such thoughts distemper now thy minde This day to Bacchus will wee consecrate And in deepe goblets of the purest wine Drinke healths vnto our seuerall friends at home Antho. It of my Country or of Rome I thought T was that I neuer ment for to come there But spend my life in this sweete paradise Exeunt ACT. 2. SCE. 4. Enter Cicero Brutus Casca Camber Trebonius Cice. Most prudent heads that with your councels wise The pillars of the mighty Rome sustaine You see how ciuill broyles haue torne our state And priuate strife hath wrought a publique wo Thessalia boasts that she hath seene our fall And Rome that whilom wont to Tiranize And in the necks of all the world hath rang'd Loosing her rule to serue is now constraynd Pompey the hope and stay of Common-weale VVhose vertues promis'd Rome security Now flies distrest disconsolate forlorne Reproch of Fortune and the victors scorne Caes. VVhat now is left for wretched Rome to hope But in laments and bitter future woe To wey the downefall of her former pride Againe Porsenna brings in Tarquins names And Rome againe doth smoke with furious flames In Pompeys fall wee all are ouerthrowne And subiect made to conqueror Tirany Bru. Most Noble Cicero and you Romaine Peeres Pardon the author of vnhappy newes And then prepare to heare my tragick tale VVith that same looke that great Atrides stood At cruell alter staind with Daughters blood VVhen Pompey fled pursuing Caesars sword And thought to shun his following desteny And then began to thinke on many a friend And many a one recalled hee to minde Who in his Fortunes pride did leaue their liues And vowed seruice at his princely feete From out the rest the yong Egiptian King VVhose Father of an Exild banish'd man Hee seated had in throne of Maiesty Him chose to whome he did commit his life But O who doth remember good-turnes past The Rising Sunne not Setting doth men please To ill committed was so great a trust Vnto so base a Fortune fauoring minde For he the Conquerors fauor to obtaine By Treason caus'd great Pompey to be slaine Casca O damned deede Cam. O Trayterous Ptolomey Tre. O most vnworthy and vngratefull fact Cum. What plages may serue to expiate this act The rouling stone or euerturning wheele The quenchles flames of firy Phlegeton Or endles thirst of which the Poets talke Are all to gentle for so vilde a deede Cas. Well did the Cibills vnrespected verse Bid thee beware of Crocadilish Nile Ter. And art thou in a barbarous soyle betrayd Defrawded Pompey of thy funerall rites There none could weepe vpon thy funerall hearse None could thy Consulshipes and triumphs tell And in thy death set fourth thy liuing praise None would erect to thee a sepulcher Or put thine ashes in a pretious vrne Cice. Peace Lords lament not noble Pompeys death Nor thinke him wreched cause he wants a Tombe Heauen couers him whome Earth denyes a graue Thinke you a heape of stones could him inclose Whoe in the Oceans circuite buried is And euery place where Roman names are heard The world is his graue where liuing fame doth blaze His funerall praise through his immortall trump And ore his tombe vertue and honor sits With rented heare and eyes bespent with teares And waile and weepe their deere sonne Pompeys death Bru. But now my Lords for to augment this griefe Caesar the Senates deadly enimie Aimes eke to vs and meanes to tryumph heere Vpon poore conquered Rome and common wealth Cas. This was the end at which he alwayes aymd Tre. Then end all hope of Romaines liberty Rise noble Romaine rise from rotten Tombes And with your swordes recouer that againe With your braue prowes won our basenes lost Cic. Renowned Lords content your trobled minds Do not ad Fuell to the conquerors fier Which once inflamed will borne both Rome and vs Caesar although of high aspiring thoughtes And vncontrould ambitious Maiesty Yet is of nature faire and courteous You see hee commeth conqueror of the East Clad in the spoyles of the Pharsalian fieldes Then wee vnable to resist such powre By gentle peace and meeke submission Must seeke to pacify the victors wrath Exeunt ACT. 2. SCE. 5. Enter Cato Senior and Cato Iunior Cat. Sen. My Sonne thou seest howe all are ouerthrowne That sought their Countries free-dome to maintaine Egipt forsakes vs Pompey found his graue VVhere hee most succor did expect to haue Scipio is ouerthrowne and with his haples fall Affrick to vs doth former ayde denay O who will helpe men in aduersity Yet let vs shewe in our declining state That strength of minde that vertues constancy That erst we did in our felicity Though Fortune fayles vs le ts not fayle our selues Remember boy thou art a Romaine borne And Catoes Sonne of me do vertue learne Fortune of others aboue althings see Thou prize thy Countries loue and liberty All blessings Fathers to their Sonnes can wish Heauens powre on thee and now my sonne with-drawe Thy selfe a while and leaue me to my booke Cat. Iun. What meanes my Father by this solemne leaue First he remembred me of my Fortunes change And then more earnestly did me exhort To Countries loue and constancy of minde Then he was wont som-what 