University of Virginia Library

Scene II.

—The camp of Livius at Sena. Livius and Porcius enter the tent of the former.
Por.
Already his approach may be expected.
It was well thought of by you to delay
His entrance to us till the fall of night.

Liv.
Ay, Hasdrubal has cunning eyes, no doubt,
To see what passes, but mayhap we'll cheat them.

Por.
His speedy march seems like a miracle.

Liv.
Oh, he can stride apace to win from me
My portion in the honour of this war.
But welcome, so we get to fight the quicker.
I've been content, for Rome's sake, to be patient.
Now Nero comes to hurry my slow age,
And set me tasks with his superior wisdom.

Por.
Wise, or not wise, his stars have sent him luck;
Shame on him, had he failed to use it well.

Enter an Officer.
Off.
My lord, I bring you news, the consul Nero
Is entering now the camp.

Liv.
Porcius, go you
And fetch him with due welcome to my tent.
[Exit Porcius.
So, so! and we two are to meet, it seems,
In friendly counsel, eat at the same board,
Fight side by side in battle like two brothers!
I thought not once to meet so lovingly,
But lo! it never is too late to learn.
Old as I am, I have mended my ill manners.
Re-enter Porcius with Nero.
I greet thee, Nero.

Nero.
Thanks. Thy soldiers, Livius,
Are, doubtless, ready to take these of mine
To their own tents, as we before agreed on?

Liv.
Ay, all has been arranged.

Nero.
As yet, I trust,
Our secret must be safe from Hasdrubal.

Por.
And Hannibal?

Nero.
All safe there, as I think.

Liv.
I pray you eat and drink.

Nero.
'Twere well I should;
Yet I've nor thirst nor hunger, save for battle.

Por.
Thou shalt have that as well. Say, didst thou find
The country well affected on thy road?

Nero.
Ay, truly; I may call my hasty march
A seven days' triumph. All along the way
The country-folk poured forth as I did pass,
With prayers for my success; altars were reared,
And victims sacrificed for us in haste;
Food was set forth on tables by the road,
Whereof the soldiers, eager as myself,
Ate not save standing; vehicles were there,
Ready to bear the weary; all I asked,
I got in double measure; aged men,
Beyond the years of soldier's service—youths,
Not yet grown up to them—besought, with tears,
Leave to march with me. One determined hate
Of the invader breathed where'er I came.

Liv.
Oh, trust them, they forget not Hannibal's march,
Infernal pest! along that very road,
And burn, I dare be sworn, to pay old scores,
Written, these ten years back, in blood and flame.
For those that love him, let them look to it!
There's a rod ready now for traitors.

Nero.
Ay,
That will come after. Now then, let us frame
Our scheme of battle. What though, for the moment,
The foe guess not our numbers, since thy tents
Lodge all my men, we must not leave him time
To find our secret out.

Liv.
Howe'er that be,
Some few days' rest both man and horse must have
Before the battle.

Nero.
Livius, I say, No.

Por.
O Nero, be persuaded in this matter!
For think what issue hangs upon the field
Thou art so eager for. The State must fall
Past all redemption, if this time we fail.
Let us be careful of our single chance.
Thy men have been o'ertasked past human strength,—
His, fresh and flushed with bygone victories.
A few days' rest, and then—fight whom thou wilt.

Nero.
Porcius, methinks thou hast forgotten whom
We leave behind—one who has eyes and ears
That reach the very centre of our camps—
One whose horse-hoofs are winged like Mercury—
Who, haply, even now is on our path—
For who shall rest at leisure, in the hope
He has found how to outwit Hannibal?
One hope we have—to conquer Hasdrubal
Ere Hannibal be on us. Now is the time.
Our force is double his; and he, besides,
Is wanting in that matchless cavalry
At which all Italy has learnt to tremble.
When shall we find an hour more full of hope
For ending, at one blow, the mighty peril
Wherein we stand? My men desire no rest—
They will not rest till Hasdrubal be conquered.
Once more—think well, before you answer, who,
With all his thousands, hovers on the wing,
From morn till eve, whilst we are loitering here.

Por.
I yield, O Nero! What doth Livius say?

Liv.
Do as you will, arrange you your own scheme—
If ruin comes, I wash my hands of it.

Por.
When wilt thou have us fight?

Nero.
To-morrow morn.

Por.
Nay, nay, a little respite!

Nero.
Livius, speak.

Liv.
I say, do as you will.

Nero.
To-morrow morn, then,
Let the red ensign fly.

Por.
Then, by the gods,
Nero, do thou snatch what repose thou mayst
In that short interval thou leav'st thyself!

Nero.
I will; but first must see to my tired soldiers;
They shall not think I have forgotten them.

[Exeunt Nero, Livius, and Porcius.