Your tongues, and give your magistrate permission That law! Tit. "Most noble Appius !" Ser. "A most just decree!" App. "Will you be silent? Will you please to wait For my decree, you most untractable And boisterous citizens! I do repeat it," To re-produce her at the claim of him Who calls her daughter. This is my decree. Num. A foul decree. Shame! shame! Ser. Aye, a most foul decree. Cre. A villainous decrec. Ser. Most villainous ! Servia. (c.) Good citizens, wnat do you with our weapons, When you should use your own? Your hands!-your hands! He shall not take her from us. Gather round her, And if he touch her, be it to his cost; And if ye see him touch her, never more Expect from us your titles-never more Be husbands, brothers, lovers, at our mouths, Or any thing that doth imply the name Of men-except such men as men should blush for. They quit the forum. Servia. They shall not command us, That care not to protect us. App. Take the girl, If she is yours. Claud. Stand by. Virginia. O, help me! help me! Enter ICILIUS, L. Icil. Virginia's voice. Virginia! [Rushes to her. [Falls fainting in his arms. Icil. Take her, good Numitorius. Withdraw, Icilius; the affair is judged. Icil. (c.) Stand back, thou double slave! App. My Lictors, there, advance! See that Icilius quits the Forum.-Claudius, Icil. Lictors, a moment pause For your own sakes. Do not mistake these arms; Is that they feel. They serve a charmed frame, To sweep you down as reeds. App. Obey my orders! Icil. Appius! before I quit the Forum, let me Address a word to you. App. Be brief, then! Icil. Is't not enough you have depriv'd us, Appius, To the assembly of the people? Cannot I stand among my fellow-citizens— His fellow-soldiers hem Virginius round; Decree! I'll quit the Forum now, but not "Of peerless motto !-rich and fresh, and shining, And of device most rare and glorious" I'll bear off safe with me-unstain'd-untouch'd! [Embracing her. App. Your duty, Lictors-Claudius, look to your right. Icil. True citizens ! Tit. Down with the traitor! Ser. Down with him-slay him! [The Lictors and Claudius are driven back; Claudius takes refuge at Appius's feet, who has descended, and throws up his arms as a signal to both parties to desist -whereupon the people retire a little. App. So, friends! we thank you that you don't deprive us Of every thing; but leave your magistrates, At least their persons, sacred-their decrecs, It seems, you value as you value straws, And in like manner break them. Wherefore stop As threaten him with death before my face! By means of a sedition. We'll not give him The least pretence of quarrel. (R. C.) We shall wait His friends take care to notice him-The camp's Claud. (R.) If they Produce security for her appearance, I am content. Tit. I'll be your security. Ser. And I. Citizens. We'll all be your security Icil. My friends, [They hold up their hands. And fellow-citizens, I thank you; but Reserve your kindness for to-morrow, friends, App. See she do appear!—and come Virginia. O, help me! help me! Enter ICILIUS, L. Icil. Virginia's voice. Virginia! [Rushes to her. [Falls fainting in his arms. Icil. Take her, good Numitorius. Withdraw, Icilius; the affair is judged. Icil. (c.) Stand back, thou double slave! App. My Lictors, there, advance! See that Icilius quits the Forum.-Claudius, Icil. Lictors, a moment pause For your own sakes. Do not mistake these arms; Think not the strength of any common man Is that they feel. They serve a charmed frame, To sweep you down as reeds. App. Obey my orders! Icil. Appius! before I quit the Forum, let me Address a word to you. App. Be brief, then! Icil. Is't not enough you have depriv'd us, Appius, Of the two strongest bulwarks to our liberties Our tribunes and our privilege of appeal To the assembly of the people? Cannot I stand among my fellow-citizens His fellow-soldiers hem Virginius round; The execution of thy infamous Decree! I'll quit the Forum now, but not "Of peerless motto!-rich and fresh, and shining, And of device most rare and glorious"— I'll bear off safe with me-unstain'd-untouch'd! [Embracing her. App. Your duty, Lictors-Claudius, look to your right. Icil. True citizens ! Tit. Down with the traitor! Ser. Down with him-slay him! [The Lictors and Claudius are driven back; Claudius takes refuge at Appius's feet, who has descended, and throws up his arms as a signal to both parties to desist -whereupon the people retire a little. App. So, friends! we thank you that you don't deprive us Of every thing; but leave your magistrates, At least their persons, sacred-their decrecs, It seems, you value as you value straws, And in like manner break them. Wherefore stop As threaten him with death before my face! By means of a sedition. We'll not give him The least pretence of quarrel. (R. C.) We shall wait His friends take care to notice him-The camp's Claud. (R.) If they Produce security for her appearance, I am content. Tit. I'll be your security. Ser. And I. Citizens. We'll all be your security Icil. My friends, [They hold up their hands. And fellow-citizens, I thank you; but App. See she do appear!-and come |