SCENE II.

_Before the Walls of Syracuse._

_Enter_ TIMOLEON, ARCHIDAMUS, DIPHILUS, LEOSTHENES, TIMAGORAS, _and Soldiers_.

_Timol._ Thus far we are return'd victorious; crown'd With wreaths triumphant, (famine, blood, and death, Banish'd your peaceful confines,) and bring home Security and peace. 'Tis therefore fit That such as boldly stood the shock of war, And with the dear expense of sweat and blood Have purchased honour, should with pleasure reap The harvest of their toil: and we stand bound, Out of the first file of the best deservers, (Though all must be consider'd to their merits,) To think of you, Leosthenes, that stand, And worthily, most dear in our esteem, For your heroic valour.

_Archid._ When I look on The labour of so many men and ages, This well-built city, not long since design'd To spoil and rapine, by the favour of The gods, and you, their ministers, preserved, I cannot, in my height of joy, but offer These tears for a glad sacrifice.

_Diph._ Sleep the citizens? Or are they overwhelm'd with the excess Of comfort that flows to them?

_Leost._ We receive A silent entertainment.

_Timag._ I long since Expected that the virgins and the matrons, The old men striving with their age, the priests, Carrying the images of their gods before them, Should have met us with procession.--Ha! the gates Are shut against us!

_Archid._ And, upon the walls, Arm'd men seem to defy us!

_Enter above, on the Walls_, MARULLO, POLIPHRON, CIMBRIO, GRACCULO, _and other Slaves_.

_Diph._ I should know These faces: they are our slaves.

_Timag._ The mystery, rascals! Open the ports, and play not with an anger That will consume you.

_Timol._ This is above wonder.

_Archid._ Our bondmen stand against us!

_Grac._ Some such things We were in man's remembrance. The slaves are turn'd Lords of the town, or so--nay, be not angry: Perhaps, upon good terms, giving security You will be quiet men, we may allow you Some lodgings in our garrets or outhouses: Your great looks cannot carry it.

_Cimb._ The truth is, We have been bold to rifle your rich chests, Been busy with your wardrobes.

_Timag._ Can we endure this?

_Leost._ O my Cleora!

_Grac._ A caudle for the gentleman; He'll die o' the pip else.

_Timag._ Scorn'd too! are you turn'd stone? Hold parley with our bondmen! force our entrance, Then, villains, expect----

_Timol._ Hold! You wear men's shapes, And if, like men, you have reason, show a cause That leads you to this desperate course, which must end In your destruction.

_Grac._ That, as please the Fates; But we vouchsafe----Speak, captain.

_Timag._ Hell and furies!

_Archid._ Bay'd by our own curs!

_Cimb._ Take heed you be not worried.

_Poliph._ We are sharp set.

_Cimb._ And sudden.

_Mar._ Briefly thus, then, Since I must speak for all--Your tyranny Drew us from our obedience. Happy those times When lords were styled fathers of families, And not imperious masters! when they number'd Their servants almost equal with their sons, Or one degree beneath them! when their labours Were cherish'd and rewarded, and a period Set to their sufferings; when they did not press Their duties or their wills, beyond the power And strength of their performance! all things order'd With such decorum, as[121] wise lawmakers, From each well-govern'd private house derived The perfect model of a commonwealth. Humanity then lodged in the hearts of men, And thankful masters carefully provided For creatures wanting reason. The noble horse, That, in his fiery youth, from his wide nostrils Neigh'd courage to his rider, and brake through Groves of opposed pikes, bearing his lord Safe to triumphant victory; old or wounded, Was set at liberty, and freed from service. The Athenian mules, that from the quarry drew Marble, hew'd for the temples of the gods, The great work ended, were dismiss'd, and fed At the public cost; nay, faithful dogs have found Their sepulchres; but man, to man more cruel, Appoints no end to the sufferings of his slave; Since pride stepp'd in and riot, and o'erturn'd This goodly frame of concord, teaching masters To glory in the abuse of such as are Brought under their command; who, grown unuseful, Are less esteem'd than beasts.--This you have practised, Practised on us with rigour; this hath forced us To shake our heavy yokes off; and, if redress Of these just grievances be not granted us, We'll right ourselves, and by strong hand defend What we are now possess'd of.

