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Front Page  Titles (by Subject) SCENE II - Cato: A Tragedy and Selected Essays
SCENE II - 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).
About Liberty Fund:Liberty Fund, Inc. is a private, educational foundation established to encourage the study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals. Copyright information:The copyright to this edition, in both print and electronic forms, is held by Liberty Fund, Inc.
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This material is put online to further the educational goals of Liberty Fund, Inc. Unless otherwise stated in the Copyright Information section above, this material may be used freely for educational and academic purposes. It may not be used in any way for profit.
- 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 II
Cato, Portius.
Cato- But, hah! how’s this, my son? why this intrusion?
- Were not my orders that I would be private?
- Why am I disobeyed?
Portius- Alas! my father!
- What means this sword? this instrument of death?
- Let me convey it hence!
Cato
Portius- Oh let the prayers, the entreaties of your friends,
- Their tears, their common danger, wrest it from you.
Cato
- Wouldst thou betray me? wouldst thou give me up
- A slave, a captive, into Caesar’s hands?
- Retire, and learn obedience to a father,
Portius- Look not thus sternly on me;
- You know I’d rather die than disobey you.
Cato
- ’Tis well! again I’m master of myself.
- Now, Caesar, let thy troops beset our gates,
- And bar each avenue, thy gathering fleets
- O’erspread the sea, and stop up every port;
- Cato shall open to himself a passage,
- And mock thy hopes— "
Portius
- Oh, sir! forgive your son,
- Whose grief hangs heavy on him! Oh my father!
- How am I sure it is not the last time
- I e’er shall call you so! be not displeased,
- Oh be not angry with me whilst I weep,
- And, in the anguish of my heart beseech you
- To quit the dreadful purpose of your soul!
Cato
- Thou hast been ever good and dutiful. [Embracing him.]
- Weep not, my son. All will be well again.
- The righteous gods, whom I have sought to please,
- Will succour Cato, and preserve his children.
Portius- Your words give comfort to my drooping heart.
Cato
- Portius, thou may’st rely upon my conduct.
- Thy father will not act what misbecomes him.
- But go, my son, and see if aught be wanting
- Among thy father’s friends; see them embarked;
- And tell me if the winds and seas befriend them.
- My soul is quite weighed down with care, and asks
- The soft refreshment of a moment’s sleep. [Exit.]
Portius- My thoughts are more at ease, my heart revives.
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