Enter Iarbas.
Iar. How now, Æneas! sad! what means these dumps?
Æn. Iarbas, I am clean besides myself; Jove hath heaped on me such a desperate charge, Which neither art nor reason may achieve, Nor I devise by what means to contrive.
Iar. As how, I pray? may I entreat you tell?
Æn. With speed he bids me sail to Italy, Whenas I want both rigging for my fleet, And also furniture for these my men.70
Iar. If that be all, then cheer thy drooping looks, For I will furnish thee with such supplies, Let some of those thy followers go with me, And they shall have what thing soe'er thou need'st.
Æn. Thanks, good Iarbas, for thy friendly aid: Achates and the rest shall wait on thee, Whilst I rest thankful for this courtesy. [Exeunt all except Æneas. Now will I haste unto Lavinian shore, And raise a new foundation to old Troy. Witness the gods, and witness heaven and earth,80 How loath I am to leave these Libyan bounds, But that eternal Jupiter commands!
Enter Dido.
Dido. I fear I saw Æneas' little son Led by Achates [543] to the Trojan fleet. If it be so, his father means to fly:— But here he is; now, Dido, try thy wit.— [Aside. Æneas, wherefore go thy men abroad? Why are thy ships new-rigged? or to what end, Launched from the haven, lie they in the road? Pardon me, though I ask; love makes me ask.90
Æn. O, pardon me, if I resolve thee why! Æneas will not feign with his dear love. I must from hence: this day, swift Mercury, When I was laying a platform [544] for these walls, Sent from his father Jove, appear'd to me, And in his name rebuk'd me bitterly For lingering here, neglecting Italy.