such thoughts distemper now thy minde This day to Bacchus will wee consecrate And in deepe goblets of the purest wine Drinke healths vnto our seuerall friends at home Antho. It of my Country or of Rome I thought T was that I neuer ment for to come there But spend my life in this sweete paradise Exeunt ACT. 2. SCE. 4. Enter Cicero Brutus Casca Camber Trebonius Cice. Most prudent heads that with your councels wise The pillars of the mighty Rome sustaine You see how ciuill broyles haue torne our state And priuate strife hath wrought a publique wo Thessalia boasts that she hath seene our fall And Rome that whilom wont to Tiranize And in the necks of all the world hath rang'd Loosing her rule to serue is now constraynd Pompey the hope and stay of Common-weale VVhose vertues promis'd Rome security Now flies distrest disconsolate forlorne Reproch of Fortune and the victors scorne Caes. VVhat now is left for wretched Rome to hope But in laments and bitter future woe To wey the downefall of her former pride Againe Porsenna brings in Tarquins names And Rome againe doth smoke with furious flames In Pompeys fall wee all are ouerthrowne And subiect made to conqueror Tirany Bru. Most Noble Cicero and you Romaine Peeres Pardon the author of vnhappy newes And then prepare to heare my tragick tale VVith that same looke that great Atrides stood At cruell alter staind with Daughters blood VVhen Pompey fled pursuing Caesars sword And thought to shun his following desteny And then began to thinke on many a friend And many a one recalled hee to minde Who in his Fortunes pride did leaue their liues And vowed seruice at his princely feete From out the rest the yong Egiptian King VVhose Father of an Exild banish'd man Hee seated had in throne of Maiesty Him chose to whome he did commit his life But O who doth remember good-turnes past The Rising Sunne not Setting doth men please To ill committed was so great a trust Vnto so base a Fortune fauoring minde For he the Conquerors fauor to obtaine By Treason caus'd great Pompey to be slaine Casca O damned deede Cam. O Trayterous Ptolomey Tre. O most vnworthy and vngratefull fact Cum. What plages may serue to expiate this act The rouling stone or euerturning wheele The quenchles flames of firy Phlegeton Or endles thirst of which the Poets talke Are all to gentle for so vilde a deede Cas. Well did the Cibills vnrespected verse Bid thee beware of Crocadilish Nile Ter. And art thou in a barbarous soyle betrayd Defrawded Pompey of thy funerall rites There none could weepe vpon thy funerall hearse None could thy Consulshipes and triumphs tell And in thy death set fourth thy liuing praise None would erect to thee a sepulcher Or put thine ashes in a pretious vrne Cice. Peace Lords lament not noble Pompeys death Nor thinke him wreched cause he wants a Tombe Heauen couers him whome Earth denyes a graue Thinke you a heape of stones could him inclose Whoe in the Oceans circuite buried is And euery place where Roman names are heard The world is his graue where liuing fame doth blaze His funerall praise through his immortall trump And ore his tombe vertue and honor sits With rented heare and eyes bespent with teares And waile and weepe their deere sonne Pompeys death Bru. But now my Lords for to augment this griefe Caesar the Senates deadly enimie Aimes eke to vs and meanes to tryumph heere Vpon poore conquered Rome and common wealth Cas. This was the end at which he alwayes aymd Tre. Then end all hope of Romaines liberty Rise noble Romaine rise from rotten Tombes And with your swordes recouer that againe With your braue prowes won our basenes lost Cic. Renowned Lords content your trobled minds Do not ad Fuell to the conquerors fier Which once inflamed will borne both Rome and vs Caesar although of high aspiring thoughtes And vncontrould ambitious Maiesty Yet is of nature faire and courteous You see hee commeth conqueror of the East Clad in the spoyles of the Pharsalian fieldes Then wee vnable to resist such powre By gentle peace and meeke submission Must seeke to pacify the victors wrath Exeunt ACT. 2. SCE. 5. Enter Cato Senior and Cato Iunior Cat. Sen. My Sonne thou seest howe all are ouerthrowne That sought their Countries free-dome to maintaine Egipt forsakes vs Pompey found his graue VVhere hee most succor did expect to haue Scipio is ouerthrowne and with his haples fall Affrick to vs doth former ayde denay O who will helpe men in aduersity Yet let vs shewe in our declining state That strength of minde that vertues constancy