University of Virginia Library

ACT IV.

SCENE I.

The German Camp still continues.
Arminius, Inguiomer,
Arminius.
That treach'rous slave, the Ambassador of Rome
Has had his answer.

Inguiomer.
When Cæcina hears
The energy of truth, the firm decision
That liberty inspir'd, his heart will shrink,
And shudder at the ruin that surrounds him.

Arminius.
The blow must soon be struck; the hour draws nigh;
Time presses; we are call'd; his parting ray
The sun has spent, and in suffusion red
His glaring orb is quench'd; clouds roll on clouds,
And night hangs low'ring on the drowsy world,
Propitious to our purpose.

Inguiomer.
All things favour
Our grand assault. On yonder eastern bank,
O'er the Visurgis where our bridge was join'd
To the main land, the head has been destroy'd
By Roman caution; but our boats and platforms
Well chain'd together will secure our march.

Arminius.
By Heav'n, this night Cæcina and his legions
Shall share the fate of Varus; once again
We shall exterminate the Roman race.
Some strong emotion, some prophetic ardour
Expands my breast, and o'er informs my soul.
I feel the god; imagination burns,
And colours to my sight a glorious scene,
A scene of victory! I see their camp
Floating in gore; their tow'rs and ramparts storm'd;
Their mangled bodies in one purple heap
Cov'ring the plain, to feed the region kites.

SCENE II.

Enter Segimund.
Arminius.
Segimund, you come in time: where are your friends,
Gothmund and Egbert?

Segimund.
Both with hasty step,
Pursue me hither.

Arminius.
Have you seen my orders
Duly obey'd?

Segimund.
I have; the men collected
Wait in their tents, impatient for the signal
To issue forth, and on the open plain
Form their battalions.

SCENE III.

Enter Gothmund and Egbert.
Arminius.
Gothmund, you are welcome;
And you brave Egbert. Inguiomer, you see
The warlike chiefs, who by my choice are destin'd
To burst the barriers of the Roman camp,
And let wild uproar loose.

Inguiomer.
Confide in them;
Their valour in the field has oft been prov'd.

Arminius.
Thus then, my friends: you, Segimund, must lead
A brave, a chosen, well compacted band,
To storm the eastern gate. Against the foe
Use his own arts. The military shall
Form with your bucklers: under that advance
To sap their walls, and to hew down their gates.
Those barriers levell'd, rush undaunted forward;
Enter their camp, lead on your valiant troops,
And plant your swords in ev'ry breast you meet.

Segimund.
This night shall prove me worthy of your choice.

Arminius.
Egbert, 'tis yours to head a strong reserve,
And follow in the rear; support the ranks,
And heap new terror on the astonish'd foe.
You, Gothmund, must assault the western gate.
A brave, a warlike, a well chosen number
Of fierce battalions will obey your signals.

Inguiomer.
There at the head of well embodied squadrons
I plant my standard, to watch all events,
All turns and all vicissitudes of war;
And if the foe alarm'd should sally forth,
He'll rush on sure destruction.

Arminius.
At the head
Of my division I shall circle round
To the wide open vale, and in the woods
That skirt the borders, find a station fit
For my battalions; there in ambush wait
To intercept Cæcina in his flight,
And give his legions to the slaughtering sword.

Segimund.
Our duty calls; we'll seek our sev'ral posts,
And form our lines.

Arminius.
Yet stay; another word:
Remember all to move in silent order;
Let not a stir, no voice, no sound be heard.
Let ev'ry soldier hush his pent up valour,
Till in one moment, one collected blow
You burst upon 'em: To conceal our march
A night of vapours hovers o'er our heads.
While you advance, let shouts, and hideous tumult,
War-songs, and howlings, sound throughout our camp,
With horrid uproar; let fires blaze to heav'n,
And dart a sudden lustre o'er all the field.
Veleda comes; my valiant friends farewell.

[Exeunt Inguiomer, Segimund, Egbert, and Gothmund.

SCENE IV.

Arminius, Veleda,
Arminius.
Approach Veleda; in this awful moment,
Big with the fate of Germany, your presence
Brings joy and comfort. Sure some pow'r above
Watch'd over all your ways; some guardian god
From his religious grove sail'd through the air
To shelter innocence, and give you back
To a fond husband's arms.

Veleda.
And yet forgive me,
Though with your words you charm my list'ning ear,
And soothe each ravish'd sense to dear delight,
Forgive Veleda, if alarming fears
Come like the raven o'er some wretches' cottage,
Foreboding ill; this sad, this aching breast,
Ev'n in your presence, mingles grief with rapture.

Arminius.
Where now, Veleda, where thy wonted firmness?
Is this a time for weak dejected passions?
This night, you know, we storm the Roman camp,
And bury all in ruin.

