University of Virginia Library

SCENE II.

Lucia, Hortensia, Titus.
TITUS.
Yet for a single Moment
Let me intreat thy Stay—

LUCIA.
No, cruel Man,
You think by soothing Words, and artful Glosses
To gain upon me—

TITUS.
Alas! I know no Arts:
My open Heart abhors Hypocrisy.
Ev'n Reason now is fled. This fatal Day
Bereaves me of the Power to rule my Actions.
My Brain whirls round! my Thoughts are all confus'd!
Guide thou my Steps, conduct me at thy Pleasure;
Freely command me now to perpetrate
The Crimes I most detest, Murder and Parricide!
Rather than part with Thee, let raging Flames
Lay level with the Ground the Towers of Rome;
Her Citizens be buried in the Ruins;
And let a Father, by his Son abandon'd,
Beneath fierce Tarquin's Sword—

LUCIA.
The Gods forbid it!
In Thee, the Voice of Nature pleads for Brutus.
If I am Yours, your Father will be Mine,
And shall by Me as Tarquin's self be honour'd.
But tell me, Titus, can you then believe,
That Brutus would repine to see his Son
The glorious Sovereign of a willing People?
He's King himself, tho' by another Title;
His Reign, 'tis true, lasts but a Year at present;
Yet soon perhaps—But what avail my Pleadings,
If thy cold Heart's insensible to Love?
I go—Then soon you will forget—

TITUS.
Forget thee, O! enchanting Excellence!—
The Sun shall sooner cease his Daily Course,
Than I can tear thy Image from my Breast!
But then—to see the Romans made a Prey
To wild Ambition, and to lawless Power,
Those very Romans, whom my Hand has sav'd?
My Soul starts back with Horror at the Thought!—

LUCIA.
Hear then my fix'd and final Resolution!
My Heart shall witness by its Constancy,
With what a mighty Force it would have lov'd thee.
Think not that I will wander to Liguria,
To wed a Monarch whom I never saw;
No—Here in Presence of the Gods I swear,
Whose vengeful Lightning blasts the perjur'd Wretch,
Beneath these Walls, where reign'd my Ancestors,
These Walls, which you defend against your King,
By my own Hand to end my wretched Life!
A just Reward for my presumptuous Folly,
In doating on my Father's mortal Foe!
I go—

TITUS,
[Holding her.]
Yet stay, and hear me!
It must be so—Thy Will shall be obey'd,
Tho' my Soul shudders at the dire Resolve!
I see the dreadful Gulph to which I'm plunging;
I see, and I approve the Paths of Virtue,
Yet, led by Love, pursue what I condemn!

LUCIA.
Ah! do not thus delude my ardent Passion!
You mock the Fondness of my tender Heart.
Yes, I confess, I live for Thee alone!
Yet know, I'll sooner die than give my Hand
To One, who wav'ring trembles to be Mine,
Nor dare obey his King without Reluctance.
The dreadful Moment's come, that must divide us.
With Cælius I depart. Advise, consult;
Weigh in thy Mind, how dear thou art to Lucia,
And that all Rome may now be subject to thee.
I go—but will with Tarquin soon return,
To enter Queen, or perish in thy Sight!

TITUS.
Thou shalt not perish! I will—

[Offering to follow her.
LUCIA.
Hold, Titus,
You hazard Life, if you pursue me farther.
Suspicion ever wakes—Resolve to be
Or Tarquin's Friend, or Lucia's mortal Foe!

[Exeunt Lucia and Hortensia.