Icil. [Taking Virginius's hand.] Father! Father! That art no more a father!

Vir. Ha! what wet

Is this upon my hand? a tear, boy! Fie,

For shame! Is that the weapon you would guard
Your bride with? First assay what steel can do!

Num. Not a tear has bless'd his eye since her death!

No wonder.

"Twas fit

The fever of his brain, that now burns out,
Has drunk the source of sorrow's torrents dry.
Icil. You would not have it otherwise?
The bolt, that struck the sole remaining branch,
And blasted it, should set the trunk on fire!
Num. If we could make him weep-
Icil. (L.) I have that will make him,
If aught will do it. "Tis her urn.
Which first drew tears from me.

"Twas that

I'll fetch it. But

1 cannot think you wise, to wake a man Who's at the mercy of a tempest. Better You suffer him to sleep it through.

[Exit Icilius, L. Vir. Gather your friends together: tell them of Dentatus' murder. Screw the chord of rage Mine own is not mine own

To the topmost pitch.

[Laughs.

Why does he not dispute
and tell my heart'

He might as well.

[Laughs.

That's strange enough.
My right to my own flesh,
Its blood is not its own?
But I want my child.

Enter LUCIUS, L.

Luc. Justice will be defeated!

Vir. (c.) Who says that?

He lies in the face of the gods! She is immutable,
Immaculate, and immortal! And though all

The guilty globe should blaze, she will spring up
Through the fire, and soar above the crackling pile,
With not a downy feather ruffled by

Its fierceness!

Num. (L. c.) He is not himself! What new
Oppression comes to tell us to our teeth,

We only mock'd ourselves to think the days
Of thraldom past?

Luc. The friends of Appius

Beset the people with solicitations.

The fickle crowd, that change with every change,

Begin to doubt and soften.
That's lost, a friend is lost.
Your friends, or lose them!

Num. Lucius, you

Remain and watch Virginius.

Every moment
Appear among

[Exit, followed by all but Lucius and Servia.

Vir. You remember,

Don't you, nurse!

Servia. What, Virginius?

Vir. That she nurs'd

The child herself. "Inquire among your gossips,
Which of them saw it; and, with such of them
As can avouch the fact, without delay

Repair to the Forum." Will she come or not?
I'll call myself:-She will not dare!-O when
Did my Virginia dare-Virginia!

Is it a voice, or nothing answers me?

I hear a sound so fine-there's nothing lives
"Twixt it and silence. "Such a slender one
I've heard when I have talk'd with her in fancy!
A phantom sound!" Aha! She is not here!
They told me she was here: they have deceiv'd me;
And Appius was not made to give her up,
But keeps her, and effects his wicked purpose
While I stand talking here, and ask you if
My daughter is my daughter! Though a legion
Sentried that brothel, which he calls his palace,
I'd tear her from him!

Luc. Hold, Virginius! Stay :
Appius is now in prison.

Vir. With my daughter!

He has secur'd her there!

Ha! has he so?

Gay office for a dungeon! Hold me not,

Or I will dash you down, and spoil you for
My keeper. My Virginia, struggle with him!

Appal him with thy shrieks; ne'er faint, ne'er faint!

I am coming to thee! I am coming to thee!

[Virginius rushes out, L. followed by Lucius, Servia, and others.

SCENE III-A Dungeon

APPIUS discovered.

Appi From the palace to the dungeon is a road

Trod oft, not oft retrod. What hope have I

To pace it back again? I know of none.

I am as one that's dead!

"The dungeon, that Encloses fallen greatness, may as well

Be called its tomb." I am as much the carcass
Of myself, as if the string were taken from
My neck. Their hands long for the office. O,
"Tis worth the half of a plebeian's life,

To get his greasy fingers on the throat

Of a patrician! But I'll baulk them. Come!
Appius shall have an executioner

No less illustrious than himself.

Who's there?

[He is on the point of swallowing poison, when Vibulanus enters, R.

Vibul. Your friend!
App. My Vibulanus!
Vibul. Appius, what

Was that you hid in such confusion, as
I enter❜d?

