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Scene XIII
Scene XIII
A room in Faustus` House
Enter Wagner
Wag. I think my master shortly means to die, For he hath given to me all
his goods; And yet, methinks, if that death were so near, He would not banquet
and carouse and swill Amongst the students, as even now he doth, Who are at
supper with such belly - cheer As Wagner ne`er beheld in all his life. See
where they come! Belike the feast is ended.
Enter Faustus, with two or three Scholars [and Mephistophilis]
1st Schol. Master Doctor Faustus, since our conference about fair ladies,
which was the beautifullest in all the world, we have determined with
ourselves that Helen of Greece was the admirablest lady that ever lived:
therefore, Master Doctor, if you will do us that favour, as to let us see that
peerless dame of Greece, whom all the world admires for majesty, we should
think ourselves much beholding unto you.
Faust. Gentlemen, For that I know your friendship is unfeigned, And
Faustus` custom is not to deny The just requests of those that wish him well,
You shall behold that peerless dame of Greece, No otherways for pomp and
majesty Than when Sir Paris cross`d the seas with her, And brought the spoils
to rich Dardania. Be silent, then, for danger is in words.
Music sounds, and Helen passeth over the stage.
2nd Schol. Too simple is my wit to tell her praise, Whom all the world
admires for majesty.
3rd Schol. No marvel though the angry Greeks pursued With ten years` war
the rape of such a queen, Whose heavenly beauty passeth all compare.
1st Schol. Since we have seen the pride of Nature`s works, And only
paragon of excellence, Let us depart; and for this glorious deed Happy and
blest be Faustus evermore.
Faustus. Gentlemen, farewell - the same I wish to you.
Exeunt Scholars [and Wagner].
Enter an Old Man
Old Man. Ah, Doctor Faustus, that I might prevail To guide thy steps unto
the way of life, By which sweet path thou may`st attain the goal That shall
conduct thee to celestial rest! Break heart, drop blood, and mingle it with
tears, Tears falling from repentant heaviness Of thy most vile and loathsome
filthiness, The stench whereof corrupts the inward soul With such flagitious
crimes of heinous sins As no commiseration may expel, But mercy, Faustus, of
thy Saviour sweet, Whose blood alone must wash away thy guilt.
Faust. Where art thou, Faustus? Wretch, what hast thou done? Damn`d art
thou, Faustus, damn`d; despair and die! Hell calls for right, and with a
roaring voice Says "Faustus! come! thine hour is [almost] come!" And Faustus
[now] will come to do the right.
Mephistophilis gives him a dagger.
Old Man. Ah stay, good Faustus, stay thy desperate steps! I see an angel
hovers o`er thy head, And, with a vial full of precious grace, Offers to pour
the same into thy soul: Then call for mercy, and avoid despair.
Faust. Ah, my sweet friend, I feel Thy words do comfort my distressed
soul. Leave me a while to ponder on my sins.
Old Man. I go, sweet Faustus, but with heavy cheer, Fearing the ruin of
thy hopeless soul.
[Exit.]
Faust. Accursed Faustus, where is mercy now? I do repent; and yet I do
despair; Hell strives with grace for conquest in my breast: What shall I do to
shun the snares of death?
Meph. Thou traitor, Faustus, I arrest thy soul For disobedience to my
sovereign lord; Revolt, or I`ll in piecemeal tear thy flesh.
Faust. Sweet Mephistophilis, entreat thy lord To pardon my unjust
presumption. And with my blood again I will confirm My former vow I made to
Lucifer.
Meph. Do it then quickly, with unfeigned heart, Lest greater danger do
attend thy drift.
[Faustus stabs his arm and writes on a paper with his blood.]
Faust. Torment, sweet friend, that base and crooked age,^1 That durst
dissuade me from my Lucifer, With greatest torments that our hell affords.
[Footnote 1: Old man.]
Meph. His faith is great, I cannot touch his soul; But what I may afflict
his body with I will attempt, which is but little worth.
Faust. One thing, good servant, let me crave of thee, To glut the longing
of my heart`s desire, - That I might have unto my paramour That heavenly
Helen, Which I saw of late, Whose sweet embracings may extinguish clean These
thoughts that do dissuade me from my vow, And keep mine oath I made to
Lucifer.
Meph. Faustus, this or what else thou shalt desire Shall be perform`d in
twinkling of an eye.
Re - enter Helen
Faust. Was this the face that launched a thousand ships And burnt the
topless^2 towers of Ilium? Sweet Helen, make me immortal with a kiss.
[Footnote 2: Unsurpassed in height.]
[Kisses her.]
Her lips suck forth my soul; see where it flies! -
Come, Helen, come, give me my soul again.
Here will I dwell, for Heaven is in these lips,
And all is dross that is not Helena.
Enter Old Man.
I will be Paris, and for love of thee,
Instead of Troy, shall Wittenberg be sack`d;
And I will combat with weak Menelaus,
And wear thy colours on my plumed crest;
Yea, I will wound Achilles in the heel,
And then return to Helen for a kiss.
Oh, thou art fairer than the evening air
Clad in the beauty of a thousand stars;
Brighter art thou than flaming Jupiter
When he appear`d to hapless Semele:
More lovely than the monarch of the sky
In wanton Arethusa`s azured arms:
And none but thou shalt be my paramour.
Exeunt,
Old Man. Accursed Faustus, miserable man, That from thy soul exclud`st
the grace of Heaven, And fly`st the throne of his tribunal seat!
Enter Devils
Satan begins to sift me with his pride:
As in this furnace God shall try my faith,
My faith, vile hell, shall triumph over thee.
Ambitious fiends! see how the heavens smiles
At your repulse, and laughs your state to scorn!
Hence, hell! for hence I fly unto my God.
Exeunt [on one side Devils, on the other, Old Man].
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