Early Plays, Henrik Ibsen [best historical fiction books of all time TXT] 📗

in their tepid blood!--

What change is this in me?  My brow burns hot;

A multitude of visions flit before me.--

Vengeance it is,--triumph for all those dreams

Of greatness, regal power, and lasting fame.

My watch-word shall be: livid flames and death!

The capitol!  Now first I am myself!

 

[He rushes out; FURIA follows him.]

 

                *       *       *       *       *

 

[The inside of a dimly illumined tavern.]

 

[STATILIUS, GABINIUS, COEPARIUS, and other young

ROMANS enter.]

 

STATILIUS.  Here, comrades, we can while away the night;

Here we are safe; no one will overhear us.

 

GABINIUS.  Ah, yes; now let us drink, carouse, enjoy!

Who knows how long it will be granted us?

 

STATILIUS.  No, let us first await whatever tidings

Lentulus and Cethegus have for us.

 

GABINIUS.  Bah, let them bring whatever news they will!

Meanwhile the wine is here; come, let us taste.

Quick, brothers, quick,--let's have a merry song!

 

[SERVANTS bring in wine and glasses.]

 

THE ASSEMBLED FRIENDS.  (Sing.)

 

  Bacchus, all praise to thee!

  Joyful we raise to thee

  Brimful the beaker!

  Hail to thee, hail!

  Wine, red and glowing,

  Merrily flowing,

  Drink of the wine-god,--

  This be our song.

 

  Gracious and friendly

  Smiles father Liber;

  Drunkenness waits us;

  Clear is the wine.

  Come, do not tarry!

  Wine will make merry,

  Joyful and airy,

  Body and soul.

 

  Thou above all the

  Glittering bubbles,

  Sparkling Falernian,

  Glorious drink!

  Courage and power,

  These are your dower.

  Gladsome the gift you

  Bring to the soul.

 

  Bacchus, all praise to thee!

  Joyful we raise to thee

  Brimful the beaker!

  Hail to thee, hail!

  Wine, red and glowing,

  Merrily flowing,

  Drink of the wine-god,--

  This be our song.

 

[LENTULUS and CETHEGUS enter.]

 

LENTULUS.  Cease all your song and merriment!

 

STATILIUS.  What now?

Is Catiline not in your company?

 

GABINIUS.  Surely he was quite willing?

 

COEPARIUS.  Come, say forth!

What was his answer?

 

CETHEGUS.  Ah, quite otherwise

Than we expected was his answer.

 

GABINIUS.  Well?

 

LENTULUS.  Well, all of our proposals he declined;--

He would not even hearken to our counsels.

 

STATILIUS.  Is this the truth?

 

COEPARIUS.  And wherefore would he not?

 

LENTULUS.  In short, he will not.  He forsakes his friends,--

Abandons us,--and leaves the city.

 

STATILIUS.  What?

He leaves, you say?

 

CETHEGUS.  'Tis true;--he goes away

This very night.  Yet,--blamed he can not be;

His ground was valid--

 

LENTULUS.  Fear was his excuse!

In danger he forsakes us faithlessly.

 

GABINIUS.  That is the friendship of our Catiline!

 

COEPARIUS.  Never was Catiline faithless or afraid!

 

LENTULUS.  And yet he leaves us now.

 

STATILIUS.  Our hopes go with him.

Where's now the man to take the leadership?

 

COEPARIUS.  He'll not be found; our plan we must forego.

 

LENTULUS.  Not yet, not yet, my friends!  First you shall hear

What I will say.  Now what have we resolved?

That we should win at last by force of arms

What an unrighteous destiny denied.

Tyrants oppress us;--yet we wish to rule.

We suffer want;--yet wealth is our desire.

 

MANY VOICES.  Yes, wealth and power!  Wealth and power we want!

 

LENTULUS.  Yes, yes; we chose a comrade as our chief,

On whom there was no doubt we could rely.

