Pet. Your leave, sir; Pet. Good-morrow, gentlemen! Where's the And I beseech you note me, for I love you, It cannot be he dare out-live this fortune; Pen. As you see. Pet. I'm glad on't; Continue so still. The lord general, The valiant general, great Suetonius—— Pen. No more of me is spoken; my name is perished. Pet. He that commanded fortune and the day, By his own valour and discretion, (When, as some say, Penius refused to come, But I believe them not) sent me to see you. Pen. Ye are welcome; and pray see me, see me well; You shall not see me long. Pet. I hope so, Penius.— The gods defend, sir! Pen. See me and understand me: This is he, Left to fill up your triumph; he, that basely Whistled his honour off to the wind, that coldly Shrunk in his politic head, when Rome, like reapers, Sweat blood and spirit for a glorious harvest, That being courted by loud Fame and Fortune, Pet. It was an error. Pen. A foul one, and a black one. Pet. Yet the blackest May be washed white again. And bring along all comfort: Are we gods, Is there no medicine called sweet mercy? There is no mercy in mankind can reach me, All sins I can commit, to be forgiven; Pen. He is a brave gentleman, A valiant, and a loving; and, I dare say, Nor dare I hope more from him than is worthy. Pet. So would sullen children, Women that want their wills, slaves disobedient, That fear the law. Die? Fy, great captain! you A man to rule men, to have thousand lives Under your regiment, and let your passion Betray your reason? I bring you all forgiveness, The noblest kind commends, your place, your honour Say they are won to pardon you, by mere miracle If so, I bring you comfort; dare you take it? Pet. If your mind serve you, You may live still; but how? yet pardon me: You may out-wear all too; but when? and cer tain There is a mercy for each fault, if tamely Pen. No, by no means: I am only thinking now, sir, (For I am resolved to go) of a most base death, I would else flatter you, and force you live, Pen. The fitter for my baseness. Pet. Besides, the man, that is hanged, preaches his end, And sits a sign for all the world to gape at. Pen. That is true; I'll take a fitter: poison. Tis equal ill; the death of rats and women, Pen. Why, my sword, then. Pet. Ay, if your sword be sharp, sir, There is nothing under heaven that's like your sword; Your sword is a death indeed! Pen. It shall be sharp, sir. Pet. Why, Mithridates was an arrant ass To die by poison, if all Bosphorus Could lend him swords: Your sword must do the deed; Tis shame to die choaked, fame to die and bleed. Pen. Thou hast confirmed me; and, my good Petillius, Tell me no more I may live. Pet. 'Twas my commission; But now I see you in a nobler way, A way to make all even. Pen. Farewell, captain! | Be a good man, and fight well; be obedient; Command thyself, and then thy men. Why sha kest thou? Pet. I do not, sir. Pen. I would thou hadst, Petillius! I would find something to forsake the world with, A kind of trembling in me. Pen. Keep it still; As thou lovest virtue, keep it. Pet. And, brave captain, VOL. I. The great and honoured Penius !— Oh, how it heightens me! again, Petillius ! Mine, only mine! Pet. They are still. Pen. Then, to keep them From ever falling more, have at ye! Heavens, 'Tis done before he comes. This way for me, The way of toil; for thee, the way of honour! [Exit. Enter DRUSIUS and REGULUS, with soldiers. Sold. Kill him, kill him, kill him! Drus. What will ye do? Reg. Good soldiers, honest soldiers- Drus. Kill us first; we command too. Reg. Valiant soldiers, Consider but whose life ye seek.-Oh, Drusius, Bid him be gone; he dies else.-Shall Rome say, Ye most approved soldiers, her dear children Devoured the fathers of the fight? shall rage And stubborn fury guide those swords to slaugh ter, To slaughter of their own, to civil ruin? Drus. Oh, let them in; all's done, all's ended, Regulus; Penius has found his last eclipse. Come, soldiers, Reg. Why stand ye stupid? Where be your killing furies? whose sword now Who shall beget ye deeds beyond inheritance ving, When children fail, and Time, that takes all with | To these fierce men, they will afford ye pity. him, Build houses for ye to oblivion? Drus. Oh, ye poor desperate fools, no more now soldiers, Go home, and hang your arms up; let rust rot them; And humble your stern valours to soft prayers! For ye have sunk the frame of all your virtues; The sun, that warmed your bloods, is set for ever. I'll kiss thy honoured cheek. Farewell, great Penius, Thou thunderbolt, farewell!