Junius Brutus A Tragedy |
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| 5. | SCENE V. |
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 | Junius Brutus |  |
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SCENE V.
Titus, Lucia.TITUS.
Princess, will you, indeed, vouchsafe to see
A Man, whom you so justly may abhor?
LUCIA.
Titus, be now sincere, and own the Truth:
Was that caressing Speech, you late address'd,
The Dictate of your Heart, or meant to mock me?
TITUS.
Alas! this throbbing Breast too plainly shows
My raging Flame, my Crime, and my Despair!
The Graces of thy Sex, in thee display'd,
Thy lovely Form, and still more lovely Mind,
With pleasing Force subdue my ravish'd Soul!—
You rule my Fate!
LUCIA.
Nay, mine depends on Thee!
TITUS.
On Me? My bounding Heart can scarce believe it.
Am I not then the Object of your Hate?
Princess, proceed; Say, what enchanting Hope
Exalts me in a Moment to this Height
Of too-transporting Joy?
LUCIA,
[Giving him the Letter.]
Peruse this Letter—
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I then may hope—But whence that sullen Frown,
That Air dejected, and that sudden Start?
[Aside.
TITUS.
Of all Mankind, I am the most accurst!
My Fate, whose Rigour weighs me to the Ground,
Deludes me with a Glimpse of Happiness,
Only to snatch the lovely Image from me:
And, to compleat the Fulness of my Woes,
I love, and may possess, and yet must lose thee!
LUCIA.
Lose me?
TITUS.
This Moment has condemn'd my Life
To Sorrows most profound, or Infamy;
I must be false to Rome or Thee—nor can
Chuse aught but shocking Crimes, or dire Afflictions.
LUCIA.
How can you talk of Crimes and of Afflictions?
T'expell thy King, and head a Band of Rebels;
To grieve his Daughter, and reject her Love,
These are thy shocking Crimes and dire Afflictions!
A Father's Choice now justifies my Flame.
I thought this Day the fairest of my Life,
And yet the Moment, in which my ravish'd Soul
May own, without a Blush, her Tenderness,
That very Moment, you force me to repent!
Open your Eyes, and weigh, in equal Balance,
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Against the milder Sway of Regal Power.
Chuse whether you'll obey, or dictate Laws;
With Me command, or serve ungrateful Masters;
And may the Gods direct your happy Choice!
TITUS,
[Returning the Letter.]
My Choice is made.
LUCIA.
Then dare not you declare it?
Say, What is thy Resolve?
TITUS.
To be worthy of thee,
Worthy my Sire, and faithful to my Country;
Tho' languishing for Thee, to fight for Rome;
T'admire, and imitate thy shining Virtues;
And, tho' I lose, deserve at least to gain thee!
LUCIA.
Must we then for ever—
TITUS.
No—Forgive me, Lucia,
Forgive the Fury that distracts my Soul;
Pity a Heart at Variance with itself;
Now more accurst, than when it felt your Scorn.
Or with thee, or without thee, I am wretched!
O! let me rather die, than see thy Faith
T'another plighted!
LUCIA.
It shall be ever thine!
TITUS.
If then you love me, let your Soul be Roman;
Be more than Queen, and love the Commonwealth.
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A Love and Reverence for the Roman Laws.
Let Brutus be your Father, Rome your Mother,
And her Deliverer your happy Consort:
And let the Romans, vanquish'd by your Goodness,
Receive their Liberties from Tarquin's Daughter.
LUCIA.
Should I betray the King that gave me Life?
TITUS.
Should I have less Regard for Rome and Brutus?
LUCIA.
Peace, busy Heart! no more betray thy Weakness
For an ungrateful Man, who scorns thy Love!
| Junius Brutus | |