University of Virginia Library

ACT III.

SCENE I.

A spacious Hall.
Enter Junius, Brutus, Cassius, Citizens, &c.
Junius.
It's time, high time to check the rage of slaughter
And let our actions show that we are freemen.

Brutus.
Welcome thrice happy day! for so I call thee,
Tho' scenes of woe attend us—
I feel a ray of hope that richest gem,
Which glimmers in the darkest night,
And gilds the gloom—that firm determin'd spirit,
Which seems to animate this grand assembly,
The most august that ever set in Servia,
We'll rescue freedom—yes, thy wounds my country
Shall soon be clos'd, and from the precious gore,
Which stains thy streets shall spring a glorious harvest.
Now is the crisis; if we lose this moment,
All's gone for ever—Catch the happy period,
And boldly hurl oppression from her basis.

Cassius.
And can you want for motives to perswade us?
Go to yon tomb and ask the weeping marble,
The fate of those, who sleep within it's bosom.
They fell in cries (and listen to the tale)
Unhappy victims to inhuman ruffians;
Who wish to drink this countries richest blood,
And crush expiring freedom—Tell me ye patriots
Will you submit to fall without a struggle?
The very worm you tread on shews resentment.

Brutus.
'Tis true there's mighty danger—
But shall that thought, that mean ungenerous thought
Damp in the lest our ardor!
We ne'er can be seduc'd by gaudy charms of riches
Pleasure's fantastick ray—
Leave this for weaker minds—We scorn them all.
Rather let Servia tumble from her basis.
And in one general ruin cover all,
Than see her citizens oppress'd with chains
And sweetly slumb'ring in the gilded fetters.
The man who boasts his freedom,
Feels solid joy—tho' poor and low his state,
He looks with pity on the honor'd slave.

Cassius.
These are sentiments, Which make us men.
Has life so many charms,
That it can sweeten every hour of bondage?
Look to the Turk, and relish if you can,
A life in chains—he sighs, but sighs unpitied.
Groans are so frequent, that they pass unnotic'd,
And no one counts the steps of misery.
Enter a Ghost with naked breasts exposing his wounds. Cassius proceeds,
Oh! Heaven! see yonder ghastly form,
It comes to push us on, and cries again REVENG,
Points to it's wounds, and beckons us away.
And shall we faulter?

[ghost sinks.
Brutus.
There glow'd the flame of heroes.
If thus resolv'd, some to Rapatio speed;
Tell him we are determin'd—fix'd as fate—
The soldier stay no longer—if deni'd—
A scene of woe shall quickly open.
Yon sun shall set in blood—the weeping moon,
Shrink in her orb—we'll dare, what men can dare;
And with our daggers force a way to freedom.

[A number are sent to Rapatio's with an account of this resolution.]

SCENE II.

The great Hall.
Enter Rapatio and Senators.
Rapatio.
Well, friends, you hear the issue of their councils.
The soldier goes, or else they swear to bathe
These streets in blood—ask my resolution.
Say, shall the soldier go?

1st. Senator.
The people's fury's rais'd: they scorn to triffle longer.
'Tis not the efforts of expiring faction—
The weak attempts of a distracted party.
But men, who act on principles of honor,
Now grasp the sword, and glorious in the struggle.
Will force their way to freedom.—

Rapatio.
True, but remember—
These troops;—no power of mine
Can contract—I'm but a servant—

2d. Senator.
But stop, Rapatio, stop.
'Tis the cause of freedom they defend:—
Thy very life's connected with the issue.
They will not suffer unreveng'd:
You too may fall—
Go mark the gloom that broods on every feature.
Where mournful echo heaves along the wall,
And strikes with all the elegance of woe.
No headstrong opposition actuates.
They cooly weigh, and cautiously determine;
Speak what they feel, and what they feel they act.

Rapatio.
Well, I'll see Bagshot, as he advises
So will I act—

[Exit.
3d. Senator.
Unhappy state of mind!
What tho' ten thousand pleasures beam around him,
The gilded couch—the airy post of honor:
No balm of peace, can mitigate his pain.
The ghost of freedom haunts his midnight hours.
This is thy state, O guilt—to stop, is ruin—
To follow on is death—give me but virtue,
That sun-shine of the soul—enough—I'm happy.

Scene changes to a private apartment—
Enter Rapatio and Bagshot.
Rapatio.
The cause is lost! the Patriot's up in arms,
Pant for revenge—the soldier must retire—
Say, Bagshot. Can you stand the gathering storm?

Bagshot.
'Tis an hard case indeed—what can I do?
A soldier's honor should remain unsulied.
True to his post, should laugh at every danger,
Enjoy his fate, and smile amid the storm.
But when ten thousand furies burst upon me,
Despise my utmost force, and breathe defiance—
Honor says, stand—but prudence says, retire.

Rapatio.
But, Bagshot! how this scoundrell mob will triumph.
Rather rouse up some noble purpose in you;
Burn down their airy towers, and let the flames
Light thee to conquest.

