University of Virginia Library

ACT III.

SCENE I.

The Scene is Cæsar's Apartment, where he appears Undress'd.
Cæsar.
Ambition, O thou Tyrant of my Soul!
How much a gentler Lord am I to Rome,
Than thou to me! I am the only Slave.
This Day was dully spent in publick Sports,
Things too magnificent for true Delight.
Joy dwells in silent Shades, and private Pleasures;
In Peace, and not in Pomp: then, my long Nights,
Those precious Hours design'd for soft Repose,
Are by unruly Cares thus ravish'd from me.

Enter Junius.
Junius.
Brutus and Cassius attend your Pleasure.

Cæsar.
I tell thee, Junius, my trusty Freed-man,
That melancholic Cassius needs observing.
If e'er I could be capable of Fear,
I think it would be of that pensive Cassius.
He loves not Learning, no, nor Poetry;
Nor is his sullen Humour pleas'd with Musick.
When others laugh, he so demurely smiles,
As if he thought it Meanness to be merry.
Seldom he likes what others most approve,
And loves to praise what all Men else dislike.
Such Men as he are never at their Ease,
While they behold a greater than themselves.
Yet he is brave, and shall have due Preferment.

[Exit Junius.

SCENE II.

Enter Brutus and Cassius.
Cæsar.
You seem amaz'd at such an early Summons;
I have not slept all Night.

Cassius.
On what account?

Cæsar.
'Tis only what I suffer from my Cares.
But my unquiet Mind should not disturb
Such noble Romans, had you not been both
Nearly concern'd in what I have to say.

Cassius.
We are betray'd.

[Softly.
Brutus.
No Matter; let us not
Betray ourselves by Want of Resolution.

[Softly.
Cæsar.
The two great vacant Offices of Prætors
(On which ev'n neighb'ring Princes look with Envy)
Shall now be fill'd by two the greatest Romans.
I owe the Commonwealth that Care, to find
Who best deserves her Favour or her Frown.

Cassius.
We neither beg for one, nor fear the other.

Cæsar.
Cassius, I know your Soul is void of Fear,
And above grudging at your Brother's Greatness.

Cassius.
I understand no Oracles; but sure
Brutus and I are Friends, as well as Brothers.

Cæsar.
And therefore you will be the more contented,
If I advance him ev'n above yourself;
Desert like his can never rise too high.
I know no Pleasure equal to obliging
Transcendent Merit in an humble Mind.
Such modest Worth should get the Prize from Courtship.
Yet this may only be my Love's Mistake;
For, I confess my Weakness, I am frail [Embracing Brutus.

Like other Men, and partial for a Friend;
Yet that's a Fault Heav'n easily forgives.
Be thou, my best-lov'd Brutus, Chief of Prætors:
And Cassius may accept the second Place, [To Cassius.

Not only in the State, but my Affection.
No Thanks: a Coin not counted among Friends.

[Exit Cæsar.

SCENE III.

Cassius.
'Tis well it proves no worse.

Brutus.
What worse can be?

Cassius.
Sure, Brutus has no Reason to complain.

Brutus.
Yes, of you, Cassius; if you can believe
I would receive a Favour from a Foe.
Is this a Time to be oblig'd by Cæsar?
Good Gods! had I not Doubts enough before?
Did I not struggle hard enough for Virtue?
That this last Tenderness of his is added
To shake my very Soul? The strong Impression
May break my Heart, but shall not bend my Mind.
Cassius in this is honour'd more than Brutus;
For, when our Country is so much debas'd,
Repulse is glorious, and Advancement Shame:
I'll not be rais'd by him who ruins her.
It was no private Injury provok'd me;
Frowns had not frighten'd me, nor shall his Favours,
With all their Syren Voice, entice me to him.
I must go on thro' Virtue's plainest Course;
In that smooth Path there is no Fear of Falling.

SCENE IV.

Enter the Conspirators, and other Senators.
Cassius.
See, if our Friends are not already come.
'Tis later than we thought. You are well met.

Cinna.
Is Cæsar stirring yet?

Cassius.
Just now gone in;
And will, when drest, immediately come forth.
Fear nothing; all's secure.

SCENE V.

Enter Cæsar again, dress'd.
Cæsar.
Welcome, my Friends.

Decius Brutus.
The Senate does attend great Cæsar's Presence;
And we are come to wait upon you thither.

Cæsar.
Let 'em attend a while; 'tis early yet.

SCENE VI.

