University of Virginia Library

SCENE III.

ARUNS, ALBINUS.
[Having retired from the Hall of Audience, into an Apartment in the House of Brutus.
ARUNS.
Didst thou remark the firm unyielding spirit
Of this proud senate which believes itself
Invincible? It would be so Albinus,
Were Rome allow'd the time to school her sons,
And root this daring boldness in their hearts.
Trust me; that liberty to which all bend
With adoration, which though purposing
To wrest from them, I cannot but admire,
Gives to mankind a strenuous fortitude,
A loftiness of thought, of which before
They never traced a single lineament
Existing in their breasts. Reduced beneath
The Tarquin yoke, a pliant court, which nursed
The principles of slavery, relax'd
Their hardy manners, and enervated
Their active vigour. Whilst their king intent
To fetter his own subjects, undisturbed
Suffered our happy Tuscans to enjoy
The sweets of peace. But should the senate rouse
Their inborn genius from its dread repose,
Should Rome be free; Italia is undone.
These lions, by their keeper rendered mild,
Their pristine fierceness will again assume
And headstrong rush upon us. Let us then
Choak in their vital origin the seeds
Profuse of misery to the Ausonian states,
And havock to the world. Assuring thus
The universal freedom; while on them
We fix the chains, they destine for mankind.
But will Messala come? May I expect him?
And will he dare?

ALBINUS.
My lord, he will attend you;
A moment brings him. Titus is his friend.

ARUNS.
Hast thou contrived to sound him? May I utter
My thoughts with confidence?

ALBINUS.
Unless I err,
Messala joins our plot; that he may change
His own condition, rather than the empire.
Intrepid, firm, as if each brave resolve
From conscious honour flow'd, or patriot love.
For ever secret, master of himself,
Impenetrable to the keenest eye,
And mid the whirlwind of his passions, calm.

ARUNS.
Such he appear'd to me, when once his guest
During the reign of Tarquin; which confirm'd
By all his letters since. But lo! he comes.