And sure, he is an honorable man?
I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke, But here I am to speak what I do know.
You all did love him once; not without cause: What cause withholds you then to mourn for him? O judgment thou art fled to brutish beasts, And men have lost their reason! Bear with me: My heart is in the coffin there with Cæsar; And I must pause till it come back to me. But yesterday, the word of Cæsar might Have stood against the world! now lies he there, And none so poor to do him reverence. O masters! if I were disposed to stir Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage, I should do Brutus wrong, and Cassius wrong; Who, you all know, are honorable men. I will not do them wrong. I rather choose To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you, Than I will wrong such honorable men.
But here's a parchment with the seal of Cæsar; I found it in his closet; 't is his will:
Let but the commons hear this testament, Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read,
And they would go and kiss dead Cæsar's wounds And dip their napkins in his sacred blood;
Yea, beg a hair of him for memory,
And dying, mention it within their wills, Bequeathing it, as a rich legacy,
If you have tears, prepare to shed them now.
You all do know this mantle : I remember
The first time ever Cæsar put it on ;
"I was on a summer's evening, in his tent,
That day he overcame the Nervii :
Look in this place ran Cassius' dagger through!
See what a rent the envious Casca made!
Through this the well beloved Brutus stabbed, And as he plucked his cursed steel away, Mark how the blood of Cæsar followed it! This was the most unkindest cut of all! For when the noble Cæsar saw him stab, Ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms, Quite vanquished him: then burst his mighty heart; And in his mantle muffling up his face,
Even at the base of Pompey's statue,
Which all the while ran blood, great Cæsar fell. Oh what a fall was there, my countrymen! Then I and you, and all of us, fell down, Whilst bloody treason flourished over us. Oh! now you weep; and I perceive you feel The dint of pity; these are gracious drops. Kind souls! what weep you, when you but bebold Our Cæsar's vesture wounded? Look you here ! Here is himself, marred as you see, by traitors. Good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir you up To such a sudden flood of mutiny :
They that have done this deed are honorable: What private griefs they have, alas! I know not, That made them do it; they are wise, and honorable, And will, no doubt, with reason answer you.
I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts; I am no orator, as Brutus is ;
But as you know me all, a plain blunt man, That love my friend, and that they know full well That gave me public leave to speak of him: For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth, Action, nor utterance, nor power of speech, To stir men's blood. I only speak right on: I tell you that which you yourselves do know;
Show your sweet Cæsar's wounds, poor, poor, dumb mouths, And bid them speak for me. But were I Brutus, And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony Would ruffle up your spirits, and put a tongue In every wound of Cæsar, that should move The stones of Rome to rise in mutiny.
To the chase goes Rodrigo, with hound and with hawk; But what game he desires is revealed in his talk :
"Oh, in vain have I slaughtered the Infants of Lara ; There's an heir in his hall, there's the bastard MudaraThere's the son of the renegade,
If I meet with Mudara, my spear brings him down."
While Rodrigo rides on in the heat of his wrath, A stripling, armed cap-à-pie, crosses his path:
"Good morrow, young esquire.". "Good morrow, old knight.”
"Will you ride with our party, and share our delight?”
Speak your name, courteous stranger," the stripling replied "Speak your name and your lineage, ere with you I ride."
My name is Rodrigo," thus answered the knight;
"Of the line of old Lara, though barred from my right; For the kinsman of Salas proclaims for the heir Of our ancestor's castles and forestries fair, A bastard, a renegade's offspring - Mudara- Whom I'll send, if I can, to the Infants of Lara.".
"I behold thee, disgrace to thy lineage!-with joy I behold thee, thou murderer!" answered the boy: The bastard you curse, you behold him in me; But his brothers' avenger that bastard shall be. Draw! for I am the renegade's offspring, Mudara ; We shall see who inherits the life-blood of Lara!"
"I am armed for the forest chase-not for the fight;
Let me go for my shield and my sword," cries the knight.
