Vet. Agreed!

Licin. Away, then!

If you have any friend as yet unpledg'd,
Change oaths with him!

Vet. When meet we in the Forum ?

Licin. At the third hour.-It is the hour of fate. If they repeal his laws-farewell to Rome!

[Exeunt severally.-VET. and Рoм. R.-LIC. L.

SCENE II.-CAIUS GRACCHUS's House.-Two Chairs on as before.

Enter CORNELIA and LICINIA, L.

Licin. You'll speak to him?

Cor. I will.

Licin. You'll urge him not

To go? You would not throw your richest gem
Away, though you might give't to one did know
Its value, and did covet it?

Cor. I would not.

Licin. He's coming.-[Going.]-Mother!-
Cor. I have said, Licinia!

:

[Exit LICINIA, L.

Yes there's a point where virtue stops. 'Tis there
Where she but loses labour.-Ha!-but is

Her labour ever lost?—I can't debate

That question now.-Nature wont let me.--She's
Too strong, and I must play the humble part
She sets me.-Had he not a wife and child-
He's here!

[Retires.

Enter CAIUS GRACCHUS, R. without perceiving his Mother.

C. Grac. I'll wrestle with him for at least

This throw!-My laws! What! abrogate my laws!

O insolence of tyranny! Well, well!

We are not so weak as let him.-Were he twice

The Consul, he shall not lay hands on them.

Yea, though our blood

Cor. [Advancing calmly, L.] Caius, a word with

you.

There's Fulvius Flaccus waiting at the door
With a whole crowd of citizens. Is't you

They want?

C. Grac. It is.

Cor. 'Tis best, son, to deal frankly

With your mother. What's on foot?-No matter!

Hear me.

I do not like that Flaccus. He's a man

Hath more ambition than integrity,

And zeal than wisdom. Is he of your party?
C. Grac. He is.

Cor. The sooner then you break with him

The better. Send him word you cannot come.

C. Grac. My word's already pledg'd to go with him To the Forum.

Cor. On what errand, Caius Gracchus ? Is it about your laws they would annul? Mind, Caius, you're no longer Tribune! C. Grac. Fear not!

I shall be prudent.

[Going.

Cor. [Stopping him.] Stop, Caius. [Takes his hand.] I can almost think you still

The boy did con his lessons at my knee,

And I could rule in all his little moods

With but a look.-Ay, Caius-but a look

Of your mother's, made you calm as sunshine, in Your biggest storm! I would not lose you, Caius ! "Caius, I would not lose you!-Go not to

The Forum!"

C. Grac. Mother-is it you?
Cor. Ay, son!

It is your mother, feels that she is all
The mother-whatsoe'er she seems.-
Be left a son, my Caius."-Go not to
The Forum!

"I would

C. Grac. Wherefore, mother? What is there That I should fear?

Cor. Your brother's blood, my son!

Do I not know you, Caius? "Can I not read you,
Without your tongue to help me?" Does not his blood
Cry for revenge; and is your ear unapt

To hear it?-Caius, that dear brother's death's
The life of all thy acts!-'Twas that did plead
For Vettius-ask'd the Tribuneship-reviv'd
Tiberius's laws-defied the Senate-made thee
Like a God to Rome, dealing out fate-and, now
Thou art no longer arm'd with thy great office,
Would lead thee forth to sacrifice." My son,
Go not to the Forum! "Tis a worthless cause!
Why should you go, my Caius ? To defend
Your laws from abrogation? Think of them

For whom you made those laws-the fickle people
Did lend a hand to pull you from your seat,

And raise up them they shake at!" Thou art single!
Thou hast no seconds! "Tis a hopeless struggle!
So sunk are all, the heart of public virtue

Has not the blood to make it beat again!

C. Grac. And should I therefore sink with the base times?

What, mother, what!-Are the gods also base?
Is virtue base? Is honour sunk? Is manhood
A thing contemptible-and not to be
Maintain'd? Remember you Messina, mother?
Once from its promontory we beheld
A galley in a storm; and as the bark
Approach'd the fatal shore, could well discern
The features of the crew with horror all
Aghast, save one! Alone he strove to guide
The prow, erect amidst the horrid war
Of winds and waters raging.-With one hand
He rul'd the hopeless helm-the other strain'd
The fragment of a shiver'd sail-his brow
The while bent proudly on the scowling surge,
At which he scowl'd again.-The vessel struck!
One man alone bestrode the wave, and rode
The foaming courser safe! 'Twas he, the same !-
You clasp'd your Caius in your arms, and cried,
Look, look, my son! the brave man ne'er despairs;
And lives where cowards die !' I would but make

Due profit of your lesson.

