CAESAR

Move you for entering only Pompey's army; Which if you gain for him; for me, all justice Will join with my request of entering mine. But might we not win Cato to our friendship By honouring speeches, nor persuasive gifts? Nor by enforcive usage? Give you the course for that, And if he offer entry, I have fellows Will serve your will on him, at my given signal. What should one say to him? Do; begin. Consuls, and honoured Father's; The sole entry Of Pompey's army, I'll not yet examine: But for the great Conspirators yet living, (Which Cato will conclude as one self danger, To our deer Country; and deter all therefore That love their Country, from their lives defence I see no reason why such danger hangs On their saved lives; being still safe kept in prison; And since close prison, to a Roman freedom, Ten fold torments more, then directest death, Who can be thought to love the less his Country, That seeks to save their lives? And lest my self (Thus speaking for them) be unjustly touched With any less doubt of my Countries love. Why (reverend Father's) may it be esteemed Self praise in me, to prove my self a chief Both in my love of her; and in desert Of her Like love in me? For he that does Most honour to his Mistress; well may boast (Without least question) that he loves her most. And though things long since done, were long since known, And so may seem superfluous to repeat; Yet being forgotten, as things never done, Their repetition needful is, in justice, T'enflame the shame of that oblivion: For hoping it will seem no less impair To others acts, to truly tell mine own; Put all together; I have passed them all That by their acts can boast themselves to be Their Countries lovers: first in those wild kingdoms Subdued to Room, by my unwearied toils. Which I dissavaged and made nobly civil. Next, in the multitude of those rude Realms That so I fashioned; and to Rome's young Empire Of old have added: Then the battles numbered This hand hath fought, and won for her, with all Those infinites of dreadful enemies (I slew in them: Twice fifteen hundred thousand All able Soldiers) I have driven at once Before my forces: and in sundry onsets, A thousand thousand of them, put to sword: Beside, I took in less then ten years time, By strong assault, above eight hundred Cities, Three hundred several Nations, in that space, Subduing to my Country; all which service, I trust, may interest me in her love, Public, and general enough, to aquit me Of any selflove; passed her common good: For any motion of particular justice (By which her general Empire is maintained) That I can make for those accused prisoners, Which is but by the way; that so the reason Metellus makes for entering Pompey's army, May not more weighty seem, then to agree With those imprisoned nobles, vital safeties. Which granted, or but yielded fit to be, May well extenuate the necessity Of entering Pompey's army. 'Tis then as needful to admit in mine; Or else let both lay down our arms; for else To take my charge off, and leave Pompey his; You wrongfully accuse me to intend A tyranny amongst you; and shall give Pompey full means to be himself a tyrant. Pull down this Cato, Author of factions, and to prison with him. Your self might have it then, if those faults cause it; But deals this man ingeniously, to tax Men with a frailty that the gods inflict? Be free, Sir, of your insight and your speech; And speak, and see more, then the world beside; I must remember I have herd of one, That fame gave out, could see thorough Oak and stone: And of another set in Sicily, That could discern the Carthaginian Navy, And number them distinctly, leaving harbour, Though full a day and nights fail distant thence: But these things (Reverend Father's) I conceive, Hardly appear to you worth graven belief: And therefore since such strange things have been seen In my so deep and foul detractions, By only Lyncean Pompey ; who was most Loved and believed of Rome's most famous whore, Infamous Flora ; by so fine a man As Galba, or Sarmentus ; any jester Or flatterer may draw through a Ladies Ring; By one that all his Soldiers call in scorn Great Agamemnon, or the king of men; I rest unmoved with him; and yield to you To right my wrongs, or his abuse allow. Th'euent will fallen out contrary, my Lords. Forbear foolish Crassinius, we contend in vain To stay these vapours, and must raise our Camp. It was not Fortune's fault, but mine Acilius, To give my foe charge, being so near the sea, Where well I knew the eminence of his strength, And should have driven encounter further off; Bearing before me such a goodly Country, So plentiful, and rich, in all things fit To have supplied my armies want with victuals, And Able Cities too, to strengthen it, Of Macedon and Thessaly where now I rather was besieged for want of food, Then did assault with fighting force of arms. Vibius? In happy hour. What? brought