 | Cinna's Conspiracy |  |
23
ACT III.
SCENE I.
Enter Maximus and Euphorbus.Maxim.
He did to me confess their mutual Flame,
Emilia he adores, Emilia him;
But to possess her Love he dares not hope,
Till on Augustus he revenge her Father,
And to that End he form'd our Enterprise.
Euph.
No wonder then that with such Violence
He press'd Augustus to retain his Pow'r,
For shou'd he quit the Throne your League wou'd break,
And the Conspirators become his Friends.
Maxim.
With Emulation ev'ry Member strives
To serve the Passion of a Man, whose Views,
Hid under the Disguise of publick Zeal,
Regard himself alone, while wretched I,
To serve my Country, must assist my Rival.
Euph.
Your Rival!—
Maxim.
Yes, Euphorbus, yes, my Rival.
Emilia's Charms have long inflam'd my Heart,
Which, with much Care and Pain, I have conceal'd,
Willing, by this Attempt, to free my Country,
Her Love to merit, ere I offer'd mine;
If our Attempt succeeds, he gains Emilia;
If I accomplish what I wou'd advance,
I meet my Death, and am my own Assassin.
In what Extremity has Friendship plung'd me?
Euph.
When the Relief is easie, Grief is light.
Accuse your Rival, and obtain your Mistress.
Cæsar, whose Life you save, will gladly grant
The fair Emilia, as your due Reward.
Maxim.
Betray my Friend!—
Euph.
What does not Love permit?
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And you may justly sacrifice a Traitor,
That for a Mistress would betray his Prince;
When a Design so foul you wou'd prevent,
No Faith shou'd bind, nor Promise be perform'd.
Is it a Crime to punish Criminals?
Maxim.
Is that a Crime whence Rome her Freedom finds?
Euph.
'Tis not Rome's Cause that Cinna has at Heart,
Not Glory; but his Passion he pursues:
Did he not love Emilia, he'd love Cæsar.
Think not your hold on Cinna's Heart is firm,
His Love excludes all other Passions thence,
At least admits 'em; but to serve that Love,
Under the publick Cause he hid his Flame,
And, under that, perhaps, he yet conceals
Some horrid Scheme of insolent Ambition,
And you ev'n now regards; but as his Subject,
Or on your Ruin founds his hopes of Empire.
Maxim.
Accusing him I must the rest accuse,
Must basely sacrifice those worthy Romans,
Who, for their Country's good alone ingag'd,
Wou'd suffer Death, the Rack, and not confess,
Nor start from their illustrious Enterprise.
Shall Maximus! shall Maximus betray
Such Men! shall I, one Criminal to punish,
Give up to Tortures all those Innocents!
All against Him I dare; but fear for Them.
Euph.
Augustus has been satiated with Blood,
And is of his own Cruelty grown weary,
He with reluctance executes the Chiefs;
But their Accomplices forgives with Scorn;
If for your Friends his fatal Wrath you fear,
Capitulate with Cæsar for their Lives.
Maxim.
We talk in vain, 'tis madness to suppose
I gain Emilia, by destroying Cinna
By Perfidy, by Murther to remove
The dearest Object of her beauteous Eyes,
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Lost were to Me the Joy, shou'd I receive
From Cæsar's Hand the Fair Emilia's Person,
Unless her Heart would ratifie the Gift.
(Love never is contented, but with Love)
Her Vengeance to prevent, and Rome betray,
Are these the Means to gain Emilia's Heart?
Euph.
What Nature here resists effect by Skill,
Impose upon her by some specious Turn.
Maxim.
Cinna appears—I'll find you at my Palace.
Retire. I'll try to strike some Light from Him,
That may direct my yet unform'd Resolve
[Ex. Euph.
Enter Cinna.
My Friend seems troubled—
Cin.
Not without a Cause.
Maxim.
May I of such a Gloom demand the Cause?
Cin.
Augustus, and Emilia both torment me;
One seems too good, the other too inhuman.
Wou'd Cæsar better cou'd imploy his Kindness,
Wou'd I cou'd love Him more, or He me less,
Or that his Goodness might but calm Emilia.
A constant quick Remorse confounds my Soul.
