If e'er the scepter comes into my hand,

Syphax fhall stand the second in my kingdom.
STPHA X.

Why will you overwhelm my age with kindness? My joy grows burdenfome, I fhan't support it. JUBA.

Sypbax, farewel. I'll hence, and try to find Some bleft occafion that may set me right In Cato's thoughts. I'd rather have that man Approve my deeds, than worlds for my admirers. [Exit. SYPHAX folus.

Young men foon give, and foon forget affronts;

Old

age

is flow in both a falfe old traitor!

Those words, rash boy, may chance to coft thee dear.
My heart had still some foolish fondness for thee:
But hence! 'tis gone: I give it to the winds :-
Cafar, I'm wholly thine-

SCENE VI.

SYPHAX,

SEMPRONIUS.

STPHA X.

All hail, Sempronius!

Well, Cato's fenate is refolv'd to wait
The fury of a fiege, before it yields.

SEM

SEMPRONIUS.

Syphax, we both were on the verge of fate: Lucius declared for peace, and terms were offer'd To Cato by a meffenger from Cæfar.

Should they fubmit, ere our defigns are ripe,
We both muft perish in the common wreck,
Loft in a general undiftinguish'd ruin.

SYPHA X.

But how ftands Cate?

:

SEMPRONIUS.

i

Thou haft feen mount Atlas:

While ftorms and tempefts thunder on its brows,
And oceans break their billows at its feet,
It ftands unmoved, and glories in its height.
Such is that haughty man; his tow'ring foul,
'Midft all the fhocks and injuries of fortune.
Rifes fuperior, and looks down on Cæfar.

SYPHA X.

But what's this meffenger?

SEMPRONIUS.

I've practis'd with him,

And found a means to let the victor know

That Syphax and Sempronius are his friends.
But let me now examine in my turn:

Is Juba fixt?

SY PHAX,

Yes, but it is to Cato.

I've try'd the force of ev'ry reafon on him,
Sooth'd and carefs'd, been angry, footh'd again,"
Laid fafety, life, and intereft in his fight,

But all are vain, he scorns them all for Cato.

SEMPRONIUS.

1

Come, 'tis no matter, we fhall do without him.
He'll make a pretty figure in a triumph,
And ferve to trip before the victor's chariot.
Syphax, I now may hope thou haft forfook
Thy Juba's caufe, and wifheft Marcia mine.

SYPHA.X.

May fhe be thine as fast as thou would'st have her!

SEMPRONIUS.

Syphax, I love that woman; tho' I curfe Her and myfelf, yet fpite of me I love her.

SY PHA X.

Make Cato fure, and give up Utica, Cafar will ne'er refuse thee such a trifle. But are thy troops prepar'd for a revolt? Does the fedition catch from man to man, And run among their ranks?

SEMPRONIUS.

All, all is ready;

The factious leaders are our friends, that spread
Murmurs and discontents among the foldiers.
They count their toilfome marches, long fatigues,
Unuiual faltings, and will bear no more

This medley of philofophy and war.

Within an hour they'll ftorm the fenate-house.

SYPHAX.

Mean while I'll draw

up my

Numidian troops

Within the fquare, to exercise their arms,
And, as I fee occafion, favour thee."
I laugh to think how your unshaken Cato
Will look aghaft, while unforeseen destruction
Pours in upon him thus from every side.
So, where our wide Numidian waftes extend,
Sudden th' impetuous hurricanes defcend,
Wheel through the air, in circling eddies play,
Tear up the fands, and sweep whole plains away.
The helpless traveller, with wild surprise,

Sees the dry defart all around him rife,

And fmother'd in the dusty whirlwind dies.

}

[Exeunt.

ACT

ACT III

SCENE I

MARCUS and PORTI U S.

MARCU S.

Hanks to my ftars, I have not ranged about

TH

The wilds of life, ere I could find a friend;

Nature first pointed out my Portius to me,
And early taught me, by her fecret force,
To love thy perfon, ere I knew thy merit ;
"Till, what was inftinct, grew up into friendship.
PORTIU S.

Marcus, the friendships of the world are oft
Confederacies in vice, or leagues of pleasure;
Ours has feverest virtue for its bafis,

And fuch a friendship ends not but with life.
MARCU S.

Portius, thou know'ft my foul in all its weakness,

Then pry thee fpare me on its tender fide,
Indulge me but in love, my other paffions

Shall rife and fall by virtue's nicest rules.

PORTIU S.

When love's well-tim'd, 'tis not a fault to love.

VOL. II.

G

The