CICERO

The state from storms secure by drowning proves, Now while despair does doubtful fears appease: He with the life infirmity removes, Thus is the physic worse than the disease. This commonweal (as while the world did spy) Though some proud sprites in civil wars involved, Yet Like black clouds that would obscure the sky, Their tumid humours suddenly dissolved. And no disgrace t'our government redounds, But to ambitious that had it abused: Who (had their pour Like Caesars wanted bounds) Had while they ruled a greater rigor used. There in all parts are people of all kinds, And as advanced some bade men did abide, Of pour their equals, and of better minds, Some always virtuous were to curb their pride. But since that sacred liberty was lost, The public pour t'a private use one turns: And as his lawless ways did always boast, The common weal by violence overturns. Oh Decius, now a wrong account you cast, Intent; and not th'euent defines the mind: Tread back the steps of all his actions passed, And at the mark he hit all aimed we find As by some sprite inspire proud Scylla said, That there in Caesar many Marians were: And Room was warned in time to be afraid Of the euill-girded youth, with smoothe-comb'd hair. Then when (as still to quietness a foe,) The memory of Marius he renewed: By re-erecting tyrants statues so, His thoughts all bent to tyranny were viewed. That people-pleaser might have been perceived, By courteous compliments beneath his rank; That lavishing forth gifts the world deceived, And to gain more than his, of his proved frank. Though nought at all indulgent to his wife, By prostrated pudicity disgraced: Yet did he save adulterous Clodius life, To sooth the multitude whose steps he tracde. And he that still strived tyranny embrace, Was thought conjoined with Catiline to be; And had wise Cato's counsel taken place, Had with the rest received his death by me. Yet having sunk himself in some men's souls, He with his partial faction suiting oft: Did get the consulship which nought controls, And matching pride with pour did look aloft. To flatter them that now must flatter him, His pour advance unlawful laws prevailed: And those to cross that scorned he so should climb, He furnished was with Force, where Reason failed. But yet because he could not well b'assur'd, T'act all alone according to his will; To govern France he craftily procured, So to be strengthened with and army still; As Room first warred at home till being made strong, She thought her self of pour the world t'orecome: So Caesar warred against strange nations long, Till that he thought his might might conquer Room. Then having all that force or fate assigns, He cause of discontentment did pretend; So to dissemble fore-conceiu'd designs, One soon may find a fault that seeks t'offend. But when he first in a prodigious dream His mother seemed incestuously to use: It might have shown to his eternal shame, How he the bounds that bore him went t'abuse. Durst he with those that had his charge confined, Stand to prescribe conditions as their mate; Where to-have attended and obeyed their mind, It was his duty, and their endue of late. What? what? durst he, whom born obey the law, The people all did willingly promote; The sword which they bade given, against them draw, When it was sharpened first to cut their throat? That had not comed which all our anguish breeds, If he vnforcde, when as his charge expire, Till that the Senate censurde had his deeds, Had from his province peaceably retired. No, he hath but betrayed his native town, Those bans by which she did him first prefer; T'extend her borders, and his own renown, Those hath he used to tyrannise over her. My passion (ah transported as you see, With and excessive love to my deer soil,) Have made my tongue of my hearts-store too free, By flaming forth what in my breast does boil. Those counterfeited favors which he show, According to ones custom that aspires, Were spent on many as the world might view, T'insinuate himself in their desires. But where he thus spared some, he spoild' whole hosts And the Barbarians all to Room not wrought Such harm as he that of his goodness boasts, Yet her best men hath to confusion brought. The great man that of no mishap could pause, But still prevailed, while warring without right, Armed for the common weal in a good cause, With Caesar did unfortunately fight. From Lesbos fled with his afflicted wife, Three baseborn grooms (can fortune change so soon) Stood to consult upon great Pompey's life, And did what thousands durst not once have done. Then he whose knees had oft been kissed by kings, (Most highly happy, had he died in time) By one of his own slaves with abject things, Had his last funerals framed (Oh monstrous crime) T'entombe Rome's greatest captain all alone, The Roman that arrived with reason said, The fatal glory was too great for one, And to have partly of that last honour stayed. The tears bestowed by Caesar on his head, Forth from a guilty mind remorse had thrown, Or else he wept to see his enemy dead, By any others hands than by his own. Then constant Cato that even death did scorn, The rare arch-tipe of and accomplished man, That lived as not t'himselfe but t'all men born, Moved by his tyranny to ruin ran. He justly while more joust, himself more strong Then Caesar thought, that for no Justice card, And since discovering what he