That erst we did in our felicity Though Fortune fayles vs le ts not fayle our selues Remember boy thou art a Romaine borne And Catoes Sonne of me do vertue learne Fortune of others aboue althings see Thou prize thy Countries loue and liberty All blessings Fathers to their Sonnes can wish Heauens powre on thee and now my sonne with-drawe Thy selfe a while and leaue me to my booke Cat. Iun. What meanes my Father by this solemne leaue First he remembred me of my Fortunes change And then more earnestly did me exhort To Countries loue and constancy of minde Then he was wont som-what 's the cause But what I knowe not O I feare I feare His to couragious heart that cannot beare The thrall of Rome and triumph of his foe By his owne hand threats danger to his life How ere it be at hand I will abide VVayting the end of this that shal betide Exit Cato Senior with a booke in his hand Cato Sen. Plato that promised immortality Doth make my soule resolue it selfe to mount Vnto the bowre of those Celestiall ioyes VVhere freed from lothed Prison of my soule In heauenly notes to Phoebus which shall sing And Pean Io Pean loudely ring Then fayle not hand to execute this deede Nor faint nor heart for to command my hand VVauer not minde to counsell this resolue But with a courage and thy liues last act Now do I giue thee Rome my last farewell Who cause thou fearest ill do therefore die O talke not now of Cannas ouerthrowe And raze out of thy lasting Kalenders Those bloudy songes of Hilias dismall sight And note with black that black and cursed day When Caesar conquered in Pharsalia Yet will not I his conquest glorifie My ouerthrow shall neere his triumph grace For by my death to the world I le make that knowne No hand could conquer Cato but his owne stabs himself Enter Cato Iunior running to him Ca. Iun. O this it was my minde told me before VVhat meanes my Father why with naked blade Dost thou assault that faithfull princely hand And mak'st the base Earth to drinke thy Noble bloud Bee not more sterne and cruell 'gainst thy selfe Then thy most hateful enemies would be No Parthian Gaule Moore no not Caesars selfe VVould with such cruelty thy worth repay O stay thy hand giue me thy fatall blade
this life Rome now I come to reare thy states decayed VVhen or this hand shall cure thy fatall wound Or else this heart by bleeding on the ground Cas. Now heauen I see applaudes this enterprise And Rhadamanth into the fatall Vrne That lotheth death hath thrust the Tirants name Caesar the life that thou in bloud hast led Shall heape a bloudy vengance on thine head Exeum ACT. 2. SCE. 4. Enter Caesar Anthony Dolobella Lords and others Caes. Now servile Pharthia proud in Romaine spoile Shall pay her ransome vnto Caesars Ghost Which vnreuenged roues by the Stygian strond Exclaming on our sluggish negligence Leaue to lament braue Romans loe I come Like to the God of battell mad with rage To die their riuers with vermilion red I le fill Armenians playnes and Medians hils With carkases of bastard Scithian broode And there proud Princes will I bring to Rome Chained in fetters to my charriot wheeles Desire of fame and hope of sweete reueng Which in my brest hath kindled such a flame As nor Euphrates nor sweet Tybers streame Can quench or stack this feruent boyling heate These conquering souldiers that haue followed me From vanquisht France to sun-burnt Meroe Matching the best of Alexanders troopes Shall with their lookes put Parthian foes to flight And make them twise turne their deceitfull lookes Ant. The restlesse mind that harbors sorrowing thoughts And is with child of noble enterprise Doth neuer cease from honors toilesome taske Till it bringes forth Eternall gloryes broode So you fayre braunch of vertues great discent Now hauing finish'd Ciuill warres sad broyles Intend by Parthian triumphes to enlarge Your contryes limits and your owne renowne But cause in Sibilles ciuill writs we finde None but a King that conquest can atchiue Both for to crowne your deedes with due reward And as auspicious signes of victorye Wee here present you with this Diadem Lord And euen as kings were banish'd Romes high throne Cause their base vice her honour did destayne So to your rule doth shee submit her selfe That her renowne there by might brighter shine Caesar Why thinke you Lords that t is ambitions spur That pricketh Caesar to these high attempts Or hope of Crownes or thought of Diadems That made me wade through honours perilous deepe Vertue vnto it selfe a shure reward My labours all shall haue