Book VII

The Argument
What different passions 'mongst the people rise
At Caesar's new transcendent dignities:
He, to decline the Enuy of his reigne,
Designes a warre against the Parthian.
Cassius consults with Brutus to set free
The State againe by Caesar's Tragedy.
The Lords conspire: vnto the Capitoll
Caesar securely goes (though of his f•ll
By fatall prodigies foretold in vaine)
And entring there is by the Senate slaine.

THat ciuill fury, that so long had torne
Romes state, & through so many regions borne
Her bleeding wounds, it selfe had wasted now;
And long'd-for peace did seeme againe to show
Her cheerefull face; the people hop'd for rest,
Since now vnriuall'd Caesar was possest
Of all the honours, Rome could giue, alone,
And the World knew no other power but one.
The ore-ioy'd people wish it euer so:
(His power was growne aboue their Enuy now)
And to the gods they willingly forgiue
The losse of that vnsafe prerogatiue
Their libertie, and gladly would adore
A safe and peacefull Scepter; for the more
His might in warre their terrours did increase
The more his vertues now secure their peace:
No better guardian, wish they, to the State
Than mighty Caesar, whose vnconquer'd Fate
So long preuail'd 'gainst all opposing powers,
And crush'd so many great competitours.
Nor doe the poore plebeians wish it so
Alone; these hopes the weary'd Senate too
(Except some few) doe harbour with delight,
And gladly giue consent to Caesar's height:
They most of all desire a calme, since most
The highest Cedars by rough stormes are tost;
They wish the shadow of that freedome gone
Whose substance long agoe was ouerthrowne.
For what since Marius times, since Sylla's reigne
Did they of ancient libertie retaine,
But the bare name? For which so deere a price
They pay'd, and saw so many Tragedies:
And therefore not alone from flattery,
But from true ioy to Caesar they decree
More height of honour, and more state than can
Fit the condition of a priuate man,
Left he perchance might seeme in his owne eyes
Lesse than a Monarch: to those dignities,
Which after the defeat of Scipio
He had receiu'd, they adde farre greater now,
Diuine and humane; that throughout all lands,
And all the kingdomes which great Rome commands,
Not onely Sacrifices should be had
For him, and offerings in all Temples made,
But Temples to himselfe they doe decree
To consecrate as to a Deirie:
But one more sumptuous than the rest, and high
Erected is to him and Clemency
Ioyning their Deities, where hand in hand
Does Caesar's image with the Goddesse stand:
And (as his Countries sauiour) euery where
His rich-wrought Statues oaken Garlands weare▪
They stile him Consull for ten yeares to come,
Dictator euer, Father of his Rome;
And that in euery cause, for ample State,
He, as Supreme, and Soueraigne Magistrate
Should iudgement giue from a Tribunall high
Of burnish'd Gold and polish'd Iuory.
That those chaste maides, which keepe the Vestall flame,
And all Romes Priests should vow in Caesar's name,
And for his safetie offer euery yeare,
And he himselfe a robe Triumphall weare
At publike Sacrifice; that thankes should be
Giu'n to the gods for his each victory,
And the dayes sacred. Who could ere haue thought
That day, on which Pharsalia's field was fought,
Or that of Thapsus, or sad Munda's warre
As holidayes should fill the Calendar?
And Cato, Scipio, Pompey's tragicke falls
Be kept with ioy as Roman Festiualls?
The moneth Quintilis, to his lasting fame,
(Which gaue him birth) must beare great Iulius name.
What more deserued honour could there be,
More fit, more gratefull to posteritie
For Caesar's future memory to weare,
Than mention in his owne amended yeare?
That he, whose wisdome from confusion
Had freed th' accounts of time, and to the Sunne
Had squar'd his yeare, from all those errours freed
Which negligence insensibly did breed,
In that should liue, while people euery where
Throughout the World obserue the Iulian yeare.
And more to heighten his transcendent State,
They make decree, that euery Magistrate
Shall (when elected) sweare not to withstand
What euer Caesar's edicts shall command,
Making his power so great, there's nothing now
But he himselfe may on himselfe bestow.
