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 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? Bru. That must we also. What it is, my Caius, I shall unfold to thee, as we are going To whom it must be done. Ne'er look'd but on my back; when they shall see The face of Cæsar, they are vanished. Cal. Cæsar, 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. Cas. Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once. Of all the wonders that I yet have heard, It seems to me most strange that men should fear; 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. Cars. The gods do this in shame of cowardice: Cesar should be a beast without a heart, If he should stay at home to-day for fear. Cal. Alas, my lord, Cæs. Mark Antony shall say, I am not well; Here's Decius Brutus, he shall tell them so. I come to fetch you to the senate-house. Cæs. Shall Cæsar send a lie? Have I in conquest stretch'd mine arm so far, To be afeard to tell grey-beards the truth? Decius, go tell them, Cæsar will not come. Dec. Most mighty Cæsar, let me know some cause, Lest I be laugh'd at, when I tell them so. Cæs. 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 statua, 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, portents, 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, relicks, 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: I have an hour's talk in store for you; with me; [Exeunt. SCENE III. The same. A Street near the Capitol. Enter ARTEMIDORUS, reading a paper. Art. Cæsar, beware of Brutus; take heed of Cassius; come not near Casca; have an eye to Činna; 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: Security gives way to conspiracy. The mighty gods defend thee! Thy lover, 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 If thou read this, O Cæsar, thou may'st live; SCENE IV. [Exit. 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 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, know'st thou any harm's intended towards him? Sooth. None that I know will be, much that I fear may chance. Good morrow to you. [Erit. Here the street is narrow: The throng that follows Cæsar at the heels, Of senators, of prætors, common suitors, Will croud 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 enterprize! Sure, the boy heard me :- Brutus hath a suit, That Cæsar will not grant. — O, I grow faint: 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. [Exeunt. SCENE I. ACT III. The same. A croud of people in the street leading to the Capitol; Art. Hail, Cæsar! Read this schedule. Art. O, Cæsar, read mine first; for mine's a suit Sirrah, give place. Cas. What, urge you your petitions in the street? Come to the Capitol. CASAR enters the Capitol, the rest following. All the Senators rise. Bru. What said Popilius Lena? Cas. He wish'd, to-day our enterprize 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. CESAR and the Senators take their seats. 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. Caes. Are we all ready? what is now amiss, That Cæsar, and his senate, must redress? Met. Most high, most mighty, and most puissant Metellus Cimber throws before thy seat With that which melteth fools; I mean sweet words, If thou dost bend, and pray, and fawn, for him, Met. Is there no voice more worthy than my own, 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, 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, Caes. : Hence! Wilt thou lift up Olympus? Dec. Great Cæsar, Cæs. Doth not Brutus bootless kneel? Casca. Speak, hands, for me. [CASCA stabs CESAR in the neck. CÆSAR catches hold of his arm. He is then stabbed by several other Conspirators, and at last by MARCUS BRUTUS. Cas. Et tu, Brute? - Then fall, Cæsar. [Dies. The senators and people retire in confusion. Cin. Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead! → Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets. Cas. Some to the common pulpits, and cry out, Liberty, freedom, and enfranchisement ! Bru. People, and senators! be not affrighted; Fly not; stand still: - ambition's debt is paid. Casca. Go to the pulpit, Brutus. Dec. And Cassius too. Bru. Where's Publius? Cin. Here, quite confounded with this mutiny. Met. Stand fast together, lest some friend of Cæsar's Should chance Bru. Talk not of standing; Publius, good cheer; There is no harm intended to your person, Nor to no Roman else: so tell them, Publius. Cas. And leave us, Publius; lest that the people, Rushing on us, should do your age some mischief. Bru. Do so; and let no man abide this deed, But we the doers. Re-enter TREBONIUS. Cas. Where's Antony? 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: Cæsar was mighty, bold, royal, and loving: Say, I loved Butus, and I honour him ; Say, I fear'd Cæsar, honour'd him, and lov'd him. If Brutus will vouchsafe, that Antony May safely come to him, and be resolv'd How Cæsar hath deserv'd to lie in death, 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, 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. If I myself, there is no hour so fit With the most noble blood of all this world. I do beseech ye, if you bear me hard, Now, whilst your purpled hands do reek and smoke, Bru. O Antony! beg not your death of us. Our arms, in strength of malice, and our hearts, Bru. Only be patient, till we have appeas'd Ant. -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, hart; Here didst thou fall; and here thy hunters stand, Cas. Mark Antony, Ant. Pardon me, Caius Cassius. 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? 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 your Caesar'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. Woe to the hand that shed this costly blood! That mothers shall but smile, when they behold 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: And bid me say to you by word of mouth, O Cæsar! [Seeing the body. Ant. Thy heart is big, get thee apart and weep. Passion, I see, is catching; for mine eyes, Seeing those beads of sorrow stand in thine, Began to water. Is thy master coming? Serv. He lies to-night within seven leagues of Rome. Ant. Post back with speed, and tell him what hath chanc'd: Here is a mourning Rome, a dangerous Rome, Hie hence, and tell him so. Yet, stay a while; reasons, When severally we hear them rendered. [Exit CASSIUS, with some of the Citizens. BRUTUS goes into the Rostrum. 3 Cit. The noble Brutus is ascended: Silence! Bru. Be patient till the last. Romans, countrymen, and lovers! hear me for my cause; and be silent, that you may hear: believe me for mine honour; and have respect to mine honour, that you may believe: censure me in your wisdom; and awake your senses, that you may the better judge. If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Cæsar's, to him I say, that Brutus' love to Cæsar was no less than his. If then that friend demand, why Brutus rose against Cæsar, this is my answer,— Not that I loved Cæsar less, but that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Cæsar were living, and die all slaves; than that Cæsar were dead, to live all free men? As Cæsar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honour him but, as he was ambitious, I slew him: There is tears, for his love; joy, for his fortune; honour, for his valour; and death, for his ambition. Who is here so base, that would be a bondman? If any, speak; for him have I offended. Who is here so rude, that would not be a Roman ? If any, speak; for him have I offended. Who is here so vile, that will not love his country? If any, speak; for him have I offended. I pause for a reply. Cit. None, Brutus, none. [Several speaking at once. |