University of Virginia Library

ACT V.

SCENE I.

Augustus appears seated in his Closet, a Stool placed on one Side of his Chair.
Enter Cinna.
Aug.
Cinna , sit down—be nearer yet—and now
With fix'd Attention mark my whole Discourse.
Presume not with one Word, nor Exclamation,
To interrupt my Speech; when I have done,
Thou shalt at leisure amply make Reply.

Cin.
I shall obey.

Aug.
And I'll perform my Promise—
Cinna, thou art alive; tho' they who gave
To Thee thy Being, well thou art inform'd,
Were Enemies to Julius, and to Me,
That, in their height of Wrath thou wer't conceiv'd,
Ev'n born, and educated in their Camps,
And when their Death had left thee in my Pow'r,
Their Hatred deeply rooted in thy Heart,
Made thee essay thy youthful Arms on Me,
Nor has thy Inclination e'er bely'd
The Blood, that prompted thee to side against me.
The sole Revenge I took, was to protect thee:
I made thee Captive; but to make thee Great,
My Court thy Prison, and my Gifts thy Fetters,
Thy own Inheritance I first restor'd thee,
Then, with the Spoils of Antony enrich'd thee,
And to the Children of those Men prefer'd thee,
Who, in the tug, and danger of the War,
Among my Troops, then held the highest Rank,
To those who with their Blood bought me My Empire,
Preserv'd to Me the Life which now I breath:
In such a Manner I have liv'd with Thee,
As of the vanquish'd made the Victors jealous.
When, after so much Favour, Heav'n to shew
Some sparks of Anger, took Mecænas from me,
In that Distress, his Place I gave to Thee,
And made thee, after Him, my Bosom Friend,
Nay ev'n this Day, when my dejected Soul
Press'd hard to be reliev'd of Sov'reign Pow'r,
I only Maximus and Thee consulted,
Unmov'd by His Advice, I follow'd thine;
Nay more, this Day I gave to Thee Emilia,
The worthy, gen'ral Object of Rome's Vows,
Whom my Paternal Care so high has rais'd,
That crowning thee a King, had giv'n thee less;
All this thou dost remember, so much Fortune,
And so much Glory Cinna can't so soon
Forget; yet, Cinna, what is still more strange
All this thou dost remember, yet wou'dst kill me.

Cin.
Wou'd I kill Cæsar!—

Aug.
Hold, you break your Promise;
Sit down, this is not all I have to say;
Thou, if thou canst, shalt justifie thy self,
When I have done, in the mean Time observe,
And now contain thy self. To-Morrow, Cinna,
Thou at the Capitol must give me Death,
Thy Hand, instead of Incense, must direct
Thy fatal Ponyard deep into my Bosom,
One half of thy Associates must possess
The Door, while Me the other Part surrounds,
Is this a true Account, or false Suspicion?
But shall I name thy Fellow-Murtherers,
Virginianus, Glabrio, Marcellus,
Pomponius, Lenas, Plautus, Proculus,
Icilius, Albinus—Maximus—
Whom, Cinna, after Thee, I lov'd the most.
The rest, not worthy to be nam'd, a heap
Of impious Men o'erwhelm'd with Debts, and Crimes,
By the fair Methods of my Laws pursu'd,
And who, despairing still to shun their Justice,
Unless the State be ruin'd can't subsist.
Cinna, thou now art Silent, be so still
More from Confusion, than from thy Obedience.
What was thy End? and what cou'dst thou propose,
When at thy Feet thy Hand had laid me dead?
If thy last Sentiments I understood,
Rome's Safety on a Sov'raign must depend;
If for her Liberty thou sought'st my Life,
Why then didst thou oppose me, when my Heart,
And Maximus, both press'd me to restore it?
Why didst thou not her Freedom then receive?
Why now desire by Treason to regain it?
What was thy Aim? To govern in my Stead?
A miserable Fate must Rome attend;
If to resist thy mounting on the Throne,
She cou'd no Obstacle oppose but Me;
If after Me, thou prove the greatest Man,
And this vast Burthen of her mighty Empire,
Cannot then fall to better Hands than thine.
Learn who thou art, descend into thy self,
Men honour thee in Rome, they court and love thee;
Yet they who envy now wou'd pity thee,
If to thy little Merit I shou'd leave thee.
Canst thou deny it? speak thy mighty Worth,
Tell me thy Virtues, count thy great Exploits,
And thy rare Qualities I ought to value,
That justifie my lavish Bounty to thee,
Count all that raises thee above the Vulgar,
My Favour is thy Glory, thence thy Pow'r,
That only rais'd thee, and alone sustains thee,
'Tis that alone in Thee the World adores,
Thou, Cinna, hast no Rank, no Credit Thou;
Except, what my indulgent Favour gives thee,
And for thy Fall, I only need this Day
Restrain my Smiles, which are thy sole Support;
Yet I had rather to thy Envy yield.
Reign, if thou canst, tho' at my cost of Life;
But dar'st thou think the Salvedieni, Cossi,
The Fabii, the Paulini, the Metelli,
Beside so many more, whose lofty Courage
Denotes 'em for the living Images,
Of the great Heroes of their glorious Lines,
Will quit the noble Pride, such gen'rous Blood
Inspires, to condescend that thou shou'dst reign—
Speak, it is time.

