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Thou hast no figures,' nor no fantasies,

Which busy care draws in the brains of men ; Therefore thou sleep'st so sound.

Por.

Enter Portia.

Brutus, my lord Bru. Portia, what mean you? Wherefore rise you now?

It is not for your health, thus to commit
Your weak condition to the raw-cold morning.
Por. Nor for yours neither. You have ungently,
Brutus,

Stole from my bed : And yesternight, at supper,
You suddenly arose, and walk'd about,
Musing, and sighing, with your arms across:
And when I ask'd you what the matter was,
You star'd upon me with ungentle looks:

I urg'd you further; then you scratch'd your head,
And too impatiently stamp'd with your foot:

Yet I insisted, yet you answer'd not;

But, with an angry wafture of your hand,
Gave sign for me to leave you: So I did;"
Fearing to strengthen that impatience,

Which seem'd too much enkindled; and, withal,
Hoping it was but an effect of humour,
Which sometime hath his hour with every man.
It will not let you eat, nor talk, nor sleep ;
And, could it work so much upon your shape,
As it hath much prevail'd on your condition,
I should not know you, Brutus. Dear my lord,
Make me acquainted with your cause of grief.

Bru. I am not well in health, and that is all.
Por. Brutus is wise, and were he not in health,
He would embrace the means to come by it.
Bru. Why, so I do:-Good Portia, go to bed.
Por. Is Brutus sick? and is it physical
To walk unbraced, and suck up the humours
Of the dank morning? What, is Brutus sick;
And will he steal out of his wholesome bed,
To dare the vile contagion of the night?
And tempt the rheumy and unpurged air
To add unto his sickness? No, my Brutus;
You have some sick offence within your mind,
Which, by the right and virtue of my place,
I ought to know of: And, upon my knees,
I charm you, by my once-commended beauty,
By all your vows of love, and that great vow
Which did incorporate and make us one,
That you unfold to me, yourself, your half,
Why you are heavy; and what men to-night
Have had resort to you: for here have been
Some six or seven, who did hide their faces
Even from darkness.

Bru

!

Kneel not, gentle Portia. Por. I should not need, if you were gentle

Brutus,

Within the bond of marriage, tell me, Brutus,
Is it excepted, I should know no secrets
That appertain to you ? Am I yourself,
But, as it were, in sort, or limitation;

To keep with you at your meals, comfort your bed, And talk to you sometimes? Dwell I but in the suburbs

Of your good pleasure? If it be no more,
Portia is Brutus' harlot, not his wife.

Bru. You are my true and honourable wife;
As dear to me, as are the ruddy drops
That visit my sad heart.

Por. If this were true, then should I know this

secret.

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Bru. Caius Ligarius, that Metellus spake of.Boy, stand aside.-Caius Ligarius! how? Lig. Vouchsafe good morrow from a feeble tongue.

Bru. O, what a time have you chose out, brave
Caius,

To wear a kerchief? 'Would you were not sick!
Lig. I am not sick, if Brutus have in hand
Any exploit worthy the name of honour.
Bru. Such an exploit have I in hand, Ligarius,
Had you a healthful ear to hear of it.

Lig. By all the gods that Romans bow before,
I here discard my sickness. Soul of Rome!
Brave son, deriv'd from honourable loins!
Thou, like an exorcist, hast conjur'd up

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| My mortified spirit. Now bid me run, And I will strive with things impossible; Yea, get the better of them. What's to do? Bru. A piece of work, that will make sick men whole.

Lig. But are not some whole, that we must make

sick?

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Cal. What mean you, Cæsar? Think you to walk forth?

(5) The residence of harlots.
(6) All that is charactered on.

2 U

You shall not stir out of your house to-day. Cæs. Cæsar shall forth: The things that threaten'd me,

Ne'er look'd but on my back; when they shall see The face of Caesar, they are vanished.

