Page:The Palace of Pleasure, Volume 1 (1890).djvu/142



APPIUS CLAUDIUS

impute the wickednefle of Appius Claudius vpon rnee, ne yet that I am a paricide and murderer of mine own children : the life of my dear doughter had bene more acceptable to me then mine owne life, if so be mee might haue continued a free woman, and an honest virgine. But when I fawe me was ledde to the rape like a bondwoman, I confidered, that better it wer her life to be lofte, then fuffered to Hue in shame : wheresore my naturall pitie was conuerted to a kynde of crueltie. And for myne owne parte, I doe not paste to lyue long after her, if I thought I mould not haue your helpe and fuccour to reuenge her death. Confider that your (clues haue doughters, fillers, and wyues, thinke not theresore, that the flefhlye desire of Appius is fatiffied with the death of my doughter. And the longer that he doth continue in this fecuritie, the more vnbrideled is his appetite. Let the calamitie of an other be a fufficient document for you, to beware like iniuries. My wife is dead, by naturall fate and conftellation, and bicause my doughter could continewe no longer in honefte and chaste life, death is befallen vnto her : whiche although it be miferable, yet the fame is honourable. There is nowe no place in my houfe for Appius to satisfie his filthie luste : and I will fayle of my purpose, if I do not reuenge the death of my doughter with so good will vpon his fleshe, as I did difcharge the difhonour and seruitude of her from his violent and cruell handes." This fucclamation and pitifull complainte, so ftirred the multitude, that they pro- mifed all to helpe and relieue his sorowe. Whereupon, the whole Campewere in a mutine and marched in order of battayle to the mounte Auentine, where Virginius perfwaded the Souldiours, to chofe ten principall Captaines, to bee head and chiefe of that en- terprife: whiche with honourable titles of the field, mould be called Tribuni. And Virginius him selfe being elected the chiefe Tribune, fayde these wordes to the Souldiours : "I praye you re- ferue this eftimation, whiche you conceiue of me, vntill some better tyme and apter occafion, as well for your commoditie, as for my selfe. The death of my doughter, will naffer no honour to bee pleafaunt or welcome to me, duringe my life. Moreouer in this troubled state of the common wealth, it is not meete for them to be your gouernours, that be fubiecl: and occurrant to enuie and re-

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