Honour hath left and freedom, but let them 1715 1720 1725 Or knock the breast, no weakness, no contempt, friends, To fetch him hence, and solemnly attend 1730 1735 Home to his father's house: there will I build him 1733 Home] See Par. Reg. iv. 638. 'Home to his mother's house private return'd.' 1740 high] Hawes's Past. of Pleasure, 1554. ch. xxxii. 'Right high aduentures unto you shall fall.' Todd. 1740 Visit his tomb with flowers, only bewailing Of highest wisdom brings about, Oft he seems to hide his face, But unexpectedly returns, And to his faithful champion hath in place Bore witness gloriously; whence Gaza mourns, His uncontrollable intent: His servants he, with new acquist 1745 1750 1755 Of true experience from this great event, 1755 acquist] Heath's Chron. of Civil Wars, fol. p. 402, 'his unjust acquists.' Todd. Note] It was the custom of the scholars who lived in the age just previous to that of Milton, and who possessed a command of poetical language, to form dramas in Latin verse from scripture histories. Besides the two volumes of the Dramata Sacra,' there is the 'Abramus' of Th. Beza, the 'Parabata Vinctus' of Thuanus, the 'Christus Patiens,' the 'Sophom-paneas,' and the 'Adamus Exsul,' of Grotius, the 'Jephthas,' and 'Baptistes' of Buchanan, the 'Herodes Infanticida' of Dan. Heinsius. These I have read; probably there are others with which I am not acquainted; there are also many Italian dramas formed on the sacred history, and our old mysteries. The Greek translation of this play, by G. H. Glasse, has been pronounced to be 'a work constructed with such precision, and expressed with such elegance, as never appeared in Europe since the revival of learning.' Parr's Letters, i. p. 637. THE PERSONS. The attendant SPIRIT, afterwards in the habit of THYRSIS. COMUS with his crew. The LADY. First BROTHER. Second BROTHER. SABRINA, the Nymph. The chief persons who presented, were The Lord BRACKLY. Mr. THOMAS EGERTON, his brother. The Lady ALICE EGERTON. COMUS, A MASK. THE FIRST SCENE DISCOVERS A WILD WOOD. The Attendant SPIRIT descends or enters.* BEFORE the starry threshold of Jove's court In regions mild of calm and serene air, 5 Which men call Earth; and with low-thoughted care 10 The Attendant Spirit] The Spirit is called 'Dæmon' in the Cambridge MS. Warton. 1 starry] 'Who calls Minerva from the starry court.' Sharpe's Noble Stranger, p. 48. In that high starry court.' Marino's Sl. of the Innocents, p. 130; and Cupid's Whirligig, p. 1. (1611.) 'And thus with winges, and bowe came I Newly from Jove's high courte in skie.' 7 pester'd] Crowded. Ital. Pesta, a crowd. v. Hall's Sat. b. iv. 8. 7. Todd. |