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Scene from "Virginius."

APPIUS, CLAUDIUS and LICTORS.

Appius. Well, Claudius, are the forces

At hand?

Claudius. They are, and timely, too; the people Are in unwonted ferment.

App. There's something awes me at

The thought of looking on her father!
Claud. Look

Upon her, my Appius! Fix your gaze upon
The treasures of her beauty, nor avert it
Till they are thine. Haste! Your tribunal!
Haste!

[Enter NUMITORIUS, ICILIUS, LUCIUS,
daughter, SERVIA and CITIZENS.

[APPIUS ascends the tribuna

CITIZENS, VIRGINIUS leading his
A dead silence prevails.]

Virginius. Does no one speak? I am defendant here.
Is silence my opponent? Fit opponent

To plead a cause too foul for speech! What brow
Shameless gives front to this most valiant cause,
That tries its prowess 'gainst the honor of
A girl, yet lacks the wit to know, that he

Who casts off shame, should likewise cast off fear
And on the verge o' the combat wants the nerve
To stammer forth the signal?

App. You had better,

Virginius, wear another kind of carriage;

This is not of the fashion that will serve you.

Vir. The fashion, Appius! Appius Claudius tell me

The fashion it becomes a man to speak in,

Whose property in his own child-the offspring
Of his own body, near to him as is

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In such a thing, the very self of himself,

Disputed and I'll speak so, Appius Claudius.

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- Pray you tutor me!

App. Stand forth

Claudius! If you lay claim to any interest

In the question now before us, speak; if not,
Bring on some other cause.

Claud. Most noble Appius

Vir. And are you the man

That claims my daughter for his slave?-Look at me

And I will give her to thee.

Claud. She is mine, then:

Do I not look at you?

Vir. Your eye does, truly,

But not your soul. I see it through your eye
Shifting and shrinking — turning every way
To shun me. You surprise me, that your eye,
So long the bully of its master, knows not
To put a proper face upon a lie,

But gives the port of impudence to falsehood
When it would pass it off for truth.
Dares as soon shew its face to me.

Your soul
Go on,

I had forgot; the fashion of my speech

May not please Appius Claudius.

Claud. I demand

Protection of the Decemvir!

App. You shall have it.

Vir. Doubtless!

App. Keep back the people, Lictors! What's Your plea? You say the girl's your slave. Produce Your proofs.

Claud. My proof is here, which, if they can,

Let them confront. The mother of the girl

[VIRGINIUS, stepping forward, is withheld by NUMITORIUS. Numitorius. Hold, brother! Hear them out, or suffer me

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Vir. Man, I must speak,
or else go mad!
And if I do go mad, what then will hold me
From speaking? She was thy sister, too!
Well, well, speak thou. I'll try, and if I can,
Be silent.

Num. Will she swear she is her child?

[Retires.

Vir. (starting forward.) To be sure she will - a most wise ques

tion that!

Is she not his slave? Will his tongue lie for him

Or his hand steal or the finger of his hand

Beckon, or point, or shut, or open for him?
To ask him if she'll swear! Will she walk or run,
Sing, dance, or wag her head; do anything
That is most easy done? She'll as soon swear!
What mockery it is to have one's life

In jeopardy by such a barefaced trick!
Is it to be endured? I do protest
Against her oath!

App. No law in Rome, Virginius,

Seconds you. If she swear the girl's her child,¦
The evidence is good, unless confronted
By better evidence. Look you to that,
Virginius. I shall take the woman's oath.
Virginia. Icilius!

Icilius. Fear not, love; a thousand oaths
Will answer her.

App. You swear the girl's your child,

And that you sold her to Virginius' wife,

Who passed her for her own. Is that your oath?

Slave. It is my oath.

App. Your answer now, Virginius.

Vir. Here it is!

[Brings VIRGINIA forward

Is this the daughter of a slave? I know

'Tis not with men as shrubs and trees, that by
The shoot you know the rank and order of
The stem. Yet who from such a stem would look

For such a shoot. My witnesses are these

The relatives and friends of Numitoria!

Speak for me, my friends;

Have I not spoke the truth?

Women and Citizens. You have, Virginius.

App. Silence! Keep silence there! No more of that!

You're very ready for a tumult, citizens.

[Troops appear behind.

Lictors, make way to let these troops advance!

We have had a taste of your forbearance, masters,
And wish not for another.

Vir. Troops in the Forum?

App. Virginius have you spoken?

Vir. If you have heard me,

I have; If not, I'll speak again.'

App. You need not,

Virginius; I had evidence to give,

Which, should you speak a hundred times again,

Would make your pleading vain.

Vir. Your hand, Virginia!

Stand close to me.

[Aside.

App. My conscience will not let me

Be silent. 'Tis notorious to you all,

That Claudius' father at his death, declared me

The guardian of his son. This cheat has long

Been known to me. I know the girl is not
Virginius' daughter.

Vir. Join your friends, Icilius,

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I feel for you; but though you were my father,

The majesty of justice should be sacred

Claudius must take Virginia home with him.

Vir. And if he must, I should advise him, Appius,
To take her home in time, before his guardian

Complete the violation which his eyes
Already have begun, friends! fellow-citizens!
Look not on Claudius-look on your Decemvir!
He is the master claims Virginia !

The tongues that told him she was not my child

Are these the costly charms he cannot purchase
Except by making her the slave of Claudius,

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His sensual feast, and is not now ashamed,
In the open common street before your eyes
Frighting your daughters' and your matrons' cheeks
With blushes they ne 'er thought to meet - - to help him
To the honor of a Roman maid! my child!
Who now clings to me, as you see, as if

This second Tarquin had already coiled

His arms around her. Look upon her Romans !
Befriend her! succor her!

see her not polluted

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Tear her from Appius and his Lictors while
She is unstained. ·

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Your hands! your hands! your hands!

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Support my Lictors soldiers! Seize the girl,

And drive the people back.

Icilius. Down with the slaves!

[The people make a show of resistance; but upon the advance of the soldiers, retreat, and leave ICILIUS, VIRGINIUS and his daughter, etc., in the hands of APPIUS and his party.

Deserted!

Cowards! traitors! Let me free

But for a moment! I relied on you;

Had I relied upou myself alone,

I had kept them still at bay! I kneel to you-
Let me but loose a moment, if 'tis only

To rush upon your swords.

Vir. Icilius, peace!

You see how 'tis, we are deserted, left

Alone by our friends, surrounded by our enemies,
Nerveless and helpless.

App. Separate them, Lictors!

Vir. Let them forbear awhile, I pray you, Appius :

It is not very easy. Though her arms

Are tender, yet the hold is strong by which

She grasps me, Appius - forcing them will hurt them;

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