Act V, Scene ii

Flourish. Enter above DUKE, BIANCA, LORD CARDINAL, FABRITIO, and other CARDINALS, LORDS and LADIES in state
DUKE
Now our fair duchess, your delight shall witness
How y’are beloved and honoured: all the glories
Bestowed upon the gladness of this night
Are done for your bright sake.
BIANCA      I am the more
In debt, my lord, to loves and courtesies	5
That offer up themselves so bounteously
To do me honoured grace, without my merit.
DUKE
A goodness set in greatness! How it sparkles
Afar off like pure diamonds set in gold!
How perfect my desires were, might I witness	10
But a fair noble peace ’twixt your two spirits!
The reconcilement would be more sweet to me
Than longer life to him that fears to die.
[To LORD CARDINAL] Good Sir!
CARDINAL      I profess peace, and am content.
DUKE
I’ll see the seal upon’t, and then ’tis firm.	15
CARDINAL
You shall have all you wish. [Kisses BIANCA]
DUKE      I have all indeed now.
BIANCA
[Aside] But I have made surer work; this shall not blind me.
He that begins so early to reprove,
Quickly rid him or look for little love.
Beware a brother’s envy; he’s next heir too.	20
Cardinal, you die this night, the plot’s laid surely:
In time of sports death may steal in securely;
Then ’tis least thought on.
For he that’s most religious, holy friend,
Does not at all hours think upon his end;	25
He has his times of frailty, and his thoughts
Their transportations too, through flesh and blood,
For all his zeal, his learning, and his light,
As well as we poor souls that sin by night.

[FABRITIO gives the DUKE a paper]

DUKE
What’s this, Fabritio?
FABRITIO      Marry, my lord, the model	30
Of what’s presented.
DUKE      Oh we thank their loves;
Sweet duchess, take your seat, list to the argument.
Reads
There is a nymph that haunts the woods and springs,
In love with two at once, and they with her.
Equal it runs; but to decide these things,	35
The cause to mighty Juno they refer,
She being the marriage-goddess. The two lovers,
They offer sighs; the nymph a sacrifice;
All to please Juno, who by signs discovers
How the event shall be; so that strife dies.	40
Then springs a second; for the man refused
Grows discontent, and out of love abused
He raises Slander up, like a black fiend,
To disgrace th’other, which pays him i’th’end.
BIANCA
In troth, my lord, a pretty, pleasing argument,	45
And fits th’occasion well: Envy and Slander
Are things soon raised against two faithful lovers;
But comfort is, they are not long unrewarded.

Music

DUKE
This music shows they’re upon entrance now.
BIANCA
[Aside] Then enter all my wishes!	50

Enter HYMEN in yellow, GANYMEDE in a blue robe powdered with stars, and HEBE in a white robe with golden stars, with covered cups in their hands. They dance a short dance, then bowing to the DUKE, &c. HYMEN speaks

HYMEN
[Giving BIANCA a cup] «To thee, fair bride, Hymen
offers up
Of nuptial joys this the celestial cup.
Taste it, and thou shalt ever find
Love in thy bed, peace in thy mind.»
BIANCA
We’ll taste you, sure, ’twere pity to disgrace	55
So pretty a beginning.
DUKE      ’Twas spoke nobly.
GANYMEDE
«Two cups of nectar have we begged from Jove;
Hebe give that to innocence, I this to love.

[HEBE gives a cup to the LORD CARDINAL,
GANYMEDE one to the DUKE; both drink]

Take heed of stumbling more, look to your way;	60
Remember still the Via Lactea.»
HEBE
«Well, Ganymede, you have more faults, though not so known;
I spilled one cup, but you have filched many a one.»
HYMEN
«No more, forbear for Hymen’s sake;
In love we met, and so let’s parting take.»

Exeunt [HYMEN, GANYMEDE, and HEBE]

DUKE
But soft! Here’s no such persons in the argument	65
As these three, Hymen, Hebe, Ganymede.
The actors that this model here discovers
Are only four, Juno, a nymph, two lovers.
BIANCA
This is some antemasque belike, my lord,
To entertain time. [Aside] Now my peace is perfect.	70
[To DUKE] Let sports come on apace; now is their time, my lord.

Music

Hark you, you hear from ’em!
DUKE      The nymph indeed!

