SCENE II.
The same.
Enter Cæsar; Antony, for the course; Calphurnia, Portia, 8 note
Decius, Cicero, Brutus, Cassius, Casca, a Soothsayer, &c.
Cæs.
Calphurnia,—
Casca.
Peace, ho! Cæsar speaks.
-- 8 --
Cæs.
Calphurnia,—
Calp.
Here, my lord.
Cæs.
Stand you directly in Antonius'9 note way,
When he doth run his course.—Antonius.
Ant.
Cæsar, my lord.
Cæs.
Forget not, in your speed, Antonius,
To touch Calphurnia: for our elders say,
The barren, touched in this holy chase,
Shake off their steril curse.
Ant.
I shall remember:
When Cæsar says, Do this, it is perform'd.
Cæs.
Set on; and leave no ceremony out.
Sooth.
Cæsar.
Cæs.
Ha! Who calls?
Casca.
Bid every noise be still:—Peace yet again.
Cæs.
Who is it in the press, that calls on me?
I hear a tongue, shriller than all the musick,
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.
-- 9 --
Cas.
Fellow, come from the throng: Look upon
Cæsar.
Cæs.
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.
[1 note
Sennet. Exeunt Cæsar, and Train.
Cas.
Will you go see the order of the course?
Bru.
Not I.
Cas.
I pray you, do.
Bru.
I am not gamesome; I do lack some part
Of that quick spirit that is in Antony.
Let me not hinder, Cassius, your desires;
I'll leave you.
Cas.
Brutus, I do observe you now of late:
I have not from your eyes that gentleness,
And shew of love, as I was wont to have:
You bear too stubborn and too 2 notestrange a hand
Over your friend that loves you.
Bru.
Cassius,
-- 10 --
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 3 note
passions of some difference,
Conceptions only proper to myself,
Which give some soil, perhaps, to my behaviours:
But let not therefore my good friends be griev'd;
(Among which number, Cassius, be you one)
Nor construe any further my neglect,
Than that poor Brutus, with himself at war,
Forgets the shews of love to other men.
Cas.
Then, Brutus, I have much mistook your passion;
By means whereof, this breast of mine hath bury'd
Thoughts of great value, worthy cogitations.
Tell me, good Brutus, can you see your face?
Bru.
No, Cassius: for the eye sees not itself4 note
,
But by reflection, by some other things.
Cas.
'Tis just:
And it is very much lamented, Brutus,
That you have no such mirrors, as will turn
Your hidden worthiness into your eye,
That you might see your shadow. I have heard,
Where many of the best respect in Rome,
(Except immortal Cæsar) speaking of Brutus,
-- 11 --
And groaning underneath this age's yoke,
Have wish'd that noble Brutus had his eyes.
Bru.
Into what dangers would you lead me, Cassius,
That you would have me seek into myself
For that which is not in me?
Cas.
Therefore, good Brutus, be prepar'd to hear:
And, since you know you cannot see yourself
So well as by reflection, I, your glass,
Will modestly discover to yourself
That of yourself which yet you know not of.
And be not jealous of me, gentle Brutus:
Were I a common laugher, or did use
2 noteTo stale with ordinary oaths my love
To every new protester; if you know
That I do fawn on men, and hug them hard,
And after scandal them; or if you know
That I profess myself in banqueting
To all the rout, then hold me dangerous.
[Flourish, and shout.
Bru.
What means this shouting? I do fear, the 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 ought toward the general good,
Set honour in one eye, and death i' the other,
4 noteAnd I will look on both indifferently:
-- 12 --
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,
As well as I do know your outward favour.
Well, honour is the subject of my story.—
I cannot tell, what you and other men
Think of this life; but, for my single self,
I had as lief not be, as live to be
In awe of such a thing as I myself.
I was born free as Cæsar; so were you:
We both have fed as well; and we can both
Endure the winter's cold, as well as he.
For once, upon a raw and gusty day,
The troubled Tyber chafing with his shores,
Cæsar said to me, Dar'st thou, Cassius, now
Leap in with me into this angry flood,
And swim to yonder point?—Upon the word,
Accoutred as I was, I plunged in,
And bade him follow: so, indeed, he did.
The torrent roar'd; and we did buffet it
With lusty sinews; throwing it aside,
And stemming it with hearts of controversy.
But ere we could arrive the point propos'd7 note
,
Cæsar cry'd, Help me, Cassius, or I sink.
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
Did I the tired Cæsar: And this man
Is now become a god; and Cassius is
A wretched creature, and must bend his body,
If Cæsar carelessly but nod on him.
