When I behold her ftrugling in my Arms,
With glowing Beauty, and diforder'd Charms,
While Fear and Anger, with alternate Grace,
Pant in her Breaft, and vary in her Face!
So Pluto, feiz'd of Proferpine, convey'd
To Hell's tremendous Gloom th' affrighted Maid,
There grimly fmil'd, pleas'd with the beauteous Prize,
Nor envy'd fove his Sun-hine and his Skies.

End of the Third Acts

ACT

ACT IV. SCENE I

Ni

Lucia and Marcia.

Luc. OW tell me, Marcia, tell me from thy Soul,
If thou believ'ft it poffible for Woman
To fuffer greater Ills than Lucia fuffers?

Marc. O Lucia, Lucia, might my big swoln Heart
Vent all its Griefs, and give a Loose to Sorrow:
Marcia cou'd answer thee in Sighs, keep Pace
With all thy Woes, and count out Tear for Tear.
Luc. I know thou'rt doom'd alike, to be belov'd

By Juba, and thy Father's Friend Sempronius;
But which of these has Pow'r to charm like Portius!
Marc. Still muft I beg thee not to name Sempronius?
Lucia, I like not that loud boift'rous Man:

Juba to all the Brav'ry of a Héroe

Adds fofteft Love, and more than Female Sweetness;
Juba might make the proudeft of our Sex,

Any of Woman-kind, but Marcia, happy.

Luc. And why not Marcia? Come, you strive in vain To hide your Thoughts from one, who know's too well The inward Glowings of a Heart in Love.

Marc. While Cato live's, his Daughter has no Right
To love or hate, but as his Choice directs.

Luc. But fhou'd this Father give you to Sempronius?
Marc. I dare not think he will: but if he thou'd
Why wilt thou add to all the Griefs I suffer
Imaginary Ills, and fancy'd Tortures?

I

I hear the Sound of Feet! they march this Way!
Let us retire, and try if we can drown

Each fofter Thought in Senfe of prefent Danger.
When Love once plead's Admiffion to our Hearts
(In fpight of all the Virtue we can boaft)
The Woman that Deliberates is loft.

[Exeunt.

Enter Sempronius, drefs'd like Juba, with Numidian Guards.

Semp. The Deer is lodg'd. I've trackt her to her Covert, Be fure you mind the Word, and when I give it,

Rush in at once, and feize upon your Prey.

Let not her Cries or Tears have Force to move you.
How will the young Numidian rave, to fee

His Mistress loft? If aught cou'd glad my Soul,
Beyond th' Enjoyment of fo bright a Prize,
'Twou'd be to torture that young, gay, Barbarian.

But hark, what Noife! Death to my Hopes! 'tis he,

'Tis Juba's felf! there is but one Way left

He must be murder'd, and a Paffage cut

Through those his Guards.-Hah, Daftards, do you tremble! Or act like Men, or by yon azure Heav'n

Enter Juba.

Jub. What do I fee? Who's this that dares ufurp
The Guards and Habits of Numidia's Prince ?
Semp. One that was born to fcourge thy Arrogance,
Prefumptuous Youth!

Jub. What can this mean? Sempronius!

Smp. My Sword fhall answer thee. Have at thy Heart.
Jub. Nay, then beware thy own, proud, barbrous Man!
[Semp. falls. His Guards furrender.
Semp. Curfe on my Stars! Am I then doom'd to fall

By a Boy's Hand? disfigur'd in a vile

Numidian Dress, and for a worthlefs Woman?
Gods, I'm Distracted! This my Close of Life!

O for a Peal of Thunder that wou'd make

Earth, Sea, and Air, and Heav'n, and Cato tremble! [Dies.
Juba. With what a Spring his furious Soul broke loose,
And left the Limbs ftill quiv'ring on the Ground!
Hence let us carry off thofe Slaves to Cato,

That we may there at length unravel all

This dark Defign, this Mystery of Fate.

[Exit Juba with Prifoners, &c.

Enter Lucia and Marcia..

Luc. Sure 'twas the Clafh of Swords; my troubled Heart Is fo caft down, and funk amidst its Sorrows,

It throb's with Fear, and ake's at ev'ry Sound.

O Marcia, fhou'd thy Brothers for my Sake!

I die away with Horror at the Thought.

Marc. See, Lucia, fee! here's Blood! here's Blood and
Murder!

Hah! a Numidian! Heav'ns preferve the Prince:
The Face lie's muffled up within the Garment..
But hah! Death to my Sight! a Diadem,
And Purple Robes! O Gods! 'tis he, 'tis he,
Juba, the lovelieft Youth that ever warm'd
A Virgin's Heart, Juba lie's dead before us!

Luc. Now Marcia, now call up to thy Affiftance
Thy wonted Strength, and Conftancy of Mind;
Thou can'ft not put it to a greater Tryal.

Marc. Lucia, look there, and wonder at my Patience..

Have I not cause to rave, and beat my Breaft,

To rend my Heart with Grief, and run distracted!
Luc. What can I think or fay to give thee Comfort ?
Mar. Talk not of Comfort, 'tis for lighter Ills:
Behold a Sight, that strike's all Comfort dead..

Enter Juba liftning.

I will indulge my Sorrows, and give way
To all the Pangs and Fury of Despair,

That Man, that beft of Men, deferv'd it from me.

Fubar

Juba. What do I hear? and was the falfe Sempronius
That beft of Men? O had I fall'n like him,

And cou'd have thus been mourn'd, I had been happy!
Luc. Here will I ftand, Companion in thy Woes,
And help thee with my Tears; when I behold
A Lofs like thine, I half forget my own.

Marc. 'Tis not in Fate to eafe my tortured Breaft.
This empty World, to me a joylefs Defart,
Has nothing left to make poor Marcia happy.

Juba. I'm on the Rack! Was he fo near her Heart?
Marc. Oh he was all made up of Love and Charms,
Whatever Maid cou'd with, or Man admire:
Delight of ev'ry Eye! When he appear'd,
A fecret Pleasure gladned all that faw him;
But when he talk'd, the proudeft Roman blush'd
To hear his Virtues, and old Age grew wife.
Juba. I fhall run Mad

Marc. O Juba! Juba! Juba!

Juba. What means that Voice? did the not call on Juba?

Marc. Why do I think on what he was! he's dead!

He's dead, and never knew how much I lov'd him.
Lucia, who know's but his poor bleeding Heart
Amidst its Agonies, remember'd Marcia,
And the last Words he utter'd call'd me Cruel!
Alas, he knew not, hapless Youth, he knew not
Marcia's whole Soul was full of Love and Juba!
Juba. Where am I ! do I live! or am indeed
What Marcia think's! all is Elifium round me!
Marc. Ye dear Remains of the most lov'd of Men!
Nor Modefty nor Virtue here forbid

A laft Embrace, while thus

Juba. See, Marcia, see,

The happy Juba live's! he live's to catch

That dear Embrace, and to return it too

With mutual Warmth and Eagerness of Love.

Marc. With Pleasure and Amaze, I stand transported!

Sure