Cin.
Struck, and amaz'd I stand,
Not that your Anger, or that Death affrights me;
But that a Roman cou'd this Cause betray.
I, Cæsar, am a Roman, Pompey's Kinsman;
The Murther of the Father, and two Sons,
Your Father's Death has not enough reveng'd;
Hence is the secret Cause, hence is the sole
Illustrious Motive of a great Design,
And tho' my Crime expose me to your Rigour,
Expect not, Sir, from Me a mean Repentance,
Useless Regrets, nor Tears, nor shameful Sighs.
Chance has to You been kind, to Me averse.
I know what I have done, what you must do,
Cæsar, I know my Death confirms your Safety.

Aug.
You brave me, Sir, and are Magnanimous,
Far from excusing, triumph in your Crime.
Take heed your Constancy be thorough Proof.
Thou know'st what Thou hast done, what I must do—
Thou know'st thy Death confirms my Life—thou hast
Thy self pronounc'd thy Sentence—chuse thy Death.

SCENE II.

Enter Livia, Emilia and Fulvia.
Liv.
All the Confed'rates Cæsar knows not yet,
Emilia, Sir, is one, and see she's here.

Cin.
Emilia! O!—

Aug.
O Heav'n! what? Thou my Child!

Emil.
What Cinna did, was to possess Emilia.

Aug.
Can Love, to which this Day I gave its Birth,
So soon have Pow'r to make you perish for him?
You to these Transports yield too much your Soul,
Too early love the Lover I bestow.

Emil.
Our Flame, which to your Vengeance has expos'd me,
Was not the prompt Effect of your Commands.
Four Years have we conceal'd our tender Passion,
Which kindled in our Hearts without your Order.
Tho' Him I lov'd, and tho' he sigh'd for Me,
A Hatred yet more strong still rul'd us both.
My Heart to Cinna wou'd no Hopes allow,
Till for my Father's Death he vou'd Revenge.
I made him swear it, and he did attempt it;
But the desir'd Success the Gods prevented,
And I am come to offer you a Victim.
Not with intent to save a Lover's Life,
By charging on my self the Crime we boast.
In vain is all Excuse in Crimes of State.
To die before his Eyes, and joyn my Father,
Is all that brings me here, and all I hope.

Aug.
How long! O Heav'n, and why wilt thou draw forth,
From my own Family, thy Darts against me?
Thence Julia, for her Liberties I banish'd,
And in her Place, my Kindness chose Emilia,
Of which, I find, like her, she's most unworthy.
One stain'd my Honour, t'other seeks my Blood.
Emilia, O my Child! is this the Price?
This the Return of my Paternal Love?

Emil.
So was my Father's Love for you return'd.

Aug.
Think with what Care I rear'd thy tender Youth.

Emil.
With the same tenderness He cherish'd thine.
He was your Tutor, and you his Assassin.
Cæsar, from you I learn'd the way to Guilt,
This difference there is 'twixt yours and mine,
You to Ambition sacrific'd my Father,
And a just Fury of Revenge in Me,
Would for his guiltless Blood, your Blood have shed.

