University of Virginia Library

SCENE V.

—A Mountainous Pass.
The body of Dentatus discovered on a bier—Soldiers mourning over it.
Trumpets—Enter Virginius and Soldiers.
Virginius.
Where is Dentatus? Where is the gallant soldier?
Ah, comrade! comrade! warm! yet warm! So lately
Gone, when I would have given the world, only
To say farewell to thee, or even get
A parting look! O gallant, gallant soldier,
The god of war might sure have spared a head
Grown grey in serving him! My brave old comrade!
The father of the field! Thy silver locks
Other anointing should receive, than what
Their master's blood could furnish!

1st Soldier.
There has been treachery here!

Virginius.
What!

1st Soldier.

The slain are all our own. None of the bodies
are stripp'd—These are all Romans. There is not the slightest
trace of an enemy's retreat—And, now, that I remember, they
made a sudden halt, when we came in sight of them at the
foot of the mountain—Mark'd you not, too, with what confused
haste they told their story, directed us, and hurried on
to the camp?

Virginius.
Revenge! The decemvirs! Ay, the decemvirs!
For every drop of blood thou shalt have ten,
Dentatus!

Luc.
[without].
Hoa! Virginius!

Virginius.
Here! Who calls?

Luc.
[entering].
'Tis well you're found, Virginius!

Virginius.
Is it you?
What makes you from the city? Look, my Lucius!—
See what a sight you've come to witness!—Look!
My brave old comrade! Honest Siccius!
Siccius Dentatus, that true son of Rome,
On whose white locks the mother look'd more proudly
Than on the raven ones of her youngest and
Most hopeful sons, is nothing now but this,
The sign and token of himself! Look, comrades,
Here are the foes that slew him! Not a trace
Of any other—not a body stripp'd—
Our father has been murder'd—We'll revenge him
Like sons! Take up the body! Bear it to
The camp; and as you move your solemn march,
Be dumb—or, if you speak, be it but a word,
And be that word—Revenge!

[The Soldiers bear off the body—Virginius following, is stopped by Lucius.
Luc.
Virginius!

Virginius.
I did not mind thee, Lucius!
Uncommon things make common things forgot.
Hast thou a message for me, Lucius? Well,
I'll stay and hear it—but be brief; my heart
Follows my poor Dentatus!

Luc.
You are wanted
In Rome.

Virginius.
On what account?

Luc.
On your arrival
You'll learn.

Virginius.
How! is it something can't be told
At once? Speak out, boy! Ha! your looks are loaded
With matter—Is't so heavy that your tongue
Cannot unburthen them? Your brother left
The camp on duty yesterday—Hath aught
Happen'd to him? Did he arrive in safety?
Is he safe? Is he well?

Luc.
He is both safe and well.

Virginius.
What then? What then? Tell me the matter, Lucius.

Luc.
I have said
It shall be told you.

Virginius.
Shall! I stay not for
That “shall,” unless it be so close at hand
It stop me not a moment.—'Tis too long
A coming! Fare you well, my Lucius.

Luc.
Stay,
Virginius; hear me then with patience.

Virginius.
Well,
I am patient.

Luc.
Your Virginia—

Virginius.
Stop, my Lucius!
I'm cold in every member of my frame!
If 'tis prophetic, Lucius, of thy news,
Give me such token as her tomb would, Lucius—
I'll bear it better—Silence.

Luc.
You are still—

Virginius.
I thank thee, Jupiter! I am still a father!

Luc.
You are, Virginius; yet—

Virginius.
What, is she sick?

Luc.
No.

Virginius.
Neither dead nor sick! All well! No harm!
Nothing amiss! Each guarded quarter safe,
That Fear may lay him down and sleep, and yet
Still sounding the alarm! I swear thou tell'st
A story strangely. Out with't! I have patience
For anything, since my Virginia lives,
And lives in health!

Luc.
You are required in Rome,
To answer a most novel suit.

Virginius.
Whose suit?

Luc.
The suit of Claudius.

Virginius.
Claudius!

Luc.
Him that's client
To Appius Claudius, the decemvir.

Virginius.
What!
That pander!—Ha!—Virginia!—You appear
To couple them! What makes my fair Virginia
In company with Claudius? Innocence
Beside lasciviousness! His suit! What suit?—
Answer me quickly!—Quickly! lest suspense,
Beyond what patience can endure, coercing,
Drive reason from her seat!

Luc.
He has claim'd Virginia.

Virginius.
Claim'd her!—Claim'd her!—
On what pretence?

Luc.
He says she is the child
Of a slave of his, who sold her to thy wife.

Virginius.
Go on, you see I'm calm.

Luc.
He seized her in
The school, and dragg'd her to the Forum, where
Appius was giving judgment.

Virginius.
Dragg'd her to
The Forum! Well! I told you, Lucius,
I would be patient.

Luc.
Numitorius there
Confronted him.

Virginius.
Did he not strike him dead?—
True, true, I know it was in presence of
The decemvir.—O! had I confronted him!—
Well? well? The issue?—Well?—O'erleap all else,
And light upon the issue! Where is she?

Luc.
I was despatch'd to fetch thee, ere I could learn.

Virginius.
The claim of Claudius, Appius' client—Ha!
I see the master cloud!—This ragged one,
That lowers before, moves only in subservience
To the ascendant of the other—Jove,
With its own mischief break it and disperse it,
And that be all the ruin! Patience! Prudence!
Nay, prudence, but no patience. Come!—A slave—
Dragg'd through the streets in open day! My child!
My daughter! my fair daughter, in the eyes
Of Rome! O, I'll be patient!—Come!—The essence
Of my best blood in the free common ear
Condemn'd as vile!—O, I'll be patient!—Come!
O, they shall wonder—I will be so patient!

[Virginius rushes out, followed by Lucius.