’Tis necessary he should die.

Nothing emboldens sin so much as mercy.

SECOND SENATOR Most true; the law shall bruise ’im.

⌈Enter Alcibiades at another door, with attendants⌉

ALCIBIADES

Honour, health, and compassion to the senate!

FIRST SENATOR Now, captain.

ALCIBIADES

I am an humble suitor to your virtues;

For pity is the virtue of the law,

And none but tyrants use it cruelly.

It pleases time and fortune to lie heavy

Upon a friend of mine, who in hot blood

Hath stepped into the law, which is past depth

To those that without heed do plunge into’t.

He is a man, setting his feat aside,

Of comely virtues;

Nor did he soil the fact with cowardice—

An honour in him which buys out his fault—

But with a noble fury and fair spirit,

Seeing his reputation touched to death,

He did oppose his foe;

And with such sober and unnoted passion

He did behave his anger, ere ’twas spent,

As if he had but proved an argument.

FIRST SENATOR

You undergo too strict a paradox,

Striving to make an ugly deed look fair.

Your words have took such pains as if they laboured

To bring manslaughter into form, and set quarrelling

Upon the head of valour—which indeed

Is valour misbegot, and came into the world

When sects and factions were newly born.

He’s truly valiant that can wisely suffer

The worst that man can breathe, and make his

wrongs his outsides

To wear them like his raiment carelessly,

And ne‘er prefer his injuries to his heart

To bring it into danger.

If wrongs be evils and enforce us kill,

What folly ’tis to hazard life for ill!

ALCIBIADES

My lord—

FIRST SENATOR You cannot make gross sins look clear.

To revenge is no valour, but to bear.

ALCIBIADES

My lords, then, under favour, pardon me

If I speak like a captain.

Why do fond men expose themselves to battle,

And not endure all threats, sleep upon‘t,

And let the foes quietly cut their throats

Without repugnancy? If there be

Such valour in the bearing, what make we

Abroad? Why then, women are more valiant

That stay at home if bearing carry it,

And the ass more captain than the lion, the felon

Loaden with irons wiser than the judge,

If wisdom be in suffering. O my lords,

As you are great, be pitifully good.

Who cannot condemn rashness in cold blood?

To kill, I grant, is sin’s extremest gust,

But in defence, by mercy, ’tis most just.

To be in anger is impiety,

But who is man that is not angry?

Weigh but the crime with this.

SECOND SENATOR You breathe in vain.

ALCIBIADES In vain?

His service done at Lacedaemon and Byzantium

Were a sufficient briber for his life.

FIRST SENATOR

What’s that?

ALCIBIADES Why, I say, my lords, he’s done fair service,

And slain in fight many of your enemies.

How full of valour did he bear himself

In the last conflict, and made plenteous wounds!

SECOND SENATOR

He has made too much plenty with ‘em.

He’s a sworn rioter; he has a sin

That often drowns him and takes his valour prisoner.

If there were no foes, that were enough

To overcome him. In that beastly fury

He has been known to commit outrages

And cherish factions. ’Tis inferred to us

His days are foul and his drink dangerous.

FIRST SENATOR

He dies.

ALCIBIADES Hard fate! He might have died in war.

My lords, if not for any parts in him—

Though his right arm might purchase his own time

And be in debt to none—yet more to move you,

Take my deserts to his and join ’em both.

And for I know

Your reverend ages love security,

I’ll pawn my victories, all my honour to you

Upon his good returns.

If by this crime he owes the law his life,

Why, let the war receive’t in valiant gore,

For law is strict, and war is nothing more.

FIRST SENATOR

We are for law; he dies. Urge it no more,

On height of our displeasure. Friend or brother,

He forfeits his own blood that spills another.

ALCIBIADES

Must it be so? It must not be.

My lords, I do beseech you know me.

SECOND SENATOR How?

ALCIBIADES

Call me to your remembrances.

THIRD SENATOR What?

ALCIBIADES

I cannot think but your age has forgot me.

It could not else be I should prove so base

To sue and be denied such common grace.

My wounds ache at you.

FIRST SENATOR

Do you dare our anger?

’Tis in few words, but spacious in effect:

We banish thee for ever.

ALCIBIADES

Banish me?

Banish your dotage, banish usury

That makes the senate ugly.

FIRST SENATOR

If after two days’ shine

Athens contain thee, attend our weightier judgement;

And, not to swell your spirit, he shall be

Executed presently.

Exeunt Senators ⌈and attendants⌉

ALCIBIADES

Now the gods keep you old enough that you may live