Veleda.
In that rage
Of unrelenting slaughter, my poor father—
Ye gods, if possible, forgive his crimes!
My father there may undistinguish'd fall,
And add his body to the purple heap.

Arminius.
Waste not a thought on him: degen'rate man!
He has long since renounc'd the tender ties
That bind in union, parents, sons, and friends.
All moral rectitude, all virtue lost,
What hope remains? In a corrupted heart
Crimes grow on crimes; the mind debas'd engenders
Pride, faction, murder, stratagems, and treason.
Such is Segestes.

Veleda.
He's my father still.

Arminius.
He is a slave, a Roman slave; a vile
Deserter, dead to honour, and the love
He ow'd his country, that supreme of laws,
Nature's great edict in the human heart.

Veleda.
Yet for a father tears will foroe their way.

Arminius.
Restrain your tears: your sorrow is ill-tim'd.
Say, have you seen my squadrons? are they rang'd
In order for their march?

Veleda.
Drawn up in ranks
They wait the signal. Fires, as you directed,
Blaze through the camp, and as they dart around
Their sudden light'ning on the burnish'd arms,
I saw the soldiers' looks: Each ardent eye
Flashes with martial fire. In silence fix'd
Each warriour medidates his deeds of valour,
His brave exploits; in fancy, ere he starts,
His javelin quivers in a Roman's heart.

Arminius.
Brave warlike men! I go this moment
To let them know the order of their march.
But see where Inguiomer—

Veleda.
Our tunefull bards,
And all our German wives, resolv'd to urge
The grand assault, and animate the fray,
Are now assembled. I must hence with speed
To join the matrons, and their virgin train.

[Exit.

SCENE V.

Arminius and Inguiomer.
Arminius.
Are all things ready? Is there aught, my friend,
Unthought of, unprovided?

Inguiomer.
I have gone my round
Through the wide camp: A nobler show of war
Was ne'er display'd. Impatient of delay
They wield their javelins, and demand the signal.

Arminius.
Anon our march begins: Well, Segimund,
You come in haste.

Enter Segimund.
Segimund.
I've summon'd all the chiefs
To meet you here: This way they bend their steps.

Arminius.
I first must see the troops of my division.
The men require my presence: With dispatch
My orders shall be giv'n; so tell the chiefs.
You, Inguiomer, receive them; let them here
Wait my return: A moment brings me to you.

[Exit.

SCENE VI.

Inguiomer, Segimund.
Segimund.
The Gods in justice to mankind lead on
A terrible example to the pride,
And the ambition of these fierce invaders,
Who well deserve their fate. They taste at Rome
The sweets of liberty, yet hither come,
To the Visurgis' banks, to trample on the necks
Of independent nations.

Inguiomer.
There, my friend,
You are deceiv'd; you know not all the truth.
Rome is no longer free; her fam'd Republic
Is now no more; her boasted liberty
Yields to a tyrant, and long since she fled
Far from soft seasons and Italian skies,
To dwell in our tempestuous Northern clime,
Henceforth a Scythian and a German blessing.

Segimund.
As such we'll cherish it: The warriors come.

SCENE VII.

Enter German Officers and Soldiers: They Line one side of the Stage; the Bards at the top, and the Women behind them, with Veleda in the Centre.
Inguiomer.
My friends, I read impatience in your looks.
The God of war inspires uncommon ardour.
Soon will Arminius—

Segimund.
Lo! the hero comes.

SCENE VIII.

Enter Arminius.
Arminius.
My fellow-warriors, you brave, gen'rous band,
A great occasion calls us to the field,
A glorious enterprize. Let us go forth
The champions of our country. We are summon'd
By the loud voice of nature; ev'ry motive
That can excite, and animate our valour,
All causes that inflame the heart of man,
Conspire this night to draw the avenging sword.
From hence I date the liberty of Germany.
The requisition of the proud invader
No more shall force our sons to join their standard,
And in a mass to fight their foreign wars.
No more our virtuous wives, and virgin daughters,
Shall suffer brutal lust and violation.
The Romans are surrounded, close besieg'd;
No means of flight: By the immortal gods,
They are deliver'd victims to our swords.

[A trumpet sounds.
Inguiomer.
That sound proclaims the signal for the march.

Arminius.
'Tis as I order'd: Oh! my gallant friends,
My brave associates, if your country's cause
Glows in your bosoms; if you feel the glory
Of your renown'd forefathers; if the flame,
The sacred flame of liberty inspires you;
If you prefer the plan of ancient laws
To foreign tyrants, and a foreign yoke:
Now grasp your javelins, now unsheathe your swords.
In me behold your Gen'ral; in the field
Behold your fellow-soldier: follow me,
Follow Arminius; I will marshal you
To fame, to liberty, immortal glory.

