SECOND SENATOR.
Most true; the law shall bruise him.

[Enter ALCIBIADES, attended.]

ALCIBIADES.
Honour, health, and compassion to the senate!

FIRST SENATOR.
Now, captain.

ALCIBIADES.
I am a 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 stepp'd into the law, which is past depth
To those that without heed do plunge into't.
He is a man, setting his fate 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 touch'd 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 prov'd an argument.