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• The Works of Voltaire: the Dramatic Works of Voltaire Vol. Ix— Part I
• Alzire
• Dramatis PersonÆ.
• Act I.
• Act II.
• Act III.
• Act IV.
• Act V.
• Orestes
• Dramatis PersonÆ.
• Act I.
• Act II.
• Act III.
• Act IV.
• Act V.
• SÉmiramis
• Dramatis PersonÆ.
• Act I.
• Act II.
• Act III.
• Act IV.
• Act V.
• Catiline
• Dramatis PersonÆ.
• Act I.
• Act II.
• Act III.
• Act IV.
• Act V.
• Pandora
• Dramatis PersonÆ.
• Act I.
• Act II.
• Act III.
• Act IV.
• Act V.
• The Dramatic Works of Voltaire Vol. Ix—part Ii
• The Scotch Woman
• Dramatis PersonÆ.
• Act I.
• Act II.
• Act III.
• Act IV.
• Act V.
• Nanine
• Dramatis PersonÆ.
• Act I.
• Act II.
• Act III.
• The Prude
• Dramatis PersonÆ.
• Act I.
• Act II.
• Act III.
• Act IV.
• Act V.
• The Tatler
• Dramatis PersonÆ.
• Act I.

ACT III.

SCENE I.

catiline, cethegus, martian, septimus.

catiline.

• Are all things ready? do our troops advance?

martian.

• Even so, my lord; the faithful Mallius comes
• Prepared to circle these devoted walls;
• Our friends impatient brook not dull delay,
• But urge each other to the bloody scene;
• We wait but thy command; appoint the hour
• When Rome must fall.

catiline.

• Soon as I quit the senate
• Begin the sacrifice: let this great day
• Be sacred to destruction: but meantime
• Take special care the consul’s busy friends
• Do not observe our motions.

cethegus.

• Were it not
• Most prudent to destroy him in the senate?
• He has alarmed the people, and foresees
• Our every action.

catiline.

• Knows he the revolt
• Of Mallius? knows he Catiline’s deep designs?
• Knows he an army is approaching for me?
• Fear not, my friends, ours is no common cause,
• ’Tis fit the means should be proportioned to it:
• When vulgar mortals, grovelling and obscure,
• Form ill-digested schemes, and idle plans
• Of future greatness, if one slender wheel
• Is broke, it overthrows the whole machine:
• But souls like ours, a firm and chosen band,
• Plans deeply laid, the conquerors of kings,
• The sons of Mars, united to support
• And raise each other, these must be superior
• To Cicero’s art, or Cicero’s vigilance:
• We’ve naught to fear.

cethegus.

• But is Præneste ours
• In Cæsar’s name?

catiline.

• Ay; that was my first stroke
• Of policy: the unsuspecting senate
• Will be deceived: I’ve whispered it abroad,
• That Nonnius hath conspired against the state,
• And half our credulous fools believe the tale.
• Ere he can clear his innocence, my army
• Will be in Rome, and all secured: away,
• Remove Aurelia: let no little cares
• Intrude to stop or hurt the great design.

SCENE II.

aurelia, catiline, cethegus, etc.

aurelia.

• [A letter in her hand.
• There, Catiline, read Aurelia’s fate and thine,
• Thy crime and thy just sentence.

catiline.

• What rash hand—
• Ha! ’tis thy father’s.

aurelia.

• Read it.

catiline.

• [Reads the letter.
• “Death too long
• Hath spared me, and the child I loved too well
• Must finish my sad days: at length I suffer
• For my own follies, and that hapless marriage
• Which I consented to; I know the plots
• Of thy vile husband: Cæsar has betrayed us,
• And would have seized Præneste: thou partakest
• The treason: but repent, or perish with them.”
• But how could Nonnius e’er discover that
• Which even the consul knows not?

cethegus.

• This may prove
• Our ruin.

catiline.

• [To Cethegus.
• It may turn to our advantage.
• Aurelia, I must tell thee all: this day
• The world is armed in Catiline’s defence:
• Say, in the hour of danger wilt thou serve
• A father or a husband?

aurelia.

• To be silent,
• And trouble thee no more, were the commands
• Which Catiline laid on his neglected wife,
• Spite of her fond entreaties, prayers, and tears:
• What hast thou further to desire?

catiline.

