University of Virginia Library

Scæn. 3.

Enter Maximus.
Max.
Ther's no way else to doe it, he must die,
This friend must die, this soule of Maximus,
Without whom I am nothing but my shame,
This perfectnesse that keeps me from opinion,
Must dye, or I must live thus branded ever:
A hard choice, and a fatall; God's ye have given me
A way to credit, but the ground to goe on,
Ye have levelld with that pretious life I love most,
Yet I must on, and through; for if I offer
To take my way without him, like a Sea
He bares his high command, twix me and vengeance,
And in my owne road sinkes me, he is honest
Of a most constant loyaltie to Cesar,
And when he shall but doubt, I dare attempt him,
But make a question of his ill, but say
What is a Cesar, that he dare doe this,
Dead sure he cuts me off: Aecius dies,
Or I have lost my selfe? why should I kill him?
Why should I kill my selfe, for tis my killing,
Aecius is my roote, and whither him,
Like a decaying branch, I fall to nothing.
Is he not more to me, then wife, then Cesar?
Though I had now my safe revenge upon him,
Is he not more then rumour, and his freindship
Sweeter then the love of women? What is honor
We all so strangly are bewitch'd withall?
Can it relieve me if I want? he has;
Can honor, twixt the incensed Prince, and Envy,
Beare up the lives of worthy men? he has;
Can honor pull the wings of fearefull cowards
And make 'em turne againe like Tigers? he has,
And I have liv'd to see this, and preserv'd so;
Why should this empty word incite me then
To what is ill, and cruel? let her perish.
A freind is more then all the world, then honor;
She is a woman and her losse the lesse,
And with her go my greifs: but hark ye Maximus,
Was she not yours? Did she not dye to tell ye
She was a ravish'd woman? did not justice
Nobly begin with her, that not deserv'd it,
And shall ye live that did it? Stay a little,
Can this abuse dye here? Shall not mens tongues
Dispute it afterward, and say I gave
(Affecting dul obedience, and tame duty,
And led away with fondnes of a freindship)
The only vertue of the world to slander?
Is not this certaine, was not she a chaste one,
And such a one, that no compare dwelt with her,
One of so sweete a vertue, that Aecius,
Even he himselfe, this freind that holds me from it,
Out of his worthy love to me, and justice,
Had it not been on Cæsar, h'ad reveng'd her?
By heaven he told me so; what shall I do then?—
Enter a Servant.
Can other men affect it, and I cold?
I feare he must not live.

Serv.
My Lord, the Generall
Is come to seeke ye.

Max.
Go, intreate him to enter:
O brave Aecius, I could wish thee now
As far from freindship to me, as from feares,
That I might cut thee off, like that I weigh'd not,
Is there no way without him, to come neare it?
For out of honesty he must destroy me
If I attempt it, he must dye as others,
And I must loose him; tis necessity,
Only the time, and meanes is all the difference;
But yet I would not make a murther of him,
Take him directly for my doubts; he shall dye,
I have found a way to do it, and a safe one,
It shall be honor to him too: I know not
What to determine certaine, I am so troubled,
And such a deale of conscience presses me;—
Enter Aecius.
Would I were dead my selfe.

Aeci.
You run a way well;
How got you from me freind?

Max.
That that leads mad men,
A strong Imagination made me wander.

Aeci.
I thought ye had been more setled.

Max.
I am well,
But you must give me leave a little sometimes
To have a buzzing in my brains.

Aeci.
Ye are dangerous,
But Ile prevent it if I can; ye told me
You would go to'th Army.

Max.
Why, to have my throat cut,
Must he not be the bravest man Aecius
That strikes me first?

Aeci.
You promised me a freedom
From all these thoughts, and why should any strike you?

Max.
I am an Enemy, a wicked one,
Worse then the foes of Rome, I am a Coward,
A Cuckold, and a Coward, that's two causes
Why every one should beat me.

