1 Sen.
My lord, you have my voice to it; the fault's
Bloody; 'tis necessary he should die:
Nothing emboldens sin so much as mercy.

2 Sen.
Most true; the law shall bruise him^{8 note}

Alcib.
Honour, health, and compassion to the senate!

1 Sen.
Now, captain?

Alcib.
I am an humble suitor to your virtues;
For pity is the virtue of the law,
And none but tyrants use it cruelly.
It pleases time, and fortune, to lie heavy
Upon a friend of mine, who, in hot blood,
Hath stepp'd into the law, which is past depth
To those that, without heed, do plunge into it.
He is a man, setting his fate aside^{9 note},
Of comely virtues^{1 note}

Nor did he soil the fact with cowardice;
(An honour in him, which buys out his fault,)
But, with a noble fury, and fair spirit,
Seeing his reputation touch'd to death,
He did oppose his foe:
And with such sober and unnoted passion
He did behave his anger, ere 'twas spent^{2 note}

As if he had but prov'd an argument.

1 Sen.
You undergo too strict a paradox^{3 note},
Striving to make an ugly deed look fair:
Your words have took such pains, as if they labour'd
To bring manslaughter into form, set quarrelling
Upon the head of valour; which, indeed,
Is valour misbegot, and came into the world
When sects and factions were newly born:
He's truly valiant, that can wisely suffer
The worst that man can breathe^{4 note}

Alcib.
My lord,—

1 Sen.
You cannot make gross sins look clear;
To revenge is no valour; but to bear.

Alcib.
My lords, then, under favour, pardon me,
If I speak like a captain,—
Why do fond men expose themselves to battle,
And not endure all threatnings^{5 note}? sleep upon it,
And let the foes quietly cut their throats,
Without repugnancy? but if there be
Such valour in the bearing, what make we
Abroad^{6 note}

Loaden with irons, wiser than the judge,
If wisdom be in suffering. O my lords,
As you are great, be pitifully good:
Who cannot condemn rashness in cold blood?
To kill, I grant, is sin's extremest gust^{8 note}

To be in anger, is impiety;
But who is man, that is not angry?
Weigh but the crime with this.

2 Sen.
You breathe in vain.

Alcib.
In vain? his service done
At Lacedæmon, and Byzantium,
Were a sufficient briber for his life.

1 Sen.
What's that?

Alcib.
Why, I say^{1 note}, my lord's, h'as done fair service,
And slain in fight many of your enemies:
How full of valour did he bear himself
In the last conflict, and made plenteous wounds?

2 Sen.
He has made too much plenty with 'em^{2 note}

1 Sen.
He dies.

Alcib.
Hard fate! he might have died in war.
My lords, if not for any parts in him,
(Though his right arm might purchase his own time,
And be in debt to none,) yet, more to move you,
Take my deserts to his, and join them both:
And, for I know, your reverend ages love
Security, I'll pawn^{5 note}

1 Sen.
We are for law, he dies; urge it no more,
On height of our displeasure: Friend, or brother,
He forfeits his own blood, that spills another.

Alcib.
Must it be so? it must not be. My lords,
I do beseech you, know me.

2 Sen.
How?

Alcib.
Call me to your remembrances^{6 note}
.

3 Sen.
What?

Alcib.
I cannot think, but your age has forgot me;
It could not else be, I should prove so base^{7 note},
To sue, and be denied such common grace:
My wounds ache at you.

1 Sen.
Do you dare our anger?
'Tis in few words, but spacious in effect^{8 note}


;
We banish thee for ever.

Alcib.
Banish me?
Banish your dotage; banish usury,
That makes the senate ugly.

1 Sen.
If, after two days' shine, Athens contain thee,
Attend our weightier judgment. And, not to swell our spirit^{9 note}


,
He shall be executed presently. [Exeunt Senators.

Alcib.
Now the gods keep you old enough; that you may live
Only in bone, that none may look on you!
I am worse than mad: I have kept back their foes,
While they have told their money, and let out
Their coin upon large interest; I myself,
Rich only in large hurts;—All those, for this?
Is this the balsam, that the usuring senate
Pours into captains' wounds? Banishment^{1 note}
?
It comes not ill; I hate not to be banish'd;
It is a cause worthy my spleen and fury,
That I may strike at Athens. I'll cheer up

My discontented troops, and lay for hearts.
'Tis honour, with most lands to be at odds^{2 note}

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