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[scæna quarta.]
[Metellus. flaminivs.]Metellus:
There was never such a constancie.
flaminivs:
you gieue it [OMITTED]
to faire a name, tis foolishe obstinacie
for wch Hee shall without my pittie suffer.
what wee doe for the service of the republicque
& propagation of Romes glorious empire
needes noe defence & wee shall wronge our iudgements
to feele compunction for it. haue you giuen order
accordinge to the sentence, that the impostor
ridinge vpon an asse, his face turnd to
the hinder part, may in derision bee
brought through Calipolis.
for wch Hee shall without my pittie suffer.
what wee doe for the service of the republicque
& propagation of Romes glorious empire
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to feele compunction for it. haue you giuen order
accordinge to the sentence, that the impostor
ridinge vpon an asse, his face turnd to
the hinder part, may in derision bee
brought through Calipolis.
Metellus:
yes. and a paper
vpon his head, in wch with capitall letters
[Enter: Sempronius—]
his faults inscribde, and by three trompetters
proclaimde before hym, and that donne to haue hym
com̄itted to the gallies. Here comes Sempronivs
to whom I gaue the charge
Sempronivs:
I haue performd it
in every circumstance.
flaminivs:
how doe the people
receiue it?
Sempronivs:
as an acte of crueltie
and not of iustice. it drewe teares from all
the sad spectators. His demeanor was
in the whole progresse, worth the observation
but one thinge most remarkeable.
Metellus:
what was that?
Sempronivs:
when the Cittie clarke with a lowde voice read the cawse
for wch hee was condemnde in takinge on hym
the name of a kinge, with a setled countenance
the miserable man repli'd I am soe
but when hee touchd his beeinge a cheatinge Iewe
His pacyence mou'd with a face full of anger
Hee boldlye sayde 'tis false. I never saw
such magnanimitie.
flaminivs:
frontlesse impudence rather.
Sempronivs:
or any thinge els you please.
77
haue you forc'd on hym
the habit of a slaue?
Sempronivs:
yes, and in that
pardon my weakenesse, still there does appeare
a kinde of maiestie in hym.
flaminivs:
you looke on it
with the eies of foolishe pittie that deceiues you.
Sempronivs:
this way Hee comes, and I beleeue when you see hym
you'll bee of my opinion.
wt hin:officer:
make way there.
Enter officers leadinge in Antiochus. (his head shaude in the habit of a slaue
Antiochus:
fate. 'tis thy will it shoulde bee thus, & I
with pacyence obey it. was there ever
in all precedent mappes of miserie
callamitie soe drawne out to the life
as shee appeeres in mee? in all the changes
of fortune such a metamorphosis
antiquitie cannot showe vs. men may read there
of kinges depo'sd, and some in trivmph [read] lead
by the prowde insultinge Roman. yet they were
acknowledgde such, and died soe. my sad fate
is of a worse condition, and Rome
to mee more barbarous then ere yet to any
brought in subiection. [it] is it not sufficient
that the lockes of this once royall head are shau'd of
my glo«*»ious robes changd to t«*»is slavishe habit
with pacyence obey it. was there ever
in all precedent mappes of miserie
callamitie soe drawne out to the life
as shee appeeres in mee? in all the changes
of fortune such a metamorphosis
antiquitie cannot showe vs. men may read there
of kinges depo'sd, and some in trivmph [read] lead
by the prowde insultinge Roman. yet they were
acknowledgde such, and died soe. my sad fate
is of a worse condition, and Rome
to mee more barbarous then ere yet to any
brought in subiection. [it] is it not sufficient
that the lockes of this once royall head are shau'd of
my glo«*»ious robes changd to t«*»is slavishe habit
this hande that graspd a scepter manaclde,
or that I haue bene as a spectacle
exposde to publicque scorne, yf to make perfit
the cruell reckoninge I am not compelde
to liue beyonde this, & with stripes bee forcd
to stretch my shruncke vp sinnewes at an ore
in the company of theeues and murtherers,
my innocence, and their guilt noe way distinguishd
but equall in our suffringes.
or that I haue bene as a spectacle
exposde to publicque scorne, yf to make perfit
78
to liue beyonde this, & with stripes bee forcd
to stretch my shruncke vp sinnewes at an ore
in the company of theeues and murtherers,
my innocence, and their guilt noe way distinguishd
but equall in our suffringes.
Metellus:
you may yet
redeeme all, and bee happie.
flaminivs:
but persistinge
in this imposture thincke but what it is
to liue in hell on earth, and rest assur'd
it is your fatall portion.
Antiochus:
doe what you please.
I am in your power but still Antiochus
kinge of the lower Asia, noe impostor
that fower, and twenty yeares since lost a battaile
& challenge now mine owne wch tyrannous Rome
with violence keepes from mee.
flaminivs:
stoppe his mouth.
Antiochus:
this is the very truth, and yf I liue
three nestors yeares in torture, I will speake
noe other language.
Metellus:
I begin to melt.
flaminivs:
to the galley with hym.
Antiochus:
every place shall bee
a temple in my pænitence to mee.
exevnt
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