Come on, come on! These greasy citizens are uttering treason against our masters, the noble Patricians. [Enter Servants, L. U. E. "Marc. Hem!-Shall we go over the argument again, master? Is there any thing else your staff can

do?

Sext. Yes: when I carry it heedlessly, it sometimes chances to-trip me. [Trips MARCUS."

Tit. Help, help there!

[Enter Citizens, R. S. E.-Confused cry of" Down with the Citizens !" " Down with the Slaves and Servants!"-They are about to attack each other, when FLAMINIUS's voice stops them.

Enter FLAMINIUS, TUDITANUS, OPIMIUS, Senators, two Censors, and twelve Lictors, L. U. E.— -Lictors range across the back.-FLAMINIUS and Senators go to L. of Censors' chairs.-OPIMIUS, C.

Flam. Hold! hold! I charge you, you rash citizens ! What means this tumult? How! is peace so old That you are weary of it? Who began This fray?

Sext. That caitiff, yonder.
Tit. (R.) Our old names!

Marc. (R.) "Twas that Patrician's hireling that began it.

[CAIUS GRACCHUS and his Friends, POMPONIUS and LICINIUs, appear behind, R. U. E.

Opi. Silence! ye wrangling discontented men!
Ye pest of Rome! What stirs you to this brawl?
I know your cue.-Your Gracchus has return'd,
And ye the signal give of discontent,
Conspiracy, and foul rebellion!

A noble leader for your noble party!

A glorious soldier, that returns him home
Without his general's leave!-A worthy son
Of Rome, that tampers with her enemies,
And instigates her allies to revolt!

An honest patriot

[Seeing C. GRAC. close to him, checks himself. C. Grac. Proceed, Opimius!

Now is your proper time to speak.-I am here-
Graccus is here!-Gracchus-that draws not on
A man behind his back!

[OPIMIUS is confused-he walks sullenly to the place.

appointed for him, as the accuser of CAIUS GRAC-
CHUS GRACCHUS, L. fixes his eyes steadfastly
upon OPIMIUS, who betrays considerable embar-
rassment-then recovering.

Opi. This lofty bearing

Befits the man could quit his post without
His general's leave, and use the sacred power
His office gave him, to pervert the faith
His duty 'twas to guard; as amply can
Fregella testify.

C. Grac. Is this your charge?

Censors! I'll save you labour.-It appears
I am cited here, because I have return'd
Without my general's leave, and for the crime
Of having rais'd the tumult at Fregella.
First, with the first. I have remain'd my time;
Nay, I have overserv'd it by the laws-

The laws which Caius Gracchus dares not break.
But, Censors, let that pass. I will propose

A better question for your satisfaction

"How have I serv'd my time?" I'll answer that:
"How have I serv'd my time ?"-" For mine own gain,
Or that of the Republic?" What was my office?
Questor. What was its nature? Lucrative-
So lucrative, that all my predecessors,

Who went forth poor, return'd home rich-" so rich,
Their very wine vessels resign'd their store
Of fluid wealth, only for wealthier freight
Of solid gold.' I went forth, poor enough;
But have return'd, still poorer then I went.
"Then, for my conduct as a soldier,
I do not blush to say, I have prevail'd
By mercy more than vengeance. I have won
From enemies their hearts, before their arms;
And held the tributary states to Rome,

By friendship more than fear. I have answer'd that."
1st Censor. If you have serv'd your time, and faith-
fully

Discharg'd your duty, as a Roman Questor,

So far you are acquitted.

Opi. To the next, then

The tumult at Fregella.

C. Grac. Ay! to that.

Produce your proofs !

Opi. I charge you as your general.

1

1

C. Grac. Your proofs-your evidence-your wit

nesses.

Opi. Is it from thee, I hear this haughty challenge? Who best should know thy actions? Wast thou not Mine officer? I charge thee with the treason. Before the gods I charge thee with it, Caius

I

say, I charge thee as thy general.

C. Grac. Thou daring noble! Is it to the face
Of these upright authorities, thou claim'st
To be at once the witness and accuser?

Say, Censors, is it fit? Is it the law?

1st Censor. The law permits it not. The accusation And proof, in such a case, cannot exist

In the same person. Caius Gracchus, therefore,

Is free, unless you can find other cause
For his detention.

Opi. Censors, it is fit

[Censors rise.

You look to the public safety. If our criminals
Escape your penalties, your prisons and

Your chains will soon be our inheritance.

