Viewing it in this light, we are no longer surprised to read, in a stage direction at the close, that Diana 'delivers the ball of gold to the Queen's own hand'. After all, the play, like a Masque, is little more than an exaggerated and richly designed compliment, the most beautiful of its kind. In selecting suitable extracts one is drawn from scene to scene, uncertain which deserves preference. The two offered here illustrate respectively the tuneful variety of Peele's verse and the delicate embroidery of Diana's famous decision. (1) [JUNO _bribes_ PARIS _to award her the apple._] _Juno._ And for thy meed, sith I am queen of riches, Shepherd, I will reward thee with great monarchies, Empires, and kingdoms, heaps of massy gold, Sceptres and diadems curious to behold, Rich robes, of sumptuous workmanship and cost, And thousand things whereof I make no boast: The mould whereon thou treadest shall be of Tagus' sands, And Xanthus shall run liquid gold for thee to wash thy hands; And if thou like to tend thy flock, and not from them to fly, Their fleeces shall be curled gold to please their master's eye; And last, to set thy heart on fire, give this one fruit to me, And, shepherd, lo, this tree of gold will I bestow on thee! [JUNO'S _Show. A Tree of Gold rises, laden with diadems and crowns of gold._] The ground whereon it grows, the grass, the root of gold, The body and the bark of gold, all glistering to behold, The leaves of burnish'd gold, the fruits that thereon grow Are diadems set with pearl in gold, in gorgeous glistering show; And if this tree of gold in lieu may not suffice, Require a grove of golden trees, so Juno bear the prize. (2) [DIANA _describes the island kingdom of the nymph_ ELIZA, _a figure of the_ QUEEN.] There wons[59] within these pleasant shady woods, Where neither storm nor sun's distemperature Have power to hurt by cruel heat or cold, Under the climate of the milder heaven; Where seldom lights Jove's angry thunderbolt, For favour of that sovereign earthly peer; Where whistling winds make music 'mong the trees;-- Far from disturbance of our country gods, Amidst the cypress-springs, a gracious nymph, That honours Dian for her chastity, And likes the labours well of Phoebe's groves. The place Elyzium hight[60], and of the place Her name that governs there Eliza is; A kingdom that may well compare with mine, An ancient seat of kings, a second Troy, Y-compass'd round with a commodious sea.