Her. Bold, frontless men! that impudently dare To blend religion with the worst of crimes! And sacrilegiously usurp that name, To cover fraud, and justify oppression ! Eum. Where are your priests? What doctors of your law Have you e'er sent t' instruct us in its precepts ? And kindly lead us through the wilds of error To these new tracts of truth. This would be friendship, And well might claim our thanks. Caled. Friendship like this With scorn had been received: your numerous vices, And reigns in mimic state, 'midst idol shows, Nor will accept obedience so precarious. Eum. O solemn truths, though from an impious tongue! That we're unworthy of our holy faith, [Aside. To Heaven, with grief and conscious shame, we own. But what are you that thus Eum. Then say, arraign our vices, Why have you ravaged all our peaceful borders? Plundered our towns? and by what claim, e'en now, Her. What claim, but that of hunger?— The claim of ravenous wolves, that leave their dens Caled. Blasphemer, know, your fields and towns are ours; Eum. Oh, now indeed you boast a noble title! To soothe his pride, and bribe his fellow-madmen! To yield us aid, and pay us annual tribute. Eum. No, should we grant you aid, we must be rebels; And tribute is the slavish badge of conquest. Yet since, on just and honourable terms, Weighty with pearl and gems, we'll send your caliph; Two, Caled, shall be thine; two thine, Abdudah. To each inferior captain we decree A turban spun from our Damascus flax, White as the snows of heaven; to every soldier Ten ingots, be the price to buy your absence. Caled. This, and much more, even all your shining wealth, Will soon be ours: look round your Syrian frontiers! See in how many towns our hoisted flags Are waving in the wind: Sachna, and Hawran, Proud Tadmor, Aracah, and stubborn Bosra, Have bowed beneath the yoke; behold our march Her. Presumptuous men! What though you yet can boast successful guilt, Eum. Have you forgot? Not twice seven years are past since e'en your Prophet, Bold as he was, and boasting aid divine, Was by the tribe of Corish forced to fly, Poorly to fly, to save his wretched life, From Mecca to Medina ? Abu. No-forgot! We well remember how Medina screened That holy head, preserved for better days, And ripening years of glory. Dar. Why, my chiefs, Will you waste time in offering terms despised To these idolaters? Words are but air; Blows would plead better. Caled. Daran, thou say'st true. Christians, here end our truce. Behold, once more The sword of Heaven is drawn! nor shall be sheathed But in the bowels of Damascus. Eum. That, Or speedy vengeance, and destruction due To the proud menacers, as Heaven sees fit! [Exeunt. Joseph Addison. CATO. JULIUS CESAR approaching Utica to subdue it, CATO, the Governor of Utica, assembles the Senators for consultation. The Senate-House.-Flourish; SEMPRONIUS, Lucius, and Senators, discovered. Sem. Rome still survives in this assembled senate. Let us remember we are Cato's friends, And act like men who claim that glorious title. [Trumpets. Luc. Hark! he comes. Trumpets. Enter CATO, with PORTIUS and MARCUS, his Cato. Fathers, we once again are met in council; Pharsalia gave him Rome, Egypt has since Received his yoke, and the whole Nile is Cæsar's. And Scipio's death? Numidia's burning sands Still smoke with blood. What course to take. "Tis time we should decree Our foe advances on us, And envies us even Libya's sultry deserts. Fathers, pronounce your thoughts: are they still fixed To hold it out, and fight it to the last? Or are your hearts subdued at length, and wrought, By time and ill success, to a submission? Sempronius, speak. Sem. My voice is still for war. Gods! can a Roman senate long debate Which of the two to choose, slavery or death? Of his thronged legions, and charge home upon him. May reach his heart, and free the world from bondage. Rise, fathers, rise! 'tis Rome demands your help; Rise, and revenge her slaughtered citizens, Or share their fate.To battle! Great Pompey's shade complains that we are slow, That justice warrants, and that wisdom guides; Lucius, we next would know what's your opinion, |