Il pastor fido The faithfull shepherd : a pastorall / written in Italian by Baptista Guarini, a Knight of Italie ; and now newly translated out of the originall.
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Title
Il pastor fido The faithfull shepherd : a pastorall / written in Italian by Baptista Guarini, a Knight of Italie ; and now newly translated out of the originall.
Author
Guarini, Battista, 1538-1612.
Publication
London :: Printed by R. Raworth,
1647.
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Link to this Item
http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A42281.0001.001
Cite this Item
"Il pastor fido The faithfull shepherd : a pastorall / written in Italian by Baptista Guarini, a Knight of Italie ; and now newly translated out of the originall." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A42281.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 15, 2024.
Pages
Scena quinta.
MONTANO, CARINO, DAMETA.
Mon.
NOw thou old doting fool: thank Heav'n thou artHis Father; for (by Heav'n) unlesse thou wert,To day I'd make thee feel my fury, sinceThou hast so much abus'd my Patience.Knowst thou who I am? Knowst thou that this wandDoth both Divine and Humane things command?
Car.
" Let not the Priest of Heav'n offended be" For begging mercy.
Mont.
I have sufferd theeToo long, and that hath made thee insolent.Dost thou not know, " when anger wanteth vent" In a just bosome, it is gathering strength" Within and bursts out with more force at length?
descriptionPage 185
Car.
" Anger was never in a noble mind" A furious tempest: but a gentle wind" Of Passion onely, which but stirs the soul, " (Where Reason still doth keep her due comptroll)Lest it should grow a standing pool, unfitFor vertuous action. If I cannot getThee to extend that mercy which I crave,Afford me justice; this I ought to haveFrom thee. " For they who lawes to others give," Ought not themselves without all law to live." And he that is advanc'd to greater sway," Him that requireth Justice must obey.••nd (Witnesse) I require it now of thee;••o't for thy self, if thou wilt not for me.Thou art unjust if thou Mirtillo slay.
Mont.
I prethee how?
Car.
To me didst thou not say,Thou mightst not offer here a strangers blood?
Mon.
I did: and said what Heav'n commanded.
Car.
Good:This is a stranger then.
Mon.
A stranger? what?••he not then thy Son?
Car.
All's one for that.
Mon.
Is't that thou gott'st him in a forraign land?
Car.
The more thou seek'st, the lesse thou't understand.
Mon.
It skils not here, where, but by whom hee's got.
Car.
I call him stranger, cause I got him not.
Mon.
Is hee thy Son then, and not got by thee?
Car.
I said he was my Son; not born of me.
Mon.
Thy grief hath made thee mad.
Car.
I would it had!•• should not feel my grief, if I were mad.
descriptionPage 186
Mon.
Thou art or mad, or impious, chuse thou whether.
Car.
For telling the truth to thee I am neither.
Mon.
How can both these (son and not son) be true?
Car.
Son of my Love, not of my Loins.
Mon.
Go to;He is no stranger, if he be thy Son:If he be not, to thee no harm is done.So Father, or not Father, th' art confuted.
Car.
"Truth is truth still: though it be ill disputed.
Mont.
" That man that utters contradictions must" Speak one untruth.
Car.
Thy action is unjust,I say again.
Mont.
Let all this action's guiltLight on my head, and on my Son's.
Car.
Thou wiltRepent it.
Mont.
Thou shalt, if thou wilt not takeThy hands from off me.
Car.
My appeal I makeTo men and Gods.
Mon.
To God, despis'd by thee?
Car.
And if thou wilt not hear, hearken to meO Heav'n and Earth! and thou great Goddesse hereAdor'd! Mirtillo is a Forraigner,No Son of mine: the holy SacrificeThou dost profane.
Mon.
Blesse me good Heav'ns from thisStrange man! Say then, if he be not thy Son,Who is his Father?
Car.
'Tis to me unknown.
Mo.
Is he thy kinsman?
C.
Neither.
M.
Why dost thou thenCall him thy Son?
Car.
'Cause from the instant whenI had him first, I bred him as mine ownStill with a fatherly affection.
Ca.
From
Mo.
Didst buy him? steal him? from whence hadst him?Elis (the gift of a strange man).
Mon.
From whom
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Had that strange man him?
Ca.
That strange man? why heHad him of me before.
Mon.
Thou mov'st in meAt the same time both laughter and disdain:What thou gav'st him, did he give thee again?
Car.
