University of Virginia Library

SCENE, The Outside of the Palace.
[Shouts again.
Pacuvius enters with Guards.
Virginius heading the Rabble.
Pac.
Shut up the Gates; none to pass in or out,
But by my Orders: if a Senator
Escapes your Guard, you answer with your lives
To our great Lords the People.

1 Cit.
Why, here's a Lord indeed.

Vir.
He does not think himself too great
To be the Peoples Friend.

2 Cit.
No, no, Lord Pacuvius has been always our Friend:
And we will be his upon Occasion: for he shall find himself,
Within this half hour, the only Senator unhang'd in Capua.

Pac.
My Country-men; my fellow Citizens!
'Tis in your Power now to revenge your selves
On this detested Senate, justly fal'n
Under your Sentence; odious grown to all,
Who love the People, or the Common-wealth.
I offer you a full and safe Revenge,
A free Revenge, nothing to Interrupt,
But you may do your Work with decency:
No Tumult for one Senator to scape in.
Without the danger of invading 'em
In their particular Houses, which wou'd be
Defended by their Friends, Clients, and Slaves,
I have 'em here, defenceless, and alone,
Imprison'd in the Palace. Say the word
What shall be done with 'em?

1 Cit.
Come, come, open the Gates,
We'll quickly dispose of 'em.

2 Cit.
Ay, ay, we are Men of Expedition,
And so they shall find us, to their Cost:
Every Man take his Senator; We'll hang 'em
Upon the Battlements of the Palace, for a stinking
Example to all Common-wealths.

1 Cit.
Hold you, hold you, I don't like hanging:
There's a great deal to be done in a handsom Execution.

3 Cit.

Look you, my Masters, I am but a plain Man to see
to, as a body may say, but I can speak my Mind without being
askt, as soon as those that are wiser: Look you, time is precious,
and we have a great deal to do with it; make as short
work as you can, I advise; ev'n cut their Throats, and
there's an end on't.

1 Cit.
Cutting of Throats is but a
Slovenly way of doing Justice:
I am for doing things decently, Neighbours, and I believe
I have hit it: This is not an ordinary Day with us, you know,
Why then let's make a Holy-day of it indeed;
Set the Palace a Fire about the Senators Ears,
And there's a Bonfire to our Holy-day.

Om.
Agreed, agreed, a Bonfire, a Bonfire.

Pac.
It was the very thing I was thinking of—

1 Cit.
Why very well.

Pac.
Nay, it is excellent,
To have the old Drones smother'd in their Hives.

Om.
No more to be said, Boys;
About it instantly, my Lads.

2 Cit.
We are all in a mind once in our Lives.

Om.
Fire the Palace, down with it, Fire the Palace.

Pac.
And yet what has this noble building done?
A publick Ornament, a reverend Pile,
That has stood Ages—but if you please to think
It has stood long enough, why, down with it;
Who shall find fault? It is the Common-wealths,
The People's, and you may dispose your own.

1 Cit.
How's that? The Palace Ours!
Let's hear him a little upon that Subject.

Pac.
The Senators! blow them up in a Blaze:
You will miss nothing of 'em, but their Beards:
Or if you should, they cheaply are supply'd.
But if the Senate House be laid in Ashes,
Who shall repair the Ruine?

Vir.
At a time when Capua stands the Rival of great Rome,
You would not strip her of her Palaces,
To leave her naked to her Neighbours scorn?

Om.
No, no, We don't desire that neither.

Vir.
This venerable Structure may stand up
With our most celebrated publick Domes,
Sacred and Common, Temples, Theatres,
And all our numerous progeny of Art,
The Monuments of famous Ancestry,
That speak as loud for us, as Rome's for her.
And wou'd you throw it down?

Pac.
If you repent, when it is down, who builds it up again?
The publick Purse alone, the common Stock
(The Citizens freeborn Inheritance)
Whoever does the mischief, pays for all.

