University of Virginia Library

SCENE VII.

Fabius enters, attended by a few Romans.
Fab.
How!—sentenced, say you?—Where is my injured child?—
Lord Pretor, I do claim a private conference
With this, my only offspring, my lost daughter!

Valer.
Granted.—Though Fabius is no more our brother,
Lavinia is his child.

[Fabius embraces Lavinia in silence.
Lavin.
Alas, my father!
Why are you here?—your presence has debased me!
Had you not come, I had confronted death,
As would become a Roman—a true daughter
Of the immortal Fabii!

Fab.
O, my child!—
Altho' three hundred of our line, at once,
Have fallen in Rome's defence—
Altho' unpillar'd by the Fabian prowess,
She had not been a name—
In vain have I implored the torpid Senate—
The frost of their hoar heads has reach'd their hearts!
Nor will they interfere in sacred rites!

Lavin.
Retire, my father!
And leave me to support, the best I may,
The honour of our house!

Fab.
Alas, alas!
How can your tender frame bear up, when mine,
My veteran heart, once arm'd to all events,
Sinks into infancy! O, you know not
What they prepare!—a simple death were nothing!—
But I have brought my child a sure relief,
Tho' a sad present from a father's hand!—
If, in the during dark that shall surround thee,
Your thoughts should turn to horror, or to frenzy,
Not sufferable—take this cordial, love!
It will, as when you sink to peaceful sleep,
Give your pure soul to Heaven.

Lavin.
I thank, I thank
My bless'd physician! Now I dare their utmost!

Fab.
O then farewell!—farewell, my child, my child!
I shall not tarry here—for life, already,
Is gone with my Lavinia!

[Embracing.
Lavin.
Till we do meet
In bliss—farewell, my father!

Fab.
List, proud Pontiff—
Now list, Valerius!—I do prophecy,
Shortly the boasted name of the Valerii,
Shall not be heard in Rome—But that is nothing.—
Guilt, general guilt, an all diffusing cloud,
Shall cover earth and heaven!—the Patriot-light,
That, like the galaxy, the etherial way,
Spread from the common fire of mutual virtue,
Commingling blaze with blaze, shall be extinct!
Scarce a few glimmering stars shall then appear,
Throughout Rome's darken'd hemisphere, till all
Shall sink in undistinguish'd ruin!—Lo,
Proud-propertied, flint-hearted, thankless Rome!—
To Nether Jove, and all the Infernal gods,
I here devote thee!

[Exit.
Valer.
He's frantic, let him on!—Draw near, Lavinia!
Thou seest the dread devouring gulph lies open—
Thou seest thy pains or pardon, life or death,
Are in my mandate.—Hadst thou, now, the offer,
Either to famish in yon fearful cavern,
Circled with horrors and eternal darkness,
Or take the noble comfort I have provided—
What were thy option?

Lavin.
Patience—let me ponder!—
To die—to lose the sense of light and life,
Perhaps for ever—fearful!—nature shrinks,
She shudders at the thought!—But then again,
To break the faith, that gratitude, that love
Must still avow through life, and yield my self
To loathed embraces!—horrible, most horrible!—
No, subtle tempter!—thou who wouldst ensnare
My soul in such a length of guilt and misery,
Hasten thy deadly sentence—I am ready!

Valer.
Bring in her loaf and pitcher!—let her take
Her own election!