 | Virginius |  |
SCENE I.
—A Street in Rome.Enter Servius and Cneius.
Ser.
Carbo denied a hearing!
Cne.
Ay, and Marcellus cast into prison, because he sued
a friend of one of the decemvirs for a sum of money he had
lent him.
Ser.
And Appius resisted not? Appius, that in the first
decemvirate was a god to the people!
Cne.
Resisted not! Nay, was most loud in favour of the
decree; but hither comes Virginius, who interested himself so
much in Carbo's affair. He looks a little heated. Is not that
Titus he is speaking to? Stand aside, master, and listen.
Enter Virginius and Titus.
Virginius.
Why did you make him decemvir, and first
decemvir too?
Tit.
We had tried him, and found him honest.
Virginius.
And could you not have remained content? Why
try him again to find him dishonest? Knew ye not he was a
patrician, and of the Claudian family?
Tit.
He laid down the consulate—
Virginius.
Ha! ha! ha!—to be elected into the decemvirate,
and he was so; and he laid down his office of decemvir
to be re-elected into the decemvirate, and he is so; ay, by
Jupiter! and to the exclusion of his late colleagues! Did not
Titus Genutius lay down the consulate?
Tit.
He did.
Virginius.
Was he not next to Appius in the decemvirate?
Tit.
He was.
Virginius.
Did you not find him honest?
Tit.
We did find him honest.
Virginius.
As honest as Appius Claudius?
Tit.
Quite as honest.
Virginius.
Quite as honest!—and why not re-elect him
decemvir? Most sapient people! You re-elect Appius into
the decemvirate for his honesty, and you thrust Titus out of
the decemvirate—I suppose for his honesty also! Why,
Appius was sick of the decemvirate.
Ser.
I never heard him say so.
But he did say so—say so in my hearing; in
presence of the senators Valerius and Caius Claudius, and I
don't know how many others. 'Twas known to the whole
body of the senate—not that he was sick, but that he said so.
Yes, yes; he and his colleagues, he said, had done the work of
the republic for a whole year, and it was now but just to grant
them a little repose, and appoint others to succeed them.
Tit.
Well, well, we can only say he changed his mind.
Virginius.
No, no, we needn't say that neither! As he had
laboured in the decemvirate, perhaps he thought he might as
well repose in the decemvirate.
Tit.
I know not what he thought. He is decemvir, and we
made him so, and cannot help ourselves. Fare you well, Virginius.
Come, let's to the Forum.
[Titus, Servius, and Cneius go out.
Virginius.
You cannot help yourselves! Indeed you cannot:
You help'd to put your masters on your backs:
They like their seat, and make you show your paces.
They ride you—sweat you—curb you—lash you—and
You cannot throw them off with all your mettle!
But here comes one, whose share in giving you
To such unsparing riders, touches me
More nearly, for that I've an interest
In proving him a man of fair and most
Erect integrity. Good day, Icilius.
Enter Icilius.
Icil.
Worthy Virginius! 'tis an evil day
For Rome, that gives her more convincing proof,
The thing, she took for hope, is but a base
And wretched counterfeit! Our new decemvirs
Are anything but friends to justice and
Their country.
Virginius.
You, Icilius, had a hand
In their election. You applied to me
To aid you with my vote in the comitia:
I told you then, and tell you, now, again,
I am not pleased when a patrician bends
His head to a plebeian's girdle. Mark me!
I'd rather he should stand aloof, and wear
His shoulder high—especially the nephew
Of Caius Claudius.
Icil.
I would have pledged my life—
Virginius.
'Twas a high gage, and men have staked a higher
On grounds as poor as yours—their honour, boy!
Icilius, I have heard it all—your plans—
The understanding 'twixt the heads of the people—
Of whom, Icilius, you are reckon'd one, and
Worthily—and Appius Claudius—all!—
'Twas every jot disclosed to me.
Icil.
By whom?
Virginius.
Siccius Dentatus.
He disclosed it to you?
Siccius Dentatus is a crabbéd man.
Virginius.
Siccius Dentatus is an honest man!
There's not a worthier in Rome! How now!
Has he deceived me? Do you call him liar?
My friend! my comrade! honest Siccius,
That fought in six-score battles!
Icil.
Good Virginius,
Siccius Dentatus is my friend—the friend
Of every honest man in Rome—a brave man—
A most brave man. Except yourself, Virginius,
I do not know the man I prize above
Siccius Dentatus—yet he's a crabbéd man.
Virginius.
Yes, yes; he is a crabbéd man.
Icil.
A man
Who loves too much to wear a jealous eye
Virginius.
No, not a whit, where he sees double dealing.
You are the best judge of your own concerns;
Yet, if it please you to communicate
With me upon this subject, come and see me.
I told you, boy, I favour'd not this stealing
And winding into place. What he deserves,
An honest man dares challenge 'gainst the world—
But come and see me. Appius Claudius, chosen
Decemvir, and his former colleagues, that
Were quite as honest as himself, not chosen—
No, not so much as named by him, who named
Himself, and his new associates! Well, 'tis true,
Dog fights with dog, but honesty is not
A cur, that baits his fellow—and e'en dogs,
By habit of companionship, abide
In terms of faith and cordiality—
But come and see me.
