And melt about my heart! my tears will flow. Hard-hearted, cruel maid! LUCIA. Oh, ftop thofe founds, Those killing founds! Why doft thou frown upon me? PORTIU S. Talk not of love, thou never knew'ft its force. I've been deluded, led into a dream Of fancied blifs. O Lucia, cruel maid! Thy dreadful vow, loaden with death, ftill founds In my ftunn'd ears. Quick, let us part! What shall J fay or do? perdition 's in thy presence, And horror dwells about thee !-Ah, fhe faints! But, ah! fhe moves! life wanders up and down LUCIA. O Portius, was this well to frown on her That 7 That lives upon thy smiles! to call in doubt -What do I fay? My half-recover'd sense Forgets the vow in which my foul is bound. PORTIUS. Name not the word, my frighted thoughts run back, And ftartle into madness at the found. LUCIA. What would't thou have me do? Confider well The train of ills our love would draw behind it. Think, Portius, think, thou seeft thy dying brother Stabb'd at his heart, and all befmear'd with blood, Storming at heaven and thee! thy awful fire Sternly demands the caufe, th' accurfed caufe, That robs him of his fon! poor Marcia trembles, Then tears her hair, and, frantic in her griefs, * Calls out on Lucia! What could Lucia answer? Or how stand up in fuch a scene of forrow? PORTIUS. To my confufion and eternal grief, I must approve the fentence that destroys me. 5 LUCIA. LUCIA. Portius, no more! thy words fhoot through my heart, Melt my refolves, and turn me all to love. Why are those tears of fondness in thy eyes? Why heaves thy heart? Why fwells thy foul with forrow? It foftens me too much.-Farewell, my Portius; Farewell, though death is in the word, for-ever! PORTIUS. Stay, Lucia, ftay! What doft thou fay? For-ever! LUCIA. Have I not fworn? If, Portius, thy fuccefs Muft throw thy brother on his fate, farewell, Oh, how fhall I repeat the word! for-ever! PORTIU S. Thus o'er the dying lamp th' unsteady flame Hangs quivering on a point, leaps off by fits, And falls again, as loth to quit its hold. -Thou must not go, my foul ftill hovers o'er thee, And can't get loose. LUCIA. If the firm Portius fhake To hear of parting, think what Lucia fuffers! PORTIUS. 'Tis true; unruffled and ferene I 've met It beats down all my ftrength. I cannot bear it. LUCIA. What doft thou fay? Not part? Haft thou forgot the vow that I have.made ? Are Are there not heavens and gods and thunder o'er us! -But fee thy brother Marcus bends this way! I ficken at the fight. Once more, farewell; Farewell, and know thou wrong'ft me, if thou think'ft Ever was love, or ever grief, like mine. Enter MARCUS. MARCUS. [Exit. Portius, what hopes? How stands fhe? Am I doom'd To life, or death? PORTIUS. What would'st thou have me say? MARCUS. What means this penfive posture? Thou appear'st Like one amaz'd and terrify’d. PORTIUS. I've reafon. MARCUS. Thy down-caft looks, and thy disorder'd thoughts, Tell me my fate. I afk not the fuccefs My caufe has found. PORTIUS. I'm griev'd I undertook it. MARCUS. What? Does the barbarous maid infult my heart, My aching heart! and triumph in my pains? That I could caft her from my thoughts for ever! PORTIUS. Away! you 're too fufpicious in your griefs; Lucia, though fworn never to think of love, MARCU S. Compaffionates my pains, and pities me! PORTIU S. Marcus, no more! have I deferv'd this treatment? MARCU S. What have I faid! O Portius, O forgive me! A foul exasperated in ills falls out With every thing, its friend, itself-But ha! What means that shout, big with the founds of war? What new alarm? PORTIU S. A fecond, louder yet, Swells in the winds, and comes more full upon us. Oh, for fome glorious caufe to fall in battle! Has broke my heart: 'tis death must give me ease. PORTIU S. Quick, let us hence; who knows if Cato's life Stand fure? O Marcus, I am warm'd, my heart Leaps at the trumpet's voice, and burns for glory.[Exeunt |