Axes, and fasces, and present them here. Trumpet. Enter METELLUS, CINNA, ANTONIUS, QUINTUS POMPEIUS, his Son, &c. Guards. Met. See, Ronians, there the ruin of your freedom, The blazing meteor that bodes ill to Rome; Oppression, tyranny, avarice, and pride, All centre in that melancholic brow. If you are mad for slav'ry, long to try The weight of abs❜lute chains, once more proclaim him; And laugh to think your throats fit for his sword. Us headlong to the Tyber-plunge us in, And bid adieu to liberty for ever— Then turn, and fall before your new-made god; Met. Quintus Pompeius, in the senate's name, Justice of Marius, and proclaim him traitor. Q. Pomp. Descend then, Marius, traitor to the state And liberty of Rome, and hear thy sentence. Mar. sen. Now, by the gods, this cause is worthy of me, Worthy my fate. Is this the right and liberty of Rome, To pull it's lawful consul from his seat, Unjudg'd, and brand him with the mark of traitor? All Cit. No Marius! no Marius! Down with him, down with him Sulp. Ha! what art thou? Y. Pomp. The Consul's son. Sulp. A worm; A thin skin full of dirt; and thus I tread thee Into thy mother earth— Mar. sen. Drag hence that traitor, [Kills him. And bring me straight his head upon thy dart; Q. Pomp. Our children murder'd, Thus massacred before our eyes! come all All Cit. No Marius! no Marius! liberty! liberty! &c. [They fight; Marius conquers. Mar. sen. Thanks for this good beginning, gods! these slaves, These wide-mouth'd brutes, that bellow thus for freedom, Oh! how they ran before the hand of pow'r, Flying for shelter into ev'ry brake! Like cow'rdly fearful sheep they break their herd, Sulp. Oh! they are fellows fit for you and I, That will but own the cause of Caius Marius. [Exeunt. 1 ACT III. SCENE I. Enter SULPITIUS, GRANIUS, and all the Guards. Sulp. Rome never saw a morning sure like this: Now she begins to know the rod of pow'r, Her wanton blood can smart. Were I the consul, not a head in Rome,' That had but thoughts of Sylla, should stand safe. Gran. Slaughter should have continued with the day, Mercy but gives sedition time to rally. Ev'ry soft, pliant, talking, busy rogue, Gath'ring a flock of hot-brain'd fools together, Sulp. Much will this day Determine; Sylla's now before the walls, Four thousand slaves have taken hold on freedom, And come on proclamation to our side. Gran. Where should my brother be? He came not home To-night. Sulp. Think of him as a wretch that's dead, Stabb'd with an eye, run thro' the brains with love. Sulp. A most courageous captain at a congee; He fights by measure, as your artists sing; Keeps distance, time, proportion; rests his rests, One, two, and the third in your guts. Oh! he's the very butcher of a button. Gran. Would I could see my brother. That damn'd love Of women ruins noblest purposes. Sulp. That sex was first in mock'ry of us made. Dance and shew tricks, to prove his strength and brawn: Make a projector quibble; an old judge Put on false hair, and paint: and after all, Tho' she be known the lewdest of her sex, She'll make some fool or other think she's honest. I wonder he delays so long. Gran. He comes; And with him too my brother. Sulp. See your general. Sulpitius, looks like power. Granius, here Challenging forth the stoutest champion there, And not an outlaw there dare send his answer. He's posted now; let's send him, straight, commands, Sulp. That would be But to prolong necessity; for Rome Must bleed: and since the rabble now is our's, Send word to Sylla that he lay down arms, Mar. jun. There's still A dang'rous wheel at work; a thoughtful villain, O'er flesh, he buzzes about itching ears, To fester into rancour and sedition. Would he were safe! Mar. sen. And safe he shall be: let him be proscrib'd; I have a tender foolishness within me, [Ex. Mar. sen. and Granius. Sulp. Is not this better now than whining love? Now thou again art Marius, son of arms, Thy father's honour, and thy friends' delight. Enter Nurse and CLODIUS*. Mar. jun. Sulpitius, what comes here? a sail, Sulpitius? * "Romeo and Juliet," act 2. sc. 4. |