A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 12Dodsley, Robert
General
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 12
Dodsley, Robert
English drama
CAS. Since the great guide of all, Olympus' king,
Will have the Romans his viceroys on earth;
Since the red fatal eyes of crow-black night
Fling their malignant influence on our state;
_Since Britain must submit; it was her fame,_
_None but a Julius Cæsar could her tame._
[_While trumpets sound_, ANDROGEUS _and_ TENANTIUS
_embracing, take leave. All depart._
SCENE VII.
CHORUS.
_1st Song._
_Come, fellow-bards, and sing with cheer;_
_Since dreadful alarums we shall no more hear._
_Come, lovely peace, our saint divine,_
_Olive and laurel do love for to twine._
_The Graces and Muses, and nymphs in a round:_
_Let voice beat the air, and feet beat the ground._
_So hell's black image chas'd away,_
_Eos doth dandle the goldy-lock'd day;_
_So, Bruma[346] banish'd all forlorn,_
_Cupid and Flora the spring do adorn:_
_And so, the grim fury of Mars laid in grave,_
_A merrier ending doth friendly peace crave._
_2d Song._
_The sky is glad, that stars above_
_Do give a brighter splendour:_
_The stars unfold their flaming gold,_
_To make the ground more tender:_
_The ground doth send a fragrant smell,_
_That air may be the sweeter:_
_The air doth charm the swelling seas_
_With pretty chirping metre:_
_The sea with rivers' water doth_
_Feed[347] plants and flowers dainty:_
_The planets do yield their fruitful seed,_
_That beasts may live in plenty:_
_The beasts doth give both food and cloth,_
_That men high Jove may honour:_
_And so the world runs merrily round,_
_When peace doth smile upon her._
_O then, then O! O then, then O!_
_This jubilee last for ever:_
_That foreign spite or civil fight_
_Our quiet trouble never._ [_Exeunt._
MERCURY _reducing the ghosts of_ CAMILLUS _and_
BRENNUS.
CAM. How bravely Cæsar pass'd the angry main!
BREN. How bravely was he back repuls'd again!
CAM. How did he wheel his sword in Nennius' face!
BREN. How did he lose his sword, and fly apace!
CAM. How did again his army fill your coast!
BREN. Ay, when our princes did conduct his host.
CAM. How did they pierce through Isis' dangerous flood!
BREN. But made her swell, and bankrupt[348] with their blood.
CAM. Mirror of captains, Julius, still hath won.
BREN. But we may justly brag of two for one.
CAM. Confess, our valorous race hath now repaid
The Allian massacre[349] and our city's flame:
See how they yield, and yearly tribute pay.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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