Cor. Caius !-Caius !

C. Grac. Mother-I-
Cor. My son !

C. Grac. Well, I'll not go. [Sits down.] I will be rul'd by you,

If you please; let men say what they list of me.
I care not if they whisper as I pass,

And point, and smile, and say to one another,
Lo the bold Tribune Gracchus ! Lo the man
'Did lord it o'er the senate!' What is't to me!
I know I am your son, and would approve it
If I might-but since you will not have it so,
I'll stay from the Forum, mother; I'll not go
To the Forum.

Cor. Know the people you did promise

To go?

C. Grac. Are they not here with Fulvius Flaccus,

Expecting me? But let them go with him;

He'll speak for them.-He'll be their friend.-He'll dare
Oppose the Senate.-He'll preserve my laws
If he can.-If there's no other man to speak
For liberty, he'll do it! Pray you, mother,
Send Lucius to them-tell them I'll not go
Abroad to-day.

Cor. You must "go to the Forum!"-You must. "C. Grac. Not if you will it not.

Cor. I neither will it,

Nor will it not."

C. Grac. Unless you bid me go, They go without me!

Cor. Why, I think as it is,

You cannot help but go. I know not what's
The matter. 'Tis perhaps the fears of thy wife
Infect me--but I've dark forebodings, Caius.
What will be left me, should I lose thee, son?
C. Grac. My monument !

Cor. Go to the Forum. Go!
You are Cornelia's son !

C. Grac. My only use

Of life's to prove it!

Cor. Go! Go! Go! my Caius.

[Crosses to R. turns and embraces.-Exeunt, COR. R. C. GRAC. L.

SCENE III.-A Square.-The Statue of Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus.

Enter C. GRACCHUS, TITUS, MARCUS, and Citizens,

R. U. E.

C. Grac. What son of Rome may not his country call To do her service? Romans, you desire

I should defend your laws from abrogation,

And I obey you.

Tit. Worthy Caius !

C. Grac. Some coldness there has been between us; but

We know the cause, and so are friends again.
"Our enemies may once prevail by cunning,
But not a second time." Now, show yourselves
The men you should be. If your liberties
And rights are dear to you, be faithful to them.
Fear not the Senate-Call upon the tribes-
Be freemen-none will dare to make you slaves!

Enter FLACCUs, R.

Flac. Caius! the Consul is about to pass, Proceeding to the sacrifice which he

Has order'd, to give impious sanctity

To his designs against you.

C. Grac. Pray you now,

My friends, observe good order. Let them pass.

[All the Citizens yet to L. corner.

Music.-A Procession of Priests, &c. cross the Stage, followed by OPIMIUS, as Consul, attended by DRUSUS and Senators. Seeing GRACCHUS, OPIMIUS stops.

Opi. What! do you wait to interrupt us here, You, Caius Gracchus, Fulvius, and the rest, With your lewd rabble!

C. Grac. You may see, Opimius, The way is clear for you.

Opi. O! is it so ?

'Tis well, indeed, you give us leave to pass
You're very humble now, good Caius Gracchus!
Drusus! is this the man that thought to ride
The necks of the Senators? This the lawgiver
That parcell'd out the lands of the Patricians?
Why, yes!-'Tis Caius Gracchus !

C. Grac. True, Opimius,

True! It is Caius Gracchus.

Opi. How! So humble?

"What! this the gentleman that rail'd at us
The other day, with such a fearless tongue?
Call'd us luxurious, proud, oppressors, tyrants;
The common robbers of the state? This he?"

What knave may not grow honest! Speak your soul, man !

Tell us you hate us. Spurn us, mock us, and
Revile us, as you wont to do. I hate

The double villain. We are not the Consul !
These are not Lictors! Gracchus does not fear
To let us know his thoughts?

C. Grac. I will not stay

[Crosses to R.

To give you plea of quarrel.

Know, Opimius,

The shadow of her greatness.

[Exit, R.

The man that loves his country, may respect

Opi. Ha!-Take heed.

Look to your safety.-On to the sacrifice.

[Music.-Exeunt OPIMIUS and his party, L. U. E.