Euph. Your Highness is unarm'd,
Please you to use mine, and to lead the Army
Back to your Mother: Conon, march you with 'em.
Con. I will my Lord: But not so far as not
To bring you help if danger look upon you. [Exit.
Euph. Why do you look so strangely, fearfully,
Or stay your deathful hand, be not so wise
To stop your rage: look how unmov'dly, here
I give my self my Countreys sacrifice,
An innocent sacrifice: Truth laughs at death,
And terrifies the killer more than kill'd;
Integrity thus armless seeks her foes,
And never needs the Target nor the Sword,
Bow, nor invenom'd shafts.
Leo. We are amaz'd,
Not at your eloquence, but impudence,
That dare thus front us.
Ag. Kill him, who knows not
The iron forehead that bold mischief wears.
Leo. Forbear a while Agenor, I do tremble,
And something sits like virtue in his face,
Which the gods keep.
Euph. Agenor, strike Leonidas
You that have purchas'd Fame on certain grounds,
Lose it on supposition? smear your hands
In guiltless blood, laugh at my Martyrdom:
But yet remember, when Posterity
Shall read your Volumes fill'd with virtuous acts,
And shall arrive at this black bloody leaf,
Noting your foolish barbarisms, and my wrong,
(As time shall make it plain) what follows this
Disciphering any noble deed of yours
Shall be quite lost, for men will read no more.
Leo. Why? dare you say you are innocent?
Euph. By all the gods, as they
Of this foul crime, why Gent. pry clean through my life,
Then weigh these circumstances: think you that he
Which made day night, and men to furies turn'd,
Durst not trust silence, vizors, nor her sence
That suffer'd; but with Charms and Potions
Cast her asleep, (for all this I have enquir'd)
Acted the Fable of Proserpines Rape,
The place (by all description) like to Hell:
And all to perpetrate unknown his Lust,
Would fondly in his person bring a Ring,
And give it a betrothed Wife, i'th' same house
Where the poor injur'd Lady liv'd and groan'd.
Ag. Hell gives us Art to reach the depth of sin,
But leaves us wretched fools, when we are in.