See if I insult That am the Conquerour, and for a ransom Offer rich treasure to the Conquered, Which he refuses, and I bear his scorn: It cannot be self-flattery to say, The Daughters of your Country set by her, Would see their shame, run home and blush to death, At their own foulness; yet she is not fair, Nor beautiful, those words express her not, They say her looks have something excellent, That wants a name: yet were she odious, Her birth deserves the Empire of the world, Sister to such a brother, that hath ta'ne Victory prisoner, and throughout the earth, Carries her bound, and should he let her loose, She durst not leave him; Nature did her wrong, To Print continual conquest on her cheeks, And make no man worthy for her to taste But me that am too near her, and as strangely She did for me, but you will think I brag. _Mar_. I do I'le be sworn. Thy valour and thy passions sever'd, would have made two excellent fellows in their kinds: I know not whether I should be sorry thou art so valiant, or so passionate, wou'd one of 'em were away. _Tigr_. Do I refuse her that I doubt her worth? Were she as vertuous as she would be thought, So perfect that no one of her own sex Could find a want, had she so tempting fair, That she could wish it off for damning souls, I would pay any ransom, twenty lives Rather than meet her married in my bed. Perhaps I have a love, where I have fixt Mine eyes not to be mov'd, and she on me, I am not fickle. _Arb_. Is that all the cause? Think you, you can so knit your self in love To any other, that her searching sight Cannot dissolve it? So before you tri'd, You thought your self a match for me in [f]ight, Trust me _Tigranes_, she can do as much In peace, as I in war, she'l conquer too, You shall see if you have the power to stand The force of her swift looks, if you dislike, I'le send you home with love, and name your ransom Some other way, but if she be your choice, She frees you: To _Iberia_ you must. _Tigr_. Sir, I have learn'd a prisoners sufferance, And will obey, but give me leave to talk In private with some friends before I go. _Arb_. Some to await him forth, and see him safe, But let him freely send for whom he please, And none dare to disturb his conference, I will not have him know what bondage is, [_Exit Tigranes_. Till he be free from me. This Prince, _Mardonius_, Is full of wisdom, valour, all the graces Man can receive. _Mar_. And yet you conquer'd him. _Arb_. And yet I conquer'd him, and could have don't Hadst thou joyn'd with him, though thy name in Arms Be great; must all men that are vertuous Think suddenly to match themselves with me? I conquered him and bravely, did I not? _Bes_. And please your Majesty, I was afraid at first. _Mar_. When wert thou other? _Arb_. Of what? _Bes_.