University of Virginia Library

Actus Quintus

Scena Prima.

Enter Opius, a Senator, and the Advocate.
Opius.
Is Appius then committed?

Senator.
So 'tis rumor'd.

Opius.
How will you bear you in this turbulent state?
You are a Member of that wretched Faction.
I wonder how you scape imprisonment?

Advocate.
Let me alone, I have learnt with the wise Hedghog.
to stop my cave that way the tempest drives.
Never did Bear-whelp tumbling down a hill
with more art shrink his head betwixt his clawes
then I will work my safety Appius
is in the sand already up to th'chin,
and shal I hazard landing on that shelf?
Hee's a wise friend that first befriends himself.

Opius.
What is your course of safety?

Advoc.
Marry this.
Virginius with his Troops is entering Rome,
and it is like that in the market place
my L. Icilius and himself shall meet.
Now to encounter these, two such great Armies,
where lies my Court of Guard?

Senat.
Why in your heels.
There are strange dogs uncoupled.

Adv.
You are deceiv'd,
I have studied a most eloquent Oration,
that shall applaud their fortune, and distaste
the cruelty of Appius.

Senat.
Very good Sir.
It seems then you will rail upon your Lord,
your late good Benefactor.

Adv.
By the way Sir.

Senat.
Protest Virginia was no bond-woman,
and read her noble Pedigree.

Adv.
By the way Sir.

Opius.
Could you not by the way too find occasion
to beg Lord Appius Lands?

Adv.
And by the way
perchance I will. For I will gull them all
most palbably.

Opius.
Indeed you have the Art
of flattery.

Adv.
Of Rhetorick you would say.
And I'l begin my smooth Oration thus,
Most learned Captains.

Senat.
Fie, fie, thats horrible, most of your Captains
are utterly unlearned.

Adv.
Yet I assure you,
most of them know Arithmatick so well,
that in a Muster to preserve dead payes,
they'l make twelve stand for twenty.

Opius.
Very good.

Adv.
Then I proceed,
I do applaud your fortunes, and commend
in this your observation, noble shake-rags.
The Helmet shall no more harbour the spider,
but it shall serve to carowse Sack and Sider.
The rest within I'l study.

Opius.
Farewel Proteus,
and I shall wish thy eloquent bravado
may sheild thee from the whip and Bastinado.
now in this furious tempest let us glide,
with foulded sails at pleasure of the Tyde.

Enter Icilius, Horatio, Valerius, Numitorius (at one door) with Souldiers; Virginius, Minutius, and others at the other doore.
Icil.
Stand.

Virg.
Make a stand.

Wine
Icil.
A parly with Virginius.

Minut.
We wil not trust our General 'twixt the Armies,
but upon terms of hostage.

Numit.
Well advised!
Nor we our General: who for the leaguer?

Minut.
Our selfe.

Minutius and Numitorius meet embrace, salute the Generals.
Virg.
Who for the City?

Icil.
Numitorius.

Numit.
How is it with your sorrow noble brother?

Virg.
I am forsaken of the gods, old man.

Numit.
Preach not that wretched doctrine to your self,
It wil beget despaire.

Virg.
What doe you call
a burning Feaver? Is not that a divel?
It shakes me like an earthquake. Wilt a, wilt a
give me some Wine?

Numit.
O it is hurtful for you!

Virg.
Why so? are all things that the appetite
of man doth covet in his perfect'st health,
what ever Art or Nature have invented,
to make the boundlesse wish of man contented,
Are all his poison? Give me the Wine there.—When?
Do you grudge me a poor cup of drink? Say, Say.
Now by the gods, I'll leave enough behind me
to pay my debts, and for the rest, no matter
who scrambles for't.

Numit.
Here my noble brother!
Alas, your hand shakes. I will guide it to you.

Virg.
'Tis true, it trembles. Welcome thou just palsie,
'twere pity this should doe me longer service,
now it hath slain my daughter. So I thank you;
now I have lost all comforts in the world,
it seems I must a little longer live,
bee't but to serve my belly.

