my guard to slay for their offence:
Shall vulgar pesants storme at what I doe?
The ground is mine that giues them sustenance,
The ayre wherein they breathe, the water, fire,
All that they haue, their lands, their goods, their liues,
And I the Goddesse of all these, commaund
Æneas ride as Carthaginian King.