University of Virginia Library

SCENE I.

—Numitorius's House.
Virginia discovered, supported by Servia.
Virginia.
Is he not yet arrived? Will he not come?

Servia.
He surely will.

Virginia.
He surely will! More surely
He had arrived already, had he known
How he is wanted—They have miss'd him, Servia!
Don't tell me, but I know they have, or surely
We had not now been looking for him. Where's
My uncle?

Servia.
Finding you had fallen asleep
After such watching, he went forth to hear
If there were any tidings of Virginius.
He's here.

Enter Numitorius; Virginia looks at him inquisitively for some time.
Virginia.
Not come! not come! I am sure of it!
He will not come! Do you not think he'll come?
Will not my father come? What think you, uncle?
Speak to me, speak—O give me any words,
Rather than what looks utter!

Num.
Be composed!
I hope he'll come!

Virginia.
A little while ago
You were sure of it—from certainty to hope
Is a poor step. You hope he'll come—One hope,
One little hope to face a thousand fears!
Do you not know he'll come? O uncle, wherefore
Do you not know he'll come? Had I been you,
I had made sure of it!

Num.
All has been done
That could be done.

Virginia.
Poor all, that does so little!
One would imagine little needs be done
To bring a father to the succour of
His child! 'Tis near the time!

Num.
It is indeed!

Virginia.
Must I go forth with you? Must I again
Be dragg'd along by Claudius, as his slave,
And none again to succour me? Icilius!
Icilius! Does your new betrothéd wife
Call on you, and you hear not? My Icilius!
Am I to be your wife, or Claudius' slave?
Where—where are you, Icilius!

Icilius
[entering].
My Virginia!
What's to be done, my friend? 'tis almost time.

[To Numitorius.
Virginia.
I hear what you are saying—it is time—
O, who could have believed it, that Icilius
Should ever say 'twas time to yield me to
Another's claim—And will you give me up?
Can you devise no means to keep me from him?
Could we not fly?
[Icilius looks earnestly at Numitorius, who fixes his eyes steadfastly on the ground: Icilius droops his head.
I see!—your pledge
Must be redeem'd, although it cost you your
Virginia!

Virginius
[without].
Is she here?

Virginia.
Ah!

[Shrieks and rushes into her father's arms, who enters at the moment.
Virginius.
My child! My child!

Virginia.
I am! I feel I am! I know I am!
My father! my dear father. I despair'd
Of seeing you! You're come! and come in time.
And, O! how much the more in time, when hope
Had given you up. O! welcome, welcome foot,
Whose wishéd step is heard when least expected!

Virginius.
Brother! Icilius! thank you! thank you—All
Has been communicated to me. Ay!
And would they take thee from me? Let them try it!
You've ta'en your measures well—I scarce could pass
Along, so was I check'd by loving hands
Ready to serve me—Hands with hearts in them!
So thou art Claudius' slave? And if thou art,
I'm surely not thy father! Blister'd villain!
You have warn'd our neighbours, have you not, to attend
As witnesses? To be sure you have! A fool
To ask the question. Dragg'd along the streets too!
'Twas very kind in him to go himself
And fetch thee—such an honour should not pass
Without acknowledgment. I shall return it
In full! In full!

Num.
Pray you be prudent, brother.

Virginia.
Dear father, be advised—Will you not, father?

Virginius.
I never saw you look so like your mother
In all my life!

Virginia.
You'll be advised, dear father?

Virginius.
It was her soul—her soul, that play'd just then
About the features of her child, and lit them
Into the likeness of her own. When first
She placed thee in my arms—I recollect it
As a thing of yesterday!—she wish'd, she said,
That it had been a man. I answer'd her,
It was the mother of a race of men,
And paid her for thee with a kiss. Her lips
Are cold now—could they be but warm'd again,
How they would clamour for thee!

Virginia.
My dear father!
You do not answer me! Will you not be advised?

Virginius.
I will not take him by the throat and strangle him!
But I could do it! I could do it! Fear not:
I will not strike while any head I love
Is in the way. It is not now a time
To tell thee—but, wouldst thou believe it!—Honest
Siccius Dentatus has been murder'd by them!

Icil.
Murder'd!

Num.
Dentatus murder'd!

Virginia.
O! how much
Have we to fear!

Virginius.
We have the less to fear!
I spread the news at every step—A fire
Is kindled, that will blaze at but a breath
Into the fiercest flame!

Num.
'Tis time. Let's haste
To the Forum.

Virginius.
Let the Forum wait for us!
Put on no show of fear, when villany
Would wrestle with you! It can keep its feet
Only with cowards! I shall walk along
Slowly and calmly, with my daughter thus
In my hand—though with another kind of gripe
Than that which Claudius gave her—Well, I say,
I'll walk along thus, in the eyes of Rome.
Go you before, and what appeal soe'er
You please, make you to rouse up friends. For me,
I shall be mute—my eloquence is here—
Her tears—her youth—her innocence—her beauty!
If orators like these can't move the heart,
Tongues surely may be dumb.

Icilius.
A thousand hearts
Have spoke already in her cause!

Virginius.
Come on!
Fear not! it is your father's grasp you feel.
O he'll be strong as never man was yet,
That takes thee from it. Come, Virginia;
We trust our cause to Rome and to the gods!

[They go out.