The Works of John Sheffield Earl of Mulgrave, Marquis of Normanby, and Duke of Buckingham. In two volumes ... The third edition, Corrected |
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| VI. | SCENE VI. |
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 | The Works of John Sheffield |  |
SCENE VI.
Antony, who stands over the Body of Cæsar, alone.Antony.
Pity indeed! but what a wretched Change:
That thou shouldst move it! Thou, whose wond'rous Soul
Was high as e'er Humanity attain'd;
Yet gentle as the humblest of Mankind.
[Enter some Friends of Antony.
Thy vast Ambition was but just, and like
The Element of Fire when first created,
Which soar'd above the rest, to shine more glorious,
And chear the under World with Light and Heat.
Thou still shalt shine a Comet, and portend
A black and bloody Scene of Civil War.
These Wounds inspire me with prophetick Skill,
Which like dumb Mouths op'ning their bloody Lips,
Seem to intreat the Utt'rance of my Tongue.
Now the whole World disturb'd, will miss thee soon;
Men shall bemoan their Master, beat their Breasts,
And lay upon thy Death all their Misfortunes.
Wars, Bloodshed, Massacres, such horrid Deeds,
And fatal Fury, shall be so familiar,
That Custom shall take off all Sense of Crime,
And Shame and Guilt shall be but Words forgot,
Lost in the boundless Licence of the Times.
That thou shouldst move it! Thou, whose wond'rous Soul
Was high as e'er Humanity attain'd;
284
Thy vast Ambition was but just, and like
The Element of Fire when first created,
Which soar'd above the rest, to shine more glorious,
And chear the under World with Light and Heat.
Thou still shalt shine a Comet, and portend
A black and bloody Scene of Civil War.
These Wounds inspire me with prophetick Skill,
Which like dumb Mouths op'ning their bloody Lips,
Seem to intreat the Utt'rance of my Tongue.
Now the whole World disturb'd, will miss thee soon;
Men shall bemoan their Master, beat their Breasts,
And lay upon thy Death all their Misfortunes.
Wars, Bloodshed, Massacres, such horrid Deeds,
And fatal Fury, shall be so familiar,
That Custom shall take off all Sense of Crime,
And Shame and Guilt shall be but Words forgot,
Lost in the boundless Licence of the Times.
Come, let us bear him to the Market-place.
This is a Jewel yet, tho' dropt by Fortune;
With which we'll purchase Popularity,
And set up for ourselves in this new World.
Our Tears and Grief will soften their hard Hearts,
Fit to receive Impression from our Words.
And when Crowds listen once, there is no Fear:
They have the People's Hearts, who have their Ear.
[Exeunt with the Body of Cæsar.
This is a Jewel yet, tho' dropt by Fortune;
With which we'll purchase Popularity,
And set up for ourselves in this new World.
Our Tears and Grief will soften their hard Hearts,
285
And when Crowds listen once, there is no Fear:
They have the People's Hearts, who have their Ear.
| The Works of John Sheffield | |