 | Borgia |  |
SCENE VI
The Vatican; Sala dei Pontifici.The Lord Alexander VI. is enthroned. The Lord Cardinal Cesare Borgia stands before him, defiant.
ALEXANDER.
How dare you thus intrude?
CESARE.
But it is rumoured
It is your will
The Lord Ascanio Sforza be your legate
In this affair of Naples.
ALEXANDER.
Ay, my will.
CESARE.
Your Holiness will recollect he lies
Under suspicion of Giovanni's death.
You send a blood-stained envoy on this business,
And thrust me from my place. You have yourself
To thank for your Giovanni's death; the honours
You heaped on him have brought him to his doom.
Will you bring more
And greater desolation on your years?
ALEXANDER.
You shall not go
To Naples. You forget your brother's death.
27
I am your legate, if before, so after.
As for my brother's death, that is but Fortune—
The spokes of her wheel turned bright on me. I was
Your second son, enslaved to your vocation;
Profane, I touched your sacred things and trembled
You dared to put me to such use: in secret
I wrought my sword, my legend. I am Cesar,
And he is all my omen. By a fate
So marvellous it rocks my very dreams
I wake, I rouse myself
To majesty you put on me, or let it
Drop downward to the void.
[Motioning to the Pope that he must continue speaking.
You did not reckon
With me, you let Giovanni take my place
Beside you and your throne. None noted me
Level among the scarlet hats, except
This goddess with a rudder, this fair child
Of Jove, this liberator. I am silent,
Except before confusion such as yours.
[Coming closer to the Pope.
Blind to the moment—you have not been blind.
I watched you from Spoleto setting gins,
I watched you bribe on bribe ....
ALEXANDER.
Ay, there you track me,
And I must answer for my wickedness.
I owe my seat to wickedness.
CESARE.
Leave weeping!
There should be pact between us. How your coffers
Are filled I know, and where your heart is lavish,
And what you dream. I kneel before your throne
With faculty
As boundless as a god's, with strength as supple,
To be your instrument, to win you lands,
To give you rule. You have forbidden me
Your presence: if I pass from it forbidden,
I leave you—up and down to wave your hands
In blessing on the powers you supplicate.
28
An army for the Church; there will be legions . . .
ALEXANDER.
[Hiding his face in his cope.]
Ah me! of darkest angels!
CESARE.
Citizens
As once in Rome; and the Eternal City
Safe from her foes.
ALEXANDER.
You came on me so sudden,
You overwhelm me ....
But you shall go to Naples,
And not Ascanio.
CESARE.
Father!
ALEXANDER.
[Drawing Cesare to him.]
I have wronged you.
Come to my heart.
CESARE.
I will redress the wrong.
[The Pope kisses Cesare coldly on his forehead, and blesses him. Cesare passes out.
ALEXANDER.
How swift he moves away—as if
With something he had snatched!
Is it my soul?
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