English drama -- Early modern and Elizabethan, 1500-1600; Heywood, Thomas, approximately 1574-1641
Tarquin.
It shall, Porsenna. Now this league’s established,
We will proceed in our determined wars,
To bring the neighbour nations under us.
Our purpose is to make young Sextus general
Of all our army, who hath proved his fortunes,
And found them full of favour. We’ll begin
With strong Ardea;--ha’ you given in charge
To assemble all our captains, and take muster
Of our strong army?
Aruns.
That business is dispatched.
Sextus.
We have likewise sent
For all our best commanders, to take charge
According to their merit,--Lord Valerius,
Lord Brutus, Cocles, Mutius Scevola,
And Collatine,--to make due preparation
For such a gallant siege.
Tarquin.
This day you shall set forward. Sextus, go,
And let us see your army march along
Before this king and us, that we may view
The puissance of our host prepared already
To lay high-reared Ardea waste and low.
Sextus.
I shall, my liege.
Tullia.
Aruns, associate him.
Aruns.
A rival with my brother in his honours.
[_Exeunt_ Aruns _and_ Sextus.
Tarquin.
Porsenna shall behold the strength of Rome,
And body of the camp, under the charge
Of two brave princes, to lay hostile siege
Against the strongest city that withstands
The all-commanding Tarquin.
Porsenna.
’Tis an object
To please Porsenna’s eye.
[_Soft march_.
Tarquin.
The host is now
Upon their march. You from this place may see
The pride of all the Roman chivalry.
_Enter_ Sextus, Aruns, Brutus, Collatine, Valerius,
Scevola, Cocles, _with_ Soldiers, _drum and colours. They march
over the stage, and congee to the_ King _and_ Queen.
Porsenna.
This sight’s more pleasing to Porsenna’s eye
Than all our rich Attalia’s[5.36] pompous feasts
Or sumptuous revels: we are born a soldier,
And in our nonage sucked the milk of war.
Should any strange fate lour upon this army,
Or that the merciless gulf of confusion
Should swallow them, we, at our proper charge,
And from our native confines, vow supply
Of men and arms to make these numbers full.
Tarquin.
You are our royal brother, and in you
Tarquin is powerful and maintains his awe.
Tullia.
The like Porsenna may command of Rome.
Porsenna.
But we have in your fresh varieties
Feasted too much, and kept ourself too long
From our own seat: our prosperous return
Hath been expected by our lords and peers.
Tarquin.
The business of our wars thus forwarded,
We ha’ best leisure for your entertainment,
Which now shall want no due solemnity.
Porsenna.
It hath been beyond both expectation
And merit; but in sight of Heaven I swear,
If ever royal Tarquin shall demand
Use of our love, ’tis ready stored for you
Even in our kingly breast.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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