• Away:
• This moment, send that letter to the consul;
• I have my reasons; I would have him know,
• That Cæsar is as much to be suspected
• As I am: he’s accused, and Catiline not
• So much as named: it is as I could wish.
• Take with thee our loved infant, and return not
• To bleeding Rome, till I am master there:
• Then thou shalt reign with me: our marriage yet
• Is kept a secret: I’ll not have it known,
• ’Till at the head of our victorious army
• I shall proclaim it loud to Italy,
• And to the world: then shall thy haughty father,
• As our first subject, humbly bend before thee,
• And sue to be forgiven: begone, Aurelia,
• And leave me to my fate. I would not wish
• Thou shouldst partake my dangers or my cares:
• This night prepare to meet a conqueror.

aurelia.

• O Catiline, meanest thou to destroy thy country?
• Is this the day appointed for destruction?

catiline.

• To-day I purpose to chastise my foes;
• All is prepared.

aurelia.

• Begin then with Aurelia;
• For I had rather perish by thy hand,
• Than live to share thy guilt.

catiline.

• O let the tie
• That binds us—

cethegus.

• Drive not thus to desperation
• A husband and a friend, who trusts his all
• To thee; thou art entered in the paths of glory,
• And to retreat were fatal.

aurelia.

• Misery
• And sure destruction were Aurelia’s fate:
• From that unhappy moment, when by thee
• And thy vile counsels led, I gave my hand
• To Catiline; despised, neglected, long
• Have I beheld, with eyes of detestation,
• Your horrid plots: spite of myself you made me
• A vile accomplice; but you know I loved,
• And basely have imposed upon my weakness:
• I blush to think how grossly you abused
• A woman’s fond credulity; but know
• I’ll no longer be guilty of a crime
• Which I abhor: no longer serve a tyrant:
• No, I renounce my vows, my faith to thee;
• These hands shall rise against thee, thou vile traitor:
• Henceforth I am thy foe. Strike, Catiline, strike;
• Destroy me; carry into burning Rome,
• For thy first victim, an expiring wife
• Slain by thy hand; destroy the hapless infant,
• Sad pledge of our detested nuptials: then,
• Barbarian as thou art, complete thy guilt,
• And in the blood of millions glut thy vengeance.

catiline.

• And is the gentle, kind Aurelia then
• Amongst my foes? thus in the noblest war,
• That e’er was waged for freedom and for empire,
• When Pompey, Cæsar, Cato, are subdued,
• My worst of enemies at last are found
• In my own house; I am deserted there
• For an unworthy father: threatened too.

aurelia.

• I threaten guilt, and tremble for—a husband:
• Even in my rage thou seest my tenderness;
• Abuse it not, it is my only weakness:
• But I would have thee fear—

catiline.

• That word, Aurelia,
• Was never made for Catiline—but hear me:
• I love thee; yet presume not on thy power,
• Nor think I e’er will sacrifice my friends,
• My noble cause, my interest, and my fame,
• Glory and empire: no, it is enough
• If I forgive and pity thee, but know—

aurelia.

• The crown thy pride looks up to I despise:
• I should behold it as the shameful mark
• Of infamy: thou showest thy love for me
• By pity and forgiveness; and I mine,
• By holding back, if possible, thy hand
• From guilt and error—therefore will I go—

SCENE III.

catiline, cethegus, lentulus-sura, aurelia, etc.

lentulus-sura.

• We are discovered, lost, undone; our friends
• Betrayed, our plots unravelled all; Præneste
• Not yielded to us; Nonnius is in Rome;
• One of our spies is seized, and has confessed;
• Nonnius in open senate will accuse
• His son-in-law; he’s gone to Cicero,
• Who knows too much already.

aurelia.

• Now behold
• The fruits of guilt, and all thy great designs,
• Thy boasted fortunes, empire, and the throne,
• Which I despised: are thy eyes opened yet?

catiline.

• [After a long pause.
• This is a blow I thought not of; but say,
• Wilt thou betray me?

aurelia.

• ’Tis what thou deservest:
• My country claims, and heaven demands it of me;
• But I’ll do more, I’ll save both Rome and thee;
• And though I have not all thy rage, may boast
• Some of thy courage; love will make me brave:
• Long since I saw thy danger, Catiline:
• ’Tis come, and now I will partake it with thee;
• I’ll see my father, and obtain thy life,
• Or lose my own; I know he is forgiving,
• Gentle, and mild: I know he loves Aurelia,
• And will not urge too far a foe like thee,
• Desperate and brave; I’ll talk to Cicero
• Who fears, and to the senate who adores thee;
• They will be glad to think thee innocent;
• Those whom we fear we readily forgive:
• But let sincerest penitence atone
• For thy past crimes: convicted guilt by that,
• And that alone, can hope for pardon; though
• I know it hurts thy pride, it must be done:
• At least I hope I shall procure thee time,
• Or to quit Rome, or to defend thyself:
• I’ll not reproach thee; even when most guilty
• I loved, and in misfortune will not leave thee;
• But rather die to save thy life and glory.
• Farewell; let Catiline learn henceforth to trust me;
• I have deserved it.

catiline.

