Act the Second: Scene I

CLOTALDO. Everything has been effectedAs you ordered.

BASILIUS. How all happenedLet me know, my good Clotaldo.

CLOTALDO. It was done, sire, in this manner.With the tranquillising draught,Which was made, as you commanded,Of confections duly mixedWith some herbs, whose juice extractedHas a strange tyrannic power,Has some secret force imparted,Which all human sense and speechRobs, deprives, and counteracteth,And as 'twere a living corpseleaves the man whose lips have quaffed itSo asleep that all his senses,All his powers are overmastered . . . .-- No need have we to discussThat this fact can really happen,Since, my lord, experience gives usMany a clear and proved example;Certain 'tis that Nature's secretsMay by medicine be extracted,And that not an animal,Not a stone, or herb that's planted,But some special qualityDoth possess: for if the maliceOf man's heart, a thousand poisonsThat give death, hath power to examine,Is it then so great a wonderThat, their venom being abstracted,If, as death by some is given,Sleep by others is imparted?Putting, then, aside the doubtThat 'tis possible this should happen,A thing proved beyond all questionBoth by reason and example . . . .-- With the sleeping draught, in fine,Made of opium superaddedTo the poppy and the henbane,I to Sigismund's apartment --Cell, in fact -- went down, and with himSpoke awhile upon the grammarOf the sciences, those first studiesWhich mute Nature's gentle masters,Silent skies and hills, had taught him;In which school divine and ample,The bird's song, the wild beast's roar,Were a lesson and a language.Then to raise his spirit moreTo the high design you planned here,I discoursed on, as my theme,The swift flight, the stare undazzledOf a pride-plumed eagle bold,Which with back-averted talons,Scorning the tame fields of air,Seeks the sphere of fire, and passesThrough its flame a flash of feathers,Or a comet's hair untangled.I extolled its soaring flight,Saying, "Thou at last art masterOf thy house, thou'rt king of birds,It is right thou should'st surpass them."He who needed nothing moreThan to touch upon the matterOf high royalty, with a bearingAs became him, boldly answered;For in truth his princely bloodMoves, excites, inflames his ardourTo attempt great things: he said,"In the restless realm of atomsGiven to birds, that even oneShould swear fealty as a vassal!I, reflecting upon this,Am consoled by my disasters,For, at least, if I obey,I obey through force: untrammelled,Free to act, I ne'er will ownAny man on earth my master."--This, his usual theme of grief,Having roused him nigh to madness,I occasion took to profferThe drugged draught: he drank, but hardlyHad the liquor from the vesselPassed into his breast, when fastestSleep his senses seized, a sweat,Cold as ice, the life-blood hardenedIn his veins, his limbs grew stiff,So that, knew I not 'twas acted,Death was there, feigned death, his lifeI could doubt not had departed.Then those, to whose care you trustThis experiment, in a carriageBrought him here, where all things fittingThe high majesty and the grandeurOf his person are provided.In the bed of your state chamberThey have placed him, where the stuporHaving spent its force and vanished,They, as 'twere yourself, my lord,Him will serve as you commanded:And if my obedient serviceSeems to merit some slight largess,I would ask but this alone(My presumption you will pardon),That you tell me, with what objectHave you, in this secret manner,To your palace brought him here?

BASILIUS. Good Clotaldo, what you ask meIs so just, to you aloneI would give full satisfaction.Sigismund, my son, the hardInfluence of his hostile planet(As you know) doth threat a thousandDreadful tragedies and disasters;I desire to test if Heaven(An impossible thing to happen)Could have lied -- if having given usProofs unnumbered, countless samplesOf his evil disposition,He might prove more mild, more guardedAt the lest, and self-subduedBy his prudence and true valourChange his character; for 'tis manThat alone controls the planets.This it is I wish to test,Having brought him to this palace,Where he'll learn he is my son,And display his natural talents.If he nobly hath subdued him,He will reign; but if his mannersShow him tyrannous and cruel,Then his chains once more shall clasp him.But for this experiment,Now you probably will ask meOf what moment was't to bring himThus asleep and in this manner?And I wish to satisfy you,Giving all your doubts an answer.If to-day he learns that heIs my son, and some hours afterFinds himself once more restoredTo his misery and his shackles,Certain 'tis that from his temperBlank despair may end in madness --But once knowing who he is,Can he be consoled thereafter?Yes, and thus I wish to leaveOne door open, one free passage,By declaring all he sawWas a dream. With this advantageWe attain two ends. The firstIs to put beyond all cavilHis condition, for on wakingHe will show his thoughts, his fancies:To console him is the second;Since, although obeyed and flattered,He beholds himself awhile,And then back in prison shackledFinds him, he will think he dreamed.And he rightly so may fancy,For, Clotaldo, in this worldAll who live but dream they act here.

CLOTALDO. Reasons fail me not to showThat the experiment may not answer;But there is no remedy now,For a sign from the apartmentTells me that he hath awokenAnd even hitherward advances.

BASILIUS. It is best that I retire;But do you, so long his master,Near him stand; the wild confusionThat his waking sense may darkenDissipate by simple truth.

CLOTALDO. Then your licence you have grantedThat I may declare it?

BASILIUS. Yes;For it possibly may happenThat admonished of his dangerHe may conquer his worst passions.