What now should Caesar feare? What ill successe
Can shake so strong a grounded happinesse?
Or what should Rome now in a State so blest
Suppose can rend her peace, or reaue her rest?
Askes it a greater vertue to maintaine
A setled fortune than at first to gaine?
Or is it easier to the powers on high
To giue, than to preserue prosperitie?
Or would the gods else let proud mortalls see
By this so fatall mutabilitie,
Their fraile estate, and finde the distance so
Betwixt Celestiall powers and powers below?
Caesar to mould the State a new beginnes
With wholesome Lawes, and by his mercy winnes
(If mercy could such Enuy ouercome)
The peoples hearts, calling from exile home
Those banish'd Lords that had against him fought
To make all hatred, with the warre, forgot:
And through the Empires wide circumference
Extends his bountie and Magnificence;
Carthage and Corinth he re-edifies,
And plants them both with Roman Colonies,
And not detracting from th' old founders fames,
Lets them both beare their first renowned names.
But yet suspecting (what the sadde euent
Prou'd true) how hardly his new gouernment
Will at the first be brook'd, till time allay
That Enuies heat, that does as yet outweigh
His lenitie, and nothing more than rest
Matures the plots of discontented brests,
Caesar resolues with speed to entertaine
An honourable warre to wipe the staine
Of ciuill blood, by forren deeds, away,
To fetch againe from conquer'd Parthia
(Which yet secure did of Romes Trophees boast)
Those captiue Eagles which slaine Crassies lost.
His fixed thoughts on that high action set,
Vnto a great and frequent Senate met,
Thus Caesar speakes; Fathers Conscript, had I
Meant to abuse my power in crueltie,
As Cinna, Marius, and dire Sylla did,
What closest vizour could so long haue hid
My nature from you? You had found ere this
Some fatall signes: but I, that still did wish
Power, for no other end than to secure
The vse of vertuous deeds, and put in vre
Nor what my passions but true reason taught,
In all these warres haue for the publike fought,
To make my selfe a Guardian, not a Lord
Of Rome and you, and with a conquering Sword
Keepe out all Tyrants, that might else intrude,
Working your safetie, not your seruitude.
What can this Senate, or the people feare
From Caesar's power, whose mercy euery where
So many pardon'd enemies haue try'd?
And, saue in battell, none by me destroy'd:
Let those suruiuing witnesses relate
How I in warre haue vs'd my prosperous Fate;
Let Scipio's papers burn'd, vnread by me
(After the field of Thapsus) testifie
How loth I was to finde in Rome a foe▪
And rather chose my dangers not to know,
But still to liue in danger, than to be
Secur'd by slaughter and seueritie:
Nor, but enforc'd, witnesse ye gods of Rome,
To this sad ciuill warre did Caesar come,
And was compell'd (though loth) to conquer more
To purchase that, which I deseru'd before,
For which ten yeares successefully I fought
Against the Gaules, and all those regions brought
Vnder the power of Rome, which lie betweene
The Pyrenaean hills, the German Rhine,
And Brittish Seas; nor did the German Rhine,
Or Brittish Seas my victories confine,
Which flew beyond them both, and crossing ore
(Where neuer Roman Eagles pearch'd before)
I taught the Germans there our yoke to carry,
And made the painted Brittaines tributary:
For which my Triumphs Enuy did deny;
To winne for Rome was made a crime in me.
Had not my foes vngratefull iniury
Turn'd backe those conquering armes on Italy
They had, perchance, Fathers, by your command
Ere this subdu'd the farthest Easterne land.
Our name the Indians, and tam'd Medes had knowne▪
The Persian Susa, and proud Babylon
Had felt our strength, nor on the Parthian coast
So long had Crassus vnreuenged ghost
Complaining wander'd: That designe for me
Rests now to act (so you the warre decree.)
When first the Spring dissolues the mountaine snow,
And Westerne winds vpon the waters blow;
When with his golden hornes bright Taurus opes
The chearefull yeare; shall these victorious troops
Aduance against the Parthians, and there die,
Or fetch those Eagles home with victory
Which Crassus lost: till then you need not feare
The insolency of the Souldier,
That their disorder'd licence here at home
May any way disturbe the peace of Rome.