Our trust he fails and turns his back to danger.

Ah, brothers,--be not daunted.  He shall learn

We can succeed without him.  What we need

Is some one man, fearless and resolute,

To take the lead--

 

SOME.  Well, name us such a man!

 

LENTULUS.  And should I name him, and should he comeforth,--

Will you then straightway choose him as your leader?

 

SOME.  Yes, we will choose him!

 

OTHERS.  Yes, we will, we will!

 

STATILIUS.  Then name him, friend!

 

LENTULUS.  Suppose it were myself?

 

GABINIUS.  Yourself?

 

COEPARIUS.  You, Lentulus--!

 

SEVERAL.  [In doubt.]  You wish to lead us?

 

LENTULUS.  I do.

 

CETHEGUS.  But can you?  Such a task requires

The strength and courage of a Catiline.

 

LENTULUS.  I do not lack the courage, nor the strength.

Each to his task!  Or will you now turn back,

Now when the moment seems most opportune?

'Tis now or never!  All things prophesy

Success for us--

 

STATILIUS.  Good;--we will follow you!

 

OTHERS.  We'll follow you!

 

GABINIUS.  Well, now that Catiline

Forsakes our cause, you are no doubt the man

To lead us in our enterprise.

 

LENTULUS.  Then hear

What plan of action I have outlined.  First--

 

[CATILINE enters hastily.]

 

CATILINE.  Here, comrades, here I am!

 

ALL.  Catiline!

 

LENTULUS.  He?

Oh, damned--

 

CATILINE.  Speak out,--what do you ask of me?

Yet stay; I know already what it is.

I'll lead you on.  Say--will you follow me?

 

ALL (EXCEPT LENTULUS).  Yes, Catiline,--we follow if you lead!

 

STATILIUS.  They have deceived us--

 

GABINIUS.  --and belied your name!

 

COEPARIUS.  They said you did intend to leave the city

And wash your hands completely of our cause.

 

CATILINE.  Yes, so I did.  Yet now no more; henceforth

Only for this great purpose do I live.

 

LENTULUS.  What is this mighty purpose you proclaim?

 

CATILINE.  My purpose here is higher than you think--

Perhaps than any thinks.  Ah, hear me, friends!

First will I win to us each citizen

Who prizes liberty and values most

The public honor and his country's weal.

The spirit of ancient Rome is yet alive;--

The last faint spark is not yet wholly dead.

Now into brilliant flames it shall be fanned,

More glorious than ever flames before!

Alas, too long the stifling gloom of thraldom,

Dark as the night, lay blanketed on Rome.

Behold,--this realm--though proud and powerful

It seems--totters upon the edge of doom.

Therefore the stoutest hand must seize the helm.

Rome must be cleansed,--cleansed to the very roots;

The sluggish we must waken from their slumber,--

And crush to earth the power of these wretches

Who sow their poison in the mind and stifle

The slightest promise of a better life.

Look you,--'tis civic freedom I would further,--

The civic spirit that in former times

Was regnant here.  Friends, I shall conjure back

The golden age, when Romans gladly gave

Their lives to guard the honor of the nation,

And all their riches for the public weal!

 

LENTULUS.  Ah, Catiline, you rave!  Nothing of this

Had we in mind.

 

GABINIUS.  What will it profit us

To conjure up again those ancient days

With all their dull simplicity?

 

SOME.  No, no!

Might we demand--

 

OTHERS.  --and means enough to live

A gay and carefree life!

 

MANY VOICES.  That is our aim!

 

COEPARIUS.  Is it for others' happiness and freedom

We stake our lives upon a throw of dice?

 

THE WHOLE GROUP.  We want the spoils of victory!

 

CATILINE.  Paltry race!

Are you the offspring of those ancient fathers?

To heap dishonor on your country's name,--

In such a way you would preserve its lustre!

