|
Introduction
Introduction
Dramatis Personae
[The Pope. Cardinal of Lorrain. Emperor of Germany.
Duke of Vanholt. Faustus.
Valdes and Cornelius, Friends to Faustus.
Wagner, Servant to Faustus.
Clown. Robin. Ralph.
Vintner, Horse-Courser, Knight, Old Man,
Scholars, Friars, and Attendants.
Duchess of Vanholt.
Lucifer. Belzebub. Mephistophilis.
Good Angel, Evil Angel, The Seven Deadly Sins, Devils,
Spirits in the shape of Alexander the Great,
of his Paramour, and of Helen of Troy.
Chorus.]
Introduction - Chorus
Enter Chorus
Chorus
Not marching now in fields of Trasimene,
Where Mars did mate^1 the Carthaginians;
Nor sporting in the dalliance of love,
In courts of kings where state is overturn`d;
Nor in the pomp of proud audacious deeds,
Intends our Muse to vaunt his heavenly verse:
Only this, gentlemen, - we must perform
The form of Faustus` fortunes, good or bad.
To patient judgments we appeal our plaud,^2
And speak for Faustus in his infancy.
Now is he born, his parents base of stock,
In Germany, within a town call`d Rhodes;^3
Of riper years to Wittenberg he went,
Whereas his kinsmen chiefly brought him up.
So soon he profits in divinity,
The fruitful plot of scholarism grac`d,^4
That shortly he was grac`d with doctor`s name,
Excelling all those sweet delight disputes
In heavenly matters of theology;
Till swollen with cunning,^5 of a self - conceit,
His waxen wings^6 did mount above his reach,
And, melting, Heavens conspir`d his overthrow;
For, falling to a devilish exercise,
And glutted [now] with learning`s golden gifts,
Her surfeits upon cursed necromancy.
Nothing so sweet as magic is to him,
Which he prefers before his chiefest bliss.
And this the man that in his study sits!
[Hear Till Swollen]
[Footnote 1: Confound. But Hannibal was victorious at Lake Trasimenus, B. C.
217.]
[Footnote 2: For applause.]
[Footnote 3: Roda, in the Duchy of Saxe - Altenburg, near Jena.]
[Footnote 4: The garden of scholarship being adorned by him.]
[Footnote 5: Knowledge.]
[Footnote 6: An allusion to the myth of Icarus, who flew too near the sun.]
[Exit.
|
