Must not be lost in mists and fogs of people,
Noteless and not of name, but rude and naked :5
Nor can Rome task us with impossibilities,
Or bid us fight against a flood; we serve her,
That she may proudly say she has good soldiers,
Not slaves, to choke all hazards. Who but fools,
That make no difference betwixt certain dying,
And dying well, would fling their fames and for-

tunes

Into this Britain gulf, this quicksand ruin,
That, sinking, swallows us? what noble hand
Can find a subject fit for blood there? or what
sword

Room for his execution? what air to cool us,
But poison'd with their blasting breaths and curses,
Where we lie buried quick above the ground,
And are with labouring sweat, and breathless
pain,

Kill'd like to slaves, and cannot kill again?

Drus. Penius, mark ancient wars, and know that then

A captain weigh'd an hundred thousand men."

thors are very frequently liable to similar objections, on the score of inaccuracy of metaphor, if, indeed, any such inaccuracy hibited in this passage.

5 Noteless, and out of name, but rude and naked.] This line absolutely requires amendment. That adopted in the text was proposed by Mason, and is better than that of Sympson, who substitutes both for but.

Captains weigh'd.] The corruption here is very evident, but little trouble will set all right. We may read thus,

Or thus,

- that then

Ten captains weigh'd.

that ten

Captains out-weigh'd. The number has either been

Pen. Drusius, mark ancient wisdom, and you'll
find then,

He gave the overthrow that saved his men.
I must not go.

Reg. The soldiers are desirous,
Their eagles all drawn out, sir.
Pen. Who drew up, Regulus?

Ha? speak! did you? whose bold will durst attempt this?

Drawn out? why, who commands, sir? on whose

warrant

Durst they advance ?

Reg. I keep mine own obedience.

Drus. 'Tis like the general cause, their love of honour,

Relieving of their wants

Pen. Without my knowledge?

Am I no more? my place but at their pleasures? Come, who did this?

Drus. By Heaven, sir, I am ignorant.

[Drum softly within, then enter Soldiers, with

drum and colours.

Pen. What am I grown a shadow?-Hark! they march.

I'll know, and will be myself.-Stand! Disobedience?

He that advances one foot higher, dies for't.
Run through the regiment, upon your duties,
And charge 'em, on command, beat back again;
By Heaven, I'll tithe 'em all else!

dropt upon us, or the verb suffered a mutilation of its first syll able: I am for the first, and have altered the text accordingly. Sympson. We do not like either of these conjectures, and hope our reading will meet with approbation.-Ed. 1778.

7 Tithe 'em.] That is, decimate the regiment.

Reg. We'll do our best..

[Exeunt DRUSIUS and REGULUS. Pen. Back! cease your bawling drums there, I'll beat the tubs about your brains else. Back! Do I speak with less fear than thunder to ye? Must I stand to beseech ye? Home, home-Ha! Do ye stare upon me? Are those minds I moulded, Those honest valiant tempers I was proud To be a fellow to, those great discretions

Made your names fear'd and honour'd, turn'd to wildfires?

Oh, gods, to disobedience? Command, farewell!
And be ye witness with me, all things sacred,
I have no share in these men's shames! March,
soldiers,

And seek your own sad ruins; your old Penius
Dares not behold your murders.

1 Sold. Captain!"

2 Sold Captain!

3 Sold. Dear, honour'd captain!

Pen. Too, too dear-loved soldiers,

Which made ye weary of me, and Heaven yet

knows,

Though in your mutinies, I dare not hate you; Take your own wills! 'tis fit your long experience Should now know how to rule yourselves; I wrong

ye,

In wishing ye to save your lives and credits, To keep your necks whole from the axe hangs o'er ye:

Alas, I much dishonour'd ye; go, seek the Bri

tons,

And say ye come to glut their sacrifices;
But do not say I sent ye. What ye have been,
How excellent in all parts, good and govern'd,
Is only left of my command, for story;

[Going.

What now ye are, for pity. Fare ye well!

Enter DRUSIUS and REGUlus.

Drus. Oh, turn again, great Penius! 'see the soldier

In all points apt for duty.

Reg. See his sorrow

For his disobedience, which he says was haste, And haste, he thought, to please you with. See, captain,

The toughness of his courage turn'd to water;
See how his manly heart melts.

· Pen. Go; beat homeward;

There learn to cat your little with obedience;
And henceforth strive to do as I direct ye.

Macer. My answer, sir.
Pen. Tell the great general,

[Exeunt Sold

S.

My companies are no faggots to fill breaches;
Myself no man that must, or shall, can carry :
Bid him be wise, and where he is, he's safe then;
And when he finds out possibilities,

He may command me. Commend me to the cap.

tains.

Macer. All this I shall deliver.

Pen. Farewell, Macer!

Cur. Pray gods this breed no mischief!

Reg. It must needs,

If stout Suetonius win; for then his anger,
Besides the soldiers' loss of due and honour,
Will break together on him.

Drus. He's a brave fellow;

And but a little hide his haughtiness,

[Exit.

(Which is but sometimes neither, on some causes) He shews the worthiest Roman this day living.

You may, good Curius, to the general
Make all things seem the best.

Cur. I shall endeavour.

Pray for our fortunes, gentlemen; if we fall,
This one farewell serves for a funeral.

The gods make sharp our swords, and steel our hearts!

Reg. We dare, alas, but cannot fight our parts.

[Exeunt,

SCENE II.

The Tent of Junius.

Enter JUNIUS, PETILLIUS, and a Herald,

Pet. Let him go on. Stay; now he talks,
Jun. Why,

Why should I love mine enemy? what is beauty?
Of what strange violence, that, like the plague,
It works upon our spirits? Blind they feign him;
I am sure, I find it so-

Pet. A dog shall lead you.

Jun. His fond affections blinder

Pet. Hold you there still!

Jun. It takes away my sleep

Pet. Alas, poor chicken!

We dare, alas, &c.] This has hitherto been made a continuation of Curius's speech; but it is impossible that this line, and that which precedes it, should belong to any one person Curius is going to the engagement, therefore properly speaks the former; but the latter must be spoke by either Drusius or Regulus, (who are sub, ordinate to Penius) and is expressive of their discontent at being kept from the field.-Ed. 1778.