Is that all the cause?
Think you, you can so knit your self in
love
To any other, that her searching sight
Cannot dissolve it? So before you
tri’d,
You thought your self a match for me in
[f]ight,
Trust me Tigranes, she can do as
much
In peace, as I in war, she’l conquer
too,
You shall see if you have the power to
stand
The force of her swift looks, if you dislike,
I’le send you home with love, and
name your ransom
Some other way, but if she be your choice,
She frees you: To Iberia
you must.
Tigr.
Sir, I have learn’d a prisoners
sufferance,
And will obey, but give me leave to talk
In private with some friends before I
go.
Arb.
Some to await him forth, and see him safe,
But let him freely send for whom he please,
And none dare to disturb his conference,
I will not have him know what bondage is,
[Exit Tigranes.
Till he be free from me. This
Prince, Mardonius,
Is full of wisdom, valour, all the graces
Man can receive.
Mar.
And yet you conquer’d him.
Arb.
And yet I conquer’d him, and could
have don’t
Hadst thou joyn’d with him, though
thy name in Arms
Be great; must all men that are vertuous
Think suddenly to match themselves with
me?
I conquered him and bravely, did I not?
Bes.
And please your Majesty, I was afraid at first.
Mar.
When wert thou other?
Arb.
Of what?
Bes.
That you would not have spy’d your
best advantages, for your
Majesty in my opinion lay too high, methinks,
under favour, you
should have lain thus.
Mar.
Like a Taylor at a wake.
Bes.
And then, if please your Majesty to remember,
at one time, by my
troth I wisht my self wi’you.
Mar.
By my troth thou wouldst ha’ stunk ’em both out o’th’ Lists.
Arb.
What to do?
Bes.
To put your Majesty in mind of an occasion; you lay thus, and Tigranes falsified a blow at your Leg, which you by doing thus avoided; but if you had whip’d up your Leg thus, and reach’d him on the ear, you had made the Blood-Royal run down his head.
Mar.
What Country Fence-school learn’st thou at?
Arb.
Pish, did not I take him nobly?
Mar.
Why you did, and you have talked enough on’t.
Arb.
Talkt enough? Will you confine my word? by heaven and earth, I were much better be a King of beasts Than such a people: if I had not patience Above a God, I should be call’d a Tyrant Throughout the world. They will offend to death Each minute: Let me hear thee speak again, And thou art earth again: why this is like Tigranes speech that needs would say I brag’d. Bessus, he said I brag’d.
Bes.