Certaine small poems lately printed with the tragedie of Philotas. Written by Samuel Daniel.

Chorus. Grecian and Persian.

Per.

WEll then I see there is small difference Betwixt your state and ours, you ciuill Greek•• You great contriuers of free gouerments. Whose skill the world from out all countries seekes. Those whom you call your kings are but the same As are our soueraigne tirants of the East, I see they onely differ but in name, Th'effects they shew agree, or neere at least. Your great men here as our great Satrapaes I see laid prostrate are with basest shame, Vpon the least suspect, or iealousies Your King, ••conceiue or others en••••yes frame, Onely herein they differ, that your Prince Proceeds by forme of law t'effect his end; Our Persian Monarch makes his frowne conuince The strongest truth: his sword the proces ends With present death, and maks no more adoo, He neuer stands to giue a glosse vnto His violence, to make it to appeare In other hew, then that it ought to beare••

Wherein plaine dealing best his course commends For more h'offends who by the law offends What neede hath Alexander so to striue By all these shewes of fornie to find this man Guilty of treason, when he doth contriue To haue him so adiudgd, do what he can. He must not be acquit, though he be clere Th'offendor not th'offence is punisht here. And what availes the fore-condemnd to speake How euer strong his cause, his state is weake.

Gre.

Ah, but it satisfies the world, and wee Think that well don, which done by law wesee.

Per.

And yet your law serues but your priuate ends And to the compasse of your powre extends. But is it for the ••••iesty of Kings To sit in iudgments thus themselues with you?

Gre.

To do men iustice is the thing that bringes The greatest maiesty on earth to Kings.

Per.

That by their subalternate ministers May be performed as well, and with more grate For to command it to be don infers More glory then to doo. It doth imbase Th'opinion of a powre t'inuulgar so That sacred presence, which should neuer go Neuer bes••ene, but even as Gods below Like to our Persian Kings in glorious show. And who as starres affixed to their Sphere May not descend to be from what they are.

Gre.

Where kings are so like gods, there subiects are not men,

Per.

Your king begins this course, & what wil you be thē?

Gre.

Indeed since prosperous fortune gaue the raine To head-strong powre and lust, I must confesse We Grecians haue lost deepely by our gayne, And this our greatnesse makes vs much the l••ss•• For by th'accession of these mighty states Which Alexander wonderously hath got He hath forgot himselfe, and vs, and rates His state aboue mankind, and ours at noughs. This hath thy pompeô feeble Asia wrought, Thy base adorings hathtransformd the King Into that shape of pride, as he is brought Out of his witts, out of acknowledging From whence the glory of his greatnesse springes, And that it was our swords that wrought these thinges. How well were we within the narrow bounds Of our sufficient yeelding Macedon, Before our kings inlardgd then with our wounds And made these salies of ambition. Before they came to giue the regall law To those free states which kept their crownes in awe. They by these large dominions are made more But we become far weaker then before. What get we now by winning but wide mindes And weary bodyes with th'expence of bloud? What should ill doo, since happy fortune findes But misery, and is not good, though good? Action begets still action, and retaines Our hopes beyond our wishes, drawing on Aneuer ending circle of our paines That makes vs not haue donne, when we haue done.

What can giue boundes to Alexanders ends Who countes the world but small, that calles him great: And his desires beyond his pray distends Like beasts that murther more then they can eate? When shall we looke his trauailes will be donne, That tends beyond the Ocean and the Sunne? What discontentments will there still arise In such a Campe of kings, to inter-shock Each others greatnesse, and what mutinies, Will put him from his comforts, and will mock His hopes, and neuer suffer him to haue That which he hath of all which fortune gaue? And from Philotas bloud (ô worthy man) Whose body now rent on the torture lyes Will slow that vaine of fresh conspiracies, As ouer-flow him will, do what he can. For cruelty doth not imbetter men But them more wary makes, then they haue ben.

Per.

Are not your great-men free from tortures then Must they be likewise rackt, as other men?

Gre.

Treason affords a priuiledg to none Who like offends, hath punishment all one.