 | Regulus |  |
SCENE VII.
Decius, Corvus, Clelia.Decius.
Forgive th'Abruptness of a Lover's Haste,
That thus intrudes—
Clelia.
O Decius!
Decius.
O my Love!
I thought I wore thy Image in my Mind
Beyond the Painter's Likeness—but I find,
Thou now out-shin'st thy former self as much,
As the Meridian Brightness of the Sun
Exceeds his Morning Ray.
Corvus.
Perdition seize him!
And add the Pains of Hell to that Embrace!
See how she welcomes him to Life, and her
With the wild Gaze of unexpected Rapture:—
I cannot bear it—
Clelia.
Never did I think,
O Decius! to behold those Eyes again!
Decius.
What means my Love?—Ha!—wherefore is he here?
15
And doubt, a Stranger to an Heart like mine:
I should suspect the worst by seeing him:—
My Clelia speak—
Corvus.
Why, Decius, dost thou seem
So much alarm'd at me?—what can you fear—
Decius.
Not the best Vigour of thy Arm in Fight;
Not all thy open Manhood can do to me;
But when I fear—I fear with honest Men
Thy Treachery, thy Arts, thy deep-hid Guile,
The Baseness, native of thy gloomy Breast,
And every Vice that stains the worst of Men.
Corvus.
I have been told of Afric's Sun-scorch'd Clime,
And find it in thy Railing—
Decius.
Let us hence—
The Man so hardy to converse with Guilt,
Admits a Parley that may end in Shame.
| Regulus | |