Most wifely do they act, nay justly too:
For, we reward a Leader's Service beft,
In barring him the means of doing Mischief.
Happier, much happier had it been for CÆSAR,
Had he been banifh'd, while yet innocent,
Than e'er return'd triumphant o'er his Country.
Enter DOLABELLA pulling off his Difguife.
LUCILIUS,
What! DOLABELLA here?
DOLABELLA.
A Friend to VARIUS,
Sent by ANTONIUS in moft fecret manner,
To ask an Interview of noble BRUTUS,
Before the Soldier joins in bloody Battle.
Who knows but each great Chief may grow more
In fight of wondring Armies may embrace,
And Rome shall smile at their returning Friends?
And can you think that BRUTUS flew great JULIUS,
To fuffer Tyranny in other Hands?
DOLABELLA.
Alas, that Tyranny is but a Word,
Us'd only by us when we hate our Ruler.
Have we not found (you'll pardon me, good VARIUS)
That ev'n this Change you call Deliverance
Has but remov'd one Hardship for a greater,
A fingle Grievance for a Civil War.
What do I hear! Is any Grievance equal
To that most abject State of being Subjects
To Will, to Paffion, or to lawless Humour ?
Yet these Expreffions fhew 'tis not mere ruling,
But ruling ill, you fear. When Prudence sways,
'Tis Happiness, not Slav'ry, to be govern❜d.
To blefs our Times with Plenty, and with Pleafures
Prevent Disorders, and promote Diversions,
Hinder us all from hurting one another,
Take all the Cares, and leave us all the Joys,
Can only be accomplish'd by great Power,
When plac'd in fuch a Man as God-like BRUTUS.
VARIUS.
Where is Content or Pleasure under Force?
The Freedom of Man's Will not Heav'n constrains:
Who wants it, and endures it, is a Brute.
Yet put the case fome Phoenix Prince should reign,
A Vulture might fucceed; a Son, or Brother,
Who will undo in a few Months of Folly,
(For fhort will be his Reign, tho' feeming long)
Whate'er the Wife had been whole Years contriving.
Like BRUTUS, did you fay? A Man like BRUTUS
No more would be a Soy'reign, than a Slave:
'A Man fo virtuous, and fo wife, well knows
Tis better much to bear than do a Hardship.
What Hardship's done by acting for Men's good? VARIUS.
What good can come from arbitrary Sway?
The choiceft Fare, forc'd down, will cloy the
Stomach.
But here he comes himself to hear your Meffage :
At once the humblest and the highest Mind
That ever shin'd in all our Roman Story !
SCENE III.
Enter BRUTUS.
BRUTUS.
A Meffage from ANTONIUS claims a Hearing,
Whom, tho' my Enemy, I ftill efteem.
His boldest Wishes aim at nothing higher,
And therefore thus affures moft noble BRUTUS,
That what he has done, was by Nature forc'd
From his fresh Sorrow for his flaughter'd Friend;
But now his bleeding Country moves him more,
And his Soul fhakes at fight of Civil War.
Secure him but by taking Sov'reign Pow'r,
To you alone he joins with all his Force.
And I abandon CASSIUS, and my Friends?
Far be it from me to propofe fuch Baseness.
May they, and we, be happy under you,
And the whole World once govern'd by theVirtuous.
BRUTUS.
Ah, DOLABELLA, little do you know
The Mind of BRUTUS. When I flew your Cæsar,
Think you it was Ambition? JOVE is Witness
I would have crown'd him rather than myself,
But Rome claim'd Freedom, tho' by CÆSAR's Death 3
Tho' by Destruction of my dearest Friend:
And free fhe fhall be ftill, if I prevail.
ANTONIUS joining in that glorious Work,
May claim whate'er a Commonwealth can give :
Nay, I will be his Soldier in her Service.
Then, neither he nor we fhall longer strive,
But only who fhall ferve his Country best.
Will you then rather fee the World in Arms,
Than govern it yourself to make it happy?
May the great Gods destroy that World and me,
If e'er I fuffer Rome to be enflav'd!
Rome, that has toil'd for Fame fo many Ages,
By Valour, and by Virtue tam'd Mankind,
Soften'd rude Minds, and in the wildeft Soils
Establish'd Manners and Humanity;
And, cultivating Youth with ftrictcft care,
First taught Urbanity, that useful Art
Of being most politely fociable;
(A Virtue scarce known in the World befide,
And chiefly owing to our Liberty)
Gods! fhall all this fink into mean Submiffion?
Which in a Moment would debafe our Souls,
Like thofe in wretched Governments around us.
But yet Submission seems defign'd by Nature, Why elfe has she beftow'd fuch diff'rent Talents?
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