CASSIUS.
I greet my Friend on this new Complement;
Which, in your Name, shews a Respect to all.
The Death of Cæsar is a common Cause,
Which Commonwealths in Prudence must approve.

BRUTUS.
True, noble Cassius; and I never would
Accept an Honour sep'rate from my Friends.
Brutus has nothing in his Life or Humour
Suited to this unpresidented Honour.

CASSIUS.
Methinks you now esteem your self too little,

Only to prize this Complement too much.

BRUTUS.
A Statue rear'd to me, and rear'd by Athens,
I own a most transcendent Obligation;
But ev'ry Summ and Soldier they have rais'd
In aid of Liberty, affects me more.

CASSIUS.
I ever thought a Roman General
Above Reward from an Athenian Senate.
What is a Trifle then giv'n by Grey-boards,
Mov'd by a little Popularity?

BRUTUS.
But, to be mov'd by Envy, sure is worse.

CASSIUS.
I did not envy Cæsar, tho' I slew him.

BRUTUS.
An honest Mind can envy no Usurper;
You said you kill'd him for the Publick Good.

CASSIUS.
You know I kill'd him for the Public Good.
Who doubts it, does me wrong.

BRUTUS.
Do none your self.
What, shall we two, the Champions of Freedom,
Like Children, grudge at one another's Play-things?
Come, we are Friends. But think not I am fond (Embraces him.
Of airy Trifles, tho' I value Fame.
Fame for good Deeds is the Reward of Virtue.
Thirst after Fame is giv'n us by the Gods,
Both to excite our Minds to noble Acts,
And give a proof of some immortal State,
Where we shall know, that Fame we leave behind
That highest Blessing which the Gods bestow.

CASSIUS.
But 'tis a greater not to need their Blessings:
You Stoicks hold a wise Man is above them.

BRUTUS.
Yet not insensible to Reputation.
For that he slights all Torments, ev'n Disgrace;
Nay, what is harder yet, despises Pleasure;
A strength of Mind which only Man possesses.

CASSIUS.
I see no such distinction, nor wherein
Man so transcends, except in Arrogance.
This great Superiority of Man
Often comes short ev'n of the meanest Creatures:
They in their ways more happily confin'd,
Seem not to scorn, or bear down one another;
Never ungrateful, or the least deceiving,
But keep wise Nature's Laws with strict Obedience.
Oh happy for the World, if in these Times
Mankind in gen'ral were no worse than Brutes!

BRUTUS.
Ill Men, indeed, I must confess are worse.

CASSIUS.
And sure the worst of all, their Country's Enemies.
These should be censur'd by our rev'rend Priests,
Who always raise our Thoughts to things above,
But yet connive at Villany below.

BRUTUS.
From hence the Miseries of Rome proceed.
When Fraud, Oppression, foulest Calumny,
Contempt of Laws, and bold Impieties,
Appear barefac'd; no Auguries more sure
Foretell the Ruin of a sinking State.

CASSIUS.
No Auguries? What do they e'er foretell,
But as the Politician bribes the Priest?
Mere Combination against common Sense.

BRUTUS.
You'll have your way. But do you not remember
That Southsayer who said, the Ides of March
Were come, not gone?

CASSIUS.
And that was all he knew:
Had he known more, why did he not inform?

BRUTUS.
The Gods decreed that Rome should be deliver'd.

VARIUS.
That devout Thought revives our sinking Hopes;
Heav'n will not fail a Cause it once has blest.

CASSIUS.
But trust not all to that, let us be careful.
When you shall march to morrow after me,
Should we not leave some Forces here behind?

BRUTUS.
For what?

CASSIUS.
To keep these People firmly to us.
They, who at Rome command an Empire's wealth,
Have dangerous Temptations of seducing.

VARIUS.
Oh never fear it. Shake Athenian Faith?
Tis stopping Tides, or striving with the Winds.

BRUTUS.
They are too learn'd, and prudent, not to know
That 'tis the greatest Folly to be false;
Not worth a Villany to gain the World.
A low mean Act so rancles in the Mind,
There is no Joy, nor Quiet afterwards;
Kind Heav'n has form'd us so, that we might find
Content and Honesty still join'd together.

CASSIUS.
But, then we are the more oblig'd to guard 'em
Against what they might suffer for our sakes.

BRUTUS.
Kindly, and justly urg'd, I must confess.
But think you, that our Enemies can spare
The smallest Legion from opposing us?
Detaching some, may be their loss of all.

Yet, for this Place I am concern'd so much,
You shake my Reason when you urge their Danger.
Let them propose what Guards themselves desire.

CASSIUS.
Nay, there I differ; since in War-affairs,
With all their Wit, they cannot judge so well:
Nor is it fit they judge in their own Cause.
I'll strait assemble them, and then debate
With calm deliberation this Affair;
Which well deserves our speediest Management,
Since we are forc'd to march away so soon.
You'll come, I hope, and fix our resolution. (Exit Cassius.

BRUTUS.
This Man has some uneasiness of Temper,
But over-balanc'd by his publick Spirit,
Which ever sways him to his Country's Good.
Whate'er our Master Zeno may have taught us,
Nothing is wholly perfect here below:

We should applaud the Merit that we find,
And cast a friendly Veil on good Men's Faults.
My Sister Junia loves him to excess;
(If there can be Excess in Love, or Friendship.)
Go, and acquaint her gently with the Journey
Which he must take this Night towards Philippi,
There to decide th' important Fate of Rome. (Exit Lucilius.
I must prepare the Forces under me,
To overtake him on his March to morrow:
From thence we'll haste conjointly to the Battel:
This scanty Road bears us not both together;
And we must once divide, to part no more. (Exeunt Brutus and Varius.

First CHORUS. Of Athenian Philosophers. Written at the Command of his Grace, by Mr. POPE.

I.
  Ye Shades, where sacred Truth is sought,
  Groves, where immortal Sages taught,
  Where heav'nly Visions Plato fir'd,
  And Godlike Zeno lay inspir'd!
  In vain your guiltless Laurels stood
  Unspotted long with humane Blood:
War, horrid War, your thoughful walks invades,
And Steel now glitters in the Muses Shades.

II.
  Oh Heav'n-born Sisters! Source of Art!
  Who charm the Sense, or mend the Heart;

  Who lead fair Virtue's Train along,
    Moral Truth, and mystick Song!
  To what new Clime, what distant Sky,
  Forsaken, friendless, shall ye fly?
Say, will ye bless the bleak Atlantic Shore,
Or bid the furious Gaul be rude no more?

III.
  When Athens sinks by Fates unjust;
  When wild Barbarians spurn her Dust;
  Perhaps ev'n Britain's utmost Shore
  Shall cease to blush with Stranger's Gore;
  See Arts her savage Sons controul,
  An Athens rising near the Pole;
Till some new Tyrant lifts his purple Hand,
And civil Madness tears them from the Land.

IV.
  Ye Gods! what Justice rules the Ball?
  Freedom and Arts together fall;

  Fools grant whate'er Ambition craves,
  And Men, once ignorant, are Slaves.
  Oh curs'd Effects of civil Hate;
  In ev'ry Age, in ev'ry State!
Still when the Lust of Tyrant Pow'r succeeds,
Some Athens perishes, some Tully bleeds.