against your will? Oh Vibius, you deserve to pay a ransom Of infinite rate, for had your General joined In your addression, or known how to conquer; This day had proved him the supreme of Caesar. Or done worse, In disobeying my Counsel (Vibius) Of which, this days abused light is witness; By which I might have seen a course secure Of this discomfiture. You prompt me nobly Sir, repairing in me Mine own stays practice, out of whose repose The strong convulsions of my spirits forced me Thus far beyond my temper; but good Vibius, Be ransomed with my love, and haste to Pompey, Entreating him from me, that we may meet, And for that reason which I know this day (Was given by Cato, for his pursuits stay Which was prevention of our Roman blood) Propose my offer of our hearty peace. That being reconciled, and mutual faith Given on our either partly, not three days light May further show us foes, but (both our armies Dispersed in Garrisons) we may return Within that time to Italy, such friends As in our Countries love, contain our spleens Your love, Sir, and your friendship. I try no such conclusion, but desire Directly peace. In mean space I'll prepare For other issue in my utmost means; Whose Hope's now resting at Brundusium, In that partly of my army, with Sabinus, I wonder he so long delays to bring me, And must in person haste him, if this Even I hear not from him. How shall I help it? shall I suffer this Torment of his delay? and rack suspicions Worse then assured destructions through my thoughts. Suspected? what suspection should fear a friend In such assured straights from his friends enlargement. If it his soldiers safeties he so tenders, Were it not better they should sink by sea, Then wrack their number, King and cause ashore? Their stay is worth their ruin, should we live, If they in fault were? if their leader! he Should die the death's of all; in mean space, I That should not, bear all, fly the sighed in shame, Thou you of nature, and abortive night Fallen dead amongst us: with defects, defects Must serve proportion; justice never can Be else restored, nor right the wrongs of man. Exeunt. Master? come. Shall we thrust through it all? Launch man, and all thy fears fraught disavow, Thou carriest Caesar and his Fortune's now. Say (sacred Soothsayer) and inform the truth, What liking hast thou of our sacrifice? And what may that presage? Soothsayer be for ever Reverenced of Caesar. Oh Marc Anthony, I thought to raise my camp, and all my tents, Took down for swift remotion to Scotussa. Shall now our purpose hold What news, my friends? Then it Jove himself That with his secret finger stirred in them. The sign, Crassinius, is most strange and graceful, Nor could get issue, but by power divine; Yet will not that, nor all abodes beside (Of never such kind promise of success) Perform it without tough acts of our own. No care, no nerve the less to be employed; No offering to the gods, no vows, no prayers: Secure and idle spirits never thrive When most the gods for their advancements strive. And therefore tell me what abodes thou buildest on In and spirit to act, inflamed in thee, Or in our Soldiers seen resolved addresses? Alive (you gods vouchsafe) and my true vows For life in him (great heaven) for all my foes (Being natural Roman) so far jointly hear As may not hurt our Conquest; as with fear Which thou already strangely hast diffused Through all their army; which extend to flight Without one bloody stroke of force and fight. Since we must fight then, and no offered peace Will take with Pompey : I rejoice to see This long-time looked for, and most happy day, In which we now shall fight, with men, not hunger, With toils, not sweats of blood through years extended, This one day serving to decide all jars Betwixt me and Pompey. Hang out of my tent My Crimsine coat of arms, to give my soldiers That ever-sure sign of resolu'd-for fight. My Lord, my army, I think best to order In three full Squadrons: of which let me pray Your self would take on you the left wings charge; My self will led the right wing, and my place Of fight elect in my tenth legion My battle by Domitius Calvinus Shall take direction. A blessed Even Bring on them worthy comforts. And you gods Perform your good presages in events Of fit crown for our discipline, and deeds Wrought up by conquest; that my use of it May wipe the hateful and unworthy slain Of Tyrant from my Temples, and exchange it For fautor of my Country, you have given That title to those poor and fearful souls That every found puts up, in frights and cries; Even then, when all Rome's powers were weak and heartless, When traitorous fires, and fierce Barbarian swords, Rapines, and soul-expiring slaughters filled Her houses, Temples, all her air, and earth. To me then (whom your bounties have informed With such a spirit as despises fear; Commands in either fortune, knows, and arms Against