's the cause But what I knowe not O I feare I feare His to couragious heart that cannot beare The thrall of Rome and triumph of his foe By his owne hand threats danger to his life How ere it be at hand I will abide VVayting the end of this that shal betide Exit Cato Senior with a booke in his hand Cato Sen. Plato that promised immortality Doth make my soule resolue it selfe to mount Vnto the bowre of those Celestiall ioyes VVhere freed from lothed Prison of my soule In heauenly notes to Phoebus which shall sing And Pean Io Pean loudely ring Then fayle not hand to execute this deede Nor faint nor heart for to command my hand VVauer not minde to counsell this resolue But with a courage and thy liues last act Now do I giue thee Rome my last farewell Who cause thou fearest ill do therefore die O talke not now of Cannas ouerthrowe And raze out of thy lasting Kalenders Those bloudy songes of Hilias dismall sight And note with black that black and cursed day When Caesar conquered in Pharsalia Yet will not I his conquest glorifie My ouerthrow shall neere his triumph grace For by my death to the world I le make that knowne No hand could conquer Cato but his owne stabs himself Enter Cato Iunior running to him Ca. Iun. O this it was my minde told me before VVhat meanes my Father why with naked blade Dost thou assault that faithfull princely hand And mak'st the base Earth to drinke thy Noble bloud Bee not more sterne and cruell 'gainst thy selfe Then thy most hateful enemies would be No Parthian Gaule Moore no not Caesars selfe VVould with such cruelty thy worth repay O stay thy hand giue me thy fatall blade
assure thy hopes Cassi. Great Ioue and thou Trytonyan warlike Queene Arm'd with thy amazing deadly Gorgons head Strengthen our armes that fight for Roman welth And thou sterne Mars and Romulus thy Sonne Defend that Citty which your selfe begun All heauenly powers assist our rightfull armes And send downe siluer winged victory To crowne with Lawrells our triumphant Crests Bru. My minde that 's trobled in my vexed soule Opprest with sorrow and with sad dismay Misgiues me this wil be a heauy day Cassi. Why faynt not now in these our last extremes This time craues courage not dispayring feare Titin. Fie t will distayne thy former valiant acts To say thou faintest now in this last act Bru. My mind is heauy and I know not why But cruell fate doth sommon me to die Cato Sweet Brute let not thy words be ominous signes Of so mis-fortunate and sad euent Heauen and our Vallour shall vs conquerours make Cassi. What Bastard feare hath taunted our dead hearts Or what vnglorious vnwounted thought Hath changed the vallour of our daunted mindes What are our armes growne weaker then they were Cannot this hand that was proud Caesars death Send all Caesarians headlong that same path Looke how our troups in Sun-bright armes do shine With vaunting plumes and dreadfull brauery The wrathfull steedes do check their iron bits And with a well grac'd terror strike the ground And keeping times in warres sad harmony And then hath Brutus any cause to feare My selfe like valiant Peleus worthy Sonne The Noblest wight that euer Troy beheld Shall of the aduerse troopes such hauock make As sad Phillipi shall in blood bewayle The cruell massacre of Cassius sword And then hath Brutus any cause to feare Bru. No outward shewes of puissance or of strength Can helpe a minde dismayed inwardly Leaue me sweete Lordes a while vnto my selfe Cassi. In the meane time take order for the fight Drums let your fearefull mazing thunder playe And with their sound peirce Heauens brazen Towers And all the earth fill with like fearefull noyse As when that Boreas from his Iron caue With boysterous furyes Striuing in the waues Comes swelling forth to meet his blustering foe They both doe runne with feerce tempestuous rage And heaues vp mountaynes of the watry waues The God Oceanus trembles at the stroke Bru. What hatefull furyes vex my tortured mind What hideous sightes appalle my greeued soule As when Orestes after mother slaine Not being yet at Scithians Alters purged Behould the greesly visages of fiends And gastly furies which did haunt his steps Caesar vpbraues my sad ingratitude He saued my life in sad Pharsalian fieldes That I in Senate house might worke his death O this remembrance now doth wound my soule More then my poniard did his bleeding heart Enter Ghost Gho. Brutus ingratefull Brutus seest thou mee Anon In field againe thou shalt me see Bru. Stay what so ere thou art or fiend below Rays'd from the deepe by inchanters bloody call Or fury sent from Phlegitonticke flames Or from Cocytus for to end my life Be then Megera or Tysiphone Or of Eumenides ill boading crue Fly me not now but end my wretched life Come greesly messenger of sad mishap Trample in blood of him that hates to liue And end my life and sorrow all at once Gho. Accursed traytor damned Homicide Knowest thou not me to whome for forty honors Thou three and twenty Gastly wounds didst giue Now dare no more for to behould the Heauens For they to Day haue destyned thine end Nor lift thy eyes vnto the