Caes. 
   You have your will of Caesar:  use it, Romans. 
   Virgil shall be your praetor:  and ourself
   Will here sit by, spectator of your sports;
   And think it no impeach of royalty. 
   Our ear is now too much profaned, grave Maro,
   With these distastes, to take thy sacred lines;
   Put up thy book, till both the time and we
   Be fitted with more hallow’d circumstance
   For the receiving of so divine a work. 
   Proceed with your design.

Mec.  Gal.  Tib.  Thanks to great Caesar.

Gal.  Tibullus, draw you the indictment then, whilst Horace arrests them on the statute of Calumny.  Mecaenas and I will take our places here.  Lictors, assist him.

Hor.  I am the worst accuser under heaven.

Gal.  Tut, you must do it; ’twill be noble mirth.

Hor.  I take no knowledge that they do malign me.

Tib.  Ay, but the world takes knowledge.

Hor. 
   Would the world knew
   How heartily I wish a fool should hate me!

Tuc.  Body of Jupiter! what! will they arraign my brisk Poetaster and his poor journeyman, ha?  Would I were abroad skeldering for, a drachm, so I were out of this labyrinth again!  I do feel myself turn stinkard already:  but I must set the best face I have upon’t now. [Aside.]—­Well said, my divine, deft Horace, bring the whoreson detracting slaves to the bar, do; make them hold up their spread golls:  I’ll give in evidence for thee, if thou wilt.  Take courage, Crlspinus; would thy man had a clean band!

Cris.  What must we do, captain?

Tuc.  Thou shalt see anon:  do not make division with thy legs so.

Caes.  What’s he.  Horace?

Hor.  I only know him for a motion, Caesar.

Tuc.  I am one of thy commanders, Caesar; a man of service and action:  my name is Pantilius Tucca; I have served in thy wars against Mark Antony, I.

Caes.  Do you know him, Cornelius?

Gal.  He’s one that hath had the mustering, or convoy of a company now and then:  I never noted him by any other employment.

Caes.  We will observe him better.

Tib.  Lictor, proclaim silence in the court.

Lict.  In the name of Caesar, silence!

Tib.  Let the parties, the accuser and the accused, present themselves.

Lict.  The accuser and the accused, present yourselves in court.

Cris.  Dem.  Here.

Virg.  Read the indictment.

Tib.  Rufus Laberius Crispinus, and Demetrius Fannius, hold up your hands.  You are, before this time, jointly and severally indicted, and here presently to be arraigned upon the statute of calumny, or Lex Remmia, the one by the name of Rufus Laberius Crispinus, alias Cri-spinus, poetaster and plagiary, the other by the name of Demetrius Fannius, play-dresser and plagiary.  That you (not having the fear of Phoebus, or his shafts, before your eyes) contrary