Ever upbraiding me with Cæsar's Kindness,
His Kindness so compleat, so ill return'd.
Stabbing Reproach, that ev'ry Moment kills me.
Cæsar to Me incessantly appears,
Intrusting his whole Empire in our Hands,
Attending, and applauding my Advice,
And with excessive Tenderness declaring,
My Empire, Cinna, I by your Advice
Will keep; and keep it, but to share it with you.
Into his Bosom can I force my Poniard!
Rather—but O, I Idolize Emilia!
And by an execrable Vow am bound
To Her Revenge, to Her Revenge, and Hate.
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Made him at length detestable to Cinna.
Whether I serve, or disobey Emilia,
I act against my Glory, and the Gods,
Am either perjur'd, or a Paricide.
Maxim.
These Doubts perplex'd you not when last we parted,
You then shew'd no Reluctance, nor Remorse;
But in your great Design appear'd confirm'd.
Cin.
In such an Action, when we first engage,
Our Passions are a Party with the Crime,
And then usurp too much the Seat of Reason;
But if the Deed allows us Time to cool,
Soon as the pressing Hour demands the Fact,
The anxious Heart, the Seat of Passion, starts,
And Reason uncontroul'd remounts her Throne,
Whence she the Precipice with Horror views.
Such fell Attempts ask sudden Execution.
Brutus, each Hour of the depending While,
No doubt, resolv'd his Enterprize to break,
A thousand times Repentance, and Remorse
Alarm'd his Soul, ere yet he plung'd his Dagger
Into the Bowels of his Benefactor.
Maxim.
The Soul of Brutus was too strong in Virtue,
To feel from that Reflection such disquiet,
Nor did conceive that Action was ungrateful;
But against Julius was the more provok'd,
As his Affection pour'd new Bounties on him.
Let your Remorse be from a juster Cause.
This Day, to you alone Rome owes her Chains.
Had the great Julius offer'd Liberty,
That blessing Brutus had not left in Doubt,
From private Views of Vengeance, or of Love.
Let not th' Affection which Augustus shews you,
That makes him keep his Pow'r, to share it with you,
Bribe you to spare Rome's cruel Tyrant's Life.
No—listen to your Country's Cries, her Groans—
Give me my Liberty, restore my Right,
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Emilia you prefer'd, to Rome prefer not
Octavius, that oppresses, that inslaves her.
Cin.
Forbear, alas! my Friend, forbear to heap,
Upon a troubled Spirit, weight, on weight.
I have the Liberty of Rome defer'd;
But soon will recompence the short Delay.
Pardon the Struggles of a grateful Friendship,
Which, well you know, I ought to bear for Cæsar,
And with Reluctance, I perceive, expire.
You know that I expect Emilia here.
Maxim.
Yes, to the beauteous Object of thy Love,
Thou, Cinna, Cæsar's Virtues wou'dst advance,
To palliate thy own Weakness; well I know
The Talk of Lovers Privacy requires,
And I wou'd be alone (Aside.)
—farewel.
[Exit.
Cin.
Farewel.—
O! Heav'n! is then the glorious Influence
Of this great Sentiment, with which alone
My Virtue has inspir'd me, thought a Weakness;—
If its Effect you view, when those bright Eyes,
That rule my Soul, are present, then 'tis weak,—
The Sweets of Vengeance, and the Joys of Love,
The Glory to set free my native Country,
Are Charms too feeble to seduce my Reason.
Shall I get Fame by murthering a Prince?
So truly Great, so greatly Good to Me.
All I desire, from Cæsar I receive,
The Blessings to enjoy which He bestows,
Must I the Benefactor basely kill?
For ever rather let Rome's Chains endure,
Perish my Love, and perish all my Hopes—
O! obstinate Revenge of bright Emilia!
She, in my Hand, holds Cæsar's Life, and Death.
Since you have made her, Gods! to be ador'd,
O make her exorable to my Pray'rs,
Since, by my Vow, she's absolute o'er Me,
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But the relentless Beauty now appears.
Enter Emilia.
Emil.
Cinna, I bless the Gods, my Fears are vain,
None of thy Friends have forfeited their Faith;
Cæsar reliev'd those Fears, when he to Livia,
While I was present, did with Joy impart,
That ease of Soul your glorious Council gave him,
And that his just Affection to us both,
Had You bestow'd on Me, and Me on You.
