A Comedy of Errors in Seven Acts | Page 2

not fling a slur
Upon
our honor as we cast adrift
This alien race to face the world alone.

_Caesar:_ Sweet Francos, truly thou hast quick discerned
The thought which wisdom fathered in my
mind.
"Be wise as serpent, harmless as the
dove,"
Should be our watchword as we scuttle
ship,
For there be those who speak with venomed
tongues
O f serpents, as we cast them helpless off.
But if we of politicos make use,
And to their clamour lend approving
smile,
W e may while coolly thrusting them aside,
Meet with the thoughtless world's
approving nod.
_Francos:_ Ha! Ha! methinks I see my path made clear
'Twere wise to fellowship with only those
Who, longing for the flesh

pots, lend their aid
To further us in this our deep design.
_Caesar:_
Hold! Francos, hold! The very walls have ears.
Suspicion once aroused our game is up
I n silence let our worthy scheme mature;
An utterance unwise may spell defeat.
_Francos:_ Most noble Caesar, thou at wisdom's fount
Hast drunk until the fountain hath run dry.
I ready stand to follow
each command
Ignoring every judgment of mine own.
_Caesar:_
When I before the gods did minister,
I learned that strategy cured many ills;
And when Parnassus high I made my throne,
I found it well to wield an iron hand.
And now to work our pleasure in these
Isles,
'Twere best to blend these methods in our
scheme,
Whilst thou with honeyed tongue shall
words employ
The callow forum shall my will obey.
But silence! put a padlock on thy tongue;
A word unspoken never worketh harm.
While he who babbles layeth down his
shield,
And thus an enemy may work his death.
_Francos:_ Mine ears are open to thine every word,
Would that they could but hear in distant Isles; For when I beard the
lion in his den,
Thy potent thoughts were then a healing balm.

_Caesar:_ Thou sayest well, Francos, but lend an ear;
Avoid our enemies; they counsel ill.
_(To Page)_ But, page, entreat
sweet Quezox to attend
While we in converse measure every act.
_Enter Quezox:_ Most
honored sire, I come at thy command,

And wait your pleasure; if by any means
My words, convincing, can
this matter solve:
The land that bore me bids me loud proclaim.
So
we consider wisely, let us call
The Commoner, whose wisdom is
renowned.
That he may with us weigh each tangled point,
And thus
make our solution doubly sure.
_Caesar:_ Sweet Quezox, caution is a
precious thing.
And while 'tis known that council oft is
wise,