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CATO.
19
ACT. II.SCENE I.
The SENATE.
Sempronius, Lucius.
ROME still survives in this assembled senate!
Let us remember we are Cato's friends,
And act like men who claim that glorious title.
Luc.Cato will soon be here, and open to us
Th' occasion of our meeting. Hark! he comes!
[A sound of trumpets.
May all the guardian-gods of Rome direct him!
ROME still survives in this assembled senate!
Let us remember we are Cato's friends,
And act like men who claim that glorious title.
Luc.Cato will soon be here, and open to us
Th' occasion of our meeting. Hark! he comes!
[A sound of trumpets.
May all the guardian-gods of Rome direct him!
Enter Cato.
Cato.Fathers, we once again are met in council.
Cesar's approach has summon'd us together,
And Rome attends her fate from our resolves;
How shall we treat this bold aspiring man?
Success still follows him, and backs his crimes:
Pharsalia gave him Rome. Egypt has since
Receiv'd his yoke, and the whole Nile is Cesar's.
Why should I mention Juba's overthrow,
And Scipio's death? Numidia's burning sands
Still smoke with blood. 'Tis time we should decree
What course to take. Our foe advances on us,
And envies us even Lybya's sultry desarts.
Fathers, pronounce your thoughts, are they still fixt
To hold it out and fight it to the last?
Or are your hearts subdu'd at length, and wrought
By time and ill success to a submission?
Sempronius, speak.
Semp.My voice is still for war.
Gods, can a Roman senate long debate
Which of the two to choose, slav'ry or death!
No, let us rise at once, gird on our swords,
And at the head of our remaining troops,
Attack the foe, break through the thick array
Of his throng'd legions, and charge home upon him.
Cato.Fathers, we once again are met in council.
Cesar's approach has summon'd us together,
And Rome attends her fate from our resolves;
How shall we treat this bold aspiring man?
Success still follows him, and backs his crimes:
Pharsalia gave him Rome. Egypt has since
Receiv'd his yoke, and the whole Nile is Cesar's.
Why should I mention Juba's overthrow,
And Scipio's death? Numidia's burning sands
Still smoke with blood. 'Tis time we should decree
What course to take. Our foe advances on us,
And envies us even Lybya's sultry desarts.
Fathers, pronounce your thoughts, are they still fixt
To hold it out and fight it to the last?
Or are your hearts subdu'd at length, and wrought
By time and ill success to a submission?
Sempronius, speak.
Semp.My voice is still for war.
Gods, can a Roman senate long debate
Which of the two to choose, slav'ry or death!
No, let us rise at once, gird on our swords,
And at the head of our remaining troops,
Attack the foe, break through the thick array
Of his throng'd legions, and charge home upon him.
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