ld the kingliest point of all,
To brook afflictions well: and by how much
The more his state and tottering empire sags,
To fix so much the faster foot on ground.
No fear but doth forejudge, and many fall
Into their fate, whiles they do fear their fate.
Where courage quails, the fear exceeds the harm:
Yea, worse than war itself is fear of war.

From the brief list of other tragedies preserved from this period of
development, and including such plays as _Tancred and Gismunda_ (1568)
and Whetstone's _Promos and Cassandra_ (printed 1578)--the latter
chiefly interesting on account of the criticism of contemporary drama
contained in its Dedication--we select _Damon and Pythias_ (before 1567)
by Richard Edwards as an example of native tragedy influenced but not
subjugated by classical models. To be exact, it is a tragi-comedy, but
it is very improbable that the method of presentment would have been
different had it ended tragically; therefore it will suit our purpose.
Of importance is the date, some three or four years later than
_Gorboduc_ and seventy years earlier than _The Misfortunes of Arthur_.
When we call to mind the form finally adopted for tragedy by
Shakespeare, we shall find this play an illuminating beacon, lighting
the first steps along the right path. The author was well acquainted
with classical drama, as may be seen in his use of stichomythia, amongst
other things, and possibly in his preference for a Grecian story. He
probably knew _Gorboduc_ quite well, and learned much from its faults.
Backed by this knowledge he selected, adapted, and rejected methods at
discretion, and stood finally and definitely by the fundamental
principles of the native English drama, placing all his action on the
stage and fearlessly admitting light humorous elements to relieve the
strain of too insistent emotion or suspense. That in one place he went
too far in this direction cannot be denied: the episode of the shaving
of Grim the Collier is a bad error of judgment, founded on a right
motive but horribly mismanaged. That mistake, however, is so glaring
that it must have been obvious to all succeeding writers; it could not
seriously affect their judgment of the methods employed in the rest of
the play. It is these methods that we must understand.

First, to sketch the plot. Damon and Pythias with their servant Stephano
arrive in Syracuse in the reign of the tyrant, Dionysius. There Damon is
arrested on