University of Virginia Library

SCENE III.

Emilia Enters with Fulvia, as in her own Apartment.
Emil.
The great important Hour is now expir'd,
When the Success of my illustrious Vengeance,
And when thy kind or cruel Fate, Emilia,
Thine mighty Rome, thine Cinna, was resolv'd.
How tedious are the Hours of Expectation!
When ev'ry Moment gives the Soul new Hope
Of mighty Joy, or Fear of mortal Woe—
Enter Cinna.
But see he comes—Are your Associates firm—
Are they not startled, Cinna, at the Danger,
Or do their Brows assure their Hearts are bold,
And resolute as are their Words and Oaths?

Cin.
Never Emilia, never yet was form'd
Conspiracy that gave such Expectation,
Nor ever did Conspirators resolve,
With such resentful Warmth, a Tyrant's Death.
Such joyful Hopes appear in ev'ry Face,
Such Eagerness to execute the Deed,
As if like me each Man obey'd his Mistress,
A Hatred so confirm'd possesses 'em,
As if like you each Man reveng'd a Father.

Emil.
I well foresaw you wou'd not fail to chuse,
For such a Work, Men of intrepid Souls,
That Cinna cou'd not trust Rome's Cause, and mine,
But in the Hands of Men of steady Virtue.

Cin.
I could have wish'd that you had seen the Rage
Which at the Name of Cæsar, or Augustus,
Flam'd in their Eyes; I scarce cou'd end my Speech,
When, with a noble Heat, the whole Assembly
Approv'd the Project I with you concerted,
To give my destin'd Blow to Cæsar's Heart.
This is the Point to which we now are come;
To Morrow I expect the Hate, or Hearts,
Of all Mankind, the Name of Paricide,
Or of Deliv'rer, Cæsar, that of Prince,
Or those of Traitor, and usurping Tyrant.
Whether the Gods on me shall smile, or frown,
Raise me to Glory, or deliver me
To shameful Punishment, to Cruelties;
That Rome declare us Friends, or Enemies;
I shall find Pleasure on the Rack, in Shame,
When I reflect I bear 'em for Emilia—

Emil.
Nothing can happen that may wound thy Fame;
If Fortune prove averse, thy Life's in Danger;
But Cinna's Honour is not in her Pow'r.
Brutus and Cassius met with ill Success;
Yet, is the Splendor of their Names obscur'd?
Are they not still esteem'd the first of Romans?
The Conqueror, Augustus, reigns in Rome;
But those illustrious Victims Rome deplores.
Go, on their Steps, where now thy Honour calls thee;
Yet Cinna be not careless of thy Life,
Bear in thy Mind our bright and tender Flame,
That not the Glory only; but Emilia
Is thy Reward, that she expects thy Heart,
Due to the Favour of her plighted Faith,
And of the Trust she has repos'd in Thee;
Forget not therefore, that thy Days are dear
To Me, and that my Life depends on thine.
Enter Evander.
But what has brought in haste Evander here?

Evan.
My Lord, 'tis Cæsar's Will, that Maximus,
And you forthwith attend him.

Cin.
—Both, Evander?

Evan.
As thro' the Forum I this Moment past,
Stern Polycletus stopt my eager March,
Inquir'd for You, and then for Maximus.
I said that You in private hasted forth;
But had, by Me, intreated Maximus,
To meet you, ere an Hour was spent, at Court.
He told me that he wou'd return to Cæsar.
Pleas'd with the good Effect of my Precaution,
I hither sped to give you timely Notice.
He wore his earnest Look.

Emil.
Thou art discover'd.
Send, send with Speed for the Conspirators.

Cin.
Have better Hopes.

Emil.
No, Cinna, I shall lose thee;
I find the Gods are obstinately bent
On giving Rome a Master, and have mingled,
Among thy true and worthy Friends, a Traitor;
It must be so, Augustus is inform'd
Of all, and thou and all our Hopes are lost.

Cin.
In vain I wou'd dissemble my Surprise,
I own I stand amaz'd at this Command;
Yet Cæsar often calls me near his Person,
And Maximus is of his Bosom Friendship,
Perhaps our Fears prevail upon our Reason,

Emil.
Ah! Cinna, drive not to Extremity
My Grief, and since you can't revenge my Wrong,
From Cæsar's mortal Vengeance save your self.
Enough these Eyes have wept my Father's Murther,
Reduce me not to mourn a Lover too.

Cin.
Art thou Emilia! from the meer Illusion
Of a vain panick Fear, shall I betray
Emilia's Int'rest, and the Publick Good,
Abandon all, when I shou'd venture all?
Consider what Effect my Flight wou'd have
Upon our Friends, shou'd this Alarm prove false.

Emil.
But if thy Enterprise be known to Cæsar,
What will become of Cinna?—

Cin.
If there be
A Soul so mean as to betray the Cause,
And me, yet Cinna's Virtue shall not fail him;
Yes it shall brave the vilest Punishment,
In spight of Fortune shall secure my Glory,
In Tortures triumph over Cæsar's Wrath,
Shall make him jealous of the Blood he sheds,
And tremble at the Death he gives—No more,
I fear my longer Stay may give Suspicion.
Now, my Emilia! let thy Words, and Looks,
Confirm my gen'rous Courage, and farewel.—
If I a rig'rous Fate am doom'd to bear,
I shall, at once, be wretched, and be happy,
Happy, to die endeavouring to serve You,
But wretched that I die and have not serv'd You.

Emil.
Go Cinna, listen to my Fears no more,
Forgive, my Love, this one ignoble Weakness.
I see that thy Attempt to fly were vain;
If Cæsar is inform'd, his Jealousie
Has taken care to hinder thy Escape.
Go, go, and in this noble Confidence,
Present thy self at Court, to Cæsar's Presence;
If there Augustus has decreed thy Fall,
Die as becomes a Roman Citizen;
But Cinna do not thou believe Emilia
Will patiently attend 'till Grief shall end her.
No! thy departing Soul will bear mine with it,
And ev'ry Stab that pierces thee—

Cin.
O hold!
Let me, when I am dead, still live in Thee;
At least permit me, while I die, to hope,
Emilia's Grief will prompt her to Revenge,
By one great Blow, a Lover and a Father.
There is no Cause why Thou shou'dst fear, our Friends
Know not the Secret of our Love, nor Vengeance,
Trusted alone to Fulvia, and Evander.

Emil.
Less apprehensive then I go to Livia,
Since, midst the Danger, there remains a Hope
To save thy Life; but if this Method fail,
O think not, Cinna, that I will out-live thee.

Cin.
Forbear that Thought, let not thy Love to Me
Seduce thee to be cruel to thy self.

Emil.
Go, and remember only that I love.
Thy Destiny is mine; if I succeed,
We both shall live; if not, we both must bleed.

[Exeunt.