Chapter IV: Act II

SCENE--_The inside of the Temple of Bellona--Seats for the Senators and Ambassadors--Lictors guarding the entrance._

MANLIUS, PUBLIUS, _and Senators_.

_Man._ Let Regulus be sent for to our presence; And with him the ambassador of Carthage. Is it then true the foe would treat of peace?

_Pub._ They wish, at least, our captives were exchang'd, And send my father to declare their wish: If he obtain it, well: if not, then Regulus Returns to meet the vengeance of the foe, And pay for your refusal with his blood: He ratified this treaty with his oath, And ere he quitted Carthage, heard, unmov'd, The dreadful preparations for his death, Should he return. O, Romans! O, my countrymen! Can you resign your hero to your foe? Say, can you give up Regulus to Carthage?

_Man._ Peace, Publius, peace, for see thy father comes.

_Enter_ HAMILCAR _and_ REGULUS.

_Ham._ Why dost thou stop? dost thou forget this temple? I thought these walls had been well known to Regulus?

_Reg._ Hamilcar! I was thinking what I was When last I saw them, and what now I am.

_Ham._ (_to the Consul._) Carthage by me to Rome this greeting sends, That wearied out at length with bloody war, If Rome inclines to peace she offers it.

_Man._ We will at leisure answer thee. Be seated. Come, Regulus, resume thine ancient place.

_Reg._ (_pointing to the Senators._) Who then are these?

_Man._ The Senators of Rome.

_Reg._ And who art thou?

_Man._ What meanst thou? I'm her Consul; Hast thou so soon forgotten Manlius?

_Reg._ And shall a _slave_ then have a place in Rome Among her Consuls and her Senators?

_Man._ Yes!--For her _heroes_ Rome forgets her _laws_; Softens their harsh austerity for thee, To whom she owes her conquests and her triumphs.

_Reg._ Rome may forget, but Regulus remembers.

_Man._ Was ever man so obstinately good? [_Aside._

_Pub._ (_rising._) Fathers! your pardon. I can sit no longer.
[_To the Senators._

_Reg._ Publius, what dost thou mean?

_Pub._ To do my duty: Where Regulus must stand, shall Publius sit?

_Reg._ Alas! O Rome, how are thy manners chang'd! When last I left thee, ere I sail'd for Afric, It was a crime to think of private duties When public cares requir'd attention.----Sit, (_To_ PUBLIUS.) And learn to occupy thy place with honour.

_Pub._ Forgive me, sir, if I refuse obedience: My heart o'erflows with duty to my father.

_Reg._ Know, Publius, that duty's at an end; Thy father died when he became a slave.

_Man._ Now urge thy suit, Hamilcar, we attend.

_Ham._ Afric hath chosen Regulus her messenger. In him, both Carthage and Hamilcar speak.

_Man._ (_to_ REGULUS.) We are prepar'd to hear thee.

_Ham._ (_to_ REGULUS.) Ere thou speak'st, Maturely weigh what thou hast sworn to do, Should Rome refuse to treat with us of peace.

_Reg._ What I have sworn I will fulfil, Hamilcar. Be satisfied.

_Pub._ Ye guardian gods of Rome, With your own eloquence inspire him now!

_Reg._ Carthage by me this embassy has sent: If Rome will leave her undisturb'd possession Of all she now enjoys, she offers _peace_; But if you rather wish protracted war, Her next proposal is, _exchange of captives_;---- If you demand advice of _Regulus_, Reject them both!

_Ham._ What dost thou mean?

_Pub._ My father!

_Man._ Exalted fortitude! I'm lost in wonder. [_Aside._

_Reg._ Romans! I will not idly spend my breath, To show the dire effects of such a peace; The foes who beg it, show their dread of war.

_Man._ But the exchange of prisoners thou proposest?

_Reg._ That artful scheme conceals some Punic fraud.

_Ham._ Roman, beware! hast thou so soon forgotten;

_Reg._ I will fulfil the treaty I have sworn to.

_Pub._ All will be ruin'd.

_Reg._ Conscript Fathers! hear me.---- Though this exchange teems with a thousand ills, Yet 'tis th' example I would deprecate. This treaty fix'd, Rome's honour is no more. Should her degenerate sons be promis'd life, Dishonest life, and worthless liberty, Her glory, valour, military pride, Her fame, her fortitude, her all were lost. What honest captive of them all would wish With shame to enter her imperial gates, The flagrant scourge of slavery on his back? None, none, my friends, would wish a fate so vile, But those base cowards who resign'd their arms Unstain'd with hostile blood, and poorly sued, Through ignominious fear of death, for bondage; The scorn, the laughter, of th' insulting foe. O shame! shame! shame! eternal infamy!

_Man._ However hurtful this _exchange_ may be, The liberty, the life of Regulus, More than compensates for it.

_Reg._ Thou art mistaken.---- This Regulus is a mere mortal man, Yielding apace to all th' infirmities Of weak, decaying nature.----I am old, Nor can my future, feeble services Assist my country much; but mark me well: The young fierce heroes you'd restore to Carthage, In lieu of this old man, are her chief bulwarks. Fathers! in vig'rous youth this well-strung arm Fought for my country, fought and conquer'd for her: That was the time to prize its service high. Now, weak and nerveless, let the foe possess it, For it can harm them in the field no more. Let Carthage have the poor degrading triumph To close these failing eyes;--but, O my countrymen! Check their vain hopes, and show aspiring Afric That heroes are the common growth of Rome.