• Sad alternative;
• It is most dreadful—but I yield to thee:
• Remember that a husband’s plea is stronger,
• Much stronger than a father’s: if I err,
• The crime is thine.

aurelia.

• I’ll take it all upon me;
• Nay, even thy hatred, if it must be so;
• I act for thee, and I’m satisfied.
• Daughter, and wife, and Roman, every duty
• Shall be performed; remember thine, and keep
• Thy heart as pure and spotless as Aurelia’s.

SCENE IV.

catiline, cethegus, lentulus-sura, freedmen.

lentulus-sura.

• Is this the bold and fearless Catiline,
• Or Nonnius’ timid son; a woman’s slave;
• Appalled by phantoms? how thy great soul shrunk
• Soon as Aurelia spoke!

cethegus.

• It cannot be;
• Catiline will never change; his noble soul
• By opposition grows but more resolved:
• Præneste lost, the senate our accusers,
• We may be conquerors still, and make them tremble
• Whilst they condemn us; we have noble friends,
• And will deserve them.

lentulus-sura.

• Ere the signal’s given
• We may be seized; thou knowest at dead of night,
• Just as the senate part, we had agreed
• To execute our purpose: what, my friends,
• Must be resolved on?

cethegus.

• [To Catiline.
• Catiline, thou art silent,
• And tremblest too.

catiline.

• I tremble at the blow
• Which I shall strike; my fate demands it of me.

lentulus-sura.

• I’ve no dependence on Aurelia: all
• That we can hope for is to sell our lives
• As dearly as we can.

catiline.

• I count the moments,
• And weigh each circumstance; Aurelia’s tears
• And flattery will a while suspend our fate;
• Cicero on other business is detained,
• And all is safe; let me have arms and men,
• No matter who they are, or slaves or free,
• Assassins, robbers, if they will but fight,
• We’ll have them: thou brave Septimus, and thou
• My dearest Martian, whose approved zeal
• I shall depend on, must observe Aurelia;
• And Nonnius; when they’re parted, talk to him
• About his daughter; tell him of her danger,
• Draw him by artful means to the dark path
• That leads to the Tiber, seize the lucky moment,
• And hurl him—ha! who’s this?

SCENE V.

cicero, catiline, cethegus, etc.

cicero.

• Audacious traitor,
• Where art thou going? speak, Cethegus, who
• Assembled you?

catiline.

• We’ll tell thee in the senate.

cethegus.

• There we shall see if thou art authorized
• Thus to pursue us.

lentulus-sura.

• Or what right
• The son of Tullius has to question us.

cicero.

• At least I have a right to ask of these,
• Who brought them here: these are not like yourselves,
• Of senatorial rank; away with them.
• To prison.

catiline.

• Darest thou thus on mere suspicion
• Confine a Roman; where’s our liberty?

cicero.

• They are of thy council, that’s sufficient cause;
• Tremble, thyself; lictors, obey.
• [The lictors carry off Septimus and Martian.

catiline.

• ’Tis well:
• Go on, proud consul, and abuse thy power,
• The time will come when thou shalt answer for it.

cicero.

• Instant I will examine them, hereafter
• Thus may I treat their masters; Nonnius knows
• All thy designs, Præneste’s mine, and Rome
• Prepared for her defence; we soon shall see
• Which most prevails, or Catiline’s artifice
• Or Cicero’s vigilance: I do not preach
• Repentance and forgiveness to thee; no,
• I talk of punishment, thou mayest expect it:
• Come to the senate; follow if thou darest.

SCENE VI.

catiline, cethegus, lentulus-sura.

cethegus.

• Must we at last then bend to Cicero,
• And own his hated power?

catiline.

• To the last hour
• I will defy him: still his curious soul
• Pries into all, but can discover nothing:
• Our friends will only lead him more astray,
• By holding out false lights that will misguide
• His wandering footsteps: in that fatal scroll
• Cæsar’s accused; the senate is divided,
• And Manlius with his army’s at the gate:
• You think that all is lost, but follow me.
• And mark the event; we shall be conquerors still.

lentulus-sura.

• Nonnius, I fear, will make it all too plain.

catiline.

• But he and Cicero shall never meet;
• Depend on that; away, address the senate
• With confidence, and leave the rest to me:
• But whither am I going?

cethegus.

• Ha!

catiline.

• Aurelia!
• O gods! what shall I do with that proud heart?
• Remove her from me: if I see my wife,
• Bold as I am, I shall relapse: away.

End of the Third Act.