Luc. Now, Marcia, now call up to thy assistance Thy wonted strength and constancy of mind.

Mar. Lucia, look there, and wonder at my patience: Have I not cause to rave, and beat my breast,

To rend my heart with grief, and run distracted?
Luc. What can I think or say to give thee comfort?

Enter JUBA, R. U. E. with Guards.

Mar. Talk not of comfort, 'tis for lighter ills.
Behold a sight that strikes all comfort dead.
I will indulge my sorrows;

That man, that best of men, deserv'd it from me..
Juba. What do I hear? and was the false Sempro-

nius

That best of men? O, had I fall'n like him,

And could have thus been mourn'd, I had been happy,
Mar. O Juba! Juba! Juba! [Kneels by SEM.
He's dead, and never knew how much I lov'd him.
Lucia, who knows, 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. Do I live-or am indeed

What Marcia thinks? All is Elysium round me.

{Aside. Mar. Ye dear remains of the most lov'd of men, Nor modesty nor virtue here forbids

A last embrace, while thus

Juba. [Comes forward.] See, Marcia, see,

The happy Juba lives: [She rises] he lives, to catch That dear embrace, and to return it too

With mutual warmth and eagerness of love.

[They embrace.

Mar. With pleasure and amaze I stand transported. If thou art Juba, who lies there?

Juba. (R.) A wretch,

Disguis'd like Juba on a curs'd design.
The tale is long, nor have I heard it out;
Thy father knows it all. I could not hear
To leave thee in the neighbourhood of death,
But flew, in all the haste of love, to find thee:
I found thee weeping; and confess, this once,
Am rapt with joy, to see my Marcia's tears.

Mar. I've been surpris'd in an unguarded hour,
But must not now go back; the love that lay

Half smother'd in my breast, has broke through all
Its weak restraints, and burns in its full lustre :

I cannot, if I would, conceal it from thee.

Juba. My joy! my best belov'd! my only wish!
How shall I speak the transport of my soul !
Mar. Lucia, thy arm: O let me rest upon it!
The vital blood that had forsook my heart,
Returns again in such tumultuous tides,

It quite o'ercomes me. 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 prosper in the paths of honour:
Thy virtue will excuse my passion for thee,
And make the gods propitious to our love.

[Exit with LUCIA, L. Juba. (c.) I am so bless'd, I fear 'tis all a dream. Fortune, thou now hast made amends for all

Thy past unkindness: I absolve my stars-
What, though Numidia add her conquer'd towns
And provinces, to swell the victor's triumph?

Juba will never at his fate repine:

Let Cæsar have the world, if Marcia's mine. [Exit, L.

SCENE II.-A Square before the Palace.-Trumpets.

Enter LUCIUS, CATO, and Freedmen, L.

Luci. (R.) I stand astonish'd. What ! the bold Sem-
pronius,

That still broke foremost thro' the crowd of patriots,
As with a hurricane of zeal transported!

And, virtuous even to madness

Cato. (L. c.) Trust me, my friend,

Our civil discords have produc'd such crimes,

Such monstrous crimes, I am surpris'd at nothing.

O Lucius, I am sick of this bad world:

The daylight and the sun grow painful to me.

Enter PORCIUS, R.

But see where Porcius comes.-What means this haste? Por. (c.) My heart is griev'd;

I bring such news as will afflict my father.

Cato. Has Cæsar shed more Roman blood?

Por. Not so:

The traitor Syphax, as within the square
He exercis'd his troops, the signal given,

Flew off at once with his Numidian horse

To the south gate, where Marcus holds the watch:
I saw, and call'd to stop him; but in vain ;
He toss'd his arm aloft, and proudly told me,
He would not stay and perish like Sempronius.

Cato. Perfidious men !-But haste, my son, and see Thy brother Marcus acts a Roman's part.

[Exit PORCIUS, R. and the Freedmen, with drawn Swords.

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.

Luci. While pride, oppression, and injustice reign,
The world will still demand her Cato's presence.
Jn pity to mankind, submit to Cæsar,

And reconcile thy mighty soul to life.

Cato. Would Lucius have me live, to swell the number Of Cæsar's slaves ?-or, by a base submission,

Give up the cause of Rome, and own a tyrant? (R.)
Luci. The victor never will impose on Cato
Ungenerous terms :-his enemies confess,

The virtues of humanity are Cæsar's.

Cato. Curse on his virtues! they've undone his country:

Such popular humanity is treason. (L.)

But Juba comes.-The ingenuous prince appears
Full of the guilt of his perfidious subjects.

Enter JUBA, L.

