 | Caius Gracchus |  |
SCENE I.
—The Street before Caius's House—lamps at a distance.Citizens discovered lying asleep in various postures, armed— others watching.
Enter Titus.
Tit.
Almost the morning dawns. What! rouse ye, friends!
Up, drowsy comrades, up! 'Tis time—'tis time!
[They rise.
Enter Caius Gracchus from the house.
Caius.
Ha! is it time, my friends?
Tit.
It is, good Caius.
Caius.
What noise of steps is that?
Tit.
A band of citizens,
Crossing the end of the street.
Caius.
Go on before, my friends; I'll follow you.
[Titus and Citizens go out.
I will but take a last look of the house.
To think of what I leave within that house!
I left her sleeping. Gods! upon the brink
Of what a precipice!—and she must down,—
I cannot save her. As I stole away,
She breathed my name, withal, so plaintively,
It tax'd my manhood not to turn again!
'Tis done!—My thought must look another way!
Tiberius—I am coming! Art thou here,
My brother, waiting for me? Yes, I feel
Thou art! I am ready! Mighty shade, lead on!
[Going.
Enter Licinia, hastily.
Lici.
[Rushing towards him.]
Caius!—Oh! have I found you?
Caius.
My Licinia,
Why do you quit your bed?
50
To seek you, Caius.
To bring you back with me! Come into the house.
Caius.
What fear you, love?
Lici.
I know not what I fear,
But well I know that I have cause to fear!
Your putting off your journey yesterday—
Your going to the Forum, as you did—
Your making it so late ere you came back—
Your looks, I now recall, when you did come back—
Your rising now, at this unwonted hour,—
A thousand thousand things that I could name,
Had I the time to number them, forewarn me
You go not forth for good!
Caius.
Licinia! wife!
Collect yourself, and listen. Be content
That I go forth, and may not be prevented.
Why, what's the matter with you? Can't a man
Get up a little hour or two, before
His wonted time, and take a walk, but he
Must run into a lion's mouth? For shame!
If this were told of Caius' wife! Go in;
Get thee to bed again; and take this kiss
Along with thee.
Lici.
I cannot quit you, Caius,—
I cannot let you go! Spite of myself,
I cling to you as though it were a spell
That bound my arms around you. I am ill, love;
I'm very ill! in sooth, I am so ill,
It is not kind of you to leave me, Caius.
Caius, you would not leave me when I'm ill?
You surely never would! Let me lean on you,
And take me into the house. I thank you, Caius.
Caius.
[Conducting her to the door, and stopping.]
There!
Lici.
Would you quit me at the threshold? Won't you
Come in, too? Do come in!—You will come in!
You can go forth by-and-by.
Caius.
I must go forth
At once, love.
Lici.
Must? In truth you must not—shall not!
Caius.
[Going.]
Farewell!
Lici.
Stop, Caius—stop! [Following him, catching hold of his robe, and discovering a sword under his arm.]
Is it to use
That sword you go abroad? Is it, my husband?
It is!—I see it all! You would go forth
To sell your life for an ungrateful people;
To quit your wife and child for cowards who
Look'd tamely on and saw your brother murder'd,
And now will play the craven game with you.
You trust the faith of men that have no faith
Except when trial is not near. My Caius!
My lord! my husband! father of my child!
Go not, but hear your poor distracted wife!
51
Licinia, now, is it perverse in you
To fancy danger. I have business forth.
Is it a time to walk the streets unarm'd,
When drunken revellers from breaking up
Of banquets are abroad? No more of this!
In—in! my love. Be sure I'll make all haste.
Thy thin robe suits not, Sweet, the morning air.
In, my Licinia, in! Dismiss your fears!
[Trumpet without.
Lici.
What's that? [Trumpet again.]
Again! Speaks not that summoner
To thee?
Caius.
Dear wife—
Lici.
Come into the house—come in!
If I'm thy wife, whose interest in thee
Shall push by mine? Whose claim to hold thy pledge
Calls on thee with a right that cancels mine?
Thou shalt not go!
[Trumpet.
Caius.
Licinia—
Lici.
Nay, thou shalt not!
Caius.
Let go my robe!
Lici.
I will not let it go!
You hurt me, Caius!—Know you, you do hurt me?
For Juno's sake, dear husband! Caius—oh!
You gripe my wrist till I am sick with the pain!—
If any one had told it! Promise one thing,
And I will let thee go.
Caius.
What is it?
Lici.
Kill me!
