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[SCENE III.]

Enter Faustus.

Full of obedience and humility!
Such is the force of magic and my spells.

FAUST. Now that the gloomy shadow of the Re-enter Mephistophilis like a Franciscan friar. MEPH. Now, Faustus, what wouldst thou have me do?

night,

Longing to view Orion's drizzling look,*
Leaps from th' antarctic world unto the sky,
And dims the welkin with her pitchy breath,
Faustus, begin thine incantations,
And try if devils will obey thy hest,
Seeing thou hast pray'd and sacrific'd to
them.

Within this circle is Jehovah's name,
Forward and backward anagrammatiz 'd,
Th' abbreviated names of holy saints,
Figures of every adjunct to the heavens,
And characters of signs and erring? stars,
By which the spirits are enforc'd to rise:
Then fear not, Faustus, to be resolute,
And try the utmost magic can perform.

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FAUST.

I charge thee wait upon me whilst I live,

To do whatever Faustus shall command, Be it to make the moon drop from her sphere, Or the ocean to overwhelm the world. MEPH. I am a servant to great Lucifer, And may not follow thee without his leave: No more than he commands must we perform.

FAUST.

MEPH. FAUST.

[Thunder. MEPH.

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7 wandering (i. e.. planets)

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8 A Protestant fling at monasticism. The rising and setting of the constellation of Orion was said to be accompanied by rain. "May the gods of Acheron [river of pain, in Hades], be propitious to me! May the triple name of Jehovah avail! Hail, spirits of fire, air, and water! Beelzebub, prince of the east. monarch of burning hell, and Demogorgon, we propitiate you, that Mephistophilis the Dragon, quod tumeraris [text corrupt and untranslatable], may appear and arise: in the name of Jehovah, Gehenna and the holy water which I now sprinkle, and the sign of the cross which I now make and in the name of our vows, let Mephistophilis himself at our command, now arise.' Beelzebub, etc., were members of the infernal hierarchy, of which Lucifer (Satan) was commonly regarded as chief. Marlowe makes Mephistophilis the

servant of Lucifer, to whom he later gives the title of prince of the east, here given to Beelzebub.

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Did not he charge thee to appear to me?

No, I came hither of mine own accord. Did not my conjuring speeches raise thee? speak!

That was the cause, but yet per accidens;9

For, when we hear one rack10 the name of God,

Abjure the Scriptures and his Saviour Christ, We fly, in hope to get his glorious soul; Nor will we come, unless he use such means Whereby he is in danger to be damn'd. Therefore the shortest cut for conjuring 50 Is stoutly to abjure all godliness, And pray devoutly to the prince of hell. FAUST. SO Faustus hath

Already done; and holds this principle, There is no chief but only Belzebub; To whom Faustus doth dedicate himself. This word damnation" terrifies not me, For I confound hell in Elysium: 11 My ghost be with the old philosophers! But, leaving these vain trifles of men's souls, Tell me what is that Lucifer thy Lord? MEPH. Arch-regent and commander of all

FAUST. MEPH.

FAUST.

MEPH.

For

FAUST.

spirits.

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Was not that Lucifer an angel once? Yes, Faustus, and most dearly lov'd of God.

How comes it, then, that he is prince of devils?

O, by aspiring pride and insolence;

which God threw him from the face of heaven.

And what are you that live with Lucifer?

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MEPH. Unhappy spirits that fell with Lucifer.
Conspired against our God with Lucifer,
And are for ever damn'd with Lucifer.
FAUST. Where are you damn'd?

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ΜΕΡΗ. FAUST.

In hell.

How comes it, then, that thou art out of hell?

MEPH. Why, this is hell, nor am I out of it:12 Think 'st thou that 1, that saw the face of God.

