 | Virginius |  |
SCENE III.
—The Forum.Enter Appius, preceded by Lictors.
App.
Will he succeed?—Will he attempt it?—Will he
Go through with it?— [Looking out]
—No sign—I almost wish
He had not undertaken it; yet wish,
More than I wish for life, he may accomplish
What he has undertaken. O! the pause
That precedes action! It is vacancy
That o'erweighs action's substance. What I fear
Most is the hour. My blind impatience saw not
'Twas day! Her all-persuasive charms, alone
Will gather round her, from the passers-by
Troops to her succour!—What, then, with the aid
Of cries and tears, enforcing their appeal?
[Listens.
That sound brings feet in haste!—He brings her, but
Behemm'd with friends!—Now, play for love,
As boldly as for power! I must prepare
For his reception.
[Appius ascends the tribunal—Claudius enters, still holding Virginia, followed by Servia, Women, and Citizens.
85
Do not press upon me;
Here's the decemvir—he will satisfy you,
Whether a master has a right, or not,
To seize his slave whene'er he finds her.
Servia.
Slave!
She is no slave. Thou liest to call her so!
She never was a slave! Thou worse than slave!
To give her such a name—Ay! threaten me!
She is a free-born maid, and not a slave,
Or never was a free-born maid in Rome!
O! you shall dearly answer for it!
App.
Peace!
What quarrel's this? Speak, those who are aggrieved.
Enter Numitorius.
Num.
Where is Virginia—Wherefore do you hold
That maiden's hand?
Claud.
Who asks the question?
Num.
I!
Her uncle Numitorius!
Claud.
Numitorius,
You think yourself her uncle—Numitorius,
No blood of yours flows in her veins, to give you
The title that you claim. Most noble Appius!
If you sit here for justice, as I hope
You do, attend not to the clamour of
This man, who calls himself this damsel's uncle.
She is my property—was born beneath
My father's roof, whose slave her mother was,
Who—as I can establish past dispute—
Sold her, an infant, to Virginius' wife,
Who never had a child, and heavily
Revolved her barrenness. My slave I have found
And scized—as who that finds his own (no matter
How long so ever miss'd) should fear to take it?
If they oppose my claim, let them produce
Their counter-proofs, and bring the cause to trial!
But till they prove I know not what's mine own—
An undertaking somewhat perilous—
Mine own I shall retain—yet giving them,
Should they demand it, what security
They please for re-producing her.
App.
Why that
Would seem but reasonable.
Num.
Reasonable!
Claudius!
[With much vehemence—recollects himself.]
He's but a mask upon the face
Of some more powerful contriver. [Aside.]
Appius,
My niece's father is from Rome, thou know'st,
Serving his country. Is it not unjust,
In the absence of a citizen, to suffer
86
Grant us a day to fetch Virginius,
That he himself may answer this most foul
And novel suit—Meanwhile, to me belongs
The custody of the maid. Her uncle's house
Can better answer for her honour than
The house of Claudius. 'Tis the law of Rome,
Before a final sentence, the defendant
May not sustain in what he still possesses
Disturbance from the plaintiff.
Tit.
A just law.
Ser.
And a most reasonable demand.
All the Citizens.
Ay! Ay! Ay!
App.
Silence, you citizens! Will you restrain
Your tongues, and give your magistrate permission
To speak? The law is just—most reasonable—
I framed that law myself—I will maintain
That law!
Tit.
Most noble Appius!
Ser.
A most just decree!
All the Citizens.
Ay! Ay!
App.
Will you be silent? Will you please to wait
For my decree, you most untractable
And boisterous citizens! Yes; I repeat,
I framed that law myself, and will maintain it.
But are you, Numitorius, here defendant?
That title none but the reputed father
Of the young woman has a right to—How
Can I commit to thee what may appear
The plaintiff's property; and, if not his,
Still, is not thine? I'll give thee till to-morrow
Ere I pass a final judgment—But the girl
Remains with Claudius, who shall bind himself
In such security as you require,
To re-produce her at the claim of him
Who calls her daughter—This is my decree.
Num.
A foul decree.—Shame! Shame!
Ser.
Ay, a most foul decree.
Cne.
A villanous decree.
Ser.
Most villanous.
Servia.
Good citizens, what do you with our weapons,
When you should use your own? Your hands!—your hands!
He shall not take her from us!
Gather round her,
And if he touch her, be it to his cost!
And if ye see him touch her, never more
Expect from us your titles—never more
Be husbands, brothers, lovers, at our mouths,
Or anything that doth imply the name
Of men—except such men as men should blush for.
App.
Command your wives and daughters, citizens,
They quit the Forum!
87
They shall not command us,
That care not to protect us!
App.
Take the girl,
If she is yours.
Claud.
Stand by!
Virginia.
O save me! save me!
Icil.
[entering].
Virginia's voice!—Virginia!
[Rushes to her.
Virginia.
O, Icilius!
[Falls fainting in his arms.
Icil.
Take her, good Numitorius.
App.
You had better
Withdraw, Icilius; the affair is judged.
Claud.
I claim my slave.
Icil.
Stand back, thou double slave!