_Man._ Unequall'd fortitude.

_Pub._ O fatal virtue!

_Ham._ What do I hear? this constancy confounds me.

_Man._ (_to the Senators._) Let honour be the spring of all our actions, Not interest, Fathers. Let no selfish views Preach safety at the price of truth and justice.

_Reg._ If Rome would thank me, I will teach her how. --Know, Fathers, that these savage Africans Thought me so base, so very low of soul, That the poor wretched privilege of breathing, Would force me to betray my country to them. Have these barbarians any tortures left To match the cruelty of such a thought? Revenge me, Fathers! and I'm still a Roman. Arm, arm yourselves, prepare your citizens, Snatch your imprison'd eagles from their fanes, Fly to the shores of Carthage, force her gates, Dye every Roman sword in Punic blood-- And do such deeds--that when I shall return, (As I have _sworn_, and am resolv'd to do,) I may behold with joy, reflected back, The terrors of your rage in the dire visages Of my astonish'd executioners.

_Ham._ Surprise has chill'd my blood! I'm lost in wonder!

_Pub._ Does no one answer? must my father perish?

_Man._ Romans, we must defer th' important question; Maturest councils must determine on it. Rest we awhile:----Nature requires some pause From high-rais'd admiration. Thou, Hamilcar, Shalt shortly know our final resolution. Meantime, we go to supplicate the gods.

_Reg._ Have you a doubt remaining? Manlius, speak.

_Man._ Yes, Regulus, I think the danger less To lose th' advantage thy advice suggests, Than would accrue to Rome in losing thee, Whose wisdom might direct, whose valour guard her. Athirst for glory, thou wouldst rush on death, And for thy country's sake wouldst greatly perish. Too vast a sacrifice thy zeal requires, For Rome must bleed when Regulus expires. [_Exeunt Consul and Senators._

_Manent_ REGULUS, PUBLIUS, HAMILCAR; _to them enter_ ATTILIA _and_ LICINIUS.

_Ham._ Does Regulus fulfil his promise thus?

_Reg._ I've promis'd to return, and I will do it.

_At._ My father! think a moment.

_Lic._ Ah! my friend!

_Lic. and At._ O by this hand we beg----

_Reg._ Away! no more. Thanks to Rome's guardian gods I'm yet a slave! And will be still a slave to make Rome free!

_At._ Was the exchange refus'd? Oh ease my fears.

_Reg._ Publius! conduct Hamilcar and myself To that abode thou hast for each provided.

_At._ A foreign residence? a strange abode? And will my father spurn his household gods?

_Pub._ My sire a stranger?----Will he taste no more The smiling blessings of his cheerful home?

_Reg._ Dost thou not know the laws of Rome forbid A foe's ambassador within her gates?

_Pub._ This rigid law does not extend to thee.

_Reg._ Yes; did it not alike extend to all, 'Twere tyranny.--The law rights every man, But favours none.

_At._ Then, O my father, Allow thy daughter to partake thy fate!

_Reg._ Attilia! no. The present exigence Demands far other thoughts, than the soft cares, The fond effusions, the delightful weakness, The dear affections 'twixt the child and parent.

_At._ How is my father chang'd, from what I've known him!

_Reg._ The fate of Regulus is chang'd, not Regulus. I am the same; in laurels or in chains 'Tis the same principle; the same fix'd soul, Unmov'd itself, though circumstances change. The native vigour of the free-born mind Still struggles with, still conquers adverse fortune; Soars above chains, invincible though vanquish'd. [_Exeunt_ REGULUS _and_ PUBLIUS.

ATTILIA, HAMILCAR _going; enter_ BARCE.

_Barce._ Ah! my Hamilcar.

_Ham._ Ah! my long-lost Barce: Again I lose thee; Regulus rejects Th' exchange of prisoners Africa proposes. My heart's too full.--Oh, I have much to say!

_Barce._ Yet you unkindly leave me, and say nothing.

_Ham._ Ah! didst thou love as thy Hamilcar loves, Words were superfluous; in my eyes, my Barce, Thou'dst read the tender eloquence of love, Th' uncounterfeited language of my heart. A single look betrays the soul's soft feelings, And shows imperfect speech of little worth. [_Exit_ HAMILCAR.

_At._ My father then conspires his own destruction, Is it not so?

_Barce._ Indeed I fear it much; But as the senate has not yet resolv'd, There is some room for hope: lose not a moment; And, ere the Conscript Fathers are assembled, Try all the powers of winning eloquence, Each gentle art of feminine persuasion, The love of kindred, and the faith of friends, To bend the rigid Romans to thy purpose.

_At._ Yes, Barce, I will go; I will exert My little pow'r, though hopeless of success. Undone Attilia! fall'n from hope's gay heights Down the dread precipice of deep despair. So some tir'd mariner the coast espies, And his lov'd home explores with straining eyes; Prepares with joy to quit the treacherous deep, Hush'd every wave, and every wind asleep; But ere he lands upon the well-known shore, Wild storms arise, and furious billows roar, Tear the fond wretch from all his hopes away, And drive his shatter'd bark again to sea.