Enter two dressed like nymphs, bearing two tapers lighted; then ISABELLA dressed with flowers and garlands, bearing a censer with fire in it; they set the censer and tapers on JUNO’s altar with much reverence; this ditty being sung in parts

Ditty

Juno, nuptial-goddess,
Thou that rul’st o’er coupled bodies,
Tiest man to woman, never to forsake her,	75
Thou only powerful marriage-maker,
Pity this amazed affection;
I love both, and both love me;
Nor know I where to give rejection,
My heart likes so equally,	80
Till thou set’st right my peace of life,
And with thy power conclude this strife.
ISABELLA
[To NYMPHS] «Now with my thanks depart you to the springs,
I to these wells of love.
[Exeunt the two NYMPHS]
Thou sacred goddess,
And queen of nuptials, daughter to great Saturn,	85
Sister and wife to Jove, imperial Juno,
Pity this passionate conflict in my breast,
This tedious war ’twixt two affections;
Crown one with victory, and my heart’s at peace.»

Enter HIPPOLITO and GUARDIANO, like shepherds

HIPPOLITO
«Make me that happy man, thou mighty goddess.»	90
GUARDIANO
«But I live most in hope, if truest love
Merit the greatest comfort.»
ISABELLA      «I love both
With such an even and fair affection,
I know not which to speak for, which to wish for,
Till thou, great arbitress ’twixt lover’s hearts,	95
By thy auspicious grace, design the man;
Which pity I implore.»
BOTH [HIPPOLITO and GUARDIANO]

«We all implore it.»

ISABELLA
«And after sighs, contrition’s truest odours,

LIVIA descends like JUNO [attended by CUPIDS with bows]

I offer to thy powerful deity,
This precious incense, may it ascend peacefully.»	100

[Poisoned smoke rises]

[Aside] And if it keep true touch, my good aunt Juno,
’Twill try your immortality ere’t be long;
I fear you’ll never get so nigh Heaven again,
When you’re once down.
LIVIA      «Though you and your affections
Seem all as dark to our illustrious brightness	105
As night’s inheritance, Hell, we pity you,
And your requests are granted. You ask signs;
They shall be given you, we’ll be gracious to you.
He of those twain which we determine for you,
Love’s arrows shall wound twice; the later wound	110
Betokens love in age: for so are all
Whose love continues firmly all their lifetime
Twice wounded at their marriage, else affection
Dies when youth ends.» [Aside This savour overcomes me.
[As JUNO] «Now for a sign of wealth and golden days,	115
Bright-eyed prosperity which all couples love,
Ay, and makes love, take that!

[Throws flaming gold upon ISABELLA, who falls dead]

Our brother Jove
Never denies us of his burning treasure,
T’express bounty.»
DUKE      She falls down upon’t;
What’s the conceit of that?
FABRITIO      As over-joyed, belike.	120
Too much prosperity overjoys us all,
And she has her lapful, it seems, my lord.
DUKE
This swerves a little from the argument, though.
Look you, my lords!
GUARDIANO
[Aside] All’s fast; now comes my part to toll him hither;	125
Then, with a stamp given, he’s dispatched as cunningly.
HIPPOLITO
Stark dead! Oh treachery! Cruelly made away! How’s that?

[HIPPOLITO angrily stamps on the floor upon discovering ISABELLA’S body; GUARDIANO falls through the trap-door]

FABRITIO
Look, there’s one of the lovers dropped away too.
DUKE
Why sure, this plot’s drawn false, here’s no such thing.
LIVIA
Oh I am sick to th’death, let me down quickly;	130

[She is lowered to the ground]

This fume is deadly. Oh’t has poisoned me!
My subtlety is sped, her art has quitted me;
My own ambition pulls me down to ruin. [Dies]
HIPPOLITO
Nay, then I kiss thy cold lips, and applaud
This thy revenge in death.
FABRITIO      Look, Juno’s down too.	135

CUPIDS shoot [at HIPPOLITO]

