Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

Who wants it, and endures it, is a Brute.
Yet put the cafe fome Phoenix Prince fhould 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 say? A Man like BRUTUS
No more would be a Sov'reign, than a Slave:
A Man fo virtuous, and fo wife, well knows
'Tis better much to bear than do a Hardship.

DOLABELLA.

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 humbleft and the highest Mind
That ever fhin'd in all our Roman Story!

SCENE III.

Enter BRUTUS.

BRUTUS.

[Exit VARIUS.

A Meffage from ANTONIUS claims a Hearing,

Whom,

Whom, tho' my Enemy, I ftill eftcem.

DOLABELLA.

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 shakes at fight of Civil War.
Secure him but by taking Sov'reign Pow'r,
To you alone he joins with all his Force,

BRUTUS.

And I abandon CASSIUS, and my Friends?

DOLABELLA.

Far be it from me to propofe fuch Bafenefs.
May they, and we, be happy under you,
And the whole World once govern'd by the Virtuous.
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;
Tho' by Destruction of my dearest Friend:
And free she shall be still, if I prevail.
ANTONIUS joining in that glorious Work,

May

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 shall serve his Country best.

DOLABELLA.

Will you then rather fee the World in Arms,
Than govern it yourself to make it happy?

BRUTUS.

May the great Gods destroy that World and me,
If e'er I fuffer Rome to be enflay'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 wildest Soils
Establish'd Manners and Humanity;
And, cultivating Youth with ftrictest 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.

DOLABELLA.

But yet Submiffion feems defign'd by Nature,
Why elfe has fhe bestow'd fuch diff'rent Talents?

I

Some,

[ocr errors]

Some, like your own, with Worth, and Skill to

govern;

And Thousands only fitted to obey.

BRUTUS.

As well you might imagine harmless Sheep
Only created for the rav'nous Wolf.

DOLABELLA.

But is man blameable for maft'ring both?

BRUTUS.

No; for thofe Beafts are of inferior Rank:
But where does Nature, or the Will of Heav'n,
Subject a Creature to one like itself?

Man is the only Brute enflaves his Kind.

DOLABELLA.

'Tis not the Shape, but Soul, that fhews the likeness? Is a mere Changeling like a Man of Prudence?

BRUTUS.

A Man of Prudence never will at once
Make both himself and all the World unhappy.
Think you that 'tis for Envy, Kings are hated?
Pity would rather plead in their Defence,
Did we not more compaffionate their Subjects,
Alas, they scarce have one contented Hour,
Few to confide in, and whole Crowds to fear;

Afham'd

Afham'd to rule fo many wifer Subjects,

Yet often fway'd by weaker than themselves.

DOLABELLA.

All this were reconcil'd, if BRUTUS govern'd;
Freedom and Empire might confist together:
Your felf would be the only Man uneafy;
Which, for the fake of all, you will not grudge.
BRUTUS.

If there were colour for fo vile a Change,
Or the leaft Pleasure in the greatest Power;
Yet I abhor what I difdain to hear.

Return in safety back, but tell ANTONIUS,
My highest Wish is to fix Rome in Freedom;
My next to die before she is enflav'd.

[Exit DOLABELLA, Manet BRUTUS.

SCENE IV.

Enter VARIUS and LUCILIUS.

VARIUS.

The Areopagite Council long have fate,
To do great BRUTUS fome unwonted Honour.
Some voted to renew th' Olympick Games,
Others with Plays would crowd the Theatres ;

« AnteriorContinuar »