Flourish. Enter at one door the old King of Lydia, Tymethes his son, Lapyrus his nephew, and soldiers. At the other the old King of Lycia, Zantippus his son, Eurymone his daughter, and soldiers. The two kings parley and change hostages for peace. Lapyrus is given to the Lycian, and Zantippus to the Lydian. The Lycian seems to offer his daughter Eurymone to Lapyrus to fall from his uncle and join with him; he accepts her, drawing his sword against his country and uncle. The Lydian sends his son Tymethes for aid; he enters again with Armatrites, King of Cilicia, Zenarchus his son, and Mazeres, a young prince, the Cilician king’s follower. All they draw against the Lycian’s party, whereat they all [with] Lapyrus fly, the two other kings pursuing them. Then enter the Old Queen of Lydia flying from her nephew Lapyrus, with two babes in her arms, he pursuing her with his drawn sword. Enter Chorus.
CHORUS
After the waste of many thousand wounds
Given and receiv’d alike in seven set battles,
Lydia’s old king, upon conditions sign’d
For peace and truce, enter’d consigned league
With his fierce enemy, the Lycian king,
Gave him in hostage as his pledge of faith
His nephew, Lord Lapyrus, and receiv’d
Noble Zantippus from the Lycian.
To make the contract full and honourable,
This Lord Lapyrus entertain’d and welcom’d,
But chiefly by the fair Eurymone,
The king’s sole daughter, who unto Lapyrus
Offers her as his bride, so he would turn
A traitor to his country and his king;
Lapyrus, to obtain the beauteous maid,
Turns traitor to his king and joins his force
Unto his fair love’s father, Lycia’s king.
Th’ old King of Lydia, being so beset
By his own nephew’s unexpected treacheries,
Sent forth his son Tymethes to crave aid
From Armatrites, King of great Cilicia,
Which he obtain’d in a disastrous hour,
As the event will witness. In this trouble
The frighted queen with her two infants fled
Into a forest, fearing the sad ruin
Hourly expected, until Armatrites
With a fresh army forc’d Lapyrus fly
And sav’d the king, doom’d for worse treachery.
What follows shows itself; ’tis our full due
If we with labour give content to you.
Exit.