Kick up our trembling dust, and must a Cæsar Redeem my folly with a kingdom's fall? First may I stop black Cerberus' triple jaws. Die, die! thou hast outliv'd thyself. Thou only, Phoenix of females, still dost bind and bound My runagate spirit in these walls of mud; From thee and for thee 'tis I breathe. Yet how Borrow can I his shape, or use mine own? Odious before, now worse than hell-born goblin, With brand and chains to scare this dove, all quaking 'Twixt wrath and fear. But time may favour win; When hope doth fail, then knife or rope begin. [_Exit._ SCENE III. CASSIBELANUS, BELINUS, ROLLANO. CAS. Wisdom, confirm my sense! what seem'd their number? ROL. Rising from shore, conjecture might descry A thousand ships with painted prows to pave The briny fields of Neptune; their broad sails Did Nereus canopy, Titan's taper veil. As nations twenty-nine 'gainst Troy built up A floating Delos of a thousand ships, To plough the liquid glass; no frame of Pallas, No crafty Sinon; but those wooden horse Did Troy _dis-Troy_. So Troynovant shall feel Her mother's fate; Achilles comes again, And Pergamus again shall sink in dust; They threaten. [_Exit._ CAS. Wonder! what can their arsenals spawn so fast? Last year his barks and galleys were debosh'd;[330] This spring they sprout again: belike their navy, Like the Lernæan adder, faster grows The more 'tis prun'd. They come their last. Lord deputy, Lead on the present troops, and levy new. 'Twere best, I think, to let him land, lest view Of his huge navy should our commons fright. Retire ourselves to some place of advantage, Entice him from his ships; so cut the veins Which nourish both: enclos'd he cannot 'scape. BEL. I rather judge, we should oppose his footing, Using the benefit of our natural mound. CAS. Uncertain 'tis where--when, he makes inroad: To furnish all, unlikely: to neglect Any were dangerous as Pelides' heel, Our shores are large and level: then t' attend His time and leisure would exhaust the state-- Weary our soldiers. BEL. All places may be strengthen'd more or less, As by last year discretion now may guess. The clifts themselves are bulwarks strong: the shelves And flats refuse great ships: the coast so open, That every stormy blast may rend their cables, Put them from anchor; suffering double war: Their men pitch'd battle, and ships naval fight. For charges 'tis no season to dispute: Spend something or lose all. Shall he maintain A fleet t' enthral us, we detract small costs. When freedom, life and kingdom lie at stake?