Player. Swifter in course than doth the sun.
[Exit Player.
Light. How far'st thou, mortal? be not terrifi'd
At these infernal motions; know that shortly
Great Crœsus' ghost shall, in the love he bears thee,
Give thee sufficient power by thy own worth
To raise such spirits.
Hog. Crœsus is much too liberal in his favour
To one so far desertless as poor Hog.
Light. Poor Hog! O, speak not that word poor again,
Lest the whole apple-tree of Crœsus' bounty,
Crack'd into shivers, overthrow thy fortunes!
For he abhors the name of poverty,
And will grow sick to hear it spoke by those
Whom he intends to raise. But see, the twilight,
Posting before the chariot of the sun,
Brings word of his approach:
We must be sudden, and with speed raise up
The spirit Bazan, that can straight transform
Gold into pearl; be still and circumspect.
Bazan, ascend up from the treasure
Of Pluto, where thou dost[396] at pleasure
Metamorphose all his gold
Into pearl, which 'bove a thousand-fold
Exceeds the value: quickly rise
To Crœsus' shade, who hath a prize
To be performed by thy strength.
[Bazan or] Haddit ascends.
Had. I am no fencer, yet at length
From Pluto's presence and the hall,
Where Proserpine keeps festival,
I'm hither come; and now I see,
To what intent I'm rais'd by thee;
It is to make that mortal rich,
That at his fame men's ears may itch,
When they do hear but of his store.
He hath one daughter and no more,
Which all the lower powers decree,
She to one Wealthy wedded be;
By which conjunction there shall spring
Young heirs to Hog, whereon to fling
His mass of treasure when he dies;
Thus Bazan truly prophesies.
But come, my task! I long to rear
His fame above the hemisphere.
Light. Take then the gold which here doth lie,
And quick return it by and by
All in choice pearl. Whither to go,
I need not tell you, for you know.
Had. Indeed I do, and Hog shall find it so.
[Exit Haddit.
Light. Now, mortal, there is nothing doth remain
'Twixt thee and thine abundance, only this:
Turn thy eyes eastward, for from thence appears
Ascarion with thy gold, which having brought
And at thy foot surrender'd, make obeisance;
Then turn about, and fix thy tapers westward,
From whence great Bazan brings thy orient pearl;
Who'll lay it at thy feet much like the former.
Hog. Then I must make to him obeisance thus?