App. "Tis a draught for life, which, swallow'd,
She relishes so richly, that she cares not

If she ne'er drink again! Here's health to you!
Vibul. Not out of such a cup as that, my Appius.
Despair, that bids you drink it, as the cure

Of canker'd life, but lies to you, and turns
Your eyes from hope, that even now stands ready
With outstretch'd arms to rush to your embrace."
Your friends are busy for you with your foes--
Your foes become your friends. Where'er a frown
Appears against you, nothing 's spar'd to make
The wearer doff it, and put up a smile

In its stead. "Your colleague Oppius is in prison.
Your client too. Their harm's your safety: it
Distracts the appetite o' the dogs. They drop
The morsel they took up before, as soon

As a new one's thrown to them."

App. Thou giv'st me life

Indeed!

Vibul. That I may give thee life indeed,
I'll waste no longer time with thee; "for that
Already taken to assure thee of

Thy fast reviving fortunes, cheats them of
The aid should help to re-establish them."
Farewell, my Appius! If my absence takes

A friend from thee, it leaves one with thee-Hope!

[Exit, R.

App. And I will clasp it to me! Never friend Made sweeter promises. But snatch me from Beneath the feet of the vile herd, that's now

Broke loose and roams at large, I'll show them who
They'd trample on. "Hope! Hope! They say of thee,
Thou art a friend that promises, but cares not

To keep his word. This once keep thine with Appius,
And he will give thee out so true a tongue,
Thy word is bond enough!"-At liberty!
Again at liberty! O give me power
As well, for every minute of my thraldom
I'll pick a victim from the common herd
Shall groan his life in bondage. "Liberty!
"Tis triumph, power, dominion, every thing!"
Are ye not open yet, ye servile gates?

Let fall your chains, and push your bolts aside !
It is your past and future lord commands you!
Vir. [Rushing in, R.] Give me my daughter!
App. Ha!

Vir. My child! my daughter!

My daughter! my Virginia! Give her me!
App. Thy daughter!

Vir. Ay! Deny that she is mine
And I will strangle thee, unless the lie
Should choke thee first.

App. Thy daughter!

Vir. Play not with me!

Provoke me not! Equivocate, and lo!

Thou sport'st with fire. I am wild, distracted, mad!
I am all a flame-a flame! I tell thee, once

For all, I want my child, and I will have her;

So give her to me.

Vir. Not a step thou stirr'st from hence,

Till I have found my child. "Attempt that noise
Again, and I will stop the vent, that not

A squeak shall pass it. There are plugs for you Will keep it air-tight [Showing his fingers.]" Please you, give me back

My daughter.

App. In truth she is not here, Virginius;

Or I would give her to thee.

Vir. Would? Ay, should!

Tho' would were would not. Do you say, indeed,

She is not here? You nothing know of her

App. Nothing, Virginius! good Virginius, nothing.
Vir. How if I thrust my hand into your breast,

And tore your heart out, and confronted it

With your tongue? I'd like it. Shall we try it? Fool!
Are not the ruffians leagued? The one would swear
To the tale o' the other.

App. By the gods, Virginius,

Your daughter is not in my keeping

Vir. Well,

Then I must seek her elsewhere. I did dream
That I had murder'd her-'Tis false ! 'twas but
A dream-She isn't here, you say-Well! well!
Then I must go and seek her elsewhere-Yet
She's not at home-and where else should I seek her
But there or here? Here! here! here! Yes, I say,
But there or here-I tell you I must find her

She must be here, or what do you here?
But such a wonder of rich beauty could
Deck out a dungeon so as to despoil
A palace of its tenant ? Art thou not

The tyrant Appius? Did'st thou not decree

What

My daughter to be Claudius' slave, who gave her
To his master? Have you not secur'd her here
To compass her dishonour, ere her father
Arrives to claim her ?

App. No.

Vir. Do you tell me so?

Vile tyrant! Think you, shall I not believe

My own eyes before your tongue? Why, there she is!
There at your back-her locks dishevell'd and

Her vestment torn! Her cheeks all faded with

Her pouring tears, "as flowers with too much rain!'
Her form no longer kept and treasur'd up

"By her maiden-pride, like a rich casket, cast
Aside, neglected and forgot, because

The richer gen was shrin'd in it is lost!"
Villain is this a sight to shew a father?
And have I not a weapon to requite thee?

Ha! here are ten!

· [Searches about his clothes.

Help! help

App. Keep down your hands?
Vir. No other look but that! Look on! look on!
It turns my very flesh to steel-Brave girl!