Oh Caesar Great Wert Thou by Deems Taylor Lyrics

[MACCUS]
Oh, Caesar, great wert thou!
And Julius was thy name!
That furrowed thy way through a fallow spray
And to stormy Britain came!
But I would not stand in thy stead
For I’d liefer be quick than dead!

[LORDS]
But I would not stand in thy stead
For I’d liefer be quick than dead!

[EADGAR]
Oh, Caesar, great wert thou!

[ÆTHELWOLD]
And Claudius was thy name!

[EADGAR and ÆTHELWOLD]
That said,“To be rid
Of what Julius did
I’ll go and do the same!”
But I would not stand in thy stead
For I’d liefer be quick than dead!
[LORDS]
But I would not stand in thy stead
For I’d liefer be quick than dead!

[ÆTHELWOLD]
Oh, Caesar, great wert thou!

[EADGAR]
And Hadrian was thy name!

[ALL]
Thine eye did itch
Till a Roman ditch
Was dug in British shame!
But I would not stand in thy stead
For I’d liefer be quick than dead!
Caesar, thy day is done!
Whiles ours is but begun!