Scene V A Public Place in Rome
Enter Brutus, Horatius, Valerius, Collatine, and Lucretius, marching.
Brutus.
By thee we are consul, and still govern Rome,
Which but for thee had been despoiled and ta’en,
Made a confusèd heap of men and stones,
Swimming in blood and slaughter; dear Horatius,
Thy noble picture shall be carved in brass,
And fixed for thy perpetual memory
In our high Capitol.
Horatius.
Great consul, thanks!
But, leaving this, let’s march out of the city,
And once more bid them battle on the plains.
Valerius.
This day my soul divines we shall live free
From all the furious Tarquins. But where’s Scevola?
We see not him to-day.
Enter Scevola.
Scevola.
Here, lords, behold me handless as you see.
The cause—I missed Porsenna in his tent,
And in his stead killed but his secretary.
The ’mazèd king, when he beheld me punish
My rash mistake with loss of my right hand,
Unbegged, and almost scorned, he gave me life,
Which I had then refused, but in desire
To ’venge fair Lucrece’ rape.
[Soft alarum.
Horatius.
Dear Scevola,
Thou hast exceeded us in our resolve:
But will the Tarquins give us present battle?
Scevola.
That may ye hear; the skirmish is begun
Already ’twixt the horse.
Lucretius.
Then, noble consul,
Lead our main battle67 on.
Brutus.
O Jove, this day
Balance our cause, and let the innocent blood
Of rape-stained Lucrece crown with death and horror
The heads of all the Tarquins! See, this day
In her cause do we consecrate our lives,
And in defence of justice now march on.
I hear their martial music: be our shock
As terrible as are the meeting clouds
That break in thunder! yet our hopes are fair,
And this rough charge shall all our loss repair.
[Exeunt. Alarum, battle within.