Cin.
Will you refuse to ratifie the Gift?
Emil.
Emilia, and her Heart, are still the same.
In giving Me to You he gave You nothing,
The Present, he pretended to confer,
Was by a better Title yours before.
Cin.
And yet you might—O! Heav'n—I dare not speak—
Emil.
What can I do? and what can Cinna fear?
Cin.
I tremble, and I sigh, when I perceive
Our Hearts are not possess'd with like Desires—
I dare not speak.
Emil.
Speak, speak, and ease my Soul.
Cin.
Yes, yes, Emilia, I must make you hate me.
May I not dare to set my Country free,
Revenge our Parents, and deserve thy Heart;
If thou, Emilia! art not all to Me,
Or if my Soul be void of that Esteem,
A gen'rous Mind must feel for thy high Merit.
Can I by Infamy deserve, obtain,
The Joy, the Glory of possessing Thee?
The bounteous Cæsar—
Emil.
Hold, I see too plain
Your wav'ring Spirit, and your mean Remorse;
The Tyrant's Favours soften you from Glory,
Your Love, your Oaths, give way to his Caresses,
And Cinna's easie Nature can suppose,
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Yes, from his Hand, you rather than from mine
Would Me receive; but humble Courtier know,
That on those Terms I never will be thine.
At Cæsar's Frowns the Universe may tremble,
Her Kings he may dethrone, and give their States,
With his Proscriptions redden Earth and Sea;
But of my self—I, only, can dispose.
Cin.
And you, from you alone, I would receive.
I still am Cinna, still my Flame is pure;
Nor does my Pity render me forsworn.
Without reserve your Sentiments I follow,
And push your Vengeance even beyond my Vow.
Without a Crime, or Perjury, you know,
I could have let your glorious Victim scape;
Cæsar, by abdicating Sov'reign Power,
Had taken from us the Pretence to kill him,
When I alone confirm'd his shaken Soul,
And crown'd the Tyrant to secure your Victim.
Emil.
My Victim, Traytor! do'st thou not desire
That he should live, that I should hold thy Hand,
And spare the Man that shed my Father's Blood,
Bear to become the vile Reward of Thee,
Whose abject Soul defrauds my pious Rage,
Whose fawning Council has confirm'd the Man,
My Soul abhors, a Tyrant over Rome?
Cin.
From Me alone you still retain a Power
O'er Cæsar's Life, while all these Benefits,
And all these Honours, his Paternal Kindness
Confers on Me, I Sacrifice to Love:
Since to your Will Obedience still I swear;
Forgive my grateful Temper this Effort,
O pardon! that I strive to calm your Hate,
Which from your Grief, too much indulg'd, proceeds,
And in its place, I wish you could receive
That Love for Cæsar, Cæsar bears for you.
Exalted Minds, that Virtue only guides,
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Nor taste a Joy accompany'd with Shame.
Emil.
Yet in such Infamy Emilia glories,
For Treachery against Tyranny is great,
And when Ingratitude will break our Chains,
The Heart that's most ungrateful is most glorious.
Cin.
Whatever sooths your Hate, you think a Virtue.
Emil.
Cinna, those Virtues I approve, are such,
As from an abject and obsequious Wretch,
Distinguish well a Roman Citizen.
Cin.
Souls truly Roman—
Emil.
Any thing will dare,
To take the hated Life that makes 'em Slaves:
To Roman Souls, the loss of Liberty,
Of all Indignities, is deem'd the basest.
Cin.
The highest Honour, and the greatest Power,
Next that which Cæsar has so greatly won,
Those whom you term his Slaves, alone possess;
Since bowing to their Feet his Slaves behold,
Even mighty Sovereigns supplicate their Favour,
And with the Tribute He exacts from Kings,
He makes our Wealth and Pomp their secret Envy.
Thus, while the World, beside his Yoke, confess
His Love to Rome, has left the Romans free.
Emil.
This low Ambition of commanding Kings,
Which servilely you hold from Cæsar's Will,
Rome's Citizens possess'd from Cæsar's Masters—
The Senate, whom we ought to Re-establish.