And tasted the eternal joys of heaven,
Am not tormented with ten thousand hells,
In being depriv'd of everlasting bliss?
O, Faustus, leave these frivolous demands, 80
Which strike a terror to my fainting soul!
FAUST. What, is great Mephistophilis so pas-
sionate

For being deprived of the joys of heaven?
Learn thou of Faustus manly fortitude,
And scorn those joys thou never shalt possess.
Go bear these tidings to great Lucifer:
Seeing Faustus hath incurr'd eternal death
By desperate thoughts against Jove's deity,
Say, he surrenders up to him his soul,

So he will spare him four and twenty years, 90
Letting him live in all voluptuousness;
Having thee ever to attend on me,
To give me whatsoever I shall ask,
To tell me whatsoever I demand,

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To slay mine enemies, and to aid my friends, And always be obedient to my will. Go, and return to mighty Lucifer, And meet me in my study at midnight, And then resolve me of thy master's mind. MEPH. I will, Faustus. [Exit. FAUST. Had I as many souls as there be stars, I'd give them all for Mephistophilis. By him I'll be great emperor of the world, And make a bridge thorough the moving air, To pass the ocean with a band of men; I'll join the hills that bind the Afric shore, And make that country continent13 to Spain, And both contributary to my crown: The Emperor shall not live but by my leave, Nor any potentate of Germany.

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Now that I have obtain 'd what I desir'd,

So he FAUST.

I'll live in speculation of this art,

Till Mephistophilis return again.

[Exit. MEPH.

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will buy my service with his soul. Already Faustus hath hazarded that for thee.

But now thou must bequeath it solemnly,

And write a deed of gift with thine own

blood;

For that security craves Lucifer.

If thou deny it, I must back to hell.

Faustus discovered in his study.

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FAUST. Stay, Mephistophilis, and tell me, what good will my soul do thy lord? Enlarge his kingdom.

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Is that the reason why he tempts us thus?

14 dominion

15 A town of Hanover, Germany, formerly very

prosperous.

16 come

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And bind thy soul, that at some certain day
Great Lucifer may claim it as his own;
And then be thou as great as Lucifer.
FAUST. [Stabbing his arm] Lo, Mephistophilis,
for love of thee,

Faustus hath cut his arm, and with his
proper blood

Assures his soul to be great Lucifer's,
Chief lord and regent of perpetual night!
View here this blood that trickles from mine
arm,

And let it be propitious for my wish.

MEPH. But, Faustus,

Write it in manner of a deed of gift. FAUST. [Writing] Ay, so I do. But, Mephis

tophilis,

ly blood congeals, and I can write no more. MEPH. I'll fetch thee fire to dissolve it straight. [Exit. FAUST. What might the staying of my blood

portend?

Is it unwilling I should write this bill?
Why streams it not, that I may write afresh?
Faustus gives to thee his soul: O, there it
stay'd!

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FAUST. Then, Mephistophilis, receive this scroll, A deed of gift of body and of soul: But yet conditionally that thou perform All covenants and articles between us both! MEPH. 60 Faustus, I swear by hell and Lucifer To effect all promises between us both! FAUST. Then hear me read it, Mephistophilis. [Reads. On these conditions following. First, that Faustus may be a spirit in form and substance. Secondly, that Mephistophilis shall be his servant, and be by him commanded. Thirdly, that Mephistophilis shall do for him, and bring him whatsoever he desires. Fourthly, that he shall be in his chamber or house invisible. Lastly, that he shall appear to the said John Faustus, at all times, in what shape and form soever he please. I, John Faustus, of Wittenberg, Doctor, by these presents, do give both body and soul to Lucifer prince of the east, and his minister Mephistophilis; and furthermore grant unto them, that, four-and-twenty years being expired, and these articles aboye-written being inviolate, full power to fetch or carry the said John Faustus, body and soul, flesh and blood, into their habitation wheresoever. By me, John Faustus.

Why shouldst thou not? is not thy soul thine own?

Then write again, Faustus gives to thee his
soul.

Re-enter Mephistophilis with the chafers of fire.
MEPH. See, Faustus, here is fire; set it on. 70
FAUST. So, now the blood begins to clear
again;

Now will I make an end immediately. [Writes.
MEPH. What will not I do to obtain his soul?

