 | The Death of Caesar |  |
SCENE V.
CÆSAR, DOLABELLA, ROMANS.DOLABELLA.
Th'assembled senate, as was thy command,
Are met i'th temple of the capitol.
For thee alone they wait, I saw the throne
Erected. All whose lives and suffrages
Are thine by right of purchase throng around
Thy statues, and with lavish praises pour
Due homage there. The Roman citizens,
The multitude are all prepared to come
With me their leader, and no doubt the senate
Will fix their wavering minds.—But might I give
Advice to Cæsar, would he hear an old
And faithful soldier, bound by every tye
To prosecute his interests, would he heed
Those dreadful omens, which with terror fill
The bosoms of his friends, and join'd to these
The warning sooth-sayers, nay Heaven itself,
The interfering gods, he would defer
His great attempt to more auspicious times.
CÆSAR.
Hah! when the crown is placed within my reach,
Can'st thou advise me to defer a moment?
Say, who on earth can frustate my designs?
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All nature seems with one consent to join,
And with unprosperous augury forbid thee
To urge thy purpose farther, why? Unless
Heaven, that to monarchs gives their diadem,
Is fearful of thy death!
CÆSAR.
What then is Cæsar?
I boast not aught beyond the state of man.
Can I believe that Heaven would e'er disturb
Its peace for me? And with prophetic voice
Bid mute and senseless nature to foretell
My hidden fate? That all the elements
Would in confusion rise, to add a day,
A little day, to the short transient life
Of one poor mortal?—By th'eternal gods
In their exalted sphere our days are numbered;
Let us, without retreat or dread, pursue
Where leads their strong, unerring destiny.
Cæsar hath nought to fear.
DOLABELLA.
But he hath foes,
Who with reluctance this new yoke survey,
Nor will with ease be tam'd into subjection.
Who knows what desperate steps revenge may take!
How in their rage they may conspire against thee!
CÆSAR.
They will not, dare not.
DOLABELLA.
Thou hast arm'd thy heart
With too much confidence.
CÆSAR.
What should I gain
By using poor precautions to ward off
The fatal period? Merited contempt.
E'en these precautions too might fail to guard me.
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Cæsar should be more careful of a life
On which the safety of all Rome depends.
At least permit me, (this may well be granted)
T'attend thee to the senate.
CÆSAR.
No; why alter
Our preconcerted plan? The time we fix'd
Let us by no means hurry on so rashly.
The man who deviates from his first resolve,
Well-founded, shews his weakness by the change.
DOLABELLA.
I leave thee with regret.—My conscious heart
Owns, that it beats with strong-imagin'd fears;
Those new emotions overcome its firmness.
CÆSAR.
No more; much rather would I die at once,
Than be afraid of death.
Let us away!
| The Death of Caesar | |