rising sunne That nere shall liue for to behould it set Nor looke not downe vnto the Hellish shades There stand the furyes thursting for thy blood Flie to the field but if thou thither go'st There Anthonyes sword will peirce thy trayterous heart Brutus to daie my blood shal be reuenged And for my wrong and vndeserued death Thy life to thee a torture shall become And thou shalt oft amongest the dying grones Of slaughtered men that bite the bleeding earth With that like balefull cheere might thee befall And seeke for death that flies so wretched wight Vntill to shunne the honour of the fight And dreadfull vengeance of supernall ire Thine owne right hand shall worke my wish'd reueng And so Fare ill hated of Heauen and Men Bru. Stay Caesar stay protract my greife no longer Rip vp my bowells glut thy thirsting throte With pleasing blood of Caesars guilty heart But see hee 's gon and yonder Murther stands See how he poynts his knife vnto my hart Althea raueth for her murthered Sonne And weepes the deed that she her-selfe hath done And Meleager would thou liuedst againe But death must expiate Altheas come I death the guerdon that my deeds deserue The drums do thunder forth dismay and feare And dismall triumphes sound my fatall knell Furyes I come to meete you all in Hell Enter Cato wounded Cato Bloodles and faynt Cato yeelde vp thy breath While strength and vigour in these armes remaynd And made me able for to wield my sword So long I fought and sweet Rome for thy sake Fear'd not effusion of my blood to make But now my strength and life doth fayle at once My vigor leaues my could and feeble Ioynts And I my sad soule must power forth in blood O vertue whome Phylosophy extols Thou art no essence but a naked name Bond-slaue to Fortune weake and of no power To succor them which alwaies honourd thee Witnesse my Fathers and mine owne sad death Who for our country spent our latest breath But oh the chaines of death do hold my toung Mine eyes wax dim I faynt I faynt I die O Heauens help Rome in this extremity Cass. Where shall I goe to tell the saddest tale That ere the Romane toung was forc'd to speake Rome is ouerthrowne and all that for her fought This Sunne that now hath seen so many deaths When from the Sea he heaued his cloudy head Then both the armes full of hope and feare Did waite the dreadfull trumpets fatall sound And straight Reuenge from Stygian bands let loose Possessed had all hearts and banished thence Feare of their children wife and little home Countryes remembrance and had quite expeld With last departed care of life it selfe Anger did sparkell from our beautious eyes Our trembling feare did make our helmes to shake The horse had now put on the riders wrath And with his hoofes did strike the trembling earth When Echalarian soundes then both gin meete Both like enraged and now the dust gins rise And Earth doth emulate the Heauens cloudes Then yet beutyous was the face of cruell war And goodly terror it might seeme to be Faire shieldes gay swords and goulden crests did shine Their spangled plumes did dance for solity As nothing priuy to their Masters feare But quickly rage and cruell Mars had staynd This shining glory with a sadder hew A cloud of dartes that darkened Heauens light Horror insteed of beauty did suceede And her bright armes with
without my prayers for thy returne My minde misgiues mee Pompey is betrayd O Aegypt do not rob me of my loue Why beareth Ptolomy so sterne a looke O do not staine thy childish yeares with blood Whil'st Pompey florished in his Fortunes pride Aegypt and Ptolomy were faine to serue And shue for grace to my distressed Lord But little bootes it to record he was To be is onely that which Men respect Go poore Cornelia wander by the shore And see the waters raging Billowes swell And beate with fury gainst the craggy rockes To that compare thy strong tempestuous griefe Which fiercely rageth in thy feeble heart Sorrow shuts vp the passage of thy breath And dries the teares that pitty faine would shed This onely therefore this will I still crie Let Pompey liue although Cornelia die Exit ACTVS 1. SCENA 6. Enter Caesar Cleopatra Dolobella Lord and others Caes. Thy sad complaints fayre Lady cannot chuse But mooue a heart though made of Adamant And draw to yeeld vnto thy powerfull plaint I will replant thee in the Aegiptian Throne And all thy wrongs shall Caesars vallor right I le pull thy crowne from the usurper head And make the Conquered Ptolomey to stoope And feare by force to wrong a mayden Queene Cleo. Looke as the Earth at her great loues approch When goulden tressed fayre Hipperions Sonne With those life-lending beames salutes his Spouse Doth then cast of her moorning widdowes weeds And calleth her handmayde forth her flowery fayre To cloth her in the beauty of the spring And of fayre primroses and sweet violets To make gay Garlonds for to crowne her head So hath your presence welcome and fayre sight That glads the world comforts poore Aegipts Queene Who begs for succor of that conquering hand That as Ioues Scepter this our world doth sway Dolo. Who would refuse to ayde