_Grac._ And not leave One house unfired.

_Cimb._ Or throat uncut of those We have in our power.

_Poliph._ Nor will we fall alone; You shall buy us dearly.

_Timag._ O the gods! Unheard-of insolence!

_Timol._ What are your demands?

_Mar._ A general pardon[122] first, for all offences Committed in your absence. Liberty To all such as desire to make return Into their countries; and, to those that stay, A competence of land freely allotted To each man's proper use, no lord acknowledged: Lastly, with your consent, to choose them wives Out of your families.

_Timag._ Let the city sink first.

_Leost._ And ruin seize on all, ere we subscribe To such conditions.

_Archid._ Carthage, though victorious, Could not have forced more from us.

_Leost._ Scale the walls; Capitulate after.

_Timol._ He that wins the top first Shall wear a mural wreath. [_Exeunt._

_Mar._ Each to his place. [_Flourish and alarms._ Or death or victory! Charge them home, and fear not. [_Exeunt_ MARULLO _and Slaves_.

_Re-enter_ TIMOLEON, ARCHIDAMUS, _and Senators_.

_Timol._ We wrong ourselves, and we are justly punish'd, To deal with bondmen, as if we encounter'd An equal enemy.

_Archid._ They fight like devils; And run upon our swords, as if their breasts Were proof beyond their armour.

_Re-enter_ LEOSTHENES _and_ TIMAGORAS.

_Timag._ Make a firm stand. The slaves, not satisfied they have beat us off, Prepare to sally forth.

_Timol._ They are wild beasts, And to be tamed by policy. Each man take A tough whip in his hand, such as you used To punish them with, as masters: in your looks Carry severity and awe: 'twill fright them More than your weapons. Savage lions fly from The sight of fire; and these, that have forgot That duty you ne'er taught them with your swords, When, unexpected, they behold those terrors Advanced aloft, that they were made to shake at, 'Twill force them to remember what they are, And stoop to due obedience.

_Archid._ Here they come.

_Enter from the City_, CIMBRIO, GRACCULO, _and other Slaves_.

_Cimb._ Leave not a man alive; a wound's but a flea-biting, To what we suffer'd, being slaves.

_Grac._ O, my heart! Cimbrio, what do we see? the whip! our masters!

_Timag._ Dare you rebel, slaves! [_The Senators shake their whips, the Slaves throw away their weapons, and run off[123]._

_Cimb._ Mercy! mercy! where Shall we hide us from their fury?

_Grac._ Fly, they follow. O, we shall be tormented!

_Timol._ Enter with them, But yet forbear to kill them: still remember They are part of your wealth; and being disarm'd, There is no danger.

_Archid._ Let us first deliver Such as they have in fetters, and at leisure Determine of their punishment.

_Leost._ Friend, to you I leave the disposition of what's mine: I cannot think I am safe without your sister, She is only worth my thought; and, till I see What she has suffer'd, I am on the rack, And Furies my tormentors. [_Exeunt._

FOOTNOTES:

[121] _As_ is, in this passage, an ellipsis of _that_, as usual. Some of the incidents mentioned in this speech, Massinger derived from Plutarch--GIFFORD.

[122] Mar. _A general pardon_, &c.] It is evident, from the unreasonable nature of these demands, that Pisander does not wish them to be accepted. The last article, indeed, has a reference to himself, but he seems desirous of previously trying the fortune of arms. See, however, the next scene, and his defence in the last act.--GIFFORD.

[123] Herodotus relates this tale, and Justin repeats it. Massinger may have taken it from Purchas's Pilgrims, a book that formed the delight of our ancestors; and in which it is said, that the Boiards of Noviorogod reduced their slaves, who had seized the town, by the whip, just as the Scythians are said to have done theirs.