1 Sen.

SCENE VI.

Changes to the Senate boufe.

M

Senators, and Alcibiades.

my

Y Lord, you have voice to't. The fault's bloody;

'Tis neceffary he should die.

Nothing emboldens fin fo much as mercy.

z Sen. Moft true; the law fhall bruise him. Ale. Health, Honour, and Compaflion to the fenate! Sen. Now? Captain.

Alc. I am an humble fuitor to your Virtues
For Pity is the virtue of the law,

And none but tyrants ufe it cruelly.
It pleases time and fortune to lie heavy
Upon a friend of mine, who in hot blood
Hath ftept into the law, which is paft depth
To thofe that without heed do plunge into't,
" He is a man, fetting his fault afide,
Of comely virtues;

Nor did he foil the fact with cowardife,
An honour in him which buys out his fault,
But with a noble fury, and fair fpirit,
Seeing his reputation touch'd to death,
He did oppose his foe.

5 He is a man, &c.] I have printed thefe lines after the original copy, except that, for an bonour, it is there, and honour. All the latter editions deviate

6

Of virtuous bonour, which bays out his fault;

Nor did he foil, &c.

fetting HIS fault afide,

unwarrantably from the original, We must read, and give the lines thus :

He is a man, Jetting bis fault afide,

THIS fault.

WARBURTON.

And

And with fuch fober 7 and unnoted paffion 'He did behave his anger ere 'twas spent, As if he had but prov'd an argument.

Sen. You undergo too ftrict a Paradox, Striving to make an ugly deed look fair;

Your words have took fuch pains, as if they labour'd
To bring Man-flaughter into form, and fet quarrelling
Upon the head of valour; which, indeed,

Is valour mif-begot, and came into the world.
When fects and factions were but newly born.
He's truly valiant, that can wifely fuffer

The worst that man can breathe,' and make his wrongs
His outfides; wear them like his rayment, careley;
And ne'er prefer his Injuries to his heart,

To bring it into danger.

If wrongs be evils, and inforce us kill,
What folly 'tis to hazard life for ill?

Alc. My Lord,

I Sen. You cannot make grofs fins look clear; It is not valour to revenge, but bear.

Alc. My lords, then, under favour, pardon me, If I fpeak like a Captain.

Why do fond men expose themselves to battle,

7 -and unnoted paffion] Unnoted, for common, bounded.

WARBURTON. 8 He did behave his anger] Behave, for curb, manage. But the Oxford Editor equips the old Poet with a more modifh phrase,

He did bebave in's anger A paltry clipt jargon of modern fops, for behave himself. WARB.

He did behold bis adverfary

fhent,

As if he bad but prov'd an argument. He looked with fuch calmness on his flain adversary.

9 Fou undergo too frit a paradox.] You undertake a paradox too hard.

The original copy reads not bebave but behoove. I do not well understand the paffage in either It reading. Shall we try a daring conjecture?

with fuch fober and unnoted pashion

-and make his wrongs His OUTSIDES; wear THEM like bis raiment, carelefly ;] should be read and pointed thus,

and make his wrongs His outfide wear; bang like his raiment, care'efly. WARE. The prefent reading is better. And

And not endure all threatnings, fleep upon't,
And let the foes quietly cut their throats,
Without repugnancy? but if there be

Such valour in the bearing, what make we
Abroad? why then, fure, women are more valiant,
That flay at home, if bearing carry it;

3 The afs, more than the lion; and the fellow,
Loaden with irons, wifer than the judge;
If wisdom be in suff'ring. Oh, my Lords,
As you are great, be pitifully good;

Who cannot condernn Rafhnefs in cold blood?
To kill, I grant, is fin's extreamest gust,
But, in defence, 5 by mercy, 'tis most just.
To be in anger is impiety,

But who is man, that is not angry ?
Weigh but the crime with this.

2 Sen. You breathe in vain.

Alc. In vain? His Service done At Lacedemon and Byzantium,

Were a fufficient briber for his life.

1 Sen. What's that?

Alc. Why, I fay, my Lords, ha's done fair fervice, And flain in battle many of your enemies; How full of valour did he bear himself In the last conflict, and made plenteous wounds? 2 Sen. He has made too much plenty * with 'em, "He's a fworn rioter; he has a fin

That often drowns him, and takes valour prifoner,
If there were no foes, That were enough
To overcome him. In that beaftly fury
He has been known to commit outrages,
And cherish factions. 'Tis inferr'd to us,
His days are foul, and his Drink dangerous.
1 Sen. He dies. ·

Alc. Hard fate! he might have died in war.
My Lords, if not for any parts in him,

(Though his right arm might purchafe his own time,
And be in debt to none;) yet more to move you,
Take my deferts to his, and join 'em both.
And for I know, † your reverend ages love
Security, I'll pawn my victories,

All my honour to you, on his good returns.
If by this crime he owes the law his life,
Why, let the war.receive't in valiant gore;
For law is ftrict, and war is nothing more.

i Sen. We are for law, he dies. Urge it no more, On height of our difpleafure. Friend, or brother, He forfeits his own blood, that fpills another.

with 'em,] The folio,

swith him.
6 He's a SWORN rioter; he has
a fin
That often drowns him, and
takes valour prifoner.] What
worn rioter? We fhould

is a

read,

He's a sWOLN rioterthat is, given to all exceffes, as

he fays of another in another place, fo furfeit-fwoln or fwell'd. WARBURTON. A fworn rioter is a man who practifes riot, as if he had by an oath made it his duty.

+ your reverend ages love Security, He charges then obliquely with being ufurers.

Ale:

Alc. Muft it be fo? it must not be.

My Lords, I do befeech you, know me:

2 Sen. How?

Alc. Call me to your remembrances.

3 Sen. What!

Alc. I cannot think but your age hath forgot me It could not elfe be, I should prove fo bafe, To fue, and be deny'd fuch common grace. My wounds ake at you.

1 Sen. Do you dare our anger?

'Tis in few words, but fpacious in effect; We banish thee for ever.

Alc. Banifh me!

Banish your Dotage, banish Ufury,

That make the Senate ugly.

1 Sen. If, after two day's fhine, Athens contains thee, Attend our weightier judgment.

9 And, not to fwell our fpirit, He shall be executed prefently.

[Exeunt:

Alc. Gods keep you old enough, that you may live

Only in bone, that none may look on you!

I'm worse than mad. I have kept back their foes,
While they have told their money, and let out
Their coin upon large intereft; I myself,
Rich only in large hurts -All thofe, for this?
Is this the balfam that the ufuring fenate
Pours into Captains wounds? Banifhment?
It comes not ill; I hate not to be banisht,
It is a caufe worthy my fpleen and fury,