so fayre a Queene Lord Base bee the mind that for so sweet a fayre Would not aduenture more then Perseus did When as he freed the faire Andromeda Caesar O how those louely Tyranizing eyes The Graces beautious habitation Where sweet desire dartes woundring shafts of loue Consume my heart with inward burning heate Not onely Aegipt but all Africa Will I subiect to Cleopatras name Thy rule shall stretch from vnknowne Zanziber Vnto those Sandes where high erected poastes Of great Alcides do vp hold his name The sunne burnt Indians from the cast shall bring Their pretious store of pure refined gould The laboring worme shall weaue the Africke twiste And to exceed the pompe of Persian Queene The Sea shall pay the tribute of his pearles For to adorne thy goulden yellow lockes Which in their curled knots my thoughts do hold Thoughtes captiud to thy beauties conquering power Anto. I marueyle not at that which fables tell How rauisht Hellen moued the angry Greeks To vndertake eleuen yeares tedious seege To re-obtayne a beauty so diuine When I beheld thy sweete composed face O onely worthy for whose matchles sake Another seege and new warres should arise Hector be dragde about the Grecian campe And Troy againe consumed with Grecian fire Cleo. Great Prince what thanks can Cleopatra giue Nought haue poore Virgins to requite such good My simple selfe and seruice then vouchsafe And let the heauens and he that al things sees With equall eyes such merits recompence I doe not seeke ambitiously to rule And in proud Africa to monarchize I onely craue that what my father gaue Who in his last be-hest did dying will That I should ioyntly with my brother raigne But. How sweet those words drop from those hunny lips Which whilst she speakes they still each other kisse Caesa, Raigne I stil raigne in Caesars conquered thoughts There build thy pallace and thy sun-bright throne There sway thy Scepter and with it beat downe Those traiterous thoughts if any dare aryse That will not yeeld to thy perfection To chase thee flying Pompey haue I cut The great Ionian and Egean seas And dredeles past the toyling Hellespont Famous for amorous Leanders death And now by gentle Fortunes so am blest As to behold what mazed thoughtes admire Heauens wonder Natures and Earths Ornament And gaze vpon these firy sun-bright eyes The Heauenly spheares which Loue and Beauty mooue These Cheekes where Lillyes and red-roses striue For soueraignty yet both do equall raigne The dangling tresses of thy curled haire Nets weaud to each our frayle and wandring thoughts Thy beauty shining like proud Phaebus face When Ganges glittereth with his radiant beames He on his goulden trapped Palfreys rides That from their nostrels do the morning blow Through Heauens great path-way pau'd with shining starres Thou art the sized pole of my Soules ioy Bout which my resteles thoughts are ouer turn'd My Cynthia whose glory neuer waynes Guyding the Tide of mine affections That with the change of thy imperious lookes Dost make my doubtfull ioyes to eb and slowe Cleo. Might all the deedes thy hands had ere achiu'd That make thy farre extolled name to sound From sun-burnt East vnto the VVestern Iles VVhich great Neptunus fouldeth in his armes It shall not be the least to seat a Maide And inthronize her in her natiue right Lord VVhat neede you stand disputing on your right Or prouing title to the Aegiptian Crowne Borne to be Queene and Empresse of the world An. On thy perfection let me euer gaze And eyes now learne to treade a louers maze Heere may you surfet with delicious store The more you see desire to looke the more Vpon her face a garden of delite Exceeding far Adonis fayned Bowre Heere staind white Lyllies spread their branches faire Heere lips send forth sweete Gilly-flowers smell And Damasck-rose in her faire cheekes do bud VVhile beds of Violets still come betweene VVith fresh varyety to please the eye Nor neede these flowers the heate of Phaebus beames They cherisht are by vertue of her eyes O that I might but enter in this bowre Or once attaine the cropping of the flower Caes. Now wend we Lords to Alexandria Famous for those wide wondred Piramids Whose towring tops do seeme to threat the skie And make it proud by presence of my loue Then Paphian Temples and Cytherian hils And sacred Gnidas bonnet vaile to it A fayrer saint then Venus there shall dwell Antho. Led with the lode-starre of her lookes I go As crazed Bark is toss'd in trobled Seas Vncertaine to ariue in wished port ACT. 1. FINIS Enter Discord Flashes of fire Antho. Now Caesar hath thy flattering Fortune heapt Those golden gifts and promis'd victories By fatall signes at Rubicon foretould Then triumph in thy glorious greatest pride And boast thou cast the lucky Die so well Now let the Triton that did sound alarme In his shrill trump resound the victory That Heauen and Earth may Ecco of thy fame Yet thinke in this thy Fortunes Iollity Though Caesar be as great as great may be Yet Pompey once was euen as great as he And how he rode clad in Setorius
