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Show Wonder not then, that I fo much purine Pompey s defence, and would m y Duty do. His injur'd virtue, fince I cannot right, M y fecret wiflies muft invoke his flight : That fome kind ftorm may fo his Ships difperfe, As may preferve him from his Murtherers. But faithful Achoreus comes, and he Will quickly tell us Pompey s Deftiny. S.CEN. II. Cleopatra, Charmion, Achorem. CLEOPATRA. What, is it done, and hath fome Treacherous hand With that Rich bloud ftain'd our unhappy^ftrand ? ACHOREUS. By your commands, I to the fhore did run. And law this Treafon in its horrour done : I faw the greateft Mortal lofe his breath, And though a fad, I faw a glorious death. And fince a ftory you require from me, So much his Honour, and our Infamy : Hear now his Fate, and wonder and bewail. His three Ships in the Harbour ft filling fail, W h e n to our ready Gaines he approach'd, He thought the King, with his misfortunes touch d, By noble.fcpfe of Honour, did intend With all his Court to meet fo brave a friend. But when he only faw a Squiff prepar'd,- And that too fill d with Ruffians of his guard : Th1 ingrateful Treachery did then appear, And gave him fome approaches of a fear ; But feeing arm'd M e n on our Ships and Shore, He bluflyd his apprehenfions were fo Poor ; And when the Danger was fo near him brought, He only on Cornelias fafety thought. "Let's O7) "Lets but expofe, fays he, this finglehead "To a Reception w e may fo much dread. "But whilft I only do the fhock fuftain, "Haften thy flight, and m y revenge obtain. "King Juba is more generoufly enclin'd, "Where thou thy Father, and m y Sons fhall find : "But if their Death fhould thee of them deprive, "Never defpair while Cato is alive. While their conteft on this was fad and kind, Achillas fatal boat their Veffel join'd: Septimius then, to get him in his Pow'r, I'th Roman Language calfd him Emperour', And as deputed from t!v Egyptian Prince, I et, Sir, fays he, this Barque convey you hence 5 The Shelvs and Sands which under water lye, T o greater Vcffels an zeeek deny. The Hero faw, and fmil'd at this abufe ; He then receivd his Wifes and Friends adieus, Their ftay commanded, and to death did go With the fame look as he did Crowns beftow; With the fame Majefty writ in his brow, He fat unmov.'d among his Murtherers n o w : His ftedfaft Courage did his Conduct feem, Philip his Free'd-man only follow'dhim, O f whom, what I have told you, I did learn, But faw the reft m y felf with fad concern : And think (To mournful it to m e appears) C<zfar himfelf could not refufe it Tears. CLEOPATRA. But fpare not mine, nor let them intercept A ftory, which I have already wept. ACHOREUS. Whilft toward I and they brought him, not a word T o the unhappy Pompey they afford: In which contempt, he did forefee his end. At length arriv'd, they ask him to defeend. |