My care already has (besides the spoiles
Of forren foes) rewarded all their toiles
With those great summes, which here so lately I
(Perchance much enuy'd) rais'd in Italy
To keepe them still, and did not feare to buy
With mine owne Enuy your security.
Then, Conscript Fathers, if your wisdomes shall
Esteeme of Caesar as a Generall,
Fit to reuenge the Roman infamy
'Gainst Parthia's pride, decree the warre to me:
I am your Souldier still; nor ere has ought
But Romes renowne by all my toiles beene sought:
You shall perceiue that Caesar's Souldiers are
Not onely fortunate in Ciuill warre.
Caesar had ended; when the Fathers all
To such a warre, and such a Generall
Giue glad consent, and with one voyce decree
The Parthian warre to Caesar's auspicie.
But Fates deny what they so much desir'd;
The date of Caesar's glory was expir'd,
And Fortune weary'd with his Triumphs now
Reuolts from him; more ruine and more woe
Was yet behinde for wretched Rome to tast▪
Nor can their quiet happinesse out-last
The life of Caesar, whose approaching Fate
More Ciuill warres and wounds must expiate▪
No vertue, bountie, grace, nor clemency
Could long secure vsurped Soueraignty:
For more that power to Citizens borne free
Distastfull was than benefits could be
Sweet and delight some: which soone hasten'd on
Th' vntimely death of Caesar; Nor alone
To this conspiracy did hatred draw
His ancient foes▪ as Pontius Aquila,
Bucolianus, and Cecilius,
Ligarius pardon'd once, and Rubrius,
Scruilius Galba, Sextus Naso too,
Spurius, with many of the faction moe:
But euen 'mongst Caesar's friends dire Enuy wrought;
And to his slaughter bold Trebonius brought,
Casca, and Cimber, and Minutius
His seeming friends; nor thee, Oh Cassius,
Could Caesar's fauour, nor thy Pretorship
Of Rome obtain'd, from this dire murther keepe.
Decimus Brutus too, so highly grac'd,
And in so neere a ranke of friendship plac'd
With Caesar, to whose trust and gouernance
The wealthy prouince of Transalpine France
Caesar had left, enuying his Patrons power
Among the rest is turn'd conspiratour:
Nor seemes the knot of this great faction yet,
To be of strength enough, vnlesse they get
Young Marcus Brutus in, who then did sway
The Prouince of Cisalpine Gallia,
Colleague with Cassius (as Romes Pretors) then,
And high in Caesar's grace: this braue young man
For his knowne vertues and admired parts,
In all the peoples discontented hearts
Did seeme most thought of, and mark'd out to be
The vindicatour of lost libertie:
Nor did they hide it, but in libells wrote
On his Pretorian cell, exprest their thought,
Taxing his courage as degenerate
From th' ancient Brutus, who first freed the State
Of Rome from Monarchy; as if the fame
Of such an act could suit no other name,
And he by fatall birth condemn'd to be
An Actor now in Caesar's Tragedy.
Now had Rh•m n•sian Nemesis possest
In all her blackest formes, the vengefull brest
Of fierie Cassius, and did wholly sway
His eager thoughts, impatient of delay:
Who, by nights silence, enters Brutus house▪
Him there he findes alone, and anxious,
Wailing his Countries Fate, and sadder farre
Than when the feare of this great Ciuill warre
First seiz'd the peoples hearts, and frighted Rome
Was fill'd with fatall prodigies: to whom
Cassius beginnes: Oh why should Brutus spend
That pretious time in thought, which he should lend
In actiue aid, to his sad Countries need;
That would againe by Brutus hand be freed.
See what the peoples longing thoughts expect
That thou should'st worke for them; marke the effect
Of what they write on thy Praetorian Sell:
There may'st thou read that (though contented well)
They look'd no farther than for vaine delights
(As Libyan huntings, and Circensian sights)
From other Praetors, they expect from thee
A benefit, no lesse than libertie:
Can Brutus thinke that Caesar, while he liues▪
Will ere resigne so great a power, who striues
To make it more his owne; and not content
With a Dictator's name and gouernment,
An office oft bestow'd, while Rome was free,
Aimes at more certaine markes of Monarchy
The Regall Crowne and Scepter, thinking all
The Senate giues, cause they can giue it, small?