Minut.
O my Lord,
this violent Feaver took him late last night,
since when, the cruelty of the disease,
hath drawn him into sundry passions
beyond his wonted temper.

Icil.
'Tis the gods
have powred their Justice on him.

Virg.
You are sadly met my Lord.

Icil.
Would we had met
in a cold grave together two months since,
I should not then have curst you.

Virg.
Ha! Whats that?

Icil.
Old man, thou hast shewed thy self a noble Roman,
but an unnatural Father; thou hast turned
my Bridal to a Funeral. What divel
did arme thy fury with the Lions paw,
the Dragons taile, with the Bulls double horne,
the Cormorants beak, the Cockatrices eyes,
the Scorpions teeth? and all these by a father
to be imployed upon his innocent child?

Virg.
Young man, I love thy true description;
I am happy now, that one beside my selfe,
doth teach me for this act. Yet were I pleased,
I cou'd approve the deed most Just and noble;
and sure posterity, which truely renders
to each man his desert, shal praise me for't.

Icil.
Come, 'twas unnatural and damnable.

Virg.
You need not interrupt me. Here's a fury
wil doe it for you! You are a Roman Knight.
What was your oath when you receiv'd your Knighthood?
a parcel of it is, as I rememember,
rather to die with honour, then to live
in servitude. Had my poor girle been ravish'd,
in her dishonour, and in my sad griefe,
your love and pity quickly had ta'ne end.
Great mens misfortunes thus have ever stood,
they touch none neerly, but their neerest blood.
What do you meane to do? It seems, my Lord,
now you have caught the sword within your hand,
like a mad man you'le draw it to offend
those that best love you; and perhaps the counsel
of some loose unthrifts, and vile male contents
hearten you to't: goe to, take your course,
my faction shal not give the least advantage
to murtherers, to banquerouts, or theeves,
to fleece the common Wealth.

Icil.
Do you term us so?
Shal I reprove your rage, or is't your malice?
He that would tame a Lion, doth not use
the goad or wierd whip, but a sweet voice,
a fearful stroaking, and with food in hand
must ply his wanton hunger.

Virg:
Want of sleep wil do it better then all these, my Lord.
I would not have you wake for others ruine,
lest you turn mad with watching.

Icil.
O you gods!
You are now a General; learn to know your place,
and use your noble calling modestly.
Better had Appius been an upright Judg,
and yet an evil man, then honest man,
and yet a dissolute Judg; for all disgrace
lights lesse upon the person, then the place.
You are i'th' City now, where if you raise
but the least uproare, even your Fathers house
shal not be free from ransack. Piteous fires
that chance in Towrs of stone, are not so feared
as those that light in Flax shops; for there's food
for eminent ruin.

Minut.
O my noble Lord!
Let not your passion bring a fatal end
to such a good beginning. All the world
shal honour that deed in him, which first
grew to a reconcilement.

Icil.
Come my Lord,
I love your friendship; yes in sooth I do,
but wil not seale it with that bloody hand.
Joine we our armies. No phantastick copy,
or borrowed President wil I assume
in my revenge. There's hope yet you may live,
to outwear this sorrow.

Virg.
O Impossible.
A minutes joy to me, would quite crosse nature,
as those that long have dwelt in noisome rooms,
swoun presently if they but scent perfumes.

Icil.
to th'Senate. Come, no more of this sad tale,
for such a tel-tale may we term our grief,
and doth as 'twere so listen to her own words,
Envious of others sleep, because shee wakes.
I ever would converse with a griev'd person
in a longe journey to beguile the day,
or winter evening to passe time away.
March on, and let proud Appius in our view
like a tree rotted, fall that way he grew.

Enter Appius, and Marcus Clodius in prison, fettered and gyved.
App.
The world is chang'd now. All damnations
seize on the Hydra headed multitude,
that only gape for innovation.
O who would trust a people?

