And aims his thunder at my father's head:
Should not the fad occafion fwallow up
My other cares, and draw them all into it?
LUCIA.

Why have not I this conftancy of mind,
Who have so many griefs to try its force?
Sure, Nature form'd me of her fofteft mold,
Enfeebled all my foul with tender paffions,
And funk me even below my own weak fex:
Pity and love, by turns, opprefs my heart.
MARCIA.

Lucia, difburden all thy cares on me,
And let me share thy most retir'd distress;
Tell me who raises up this conflict in thee?

LUCIA.

I need not blush to name them, when I tell thee
They're Marcia's brothers, and the fons of Cato.
MARCI A.

They both behold thee with their fifter's eyes:
And often have reveal'd their passion to me,
But tell me, whofe address thou favour'st most ?
I long to know, and yet I dread to hear it.
LUCIA.

Which is it Marcia wishes for?

For neither

MARCI A.

And yet for both the youths havé equal share

In

Marcia's wishes, and divide their fifter: tell me, which of them is Lucia's choice? LUCIA.

Harcia, they both are high in my esteem,

in my love--why wilt thou make me name him? Du know'ft it is a blind and foolish paffion, s'd and disgusted with it knows not whatMARCI A.

Lucia, I'm perplex'd, O tell me which uft hereafter call my happy brother?

LUCIA.

Suppofe 'twere Portius, could you blame my
● Portius, thou haft stol'n away my foul!
th what a graceful tenderness he loves!

choice?

d breathes the fofteft, the fincereft vows!
mplacency, and truth, and manly sweetness
well ever on his tongue, and fmooth his thoughts.
rcus is over-warm, his fond complaints
ve fo much earneftnefs and paffion in them,
ear him with a fecret kind of horror,

d tremble at his vehemence of temper,

las poor youth! how can't thou throw him from thee? cia, thou know'ft not half the love he bears thee? hene'er he fpeaks of thee, his heart's in flames, efends out all his foul in every word,

ad thinks, and talks, and looks like one tranfported.

Unhappy

7

Unhappy youth how will thy coldness raife
Tempefts and storms in his afflicted bofom!

I dread the confequence.

Had Portius been the unfuccefsful lover,

The fame compaffion would have fallen on him.

LUCIA.

Was ever virgin-love diftrefs'd like mine! Portius himself oft falls in tears before me, As if he mourn'd his rival's ill fuccefs;

Then bids me hide the motions of my heart,

รา

Nor fhow which way it turns. So much he fears

The fad effects that it would have on Marcus.

MARCI A.

He knows too well how eafily he's fired,

And would not plunge his brother in despair,
But waits for happier times, and kinder moments.
LUCIA.

Alas! too late I find myself involved
In endless griefs, and labyrinths of woe,
Born to afflict my Marcia's family,

And fow diffenfion in the hearts of brothers.
Tormenting thought! it cuts into my foul.

MARCIA.

MARCIA,

Let us not, Lucia, aggravate our forrows, ut to the Gods permit th' event of things. Our lives, difcolour'd with our prefent woes,

May fill grow white, and smile with happier hours.

So the pure limpid ftream, when foul with ftains Of rushing torrents, and defcending rains,

Works itself clear, and as it runs, refines;

Till by degrees, the floating mirrour fhines,
Reflects each flow'r that on the border grows,

And a new Heav'n in its fair bosom shows. [Exeunt.

ACT

ROM

Let us remember we are Cato's friends, And act like men who claim that glorious title. LUCIU S.

Cato wiil foon be here, and open to us

The occafion of our meeting. Hark! he comes !

[A found of trumpets. May all the guardian gods of Rome direct him!

Enter CATO.

CATO.

Fathers, we once again are met in council.
Cafar's approach has fummon'd us together,
And Rome attends her fate from our refolves :
How fhall we treat this bold aspiring man?
Succefs ftill follows him, and backs his crimes :
Pharfalia gave him Rome; Egypt has fince
Receiv'd his yoke, and the whole Nile is Cafar's.

Why