Cal. Caesar, I never stood on ceremonies,'
Yet now they fright me. There is one within,
Besides the things that we have heard and seen,
Recounts most horrid sights seen by the watch.
A lioness hath whelped in the streets;
And graves have yawn'd, and yielded up their dead;
Fierce fiery warriors fight upon the clouds,
In ranks, and squadrons, and right form of war,
Which drizzled blood upon the Capitol:
The noise of battle hurtled in the air,
Horses did neigh, and dying men did groan;
And ghosts did shriek, and squeal' about the streets.
O Cæsar! these things are beyond all use,
And I do fear them.

Cæs.
What can be avoided,
Whose end is purpos'd by the mighty gods?
Yet Cæsar shall go forth: for these predictions
Are to the world in general, as to Cæsar.

Cal. When beggars die, there are no comets seen; The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.

Caes. Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once. Of all the wonders that I yet have heard,

Decius, go tell them, Cæsar will not come.
Dec. Most mighty Cæsar, let me know some

cause;

Lest I be laughed at, when I tell them so.

Cas. The cause is in my will, I will not come;
That is enough to satisfy the senate.
But, for your private satisfaction,
Because I love you, I will let you know.
Calphurnia here, my wife, stays me at home:
She dreamt to-night she saw my statne,
Which like a fountain with a hundred spouts,
Did run pure blood; and many lusty Romans
Came smiling, and did bathe their hands in it.
And these does she apply for warnings, potents,
And evils imminent; and on her knee
Hath begg'd that I will stay at home to-day.

Dec. This dream is all amiss interpreted;
It was a vision, fair and fortunate:
Your statue spouting blood in many pipes,
In which so many smiling Romans bath'd,
Signifies that from you great Rome shall suck
Reviving blood; and that great men shall press
For tinctures, stains, relics, and cognizance.'
This by Calphurnia's dream is signified.

Cas. And this way have you well expounded it.
Dec. I have, when you have heard what I can

say:

And know it now; The senate have concluded To give, this day, a crown to mighty Cæsar.

It seems to me most strange that men should fear; If you shall send them word, you will not come,
Seeing that death, a necessary end,
Will come, when it will come.

Re-enter a Servant.

What say the augurers? Serv. They would not have you to stir forth to-day. Plucking the entrails of an offering forth, They could not find a heart within the beast.

Cæs. The gods do this in shame of cowardice:
Cæsar should be a beast without a heart,
If he should stay at home to-day for fear.
No; Cæsar shall not: Danger knows full well,
That Cæsar is more dangerous than he.
We were two lions litter'd in one day,
And I the elder and more terrible;
And Cæsar shall go forth.

Cal.
Alas, my lord,
Your wisdom is consum'd in confidence.
Do not go forth to-day: Call it my fear,
That keeps you in the house, and not your own.
We'll send Mark Antony to the senate-house;
And he shall say, you are not well to-day:
Let me, upon my knee, prevail in this.

Cas. Mark Antony shall say, I am not well;
And, for thy humour, I will stay at home.
Enter Decius.

Here's Decius Brutus, he shall tell them so.

Dec. Cæsar, all hail! Good morrow, worthy Cæsar:

I come to fetch you to the senate-house.

Cas. And you are come in very happy time,
To bear my greeting to the senators,
And tell them, that I will not come to-day:
Cannot, is false; and that I dare not, falser;
I will not come to-day: Tell them so, Decius.
Cal. Say, he is sick.

Shall Cæsar send a lie?

Cas.
Have I in conquest stretch'd mine arm so far,
To be afeard to tell grey-beards the truth?

(1) Never paid a regard to prodigies or omens.
(2) Encountered. (3) Cry with pain.
(4) As to a saint, for relics.

Their minds may change. Besides, it were a mock
Apt to be render'd, for some one to say,
Break up the senate till another time,
When Casar's wife shall meet with better dreams.
If Cæsar hide himself, shall they not whisper,
Lo, Cæsar is afraid?

Pardon me, Casar: for my dear, dear love
To your proceeding bids me tell you this;
And reason to my love is liable."

Cæs. How foolish do your fears seem now, Calphurnia ?

I am ashamed I did yield to them.—
Give me my robe, for I will go :-

Enter Publius, Brutus, Ligarius, Metellus, Casca,
Trebonius, and Cinna.

