Cæs.
Calpurnia ^note!

Casca.
Peace, ho! Cæsar speaks. [Music ceases. ^note

Cæs.
Calpurnia!

Cal.
Here, my lord.

Cæs.
Stand you directly in Antonius' ^note way,
When he doth run his course. Antonius ^note!

Ant.
Cæsar, ^note my lord?

Cæs.
Forget not, in your speed, Antonius ^note,
To touch Calpurnia ^note; for our elders say,
The barren, touched in this holy chase,
Shake off their sterile curse ^note.

Ant.
I shall remember:
When Cæsar says ‘do this,’ it is perform'd.

Cæs.
Set on, and leave no ceremony out. [Flourish. ^note

Sooth.
Cæsar!

Cæs.
Ha! who calls? ^note

Casca.
Bid every noise be still: peace yet again! ^note

Cæs.
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 ^note you ^note beware the ides of March.

Cæs.
Set him before me; let me see his face.

Cas. ^note
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. [Sennet. ^note Exeunt ^note all but Brutus and Cassius. ^note

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 ^note.

Cas.
Brutus, I do observe you now ^note of late:
I have not from your eyes that gentleness
And show of love as I was wont to have:
You bear too stubborn and too strange a hand
Over your friend that loves ^note you.

Bru.
Cassius,
Be not deceived: if I have veil'd ^note my look,
I turn the trouble of my countenance
Merely upon myself. Vexed I am
Of late with passions of some difference,
Conceptions only proper to myself,
Which give some soil perhaps to my behaviours ^note;
But let not therefore my good friends be grieved—
Among which number, Cassius, be you one—
Nor construe any further ^note my neglect
Than that poor Brutus with himself at war
Forgets the shows of love to other men.

Cas.
Then, Brutus, I have much mistook ^note your passion;
By means whereof this breast of mine hath buried
Thoughts of great value, worthy cogitations.
Tell me, good Brutus, can you see your face ^note?

Bru.
No, Cassius; for the eye sees not itself ^note
But by reflection, by some ^note other things ^{note note}.

Cas.
'Tis just: ^note
And it is very much lamented, Brutus,
That you have no such mirrors ^note as will turn
Your hidden worthiness into your eye,
That you might see your shadow. I have heard ^note
Where many of the best respect in Rome,
Except immortal Cæsar, speaking of Brutus,
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 ^note,
That you would have me seek into myself

For that which is not in me?

Cas.
Therefore ^note, good Brutus, be prepared 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 you yet ^note know not of.
And be not jealous on ^note me, gentle Brutus:
Were ^note I a common laugher ^note, or did use
To 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 ^note 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 ^note.

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 ^note 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,
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 ^note 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 Tiber chafing ^note with her ^note shores,
Cæsar said ^note to me ‘Darest thou, Cassius, now
Leap in with me into this angry flood,
And swim to yonder point?’ Upon the word,
Accoutred ^note as I was, I plunged in
And bade ^note him follow: so indeed he did.
The torrent roar'd, and we ^note did buffet it
With lusty sinews, throwing it aside
And stemming it with hearts of controversy; ^note
But ere we could arrive the point proposed,
Cæsar cried ‘Help me, Cassius, or I sink!’
I ^note, as Æneas our great ancestor
Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder
The old Anchises bear ^note, so from the waves of Tiber ^note
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.
He had a fever ^note 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;
His coward lips did from their colour fly,
And that same eye whose bend doth awe the world
Did lose his ^note lustre: I did hear him groan:
Ay, and that tongue of his that bade the Romans

Mark him and write ^note his speeches in their books,
Alas ^note, it cried, ‘Give me some drink, Titinius,’
As a sick girl. Ye gods! it doth amaze me
A man of such a feeble temper should
So get the start of the majestic world
And bear the palm alone. [Shout. Flourish. ^note

Bru.
Another general ^note 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 ^note 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 ^note Cæsar?
Why should that name be sounded more than yours?
Write them together, yours is ^note as fair a name;
Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well;
Weigh them, it is as heavy; conjure with 'em ^note, ^note
Brutus will start a spirit ^note 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 shamed!
Rome, thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods!
When went there by an age, since the great flood,
But it was famed with more than with one man?
When could they say till now that talk'd of Rome
That her wide walls ^note encompass'd but one man?

Now is it Rome indeed, and room enough,
When there is in it but one only man. ^note
O, you and I have heard our fathers say
There was a Brutus once that would have brook'd
The eternal ^note devil to keep his state in Rome
As easily as a king.

