They are my honours, riches, titles,—all !
They'll shame my enemies, and grace my country;
They'll waft her glory to remotest climes,
Beyond her provinces and conquer'd realms,
Where yet her conq'ring eagles never flew ;
Nor shall she blush hereafter if she find
Recorded with her faithful citizens
The name of Regulus, the captive Regulus.
My countrymen, what think you, kept in awe
The Volsci, Sabines, Æqui, and Hermini?
The arms of Rome alone? no, 'twas her virtue;
That sole surviving good, which brave men keep
Though fate and warring worlds combine against them :
This still is mine-I will preserve it, Romans!
The wealth of Plutus shall not bribe it from me!
If you, alas! require this sacrifice,
Carthage herself was less my foe than Rome;
She took my freedom-she could take no more ;
But Rome, to crown her work, would take my honour.
My friends! if you deprive me of my chains,
I am no more than any other slave :
Yes, Regulus becomes a common captive,
A wretched, lying, perjur'd fugitive!
But if, to grace my bonds, you leave my honour,
I shall be still a Roman though a slave.
Lic. What faith should be observ'd with savages?
What promise should be kept which bonds extort ?
Reg. Unworthy subterfuge! ah! let us leave
To the wild Arab and the faithless Moor
These wretched maxims of deceit and fraud :
Examples ne'er can justify the coward:
The brave man never seeks a vindication,
Save from his own just bosom and the gods;
From principle not precedent he acts.
As that arraigns him, or as that acquits,
He stands or falls; condemn'd or justified.
Lic. Rome is no more if Regulus departs.
Reg. Let Rome remember Regulus must die!
Nor would the moment of my death be distant
If nature's work had been reserved for nature;
What Carthage means to do, she would have done
As speedily, perhaps, at least as surely.
My wearied life has almost reach'd its goal;
The once warm current stagnates in these veins,
Or through its icy channels slowly creeps-
View the weak arm; mark the pale furrow'd cheek,
The slackened sinew, and the dim sunk eye,
And tell me then I must not think of dying!
How can I serve you else? My feeble limbs
Would totter now beneath the armour's weight,
The burden of that body it once shielded.
You see, my friends, you see, my countrymen,
I can no longer show myself a Roman,
Except by dying like one.-Gracious Heaven
Points out a way to crown my days with glory;
Oh, do not frustrate, then, the will of Jove,
And close a life of virtue with disgrace!
Come, come, I know my noble Romans better;
I see your souls, I read repentance in them;
You all applaud me—nay, you wish my chains :
'Twas nothing but excess of love misled you,
And as you're Romans you will conquer that.
Yes! I perceive your weakness is subdu'd—
Seize, seize the moment of returning virtue;
Throw to the ground, my sons, those hostile arms;
Retard no longer Regulus's triumph;
I do request it of you as a friend,
I call you to your duty as a patriot,
And were I still your gen'ral, I'd command you.
Lic. Lay down your arms—let Regulus depart. [To the People, who clear the way, and quit their arms.] Reg. Gods! gods! I thank you—you indeed are righteous.
Pub. See every man disarm'd. Oh, Rome! oh, father!
At. Hold, hold my heart. Alas! they all obey. Reg. The way is clear. Hamilcar, I attend thee. Ham. Why, I begin to envy this old man!
Man. Not the proud victor on the day of triumph, Warm from the slaughter of dispeopled realms, Though conquer'd princes grace his chariot wheels, Though tributary monarch wail his nod,
And vanquish'd nations bend the knee before him,
E'er shone with half the lustre that surrounds
This voluntary sacrifice for Rome!
Who loves his country will obey her laws;
Who most obeys them is the truest patriot.
Reg. Be our last parting worthy of ourselves, Farewell! my friends.--I bless the gods who rule us, Since I must leave you, that I leave you Romans. Preserve the glorious name untainted still, And you shall be the rulers of the globe, The arbiters of earth. The farthest east, Beyond where Ganges rolls his rapid flood,
Shall proudly emulate the Roman name.
(Kneels.) Ye gods, the guardians of this glorious people, Who watch with jealous eye Æneas' race,
The land of heroes I commit you!
This ground, these walls, this people be your care!
Oh! bless them, bless them with a liberal hand!
Let fortitude and valour, truth and justice,
For ever flourish and increase among them!
And if some baneful planet threat the Capitol
With its malignant influence, oh, avert it !—
Be Regulus the victim of your wrath.—
On this white head be all your vengeance pour'd,
But spare, oh spare, and bless immortal Rome!
Ah! tears? my Romans weep? Farewell! farewell!
ATTILLA struggles to get to REGULUS-is prevented — she faints-he fixes his eye steadily on her for some time, and then departs to the ships.
Man. (looking after him.) Farewell! farewell! thou glory of mankind!
Protector, father, saviour of thy country!
Through Regulus the Roman name shall live,
Shall triumph over time, and mock oblivion.
Farewell! the pride of the immortal coast!
'Tis Rome alone a Regulus can boast.
AND YE SALL WALK IN SILK ATTIRE.
AND ye sall walk in silk attire,
And siller hae to spare,
Gin ye'll consent to be his bride,
Nor think o' Donald mair.1
O wha wad2 buy a silken gown
Wi' a puir broken heart;
Or what's to me a siller crown,
Gin frae3 my love I part?
The mind wha's every wish is pure,
Far dearer is to me;
And ere I'm forced to break
I'll lay me down an' dec!
For I hae pledged my virgin troth
Brave Donald's fate to share;
And he has gi'en to me his heart,
Wi' a' its virtues rare.
1 More. 2 Who would. 3 Since from
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