CAESAR

Right as some Palace, or some stately tower, Which overlooks the neighbour buildings round In scorning wise, and to the stars up grows, Which in short time his own weight overthrows. What monstrous pride, nay what impiety Incensed him onward to the Gods disgrace? When his two children, Cleopatra's bats, To Phaebe and her brother he compared, Latona's raze, causing them to be called The Sun and Moon? Is not this folly right And is not this the Gods to make his foes? And is not this himself to work his woes? Nay, never Room more injuries received, Since thou, o Romulus, by flight of birds With happy hand the Roman walls didst built, Then Antonyes found loves to it hath done. Nor ever war more holy, nor more joust, Nor undertaken with more hard constraint, Then is this war: which were it not, our state Within small time all dignity should lose: Though I lament (thou Sun my witness art, And thou great Jove ) that it so deadly proves: That Roman blood should in such plenty flow, Watering the fields and pastures where we go. What Carthage in old hatred obstinate, What Gaul still barking at our rising state, What rebel Samnite, what fierce Phyrrhus power, What cruel Mithridate, what Parth hath wrought Such woe to Room? whose common wealth he had, (Had he be victor) into Egypt brought. The seely man when all the Greekish Sea His fleet had hid, in hope me sure to drown, Me battle gave: where fortune in my stead, Repulsing him his forces disarrayed. Himself took flight, soon as his love he saw All won through fear with full sails fly away. His men, though lost, whom none did now direct, With courage fought fast grappled ship with ship, Charging, resisting, as their oars would serve, With darts, with swords, with pikes, with fiery flames. So that the darkened night her starry veil Upon the bloody sea had overspread, While yet they held: and hardly, hardly then They fell to flying on the wavy plain, All full of soldiers overwhelmed with waves. The air throughout with cries & groans did found: The sea did blush with blood: the neighbour shores Groaned, so they with shipwracks pestered were, And floating bodies left for pleasing food To birds, and beasts, and fish of the sea, You know it well Agrippa. Then to the end none, while my days endure, Seeking to raise himself may succours find, We must with blood mark this our victory, For joust example to all memory Murder we must, until not one we leave, Which may hereafter us of rest be reave. What monstrous hap Wilt thou recount? Alas my heart does cleave, pity me racks, My breast does pant to hear this doleful tale. Is Antony then dead? to death, alas! I am the cause despair him so compelled. But soldior of his death the manner show, And how he did this living light forgo. You everliving Gods which all things hold Within the power of your celestial hands, By whom heat, cold, the thunder, and the wind, The properties of enter changing months Their course and being have; which do set down Of Empires by your destinied decree The force, age, time, and subject to no change Change all, reserving nothing in one state: You have advanced, as high as thundering heaven The Romans greatness by Bellona's might: Mastering the world with fearful violence, Making the world widow of liberty. Yet at this day this proud exalted Room Despoiled, captived, at one men will does bend: Her Empire mine, her life is in my hand, As Monarch I both world and Room command; Do all, can all; forth my commandment cast Like thundering fire from one to other Pole Equal to Jove: bestowing by my word Haps and mishaps, as Fortune's King and Lord. No town there is, but up my Image sets, But sacrifice to me does daily make: Whither where Phaebus join his mourning steeds, Or where the night them weary entertains, Or where the heat the Garamants does scorch, Or where the cold from Boreas breast is blown: All Caesar do both awe and honour bear, And crowned Kings his very name does fear. Antony knows it well, for whom not one Of all the Princes all this earth do rule, Arms against me: for all redoubt the power which heavenly powers on earth have made me bear. Antony, he poor man with fire inflam'de A woman's beauty's kindled in his heart. Rose against me, who longer could not bear My sisters wrong he did so ill entreat: Sing her left while that his lewd delights Her husband with his Cleopatre took In Alexandria, where both nights and days Their time they passed in nought but loves and plays All Asia's forces into one he drew, And forth he set upon the azured waves A thousand and a thousand Ships, which filled With Soldiers, pikes, with targets, arrows, darts, Made Neptune quake, and all the watery troops Of Glanques, and Tritons lodged at Actium, But mighty Gods, who still the force withstand Of him, who causeless does another wrong, In less then moments space reduced to nought All that proud power by Sea or land he brought. Murders must use, who does assurance seek. I make no such, but such away I take. Nothing so much does make me live at ease. Feared to be, and see his foes to fallen. Hate without power comes commonly too late. A Prince not feared hath oft his wrong conspired. Nought more unsure more weak, more Like the wind, Then Peoples favour still to change enclinde. What honour to the Prince that is severe! Nought likes the Gods as does Severity. On faults they pains do lay. But what is he that breathless comes so fast, Approaching us, and going in such hast? I long to understand what it may be. I cannot but his tearful chance lament, Although not I, but his own pride the cause, And unchaste love of this Egyptian. Ah Gods what cruel hap! poor Antony, Alas hast thou this sword so long time born Against thy foe, that in the end it should Of thee his Lord the cursed murderer be? Oh Death how I bewail thee! we (alas!) So many wars have ended, brother's, friends, Companions, cozens, equals in estate: And must it now to kill thee be my fate? Lidia to her, and Siria he gave, Cyprus of gold, Arabia rich of smells: And to his children more Cilicia, Parth's, Medes, Armenia, Phaenicia: The kings of kings proclaiming them to be, By his own word, as by a found decree. Oft times they taken away Poor hopeless man!