CCAESAR

ICTATOR

ACT I. SCENE I.

Enter two Roman Senators at one Door, TREBONIUS and CASCA at another.

I SENATOR.

AIL, good TREBONIUS.

2 SENATOR.

Health to worthy CASCA.
Will you go with us to the

Sports to-day?

I SENATOR.

Before this CESAR'S Time, we had no Shews

Magnificent as these.

P 4

TREBO

TREBONIUS.

But we had Triumphs:

And tho' the Conqueror fate high exalted,
We all partook both of his Fame and Merit:
The gaz'd-on Warriour in the gilded Chariot
Enjoy'd his Fill of Fame, but, as Rome's Subje&:
And, to his great Renown in glorious Arms,
A higher, much more valu'd Crown, was added;
Immortal Praife for ferving well his Country.

CASCA.

Oh how our Hearts were fir'd at POMPEY'S Triumphs!
The Blood more lively danc'd within our Veins :
The very Image of it strikes my Fancy!

Methinks I fee a thousand noble Captives
Drooping with Grief, which yet was lighter made
By his kind Ufage. After came the Treasures;
Our Treafures! for it was not then as now,
When one Man's greedy Gripe ingroffes all,
We did not, as Law-Suiters for Contention,
Disburfe more Charges than the Prize was worth ;
Grow Beggars, only to make others rich.

TREBONIUS.

But then, at laft, behold ev'n Captive Kings
In golden Chains with penfive Thought look down,
Remembring they had us'd their Subjects worse.

3

CASCA

CASCA.

Yet fhew'd a gloomy Comfort through their Sadness, For being vanquifh'd by fo brave a People.

TREBONIUS.

Which of us, then, oh which of us went home
From fuch a Spectacle unmov'd with Joy,
With virtuous Pride, to fee our Blood well spent,
Our Treasures manag'd, and our Glory rais'd?

CASCA.

Yet ev❜n to POMPEY, Chief of all our State,
No Roman but difdain'd a mean Submiffion;
A Tribute only owing to the Gods.

TREBONIUS.

But now we crouch, and stand in fervile awe;
Like Children, fear the Goblin we have made.
This CASAR, tho' Dictator, is our Creature,
And from Election all his Pride proceeds.

CASCA.

We meet thefe Murmurs now in ev'ry Mouth;
Ill-boding Sounds to late unfettled Power,
Like new-built Houfcs, cafily blown down.

TREBONIUS.

Yet CÆSAR, ftill intrepidly Serene,

Gocs proudly on, defpifing us, and Danger.

SCENE

SCENE II.

Enter a Crowd of common Tradesmen.

CASCA.

What's all this Croud, and whither are ye going,
My gazing Fellow-Citizens? To wait

On your own Shame, and ftare upon your Bondage

I TRADESMAN.

I know not what you mean by Shame and Bondage: We go to fee great CÆSAR, and the Sports.

CASCA.

And much good do you, Friend; You little think, The Man you so admire would be your Master.

TRADESMAN.

My Mafter! He would fcorn fo mean a Servant.
I hope you will not jeft at mighty CÆSAR?

CASCA.

[CASCA laughs.

I only laugh at you for loving Cæsar.

TRADESMAN.

Oh, is that all? Well Sir, make bold with me ;
But have a care of meddling with your Betters.

CASCA.

Betters! Thou fawcy Citizen, be filent.

TRADES

TRADESMAN.

Then I am hush'd. Speak you, Sir.

CASCA.

What, to Fools?

To Men, whofe Minds are funk in low Submiffion? Born free, and yet contented to be Slaves?

Form'd like the dull ftrong Horse, to bear a Rider? Well, we may wish, and vent our Rage in Curses: May CÆSAR

TRADESMAN.

Hold; and hear if he speaks Treason.

CASCA.

May CESAR live, as long as good Men with him!

TRADESMAN.

Why, what does this Man mean? he prays for CÆSAR. Long may he live Rome's great, and wife Dictator!

TREBONIUS.

Oh, my good Friends, how blind are those Defires! Did you but know how much you curfe your felves, No People, fure, would be fuch Self-destroyers, Tho' but in Wifh. Did ever Men before

Pray for continuance of a Tyrant Ague

That shakes their very Souls? See, how Rome trem

bles,

And