University of Virginia Library

Act II.

Scene I.

Enter Fronto all ragg'd, in an ouergrowne red Beard, black head, with a Halter in his hand, looking about.
VVarres, warres, and presses, fly in fire about;
No more can I lurke in my lasie corners,
Nor shifting courses: and with honest meanes
To rack my miserable life out, more,
The rack is not so fearefull; when dishonest
And villanous fashions faile me; can I hope
To liue with virtuous? or to raise my fortunes
By creeping vp in Souldierly degrees?
Since villany varied thorow all his figures,
Will put no better case on me then this;
Despaire! come sease me: I had able meanes;
And spent all in the swinge of lewd affections;
Plung'd in all riot, and the rage of blood;
In full assurance that being knaue enough,
Barbarous enough, base, ignorant enough,
I needs must haue enough, while this world lasted;
Yet, since I am a poore, and ragged knaue,
My rags disgace my knauery so, that none
Will thinke I am knaue, as if good clothes
Were knacks to know a knaue; when all men know
He has no liuing? which knacks since my knauery
Can shew no more; and only shew is all
That this world cares for; Ile stop out of all
The cares 'tis steept in.

He offers to hang himselfe.
Thunder, and the Gulfe opens, flames issuing; and Ophioneus ascending, with the face, wings, and taile of a Dragon; a skin coate all speckled on the throat.
Oph.
Hold Rascall, hang thy selfe in these dayes?
The only time that euer was for a Rascall to liue in?

Fron.
How chance I cannot liue then?

Oph.
Either th'art not rascall nor villaine enough;
Or else thou dost not pretend honesty
And piety enough to disguise it.

Fro.
That's certaine, for euery asse does that.
What art thou?

Oph.
A villaine worse then thou.

Fro.
And dost breathe?

Oph.
I speake thou hear'st, I moue, my pulse beates
Fast as thine.

Fro.
And wherefore liu'st thou?

Oph.
The world's out of frame, a thousand Rulers
Wresting it this way, and that, with as many
Religions; when, as heauens vpper Sphere is mou'd
Onely by one; so should the Sphere of earth be, and
Ile haue it so.

Fro.
How canst thou? what art thou?

Oph.
My shape may tell thee.

Fro.
No man?

Oph.
Man? no, spawne of a clot, none of that cursed
Crew, damn'd in the masse it selfe; plagu'd in his birth,
Confinde to creepe below, and wrestle with the Elements;
Teach himselfe tortures; kill himselfe, hang himselfe;
No such gally slaue, but at warre with heauen;
Spurning the power of the gods, command the Elements:

Fro.
What maist thou be then?

Oph.
An endlesse friend of thine; an immortall deuill.

Fro.
Heauen blesse vs.

Oph.
Nay then, forth, goe, hang thy selfe, and thou talk'st
Of heauen once.

Fro.
I haue done; what deuill art thou?

Oph.
Read the old stoick Pherecides, that tels thee
Me truly, and sayes that I Ophioneus (for so is
My name.)

Fro.
Ophioneus? what's that?

Oph.
Deuilish Serpent, by interpretation; was generall
Captaine of that rebellious host of spirits that
Wag'd warre with heauen.

Fro.
And so were hurl'd downe to hell.

Oph.
We were so; and yet haue the rule of earth; and cares
Any man for the worst of hell then?

Fro.
Why should he?

Oph.
Well said; what's thy name now?

Fro.
My name is Fronto.

Oph.
Fronto? A good one; and has Fronto liu'd thus long
In Rome? lost his state at dice? murther'd his
Brother for his meanes? spent all? run thorow worse
Offices since? beene a Promoter? a Purueyor? a Pander?
A Sumner? a Sergeant? an Intelligencer? and at last
Hang thy selfe?

Fro.
How the deuill knowes he all this?

Oph.
Why thou art a most greene Plouer in policy, I
Perceiue; and maist drinke Colts-foote, for all thy
Horsemane beard: S'light, what need hast
Thou to hang thy selfe? as if there were a dearth
Of hangmen in the land? Thou liu'st in a good cheape
State, a man may be hang'd here for a little, or
Nothing. What's the reason of thy desperation?