Caius.
[Catching her to his breast.]
Licinia!
Lici.
[Nearly fainting in his arms.]
Ah!
Caius.
Gods! I have killed thee!
Lici.
No!
Or, if you have, 'tis with a sudden draught
Of too sweet life! Bless thee, my Caius—bless thee!
You will not go—you'll stay with me—you'll come with me—
You'll live for me! Come in! come in! come in!
Enter Licinius.
Lic.
What keeps you, Caius?
Caius.
[Apart to him.]
Take her from about
My neck.
Lici.
I hear you, Caius! There! Myself
Will do that kindness for thee. Thou art free
To go. Stay, husband! Give me from about
Thy neck that collar which thou wear'st, to keep it
As thy last gift.
Caius.
Here, my Licinia.
Lici.
What!
Nothing about me I can give thee in
Exchange for't? Oh! I have a token yet,
That hath the virtue of an amulet
To him that values it. I have been told,
52
As point of down, that cannot stand against
The tender breath. Swear only, you will stay
Until I fetch it.
[She goes out hurriedly.
Caius.
Go!—I swear it, love!
Lic.
Now Caius,
Now is your time! wait not till she returns.
Caius.
I have sworn to her.
Lic.
And if you swore to her
To pluck an eye out, would you think it kinder
To do't than leave't undone? Away, at once!
The cause—the cause!
Re-enter Licinia, hastily, with her Child.
Lici.
Thy boy, my Caius!
Caius.
Ha!
Lici.
Nay, if thou look'st so cold upon thy child,
I'm satisfied no hope remains for me!
Caius.
Now, was this kind?
Lici.
I do not know that word.
It stands for nothing—worse! 'tis found the thing
It says it is not! Husbands are call'd kind,
That break the foolish hearts which treasure them;
And fathers, who make orphans of their children!
And brothers, who are worse than bloodless strangers!
And friends, whose actions prove them deadliest foes!
More kind are foes that don't pretend they're kind!
[Kneels.
Lic.
Come, Caius! Caius, come!
Caius.
Why dost thou kneel?
Lici.
To beg the gods for mercy on my child,
Since thou hast none for him, nor yet for me!
[Trumpets without.
Caius.
Tear me away! More blessings light upon you
Than I feel pangs, who curse the things I'd bless!
[Caius Gracchus and Licinius go out—alarums continue.
Enter Cornelia from the house, followed by Lucilla and Lucius.
Cor.
How's this? Licinia!
Lici.
Take the child from me,
Until I lay me down and die.
Cor.
And die!
Rise, rise, my daughter!
Lici.
Rather thou fall down
Along with me, and pray the gods they send
A thunderbolt to strike us both together!
For both already they have smitten so,
To spare is mocking mercy!
Cor.
Rise!—Nay rise.
[Lifts Licinia up.
We may not tempt the gods! Come into the house,
And show thy tears to it—'twon't tell upon thee.
53
The essence of thy grief to vilest tongues,
Who will but jest at it. Come in! Come in!
Lici.
You counsel me, and do not know the cause
Whereon you counsel me.
Cor.
My son is dead?
Lici.
No, no! Yet—
Cor.
Yet! Why wouldst thou say he lives,
And but that little word 'twixt him and death?
He is the same as dead;—then think him dead,
As I do!
Lici.
And art thou a mother?
Cor.
Yes;
The mother of the virtue of my child!
The fashion of his body nature fix'd;—
I had no choice in't—was not ask'd how high
The stature on't should grow—gave not my voice
As to the shape of limb or lineament,
Nor pick'd the shade and texture of the skin;—
But, of his worth, the modelling was mine:
Say, that is dead, and he and I are dead!
Lici.
I cannot answer this. I can but marvel,
The weight which bows me down should seem so light
To you.
[Alarums without.
Enter Livia, hurriedly.
Livia.
Cornelia!
Cor.
What's to fear, Livia.
Livia.
Those dreadful noises! Listen—you will hear
The rush of feet on every side. I've pass'd
Such groups of angry-looking men—some pale—
Some flush'd—some mute, and others muttering
To one another—hurrying all one way,
As all on one momentous object bent.
I came to thee, that we might seek some sanctuary;
For houses are not safe in times like these.
Cor.
The Temple of Diana is at hand;
We shall go thither. See, my Livia,
How lost Licinia is! Take hold of her,
And lead the way. Nobly, ye gods! oh, nobly!
[They go out.
| Caius Gracchus | |