a pleasing doome If you but Iudge I will deserue of Rome Did those old Romaines suffer so much ill Such tedious seeges such enduring warrs Tarquinius hates and great Porsennas threats To banish proude imperious tyrants rule And shall my euerdaring thoughts contend To marre what they haue brought to happy end Or thinke you cause my Fortune hath expeld My friends come let vs march in iolity I le triumph Monarke-like ore conquering Rome Or end my conquests with my countryes spoyles Dolo. O noble Princely resolution These or not victoryes that we so call That onely blood and murtherous spoyles can vaunt But this shal be thy victory braue Prince That thou hast conquered thy owne climing thoughts And with thy vertue beat ambition downe And this no lesse inblazon shall thy fame Then those great deeds and chiualrous attempts That made thee conqueror in Thessalia Ant. This noble mind and Princely modesty Which in contempt of honours brightnes shines Makes vs to wish the more for such a Prince Whose vertue not ambition won that praise Nor shall we thinke it losse of liberty Or Romaine liberty any way impeached For to subiect vs to his Princely rule Whose thoughts fayre vertue and true honor guides Vouchsafe then to accept this goulden crowne A gift not equall to thy dignity Caes. Content you Lordes for I wil be no King An odious name vnto the Romaine care Caesar I am and wil be Caesar still No other title shall my Fortunes grace Which I will make a name of higher state Then Monarch King or worldes great Potentate Of Ioue in Heauen shall ruled bee the skie The Earth of Caesar with like Maiesty This is the Scepter that my crowne shall beare And this the golden diadem I le weare A farre more rich and royall ornament Then all the Crownes that the proud Persian gaue Forward my Lordes let Trumpets sound our march And drums strike vp Reuenges sad alarms Parthia we come with like incensed heate As great Atrides with the angry Greekes Marching in fury to pale walls of Troy ACT. 3. SC. 5. Enter Cassius Brutus Trebonius Cumber Casca Tre. Braue Lords whose forward resolution Shewes you descended from true Romaine line See how old Rome in winter of her age Reioyseth in such Princely budding hopes No lesse then once she in Decius vertue did Or great Camillus bringing back of spoyles On then braue Lords of this attempt begun The sacred Senate doth commend the deede Your Countries loue incites you to the deed Vertue her selfe makes warrant of the deed Then Noble Romains as you haue begun Neuer desist vntill this deede be done Casi. To thee Reueng doth Cassius kneele him downe Thou that brings quiet to perplexed soules And borne in Hel yet harborest heauens ioyes Whose fauor slaughter is and dandling death Bloud-thirsty pleasures and mis boding boding blisse Brought forth of Fury nurse of cankered Hate To drowne in woe the pleasures of the world Thou shalt no more in duskish Erebus And dark-some hell obscure thy Deity Insteede of Ioue thou shalt my Godesse bee To thee faire Temples Cassius will erect And on thine alter built of Parian stone Whole Hecatombs will I offer vp Laugh gentle Godesse on my bould attempt Yet in thy laughter let pale meager death Bee wrapt in wrinkels of thy murthering spoyles Bru. An other Tarquin is to bee expeld An other Brutus liues to act the deede T is not one nation that this Tarquin wronges All Rome is stayn'd with his vnrul'd desires Shee whose imperiall scepter was invr'd To conquer Kings and to controul the world Cannot abate the glory of her state To yeeld or bowe to one mans proud desires Sweete Country Rome here Brutus vowes to thee To loose his life or else to set thee free Cas. Shame bee his share that doth his life so prize That to Romes weale it would not sacrifize My Poniardes point shall pearce his heart as deepe As earst his sworde Romes bleeding side did goare And change his garments to the purple die With which our bloud had staynd sad Thessaly Cam. Hee doth refuse the title of a King But wee do see hee doth vsurp the thing Tre. Our ancient freedome hee empeacheth more Then euer King or Tyrant did before Cas. The Senators by him are quite disgrac'd Rome Romans Citty Freedome all defac'd Cassi. We come not Lords as vnresolued men For to shewe causes of the deed decreed This shall dispute for mee and tell him why This heart hand minde hath mark'd him out to die If it be true that furies quench-les thirst Is pleas'd with quaffing of ambitious bloud Then all you deuills whet my Poniards point And I
