He must be murder'd, and a passage cut

Through those his guards.Ha, daftards, do you

tremble!

Or a&t like men, or by yon azure heaven

Enter JUBA.

JUBA.

What do I fee? who's this that dares ufurp The guards and habits of Numidia's prince?

SEMPRONIUS.

One that was born to fcourge thy arrogance, Prefumptuous youth!

JUBA.

What can this mean? Sempronius!

SEMPRONIUS.

My sword shall answer thee. Have at thy heart.

JUBA.

Nay, then beware thy own, proud, barbarous man! [SEMP. falls. His Guards furrender.

SEMPRONIUS.

Curfe on my ftars! am I then doom'd to fall
By a boy's hand? disfigur'd in a vile
Numidian drefs, and for a worthlefs woman?
Gods, I'm diftracted! this my close of life!
O for a peal of thunder, that would make

Earth, fea, and air, and heaven, and Cato tremble t

JUBA.

[Dies

With what a spring his furious foul broke loose, And left the limbs ftill quivering on the ground!

Hence

Hence let us carry off those flaves to Cato,
That we may there at length unravel all
This dark defign, this mystery of fate.

[Exit JUBA, with prisoners, &c.

Enter LUCIA and MARCIA.

LUCIA.

Sure 'twas the clafh of fwords; my troubled heart Is fo caft down, and sunk amidst its sorrows, It throbs with fear, and akes at every found. O Marcia, fhould thy brothers for my

I die away with horror at the thought.

MARCIA.

fake!

See, Lucia, fee! here's blood! here's blood and murder !

Ha! a Numidian! heavens preferve the prince !
The face lies muffled up within the garment.
But ha! death to my fight! a diadem,
And purple robes! O gods! 'tis he, 'tis he,
Juba, the lovelieft youth that ever warm'd
A virgin's heart, Juba lies dead before us!

LUCIA.

Now, Marcia, now call up to thy affiftance Thy wonted ftrength, and conftancy of mind; Thou canst not put it to a greater trial.

MARCIA.

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!

4

LUCIA.

LUCIA.

What can I think or say, to give thee comfort?

MARCIA.

Talk not of comfort, 'tis for lighter ills: Behold a fight, that ftrikes all comfort dead.

Enter JUBA, liftening.

I will indulge my forrows, and give way
To all the pangs and fury of defpair,

That man, that beft of men, deferv'd it from me.

JUBA.

What do I hear? and was the falfe Sempronius That beft of men? O, had I fall'n like him, And could have thus been mourn'd, I had been happy!

LUCIA.

Here will I stand, companion in thy woes, And help thee with my tears; when I behold A lofs like thine, I half forget my own.

MARCIA.

'Tis not in fate to ease my tortur'd breast. This empty world, to me a joyless defert, Has nothing left to make poor Marcia happy.

JUBA.

I'm on the rack! was he fo near her heart?

MARCI A.

Oh, he was all made up of love and charms,
Whatever maid could wish, or man admire:
Delight of every eye! when he appear'd,
A fecret pleasure gladden'd all that saw him;

But

But when he talk'd, the proudest Roman blush'ð
To hear his virtues, and old age grew wife.

I fhall run mad-

JUBA.

MARCI A.

O Juba! Juba! Juba!

JUBA.

What means that voice? did the not call on Juba?

MARCI A.

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 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 foul was full of love and Juba!

JUBA.

Where am I do I live! or am indeed

What Marcia thinks! All is Elyfium round me!

MARCI A.

Ye dear remains of the most lov'd of men, Nor modesty nor virtue here forbid

A laft embrace, while thus

JUBA.

See, Marcia, fee,

The happy Juba lives! he lives to catch
That dear embrace, and to return it too
With mutual warmth and eagerness of love.

MARCIA.

MARCIA.

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,

Difguis'd like Juba on a curs'd defign.
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 confeís this once,
Am wrapt with joy to see my Marcia's tears.

MARCI A.

I've been furpriz`d in an unguarded hour,
But must not now go back: the love, that lay
Half-fmother'd in my breast, has broke through all
Its weak restraints, and burns in its full luftre;
I cannot, if I would, conceal it from thee.

JUBA.

I'm loft in extasy! and doft thou love,

Thou charming maid ?

MARCI A.

And doft thou live to afk it?

JUBA.

This, this is life indeed! life worth preserving! Such life as Juba never felt till now !

MARCIA.

Believe me, prince, before I thought thee dead, I did not know myself how much I lov'd thee.

JUBA