VVhich turnes his edge and waxeth blunt to wound A brest so fraught with vertue excellent Ca. Seni. VVhy dost thou let me of my firme resolue Vnkinde boy hinderer of thy Fathers ioy Why dost thou slay me or wilt thou betray Thy Fathers life vnto his foe-mens hands And yet I wrong thy faith and loue too much In thy soules kindenesse t is thou art vnkinde Cat. Iun. If for your selfe you do this life reiect Yet you your Sonnes and Countries sake respect Rob not my yong yeares of so sweete a stay Nor take from Rome the Pillor of her strength Cat. Sene. Although I die yet do I leaue behinde My vertues fauor to bee thy youths guide But for my Country could my life it profit I le not refuse to liue that died for it Now doth but one smal snuffe of breath remaine And that to keepe should I mine Honor staine Cat. Iuni. Where you do striue to shew your vertue most There more you do disgrace it Cowards vse To shun the woes and trobles of this life Basely to flie to deaths safe sanctuary When constant vertues doth the hottest brunt's Of griefes assaultes vnto the end endure Ca. Seni. Thy words preuaile come lift me vp my Son And call some help to binde my bleeding wounds Cat. Iuni. Father I go with a more willing minde Then did Aeneas when from Troyan fire He bare his Father and did so restore The greatest gift hee had receiued before Exit Cat. Seni. Now haue I freed mee of that hurtfull Loue Which interrupted my resolued will Which all the world can neuer stay nor change Caesar whose rule commands both Sea and Land Is not of powre to hinder this weake hand And time succeeding shall behold that I Although not liue yet died courragiously stab himselfe Enter Cato Iunior Ca. Iuni. O hast thou thus to thine owne harme deceiu'd me Well I perceiue thy Noble dauntles heart Because it would not beare the Conquerors insolence Vsed on it selfe this cruell violence I know not whether I should more lament That by thine owne hand thou thus slaughtred art Or Ioy that thou so nobly didst depart Exit FINIS ACTVS 2. Enter Discord Dis. Now Caesar rides triumphantly through Rome And deckes the Capitoll with Pompeys spoyle Ambition now doth vertues seat vsurp Then thou Reuengfull great Adastria Queene Awake with horror of thy dubbing Drumm And call the snaky furies from below To dash the Ioy of their triumphing pride Erinnis kindle now thy Stigian brands In discontented Brutus boyling brest Let Caesar die a bleeding sacrifice Vnto the Soule of thy dead Country Rome Why sleepest thou Cassius wake thee from thy dreame And yet thou naught dost dreame but blood and death For dreadfull visions do afright thy sleepe And howling Ghosts with gastly horrors cry By Cassius hand must wicked Caesar die Now Rome cast of thy gaudy painted robes And cloth thy selfe in sable colored weedes Change thy vaine triumphs into funerall pomps And Caesar cast thy Laurell crowne apart And bind thy temples with sad Cypres tree Of warrs thus peace insues of peace more harmes Then erst was wrought by tragick wars alarmes Exit ACT. 3. SCE. 1. Enter Cassius Cas. Harke how Caesarians with resounding shoutes Tell heauens of their pompes and victories Caesar that long in pleasures idle lap And daliance vayne of his Proud Curtezan Had Iuld his sterne and bloody thoughts a sleepe Now in Rome streets ore Romaines come to triumph And to the Romains shews those Tropheyes sad Which from the Romaines he with blood did get The Tyrant mounted in his goulden chayre Rides drawne with milke white palferies in like pride As Phaebus from his Orientall gate Mounted vpon the firy Phlegetons backes Comes prauncing forth shaking his dewie locks Caesar thou art in gloryes cheefest pride Thy sonne is mounted in the highest poynt Thou placed art in top of fortunes wheele Her wheele must turne thy glory must eclipse Thy Sunne descend and loose his radiant light And if none be whose countryes ardent loue And losse of Roman liberty can moue I le be the man that shall this taske performe Cassius hath vowed it to dead Pompeys soule Cassius hath vowed it to afflicted Rome Cassius hath vowed it witnes Heauen and Earth Exit ACTVS 3. SCENA 2. Enter Caesar Antony Dolobella Lords two Romaines others Caesar Now haue I shaked of these womanish linkes In which my captiud thoughts were chayned a fore By that fayre charming Circes wounding look And now like that same ten yeares trauayler Leauing be-hind me all my trobles past I come awayted with attending fame Who through her shrill triump doth my name resound And makes proud Tiber and Lygurian Poe Yet a sad winter of the Sunne-Gods losse Beare my names glory to the Ocean mayne Which to the worlds end shall it bound it againe As from Phaegiean fields the King of Gods With conquering spoyles and Tropheus proud returnd When great Typheus fell by thundering darts And rod away with their Caelestiall troops In greatest pride through Heauens smooth paued way So shall the Pompeous glory of my traine Daring to match ould Saturns kingly Sonne Call downe these goulden lampes from the bright skie And leaue Heauen blind my greatnes to admire This laurell garland in fayre conquest made Shall stayne the pride of Ariadnes crowne Clad in the