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Ye and a people whom ye would oppress.
Know ye not, love has stronger rule than fear?
A country, fill'd with tyrants and with slaves,
What waits upon her history?—crime and shame!
But the free state, where every rank is knit
By general blessings, freedom shared by all,
There is prosperity—there those great names
Whose glory lingers though themselves be gone.
It is not I ye serve, it is your country!—(Applause.)

2nd noble (Aside).

I see that we must yield, or seem to yield;

He's master now.

CASTRUCCIO.

And for this base submission

To your hereditary enemies,
There is no yoke so galling as the yoke
Foreign invaders place upon your neck!
The heavy and the arbitrary sway
That ye would fix upon your countrymen,
Would soon be on yourselves. Lucca is free;
To keep her so is trusted to your swords!
I march to meet the Florentines to-morrow;
Will ye not follow me for Lucca's sake?

NOBLES.

We will.

CASTRUCCIO.

Now must I forth to thank the citizens.

(Sees Arrezi.) The Count Arrezi here!

ARREZI.

I came here as your friend.