1 Cit.
If it be so, my Masters!

2 Cit.
'Tis as he says, Man, and the case is quite alter'd.

1 Cit.
Why, my Lord, we're at a loss here
For want of Employment.

2 Cit.
You have sav'd the Building, 'tis true,
And we thank you for't: But the Senators—

Om.
Ay, ay, the Senators, the Senators—

Pac.
I am their Goaler still, to answer their forth-coming,
When you please, and to promote the Justice you intend,
Since you are not agreed among your selves,
I do propose to bring each Senator
Upon the tryal of his single Merit,
To stand or fall, just as his Cause deserves:
Your selves to be the Judges.

2 Cit.
Why there you have hit it, my Lord:

1 Cit.
Every honest Man must be
Of your Lordship's Mind.

Vir.
Your selves to be the Judges!
Mark you that?

1 Cit.
Well, my Lord, Pray proceed in your own Method:
We know you're a Friend to us,
We'll be govern'd by you.

Pac.
Then in the first place, I wou'd have you
So govern your Anger, that your Anger get
Not the upper hand of your Int'rest and Safety.
For I suppose your Hatred extends to these Senators only;
You like the Constitution well enough—

2 Cit.
My Lord, that's more than we can say
With a safe Conscience.

Pac.
What! Not like a Senate!

1 Cit.
To tell you the truth, we don't approve of th'Order,
And wou'd banish it the City, if we cou'd.

Vir.
You must have a Government among you.

Pac.
You must have a Senate; a Senate is
But the great Council of a free People,
And that's for your Good you must own.

2 Cit.
Well, if we must have a Senate—

Pac.
Why, that's well said:
Then in order to a Reformation, my Masters,
There are two things that call upon you at the same time;
The dissolving your old Senate,
And chusing a new one in the room.

1 Cit.
Why, there I grant you,
A Senate of our own chusing we may like.

2 Cit.
We'll chuse a Senate, I warrant you.

Pac.
I will summon the Senators,
One after another, to appear before you:
What you judge of 'em shall be executed:
I will only gather your Voices.

1 Cit.
This is method now.

Pac.
Unbar the Gates, and bid the Senators
Prepare themselves to appear upon their Names.

2 Cit.
Ay, this is doing business.

Pac.
But one thing you must promise me, my Friends,
To punish none, however criminal,
Before you chuse an able, honest Man
Into his place, as a new Senator.

1 Cit.
That's fair on every side.

Pac.
Here is a Roll, agree among your selves
Whom to cite first—
This Day must crown our hopes.

[Going to Virginius.
Vir.
The Deputies are return'd from Hannibal.

Pac.
Let 'em be ready, I shall want 'em straight.

2 Cit.
Let's see, let's see, where shall we begin,
At the top or the bottom.

3 Cit.
Hold you, hold you; Titus Didius here; begin at him:
I hapned to get a Slave of his with Child,
And he made me marry her, for which
I shou'd be very glad to see him hang'd.

4 Cit.
Make 'em into Lots, I say,
And let 'em be drawn fairly.

Om.
Ay, ay, every Man take his chance.

[They are busied in making the Lots, while Pacuvius and Virginius speak.]
Pac.
O that Perolla, my degenerate Son,
Wou'd follow thy Ambition; but he pules,
And Conscience bound in such a Cause as this,
The Cause of Empire, basely stands for Rome
Against his Country, and his Father's House.

Vir.
That Decius Magius has infected him.

Pac.
My old Opposer still.

Vir.
He has been every where among the Crowd,
To spread the Poyson of his Politicks:
But we had dos'd 'em with our Antidotes;
Timely preventing all the giddy turns,
That might have hapned to that sickly State;
Confirm'd the crazy Constitution
Of their weak, wavering Minds; and now we have
Scatter'd, dispers'd the Faction, and the Cause,
Quite routed him, and his malignity.

Pac.
So that the People all stand sound for us.
But do not trust 'em with themselves too long:
They will relapse into their natural fears,
And cool, without your Fire to keep 'em warm.

Vir.
These you'll take care of: I have other parties
To Head, and bring up on occasion.

[Exit.
The Citizens come forward, one having drawn a Lot.
1 Cit.
So, so, without favour, or affection, now open it—

Pac.
Who have you drawn?

2 Cit.
Rutilius Lupus.

[Reading the name.
Pac.
Rutilius Lupus there, let him appear.