Mark Antony incurr'd our just Contempt,
When he to please a Woman wore a Crown,
And the great Attalus, grown white in Purple,
Did boast he was the Freedman of Rome's People.
Remember, thou art Born Rome's Citizen,
Sustain its Grandeur with a Roman Spirit.
Know, that among her Sons, there is not one,
Who was not Born to triumph over Kings,
And think a Master insupportable.
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The Gods who raise up Kings, revenge their Fall,
With their own Images become a Party,
Nor are we sure to shed his Blood alone:
When we to Sov'reigns give a mortal Wound,
We know not what a Deluge thence may flow,
Since Heav'n has plac'd Augustus on a Throne;
If he offend against the Laws of Heav'n,
We should from thence attend his Punishment.
Emil.
When to the Gods you leave a Tyrant's Death,
You shew you are your self the Tyrant's Friend;
But I have done, go—flatter Tyranny,
Thy Soul abandon to thy slavish Genius,
And that thy wav'ring Mind may be at Ease,
Forget thy Birth, thy Glory, and Emilia,
Without thy Arm, to Aid my virtuous Rage,
I can revenge my Country and my Father.
The Glory of this famous Death ere now
I had acquir'd, had Love not held my Hand,
I in thy Favour have preserv'd my Life,
Had I alone the Tyrant sacrific'd,
I by his Guards had perish'd in the Fact:
Since Love for Thee alone has made me live,
I have endeavour'd, Cinna; but in vain,
To make thee worthy of Emilia's Heart.
Forgive me Gods, if I have been deceiv'd;
If I believ'd I favour'd Pompey's Kinsman;
If, by a feign'd Resemblance I'm betray'd,
To love a changeling Slave, instead of Cinna;
And yet I love thee, whatsoe'er thou art—
Which of the glorious Heroes Rome contains,
Would not perform what Cinna has refus'd,
To make my Heart and Person his Reward?
But fear not, I should deign to let another,
Even by that Deed, obtain my Heart or Person.
To serve thy Tyrant go—survive Emilia,
While killing him I die, my Heart still yours.
Now in his Blood and mine behold me bath'd,
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I go where Cinna's Baseness has condemn'd me,
My Father's Murther I revenging fall,
I fall revenging suff'ring, groaning Rome;
But might have liv'd, had Cinna not been faithless,
Had he desir'd to set his Country free,
Had Cinna dar'd revenge our Parents Murther—
And had he lov'd—he would have dar'd to save me.
[Emilia offers to go.
Cin.
O stay! since 'tis your Will, I must obey it.
[Emilia returns.
Rome shall be freed, your Father be reveng'd,
The Tyrant shall receive his fatal Due;
But know he's less a Tyrant than Emilia,
Tho' of our Lives and Fortunes he dispose,
As yet, he has not Tyranniz'd o'er Souls;
But this inhuman Empire of your Eyes
Inslaves the Spirit, and compels the Will,
You make me shed the Blood, which to preserve,
A thousand times I should expose my own,
So you command, I yield, my Faith's engag'd;
But when this Hand my Promise has perform'd,
Obedient to your Arbitrary Will,
Then, then my Steel, yet warm from Cæsar's Heart,
Turn'd on the Bosom of his vile Assassin,
Shall to his Manes Sacrifice your Lover,
And greatly blending with his Blood, my own,
Retrieve my Honour, ere it scarce is lost—
Farewell.
[Exit.
Fulv.
You to Despair have driven his Soul.
Emil.
Let him not Love me, or perform his Duty.
Fulv.
To execute your Will he seeks the Death,
Which you will mourn—
Emil.
Haste Fulvia, overtake him,
And, if thy Friendship deigns to help Emilia,
Tear from his Heart this Purpose on himself—
Tell him—
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What must I tell him?—speak—
That for his sake you let Augustus live?
Emil.
That too unjustly would restrain my Vengeance,
Make me unworthy of my Cinna's Heart.
Fulv.
What must I say?
Emil.
That he perform his Vow,
Then let him take his Choice, of Death, or Me.
While Love for Cinna, and my Hate to Cæsar,
Tear my divided Heart with fierce Debate,
The Grandeur of my Soul supports my Hate.
The End of the Third Act.
| Cinna's Conspiracy | |