I gave to him what was his own; then heReturn'd it as his courteous gift to me.
Mo.
And whence hadst thou (since thou wilt make me madFor company) that which from thee he had?
Car.
Within a thicket of sweet Mirtle, IHad newly found him accidentally,Neer to Alfeo's mouth, and call'd him thenceMirtillo.
Mon.
With what likely circumstanceThou dost thy lye embroider? Are there anyWild beasts within that Forrest?
Car.
Very many.
Mon.
Why did not they devour him?
Car.
A strong floodHad carry'd him into that tuft of wood,And left him in the lap of a small IsleDefended round with water.
Mon.
Thou dost fileOne Lye upon another well. And wasThe flood so pitifull to let him passeUndrown'd? Such nurses in thy Country areThe Brooks, to foster infants with such care?
Car.
He lay within a cradle, which with mudAnd other matter gather'd by the floodCalk't (to keep out the water) like a BoatHad to that thicket carry'd him afloat.
Mon.
Within a cradle lay he?
Car.
Yes.
Mon.
A childIn swathing bands?
Car.
A sweet one; and it smil'd.
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Mon.
How long ago might this be?
Car.
'Tis soon cast:Since the great Flood some twenty yeers are past,And then it was.
Mon.
What horrour do I feelCreep thorow my veins!
Car.
He's silenc'd, and yet willBe obstinate. " O the strange pride of those" In place! who conquer'd, yeeld not: but suppose," Because that they have all the wealth, with it" They must be Masters too of all the wit.Sure hee's convinc'd; and it doth vex him too,As by his mutt'ring he doth plainly show:And one may see some colour he would findTo hide the errour of a haughty mind.
Mon.
But that strange man of whom thou tel'st me, whatWas he unto the child? his father?
Car.
ThatI do not know.
Mon.
Nor didst thou ever knowMore of the man then thou hast told mee?
Car.
No.Why all these Questions?
Mon.
If thou saw'st him now,Should'st know him?
Car.
Yes; he had a beetle-brow,A down-look, middle-stature, with black hair,His beard and eye-browes did with bristles stare.
Mo.
Shepherds & servants mine, approach.
Da.
W'are here.
Mon.
Which of these shepherds who do now appear,To him thou talk'st of likest seems to thee?
Car.
Not onely like him, but the same is heeWhom thou talkst with: and still the man doth showThe same he did some twenty yeers agoe,For he hath chang'd no hair, though I am gray.
Mon.
Withdraw, and let Dameta onely stay.
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Tell me, dost thou know him?
Dam.
I think I doe:But where, or how I know not.
Car.
I'le renewThy memory by tokens.
Mon.
Let me talkFirst with him if thou please, and do thou walkAside a while.
Car.
Most willingly what thouCommand'st I'le doe.
Mon.
Tell me Dameta now,And do not lie.
(Dam.
O Gods, what storm comes here!)
Mon.
When thou cam'st back ('tis since some twenty yeer)From seeking of my child, which the swoln BrookAway together with its cradle took,Didst thou not tell me thou hadst sought with painAll that Alpheo bathes, and all in vain?
Dam.
Why dost thou ask it me?
Mon.
Answer me this:Didst thou not say thou couldst not find him?
Dam.
Yes.
Mon.
What was that little infant then which thouIn Elis gav'st to him that knows thee now?
Dam.
'Twas twenty yeers ago; and wouldst thou haveAn old man now remember what he gave?
Mon.
Hee is old too, and yet remembers it.
Dam.
Rather is come into his doting fit.
Mon.
That we shall quickly see: Where art thou stranger?
Ca.
Here.
Da.
Would thou wert interr'd, & I from danger!
Mon.
Is this the Shepherd that bestow'd on theeThe present, art thou sure?
Car.
I'm sure 'tis hee.
Da.
What present?
Car.
Dost thou not remember whenIn Iove Olympicks Fane, thou having thenNewly receiv'd the Oracles reply,And being just on thy departure, I
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Encountred thee, and asking then of theeThe signes of what th'adst lost, thou toldst them mee;Then I did take thee to my house, and thereShew'd thee thy child laid in a cradle; whereThou gav'st him me.
Dam.
What is inferr'd from hence?
Car.
The child thou gav'st me then, and whom I sinceHave brought up, as a tender Father dothAn onely Son, is this unhappy youthWho on this Altar now is doom'd to dieA Sacrifice:
Dam.