[Aside.

FAUST. Consummatum est ;19 this bill is ended,
And Faustus hath bequeath'd his soul to
Lucifer.

But what is this inscription on mine arm?
Homo, fuge:20 whither should I fly?

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Tell me, where is the place that men call | MEPH. hell?

MEPH. Under the heavens.

FAUST. Ay, so are all things else; but whereabouts?

MEPH. Within the bowels of these elements,

Where we are tortur'd and remain for ever:
Hell hath no limits, nor is circumscrib'd
In one self-place; but where we are is hell,
And where hell is, there must we ever be: 121
And, to be short, when all the world dissolves,
And every creature shall be purified,

All places shall be hell that are not heaven.
FAUST. I think hell's a fable.

MEPH. Ay, think so still, till experience change thy mind.

FAUST. Why, dost thou think that Faustus shall be damn'd?

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FAUST.

'Twas made for man; then he's more excellent.

If heaven was made for man, 'twas made for me:

I will renounce this magic and repent.

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Enter Good Angel and Evil Angel. G. ANG. Faustus, repent; yet God will pity thee.

E. ANG.
FAUST.

Thou art a spirit; God cannot pity

thee.

Who buzzeth in mine ears I am spirit?

a

Be I a devil, yet God may pity me;
E. ANG. Ay, but Faustus never shall repent.
Yea, God will pity me, if I repent.
[Exeunt Angels.

FAUST. My heart is harden'd, I cannot repent;
Scarce can I name salvation, faith, or heaven:
Swords, poisons, halters, and envenom'd steel
Are laid before me to despatch myself;
And long ere this I should have done the
deed,

21

Had not sweet pleasure conquer'd deep

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But have they all one motion, both situ et tempore ?29

MEPH. All move from east to west in fourand-twenty hours upon the poles of the

22 Another name for Paris, whose love for Helen caused the Trojan war.

23 Wife of Paris, who took her own life.

24 Amphion.

25 central

26 the sun

27 terminal

28 See note, p. 154 29 in place and time

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world; but differ in their motions upon the FAUST. O Christ, my Saviour, my Saviour,
poles of the zodiac.
Help to save distressèd Faustus' soul!

FAUST. These slender questions Wagner can Enter Lucifer, Belzebub, and Mephistophilis.
decide:
Luc. Christ cannot save thy soul, for he is

Hath Mephistophilis no greater skill?

Who knows not the double motion of the
planets?

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just:

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MEPH. Nine; the seven planets, the firmament. LUC.
and the empyreal heaven.*
FAUST. But is there not cælum igneum et crys-
tallinum?

Thou shouldst not think on God.
Think on the devil.

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BELZ.

And his dam too.

FAUST.

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MEPH. No, Faustus, they be but fables.

And Faustus vows never to look to heaven.

FAUST. Resolve31 me, then, in this one ques-Luc. So shalt thou show thyself an obedient

tion; why are not conjunctions, oppositions,
aspects, eclipses, all at one time, but in some
years we have more, in some less?
MEPH. Per inæqualem motum respectu totius.32
FAUST. Well, I am answered. Now tell me who
made the world?

MEPH. I will not.

FAUST. Sweet Mephistophilis, tell me.
MEPH. Move me not, Faustus.
FAUST.

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Villain, have not I bound thee to tell
me anything?

MEPH. Ay, that is not against our kingdom;
this is.

Thou art damned; think thou of hell.
FAUST. Think, Faustus, upon God that made

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G. ANG. Never too late, if Faustus will repent.
If thou repent, devils will tear thee
in pieces.

G. ANG. Repent, and they shall never raze thy
skin.
[Excunt Angels.

30 sovereign authority and intellect
31 free me from doubt

32 "Because of their unequal motion with respect
to the whole."

According to the Ptolemaic system, these were
nine concentric spheres, with the earth at the
centre. A tenth sphere, the "fiery and crys-
talline heaven" mentioned in the next ques-
tion, was sometimes added.

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