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Which gives men ftomach to digeft his words
With better appetite.

Bru. And fo 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.

Do fo conjointly meet, let not men say,
Thefe are their reafons,-They are natural;
For, I believe, they are portentous things
Unto the climate that they point upon.

Cic. Indeed, it is a strange-difpofed time :
But men may conftrue things after their fathion,

Caf. I will do fo:-till then, think of the world:Clean from the purpose of the things themselves.

[Exit Brutus.

Well, Brutus, thou art noble: yet, I fee,
Thy honourable metal may be wrought
From that it is difpos'd: Therefore 'tis meet
That noble minds keep ever with their likes:
For who fo firm, that cannot be feduc'd ?
Cæfar doth bear me hard; but he loves Brutus :
If I were Brutus now, and he were Caffius,
He fhould not humour me 2. I will this night,
In feveral hands, in at his windows throw,
As if they came from feveral citizens,
Writings, all tending to the great opinion
That Rome holds of his name; wherein obfcurely
Cæfar's ambition thall be glanced at:
And, after this, let Cæfar feat him fure;
For we will shake him, or worfe days endure.

SCENE

III.

A Street.

[Exit.

Comes Cafar to the Capitol to-morrow?

Cafea. He doth: for he did bid Antonius
Send word to you, he would be there to-morrow.
Cic. Good night then, Cafca: this difturbed sky
Is not to walk in.

Cafca. Farewel, Cicero.
Enter Caffius.

[Exit Cicero.

Caf. Who's there?
Cafca. A Roman.
Caf. Caica, by your voice.
[this?
Cafea. Your ear is good. Caffius, what night is
Caf. A very pleasing night to honest men.
Cafea. Who ever knew the heavens menace fo?
Caf. Thofe, that have known the earth fo full of
faults.

For my part, I have walk'd about the streets,
Submitting me unto the perilous night;
And, thus unbraced, Caíca, as you fee,
Have bar'd my bofom to the thunder-itone:
And, when the crofs blue lightning feem'd to open
The breaft of heaven, I did prefent myself

Thunder and Lightning. Enter Cafea, his fword Even in the aim and very flash of it.

drawn; and Cicero, meeting him.

Cic. Good even, Cafca: Brought you Cæfar

home?

Why are you breathlefs? and why flare you fo?
Cafca. Are you not mov'd, when all the fway

of earth 3

Shakes, like a thing unfirm? O Cicero,
I have feen tempefts, when the fcolding winds
Have riv'd the knotty oaks; and I have feen
The ambitious ocean fwell, and rage, and foam,
To be exalted with the threatning clouds:
But never 'till to-night, never 'till now,
Did I go through a tempeft dropping fire.
Either there is a civil ftrife in heaven;
Or elfe the world, too faucy with the gods,
Incenfes them to fend deftruction.

Cic. Why, faw you any thing more wonderful?
Cafea. A common flave (you know him well by
fight)

Held up his left hand, which did flame, and burn
Like twenty torches join'd; and yet his hand,
Not fenfible of fire, reniain'd unfcorch'd.
Befides, (I have not fince put up my fword)
Againft the Capitol I met a lion,
Who glar'd upon me, and went furly by,
Without annoying me and there were drawn
Upon a heap a hundred ghaftly women,
Transformed with their fear; who fwore, they faw
Men, all in fire, walk up and down the streets.
And, yesterday, the bird of night did fit,
Even at noon-day, upon the market-place,
Hooting, and fhrieking. When thefe prodigies

Cafca. But wherefore did you fo much tempt

the heavens ?

It is the part of men to fear and tremble,
When the moft mighty gods, by tokens, fend
Such dreadful heralds to aftonish us.

[life

Caf. You are dull, Caica; and thofe fparks of
That thould be in a Roman, you do want,
Or elfe you use not: You look pale, and gaze,
And put on fear, and caft yourself in wonder,
To fee the ftrange impatience of the heavens :
But if you would confider the true cause,
Why all thefe fires, why all thefe gliding ghofts,
Why birds, and beafts, from quality and kind 4;
Why old men fools, and children calculate 5;
Why all theie things change, from their ordinance,
Their natures, and pre-formed faculties,
To monitrous quality; why, you shall find,
That heaven hath infus'd them with theie fpirits,
To make them inftruments of fear, and warning,
Unto fome monttrous itate.

