 | The Brothers |  |
SCENE draws, and discovers a magnificent Throne, Perseus, Demetrius, Courtiers, &c. attending. Posthumius and Curtius, the Roman Ambassadors enter. Trumpets sound. The King ascends the Throne.
Posthumius.
Philip of Macedon, to those Complaints
Our Friends groan out, and you have heard at large,
Rome now expects an Answer. She sits Judge,
And will have Right on Earth.
King.
Expects an Answer!
I so shall answer, as becomes a King.
Posthumius.
Or more, Sir; as becomes a Friend of Rome.
King.
Or Alexander's Heir, to rise still higher.
But to the Purpose. Thus a King to those
That would make Kings, and puff them out at Pleasure:
Has Philip done amiss? 'Twas you provok'd him.
My Cities, which deserted in my Wars,
I thought it meet to punish: You deny'd me.
When I had shook the Walls of Marena,
You pluckt me thence, and took the taken Town.
Then you sent Word I should retire from Greece,
A Conquest at my Door, by Nature mine;
And said, Here end thy Realm; as ye were Gods!
And Gods ye shall be, ere Rome humbles me.
All this is done; yet Philip is your Friend!
If this buys Friendship, where can you find Foes?
In what Regard will stern Rome look upon me?
If as a Friend; too precious let her hold
Her own Esteem, to cast a Stain on mine:
If as an Enemy; let her proceed,
And do as she has done; she need no more.
Posthumius.
The Romans do no Wrong; yet still are Men:
And if To-day an Error thwarts their Purpose,
To-morrow sets it right. If Philip loves
Dominion, and the Pride that waits on Kings,
(Of which, perhaps, his Words too strongly savour)
Humility to Rome will lead him to it.
She can give more than common Kings can govern.
King.
Than common Kings? Ambassador! remember
Cannæ—Where first my Sword was flusht with Blood.
Demetrius.
[Aside to the King.
My Lord, forbear.
King.
And Hannibal still lives.
Posthumius.
Because he fled, at Capua.
King.
There, indeed,
I was not with him.
Posthumius.
Therefore he fled alone—
Since thus you treat us,—Hear another Charge.
Why here detain you, Prisoner of your Power,
His Daughter, who was once Rome's good Ally,
The King of Thrace? Why is she not restor'd?
For our next Meeting you'll provide an Answer.
What now has past, for his Sake we forgive.
[Pointing to Demetrius.
But mark this well: There lies some little Distance,
Philip, between a Roman and a King.
[Exeunt Romans.
King.
How say'st, unsceptred Boaster! This to me!
With Hannibal I cleft yon Alpine Rocks;
With Hannibal choak'd Thrasymene with Slaughter:
But, O the Night of Cannæ's raging Field!
When half the Roman Senate lay in Blood
Without our Tent, and groan'd, as we carous'd!
Immortal Gods! for such another Hour!
Then throw my Carcase to the Dogs of Rome.
Antigonus.
Sir, you forget your Sons.
King.
Let all withdraw.
[Exeunt all but the King and his Sons.
Two Passions only take up all my Soul;
Hatred to Rome, and Tenderness for them.
Draw near, my Sons, and listen to my Age.
By what has past, you see the State of Things.
Foreign Alliance must a King secure;
And Insolence sustain to serve his Power.
And if Alliances with Rome are needful,
Much more among ourselves. If I must bear,
Unmov'd, an Insult from a Stranger's Brow,
Shall not a Brother bear a Brother's Look
Without Impatience? Whither all this tends,
I'm sorry that your conscious Hearts can tell you:
Is it not most severe? Two Sons alone
Have crown'd my Bed; and they two are not Brothers.
Look here, and, from my kind Regards to you,
Copy such Looks as you should bear each other.
Why do I sigh? Do you not know, my Sons?
And if you do—O let me sigh no more!
Let these white Hairs put in a Claim to Peace!
Perseus.
Henceforth, my sole Contention with my Brother
Is this; which best obeys our Father's Will.
Demetrius.
Father, if simple Nature ever speaks
In her own Language, scorning useless Words;
You see her now; she swells into my Eyes.
I take thee to my Heart: I fold thee in it.
[Embracing Perseus.
Our Father bids, and that we drank one Milk,
Is now the smallest Motive of my Love.
King.
Antigonus, the Joy their Mother felt
When they were born, was faint to what I feel.
Demetrius.
See, Brother, if he does not weep! His Love
Runs o'er in venerable Tears. I'm rude;
But Nature will prevail—My King! My Father!
Perseus.
Now cannot I let fall a single Tear.
[Aside.
King.
See! The good Man has caught it too.
Antigonus.
Such Tears,
And such alone, be shed in Macedonia!
King.
Be not thou, Perseus, jealous of thy Brother;
Nor thou, Demetrius, prone to give him Cause;
Nor either think of Empire till I'm dead.
You need not; you reign now; my Heart is yours.
Sheath your Resentments in your Father's Peace;
Come to my Bosom both, and swear it there.
[Embracing his Sons
Antigonus.
Look down, ye Gods, and change me, if you can,
This Sight for one more lovely. What so sweet,
So beautiful, on Earth, and, ah! so rare,
As Kindred Love, and Family Repose?
This, this Alliance, Rome, will quite undo thee.
See this, proud Eastern Monarchs! and look pale!
Armies are routed, Realms o'er-run by this.
King.
Or if leagu'd Worlds superior Forces bring,
I'd rather die a Father, than a King.
