No More Learning

_ True: so I will, or perish.

_Phil. _ You can _not_.
In such an enterprise to die is rather
The dawn of an eternal day, than death.
[_Count_ ARNOLD _and_ CAESAR _advance_.

_Caes. _ And the mere men--do they, too, sweat beneath
The noon of this same ever-scorching glory?

_Bourb. _ Ah!
Welcome the bitter Hunchback! and his master,
The beauty of our host, and brave as beauteous, 220
And generous as lovely. We shall find
Work for you both ere morning.

_Caes. _ You will find,
So please your Highness, no less for yourself.

_Bourb.
_ And if I do, there will not be a labourer
More forward, Hunchback!

_Caes. _ You may well say so,
For _you_ have seen that back--as general,
Placed in the rear in action--but your foes
Have never seen it.

_Bourb. _ That's a fair retort,
For I provoked it:--but the Bourbon's breast
Has been, and ever shall be, far advanced 230
In danger's face as yours, were you the _devil_.

_Caes. _ And if I were, I might have saved myself
The toil of coming here.

_Phil. _ Why so?

_Caes. _ One half
Of your brave bands of their own bold accord
Will go to him, the other half be sent,
More swiftly, not less surely.

_Bourb. _ Arnold, your
Slight crooked _friend's_ as snake-like in his words
As his deeds.

_Caes. _ Your Highness much mistakes me.
The first snake was a flatterer--I am none;
And for my deeds, I only sting when stung.