Thy mind, Aeneas, that would have it so,
Deludes thy eyesight. Priamus is dead.
AENEAS. Ah, Troy is sacked and Priamus is dead,
And why should poor Aeneas be alive?
ASCANIUS. Sweet father, leave to weep. This is not he,
ACHATES. Aeneas see; here come the citizens.
Leave to lament, lest they laugh at our fears. .
Enter Cloanthus, Sergestus, Ilioneus, and others.
AENEAS. Lords of this town, or whatsoever style
Belongs unto your name, vouchsafe of ruth
To tell us who inhabits this fair town,
What kind of people and who governs them,
For we are strangers driven on this shore
And scarcely know within what clime we are.
ILIONEUS. I hear Aeneas' voice, but see him not,
For none of these can be our general.
ACHATES. Like Ilioneus speaks this noble man,
But Ilioneus goes not in such robes.
SERGESTUS. You are Achates, or I am deceived.
ACHATES. Aeneas, see Sergestus or his ghost!
ILIONEUS. He names Aeneas; let us kiss his feet.
CLOANTHUS. It is our captain! See Ascanius!
SERGESTUS. Live long Aeneas and Ascanius!
AENEAS. Achates, speak, for I am overjoyed.
ACHATES. O Ilioneus, art thou yet alive?
ILIONEUS. Blest be the time I see Achates' face.
CLOANTHUS. Why turns Aeneas from his trusty friends?
AENEAS. Sergestus, Ilioneus, and the rest,
Your sight amazed me. O, what destinies
Have brought my sweet companions in such plight?
O tell me, for I long to be resolved.
ILIONEUS. Lovely Aeneas, these are Carthage walls,
And here Queen Dido wears th' imperial crown,
Who for Troy's sake hath entertained us all
And clad us in these wealthy robes we wear.
Oft hath she asked us under whom we served,
And when we told her, she would weep for grief,
Thinking the sea had swallowed up thy ships;
And now she sees thee, how will she rejoice!
SERGESTUS. See where her servitors pass through the hall,
Bearing a banquet. Dido is not far.
ILIONEUS. Look where she comes! Aeneas, view her well.
AENEAS. Well may I view her, but she sees not me.
Enter Dido and her train.
DIDO. What stranger art thou that dost eye me thus?
AENEAS. Sometime I was a Trojan, mighty queen,
But Troy is not. What shall I say I am?
ILIONEUS. Renowned Dido, 'tis our general,
DIDO. Warlike Aeneas, and in these base robes!
Go fetch the garment which Sichaeus ware.
Exit an Attendant.
Brave prince, welcome to Carthage and to me,
Both happy that Aeneas is our guest.
Sit in this chair and banquet with a queen.
Aeneas is Aeneas, were he clad
In weeds as bad as ever Irus ware.
AENEAS. This is no seat for one that's comfortless.
May it please your grace to let Aeneas wait,
For though my birth be great, my fortune's mean,
Too mean to be companion to a queen.
DIDO. Thy fortune may be greater than thy birth.
Sit down, Aeneas, sit in Dido's place,
And if this be thy son, as I suppose,
Here let him sit. Be merry, lovely child.
AENEAS. This place beseems me not. O, pardon me.
DIDO. I'll have it so. Aeneas, be content.
ASCANIUS. Madam, you shall be my mother.
DIDO. And so I will, sweet child. Be merry man!
Here's to thy better fortune and good stars.
AENEAS. In all humility, I thank your grace.
DIDO. Remember who thou art. Speak like thyself.
Humility belongs to common grooms.
AENEAS. And who so miserable as Aeneas is?
DIDO. Lies it in Dido's hands to make thee blest,
Then be assured thou art not miserable.
AENEAS. O Priamus! O Troy! Oh Hecuba!
DIDO. May I entreat thee to discourse at large,
And truly too, how Troy was overcome,
For many tales go of that city's fall,
And scarcely do agree upon one point.
Some say Antenor did betray the town;
Others report 'twas Sinon's perjury;
But all in this, that Troy is overcome
And Priam dead.