Qua. Marry, that will I, on sudden, without change.
Duke. Thou want’st a beard. 240
Qua. Tush! a beard ne’er made Cato, though many men’s Cato hang only on their chin.
Suppose this floor the city Utica,
The time the night that prolonged Cato’s death;
Now being placed ’mong his philosophers,
These first discourse the soul’s eternity.
Jaco. Cato grants that, I am sure, for he was valiant and honest, which an epicure ne’er was, and a coward never will be.
Qua. Then Cato holds a distinct notion 250
Of individual actions after death.
This being argued, his resolve maintains
A true magnanimous spirit should give up dirt
To dirt, and with his own flesh dead his flesh,
’Fore chance should force it crouch unto his foe;
To kill one’s self, some ay, some hold it no.
O these are points would entice away one’s soul
To break indenture of base prenticage,
Enter Francisco.
And run away from ’s body in swift thoughts,
To melt in contemplation’s luscious sweets! 260
Now, O my voluptuous duke, I’ll feed thy sense
Worth his creation: give me audience.
Fran. My liege, my royal liege, hear, hear my suit.
Qua. Now may thy breath ne’er smell sweet as long as thy lungs can pant, for breaking my speech, thou Muscovite! thou stinking perfumer! 266