Think, Titus, think, my son, 'tis Nature's fault
Not Roman Brutus, but a father now.

Titus. Oh, let me fall low, as the earth permits me,
And thank the Gods for this most happy change,
That you are now, although to my confusion,
That awful, godlike, and commanding Brutus,
Which I so oft have wish'd you, which sometimes
I thought imperfectly you were, or might be,
When I have taken unawares your soul

At a broad glance, and forc'd her to retire!
Ah, my dear Lord, you need not add new threats,
New marks of anger to complete my ruin,
Your Titus has enough to break his heart

When he remembers that you durst not trust him :
Yes, yes, my Lord, I have a thousand frailties;
The mould you cast me in, the breath, the blood,'.
And spirit which you gave me, are unlike
The godlike author; yet you gave 'em, Sir:
And sure, if you had pleas'd to honour me,
T'immortalize my name to after ages,

By imparting your high cares, I should have found
At least so much hereditary virtue

As not to have divulg'd them.

Brut. Rise, my son;

Be satisfy'd thou art the first that know'st me; - A thousand accidents and fated causes

Rush against every bulwark I can raise,

And half unhinge my soul. For now's the time
To shake the building of the tyrant down.

As from night's womb the glorious day breaks forth,

And seems to kindle from the setting stars:

So from the blackness of young Tarquin's crime,
And furnace of his lust, the virtuous soul
Of Junius Brutus catches bright occasion.
I see the pillars of his kingdom totter :
The rape of Lucrece is the midnight lanthorn
That lights my genius down to the foundation.
Leave me to work, my Titus; Oh, my son!
For from this spark a lightning shall arise,
That must ere night purge all the Roman air :
And then the thunder of his ruin follows.
No more; but haste thee to Lucretius:
I hear the multitude, and must among them.
Away, my son.

Titus. Bound, and obedient ever.

Enter VINDITIUS, with Plebeians.

[Exit.

1st Cit. Jupiter, defend us! I think the firmament is all on a light fire. Now, neighbour, as you were saying, as to the cause of lightning and thunder, and for the nature of prodigies.

Fin. What! a taylor, and talk of lightning and thunder! Why, thou walking shred, thou moving bottom, thou upright needle, thou shaving edging skirt, thou flip-flap of a man, thou vaulting flea, thou nit, thou nothing, dost thou talk of prodigies when I am by? O tempora! O mores! But, neighbours, as I was saying, what think you of Valerius ?

All Valerius, Valerius!

Vin. I know you are piping hot for sedition; you

all gape for rebellion: But what's the near? For look you, Sirs, we the people in the body politic are but the guts of government; therefore we may rumble and grumble, and croke our hearts out, if we have never a head: why, how shall we be nourish'd? Therefore, say, let us get us a head, a head, my masters.

I

Brut. Protect me, Jove, and guard me from the phantom!

Can this so horrid apparition be?

Or is it but the making of my fancy?

Vin. Ha, Erutus! what, where is this apparition?
1st Cit. This is the tribune of the Celeres;
A notable head-piece, and the King's jester.
Brut. By Jove, a prodigy!

Vin. Nay, like enough; the Gods are very angry:
I know they are, they told me so themselves;
For look you, neighbours, I for my own part

Have seen to day fourscore and nineteen prodigies and 1 a half.

Brut. But this is a whole one. Oh most horrible! Look, Vinditius, yonder, o'er that part

O'th' capitol; just, just there, man-yonder, look.
Vin. Ha, my Lord!

Brut. I always took thee for a quicksighted fellow:
What, art thou blind? Why, yonder, all o' fire;
It vomits lightning; 'tis a monstrous dragon.

Vin. Oh, see it: Oh Jupiter and Juno! By the Gods
I see it :

Oh neighbours, look, look, look on his filthy nostrils! 'T has eyes like flaming saucers; and a belly

Like a burning caldron; with such a swinging tail: 'And Oh, a thing, a thing that's all o' fire!'

Brut. Ha! now it fronts us with a head that's

mark'd

With Tarquin's name: and see, 'tis thunder-struck! Look yonder, how it whizzes through the air!

The Gods have struck it down; 'tis gone, 'tis vanish'd. Oh! neighbours, what, what should this portent mean? Vin. Mean! why, 'tis plain; did we not see the mark

Upon the beast? Tarquin's the dragon, neighbours, Tarquin's the dragon, and the Gods shall swinge him. All. A dragon, a Tarquin.

1st Cit. Mercy for my part I saw nothing.

Vin. How, rogue? why, this is prodigy on prodigy! Down with him, knock him down; what, not see the dragon?

1st Cit. Mercy: I did, I did; a huge monstrous

dragon.

Brut. So; not a word of this, my mästers, not for your lives:

Meet me anon at the Forum; but not a word.
Vinditius, tell 'em the Tribune of the Celeres
Intends this night to give them an oration.

[Exit Vindit. and Rabble.

Enter LUCRECE, VALERIUS, LUCRETIUS, MUTIUS, HERMINIUS, HORATIUS, TITUS, TIBERIUS, COL

LATINUS.

Brut. Ha in the open air? So near, you Gods?

So ripe your judgments? Nay, then let 'em break, And burst the hearts of those that have deserv'd them. Lucrece. Oh Collatine! Art thou come?

Alas, my husband! O iny love! my lord!

Coll. O Lucrece! see, I have obey'd thy summons: I have thee in my arms; but speak, my fair, Say, is all well?

Lucrece. Away, and do not touch me :

Stand near, but touch me not. My father too!
Lucretius, art thou here?

Luc. Thou seest I am.

Haste, and relate thy lamentable story.

Lucrece. If there be Gods, Oh, will they not revenge

me?

Draw near, my Lord; for sure you have a share
In these strange woes. Ah, Sir, what have you done?
Why did you bring that monster of mankind,
The other night, to curse Collatia's walls?
Why did you blast me with that horrid visage,
And blot my honour with the blood. of Tarquin
Coll. Oh all the Gods!

Lucrece. Alas, they are far off;

Or sure they would have help'd the wretched Lucrece.
Hear then, and tell it to the wond'ring world:

Last night the lustful bloody Sextus came
Late, and benighted, to Collatia,

Intending, as he said, for Rome next morning;

But in the dead of night, just when soft sleep
Had seal'd my eyes, and quite becalm'd-my soul,
Methought a horrid voice thus thunder'd in my ear,