1 Cit.
Ay, ay, let him appear,
And be hang'd for his pains, I say.

3 Cit.
Ay, so say I.

Om.
And all of us.

Rutilius Lupus Enters.
2 Cit.
Here, here, he comes.
He has always been an Enemy to the People.

1 Cit.
And now we'll quit scores with him.

Pac.
Well, he is doom'd: You do expel him first
The Senate—but before his Punishment,
You must elect a New one in his Room.

Om.
Ay, ay, that's quickly done.

Pac.
He may pass on, we'll talk with him anon.

1 Cit.
Who shall we chuse Neighbours?

2 Cit.
Let's lay our Heads together,
[R. Lupus withdraws.
And do it to purpose, once in our Lives.

1 Cit.
Why, ay, who shall we chuse?

2 Cit.
Let me see—

1 Cit.
Some body that deserves very well of the Commons.

Om.
That's to be sure.

1 Cit.
One that is in the interest of his Country;
And, if possible, will continue so
In spight of Preferment—

2 Cit.
That's the Man, that's the Man.

3 Cit.
Who, who?

2 Cit.
Nay, good troth, I can't tell;
We han't found him yet.

1 Cit.
He must be one, we have nothing to say against—

3 Cit.
Ay, marry, who may that be?

1 Cit.
One who wonnot forget his Benefactors,
The People that rais'd him.

2 Cit.
A very good Quality indeed;
Now name the Man that owns it, and I give him my Voice.

1 Cit.
Nay, I name no Body.

3 Cit.
Name no Body! what! We must name some Body:
Come, I'le name one—Cecilius Nepos.—

Om.
Cecilius Nepos! there's a Man indeed!

3 Cit.
What do ye think of him?

Om.
We don't think of him.

2. Cit.
Stay, stay, the Senators are call'd Fathers,
You know—

1 Cit.
What then?

2 Cit.
Why, in that sense he may be qualify'd:
And thou dost honestly to set him up.
For he is naturally thy Senator,
Being the Father of thy Family.

1 Cit.
No, no, we'll Father our Children without him,
If we can, with our Wives leave, we'll none of him.
Set up another.

4 Cit.
Titus Volcatius.

Om.
That's worse and worse.

1 Cit.
What shall we do with him?

2 Cit.
He knows nothing of the matter.

1 Cit.
When he shows any management
In his private Affairs, we may
Begin to think of him for the Publick:
In the mean time, let him play the fool
At his own expence, and in private;
As he uses to do.

4 Cit.
Mamellius then.

1 Cit.
Mamellius! who is he?

2 Cit.

He is one, that was squeez'd out of the Necessities of
the Government; that has made a hard shift to get a mighty
Estate, by the common Calamities; a plaguy rich Fellow.

1 Cit.
Rich! as a dunghil may be,
By a Congregation of Filth and Villany.

2 Cit.
Wou'd he were to be so well bestow'd;
Carry'd out by a common consent, for he's a Nusance
As he is, and spread abroad for the enriching the Publick.

1 Cit.

O, ho, I know him, a Viper, that has eaten thro'
the Bowels of his Country, in hopes of coming to the Head
on't: But I hope he will return as he came, and go out at
the Tail.

2 Cit.
Well, Furius Philus.

1 Cit.
He's too proud for us.

2 Cit.
Marcus Mutius.

1 Cit.
Let him pay his debts.

2 Cit.
He pays no Body, as 'tis.

1 Cit.
And you wou'd give him a priviledge
To ruine his Neighbours.

Pac.
Well, are you agreed?

1 Cit.
Agreed, my Lord, there's nothing to agree upon:
When we come to particulars, 'tis only to find fault:
Men are but men; and, new or old,
The Senate's the same.

Pac.
Why do you dissolve this then?

2 Cit.
We don't dissolve it.

Om.
No, no, we don't dissolve it.

1 Cit.

And for this Reason, Neighbours, to carry home to
your Wives, to stop their Mouths withal; because the Evils
that we are best acquainted with, are always the easiest to
be born.

2 Cit.
Marry I think so too.

Om.
And all of us.

