University of Virginia Library

SCENE I.

The Great Place of Capua; the Senate sitting by torch-light; a confused Mob of Citizens standing round in arms.
FIRST CITIZEN.
We'll have an archon.

SECOND CITIZEN.
Vibius shall be archon.

THIRD CITIZEN.
Choose Vibius archon.

ALL.
Or we fire the city:
We know him honest; he's no Roman traitor.

VIBIUS.

(Rising, makes a signal for silence.)

ALL.
Hear him! hear him!

VIBIUS.
Peace, gentle countrymen: Unless the Senate,
As the laws order, unconstrain'd, elect me,
I cannot, will not be supreme in Capua.

FIRST CITIZEN.
Then speak, Jubellius Taurea, but take care
Your grudge to Vibius warp not your discretion.

JUBELLIUS.
'Tis well:—and since your cautious wisdoms deem
That one should rule, or Capua is undone,
In me 'twould be irreverend to oppose you.
But know, my mighty statesmen, all your clamours,
Your looks and menaces, should ne'er constrain me
To give my voice, that one less wise and virtuous,
Less warm in combat, and less cool in council,
Than Vibius Virius, should be chosen archon.
The good and wise can ne'er be too supreme,
Too little clogg'd in the vast orb of office—
And that state's only free where such men govern.

BADIUS.
'Twas nobly spoken, like Jubellius spoken:
No private quarrels can induce the brave
To lessen the deservings of a foe.
But wherefore said I foe? The truly good,
'Spite of appearances, are friends at bottom.

JUBELLIUS.
But ere I give my voice to your election,—
[Addressing himself to Vibius.
I must entreat your hearing for a moment,
To my proposals your assent entreat.—
[Looking to the Senators.
Why stand these laurell'd statues in this place?
The heroes perish'd in defence of Capua;—
But are they single in the glorious deed?
The sons of Vibius perish'd for their country.
Vibius, thou had'st six illustrious sons,
The pride of arms, and copy of their father;
In our defence they fell; and say, shall we,
We who have need of every dauntless arm,
Less than our grandsires recompense th' undaunted?
Forbid it, Hercules! Then be't decreed,
That, crown'd with laurel, in triumphal robes,
They stand in brass, with Capua's heroes here.

CITIZENS.
In gold! we all will gladly bear the burden.

BADIUS.
The joy that smiles on every brow, declares
That every senator approves your purpose.

CITIZENS.
Now make Vibius archon.
(Here the heralds, upon a signal from Jubellius, proclaim him archon; he is solemnly invested with a robe of state and laurel crown, and while the lictors place the fasces and axe before him, the people shout.)
A Vibius, Vibius! now we'll beat the Romans!

VIBIUS.
Thanks, friends and citizens: My new preferment
More than rewards my every past exploit—
I'll not dispraise them, that were great presumption,
Since Capua deems they merit this distinction.
Again, I thank you, but more feeling thank you
For the vast honour to my sons decreed—
I had not prais'd them, though they died for Capua:
But since the brave Jubellius deigns to praise them,
I'll thank the gods each day, that they were born;
Each day I'll thank the gods they died so nobly.

HANNO.
Let this morn ever be accounted happy:
Rome built her only hope on your divisions.
The most puissant state, if rent by party,
Craft must, and impotence itself may conquer.
What then should Rome? This was my only fear;
But now, vain dread, I give you to the wind,
Since unanimity has hush'd to peace
Dissension's jarring tongues, and one so good
As my friend Vibius is elected archon;
To whom, in name of Carthage, sovereign city,
In name of Hannibal, my dread commander,
I swear, the troops committed to my charge
Shall with implicit cheerfulness obey.
And soon I hope, great Sir, by you conducted,
To pass again the Roman lines and trenches,
To plant my standard on the tent of Appius,
And in his bosom bury my keen falchion.

VIBIUS.
Thanks, noble Libyan! may your hopes be compass'd:
Had all their duty done as well as you,
Our foes had long ere now repass'd the mountains.

BLOSIUS.
Since all thus speech it, I must speech it too,
Though worse than aconite my soul abhors him.
[Aside.
If, since the senate met, I have not risen
To speak, till now, impute it not, patricians,
To my disapprobation of your conduct.
Where is the man that wishes well to Capua,
But in his heart applauds your exaltation?
Again the fathers will frequent the council;
Our noble youth again be clad in arms;
The headstrong, talkative, licentious rabble,
No more will brave the laws, and curse the senate:
Capua may yet become the seat of empire,
And Rome's proud fathers, kneeling, wait your orders.

JUBELLIUS.
This to effectuate, one law still is wanting;
Let him who first proposes to surrender,
By the most cruel, most ignoble death
That indignation can invent, be tortur'd.

ALL.
Decreed.

VIBIUS.
This hint, for which I thank you, bodes success;
Advice is the chief pillar of command;
Though rais'd above the laws, I solemn swear,
By your opinions still to guide my conduct.

[Enter a Carthaginian Tribune, who, after respectfully bowing to the Senate, addresses Vibius.
TRIBUNE.
The city wears a general face of joy.
I thought great Hannibal was at our gates;
But those imperial ensigns show the reasons.

VIBIUS.
To business, Tribune. What of the commands?

TRIBUNE.
You'll please to know that I have gone the rounds;
Each soldier watches, as if Capua's fate
Upon his single vigilance depended.
I saw the parties sally at each gate,
Silent as steals the day-spring from the east,
Thick as the clusters on yon sunny hills,
And swift as whirlwinds from the Appenines.
But swifter, closer, silenter, the troop
Led by Domitius, through the postern march'd.
With him your daughter, in a warrior's garb,
Bright'ning the face of horror, rode along.

BLOSIUS.
Petronia with him! that indeed is lucky.

[Aside.
VIBIUS.
I like not that; but must conceal my fears.
[Aside.
'Tis well, brave Tribune; to your post. My Lords,
Still for her sons, my much-lov'd Fulvia, sorrowing,
Last night, with tears, and earnest intercession,
Begg'd I would send her only child Petronia
Far from the din of battle, to her brothers.

BLOSIUS.
And need I tell you, that the son of Taurea
Is gone to meet the Libyan spy Maherbal;
Who from the victor of the Alps and Cannæ
Brings letters; which I hope he'll never see.

[Aside.
VIBIUS.
And may he speed as he was wont to do!
In that one hero my six sons survive.
Now by that star which ushers in the dawn,
By great Alcides, founder of our city,
By all our ancestors in battle slain,
But chief by those who fell last afternoon,
Whose spirits yet delay their flight to bliss,
And hover o'er us, anxious for our safety,
I swear (so Minos favour thou my shade!)
Ne'er to deliver Capua to the Romans.