YEt stand, As you are Romans, follow Manlius; See where Old Marius his Silver Eagle lies; Born in se∣ven Consulates before him; If there be never a Roman dares second me to fetch it off, Let Amadeo bear it to Susa, while you submit your necks under the Savoyard yoke; Are you all dead, all stabb'd with one Calamity? Why did you shake your spears in the morning, and call for a Signal to the Battle? Now you see, how low and foolish it is at any time to despise an Enemy; Yester∣day you were all noise, and full of revilings; Now a Pannick fear possesses you: If you had Conquer'd yesterday, you had rob'd your selves of Triumph, for your vanity left nothing fit to be re∣warded; and now you are overcome, how your wounds will blush with shame; What dishonour must your General sustain, when he sees himself a Prisoner to the enemy! he despis'd—See the General of the Horse too, shall he see you deliver the Roman Eagles

No more, Manlius; I see a Roman anger in their looks, and this Affront has given an Edge to their Swords; Let us go, and make good this pass, and we may regain the day; for Otho, and the second Legion are drawn to the mouth of the Streights to meet with Cleon and the fourth Legion; The Pretor too is upon the March himself.

I can bear any thing but this dejection upon a Loss; yet I know not why we should at any time despise this E∣nemy; Remember my Opinion yesterday, when you were all bent to pursue them to this place; Let us call to mind what they have done with a handful of men; how, in Ten pitch'd Battle, they have stop'd the Roman Eagle in heighth of Conquest, and check'd her power more then whole Nations; Five Gallant Princes have defen∣ded their Freedom with their blood; and this, the last of that Great Race, whose vertue we have proved in Peace and War; And I confess, but in kindness to Lucius, whose Rival I know he is, nothing should have engaged me to have drawn my sword against such vertue which even accuses the Gods for arming a∣gainst him.

Dear Manlius, Brother in my mind as well as Nature, how I admire thee for this honest plainness? But we are now en∣gag'd, and the Roman Honour is at stake; 'tis Rome, and her Battles, we bleed in; and who draws a sword against her must be Our Ene∣my; Else, by my Honour, though it be my Rival, I would hazard my life to save him, the Princess has given so noble a Character of him.

Let us find the General, and joyn with me in proposing a Treaty, while there are some to shew mercy to.

Yesterday your words would have come as well-come as Victory to him, for I know his heart loves Clorinda; But now, 'tis neither Honourable nor safe to propose it; you know they are a Resolute Enemy, and must not be sought for till they are beaten; if we treat, They will believe we feared they might overcome us; And Otho must not treat with the Roman Enemies in Arms; When they acknowledge her Power, then 'tis time to shew a Ro∣man clemency; till then, all Acts of War are Roman too.—See

All Discourse is tedious, and unseasonable now.

Sir, We were proposing of a Treaty.

'Tis out of time; We must not give Our Honours for

I shall obey your Order, Sir; for my kindness as well as duty obliges me to your opinion; yet 'tis strange, that nice Ceremonies should make Prince Otho thus design how to punish that Courage in an Enemy which all the gods have so often reward∣ed in himself. This generous Prince has no crime but valour that pleades against him; and shall Courage be a sin in him, and virtue in a Roman? Come, Sir, I know you have too much Honour to dispute this with me; witness all the wounds that I have felt; I look upon them as the copy of our first Rome; Rome in her cradle, such a despicable handfull of Men were we, such a contemned virtue was Aeneas, so despis'd, so prest by an insolent Monarch, such Page  224 proud Neighbours found Rome in her Infancy, and what had we then but this virtue to defend us, what right to Rome? What force to defend or redeem us but such a Courage? Nay, by what Title now do we hold an Empire over the world? But by these swords, and minds resolved, such an Imperious Enemy wakned then our sleeping virtues, and by forcing us often to dispute for her, at last won Fortune to our side; with our swords we overcame the greatest difficulties; And from a Colony of a few sea-beaten Fugitives, we are become Lords of the Earth; and who knowes the Fates of these Men? We have try'd their virtues in ten years Warr, to which now is added their despaires; Nor has our supplies and numerous Armies, during this War, been oftner recruited then they have renewed their virtue, still shewing equal Courage to our best of Fortune.

When I shall speak in favour of a Treaty, sure none that know my Interest will doubt the Reason of it; And your High∣ness knows with what zeal I have pursued this Warr; Yet I con∣fess, Manlius his words have made me ashamed of that cause that bred my hatred to him, whose Gallantry I shall alwayes love next to Honour: And I know the generous Otho could not be deaf to the reasons he hath given, but that he is angry with the affront which they have this morning thrown upon his Fortune. I know his Heart is too noble else, to hate this little great Enemy, amongst whom Clorinda fights; 'Tis true, 'twould vex a winner to find one, and the last stake stoop his fortune.

Come, Sir, win this Prince any way; his virtues in friend∣ship will do more Honour to Otho then a Conquest; Were I the General, I should be prouder to fold such an Enemy in mine Arms, then to have led Syphax in chains.

Now after a day won and lost, in which they have shew'd both Active and Passive Valour, not dejected by the loss of yesterday, nor blown up with the success of this day; They fell under our wounds, yet no groanes fil'd our Ears; at our feet their wounded truncks lay, and frowning breath'd their great Souls out.

We call them barbarous; but what will the next age say, when they shall read this story, but that the Romans feared Ama∣deo, and destroyed that eminent virtue, because he might have become their Rivall? But this is but discourse, let us consider the place and our condition; If they know and take the advantage, it may be our turns ere the Sun sets, to fill the Graves we talk of; The place will serve for a Moral; have we not this day stumbled at the bodies we slew yesterday, making those Triumphs then our dangers now? Your silence, Sir, confesses the Reason we speak.

O Lucius; Manlius. Friends, dear as my Eyes; why should you two; whom my Soul loves, thus gall your friend? and now when he is beaten and dishonour'd, tell him what a Conquer∣our should have done? Yesterday who mention'd a Peace? was not victory then in all mens mouthes? And now, when we are expos'd to their swords, and no way left to shew we are Romans but by dying bravely, you would have me treat; 'Tis poor and low Page  225 for Otho, a grave is handsomer far; and they will understand it Fear, not Clemency, should we propose it; Let us redeem this fatal day, and then command me; but till we can give Laws, I am resolv'd to try Fate to the last sword, and here. Let us part and em∣brace; whether we meet again or no, we are Romans still; Manlius, our Honour and our Lives lie in thy hands; And I am pleas'd to think the Roman Eagle has such a Protectour; If they force the pass, Lucius and my self will be ready to receive them.

Come, Sir, he is a gallant Enemy, and to lose to such is no dishonour; 'Tis their turn to day, 'twas ours yesterday, and may be again to morrow; Gamesters that play fair must expect to lose sometimes, especially those that will adventure at a Game so full of Fortune as a Souldiers trade; Be therefore, Sir, resolved to make a safe retreat, and save our Honours; so to play this after∣game will shew a Souldier no less then a victory have would done.

Sir, the Enemy advance apace, they have gained the the Hills; and Tullius sayes, unless he be supply'd he must quit the pass; Nor do's the Enemy move disorderly, as upon a success, but whole and in Bodies, as to execute something long since design'd.

Let your Forces second mine; for if we lose this pass, you must not think of a retreat to Susa.

Away then, each Man to his charge.