2 Cit.
Therefore I am for setting
The Senators at Liberty.

Om.
Ay, ay, set 'em at Liberty.

2. Cit.
Provided they joyn with us in this business.

1 Cit.
Heartily, and speedily, or we shall visit 'em again.
And so you may tell 'em, my Lord.

[Exeunt shouting.
Pac.
I wonnot fail.

Enter Senators.
1 Sen.
Pacuvius! O! what Honours are thy due!
Statues, and Temples, thou Deliverer!

2 Sen.
We cannot speak our humble thanks too low,
In the deep sense of our acknowledgments.

3 Sen.
Thou hast sav'd our Lives, dispose of them and us—

4 Sen.
Our Fortunes, Friends, and dearest Interests.

1. Sen.
Command in all, for we owe all to thee.

Pac.
I have been the happy Instrument indeed
To serve the Senate—

2 Sen.
Nay, to save the State.

Pac.
And I am nobly pay'd in the good work.

1 Sen.
The People tho' won't be so satisfi'd.

Pac.
No, they are obstinate upon their Terms,
You must comply with 'em.

2 Sen.
We are agreed in every Article for Hannibal.

3 Sen.
And wou'd declare our selves, did not our Friends—

Pac.
Under the Roman Arms in Cicily—

3 Sen.
As Hostages for our Fidelity,
Withhold us, till we can provide for them.

Pac.
That fear was urg'd before; but you shall have
It fully answer'd by our Deputies:
I see they are return'd.

Om.
O! welcome, welcome!

2 Sen.
What have you done for us with Hannibal?

Dep.
We bring most advantageous Terms of Peace.
These the Conditions; the last of which
[Offering a Paper.
Removes the present fear, and does provide
Expresly for our Friends in Cicily.

3 Sen.
Let that be read.

Pac.
Nay, read 'em not in parts.

Dep.
He offers you three Hundred Roman Knights,
Which you shall chuse out of his Prisoners,
To give the Romans, in a fair Exchange,
For our Campanian Youth in Arms with them.

1 Sen.
He has hit upon the sole Expedient,
To ensure the Lives and Safety of our Friends.

Pac.
He offers more than we cou'd ask of him.

Dep.
You'll find him in all points as generous.

Pac.
Now are you satisfy'd?

3 Sen.
We ask no more.

Dep.
In the just confidence of profer'd Love,
He comes himself, the Hostage of his Faith,
To Capua.

Blo.
So my Advices say, but mention not the time.

Dep.
He comes this Day: He's on his March already.

1 Sen.
Let us prepare for his Reception.

Pac.
Summon the People to the Forum then,
And let the Articles be read to 'em:
So hand in hand we shall proceed in Love,
And act unenvy'd for our Country's good.

[Going.
Enter Decius Magius.
Mag.
Pacuvius! You have done most worthily,
Saving the Senate: Wou'd you wou'd employ
Your Interest with the People always so.
The wretched Romans wanted such a Friend:
I had no Pow'r: But Death has set 'em free.

1 Sen.
Dead! Are they dead?

[The Senators go out one after another, and leave him alone.
Mag.
All perisht in the Baths.
And they are left behind, to blush in Blood
For this Day's Treason, who encourag'd it:
It must be answer'd for to Gods and Men,
And Capua rue it in her Sons unborn;
An impious City of devoted Crimes!
The Vengeance will fall heavy, and, I fear,
Fall wide enough, ev'n to involve us all.

1 Sen.
Alas! We are not guilty of their Death.

[Goes out.
2 Sen.
But mourn alike with you the People's Rage.

[Goes out.
3 Sen.
What cou'd we do?

[Goes out.
Mag.
What are you doing now?
Where are you going? Do you leave me too?
But you indeed have left me long ago.
Your Steps have err'd long from the track of Truth,
And are not worth an honest Man's pursuit:
But I will follow. If I can't prevent,
I may protest against their Practices:
That's in my Pow'r: That will exempt me from
The general Guilt, and justifie my Fame:
Let me secure my Innocence, and then
Death to an Old Man cannot come too soon.

[Exit.