Why were the Tribunes else, for taking downe
From Caesar's Statue, late, a golden Crowne,
Depos'd? Or what could he by law alleage
Against their persons sacred priuilege?
Did lewd Antonius put a Diadem
On Caesar's head, to be refus'd by him
In publike onely, and not there to trie
How we would all allow his Monarchy?
Besides a thousand more ambitious arts,
He daily findes to sound the peoples hearts.
His death the period of his pride must be,
And must with speed be wrought: for if, till he
Returne triumphant from the Parthian warre,
We should delay our vengeance, harder farre,
And with more enuy must it then be done,
When he more honour and more loue has wonne.
To shake off Caesar's yoke this is the time,
Or make it not our owne, but Fortunes crime:
The Noble Brutus sigh'd; Oh Cassius,
If Heauens (quoth he) haue not allotted vs
A longer date of freedome, how can we
With feeble armes controule their high decree?
They, that in Affricke, Spaine, and Thessaly
Condemn'd the cause of Roman liberty,
Will not protect it now: and better farre
It should be lost in faire and open warre,
From whence at first it sprung, and grew so high,
Than to be sau'd by secret treachery,
Such as the ancient Romans scorn'd to vse
'Gainst worst of foes. Noble Fabritius,
When conquering Pyrrhus threaten'd Rome, disdain'd
To free his Countrey by a traitours hand,
Aduenturing rather Romes sad ouerthrow
By open warre: nor 'gainst a forren foe
Were these respects obseru'd alone by vs:
What greater traitour than Sertorius,
And foe to Rome? Yet he by treason slaine
On base Perpenna stucke a lasting staine:
What hope was there that one so deepe in blood
As was that Butcher Sylla, euer would
Resigne his reigne to be a priuate man?
Yet who 'gainst Sylla's life attempted then?
Twixt whom and Caesar was as great an ods
Almost, as twixt the Furies and the Gods.
As much as those then liuing Romans were
Too timorous, too base, and prone to beare
A Tyrants yoke, as much, for this, shall we
Be iudg'd ingrate to Caesar's clemency:
And those old men will more accuse our crime,
That can remember Sylla's bloody time:
But I (of all accurst) that so much owe
To Caesar's fauours, am condemned now
To be a subiect, or from seruitude
To free my selfe by foule ingratitude:
Oh what a torture my distracted brest
Suffers, twixt two such sad extremes opprest?
Oh why, when dire Pharsalia's field was fought,
And I disguis'd in common armour sought
To reach his life, before I was descry'd,
And sau'd by Caesar, had not Brutus dy'd,
And free descended to the shades below?
Or if my aime had hit, one happie blow
Had rescu'd Rome from thrall without a staine
(Vnlesse Great Pompey had vsurp'd a reigne)
And had not left our libertie to be
Thus poorely wrought by secret treachery:
Oh, stay awhile our vengeance, Cassius,
See what the gods, and Fate will doe for vs▪
Or what ere long our fatall enemies
The Parthians can doe. Cassius replies,
Could Brutus then be pleas'd, the Parthian foe
Againe should triumph in our ouerthrow?
To haue, with publike losse and infamy
That wrought for vs, which may with honour be
(And Rome yet safe) by our owne hands atchieu'd.
In all thy reasons, yet, thou art deceiu'd,
Mistakinq grounds of things, thou dost conclude
Impartiall Iustice foule ingratitude:
For if the deed be iust, no benefit
Receiu'd, should hinder thee from acting it;
That were corruption, not true gratitude:
The greater fauours Caesar ere has shew'd
To thee, the more thy Iustice will appeare
In that the publike good thou dost preferre:
'T would take much honour from a deed so high,
If Caesar had beene knowne thine enemie:
Nor could an act, wherein thy priuate hate
Had borne a share, so much oblige the State:
To purchase honour, and our Countries good
Priuate respects of friendship or of blood
Must be forgot and banish'd: is that old
Brutus through, all succeeding times extoll'd,
By whose strict Iustice his owne sonnes did die,
That sought againe to bring in Monarchy?
