[sig. Gir-b]
And of his fone the ensignes doth aknow: (30) And, with drawn swoord, Popilius threatning death: +Whose life, and holl estate, in hazard once, Hee had preserude: when Room as yet to free Herd him, and at his thundring voyce amazde. Herennius + eek, more eyger than the rest, (35) Present enflamde with furie, him purseews. What might hee doo? Should hee vse in defense Disarmed hands? or pardon ask, for meed? Should he with wordes attempt to turn the wrath Of tharmed knight, whose safegard hee had wrought? (40) No, age, forbids, and fixt within depe brest His countryes loue, and falling Romes image. The charret turn, sayth hee, let loose the rayns: Roon to the vndeserued death: mee, lo, Hath Phebus fowl, as messenger forwarnd: (45) And Ioue desires a neew heauensman to make. Brutus , and Cassius soulls, liue you in blisse: In case yet all the fates gaynstriue vs not, Neither shall we perchaunce dye vnreuenged. Now haue I liued, O Room, ynough for mee: (50) My passed life nought suffreth me to dout Noysom obliuion of the lothesome death. Slea mee: yet all the ofspring to come shall know: And this deceas shall bring eternall life. Yea, and (onlesse I fayl, and all in vain (55) Room, I soomtime thy Augur chosen was) Not euermore shall frendly fortune thee Fauour, Antonius: once the day shall coom: When her deare wights, by cruell spight, thus slain, Uictorious Room shall at thy hands require. (60) Me likes, therwhile, go see the hoped heauen. Speech had he left: and therwith hee, good man, His throte preparde, and held his hed vnmoued. His hasting to those fates the very knightes Be lothe to see: and, rage rebated, when (65) They his bare neck beheld, and his hore heyres: Scant could they hold the teares, that forth gan burst And almost fell from bloody hands the swoords. Onely the stern Herennius, with grym looke, Dastards, why stand you still? he sayth: and straight, (70) Swaps of the hed, with his presumptuous yron.