DIONYSIUS. Unequal though I be in great possessions, Yet full equal shall you find me in my changed conditions. Tyranny, flattery, oppression, lo, here I cast away; Justice, truth, love, friendship, shall be my joy: True friendship will I honour unto my life’s end; My greatest glory shall be to be counted a perfect friend.
PITHIAS. For this your deed, most noble king, the gods advance your name, And since to friendship’s lore you list your princely heart to frame, With joyful heart, O king, most welcome now to me, With you will I knit the perfect knot of amity: Wherein I shall instruct you so, and Damon here your friend, That you may know of amity the mighty force, and eke the joyful end: And how that kings do stand upon a fickle ground, Within whose realm at time of need no faithful friends are found.
DIONYSIUS. Your instruction will I follow; to you myself I do commit. Eubulus, make haste to fet new apparel, fit For my new friends.
EUBULUS. I go with joyful heart. O happy day! [_Aside._] [_Exit._
GRONNO. I am glad to hear this word. Though their lives they do not lese, It is no reason[146] the hangman should lose his fees: These are mine, I am gone with a trice. [_Exit_.
_Here entereth_ EUBULUS _with new garments_.
DIONYSIUS. Put on these garments now; go in with me, the jewels of my court.
DAMON _and_ PITHIAS. We go with joyful hearts.
STEPHANO. O Damon, my dear master, in all this joy remember me.
DIONYSIUS. My friend Damon, he asketh reason.
DAMON. Stephano, for thy good service be thou free. [_Exeunt_ DION.[147]
STEPHANO. O most happy, pleasant, joyful, and triumphant day! Poor Stephano now shall live in continual play:[148] _Vive le roy_, with Damon and Pithias, in perfect amity. _Vive tu_, Stephano, in thy pleasant liberality:[149] Wherein I joy as much as he that hath a conquest won, I am a free man, none so merry as I now under the sun. Farewell, my lords, now the gods grant you all the sum of perfect amity, And me long to enjoy my long-desired liberty. [_Exit._
_Here entereth_ EUBULUS _beating_ CARISOPHUS.
Away, villain! away, you flatt’ring parasite! Away, the plague of this court! thy filed tongue, that forged lies, No more here shall do hurt: away, false sycophant! wilt thou not?