Aeci.
Ye are neither;
And durst another tell me so, he dyde for't,
For thus far on mine honor, Ile assure you
No man more lov'd then you, and for your valour,
And what ye may be, faire; no man more follow'd.

Max.
A doughty man indeed: but that's all one,
The Emperor, nor all the Princes living
Shall find a flaw in my coat; I have sufferd,
And can yet; let them find inflictions,
Ile find a body for 'em, or Ile break it.
Tis not a wife can thrust me out, some lookt for't?
But let 'em looke till they are blind with looking,
They are but fooles, yet there is anger in me,
That I would faine disperse, and now I think on't,
You told me freind the Provinces are stirring,
We shall have sport I hope then, and what's dangerous,
A Battle shall beat from me.

Aeci.
Why do ye eye me
With such a setled looke?

Max.
Pray tell me this,
Do we not love extremely? I love you so.

Aeci.
If I should say I lov'd not you as truly,
I should do that I never durst do, lye.

Max.
If I should dye, would it not greive you much?

Aeci.
Without all doubt.

Max.
And could you live without me?

Aeci.
It would much trouble me to live without ye.
Our loves, and loving soules have been so us'd
But to one houshold in us: But to dye
Because I could not make you live, were woman
Far much too weake, were it to save your worth,
Or to redeeme your name from rooting out,
To quit you bravely fighting from the foe,
Or fetch ye off, where honor had ingag'd ye,
I ought, and would dye for ye.

Max.
Truly spoken.
What beast but I, that must, could hurt this man now?
Would he had ravish'd me, I would have payd him,
I would have taught him such a trick, his Eunuches
Nor all his black-eyd boyes dreamt of yet;
By all the Gods I am mad now; Now were Cæsar
Within my reach, and on his glorious top
The pile of all the world, he went to nothing;
The destinies, nor all the dames of hell,
Were I once grappl'd with him, should relieve him,
No not the hope of mankind more; all perished;
But this is words, and weaknesse.

Aeci.
Ye looke strangely.

Max.
I looke but as I am, I am a stranger.

Aeci.
To me.

Max.
To every one, I am no Romane;
Nor what I am do I know.

Aeci.
Then Ile leave ye.

Max.
I find I am best so, if ye meet with Maximus
Pray bid him be an honest man for my sake,
You may do much upon him; for his shadow,
Let me alone.

Aeci.
Ye were not wont to talke thus,
And to your freind; ye have some danger in you,
That willingly would run to action.
Take heed, by all our love take heed.

Max.
I danger?
I, willing to do any thing, I dig.
Has not my wife been dead two dayes already?
Are not my mournings by this time moath-eaten?
Are not her sins dispers'd to other women,
And many one ravish'd to relieve her?
Have I shed teares these twelve houres?

Aeci.
Now ye weepe.

Max.
Some lazie drops that staid behind.

Aeci.
Ile tell ye
And I must tell ye truth, were it not hazard,
And almost certaine losse of all the Empire,
I would wyne with ye: were it any mans
But his life, that is life of us, he lost it
For doing of this mischeife: I would take it,
And to your rest give ye a brave revenge:
But as the rule now stands, and as he rules,
And as the Nations hold in disobedience,
One pillar failing, all must fall; I dare not:
Nor is it just you should be suffer'd in it,
Therefore againe take heed: On forraigne foes
We are our own revengers, but at home
On Princes that are eminent and ours,
Tis fit the Gods should judge us: Be not rash,
Nor let your angry steele cut those ye know not,
For by this fatall blow, if ye dare strike it,
As I see great aymes in ye, those unborne yet,
And those to come of them and these succeeding
Shall bleed the wrath of Maximus: For me
As ye now beare your selfe, I am your freind still,
If ye fall off I will not flatter ye,
And in my hands, were ye my soule, you perish'd:
Once more be carefull, stand, and still be worthy,
Ile leave ye for this howre.—

Exit.
Max.
Pray do, tis done:
And freindship, since thou canst not hold in dangers,
Give me a certaine ruin, I must through it.

Exit.