beauty of my glorious lampes Cassiopea leaue thy starry chayre And on my Sun-bright Chariot wheels attend Which in triumphing pompe doth Caesar beare To Earths astonishment and amaze of Heauen Now looke proude Rome from thy seuen-fould seate And see the world thy subiect at thy feete And Caesar ruling ouer all the world Dolo. Now let vs cease to boast of Romulus First author of high Rome and Romaines name Nor talke of Scaurus worthy Africans The scurge of Libia and of Carthage pride Nor of vnconquered Paulus dauntles minde Since Caesars glory them exceedes as farre As shining Phebe doth the dimmest starre Ant. Like as the Ship-man that hath lost the starre By which his doubtfull ship he did direct Wanders in darkenes and in Cloudy night So hauing lost my starr my Gouernesse Which did direct me with her Sonne-bright ray In greefe I wander and in sad dismay And though of triumphes and of victoryes I do the out-ward signes and Trophies beare Yet see mine inward mind vnder that face Whose collours to these Triumphes is disgrace Lord As when from vanquished Macedonia Triumphing ore King Persius ouerthrow Conquering Aemelius in great glory came Shewing the worlds spoyles which he had bereft From the successors of great Alexander With such high pomp yea greater victories Caesar triumphing coms into fayre Rome 1. Rom. In this one Champion all is comprehended Which ancient times in seuerall men commended Alcides strength Achilles dauntles heart Great Phillips Sonne by magnanimity Sterne Pyrhus vallour and great Hectors might And all the prowes that ether Greece or Troy Brought forth in that same ten years Troians warre 2. Rom. Faire
this life Rome now I come to reare thy states decayed VVhen or this hand shall cure thy fatall wound Or else this heart by bleeding on the ground Cas. Now heauen I see applaudes this enterprise And Rhadamanth into the fatall Vrne That lotheth death hath thrust the Tirants name Caesar the life that thou in bloud hast led Shall heape a bloudy vengance on thine head Exeum ACT. 2. SCE. 4. Enter Caesar Anthony Dolobella Lords and others Caes. Now servile Pharthia proud in Romaine spoile Shall pay her ransome vnto Caesars Ghost Which vnreuenged roues by the Stygian strond Exclaming on our sluggish negligence Leaue to lament braue Romans loe I come Like to the God of battell mad with rage To die their riuers with vermilion red I le fill Armenians playnes and Medians hils With carkases of bastard Scithian broode And there proud Princes will I bring to Rome Chained in fetters to my charriot wheeles Desire of fame and hope of sweete reueng Which in my brest hath kindled such a flame As nor Euphrates nor sweet Tybers streame Can quench or stack this feruent boyling heate These conquering souldiers that haue followed me From vanquisht France to sun-burnt Meroe Matching the best of Alexanders troopes Shall with their lookes put Parthian foes to flight And make them twise turne their deceitfull lookes Ant. The restlesse mind that harbors sorrowing thoughts And is with child of noble enterprise Doth neuer cease from honors toilesome taske Till it bringes forth Eternall gloryes broode So you fayre braunch of vertues great discent Now hauing finish'd Ciuill warres sad broyles Intend by Parthian triumphes to enlarge Your contryes limits and your owne renowne But cause in Sibilles ciuill writs we finde None but a King that conquest can atchiue Both for to crowne your deedes with due reward And as auspicious signes of victorye Wee here present you with this Diadem Lord And euen as kings were banish'd Romes high throne Cause their base vice her honour did destayne So to your rule doth shee submit her selfe That her renowne there by might brighter shine Caesar Why thinke you Lords that t is ambitions spur That pricketh Caesar to these high attempts Or hope of Crownes or thought of Diadems That made me wade through honours perilous deepe Vertue vnto it selfe a shure reward My labours all shall haue a pleasing doome If you but Iudge I will deserue of Rome Did those old Romaines suffer so much ill Such tedious seeges such enduring warrs Tarquinius hates and great Porsennas threats To banish proude imperious tyrants rule And shall my euerdaring thoughts contend To marre what they haue brought to happy end Or thinke you cause my Fortune hath expeld My friends come let vs march in iolity I le triumph Monarke-like ore conquering Rome Or end my conquests with my countryes spoyles Dolo. O noble Princely resolution These or not victoryes that we so call That onely blood and murtherous spoyles can vaunt But this shal be thy victory braue Prince That thou hast conquered thy owne climing thoughts And with thy vertue beat ambition downe And this no lesse inblazon shall thy fame Then those great deeds and chiualrous attempts That made thee conqueror in Thessalia Ant. This noble mind and Princely modesty Which in contempt of honours brightnes shines Makes vs to wish the more for such a Prince Whose vertue not ambition won that praise Nor shall we thinke it losse of liberty Or Romaine liberty any way impeached For to subiect