in Caesar and Pompey (The Wars of Caesar and Pompey) — Chapman, George
Metadata
Play
Caesar and Pompey (The Wars of Caesar and Pompey)
Author
Chapman, George
Year (catalogued)
1631
First performance
1605
Decade
1630s
Genre
Tragedy
Play type
Adult Professional (?); Unacted (?)
Company
Unacted (?)
Speech prefix(es)
Met.
Words
211
Characters
1136
Typicality
0.52 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A18425
BritDrama no.
1499
Cluster
Cluster 14 — Law & judgment
Important excerpts
Passages from this character's speech that contain the most distinguishing words for Cluster 14 (madestee, welse, enormity, bench, peopill, worshipful…). Matches are highlighted.
be used, Of power, or set authoitry can stir him, Much less fair words win, or rewards corrupt him; And therefore all means we must use to keep him From off the Bench. He will be Stoical. We must endure these people. Consuls, and reverend Father's; And you people, Whose voices are the voices of the Gods; I here have drawn a law,
Full speech
'Tis Like so, and I purpose to enforce it. Not possible. Not all the violence that can be used, Of power, or set authoitry can stir him, Much less fair words win, or rewards corrupt him; And therefore all means we must use to keep him From off the Bench. He will be Stoical. We must endure these people. Consuls, and reverend Father's; And you people, Whose voices are the voices of the Gods; I here have drawn a law, by good consent, For entering into Italy, the army Of Rome's great Pompey : that his forces here, As well as he, great Room, may rest secure From danger or the yet still smoking fire, Of Catiline abhorred conspiracy: Of which the very chief are left alive, Only chastised, but with a gentle prison. It follows not. Examples prove not, we will have the army Of Pompey entered. My partly, Sir, rests, that let great Pompey bear What spirit he lists; it's needful yet for Room, That this Law be established for his army. Read but this law, and you shall see a difference Betwixt equity and your indifferency; All men's objections answered; Read it Notary. I will read it then. I have it Sir, in memory, and will speak it.
Plot summary
Plot — Caesar and Pompey (The Wars of Caesar and Pompey)
The armies of Caesar and Pompey are both dangerously close to Italy: Pompey’s has been summoned by the Senate, fearful of Caesar’s ambition, and this provoked Caesar to bring up his own forces. The Senate meets to discuss the issue. Caesar’s agents unsuccessfully try to keep out his incorruptible enemy, Cato. Caesar arranges for a motion to be put to allow Pompey’s army to enter Italy, as a pretext to allow his to do the same; but this meets with the opposition of Cato. A quarrel erupts between Caesar and Pompey, and the Senate orders Caesar to disband his army, whilst requiring Pompey to mobilize in defence of the state. Civil war ensues. Fearing that the war will put a stop to his long criminal career, Fronto tries to hang himself. The devil Ophioneus prevents him and offers him a senior position in the priesthood in return for his service. Fronto declines ecclesiastical preferment, but is content to accept a more secular office. Pompey flees Rome to avoid an early battle. His ally Vibius is taken prisoner after a daring exploit goes wrong; Caesar salutes his bravery and sends him back to Pompey with an offer of peace. Pompey’s troops are gathering: Brutus joins him, despite bearing him a grudge, and so do the kings of five of Rome’s satellite states. Meanwhile the convergence of Caesar’s forces is hindered by Pompey’s navy, until it is dispersed by a tempest. Vibius brings Caesar’s offer of peace, but Brutus persuades Pompey that it must be a trap. Pompey prepares for his last stand at Pharsalus, but his men are uncertain: all omens point to Caesar’s victory. The portents are fulfilled: Pompey is routed in the battle. He flees in disguise to join his wife, who initially doesn’t recognize him; he reveals himself only after he has made sure of her stoic acceptance of the defeat. He is murdered by agents of the King of Egypt. Brutus surrenders to Caesar, who hastens to rendezvous with Cato, but Cato decides to kill himself rather than submit to tyranny. His household tries to stop him by hiding his sword, but he insists, and disembowels himself before Caesar arrives. Caesar is disgusted when Pompey’s assassins present him with his enemy’s head, and he orders them tortured. He also has a fine tomb built for Cato.