 

LENTULUS.  And you dare taunt us,--you who long since were

A terrifying token--

 

CATILINE.  True, I was;

I was a terror to the good; and yet,

So paltry as you are was never I.

 

LENTULUS.  Restrain your tongue; we brook no ridicule.

 

MANY.  No, no,--we will not--

 

CATILINE.  [Calmly.]  So?  You timid brood,--

You dare to think of doing something,--you?

 

LENTULUS.  Ah, down with him!

 

MANY VOICES.  Yes, down with Catiline!

 

[They draw their daggers and rush in on him; CATILINE calmly

removes the cloak from his breast and regards them with a cold,

scornful smile; they lower their daggers.]

 

CATILINE.

Thrust!  Thrust!  You dare not?  Oh, my friends, my friends,--

I should respect you, if you plunged your daggers

In this uncovered bosom, as you threaten.

Is there no spark of courage in your souls?

 

SOME.  He means our weal!

 

OTHERS.  His taunts we have deserved.

 

CATILINE.  You have, indeed.--Yet, see,--the hour is come

When you can wash away the blot of shame.

All that is of the past we will forget;--

A new existence is in store for us.

 

CATILINE.  [With bitterness.]

Fool that I am!  To stake success on you!

Burns any zeal within this craven mob?

 

CATILINE.  [Carried away.]

Time was my dreams were glorious; great visions

Rushed through my mind or swept before my gaze.

I dreamed that, winged like Icarus of old,

I flew aloft beneath the vault of heaven;

I dreamed the gods endued my hands with strength

Of giants, offered me the lightning flash.

And this hand seized the lightning in its flight

And hurled it at the city far beneath.

And when the crimson flames lapped all, and rose

As Rome fell crumbling in a heap of ruins,--

Then called I with a loud and mighty voice,

And conjured Cato's comrades from the grave;

Thousands of spirits heard my call and came,--

Took life again--raised Rome from out her ashes.

 

[He breaks off.]

 

CATILINE.  These were but dreams!  Gods do not conjure up

The by-gone past into the light of day,--

And parted spirits never leave the grave.

 

CATILINE.  [Wildly.]  Is now this hand unable to restore

The ancient Rome, our Rome it shall destroy.

Where marble colonnades now towering stand,

Pillars of smoke through crackling flames shall whirl;

Then shall the Capitol crumble from its heights,

And palaces and temples sink to ruin!

 

CATILINE.  Swear, comrades, that you dedicate your lives

To this great purpose!  I shall take the lead.

Say,--will you follow me?

 

STATILIUS.  We'll follow you!

 

[Several seem to be in doubt, and speak in whispers to one

another.  CATILINE regards them with a scornful smile.]

 

LENTULUS.  [In an undertone.]

'Tis best we follow him.  In sunken ruins

We're likeliest to realize our goal.

 

ALL.  [Shouting.]  Yes, Catiline; we'll all--all follow you!

 

CATILINE.  Swear to me by the gods of our great sires

That you will heed my every nod!

 

THE WHOLE GROUP.  [With uplifted hands.]  Yes, yes;

We swear in all things blindly to obey!

 

CATILINE.  Then singly steal your way, by different paths,

Into my house.  Weapons you there will find.

I shall come later; you shall then discover

What plan of action I propose.  Now go!

 

[They all go out.]

 

LENTULUS.  [Detains CATILINE.]

A word!  Know you the Allobrogian tribes

Have to the Senate sent ambassadors

With grievances and charges?

 

CATILINE.  Yes, I know.

They came today into the city.

 

LENTULUS.  Good.

What if we should attune them to our plans?

With them all Gaul will rise up in revolt;

And stir up strife against our enemies.

 

CATILINE.  [Reluctant.]

Ah, we should seek barbarian allies?

 

LENTULUS.  But such a league is a necessity.

With our own strength alone the fight is lost;

Help from without--

 

CATILINE.  [With a bitter smile.]  Ah, Rome is fallen low!

