TWO CHOR US's TO THE Tragedy of BRUTUS'. YE ९ CHORUS OF ATHENIANS. STROPHE I. E shades, where facred truth is fought; And Epicurus lay inspir'd! In vain your guiltless laurels ftood Unfpotted long with human blood. 5 War, horrid war, your thoughtful Walks invades, And steel now glitters in the Muses shades. NOTES. THESE two Chorus's were composed to enrich a very poor Play; but they had the ufual effect of ill-adjufted Ornaments, only to make the meanness of the subject the more confpicuous. a Altered from Skakespear by the Duke of Buckingham, at whofe defire these two Chorus's were composed to supply as many, wanting in his play. They were fet many years afterwards by the famous Bononcini, and performed at Buckingham-house. P. VER. 3. Where heav'nly Visions Plato fir'd, And Epicurus lay infpir'd!] The propriety of these lines arifes from hence, that Brutus, one of the Heroes of this play, was of the Old Academy; and Caffius, the other, was an Epicurean: but this had not been enough to justify the Poet's choice, had not Plato's fyftem of Divinity, and Epicurus's fyftem of Morals, been the most rational amongst the various fects of Greek Philofophy. ANTISTROPHE 1. Oh heav'n-born fifters! fource of art! Who charm the fense, or mend the heart; 10 To what new clime, what distant sky, Say, will ye bless the bleak Atlantic shore? STROPHE II. When Athens finks by fates unjust, 15 Shall cease to blush with stranger's gore, 20 And Athens rifing near the pole! Till some new Tyrant lifts his purple hand, And civil madness tears them from the land. NOTES. VER. 12. Moral truth AND myftic fong !] He had expressed himself better had he faid, "Moral truth IN myftic fong!" In the Antiftrophe he turns from Philofophy to Mythology; and Mythology is nothing but moral truth in mystic song. ANTIS TROPHE II. Ye Gods! what justice rules the ball! In ev'ry age, in ev'ry state! Still, when the luft of tyrant pow'r fucceeds, Some Athens perishes, fome Tully bleeds. 25 30 CHORUS of Youths and Virgins. SEMICHORUS. H Tyrant Love! haft thou poffeft The prudent, learn'd, and virtuous breast? Wisdom and wit in vain reclaim, And Arts but foften us to feel thy flame. But entring learns to be fincere. And Brutus tenderly reproves. Why, Virtue, doft thou blame defire, CHORUS. Love's purer flames the Gods approve; Brutus for absent Portia fighs, And fterner Caffius melts at Junia's eyes. NOTES. 5 ΙΟ 15 VER. 9. Why, Virtue, etc.] In allufion to that famous conceit of Guarini, "Se il peccare è sì dolce," etc. What is loose love? a tranfient guft, Chafte as cold Cynthia's virgin light, SEMICHORUS. Oh fource of ev'ry social tye, United wish, and mutual joy! What various joys on one attend, As fon, as father, brother, husband, friend? Whether his hoary fire he spies, 20 25 While thousand grateful thoughts arife; 30 Or meets his spouse's fonder eye; Or views his smiling progeny; What tender paffions take their turns, His heart now melts, now leaps, now burns, CHORU S. Hence guilty joys, distastes, furmises, Dangers, doubts, delays, furprizes; 36 |