What makes she there? Her pride should keep aloft.
She was wont to scorn the earth in other shows.
Methinks her peacocks’ feathers are much pulled.
HIPPOLITO
Oh death runs through my blood in a wild flame too!
Plague of those Cupids! Some lay hold on ’em.	140
Let ’em not ’scape, they have spoiled me; the shaft’s deadly.
DUKE
I have lost myself in this quite.
HIPPOLITO
My great lords, we are all confounded.
DUKE      How?
HIPPOLITO
[Points to ISABELLA] Dead; and I worse.
FABRITIO      Dead? My girl dead? I hope
My sister Juno has not served me so.	145
HIPPOLITO
Lust and forgetfulness has been amongst us,
And we are brought to nothing. Some blest charity
Lend me the speeding pity of his sword
To quench this fire in blood. Leantio’s death
Has brought all this upon us – now I taste it –	150
And made us lay plots to confound each other.
The event so proves it, and man’s understanding
Is riper at his fall than all his lifetime.
She, in a madness for her lover’s death,
Revealed a fearful lust in our near bloods,	155
For which I am punished dreadfully and unlooked for;
Proved her own ruin too: vengeance met vengeance,
Like a set match, as if the plagues of sin
Had been agreed to meet here all together.
But how her fawning partner fell, I reach not,	160
Unless caught by some springe of his own setting –
For on my pain, he never dreamed of dying;
The plot was all his own, and he had cunning
Enough to save himself. But ’tis the property
Of guilty deeds to draw your wise men downward.	165
Therefore the wonder ceases. Oh this torment!
DUKE
Our guard below there!

Enter a LORD with a GUARD

LORD      My lord.
HIPPOLITO      Run and meet death then,
And cut off time and pain.

[Runs on a GUARD’s halbert; dies]

LORD      Behold my lord,
H’as run his breast upon a weapon’s point.
DUKE
Upon the first night of our nuptial honours	170
Destruction play her triumph, and great mischiefs
Mask in expected pleasures! ’Tis prodigious!
They’re things most fearfully ominous: I like ’em not.
Remove these ruined bodies from our eyes.

[The bodies are taken away]

BIANCA
[Aside] Not yet, no change? When falls he to the earth?	175
LORD
Please but your excellence to peruse that paper,
Which is a brief confession from the heart
Of him that fell first, ere his soul departed;
And there the darkness of these deeds speaks plainly.
’Tis the full scope, the manner, and intent;	180
His ward, that ignorantly let him down,
Fear put to present flight at the voice of him.
BIANCA
[Aside] Nor yet?
DUKE
[To LORD CARDINAL] Read, read; for I am lost in sight and strength.
CARDINAL
My noble brother!
BIANCA      Oh the curse of wretchedness!
My deadly hand is fall’n upon my lord.	185
Destruction take me to thee, give me way;
The pains and plagues of a lost soul upon him
That hinders me a moment!
DUKE
My heart swells bigger yet; help here, break’t ope,
My breast flies open next. [Dies]
BIANCA      Oh with the poison	190
That was prepared for thee, thee, Cardinal!
’Twas meant for thee.
CARDINAL      Poor prince!
BIANCA      Accursed error!
Give me thy last breath, thou infected bosom,
And wrap two spirits in one poisoned vapour.

[Kisses the DUKE’s lips]

Thus, thus, reward thy murderer, and turn death	195
Into a parting kiss. My soul stands ready at my lips,
Ev’n vexed to stay one minute after thee.
CARDINAL
The greatest sorrow and astonishment
That ever struck the general peace of Florence
Dwells in this hour.
BIANCA      So my desires are satisfied,	200
I feel death’s power within me!
Thou hast prevailed in something, cursed poison,
Though thy chief force was spent in my lord’s bosom.
But my deformity in spirit’s more foul;
A blemished face best fits a leprous soul.	205
What make I here? These are all strangers to me,
Not known but by their malice, now th’art gone,
Nor do I seek their pities.

[She seizes the poisoned cup and drinks from it]

CARDINAL      Oh restrain
Her ignorant wilful hand!
BIANCA      Now do; ’tis done.
Leantio, now I feel the breach of marriage	210
At my heart-breaking! Oh the deadly snares
That women set for women, without pity
Either to soul or honour! Learn by me
To know your foes. In this belief I die:
Like our own sex, we have no enemy, no enemy!	215
LORD
See, my lord,
What shift sh’as made to be her own destruction.
BIANCA
Pride, greatness, honours, beauty, youth, ambition,
You must all down together, there’s no help for’t.
Yet this gladness is, that I remove,	220
Tasting the same death in a cup of love. [Dies]
CARDINAL
Sin, what thou art, these ruins show too piteously.
Two kings on one throne cannot sit together,
But one must needs down, for his title’s wrong;
So where lust reigns, that prince cannot reign long.	225
Exeunt

FINIS