Clod.
Nay, who would not,
rather then one rear'd on a popular suffrage,
whose station's built on Avees and Applause?
There's no firm structure on these airy Bases.
O fie upon such Greatness.

App.
The same hands
that yesterday to hear me conscionate.
and Oratorize, rung shril Plaudits forth
in sign of grace, now in contempt and scorn
hurry me to this place of darkness.

Clod.
Could not their poisons rather spend themselves,
on th'Judges folly, but must it needs stretch
to me his servant, and sweep me along?
Curse on the inconstant rabble.

App.
Grieves it thee
to impart my sad disaster?

Clod.
Marry doth it.

App.
Thou shared'st a fortune with me in my Greatness,
I hal'd thee after when I climb my State,
and shrink'st thou at my ruine?

Clod.
I loved your Greatness,
and would have trac'd you in the golden path
of sweet promotion; but this your decline
sowrs all these hoped sweets.

App.
'Tis the world right.
Such gratitude a great man still shall have
that trusts unto a temporizing slave.

Clod.
Slave? Good. Which of us two in our dejection
is basest? I am most sure
your loathsome dungeon is as dark as mine,
your conscience for a thousand sentences
wrongly denounc'd, much more opprest then mine.
then which is the most slave?

App.
O double baseness,
to hear a drudg thus with his Lord compare!
Great men disgrac'd, slaves to their servants are.

Enter Virginius, Icilius, Minutius, Numitorius, Horatio, Valerius, Opius with souldiers.
Virg.
Souldiers, keep a strong guard whilst we survey
our sentenc'd prisoners: And from this deep dungeon
keep off that great concourse, whose violent hands
would ruine this stone building and drag hence
this impious Judg peice-meal, to tear his limbs
before the Law convince him.

Icil.
See these Monsters,
whose fronts the fair Virginias innocent blood
hath visarded with such black ugliness,
that they are loathsome to all good mens souls.
Speak damn'd Judg, how canst thou purge thy self
from Lust and blood?

App.
I do confess my self
guilty of both: yet hear me, noble Romans,
Virginius, thou dost but supply my place,
I thine. Fortune hath lift thee to my Chair,
and thrown me headlong to thy pleading bar.
If in mine eminence I was stern to thee;
shunning my rigor, likewise shun my fall.
And being mild where I shewed cruelty,
establish still thy greatness. Make some use
of this my bondage. With indifference
survey me, and compare my yesterday
with this sad hour, my heighth with my decline,
and give them equal ballance.

Virg.
Uncertain fate, but yesterday his breath
aw'd Rome, and his least totved frown was death:
I cannot chuse but pity and lament,
So high a rise should have such low discent.

Icil.
He's ready to forget his injury.
(Oh too relenting age!) Thinks not Virginius,
if he should pardon Appius this black deed,
and set him once more in the Ivory Chair,
he would be wary to avoid the like,
become a new man, a more upright Judge,
and deserve better of the Common Weal?

Virg.
'Tis like he would.

Icil.
Nay, if you thus begin,
I'l fetch that shall anatomize his sin.

Numit.
Exit.
Virginius, you are to remiss to punish
deeds of this nature. You must fashion now
your actions to your place, not to your passion,
severity to such acts is as necessary
as pity to the tears of innocence.

A shout.
Minut.
He speaks but Law and Justice.
Make good the streets, with your best men at arms:
Valerius and Horatio know the reason
of this loud uproar, and confused noise.
Although my heart be melting at the fall
of men in place and Office, we'l be just
to punish murdrous Acts, and censure Lust.

Enter Valerius and Horatio.
Valer.
Icilius, worthy Lord, bears through the street
the body of Virginia towards this prison;
which when it was discovered to the people,
mov'd such a mournful clamour, that their cryes
pierc'd heaven, and forc'd tears from their sorrowing eyes.

Horat.
Here comes Icilius.

