Casca. Bid every noise be still.-Peace yet again! [Music ceases. Cas. Who is it in the press that calls on me? I hear a tongue, shriller than all the music, Cry, Cæsar! Speak: Cæsar is turn'd to hear. Sooth. Beware the ides of March. Cæs. What man is that? Bru. A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March. Cæs. Set him before me; let me see his face. Cas. Fellow, come from the throng: look upon Cæsar. Cas. What say'st thou to me now? Speak once again. Sooth. Beware the ides of March. Cæs. He is a dreamer; let us leave him.-Pass. Be not deceiv'd: if I have veil'd my look, I turn the trouble of my countenance Merely upon myself. Vexed I am Of late with passions of some difference, Which give some soil, perhaps, to my behaviours ; 1 laughter in folio. Pope made the change. ; Cas. Then Brutus, I have much mistook your passion; And it is very much lamented, Brutus, Cas. Therefore, good Brutus, be prepar'd to hear: [Flourish, and Shout. I do fear, the Bru. What means this shouting? people Choose Cæsar for their king. Cas. Ay, do you fear it? Then, must I think you would not have it so. Bru. I would not, Cassius; yet I love him well. But wherefore do you hold me here so long? What is it that you would impart to me? If it be aught toward the general good, Set honour in one eye, and death i' the other, And I will look on both indifferently; For, let the gods so speed me, as I love The name of honour more than I fear death. Cas. I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus, I was born free as Cæsar, so were you; And bade him follow: so, indeed, he did. With lusty sinews, throwing it aside, And stemming it, with hearts of controversy; I, as Æneas, our great ancestor, Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder The old Anchises bear, so from the waves of Tyber A wretched creature, and must bend his body, And that same eye, whose bend doth awe the world, Bru. [Shout. Flourish. Another general shout! I do believe that these applauses are Men at some time are masters of their fates: Bru. That you do love me, I am nothing jealous; I will with patience hear, and find a time Than to repute himself a son of Rome Cas. As they pass by pluck Casca by the sleeve; I walks in f. e. 2 these in f. e. Bru. I will do so.-But, look you, Cassius; Ant. Cæsar. Cas. Let me have men about me that are fat; Cas. 'Would he were fatter; but I fear him not: I do not know the man I should avoid I rather tell thee what is to be fear'd, Than what I fear, for always I am Cæsar. [Exeunt CÆSAR and his Train. CASCA stays behind. Casca. You pull'd me by the cloak: would you speak with me? Bru. Ay, Casca; tell us what hath chanc'd to-day, That Cæsar looks so sad. Casca. Why you were with him, were you not? Bru. I should not, then, ask Casca what hath chanc'd. Cas. They shouted thrice: what was the last cry for? Bru. Was the crown offer'd him thrice ? Casca. Ay, marry, was 't, and he put it by thrice, every time gentler than other; and at every putting by mine honest neighbours shouted. Cas. Who offer'd him the crown? Bru. Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casca. Casca. I can as well be hanged, as tell the manner of it: it was mere foolery, I did not mark it. I saw Mark Antony offer him a crown:-yet 't was not a crown neither, 't was one of these coronets;-and, as I told you, he put it by once; but, for all that, to my thinking, he would fain have had it. Then he offered it to him again; then he put it by again, but, to my thinking, he was very loath to lay his fingers off it. And then he offered it the third time: he put it the third time by; and still as he refused it, the rabblemen shouted, and clapped their chapped hands, and threw up their sweaty night-caps, and uttered such a deal of stinking breath, because Cæsar refused the crown, that it had almost choked Cæsar; for he swooned, and fell down at it. And for mine own part I durst not laugh, for fear of opening my lips, and receiving the bad air. Cas. But, soft, I pray you. What! did Cæsar swoon? Casca. He fell down in the market-place, and foamed at mouth, and was speechless. Bru. 'Tis very like he hath the falling-sickness. Cas. No, Cæsar hath it not; but you, and I, And honest Casca, we have the falling-sickness. Casca. I know not what you mean by that; but, I am sure, Cæsar fell down. If the tag-rag people did not clap him, and hiss him, according as he pleased, and displeased them, as they use to do the players in the theatre, I am no true man. Bru. What said he, when he came unto himself? Casca. Marry, before he fell down, when he perceiv'd the common herd was glad he refused the crown, he plucked me ope his doublet, and offered them his throat to cut.