 | The Fate of Capua |  |
A crowd of Citizens.
3. Cit.
No Tidings to comfort us?
4. Cit.
Sad Times, sad Times, and running on to be worse,
as fast as they can drive.
2. Cit.
Did ever People fall from such a Pinacle of Prosperity,
unto such a Gulph of Destruction, in so little a time?
3. Cit.
Never, never.
2. Cit.
Our Sallys did something at first to hinder their
Works, but to no purpose now, they'r beaten back upon
every Attempt, and dare not look the Romans in the Face.
3. Cit.
There's no peeping upon the Walls.
4. Cit.
The Engines play so thick, they'r about your
Ears before you'r aware of 'em.
3. Cit.
Not a Spade employ'd in the Trenches, but digs a
Capuan Grave.
4. Cit.
Wee'r in a sad Condition indeed.
1. Cit.
There's no Body to Command, but Bostar, and
Hanno, the Carthaginians, and how the Capuans obey them,
you may believe.
2. Cit.
The Garrison fights hard for us, to save themselves;
but they'll pay their Quarters before they leave us.
3. Cit.
They have brought us into the Crime, and wont
forsake us in the Punishment.
1. Cit.
Nay, they have done all they can for us with
Hannibal.
2. Cit.
And for themselves, for they must pay our Scores;
but what was that all?
1. Cit.
Why, they sent to him, to complain that he had
abandon'd the Town, and, as it were, yielded it up himself to
the Fury of the Romans; and withall beseeching him, that he
wou'd come to their Relief, who were not only Besieg'd, but
shut up in the Works, and almost in the Hands of the Enemy,
Upon which he came to look upon his Patients at
a distance, shook his Head in despair of our State, and went to
Rome for better Advice.
3. Cit.
He sent us his Reason for so doing.
2. Cit.
But the Consuls are here still, for all his Reason, and
the Prætor too; their Armies are not drawn off, as soon as Hannibal
march'd out of Capua, the Romans came upon us, you
know, as if they had hit the opportunity, they had been aiming
at so long; they did not come here to be drawn away by
every Motion of the Enemy.
4. Cit.
No, no, they wont leave us so.
2. Cit.
Therefore my Advice is, either to try what our
Despair can do, in making a bold push, or take the Benefit of
the Consuls Proclamation.
3. Cit.
What's that? What does the Proclamation say?
2. Cit.
It offers Life, and liberty to all those that surrender
themselves in four and twenty Hours.
3. Cit.
Why, ay, why don't we lay hold on the Proclamation?
4. Cit.
At least let's stay for an Answer from Hannibal. Some
Mauritanians have undertaken, in the Name of Deserters, to
get to him thro' the Roman Camp.
2. Cit.
And will be wise enough never to come back agen.
In the mean time, we stand like Condemn'd Men, with the
Halter about our Necks, but no body attempts any thing for
himself, or the Publick.
1. Cit.
What wou'd you have us do? The chief Citizens
have shut themselves up in their Houses, expecting their Ruine,
with the Destruction of their Country.
3. Cit.
The Nobles have deserted us, and the Care of the
Common-wealth.
2. Cit.
Why then, in the first place, let us go, and set Decius
Magius at Liberty.
Omn.
Agreed, agreed; 'twas luckily thought upon.
3. Cit.
He's a good Man, and a lover of his Country.
4. Cit.
And a Lover of the People.
1. Cit.
Nay, he never quarrell'd with us, but for our Faults,
when we deserv'd it.
If we had been govern'd by him, Friends—
2. Cit.
Let us clap him up at the Head of the Government.
3. Cit.
And his Enemies in his place.
4. Cit.
We can't do better.
1. Cit.
And then we'll go about the City to Summon the
Senate, and tell the Senators plainly what they must trust to;
that unless they assemble immediately to look after the Publick,
we'll set their Houses on Fire about their Ears, and begin
with them in the Ruin of Capua.
2. Cit.
We'll Sacrifice them to their Country, rather then
give up our Wives and Children to the Enemy.
3. Cit.
And so we'll tell 'em plainly.
4. Cit.
There's nothing else to be done.
1. Cit.
If we are to be Ruin'd, let it begin at our Betters?
2. Cit.
'Tis time enough for us, when it comes to our turn.
And I'll take my turn, tho' it be at the Gallows.
1. Cit.
Why, that's well said, there's something to be expected
from our honest endeavours. Therefore all hands to
Decius Magius.
(Exeunt.
| The Fate of Capua | |