good Vibius Be ransom'd with my loue and haste to Pompey Entreating him from me that we may meet And for that reason which I know this day Was giuen by Cato for his pursutes stay Which was preuention of our Romane blood Propose my offer of our hearty peace That being reconcil'd and mutuall faith Giuen on our either part not three dayes light May further shew vs foes but both our armies Disperst in Garisons we may returne Within that time to Italy such friends As in our Countryes loue containe our splenes Vib. T is offerd Sir 'boue the rate of Caesar In other men but in what I approue Beneath his merits which I will not faile T' enforce at full to Pompey nor forget In any time the gratitude of my seruice Vi. salutes Ant. and the other exit Caes. Your loue Sir and your friendship Ant. This prepares a good induction to the change of fortune In this dayes issue if the pride it kindles In Pompeys vaines makes him deny a peace So gently offerd for her alterd hand Works neuer surer from her ill to good On his side she hath hurt and on the other With other changes then when meanes are vsde To keepe her constant yet retire refusde Caes. I try no such conclusion but desire Directly peace In meane space I le prepare For other issue in my vtmost meanes Whose hopes now resting at Brundusium In that part of my army with Sabinus I wonder he so long delaies to bring me And must in person haste him if this Euen I heare not from him Crass. That I hope flyes farre Your full intent my Lord since Pompeys navie You know lies houering all alongst those seas In too much danger for what ayde soeuer You can procure to passe your person safe Acil. Which doubt may proue the cause that stayes Sabinus And if with shipping fit to passe your army He yet straines time to venture I presume You will not passe your person with such Conuoy Of those poore vessels as may serue you here Caes. How shall I helpe it shall I suffer this Torment of his delay and rack suspitions Worse then assur'd destructions through my thoughts Anth. Past doubt he will be here I left all orderd And full agreement made with him to make All vtmost haste no least let once suspected Caes. Suspected what suspection should feare a friend In such assur'd streights from his friends enlargement If t were his souldiers safeties he so tenders Were it not better they should sinke by sea Then wrack their number King and cause ashore Their stay is worth their ruine should we liue If they in fault were if their leader he Sould dye the deaths of all in meane space I That should not beare all fly the sight in shame Thou eye of nature and abortiue night Fall dead amongst vs with defects defects Must serue proportion iustice neuer can Be else restor'd nor right the wrongs of man Exeunt Pompey Cato Gabinius Demetrius Athenodorus Porcius Statilius Pomp. This charge of our fierce foe the firiendly gods Haue in our stregthen'd spirits beaten back With happy issue and his forces lessen'd Of two and thirty Ensignes forc't from him Two thousand souldiers slaine Cat. O boast not that Their losse is yours my Lord Pomp. I boast it not But only name the number Gab. Which right well You might haue raisde so high that on their tops Your Throne was offer'd euer t' ouerlooke Subuerted Caesar had you beene so blest To giue such honor to your Captaines Counsailes As their alacrities did long to merit With proofefull action Dem. O t was ill neglected Stat. It was deferr'd with reason which not yet Th' euent so cleare is to confute Pom. If t were Our likeliest then was not to hazard battaile Th' aduenture being so casuall if compar'd With our more certaine meanes to his subuersion For finding now our army amply storde With all things fit to tarry surer time Reason thought better to extend to length The warre betwixt vs that his little strength May by degrees proue none which vrged now Consisting of his best and ablest souldiers We should haue found at one direct set battaile Of matchlesse valours their defects of victuall Not tyring yet enough on their tough nerues Where on the other part to put them still In motion and remotion here and there Enforcing them to fortifying still Where euer they set downe to siege a wall Keepe watch all night in armour their most part Can neuer beare it by their yeares oppression Spent heretofore too much in those steele toyles Cat. I so aduisde and yet repent it not But much reioyce in so much saued blood As had beene pour'd out in the stroke of battaile Whose fury thus preuented comprehends Your Countreys good and Empires in whose care Let me beseech you that in all this warre You sack no City subiect to our Rule Nor put to sword one Citizen of Rome But when the needfull fury of the sword Can make no fit distinction in maine battaile That you will please still to prolong the stroke Of absolute decision to these iarres Considering you shall strike it with a man Of