Page:Lectures on The Historians of Bohemia by Count Lutzow (1905).djvu/24

 sevenfold fire. Then, looking around him, he gazed at Mutina with fierce eyes, and then furiously addressed him thus: “Oh, hated race and brood that is detested by the gods, evil sons of Versovic, household-enemies of our race; will it ever escape my memory how you behaved to my ancestor Jaromir, a prince whom you indeed turned into ridicule, but whose fate is our eternal shame; or shall I forget that your brother Bosý by evil fraud murdered my brother Břetislav, that eminent star in the orbit of princes? What fate also had deserved my brother Bofřivoj, who ruled under your control, and obeyed you as if he had been your purchased slave; yet with your innate pride you would not endure even the modesty of that prince, and you vexed me with your cunning councils till I accepted your advice, and sinning against my brother sinned greatly by depriving him of the throne. This indeed grieves me, and will grieve me for ever.’”

The speech that Cosmas has put into the mouth of Svatopluk is too long to be quoted in its entirety; but I will quote the vivid description of the murder that immediately followed the reproachful speech. Cosmas writes: ‘There was a confused murmur among the audience, and by their approval they yet further incensed the mind of the prince that was already burning with ire. Then the prince left the hall, after making a secret sign to the executioner—Cosmas calls him “lictor” who was standing near him, and who was conscious of his intentions. The executioner immediately attacked Mutina, who was unaware of the danger. Oh, wondrous patience of Count Mutina! Two blows did he receive without moving, but when at the third blow he attempted to rise from his seat, his head was