 | Virginius |  |
SCENE IV.
—The Forum.Enter Dentatus, with Titus, Servius, and Citizens.
Tit.
What's to be done?
Den.
We'll be undone—that's to be done.
Ser.
We'll do away with the decemvirate.
Den.
You'll do away with the decemvirate?—The decemvirate
will do away with you! You'll do away with yourselves!
Do nothing!—The enemy will do away with both of you. In
another month a Roman will be a stranger in Rome. A fine
pass we are come to, masters!
Tit.
But something must be done.
Den.
Why, what would you have? You shout and clap your
hands, as if it were a victory you heard of; and yet you cry—
Something must be done! Truly, I know not what that something
is, unless it be to make you General. How say you,
masters?
Ser.
We'd follow any man that knew how to lead us, and
would rid us of our foes, and the decemvirate together.
Den.
You made these decemvirs!—You are strangely discontented
with your own work! And you are over-cunning
workmen, too—You put your materials so firmly together,
there's no such thing as taking them asunder! What you
build, you build—except it be for your own good.—There you
are bunglers at your craft. Ha! ha! ha! I cannot but laugh
to think how you toiled, and strained, and sweated, to rear the
stones of the building one above another, when I see the ugly
faces you make at it!
Tit.
But tell us the news again.
Den.
Is it so good? Does it so please you? Then prick
your ears again, and listen. We have been beaten again—
beaten back on our own soil. Rome has seen its haughty
masters fly before chastisement, like slaves—returning cries
for blows—and all this of your decemvirs, gentlemen!
Huzza for it again!
[The people shout.
2nd Cit.
Hush! Appius comes.
Den.
And do you care for that? You that were, just now,
within a stride of taking him and his colleagues by the throat?
You'll do away with the decemvirs, will you!—and let but one
of them appear, you dare not for your life but keep your spleen
within your teeth! Listen to me, now! I'll speak the more
for Appius—
[Enter Appius, Claudius, and Marcus, preceded
by Lictors.]
—I say, to the eternal infamy of Rome, the foe has
chased her sons, like hares, on their own soil, where they should
prey like lions—and so they would, had they not keepers to
tame them.
App.
What's that you are saying to the people, Siccius
Dentatus?
Den.
I am regaling them with the news.
App.
The news?
Den.
Ay, the news—the newest that can be had; and the
more novel because unlooked for. Who ever thought to see the
eagle in the talons of the kite?
App.
It is not well done in you, Dentatus, to chafe a sore.
It makes it rankle. If your surgery has learned no better, it
should keep its hands to itself! You have very little to do, to
busy yourself after this fashion.
Den.
I busy myself as I like, Appius Claudius.
App.
I know you do, when you labour to spread disaffection
among the people, and bring the decemvirs into contempt.
Den.
The decemvirs bring themselves into contempt.
App.
Ha! dare you say so?
Den.
Dare! I have dared cry “Come on!” to a cohort of
bearded warriors—Is it thy smooth face should appal me?
Dare!—It never yet flurried me to use my arm—Shall I not,
think you, be at my ease when I but wag my tongue? Dare,
indeed!
App.
Your grey hairs should keep company with honester
speech!
Den.
Shall I show you, Appius, the company they are wont
to keep? Look here! and here
[uncovering his forehead and
showing scars]
.
These are the vouchers of honest deeds—Such
is the speech with which my grey hairs keep company. I tell
you, to your teeth, the decemvirs bring themselves into contempt.
App.
What, are they not serving their country at the head
of her armies?
Den.
They'd serve her better in the body of her armies!
I'd name for thee a hundred centurions would make better
generals! A common soldier of a year's active service would
take his measures better! Generals! Our generals were wont
to teach us how to win battles.—Tactics are changed; your
generals instruct us how to lose them.
App.
Do you see my lictors?
Den.
There are twelve of them.
App.
What if I bid them seize thee?
They'd blush to do it.
App.
Why now, Dentatus, I begin to know you;
I fancied you a man that loved to vent
His causeless anger in an under-breath,
And speak it in the ear—and only then
When there was safety! Such a one, you'll own,
Is dangerous; and to be trusted, as
A friend or foe, unworthy. But I see
You rail to faces! Have you not so much
Respect for Appius as to take him by
The hand, when he confesses you have some
Pretence to quarrel with his colleagues' plans,
And find fault with himself?—which yet, you'll own,
May quite as well be kindly done, Dentatus,
As harshly. Had you only to myself
Declared your discontents, the more you had rail'd,
The more I should have thank'd you.
Den.
Had I thought—
App.
And have you been campaigning, then, so long,
And prosperously—and mistrust you, Siccius,
That a young scarless soldier, like myself,
Would listen to your tutoring? See, now,
How much you have mistaken me! Dentatus,
In a word—Can you assist the generals,
And will you?
Den.
I have all the will—but as
For the ability—
App.
Tut! tut! Dentatus,
You vex me now. This coyness sits not well on you!
