 | The Death of Caesar |  |
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SCENE III.
CÆSAR, ANTHONY, BRUTUS, CASSIUS, CIMBER, DECIMUS, CINNA, CASCA, &c. LICTORS.CÆSAR
[Sitting.]
Ye guardians of the Roman greatness, hail!
Joint-labourers with your Cæsar! Cimber, Cassius,
Cinna, and Decimus, and thou, my Brutus!
At length the time is come, when favouring Heaven
Lending its aid, I hasten to complete
The conquest of the world. Our arms shall pierce
To th'utmost Orient, and the throne of Cyrus
From its proud height dejected, shall appease
The ghost of Crassus. Now the time is come
When war's undoubted right shall give to Rome
The third remaining portion of the globe.
All is prepared, and all, which prudence can,
To crown with glory this vast enterprize,
Hath been foreseen. Euphrates chides my stay.
The opening dawn beholds us on our march.
Joint-labourers with your Cæsar! Cimber, Cassius,
Cinna, and Decimus, and thou, my Brutus!
At length the time is come, when favouring Heaven
Lending its aid, I hasten to complete
The conquest of the world. Our arms shall pierce
To th'utmost Orient, and the throne of Cyrus
From its proud height dejected, shall appease
The ghost of Crassus. Now the time is come
When war's undoubted right shall give to Rome
The third remaining portion of the globe.
All is prepared, and all, which prudence can,
To crown with glory this vast enterprize,
Hath been foreseen. Euphrates chides my stay.
The opening dawn beholds us on our march.
Brutus, and Cassius, you accompany
Our progress to the East. The government
Of Italy and Gaul, to Anthony
We have allotted. On th'Atlantic shore,
And o'er the plains where Betis flows, shall Cimber
The tributary monarchs awe. We give
Lycia, and Greece to Decimus. The realm
Of Pontus, is the delegated trust
Of thee, Marcellus. Casca shall bear sway
O'er Syria's rich domain.—Thus having fix'd
The fate of distant nations, and composed
Intestine quarrels, seeing Latium blest
With happiness and peace, it now remains
For the consulting senate to determine,
What title shall be mine, decreed the head
Of Rome, and of the universe. The name
Of consul, Marius bore; more splendid still,
That of dictator Sylla graced; and Pompey
Was imperator.—I have conquer'd last.
And suffer me t'affirm, a new-raised empire
Claims a new title to adorn its founder.
A name more great, more sacred, obvious less
To change, revered of old in Rome, and dear
To every realm beside.—Fame long hath spread
And the tradition is believed thoughout
Th'extensive earth, that we in vain shall dare
Assail the Parthians, that a king alone
Shall conquer, and subject them to his will.
Cæsar is destined to this arduous task,
But Cæsar is no king; he boasts no rank
But that of citizen, tho' by the state
Distinguished for his services. No bar
Secures him from the light capricious croud,
And their impetuous ever-shifting passions.
Our progress to the East. The government
Of Italy and Gaul, to Anthony
We have allotted. On th'Atlantic shore,
And o'er the plains where Betis flows, shall Cimber
The tributary monarchs awe. We give
Lycia, and Greece to Decimus. The realm
Of Pontus, is the delegated trust
Of thee, Marcellus. Casca shall bear sway
O'er Syria's rich domain.—Thus having fix'd
The fate of distant nations, and composed
Intestine quarrels, seeing Latium blest
With happiness and peace, it now remains
For the consulting senate to determine,
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Of Rome, and of the universe. The name
Of consul, Marius bore; more splendid still,
That of dictator Sylla graced; and Pompey
Was imperator.—I have conquer'd last.
And suffer me t'affirm, a new-raised empire
Claims a new title to adorn its founder.
A name more great, more sacred, obvious less
To change, revered of old in Rome, and dear
To every realm beside.—Fame long hath spread
And the tradition is believed thoughout
Th'extensive earth, that we in vain shall dare
Assail the Parthians, that a king alone
Shall conquer, and subject them to his will.
Cæsar is destined to this arduous task,
But Cæsar is no king; he boasts no rank
But that of citizen, tho' by the state
Distinguished for his services. No bar
Secures him from the light capricious croud,
And their impetuous ever-shifting passions.
You understand me, Romans,—to your minds
My hopes are known; reflect on my deserts,
Consider well my power.
My hopes are known; reflect on my deserts,
Consider well my power.
CIMBER.