Fro.
My idle dissolute life, is thrust out of all his corners
By this searching tumult now on foot in Rome.
—Cæsar now and Pompey
Are both for battaile: Pompey (in his feare
Of Cæsars greater force) is sending hence
His wife and children, and he bent to fly.
Enter Pompey running ouer the Stage with his wife and children, Gabinius, Demetrius, Vibius, Pages; other Senators, the Consuls and all following.
See, all are on their wings; and all the City
In such an vproare, as if fire and sword
Were ransacking, and ruining their houses,
No idle person now can lurke neare Rome,
All must to armes; or shake their heeles beneath
Her martiall halters; whose officious pride
Ile shun, and vse mine owne swinge: I be forc't
To helpe my Countrey, when it forceth me
To this past-helping pickle?

Oph.
Goe to, thou shalt serue me; chuse thy profession;
And what cloth thou wouldst wish to haue thy Coat
Cut out on.

Fro.
I can name none.

Oph.
Shall I be thy learn'd Counsaile?

Fro.
None better.

Oph.
Be an Archflamen then, to one of the Gods.

Fro.
Archflamen? what's that?

Oph.
A Priest.

Fro.
A Priest? that nere was Clerke?

Oph.
No Clerke? what then?
The greatest Clerks are not the wisest men.
Nor skils it for degrees in a knaue, or a fooles preferment,
Thou shalt rise by fortune: let desert rise leisurely
Enough, and by degrees; fortune preferres headlong,
And comes like riches to a man; huge riches being
Got with little paines; and little with huge paines. And
For discharge of the Priesthood, what thou wantst
In learning, thou shalt take out in goodfellowship:
Thou shalt equiuocate with the Sophister, prate with
The Lawyer, scrape with the Vsurer, drinke with the
Dutchman, sweare with the French man, cheat
With the English man, brag with the Scot, and
Turne all this to Religion, Hoc est regnum
Deorum Gentibus.

Fro.
All this I can doe to a haire.

Oph.
Very good, wilt thou shew thy selfe deepely learn'd too,
And to liue licentiously here, care for nothing hereafter?

Fro.
Not for hell?

Oph.
For hell? soft Sir; hop'st thou to purchase hell
With only dicing or whoring away thy liuing?
Murthering thy brother, and so forth? No there
Remaine works of a higher hand and deeper braine,
To obtaine hell. Thinkst thou earths great
Potentates haue gotten their places there with
Any single act of murther, poysoning, adultery,
And the rest? No; tis a purchase for all manner
Of villany; especially, that may be priuiledg'd
By Authority; colourd with holinesse, and enioyd
With pleasure.

Fro.
O this were most honourable and admirable.

Oph.
Why such an admirable honorable villane shalt
Thou be.

Fro.
Is't possible?

Oph.
Make no doubt on't; Ile inspire thee.

Fro.
Sacred and puissant.

He kneeles.
Oph.
Away; Companion and friend, giue me thy
Hand; say, dost not loue me? art not enamourd
Of my acquaintance?

Fro.
Protest I am.

Oph.
Well said, protest and tis enough. And know for
Infallible; I haue promotion for thee; both here, and
Hereafter; which not one great one amongst
Millions shall euer aspire to. Alexander, nor great
Cyrus, retaine those titles in hell, that they did
On earth.

Fro.
No?

Oph.
No: he that sold Seacoale here, shall be
A Baron there; he that was a cheating
Rogue here, shall be a Iustice of peace there;
A knaue here, a knight there. In the meane
Space, learne what it is to liue; and thou shalt
Haue Chopines at commandment to any height
Of life thou canst wish.

Fro.
I feare my fall is too low.

Oph.
Too low foole? hast thou not heard of Vulcans falling
Out of heauen? Light a thy legges, and no matter
Though thou halt'st with thy best friend euer after; tis
The more comely and fashionable. Better goe lame
In the fashion with Pompey, then neuer so vpright,
Quite out of the fashon with Cato.

