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THE SPANISH TRAGEDY
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A monologue from Act IV, Scene I
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by: Thomas Kyd
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NOTE: The Spanish Tragedy was composed by Thomas Kyd sometime between 1582 and 1589. It is now a public domain work and may be performed without royalties. |
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- BEL-IMPERIA: Is this the love thou bear'st Horatio?
- Is this the kindness that thou counterfeits?
- Are these the fruits of thine incessant tears?
- Hieronimo, are these thy passions,
- Thy protestations and thy deep laments,
- That thou wert wont to weary men withal?
- O unkind father! O deceitful world!
- With what excuses canst thou show thyself--
- With what dishonor and the hate of men--
- From this dishonor and the hate of men,
- Thus to neglect the loss and life of him
- Whom both my letters and thine own belief
- Assures thee to be causeless slaughteréd?
- Hieronimo, for shame, Hieronimo,
- Be not a history to aftertimes
- Of such ingratitude unto thy son.
- Unhappy mothers of such children then!
- But monstrous fathers to forget so soon
- The death of those whom they with care and cost
- Have tendered so, thus careless should be lost.
- Myself a stranger in respect of thee,
- So loved his life as still I wish their deaths.
- Nor shall his death be unrevenged by me,
- Although I bear it out for fashion's sake,
- For here I swear, in sight of heaven and earth,
- Shouldst thou neglect the love thou shouldst retain,
- And give it over and devise no more,
- Myself should send their hateful souls to hell
- That wrought his downfall with extremest death.
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