I had no Comfort left for your Misfortunes,
But that I was to share them ev'ry where :
And will you take that from me? O'tis hard!
You would not, if you saw my fighing Heart.

CASSIUS.

And you fhould go, did I not doubt my own:
But 'tis fo tender always towards you,

It shakes, alas, my firmeft Refolutions.

I, like fome skilful Swimmer in a Shipwreck,
Grafping his only Treafure in his Arms,

May, for thy fake, make too much haste to shore,
Leaving the Bark with all my Friends behind.
Your Sighs would blow away my best Resolves,
Soften my Soul, and flacken all its Strength,
When all's at stake, I eagerly may fix

My Mind on you, and never think beyond.

JUNIA.

Beyond? Why, is there any thing beyond
The dear, the charming Object of our Love?
Mere Thought of that is height of Happiness.
What Image have we of Elyfian Bowers,
But fuch a gentle, calm, contented State?
What has this trifle of a World to do
With a blest Pair, who live embracing thus ?

CAS

CASSIUS.

What fays my Charmer? can I leave this Woman?
I could look thus, and languifh here for ever.

Yet there's one Tye, more dear than Life, or Love; "Tis Honour, and the facred Good of Rome.

For thefe I kill'd the greatest Man on Earth,
Engag'd the best and nobleft of Mankind

(And faying that, I need not name your Brother)
To ftab his Friend, and his own Heart at once.
Since I have done all this, I must do more;
Leave JUNIA here, and all my Joys behind.

JUNIA.

Did I e'er think that CASSIUS would forfake me?

CASSIUS.

Forfake? I leave you as the richest Pledge
Which can be giv'n to this illustrious City,
That Rome it self can be no dearer to me,
Than friendly Athens for protecting you.

JUNIA.

Jewels we prize we seldom leave behind :
Oh take me with you! my officious Love
Perhaps may fhield you from fome fudden Danger,
Soften your angry and uneafy Hours,

And make Adverfity it self seem pleasing.

My Love could do all this, if yours were equal.

Z2

Weeps.
CAS-
Ꮯ Ꭺ Ꮥ

CASSIUS.

All this? nay more, what cannot JUNIA do?
Then, fince I dare not hazard you in Armies,
I will ftay here, and die within your Arms.

JUNIA.

You die? Oh Heav'n! the very Sound of that Checks my Designs, and chills all my Defires.

CASSIUS.

Haft thou not heard how hard ungrateful Rome
Purfues the Men who once deliver'd her,
And riots in the Blood of her Redeemers?
Two of our Band they have deftroy'd already,
And vow to spare no Murderer of CÆSAR;
That is to say, no Man that lov'd his Country,
Ruin'd himself, only to refcue her.

JUNIA.

Oh I have talk'd too long: go on, make haste;
I am not wont, alas, to use this Language,
But now I can fay nothing else: Away,
No matter what becomes of me, away.

CASSIUS.

Your spotless Fame must always be your Guard,
Rudeness it felf will reverence fuch Virtue.
I must immediately hafte to our Friends,
Who all affembled in the Fields of Sardis,

Wait there for me and BRUTUS.

He, to-morrow,

Shall follow, at the head of mighty Numbers,
Rais'd only by the Credit of our Cause;

A Caufe, well worthy of the World to fuccour !
Oh, while Ilanguish out this long, long Abfence,
Take care of all my Treasure, thy dear self.

JUNIA.

Farewel! thou trueft, kindeft, beft of Men!
But one Look more--and then along Farewel
To all Content--all, till we meet again.

[Exit CASSIUS, Manet JUNIA.

SCENE IV.

Enter VARIUS.

VARIUS.

JUNIA in Tears! fofhines an April Sun ;
And so the precious Dew that drops on Flowers,
Steals down unheeded by the vulgar Eye:
But I admire this Mafter-piece of Nature.

JUNIA.

Alas, my Lord, CASSIUS is gone to Sardis.

VARIUS.

Is't poffible? So I was told before,

Yet never could believe it till this moment.

JUNIA.

Why, was it not determin'd fo in Council?

VARIUS.

I must confefs it was debated there,

And wifh'd by fome, that all our Force at Sardis Had fome great Chief, for keeping martial Sway: But who could hope that CASSIUS would be willing To part from you, one Day, without Occafion?

JUNIA.

Is it fo ftrange that CASSIUS fhould be forward
In all the Proofs of Courage, or of Conduct?

VARIUS.

His Fame forbids I fhould have fuch a Thought.

But yet

JUNIA.

But what? I cannot guess your Meaning.

VARIUS.

Not all the noble Difcipline of War,

Strict Rules of Conduct, Heat of martial Prowefs, The Faith of Friendship, or the Oaths of Leagues, Not Fame it self, no nor the Publick Good,

Deferve to be preferr'd to JUNIA's Love.