-An I had been a man of any occupation, if I would not have taken him at a word, I would I might go to hell among the rogues :—and so he fell. When he came to himself again, he said, if he had done or said any thing amiss, he desired their worships to think it was his infirmity. Three or four wenches, where I stood, cried, "Alas, good soul !"—and forgave him with all their hearts. But there's no heed to be taken of them: if Cæsar had stabbed their mothers, they would have done no less. Bru. And after that he came thus sad away? Cas. Did Cicero say any thing? Casca. Ay, he spoke Greek. Cas. To what effect? Casca. Nay, an I tell you that, I'll ne'er look you i' the face again: but those that understood him smiled at one another, and shook their heads; but, for mine own part, it was Greek to me. I could tell you more news, too: Marullus and Flavius, for pulling scarfs off Cæsar's images, are put to silence. Fare you well: there was more foolery yet, if I could remember it. Cas. Will you sup with me to-night, Casca? Cas. Will you dine with me to-morrow? Casca. Ay, if I be alive, and your mind hold, and your dinner worth the eating. Cas. Good; I will expect you. Casca. Do so. Farewell, both. [Exit CASCA. Bru. What a blunt fellow is this grown to be. He was quick mettled when he went to school. Cas. So is he now, in execution. [Exit BRUTUS. Well, Brutus, thou art noble; yet, I see, 1 glaz'd in folio. Steevens made the change. As if they came from several citizens, Casca. Are not you mov'd, when all the sway of earth Cic. Why, saw you any thing more wonderful? Casca. A common slave (you know him well by sight) Held up his left hand, which did flame, and burn Like twenty torches join'd; and yet his hand, Not sensible of fire, remain'd unscorch'd. Besides, (I have not since put up my sword) Against the Capitol I met a lion, Who glar'd1 upon me, and went surly by, Without annoying me: and there were drawn Upon a heap a hundred ghastly women, Transformed with their fear, who swore they saw Men, all in fire, walk up and down the streets. And yesterday the bird of night did sit, Even at noon-day, upon the market-place, Hooting, and shrieking. When these prodigies Do so conjointly meet, let not men say. "These are their seasons,-they are natural;" For, I believe, they are portentous things Unto the climate that they point upon. Cic. Indeed, it is a strange-disposed time: But men may construe things after their fashion, Clean from the purpose of the things themselves. Comes Cæsar to the Capitol to-morrow? Casca. He doth; for he did bid Antonius Send word to you, he would be there to-morrow. Cic. Good night then, Casca: this disturbed sky Is not to waik in. Casca. Farewell, Cicero. Enter CASSIUS. Cas. Who's there? Casca. Cas. A Roman. [Exit CICERO. Casca, by your voice. Casca. Your ear is good. Cassius, what night is this? Cas. A very pleasing night to honest men. Casca. Who ever knew the heavens menace so? Cas. Those that have known the earth so full of faults. For my part, I have walk'd about the streets, Submitting me unto the perilous night; And, thus unbraced, Casca, as you see, Have bar'd my bosom to the thunder-stone : And, when the cross blue lightning seem'd to open The breast of heaven, I did present myself Even in the aim and very flash of it. Casca. But wherefore did you so much tempt the heavens? It is the part of men to fear and tremble, When the most mighty gods by tokens send Where hast thou led me? I, perhaps, speak this Cas. You are dull, Casca; and those sparks of life, My answer must be made; but I am arm'd, That should be in a Roman, you do want, That heaven hath infus'd them with these spirits, Now could I, Casca, name to thee a man Most like this dreadful night; That thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roars A man no mightier than thyself, or me, In personal action; yet prodigious grown, Casca. 'Tis Cæsar that you mean; is it not, Cassius? Casca. Indeed, they say, the senators to-morrow And he shall wear his crown by sea, and land, Cas. I know where I will wear this dagger, then ; I can shake off at pleasure. And dangers are to me indifferent. Casca. You speak to Casca; and to such a man, Cas. Of honourable, dangerous consequence; In favour's' like the work we have in hand, Enter CINNA. Casca. Stand close awhile, for here comes one in haste. He is a friend.-Cinna, where haste you so? Cin. To find out you. Who's that? Metellus Cimber? To our attempts. Am I not stay'à for, Cinna ? Cin. I am glad on 't. What a fearful night is this! Yes, you are. Cas. Be you content. Good Cinna, take this paper, In at his window; set this up with wax Cin. All but Metellus Cimber, and he's gone [Exit CINNA. [Thunder still. Come, Casca, you and I will yet, ere day, Cas. And why should Cæsar be a tyrant, then? So vile a thing as Cæsar ?