the monuments of Roman Kinges And build a Temple to his memory Honoring therein his sacred Deity Exeunt omnes ACT. 4. SC. 2. Enter Cassius and Brutus with an army Cassi. Now Romains proud foe worlds common enemy In his greatest hight and chiefest Iollitie In the Sacred Senate-house is done to death Euen as the Consecrated Oxe which soundes At horny alters in his dying pride VVith flowry leaues and gar-lands all bedight Stands proudly wayting for the hasted stroke Till hee amazed with the dismall sound Falls to the Earth and staines the holy ground The spoyles and riches of the conquered world Are now but idle Trophies of his tombe His laurell gar-landes do but Crowne his chaire His sling his shilde and fatall bloudy speare VVhich hee in battell oft 'gainst Rome did beare Now serue for nought but rusty monuments Bru. So Romulus when proud ambition His former vertue and renowne had stayned Did by the Senators receiue his end But soft what boades Titinnius hasting speede Enter Titinnius Titin. The frantike people and impatient By Anthonyes exhorting to reuenge Runne madding throw the bloudy streetes of Rome Crying Reuenge and murthering they goe All those that caused Caesars ouerthrowe Cassi. The wauering people pytiyng Caesars death Do rage at vs who fore to winne their weale Spare not the danger of our dearest liues But since no safety Rome for vs affordes Brutus wee ll hast vs to our Prouinces I into Syre thou into Maccedon Where wee will muster vp such martiall bandes As shall afright our following enemies Bru. In Thessaly wee le meete the Enemy And in that ground distaynd with Pompeys bloud And fruitefull made with Romane massaker VVee le either sacrifice our guilty foe To appease the furies of these howling Ghostes That wander restles through the shemy ground Or else that Thessaly bee a common Tombe To bury those that fight to infranchize Rome Titin. Brauely resolu'd I see yong Brutus minde Strengthned with force of vertues sacred rule Contemneth death and holdes proud chance in scorne Bru. I that before fear'd not to do the deede Shall neuer now repent it being done No more I Fortun'd like the Roman Lord Whose faith brought death yet with immortall fame I kisse thee hand for doing such a deede And thanke my heart for this so Noble thought And blesse the Heauens for fauoring my attempts For Noble Rome and if thou beest not free Yet I haue done what euer lay in mee And worthy friend as both our thoughts conspired And ioyned in vnion to performe this deede This acceptable deede to Heauens and Rome So le ts continue in our high resolue And as wee haue with honor thus begunne So le ts persist vntill our liues bee done Cassi. Then let vs go and with our warlike troopes Collected from our seuerall Prouinces Make Asia subiect to our Conquering armes Brutus thou hast commanded the Illirian bandes The feared Celts and Lusitanian horse Parthenians proud and Thrasians borne in warre And Macedon yet proud with our old actes With all the flowre of Louely Thessaly Vnder my warlike collours there shall march New come from Syria and from Babilon The warlike Mede and the Arabian Boe The Parthian fighting when hee seemes to flie Those conquering Gauls that built their seates in Greece And all the Costers on the Mirapont ACT. 3. SCE. 1. Enter Caesars Ghost Gho. Out of the horror of those shady vaultes Where Centaurs Harpies paynes and furies fell And Gods and Ghosts and vgly Gorgons dwell My restles soule comes heere to tell his wronges Hayle to thy walles thou pride of all the world Thou art the place where whilome in my life My seat of mounting honour was erected And my proud throane that seem'd to check the heauens But now my pompe and I are layd more lowe With these asosiates of my ouerthrow Here ancient Assur and proud Belus lyes Ninus the first that sought a Monarches name Atrides fierce with the Aeacides The Greeke Heros and the Troian flower Blood-thirsting Cyrus and the conquering youth That sought to fetch his pedegree from Heauen Sterne Romulus and proud Tarquinius The mighty Sirians and the Ponticke Kings Alcides and the stout Carthagian Lord The fatall enemie to the Roman name Ambitious Sylla and fierce Marius And both the Pompeyes by me don to death I am the last not least of the same crue Looke on my deeds and say what Caesar was Thessalia Aegipt Pontus Africa Spayne Brittaine Almany and France Saw many a bloody tryall of my worth But why doe I my glory thus restraine When all the world was but a Charyot Wherein I rode Triumphing in my pride But what auayles