much skill and experience and one That will his Conquest sell at infinite rate If that must end your difference but I doubt There will come humble offer on his part Of honor'd peace to you for whose sweet name So cryed out to you in our late-met Senate Lost no fit offer of that wished treaty Take pity on your Countreys blood as much As possible may stand without the danger Of hindering her iustice on her foes Which all the gods to your full wish dispose Pom. Why will you leaue vs whither will you goe To keepe your worthyest person in more safety Then in my army so deuoted to you Cat. My person is the least my Lord I value I am commanded by our powerfull Senate To view the Cities and the kingdomes scituate About your either army that which side Soeuer conquer no disordered straglers Puft with the Conquest or by need impeld May take their swinge more then the care of one May curb and order in these neighbor confines My chiefe passe yet resolues for Vtica Pom. Your passe my truest friend and worthy Father May all good powers make safe and alwayes answer Your infinite merits with their like protection In which I make no doubt but we shall meet With mutuall greetings or for absolute conquest Or peace preuenting that our bloody stroke Nor let our parting be dishonor'd so As not to take into our noblest notice Your selfe most learned and admired Father Whose merits if I liue shall lack no honor Porcius Statilius though your spirits with mine Would highly chere me yet ye shall bestow them In much more worthy conduct but loue me And wish me conquest for your Countreys sake Sta. Our liues shall seale our loues Sir with worst deaths Aduentur'd in your seruice Pom. Y' are my friends Exeunt Cat. Athen. Por. Sat.
Caesar Anthony Acilius with souldiers Caes. O We haue slaine not conquerd Roman blood Peruerts th' euent and desperate blood let out With their owne swords Did euer men before Enuy their owne liues since another liu'd Whom they would willfully conceiue their foe And forge a Tyrant merely in their feares To iustifie their slaughters Consuls furies Ant. Be Sir their faults their griefes The greater number Were only slaues that left their bloods to ruth And altogether but six thousand slaine Caes. How euer many gods and men can witnesse Themselues enforc't it much against the most I could enforce on Pompey for our peace Of all slaine yet if Brutus only liu'd I should be comforted for his life sau'd Would weigh the whole six thousand that are lost But much I feare his death because the battell Full stricken now he yet abides vnfound Acil. I saw him fighting neare the battels end But suddainly giue off as bent to fly Enter Brutus Anth. He comes here see Sir Bru. I submit to Caesar My life and fortunes Caes. A more welcome fortune Is Brutus then my conquest Bru. Sir I fought Against your conquest and your selfe and merit I must acknowledge a much sterner welcome Caes. You fought with me Sir for I know your armes Were taken for your Country not for Pompey And for my Country I fought nothing lesse Then he or both the mighty-stomak't Consuls Both whom I heare haue slaine themselues before They would enioy life in the good of Caesar But I am nothing worse how ill soeuer They and the great authority of Rome Would faine enforce me by their mere suspitions Lou'd they their Country better then her Brutus Or knew what fitted noblesse and a Romane With freer soules then Brutus Those that liue Shall see in Caesars iustice and what euer Might make me worthy both their liues and loues That I haue lost the one without my merit And they the other with no Roman spirit Are you empair'd to liue and ioy my loue Only requite me Brutus loue but Caesar And be in all the powers of Caesar Caesar In which free wish I ioyne your father Cato For whom I le haste to Vtica and pray His loue may strengthen my successe to day Exeunt Porcius in haste Marcillius bare following Porcius discouers a bed and a sword hanging by it which he takes downe Mar. To what vse take you that my Lord Por. Take you No note that I take it nor let any seruant Besides your selfe of all my fathers nearest Serue any mood he serues with any knowledge Of this or any other Caesar comes And giues his army wings to reach this towne Not for the townes sake but to saue my father Whom iustly he suspects to be resolu'd Of any violence to his life before He will preserue it by a Tyrants fauour For Pompey hath miscaried and is fled Be true to me and to my fathers life And doe not tell him nor his fury serue With any other Mar. I will dye my Lord Ere I obserue it Por. O my Lord and father Cato Athenodorus Statilius Cato with a booke in his hand Cat. What feares fly here on all sides what wilde lookes Are squinted at me from mens mere suspicions That I am wilde my selfe and would enforce What will be taken from me by the Tyrant Ath. No Would you only aske life he would thinke His