Enter Icilius with the body of Virginia.
Icil.
Where was thy pity when thou slewest this maid,
thou wouldst extend to Appius? Pity? See
her wounds still bleeding at the horrid presence
of yon stern Murderer, till she find revenge;
nor will these drops stench, or these springs be dry
till theirs be set a bleeding. Shall her soul
(whose essence some suppose lives in the blood)
still labour without rest? Will old Virginius
murder her once again in this delay?

Virg.
Pause there Icilius.
This sight hath stiffned all my operant powers,
ic'd all my blood, benum'd my motion quite.
I'l powre my soul into my daughters bodily,
and with a soldiers tears imbalm her wounds
My only dear Virginia!

App.
Leave this passion,
proceed to your just sentence.

Virg.
We will. Give me two swords. Appius grasp this,
You Clodius that. You shall be your own hang men,
do Justice on your selves. You made Virginius
sluce his own blood: lodg'd in his daughters brest,
which your own hands shall act upon your selves.
If you be Romans, and retain their spirits,
redeem a base life with a noble death,
and through your lust-burnt veins confine your breath.

App.
Virginius is a noble Justicer,
had I my crooked paths levell'd by thine.
I had not swayed the ballance. Think not Lords,
but he that had the spirit to oppose the Gods,
dares likewise suffer what their powers inflict:
I have not dreaded famine, fire, nor strage,
their common vengeance, poison in my cup,
nor dagger in my bosom, the revenge
of private men for private injuries;
nay more then these, not fear'd to commit evil,
and shall I tremble at the punishment?
Now with as much resolved constancy,
as I offended, will I pay the mulct,
and this black stain laid on my family,
then which a nobler hath not place in Rome,
Wash with my blood away. Learn of me Clodius,
I'l teach thee what thou never studiest yet,
thats bravely how to dy. Judges are term'd
the Gods on earth; and such as are corrupt
read me in this my ruine. Those that succeed me
that so offend, thus punish. This the sum of all,
Appius that sin'd, by Appius hand shall fall.

Kils himself
Virg.
He dyed as boldly as he basely err'd,
and so should every true bred Roman do.
And he whose life was odious, thus expiring,
in his death forceth pity. Clodius thou
wast follower of his fortunes in his being,
therefore in his not being imitate
his fair example.

Clod.
Death is terrible
unto a conscience that's opprest with guilt.
They say there is Elizium and Hel,
the first I have forfeited, the latter fear.
My skin is not sword proof.

Icil.
Why dost thou pawse?

Clod.
For mercy, mercy I intreat you all.
Is't not sufficient for Virginia slain
that Appius suffered; one of noble blood,
and eminence in place, for a Plebian?
Besides, he was my Lord and might command me:
If I did ought, 'twas by compulsion, Lords,
and therefore I crave mercy.

Icil.
Shall I doom him?

Virg.
Do, good Icilius.

Icil.
Then I sentence thus:
Thou hadst a mercy, most unmerriting slave,
of which thy base birth was not capable,
which we take off by taking thence thy sword.
And note the difference 'twixt a noble strain,
and one bred from the rabble: both alike
dar'd to transgresse, but see their odds in death:
Appius dy'd like a Roman Gentleman,
and a man both wayes knowing; but this slave
is only sensible of vitious living,
not apprehensive of a noble death.
Therefore as a base Malefactor (we)
and timerous slave, give him (as he deserves)
unto the common Hangman.

Clod.
What, no mercy?

Icil.
Stop's mouth,
away with him: the life of the Decemviri
expires in them. Rome thou at length art free,
restored unto thine ancient liberty.

Minut.
Of Consuls: which bold Junius Brutus first
begun in Tarquins fall. Virginius you
and young Icilius shall his place succeed,
so by the peoples suffrage 'tis decreed.

Virg.
We martial then our souldiers in that name
of Consuls, honoured with these golden bayes.
Two fair, but Ladies most infortunate,
have in their ruins rais'd declining Rome,
Lucretia and Virginia, both renown'd
for chastity. Souldiers and noble Romans
to grace her death, whose life hath freed great Rome,
march with her Course to her sad Funeral Tomb.

Exeunt.
Flourish.