[A warlike march.
[Exit, followed by all.
The Bards come forward, singing.

[Exeunt.
The Women come forward, singing: Veleda, in the centre.
Yes, go, ye gen'rous band,
Firm champions of the land,
O'er all the field
Your javelins wield;
Where'er you rush, still in the rear
Your wives and daughters you shall hear;
Our war-songs, and our cries
Shall rend th'astonish'd skies,
Till you unsluice a crimson flood,
And stretch th'invaders welt'ring in their blood.

[Exeunt; Veleda following them.

SCENE IX.

The Roman Camp.
Marcus, Valerius.
Marcus.
A night of such impenetrable darkness
I scarce remember.

Valerius.
'Tis a night of horror,
But safe from danger.

Marcus.
Still at ev'ry post
We must keep careful watch.

SCENE X.

Enter Cæcina.
Cæcina.
In this deep gloom,
This more than midnight horror, have you mark'd
A stir, a motion from the adverse camp?

Marcus.
There the barbarians sacrifice the hours
To joy and revalry, and wild carousals.
At intervals we hear them: hills and valleys
Ring with the hideous roar. Their blazing fires
At times illumine the incumbent clouds,
And shew their distant camp.

Valerius.
From a deserter
Just now arriv'd I learn their secret councils.
He is a Gaul by birth.

Cæcina.
Where is he now?

Valerius.
At hand he waits your pleasure.

Cæcina.
Lead him hither.
[Exit Valerius.
We must break up our camp. Germanicus
Can bring us no relief: The brawling waves
Have sunk his ships, and he perhaps is lost.
An hour before the dawn we must depart.
Marcus, let all be ready for our march.

[Exit Marcus.

SCENE XI.

Cæcina, and Dumnorix, one of the Gauls.
Cæcina.
You come resolv'd to join the Roman banners.

Dumnorix.
My name is Dumnorix; the friend of Rome;
I hate Arminius and his wild ambition.

Cæcina.
When did you leave his camp?

Dumnorix.
This very day,
When Inguiomer before your conqu'ring sword
Cross'd the Visurgis. Then Arminius,
Inflam'd to madness, burning for revenge,
Vow'd the destruction of the Roman name.

Cæcina.
Means he this night to try the chance of war?

Dumnorix.
This night his troops must rest: To-morrow's sun
Will light him to the onset.

Cæcina.
For this news
You have my thanks.

Dumnorix.
I came with nobler views:
Say but the word, and ev'n this very night
Arminius may be conquer'd.

Cæcina.
Name the means.

Dumnorix.
By a mix'd goblet dash'd with secret aconite,
Or a barb'd arrow ting'd with deadly poison,
I can dispatch him.

Cæcina.
Would'st thou thus instruct
A Roman Gen'ral in the trade of murder?
A fell design, like yours, in elder times
Was offer'd to the Senate. That august,
That great assembly scorn'd it with disdain,
And caution'd Pyrrhus to protect his life.
Such was the virtue of the Roman state;
It still survives: We conquer sword in hand,
And wage no war by murder, or by poison.

Dumnorix.
My friends from Gaul have sworn—

Cæcina.
Go, seek your friends—

Dumnorix.
The glory may be mine—

Cæcina.
Away: no more;
[Exit Dumnorix.
Detested perfidy!

Marcus.
[Entering.
What ho! to arms;
Muster our forces; sound there, sound th'alarm.

SCENE XII.

Cæcina, Marcus.
Cæcina.
Ha! Marcus, speak; what fraud? what stratagem?—

Marcus.
While the barbarians riot in their camp,
Their troops in silent order have advanc'd,
And now invest our ramparts.

Enter Valerius.
Valerius.
Haste, or all is lost;
At the Præterian gate collect our strength—

Cæcina.
Be that my care; go, where our works are weak;
There make your firmest stand.

[Exit, followed by soldiers.
Enter a Soldier.
Soldier.
Marcus, this way;
Haste to the Decuman; that gate's in danger.

Marcus.
Valerius, come; the time demands our swords.

Soldier.
They've burst the pallisades, and o'er the Fosse
Have laid a bridge of hurdles; some already
Have burst into the camp; their wives and daughters,
Kindling their fury, follow in the rear.

Marcus.
Valerius, come; the time demands our valour.

[A sound of trumpets, Exeunt Valerius, Marcus, and Soldiers.

SCENE XIII.

Enter Segestes, on one side; Segimund on the other.
Segestes.
Rash youth, whoe'er thou art, advance no farther;
Retire, and quit the camp.

Segimund.
Presume not, Roman,
To give the law in Germany; that spot,
You dare to tread on, is our sacred right,
Our native soil: the sons of freedom scorn
Th'invader's proud command.

Segestes.
I warn you hence;
Go, join your fugitives, or this right arm
Shall cleave you to the ground.