Enter Antony.
Antony.
Rather to stay: I came not here in Courtship.
But 'tis the sacred College of the Priests
Which brought me hither; and they wait without.
Hear 'em, great Cæsar; it concerns you nearly,
And what does so, is for the Good of Rome.

Cæsar.
The Senate stays; another Time will serve.

[As he is going out, enter the Priests, who stop him.
Priest.
Great Cæsar, hail! forgive our zealous Haste,
Urg'd by divine Portent, which sent us here,
To warn the mighty Ruler of the World.

Cæsar.
Speak: I attend the Message of the Gods.

Priest.
As on Mount Aventine I lately sat,
Attir'd with sacred Robes, and southward turn'd;
The Heav'ns all clear, and free from black Presage;
With my bent Wand I the due Rites perform'd,
And parted all the Regions of the Air.
When lo, ill-boding Birds appear'd from far,
Bearing Misfortunes on their ominous Wings:
I gaz'd upon them with prophetick Skill,
Till a fierce Flash of Lightning check'd my Sight.
Then, in one Instant, all the Heav'ns were chang'd;
Clouds, swell'd with Thunder, roll'd themselves along,
With Noise too horrible for human Ear.

Cæsar.
It thunder'd, and it lighten'd: well, go on.

Second Priest.
Omens of Ill in sev'ral kinds agree:
Having new chose for solemn Sacrifice
A large-grown Bull, the goodliest of the Herd;
With an unwonted Rage he breaks his Chains,
Making fierce Way thro' all the frighten'd Crowd,
Which gaz'd, and trembled; so divided stood
Betwixt their Curiosity and Fear:
At last, he at the Altar laid him down,
And seem'd to beg the Blow, which none durst give;
Then on a sudden shook the Air like Thunder;
And with unheard-of Bellowing breath'd his last.
When open'd, we beheld, with Eyes amaz'd,
This boist'rous Beast, that rag'd with so much Clamour,
Yet had no Heart.

Cæsar.
And I should seem like him,
Did I give way to ev'ry idle Fear.

Priest.
Is it an idle thing to fear the Gods?
Thou'rt in their Power, as the World in thine;
And each may own a Fear without a Blush.

Antony.
Good Cæsar, be advis'd: in this one Thing
Yield to your Friends, and send the Senate Word
You are not well.

Cæsar.
What, send 'em an Excuse!
Have I in Conquest stretch'd my Arm so far,
And fear at last to tell Grey-beards the Truth?
No, Antony, Truth will bear out itself.
I would do much to give my Friends Content;
So, let them know I shall not come To-day;
Cannot, is false; and that I dare not, falser.
I will not come: Go, tell it to the Senate.

[To Decius Brutus.
Decius Brutus.
But shall not I pretend some Cause for this?

Cæsar.
The Cause is in my Will. I will not go.
That is enough to satisfy the Senate.

Decius Brutus.
Sir, I obey; but pardon my Affection,
If it offends you with untimely Care:
The Senate is resolv'd to give a Crown
This Day to mighty Cæsar: Who can tell,
But by To-morrow their loose Minds may change?
Assemblies are uncertain as the Sea,
Which ebbs and flows, now rises and now falls,
Just as the hum'rous Wind inclines to move.
No Woman changes more than Crowds of Men.

Cæsar.
How weak your Fears seem now, good Antony!
I must not let the fair Occasion fall.
Prepare the Ceremony; I am stay'd for.

Brutus.
Prudence in vain defends unhappy Men:
When Heav'n ordains, the Wisest haste to Ruin.

[Exeunt omnes.

Third CHORUS.

To be sung after the Third Act, by two aerial Spirits.
I.
Tell, oh! tell me, whence arise
These Disorders in our Skies?
Rome's great Genius wildly gaz'd;
And the Gods seem all amaz'd.

II.
Know, in Sight of this Day's Sun,
Such a Deed is to be done,
Black enough to shroud the Light
Of all this World in dismal Night.

I.
What is this Deed?

II.
To kill a Man,
The greatest since Mankind began:
Learned, eloquent, and wise,
Gen'rous, merciful, and brave!

I.
Yet not too great a Sacrifice,
The Liberty of Rome to save?

II.
But will not Goodness claim Regard;
And does not Worth deserve Reward?

I.
Dees not their Country lie at Stake?
Can they do too much for her Sake?

Both together.
Tho' dreadful be this Doom of Fate,
Just is that Pow'r which governs all:
Better this wond'rous Man should fall,
Than a most glorious, virtuous State.