Liv.
Emilia, hold, it is too much; consider,
Cæsar has well repay'd thy Father's Care;
His Death, with which thy Memory inflames
Thy Fury, was the Error of Augustus,
Not of Octavius; and the Crimes of State,
Which, for the Crown, we sometimes must commit,
The Gods forgive, when they the Crown bestow.
Whatever Cæsar did, or ever shall,
Inviolable ever is his Person.
Our Fortunes, and our Days we owe to him,
But o'er a Sov'raign who pretends a Right?

Emil.
From what I urg'd you might perceive I meant,
Not to excuse; but aggravate my Crime.
Punish then, Cæsar, these my guilty Charms,
Which make your glorious Fav'rites your Assassins,
Take, take my Life, to make your own secure;
If to this Treason I have tempted Cinna,
Like him, I many others may seduce,
And you in greater Danger will remain,
When with a double Hatred I inrag'd,
A Father, and a Lover wou'd revenge.

Cin.
Cæsar, 'tis Time I shou'd unfold the Truth.
Ere yet I lov'd her, this Design I form'd;
To my pure Vows inflexible she prov'd,
I sought by other Cares her Heart to soften,
Talk'd to her of her Father, and your Rigour,
Offer'd my Hand, as I had done my Heart;
How sweet is Vengeance to a Woman's Mind!
With that I press'd, with that I took her Soul,
My little Share of Merit She despis'd;
But cou'd not slight the Heart that wou'd revenge her.
I am the Chief, she only the Accomplice.

Emil.
When I must die, to rob me of my Glory,
Cinna, is that thy latest Proof of Love?

Cin.
Contented I cou'd die, depriv'd of all
The Glory gain'd, by an Attempt so great;
If that wou'd make thee deign to live; wou'd Cæsar,
(Sparing the guilty Daughter's Blood) repay
That Life, he from the guiltless Father took.

Emil.
Know, Cinna, Cæsar cannot save my Life,
Unless he first submit to give thee thine;
Leave me my share of Fame, and take your own,
Mine wou'd be less, shou'd I diminish yours.
Pleasure and Torment, Glory and Disgrace,
True Lovers bear alike, alike enjoy.
We, Cæsar, have two Roman Souls, and We
Uniting our Desires, then joyn'd our Hate,
The quick Resentment of our murther'd Parents,
At the same Instant taught us both our Duty,
In this great Enterprize our Hearts have met,
And which our gen'rous Souls together form'd,
And we together seek a glorious Death;
Part not in Death, those whom in Life you join'd.

Aug.
I will unite you, false, ungrateful Pair,
Of all my Foes the most implacable.
Yes, I will joyn you, since you so desire,
'Tis fit the World of my Resentment know
The horrid Cause, and that at once it stand
Astonisht with the Crime, and Punishment.
Enter Maximus.
But see, Heav'n smiles on Cæsar, and has sent
A Friend new wrested from the furious Waves.
Approach my only prov'd and faithful Friend.

Maxim.
Towards Me your Thoughts too kindly are dispos'd.

Aug.
After Remorse, like thine, O Maximus!
Mention no more thy Crime, since from such Peril,
Thy Gratitude, thy Virtue has preserv'd me,
I owe to Thee my Empire, and my Life.

Maxim.
Know better the worst Enemy you have.
Cæsar, that still you reign, that still you live,
My jealous Rage has been the secret Cause.
A mean Repentance checkt not Maximus,
I still desir'd to set my Country free,
And have alone, to make my Rival perish,
Our just, our gen'rous Enterprise reveal'd.
I wanted Time, by specious Hopes of Vengeance,
Or from the Fear of Death, to make Emilia
Consent to fly with Me—she was so dauntless,
So far from catching my gross Allurement,
That then, her Courage, Sense, and Virtue try'd,
Their Force redoubled—Cæsar knows the rest.
I by a Freedman's Council have betray'd
My Glory, Rome, my Mistress, and my Friend.
Had I not hop'd to punish here Euphorbus,
And fall before this injur'd Pair a Victim,
To expiate these Execrable Crimes,
I would have scorn'd to live, to tell my Story.

