_Gel._ You do me wrong: as long as I can die, Doubt you that old Gelosso can be vile? States may afflict, tax, torture, but our minds Are only sworn to Jove. I grieve, and yet am proud That I alone am honest: high powers, ye know Virtue is seldom seen with troops to go. 130 _So._ Excellent man! Carthage and Rome shall fall Before thy fame.--Our lords, know I the worst? _Car._ The gods foresaw, 'tis fate we thus are forc'd. _So._ Gods naught foresee, but see, for to their eyes Naught is to come or past; nor are you vile Because the gods foresee; for gods, not[325] we, See as things are; things are not as[326] we see. But since affected wisdom in us women Is our sex' highest folly, I am silent; I cannot speak less well, unless I were 140 More void of goodness. Lords of Carthage, thus: The air and earth of Carthage owes[327] my body; It is their servant; what decree they of it? _Car._ That you remove to Cirta, to the palace Of well-form'd Syphax, who with longing eyes Meets you: he that gives way to Fate is wise. _So._ I go: what power can make me wretched? what evil Is there in life to him that knows life's loss To be no evil? show, show thy ugliest brow, O most black chance; make me a wretched story: 150 Without misfortune virtue hath no glory; Opposèd trees makes tempests show their power, And waves forced back by rocks makes Neptune tower,-- Tearless O see a miracle of life, A maid, a widow, yet a hapless wife! [_Cornets._ SOPHONISBA, _accompanied with the Senators, departs; only_ GELOSSO _stays_. _Gel._ A prodigy! let Nature run cross-legg'd, Ops go upon his head, let Neptune burn, Cold Saturn crack with heat, for now the world Hath seen a woman! Leap nimble lightning from Jove's ample shield, 160 And make at length an end! The proud hot breath Of thee-contemning greatness; the huge drought Of sole self-loving vast ambition; Th' unnatural scorching heat of all those lamps Thou rear'dst to yield a temperate fruitful heat; Relentless rage, whose heart hath no one drop Of human pity;--all, all loudly cry, Thy brand, O Jove, for now[328] the world is dry! O let a general end save Carthage fame! When worlds do burn, unseen's a city's flame. 170 Phoebus in me is great; Carthage must fall; Jove hates all vice, but vows' breach worst of all. [_Exit._ [318] Distracted, mad. [319] Ed. 2. "stands." [320] So ed. 2.--Ed. 1. "vnevitable." [321] Judges. [322] So ed. 1.--Ed. 2. "double." [323] Ed. 1. "decrees." [324] Ed. 1. "me." [325] Ed. 1. "and." [326] Ed. 1. "for." [327] Own. [328] Old eds. "know." SCENE II.