147 That dear embrace, and to return it too With mutual warmth and eagerness of love.
MARCI A.
With pleasure and amaze, I stand transported!
Sure'tis a dream! dead and alive at once!
If thou art Juba, who lies there?
JUBA
A wretch,
Disguis'd like Juba on a cars'd design.
The tale is long, nor have I heard it out.
Thy father knows it all. I could not bear
To leave thee in the neighbourhood of death,
But flew in all the hafte of love to find thee;
I found thee weeping, and confess this once,
Am wrapp'd with joy to see my Marcia's tears.
MARCI A.
I've been surpriz'd in an unguarded hour,
But must not now go back: the love, that lay
Half smother'd in any breast, has broke through all
Its weak restraints, and burns in its full lustre,
I cannot, if I wou'd conceal it from thee,
JUB A.
I'm lost in extasy! and doft thou love,
Thou charming maid?
M ARCIA.
And doft thou live to ask it?
JUB A.
FUB A.
This, this is life indeed! life worth preserving,
• Such life as Juba never felt till now!'
M ARCIA.
Believe me, Prince, before I thought thee dead,
I did not know myself how much I lor'd thee.
JUBA.
"O fortunate mistake!
MARCIA.
. O happy Marcia!
JUBA.
My joy! iny best belov'd! my only with!
How shall I speak the transport of my soul!
M ARCIA.
Lucia, thy arm! oh let me rest upon it!
The vital blood, that had forfook my heart,
Returns again in such tumultuous tides,
It quite o'ercomes ine.
Lead to my apartment.
O Prince! I blush to think what I have said,
But fate has wrested the confession from me ;
Go on, and profper in the paths of honour,
Thy virtue will excuse my passion for thee,
And make the gods propitious to our love.
[Ex. Marc. and Luc.
JUBA.
I am so blest, I fear 'tis all a dream,
Fortune, thou now haft made amends for all
Thy palt umkindness. I absolve my stars.
What
What though Nunidia add her conquer'd towns
And provinces to swell the victor's triumph,
Juba will never at his fate repine ;
Let Cæfar have the world, if Marcia's mine.
LUCIUS.
I ftand astonish'd! what, the bold Sempronius !
That itill broke foremost through the crowd of patriots,
As with a hurricane of zeal transported,
And virtuous ex'n to madness
CA TO.
Trust me, Lucius,
Our civil discords have produced such crimes,
Such monstrous crimes, I am surprized at nothing
O Lucius, I ain sick of this bad world!
The day-light and the sun grow painful to me.
PORTIU S.
But see where Partius comes! what means this hatte?
Why are thy looks thus changed ?
Enier PORT ÞÚ S.
My heart is griev'd.
I bring such news as will afflict
my
father,
CAT O.
Has Cejar hed more Roman blood ? -
PORT IUS.
Not so.
The traitor Syphax, as within the square
He exercis’d his troops, the signal given,
Flew off at once with his Nunidian horse
To the south gate, where Marcus holds the watch.
I saw, and call'd to stop bim but in vain,
He cast his arm aloft, and proudly told me,
He would not stay and perish like Sempronius.
Curse Sach poc But see Pull of
CAT O.
Perfidious men! but haste, my fon, and see
Thy brother Marcus acts a Raman's part. (Exit Portius.
Lucius, the torrent bears too hard upon me :
Justice gives way to force: the conquer'd world
Is Cæsar's : Cato has no business in it.
LUCIU S.
While pride, oppression, and injustice reign,
The world will still demand her Cato's presence,
1. pity to mankind, fubmit to Cæfar,
And reconcile thy mighty soul to life.
Cena
CA TO.
Would Lucius have me live to swell the number
Of Cæsar's Naves, or by a base submission
Give
up
the cause of Rome, and own a tyrant ?
LU.
LUCIU S.
The victor never will impofe on Cato
Ungen'rous terms. His enemies confels
The virtues of humanity are Cæfar's.
CAT O.
Curse on his virtues! they've undone his country.
Such popular humanity is treafun
But see young Juba! the good youth appears
Full of the guilt of his perfidious subjects.
LUCIUS.
Alas, poor Prince! bis fate deserves compassion,
UBA.
I blush, and am confounded to appear
Before thy presence, Cato.
CATO.
What's thy crime?
JUBA.
I'm a Numidian.
CAT O.
And a brave one too.
Thou hast a Roman soul.
JUBA.
Hast thou not heard
Of my false countrymen?
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