vs to his Princely rule Whose thoughts fayre vertue and true honor guides Vouchsafe then to accept this goulden crowne A gift not equall to thy dignity Caes. Content you Lordes for I wil be no King An odious name vnto the Romaine care Caesar I am and wil be Caesar still No other title shall my Fortunes grace Which I will make a name of higher state Then Monarch King or worldes great Potentate Of Ioue in Heauen shall ruled bee the skie The Earth of Caesar with like Maiesty This is the Scepter that my crowne shall beare And this the golden diadem I le weare A farre more rich and royall ornament Then all the Crownes that the proud Persian gaue Forward my Lordes let Trumpets sound our march And drums strike vp Reuenges sad alarms Parthia we come with like incensed heate As great Atrides with the angry Greekes Marching in fury to pale walls of Troy ACT. 3. SC. 5. Enter Cassius Brutus Trebonius Cumber Casca Tre. Braue Lords whose forward resolution Shewes you descended from true Romaine line See how old Rome in winter of her age Reioyseth in such Princely budding hopes No lesse then once she in Decius vertue did Or great Camillus bringing back of spoyles On then braue Lords of this attempt begun The sacred Senate doth commend the deede Your Countries loue incites you to the deed Vertue her selfe makes warrant of the deed Then Noble Romains as you haue begun Neuer desist vntill this deede be done Casi. To thee Reueng doth Cassius kneele him downe Thou that brings quiet to perplexed soules And borne in Hel yet harborest heauens ioyes Whose fauor slaughter is and dandling death Bloud-thirsty pleasures and mis boding boding blisse Brought forth of Fury nurse of cankered Hate To drowne in woe the pleasures of the world Thou shalt no more in duskish Erebus And dark-some hell obscure thy Deity Insteede of Ioue thou shalt my Godesse bee To thee faire Temples Cassius will erect And on thine alter built of Parian stone Whole Hecatombs will I offer vp Laugh gentle Godesse on my bould attempt Yet in thy laughter let pale meager death Bee wrapt in wrinkels of thy murthering spoyles Bru. An other Tarquin is to bee expeld An other Brutus liues to act the deede T is not one nation that this Tarquin wronges All Rome is stayn'd with his vnrul'd desires Shee whose imperiall scepter was invr'd To conquer Kings and to controul the world Cannot abate the glory of her state To yeeld or bowe to one mans proud desires Sweete Country Rome here Brutus vowes to thee To loose his life or else to set thee free Cas. Shame bee his share that doth his life so prize That to Romes weale it would not sacrifize My Poniardes point shall pearce his heart as deepe As earst his sworde Romes bleeding side did goare And change his garments to the purple die With which our bloud had staynd sad Thessaly Cam. Hee doth refuse the title of a King But wee do see hee doth vsurp the thing Tre. Our ancient freedome hee empeacheth more Then euer King or Tyrant did before Cas. The Senators by him are quite disgrac'd Rome Romans Citty Freedome all defac'd Cassi. We come not Lords as vnresolued men For to shewe causes of the deed decreed This shall dispute for mee and tell him why This heart hand minde hath mark'd him out to die If it be true that furies quench-les thirst Is pleas'd with quaffing of ambitious bloud Then all you deuills whet my Poniards point And I
stab and stabing kill Till that more liues might bee extinquished Then his ambition Romanes Slaughtered Tre. How heauens haue iustly on the authors head Returnd the guiltles blood which he hath shed And Pompey he who caused thy Tragedy Here breathles lies before thy Noble Statue Enter Anthony Anth. What cryes of death resound within my eates Whome I doe see great Caesar buchered thus What said I great I Caesar thou wast great But O that greatnes was that brought thy death O vniust Heauens if Heauens at all there be Since vertues wronges makes question of your powers How could your starry eyes this shame behold How could the sunne see this and not eclipze Fayre bud of fame ill cropt before thy time What Hyrcan tygar or wild sauage bore For he more heard then Bore or Tyger was Durst do so vile and execrate a deede Could not those eyes so full of maiesty Nor priesthood o not thus to bee prophand Nor yet the reuerence to this sacred place Nor flowing eloquence of thy goulden tounge Nor name made famous through immortall merit Deter those murtherors from so vild a deed Sweete friend accept these obsequies of mine Which heare with teares I doe vnto thy hearse And thou being placed among the shining starrs Shalt downe from Heauen behold what deepe reueng I will inflict vpon the murtherers Exit with Caesar in his armes FINIS Act. 3. Enter Discord Dis. Brutus thou hast what long desire hath sought Caesar Lyes weltring in his purple Goare Thou art the author of Romes liberty Proud in thy murthering hand and bloody knife Yet thinke Octauian and sterne Anthony Cannot let passe this murther vnreuenged Thessalia once againe must see your blood And Romane drommes must strike vp new alaromes Harke how Bellona shakes her