"Now the mercy you dealt to my brothers of old,
Be the hope of that mercy the comfort you hold: Die, foeman to Sancha-die, traitor to Lara !
As he spake, there was blood on the spear of Mudara.
Now when fair morn orient in Heaven appeared,
Up rose the victor-Angels, and to arms
The matin-trumpet sung: in arms they stood
Of golden panoply, refulgent host,
Soon banded: others from the dawning hills
Look round, and scouts each coast light-armed scout,
Each quarter, to descry the distant foe,
Where lodged, or whither fled, or if for fight In motion or in halt: him soon they met Under spread ensigns moving nigh, in slow But firm battalion back with speediest sail Zophiel, of Cherubim the swiftest wing, Came flying, and in mid air aloud thus cried:
Arm, warriors, arm for fight; the foe at hand, Whom fled we thought, will save us long pursuit
This day; fear not his flight; so thick a cloud He comes, and settled in his face I see Sad resolution, and secure : let each
His adamantine coat gird well, and each Fit well his helm, gripe fast his orbed shield, Borne even or high; for this day will pour down, If I conjecture right, no drizzling shower, But rattling storms of arrows barbed with fire. So warned he them, aware themselves, and soon In order, quit of all impediment;
Instant without disturb they took alarm,
And onward moved embattled when, behold! Not distant far with heavy pace the foe Approaching gross and huge, in hollow cube Training his devilish enginery, impaled
On every side with shadowing squadrons deep, To hide the fraud. At interview both stood Awhile; but suddenly at head appeared Satan, and thus was heard commanding loud: Vanguard, to right and left the front unfold, That all may see who hate us, how we seek Peace and composure, and with open breast Stand ready to receive them if they like Our overture, and turn not back perverse; But that I doubt; however, witness, Heaven! Heaven, witness thou anon! while we discharge Freely our part: ye who appointed stand, Do as you have in charge, and briefly touch What we propound, and loud, that all may hear!
THE SAME, CONTINUED.
To whom, in brief, thus Abdiel stern replied: Reign thou in Hell, thy kingdom; let me serve In Heaven, God ever blessed, and his divine Behests obey, worthiest to be obeyed ;
Yet chains in Hell, not realms, expect; meanwhile From me, returned, as erst thou saidst, from flight, This greeting on thy impious crest receive.
So saying, a noble stroke he lifted high, Which hung not, but so swift with tempest fell On the proud crest of Satan, that no sight, Nor motion of swift thought, less could his shield,
Such ruin intercept: ten paces huge
He back recoiled; the tenth on bended knee His massy spear upstaid: as if on earth Winds under ground, or waters forcing way, Sidelong had pushed a mountain from his seat, Half sunk with all his pines. Amazement seized The rebel thrones, but greater rage, to see
Thus foiled their mightiest; ours joy filled, and shout, Presage of victory, and fierce desire
Of battle: whereat Michael bid sound
The archangel trumpet; through the vast of Heaven It sounded, and the faithful armies sung Hosanna to the Highest: nor stood at gaze The adverse legions, nor less hideous joined The horrid shock. Now storming fury rose, And clamor such as heard in Heaven till now Was never; arms on armor clashing brayed Horrible discord, and the madding wheels Of brazen chariots raged; dire was the noise Of conflict; overhead the dismal hiss Of fiery darts in flaming volleys flew, And flying vaulted either host with fire. So under fiery cope together rushed Both battle's main, with ruinous assault And inextinguishable rage. All Heaven Resounded; and had earth been then, all earth Had to her center shook. What wonder? when Millions of fierce encountering Angels fought On either side, the least of whom could wield These elements, and arm him with a force Of all their regions: how much more of power Army against army numberless to raise Dreadful combustion warring, and disturb, Though not destroy, their happy native seat; Had not the Eternal King Omnipotent,
From his stronghold of Heaven, high overruled And limited their might.
LONG time in even scale
The battle hung; till Satan, who that day Prodigious power had shown, and met in arms
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