Act the Third
Scene I The Senate-house
Enter Tarquin, Porsenna, Tullia, Sextus, and Aruns.
Tarquin.
Next King Porsenna, whom we tender dearly,
Welcome, young Sextus! thou hast to our yoke
Suppressed the neck of a proud nation,
The warlike Sabines, enemies to Rome.
Sextus.
It was my duty, royal emperor,
The duty of a subject and a son.
We at our mother’s intercession likewise
Are now atoned with Aruns, whom we here
Receive into our bosom.
Tullia.
This is done
Like a kind brother and a natural son.
Aruns.
We interchange a royal heart with Sextus,
And graft us in your love.
Tarquin.
Now, King Porsenna,
Welcome once more to Tarquin and to Rome.
Porsenna.
We are proud of your alliance: Rome is ours,
And we are Rome’s; this our religious league
Shall be carved firm in characters of brass,
And live for ever to succeeding times.
Tarquin.
It shall, Porsenna. Now this league’s established,
We will proceed in our determined wars,
To bring the neighbour nations under us.
Our purpose is to make young Sextus general
Of all our army, who hath proved his fortunes,
And found them full of favour. We’ll begin
With strong Ardea;—ha’ you given in charge
To assemble all our captains, and take muster
Of our strong army?
Aruns.
That business is dispatched.
Sextus.
We have likewise sent
For all our best commanders, to take charge
According to their merit,—Lord Valerius,
Lord Brutus, Cocles, Mutius Scevola,
And Collatine,—to make due preparation
For such a gallant siege.
Tarquin.
This day you shall set forward. Sextus, go,
And let us see your army march along
Before this king and us, that we may view
The puissance of our host prepared already
To lay high-reared Ardea waste and low.
Sextus.
I shall, my liege.
Tullia.
Aruns, associate him.
Aruns.
A rival with my brother in his honours.
[Exeunt Aruns and Sextus.
Tarquin.
Porsenna shall behold the strength of Rome,
And body of the camp, under the charge
Of two brave princes, to lay hostile siege
Against the strongest city that withstands
The all-commanding Tarquin.
Porsenna.
’Tis an object
To please Porsenna’s eye.
[Soft march.
Tarquin.
The host is now
Upon their march. You from this place may see
The pride of all the Roman chivalry.
Enter Sextus, Aruns, Brutus, Collatine, Valerius, Scevola, Cocles, with Soldiers, drum and colours. They march over the stage, and congee to the King and Queen.
Porsenna.
This sight’s more pleasing to Porsenna’s eye
Than all our rich Attalia’s36 pompous feasts
Or sumptuous revels: we are born a soldier,
And in our nonage sucked the milk of war.
Should any strange fate lour upon this army,
Or that the merciless gulf of confusion
Should swallow them, we, at our proper charge,
And from our native confines, vow supply
Of men and arms to make these numbers full.
Tarquin.
You are our royal brother, and in you
Tarquin is powerful and maintains his awe.
Tullia.
The like Porsenna may command of Rome.
Porsenna.
But we have in your fresh varieties
Feasted too much, and kept ourself too long
From our own seat: our prosperous return
Hath been expected by our lords and peers.
Tarquin.
The business of our wars thus forwarded,
We ha’ best leisure for your entertainment,
Which now shall want no due solemnity.
Porsenna.
It hath been beyond both expectation
And merit; but in sight of Heaven I swear,
If ever royal Tarquin shall demand
Use of our love, ’tis ready stored for you
Even in our kingly breast.
Tarquin.
The like we vow
To King Porsenna. We will yet a little
Enlarge your royal welcome with rarities,
Such as Rome yields: that done, before we part,
Of two remote dominions make one heart.
Set forward then. Our sons wage war abroad,
To make us peace at home: we are of ourself.
Without supportance; we all fate defy:
Aidless, and of ourself, we stand thus high.
[Exeunt.