Segimund.
The gods of Germany thus claim their victim.

[They fight.
Segestes.
That blow—too deep,—too deep—it pierces here—
Thus I collect my strength; (lifts his arm)
it will not be;
My life-blood flows apace; the day is thine.

[Falls on the ground.
Segimund.
This shield, this javelin, and this plumed helm
Are mine by conquest; they are my reward,
The glorious trophies of superior valour.

[Stoops to take off the helmet.
Segestes.
The hand of death is on me, and my eyes,
My eyes are dim—and yet a glimm'ring ray
Begins to dawn—I think, I know that face;
Art thou, say,—speak—art thou my Segimund?
Thou art,—Thou art my son—I die by thee—

Segimund.
Gods! can it be?—is this—is this my Father?

Enter Marcus.
Marcus.
The foe retires dismay'd; the camp is clear'd.
Segestes slain! rash youth, this horrid deed—

Segestes.
He is my son;—oh! spare him;—spare his youth;
He knew me not;—he did not know his father;
Alas! I die.

Segimund.
Yet stay, my father, stay;
Live to redeem me from the horrid crime
Of parricide—

Segestes.
Oh! you are innocent;
No guilt is thine; my error did it all;
Oh! had I fall'n thus fighting for my country—
Your hand,—oh! let me clasp it once again;
Your father pardons you;—alas!—I die;
That pang;—I die; just gods forgive my crimes—

[He dies.
Segimund.
His eyes are fix'd; the pulse of life is o'er;
I,—I have murder'd him; the deed is mine,
The horrid, impious, execrable deed!
I have destroy'd, the author of my being.

Marcus.
Rise, soldier, rise; your grief atones for all.

Segimund.
Roman, I am your pris'ner; strike your blow,
Strike to my heart; do justice on a wretch,
A man of blood, a terrible assassin;
An impious parricide!—Here point your javelin,
And let me, let me die in this embrace.

Marcus.
Assist him, soldiers; raise him from the ground,
And bear him hence.

Segimund.
You shall not tear me from him.
Oh! happy weapon!—'tis my father's dagger;
It is his legacy; now do your office;
[Stabs himself.
You're welcome to my heart;—by thee 'tis fit
His murderer should die.

Veleda.
[Within.
I heard his voice;
My brother's voice; stand off, I will have way.

Marcus.
What means that frantic woman?

Enter Veleda.
Veleda.
Let me see him;
Where is he?—Ha! my brother! On the earth
Welt'ring in blood!—And is it thus, dear youth,
Thus, miserable victim, thus expiring,
Gasping in death, thus must Veleda see you!

Segimund.
I know that voice; and now I see thee too,
For the last time I see thee;—oh! my sister,
There lies your father; a pale mangled corse;
Entomb us both together;—in one grave
Let us lie down in peace.—Farewel for ever.

[Dies.
Veleda.
Thus do we part!—Was it for this I follow'd you?

Marcus.
They fought like gen'rous warriors; but the son
Prevail'd; he laid his father low in death,
And then dispatch'd himself.

Veleda.
What do I hear?
He kill'd his father! Horror!—At the sound
Humanity is shock'd!—yet for his country
He grasp'd the javelin; in the cause of Rome
Segestes fell, and merited his fate.
Yet for a father, filial tears will flow.

Marcus.
Rise from the ground, and quit this mournful scene.

Veleda.
Alas! my Segimund, no crime is thine.
It is the guilt of tumult and revolt;
The epidemic madness of the times;
When discontent, and jealousy, and faction,
When strife, and wild ambition sow the seeds
Of party-rage; when civil discord arms
Sons against fathers, brothers against brothers,
Then kindred blood is spilt; then horrors multiply,
And nature shudders at a sight like this.

[Pointing to the dead bodies.
Marcus.
My duty calls me hence; you must depart.

Veleda.
Yet grant my pray'r, and by one gen'rous act
Shew that you Romans feel the touch of nature.
Let me bear hence the bodies; in our camp
Let me interr them; let me lay together
My father and my brother, and with tears
Pay the last office to their cold remains.
In life divided, let one grave unite them.

Marcus.
It shall be so; I yield to your request.
Soldiers bear hence the bodies.

[They are carried off.
Veleda.
For this kindness
Accept my thanks. They both are now at peace.
From this sad spectacle, this scene of woe,
All Germany may learn the dire effects
That flow from party-rage.—This day may give
A lesson to the world, and teach the nations
That civil union is their truest bliss;
And late posterity, when these disasters
Shall be recorded by th'historic muse,
May learn by our example to avoid
These fatal errors. Over crimes like these,
Oh! may they shed a salutary tear,
And fathers, sons, and families unite
One voice, one heart, to guard their native land.