Tvcc. I, an honeft fycophant-like flaue, and a poli tician, befides. CAES. Where is that player? Tvcc. He is without, here. 115 CAES. Call him in. Tvcc. Call in the player, there: Master ÆSOPE, call him. EQVITES. Player? where is the player? Beare backe: None, but the player, enter. 120 Tvcc. Yes: this gent'man, and his Achates must. CRIS. 'Pray you, master vsher; wee'll stand close, here. Tvcc. 'Tis a gent'man of qualitie, this; though he be somewhat out of clothes, I tell yee. Come ÆSOPE: haft a bay-leafe i'thy mouth? Well faid, be not out, 125 ftinkard. Thou shalt haue a monopoly of playing, confirm'd to thee and thy couey, vnder the Emperours broad feale, for this feruice. LVPV. I, CAESAR: this is hee. [338] CAES. Let him be whipt. LICTORS, goe take him hence. And Lvpvs, for your fierce credulitie, One fit him with a paire of larger eares: 'Tis CAESARS doome, and must not be reuok't. 130 We hate, to haue our court, and peace disturb'd 135 LVPV. CAESAR. CAES. Gag him, we may haue his filence. VIRG. CAESAR hath done like CAESAR. Faire, and iuft Is his award, against these braineleffe creatures. 112-3 politician] Political 1716 140 119 Equites. [within.] G, N 123 gentleman 1640+ 137 Cæsar! [Exe. some 120 Enter ESOP, followed by CRISPINUS and DEMETRIUS. G, N 121 gentleman 1640+ Achate N 127 couey] convey 1640 Convoy 1692, 1716 of the Lictors, with Lupus and Æsop. G [Exeunt some, with LUPUS and ÆSOP. N him, [that] we G 'Tis not the wholesome sharpe moralitie, That hurts, or wounds the bodie of a state; Of the malicious, ignorant, and base The generall scope and purpose of an authour, To his particular, and priuate spleene. CAES. We know it, our deare VIRGIL, and esteeme it A most dishonest practice, in that man, Will feeme too wittie in anothers worke. What would CORNELIVS GALLVS, and TIBVLLVS? This while the reft whifper Cæfar. 145 150 Tvcc. Nay, but as thou art a man, do'st heare? a man of worship; and honourable: Holde, here, take thy chaine againe. Refume, mad MECœNAS. What? 155 do'st thou thinke, I meant t'haue kept it, bold boy? No; I did it but to fright thee, I, to try how thou would'st take it. What? will I turne sharke, vpon my friends? or my friends friends? I fcorne it with my three foules. Come, I loue bully HORACE, as well as 160 thou do'ft, I: 'tis an honeft hieroglyphick. Giue mee thy wrift, Helicon. Do'st thou thinke, I'le fecond e're a rhinoceros of them all, against thee? ha? or thy noble Hippocrene, here? I'le turne stager first, and be whipt too: do'st thou fee, bully? CAES. You haue your will of CAESAR: vse it, VIRGIL fhall be your Prætor; and our felfe Will here fit by, fpectator of your sports; And thinke it no impeach of royaltie. 165 Our eare is now too much prophan'd (graue MARO) 170 With these distastes, to take thy facred lines: Put vp thy booke, till both the time and wee Be fitted with more hallowed circumstance 143 hurt N 152 S.D.] om. Q [They whisper Cæsar. G, N 153 Tuc. [to Mecanas.] G, N For the receiuing fo diuine a worke. MECO. GALL. TIBV. Thankes, to great CAESAR. GALL. TIBVLLVS, draw you the inditement then, whil'ft HORACE arrests them, on the ftatute of Calumny: MECONAS, and I, will take our places here. Lictors, affist him. [339] HORA. I am the worst accufer, vnder heauen. GALL. Tut, you must do't: 'Twill be noble mirth. HORA. I take no knowledge, that they doe maligne me. TIBV. I, but the world takes knowledge. HORA. 