University of Virginia Library

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.