Bagshot.
These are charming words.
Close in his cell, the calm philosopher
Enjoys the storm, grasps at the palm of glory,
And fights the distant battles of the world.
It will not, cannot do—if they're determin'd,
We yield to conquering fate, and curse our fortune.

Rapatio.
Bagshot farewell—I'll to the hall.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.

The upper Hall.
Enter Rapatio and Senators.
Rapatio.
Since you advis'd to this, call in the patriots—
Enter Patriots—
It grieves my soul, to hear the groans of freedom;
And I'm resolv'd, whatever it may cost me,
To heal these wounds and save my bleeding country.
I've struggled hard, to get the cause remov'd.
The soldier goes—and 'tis my fervent prayer—
Each other wrong may find a quick remove,
And prince and peasent join in mutual love.

[Exeunt.
Scene changes to the Senate House.
Enter Brutus.
Brutus.
Patriots all hail! the happy hour approaches,
When vanquish'd freedom rears again her head.
And sweetly smiles. Our constant manly conduct
Has won the day—the sullen foe retires—
[He is interrupted with an universal hout]—
Oh! what a burst of joy was that—there broke
The warm effusion of an heart that feels
In virtue's cause. Gods! what a throb of pleasure!
To look around this vast, this crouded hall
And hail them freemen—what tho' some have bled,
Unhappy victims—what tho' I have wept,
And struggl'd hard to rescue thee, my country,
This glorious harvest richly compensates
For dangers past—nature looks gay around me,
And all creation seems to join my joy.
With transfort now I take my little offspring,
And hug them to my bosom, while they catch
The throbs I feel, and prattle out their joys.
Now I can toil for them contented—freeze
In winter's cold, and burn in summer's heat,
And sing my cares away, while what I earn,
I'll call my own, and leave it their's for ever.
And hence, ye patriots learn an useful lesson—
He who in virtue's cause remain unmov'd,
And nobly struggles for his country's good:
Shall more than conquer—better days shall beam,
And happier prospects croud again the scene—

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV.

Enter Rapatio, Limpet, Meagre and P---p.
Rapatio.
What say my friends! shall patriots, grov'ling patriots,
Thus thwart our schemes? push back the plan of action!
And make it thus recoil? mistaken wretches!
Unthinking fools! they work their own destruction.
Let them amuse themselves with thoughts of freedom,
And bask amid the sunshine of an hour;—
They hover o'er the secret precipice—
The leap is death. Come, cunning be my guide,
Beleagu'd with hell—Come all those hateful passions,
That rouse the mind to action.

Meagre.
Bravely spoke!
And here's a soul, like thine, that never linger'd,
When prompted by revenge—If thirst of power;
A spirit haughty, sour, implacable,
That bears a deadly enmity to freedom,
But mean and base; who never had a notion
Of generous and manly; who would stab,
Stab in the dark, but what he'd get revenge;
If such a soul is suitable to thy purpose,
'Tis here.

Rapatio.
I thank thee—thy fraternal love
I always knew, twin brother in affection.
Bagshot complains his numbers are but few:
We must have more: and here the field's extensive.
But then their dev'lish coolness comes athwart us,
To represent them factious and rebellious;
Mov'd on by malice to attack the soldier—
There lies the doubt—the simple bare assertion
Would sway but weak.

Limput.
If this is all you want—
If breaking thro' the sanction of an oath,
And trampling on the highest obligations
Would back this good design—here's one will do it.
In youth when all my soul was full of virtue,
And growing age had not matur'd my practice,
I felt a pang and shudder'd at a crime.
But thoughts like these have long since slept; old habits
Have fear'd my conscience—Vice is now familiar—
Prescribe whatever form you chuse—I sign it—

Rapatio.
'Tis well—then swear—that in our general meeting,
This was declar'd, that long before that night,
In which we snuff'd the blood of innocence,
The factious citizens, urg'd on by hell,
Had leagu'd together, to attack the soldier;
Trample on laws; murder the friends of power
And bury all things in one common ruin.
All this you call the majesty of heaven
To witness to as truth—

Limput.
I do, and swear.

Rapatio.
There's one thing more and then my mind's at rest.
Those noble men who fought for government
Are now confin'd, and soon must have a trial.
Let's all unite and use our utmost efforts
To get them off. There's worthy Hazlerod
Who hears with too much joy the groans of freedom,
To see her executioner's expire.
On you my dear P---p much depends.

P---p.
And is Rapatio grown distrustful of me?
Of me, who long had sacrific'd my honor,
To be a tool?—who've cring'd and bow'd and fawn'd
To get a place?—Fear not I e'er should prove
An alien here—Go wash the Æthiop white
Then bid my soul grow fond and pleas'd with virtue.

Rapatio.
Then I'm secure—Know patriots this and tremble.
Grief shall again its wonted seat resume,
And piles of mangled corpses croud the tomb.
Thro' all the wanton streets of pow'r I'll rove,
And soar exulting like the bird of Jove,
On lofty pinions put a sovereign sway,
And glow illustrious in the blaze of day.

[Exeunt.