—But, O grief! Is ours already; and the man entire, Cas. Him, and his worth, and our great need of him, [Exeunt. ACT II. SCENE 1.-The Same. BRUTUS's Orchard. Bru. What, Lucius! ho! I cannot, by the progress of the stars, 1 Is favour's: in folio I would it were my fault to sleep so soundly. Luc. Call'd you, my lord? Bru. Get me a taper in my study, Lucius : Luc. I will, my lord. [Exit. Bru. It must be by his death; and, for my part, I know no personal cause to spurn at him, But for the general. He would be crown'd: How that might change his nature, there's the question. It is the bright day that brings forth the adder, And that craves wary walking. Crown him?—that; And then, I grant, we put a sting in him, That at his will he may do danger with. Th' abuse of greatness is, when it disjoins Remorse from power; and, to speak truth of Cæsar, I have not known when his affections sway'd More than his reason. But 't is a common proof, That lowliness is young ambition's ladder, Whereto the climber-upward turns his face; But when he once attains the upmost round, He then unto the ladder turns his back, Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees By which he did ascend. So Cæsar may: Then, lest he may, prevent: and, since the quarrel Will bear no colour for the thing he is, Fashion it thus; that what he is, augmented, Would run to these, and these extremities; And therefore think him as a serpent's egg, Which, hatch'd, would, as his kind, grow mischievous, And kill him in the shell. Re-enter LuCIUS. Luc. The taper burneth in your closet, sir. Searching the window for a flint, I found This paper, thus seal'd up; and, I am sure, It did not lie there when I went to bed. [Giving him the paper. Bru. Look in the calendar, and bring me word. [Exit. Bru. The exhalations, whizzing in the air, Give so much light that I may read by them. [Opens the paper, and reads. "Brutus, thou sleep'st: awake, and see thyself. Such instigations have been often dropp'd "Shall Rome, &c." Thus must I piece it out; To speak, and strike? O Rome! I make thee promise, Luc. Sir, March is wasted fourteen days. [Knocking within. Bru. 'T is good. Go to the gate: somebody knocks. [Exit LUCIUS, Since Cassius first did whet me against Cæsar, Between the acting of a dreadful thing, Like a phantasma, or a hideous dream : The Genius, and the mortal instruments, Are then in council; and the state of a3 man, The nature of an insurrection. Re-enter LUCIUS. Luc. No, sir, there are more with him. Bru. Do you know them? Luc. No, sir; their hats are pluck'd about their ears, And half their faces buried in their cloaks, That by no means I may discover them By any mark of favour. Bru. Let them enter. [Exit LUCIUS. They are the faction. O conspiracy! Sham'st thou to show thy dangerous brow by night, When evils are most free? O! then, by day Where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough To mask thy monstrous visage? Seek none, conspiracy ; Hide it in smiles, and affability: 4 For if thou path thy native semblance on, Not Erebus itself were dim enough To hide thee from prevention. Enter CASSIUS, CASCA, DECIUS, CINNA, METELLUS CIMBER, and TREBONIUS. Cas. I think we are too bold upon your rest: Good morrow, Brutus ; do we trouble you? Bru. I have been up this hour; awake, all night. Know I these men that come along with you? Cas. Yes, every man of them; and no man here, But honours you: and every one doth wish, You had but that opinion of yourself, Which every noble Roman bears of you. This is Trebonius. Cas. This Casca; this Cinna ; They are all welcome. What watchful cares do interpose themselves Betwixt your eyes and night? They whisper. Cas. Shall I entreat a word? Cin. O! pardon, sir, it doth; and yond' grey lines, That fret the clouds, are messengers of day. Casca. You shall confess that you are both deceiv'd. Here, as I point my sword, the sun arises; Which is a great way growing on the south, Weighing the youthful season of the year. Some two months hence, up higher toward the north He first presents his fire; and the high east Stands, as the Capitol, directly here. Bru. Give me your hands all over, one by one.5 Cas. And let us swear our resolution. To kindle cowards, and to steel with valour To prick us to redress? what other bond, That this shall be, or we will fall for it? 1 first in folio. Theobald made the change. 2 fifteen in old copies. Theobald made the change. 3 Some mod. eds. omit: a. so used by Dryden. 5 Not in f. e. ↑ Walk; |