Virginia: A Tragedy, and Other Poems

by Marion Forster Gilmore

My comfort hath not been denied me—see,
The moonbeams bear the message from the sky.
I hear a song which issues from the stars,
A song of love and hope for a reunion;
Re-born, we, who have loved and lost, shall live
Afar from sin amid the Blessed Isles,
And walk together, soul with soul, and heart
With heart; no drop of passionate blood shall be
Lost in our death, but we shall throb with love,
And laugh amid the light of suns to be.

[A pause. Softly a dim gray light steals through the columns; the moon is sinking slowly. Cornelia turns in sudden terror.

Farewell, immortal friend, go to thy rest;
Thy kindly watch is o'er.
Cor. Virginia, see!
Now dawns the cruel day when thou—when thou—
Ye gods have mercy on us twain this day! [Sobs wildly.
Virginia (pointing to the east). It steals with faltering steps and blushing cheeks.
Call it not cruel; it has wept for me.
The dew is heavy.
(Voice of lictor without.) See, it is the dawn.
Look, comrades!
Virginia (starting as from out a dream). Ah, Cornelia! Sure, I sleep.
Is this my father's house? This four-walled cell,
This prison, and am I Virginia?
Could it have been but yesterday I woke
Within this chamber from a happy dream.
I dreamed of him, my love, Icilius,
And woke still with his kiss upon my lips.
I can recall the flood of morning light,
A billowed sea of light upon the wall.
I watched the changing pools and shifting waves,
And smiled; the music of the fount without,
In rising cadence, played within mine ears,
And presently the stirring of the maids
And hum of spinning reached me and I rose,
Glad, with the day. And now—Cornelia, touch
My cheek lest I be vanishing to air;
Feel if my heart yet beats. Methinks I'm dead;
Even this moment but a roving ghost.
Cor. Courage, Virginia. Why, much hope is left!
To-day thy father will return, and he
Would place his soul in jeopardy for thee.
Virginia. Courage, ay, courage! I am brave again.
It is the dawn. Cornelia, we will seek
The outer court and wash our tears away
In the cool fountain. Once again my cheek
Is hot with spirit and my heart beats swift
With hope and newborn trust in those I love.

[Exeunt the two, their arms wound round each other and Cornelia's lips pressed to Virginia's cheek.

Scene III—The Forum.

A multitude has gathered. Appius is in the judgment seat, with Marcus Claudius stationed beside him. Many women are weeping and the men appear silent and angry. Appius is surrounded by a guard of lictors. Cornelia and Tiberius are seated on the left in a car drawn by slaves. Near the center are gathered Galba, Hortensius, Horatius, and Marius.

Marius. This vast suspense weighs on me heavily;
I would not see that gentle maiden wronged
For all my world possessions! E'en the gods
Would shriek with horror if yon slave of Dis,
Young Marcus Claudius, should seize on her.
Why doth she not appear?
Hort. She and her father,
Who hath returned, hot-foot, from camp to her,
Tarry about the town, and every man
They meet they do address with exhortations
And prayers for justice and for witnesses,
That this gross tale which men do know is false
Shall be so proven. Yet all Rome is prone
Beneath the foot of Appius and his nine
Vile colleagues. Fear is most tyrannical,
Justice is dying, Mercy now is dead.
Marius. Then God alone can help the wretched maid!
Hor. (hotly). Nay, shall she be defiled and made a slave?
Not while my hands are free, my body quick
With lifeblood, and my heart a man's. Why she
Is pure and frail as is the mountain snow.
Happy the man who stands her champion.
Happy Icilius, our young tribune!

[Enter Virginius in mean, plebeian garments and Virginia simply clothed in white, her dark hair loose. A murmur of sympathy and admiration greet their appearance, quickly suppressed. Enter from the other side Icilius, vainly struggling in the hands of armored soldiers. His hair is wild and greatly disheveled, his features white and drawn with agony.

Icilius. Virginia! Ah, my God! Virginia!
Virginia. My Love! My Love! My Love!

[He stretches out his bound arms toward her, and in a moment with a cry she runs to him, regardless of the gazing world, and kneeling at his feet kisses with fervor the hands in bondage for her sake. Murmurs from the multitude.