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Show C70 C A M I L L A. The pain is lefs than fuch a guilty cure. If Rome, or Alba muft defeated be, Dear Curtius can have no pretence to m e ••> No, it Camilla never can become T o wed the Conqueror, or Slave of Rome. But what new Object does m y fight furprize! Is it thee Curtius > may I truft m y Eyes ? SCEN.III. Curtius, Camilla, Julia. CURTIUS. Camilla doubt it not, that M a n is come, Neither the Conqueror, nor Slave of Rome *, Nor think he could before your face have ftood With Roman Fetters charg'd, or Roman blood. Glory and Rome, you love at fuch a rate, You would defpife m y chain, and Conqueft hate j And fince alike in an extream fo great I fear'd a Viftory, and a defeat C A M I L L A. 'Tis enough Curtius, I can guefs thy aim, Thou fly'ft a Field fo fatal to thy Flame \ Rather than me, thy amorous heart would lofe, It to thy Country does thy Sword refufe. Let others make reflections on thy Fame, And if they pleafe, fo great a pafllon blame ', I can no quarrel have to this defign, What moft thy Love fliews, moft obliges mine: And if to Alba fuccor that denys, 9Tis to make m e the greater Sacrifice. * But haft thou feen m y Father ? and could he Allow his houfe fhould thy retirement oe ? Does Policy or Nature him o'recome? And which is deareft to him ? me, or Rome ? And p>* (77) And to afliire our Fortune let m e know, Did he appear a Father, or a Foe > C U R T I US With as much Kindnefs m y approach he faw As could be challeng'd by a Son^in-I aw: But me, he hath not by a treafon feen, Which had unworthy his allyance been! I quit not Alba, by adoring you, But keep m y pafiion, and m y honor too; And all the W a r your Curtius hath not been A better I over then a Citizen ; Nor to his Countries Caufe could \ ove prefer, But w h i m he fi^h d for you, he Fought for her. And if w e muft that fad conteft renew, I ftill muft fight for her, and figh for you. Yes, and in fpight of all m y paffions charms, Did the W a r laft, I fhould be now in Arms. But a new Peace gives m e this free accefs, And tis to that, w e owe this happinefs. C A M IL L A O ! W h o can faith to fuch a wonder give t JULIA. At leaft you may your Oracle believe, And may difcover by this good fuccefs, This day of battel has produc'd a peace. C U R T I U S. W h o could have thought it ? the two Armies met, And Both to Fight refolv d with equal heat, W h e n our Dictator 'twixt both Armies ftands, And a ihort audience from your Prince demands. "Romans (faid he then) wherice comes all this rage? " What fury makes us thus in arms engage ? " At leaft let Reafon our inftru&or be, " Our daughters are your Wives, your Neighbors we$ " Hymen fo much our union did purfue, " That our Sons challenge Grand-Fathers in you : ' " W e but one Kindred, and one People are, " W h y fhowld w e tear our felves with Civil W a r ? O 0 2 "Where |