BRUTUS.

Well then, hear it all.

PORTIA.

Hold, dearest BRUTUS!

I dare not hear it yet; I'll try this first.

[She ftabs her felf inthe Arm.

BRUTUS.

Hold, what d'ye mean?

PORTIA.

To try my Fortitude.

For tho' I durft have trufted my firm Mind
With any thing which but concern'd my self;
Where you're engag'd, it was too great a venture:
I doubt my firmeft Thoughts, while you suspect them.
BRUTUS.

Oh, Wonder of thy Sex!

Gods! make me worthy of this matchlefs Woman! Hafte, hafte, and let thy Wound be quickly drefs'd. Within I'll tell thee all,

And in thy Bofom pour my very Soul.

Enter LUCIUS.

LUCIUS.

[Exit PORTIA.

A Meffenger, my Lord, from mighty CÆSAR

Is fent to fummon you, and CAIUS CASSIUS,
About fome weighty matter presently.

BRUTUS.

[Exit LUCIUS.

From CÆSAR? and my Brother CASSIUS too?
An early fummons this! We are betray'd,
Loft and undone, yet lefs in our own ruin,
Than in the letting him escape. Oh Rome,
Thou haft in vain depended on thy BRUTUS!
But I will go, left my delaying now
Should raise Sufpicion; and if all's discover'd,
My Life is useless, and not worth my Care.

[Exeunt.

Between the fecond and third Act, thefe Verfes are to be fung by a Perfon representing the Genius of

Rome.

L

Second CHORUS.

O, to prevent this mighty Empire's Doom,
From bright unknown Abodes of Bliss I come,

The Awful Genius of Majeftick Rome.

Great is her Danger: but I will engage
Some few, the Master-Souls of all this Age,
To do an Act of juft Heroic Rage.

'Tis hard, a Man fo great, fhould fall fo low; More hard, to let fo brave a People bow

To one themselves have rais'd, who scorns them now.

Yet oh, I grieve, that BRUTUS fhould be ftain'd;
Whofe Life, excepting this one Act, remain'd
So pure, that future times will think it feign'd.

But only he can make the rest combine;
The very Life, and Soul of their Design ;
The Centre, where thofe mighty Spirits join.

Unthinking Men no fort of Scruples make ;
Others do ill, only for Mischief's fake;
But ev❜n the best are guilty by Mistake.

Thus fome, for Envy, or Revenge, intend
To bring the bold Ufurper to his end;
But for his Country, BRUTUS ftabs his Friend.

ACT

ACT III.

SCENE I.

The Scene is CÆSAR's Apartment, where he appears

A

Undrefs'd.

CÆSAR.

MBITION, Oh thou Tyrant of my Soul!
How much a gentler Lord am I to Rome,

Than thou to me! I am the only Slave.
This Day was dully spent in publick Sports,
Things too magnificent for true Delight.

Joy dwells in filent Shades, and private Pleasures;
In Peace, and not in Pomp: then, my long Nights,
Those precious Hours defign'd for foft Repose,
Are by unruly Cares thus ravifh'd from me.

Enter JUNIUS.

JUNIUS.

BRUTUS and CASSIUS attend your Pleasure.

CÆSAR.

I tell thee, JUNIUS, my trusty Freed-man,

That melancholic CASSIUS needs obferving,

If e'er I could be capable of Fear,

M

I think it would be of that penfive CASSIUS.
He loves not Learning, no not Poetry;
Nor is his fullen Humour pleas'd with Mufick.
When others laugh, he fo demurely fmiles,
'As if he thought it meanness to be merry.
Seldom he likes what others most

approve,
And loves to praise what all Men else dislike.
Such Men as he are never at their cafe,
While they behold a greater than themselves.
Yet he is brave, and shall have due Preferment.

SCENE II.

[Exit JUNIUS.

Enter BRUTUS and CASSIUS.

CESAR.

You feem amaz'd at fuch an early Summons;
I have not slept all Night.

CASSIUS.

On what account?

CÆSAR.

'Tis only what I fuffer from my Cares.
But my unquiet Mind fhould not disturb
Such noble Romans, had you not been both
Nearly concern'd in what I have to say.

CAS