Now could I, Cafca, name to thee a man
Moft like this dreadful night,

That thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roars
As doth the lion in the Capitol :

A man no mightier than thyfelf, or me,
In perfonal action; yet prodigious ⚫ grown,
And fearful, as thefe (trange eruptions are.
Cafca.'Tis Cæfar that you mean: Is it not, Cadius?
Gaj. Let it be who it is: for Romans now
Have thews 7 and limbs like to their ancestors;
But, woe the while! our fathers' minds are dead,
And we are govern'd with our mothers' fpirits;

1 i. e. The best metal or temper may be worked into qualities contrary to its original conftitution. a The meaning is, Cæfar loves Brutus, but if Brutus and I were to change places, his love fhould not humour me, thould not take hold of my affection, to as to make me forget my principles. 3 The whole weight or momentum of this globe. 4 i. e. why they deviate from quality and nature. si. e. foretel or prophesy. nerves or muscular ftrength.

Prodigious is portentous. 7 Thewes is an obiolete word implying

Our

Our yoke and fufferance fhew us womanish.
Cafea. Indeed, they fay, the fenators to-morrow
Mean to establish Caefar as a king:

And he fhall wear his crown by fea, and land,
In every place, fave here in Italy.

Caf. I know where I will wear this dagger then;
Caffius from bondage will deliver Caffius:
Therein, ye gods, you make the weak most strong;
Therein, ye gods, you tyrants do defeat:
Nor ftony tower, nor walls of beaten brafs,
Nor airless dungeon, nor ftrong links of iron,
Can be retentive to the strength of spirit;
But life, being weary of thefe worldly bars,
Never lacks power to difmifs itself.

If I know this, know all the world befides,
That part of tyranny, that I do bear,
I can shake off at pleasure.
Cafea. So can I:

So every bondman in his own hand bears
The power to cancel his captivity.

Caf. And why should Cæfar be a tyrant then?
Poor man! I know, he would not be a wolf,
But that he fees, the Romans are but theep;
He were no lion, were not Romans hinds.
Thofe that with haste will make a mighty fire,
Begin it with weak straws: What trash is Rome,
What rubbish, and what offal, when it ferves
For the bafe matter to illuminate

So vile a thing as Cæfar? But, O, grief!
Where haft thou led me? I, perhaps, fpeak this
Before a willing bondman: then I know
My answer muft be made: But I am arm'd,
And dangers are to me indifferent.

:

Cafea. You speak to Cafca: and to fuch a man, That is no flearing tell-tale. Hold my hand Be factious for redrefs of all these griefs; And I will fet this foot of mine as far, As who goes fartheft.

Caf. There's a bargain made.

Now know you, Cafca, I have mov'd already
Some certain of the nobleft-minded Romans,
To undergo, with me, an enterprize
Of honourable-dangerous confequence;
And I do know, by this, they stay for me

In Pompey's porch: For now, this fearful night,
There is no ftir or walking in the streets;
And the complexion of the element,

It favours 3 like the work we have in hand,
Most bloody, fiery, and most terrible.
Enter Cinna.

Cafea. Stand clofe awhile, for here comes one in hafte.

Caf. "Tis Cinna, I do know him by his gait ; He is a friend.-Cinna, where hafte you fo? Cin. To find out you: Who's that? Metellus Cimber?

Caf. No, it is Cafca; one incorporate To our attempts. Am I not ftaid for, Cinna ? Gin. I am glad on't. What a fearful night is this! There's two or three of us have feen ftrange fights. Caf. Am I not ftaid for? Tell me.

Cin. Yes,

You are. O, Caffius, if you could but win The noble Brutus to our party———

[per,

Caf. Be you content: Good Cinna, take this paAnd look you lay it in the prætor's chair, Where Brutus may but find it; and throw this In at his window; fet this up with wax Upon old Brutus' ftatue: 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 feek you at your house. Well, I will hie, And fo beftow thefe papers as you bade me.

Caf. That done, repair to Pompey's theatre.

[Exit Ginna.

Come, Cafca, you and I will, yet, ere day,
See Brutus at his houfe: three parts of him
Is ours already; and the man entire,
Upon the next encounter, yields him ours.

Cafea. O, he fits 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. [him,
Caf. Him, and his worth, and our great need of
You have right well conceited.
Let us go,

For it is after midnight; and, ere day,
We will awake him, and be fure of him.[Exeunt.

