 | Belisarius |  |
SCENE II.
An Apartment in the Palace.Nar.
Rise they in arms! the shallow populace;
Or is it but some vain and idle rumours?
Or rash and ill-concerted scheme of weak
And desperate villains, quell'd as soon as plann'd?
Yet wherefore then these terrors! Such commotions
Fann'd to a flame, have oft whole states consumed,
And laid strong-built authority in ashes.
Enter Decius.
What of these tidings?
Dec.
Ruin and despair.—
Thro every street sedition pours amain
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Acts as a potent charm to stir men up
To boldest acts of treason.
Nar.
Head the guards!
And join to them thy forces from the suburbs.
Go in thy strength, and e'er it gains a leader,
Crush the abortive mutiny.
Dec.
No storm
Of common violence impends; I saw
Nicanor and his veterans thro the forum
Slowly proceed; upon their faces sit
Dire rage and intrepidity.
Nar.
Away!
Collect thy troops.
Dec.
They are already posted
Before the palace gate. The guards are doubled.
Nar.
Confusion! doth Nicanor head the crew?
And guide their frenzy?—Yet e'er they advance,
Fly! hither bring Marcella! Times like these
Uncommon deeds demand: Lead to the prison
Junius and Antonina—Pity bids us.
That they may see, and comfort in his sufferings
Him whom we labour to restore to freedom.
Of this be mindful.—Hostages like these
Are guards and armies.—To Marcella's ear
We shall our actions vindicate. The blame
Is all Justinian's.—We advised to spare
The life of Phorbas.
Dec.
I obey thy orders.
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Yet stay.—Marcella is endow'd with beauty,
Might steal an hermit from his solitude,
And make him mingle with the world again.
Dec.
She is most lovely.
Nar.
Beauty sways not me.
A toy to please light minds, mere glittering tinsel.
But by her husband's death—
Dec.
I see thy purpose.
And was she not with hatred and resentment
Against thee bent—Besides her grief is young,
And now usurps dominion o'er her soul.
For much she loved.—
Nar.
She loved ambition, fame,
Greatness and pageant state. So do they all:
The real objects which the sex admire;
These, when enforced by flattery are resistless.
Much did she love; but who pretends to guess
How far the soul of woman may be moved;
By nature form'd in her fantastic mood,
They veer for ever, and are often won
To what is deem'd impossible.—With speed
Conduct her hither.
[Exit Decius.
Nar.
Now to search her heart.
Can I not raise her to the height of power?
Can I not swear? unswear? restore her father
To wish'd for freedom? to his wealth and honours?
Boast with what zeal I strove to save her Phorbas?
Act as the guardian genius of her son?
Desperate their state and mine.—By this alliance
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Thou with thy oily tongue, Hypocrisy,
Assist my purpose! In my eyes light up
Thy honest-seeming taper! O'er my face
Spread be thy tints, well-taught to emulate
The hue of virtue! On thy downy wings
Let me insinuate my winding course!
Glide through each obstacle! and rest at length
On the fair swelling bosom of success!
[Exit.
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