O force of Destinie!
Mon.
Art studying for more lyes? Hath this man sedThe truth or not?
Dam.
Would I were but as deadAs all is true!
Mon.
That thou shalt quickly beIf the whole truth thou dost not tell to me.Why didst thou give unto another whatWas not thine own?
Dam.
Dear Master, ask not that;For Heav'n's sake do not: too much thou dost knowAlready.
Mon.
This makes me more eager grow.Wilt not speak yet? Still keepst thou me in pain?Th'art dead if I demand it once again.
Dam.
Because the Oracle foretold me there,That if the child then found returned e'reTo his own home, he should be like to dieBy's Father's hand.
Car.
'Tis true, my self was by.
Mon.
Ay me! now all is cleer: This act of mineThe Dream and Oracle did well Divine.
Car.
What wouldst thou more? can ought behind remain?Is it not plain enough?
Mon.
'Tis but too plain.
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I know, and thou hast said too much; I wouldI had search'd lesse, or thou lesse understood.How (O) Carino, have I ta'ne from theeAt once thy Son, and thy Calamitie!How are thy passions become mine! this isMy Son: O too unhappy Son, of thisUnhappy man! O Son preserv'd and keptMore cruelly, then thou from hence wert sweptBy the wild flood, to fall by thy Sires hand,And stain the Altars of thy native Land!
Car.
Thou Father to Mirtillo? Wondrous! HowDidst lose him?
Mon.
By that horrid flood which thouHast mention'd. O deer pledge! thou wert safe thenWhen thou wert lost: And now I lose thee, whenI finde thee.
Car.
O eternall Providence!For what deep end have all these AccidentsLain hid so long, and now break forth together?Some mighty thing thou hast conceived, eitherFor good or evill: some unwonted birthThou art big with, which must be brought on earth.
Mon.
This was the thing my Dream foretold me; tooProphetick in the bad, but most untrueIn the good part: This 'twas which made me meltSo strangely; this, that horrour which I feltCreep through my bones, when I heav'd up my hand.For Nature's self seem'd to recoil, or standAstonished, to see a Father goTo give that horrid and forbidden blow.
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Car.
Thou art resolved then not to go onWith this dire Sacrifice?
Mon.
No other manMay do it here.
Car.
Shall the Son then be slainBy his own Sire?
Mon.
'Tis law: and who dare strainHis charity to save another man,When true Aminta with himself began?
Car.
O my sad Fate! what am I brought to see?
Mon.
Two Fathers over-acted PietieMurther their son; Thine to Mirtillo; mineTo Heav'n. Thou by denying he was thine,Thought'st to preserve him, and hast lost him; I(Searching with too much curiosity)Whilst I was to have sacrific'd thy son(As I suppos'd) find and must slay my own.
Car.
Behold the horrid Monster Fate hath teem'd!O Cruell! O Mirtillo! more esteem'dBy me then life: Was this it which to meThe Oracle foretold concerning thee?Thus dost thou make me in my Country blest?O my deer Son, whilome the hope and rest,But now the grief and bane of these gray hairs!
Mon.
Prethee Carino lend to me those tears:I weep for mine own blood. (Ah! why, if IMust spill it, is it mine?) Poor son! but whyDid I beget thee? — (Why was I got rather?)The pitying deluge sav'd thee, and thy FatherWill cruelly destroy thee. Holy Pow'rsImmortall (without some command of yours
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Not the least wave stirs in the Sea, breath inThe Air, nor leaf on Earth) what monstrous sinHath been by me committed 'gainst your Law,This heavie Judgement on my head to draw?Or if I have transgress'd so much; whereinSinn'd my Son so, ye will not pardon him?And thou with one blast of thy Anger killMe, thundring Iove? But if thy bolts lie still,My blade shall not: I will repeat the sadExample of Aminta, and the LadShall see his Father through his own heart runHis reeking blade, rather then kill his Son.Dye then Montano; Age should lead the way:And willingly I do't: Pow'rs (shall I sayOf Heav'n or Hell?) that do with anguish driveMen to despair; Behold, I do conceive(Since you will have it so) your fury! IDesire no greater blessing then to dye.A kind of dire love to my naturall GoleDoth lash me on, and hallow to my soul,To death, To death.
Car.
'Las poor old man! in trothI pity thee: for though we need it both,Yet as by day the Starrs forbear to shine,My grief is nothing, if compar'd with thine.
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