And art thou bound to suffer Caesar's reigne?
What would old Brutus doe, if here againe?
Or vnto thee can Caesar's fauour seeme
A greater bond than nature was to him?
Nor canst thou terme it secret treachery
If by our hands vsurping Caesar die;
Since Fate of warlike power has vs bereft,
And no meanes else to worke our freedome left.
Should we a while deferre the action,
It cannot be, perchance, hereafter done
But with dishonour and base Treasons staine,
When we before haue both approu'd his reigne:
For in the Sibils bookes 'twas lately read,
The Parthians neuer can be vanquished
But by a King: which in the peoples eares
Is told already; and his Flatterers
By them would haue it publikely desir'd;
Our voyces, Brutus, will be then requir'd;
Which we with greatest perill must deny,
Or else for euer lose our libertie.
When Cassius had with his persuasiue art
Fully confirm'd young Brutus wauering heart
To this sad deed; a noise at doore they heare;
Decimus Brutus now was enter'd there,
And all the rest of that conspiracy:
Where 'mongst themselues the fatall knot they tie,
By mutuall othes; striuing (alas) in vaine
By Caesar's death that freedome to attaine,
Which was for euer banish'd by the doome
Of Fate, and neuer to returne to Rome
Though often sought; in stead of freedome now
More desolation, Tragedies and woe
After this slaughter must againe ensue;
And all the people that dire action rue
Which they desir'd. Philippi's balefull day,
Perusia's siege, and fatall Mutina,
With Leuca's fleet shall make afflicted Rome
Truly lament ore slaughter'd Caesar's Tombe.
The balefull Ides of March approaching nigh
Ordain'd by Fate for this great Tragedy,
Th' Etrurian Augurs, who diuine by sight
Of slaine beasts entrailes, and the various flight
Of Birds, in Caesar's danger were not dumbe,
But boldly told what they foresaw to come.
The Ides of March Spurinna bids him feare:
Nor did the Earth, the Aire, or Skies forbeare
Presaging signes (if any signes could lend
Meanes to preuent what destinies intend:)
Affrighting voyces in the Aire were heard;
The Sunne himselfe in threatning formes appear'd,
Sometimes, as if he wept, his glorious head
With a blew Rainebow round enuironed;
Sometimes quite dimm'd, as if he fled the sight
Of men, and meant to make eternall night.
The windy Spirits through earth's torne cauernes breake:
Floods change their courses: beasts 'gainst nature speake▪
The swelling Poe oreflowes th' adioyning plaine,
And to his channell suddenly againe
Retiring backe, thousands of monstrous Snakes,
Which he brought forth, vpon dry ground forsakes.
The Sea, that had orewhelm'd a part of land
By Tyber's mouth, retiring, on the sand
As many fish did in like sort forsake:
But nearer signes great Caesar's death fore-spake.
Those stately Steeds, which, when the warre begun,
He crossing ore the streame of Rubicon
Had consecrated, and for euer freed
From future seruice of the warre, to feed
At libertie along the Chrystall flood,
And quiet wander through the shady wood,
For many dayes before their Lord was slaine,
Did, of themselues, their pleasant food refraine:
Their mourning eyes presaging sorrow shew'd,
And all the pasture fields with teares bedew'd.
The little regall Bird, the day before,
Flying along, a sprig of Laurell bore
Within her mouth; whom straight a multitude
Of Birds from out the neighbouring wood pursu'd,
Till she had enter'd Pompey's Court, and there
The Laurell'd Bird did all to peeces teare.
