in The Wounds of Civil War, or Marius and Scilla — Lodge, Thomas
Metadata
Play
The Wounds of Civil War, or Marius and Scilla
Author
Lodge, Thomas
Year (catalogued)
1594
First performance
1588
Decade
1590s
Genre
Tragedy
Play type
Adult Professional
Company
Admiral's (Nottingham's) Men
Speech prefix(es)
Lepid: | Lepidus: | Lepid. | Lep: | Lep.
Words
299
Characters
1586
Typicality
0.21 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A06184
BritDrama no.
802
Cluster
Cluster 17 — Intriguers & schemers
Important excerpts
No keyword-matching excerpt could be extracted (the cluster label doesn't share vocabulary with this character's speech).
Full speech
Amid these confusions mighty men of Room, Why wast we out these troubles all in words, Weep not your harms, but weened we straight so arms, Lo Dis In spoiled, see Marius at our gate And shall we die Like milksops dreaming thus? Your Lordship does injustice to accuse Those who in your behalf did not offend. We will account both Marius and his friends, His son and all his followers free in Room: And since we see the dangerous times at hand, And here of Scillas confidence and hast, And know his hate and ranco to these Lords, And him create for Consul to prevent The policies of Scylla and his friends. Then let us seek to please our Consul first, And then prepare to keep the exile out. Cynna, as Marius and these Lords agree, Firm this Edict, and let it pass for me. Dread Consul the continuance of their lives, Shall egg on Scylla to a greater hast. And in bereaving of their vital breath, Your grace shall force more fury from your foe: Of these extremes we leave the choice to you. We do decree that Scylla shall be General: The name of Tribune hath continued long. Even as our Consuls wish, so let it be And long Marius live with fame in Room. Even there where other Nobles are interred. Such insolence was never seen in Room: Nought wants here but name to make a King. We charge you Consuls now diss lu the Court The Gods contemn this brawl and civi l I rres. Fruteles is dalliance whereas dangers be. I even in death most courage does appear. No storm of fate shall bring my sorrows down, But if that Fortune list, why let her frown. Good fortune to our Consul, worthy Scylla.
Plot summary
Plot — The Wounds of Civil War, or Marius and Scilla
King Mithridates has defied Roman power in Asia Minor, and the consul Sulla has been selected by lot to take reprisals. But Sulla lingers with the army in Capua, and the Senate votes to transfer the command to Marius, a more experienced soldier. Sulla invades the Senate with his troops and threatens to uphold his rights with violence. The senators take sides, and a civil war follows. Sulla is victorious; Marius takes refuge at Minturnum. Sulla proscribes Marius and his allies as traitors, and leads the army to Asia Minor. Marius is warned that his hosts plot his murder, but accepts his fate and goes to sleep. The assassin, Pedro, is unable to go through with the killing, so the magistrates simply ask Marius to leave town. He flees to Africa, and lives in the mountains on a diet of roots. Marius’ son comes to recall him to Rome: the new consul, Cinna, is sympathetic to him. But Sulla returns victorious from the east, and attempts to prevent his rival from entering Italy. Nevertheless Marius reaches Rome, and begins to settle old scores with violence. Cinna deposes and murders his fellow consul Octavius, Marius’ enemy, and Marius is appointed to fill the vacancy. Sulla is proscribed and his property confiscated, and Marius sends his son to engage Sulla’s army in battle. Sulla’s wife and daughter are arrested as they attempt to leave Rome; Marius threatens them with death, but then sends them honourably back to Sulla. Marius dies in office. After a bloody battle, Sulla enters Rome victorious and compiles an extensive death-list of his enemies. Young Marius holes up in Praeneste, the last stronghold of resistance, but after a siege he concedes the inevitable and commits suicide; Sulla’s forces conquer the city and put the inhabitants to the sword. Sulla is proclaimed dictator, and insists that the appointment be made perpetual; but he soon finds that supreme power brings with it a troubled mind, and resigns the office. He plans to retire to the country, but a spirit appears with a prophecy of his death. He takes his leave of his family, and is buried with great pomp.