 | Boadicia |  |
SCENE the seventh.
Dumnorix, Venusia, Ebrancus and Trinobantians.Venusia.
My lord and husband!
Dumnorix.
Wherefore dost thou hold me,
And in my passage thy endearments plant.
I must prepare this moment to confront
The foul and ghastly face of cruel war;
And, by the gods, I rather court at present
That shape of horrour, than thy beauteous form:
Then go, thou dear intruder, and remove
Thy softness from me.
Venusia.
I will stay no longer,
Than brave Tenantius hath perform'd thy orders.
Long have I known thy valour skill'd to throw
The rapid dart, and lift th'unconquer'd shield.
A confidence, like this, hath still diffus'd
Enough of firmness thro' my woman's heart
Ne'er to molest thee with a woman's fears,
This day excepted; now my weakness governs,
And terror too importunate will speak.
Hast thou encounter'd yet such mighty powers,
As down that mountain suddenly will rush;
From ev'ry part the Romans are assembled,
All vers'd in arms, and terrible in valour.
Dumnorix.
Tell me, thou lovely coward, am not I
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On the tough buckler, and the crested helm
With deadlier weight, than mine? away and fear not;
Secure and calm, repose thee in thy tent;
Think on thy husband, and believe, he conquers;
Amid the rage of battle he will think
On thee; for thee he draws the martial blade;
For thy lov'd infants gripes the pointed ash.
Go, and expect me to return victorious;
Thy hand shall dress my wounds, and all be well.
Venusia.
Far better be our fortune, than for thee
To want that office from my faithful hand,
Or me to stain thy triumphs with my tears.
Dumnorix.
Fear not. I tell thee, when thou seest my limbs
With dust bespread, my brows with glorious sweat,
And some distinguish'd wound to grace my breast,
Thou in the fulness of thy love shallt view me,
And swear, I seem most comely in thy fight.
Thy virtue then shall shew me worthier of thee,
Than did thy fondness on our nuptial day.
Venusia.
It shall be so. All wounded thou shalt find
My heart prepar'd to stifle its regret,
And smooth my forehead with obedient calmness.
Yet hear me further; something will I offer
More, than the weak effects of female dread;
Thou go'st to fight in discord with thy colleague:
It is a thought, which multiples my fears.
Dumnorix.
Well urg'd, thou dearest counsellor, who best
Canst heal this mischief. Let thy meekness try
The soft persuasion of a private conf'rence
To win from error a bewilder'd sister,
While none are present to alarm her pride.
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I go, but trembling doubt my vain attempt;
Unless, commissioned with thy dear injunctions,
My soul, exerted to perform thy pleasure,
Could give persuasion all my force of duty.
| Boadicia | |