And look where Publius is come to fetch me.
Pub. Good morrow, Cæsar.

Cæs.

Welcome, Publius. What, Brutus, are you stirr'd so early too? Good-morrow, Casca,-Caius Ligarius, Caesar was ne'er so much your enemy, As that same ague which hath made you lean.What is't o'clock?

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Cæs. Good friends, go in, and taste some wine
with me;

And we, like friends, will straightway go together.
Bru. That every like is not the same, O Cæsar,
The heart of Brutus yearns' to think upon! [Exe.
SCENE III.-The same. A street near the Capi-

tol. Enter Artemidorus, reading a paper.
Art. Cæsar, beware of Brutus; take heed of
Cassius; come not near Casca; have an eye to
Cinna; trust not Trebonius, mark well Metellus
Cimber; Decius Brutus loves thee not; thou hast
wronged Caius Ligarius. There is but one mind
in all these men, and it is bent against Cæsar.
If thou be'st not immortal, look about you: Secu-
rity gives way to conspiracy. The mighty gods
defend thee! Thy lover,2
Artemidorus.

Here will I stand, till Cæsar pass along,
And as a suitor will I give him this.
My heart laments, that virtue cannot live
Out of the teeth of emulation."

If thou read this, O Cæsar, thou may'st live;
If not, the fates with traitors do contrive.

[Exit.

SCENE IV.-The same. Another part of the same street, before the house of Brutus. Enter Portia and Lucius.

Por. I Pr'ythee, boy, run to the senate-house;
Stay not to answer me, but get thee gone:
Why dost thou stay?

Luc.
To know my errand, madam.
Por. I would have had thee there, and here
again,

Ere I can tell thee what thou should'st do there.-
O constancy, be strong upon my side!

Set a huge mountain 'tween my heart and tongue!
I have a man's mind, but a woman's might.
How hard it is for women to keep counsel!-
Art thou here yet?

Luc.

Madam, what should I do?
Run to the Capitol, and nothing else?
And so return to you, and nothing else?
Por. Yes, bring me word, boy, if thy lord look
well,

For he went sickly forth: And take good note,
What Cæsar doth, what suitors press to him.
Hark, boy! what noise is that?'

Luc. I hear none, madam.
Por.

Pr'ythee, listen well;
I heard a bustling rumour, like a fray,
And the wind brings it from the Capítol.
Luc. Sooth, madam, I hear nothing.
Enter Soothsayer.

Por.
Which way hast thou been?
Sooth.

Come hither, fellow:
At mine own house, good lady.
Por. What is't o'clock?
Sooth.

About the ninth hour, lady. Por. Is Cæsar yet gone to the Capitol? Sooth. Madam, not yet; I go to take my stand, To see him pass on to the Capitol.

Por. Thou hast some suit to Cæsar, hast thou not? Sooth. That I have, lady: if it will please Cæsar To be so good to Cæsar, as to hear me,

I shall beseech him to befriend himself.

Por. Why, knowest thou any harm's intended towards him?

Sooth. None that I know will be, much that 1

fear may chance.

Good-morrow to you.
Here the street is narrow:
The throng that follows. Cæsar at the heels,

237

[Exit.

Of senators, of prætors, common suitors,
Will crowd a feeble man almost to death:
I'll get me to a place more void, and there
Speak to great Cæsar as he comes along.
Por. I must go in.-Ah me! how weak a thing
The heart of woman is! O Brutus !
The heavens speed thee in thine enterprise!
That Cæsar will not grant.-0, I grow faint:-
Sure, the boy heard me :-Brutus hath a suit,
Run, Lucius, and commend me to my lord:-
Say, I am merry: come to me again,
And bring me word what he doth say to thee.

ACT III.

[Exeunt.

SCENE I.-The same. The Capitol; the senate silting. A crowd of people in the street leading to the Capitol; among them Artemidorus, and the Soothsayer. Flourish. Enter Cæsar, Brutus, Cassius, Casca, Decius, Metellus, Trebonius, Cinna, Antony, Lepidus, Popilius, Publius, and others.