Juba. I blush, and am confounded, to appear

Before thy presence, Cato.

Cato. (L. C.) What's thy crime?

Juba. I'm a Numidian.

Cato. And a brave one too :

Thou hast a Roman soul.

Juba. Hast thou not heard

Of my false countrymen?
Cato. Alas, good youth,

Falsehood and fraud shoot up in every soil,
The product of all climes ;-Rome has its Cæsars.

Juba. 'Tis generous, thus to comfort the distress'd.

Cato. "Tis just, to give applause where 'tis deserv'd. Thy virtue, prince, has stood the test of fortune, Like purest gold, that, tortur'd in the furnace,

Comes out more bright, and brings forth all its weight.

Enter PORCIUS, R.

Por. (c.) Misfortune on misfortune! grief on grief! My brother Mareus

Cato. Hah! what has he done?

Has he forsook his post? Has he given way?

Did he look tamely on, and let them pass?

Por. Scarce had I left my father, but I met him,
Borne on the shields of his surviving soldiers,
Breathless and pale, and cover'd o'er with wounds.
Long, at the head of his few faithful friends,
He stood the shock of a whole host of foes,
Till, obstinately brave, and bent on death,
Oppress'd with multitudes, he greatly fell.
Cato. I'm satisfied.

Por. (R. C.) Nor did he fall, before

His sword had piere'd thro' the false heart of Syphax. I saw the hoary traitor

Grin in the pangs of death, and bite the ground.

Cato. (c.) Thanks to the gods! my boy has done his duty.

Porcius, when I am dead, be sure you place

His urn near mine.

Por. Long may they keep asunder !

[Crosses to L.

Luci. O, Cato, arm thy soul with all its patience! See where the corpse of thy dead son approaches; The citizens and senators, alarm'd,

Have gather'd round it, and attend it weeping. [A dead March,

Enter R. Lictors, Senators-Soldiers, bearing the Body of MARCUS on a Bier, which they place c.-Freedmen, bearing his Helmet, Shield, Sword, and Spear -Eagle and other Ensigns S. P. Q. R.-and Guards with their arms reversed.-Enter R. U. E. six Lictors with Fasces; they divide at c. and range R. and L-Senators, two and two, pass the Lictors, and range R, and L.-CATO stands c, in front of the Bier.

Cato. (c.) Welcome, my son!-Here set him down, my friends,

Full in my sight; that I may view at leisure

The bloody corse, and count those glorious wounds.
How beautiful is death, when earn'd by virtue !
Who would not be that youth? What pity is it
That we can die but once, to serve our country!

Why sits this sadness on your brows, my friends?
I should have blush'd, if Cato's house had stood
Secure, and flourish'd in a civil war.

Porcius, behold thy brother; and remember,
Thy life is not thy own, when Rome demands it.
When Rome demands? [Advances to the front.] But
Rome is now no more:

The Roman empire's fall'n-O, curs'd ambition !—
Fall'n into Cæsar's hands:-our great forefathers
Had left him nought to conquer, but h iscountry.
Juba. (L. c.) Behold that generou sman! Rome fills
his eyes

With tears, that flow'd not o'er his own dead son.
Por. (R. C.) While Cato lives, Cæsar will blush to

see

Mankind enslav'd, and be asham'd of empire.

Cato. Cæsar asham'd! Has he not seen Pharsalia? Luci. (R. C.) Cato, 'tis time, thou save thyself and us. Cato. Lose not a thought on me; I'm out of danger; Cæsar shall never say, "I've conquer'd Cato." But, O my friends, your safety fills my heart

With anxious thoughts.-How shall I save my friends? "Tis now, O Cæsar, I begin to fear thee.

Luci. Cæsar has mercy, if we ask it of him.
Cato. Then ask it, I conjure you: let him know,
Whate'er was done against him, Cato did it :
Add, if you please, that I request it of him,
That I myself, with tears, request it of him,
The virtue of my friends may pass unpunish'd.
Juba, my heart is troubled for thy sake:
Should I advise thee to regain Numidia,
Or seek the conqueror?

Juba. If I forsake thee

Whilst I have life, may Heaven abandon Juba! Cato. [Lays his hand on JUBA.] Thy virtues, prince, if I foresee aright,

Will one day make thee great. At Rome, hereafter, "Twill be no crime to have been Cato's friend.

Porcius, come hither to me. [Turning to POR.] Ah, my son,

Despairing of success,

Let me advise thee to withdraw betimes

To our paternal seat, the Sabine field,

Where the great Censor toil'd with his own hands,
And all our frugal ancestors were bless'd

In humble virtues, and a rural life :