Enter Trebonius.. Caf. Where is Antony? Tre. Fled to his houfe amaz'd. Men, wives, and children, ftare, cry out, and run, Bru. Fatés! we will know your pleasures That we fhall die, we know; 'tis but the time, Caf. Why, he that cuts off twenty years of life, Bru. Grant that, and then is death a benefit: So are we Cafar's friends, that have abridg'd His time of fearing death, (11) Stoop, Romans, stoop; And let us bathe our hands in Cafar's blood Up to the elbows, and befmear our fwords; Then walk we forth ev'n to the Market-place, And, waving our red weapons o'er our heads, Let's all cry," peace! freedom! and liberty!" Caf. Stoop then, and wash-how many ages hence [Dipping their fwords in Cæfar's blood. (11) Scop, Romans, foop,] Mr. Pepe, in both his Editions, has, from thefe Words, arbitrarily taken away the Remainder of this Speech from Brutus, and placed it to Cafea because, he thinks, nothing is more inconfiftent with Brutus's mild and philofophical Character. And as he often finds Speeches in the later Editions, he fays, put into wrong Meuths; he thinks, this Liberty is not unreasonable. 'Tis true, a diligent Editor may find many fuch Errors committed even in the first printed Copies: but it has not often been Mr. Pope's good Fortune to hit upon them. I dare warrant, the Printers made no Blunder in this Inftance; and therefore I have made bold to restore the Speech to its right Owner. Brutus efteem'd the Death of Ca ar a Sacrifice to Liberty and, as fuch, gloried in his heading the Enterprife. Befides, our Poet is ftrictly copying a Fact in Hiftory. Plutarch, in the Life of Cafar, fays, "Brutus and "his Followers, being yet bot with the Murder, march'd in a Body "from the Senate-houfe to the Capitol, with their drawn Swords, "with an Air of Confidence and Affurance." And, in the Life of Brutus, "Brutus and his Party betook themfelves to the "Capitol, and in their way bewing their Hands all bloody, and their "naked Swords, proclaim'd Liberty to the People." Shall Shall this our lofty scene be acted o'er, Bru. How many times fhall Cæfar bleed in sport No worthier than the duft? Caf. So oft as that shall be, So often fhall the knot of us be call'd Caf. Ay, every man away. Brutus fhall lead, and we will grace his heels A Enter a Servant. Bru. Soft, who comes here? A friend of Antony's. Serv. Thus, Brutus, did my mafter bid me kneel; Thus did Mark Antony bid me fall down; [Kneeling. And, being proftrate, thus he bade me fay, Brutus is noble, wife, valiant and honeft; Cæfar was mighty, royal, bold and loving; Say, I love Brutus, and I honour him; Say, I fear'd Cæfar, honour'd him, and lov'd him. May fafely come to him, and be refolv'd Tell him, fo please him come unto this place, Serv. I'll fetch him prefently. [Exit Servant. Bru. I know, that we fhall have him well to friend. That fears him much; and my misgiving still Enter Enter Antony. Bru. But here comes Antony. Welcome, Mark Antony. Ant. O mighty Cafar! doft thou lie fo low? Are all thy conquefts, glories, triumphs, fpoils, Shrunk to this little measure ?. fare thee well. I know not, Gentlemen, what you intend, Who elfe must be let blood, who elfe is rank; As Cafar's death's hour; nor no inftrument Of half that worth as thofe your fwords, made rich I do befeech ye, if ye bear me hard, Now, whilft your purpled hands do reek and smoke, Fulfil your pleafure. Live a thousand years, I fhall not find myself fo apt to die : No place will please me fo, no mean of death, age. In the difpofing of new dignities. Bru. Only be patient, 'till we have appeas'd Ant. Ant. I doubt not of your wisdom. Now, Decius Brutus, yours; now yours, Metellus ; My credit now ftands on fuch flippery ground, That I did love thee, Cafar, oh, 'tis true; Shall it not grieve thee, dearer than thy death, And this, indeed, O world, the heart of thee. Caf. Mark Antony (12) And crimson'd in thy Death.] All the old Copies, that I have feen, read, Lethe. The Dictionaries, indeed, acknowledge no fuch Word: and as the L might have mistakingly been form'd from an obfcure D, not taking the Ink equally in all Parts, I have fuffer'd the more known Word to ftand in the Text; tho', indeed, I am not without Sufpicion of our Poet's having either coin'd the other Term, or copied it from fome obfolete Author, who had adopted it from the Lethum of the Latines; which, 'tis well known, was used for Death, as well as Deftruction, Ruin, Havock, &c. Ant. Ant. Pardon me, Caius Caffius: Caf. I blame you not for praifing Cæfar fo, Ant. Therefore I took your hands; but was, indeed, Sway'd from the point, by looking down on Cafar. Friends am I with you all, and love you all; Upon this hope, that you fhall give me reasons, Why, and wherein Cafar was dangerous. Bru. Or elfe this were a favage fpectacle. Our reasons are fo full of good regard, That were you, Antony, the fon of Cæfar, You fhould be fatisfied. Ant. That's all I seek; And am moreover fuitor, that I may Caf. Brutus, a word with you. You know not what you do; do not confent, [Afide. That Antony speak in his funeral : Know you, how much the people may be mov'd Bru. By your pardon, I will myself into the pulpit first, And fhew the reason of our Cafar's death. Caf. I know not what may fall, I like it not. Ele |