Thy speech demands
An answer, nor shall Cimber fear to speak.
These kingdoms, governments, and provinces,
The purchase of our toil; the universe
Thus canton'd out, would in the people's eyes,
Would by the jealous senate be esteem'd
A public outrage to the state, to us
No benefit, no favour.—Marius, Sylla,
Carbo, nor Pompey, in the proudest hour
Of their usurp'd authority, e'er dared
Bestow our conquests thus with lavish hand,
And make their will the law, much less assume
A language kings might use to their dependents.
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And native generosity, we thought
A gift more precious to receive, a boon
By justice consecrated, far above
The realms so bounteously conferr'd upon us.
CÆSAR.
What gift would Cimber covet?
CIMBER.
Liberty.
CASSIUS.
Thy promise, nay thy solemn oath, was given,
For ever to destroy tyrannic power.
I deem'd the happy moment now arrived,
When the world's conqueror would have satisfied
Our hearts fond warmest wishes. From its ruins,
Steaming with blood, enslaved, and desolate,
Rome in that hope, again uprear'd her head,
Saw peace advance, and plenty smile around.
She has a prior right,—we are her children.
I know thy power; forget not thou thy oaths.
BRUTUS.
Let Cæsar still be great, but Rome be free.
Gods! shall she stretch her sway to distant Ind,
On Tiber's banks a slave! ah! what avails
Her mighty name to which the prostrate world
Submissive bends, or the vain-glorious boast
Of sovereign rule, if doom'd to bear the weight
Of ignominous fetters!—Oh, my country!
What will it profit thee, to be inform'd
That Cæsar hath acquired new troops of slaves!
Perhaps we ought not to esteem the Parthians
As our worst foes; we may have those whom more
We ought to dread.—Enough.—Let this suffice.
CÆSAR.
And thou too, Brutus!
ANTHONY,
to CÆSAR.
Mark their insolence,
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Deserv'd a pardon?
CÆSAR.
Rash, unthinking men!
Are you to its extremest verge resolved
To urge my patience? and to weary out
My oft repeated bounty? Who are mine
By right of conquest, by my sword obtain'd?
Who crouch'd when Marius frown'd? and lowly bow'd
The slaves of Pompey? You, who only breathe
Till my impetuous wrath, too long restrain'd,
Dart headlong down upon its trembling quarry?
Ungrateful levellers, where republic zeal
Stifles each milder duty; your example
Hardens my breast, and turns to flint a heart,
The seat of clemency.—Before the face
Of Sylla, how reserved you stood! how mute!
He fix'd a curb on your licentious tongues.
But now you take advantage of my nature,
My generosity of soul gives birth
To all these insults, unwithheld by fear,
Because you know that Cæsar scorns revenge.
Hence you presume to brave me with the sounds
Of Rome, and of your country; hence derive
This affectation of superior greatness;
Hence dare these turgid sentiments produce
Before your conqueror. These arms, no doubt,
This spirit to Pharsalia's plains you brought.
Fate haply drew the line betwixt us there
With an unequal hand. Yet seems it just
To me, that those who knew not how to conquer,
Should learn to serve.
BRUTUS.
We all had learn'd to die,
That stands unquestion'd. Nor in Thessaly,
Did one of us his manly soul debase,
And ask to live.—Protracted life is ours,
Thy gift, protracted to be render'd vile.
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Implicitly to Cæsar's sovereign will!
No; rather in thy fury let us fall!
Perish together!—Haste! begin with me!
If thy determination is to reign,
Strike, strike at once!
CÆSAR.
My answer thou shalt have
In private.—Now let all retire.
[The Senators go out.
Oh, Brutus!
Could I expect these taunting words from thee?
Know'st thou, like poison'd arrows, how they pierce
My inmost soul?—Thy life! Alas! his own
Is not more dear to Cæsar. From the senate,
And their blind erring rage, let deeds arise
So fell and horrible.—Oh! leave me not.
Thou hast the power to charm all anger from me,
And thou alone.—Oh, Brutus! leave me not.
Of all things to be wish'd, there is but one
Which Cæsar asks, thy confidence and love.
BRUTUS.
My heart, the blood in every vein is thine,
If thou regard thy promise. If thy mind
Is bent on tyranny, I from me cast
With deep abhorrence and contempt thy friendship.
I cannot stay with Anthony and thee,
With those who banish all the Roman from them,
Covet false grandeur, and demand a king.
| The Death of Caesar | |