-- 13 --
He had a fever when he was in Spain,
And, when the fit was on him, I did mark
How he did shake: 'tis true, this god did shake:
8 noteHis coward lips did from their colour fly;
And that same eye, whose bend doth awe the world,
Did lose his lustre: I did hear him groan:
Ay, and that tongue of his, that bade the Romans
Mark him, and write his speeches in their books,
Alas! it cry'd, Give me some drink, Titinius,
As a sick girl. Ye gods, it doth amaze me,
A man of such a feeble temper should
So 9 noteget the start of the majestick world,
And bear the palm alone.
[Shout. Flourish.
Bru.
Another general shout!
I do believe, that these applauses are
For some new honours that are heap'd on Cæsar.
Cas.
Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world,
Like a Colossus; and we petty men
Walk under his huge legs, and peep about
To find ourselves dishonourable graves.
Men at some time are masters of their fates:
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings.
Brutus, and Cæsar: What should be in that Cæsar?
Why should that name be sounded more than yours?
Write them together, yours is as fair a name;
-- 14 --
Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well1 note
;
Weigh them, it is as heavy; conjure with them,
Brutus will start a spirit as soon as Cæsar.
Now in the names of all the gods at once,
Upon what meat doth this our Cæsar feed,
That he is grown so great? Age, thou art sham'd:
Rome, thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods!
When went there by an age, since the great flood,
But it was fam'd with more than with one man?
When could they say, 'till now, that talk'd of Rome,
That her wide walls2 note incompass'd but one man?
Now is it Rome indeed, and room enough,
When there is in it but one only man.
O! you and I have heard our fathers say,
3 note
There was a Brutus once, that would have brook'd
The 4 note
eternal devil to keep his state in Rome,
As easily as a king.
Bru.
That you do love me, I am nothing jealous;
What you would work me to, I have some aim:
How I have thought of this, and of these times,
I shall recount hereafter; for this present,
I would not, so with love I might intreat you,
Be any further mov'd. What you have said,
I will consider; what you have to say,
I will with patience hear; and find a time
-- 15 --
Both meet to hear, and answer, such high things.
'Till then, my noble friend, 5 notechew upon this;
Brutus had rather be a villager,
Than to repute himself a son of Rome
Under such hard6 note conditions as this time
Is like to lay upon us.
Cas.
I am glad, that my weak words
Have struck but thus much shew of fire from Brutus.
Re-enter Cæsar, and his train.
Bru.
The games are done, and Cæsar is returning.
Cas.
As they pass by, pluck Casca by the sleeve;
And he will, after his sour fashion, tell you
What hath proceeded, worthy note, to-day.
Bru.
I will do so:—But, look you, Cassius,
The angry spot doth glow on Cæsar's brow,
And all the rest look like a chidden train:
Calphurnia's cheek is pale; and Cicero
Looks with such 7 noteferret and such fiery eyes,
As we have seen him in the Capitol,
Being cross'd in conference by some senators.
Cas.
Casca will tell us what the matter is.
Cæs.
Antonius.
Ant.
Cæsar.
Cæs.
Let me have men about me, that are fat;
Sleek-headed men, and such as sleep o'nights8 note
:
-- 16 --
Yon Cassius has a lean and hungry look;
He thinks too much: such men are dangerous.
Ant.
Fear him not, Cæsar, he's not dangerous;
He is a noble Roman, and well given.
Cæs.
9 note'Would he were fatter:—But I fear him not:
Yet if my name were liable to fear,
I do not know the man I should avoid
So soon as that spare Cassius. He reads much;
He is a great observer, and he looks
Quite through the deeds of men: he loves no plays,
As thou dost, Antony; he hears no musick:
Seldom he smiles; and smiles in such a sort,
As if he mock'd himself, and scorn'd his spirit
That could be mov'd to smile at any thing.
Such men as he be never at heart's ease,
Whiles they behold a greater than themselves;
And therefore are they very dangerous.
I rather tell thee what is to be fear'd,
Than what I fear; for always I am Cæsar.
Come on my right hand, for this ear is deaf,
And tell me truly what thou think'st of him.
[Exeunt Cæsar, and his train.
Manent Brutus and Cassius: Casca to them.
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.
-- 17 --
Casca.
Why you were with him, were you not?
Bru.
I should not then ask Casca what had chanc'd.
Casca.
Why, there was a crown offer'd him: and
being offer'd him, he put it by with the back of his
hand, thus; and then the people fell a' shouting.
Bru.
What was the second noise for?
Casca.
