University of Virginia Library

SCENE VII.

Enter Ætius.
Ætius! ha! what brings thee here?
Say, whither goest thou?

Æt.
To defend Augustus.
I heard but now—

Fulv.
O! fly—for know, on thee
Suspicion of the treason falls.

Æt.
On me!
Thou art deceiv'd—Tiber too oft has seen
My faith approv'd: the man who by his deeds
Can conquer others, still will rise superior
To every feeble blast of foul detraction.

Fulv.
But what if Cæsar has himself accus'd thee?
Say that I heard him?

Æt.
If Augustus said it,
He never could believe it: had he paus'd
But for a moment, every thing he saw
Would plead in my defence; all Italy,
The attesting world; his glory and his empire,
Preserv'd by me, must make him own the falsehood.

Fulv.
I know thy ruin would be well aveng'd;
But who can tell me that thy friends would give
Their timely aid? Alas! the deepest vengeance
Would not console me for thy loss—O! fly,
Fly if thou lov'st me, and indulge my fears.

Æt.
Thy fond affection raises fancied dangers.

Fulv.
In what dost thou confide? Thy valour, Ætius?
Heroes are mortal, and oppress'd by numbers.
Or in thy virtue? Ah! from that alone
My soul forebodes misfortune—Yes, thy virtue
Is now thy worst of foes.

Æt.
My confidence
Is founded, Fulvia, on an upright heart,
A stranger to remorse; on innocence,
That brings its own applause; in this right hand,
So needful to the weal of Rome. Augustus
Is no barbarian, nor insensible
To deeds of worth: should one like me be lost,
A tyrant would himself confess such loss
Not lightly were supplied.