A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume Vii Part 21

FLACCUS. We grieve to see the aged Marius Stand like a private man in view of Rome.

CINNA. Then bid him sit; and lo, an empty place: Revoke his exile from his government, And so prevent your farther detriment.

LEPIDUS. We will account both Marius and his friends, His son and all his followers, free in Rome: And since we see the dangerous times at hand, And hear of Sylla's confidence and haste, And know his hate and rancour to these lords, We[138] him create for consul, to prevent The policies of Sylla and his friends.

CINNA. Then, both confirm'd by state and full consent, The rods and axe to Marius I present, And here invest thee with the consul's pall.

FLACCUS. Long, fortunate, and happy life betide Old Marius in his sevenfold consuls.h.i.+p.

YOUNG MARIUS. And so let Marius live and govern Rome, As cursed Sylla never look on Rome.

MARIUS. Then plac'd in consul's throne, you Roman states, [_He takes his seat_.

Recall'd from banishment by your decrees, Install'd in this imperial seat to rule, Old Marius thanks his friends and favourites, From whom this final favour he requires: That, seeing Sylla by his murderous blade Brought fierce seditions first to head in Rome, And forced laws to banish innocents, I crave by course of reason and desert, That he may be proclaimed, as erst was I, A traitor and an enemy of Rome.

Let all his friends be banish'd out of town; Then, cutting off the branch where troubles spring, Rome shall have peace and plenty in her walls.

CINNA. In equity it needs must be, my friends, That one be guilty of our common harms: And since that Marius is accounted free, Sylla with all his friends must traitors be.

YOUNG MARIUS. My father's reasons, Romans, are of force; For if you see, and live not to secure, You know that, in so great a state as this, Two mighty foes can never well agree.

LEPIDUS. Then let us seek to please our consul first, And then prepare to keep the exile out.

Cinna, as Marius and these lords agree, Firm this edict, and let it pa.s.s for me.

CINNA. Then, Romans, in the name of all this state, I here proclaim and publish this decree; That Sylla with his friends, allies, and all, Are banish'd exiles, traitors unto Rome: And to extinguish both his name and state, We will his house be razed to the ground, His goods confiscate: this our censure is.

Lictor, proclaim this in the market-place, And see it executed out of hand.

[_Exit Lictor_.

MARIUS. Now see I, senators, the thought, the care, The virtuous zeal that leads your toward minds To love your friends, and watch your common good: And now, establish'd consul in this place, Old Marius will foresee advenient harms.

Sylla, the scourge of Asia, as we hear, Is press'd to enter Italy with sword.

He comes in pomp to triumph here in Rome: But, senators, you know the wavering wills Of foolish men--I mean the common sort-- Who, through report of innovations, Of flattering humours of well-temper'd tongues, Will change, and draw a second mischief on.

I like your care, and will myself apply To aim and level at my country's weal.

To intercept these errors by advice, My son young Marius, Cethegus, and my friends, Shall to Praeneste, to prevent and stop The speedy purpose of our forward foe.

Meanwhile, ourselves will fortify this town, This beauty of the world, this maiden-town; Where streaming Tybris, with a pleasant tide, Leads out the stately buildings of the world.

Marius, my hope, my son, you know your charge: Take those Iberian legions in your train, And we will spare some Cymbrians to your use.

Remember thou art Marius' son, and dream On nought but honour and a happy death!

YOUNG MARIUS. I go, my lord, in hope to make the world Report my service and my duty too; And that proud challenger of Asia Shall find that Marius' son hath force and wit.

[_Exit c.u.m_ CETHEGO.

MARIUS. Go, thou, as fortunate as Greeks to Troy; As glorious as Alcides in thy toils; As happy as Sertorius in thy fight; As valiant as Achilles in thy might: Go, glorious, valiant, happy, fortunate, As all those Greeks and him of Roman state!

_Enter, led in with Soldiers_, CORNELIA and FULVIA.

CORNELIA. Traitors! why drag you thus a prince's wife, As if that beauty were a thrall to fate?

Are Romans grown more barbarous than Greeks, That hate more greater than Ca.s.sandra now?

The Macedonian monarch was more kind, That honour'd and reliev'd in warlike camp Darius' mother, daughters, and his wife.

But you unkind to Roman ladies now, Perhaps as constant as the ancient queens; For they, subdu'd, had friends.h.i.+p in disgrace, Where we, unconquer'd, live in woful case.

MARIUS. What plaintive pleas presents that lady there?

Why, soldiers, make you prisoners here in Rome?

1ST SOLDIER. Dread consul, we have found Cornelia here And Sylla's daughter posting out of town.

MARIUS. Ladies of worth, both beautiful and wise, But near allied unto my greatest foe: Yet Marius' mind, that never meant disgrace, More likes their courage than their comely face.

Are you Cornelia, madam, Sylla's wife?

CORNELIA. I am Cornelia, Sylla's wife; what then?

MARIUS. And is this Fulvia, Sylla's daughter, too?

FULVIA. And this is Fulvia, Sylla's daughter, too.

MARIUS. Two welcome guests, in whom the majesty Of my conceit and courage must consist.

What think you, senators and countrymen?

See, here are two, the fairest stars of Rome.

The dearest dainties of my warlike foe, Whose lives upon your censures do subsist.[139]

LEPIDUS. Dread consul, the continuance of their lives Shall egg on Sylla to a greater haste; And, in bereaving of their vital breath, Your grace shall force more fury from your foe.

Of these extremes we leave the choice to you.

MARIUS. Then think that some strange fortune shall ensue.

FULVIA. Poor Fulvia, now thy happy days are done!

Instead of marriage pomp, the fatal lights Of funerals must masque about thy bed: Nor shall thy father's arms with kind embrace Hem in thy shoulders, trembling now for fear.

I see in Marius' looks such tragedies, As fear my heart; and fountains fill mine eyes.

CORNELIA. Fie, Fulvia! shall thy father's daughter faint, Before the threats of danger shall approach?

Dry up those tears, and like a Roman maid, Be bold and silent, till our foe have said.

MARIUS. Cornelia, wife unto my traitor-foe, What gadding mood hath forc'd thy speedy flight To leave thy country, and forsake thy friends?

CORNELIA. Accursed Marius, offspring of my pains, Whose furious wrath hath wrought thy country's woe, What may remain for me or mine in Rome, That see the tokens of thy tyrannies?

Vile monster, robb'd of virtue, what revenge Is this, to wreak thine anger on the walls?

To raze our house, to banish all our friends, To kill the rest, and captive us at last?

Think'st thou by barbarous deeds to boast thy state, Or spoiling Sylla, to depress his hate?

No, Marius, but for every drop of blood And inch of wrong he shall return thee two.

FLACCUS. Madam, in danger wisdom doth advise In humble terms to reconcile our foes.

MARIUS. She is a woman, Flaccus; let her talk, That breathes forth bitter words instead of blows.

CORNELIA. And in regard of that, immodest man, Thou shouldst desist from outrage and revenge.

LECTORIUS. What, can your grace endure these cursed scoffs?

MARIUS. Why, my Lectorius, I have ever learnt That ladies cannot wrong me with upbraids; Then let her talk, and my concealed hate Shall heap revengement upon Sylla's pate.

FULVIA. Let fevers first afflict thy feeble age; Let palsies make thy stubborn fingers faint; Let humours, streaming from thy moisten'd brains, With clouds of dimness choke thy fretful eyes, Before these monstrous harms a.s.sail my sire.