Cas. The ides of March are come. Sooth. Ay, Cæsar; but not gone. Art. Hail, Cæsar! Read this schedule. Dec. Trebonius doth desire you to o'er-read, At your best leisure this his humble suit. Art. O, Cæsar, read mine first; for mine's a suit That touches Cæsar nearer: Read it, great Cæsar. Cas. What touches us ourself, shall be last serv'd. Art. Delay not, Cæsar; read it instantly. Cas. What, is the fellow mad?

Pub. Sirrah, give place. Cas. What, urge you your petitions in the street? Come to the Capitol.

Cæsar enters the Capitol, the rest following. All the Senators rise.

Pop. I wish, your enterprise to-day may thrive.
Cas. What enterprise, Popilius?
Pop.

Fare you well. [Advances to Cæsar.

Bru. What said Popilius Lena?
Cas. He wish'd to-day our enterprise might thrive.

I fear, our purpose is discovered.

Bru. Look, how he makes to Cæsar: mark him.
Cas. Casca, be sudden, for we fear prevention.-
Brutus, what shall be done? If this be known,
Cassius or Cæsar never shall turn back,
For I will slay myself.

Bru.

Cassius, be constant:
Popilius Lena speaks not of our purposes:
For, look, he smiles, and Cæsar doth not change.
Cas. Trebonius knows his time; for, look you,
Brutus,

He draws Mark Antony out of the way.

[Exeunt Antony and Trebonius. Cæsar and the Senators take their seaís. Dec. Where is Metellus Cimber? Let him go, And presently prefer his suit to Cæsar.

Bru. He is address'd: press near, and second
him.

Cin. Casca, you are the first that rears your hand.
Cæs. Are we all ready? what is now amiss,

That Cæsar and his senate must redress?
Met. Most high, most mighty, and most puissant
Cæsar,
Metellus Cimber throws before thy seat
An humble heart:-

[Kneeling.

(1) Grieves.

(2) Friend.

(3) Envy.

(4) Really.

(5) Ready.

Re-enter Trebonius.
Cas. Where's Antony?
Treb.
Fled to his house amaz'd:
Men, wives, and children, stare, cry out, and run,
As it were doomsday.

Cæs.
I must prevent thee, Cimber. But we the doers.
These couchings, and these lowly courtesies,
Might fire the blood of ordinary men;
And turn pre-ordinance, and first decree,
Into the law of children. Be not fond,
To think that Cæsar bears such rebel blood,
That will be thaw'd from the true quality
With that which melteth fools; I mean, sweet words,
Low-crook'd curt'sies, and base spaniel fawning.
Thy brother by decree is banished;

If thou dost bend, and pray, and fawn for him,
I spurn thee like a cur out of my way.
Know, Cæsar doth not wrong; nor without cause
Will he be satisfied.

Met. Is there no voice more worthy than my own,
To sound more sweetly in great Cæsar's ear,
For the repealing of my banish'd brother?

Bru. I kiss thy hand, but not in flattery, Cæsar;
Desiring thee, that Publius Cimber may
Have an immediate freedom of repeal.
Cæs. What, Brutus!
Cas.
Pardon, Cæsar; Cæsar, pardon:
As low as to thy foot doth Cassius fall,
To beg enfranchisement for Publius Cimber.

Cas. I could be well mov'd, if I were as you;
If I could pray to move, prayers would move me:
But I am constant as the northern star,
Of whose true-fix'd, and resting quality,
There is no fellow in the firmament.
The skies are painted with unnumber'd sparks,
They are all fire, and every one doth shine;
But there's but one in all doth hold his place:
So, in the world; 'Tis furnish'd well with men,
And men are flesh and blood, and apprehensive;'
Yet, in the number, I do know but one
That unassailable holds on his rank,2
Unshak'd of motion: and, that I am he,
Let me a little show it, even in this;

That I was constant, Cimber should be banish'd,
And constant do remain to keep him so.
Cin. O Cæsar,-
Cas. Hence! Wilt thou lift up Olympus?
Dec. Great Cæsar,-
Cæs.

