[At this point the body moves and shudders.
[At this point the body moves and shudders.
Thou rebel soul, seek now the home againThou leftest empty these few hours ago!
Thou rebel soul, seek now the home againThou leftest empty these few hours ago!
Thou rebel soul, seek now the home again
Thou leftest empty these few hours ago!
The Body.[9]
Restrain the fury of thy reckless pain;Suffice it, O Marquino, man of woe,What I do suffer in the realms obscure,Nor give me pangs more fearful to endure.Thou errest, if thou thinkest that I crave,For greater pleasure and for less dismay,This painful, pinched, and narrow life I have,Which even now is ebbing fast away.Nay, rather dost thou cause me dolour grave,Since Death a second time, with bitter sway,Will triumph over me in life and soul,And gain a double palm, beyond control.For he and others of the dismal bandWho do thy bidding, subject to thy spell,Are raging round and round, and waiting stand,Till I shall finish what I have to tell:The woeful end, most terrible and grand,Of our Numantia, since I know it well:For she shall fall, and by the hands austereOf those who are to her most near and dear.The Romans ne'er shall victory obtainO'er proud Numantia; still less shall sheA glorious triumph o'er her foemen gain;Twixt friends and foes, both brave to a degree,Think not that settled peace shall ever reignWhere rage meets rage in strife eternally.The friendly hand, with homicidal knife,Will slay Numantia, and will give her life.
Restrain the fury of thy reckless pain;Suffice it, O Marquino, man of woe,What I do suffer in the realms obscure,Nor give me pangs more fearful to endure.Thou errest, if thou thinkest that I crave,For greater pleasure and for less dismay,This painful, pinched, and narrow life I have,Which even now is ebbing fast away.Nay, rather dost thou cause me dolour grave,Since Death a second time, with bitter sway,Will triumph over me in life and soul,And gain a double palm, beyond control.For he and others of the dismal bandWho do thy bidding, subject to thy spell,Are raging round and round, and waiting stand,Till I shall finish what I have to tell:The woeful end, most terrible and grand,Of our Numantia, since I know it well:For she shall fall, and by the hands austereOf those who are to her most near and dear.The Romans ne'er shall victory obtainO'er proud Numantia; still less shall sheA glorious triumph o'er her foemen gain;Twixt friends and foes, both brave to a degree,Think not that settled peace shall ever reignWhere rage meets rage in strife eternally.The friendly hand, with homicidal knife,Will slay Numantia, and will give her life.
Restrain the fury of thy reckless pain;
Suffice it, O Marquino, man of woe,
What I do suffer in the realms obscure,
Nor give me pangs more fearful to endure.
Thou errest, if thou thinkest that I crave,
For greater pleasure and for less dismay,
This painful, pinched, and narrow life I have,
Which even now is ebbing fast away.
Nay, rather dost thou cause me dolour grave,
Since Death a second time, with bitter sway,
Will triumph over me in life and soul,
And gain a double palm, beyond control.
For he and others of the dismal band
Who do thy bidding, subject to thy spell,
Are raging round and round, and waiting stand,
Till I shall finish what I have to tell:
The woeful end, most terrible and grand,
Of our Numantia, since I know it well:
For she shall fall, and by the hands austere
Of those who are to her most near and dear.
The Romans ne'er shall victory obtain
O'er proud Numantia; still less shall she
A glorious triumph o'er her foemen gain;
Twixt friends and foes, both brave to a degree,
Think not that settled peace shall ever reign
Where rage meets rage in strife eternally.
The friendly hand, with homicidal knife,
Will slay Numantia, and will give her life.
[He hurls himself into the sepulchre, and says:
[He hurls himself into the sepulchre, and says:
I say no more, Marquino, time is fleet;The Fates will grant to me no more delay,And though my words may seem to thee deceit,Thou'lt find at last the truth of what I say.
I say no more, Marquino, time is fleet;The Fates will grant to me no more delay,And though my words may seem to thee deceit,Thou'lt find at last the truth of what I say.
I say no more, Marquino, time is fleet;
The Fates will grant to me no more delay,
And though my words may seem to thee deceit,
Thou'lt find at last the truth of what I say.
Marquino.
O fearful signs! O misery complete!If such events, my friend, are on the way,Before I gaze on this my people's doomI'll end my wretched being in this tomb!
O fearful signs! O misery complete!If such events, my friend, are on the way,Before I gaze on this my people's doomI'll end my wretched being in this tomb!
O fearful signs! O misery complete!
If such events, my friend, are on the way,
Before I gaze on this my people's doom
I'll end my wretched being in this tomb!
[Marquinohurls himself into the sepulchre.
[Marquinohurls himself into the sepulchre.
Morandro.
Say, Leoncio, am I right,Are not my forebodings true?That my hopes and pleasures tooChange into the opposite?Who can Fate and Fortune brave?Shut and barred is every way,Save, and let Marquino say,Certain death and speedy grave.
Say, Leoncio, am I right,Are not my forebodings true?That my hopes and pleasures tooChange into the opposite?Who can Fate and Fortune brave?Shut and barred is every way,Save, and let Marquino say,Certain death and speedy grave.
Say, Leoncio, am I right,
Are not my forebodings true?
That my hopes and pleasures too
Change into the opposite?
Who can Fate and Fortune brave?
Shut and barred is every way,
Save, and let Marquino say,
Certain death and speedy grave.
Leoncio.
What are all these strange illusions?Terrors grim and phantasies.What are signs and witcheries?Diabolical delusions.Thinkest thou such things have worth?Slender knowledge dost thou show;Little care the dead belowFor the living here on earth.
What are all these strange illusions?Terrors grim and phantasies.What are signs and witcheries?Diabolical delusions.Thinkest thou such things have worth?Slender knowledge dost thou show;Little care the dead belowFor the living here on earth.
What are all these strange illusions?
Terrors grim and phantasies.
What are signs and witcheries?
Diabolical delusions.
Thinkest thou such things have worth?
Slender knowledge dost thou show;
Little care the dead below
For the living here on earth.
Milvio.
Such a monstrous sacrificeNever had Marquino made,Could our fate have been delayed,Which he saw with prophet's eyes.Let us tell this tale of woeTo the town whose end is near;But on such an errand drearWho will stir one step to go?
Such a monstrous sacrificeNever had Marquino made,Could our fate have been delayed,Which he saw with prophet's eyes.Let us tell this tale of woeTo the town whose end is near;But on such an errand drearWho will stir one step to go?
Such a monstrous sacrifice
Never had Marquino made,
Could our fate have been delayed,
Which he saw with prophet's eyes.
Let us tell this tale of woe
To the town whose end is near;
But on such an errand drear
Who will stir one step to go?
[Exeunt.
[Exeunt.
End of Act II.