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ACERONIA.

Thro' various life I have pursued your st Have seen your soul, and wonder'd at its Hence rise my fears. Nor am I yet to le How vast the debt of gratitude which Ne To such a mother owes; the world, you ga Suffices not to pay the obligation.

I well remember too (for I was present When in a secret and dead hour of night, Due sacrifice perform'd with barb'rous rit Of mutter'd charms, and solemn invocati You bade the Magi call the dreadful powe That read futurity, to know the fate Impending o'er your son: Their answer If the son reign the mother perishes.

heights, and grasp

ACERONIA.

The sweets of kindness lavishly in
Rankle to gall; and benefits too gr
To be repaid, sit heavy on the sou
As unrequited wrongs. The willi
Of prostrate Rome, the senate's joi
The riches of the earth, the train o
That wait on youth, and arbitrary
These were your gift, and with the
The very power he has to be ung

Fe I have pursued your steps soul, and wonder'd at its dari ears. Nor am I yet to learn ot of gratitude which Nero owes; the world, you gave y the obligation. er too (for I was present) and dead hour of night, Form'd with barb'rous rites ns, and solemn invocation, i call the dreadful powers, to know the fate ur son: Their answer was, mother perishes.

AGRIPPINA.

Thus ever grave and undisturb'd r
Pours its cool dictates in the madd
Of rage, and thinks to quench the
Say'st thou I must be cautious, mu
And tremble at the phantom I ha
Carry to him thy timid counsels.

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I his mighty Emperor, this dreaded Hero
Has he beheld the glittering front of war
Knows his soft ear the trumpet's thrilling
And outcry of the battle? Have his limbs
Sweat under iron harness? Is he not
The silken son of dalliance, nurs'd in Ea
And Pleasure's flowery lap?-Rubellius 1
And Sylla has his friends, tho' school'd b
To bow the supple knee, and court the ti
With shows of fair obeisance; and a call,
Like mine, might serve belike to wake pre
Drowsier than theirs, who boast the genuin
Of our imperial house.

ACERONIA.

Did I not wish to check this dangerous pa I might remind my mistress that her nod

atoms-tell me! say nperor, this dreaded Hero, he glittering front of war? ar the trumpet's thrilling vo le battle? Have his limbs harness? Is he not f dalliance, nurs'd in Ease Owery lap?-Rubellius lives, friends, tho' school'd by fear e knee, and court the times r obeisance; and a call, erve belike to wake pretens rs, who boast the genuine blo

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Mark'd for their leader: These, by
Of old respect and gratitude, are y
Surely the Masians too, and those
Have not forgot your sire: The ey
And the Prætorian camp have long
With custom'd awe, the daughter,
And mother of their Cæsars.

Ha! by Juno,

AGRIPPINA.

On th

It bears a noble semblance.
My great revenge shall rise; or say
The trump of liberty; there will n
Even in the servile senate, ears to
Her spirit-stirring voice; Soranus t
And Cassius; Vetus too, and Thra
Minds of the antique cast, rough, s

And shake 'em at the name of liberty, Stung by a senseless word, a vain traditi As there were magic in it? Wrinkled b Teach it their grandchildren, as somewh That anciently appear'd, but when, exte Beyond their chronicle-oh! 'tis a caus To arm the hand of childhood, and rebi The slacken'd sinews of time-wearied ag

Yes, we may meet, ungrateful boy, w Again the buried genius of old Rome Shall from the dust uprear his reverend Rous'd by the shout of millions: There His high tribunal thou and I

appear. Let majesty sit on thy awful brow, And lighten from thy eye: Around thee The gilded swarm that wantons in the su

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