Scene the First. Caesars Tents.
Enter Caesar, Mecoenas, Agrippa.
Caesar.
THe Asians now with double Taxes prest,
His slothful Days and drunken Nights detest;
Buffoons and Players chiefly have his ear:
He dares not the free tongues of Romans hear.
To marry Whores to Fencers is his sport,
And with their Issue throng his loathed Court.
"Now lewd Cytheris has a greater Train,
Than his own Mother or his Wife maintain.
From such a Foe as this what can we fear!
In whom all symptoms of lost pow'r appear.
Mecoen.
The flatt'ring Greeks his easie nature praise;
But on the rest he heavy burthens lays.
In drunken Bounty, for a riotous treat,
He gave his Fav'rite Cook a spacious Street:
Men say no hour dares move without its Feast,
Which is for their fantastick pallats drest.
Now must the rising Sun their Riot view,
Which the next day prevents the Evening dew.
In every draught they some rich Gem consume,
And spend a private Fortune in one Room.
Caes.
Empire, of pains and virtue, the slow fruit,
How ill dost thou with vice and riot suit?
Cinna was bloody, Marius unjust,
Tarquin and Appius raging in their Lust:
Lucullus was luxurious, loud his ease,
Thus on each man his single vice did seize!
But all these faults are in Antonius met.
Mecoen.
His Court with Asian Flatt'rers is fill'd,
And Lying Greeks the only Servants held.