SCENE 7: The Hill of Venus
The Lusitanians are gathered around Viriathus, including Nicorontes, Audax, Dialco, Minurus, Astolpas, Tongina & Galucias, the sister of Viriathus
Astolpas
Viriathus
Chorus
Viriathus, Viriathus
Astolpas
Watches over us
Chorus
Over us, over us
Aud. Dit. Min
Lusitania’s, Lusitania’s, Lusitania’s sons
Are the Noblest warriors, warriors
Viriathus
No Roman laws
No Roman bread
We live for liberty & justice instead
Chorus
No Roman laws (no Roman laws)
No Roman bread (no Roman bread)
We live for liberty & justice instead
Galucias
My brother dear, my lord & life
This day is bless’d, propitious day
Consul Popilius has come
In a most suppliant way
Enter Popilius, Servilianus & escort
Popilius
Viriathus
Chorus
Viriathus, Viriathus
Popilius
Sir you honour us
Romans
Honour us, honour us
Viriathus
Rome’s emissaries
Chorus
Emissaries, emissaries
Virathus
Welcome among us
Chorus
Among us, among us
Chorus
Welcome, welcome,
Welcome to our home
Welcome! Welcome!
Ye emissaries of Rome
Viriathus
Come & share the simplest fare of our most humble home
Popilius
We bring you gifts, we bring you gifts
We bring you gifts that were sent from the Senate
Viriathus
Let us see, let us see,
Let us see those gifts sent here by your Senate
Viriathus & Tongina inspect the gifts
Tongina
Jewels, delicacies, riches as these
May please the pleasure-eyed people of Rome
Waylaid by treasures of the dullest sort
But in this land our private thought demands
Sobriety & temperance, & rank
Droplets of liberty above dead gold.
Viriathus
We do not live in your decadent sphere,
Think nothing of the trifles you dare gift
Better to leave this place
Servilianus
Harsh seems your tone
Popilius
We meant no insult, only to endow
Best salutations on you both awed
Sealing respect with gifts as is custom
Viriathus
Your gifts mean nothing to us or my wife,
When luxuries & wickedness entwine
What wretched lifetimes sluggishly ensue
Amply destroyed by excessive leisure
Popilius
I ob-
Viriathus
No words, your Latin taints the air
Go, now, go, go tell your noble senate
Viriathus rejects Rome’s vast riches
Servilianus
You might live to regret such utterance
Virathus
Or better that I die debt-shy & free
Exit Romans
Tongina
They forgot their presents
Viriathus
Burn the dresses
Bar one you like the look of best of all
Distribute the food throughout the country
Those jewels let us trade for Gaulish swords
Tongina
What honour in our house, a proconsul
What shame he ever thought he’d be welcome
They wish our flesh fattening in togas
Some citizen of their dismal cities
As servile as an ox-team to their state
Hemmed in by delibitating progress
Which places boxes on another’s tops
& calls them homes
Ditalco
They show signs of weakness
They come to us like decadent lepers
Minurus
They try & bribe us, fearing feats of arms
Now is the time to strike with all our strength
Viriathus
To strike with all our strength we must improve
Double, treble every effort, reject
Defeat even as possibility
Let perseverance imbue extertion
Energize ability, then triumph
Must follow in the footsteps of the bold
Audax
We are with you Viriathus, lead us
To victory
A great cheer
Viriathus
Return, men, to your homes
See your families, rest & love them well
Then on these slopes our brotherhood resume
When next the moon glows full
All
We shall be here!
Astolpas
Viriathus
Chorus
Viriathus, Viriathus
Astolpas
Watches over us
Chorus
Over us, over us
Viriathus
No Roman laws
No Roman bread
We live for liberty & justice instead
Chorus
No Roman laws (no Roman laws)
No Roman bread (no Roman bread)
We live for liberty & justice instead
SCENE 8 – Sierra Morena
Roman Camp in a narrow pass – Proconsul Popilius in his tent – enter Servilianus in a state of agitation
Popilius
Servilianus, whatever the matter?
