With ev'ry thing, its friend, itself-but, hah!

What means that shout, big with the sounds of

war?

What new alarm?

Por. A second, louder yet,

Swells in the wind, and comes more full upon us.

Marc. Oh, for some glorious cause to fall in battle! Lucia, thou hast undone me; thy disdain

Has broke my heart: 'tis death must give me ease. Por. Quick, let us hence. Who knows if Cato's

life

Stands sure? Oh, Marcus, I am warm'd, my heart Leaps at the trumpet's voice, and burns for glory. [Exeunt.

Enter SEMPRONIUS, with the Leaders of the mutiny. Sem. At length the winds are rais'd, the storm blows high,

Be it your care, my friends, to keep it up
In its full fury, and direct it right,
Till it has spent itself on Cato's head.

Mean-while I'll herd amongst his friends, and seem
One of the number, that whate'er arrive,

My friends, and fellow-soldiers may be safe. [Exit. 1 Lead. We are all safe, Sempronius is our friend. Sempronious is as brave a man as Cato.

But hark! he enters. Bear up boldly to him:
Be sure you beat him down, and bind him fast.
This day will end our toils, and give us rest :
Fear nothing, for Sempronius is our friend,

Re-enter SEMPRONIUS, with CATO, LUCIUS, PORTIUS, and MARCUS.

Cato. Where are those bold intrepid sons of war, That greatly turn their backs upon their foe, And to their general send a brave defiance?

Sem. Curse on their dastard souls, they stand astonish'd.

[Aside.
Cato. Perfidious men! And will you thus dishonour
Your past exploits, and sully all your wars ?
Do you confess 'twas not a zeal for Rome,
Nor love of liberty, nor thirst of honour,
Drew you thus far; but hopes to share the spoil
Of conquer'd towns, and plunder'd provinces ?
Fir'd with such motives, you do well to join
With Cato's foes, and follow Cæsar's banners.
Why did I 'scape th' envenom'd aspic's rage,
And all the fiery monsters of the desert,
To see this day? Why could not Cato fall
Without your guilt? Behold, ungrateful men,
Behold my bosom naked to your swords,

And let the man that's injur'd strike the blow.
Which of you all suspects that he is wrong'd?
Or thinks he suffers greater ills than Cato?
Am I distinguish'd from you but by toils,
Superior toils, and heavier weight of cares?
Painful pre-eminence!

Sem. By heav'ns they droop!

Confusion to the villains; all is lost.

[Aside.

Cato. Have you forgotten Lybia's burning waste,

Its barren rocks, parch'd earth, and hills of sand,
Its tainted air, and all its broods of poison?
Who was the first to explore th' untrodden path,
When life was hazarded in ev'ry step?
Or, fainting in the long laborious march,
When on the banks of an unlook'd for stream
You sunk the river with repeated draughts,
Who was the last of all your host that thirsted?
Sem. If some penurious source by chance appear'd,
Scanty of waters, when you scoop'd it dry,
And offer'd the full helmet up to Cato,

Did he not dash th' untasted moisture from him?
Did he not lead you through the mid-day sun,
And clouds of dust? Did not his temples glow
In the same sultry winds, and scorching heats?
Cato. Hence, worthless men! hence and com
plain to Cæsar,

You could not undergo the toil of war,

Nor bear the hardships that your leader bore.

Luc. See, Cato, see the unhappy men; they weep! Fear and remorse, and sorrow for their crime, Appear in ev'ry look, and plead for mercy.

Cato. Learn to be honest men, give up your leaders,
And pardon shall descend on all the rest.

Sem. Cato, commit these wretches to my care:
First let 'em each be broken on the rack,
Then, with what life remains, impal'd and left
To writhe at leisure round the bloody stake,
There let 'em hang, and taint the southern wind.
The partners of their crime will learn obedience,

When they look up and see their fellow-traitors
Stuck on a fork, and black'ning in the sun.

"Luc. Sempronius, why, why wilt thou urge the

fate

"Of wretched men?

"Sem. How! wouldst thou clear rebellion ?

"Lucius (good man) pities the poor offenders
"That would imbrue their hands in Cato's blood."
Cato. Forbear, Sempronius !-see they suffer death,
But in their deaths remember they are men;
Strain not the laws to make their tortures grievous.
Lucius, the base degen'rate age requires
Severity, and justice in its rigour :

This awes an impious, bold, offending world,
Commands obedience, and gives force to laws.
When by just vengeance guilty mortals perish,
The gods behold the punishment with pleasure,
And lay th' uplifted thunderbolt aside.

Sem. Cato, I execute thy will with pleasure.
Cato. Mean-while we'll sacrifice to Liberty.
Remember, O my friends! the laws, the rights,
The gen'rous plan of pow'r deliver'd down
From age to age, by your renown'd forefathers,
(So dearly bought, the price of so much blood):
Oh, let it never perish in your hands!
But piously transmit it to your children.
Do thou, great Liberty, inspire our souls,
And make our lives in thy possession happy,
Or our deaths glorious in thy just defence.

Exeunt Cato, &c.

1 Lead. Sempronius, you have acted like yourself. One would have thought you had been half in earnest. Sem. Villain, stand off, base, grov'ling, worthless wretches,

Mongrels in faction, poor faint-hearted traitors!

2 Lead. Nay, now you carry it too far, Sempronius; Throw off the mask, there are none here but friends. Sem. Know, villains, when such paltry slaves pre

sume

To mix in treason, if the plot succeeds,

They're thrown neglected by: but if it fails,
They're sure to die like dogs, as you shall do.
Here, take these factious monsters, drag 'em forth
To sudden death.

1 Lead. Nay, since it comes to this

Sem. Dispatch 'em quick, but first pluck out their

tongues,

Lest with their dying breath they sow sedition.

[Exeunt guards, with their leaders.

Enter SYPHAX.

Syph. Our first design, my friend, has prov'd abortive:

Still there remains an after-game to play;

My troops are mounted; their Numidian steeds
Snuff up the wind, and long to scour the desert:
Let but Sempronius head us in our flight,
We'll force the gate where Marcus keeps his guard,
And hew down all that would oppose our passage.
A day will bring us into Cæsar's camp.