People. Let Regulus remain.

Let Regulus remain.

Regulus

Publius, Attilia, Hamilcar, Barce

Reg. Let Regulus remain! What do I hear? Is't possible the wish should come from you? Can Romans give, or Regulus accept, A life of infamy? Is't possible? Where is the ancient virtue of my country? Rise, rise, ye mighty spirits of old Rome! I do invoke you from your silent tombs; Fabricius, Cocles, and Camillus, rise, And show your sons what their great fathers were. My countrymen, what crime have I committed? Alas! how has the wretched Regulus Deserv'd your hatred?

Lic. Hatred? ah! my friend, It is our love would break these cruel chains.

Hatred?

Reg. If you deprive me of my chains, I'm nothing; 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 Hernici? 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—and I'll 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.

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