owne life giuen more strength in giuing yours Cat. I aske my life of him Stat. Aske what 's his owne Of him he scornes should haue the least drop in it At his disposure Cat. No Statilius Men that haue forfeit liues by breaking lawes Or haue beene ouercome may beg their liues But I haue euer beene in euery iustice Better then Caesar and was neuer conquer'd Or made to fly for life as Caesar was But haue beene victor euer to my wish 'Gainst whomsoeuer euer hath opposde Where Caesar now is conquer'd in his Conquest In the ambition he till now denide Taking vpon him to giue life when death Is tenfold due to his most tyrannous selfe No right no power giuen him to raise an army Which in despight of Rome he leades about Slaughtering her loyall subiects like an outlaw Nor is he better Tongue shew falshood are To bloodiest deaths his parts so much admir'd Vaineglory villany and at best you can Fed with the parings of a worthy man My fame affirme my life receiu'd from him I le rather make a beast my second father Stat. The gods auert from euery Roman minde The name of slaue to any Tyrants power Why was man euer iust but to be free 'Gainst all iniustice and to beare about him As well all meanes to freedome euery houre As euery houre he should be arm'd for death Which only is his freedome Ath. But Statilius Death is not free for any mans election Till nature or the law impose it on him Cat. Must a man goe to law then when he may Enioy his owne in peace If I can vse Mine owne my selfe must I of force reserue it To serue a Tyrant with it All iust men Not only may enlarge their liues but must From all rule tyrannous or liue vniust Ath. By death must they enlarge their liues Cat. By death Ath. A man 's not bound to that Cat. I le proue he is Are not the liues of all men bound to iustice Ath. They are Cat. And therefore not to serue iniustice Iustice it selfe ought euer to be free And therefore euery iust man being a part Of that free iustice should be free as it Ath. Then wherefore is there law for death Cat. That all That know not what law is nor freely can Performe the fitting iustice of a man In kingdomes common good may been forc't But is not euery iust man to him selfe The perfect'st law Ath. Suppose Cat. Then to himselfe Is euery iust mans life subordinate Againe Sir Is not our free soule infus'd To euery body in her absolute end To rule that body in which absolute rule Is she not absolutely Empresse of it And being Empresse may she not dispose It and the life in it at her iust pleasure Ath. Not to destroy it Cat. No she not destroyes it When she disliues it that their freedomes may Goe firme together like their powers and organs Rather then let it liue a rebell to her Prophaning that diuine coniunction Twixt her and it nay a disiunction making Betwixt them worse then death in killing quick That which in iust death liues being dead to her If to her rule dead and to her aliue If dying in her iust rule Ath. The body liues not When death hath rest it Cat. Yet t is free and kept Fit for reiunction in mans second life Which dying rebell to the soule is farre Vnfit to ioyne with her in perfect life Ath. It shall not ioyne with her againe Cat. It shall Ath. In reason shall it Cat. In apparant reason Which I le proue clearely Stat. Heare and iudge it Sir Cat. As nature works in
Achillas Septius Saluius with souldiers Ach. Haile to Romes great Commander to whom Aegypt Not long since seated in his kingdome by thee And sent to by thee in thy passage by Sends vs with answer which withdraw and heare Pom I le kisse my children first Sep. Blesse me my Lord Pom. I will and Cyris my poore daughter too Euen that high hand that hurld me downe thus low Keepe you from rising high I heare now tell me I thinke my friend you once seru'd vnder me Septius only nods with his head Pom. Nod onely not a word daigne what are these Cornelia I am now not worth mens words Ach. Please you receiue your ayde Sir Pom. I I come Exit Pom. They draw and follow Cor. Why draw they See my Lords attend them vshers Sen. O they haue slaine great Pompey Cor. O my husband Sept. Cyr. Mother take comfort Enter Pompey bleeding O my Lord and father Pom. See heauens your sufferings is my Countries loue The iustice of an Empire pietie Worth this end in their leader last yet life And bring the gods off fairer after this Who will adore or serue the deities He hides his face with his robe Enter the Murtherers Ach. Helpe hale him off and take his head for Caesar Sep. Mother O saue vs Pompey O my father Enter the two Lentuli and Demetrius bleeding and kneele about Cornelia 1 Len. Yet fals not heauen Madam O make good Your late great spirits all the world will say You know not how to beare aduerse euents If now you languish Omn. Take her to her coach They beare her out Cato with a booke in his hand O Beastly apprehenders of things manly And merely heauenly they with all