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Show 00 Commands but think not to fubje& m y will, Remember this, I a m Cornelia ftill. C M S A R. O Worthy Widow of a Man fo brave ! Whofe Courage, Wonder, Fate does pity crave •, Your generous Thoughts do quickly make us know T o w h o m your Birth, to w h o m your Love you owe And w e may find by your hearts glorious Frame. . Both to, and from what Families you came ; Young Crafms Soul, ai^d noble Pompey s too, Whofe Virtues Fortune cheated of their due : The Scipio s Blood,' w h o lav d our Deities, Speak in your Tongue, and fparkle in your Eyes', And Rome her felf hath not an ancient Stem, Whofe Wife or Daughter hath more honour'd them : Would to thofe Gods your Anceftors once favd, W h e n Hmmbal them at their Altars brav d, That your dear Hero had declind this Port, And better known a falfe Barbarians Court; And had not his uncertain Honour try'd, But rather on our ancient love rely'd 5 That he had fuffer'd m y fuccefsful Arms, Only to vanquim his unjuft Alarms; Then he without diftrufting me, had ftaid Till he had heard what Cxfar could have faid ; And f, in fpight of all our former ftrife, Would then have beg'd him to accept of life ; Forget m y ConqueftJ and that Rival love, W h o fought, but that I might his Equal prove : Then I, with a content entirely great, Had pray'd the gods to pardon his Defeat; And giving m e his Friendfhip to poffefs, He had pray'd Rome to pardon m y fuccefs. But iince Fate, fo ambitious to deftroy, Hath rob'd the World and Us, of fo much Joy, Cdefar muft ftrive t' acquit himfelf to you, O f what was your illuftrious Husbands due: Enjoy your felf then with all freedom here, } J J Only (37) Only two days m y Prifoner appear - And witnefs be, how, after our debate, I mall revere his Name, revenge his Fate 5 You this account to Italy may yield, What Pride I borrow from Theffalia's Field Heave you to your felf, and mall retire / Lepidus, furnifh her to her defire • As Roman Ladies have refpcfted been So honour her, (that is) above a Queen. Madam, command , all mall your Orders wait. C O R N E L I A O Gods! how many Virtues muft I hate! After the third Aft, to Cornelia afleep on a Couch Pompeys Ghoft /]ngs this in Recitative Air. From lafting and unclouded Day, From joys refin'd above allay, And from afpring without decay. I come, by Cynthia's borrowed beams' To viftt my Cornelia/Dreams, And give them yet fnblimer Theams. Behold the Man thou lovdft before, Pure ftreams have waftid away his Gore 5 And Pompey now fhall bleed no more. By Death my Glory I refume ', Fo r 'twould have been a harfher doom T outlive the Liberty of Rome. By me her doubtful fortune try'd, Falling , bequeaths my Fame this Pride> I for it liv'd, and with it Dy d. Nor fhall my vengeance be with ftood Or unattended with a Flood Of Roman and Egyptian Blood. ** a Ggfat |
