The False One

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The False One, by Francis Beaumont and John

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Title: The False One
Author: Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher
Release Date: January 23, 2005 [eBook #14771]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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THE FALSE ONE
A Tragedy
by Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher
Edited by Arnold Glover

PERSONS REPRESENTED IN THE PLAY.
Julius C?sar, Emperour of Rome. Ptolomy, King of ?gypt. Achoreus, an honest Counsellor, Priest of Isis. Photinus, a Politician, minion to Ptolomy. Achillas, Captain of the Guard to Ptolomy. Septimius, a revolted Roman Villain. Labienus, a Roman Souldier, and Nuncio. Apollodorus, Guardian to Cleopatra. Antonie, ) Dolabella, ) C?sars Captains. Sceva, a free Speaker, also Captain to C?sar. Guard. Three lame Souldiers. Servants.
WOMEN.
Cleopatra, Queen of ?gypt. C?sar's Mistris. Arsino, Cleopatra's Sister. Eros, Cleopatra's waiting Woman.

The Scene ?gypt.

The principal Actors were,
John Lowin. John Underwood. Robert Benfield. Richard Sharpe. Joseph Taylor. Nicholas Toolie. John Rice. George Birch.

ACTUS PRIMUS. SCENA PRIMA.
Enter Achillas, and Achoreus.
[Ach.] I love the King, nor do dispute his power, (For that is not confin'd, nor to be censur'd By me, that am his Subject) yet allow me The liberty of a Man, that still would be A friend to Justice, to demand the motives That did induce young Ptolomy, or Photinus, (To whose directions he gives up himself, And I hope wisely) to commit his Sister, The Princess Cleopatra (if I said The Queen) Achillas 'twere (I hope) no treason, She being by her Fathers Testament (Whose memory I bow to) left Co-heir In all he stood possest of.
Achil. 'Tis confest (My good Achoreus) that in these Eastern Kingdoms Women are not exempted from the Sceptre, But claim a priviledge, equal to the Male; But how much such divisions have ta'en from The Majesty of Egypt, and what factions Have sprung from those partitions, to the ruine Of the poor Subject, (doubtful which to follow,) We have too many, and too sad examples, Therefore the wise Photinus, to prevent The Murthers, and the Massacres, that attend On disunited Government, and to shew The King without a Partner, in full splendour, Thought it convenient the fair Cleopatra, (An attribute not frequent to the Climate) Should be committed in safe Custody, In which she is attended like her Birth, Until her Beauty, or her royal Dowre, Hath found her out a Husband.
Ach. How this may Stand with the rules of policy, I know not; Most sure I am, it holds no correspondence With the Rites of ?gypt, or the Laws of Nature; But grant that Cleopatra can sit down With this disgrace (though insupportable) Can you imagine, that Romes glorious Senate (To whose charge, by the will of the dead King This government was deliver'd) or great Pompey, (That is appointed Cleopatra's Guardian As well as Ptolomies) will e're approve Of this rash counsel, their consent not sought for, That should authorize it?
Achil. The Civil war In which the Roman Empire is embarqu'd On a rough Sea of danger, does exact Their whole care to preserve themselves, and gives them No vacant time to think of what we do, Which hardly can concern them.
Ach. What's your opinion Of the success? I have heard, in multitudes Of Souldiers, and all glorious pomp of war, Pompey is much superiour.
Achil. I could give you A Catalogue of all the several Nations From whence he drew his powers: but that were tedious. They have rich arms, are ten to one in number, Which makes them think the day already won; And Pompey being master of the Sea, Such plenty of all delicates are brought in, As if the place on which they are entrench'd, Were not a Camp of Souldiers, but Rome, In which Lucullus and Apicius joyn'd, To make a publique Feast: they at Dirachium Fought with success; but knew not to make use of Fortunes fair offer: so much I have heard C?sar himself confess.
Ach. Where are they now?
Achil. In Thessalie, near the Pharsalian plains Where C?sar with a handfull of his Men Hems in the greater number: his whole troops Exceed not twenty thousand, but old Souldiers Flesh'd in the spoils of Germany and France, Inur'd to his Command, and only know To fight and overcome; And though that Famine Raigns in his Camp, compelling them to tast Bread made of roots, forbid the use of man, (Which they with scorn threw into Pompeys Camp As in derision of his Delicates)