University of Virginia Library

Scena Secunda.

Cornets sound Marches. Enter Scipio and Lelius with the complements of a Roman Generall before them, At the other dore, Massinissa and Iugurth.
Ma.
Let not the virtue of the world suspect
Sad Massinissas faith: nor once cōdemne
Our just reuolt: Carthage first gaue me life,
Hir ground gaue food, hir aire first lent me breath
The Earth was made for men, not men for Earth.
Scipio I do not thanke the Gods for life,
Much lesse vile men, or earth: know best of Lords,
It is a happy being breath well fam'd,
For which Ioue sees these thus; Men be not foold
With piety to place: traditions feare,
Aiust mans contry Ioue makes euery where.

Sci.
Well vrgeth Massinissa, but to leaue
A Citie so ingrate, so faithlesse, so more vile
Then ciuill speach may name, fear not, such vice
To scourge is heauens most gratefull sacrifice.
Thus all confesse first they haue broke a faith
To the most due, so just to be obseru'd
That barborousnes it selfe may well blush at them
Where is thy passiō? they haue shar'd thy crowne
Thy proper right of birth; contriu'd thy death.
Where is thy passion? giuen thy beauteous spouse
To thy most hated riuall: statue, not man,
And last thy freind Gelosso (man worth Gods)
With tortures haue they rēt to death.

Ma.
O

Gel.
For thee full eyes

Sci.
No passion for the rest.

Ma.
O Scipio my greefe for him may be expressd by teares
But for the rest silence & secret anguish
Shall wast: shall wast:—Scipio he that can weepe,
Greeues not like me priuate deepe inward drops
Of bloud: my heart—for Gods rights giue me leaue.
To be a short time Man.

Sci.
stay prince.

Ma.
I cease;
Forgiue if I forget thy presence: Scipio
Thy face makes Massinissa more then man,
And here before your steddy power a vow
As firme as fate I make: when I desist
To be commaunded by thy virtue, (Scipio)
Or fall from frend of Romes, reuenging Gods
Afflict me worth your torture: I haue giuen
Of passion and of faith my heart.

Sci.
To counsel then
Greefe fits weake hearts, reuenging virtue men.
Thus I thinke fit, before that Syphax know
How deepely Carthage sinkes, lets beat swift march
Vp euen to Cirta, and whilst Syphax snores
With his, late thine—

Ma.
With mine? no Scipio,
Libea hath poyson, aspes, kniues, & to much earth
To make one graue, with mine? not, she can dye,
Scipio, with mine? Ioue say it thou dost lie.

Sci.
Temperance be Scipios honor.

Le.
Cease your strife
She is a woman.

Ma.
But she is my wife.

Le.
And yet she is no god.

Ma.
And yet she's
I do not prayse Gods goodnes but adore.
Gods cannot fall, and for their constant goodnesse more
(Which is necessited) they haue a crowne
Of neuer ending pleasures: but faint man
(Framd to haue his weaknes made the heauens glory)
If he with steddy vertue holdes all seidge
That power, that speach, that pleasure, that full sweets
A world of greatnes can assaile him with,
Hauing no pay but selfe wept miserie,
And beggars treasure heapt, that man Ile prayse
Aboue the Gods.

Sc.
The Libean speakes bold sense

Ma.
By that by which all is, Proportion,
I speake with thought.

Sci.
No more.

Ma.
Forgiue my admiration
You toucht a string to which my sense was quick,
Can you but thinke? doe, do; my greefe! my greefe
Would make a Saint blaspheme: giue some releefe,
As thou art Scipio forgiue that I forget,
I am a Soldier; such woes Ioues ribs would burst,
Few speake lesse ill that feele so much of worst.
My eare attends

Sci.
Beefore then Syphax ioine
With new strength'd Carthage, or can once vnwind
His tangled sense from out so vilde amaze
Fall we like suddeine lightning fore his eyes;
Boldnesse and spead are all of victories.

Ma.
Scipio, let Massinissa clip thy knees;
May once these eyes vew Syphax? shall this arme
Once make him feele his sinne? O yee Gods
My cause, my cause! Iustice is so huge odds
That he who with it feares, Heauen must renounce
In his creatiō.

Sci.
Beat then a close quicke march
Before the morne shall shake cold dewes through skyes,
Syphax shall tremble at Romes thicke allarmes.

Ma.
Yee powres I challenge conquest to just armes.

With a full florish of Cornettes they depart.