Why for that too.
Cas.
They shouted thrice; What was the last cry
for?
Casca.
Why for that too.
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?
Casca.
Why, Antony.
Bru.
Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casca.
Casca.
I can as well be hang'd, as tell the manner
of it: it was meer foolery, I did not mark it. I saw
Mark Antony offer him a crown;—yet 'twas not
a crown neither, 'twas one of these coronets1 note;—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
offer'd it to him again; then he put it by again: but,
to my thinking, he was very loth to lay his fingers
off it. And then he offer'd it the third time; he put
it the third time by: and still as he refus'd it, the
rabblement hooted, and clapp'd their chopt hands,
and threw up their sweaty night-caps, and utter'd
such a deal of stinking breath because Cæsar refus'd
the crown, that it had almost choak'd 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.
-- 18 --
Cas.
But, soft, I pray you: What? did Cæsar swoon?
Casca.
He fell down in the market-place, and
foam'd 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 pleas'd,
and displeas'd 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 refus'd the
crown, he pluck'd me ope his doublet, and offer'd
them his throat to cut.—An I had been a 2 noteman 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 desir'd
their worships to think it was his infirmity. Three
or four wenches, where I stood, cry'd, Alas, good
soul!—and forgave him with all their hearts: But
there's no heed to be taken of them; if Cæsar
had stabb'd their mothers, they would have done no
less.
Bru.
And after that, he came, thus sad, away?
Casca.
Ay.
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,
smil'd at one another, and shook their heads: but, for
-- 19 --
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?
Casca.
No, I am promis'd forth.
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: Farewel both.
[Exit.
Bru.
What a blunt fellow is this grown to be?
He was quick mettle, when he went to school.
Cas.
So is he now, in execution
Of any bold or noble enterprize,
However he puts on this tardy form.
This rudeness is a sauce to his good wit,
Which gives men stomach to digest his words
With better appetite.
Bru.
And so it is. For this time I will leave you:
To morrow, if you please to speak with me,
I will come home to you; or, if you will,
Come home to me, and I will wait for you.
Cas.
I will do so:—'till then, think of the world.
[Exit Brutus.
Well, Brutus, thou art noble: yet, I see,
3 note
Thy honourable metal may be wrought
From that it is dispos'd: Therefore 'tis meet
That noble minds keep ever with their likes:
For who so firm, that cannot be seduc'd?
Cæsar doth bear me hard; but he loves Brutus:
-- 20 --
4 note
If I were Brutus now, and he were Cassius,
He should not humour me. I will this night,
In several hands, in at his windows throw,
As if they came from several citizens,
Writings, all tending to the great opinion
That Rome holds of his name; wherein obscurely
Cæsar's ambition shall be glanced at:
And, after this, let Cæsar seat him sure;
For we will shake him, or worse days endure.
[Exit.
SCENE III.
A Street.
Thunder and lightning. Enter Casca, his sword drawn; and Cicero, meeting him.
Cic.
Good even, Casca: 5 noteBrought you Cæsar home?
Why are you breathless? and why stare you so?
Casca.
Are you not mov'd, when all the 6 notesway of earth
Shakes, like a thing unfirm? O Cicero,
-- 21 --
I have seen tempests, when the scolding winds
Have riv'd the knotty oaks; and I have seen
The ambitious ocean swell, and rage, and foam,
To be exalted with the threatning clouds:
But never 'till to-night, never 'till now,
Did I go through a tempest dropping fire.
Either there is a civil strife in heaven;
Or else the world, too saucy with the gods,
Incenses them to send destruction.
Cic.
Why, saw you any thing more wonderful?
Casca.
A common slave7 note (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,
8 note
Who glar'd 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,
-- 22 --
These are their reasons,—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 walk in.
Casca.
Farewel, Cicero.
[Exit Cicero.
Enter Cassius.
Cas.
Who's there?
Casca.
A Roman.
Cas.
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
Such dreadful heralds to astonish us.
Cas.
You are dull, Casca; and those sparks of life
That should be in a Roman, you do want,
-- 23 --
Or else you use not: You look pale, and gaze,
And put on fear, and cast yourself in wonder,
To see the strange impatience of the heavens:
But if you would consider the true cause,
Why all these fires, why all these gliding ghosts,
9 note
Why birds, and beasts, from quality and kind;
Why old men fools, 1 note
and children calculate;
Why all these things change, from their ordinance,
Their natures, and pre-formed faculties,
To monstrous quality; why, you shall find,
That heaven hath infus'd them with these spirits,
To make them instruments of fear, and warning,
Unto some monstrous state.
