University of Virginia Library

SCENE III.

Enter Junia.
Junia.
Now, all the Gods that guard the Innocent,
Protect my Cassius! they are marching hither:
Ruin is rolling on us from afar.

Cassius.
Not hither, Junia; we shall spare their Pains;
Our Forces intercept their bold Presumption,
And I just now am making Haste to meet them.

Junia.
Come then, away; with you all Pains are easy;
I am this Moment ready for the Journey.

Cassius.
Ready, alas! you must not for this World
Share in the Shifts and Hazards I must run;
Virtue, like yours, here none will dare to harm;
And while you stay in Athens, I am easy;
My dear, and better Half, is out of Danger.

Junia.
And am I yet more wretched than I thought?
I had no Comfort left for your Misfortunes,
But that I was to share them ev'ry where:
And will you take that from me? O 'tis hard!
You would not, if you saw my sighing Heart.

Cassius.
And you should go, did I not doubt my own:
But 'tis so tender always towards you,
It shakes, alas! my firmest Resolutions.
I, like some skilful Swimmer in a Shipwreck,
Grasping his only Treasure in his Arms,
May, for thy sake, make too much Haste to Shore,
Leaving the Bark with all my Friends behind,
Your Sighs would blow away my best Resolves,
Soften my Soul, and slacken all its Strength.
When all's at stake, I eagerly may fix
My Mind on you, and never think beyond.

Junia.
Beyond! Why, is there any thing beyond
The dear, the charming Object of our Love?
Mere Thought of that is Height of Happiness.
What Image have we of Elysian Bowers,
But such a gentle, calm, contented State?
What has this Trifle of a World to do
With a blest Pair, who live embracing thus?

Cassius.
What says my Charmer? can I leave this Woman?
I could look thus, and languish here for ever.
Yet there's one Tye, more dear than Life, or Love;
'Tis Honour, and the sacred Good of Rome.
For these I kill'd the greatest Man on Earth,
Engag'd the best and noblest of Mankind
(And saying that, I need not name your Brother)
To stab his Friend, and his own Heart at once.
Since I have done all this, I must do more;
Leave Junia here, and all my Joys behind.

Junia.
Did I e'er think that Cassius would forsake me?

Cassius.
Forsake! I leave you as the richest Pledge
Which can be giv'n to this illustrious City.
That Rome itself can be no dearer to me,
Than friendly Athens for protecting you.

Junia.
Jewels we prize we seldom leave behind:
Oh take me with you! my officious Love
Perhaps may shield you from some sudden Danger,
Soften your angry and uneasy Hours,
And make Adversity itself seem pleasing.
My Love could do all this, if yours were equal.

[Weeps.
Cassius.
All this! nay more; what cannot Junia do?
Then, since I dare not hazard you in Armies,
I will stay here, and die within your Arms.

Junia.
You die! Oh Heav'n! the very Sound of that
Checks my Designs, and chills all my Desires.

Cassius.
Hast thou not heard, how hard ungrateful Rome
Pursues the Men who once deliver'd her,
And riots in the Blood of her Redeemers?
Two of our Band they have destroy'd already,
And vow to spare no Murderer of Cæsar;
That is to say, no Man that lov'd his Country,
Ruin'd himself, only to rescue her.

Junia.
Oh! I have talk'd too long: go on, make Haste;
I am not wont, alas! to use this Language,
But now I can say nothing else: Away;
No matter what becomes of me; away.

Cassius.
Your spotless Fame must always be your Guard,
Rudeness itself will reverence such Virtue.
I must immediately haste to our Friends,
Who all assembled in the Fields of Sardis,
Wait there for me and Brutus. He, To-morrow,
Shall follow, at the Head of mighty Numbers,
Rais'd only by the Credit of our Cause;
A Cause, well worthy of the World to succour!
Oh! while I languish out this long, long Absence,
Take care of all my Treasure, thy dear Self.

Junia.
Farewel! thou truest, kindest, best of Men!
But one Look more—and then a long Farewel
To all Content—all, till we meet again.

[Exit Cassius. Manet Junia.