Bru.
That you do love me, I am nothing jealous; ^note
What you would work me to, I have some aim ^note:
How I have thought ^note of this and of these times,
I shall recount hereafter; for this present,
I would not, so with love I might entreat you, ^note
Be any further ^note moved. What you have said
I will consider; what you have to say
I will with patience hear, and find a time ^note
Both meet to hear and answer such high things.
Till then, my noble friend, chew upon this:
Brutus had rather be a villager
Than to repute himself a son of Rome
Under these ^note hard conditions as ^note this time
Is like to lay upon us.

Cas.
I am glad that my weak words ^note
Have struck but thus much show of fire from Brutus. ^{note note}

Bru.
The games are done, and Cæsar is returning.

Cas.
As they pass by, pluck Casca by the sleeve; ^note
And he will, after his sour fashion, tell you
What hath proceeded worthy note to-day. Re-enter ^note Cæsar and his Train.

Bru.
I will do so: but, look you, Cassius,

The angry spot doth glow ^note on Cæsar's brow,
And all the rest look like a chidden train:
Calpurnia's cheek is pale, and Cicero
Looks with such ferret and such fiery eyes
As we have seen him in the Capitol,
Being cross'd in conference by ^note some senators ^note.

Cas.
Casca will tell us what the matter is.

Cæs.
Antonius ^note!

Ant.
Cæsar? ^note

Cæs.
Let me have men about me that are fat,
Sleek-headed men, and such as sleep o' nights ^note:
Yond ^note 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.
Would he were fatter! but I fear him ^note 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 music:
Seldom he smiles, and smiles in such a sort
As if he mock'd himself and scorn'd his spirit
That could be moved to smile at any thing.
Such men as he be ^note never at heart's ease
Whiles ^note 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. [Sennet. Exeunt ^note Cæsar and all his Train but Casca. ^note

Casca.
You pull'd me by the cloak; would you speak with me?

Bru.
Ay, Casca; tell us what hath chanced to-day,
That Cæsar looks so sad.

Casca.
Why, you were with him, were you not? ^note

Bru.
I should not then ask Casca what had chanced.

Casca.

Why, there was a crown offered him: and being offered him, he put it by with the back of his hand, thus: and then the people fell a-shouting ^note.

Bru.

What was the second noise for?

Casca.

Why ^note, for that too.

Cas.

They shouted thrice: what was the last cry for?

Casca.

Why ^note, for that too.

Bru.

Was the crown offered him ^note 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 offered 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 ^note mere foolery; I did not mark it. I saw Mark Antony offer him a crown: yet 'twas not a crown neither, 'twas 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 rabblement hooted ^note

and clapped their chopped ^note 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 swounded ^note 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 swound ^note?

Casca.

He fell down in the market-place and foamed at mouth and was speechless.

Bru.
'Tis very like: he ^note 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 ^note 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 perceived the common herd was glad he refused the crown, he plucked me ope his doublet and offered them his throat to cut. An ^note I had been a man of any occupation, if I would not have taken him at a word ^note, 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 ^note heed to be taken of them; if Cæsar had stabbed ^note their mothers, they would have done no less.

Bru.

And after that, he came, thus sad, away? ^note

Casca.

Ay.

Cas.

Did Cicero say any thing?

Casca.

Ay, he spoke Greek.

Cas.

To what effect?

Casca.

Nay, an ^note 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 ^note 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 promised forth.

Cas.

Will you dine with me to-morrow?

Casca.

Ay, if I be alive, and your mind ^note hold, and your dinner worth ^note the eating.

Cas.
Good; I will expect you.

Casca.
Do so: farewell, both. [Exit.

Bru.
What a blunt fellow is this grown to be!
He was quick mettle ^note when he went to school.

Cas.
So is he now in execution
Of any bold or noble enterprise,
However he puts on this tardy form.
This rudeness is a sauce to his good wit,
Which gives men stomach to digest ^note his words
With better appetite ^note.

Bru.
And so it is. For this time ^note I will leave you ^{note note}:
To-morrow, if you ^note please to speak with ^note me,
I will come ^note home to you, or, if you will,

Come home to ^note 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 ^note, I see,
Thy honourable metal ^note may be wrought
From that ^note it is disposed ^note: therefore ^note it is ^note meet
That noble minds keep ever with their likes;
For who so firm that cannot be seduced?
Cæsar doth bear me hard; but he loves Brutus:
If I were Brutus now and he were Cassius,
He should not humour ^note 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. ^note

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