Whom angry heavens do make their minister,
Throw in the frozen bosoms of our part
Hot coals of vengeance! Let no soldier fly: 36
He that is truly dedicate to war
Hath no self-love; nor he that loves himself
Hath not essentially, but by circumstance,
The name of valour. [Seeing his father's body.]
O, let the vile world end, 40
And the premised flames of the last day
Knit heaven and earth together;
Now let the general trumpet blow his blast,
Particularities and petty sounds 44
To cease!—Wast thou ordain'd, dear father,
To lose thy youth in peace, and to achieve
The silver livery of advised age,
And in thy reverence and thy chair-days thus 48
To die in ruffian battle? Even at this sight
My heart is turn'd to stone: and while 'tis mine
It shall be stony. York not our old men spares;
No more will I their babes: tears virginal 52
Shall be to me even as the dew to fire;
And beauty, that the tyrant oft reclaims,
Shall to my flaming wrath be oil and flax.
Henceforth I will not have to do with pity: 56
Meet I an infant of the house of York,
Into as many gobbets will I cut it
As wild Medea young Absyrtus did:
In cruelty will I seek out my fame. 60
35 part: party, side
39 not . . . circumstance: not really but through accident
41 premised: sent before their time (?), foreordained (?)
44 Particularities: individual affairs
45 cease: put an end to
47 advised: experienced, cautious
48 reverence: state of dignity
chair-days: time of repose
53 as . . . fire: i.e. shall make the flame hotter
54 that . . . reclaims: which often subdues ferocity
59 Medea . . . Absyrtus; cf. n.