this tale of what I was Since in my chefest hight Brutus base hand With three and twenty wounds my heart did goare Giue me my sword and shild I le be Reueng'd My mortall wounding speare and goulden Crest I will dishorse my foemen in the field Alasse poore Caesar thou a shadow art An ayery substance wanting force and might Then will I goe and crie vpon the world Exclame on Anthony and Octauian Which seeke through discord and discentions broyles T imbrue their weapons in each others blood And leaue to execute my iust reuenge I heare the drummes and bloody Trumpets sound O how this sight my greeued soule doth wound Enter Anthony at on dore Octauian at another with Souldiers Anth. Now martiall friends competitors in armes You that will follow Anthony to fight Whome stately Rome hath oft her Consull seene Grac'd with eternall trophes of renowne With Libian triumphes and liberian spoyles Who scorns to haue his honour now distaind Or credit blemisht by a Boyes disgrace Prepare your dauntles stomakes to the fight Where without striking you shall ouer come Octa. Fellowes in war-faire which haue often serued Vnder great Caesar my disceased sier And haue return'd the conquerors of the world Clad in the Spoyles of all the Orient That will not brooke that any Roman Lord Should iniure mighty Iulius Caesars sonne Recall your wonted vallour and these hearts That neuer entertaynd Ignoble thoughts And make my first warre-faire and fortunate Ant. Strike vp drums and let your banners flie Thus will we set vpon the enemy Gho. Cease Drums to strike and fould your banners vp Wake not Bellona with your trumpets Clange Nor call vnwilling Mars vnto the field See Romaines see my wounds not yet clos'd vp The bleeding monuments of Caesars wronges Haue you so soone for got my life and death My life wherein I reard your fortunes vp My death wherein my reared fortune fell My life admir'd and wondred at of men My death which seem'd vnworthy to the Gods My life which heap'd on you rewards and gifts My death now begges one gift a iust reueng Ant. A Chilly cowld possesseth all my Ioyntes And pale wan feare doth cease my fainting heart Octa. O see how terrible my Fathers lookes My haire stands stiffe to see his greisly hue Alasse I deare not looke him in the face
assure thy hopes Cassi. Great Ioue and thou Trytonyan warlike Queene Arm'd with thy amazing deadly Gorgons head Strengthen our armes that fight for Roman welth And thou sterne Mars and Romulus thy Sonne Defend that Citty which your selfe begun All heauenly powers assist our rightfull armes And send downe siluer winged victory To crowne with Lawrells our triumphant Crests Bru. My minde that 's trobled in my vexed soule Opprest with sorrow and with sad dismay Misgiues me this wil be a heauy day Cassi. Why faynt not now in these our last extremes This time craues courage not dispayring feare Titin. Fie t will distayne thy former valiant acts To say thou faintest now in this last act Bru. My mind is heauy and I know not why But cruell fate doth sommon me to die Cato Sweet Brute let not thy words be ominous signes Of so mis-fortunate and sad euent Heauen and our Vallour shall vs conquerours make Cassi. What Bastard feare hath taunted our dead hearts Or what vnglorious vnwounted thought Hath changed the vallour of our daunted mindes What are our armes growne weaker then they were Cannot this hand that was proud Caesars death Send all Caesarians headlong that same path Looke how our troups in Sun-bright armes do shine With vaunting plumes and dreadfull brauery The wrathfull steedes do check their iron bits And with a well grac'd terror strike the ground And keeping times in warres sad harmony And then hath Brutus any cause to feare My selfe like valiant Peleus worthy Sonne The Noblest wight that euer Troy beheld Shall of the aduerse troopes such hauock make As sad Phillipi shall in blood bewayle The cruell massacre of Cassius sword And then hath Brutus any cause to feare Bru. No outward shewes of puissance or of strength Can helpe a minde dismayed inwardly Leaue me sweete Lordes a while vnto my selfe Cassi. In the meane time take order for the fight Drums let your fearefull mazing thunder playe And with their sound peirce Heauens brazen Towers And all the earth fill with like fearefull noyse As when that Boreas from his Iron caue With boysterous furyes Striuing in the waues Comes swelling forth to meet his blustering foe They both doe runne with feerce tempestuous rage And heaues vp mountaynes of the watry waues The God