:03:08
O reverend Tribunes!
:03:10
O gentle, aged men!
:03:12
Unbind my sons!
:03:15
Reverse the doom of death!
:03:17
And let me say,
that never wept before,
:03:20
my tears are now prevailing orators!
:03:24
O noble Father, you lament in vain.
:03:25
The tribunes hear you not.
No man is by.
:03:28
And you recount your sorrows
to a stone!
:03:33
Lucius!
:03:35
For thy brothers let me plead!
:03:38
Grave Tribunes,
once more I entreat of you...
:03:43
My gracious lord,
no tribune hears you speak.
:03:48
Why, 'tis no matter, man.
:03:50
If they did hear,
they would not mark me,
:03:53
or if they did mark,
they would not pity me.
:03:58
Therefore I tell my sorrows
to the stones.
:04:02
A stone is soft as wax,
tribunes more hard than stones.
:04:07
A stone is silent and offendeth not,
:04:10
and tribunes with their tongues
:04:13
doom men to death.
:04:20
But wherefore stand'st thou
with thy weapon drawn?
:04:22
To rescue my two brothers
from their death.
:04:26
For which attempt,
the judges have pronounced
:04:28
my everlasting doom of banishment.
:04:33
Oh, happy man!
They have befriended thee!
:04:37
Why, foolish Lucius,
dost thou not perceive
:04:40
that Rome is but a wilderness of tigers?
:04:44
Tigers must prey,
:04:46
and Rome affords no prey
but me and mine!
:04:52
How happy art thou, then,
:04:54
from these devourers to be banished!