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Jub. Was this thy Motive? I have been too hasty. Syph. And 'tis for This my Prince has call'd me Traitor: Jub. Sure thou mistakest; I did not call thee so. Syph. You did indeed, my Prince, you call'd me Traitor :Nay, further, threaten'd you'd complain to Cato. Of what, my Prince, wou'd you complain to Cato? That Syphax loves you, and wou'd facrifice His Life, nay more, his Honour in your Service. Jub. Syphax, I know thou lov'ft me; but indeed, Thy Zeal for Juba carried thee too far. Honour's a facred Tie, the Law of Kings, The noble Mind's distinguishing Perfection, That aids and strengthens Virtue, where it meets her, And imitates her Actions, where the is not:

It ought not to be sported with,

Syph. By Heav'ns

I'm ravish'd when you talk thus, tho' you chide me!
Alas, I've hitherto been used to think

A blind officious Zeal to ferve my King
The ruling Principle, that ought to burn
And quench all others in a Subject's Heart.
Happy the People, who preferve their Honour
By the fame Duties, that oblige their Prince!

Jub. Syphax, thou now begin'ft to speak thy felf.
Numidia's grown a Scorn among the Nations
For Breach of publick Vows. Our Punick Faith
Is Infamous, and branded to a Proverb.

Syphax, we'll join our Cares, to purge away
Our Country's Crimes, and clear her Reputation.
Syph. Believe me, Prince, you make old Syphax weep
To hear you talk--- but 'tis with Tears of Joy.
If e'er your Father's Crown adorn your Brows,
Numidia will be bleft by Cato's Lectures.

Jub. Syphax, thy Hand! we'll mutually forget
The Warmth of Youth, and Frowardness of Age:
Thy Prince esteems tby Worth, and loves thy Perfon.
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If

If e'er the Scepter comes into my Hand,
Syphax fhall ftand the second in my Kingdom.

Syph. Why will you overwhelm my Age with Kindness? My Joy grows burdensome, I shan't fupport it.

Jub. Syphax, farewel. I'll hence, and try to find
Some bleft Occafion that may fet me right

In Cato's Thoughts. I'd rather have that Man
Approve my Deeds, than Worlds for my Admirers. [Exit.
Syphax folus.

Young Men foon give, and foon forget Affronts;
Old Age is flow in both-----A falfe old Traitor!
Thofe Words, rash Boy, may chance to coft thee dear.
My Heart had till fome foolish Fondness for thee:
But hence! 'tis gone; I give it to the Winds:
Cafar, I'm wholly Thine-.-.-

CATARREKORDXDENCI

SCENE VI.

Syphax, Sempronius.

Syph. All hail, Sempronius!

Well, Cato's Senate is refolv'd to wait

The Fury of a Siege, before it yields.

Semp. Syphax, we both were on the Verge of Fate: Lucius declared for Peace, and Terms were offer'd

To Cato by a Meffenger from Cafar.

Shou'd they submit, ere our Designs are ripe,

We both must perish in the common Wreck,
Loft in a gen'ral Undiftinguifht Ruin.

Syph. But how ftands Cato?

Semp. Thou haft feen Mount Atlas:

While Storms and Tempefts thunder on its Brows,
And Oceans break their Billows at its Feet,

It stands unmoved, and glories in its Height.
Such is that haughty Man; his towring Soul,
'Midft all the Shocks and Injuries of Fortune,
Rifes fuperior, and looks down on Cafar.
Syph. But what's this Meffenger?
Semp. I've practis'd with him,

And found a Means to let the Victor know
That Syphax and Sempronius are his Friends.
But let me now examine in my Turn:
Is Juba fixt?

Syph. Yes, but it is to Cato.

I've try'd the Force of ev'ry Reafon on him,
Sooth'd and carefs'd, been angry, footh'd again,
Lay'd Safety, Life, and Int'reft in his Sight,
But all are vain, he fcorns them all for Cato.

Semp. Come, 'tis no Matter, we fhall do without him. He'll make a pretty Figure in a Triumph, And ferve to trip before the Victor's Chariot. Syphax, I now may hope thou haft forfook Thy Juba's Caufe, and wifheft Marcia mine.

Syph. May he be thine as fast as thou wouldst have her! Semp. Syphax, I love that Woman; tho' I curfe Her and my felf, yet fpite of me, I love her. Syph. Make Cato fure, and give up Utica, Cafar will ne'er refuse thee fuch a Trifle. But are thy Troops prepar'd for a Revolt? Do's the Sedition Catch from Man to Man, And run among their Ranks?

Semp. All, all is ready,

The factious Leaders are our Friends, that spread
Murmurs and Difcontents among the Soldiers.
They count their toilfome Marches, long Fatigues,
Unusual Faftings, and will bear no more

This Medley of Philofophy and War.

Within an Hour they'll ftorm the Senate-House.

Syph. Mean while I'll draw up my Numidian Troops
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Within

Within the Square, to exercise their Arms,
And, as I fee Occafion, favour thee.

I laugh to think how your unfhaken Cato
Will look aghaft, while unforeseen Destruction
Pours in upon him thus from every Side.
So, where our wide Numidian Waftes extend,
Sudden, th'impetuous Hurricanes descend,
Wheel through the Air, in circling Eddies play,
Tear up the Sands, and sweep whole plains away.
The helpless Traveller, with wild Surprize,
Sees thy dry Defart all around him rife,
And smother'd in the dusty Whirlwind Dies.

[Exeunt.

The End of the Second A&t.

ACT

ACT III. SCENE I.

T

Marcus and Portius.

MARCU S.

HANKS to my Stars I have not ranged
about

The Wilds of Life, ere I could find a
Friend;

Nature first pointed out my Portius to me,
And early taught me, by her fecret Force,

To love thy Perfon, ere I knew thy Merit;

'Till what was Inftinct, grew up into Friendship. Port. Marcus, the Friendships of the World are oft Confed'racies in Vice, or Leagues of Pleafure;

Ours has feverest Virtue for its Bafis,

And such a Friendship ends not but with Life.

Marc. Portius thou know'ft my Soul in all its Weakness, Then pr'ythee spare me on its tender Side,

Indulge me but in Love, my other Paffions

Shall rife and fall by Virtue's nicest Rules.

Por. When Love's well-timed, 'tis not a Fault to love.
The Strong, the Brave, the Virtuous, and the Wife
Sink in the foft Captivity together.

I wou'd not urge thee to dismiss thy Paffion,
(I know 'twere vain) but to fuppress its Force,
Till better Times may make it look more graceful.
Marc. Alas; Thou talk't like one who never felt
Th' impatient Throbbs and Longings of a Soul,
That pants, and reaches after distant Good,

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A

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