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

Sec. Sen.
Most true; the law shall bruise him ^note. Enter ^note Alcibiades, attended.

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

First Sen.
Now, captain? ^note

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 't.
He is ^note a man, setting his fate aside,
Of comely virtues:
Nor did he soil the fact with cowardice—
An honour in him which buys out his fault—
But ^note with a noble fury and fair ^note spirit,
Seeing his reputation touch'd ^note to death,
He did oppose his foe ^note:
And with such sober and unnoted ^note passion
He did behave his ^note anger, ere 'twas spent ^note,
As if he had but proved ^note an argument.

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

The worst that man can breathe, and make his wrongs
His outsides, to wear ^{note note} them ^note like his raiment, carelessly, ^note
And ne'er prefer his injuries to his ^note heart,
To bring it into danger.
If wrongs be evils and enforce us kill,
What folly 'tis to hazard life for ill!

Alcib.
My lord,— ^note

First Sen.
You cannot make gross sins look clear:
To revenge is no valour ^note, but to bear ^note.

Alcib.
My lords, then, under favour, pardon me,
If I speak like a captain.
Why do fond men expose themselves to battle,
And not not endure all threats ^note? sleep upon 't ^note,
And let the ^note foes quietly cut their throats,
Without repugnancy ^note? If ^note there be ^note
Such valour in the bearing ^note, what make we
Abroad? why then ^note women are more valiant
That stay at home, if bearing carry it,
And the ass more captain than the lion, the felon
Loaden with irons wiser than the judge,
If wisdom be in suffering. O my lords, ^note
As you are great, be pitifully good:
Who cannot condemn rashness in cold blood?
To kill, I grant, is sin's extremest gust;
But in defence, by mercy, ^note 'tis most ^note just.

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

Sec. Sen.
You breathe ^note in vain.

Alcib.
In vain! His service done
At Lacedæmon and Byzantium ^note
Were a sufficient briber for his life.

First Sen.
What's that?

Alcib.
I say, my lords, has ^note done fair service,
And slain in fight ^note many of your enemies:
How full of valour did he bear himself
In the last conflict, and made plenteous wounds!

Sec. Sen.
He has made ^note too much plenty with 'em; ^note
He's a ^note sworn ^note rioter: he has a sin
That often ^note drowns him and takes his ^note valour prisoner:
If there were no foes ^note, that were enough ^note
To overcome him: in that beastly fury
He has been known to commit outrages
And cherish factions: 'tis inferr'd to us,
His days are foul and his drink dangerous.

First 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 'em both:
And, for I know your reverend ages love
Security, I'll pawn my victories, all ^note
My honours ^note to you, upon ^note his good returns. ^note. ^note
If by this crime he owes the law his life,
Why, let the war ^note receive't in valiant gore;
For law is strict, and war is nothing more.

First 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. ^note

Sec. Sen.
How!

Alcib.
Call me to your remembrances ^note.

Third Sen.
What! ^note

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

First Sen.
Do you dare our anger?
'Tis in ^note few ^note words, but spacious in effect;
We banish thee for ever.

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

First Sen.
If, after two days' shine, Athens contain ^note thee,

Attend our weightier judgement. And, not to swell ^note our spirit, ^note
He shall be executed presently. ^note [Exeunt ^note Senators.

Alcib.
Now the ^note gods keep you old enough ^note, that you may live ^note
Only in bone ^note, that none may look on ^note you!
I'm 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! ^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 ^note for hearts ^note.
'Tis honour with most lands ^note to be ^note at odds;
Soldiers should brook as little ^note wrongs as gods. [Exit.

^note

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