Complete Works of Henrik Ibsen (9 page)

CURIUS. Oh no; but save yourself while there is time!
You are betrayed —

[Prostrates himself before him.]

CATILINE.
[Starts back.]
Betrayed! What are you saying?

CURIUS. Betrayed by one in friendly guise!

CATILINE. You err;
These stormy friends are loyal even as you.

CURIUS. Then woe to you for all their loyalty!

CATILINE. Compose yourself! It is your love for me,
Your interest in my safety, that has wakened
Imaginary dangers in your mind.

CURIUS. Oh, do you know these words do murder me?
But flee! I do entreat you earnestly —

CATILINE. Be calm and speak your mind. Why should I flee?
The enemy knows not where I make my stand.

CURIUS. Indeed he does, — he knows your every plan!

CATILINE. What, are you mad? He knows — ? Impossible!

CURIUS. Oh, were it so! But use the hour remaining;
Still you may save yourself perhaps in flight!

CATILINE. Betrayed? No, — ten times no; impossible!

CURIUS.
[Seizes his dagger and holds it out to him.]
Catiline, plunge this dagger in my bosom; —
Straight through the heart! ‘Twas I betrayed your plans!

CATILINE. You? What madness!

CURIUS. Yes, it was in madness!
Ask not the reason; scarce I know myself;
I say, — I have revealed your every counsel.

CATILINE.
[In bitter grief.]
Now have you killed my faith in sacred friendship!

CURIUS. Oh, send the dagger home, and torture me
No longer with forbearance — !

CATILINE.
[Kindly.]
Live, my Curius!
Arise! You erred; — but I forgive you all.

CURIUS.
[Overcome.]
O Catiline, my heart is crushed with grief — !
But hasten; flee! There is no time to tarry.
Soon will the Roman troops invade your camp;
They’re under way; on every side they come.

CATILINE. Our comrades in the city — ?

CURIUS. They are captured; —
Some were imprisoned, most of them were killed!

CATILINE.
[To himself.]
What fate — what fate!

CURIUS.
[Again holds out the dagger to him.]
Then plunge it in my heart!

CATILINE.
[Looks at him calmly.]
No, you were but a tool.
You acted well —

CURIUS. Oh, let me die and expiate my sin!

CATILINE. I have forgiven you.

CATILINE.
[As he goes.]
But one thing now
Is there to choose!

CURIUS.
[Jumps up.]
Yes, flight!

CATILINE. Heroic death!

[He goes away through the forest.]

CURIUS. ‘Tis all in vain! Ruin awaits him here.
This mildness is a tenfold punishment!
I’ll follow him; one thing I shall be granted: —
To perish fighting by the hero’s side!

[He rushes out. LENTULUS and TWO GLADIATORS come stealing among the trees.]

LENTULUS.
[Softly.]
Some one was speaking —

ONE OF THE GLADIATORS. Aye, but now all’s quiet.

THE OTHER GLADIATOR. Perchance it was the sentinel relieved
Of duty.

LENTULUS. That may be. This is the place;
Here shall you wait. Are both your weapons sharp,
Ground for their purpose?

THE FIRST GLADIATOR. Bright as is the lightning!

THE SECOND GLADIATOR.
Mine, too, cuts well. In the last Roman games
Two gladiators died beneath this sword.

LENTULUS. Then stand you ready in this thicket here.
And when a man, whom I shall designate,
Goes toward the tent, then shall you rush out quick
And strike him from behind.

THE FIRST GLADIATOR. It shall be done!

[Both GLADIATORS conceal themselves; LENTULUS goes spying around.]

LENTULUS.
[To himself.]
It is a daring game I here attempt; —
Yet must it be performed this very night,
If done at all. — If Catiline should fall,
No one can lead them on except myself;
I’ll purchase them with golden promises,
And march without delay upon the city,
Where still the senate, struck with panic fear,
Neglects to arm itself against the danger.

[He goes in among the trees.]

THE FIRST GLADIATOR.
[Softly to the other.]
Who is this stranger we must fall upon?

THE SECOND GLADIATOR. What matters it to us who he may be?
Lentulus pays our hire; the blame is his:
He must himself defend the act we do.

LENTULUS.
[Returns quickly.]
Stand ready now; the man we wait is coming!

[LENTULUS and the GLADIATORS lie in wait among the bushes.]

[Soon after, CATILINE comes through the forest and goes toward the tent.]

LENTULUS.
[Whispering.]
Out! Fall upon him! Strike him from behind!

[All three rush on CATILINE.]

CATILINE.
[Draws his sword and defends himself.]
Ah, scoundrels, — do you dare to — ?

LENTULUS.
[To the GLADIATORS.]
Cut him down!

CATILINE.
[Recognizes him.]
You, Lentulus, would murder Catiline?

THE FIRST GLADIATOR.
[Terrified.]
He it is!

THE SECOND GLADIATOR.
[Draws back.]
Catiline! I’ll never use
The sword on him. Come flee!

[Both GLADIATORS make their escape.]

LENTULUS. Then die by mine!