Your fluster bubbles up with canker fierce
Servilianus
The siege of Erisana is broken,
That Viriathus somehow snook inside
To sally at our circumvallations
Now we are routed, elephants scatter’d,
Hardly a quarto of the force remains,
The foe in hard pursuit
Popilius
How close
Servilianus
A mile
or less….
Alarum blows
Herald
General, Proconsul, we are
Under attack, the camp is over-run
Popilius
Draw you sword, Servilianus, let us
Die today, together, fighting bravely
As would our ancestors, let the Senate
Speak our names with pride, my friend
Servilianus
It is drawn
They embrace / enter Viriathus & several men / Sevilianus & Popilius are standing back to back
Viriathus
Consul Popilius, we bring you gifts
Even your Jupiter could not refuse
They are the gifts of life, you wish to live?
Popilius
Of course, I have a family
Viriathus
& you
Servilianus
I do
Viriathus
Then lower your keen-edged weapons
Servilianus
How can we trust you
Viriathus
Well I understand
How trust wilts fickle under Roman gaze
But this is Lusitania, our word
Our bond, if Lusitanians offer you
Your lives they are assured, submit your arms
{Popilius & Servilianus hand over their weapons}
This is a precinct of Rome no longer
So say the soldiers of our blood conjoined;
Turdentanians, Bastetanians,
Vettones, Conii, Callaecians
Turduli, Carpetnani, Celticii –
Where there’s unity, there is victory,
Before them your legions were defeated,
The dreadful sounds of slaughter snaking ears,
Escape is impossible, surrender
Unconditional must be, the only
Chance you have to save seven thousand lives
Do you accept
Popilius
What are the terms
Viriathus
{pointing to a map}
You must
Withdraw from here & here & here & here
Then recognize our rule in those places
& everywhere from here to here & here
Return’d to Rome, ratified by senate,
Whenever my country in discussion
Say, ‘amici populi romani,’
Popilius
Such butterfly humility you bring,
Request no extraordinary stretch
Servilianus
Your terms are fair, you could have ask’d far more
Viriathus
My people tire of war, too many scenes
Of blood practicioners, this victory
Denoument deserves, let it be enough
You are surrounded & facing
Certain annhialation, your men
Are hiding under barrack tents in fear
We’re set to burn them down with them beneath
Unless prepar’d surrender is now sign’d
{handing over scroll}
Peruse it please
Popilius
Our defeat so assured
{Popilius reads the scroll}
Excellent Latin, tad colloquial,
But polish’d
Viriathus
Will you sign or will you die
Popilius
I will sign
Popilius signs the scroll
Viriathus
Now we are friends & allies
Tho’ better not to socialise today
You both are free to leave, & all your men,
But none of your possessions may you take
Except the shoes & clothes each wears this hour.
Popilius
You are very gracious Viriathus
I promise to personally assure
This treaty in the Senate, made witness
By Proconsul Popilius
Servilianus
& I
General Servilianus
Shall honour its progression into law
You are an admirable opponent
Fighting like some black panther in the dark
Made pale-faced moon look bloody upon Earth,
I’ve never met a mind as sharp as yours
From Syria out to the Belgic Seas.
Popilius
The day has been decided, & our fates
Servilianus, round up the soldiers
I need to write to Rome…
{exit Servilianus, Popilius turns to Viriathus}
So… would you mind
Viriathus
This tent now ours, Popilius, would you…
Popilius
Of course
Exit Popilius
Audax
You see how swiftly he effects
The old, grating, superior manner
The inks not yet dry on the surrender
Before the Romans thought they held command
We should not sit as timid as a lamb
We should just kill them all
Viriathus
But if we do
Rome will never forget, an eternal
Surge of vengeance will break against our land
Minurus
But they will surely break the oath
Viriathus
Perhaps
But if they do we’ll prove their better match
In adventures catching perilous days
Each fresh defeat inspires the beleagur’d,
Far better to refuse such resurgance
& leave them simmering surrender’s stew
Ditalco
Talk later boys, of boring politics,
We share the greatest victory today,
What are we waiting for, lets celebrate
Viriathus
Yes, of course, to the victor goes the spoils
The Romans say, & give the lion’s share
For them who fought like lions in the fray
The Conchordia Folio 