Oh, these
immortal
men!
Byron
160
His hand is on the battlement--he grasps it
As though it were an altar; now his foot
Is on it, and----What have we here? --a Roman?
The first bird of the covey! he has fallen [_A man falls_.
On the outside of the nest. Why, how now, fellow?
_Wounded Man_. A drop of water!
_Caes. _ Blood's the only liquid
Nearer than Tiber.
_Wounded Man_. I have died for Rome. [_Dies_.
_Caes. _ And so did Bourbon, in another sense.
Oh, these immortal men! and their great motives!
But I must after my young charge. He is 170
By this time i' the Forum. Charge! charge!
[CAESAR _mounts the ladder; the scene closes_.
SCENE II. --_The City_. --_Combats between the Besiegers
and Besieged in the streets_. _Inhabitants flying in confusion_.
_Enter_ CAESAR.
_Caes. _ I cannot find my hero; he is mixed
With the heroic crowd that now pursue
The fugitives, or battle with the desperate.
What have we here? A Cardinal or two
That do not seem in love with martyrdom.
His hand is on the battlement--he grasps it
As though it were an altar; now his foot
Is on it, and----What have we here? --a Roman?
The first bird of the covey! he has fallen [_A man falls_.
On the outside of the nest. Why, how now, fellow?
_Wounded Man_. A drop of water!
_Caes. _ Blood's the only liquid
Nearer than Tiber.
_Wounded Man_. I have died for Rome. [_Dies_.
_Caes. _ And so did Bourbon, in another sense.
Oh, these immortal men! and their great motives!
But I must after my young charge. He is 170
By this time i' the Forum. Charge! charge!
[CAESAR _mounts the ladder; the scene closes_.
SCENE II. --_The City_. --_Combats between the Besiegers
and Besieged in the streets_. _Inhabitants flying in confusion_.
_Enter_ CAESAR.
_Caes. _ I cannot find my hero; he is mixed
With the heroic crowd that now pursue
The fugitives, or battle with the desperate.
What have we here? A Cardinal or two
That do not seem in love with martyrdom.