Bru. Fates! we will know your pleasures:
That we shall die, we know; 'tis but the time,
And drawing days out, that men stand upon.
Cas. Why, he that cuts off twenty years of life,
Cuts off so many years of fearing death.

Bru. Grant that, and then is death a benefit:
So are we Cæsar's friends, that have abridg'd
His time of fearing death.-Stoop, Romans, stoop,
And let us bathe our hands in Cæsar's blood
Up to the elbows, and besmear our swords:
Then walk we forth, even to the market-place
And, waving our red weapons o'er our heads,
Let's all cry, Peace! Freedom! and Liberty!
Cas. Stoop then, and wash. How many ages
hence,
Shall this our lofty scene be acted over,
In states unborn, and accents yet unknown?
Bru. How many times shall Cæsar bleed in sport,
That now on Pompey's basis lies along,
No worthier than the dust?

Cas.

So oft as that shall be,
So often shall the knot of us be call'd
The men that gave our country liberty.
Dec. What, shall we forth?

Cas.
Ay, every man away:
Brutus shall lead; and we will grace his heels
With the most boldest and best hearts of Rome.

Enter a Servant.

Bru. Soft, who comes here? A friend of Antony's. Serv. Thus, Brutus, did my master bid me kneel; Thus did Mark Antony bid me fall down: And, being prostrate, thus he bade me say: Brutus is noble, wise, valiant, and honest; Caesar was mighty, bold, royal, and loving: Say, I love Brutus, and 1 honour him; Doth not Brutus bootless kneel? Say, I fear'd Cæsar, honour'd him, and lov'd him. Casca. Speak, hands, for me. If Brutus will vouchsafe, that Antony [Casca stabs Cæsar in the neck. Caesar catches May safely come to him, and be resolv'd hold of his arm. He is then stabbed by seve-How Cæsar hath deserv'd to lie in death, ral other conspirators, and at last by Marcus

Brutus.

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Mark Antony shall not love Cæsar dead
So well as Brutus living; but will follow
The fortunes and affairs of noble Brutus,
Thorough the hazards of this untrod state,
With all true faith. So says my master Antony.
Bru. Thy master is a wise and valiant Roman;
I never thought him worse.

Tell him, so please him come unto this place,
He shall be satisfied; and, by my honour,
Depart untouch'd.

Serv.

I'll fetch him presently.

[Exit Servant. Bru. I know, that we shall have him well to

friend.

Cas. I wish, we may; but yet have I a mind, That fears him much; and my misgiving still Falls shrewdly to the purpose.

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I know not, gentlemen, what you intend,

Who else must be let blood, who else is rank;'

If I myself, there is no hour so fit

As Caesar's death's hour; nor no instrument

Ant. Therefore I took your hands; but was, in-
deed,

Sway'd from the point, by looking down on Cæsar.
Friends am I with you all, and love you all;

Of half that worth, as those your swords, made rich Upon this hope, that you shall give me reasons,
With the most noble blood of all this world.

years,

I do beseech ye, if you bear me hard,
Now, whilst your purpled hands do reek and smoke,
Fulfil your pleasure. Live a thousand
I shall not find myself so apt to die:
No place will please me so, no mean of death,
As here by Cæsar, and by you cut off,
The choice and master spirits of this age.

Bru. O Antony! beg not your death of us.
Though now we must appear bloody and cruel,
As, by our hands, and this our present act,
You see we do; yet see you but our hands,
And this the bleeding business they have done:
Our hearts you see not, they are pitiful;
And pity to the general wrong of Rome
(As fire drives out fire, so pity, pity,)
Hath done this deed on Cæsar. For your part,
To you our swords have leaden points, Mark Antony;
Our arms, in strength of malice, and our hearts,
Of brothers' temper, do receive you in
With all kind love, good thoughts, and reverence.
Cas. Your voice shall be as strong as any man's,
In the disposing of new dignities.

Bru. Only be patient, till we have appeas'd
The multitude, beside themselves with fear,
And then we will deliver you the cause,
Why I, that did love Cæsar when I struck him,
Have thus proceeded.