-Take up the body: To-morrow, mourning, to the camp convey it, There to receive due ceremonies. That eye That blinds itself with weeping, gets most glory. [Exeunt with a dead march. Enter SUETONIS, JUNIUS, DECIUS, DEMETRIUS, CURIUS, and Soldiers: BONDUCA, two Daughters, and NENNIUS above. Drum and colours. Suet. Bring up the catapults, and shake the wall; We will not be outbraved thus. We love thy nobleness. [Exit Decius. Bond. I thank ye! ye say well; You must adore and fear the power of Rome. The thatched houses, where the Britons dwell See nought but chaste and simple purity. Tis not high power that makes a place divine, Bond. No. 1 Daugh. General, Hear me, and mark me well, and look upon me, To follow your gay sports, and fill your slaves | With hoots and acclamations. Pet. Brave behaviour! 1 Daugh. The children of as great as Romé, as noble, Our names before her, and our deeds her envy, Pet. 'Sdeath, I shall love her. 1 Daugh. To torture ye with suffering, like our slaves; To make ye curse our patience, wish the world Were lost again, to win us only, and esteem The end of all ambitions. Bond. Do ye wonder? We'll make our monuments in spite of fortune; 2 Daugh. Oh, mother, these are fearful hours; In spite of all your eagles' wings, we'll work speak gently A pitch above ye; and from our heart we'll stoop 1 [Stabs herself. In all your stories, dare do this for her honour;" They are cowards, eat coals like compelled cats: Your great saint, Lucrece, Bond. Farewell, with all my heart! We shall Died not for honour. meet yonder, [Exit Nennius. Where few of these must come. Enter one with swords and a great cup. 2 Dough. Oh, my fortune! Bond. How, how? 1 Daugh. Ye shall see my example: All your Rome, If I were proud and loved ambition, 2 Daugh. Good mother, nothing to offend you. If I were greedy, all the wealth ye conquer Bond. Here, wench; Behold us, Romans! Puff! there goes all your pity. Come, short prayers, And let us dispatch the business! You begin; Shrink not, I'll see you do it. 2 Daugh. Oh, gentle mother! Oh, Romans! Oh, my heart! I dare not. Unnatural woman! 2 Daugh. Oh, persuade her, Romans! Alas, I'm young, and would live. Noble mother, Suet. Yield, and be a queen still, A mother, and a friend. Bond. Ye talk! Come, hold it, And put it home, 1 Daugh. Fy, sister, fy! What would you live to be? 2 Daugh. Mercy! Suet. Hear her, thou wretched woman! 2 Daugh. Mercy, mother! Oh, whither will you send me? I was once Your darling, your delight. Bond. Oh, gods! fear in my family? Do it, and nobly. 2 Daugh. Oh, do not frown, then. 1 Daugh. Do it, worthy sister; Bond. Make haste. 1 Daugh. I will-could not entice to live, But two short hours, this frailty. Would ye learn How to die bravely, Romans, to fling off This case of flesh, lose all your cares for ever? Live, as we have done, well, and fear the gods; Hunt honour, and not nations, with your swords; Keep your minds humble, your devotions high; So shall ye learn the noblest part to die. [Dies. Bond. I come, wench.-To ye all, Fate's hang Ye sweat for us in vain else: See him here,[Drinks. He's ours; and still our friend; laughs at your pities; And we command him with as easy reins Tis nothing; 'tis a pleasure: We'll go with you. As do our enemies.-I feel the poison.- 2 Daugh. Oh, if I knew but whither! 1 Daugh. To the blessed; Where we shall meet our father Suet. Woman! Bond. Talk not. Poor vanquished Romans, with what matchless tortures Could I now rack ye! But I pity ye, Desiring to die quiet: Nay, so much I hate to prosecute my victory, 1 Daugh. Where nothing but true joy is That I will give ye counsel ere I die : Car. Thus we afflicted Britons climb for safe- As if ye meant to woo the world and nature, To be in love with death! Most honourable, Excellent Romans, by your ancient valours, As ye love fame, resolve me! Sold. 'Tis the body Of the great captain Penius, by himself Car. Oh, stay, ye Romans, By the religion, which ye owe those gods, What is thy will, Caratach? Cur. Set down the body, The body of the noblest of all Romans; And lend a tear to virtue! Even your foes, Drus. Set down the body, soldiers. Car. Thou hallowed relic, thou rich diamond, Cut with thine own dust; thou, for whose wide fame The world appears too narrow, man's all thoughts, Hengo. Was this Roman, uncle, Car. Thou never knewest thy father. Was such another piece of endless honour, |