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And then, I grant, we put a sting in him,
That at his will he may do danger with.
The abufe of greatnefs is, when it disjoins
Remorfe1 from power: And, to speak truth of Cæfar,
I have not known when his affections fway'd
More than his reafon. But 'tis a common proof 2,
That lowlinefs 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, fcorning the bafe degrees 3
By which he did afcend: So Cæfar may;
Then, left he may, prevent. And, fince the quarrel
Will bear no colour for the thing he is,
Fashion it thus; that what he is, augmented,
Would run to thefe, and thefe extremities:
And therefore think him as a ferpent's egg,
Which, hatch'd, would, as his kind, grow mif-
And kill him in the fhell.
[chievous;

Re-enter Lucius.

Luc. The taper burneth in your clofet, fir. Searching the window for a flint, I found This paper, thus feal'd up; and, I am fure, It did not lie there, when I went to bed.

Bru. Get you to bed again, it is not day. Is not to-morrow, boy, the ides of March? Luc. 1 know not, fir.

Bru. Look in the kalendar, and bring me word. Luc. I will, fir.

[Exit.

Bru. The exhalations, whizzing in the air, Give fo much light, that I may read by them. [Opens the letter, and read.. "Brutus, thou fleep'ft; awake, and fee thyfelf. "Shall Rome- -Speak, ftrike, redrefs! "Brutus, thou fleep'it; awake,—" Such inftigations have been often dropp'd Where I have took them up.

"Shall Rome" Thus must I piece it out;
Shall Rome stand under one man's awe? What!
My ancestors did from the streets of Rome [Rome?
The Tarquin drive, when he was call'd a king.
"Speak, ftrike, redrefs !"-Am I entreated
To fpeak, and ftrike? O Rome! I make thee pro-
If the redrefs will follow, thou receivett
Thy full petition at the hand of Brutus !
Re-enter Lucius.

[mife,

Luc. Sir, March is wafted fourteen days. [Knocks within. Bru. 'Tis good. Go to the gate; fomebody knocks. [Exit Lucius. Since Caffius firft did whet me againft Cæfar, I have not flept.

Between the acting of a dreadful thing,
And the firit motion, all the interim is
Like a phantafma, or a hideous dream :
The genius, and the mortal inftruments,
Are then in council+; and the state of man,

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They are the faction. O confpiracy!
Sham'it thou to fhew thy dangerous brow by night,
When evils are moft free? O, then, by day,
Where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough [racy;
To matk thy monftrous vifage? Seek none, confpi-
Hide it in fmiles, and affability:

For if thou path, thy native femblance on ",
Not Erebus itfelf were dim enough

To hide thee from prevention.

Enter Caffius, Cafea, Decius, Cinna, Metellus, and Trebonius.

Caf. 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 thefe men, that come along with you?

Caf. Yes, every man of them; and no man here,
But honours you and every one doth with,
You had but that opinion of yourself,
Which every noble Roman bears of you.
This is Trebonius.

Bru. He is welcome hither.
Caf. This, Decius Brutus.

Bra. He is welcome too.

Caf. This, Cafca; this, Cinna;

And this, Metellus Cimber.

Bru. They are all welcome.

What watchful cares do inter pose themselves
Betwixt your eyes and night ?
Caf. Shall I entreat a word ? [They whiper.
Dec. Here lies the eaft: Doth not the day break
Cafea. No.
There ?

Cin. O, pardon, fir, it doth; and yon grey lines, That fret the clouds, are meflengers of day.

Cafea. You shall confefs, that you are both deceiv'd.

Here, as I point my fword, the fun arifes;
Which is a great way growing on the fouth,
Weighing the youthful feafon of the year.
Some two months hence, up higher toward the north
He first prefent, his fire; and the high eaft
Stands, as the Capitol, directly here.

Bru. Give me your hands all over, one by one.
Caf. And let us fwear our refolution.
Bru. No, not an oath; If not the face of men,

1 i. e. pity. 2i e. common experiment. 3 i. e. low steps. 4 Shakspeare here defcribes what paffes in a fingle bofom, the infurrellion which a confpirator feels agitating the little kingdom of his own mind; when the genius, or power that watches for his protection, and the mortal instruments, the paffions which excite him to a deed of honour and danger, are in council and debate; when the delire of action, and the care of fafety, keep the mind in continual fluctuation and disturbance. 5 Caffius married Junia, Butus' filter. i. e. if thou walk in thy true form.