Ant.
I doubt not of your wisdom.
Let each man render me his bloody hand:
First, Marcus Brutus, will I shake with you:-
Next, Cai us Cassius, do I take your hand;-
Now, Decius Brutus, yours;-now yours, Metellus;
Yours, Cinna;-and, my valiant Casca, yours ;-
Though last, not least in love, yours, good Tre-
bonius.

Gentlemen all,-alas! what shall I say?
My credit now stands on such slippery ground,
That one of two bad ways you must conceit me,
Either a coward or a flatterer.-

That I did love thee, Casar, O, 'tis true:
If then thy spirit look upon us now,
Shall it not grieve thee, dearer than thy death,
To see thy Antony making his peace,
Shaking the bloody fingers of thy foes,
Most noble! in the presence of thy corse?
Had I as many eyes as thou hast wounds,
Weeping as fast as they stream forth thy blood,
It would become me better, than to close
In terms of friendship with thine enemies.
Pardon me, Julius!-Here wast thou bay'd, brave
hart;

Here didst thou fall; and here thy hunters stand,
Sign'd in thy spoil, and crimson'd in thy lethe.
O world! thou wast the forest to this hart;
And this, indeed, O world, the heart of thee.-
How like a deer, stricken by many princes,
Dost thou here lie?

Why, and wherein, Cæsar was dangerous.
Bru. Or else were this a savage specacle :
Our reasons are so full of good regard,
That were you, Antony, the son of Cæsar,
You should be satisfied."

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[Aside

That Antony speak in his funeral:
Know you how much the people may be mov'd
By that which he will utter?

Bru.
By your pardon;-
I will myself into the pulpit first,
And show the reason of our Cæsar's death:
What Antony shall speak, I will protest
He speaks by leave and by permission;
And that we are contented, Cæsar shall
Have all true rites, and lawful ceremonies.
It shall advantage more, than do us wrong.

Cas. I know not what may fall: I like it not.
Bru. Mark Antony, here, take you Cæsar's body.
You shall not in your funeral speech blame us,
But speak all good you can devise of Cæsar;
And say, you do't by our permission;
Else shall you not have any hand at all
About his funeral: And you shall speak
In the same pulpit whereto I am going,
After my speech is ended.

Ant.

I desire no more.

Be it so ;

Bru. Prepare the body then, and follow us.
[Exeunt all but Antony.
Ant. O, pardon me, thou piece of bleeding earth,
That I am meek and gentle with these butchers !
Thou art the ruins of the noblest man,
That ever lived in the tide of times.
Wo to the hand that shed this costly blood!
Over thy wounds now do I prophesy,-
Which, like dumb mouths, do ope their ruby lips,
To beg the voice and utterance of my tongue ;-
A curse shall light upon the limbs of men;
Domestic fury, and fierce civil strife,
Shall cumber all the parts of Italy:
Blood and destruction shall be so in use,
And dreadful objects so familiar,

That mothers shall but smile, when they behold
Their infants quarter'd with the hands of war;
All pity chok'd with custom of fell deeds;
And, Cæsar's spirit, ranging for revenge:
With Até by his side, come hot from hell,
Shall in these confines, with a monarch's voice,
Cry Havoc and let slip the dogs of war;
That this foul deed shall smell above the earth

Pardon me, Caius Cassius: With carrion men, groaning for burial.

Cas. Mark Antony,-
Ant.
The enemies of Cæsar shall say this;
Then, in a friend, it is cold modesty.

Cas. I blame you not for praising Cæsar so;
But what compact mean you to have with us?
Will you be prick'd in number of our friends;
Or shall we on, and not depend on you?

(1) Grown too high for the public safety.
(2) Course. (3) The signal for giving no quarter.

Enter a Servant.

You serve Octavius Cæsar, do you not?
Serv. I do, Mark Antony.

Ant. Cæsar did write for him to come to Rome.
Serv. He did receive his letters, and is coming:

(4) To let slip a dog at a deer, &c. was the technical phrase of Shakspeare's time.

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