University of Virginia Library

SCENE THE FIRST.

Virginius, Icilius, with Followers.
Virginius.
The fatal hour arrives. Icilius, see,
On every side the forum teems with arms.
And all around ...

Ici.
Close by my side I see
A train, though less, of loftier hardihood.

Virginius.
Dost thou confide in them?

Ici.
I in myself
Confide.

Virginius.
In me, as much as in thyself,
Thou ought'st to trust. Before the time I come
A little space; for I was well assured
That I should find thee here. But, in few words,
Permit me, while there is a time for speech,
To question thee concerning thy designs.
Should we unloose the decemviral fetters,
How am I to accost thee? By what name,
So long as thou art within the walls of Rome?

Ici.
A Roman, citizen, and free; the peer
Of every Roman; only than the laws
Less great; greater alone than any king.
But thou suggestest a tremendous doubt
To me, a Roman, Roman as thou art;
But thou dost not offend me: in thy breast
The vile suspicion never had arisen,
No never, had not Appius inspired it.

Virginius.
Infamous times! The powerful condescend,
E'en as the powerless, to practise fraud.
I did not think it ... but so well did Appius
Colour his phrases ... what avails it now?
If yet I trusted him, one look of thine
Fills me with more of settled confidence
Than all the oaths of Appius. Ah, the miscreant,
I swear it is as possible that I
Should e'er to thee be faithless and thy cause,
As it is possible that thou shouldst be
By thine own heart, by thine own sword betray'd.

Ici.
I do trust to thee; and to thee alone,
No, not in these: though they an hour ago
Fiercely to me, and Rome, did pledge their faith.
Fear, calumny, and gold, may take them from me:
The arms of Appius all; unknown to heroes,
But yet too efficacious. Now, let come
What may come, if the tyrant persevere
In his iniquitous designs, he dies.
That he is apprehensive, he has shewn
By his attempt to practise on thy faith:
In the corruption of the affrighted people
Does he confide: too sure a cause for trust.
If Appius die, nine tyrants yet remain,
Less powerful indeed, and all dispersed;
Yet in whose power are placed the nerve of Rome,
Both of our armies. Freedom thus appears,
Which perhaps few wish, and thou alone deservest,
But too too doubtful: vengeance thus alone
Seems to me certain. I see all its danger:
And for this reason wish the more to brave it.

Virginius.
Oh great of heart! In thee this day will Rome
See herself die, or rise again in thee.
Yield only to my unimpair'd old age
Th'honour of giving signal for the combat.
Be it mine to indicate the when and how
We are to draw our swords. Fix on my eye
Thy steady eye, and on thy sword thy hand;
Meanwhile the aspect of the assembled people
We will observe; 'twill be, perchance, expedient,
To make the blow more sure, to affect at first
Conciliatory manners: I beseech thee,
Let all thy movements be controul'd by mine.

Ici.
Thou art a Roman and a father. Give
The signal for attack; and thou shalt see
My strokes more rapid than the lightning's flash.

Virginius.
Go; thou shouldst lead the helpless ladies hither:
Mingle thy followers with the common people;
It would be best that Appius, when he comes,
Should find me here alone. I will address
To him ambiguous words: meanwhile, the place
Most opportune, whence we may fall on Appius,
I will espy. I here await thy coming:
When thou returnest, do not wear a look
Imprudently audacious: check thy fury
For a short time; the hour approaches fast,
When, on this spot, it all may spend itself.