[They fight; CATILINE strikes the sword from the hand of Lentulus; the latter tries to escape, but CATILINE holds him fast.]

CATILINE. Murderer! Traitor!

LENTULUS.
[Entreating.]
Mercy, Catiline!

CATILINE. I spell your plans upon your countenance.
You wished to murder me, and put yourself
Into the chieftain’s place. Was it not so?

LENTULUS. Yes, Catiline, it was even so!

CATILINE.
[Looks at him with repressed scorn.]
What then?
If ‘tis the power you want, — so let it be!

LENTULUS. Explain, — what do you mean?

CATILINE. I shall resign;
And you may lead the army —

LENTULUS.
[Surprised.]
You resign?

CATILINE. I shall. But be prepared for all events;
Know this — our undertaking is revealed:
The senate is informed of every plan;
Its troops hem us about —

LENTULUS. What do you say?

CATILINE. Now shall I call a council of our friends;
Do you come too, — announce your leadership;
I shall resign.

LENTULUS.
[Detains him.]
One moment, Catiline!

CATILINE. Your time is precious; ere the dawn of day
You may expect an onslaught —

LENTULUS.
[Anxiously.]
Hear me, friend!
Surely you jest? It is impossible —

CATILINE. Our project, I have told you, is betrayed.
Show now your firmness and sagacity!

LENTULUS. Betrayed? Then woe to us!

CATILINE.
[Smiles scornfully.]
You paltry coward!
You tremble
now
; — yet
you
would murder
me
;
You think a man like you is called to rule?

LENTULUS. Forgive me, Catiline!

CATILINE. Make your escape
By hurried flight, if still it can be done.

LENTULUS. Ah, you permit me then — ?

CATILINE. And did you think
It was my purpose to forsake this post
In such an hour as this? You little know me.

LENTULUS. O, Catiline — !

CATILINE.
[Coldly.]
Waste not your moments here!
Seek your own safety; — I know how to die.

[He turns away from him.]

LENTULUS.
[To himself.]
I thank you for these tidings, Catiline; —
I shall make use of them to serve my end.
‘Twill stand me in good stead now that I know
This region well; I’ll seek the hostile army
And guide it hitherward by secret paths,
To your destruction and to my salvation. —
The serpent that you trample in the dust
So arrogantly still retains its sting!

[He goes.]

CATILINE.
[After a pause.]
This is the trust I built my hopes upon!
Thus one by one they leave me. Oh ye gods!
Treason and cowardice alone stir up
The sullen currents of their slavish souls.
Oh, what a fool am I with all my hopes!
I would destroy yon viper’s nest, that Rome, —
Which is long since a heap of sunken ruins.

[The sound of arms is heard approaching; he listens.]

CATILINE. They come, they come! Still are there valiant men
Among them. Ah, the joyous clang of steel!
The merry clash of shields against each other!
Anew the fire kindles in my breast;
The reckoning is near, — the mighty hour
That settles every doubt. I hail the day!

[MANLIUS, STATILIUS, GABINIUS, and many OTHER CONSPIRATORS come through the forest.]

MANLIUS. Here, Catiline, come your friends and comrades true;
In camp I spread the alarm, as you commanded —

CATILINE. And have you told them — ?

MANLIUS. Yes, — they know our plight.

STATILIUS. We know it well, and we shall follow you
With sword in hand to fight for life and death.

CATILINE. I thank you all, my comrades brave in arms!
But do not think, my friends, that life or death
Is ours to choose; — our only choice is this:
Death in heroic battle with the foe,
Or death by torture when like savage beasts
We shall be hounded down relentlessly.
Ah, which do you prefer? To risk in flight
A wretched life prolonged in misery,
Or like your proud and worthy sires of old
To perish nobly on the battlefield?

GABINIUS. We choose to fight and die!

MANY VOICES. Lead us to death!

CATILINE. Then let us be off! Through death we shall achieve
The glorious life of immortality.
Our fall, our name, through distant generations
Shall be proclaimed with lofty pride —

FURIA.
[Calls out behind him among the trees.]
— O terror!

SOME VOICES. Behold, — a woman — !

CATILINE.
[Startled.]
Furia! You — you here?
What brought you here?

FURIA. Ah, I must lead you on
To your great goal.

CATILINE. Where is my goal, then? Speak!

FURIA. Each mortal seeks his goal in his own way.
And you seek yours through ever hopeless strife;
The struggle yields defeat and certain death.

CATILINE. Yet also honor and immortal fame!
Go, woman! Great and noble is this hour!
My heart is closed against your raucous cries.

[AURELIA appears in the door of the tent.]

AURELIA. My Catiline — !

[She stops, terrified at the sight of the throng.]

CATILINE.
[Painfully.]
Aurelia, — oh, Aurelia!

AURELIA. What is the trouble? All this stir in camp —
What is on foot here?

CATILINE. You I could forget!
What will your fate be now — ?

FURIA.
[Whispers scornfully, unnoticed by AURELIA.]
Ah, Catiline,
Already wavering in your high resolve?
Is this your death defiance?