SCENE III.--THE BASSE-COURT OF THE TOWER.

_Enter_ AURELIUS _and_ UTER.

_Uter._ Where, brother, are the sons of Vortigern?

_Aur._ I bade them with their gentle mother stay; For much ’twould have offended righteous heaven, If, ’gainst their father, they had join’d with us. For here there always is a sacred tie, Which suffers not a son’s uplifted hand To strike a father, be he e’er so vile. Did he not give him birth, and nourish him? And when thy direst foe becomes thy slave, Say, shouldst thou use revenge? No, rather shame him With pity and all-softening charity, Then on a golden bed thou lay’st thy soul, And art on earth a blessed angel.

_Uter._ Brother, I do commend thee for this deed; Worthy a prince, worthy a Briton, too. But, come! now for the tyrant Vortigern!

_Enter Officer._

_Aur._ What’s the news?

_Off._ Th’ ill-fated King doth flee tow’rds Cæsar’s tow’r, While half his troops have fall’n into our hands.

_Aur._ Did ye obey mine orders?

_Off._ Ay, my good lord, in ev’ry circumstance.

_Aur._ Then Uter, look; you march towards that same tow’r. Let me, ye gods! but meet with this vile traitor: And should his soul not shrink beneath my sword, Heav’n has no justice.

[_Exeunt._