That night, that vsher'd forth the fatall day,
Was come, and with her darknesse did display
Prodigious feares, bringing, in stead of rest,
A sad disturbance to each wakefull brest:
Throughout the Palace, where great Caesar slept
His last, the armes of Mars, which there were kept,
Were heard to yeeld a horrid ratling sound,
Clashing together of themselues; and round
About the house the doores flew ope at once:
The aire of night was fill'd with dismall grones;
And people oft awaked with the howles
Of Wolues and fatall Dogges: ill boding Owles,
Night-iarres, and Rauens with wide-stretched throats
From yews, and holleys send their balefull notes;
The shrieches wailings, and all cries were heard
Of euery fatall and affrighting Bird.
Shape-faining Morpheus, in the dead of night,
Sent from the King of rest, with speedy flight
Entring the Palace, to Calphurnia,
Who sleeping in her Lords embraces lay,
Presents his slaughter'd figure in such wise
As vnto all th' amazed peoples eyes,
The next day's Sunne must show; all stain'd with blood
Before the bed she dreamt her Caesar stood,
His visage pal'd with death: that robe of State,
Which neuer foe before could violate,
All torne, through which his gaping wounds appeare:
Calphurnia weepes, then shriekes aloud for feare,
And stretching ore the bed her louing armes
T' embrace the flying shade; though free from harmes
She finde her Lord, who was awaked now,
Scarce dares she trust her waking senses so
As she beleeues the vision; in her thought
So much that too prophetike dreame had wrought.
Caesar with kisses wipes away her teares,
And askes the cause of her so sudden feares:
She trembling yet, the fatall dreame declares
Which had disturb'd her sleepe (nor could the cares
That rose from thence, be banish'd) with the story
Mixing fresh teares, and louing oratory,
Persuades her Caesar to remember now
What th' Augur's skills so lately did fore-show,
And what the learn'd Spurinna bad him feare
From th' Ides of March, which now (ill) present were:
She begges of him he would forbeare to goe
That morning to the Senate, and bestow
That one poore day, if not vpon his owne
Deare safetie, yet vpon her feares alone:
And grant to her as much, as to a wife
Was due, of int'rest in a husbands life.
That he those Spanish guards would entertaine,
Which had so lately beene dismiss'd, againe:
That safe preuention of a danger neere
Was Noble still, and could be stiled feare
No more than scorning the gods threats could be
True fortitude or magnanimitie.
Caesar replies; Ah deare Calphurnia,
Dearer to me than that life-breath I draw,
Would'st thou forbeare thy griefe, it could not lie
Within the power of any prodigie
To make this day a sad one: should I here
Begin to learne that superstitious feare
Of fatall dayes and houres, what day to me
Could ere hereafter from such feares be free?
I onely should my wretched life torment,
And not my destin'd time of death preuent,
But liue for euer with vaine feares diseas'd
When ere Astrologers or Augurs pleas'd:
Euery beasts entrailes were a care to me,
And flight of euery bird a malady.
If Caesar's danger grow from discontent
Of Rome, not one dayes absence can preuent,
Nor scarce repriue my Fate; and once to die
Better than euer feare conspiracie:
What good can strongest guards on me conferre
But make me liue perpetuall prisoner?
Why should I feare the peoples discontent,
Who now enioy vnder my gouernment
More wealth, more safetie, and prosperitie
Than by my death they could? The death of me,
That haue already reach'd the height of all
Glory and State that can to man befall,
And wrought my farthest ends, can neuer be
So much mine owne as their calamitie;
Who will againe with Ciuill iarres be rent,
And wish a safe and setled gouernment:
Oh doe not feare thy dreame, Calphurnia,
Nor sad presages from such trifles draw:
If dreames were fatall, Loue, sleepe were not rest;
Since most our cares would be by sleepe increast:
But if they were presages, tell me then,
For our two dreames to night haue different beene,
Which should preuaile? Me thought I flew aboue
The loftie Cloudes, and touch'd the hand of Joue,
And to my selfe did seeme more great and high
Than ere before: what but felicitie
Should this portend? I dare not now suspect
In calmest peace, those powers, that did effect
My roughest warres; Oh let no sad surmise
With causelesse griefe distaine Calphurnia's eyes.
