SCENE III.

Enter LUCILIUS.

LUCILIUS.

Bafe Villany is feldom at a ftand, But ftill proceeding on to greater Mischief: From murd'ring Senators at Rome, they now Lift their afpiring Treachery to BRUTUS. The wife Athenians, watchful of your Safety, Have newly feiz'd a Slave in foul Disguise; Who on the Rack confeffes all the Crime. "Hie thee to Athens (said the base OCTAVIUS) * And save thy Mafter, fave us all, save Rome, "Go purchase Fame and Freedom by a Blow: "Our Focs are all united in that BRUTUS; "He, he alone infpir'd the Death of CÆSAR. "Be defperate, be fecret, and be rich.

BRUTUS.

I pity the poor Wretch; he knows no better,
At his Return how would his Master grieve
To find me fafer here than he at Rome?
He does but shoot thefe Arrows in the Air.

LUCILIU S.

Except at Rome infected by our Foes,
Virtue like yours, is every where secure,

And claims the juft Protection of Mankind.

JUNIA.

Your Life is fo important,

Youths quit their Pleasures, Soldiers flight their Pay, Ev'n Mifers leave their Wealth to watch your Safety.

BRUTUS.

Let go the Slave to tell OCTAVIUS this.

What, fave that Wretch?

LUCILIU S.

BRUTUS.

Both fave and let him go.

In this Attempt he but obey'd his Master.

[Exit LUCILIUS.

Oh that there were no Romans worse than he!

This Slave would kill; but 'tis to get his Freedom!
But ah! ev'n Senators are growing Slaves,

Careless of Honour, void of Honesty,
Forgetting all their noble Ancestors,
And ruining a glorious Commonwealth!

Enter TITINIUS and LUCILIUS again.
TITINIUS.

CASSIUS has fent me here with this Reply,

He wants that Gold himself, which you would

borrow;

A a 4

Of

Of which, at meeting, you fhall have account.
These Letters I have brought for noble JUNIA.

[JUNIAgoes out with the Letters.

LUCILIUS.

Your Legions then must stay till his are paid.

BRUTUS.

Think not the worft, LUCILIUS, e'er it comes:
At Sardis we fhall meet by break of Day.
I'll take one Hour's repose, and then for Sardis.
Good Night to both.

LUCILIUS.

Reft to your noble Thoughts.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV.

BRUTUS remains, laid on his Couch.

BRUTUS.

Tis but in vain, Sleep is not to be courted.

Sing, Boy, the Song that PORTIA likes fo well,

And footh my Thoughts with fome melodious

Sounds.

[Soft Mufick and Song.

Man is himself an Inftrument of Mufick 3

But

But yet fome String is always out of Tune,
And ev'ry Sound we make fhews our Confufion.
Why should this Death of CÆSAR trouble me?
I did it not for Anger, or Ambition;
But for mere Honefty, and Publick Good;
Nay, Good to him; for in my own Opinion,
'Tis better much to die, than live unjustly.
My Fellow-Citizens, my Kindred, Friends,
All funk at once beneath his rifing Fortune.
And should I tamely fuffer an Ufurper
T'enflave Mankind, because he smiles on me?
Friendship indeed is the most tempting Bribe;
But Justice should be blind to all its Beauty.
And yet a Reftleffness attends fuch Deeds,
Tho' ne'er so just something that feels unwieldy,
That fits uneafy on a gentle Nature:
I cannot fleep, unless I fhake it off.

SCENE V.

Enter a Spirit in the Shape of Cæsar, full of
Wounds.

Sure I fleep now, or elfe my Eyes delude me:
I know 'tis Fancy all; and yet I stagger.

Ha,

Ha, it comes on! What art thou? When alive,
Tho' arm'd with Pow'r, adorn'd with Fame and
Greatness,

I fear'd thee not, because thou wert unjuft;

But more than human now, thou seem'ft above me!
Speak, unknown Being! I conjure thee speak.
SPIRIT.

I am thy Evil Genius, MARCUS BRUTUS,
And have affum'd this Shape, to give thee Terror.

BRUTUS.

Terror! How cam'ft thou to know me no better? Sure thou art ignorant, as well as evil.

SPIRIT.

Is Murder then no Crime?

BRUTUS.

Killing is none;

When done not for ourselves, but for our Country?

SPIRIT.

Not for yourself indeed; you stabb'd your Friend,

BRUTUS.

Friend! Oh, thou toucheft now my tender part!
Oh, name that Word no more!

SPIRIT.

A Friend! a Friend!

BRU