Now could I, Casca, name to thee a man
Most like this dreadful night;
That thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roars
As doth the lion in the Capitol:
A man no mightier than thyself, or me,
In personal action; yet prodigious grown2 note,
And fearful, as these strange eruptions are.
Casca.
'Tis Cæsar that you mean: Is it not, Cassius?
Cas.
Let it be who it is: for Romans now
3 note
Have thews and limbs like to their ancestors;
-- 24 --
But, woe the while! our fathers' minds are dead,
And we are govern'd with our mothers' spirits;
Our yoke and sufferance shew us womanish.
Casca.
Indeed, they say, the senators to-morrow
Mean to establish Cæsar as a king:
And he shall wear his crown, by sea, and land,
In every place, save here in Italy.
Cas.
I know where I will wear this dagger then;
Cassius from bondage will deliver Cassius:
Therein, ye gods, you make the weak most strong;
Therein, ye gods, you tyrants do defeat:
Nor stony tower, nor walls of beaten brass,
Nor airless dungeon, nor strong links of iron,
Can be retentive to the strength of spirit;
But life, being weary of these worldly bars,
Never lacks power to dismiss itself.
If I know this, know all the world besides,
That part of tyranny, that I do bear,
I can shake off at pleasure.
Casca.
So can I:
So every bondman in his own hand bears
The power to cancel his captivity.
Cas.
And why should Cæsar be a tyrant then?
Poor man! I know, he would not be a wolf,
But that he sees, the Romans are but sheep:
He were no lion, were not Romans hinds.
Those that with haste will make a mighty fire,
Begin it with weak straws: What trash is Rome,
What rubbish, and what offal, when it serves
For the base matter to illuminate
So vile a thing as Cæsar? But, O, grief!
Where hast thou led me? I, perhaps, speak this
Before a willing bondman: then I know
-- 25 --
4 noteMy answer must be made: But I am arm'd,
And dangers are to me indifferent.
Casca.
You speak to Casca: and to such a man,
That is no flearing tell-tale. 5 noteHold my hand:
6 noteBe factious for redress of all these griefs;
And I will set this foot of mine as far,
As who goes farthest.
Cas.
There's a bargain made.
Now know you, Casca, I have mov'd already
Some certain of the noblest-minded Romans,
To undergo, with me, an enterprize
Of honourable-dangerous consequence;
And I do know, by this, they stay for me
In Pompey's porch: For now, this fearful night,
There is no stir, or walking in the streets;
And the complexion of the element,
7 note
It favours like the work we have in hand,
Most bloody, fiery, and most terrible.
Enter Cinna.
Casca.
Stand close awhile, for here comes one in haste.
-- 26 --
Cas.
'Tis Cinna, I do know him by his gait;
He is a friend.—Cinna, where haste you so?
Cin.
To find out you: Who's that? Metellus Cimber?
Cas.
No, it is Casca; one incorporate
To our attempts. Am I not staid for, Cinna?
Cin.
I am glad on't. What a fearful night is this?
There's two or three of us have seen strange sights.
Cas.
Am I not staid for? Tell me.
Cin.
Yes,
You are. O, Cassius, if you could but win
The noble Brutus to our party—
Cas.
Be you content: Good Cinna, take this paper,
And look you lay it in the prætor's chair,
Where Brutus may but find it; and throw this
In at his window; set this up with wax
Upon old Brutus' statue: all this done,
Repair to Pompey's porch, where you shall find us.
Is Decius Brutus, and Trebonius, there?
Cin.
All but Metellus Cimber; and he's gone
To seek you at your house. Well, I will hie,
And so bestow these papers as you bade me.
Cas.
That done, repair to Pompey's theatre.
[Exit Cinna.
Come, Casca, you and I will, yet, ere day,
See Brutus at his house: three parts of him
Is ours already; and the man entire
Upon the next encounter, yields him ours.
Cas.
O, he sits high in all the people's hearts:
And that, which would appear offence in us,
His countenance, like richest alchymy,
Will change to virtue, and to worthiness.
Cas.
Him, and his worth, and our great need of him,
You have right well conceited. Let us go,
For it is after midnight; and, ere day,
We will awake him, and be sure of him.
[Exeunt.
-- 27 --
Samuel Johnson [1778], The plays of William Shakspeare. In ten volumes. With the corrections and illustrations of various commentators; to which are added notes by Samuel Johnson and George Steevens. The second edition, Revised and Augmented (Printed for C. Bathurst [and] W. Strahan [etc.], London) [word count] [S10901].