Fathers alone, a Father's Heart can know;
What secret Tides of still Enjoyment flow,
When Brothers love: But if their Hate succeeds,
They wage the War; but 'tis the Father bleeds.
[Exeunt.
Posthumius.
Philip of Macedon, to those Complaints
13
Rome now expects an Answer. She sits Judge,
And will have Right on Earth.
King.
Expects an Answer!
I so shall answer, as becomes a King.
Posthumius.
Or more, Sir; as becomes a Friend of Rome.
King.
Or Alexander's Heir, to rise still higher.
But to the Purpose. Thus a King to those
That would make Kings, and puff them out at Pleasure:
Has Philip done amiss? 'Twas you provok'd him.
My Cities, which deserted in my Wars,
I thought it meet to punish: You deny'd me.
When I had shook the Walls of Marena,
You pluckt me thence, and took the taken Town.
Then you sent Word I should retire from Greece,
A Conquest at my Door, by Nature mine;
And said, Here end thy Realm; as ye were Gods!
And Gods ye shall be, ere Rome humbles me.
All this is done; yet Philip is your Friend!
If this buys Friendship, where can you find Foes?
In what Regard will stern Rome look upon me?
If as a Friend; too precious let her hold
Her own Esteem, to cast a Stain on mine:
If as an Enemy; let her proceed,
And do as she has done; she need no more.
Posthumius.
The Romans do no Wrong; yet still are Men:
And if To-day an Error thwarts their Purpose,
To-morrow sets it right. If Philip loves
Dominion, and the Pride that waits on Kings,
(Of which, perhaps, his Words too strongly savour)
Humility to Rome will lead him to it.
She can give more than common Kings can govern.
King.
Than common Kings? Ambassador! remember
14
Demetrius.
[Aside to the King.
My Lord, forbear.
King.
And Hannibal still lives.
Posthumius.
Because he fled, at Capua.
King.
There, indeed,
I was not with him.
Posthumius.
Therefore he fled alone—
Since thus you treat us,—Hear another Charge.
Why here detain you, Prisoner of your Power,
His Daughter, who was once Rome's good Ally,
The King of Thrace? Why is she not restor'd?
For our next Meeting you'll provide an Answer.
What now has past, for his Sake we forgive.
[Pointing to Demetrius.
But mark this well: There lies some little Distance,
Philip, between a Roman and a King.
[Exeunt Romans.
King.
How say'st, unsceptred Boaster! This to me!
With Hannibal I cleft yon Alpine Rocks;
With Hannibal choak'd Thrasymene with Slaughter:
But, O the Night of Cannæ's raging Field!
When half the Roman Senate lay in Blood
Without our Tent, and groan'd, as we carous'd!
Immortal Gods! for such another Hour!
Then throw my Carcase to the Dogs of Rome.
Antigonus.
Sir, you forget your Sons.
King.
Let all withdraw.
[Exeunt all but the King and his Sons.
Two Passions only take up all my Soul;
Hatred to Rome, and Tenderness for them.
Draw near, my Sons, and listen to my Age.
15
Foreign Alliance must a King secure;
And Insolence sustain to serve his Power.
And if Alliances with Rome are needful,
Much more among ourselves. If I must bear,
Unmov'd, an Insult from a Stranger's Brow,
Shall not a Brother bear a Brother's Look
Without Impatience? Whither all this tends,
I'm sorry that your conscious Hearts can tell you:
Is it not most severe? Two Sons alone
Have crown'd my Bed; and they two are not Brothers.
Look here, and, from my kind Regards to you,
Copy such Looks as you should bear each other.
Why do I sigh? Do you not know, my Sons?
And if you do—O let me sigh no more!
Let these white Hairs put in a Claim to Peace!
Perseus.
Henceforth, my sole Contention with my Brother
Is this; which best obeys our Father's Will.
Demetrius.
Father, if simple Nature ever speaks
In her own Language, scorning useless Words;
You see her now; she swells into my Eyes.
I take thee to my Heart: I fold thee in it.
[Embracing Perseus.
Our Father bids, and that we drank one Milk,
Is now the smallest Motive of my Love.
King.
Antigonus, the Joy their Mother felt
When they were born, was faint to what I feel.
Demetrius.
See, Brother, if he does not weep! His Love
Runs o'er in venerable Tears. I'm rude;
But Nature will prevail—My King! My Father!
Perseus.
Now cannot I let fall a single Tear.
[Aside.
King.
See! The good Man has caught it too.
16
Such Tears,
And such alone, be shed in Macedonia!
King.
Be not thou, Perseus, jealous of thy Brother;
Nor thou, Demetrius, prone to give him Cause;
Nor either think of Empire till I'm dead.
You need not; you reign now; my Heart is yours.
Sheath your Resentments in your Father's Peace;
Come to my Bosom both, and swear it there.
[Embracing his Sons
Antigonus.
Look down, ye Gods, and change me, if you can,
This Sight for one more lovely. What so sweet,
So beautiful, on Earth, and, ah! so rare,
As Kindred Love, and Family Repose?
This, this Alliance, Rome, will quite undo thee.
See this, proud Eastern Monarchs! and look pale!
Armies are routed, Realms o'er-run by this.
King.
Or if leagu'd Worlds superior Forces bring,
I'd rather die a Father, than a King.
Fathers alone, a Father's Heart can know;
What secret Tides of still Enjoyment flow,
When Brothers love: But if their Hate succeeds,
They wage the War; but 'tis the Father bleeds.
[Exeunt.
| The Brothers | |