Fro.
Yet you cannot change the old fashion (they say)
And hide your clouen feet.

Oph.
No? I can weare Roses that shall spread quite
Ouer them.

Fro.
For loue of the fashion doe then.

Oph.
Goe to; I will hereafter.

Fro.
But for the Priesthood you offer me, I affect it not.

Oph.
No? what saist thou to a rich office then?

Fro.
The only second meanes to raise a rascall
In the earth.

Oph.
Goe to; Ile helpe thee to the best ith earth then:
And that's in Sicilia; the very storehouse of the
Romanes, where the Lord chiefe Censor there
Lyes now a dying; whose soule I will haue; and
Thou shalt haue his office.

Fro.
Excellent; was euer great office better supplied?

Exeunt.
Nuntius.
Now is the mighty Empresse of the earth
(Great Rome) fast lockt vp in her fancied strength,
All broke in vproares; fearing the iust gods
In plagues will drowne her so abused blessings.
In which feare, all without her wals, fly in;
By both their iarring Champions rushing out;
And those that were within, as fast fly forth;
The Consuls both are fled without one rite
Of sacrifice submitted to the gods,
As euer heretofore their custome was
When they began the bloody frights of warre.
In which our two great Souldiers now encountring,
Since both left Rome, oppos'd in bitter skirmish,
Pompey (not willing yet to hazard battaile,
By Catos counsaile, vrging good cause) fled:
Which firing Cæsars spirit; he pursu'd
So home, and fiercely, that great Pompey skorning
The heart he tooke, by his aduised flight,
Despisde aduice as much as his pursuite.
And as in Lybia, an aged Lion,
Vrg'd from his peacefull couert, feares the light
With his vnready and diseas'd appearance,
Giues way to chace a while, and coldly hunts,
Till with the youthfull hunters wanton heat,
He all his coole wrath frets into a flame:
And then his sides he swinges with his Sterne,
To lash his strenth vp, let's downe all his browes
About his burning eyes; erects his mane,
Breakes all his throat in thunders, and to wreake
His hunters insolence, his heart euen barking;
He frees his fury, turnes, and rushes back
With such a gastly horror, that in heapes,
His proud foes fly, and he that station keepes:
So Pompeys coole spirits, put to all their heat
By Cæsars hard pursuit he turnd fresh head,
And flew vpon his foe with such a rapture
As tooke vp into furies, all friends feares;
Who fir'd with his first turning, all turnd head,
And gaue so fierce a charge, their followers fled,
Whose instant issue on their both sides, see,
And after set out such a tragedy,
As all the Princes of the earth may come
To take their patternes by the spirits of Rome.

Alarme, after which enter Cæsar following Crassinius calling to the Souldiers.
Craff.
Stay cowherd, fly ye Cæsars fortunes?

Cæs.
Forbeare foolish Crassinius, we contend in vaine
To stay these vapours, and must raise our Campe.

Crass.
How shall we rise (my Lord) but all in vproares,
Being still pursude?
Enter Acilius.
The pursuit stayes, my Lord,
Pompey hath sounded a retreat, resigning
His time to you to vse, in instant raysing
Your ill-lodg'd army, pitching now where fortune
May good amends make for her fault to day.

Cæs.
It was not fortunes fault, but mine Acilius,
To giue my foe charge, being so neare the sea,
Where well I knew the eminence of his strength,
And should haue driuen th'encounter further off;
Bearing before me such a goodly Country,
So plentifull, and rich, in all things fit
To haue suppli'd my armies want with victuals,
And th'able Cities too, to strengthen it,
Of Macedon and Thessaly, where now
I rather was besieg'd for want of food,
Then did assault with fighting force of armes.

Enter Anthony, Uibius, with others.
Ant.
See, Sir, here's one friend of your foes recouer'd.

Cæs.
Vibius? In happy houre.

Vib.
For me unhappy.

Cæs.
What? brought against your will?

