"Thus reconcilement was between them knitt, Through goodly temp'rance and affection chaste; And either vow'd with all their power and witt, To let not other's honour be defaste, Of friend or foe, who ever it _embaste_." [360] Mr Steevens observes that this passage is very like the following in Shakespeare's "Antony and Cleopatra," act iv. sc. 12-- "Would'st thou be windowed in great Rome, and see Thy master thus with pleach'd arms bending down His corrigible neck, his face subdu'd To penetrative shame, whilst the wheel'd seat Of fortunate Cæsar drawn before him branded His baseness that ensued?" [361] _To affront_ is to meet directly. As in "Fuimus Troes," act ii. sc. 1-- "Let's then dismiss the legate with a frown; And draw our forces toward the sea, to join With the four kings of Kent, and so _affront_ His first arrival." And in "Hamlet," act iii. sc. 1-- "That he, as 'twere by accident, may here _Affront_ Ophelia." See Mr Steevens's note on the last passage. [362] Sedges.--_S._ [363] See Suetonius, _Jul. c. 75._--_S. P._ ACT IV. CASSIUS, DECIMUS BRUTUS. CASSIUS. Accursed Rome, that arm'st against thyself A tyrant's rage, and mak'st a wretch thy king. For one man's pleasure (O injurious Rome!) Thy children 'gainst thy children thou hast arm'd: And think'st not of the rivers of their blood, That erst were shed to save thy liberty, Because thou ever hatedst monarchy. Now o'er our bodies (tumbled up on heaps, Like cocks of hay, when July shears the field), Thou build'st thy kingdom, and thou seat'st thy king, And to be servile (which torments me most) Employest our lives, and lavishest our blood. O Rome, accursed Rome, thou murd'rest us, And massacrest thyself in yielding thus. Yet are there gods, yet is there heaven and earth, That seem to fear a certain Thunderer? No, no, there are no gods; or, if there be, They leave to see into the world's affairs: They care not for us, nor account of men, For what we see is done, is done by chance. 'Tis Fortune rules; for equity and right Have neither help nor grace in Heaven's sight. Scipio hath wrench'd a sword into his breast, And launch'd his bleeding wound into the sea. Undaunted Cato tore his entrails out. Affranius and Faustus murder'd died. Juba and Petreus, fiercely combating, Have each done other equal violence. Our army's broken, and the Libyan bears Devour the bodies of our citizens. The conquering tyrant, high in Fortune's grace, Doth ride triumphing o'er our commonwealth; And mournful we behold him bravely mounted (With stern looks) in his chariot, where he leads The conquer'd honour of the people yok'd. So Rome to Cæsar yields both power and pelf, And o'er Rome Cæsar reigns in Rome itself. But, Brutus, shall we dissolutely sit,