You know as well as I, you have as much
Ability as will. I would not think you
A man that loved to find fault, but to find it!
Surely the evil you complain of, you
Would lend a hand to remedy! See, now,
'Tis fairly put to you—what say you?
Den.
Appius,
You may use me as you please.
App.
And that will be,
As you deserve. I'll send you, as my legate,
To the army. [Shouts from the people.]
Do you hear your friends, Dentatus?
A lucky omen, that! Away! away!
Apprise your house—Prepare for setting out.
I'll hurry your credentials. Minutes now
Rate high as hours! Assist my colleagues with
Your counsel; if their plans displease you, why
Correct them—change them—utterly reject them.
And if you meet obstruction, notice me,
And I will push it by. There, now! Your hand!
Again! Away! All the success attend you
That Appius wishes you!
Den.
Success is from
To send it by. I know not what success
'Tis Appius' wish they send; but this I know
I am a soldier; and, as a soldier, I
Am bound to serve. All the success I ask,
Is that which benefits my country, Appius.
[Dentatus goes out.
App.
You've served her over long! [Aside.]
Now for our causes.
[Appius ascends the tribunal.
Claud.
[To Marcus.]
Do you see the drift of this?
Marc.
I cannot guess it.
Claud.
Nor I.
App.
[To a Plebeian.]
Are you the suitor in this cause?
Speak!
Plebeian.
Noble Appius, if there's law in Rome,
To right a man most injured, to that law
Against you proud patrician I appeal.
App.
No more of that, I say! Because he's rich
And great, you call him proud! 'Tis not unlike
Because you're poor and mean, you call yourself
Injured. Relate your story; and, so please you,
Spare epithets.
Plebeian.
Grant me a minute's pause,
And I'll begin.
[Virginia at this moment crosses the stage with her Nurse, and is met by Numitorius, who holds her in conversation: Appius rivets his eyes upon her.
Num.
You have heard the news?
Virginia.
What news, dear uncle?
Num.
Step
Aside with me, I'll tell you.
[Takes her a little farther from the tribunal.
App.
Can it be
A mortal that I look upon?
Virginia.
They are safe!
I thank the gods!
App.
Her eyes look up to heaven
Like something kindred to it—rather made
To send their glances down, and fill the earth
With worship and with gratulation. What
A thrill runs up and down my veins, and all
Throughout me!
Plebeian.
Now, most noble Appius—
App.
Stop!
Put off the cause; I cannot hear it, now.
Attend to-morrow. An oppressive closeness
Allows me not to breathe. Lictors! make clear
The ground about the rostrum!
[Descends, and approaches Claudius with precipitation.
Claudius! Claudius!—
Marcus, go you and summon my physician
To be at home before me.
[Marcus goes out.
Claudius, look!
You send a messenger to-night?
Num.
I do.
App.
Paint me that smile! I never saw a smile
Till now. My Claudius, is she not a wonder?
I know not whether in the state of girlhood
Or womanhood to call her. 'Twixt the two
She stands, as that were loath to lose her, this
To win her most impatient. The young year
Trembling and blushing 'twixt the striving kisses
Of parting spring and meeting summer, seems
Her only parallel!
Num.
'Tis well! I'll send
Your father word of this. But have you not
A message to Icilius?
App.
Mark you, Claudius?
There is a blush! I must possess her.
Virginia.
Tell him,
I think upon him. Farewell, Numitorius!
[Goes out with Servia.
Num.
Farewell, Virginia.
Claud.
Master, will you tell me
The name of that young maiden?
Num.
She is call'd
Virginia, daughter of Virginius;
A Roman citizen, and a centurion
Now with the army.
Claud.
She is very like
The daughter of a friend of mine. Farewell.
[Numitorius goes out.
App.
I burn, my Claudius! brain and heart—there's not
A fibre in my body but's on fire!
With what a gait she moves! Such was not Hebe,
Or Jupiter had sooner lost his heaven,
Than changed his cupbearer! A step like that
The rapture-glowing clouds might well bear up,
And never take for human! Find me, Claudius,
Some way to compass the possession of her!
Claud.
'Tis difficult—her father's of repute;
The highest of his class.
App.
I guess'd it! Friends
Are ever friends, except when they are needed.
Claud.
Nay, Appius!
App.
If thou canst not give me hope,
Be dumb!
Claud.
A female agent may be used
With some success.
App.
How? How?
Claud.
To tamper with
That woman who attends her.
App.
Set about it.
Claud.
Could she but be induced to help you to
A single meeting with her—
Claudius! Claudius!
Effect but that!
Claud.
I'll instantly about it.
App.
Spare not my gold—nor stop at promises.
I will fulfil them fast as thou canst make them.
To purchase such a draught of ecstasy
I'd drain a kingdom—Set about it, Claudius!
Away! I will not eat, nor drink, nor sleep,
Until I hear from thee!
Claud.
Depend upon me!
App.
I do, my Claudius, for my life—my life!
[They go out severally.
| Virginius | |