Vib.
Else had not come.

Ant.
Sir, hee's your prisoner, but had made you his,
Had all the rest pursu'd the chace like him;
He draue on like a fury; past all friends,
But we that tooke him quick in his engagement.

Cæs.
O Vibius, you deserue to pay a ransome
Of infinite rate, for had your Generall ioyn'd
In your addression, or knowne how to conquer;
This day had prou'd him the supreame of Cæsar.

Vib.
Knowne how to conquer? His fiue hundred Conquests
Atchieu'd ere this day, make that doubt vnfit
For him that flyes him; for, of issues doubtfull
Who can at all times put on for the best?
If I were mad, must hee his army venture
In my engagement? Nor are Generalls euer
Their powers disposers, by their proper Angels,
But trust against them, oftentimes, their Counsailes,
Wherein, I doubt not, Cæsars selfe hath err'd
Sometimes, as well as Pompey.

Cæs.
Or done worse,
In disobeying my Counsaile (Vibius)
Of which, this dayes abused light is witnesse;
By which I might haue seene a course secure
Of this discomfiture.

Ant.
Amends sits euer
Aboue repentance, what's done, wish not vndone;
But that prepared patience that you know
Best fits a souldier charg'd with hardest fortunes;
Asks still your vse, since powers still temperate kept
Ope still the clearer eyes by one faults sight
To place the next act, in the surer right.

Cæs.
You prompt me nobly Sir, repayring in me
Mine owne stayes practice, out of whose repose
The strong convulsions of my spirits forc't me
Thus farre beyond my temper; but good Vibius,
Be ransom'd with my loue, and haste to Pompey,
Entreating him from me, that we may meet,
And for that reason which I know this day
(Was giuen by Cato, for his pursutes stay
Which was preuention of our Romane blood)
Propose my offer of our hearty peace.
That being reconcil'd, and mutuall faith
Giuen on our either part, not three dayes light
May further shew vs foes, but (both our armies
Disperst in Garisons) we may returne
Within that time to Italy, such friends
As in our Countryes loue, containe our splenes

Vib.
Tis offerd, Sir, 'boue the rate of Cæsar
In other men, but in what I approue
Beneath his merits: which I will not faile
T'enforce at full to Pompey, nor forget
In any time the gratitude of my seruice.

Vi. salutes Ant. and the other, & exit.
Cæs.
Your loue, Sir, and your friendship.

Ant.
This prepares a good induction to the change of fortune,
In this dayes issue, if the pride it kindles
In Pompeys vaines, makes him deny a peace
So gently offerd: for her alterd hand
Works neuer surer from her ill to good
On his side she hath hurt, and on the other
With other changes, then when meanes are vsde
To keepe her constant, yet retire refusde.

Cæs.
I try no such conclusion, but desire
Directly peace. In meane space Ile prepare
For other issue in my vtmost meanes;
Whose hopes now resting at Brundusium,
In that part of my army, with Sabinus,
I wonder he so long delaies to bring me,
And must in person haste him, if this Euen
I heare not from him.

Crass.
That (I hope) flyes farre
Your full intent, my Lord, since Pompeys navie,
You know, lies houering all alongst those seas,
In too much danger, for what ay de soeuer
You can procure to passe your person safe.

Acil.
Which doubt may proue the cause that stayes Sabinus;
And, if with shipping fit to passe your army,
He yet straines time to venture, I presume
You will not passe your person with such Conuoy
Of those poore vessels, as may serue you here.

Cæs.
How shall I helpe it? shall I suffer this
Torment of his delay? and rack suspitions
Worse then assur'd destructions through my thoughts.

Anth.
Past doubt he will be here; I left all orderd,
And full agreement made with him to make
All vtmost haste, no least let once suspected.

