Auf.
Do they still flie to th' Roman?

Lieu.
I do not know what witchcraft's in him; but
Your soldiers use him as the grace 'fore meat,
Their talk at table, and their thanks at end:
And you are darken'd in this action, Sir,
Even by your own.

Auf.
I cannot help it now,
Unless, by using means, I lame the foot
Of our design. He bears himself more proudly
Even to my person, than, I thought, he would
When first I did embrace him. Yet his nature
In that's no changling, and I must excuse
What cannot be amended.

Lieu.
Yet I wish, Sir,
(I mean for your particular) you had not
Join'd in Commission with him; but had borne
The action of your self, or else to him
Had left it solely.

Auf.
I understand thee well; and be thou sure,
When he shall come to his account, he knows not,
What I can urge against him; though it seems,
And so he thinks, and is no less apparent
To th' vulgar eye, that he bears all things fairly;
And shews good husbandry for the Volscian State,
Fights dragon-like, and does atchieve as soon
As draw his sword: yet he hath left undone
That which shall break his neck, or hazard mine,
When e'er we come to our account.

Lieu.
Sir, I beseech, think you, he'll carry Rome?

Auf.
All places yield to him ere he sits down,
And the Nobility of Rome are his:
The Senators and Patricians love him too:
The Tribunes are no soldiers; and their people
Will be as rash in the Repeal, as hasty
To expel him thence. I think, he'll be to Rome
^{1 note}As is the ^{2 note}Osprey to the fish, who takes it
By Sovereignty of Nature. First, he was
A noble servant to them, but he could not
Carry his Honours even; whether pride,
(Which out of daily fortune ever taints
The happy man) whether defect of judgment,
(To fail in the disposing of those chances,
Whereof he was the lord) or whether nature,
(Not to be other than one thing; not moving
From th' cask to th' cushion; but commanding peace
Even with the same austerity and garb,
As he controll'd the war;) But one of these,
(As he hath spices of them all) not all,
For I dare so far free him, made him fear'd,
So hated, and so banish'd; but he has merit
To choak it in the utt'rance; so our virtues
Lie in th' interpretation of the time;
^{3 note}

^{4 note}