Caesar and Pompey (The Wars of Caesar and Pompey) · chunk 25 of 34
Chapman, George · published 1631 · first performed or written 1605 [1602-1605; Act 2, sc. 1 written 1610-1611(?)] (Annals) tragedy · Unacted (?) · Blackfriars unassigned nearest T2 Roman politics: senate, consuls and civi · 522 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T2: rome, caesar, senate, sulla, roman, consul, brutus, romans, men, marius.
No, Statilius. Men that have forfeit lives by breaking laws, Or have been overcome, may beg their lives, But I have ever been in every justice Better than Caesar, and was never conquered, Or made to fly for life, as Caesar was. But have been victor ever, to my wish, 'Gainst whomsoever ever hath opposed; Where Caesar now is conquered in his Conquest, In the ambition, he till now denied; Taking upon him to give life, when death Is tenfold due to his most tyrannous self. No right, no power given him to raise an army, Which in despite of Rome he leads about Slaughtering her loyal subjects, like an outlaw, Nor is he better. Tongue, show, falsehood are, To bloodiest deaths his parts so much admired, Vainglory, villainy; and at best you can, Fed with the parings of a worthy man. My fame affirm my life received from him? I'll rather make a beast my second father. The gods avert from every Roman mind The name of slave to any tyrant's power. Why was man ever just, but to be free, 'Gainst all injustice? and to bear about him As well all means to freedom every hour, As every hour he should be armed for death, Which only is his freedom? But Statilius' Death is not free for any man's election, Till nature, or the law, impose it on him. Must a man go to law then, when he may Enjoy his own in peace? If I can use Mine own myself, must I of force, reserve it To serve a Tyrant with it? All just men Not only may enlarge their lives, but must, From all rule tyrannous, or live unjust. By death must they enlarge their lives? By death. A man's not bound to that. I'll prove he is. Are not the lives of all men bound to justice? They are. And therefore not to serve injustice: justice itself ought ever to be free, And therefore every just man being a part Of that free justice, should be free as it. Then wherefore is there law for death? That all That know not what law is, nor freely can Perform the fitting justice of a man In kingdom's common good, may been forced. But is not every just man to himself The perfectest law? Suppose. Then to himself Is every just man's life subordinate. Again, Sir; Is not our free soul infused To everybody in her absolute end To rule that body? in which absolute rule Is she not absolutely Empress of it? And being Empress, may she not dispose It, and the life in it, at her just pleasure? Not to destroy it. No; she not destroys it When she dislives it; that their freedoms may Go firm together, like their powers and organs, Rather than let it live a rebel to her, Profaning that divine conjunction Twixt her and it; nay, a disjunction making Betwixt them worse than death; in killing quick That which in just death lives: being dead to her If to her rule dead; and to her alive, If dying in her just rule.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
No, Statilius. Men that haue forfeit liues by breaking lawes, Or haue beene ouercome, may beg their liues, But I haue euer beene in euery iuſtice Better then Caeſar, and was neuer conquer'd, Or made to fly for life, as Caeſar was. But haue beene victor euer, to my wiſh, 'Gainſt whomſoeuer euer hath oppoſde; Where Caeſar now is conquer'd in his Conqueſt, In the ambition, he till now denide; Taking vpon him to giue life, when death Is tenfold due to his moſt tyrannous ſelfe. No right, no power giuen him to raiſe an army, Which in deſpight of Rome he leades about Slaughtering her loyall ſubiects, like an outlaw, Nor is he better. Tongue, ſhew, falſhood are, To bloodieſt deaths his parts ſo much admir'd, Vaineglory, villany; and at beſt you can, Fed with the parings of a worthy man. My fame affirme my life receiu'd from him? Ile rather make a beaſt my ſecond father. The gods auert from euery Roman minde The name of ſlaue to any Tyrants power. Why was man euer iuſt, but to be free, 'Gainſt all iniuſtice? and to beare about him As well all meanes to freedome euery houre, As euery houre he ſhould be arm'd for death, Which only is his freedome? But Statilius Death is not free for any mans election, Till nature, or the law, impoſe it on him. Muſt a man goe to law then, when he may Enioy his owne in peace? If I can vſe Mine owne my ſelfe, muſt I of force, reſerue it To ſerue a Tyrant with it? All iuſt men Not only may enlarge their liues, but muſt, From all rule tyrannous, or liue vniuſt. By death muſt they enlarge their liues? By death. A man's not bound to that. Ile proue he is. Are not the liues of all men bound to iuſtice? They are. And therefore not to ſerue iniuſtice: Iuſtice it ſelfe ought euer to be free, And therefore euery iuſt man being a part Of that free iuſtice, ſhould be free as it. Then wherefore is there law for death? That all That know not what law is, nor freely can Performe the fitting iuſtice of a man In kingdomes common good, may been forc't. But is not euery iuſt man to him ſelfe The perfect'ſt law▪ Suppoſe. Then to himſelfe Is euery iuſt mans life ſubordinate. Againe, Sir; Is not our free ſoule infuſ'd To euery body in her abſolute end To rule that body? in which abſolute rule Is ſhe not abſolutely Empreſſe of it? And being Empreſſe, may ſhe not diſpoſe It, and the life in it, at her iuſt pleaſure? Not to deſtroy it. No; ſhe not deſtroyes it When ſhe diſliues it; that their freedomes may Goe firme together, like their powers and organs, Rather then let it liue a rebell to her, Prophaning that diuine coniunction Twixt her and it; nay, a diſiunction making Betwixt them worſe then death; in killing quick That which in iuſt death liues: being dead to her If to her rule dead; and to her aliue, If dying in her iuſt rule.