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 scorn so 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 hufh'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 Horfe, to bear a Rider? Well, we may wifh, and vent our Rage in Curfes : May CÆSAR

TRADESMAN.

Hold; and hear if he speaks Treason.

CASCA.

May CÆSAR live, as long as good Men wish him!

TRADESMAN.

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

TREBONIUS.

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

Pray for continuance of a Tyrant Ague

That shakes their very Souls? See, how Rome trem

bles,

And

And looks all pale, with lofs of guiltless Blood!
Who has not loft a Kinsman, or a Friend,
Whose honeft Life the War has facrific'd
To this Man's wild Ambition?

Nay, are not you dead too? fince in his Power
To kill you when he pleases? with this diff'rence;
That Death, once come, frees ye from all its Force,
Which every Hour ye now expect with Terror.
Before this fatal Time each good Man here

Was Mafter of the World, and fhar'd the Power;
Kings waited on your Votes, and watch'd your Wills:
But now (I weep to say how fad a Change!)

The Greatness, nay the Goodness of this CÆSAR,
Is founded on our Bafenefs: For, alas!
What must we be, to be forgiv'n by him?

And do you think, because he gives you Pleasures,
Treats you with Shows, and popular Appearance,
That all this seeming Softness is not Shadow?
A very Trick to lull your Thoughts asleep,
And then fubject thein? make them mild, and tame,
Fit for the fervile ufe of being Subjects?

Those lofty Thoughts, which like true mettled Hawks
Were us'd to fly fo ftrong, and foar so high,
Which Nature has defign'd to prey on Tyrants,
And not to serve them; now are whistled off
With every Pageant Pomp, and gawdy Show.

For

For fhame, repent of fuch a childish Folly;
And rather tear, like CATO, your own Bowels,
Than live to fee your Country torn by Tyrants.

CASCA.

And POMPEY too, methinks, fhould be remember'd,
Who died for you fo lately; on whose Ruin
This CESAR ftands, and scorns us all beneath him.

TREBONIUS.

See if they are not mov'd; the Roman Soul-
Now fwells within them. Go, my worthy Friends;
And, if you needs will fee your Tyrant's Triumph,
Gaze on him then with angry envious Eyes:
Be every one a Bafilisk to him;

Kill him with staring.

I CITIZEN.

Farewel worthy Lords!

You love your Country, and we love you for it.

TREBONIUS.

Shall we not be accus'd for this?

CASCA.

No matter;

We break no Laws either of Gods or Men :

So, if we fall, it is with Reputation ;

A Fate which Cowards fhun, and brave Men seek. If CÆSAR punish Men for speaking Truth,

My

My honeft Tongue fhall dare his utmost Doom. But here he comes, with all that Pomp and Pride In which young Power so childishly delights.

SCENE III.

Enter CESAR attended by ANTONY, BRUTUS, CASSIUS, and many other Senators: Sits down in a magnificent Seat, to behold feveral Divertifements after the Roman manner. When the Sports are ended, ANTONY prefents him a Crown.

ANTONIUS.

Hail, mighty Man! thou Godlike CÆSAR, hail!
Stoop to our Wishes, and vouchsafe to wear
This Crown, presented thee by all Mankind:
Shine on us, like the Sun, in your full Luftre;
While Rome reviv'd lies basking in your Beams,
And flourishes beneath that kindly Heat.
Adorn us with your Pow'r, and make us proud
Of being Subjects to fo great a King.

CÆSAR.

I am not call'd your King, but your Dictator;

[CASAR defcends from his Seat to the middle of the Stage.

A Name, I hope, that bears as great a Sound;