Touch her, and I will tear thee limb from limb,
Before thy master's face.—She is my wife,
My life, my heart, my heart's blood.—Touch her
With but a look—
App.
My lictors, there, advance!
See that Icilius quits the Forum.—Claudius,
Secure your slave.
Icil.
Lictors, a moment pause
For your own sakes! Do not mistake these arms!
Think not the strength of any common man
Is that they feel! They serve a charméd frame,
The which a power pervades, that ten times trebles
The natural energy of each single nerve
To sweep you down as reeds.
App.
Obey my orders!
Icil.
Appius! before I quit the Forum, let me
Address a word to you.
App.
Be brief, then!
Icil.
Brief!
Is't not enough you have deprived us, Appius,
Of the two strongest bulwarks to our liberties,
Our tribunes and our privilege of appeal
To the assembly of the people? Cannot
The honour of the Roman maids be safe?
Know, then, this virgin is betroth'd to me,
Wife of my hope—Thou shalt not cross my hope
And I retain my life—Attempt it not!
I stand among my fellow-citizens—
His fellow-soldiers hem Virginius round,
Both men and gods are on our side! But grant
I stood alone, with nought but virtuous love
To hearten me—alone would I defeat
The execution of thy infamous
Decree! I'll quit the Forum now, but not
Alone!—My love! my wife! my free-born maid—
The virgin standard of my pride and manhood,
Of peerless motto! rich, and fresh, and shining,
And of device most rare and glorious!
I'll bear off safe with me—unstain'd—untouch'd!
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Your duty, lictors—Claudius, look to your right!
Icil.
True citizens!
Tit.
Down with the traitor!
Ser.
Down with him—Slay him!
[The Lictors and Claudius are driven back; Claudius takes refuge at Appius's feet, who has descended, and throws up his arms as a signal to both parties to desist —whereupon the people retire a little.
App.
So, friends! we thank you that you don't deprive us
Of everything; but leave your magistrates
At least their persons sacred—Their decrees,
It seems, you value as you value straws,
And in like manner break them. Wherefore stop
When you have gone so far? You might, methinks,
As well have kill'd my client, at my feet;
As threaten'd him with death before my face!
Rise, Claudius! I perceive Icilius' aim:—
He labours to restore the tribuneship
By means of a sedition! We'll not give him
The least pretence of quarrel. We shall wait
Virginius's arrival till to-morrow.
His friends take care to notice him—The camp's
But four hours' journey from the city. Till
To-morrow, then, let me prevail with you
To yield up something of your right, and let
The girl remain at liberty.
Claud.
If they
Produce security for her appearance,
I am content.
Tit.
I'll be your security.
Ser.
And I.
Cit.
We'll all be your security.
[They hold up their hands.
Icil.
My friends,
And fellow-citizens, I thank you; but
Reserve your kindness for to-morrow, friends,
If Claudius still persist—To-day I hope
He will remain content with my security,
And that of Numitorius, for the maid's
Appearance.
App.
See she do appear!—and come
Prepared to pay the laws more reverence,
As I shall surely see that they receive it.
[Appius, Claudius, and Lictors go out.
Icil.
Look up! look up! my sweet Virginia,
Look up! look up! You will see none but friends.
O that such eyes should e'er meet other object!
Virginia.
Icilius! Uncle! lead me home! Icilius,
You did not think to take a slave to wife?
Icil.
I thought, and think to wed a free-born maid;
And thou, and thou alone, art she, Virginia!
Virginia.
I feel as I were so—I do not think
I am his slave! Virginius not my father!
89
It cannot be; my life must come from him;
For, make him not my father, it will go
From me.—I could not live an he were not
My father.
Icil.
Dear Virginia, calm thy thoughts—
But who shall warn Virginius?
Num.
I've ta'en care
Of that; no sooner heard I of this claim,
Than I despatch'd thy brother Lucius,
Together with my son, to bring Virginius,
With all the speed they could; and caution'd them—
As he is something over-quick of temper,
And might snatch justice, rather than sue for it—
To evade communication of the cause,
And merely say his presence was required,
Till we should have him with us. Come, Virginia;
Thy uncle's house shall guard thee, till thou find'st
Within thy father's arms a citadel,
Whence Claudius cannot take thee!
Icil.
He shall take
A thousand lives first.
Tit.
Ay, ten thousand lives.
Icil.
Hear you, Virginia! Do you hear your friends?
Virginia.
Let him take my life first! I am content
To be his slave then—if I am his slave!
Icil.
Thou art a free-born Roman maid, Virginia;
All Rome doth know thee so, Virginia—
All Rome will see thee so.
Cit.
We will! We will!
Icil.
You'll meet us here to-morrow?
Cit.
Every man!
Icil.
Cease not to clamour 'gainst this outrage. Tell it
In every corner of the city; and
Let no man call himself a son of Rome
Who stands aloof, when tyranny assails
Her fairest daughter. Come, Virginia,
'Tis not a private, but a common wrong;
'Tis every father's, lover's, freeman's cause;
To-morrow, fellow-citizens! to-morrow!
Cit.
To-morrow!
[They go out severally.
| Virginius | |