THE FIRST BOOK. 59 



meant, but by expostulation thereof to draw Caesar to other 

 conditions ; wherein he being resolute not to give way, after 

 some silence, he began his speech, Ego, Quirites, [/, citizens,] 

 which did admit them already cashiered ; wherewith they 

 were so surprised, crossed, and confused, as they would not 

 suffer him to go on in his speech, but relinquished their 

 demands, and made it their suit to be again called by the 

 name of Milites : [Soldiers."] 



The second speech was thus : Caesar did extremely 

 affect the name of king ; and some were set on, as he 10 

 passed by, in popular acclamation to salute him king : 

 whereupon, finding the cry weak and poor, he put it off 

 thus, in a kind of jest, as if they had mistaken his surname ; 

 Non Rex sum, sed Ccesar ; [I am not King, but Ccesar ;] a 

 speech, that if it be searched, the life and fulness of it can 

 scarce be expressed : for, first, it was a refusal of the name, 

 but yet not serious : again, it did signify an infinite con 

 fidence and magnanimity, as if he presumed Caesar was the 

 greater title ; as by his worthiness it is come to pass till 

 this day : but chiefly it was a speech of great allurement 20 

 toward his own purpose ; as if the state did strive with him 

 but for a name, whereof mean families were vested ; for 

 Rex [King] was a surname with the Romans, as well as King 

 is with us. 



The last speech which I will mention, was used to 

 Metellus ; when Caesar, after war declared, did possess 

 himself of the city of Rome ; at which time entering into 

 the inner treasury to take the money there accumulate, 

 Metellus, being tribune, forbade him : whereto Caesar said, 

 That if he did not desist, he would lay him dead in the place. 30 

 And presently taking himself up, he added, Adolescens, 

 durius est mihi hoc dicere quam facere: [Young man, it is 

 harder for me to speak it than to do it.] A speech compounded 

 of the greatest terror and greatest clemency that could pro 

 ceed out of the mouth of man. 



But to return and conclude with him ; it is evident, 