'Would the world knew, How heartily I wifh, a foole should hate me. 175 180 185 Tvcc. Body of IVPITER! What? Will they arraigne my briske POETASTER, and his poore iourneyman, ha? Would I were abroad skeldring for a drachme, so I were out of this labyrinth againe: I doe 190 feele my felfe turne stinkard, already. But I must set the best face I haue, vpon't now: well faid, my diuine, deft HORACE, bring the whorfon detracting flaues to the barre, doe. Make 'hem hold vp their, spread golls: I'le giue in euidence for thee, if thou wilt. Take 195 courage, CRISPINVS, would thy man had a cleane band. CRIS. What must we doe, Captaine? Tvcc. Thou fhalt see anon: Doe not make diuifion with thy legs, fo. CAES. What's he, HORACE? 200 HORA. I only know him for a motion, CAESAR. Tvcc. I am one of thy Commanders, CAESAR; A man of feruice, and action; My name is PANTILIS TVCCA: I haue feru'd i' thy warres against MARKE 205 ANTONY, I. CAES. Doe you know him, CORNELIVS? GALL. Hee's one, that hath had the muftring, or conuoy of a companie, now, and then: I neuer noted him by any other imployment. CAES. We will obferue him better.. 210 TIBV. LICTOR, proclaime filence, in the court. LICT. In the name of CAESAR, filence. TIBV. Let the parties, the accuser, and the accused, present themfelues. 215 LICT. The accufer, and the accufed; present your felues in court. TIBV. RVFVS LABERIVS CRISPINVS, and DEMETRIVS 220 FANNIVS, hold vp your hands. You are, before this time, ioyntly and feuerally indited, and here presently to be arraigned, vpon the Statute of Calumny, or Lex Remmia (The one by the name of RVFYS LABERIVS CRISPINVS, aliàs CRISPINAS, Poetafter, and plagiary: 225 the other, by the name of DEMETRIVS FANNIVS, playdreffer, and plagiary) That you (not hauing the feare of PнæвVS, or his shafts, before your eyes) contrary to the peace of our liege lord, AVGVSTVS CAESAR, his crowne and dignitie, and against the forme of a 230 Statute, in that cafe made, and prouided; haue most ignorantly, foolishly, and (more like your felues) maliciously, gone about to depraue, and calumniate the perfon and writings of QVINTVS HORACIVS FLACCVS, here prefent, poet, and priest to the Muses: and to that 235 end haue mutually confpir'd, and plotted, at fundry times, as by feuerall meanes, and in fundry places, for the [340] better accomplishing your bafe and enuious purpofe; taxing him, falfly, of selfe-loue, arrogancy, impudence, rayling, filching by tranflation, &c. Of all 240 which calumnies, and euery of them, in manner and forme aforefaid, what anfwere you? Are you guiltie, or not guiltie? Tvcc. Not guiltie, fay. CRIS. DEMET. Not guiltie. TIBV. How will you be tryed? 245 Tvcc. By the Romane Gods, and the noblest Romanes. CRIS. DEMET. By the Romane Gods, and the noblest Romanes. VIRG. Here fits MECONAS, and CORNELIVS GALLVS: Are you contented to be tryed by these? Tvcc. I, fo the noble Captaine may bee ioyn'd with them in commission, say. 250 CRIS. DEMET. I, fo the noble Captaine may bee 255 ioyn'd with them in commiffion. VIRG. What sayes the plaintife? HORA. I am content. VIRG. Captaine, then take your place. Tvcc. Alas, my worshipfull Prætor! 'tis more of 260 thy gent'neffe, then of my deferuing, Iwuffe. But, fince it hath pleas'd the court to make choice of my wisdome, and grauitie, come, my calumnious varlets: Let's heare you talke for your felues, now, an houre or two. What can you fay? Make a noife. Act, act. 265 VIRG. Stay, turne, and take an oath first. You fhall fweare, By thunder-darting Iove, the King of gods; To iudge this cafe, with truth and equitie: 244 [Aside.] N 248 [Aside to Cris.] G G, N 245 Cris. and Dem. N 247 [Aside.] N 270 249 Cris. and Dem. N 253-4 [Aside. 261 I wusse 1692+ |