Icil.
Appius comes!
The people still throng after him with shouts,
Unwilling to believe their Jupiter
Has mark'd them for his thunder. Will you stay,
And see the homage that they render him?
Virginius.
Not I! Stay you; and, as you made him, hail him;
And shout, and wave your hand, and cry, “Long live
Our first and last decemvir, Appius Claudius!”
For he is first and last, and every one!
Rome owes you much, Icilius—Fare you well—
I shall be glad to see you at my house.
[Virginius goes out.
Enter Appius Claudius, Siccius Dentatus, Lucius, Titus, Servius, Marcus, and Citizens, shouting.
Tit.
Long live our first decemvir!
Long live Appius Claudius!
Most noble Appius! Appius and the decemvirate for ever!
[Citizens shout.
My countrymen and fellow-citizens,
We shall deserve your favour.
Tit.
You have deserved it,
And will deserve it.
App.
For that end we named
Ourself decemvir.
Tit.
You could not have named a better man.
Den.
For his own purpose (Aside).
App.
Be assured, we hold
Our power but for your good. Your gift it was:
And gifts make surest debtors. Fare you well—
And, for your salutations, pardon me
If I repay you only with an echo—
Long live the worthy citizens of Rome!
[Appius and friends go out.
Den.
That was a very pretty echo!—a most soft echo. I
never thought your voices were half so sweet! A most melodious
echo! I'd have you ever after make your music before
the patricians' palaces. They give most exquisite responses!
—especially that of Appius Claudius! A most delicate echo!
Tit.
What means Dentatus?
Ser.
He's ever carping—nothing pleases him.
Den.
Oh! yes—you please me—please me mightily, I assure
you.—You are noble legislators, take most especial care of
your own interests, bestow your votes most wisely too—on
him who has the wit to get you into the humour; and, withal,
have most musical voices—most musical—if one may judge by
their echo.
Tit.
Why, what quarrel have you with our choice? Could
we have chosen better?—I say they are ten honest decemvirs
we have chosen.
Den.
I pray you name them me.
Tit.
There's Appius Claudius, first decemvir—
Den.
Ay, call him the head. You are right. Appius Claudius,
the head. Go on!
Tit.
And Quintus Fabius Vibulanus—
Den.
The body, that eats and drinks while the head thinks.
Call him Appius's stomach. Fill him, and keep him from cold
and indigestion, and he'll never give Appius the headache!
Well?—There's excellent comfort in having a good stomach!
—Well?
Tit.
There's Cornelius, Marcus Servilius, Minucius, and
Titus Antonius—
Den.
Arms, legs, and thighs!
Tit.
And Marcus Rabuleius—
Den.
He'll do for a hand, and, as he's a senator, we'll call
him the right-hand. We couldn't do less, you know, for a
senator! Well?
Luc.
At least, you'll say we did well in electing Quintius
Petilius, Caius Duellius, and Spurius Oppius—men of our
order!—sound men!—known sticklers for the people.—At
least you'll say we did well in that!
And who dares say otherwise? “Well!” one might
as well say “ill” as “well.” “Well” is the very skirt of
commendation; next neighbour to that mire and gutter, “ill.”
“Well” indeed! you acted like yourselves. Nay, e'en yourselves
could not have acted better. Why, had you not elected
them, Appius would have gone without his left hand, and each
of his two feet!
Ser.
Out! you are dishonest!
Den.
Ha!
Ser.
What would content you?
Den.
A post in a hot battle. Out, you cur! Do you talk
to me?
Citizen
(from behind).
Down with him, he does nothing but
insult the people.
[The crowd approach Dentatus, threateningly.
Icil.
[Entering.]
Stand back! Who is't that says down
with Siccius Dentatus? Down with him! 'Tis what the
enemy could never do; and shall we do it for them? Who
uttered that dishonest word? Who uttered it, I say? Let
him answer a fitter, though less worthy, mate—Lucius Icilius.
Citizen.
Stand back, and hear Icilius.
Icil.
What! haven't I voted for the decemvirs, and do I snarl
at his jests? Has he not a right to jest? the good, honest
Siccius Dentatus, that, alone, at the head of the veterans,
vanquished the Æqui for you. Has he not a right to jest?
For shame!—Get to your houses! The worthy Dentatus!
Cheer for him, if you are Romans! Cheer for him before
you go! Cheer for him, I say!
[Citizens go out, shouting.
Den.
And now, what thanks do you expect from me, Icilius?
Icil.
None.
Den.
By Jupiter, young man, had you thus stepped before
me in the heat of battle, I should have cloven you down—but
I'm obliged to you, Icilius—and hark you! There's a piece
of furniture in the house of a friend of mine, that's called
Virginius, I think you've set your heart upon—dainty enough;
yet not amiss for a young man to covet. Ne'er lose your
hopes! He may be brought into the mind to part with it.
As to these curs, I question which I value less, their fawnings
or their snarlings. I thank you, boy! Do you walk this
way? I am glad of it. Come! 'Tis a noble decemvirate you
have chosen for us! Come!
[They go out.
| Virginius | |