weaken'd by misfortune.

Lic. We'll seek thy father, and meanwhile, my fair, Compose thy sweet emotions ere thou see'st him, Pleasure itself is painful in excess; For joys, like sorrows, in extreme, oppress: The gods themselves our pious cares approve, And to reward our virtue crown our love.

ACT V.

An Apartment in the Ambassador's Palace—Guards and other Attendants seen at a distance.

Ham. Where is this wondrous man, this matchless hero, This arbiter of kingdoms and of kings, This delegate of heav'n, this Roman god? I long to show his soaring mind an equal, And bring it to the standard of humanity. What pride, what glory will it be to fix An obligation on his stubborn soul! Oh! to constrain a foe to be obliged! The very thought exalts me e'en to rapture.

Regulus

Ham. Well, Regulus!—At last—

Reg. I know it all; I know the motive of thy just complaint— Be not alarm'd at this licentious uproar Of the mad populace. I will depart— Fear not—I will not stay in Rome alive.

I know it all;

Ham. What dost thou mean by uproar and alarms? Hamilcar does not come to vent complaints; He rather comes to prove that Afric, too, Produces heroes, and that Tiber's banks May find a rival on the Punic coast.

Reg. Be it so.—'Tis not a time for vain debate: Collect thy people.—Let us strait depart.

Ham. Lend me thy hearing, first.

Reg. O patience, patience!

O patience, patience!

Ham. Is it esteem'd a glory to be grateful?

Reg. The time has been when 'twas a duty only, But 'tis a duty now so little practis'd, That to perform it is become a glory.

Ham. If to fulfil it should expose to danger?——

——

Reg. It rises then to an illustrious virtue.

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