_Mass._ Give way! Scipio, by thy great name, but greater virtue,-- By our eternal love, give me the chance Of this day's battle! Let not thy envied fame Vouchsafe t'oppose[374] the Roman legions Against one weakened Prince of Libya. This quarrel's mine--mine be the stroke of fight! Let us and Syphax hurl out well-forced darts Each unto other's breast. O (what should I say?) Thou beyond epithet, thou whom proud lords of fortune May even envy,--alas! my joy's so vast 11 Makes me seem lost,--let us thunder and lightning Strike from our brave arms! Look, look, seize that hill! Hark! he comes near. From thence discern us strike Fire worth Jove; mount up, and not repute Me very proud, though wondrous resolute. My cause, my cause is my bold heart'ning odds, That sevenfold shield; just arms should fright the gods. _Sci._ Thy words are full of honour; take thy fate. _Mass._ Which we do scorn to fear, to Scipio state 20 Worthy his heart. Now let the forcèd brass Sound on! _Cornets sound a march._ SCIPIO _leads his train up to the mount_. Jugurth, clasp sure our casque, Arm us with care; and Jugurth, if I fall Through this day's malice or our fathers' sins, If it in thy sword lie, break up my breast, And save my heart that never fell nor sued[375] To aught but Jove and Sophonisba. Sound, Stern heart'ners unto wounds and blood--sound loud, For we have namèd Sophonisba! [_Cornets, a flourish._ So! [_Cornets, a march far off._ Hark, hark, he comes! stand blood! Now multiply 31 Force more than fury. Sound high, sound high, we strike For Sophonisba! _Enter_ SYPHAX, _arm'd, his Pages with shields and darts before; cornets sounding marches_. _Sy._ For Sophonisba! _Mass._ Syphax! _Sy._ Massinissa! _Mass._ Betwixt us two, Let single fight try all. _Sy._ Well urged. _Mass._ Well granted. Of you, my stars, as I am worthy you, I implore aid; and O, if angels wait Upon good hearts, my genius be as strong As I am just. _Sy._ Kings' glory is their wrong. 40 He that may only do just acts 's a slave. My god's my arm;[376] my life my heaven; my grave To me all end. _Mass._ Give day, gods,--life, not death,-- To him that only fears blaspheming breath. For Sophonisba! _Sy._ For Sophonisba! _Cornets sound a charge._ MASSINISSA _and_ SYPHAX _combat_. SYPHAX _falls_. MASSINISSA _unclasps_ SYPHAX' _casque, and is_[377] _about to kill him when_ SYPHAX _speaks_. _Sy._ Unto thy fortune, not to thee, we yield. _Mass._ Lives Sophonisba yet unstain'd, speak just-- Yet ours unforced?