Oceanus trembles at the stroke Bru. What hatefull furyes vex my tortured mind What hideous sightes appalle my greeued soule As when Orestes after mother slaine Not being yet at Scithians Alters purged Behould the greesly visages of fiends And gastly furies which did haunt his steps Caesar vpbraues my sad ingratitude He saued my life in sad Pharsalian fieldes That I in Senate house might worke his death O this remembrance now doth wound my soule More then my poniard did his bleeding heart Enter Ghost Gho. Brutus ingratefull Brutus seest thou mee Anon In field againe thou shalt me see Bru. Stay what so ere thou art or fiend below Rays'd from the deepe by inchanters bloody call Or fury sent from Phlegitonticke flames Or from Cocytus for to end my life Be then Megera or Tysiphone Or of Eumenides ill boading crue Fly me not now but end my wretched life Come greesly messenger of sad mishap Trample in blood of him that hates to liue And end my life and sorrow all at once Gho. Accursed traytor damned Homicide Knowest thou not me to whome for forty honors Thou three and twenty Gastly wounds didst giue Now dare no more for to behould the Heauens For they to Day haue destyned thine end Nor lift thy eyes vnto the rising sunne That nere shall liue for to behould it set Nor looke not downe vnto the Hellish shades There stand the furyes thursting for thy blood Flie to the field but if thou thither go'st There Anthonyes sword will peirce thy trayterous heart Brutus to daie my blood shal be reuenged And for my wrong and vndeserued death Thy life to thee a torture shall become And thou shalt oft amongest the dying grones Of slaughtered men that bite the bleeding earth With that like balefull cheere might thee befall And seeke for death that flies so wretched wight Vntill to shunne the honour of the fight And dreadfull vengeance of supernall ire Thine owne right hand shall worke my wish'd reueng And so Fare ill hated of Heauen and Men Bru. Stay Caesar stay protract my greife no longer Rip vp my bowells glut thy thirsting throte With pleasing blood of Caesars guilty heart But see hee 's gon and yonder Murther stands See how he poynts his knife vnto my hart Althea raueth for her murthered Sonne And weepes the deed that she her-selfe hath done And Meleager would thou liuedst againe But death must expiate Altheas come I death the guerdon that my deeds deserue The drums do thunder forth dismay and feare And dismall triumphes sound my fatall knell Furyes I come to meete you all in Hell Enter Cato wounded Cato Bloodles and faynt Cato yeelde vp thy breath While strength and vigour in these armes remaynd And made me able for to wield my sword So long I fought and sweet Rome for thy sake Fear'd not effusion of my blood to make But now my strength and life doth fayle at once My vigor leaues my could and feeble Ioynts And I my sad soule must power forth in blood O vertue whome Phylosophy extols Thou art no essence but a naked name Bond-slaue to Fortune weake and of no power To succor them which alwaies honourd thee Witnesse my Fathers and mine owne sad death Who for our country spent our latest breath But oh the chaines of death do hold my toung Mine eyes wax dim I faynt I faynt I die O Heauens help Rome in this extremity Cass. Where shall I goe to tell the saddest tale That ere the Romane toung was forc'd to speake Rome is ouerthrowne and all that for her fought This Sunne that now hath seen so many deaths When from the Sea he heaued his cloudy head Then both the armes full of hope and feare Did waite the dreadfull trumpets fatall sound And straight Reuenge from Stygian bands let loose Possessed had all hearts and banished thence Feare of their children wife and little home Countryes remembrance and had quite expeld With last departed care of life it selfe Anger did sparkell from our beautious eyes Our trembling feare did make our helmes to shake The horse had now put on the riders wrath And with his hoofes did strike the trembling earth When Echalarian soundes then both gin meete Both like enraged and now the dust gins rise And Earth doth emulate the Heauens cloudes Then yet beutyous was the face of cruell war And goodly terror it might seeme to be Faire shieldes gay swords and goulden crests did shine Their spangled plumes did dance for solity As nothing priuy to their Masters feare But quickly rage and cruell Mars had staynd This shining glory with a sadder hew A cloud of dartes that darkened Heauens light Horror insteed of beauty did suceede And her bright armes with