Cæs.
Suspected? what suspection should feare a friend
In such assur'd streights from his friends enlargement.
If twere his souldiers safeties he so tenders,
Were it not better they should sinke by sea,
Then wrack their number, King and cause ashore?
Their stay is worth their ruine, should we liue,
If they in fault were? if their leader! he
Sould dye the deaths of all; in meane space, I
That should not, beare all, fly the sight in shame,
Thou eye of nature, and abortiue night
Fall dead amongst vs: with defects, defects
Must serue proportion; iustice neuer can
Be else restor'd, nor right the wrongs of man.

Exeunt.
Pompey, Cato, Gabinius, Demetrius, Athenodorus, Porcius, Statilius.
Pomp.
This charge of our fierce foe, the firiendly gods
Haue in our stregthen'd spirits beaten back
With happy issue, and his forces lessen'd,
Of two and thirty Ensignes forc't from him,
Two thousand souldiers slaine.

Cat.
O boast not that,
Their losse is yours, my Lord

Pomp.
I boast it not,
But only name the number.

Gab.
Which right well
You might haue raisde so high, that on their tops
Your Throne was offer'd, euer t'ouerlooke
Subuerted Cæsar, had you beene so blest
To giue such honor to your Captaines Counsailes
As their alacrities did long to merit
With proofefull action.

Dem.
O twas ill neglected.

Stat.
It was deferr'd with reason, which not yet
Th'euent so cleare is to confute.

Pom.
If twere,
Our likeliest then was, not to hazard battaile,
Th'aduenture being so casuall; if compar'd
With our more certaine meanes to his subuersion?
For finding now our army amply storde
With all things fit to tarry surer time,
Reason thought better to extend to length
The warre betwixt vs; that his little strength
May by degrees proue none; which vrged now,
(Consisting of his best and ablest souldiers)
We should haue found at one direct set battaile
Of matchlesse valours; their defects of victuall
Not tyring yet enough on their tough nerues,
Where, on the other part, to put them still
In motion, and remotion, here and there;
Enforcing them to fortifying still
Where euer they set downe; to siege a wall,
Keepe watch all night in armour: their most part
Can neuer beare it, by their yeares oppression;
Spent heretofore too much in those steele toyles.

Cat.
I so aduisde, and yet repent it not,
But much reioyce in so much saued blood
As had beene pour'd out in the stroke of battaile,
Whose fury thus preuented, comprehends
Your Countreys good, and Empires, in whose care,
Let me beseech you that in all this warre,
You sack no City, subiect to our Rule,
Nor put to sword one Citizen of Rome;
But when the needfull fury of the sword
Can make no fit distinction in maine battaile,
That you will please still to prolong the stroke
Of absolute decision to these iarres,
Considering you shall strike it with a man
Of much skill and experience, and one
That will his Conquest sell at infinite rate,
If that must end your difference; but I doubt
There will come humble offer on his part,
Of honor'd peace to you, for whose sweet name
So cryed out to you in our late-met Senate,
Lost no fit offer of that wished treaty.
Take pity on your Countreys blood as much
As possible may stand without the danger
Of hindering her iustice on her foes,
Which all the gods to your full wish dispose.

Pom.
Why will you leaue vs? whither will you goe
To keepe your worthyest person in more safety
Then in my army, so deuoted to you?

Cat.
My person is the least, my Lord, I value;
I am commanded by our powerfull Senate,
To view the Cities, and the kingdomes scituate
About your either army, that which side
Soeuer conquer, no disordered straglers
Puft with the Conquest, or by need impeld,
May take their swinge more then the care of one
May curb and order in these neighbor confines
My chiefe passe yet resolues for Vtica.

Pom.
Your passe (my truest friend, and worthy Father)
May all good powers make sale, and alwayes answer
Your infinite merits, with their like protection.
In which, I make no doubt but we shall meet
With mutuall greetings, or for absolute conquest
Or peace preuenting that our bloody stroke,
Nor let our parting be dishonor'd so,
As not to take into our noblest notice
Your selfe (most learned and admired Father)
Whose merits, if I liue, shall lack no honor.
Porcius, Statilius, though your spirits with mine
Would highly chere me, yet ye shall bestow them
In much more worthy conduct; but loue me,
And wish me conquest, for your Countreys sake.

