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And regal fortune-one that ask'd not what

His pleasures cost-no further made disclosure.

App. (c.) And did it nothing move her, Claudius?
Claud. (R. c.) Nothing.

The more my agent urg'd, the more the shrunk
And wither'd hag grew callous; further press'd,
And with more urgent importuning, ire

And scorn, in imprecations and invectives
Vented upon the monster (as she call'd him)

That would pollute her child, compell'd my advocate
To drop the suit she saw was hopeless.

App. Now

Had I a friend indeed

Claud. Has Appius need

To search for such a friend, and Claudius by him?
App. Friends ever are provisionally friends-
Friends for so far-Friends just to such a point
And then "farewell!" friends with an understanding-
As "should the road be pretty safe"-" the sea
Not over-rough" and so on-friends of ifs
And buts-no friends!-O, could I find the man
Would be a simple, thorough-going friend!
Claud. I thought you had one, Appius.
App. (L. c.) So thought Appius.

Till Appius thought upon a test of friendship,
He fears he would not give unto himself,
Could he be Appius' friend.

Claud. Then Appius has

A truer friend than Appius is to Appius.
I'll give that test!

[Meet at c. and join hands.

App. What! you'd remove her father And that Icilius whom you told me of? Claud. Count it as done.

App. My Claudius, is it true?

Can I believe it? art thou such a friend,

That, when I look'd for thee to stop and leave me,
I find thee keeping with me, step by step;

And even in thy loving eagerness

Outstriding me? I do not want thee, Claudius,

To soil thy hand with their Plebeian blood.
Claud. What would'st thou, then?
App. I was left guardian to thee-
Claud. Thou wast.

App. Amongst the various property
Thy father left, were many female slaves.

Claud. Well?

App. It were easy for thee, (were it not?)
To invent a tale, that one of them confess'd
She had sold a female infant (and of course
Thy slave) unto Virginius' wife, who pass'd i.
Upon Virginius as his daughter, which
Supposititious offspring is this same
Virginia?

Claud. I conceive you.

App. To induce

The woman to confirm your tale, would ask
But small persuasion. Is it done?

Claud. This hour.

I know the school, my Appius, where Virginia
Pursues her studies; thither I'll repair,
And seize her as my slave at once.

Do thou

Repair to thy tribunal, whither, should

Her friends molest me in the attempt, I'll bring her,
And plead my cause before thee.

App. (L.) Claudius! Claudius!

How shall I pay thee? O, thou noble friend!
Power, fortune, life, whate'er belongs to Appius,
Reckon as thine! Away, away, my Claudius!

[Exeunt Appius, L., Claudius, R

SCENE II.-A Street in Rome.

Enter LUCIUS, L. meeting TITUS, SERVIUS, and CNEIUS. Luc. Well, Masters, any news of Siccius Dentatus from the camp? How was he received by the Decemvirs? Tit. He was received well by the Decemvirs.

Cne. It wasn't then for the love they bear him.

Tit. But they expect he'll help them to return the cuffs they have gotten from the enemy.

Servius. Do you wish for a victory?

Luc. Yes, if Dentatus wins it. "Tis to our credit, Masters-He's one of us.

Ser. And is not Spurius Oppius one of us?

Luc. He is; but he is in league with the patricians — "that is, the patrician Decemvirs." He is but half a plebeian, and that is the worse half.-"The better half he threw away when he became half a patrician.' I never liked your half-and-half gentry; they generally combine the bad of both kinds, without the good of either.

Ser. Well, we shall have news presently. Your brother, Icilius, has just arrived with despatches from the

D

camp. I met him passing through the Forum, and asked him what news he brought? He answered, none; but added, we might look for news of another kind than what we had been lately accustomed to hear. [A shriek without, L. Cne. What's that?

Tit. Look yonder, Masters! See!

Ser. 'Tis Appius's client dragging a young woman along with him.

Tit. Let us stand by each other, Masters, and prevent him.

Enter CLAUDIUS, L. dragging along VIRGINIA, followed by SERVIA, and others.

Servia. (L. c.) Help! help! help!

Luc. (c.) Let go your hold!

Claud. (c.) Stand by!

She is my slave!

Servia. His slave? Help! help! His slave?

He looks more like a slave than she!

Protect the daughter of Virginius.

Luc. Release the maid.

Tit. Forbear this violence.

Good Masters!

Claud. I call for the assistance of the laws; She is my slave.

Servia. She is my daughter, Masters,

My foster-daughter; and her mother was
A free-born woman-and her father is

A citizen, a Roman-good Virginius,

As I said before-Virginius, the Centurion,

Whom all of you must know.-Help! help! I say,

You see she cannot speak to help herself;

Speak for her, Masters-help her, if you're men!
Tit. Let go your hold.

Claud. Obstruct me, at your peril.
Luc. We'll make you, if you will not.

Claud. Let me pass.

Ser. Let go your hold, once more.
Claud. Good Masters! patience-

Hear me, I say-She is my slave-I wish not
To use this violence, my friends; but may not
A master seize upon his slave ?-Make way,
Or such of you as are dissatisfied

Repair with me to the Decemvir.—Come,
I only want my right!'

Tit. Come on then!
Ser. Ay,

To the Decemvir!

Servia. Run, run for Numitorius !-Alarm our neighbours! Call out Icilius's friends!-I shall go mad! Help! help! help!

SCENE III.-The Forum.

Enter APPIUS, R. U. E. preceded by Lictors.

App. (c.) Will he succeed?-Will he attempt it?— Will he

Go through with it?-[Looking out, L.]-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

Is, that his courage can't withstand her tears

That will be sure to try and succour her;

Pointing, as 'twere, to every charm, and pleading
With melting eloquence. I hear a sound
As of approaching clamour-and the rush

Of distant feet-He comes! I must prepare

For his reception.

[APPIUS ascends the Tribunal. CLAUDIUS enters still holding VIRGINIA, followed by SERVIA; l'omen and Citizens, crying "shame!"

Claud. 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 when he finds her.

Servia. She is no slave

Of thine! She never was a slave! Thou slave!
To call her by that 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 aggriev'd

Enter NUMITORius, L.

Num. (L.) 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 you would claim. Most noble Appius!
If you sit here for justice-as I think

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

Revolv'd her barrenness. My slave I have found
And seiz'd-as who that finds his own (no matter
How long soever miss'd) should fear to take it?
If they oppose my claim, they may produce
Their counter-proofs and bring the cause to trial !
But till they prove mine own is not 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 be 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
His right to his own child to be disputed?
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

In his possession is not to sustain

Disturbance from the plaintiff.

Tit. A just law.

Ser. And a most reasonable demand.

All the Cits. (L.) Ay! Ay! Ay!

App. Silence, you citizens; will you restrain

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