University of Virginia Library

SCENE I.

Enter SLAVES of HEGIO, with PHILOCRATES and TYNDARUS.
A SLAVE.
If the immortal Gods have so decreed,
That this affliction you should undergo,
It is your duty patiently to bear it;
Which if you do, the trouble will be lighter.
When at your home, you I presume were free:
But since captivity is now your lot,
Submission would become you, and to make
Your master's rule a mild and gentle one
By your good dispositions.—Should a master
Commit unworthy actions, yet his slaves
Must think them worthy ones.

Phil. and Tynd.
Alas! Alas!

Slave.
Why this bewailing?—tears but hurt your eyes:—
Our best support and succour in distress
Is fortitude of mind.

Phil.
But oh! it shames us,
That we are thus in chains.

Slave.
Yet might it grieve
Our master more, were he to loose your chains,
And let you be at large, when he has bought you.

Phil.
What can he fear from us?—We know our duty,
Were we at large.

Slave.
You meditate escape:
I know what you'd be at.—

Phil.
We run away!
Ah! whither should we run?—

Slave.
To your own country.

Phil.
Prithee no more: it would but ill become us
To imitate the part of fugitives.

Slave.
Yet, by my troth! was there an opportunity,
I would not be the man that should disuade you.

Phil.
Permit us then to ask one favour of you.

Slave.
What is it?

Phil.
That you'd give us opportunity
To talk together, so that you yourselves,
Nor any of these captives over-hear us.

Slave.
Agreed.— (To the Slaves.)
Move further off.— (To his Companions.)
We'll too retire,
But let your talk be short.—

Phil.
'Twas my intention
It should be so.—A little this way, Tyndarus—

[To the other Captives, and retires with them.
Slave.
Go farther from them.—

Tynd.
We on this account
Are both your debtors.

Phil.
Farther off, so please you, (To Tyndarus.)

A little off, that these may not be witnesses
Of what we have to say, and that our plot
Be not discover'd.—For not plann'd with art,
Deceit is no deceit, but if discover'd,
It brings the greatest ill to the contrivers.
If you, my Tyndarus, are to pass for me,
And I for you,—my master you, and I
Your servant,—we have need of foresight, caution,
Wisdom and secrecy,—and we must act
With prudence, care and diligence.—It is
A business of great moment, and we must not
Sleep, or be idle in the execution.

Tynd.
I'll be what you would have me.

Phil.
So I trust.

Tynd.
Now for your precious life you see me stake
My own, that's no less dear to me.

Phil.
I know it.

Tynd.
But when you shall have gain'd the point you aim at,
Forget not then!—It is too oft the way
With most men;—when they're suing for a favour,
While their obtaining it is yet in doubt,
They are most courteous, but when once they've got it,
They change their manners, and from just become
Dishonest and deceitful.—I now think you
All that I wish, and what I do advise
I would advise the same unto my father.

Phil.
And verily, if I durst, I'd call you father;
For next my father you are nearest to me.

Tynd.
I understand.

Phil.
Then what I oft have urg'd,
Remember.—I no longer am your master,
But now your servant.—This I beg then of you,—
Since the immortal Gods will have it so,
That I, from being once your master, now
Should be your fellow slave, I do intreat,
By Prayer, a favour which I could command,
Once as my right.—By our uncertain state,
By all my father's kindness shewn unto you,
By our joint fellowship in slavery,
Th'event of war, bear me the same regard,
As once I bore you, when I was your master,
And you my slave; forget not to remember,
What once you have been, and who now you are.

Tynd.
I know—I now am You, and you are I.

Phil.
Forget not,—and there's hope our scheme will prosper.