Cato, a Tragedy

A Hall.

Enter Portius and Marcus.

Por. The dawn is overcast, the morning low’rs, And heavily in clouds brings on the day, The great, the important day, big with the fate Of Cato and of Rome——Our father’s death Would fill up all the guilt of civil war, And close the scene of blood. Already Cæsar Has ravaged more than half the globe, and sees Mankind grown thin by his destructive sword: Should he go farther, numbers would be wanting To form new battles, and support his crimes. Ye gods, what havoc does ambition make Among your works!

Marc. Thy steady temper, Portius, Can look on guilt, rebellion, fraud, and Cæsar, In the calm lights of mild philosophy; I’m tortured e’en to madness, when I think On the proud victor—ev’ry time he’s named, Pharsalia rises to my view!—I see Th’ insulting tyrant, prancing o’er the field, Strew’d with Rome’s citizens, and drench’d in slaughter; His horse’s hoofs wet with patrician blood! Oh, Portius! is there not some chosen curse, Some hidden thunder in the stores of Heav’n, Red with uncommon wrath, to blast the man Who owes his greatness to his country’s ruin?