 | The Conspiracy of the Pazzi |  |
SCENE THE FOURTH.
Lorenzo, Julian, Guglielmo.Lo.
Julian, what dost thou? Dost thou spend in words
The time that others spend in deeds? ...
Ju.
At last
This old man yields to my persuasive speech.
Dost spurn at peace before I've made it sure?
Lo.
Who talks of peace? Lo, Salviati comes,
The source of all disturbance, the contriver
Of every guilty, circumventive plot.
Ju.
I know it; but meanwhile ...
Lo.
And dost thou know,
That from the south he brings arm'd warriors here?
In truth no martial race: to whom we ought
To shew ourselves, and only shew ourselves.
At the first lightening of our shields, at once
Their fenny cloud will be dispersed. Indeed,
What courage founded not in others fears,
Was e'er display'd by Rome?
Gu.
And what, my lord?
352
From Tyber's banks excite suspicion in thee?
And to your detriment would Rome now arm,
Who so infrequently and clumsily
Combats, and only in her own defence?
Lo.
More than one hero hath been made to tremble
Before the pope's perfidious myrmidons.
'Mid roses, and 'mid lilies, they conceal
Daggers and poison. It is true, their arms
Would, if foreseen, be always impotent.—
Ye satellites of Rome, I leave you here:
Plot ye till I return. My brother, come;
Let us depart. We will afterwards
With these resume our conference: but first
Let those pale quivering banners that display
The surreptitious keys, seized or dispersed,
Or burn'd, or trampled in the squalid filth,
Fall by our hands. We should first somewhat shake
The putrid aged trunk on which fraud leans;
Since it belongs to ages more remote
To eradicate it wholly.—Let us go.—
With joys my heart leaps up in thrusting thee
Against an open enemy, oh sword!
And only I regret, if thou disdain
To smite the back of hostile fugitives,
That thou must here return fasting from blood.
| The Conspiracy of the Pazzi | |