Embrace me close, and witness how my Heart
Leaps up tranfported with this fudden Change,
BRUTUS.
It was an eager Argument indeed,
But ends as it fhould do between fuch Friends,
Resenting nothing but their Country's Wrongs.
Methinks good Spirits hov'ring all around us,
Should to the World proclaim our happy Union,
Now, while our Enemies combine in Mischief.
Thus firmly join'd, we'll first be Conquerors,
Then make all Rome contented as ourselves.
SCENE IV.
Enter LUCILIUS and TITINIUS.
Come in LUCILIUS, welcome good TITINIUS.
Let us confult of our Neceflities,
And manage well this last important Stake.
The State is thus at Rome: My Letter mentions
Full fifty Senators, with thousands more,
Newly profcrib'd; and CICERO is one.
CICERO One that talking Friend of CÆSAR?
OCTAVIUS has well paid him for his pains;
May ill Men ever ufe each other fo.
Oh gently cehfure ev'n a Foe when dead.
See, CASSIUS, here the Curfe of Over-caution.
The wary Walker who mistrusts too much,
Treads not so firm, but faintly, and foftumbles :
Thus TULLY fell, by too much fear of falling.
But ANTONY and young OCTAVIUS
'Are marching hither with a mighty Force: The useless LEPIDUS is left at Rome.
The queftion is, whether we had not best
Hafte on, with Anger bent against our Foes,
Rather than tamely wait their bold Affault.
I am for ftaying here: my Reason this.
So long a March muft weary out our Strength,
Which Reft will give us here. Let them come on,
And tir'd with Toil expose their bending Rodies
Under our lufty Arms, vig'rous and fresh :
Befides, in this we take the ftoutest part;
For, refolute expecting certain Danger
Shews the most settled Courage; while the Coward Runs often fiercely on to fhun his Fear,
And swallow down in hafte the bitter Draught,
Some Reasons have a strange fallacious Force;
Juft as the pleafing Colours us'd by Artists
Delude the very Sight. But in my Judgment,
It tires our Army more to tarry here.
Opinion is the Soul of every Action;
Keep but that up, that keeps up all the reft:
And❜tis maintain'd by marks of Resolution,
By rushing on the Foe, forcing to fight,
Not lingring here behind with flacken'd Vigour.
We must depend upon our Zealand Cause,
'And therefore in hot Blood fhall do it beft.
If once we cool, their furer Discipline
Will foon prevail against our new-rais'd Force.
The Hearts of all our Soldiers now are set
On fierce encountring, all their Rage inflam'd;
There's nothing wanting but to draw their Swords,
And down goes Tyranny, to rife no more.
Can we fit ftill, and paufe with fuch a Thought?
So near a glorious Deed there's no Repose:
Impatience makes unquiet Expectation,
And eager Nature can allow no Rest.
You fhall prevail; we'll let 'em but refresh,
And then we'll charge the Foe.
Let us embrace; and, O my dearest Brother,
This Quarrel shall but make us better Friends.
UR Vows thus chearfully we fing,
While martial Mufick fires our Blood:
Let all the neighb'ring Echocs ring
With Clamours for our Country's Good:
And for Reward, of the juft Gods we claim
A Life with Freedom, or a Death with Fame.
May Rome be freed from War's Alarms,
And Taxes heavy to be born;
May she beware of foreign Arms,
And fend them back with noble Scorn:
'And, for Reward, &c.
May she no more confide in Friends,
Who nothing farther understood,
Than only, for their private Ends,
To waste her Wealth, and spill her Blood. And, for Reward, &c.
Our Senators great Jove restrain
From private Piques, they Prudence call ;
From the low Thoughts of little Gain,
And hazarding the lofing all.
And, for Reward, &c.
The fhining Arms with hafte prepare,
Then to the glorious Combat fly;
Our Minds unclogg'd with farther Care,
Except to overcome, or die.
And, for Reward, &c.
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