Her walls no longer harbor men with strength

Enough to overthrow a tottering ruin!

 

[They go out.]

 

                *       *       *       *       *

 

[A garden to the rear of CATILINE's house, which is

visible through the trees.  To the left a

side-building.]

 

[CURIUS, CETHEGUS, and OTHER CONSPIRATORS enter

cautiously from the right in whispered conversation.]

 

CURIUS.  But is it really true what you relate?

 

CETHEGUS.  Yes, every word is true.  A moment since

It was decided.

 

CURIUS.  He takes charge of all?

 

CETHEGUS.  Of everything.  Just speak with him yourself.

 

[All, except CURIUS, enter the house.]

 

CURIUS.  An eerie night!  How all my thoughts are tossed

About in circles!  Did I dream perchance?

Ah, real or fancied,--now I am awake,--

Whichever way I turn I see her form.

 

[CATILINE enters from the right.]

 

CATILINE.  [Goes toward him.]

You here, my Curius?  I have missed you much.--

My visit with the vestal took a turn

Quite unexpected--

 

CURIUS.  [Confused.]  So?  Yes, you are right!

 

CATILINE.  I shall no longer think of this affair.

It was a visit fraught with fate for me.

 

CATILINE.  [Meditating.]

The furies, we are told, return at times

From the dark underworld to follow us

Through life forever.--Ah, if it were so!

 

CURIUS.  [Uneasy.]  What?  Have you seen her--?

 

CATILINE.  She was here tonight.--

Yet let this be forgotten.  Curius, listen,--

A weighty undertaking is on foot--

 

CURIUS.  I know it all.  Cethegus told me here--

 

CATILINE.  Who knows what issue for this work the gods

Have set?  Perchance it is my destiny

To perish now, crushed by malignant forces,--

And never reach my goal.  Well, be it so!

But you, dear Curius, you whom I have loved

Since childhood,--you shall not be drawn within

This fateful maelstrom.  Promise me,--remain

Within the city if I elsewhere choose

To open my attack,--which is quite likely;

Nor aid us till success has crowned our work.

 

CURIUS.  [Moved.]

Oh, what a friend and father!  All this care--!

 

CATILINE.  You promise this?  Then here we say farewell;

Wait but a moment; I shall soon return.

 

[He goes into the house.]

 

CURIUS.  [Gazing after him.]

He loves me still.  Of naught is he distrustful.

 

[LENTULUS and OTHER CONSPIRATORS enter from the right.]

 

LENTULUS.  Ah, Curius, did not Catiline just now

Pass through the garden?

 

CURIUS.  Yes, he is within.

 

[They go into the house.]

 

CURIUS.  [Paces about uneasy.]

How shall I curb this longing in my soul?

There is a restless turmoil in my blood.

Ah, Furia,--what a strange, mysterious woman!

Where are you?  When shall I see your face again?

 

CURIUS.  Where has she fled?  Ah, shadow-like she slipped

Away, when I had freed her from the grave.

And those mysterious, prophetic words,--

And more, her eyes, gleaming at once and dimmed--!

What if it were but madness?  Has the grave

With all its terror darkened--?

 

FURIA.  [Behind him among the trees.]  No, pale youth!

 

CURIUS.  [With a cry.]  My Furia!  You--?

 

FURIA.  [Comes nearer.]  Here dwells Catiline.

Where he is,--there must Furia also be.

 

CURIUS.  Oh, come with me, beloved.  I shall lead

You into safety.  Think--if some one saw you!

 

FURIA.  The dead need have no fear.  Have you forgotten--

You took my corpse and brought it from the grave?

 

CURIUS.  Again those terrifying words!  Oh, hear me;--

Come to your senses,--come with me away!

 

[He tries to seize her hand.]

 

FURIA.  [Thrusts him wildly back.]

You reckless fool,--do you not shrink