The Siege of Numantia Page #20

The Siege of Numantia is a tragedy by Miguel de Cervantes set at the siege of Numantia. The play is divided into four acts. The dialogue is sometimes in tercets and sometimes in redondillas, but for the most part in octaves.

• History

								

      For what grave reason, in what fearful way,
      They hurried on to ruin utterly,
      With such a grand and terrible display.

SCIPIO.

      And was, mayhap, my breast filled full and high
      With barbarous arrogance and deaths combined,
      And clean devoid of righteous cruelty?
      Is it, perchance, quite foreign to my mind
      To treat the vanquished with the mercy due,
      As fits the victor who is brave and kind?
      Right badly in Numantia's town ye knew
      The manly valour reigning in my breast,
      Which burns to conquer and to pardon too!

QUINTUS FABIUS.

      My lord, Jugurtha may have news the best
      Concerning that which thou desir'st to know,
      For see, he now returns with much unrest.

            [JUGURTHA returns by the same wall.

JUGURTHA.

      O prudent General, 'tis vain to shew
      Thy valour further here; some otherwhere
      Thy matchless skill and industry bestow.
      Thy work is over in Numantia there;
      They all are dead and gone, save one, I ween,
      Who still doth live to give thee triumph rare.
      Within that very tower, as I have seen,
      There right in front of us, doth lurk a youth,
      Alarm'd and timid, but of gentle mien.

SCIPIO.

      This is enough to make, if it be truth,
      In Rome my triumph o'er Numantia sure,
      For more I do not now desire, in sooth.
      Let us go straightway thither, and procure
      Some means to get the youth within our hands,
      Alive, for that is needful to secure.

VIRIATO[14] [from the tower].

      What come ye here to seek? Ye Roman bands,
      If ye would fain within Numantia go,
      There's nought to hinder ye in all these lands!
      But with my tongue I give you here to know,
      That I possess this city's ill-kept keys,
      Which Death hath triumphed over as a foe!

SCIPIO.

      O youth, I come desirous to have these;
      But more to let thee know what lies for thee
      Of pity in this bosom, if thou please.

VIRIATO.

      Too late is all thy tardy clemency,
      When there are none to claim it, since I go
      To face the rigour of our stern decree;
      For that resolve, so full of grief and woe,
      Made by my kinsmen and my country dear,
      Hath caused the fearful, final end ye know.

QUINTUS FABIUS.

      This rash endeavour dazzles thee, I fear;
      Say, dost thou hold it as a dreadful fate
      To keep thy life in all its bloom and cheer?

SCIPIO.

      Assuage, O tender youth, thine ardour great,
      Subject the slender valour thou hast stored
      To mine, which hath more honour and more weight;
      For from this day I pledge my faith and word
      That thou wilt be, what more canst thou require,
      Thine only master, and thy proper lord;
      And thou wilt jewels have and rich attire,
      And live a life as happy and as free
      As I can give thee, and thou canst desire,
      If thou surrender with good-will to me!

VIRIATO.

      The complete fury of the countless dead
      Within this city, now reduced to dust;
      Their fear of pactions with the foeman made;
      Their horror of subjection all unjust;
      Numantia's hatreds and her rancours dread,
      I hold them all within this heart as trust;
      I am the heir of all her bravery:
      What folly then to think of conquering me!
      Belovèd land, O town unfortunate,
      Fear not that I, reared in thy bosom dear,
      Do rave about my duty in this strait,
      Or e'er will flinch through promise or through fear!
      Though country fail me now, and Heaven and Fate,
      Though all the world conspire to crush me here,
      It cannot be that I will ever do
      What is not worthy of thy valour true!
      If to this hiding-place I ran through fear,
      The fear of speedy death and desperate,
      I'll sally forth, with mind and courage clear,
      Impelled to follow and to share thy fate.
      Vile dread hath passed, and I will offer here
      Amends as daring as the fault was great;
      And this the error of my guileless age
      I'll pay by dying with a manly rage!
      O valiant citizens, I here maintain
      That I do hold your grand resolve as trust,
      That these base Romans shall no triumph gain,
      Unless it be above our very dust!
      Their scheming plans with me shall prove in vain,
      If so they deal at me a deadly thrust,
      Or wile me on, with promises of weight,
      To life and pleasure, that wide-opened gate!
      Hold, Romans, let your burning ardour cease,
      To break the wall ye have no need to move;
      For though your mighty power should more increase,
      Ye shall not conquer me, as I shall prove!
      My firm resolve ye now may view in peace,
      And if ye doubt the pure and perfect love
      Which I have cherished for my country dear,
      This fall of mine will straightway make it clear!

            [He hurls himself from the tower.

SCIPIO.

      O matchless action, worthy of the meed
      Which old and valiant soldiers love to gain!
      Thou hast achieved a glory by thy deed
      Not only for Numantia, but for Spain!
      Thy valour strange, heroical indeed,
      Hath robbed me of my rights, and made them vain,
      For with thy fall thou hast upraised thy fame,
      And levelled down my victories to shame!
      O could Numantia gain what she hath lost,
      I would rejoice, if but to see thee there!
      For thou hast reaped the gain and honour most
      Of this long siege, illustrious and rare!
      Bear then, O stripling, bear away the boast,
      Enjoy the glory which the Heavens prepare,
      For thou hast conquered, by thy very fall,
      Him who in rising falleth worst of all!

            [A trumpet sounds and FAME enters.

FAME.

      From land to land let my clear voice extend,
      And, with its sweetest, most melodious sound,
      To every soul an ardent longing lend
      To make this deed eternally renowned!
      Raise, Romans, raise your heads, which lowly bend,
      Bear off this body, which such vigour found,
      In green and tender age, to snatch from you
      The glorious triumph which you thought your due!
      For I, who am the far-resounding Fame,
      For ever on, while moves the orb of light
      With step majestic through the heavenly frame,
      And gives this lower world new strength and might,
      Will give good heed to publish and proclaim
      With tongue of truth, with wingèd words and right,
      Numantia's valiant worth, unique and sole,
      From Nile to Baltic and from pole to pole.
      This peerless deed hath given proofs most plain
      What valour, in the ages yet to be,
      Shall dwell within the sons of mighty Spain,
      The heirs of such ancestral bravery!
      The cruel scythe of death shall work in vain,
      And eke the flight of time, to hinder me
      From sounding forth in song, without control,
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