Aurora now from T•thon's purple bed
Arose, and th' Easterne skie discoloured
Gaue cheerefull notice of th' approaching Sunne;
When forth, through Rome, th' officious clients •unne,
The Palace all with early visitants
Was fill'd, to wait when Caesar would aduance
Forth to the Senate; striuing to be seene
Neere th' earthly Sunne, and in his raies to shine:
Some to doe grace, and grace receiue from him,
Some, like malignant cloudes prepar'd to dim,
Or in eclipse eternall bury quite
Before the set of Phaebus, Caesar's light.
Among the rest did Decimus attend
With fained seruice, and the name of friend
To Fatall ends abusing, hasten'd on
Perswaded Caesar to destruction;
Though, ere they goe, the Sacrifices all
Threatning and blacke appear'd, and did appall
The fearefull Priests, who from those entrailes show
Portent of dire calamitie and woe:
Some Bulls they could not at the Altar stay,
Who breaking thence fled through the streets away;
In others, which were slaine and open'd there,
None but th' infernall gods deign'd to appeare:
The hearts were perish'd, and corruption flow'd
Through all the vitall parts, blacke was the blood.
The burning entrailes yeelded onely fume,
No flame at all, but darkely did consume
Mouldring away to ashes, and with blacke
Vnsauoury clouds through th' aire a darkenesse make.
But Caesar, maugre what the entrailes threat,
Vndaunted passes on (how wondrous great
Is Destiny?) and as he goes, neglects
That Scroll presented to him, which detects
The whole conspiracy: which, as of small
Import, he pockets vp not read at all,
And enters Pompey's bloody Court, led on
By powerfull Fate to his destruction:
Where ominously receiu'd, he mounts his high
Dictator's Sell of Gold and Iuory:
The Lords obeisance make in humblest wise,
When different passions in their brests arise;
Euen those bold hearts that vow'd his Tragedy,
Almost relent: the mans great Maiestie,
That awfull Fortune, that did still attend
His deeds, in all extremes a constant friend
Produce a feare t' encounter discontent:
Nor doe their fancies onely him present
Inuincible in open field, as when
He stood enuiron'd with his armed men:
But such as when alone he wrought his ends,
Aided by none but Fortune, as his friends,
As when he scap'd th' Aegyptian treachery,
When he appeas'd his Souldiers muteny,
Or when the stormy Seas he crossed ore
By night, and safely reach'd Brundusium's shore:
And why should not that friendly Fortune now,
As then (thinke they) preuent his ouerthrow
And to their ruine quite defeat the plot.
But shame forbid them to relent; the knot
Among too many conscious brests was ty'd
To let them start; and on the other side
Reuenge encourag'd by the multitude
Of Actors, enter'd, and all feares subdu'd,
First to his Sell bold Cimber made approach,
And seiz'd his Purple robe; at whose rude touch
While Caesar's wrath together with amaze
Began to rise, the rest from euery place
Drawne neere, no longer hiding their intent
The fatall Ponyards to his brest present:
The first wound on him Casca did bestow,
Whose Ponyard Caesar wresting, to his foe
Returnes a stabbe backe for the stabbe he gaue,
Striuing in vaine with one poore strength to saue
A life assaulted by so many hands;
No succours could approach, no guard, nor bands
Of aiding friends were nigh; that courage quite
Was lost, that nere was lost before in fight;
Vntill enfeebled by a deeper wound,
And by inuading death enuiron'd round,
Hopelesse he hides his face, and fixed stands
T' endure the fury of reuenging hands
Repressing groanes or words, as loth to shame
His former life, or dying staine the fame
Of those great deeds through all the World exprest,
These silent thoughts reuoluing in his brest:
Yet has not Fortune chang'd, nor giuen the power
Of Caesar's head to any Conquerour;
By no Superiours proud command I die,
But by subiected Romes conspiracy:
Who to the World confesses by her feares,
My State and strength to be too great for hers,
And from earths highest Throne, sends me to be
By after-ages made a Deitie:
Through many wounds his life disseized, fled
At last; and he, who neuer vanquished
By open warre, with blood and slaughter strew'd
So many lands, with his owne blood embrew'd
The seat of wronged Iustice, and fell downe
A sacrifice t' appease th' offended gowne.