Bond. It flames out.

[Music.

Car. Now sing, ye Druides.

[Song.

Bond. ’Tis out again.

Car. He has given us leave to fight yet; we ask no more;
The rest hangs in our resolutions;
Tempt him no more.

Bond. I would know further, cousin.

Car. His hidden meaning dwells in our endeavours,
Our valours are our best gods. Cheer the soldier,
And let him eat.

Mess. He’s at it, sir.

Car. Away then;
When he has done, let’s march.—Come, fear not, lady;
This day the Roman gains no more ground here,
But what his body lies in.

Bond. Now I’m confident.

[Exeunt. Recorders playing.

SCENE II.—The Roman Camp.

Enter Junius, Curius, and Decius.

Dec. We dare not hazard it; besides our lives,
It forfeits all our understandings.

Jun. Gentlemen,
Can ye forsake me in so just a service,
A service for the commonwealth, for honour?
Read but the letter; you may love too.

Dec. Read it.
If there be any safety in the circumstance,
Or likelihood ’tis love, we will not fail you:
Read it, good Curius.

Cur. Willingly.

Jun. Now mark it.

Cur. [Reading.] “Health to thy heart, my honour’d Junius,
And all thy love requited! I am thine,
Thine everlastingly; thy love has won me;
And let it breed no doubt, our new acquaintance
Compels this; ’tis the gods’ decree to bless us.
The times are dangerous to meet, yet fail not;
By all the love thou bear’st me I conjure thee,
Without distrust of danger, to come to me!
For I have purposed a delivery
Both of myself and fortune this bless’d day
Into thy hands, if thou think’st good. To show thee
How infinite my love is, even my mother
Shall be thy prisoner, the day yours without hazard;
For I beheld your danger like a lover,
A just affecter of thy faith: Thy goodness,
I know, will use us nobly; and our marriage,
If not redeem, yet lessen Rome’s ambition:
I am weary of these miseries. Use my mother
(If you intend to take her) with all honour;
And let this disobedience to my parent
Be laid on love, not me. Bring with thee, Junius,
Spirits resolved to fetch me off, the noblest,
Forty will serve the turn, just at the joining
Of both the battles; we will be weakly guarded,
And for a guide, within this hour, shall reach thee
A faithful friend of mine. The gods, my Junius
Keep thee, and me to serve thee! Young Bonvica”—
This letter carries much belief, and most objections
Answer’d, we must have doubted.