Once more, art thou
determined
to go forth?
Byron
Again, I tell thee, ask not; but by all 170
Thou holdest dear on earth or Heaven--by all
The Souls of thy great fathers, and thy hope
To emulate them, and to leave behind
Descendants worthy both of them and thee--
By all thou hast of blessed in hope or memory--
By all thou hast to fear here or hereafter--
By all the good deeds thou hast done to me,
Good I would now repay with greater good,[el]
Remain within--trust to thy household gods,[em]
And to my word for safety, if thou dost, 180
As I now counsel--but if not, thou art lost!
_Lioni_. I am indeed already lost in wonder;
Surely thou ravest! what have _I_ to dread?
Who are my foes? or if there be such, _why_
Art _thou_ leagued with them? --_thou! _ or, if so leagued,
Why comest thou to tell me at this hour,
And not before?
_Ber_. I cannot answer this.
Wilt thou go forth despite of this true warning?
_Lioni_. I was not born to shrink from idle threats,
The cause of which I know not: at the hour 190
Of council, be it soon or late, I shall not
Be found among the absent.
_Ber_. Say not so!
Once more, art thou determined to go forth?
_Lioni_. I am. Nor is there aught which shall impede me!
_Ber_. Then, Heaven have mercy on thy soul! --Farewell!
[_Going_.
_Lioni_. Stay--there is more in this than my own safety
Which makes me call thee back; we must not part thus:
Bertram, I have known thee long.
_Ber_. From childhood, Signor,
You have been my protector: in the days
Of reckless infancy, when rank forgets, 200
Or, rather, is not yet taught to remember
Its cold prerogative, we played together;
Our sports, our smiles, our tears, were mingled oft;
My father was your father's client, I
His son's scarce less than foster-brother; years
Saw us together--happy, heart-full hours!
Oh God! the difference 'twixt those hours and this!
_Lioni_. Bertram, 'tis thou who hast forgotten them.
Thou holdest dear on earth or Heaven--by all
The Souls of thy great fathers, and thy hope
To emulate them, and to leave behind
Descendants worthy both of them and thee--
By all thou hast of blessed in hope or memory--
By all thou hast to fear here or hereafter--
By all the good deeds thou hast done to me,
Good I would now repay with greater good,[el]
Remain within--trust to thy household gods,[em]
And to my word for safety, if thou dost, 180
As I now counsel--but if not, thou art lost!
_Lioni_. I am indeed already lost in wonder;
Surely thou ravest! what have _I_ to dread?
Who are my foes? or if there be such, _why_
Art _thou_ leagued with them? --_thou! _ or, if so leagued,
Why comest thou to tell me at this hour,
And not before?
_Ber_. I cannot answer this.
Wilt thou go forth despite of this true warning?
_Lioni_. I was not born to shrink from idle threats,
The cause of which I know not: at the hour 190
Of council, be it soon or late, I shall not
Be found among the absent.
_Ber_. Say not so!
Once more, art thou determined to go forth?
_Lioni_. I am. Nor is there aught which shall impede me!
_Ber_. Then, Heaven have mercy on thy soul! --Farewell!
[_Going_.
_Lioni_. Stay--there is more in this than my own safety
Which makes me call thee back; we must not part thus:
Bertram, I have known thee long.
_Ber_. From childhood, Signor,
You have been my protector: in the days
Of reckless infancy, when rank forgets, 200
Or, rather, is not yet taught to remember
Its cold prerogative, we played together;
Our sports, our smiles, our tears, were mingled oft;
My father was your father's client, I
His son's scarce less than foster-brother; years
Saw us together--happy, heart-full hours!
Oh God! the difference 'twixt those hours and this!
_Lioni_. Bertram, 'tis thou who hast forgotten them.
