University of Virginia Library

SCENE VI.

FRUGI, TULLIA, CICERO and TERENTIA.
TERENTIA.
See, Despairer,
Yet, yet, we are not quite renounc'd of Heaven.

CICERO.
My Tullia, O my daughter, do I live
Once more to see and bless thee, e're we part?
How did I lose thee in this night's confusion?
And how, when Death and Violation scour
Th'affrighted city, arm'd with all Hell's flames,
Hast thou, defenceless maid, escap'd unhurt?

TULLIA.
Behold the guardian of my life and honour!
Dragg'd by the hands of the accurst Gabinius
Half-dead and sinking with my fears he found me,
Like my preserving Angel, he redeem'd me,
Snatch'd me from death and ruin, brought me to thee,
And gave me second life.

CICERO.
All-gracious Powers!
If when ye rain'd your sorrows on my head,
Unknowing of your provident designs,
And to the period of my sufferings blind,
Murmuring I took my fate, impute it not.

FRUGI.
O that I dar'd to speak! but Tullia's looks
Awe, while they charm, and while they prompt, forbid.

CICERO.
O Rome! O Country! once the patriot soil
Of Freedom; parent once of god-like Virtues,
Mistress of Arts and Empire! now, alas!
The dying victim of unnatural Faction,
And stage of rank Corruption! Yet I'll hope,
Fall'n as thou art, yet I'll not deem thee lost,
While thou can'st boast one son of genuine worth,
Noble, as this dear Youth: Thou see'st, my Frugi,
How Rome rewards my services; yet, oh!
Let not the memory of my wrongs extinguish
That spark divine, which animates the soul,
And lights the path of glory; but where I,
Torn from my Country's side, now drop the work
Unfinish'd, thou with fresher nerves succeed
To the brave toil, and fill the mighty plan
With Freedom, such as our great Fathers gave it.

FRUGI.
How my soul burns within me! O my guide,
Model my young ambition; teach me how
I may deserve to die in this great cause,
And leave a name immortal as thy own.

CICERO.
By one firm faithful even course of honour;
By standing forth alone, not Cæsar's follower,
Not Pompey's slave, but Rome's and Virtue's friend:
Sworn to no party; 'midst corruption pure;
Scorning all titles, dignities, and wealth,
When weigh'd against Integrity; rememb'ring
That Patriot is the highest name on earth.

Enter ATTICUS.
ATTICUS.
Hail, Friend! or rather let me greet thee, Exile!
For from this night, I'll own no other name:
Roman? no more on't; Scythian call me rather;
For we have chang'd conditions: Social Virtue
Is fled beyond the mountains; nothing now
Is truly barbarous, but within these walls.

CICERO.
Is there aught new abroad?

ATTICUS.
What can be new,
When I have seen mount Palatine? what strange,
When I have heard the Father of his Country
Revil'd, insulted, banish'd?

CICERO.
Came you thence,
From yonder pile of ruin?

ATTICUS.
'Tis no more:
These eyes beheld it level with the dust;
The mansion of my friend, the social seat
Of polish'd manners, gay convivial wit,
And hospitable ease. Alas! the days,
The nights, that we have known! Bear with me, Marcus,
But my remembrance gave such life and being
To the sad scene, so knit and wove together
Things living with inanimate; methought
'Twas thou, my friend, that fell; struck with the sight,
I follow'd the false impulse of my heart,
And on the senseless ashes dropt a tear.

CICERO.
I look'd not for this show of tenderness,
And thank thee for it from my heart, my Atticus:
But tears are catching, and these eyes are apt
To every soft infection. You have said,
When you would wean my thoughts from Rome, “Content
“Depends not upon place;” Why then farewell
Ye scenes of past delights, exil'd from you
With Freedom and with Virtue for my guides,
Indifferent where to fix, I'll range the world,
And Rome shall follow me where'er I go.

ATTICUS.
Arise, set forth, cast not a look behind,
But seize the present Now; on every side,
Around, above, beneath you, all is Treason;
Our streets, our houses, nay, our very temples,
Daily she haunts; ev'n here you are not safe;
On Jove's own Capitol her ensigns float,
And bid defiance to the bolts of Heav'n.

CICERO.
Give me the Statue—“Stand thou there, Minerva,
“Goddess ador'd! my last departing pledge
“To after-ages; prop the falling state,
“And be to Rome what Cicero is no more.”—
Now, friends, have with you; bear with me this once,
I'll task your friendship but a few short hours,
And quit you then for ever.

TULLIA.
Break, break, Heart!

TERENTIA.
Confusion light on the whole race of Clodius!
Must we be torn asunder?

CICERO.
Spare, O spare me!
The cruel moment comes full fraught with woe
Sufficient for itself. Now Frugi, Atticus,
Dear Youth, and best approved Friend, bestir you;
South of the Capitol take you your course,
And fetch a wider compass; from mount Aventine
Summon young Curio to the Capuan gate:
Thou eastward to the Caelian hill, my Atticus,
Call up Hortensius, raise Servilius Rufus,
Lentulus and Caelius; but let Milo sleep;
His heady zeal will know no bounds, and stain
The civil tenour of my cause with blood.
Do this, and meet me both at Vesta's Temple;
There I must render up to her protection
This well-beloved charge. Pass on; that way
Is private.—Hah! and am I fall'n so low?
I, that so often have been borne along
In triumph thro' these gates.—Mark this, young Man.
And learn the vanity of Human Greatness.

(Exeunt.