SCENE III.
Enter [503] Dido, Æneas, Anna, Iarbas, Achates, Cupid as Ascanius, and Followers.
Dido. Æneas, think not but I honour thee, That thus in person go with thee to hunt: My princely robes, thou see'st, are laid aside, Whose glittering pomp Diana's shroud [504] supplies; All fellows now, disposed alike to sport; The woods are wide, and we have store of game. Fair Trojan, hold my golden bow a while, Until I gird my quiver to my side.— Lords, go before; we two must talk alone.
Iar. Ungentle, can she wrong Iarbas so?10 I'll die before a stranger have that grace. "We two will talk alone"—what words be these! [Aside.
Dido. What makes Iarbas here of all the rest? We could have gone without your company.
Æn. But love and duty led him on perhaps To press beyond acceptance to your sight.
Iar. Why! man of Troy, do I offend thine eyes? Or art thou grieved thy betters press so nigh?
Dido. How now, Gætulian! are you grown so brave, To challenge us with your comparisons?20 Peasant, go seek companions like thyself, And meddle not with any that I love.— Æneas, be not moved at what he says; For otherwhile he will be out of joint.
Iar. Women may wrong by privilege of love; But, should that man of men, Dido except, Have taunted me in these opprobrious terms, I would have either drunk his dying blood, Or else I would have given my life in gage.29
Dido. Huntsmen, why pitch you not your toils apace, And rouse the light-foot deer from forth their lair?