cloaked so long, Said right, that Caesar and not he was snarde. Thus Caesar conquered all but Cato's mind, That would not by a tyrants tolerance breathe: But in such sort his famous course confined, Than Caesars life more glorious was his death. Those great men thus brought to disastrous ends, The author of their death make me despise, That while usurp authority he tends, By treading down all good men strives to rise. Now made most great by lessening all the great, He proudly does triumph in Room, over Room. And we must seem t'applaud the present state, Whose doubtful breath depends upon his doom. Yet had I not enlarged my griefs so long, To you whom Caesar does pretend to love; Were't nor I know touched with the common wrong, A joust disdain all generous minds must move. Since tyranny all liberty exiles, We must our selves no more our selves disguise; Then learn to mask a mourning mind with smiles, And seem extol that which we most despise. Yet all our deeds not Caesars humour please, That (since mistrusted once) esteems us still When dumb disdainful, flatterers when we praise, If plain, presumptuous, and in all things ill. Yea we, whose freedom Caesar now restrains, As his attenders all his steps must trace; And know, yet not acknowledge his disdains, But still pretend to-have interest in his grace. Though all my thoughts detest him as a foe, To honour him a thousand means I move; Yet But to save my self, and plague him so, No hate more harms than it that looks Like love. His pride that through preposterous honour swells, Hath by the better sort, made him abhorred; The gods are jealous, and men envious else, To see a mortal man so much adored. So absolutely good no man remains, Whose natural weakness never him beguiles, Even virtues die from vice may take some stains, And worthy minds foul imperfections while. As in fine fruits or weeds fat earth abounds, Even as the laborers spend or spare their pain, The greatest sprites disdaining vulgar bounds, Of what they seek the highest height must gain. They, that the crown of glory may b'enioyd, As only born to be in Actium still, Had rather be (than idle) evil employed, Great sprites must do great good, or then great ill. The glorious Sun that golden rays do arm, The treasure of the world that does most good, While on a time misgouernd did much harm, Till th'ouerbold Coachman fell amid a flood. Then while he by the rules of reason lived, When lawfully elected by the State, What glorious deeds by Caesar were achieved, Which all the world as wonders must relate. But when of right he buried all respects, As blind ambition had bewitched his mind, What harm ensued by pitiful effects. We at the first, he at the last did find. While Like Narcissus with himself in love, He with our bondage banqueted his sighed, And for a while uncertain joys to prove, Would sauce with all our sorrows his delight, How could such gallant virtuous men as those, That of their countries weal are jealous still, But stoutly to all storms their states expose, So author of their infamy to kill? But since our freedom flows from Caesars blood, Let us embrace that which too long we lack, Peace gives to Justice pour, and it t'all good, Where war breeds wrong, and wrong all kind of wrack. This city hath experienced with great pain, Th'all-burdning troubles of intestine strife, Which by her ruins registered remain, Since first the Gracchi gave contention life. When Silla once and Marius (mad through pride) Seemed but to strive who most tyrannic proved, What memorable Misery's were tried From Roman minds can never be removed. Then last by Caesar and his son in law, What thousands ghosts to Pluto were dispatchd? Ah that the world those hosts divided saw, Which joined in one no world of world's had matched. Yet with this wit that we have dearly bought, Let us abhor appearance of such broils, Lest when we have our selves to ruin brought, In end Barbarians bear away our spoils. What fools are those that further travel take, For that which else they passed recovery know? Who can revive the dead, or bring time back? At least no mortal that remains below. Great Pompey (now) for whom the world still weeps, Lies low, neglected on a barbarous shore; Self-slaughtered Scipio floats amid the depths, Whom it may be sea-monsters do devour. Of Libian wolves wise Cato feasts the wombs, Whose death of worth the world defrauded leaves: Thus some that merited Mausolean tombs, Not have a title graved upon their graves. And yet may Caesar that procured their death, By brave men slain be buried with his raze: All civil war being banished with his breath, Let him now dead, and us alive have peace. We should desist our thoughts on things to set, That may harm some, and can give help to none, Learn to forget that which we can not get, And let our cares be gone, of all that's gone. Those that would strive all crosses to overcome, Must to the present time conform their course: And doing the best for that which is to come, Not meddle with things passed but by discourse. Seek not the thing which does not good being found, Since Caesar now is dead, how ever dead; Let all our grief go with him to the ground, For sorrow best becomes a lightless shade. It's best that reconioynde with mutual love, We physic for this wounded state prepare: Neglecting those that from the world remove, All men on earth for earthly things must care.