University of Virginia Library

SCENE V.

Cassius, to Sertorius and Bebricius.
Cass.
Art thou Sertorious?

Sert.
Men do call me so. Art thou a Roman?

Cass.
View well my face; then judge.

Sert.
By Heav'n, 'tis Cassius!
That noble Roman, who appears to me
As the last remedy to dying men;
Or life, or death, attend as the effect.
When Rome, in Sylla, made me Exile; Thou,
In my necessity the only Friend,
I left as Guardian to my Life, my Soul;
Four Suns have past the Zodiack, since to me
They've blest this eye with my Terentia's sight:
Say, Cassius, lives she? or to blessed Shades,
Doom'd by the Gods to an untimely Fate,
Sh' has chang'd for Immortality? Yet hold!
[Cassius offers to speak.
Dead is the Fatal period of thy words:
Night is not more ally'd to Chaos, than
This dismal sound, if utter'd, is to Death.

Cass.
She lives, Sertorius: lives, to bless thy sight;
To banish into Air thy doubts and fears.

Sert.
I ask no other Heav'n, you Gods, than this;
For joys of Paradise, Elizium Shades,
Are Fictions to the real bliss she brings.