Borgia A Period Play |
 | 1. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 5. |
| 6. |
| 2. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 5. |
| 3. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 5. |
| 6. |
| 7. | SCENE VII |
| 4. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 5. |
| 6. |
| 7. |
| 5. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 5. |
| 6. |
| 7. |
| 6. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
 | Borgia |  |
SCENE VII
The Hills of Romagna. Sheepfolds and Shepherds; Duke Cesare de Valentinois della Romagna lying down in the midst of them.SHEPHERD.
.... You are our shepherd
And ruler of our flocks: we are your flock.
96
Signore, I am happy, being blind
To sit in the sun: I feel you are the sun.
A YOUNG SHEPHERD.
Lord Duke, you are our shepherd—
The reason this, that we forget our flocks,
And yet our flocks graze placidly and seek
The shadow and the stream as they were led.
A FATHER.
You are our king; you have danced with us—our maidens
Consent to any yoke, for by-and-by
They will bear children you will train in arms.
TWO SHEPHERDS.
[Speaking together.]
We are your kingdom, and we worship you.
You have made us as a flock.
A YOUNG GOAT-HERD.
[With a flute.]
You are secret
As the god Pan was secret to the folds.
Lord Cesare, we love you.
CESARE.
[Touching the lad's flute.]
And the flute.
[The Lad bursts into tears; one by him, his companion, says:
SHEPHERD.
He cannot sing the kings: it is in battle
When we hiss down in rage to die for them
Our blood runs music.
CESARE.
You shall die in battle.
ALL THE SHEPHERDS.
We will all die: we will all live for you,
Ready to die;
Though we lie down, encompassing a city,
Beneath your rule we can lie down in peace.
97
You are my chosen warriors.
A CROWD OF SHEPHERDS.
We are your shepherds, we must stay at home;
We cannot leave our flocks.
CESARE.
You are Romagna,
You are my people.
OLD SHEPHERD.
We are his people: we are Italy.
He consecrates us too; he loves the valleys
Where we rear up our lambs and sing our loves.
[They all gather round as if longing for some outbreak of their enthusiasm.
What shall we do? Beat on our castanets,
Fall on our knees, bring tribute? ... But our prince
Has infinite treasure.
CESARE.
You shall keep my castles.
You are my garrisons; while you defend them
I shall rest quiet, all Romagna mine.
[Rising.
THE FLUTE-BOY.
You will not go from us?
CESARE.
First, I command a song.
[He sits down again, expectant. The Boy sobs; then, fixing his eyes on the Duke, pauses, and after a few moments sings out shrilly.
THE FLUTE-BOY.
The great lord Cesar Julius
Crossed the Rubicon—
The army was great,
It passed in state:
And the host was gone.
Crossed the Rubicon—
The army was great,
It passed in state:
And the host was gone.
98
There was none to see
That mighty lord;
The light on his face,
The light on his sword,
—And the history.
That mighty lord;
The light on his face,
The light on his sword,
—And the history.
But a child on the bank
Of the Rubicon,
On his knees he sank,
He stooped and drank,
For his heart was faint that his lord was gone.
Of the Rubicon,
On his knees he sank,
He stooped and drank,
For his heart was faint that his lord was gone.
[The Shepherds all weep.
CESARE.
[Embracing the boy.]
A master!—he shall sing you all I am.
And now I pass to Rome, without farewell,
For I am dwelling here and in your midst,
And with you through all ages, in your music,
Your sorrows, with the shadows on the hills,
So close to you, a presence in your hearts.
O my Romagna, there is no farewell!
[Exit.
A SHEPHERD.
He has slipped away: I knew he was a god.
Boy, are you stricken? You should look up proudly.
THE BOY.
[Taking up his flute and looking after Cesare.
I am stricken to the heart; he is a god.
| Borgia | |