Sta.
Our liues shall seale our loues, Sir, with worst death,
Aduentur'd in your seruice.

Pom.
Y'are my friends.
Exeunt. Cat. Athen. Por. Sat.
These friends thus gone, tis more then time we minded
Our lost friend Vibius.

Gab.
You can want no friends,
See, our two Consuls, Sir, betwixt them bringing
The worthy Brutus

Enter two Consuls leading Brutus betwixt them.
1 Cons.
We attend (my Lord)
With no meane friend, to spirit your next encounter.
Six thousand of our choice Patrician youths
Brought in his conduct.

2 Cons.
And though neuer yet
He hath saluted you with any word
Or looke of slendrest loue in his whole life,
Since that long time since, of his fathers death
By your hand authord; yet see, at your need
He comes to serue you freely for his Country.

Pom.
His friendly presence, making vp a third
With both your persons, I as gladly welcome,
As if Ioues triple flame had guilt this field,
And lightn'd on my right hand, from his shield.

Bru.
I well assure my selfe, Sir, that no thought
In your ingenious construction, touches
At the aspersion that my tendred seruice
Proceeds from my despaire of elsewhere safety,
But that my Countreys safety owning lustly
My whole habilities of life and fortunes,
And you the ablest fautor of her safty,
Her loue, and (for your loue of her) your owne
Only makes sacred to your vse my offering.

Pom.
Farre fly all other thought from my construction,
And due acceptance of the liberall honor,
Your loue hath done me, which the gods are witnesse,
I take as stirr'd vp in you by their fauours,
Nor lesse esteeme it then an offering holy;
Since, as of all things, man is said the measure,
So your full merits measure forth a man.

1 Cons.
See yet, my Lord, more friends.

2 Cons.
Fiue Kings, your seruants.

Enter fiue Kings.
Hib.
Conquest and all grace crowne the gracious Pompey,
To serue whom in the sacred Romane safety,
My selfe, Iberius King, present my forces.

Thess.
And I that hold the tributary Throne
Of Grecian Thessaly, submit my homage,
To Rome, and Pompey.

Cil.
So Cilicia too.

Epir.
And so Epirus.

Thra.
Lastly I from Thrace
Present the duties of my power and seruice.

Pom.
Your royall aides deserue of Rome and Pompey
Our vtmost honors. O may now our fortune
Not ballance her broad breast twixt two light wings,
Nor on a slippery globe sustaine her steps,
But as the Spartans say, the Paphian Queene
(The flood Eurotas passing) laid aside
Her Glasse, her Ceston, and her amorous graces,
And in Lycurgus fauors arm'd her beauties
With Shield and Iaueline, so may fortune now,
The flood of all our enemies forces passing
With her faire Ensignes, and arriu'd at ours,
Displume her shoulders, cast off her wing'd shooes,
Her faithlesse, and still rowling stone spurne from her,
And enter our powers as she may remaine
Our firme assistent: that the generall aydes,
Fauours, and honors you performe to Rome,
May make her build with you her endlesse home.

Omn.
The gods vouchsafe it; and our causes right.

Dem.
What suddaine Shade is this? obserue my Lords,
The night, me thinks, comes on before her houre.

Thunder and lightning.
Gab.
Nor trust me if my thoughts conceiue not so.

Bru.
What thin clouds fly the winds, like swiftest shafts
Along aires middle region.

1 Cons.
They presage
Vnusuall tempests.

2 Cons.
And tis their repaire,
That timelesse darken thus the gloomy ayre.

Pom.
Thunder continued, and Cæsar enters disguisde.

Enter Master of a ship with Sailors
Mast.
What battaile is there fought now in the ayre.
That threats the wrack of nature?

Cæs.
Mister? come.
Shall we thrust through it all?

Mast.
What lost man,
Art thou in hopes and fortunes, that dar'st make
So desperate a motion.

Cæs.
Launch man, and all thy feares fraight disauow,
Thou carriest Cæsar and his fortunes now.