the worst of fate; and therefore can Dispose blessed means, encouraged to the best) Much more vouchsafe that honour; chiefly now, When Room wants only this days conquest given me To make her happy, to confirm the brightness That yet she shines in over all the world; In Empire, riches, strife of all the Arts, In gifts of Cities, and of kingdoms sent her; In Crowns laid at her feet, in every grace That shores, and seas, floods, Islands, Continents, Groves, fields, hills, mines, and metals can produce; All which I (victor) will increase, I vow By all my good, acknowledged given by you. Pursue, pursue; the gods foreshowed their powers, Which we gave issue, and the day is ours. Crassineus ? Oh look up: he does, and shows Death in his broken eyes; which Caesars hands Shall do the honour of eternal closure. Too well thou keptest thy word, that thou this day Wouldst do me service to our victory. Which in thy life or death I should behold, And praise thee for; I do, and must admire Thy matchless valour; ever ever rest Thy manly lineaments, which in a tomb Erected to thy noble name and virtues, I'll curiously preserve with balms, and spices, In eminent place of these Pharsalian fields, Inscribed with this true soul of funeral, Crassineus fought for fame, and died for Room, Whose public weal springs from this private tomb. Oh We have slain, not conquered, Roman blood Perverts th'euent, and desperate blood let out With their own swords. Did ever men before Envy their own lives, since another lived Whom they would wilfully conceive their foe, And forge a Tyrant merely in their fears To justify their slaughters? Consuls? furies. How ever many; gods and men can witness Themselves enforced it, much against the most I could enforce on Pompey for our peace. Of all slain, yet, if Brutus only lived, I should be comforted, for his life saved Would weigh the whole six thousand that are lost. But much I fear his death, because the battle Full stricken now, he yet abides unfound. A more welcome fortune Is Brutus, then my conquest. You fought with me, Sir, for I know your arms Were taken for your Country, not for Pompey : And for my Country I fought, nothing less Then he, or both the mighty-stomak to Consuls; Both whom (I hear) have slain themselves before They would enjoy life in the good of Caesar. But I am nothing worse, how ill soever They, and the great authority of Room Would feign enforce me by their mere suspicions. Loved they their Country better then her Brutus? Or knew what fitted noblesse, and a Roman With freer souls then Brutus. Those that live Shall see in Caesars justice. and what ever Might make me worthy both their lives and loves, That I have lost the one without my merit, And they the other with no Roman spirit. Are you impaired to live, and joy my love? Only requite me, Brutus, love but Caesar, And be in all the powers of Caesar, Caesar. In which free wish, I join your father Cato ; For whom I'll haste to Utica, and pray His love may strengthen my success to day. Exeunt. Too late, too late; with all our haste. Oh Cato, All my late Conquest, and my life's whole acts, Most crowned, most beautified, are basted all With thy graven life's expiring in their scorn. Thy life was rule to all lives, and thy death (Thus forcibly despising life) the quench Of all lives glories. Oh censure not his acts; Who knew as well what fitted man, as all men. All kneeling. Your enemies head great Caesar. Cursed monsters, Wound not mine eyes with it, nor in my camp Let any dare to view it; far as noblesse The den of barbarism flies, and bliss The bitterest curse of vexed and tyrannised nature, Transfer it from me. Born the plagues of virtue How durst you poison thus my thoughts? to torture Them with instant rapture. Away with them; I vow by all my comforts, Who slack seems, or not fiery in my charge, Shall suffer with them. Too mild with any torture. Good Brutus take it; Oh you cool the poison These villains flaming pou'rd upon my spleen To suffer with my loathings. If the blood Of every common Roman touched so near; Shall I confirm the false brand of my tyranny With being found a fautor of his murder Whom my deer Country choosed to fight for her? It shall, I swear: you do me infinite honour. Oh Cato, I envy thy death, since thou Enuiedst my glory to preserve thy life. Why fled his son and friend Statilius ? So far I fly their hurt, that all my good Shall fly to their desires. And (for himself) My Lords and Citizens of Utica, His much renown of you, quit with your most. And by the sea, upon some eminent rock, Erect his sumptuous tomb; on which advance With all fit state his statue; whose right hand Let hold his sword, where, may to all times rest His bones as honoured as his soul is blessed. Accuse your self, Sir, (if your conscience urge it) Or of ambition, or corruption, Or insufficiency to rule the Empire, And found not me with your Led.