University of Virginia Library

SCENE II.

CÆSAR, Preceded by Lictors, and Officers, and follow'd at some Distance, by an Augur.
AUGUR.
Cæsar! imperial Cæsar! hear the Gods.

CÆSAR.
Go:—Thou art known.—The Gods, thou serv'st, are Senators:
Cassius, thy Phæbus—and his Gold, thy Jove.

AUGUR.
Rest, from this fatal March, restrain'd by Heaven,
And, by such unpropitious Auguries, warn'd.

CÆSAR.
Shame on your pious Frauds! they tire Indulgence.

AUGUR.
Check not the Voice of Truth: 'twas form'd, for Plainness.

CÆSAR.
Own it with conscious Shame.—If Truth loves Plainness,
Why are the God's clear Wills perplex'd, by Art?

AUGUR.
Speaks Rome's high Pontiff This?

CÆSAR.
He does, bold Augur!
To rescue Zeal, from Pride's unhallow'd Claim;
That robs, to reve'rence Heaven.

AUGUR.
Heaven calls for Faith.

CÆSAR.
How dare you, then, make Infidels, by Falsehood?
Wou'd you, o're Reason, stretch the Chain of Faith,
Gild it, with Heaven's broad Light: Touch the taught Heart.
Nobly, speak out:—and tell th' attracted World,
Nothing is from the Gods, that shakes Man's Honesty.

AUGUR.
Oh! stay thy fatal March—change thy rash Views;
Bid thy rais'd Eagles fall the expanded Wing:
Air's plumy People, screaming from the Left,
Stoop in their Flight, to warn Thee:—Omens on Omens,
Bode unauspecious Doom—and teem, with Death.

CÆSAR.
No more. (Augur) the Gods (Cæsar) away—I know 'em, best,
Who know 'em Friends to Virtue.—

AUGUR.
Virtue is Liberty.
The Foes of Freedom can attract no Gods,
To prop their falling Standards;—Heaven beglooms
Thy Star, with some dire Fate:—but what, is Darkness.

CÆSAR.
Go: search it, in the Air,—and, if thou find'st it,
Arm'd, in its ugliest Menace, bring it hither.—
When Screams of Birds can shake a Soldier's Heart,
Thou shalt lead Priests to fight, for feeble Rome,
And lend their Arts, to Cæsar.

AUGUR.
Tremble.—

CÆSAR.
Away.

[Exit Augur.