66

C. Grac. Have the laws lost their reverence!" Flam. The charge

Is heavy.

C. Grac. Heavy as the proofs are light.

Ye citizens of Rome, behold what favour

Your masters show your brethren! I have borne
My country's arms with honour; overserv'd

My time; returned in poverty, that might

Have amass'd treasures-and they thus reward me-
Prefer a charge again me without proof,
Direct or indirect-without a testimony,
Weighty or light-without an argument,
Idle or plausible-without as much
Of feasibility, as would suffice

To feed suspicion's phantom! Why is this?

How have I bought this hatred? When my brother,
Tiberius Gracchus, fell beneath their blows,

I call'd them not assassins! When his friends
Fell sacrifices to their after-vengeance,

I did not style them butchers! When their hatred
Drove the Numidian nobles from the Senate,
With scoffs and execrations, that they prais'd me,
And to my cause assigned the royal bounty
Of King Micipsa, still I did not name them,
The proud, invidious, insolent Patricians !

Opi. Hear ye!

C. Grac. Ye men of Rome, there is no favour For justice!-grudgingly her dues are granted! Your great men boast no more the love of country. They count their talents-measure their domains"Number their slaves-make lists of knights and clients"

Enlarge their palaces-dress forth their banquets, Awake their lyres and timbrels-and with their floods Of ripe Falernian, drown the little left

Of virtue !

Opi. He would raise a tumult!

C. Grac. No.

This hand's the first to arm against the man,
Whoe'er he be, that favours civil discord.
I have no gust for blood, Opimius!

I sacrifice to justice and to mercy!

Opi. He has aspers'd the justice of our order; He flatters the Plebeians, and should be

Attach'd and brought to question for this conduct.

C. Grac. Romans, I ask the office of your Tribune! Marc. Ay ! you shall have it! Gracchus shall be Tribune!

Tit. Gracchus Tribune! Caius Gracchus Tribune! Opi. Stay, friends! Take heed! Beware of flatterers!

C. Grac. The laws! The laws! Of common right, the hold!

The wealth, the happiness, the freedom of

The nation! Who has hidden them-defac'd them-
Sold them-corrupted them from the pure letter?
Why do they guard the rich man's cloak from a rent,
And tear the poor man's garment from his back?
Why are they, in the proud man's grasp, a sword,
And in the hand of the humble man, a reed?
The laws! The laws! I ask you for the laws!
Demand them in my country's sacred name!
Still silent? Reckless still of my appeal?
Romans! I ask the office of your Tribune!

[Exeunt C. GRAC. and party, with Citizens shouting, R.

Opi. Stop him from rising, or our order falls!

[Exeunt OPIMIUS, with the rest, L. U. E.

SCENE IV.-A Street.-A Gute of the City.

"Enter TITUS and MARCUS, with Citizens.

Tit. The work goes nobly on! Caius is sure to be Tribune. This is a happy day for Rome!

Marc. Ay, the people will have their rights. We shall know ourselves now, masters. See! hither comes a crowd of voters. Let us speak to them.

Enter Voters.

Health to you, masters. Are you going to vote? 1st Voter. Yes; if we can find an honest candidate. Marc. Here's one ready to your hands, masters; Caius Gracchus. Choose him, and you'll do good service to your country. He'll see that you shall have your rights, nor will the Patricians dare to stop their noses when they pass us, as if we were so much carrion! Look you, masters, Caius is the friend of the Plebeians; he respects our order, and so he ought; and therefore, let every good citizen support him. Away, my friends! Vote, and cry Caius !

Voters. Caius Gracchus! Huzza! [Exeunt Voters. Marc. He's sure of the election! The Patricians will eat poor suppers to-night.

Tit. Here are more voters!

Enter Voters.

Save you, masters; are you going to vote for the right candidate?

1st Voter. Do you think we'd vote for the wrong one? Tit. Then you'll vote for Caius Gracchus ?

1st Voter. No-I don't like him. They say he'll bring the state into danger. We are men that love peace and concord.

Hark you, master, take
Patricians. The Patri-
They give stripes only

Tit. Ay, and good feeding. these cattle to the stalls of the cians make profitable masters. now and then; but that's nothing, you know, to a kindly beast. Away, I say ;-to the stalls with them.

[Exeunt severally."

Enter LICINIA and CORNELIA, L. S. E.

Cor. Caius, you see, is nowhere to be found. Let us go home again.

Licinia. Not till I see him.