kings rest in their diadems,
Which to their bodies lively souls do give
And, ceasing to be kings, they cease to live.
Shew such another fear, and, by the Gods,
I’ll fling their fury.—

Pet. I think so certainly; yet all my means, sir,
Even to the hazard of my life—

Suet. No more:
We must not seem to mourn here.

Enter Decius.

Dec. There is a breach made;
Is it your will we charge, sir!

Suet. Once more, mercy,
Mercy to all that yield!

Bond. I scorn to answer:—
Speak to him, girl—and hear thy sister.

I Daugh. General,
Hear me, and mark me well, and look upon me,
Directly in my face, my woman’s face,
Whose only beauty is the hate it bears ye;
See with thy narrowest eyes, thy sharpest wishes,
Into my soul, and see what there inhabits;
See if one fear, one shadow of a terror,
One paleness dare appear but from my anger,
To lay hold on your mercies. No, ye fools,
Poor fortune’s fools, we were not born for triumphs,
To follow your gay sports, and fill your slaves
With hoots and acclamations.

Pet. Brave behaviour!

I Daugh. The children of as great as Rome, as noble,
Our names before her, and our deeds her envy,
Must we gild o’er your conquest, make your state,
That is not fairly strong, but fortunate?
No, no, ye Romans, we have ways to ’scape ye,
To make ye poor again, indeed our prisoners,
And stick our triumphs full.

Pet. S’death, I shall love her!

I Daugh. To torture ye with suffering, like our slaves;
To make ye curse our patience, wish the world
Were lost again, to win us only, and esteem [it]
The end of all ambitions.

Bond. Do ye wonder?
We’ll make our monuments in spite of fortune;
In spite of all your eagles’ wings, we’ll work
A pitch above you; and from our height we’ll stoop
As fearless of your bloody soars, and fortunate,
As if we pray’d on heartless doves.

Suet. Strange stiffness!
Decius, go charge the breach.

[Exit Decius.

Bond. Charge it home, Roman;
We shall deceive thee else.—Where’s Nennius!

Enter Nennius.

Nen. They have made a mighty breach.

Bond. Stick in thy body,
And make it good but half an hour.

Nen. I’ll do it.

I Daugh. And then be sure to die.

Nen. It shall go hard else.

Bond. Farewell, with all my heart! We shall meet yonder
Where few of these must come.