angry lance And enuie clothed in her crimson weed Me thinkes I see the fiery shields to clash Eagle gainst Eagle Rome gainst Rome to fight Phillipi Caesar quittance must thy wronges Whereas that hand shall stab that trayterous heart That durst encourage it to worke thy death Thus from thine ashes Caesar doth arise As from Medeas haples scatered teeth New flames of wars and new outragious broyles Now smile Aemathia that euen in thy top Romes victory and pride shal be entombd And those great conquerors of the vanquished earth Shall with their swords come there to dig their graues ACTVS 4. SCENA 1. Enter Octauian Octa. Mourne gentle Heauens for you haue lost your ioy Mourne greeued earth thy ornament is gon Mourne Rome in great thy Father is deceased Mourne thou Octauian thou it is must mourne Mourne for thy Vncle who is dead and gon Mourne for thy Father to vngently slaine Mourne for thy Friend whome thy mishap hath lost For Father Vnkell Friend go make thy mone Who all did liue who all did die in one But heere I vow these blacke and sable weeds The outward signes of inward heauines Shall changed be ere long to crimsen hew And this soft raiment to a coate of steele Caesar no more I heare the mornefull songs The tragick pomp of his sad exequies And deadly burning torches are at hand I must accompany the mornefull troope And sacryfice my teares to the Gods below Exit Enter Caesars Hearse Calphurnia Octauian Anthony Cicero Dolobella two Romaynes mourners Calp. Set downe the hearse and let Calphurnia weepe Weepe for her Lord and bath his Wounds in teares Feare of the world and onely hope of Rome Thou whilest thou liuedst was Calphurnias ioye And being dead my ioyes are dead with thee Here doth my care and comfort resting lie Let them accompany thy mournefull hearse Cice. This is the hearse of vertue and renowne Here stroe red roses and sweete violets And lawrell garlands for to crowne his fame The Princely weede of mighty conquerors These worthles obsequies poore Rome bestowes Vpon thy sacred ashes and deare hearse 1. Rom. And as a token of thy liuing praise And fame immortall take this laurell wreath Which witnesseth thy name shall neuer die And with this take the Loue and teares of Rome For on thy tombe shall still engrauen be Thy losse her griefe thy deathes her pittying thee Dolo. Vnwilling do I come to pay this debt Though not vnwilling for to crowne desert O how much rather had I this bestowed On thee returning from foes ouerthrow When liuing vertue did require such meede Then for to crowne thy vertue being dead Lord Those wreaths that in thy life our conquests crowned And our fayre triumphes beauty glorified Now in thy death do serue thy hearse to adorne For Caesars liuing vertues to bee crowned Not to be wept as buried vnder grownd 2. Ro. Thou whilest thou liuedst wast faire vertues flowre Crowned with eternall honor and renowne To thee being dead Flora both crownes and flowers The cheefest vertues of our mother earth Doth giue to gratulate thy noble hearse Let then they soule diuine vouchsafe to take These worthles obsequies our loue doth make Calp. All that I am is but despaire and greefe This all I giue to Celebrate thy death What funerall pomp of riches and of pelfe Do you expect Calphurnia giues her selfe Ant. You that to Caesar iustly did decree Honors diuine and sacred reuerence And oft him grac'd with titles well deserued Of Countries Father stay of Commonwealth And that which neuer any bare before Inviolate Holy Consecrate Vntucht Doe see this friend of Rome this Contryes Father This Sonne of lasting fame and endles praise And in a mortall trunke immortall vertue Slaughtered profan'd and bucherd like a beast By trayterous handes and damned Paracides Recounte those deedes and see what he hath don Subdued those nations which three hundred yeares Remaynd vnconquered still afflicting Rome And recompensed the firy Capitoll With many Citties vnto ashes burnt And this reward these thankes you render him Here lyes he dead to whome you owe your liues By you this slaughtered body bleedes againe Which oft for you hath bled in fearefull fight Sweete woundes in which I see distressed Rome From her pearc'd sides to powre forth streames of bloud Bee you a witnesse of my sad Soules griefe And of my teares which wounded heart doth bleede Not such as vse from womanish eyes proceede Octa. And were the deede most worthy and vnblamed Yet you vnworthely did do the same Who being partakers with his enemies By Caesar all were saued from death and harme And for the punnishment you should haue had You were prefer'd to Princely dignities Rulers and Lordes of Prouinces were you made Thus thanke-les men hee did preferre of nought That by their hands his murther might be wrought All at once except Anthony and Octauian Omnes Reuenge Reuenge vpon the murtherers Antho. Braue Lords this worthy resolution shewes Your deerest loue and great affection VVhich to this slaughtered Prince you alwaies bare And may like bloudy chance befall my life If I be slack for to reuenge his death Octa. Now on my Lords this body le ts inter Amongest