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Front Page  Titles (by Subject) SCENE I - Cato: A Tragedy and Selected Essays
SCENE I - Joseph Addison, Cato: A Tragedy and Selected Essays [1710]Edition used:Cato: A Tragedy and Selected Essays, ed. by Christine Dunn Henderson and Mark E. Yellin, with a Foreword by Forrest McDonald (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 2004).
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- Foreword
- Introduction
- The Life of Joseph Addison
- Addison the Essayist
- Cato, a Tragedy
- Editors’ Note
- Acknowledgments
- Cato: a Tragedy
- Prologue By Mr. Pope 2
- Dramatis Personae
- Act I —
- Scene I
- Scene Ii
- Scene Iii
- Scene Iv
- Scene V
- Scene Vi
- Act Ii —
- Scene I
- Scene Ii
- Scene Iii
- Scene Iv
- Scene V
- Scene Vi
- Act Iii —
- Scene I
- Scene Ii
- Scene Iii
- Scene Iv
- Scene V
- Scene Vi
- Scene Vii
- Act Iv —
- Scene I
- Scene Ii
- Scene Iii
- Scene Iv —
- Act V —
- Scene I
- Scene Ii
- Scene Iii
- Scene Iv
- Epilogue By Dr. Garth. 1
- Selected Essays
- Tatler, No. 161
- Tatler, No. 162
- Whig Examiner, No. 5
- Spectator, No. 55
- Spectator, No. 125
- Spectator, No. 169
- Spectator, No. 215
- Spectator, No. 219
- Spectator, No. 231
- Spectator, No. 237
- Spectator, No. 243
- Spectator, No. 255
- Spectator, No. 256
- Spectator, No. 257
- Spectator, No. 287
- Spectator, No. 293
- Spectator, No. 349
- Spectator, No. 446
- Spectator, No. 557
- Guardian, No. 99
- Guardian, No. 161
- Freeholder, No. 1
- Freeholder, No. 2
- Freeholder, No. 5
- Freeholder, No. 10
- Freeholder, No. 12
- Freeholder, No. 13 1
- Freeholder, No. 16
- Freeholder, No. 29
- Freeholder, No. 34
- Freeholder, No. 39
- Freeholder, No. 51
- The Life and Character of M. Cato of Utica [ ]
SCENE I
Marcus, Portius.
Marcus
- Thanks to my stars, I have not ranged about
- The wilds of life, ere I could find a friend;
- Nature first pointed out my Portius to me,
- And early taught me, by her secret force,
- To love thy person, ere I knew thy merit;
- Till, what was instinct, grew up into friendship.
Portius- Marcus, the friendships of the world are oft
- Confederacies in vice, or leagues of pleasure;
- Ours has severest virtue for its basis,
- And such a friendship ends not but with life.
Marcus- Portius, thou know’st my soul in all its weakness,
- Then prithee spare me on its tender side,
- Indulge me but in love, my other passions
- Shall rise and fall by virtue’s nicest rules.
Portius
- When love’s well-timed ’tis not a fault to love;
- The strong, the brave, the virtuous, and the wise
- Sink in the soft captivity together.
- I would not urge thee to dismiss thy passion,
- (I know ’twere vain,) but to suppress its force,
- Till better times may make it look more graceful.
Marcus
- Alas! thou talk’st like one who never felt
- The impatient throbs and longings of a soul
- That pants and reaches after distant good.
- A lover does not live by vulgar time:
- Believe me, Portius, in my Lucia’s absence
- Life hangs upon me, and becomes a burden;
- And yet, when I behold the charming maid,
- I’m ten times more undone; while hope, and fear,
- And grief, and rage, and love, rise up at once,
- And with variety of pain distract me.
Portius- What can thy Portius do to give thee help?
Marcus
- Portius, thou oft enjoy’st the fair one’s presence:
- Then undertake my cause, and plead it to her
- With all the strength and heats of eloquence
- Fraternal love and friendship can inspire.
- Tell her thy brother languishes to death,
- And fades away, and withers in his bloom;
- That he forgets his sleep, and loathes his food,
- That youth, and health, and war, are joyless to him.
- Describe his anxious days and restless nights,
- And all the torments that thou seest me suffer.
Portius- Marcus, I beg thee give me not an office
- That suiteth me so ill. Thou know’st my temper.
Marcus
- Wilt thou behold me sinking in my woes?
- And wilt thou not reach out a friendly arm,
- To raise me from amidst this plunge of sorrows?
Portius- Marcus, thou canst not ask what I’d refuse.
- But here believe me, I’ve a thousand reasons—
Marcus
- I know thou’lt say my passion’s out of season;
- That Cato’s great example and misfortunes
- Should both conspire to drive it from my thoughts.
- But what’s all this to one who loves like me!
- Oh, Portius, Portius, from my soul I wish
- Thou didst but know thyself what ’tis to love!
- Then wouldst thou pity and assist thy brother.
Portius- What should I do? if I disclose my passion
- Our friendship’s at an end: if I conceal it,
- The world will call me false to a friend and brother. [Aside.]
Marcus
- But see where Lucia, at her wonted hour,
- Amid the cool of yon high marble arch,
- Enjoys the noon-day breeze! observe her, Portius!
- That face, that shape, those eyes, that heaven of beauty!
- Observe her well, and blame me, if thou canst.
Portius- She sees us, and advances—
Marcus
- I’ll withdraw,
- And leave you for awhile. Remember, Portius,
- Thy brother’s life depends upon thy tongue.
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