the reasons I vsde for iust mens liberties to beare Their liues and deaths vp in their owne free hands Feare still my resolution though I seeme To giue it off like them and now am woonne To thinke my life in lawes rule not mine owne When once it comes to death as if the law Made for a sort of outlawes must bound me In their subiection as if I could Be rackt out of my vaines to liue in others As so I must if others rule my life And publique power keepe all the right of death As if men needes must serue the place of iustice The forme and idoll and renounce it selfe Our selues and all our rights in God and goodnesse Our whole contents and freedomes to dispose All in the ioyes and wayes of arrant rogues No stay but their wilde errors to sustaine vs No forges but their throats to vent our breaths To forme our liues in and repose our deaths See they haue got my sword Who 's there Enter Marcillius bare Mar. My Lord Cat. Who tooke my sword hence Dumb I doe not aske For any vse or care of it but hope I may be answered Goe Sir let me haue it Exit Mar. Poore slaues how terrible this death is to them If men would sleepe they would be wroth with all That interrupt them Physick take to take The golden rest it brings both pay and pray For good and soundest naps all friends consenting In those kinde inuocations praying all Good rest the gods vouchsafe you put when death Sleepes naturall brother comes that 's nothing worse But better being more rich and keepes the store Sleepe euer fickle wayward still and poore O how men grudge and shake and deare and fly His sterne approaches all their comforts taken In faith and knowledge of the blisse and beauties That watch their wakings in an endlesse life Dround in the paines and horrors of their sense Sustainde but for an houre be all the earth Rapt with this error lie pursue my reason And hold that as my light and fiery pillar Th' eternall law of heauen and earth no firmer But while I seeke to conquer conquering Caesar My soft-splen'd seruants ouerrule and curb me He knocks and Brutus enters Where 's he I sent to fetch and place my sword Where late I left it Dumb to Come another Enter Cleanthes Where 's my sword hung here Cle. My Lord I know not Ent. Marcilius Cat. The rest come in there Where 's the sword I charg'd you To giue his place againe I le breake your lips ope Spight of my freedome all my seruants friends My sonne and all will needs betray me naked To th' armed malice of a foe so fierce And Beare-like mankinde of the blood of virtue O gods who euer saw me thus contemn'd Goe call my sonne in tell him that the lesse He shewes himselfe my sonne the lesse I le care To liue his father Enter Athenodorus Porcius Porcius kneeling Brutus Cleanthes and Marcilius by him Por. I beseech you Sir Rest patient of my duty and my loue Your other children think on our poore mother Your family your Country Cat. If the gods Giue ouer all I le fly the world with them Athenodorus I admire the changes I note in heauenly prouidence When Pompey Did all things out of course past right past reason He stood inuincible against the world Yet now his cares grew pious and his powers Set all vp for his Countrey he is conquered Ath. The gods wills secret are nor must we measure Their chast-reserued deepes by our dry shallowes Sufficeth vs we are entirely such As twixt them and our consciences we know Their graces in our virtues shall present Vnspotted with the earth to 'th high throne That ouerlookes vs for this gyant world Let 's not contend with it when heauen it selfe Failes to reforme it why should we affect The least hand ouer it in that ambition A heape t is of digested villany Virtue in labor with eternall Chaos Prest to a liuing death and rackt beneath it Her throwes vnpitied euery worthy man Limb by limb sawne out of her virgine wombe To liue here peecemeall tortur'd fly life then Your life and death made presidents for men Exit Cat. Ye heare my masters what a life this is And vse much reason to respect it so But mine shall serue ye Yet restore my sword Lest too much ye presume and I conceiue Ye front me like my fortunes Where 's Statilius Por. I think Sir gone with the three hundred Romans In Lucius Caesars charge to serue the victor Cat. And would not take his leaue of his poore friend Then the Philosophers haue stoop't his spirit Which I admire in one so free and knowing And such a fiery hater of base life Besides being such a vow'd and noted foe To our great Conqueror But I aduisde him To spare his youth and liue Por. My brother Brutus Is gone to Caesar Cat. Brutus Of mine honor Although he be my sonne in law I must say There went as worthy and as learned a President As liues in Romes whole rule for all lifes actions And yet your sister Porcia his wife Would scarce haue done this But for you my sonne Howeuer Caesar deales with me be counsailde By your experienc't father not to touch At any