Aug.
O Heav'n! is this enough, or to my Ruin
Have I one Friend Fate has not yet seduc'd?
Let Fate Confed'rate with its own Efforts
The Power of Hell; yet Cæsar o'er himself,
And of the Universe remains Supream.
I am, and will. O Ages! O Remembrance!
This my last Victory record for ever,
This Day I triumph o'er a Wrath more just,
Than ever yet a Mortal Temper prov'd.
Cinna be now my Friend; 'tis my Request.
Once, as an Enemy, thy Life I gave thee,
Spight of the Rage of thy malicious Fate,
I give it thee again, as my Assassin.
From henceforth, Cinna, let our only Strife
Be, who can best bestow, who best receive.
You to my Benefits have prov'd ungrateful;
Now, in return, I will redouble them,
And having loaded thee, with them o'erwhelm thee:
Once more, this Beauty from my Hand receive,
And with Her take the Consulship of Rome.
Love him, my Child, and this Illustrious Rank,
To him I give, to Cæsar's Blood prefer,
Learn thou of Me thy Passion to subdue;
But most of all, Emilia, know that I,
More than a Father, give thee in a Husband.

Emil.
This elevated Goodness has o'ercome me,
Its Lustre dissipates the Fumes of Rage,
And shews the Crime which took the Shape of Justice;
I feel a due Repentance pierce my Soul,
And my whole Heart joyns in the keen Remorse,
Which yet the fear of Death could not effect,
Heav'n your superiour Grandeur has resolv'd,
The Rage, I thought Immortal, is expir'd.
The Heart that could not brook Imperial Pow'r,
Intirely is become your Faithful Subject,
And looking back with Horror on its Hate,
Beats with Desire to serve its Emperor.

Cin.
What shall I say to Cæsar, when such Treason,
Instead of Punishment, receives Reward?
O Virtue without Parallel! O Mercy!
That makes my Crime more vile, your Power more glorious.

Aug.
Cease to retard a generous Oblivion,
And both, as I do, Maximus forgive.
[To Cinna and Emilia.
All Three he has betray'd; yet by his Treason,
You now are Innocent, and now my Friends.
Retake with Me, my Friend, thy former Place,
[To Maximus.
Thy former Credit, and thy former Fame.
From You Euphorbus must his Grace obtain,
In which, let Cinna and Emilia joyn.
Hymen, to Morrow's Eve, shall crown their Love;
If still you Love, be that your Punishment.

[To Maximus.
Maxim.
At Cinna's Happiness I murmur not,
To which, his Title is more just than mine,
I stand abash'd at your exalted Goodness;
But not repining at the Blessing, Cæsar,
Of which your God-like Justice has depriv'd me.

Cin.
Permit, my Virtue, to my Heart recall'd,
May Consecrate to you a Faith, that once
To my Confusion was, so vilely, broken;
But now become so firm, so far from wav'ring,
That not the Rack nor Death could make it shake.
May the great Mover of propitious Fates,
To lengthen Cæsar's Days, retrench the Years
Of all Mankind; and grant, just Heav'n! that I,
By some peculiar envy'd Chance, that Life
From Cæsar I receiv'd, may lose for Cæsar.

Liv.
Cæsar, this is not all; a Flame Celestial,
With its Prophetick Ray, informs my Soul.
Hear what to You the Gods by Me declare.
Rome now without a Murmur will obey,
No barb'rous Purpose, nor ungrateful Envy,
Will more oppose the Course of such a Life,
No more Conspirators, no more Assassins,
You have acquir'd the Pow'r to reign o'er Hearts,
Rome, with a Joy, she scarcely can support,
To you resigns the Empire of the World,
Your Kingly Virtues soon will let her know,
Her Happiness demands, that you should Reign.
From a long Error perfectly deliver'd,
She now, no Rule conceives, but of a King.
Posterity shall Cæsar's Name present,
As an Example to the greatest Prince,
The Gods shall ever chuse to Rule the World.

Aug.
Your Augury, my Livia, I believe,
And dare to hope, that I shall prove it true.
Let double Wreaths, and Victims, on the Morn,
The Temples fill, and Capitol adorn.
Our Priests will now more Happy Omens find,
Since, to my Vows, my Peoples Hearts are joyn'd;
And to the bold Conspirators declare,
His Subjects Lives are Cæsar's nearest Care,
That, having all subdu'd, he crown'd his Fame,
When, in their Favour, he himself o'ercame,
And doom'd the Guilty, only to their Shame.

[Exeunt Omnes.