them bark that lust at this kind of gain,
He is a fool that for his profit will not pain:
Though it be joined with other men’s hurt, I care not at all
For profit I will accuse any man, hap what shall.
But soft, sirs, I pray you hush: what are they that comes here?
By their apparel and countenance some strangers they appear.
I will shroud myself secretly, even here for a while,
To hear all their talk, that I may them beguile.
Here entereth Damon and Stephano.
Stephano. A short horse soon curried[47]; my belly waxeth thinner,
I am as hungry now, as when I went to dinner:
Your philosophical diet is so fine and small,
That you may eat your dinner and supper at once, and not surfeit at all.
Damon. Stephano, much meat breeds heaviness: thin diet makes thee light.
Stephano. I may be lighter thereby, but I shall never run the faster.
Damon. I have had sufficiently discourse of amity,
Which I had at dinner with Pithias; and his pleasant company
Hath fully satisfied me: it doth me good to feed mine eyes on him.
Stephano. Course or discourse, your course is very coarse; for all your talk,
You had but one bare course, and that was pick, rise, and walk:
And surely, for all your talk of philosophy,
I never heard that a man with words could fill his belly.
Feed your eyes, quoth you? the reason from my wisdom swerveth,
I stared on you both, and yet my belly starveth.
Damon. Ah, Stephano, small diet maketh a fine memory.
Stephano. I care not for your crafty sophistry,
You two are fine, let me be fed like a gross knave still;
I pray you licence me for a while to have my will,
At home to tarry, whiles you take view of this city!
To find some odd victuals in a corner I am very witty.
Damon. At your pleasure, sir: I will wait on myself this day;
Yet attend upon Pithias, which for a purpose tarrieth at home:
So doing, you wait upon me also.
Stephano. With wings on my feet I go.
[Exit.
Damon. Not in vain the poet saith, Naturam furcâ expellas, tamen usque recurret;
For train up a bondman never to so good a behaviour,
Yet in some point of servility he will savour:
As this Stephano, trusty to me his master, loving and kind,
Yet touching his belly a very bondman I him find.
He is to be borne withal, being so just and true,
I assure you, I would not change him for no new.
But methinks this is a pleasant city;
The seat is good,[48] and yet not strong; and that is great pity.
Carisophus (Aside). I am safe, he is mine own.
Damon. The air subtle and fine, the people should be witty,
That dwell under this climate in so pure a region:
A trimmer plat I have not seen in my peregrination.
Nothing misliketh me in this country,
But that I heard such muttering of cruelty:
Fame reporteth strange things of Dionysius,
But kings’ matters passing our reach, pertain not to us.
Carisophus. Dionysius, quoth you? since the world began,
In Sicilia never reigned so cruel a man:
A despiteful tyrant to all men; I marvel, I,
That none makes him away, and that suddenly.
Damon. My friend, the gods forbid so cruel a thing
That any man should lift up his sword against the king!
Or seek other means by death him to prevent,
Whom to rule on earth the mighty gods have sent.
But, my friend, leave off this talk of King Dionysius.
Carisophus. Why, sir? he cannot hear us.
Damon. What then? An nescis longas regibus esse manus?
It is no safe talking of them that strikes afar off.
But leaving kings’ matters, I pray you show me this courtesy,
To describe in few words the state of this city.
A traveller I am, desirous to know
The state of each country, wherever I go:
Not to the hurt of any state, but to get experience thereby.
It is not for nought, that the poet doth cry,
Dic mihi musa virum, captæ post tempora Trojæ,
Qui mores hominum multorum vidit et urbes. [49]
In which verses, as some writers do scan,
The poet describeth a perfect wise man:
Even so I, being a stranger, addicted to philosophy,
To see the state of countries myself I apply.
Carisophus. Sir, I like this intent, but may I ask your name without scorn?
Damon. My name is Damon, well known in my country, a gentleman born.
Carisophus. You do wisely to search the state of each country
To bear intelligence thereof, whither you lust. He is a spy, [Aside.
Sir, I pray you, have patience awhile, for I have to do hereby:
View this weak part of this city as you stand, and I very quickly
Will return to you again, and then will I show
The state of all this country, and of the court also.
Damon. I thank you for your courtesy.
[Exit Caris.]
This chanceth well, that I
Met with this gentleman so happily,
Which, as it seemeth, misliketh something,
Else he would not talk so boldly of the king,
And that to a stranger: but lo, where he comes in haste.
Here entereth Carisophus and Snap.
Carisophus. This is the[50] fellow: Snap, snap him up: away with him.
Snap. Good fellow, thou must go with me to the court.
Damon. To the court, sir? and why?
Carisophus. Well, we will dispute that before the king. Away with him quickly.
Damon. Is this the courtesy you promised me, and that very lately?
Carisophus. Away with him, I say.
Damon. Use no violence, I will go with you quietly.
[Exeunt omnes.
Here