6

The

The fufferance of our fouls, the time's abuse,—
If these be motives weak, break off betimes,
And every man hence to his idle bed;
So let high-fighted tyranny range on,
'Till each man drop by lottery 1. But if thefe,
As I am fure they do, bear fire enough
To kindle cowards, and to steel with valour
The melting fpirits of women; then, countrymen,
What need we any fpur, but our own caufe,
To prick us to redrefs? what other bond,
Than fecret Romans, that have spoke the word,
And will not palter? and what other oath,
Than honefty to honefty engag'd,

That this fhall be, or we will fall for it?
Swear priefts, and cowards, and men cautelous 2,
Old feeble carrions, and fuch fuffering fouls
That welcome wrongs; unto bad caufes fwear
Such creatures as men doubt: but do not stain
The even virtue of our enterprize,
Nor the infuppreffive mettle of our fpirits,
To think, that, or our caufe, or our performance,
Did need an oath; when every drop of blood,
That every Roman bears, and nobly bears,
Is guilty of a feveral bastardy,

If he do break the fmalleft particle
Of any promife that hath pait from him.

Caf. But what of Cicero? Shall we found him?
I think, he will stand very ftrong with us.
Cafca. Let us not leave him out.
Cin. No, by no means.

Met. O, let us have him; for his filver hairs
Will purchase us a good opinion,

And buy men's voices to commend our deeds:
It fhall be faid, his judgement rul'd our hands;
Our youths, and wildnefs, fhall no whit appear,
But all be bury'd in his gravity.

[him;

Bru. O, name him not let us not break with
For he will never follow any thing
That other men begin.

Caf. Then leave him out.
Cafea. Indeed, he is not fit.

Dec. Shall no man elfe be touch'd, but only Cæfar?
Caf. Decius, well urg'd :-I think, it is not meet,
Mark Antony, fo well belov'd of Cefar,
Should out-live Cæfar: We shall find of him
A fhrewd contriver; and, you know, his means,
If he improve them, may well ftretch fo far,
As to annoy us all : which to prevent,
Let Antony and Cæfar fall together.

[Caffius,

Bru. Our courfe will feem too bloody, Caius
To cut the head off, and then hack the limbs;
Like wrath in death, and envy afterwards:
For Antony is but a limb of Cæfar.

Let us be facrificers, but not butchers, Caius.
We all ftand up against the spirit of Cæfar;
And in the spirit of men there is no blood :

1 Perhaps the poet here alludes to the custom of foldier, in a general mutiny, for punishment.

O, that we then could come by Cæfar's fpirit,
And not difmember Cæfar! But, alas,
Cæfar muft bleed for it! And, gentle friends,
Let's kill him boldly, but not wrathfully;
Let's carve him as a difh fit for the gods,
Not hew him as a carcafe fit for hounds:
And let our hearts, as fubtle mafters do,
Stir up their fervants to an act of rage,
And after feem to chide them. This fhall make
Our purpofe neceffary, and not envious :
Which fo appearing to the common eyes,
We shall be call'd purgers, not murderers.
And for Mark Antony, think not of him;
For he can do no more than Cafar's arm,
When Cæfar's head is off.

Caf. Yet I fear him:
For in the ingrafted love he bears to Cæfar,——
Bru. Alas, good Caffius, do not think of him:
If he love Cæfar, all that he can do

Is to himself; take thought 3, and die for Cæfar :
And that were much he should; for he is given
To fports, to wildness, and much company.
Treb. There is no fear in him; let him not die;
For he will live, and laugh at this hereafter.
[Clock frikes

Bru. Peace, count the clock.
Caf. The clock hath ftrucken three.
Treb. 'Tis time to part.

Caf. But it is doubtful yet,

Whe'r Cæfar will come forth to-day, or no :
For he is fuperftitious grown of late;
Quite from the main opinion he held once
Of fantafy, of dreams, and ceremonies :
It may be, these apparent prodigies,
The unaccustom'd terror of this night,
And the perfuafion of his augurers,
May hold him from the Capitol to-day.

Dec. Never fear that: If he be fo refolv'd,
I can o'erfway him: for he loves to hear,
That unicorns may be betray'd with trees,
And bears with giaffes, elephants with holes,
Lions with toils, and men with flatterers :
But, when I tell him, he hates flatterers,
He fays, he does; being then most flattered.
Let me work :

For I can give his humour the true bent;
And I will bring him to the Capitol.

Caf. Nay, we will all of us be there to fetch him.
Bru. By the eighth hour: Is that the uttermoft ?
Cin. Be that the uttermoft, and fail not then.
Met. Caius Ligarius doth bear Cæfar hard,
Who rated him for fpeaking well of Pompey;
I wonder, none of you have thought of him.

Bru. Now, good Metellus, go along to him: He loves me well, and I have given him reafons; Send him but hither, and I'll fashion him.

decimation, i. e. the selection by lot of every tenth 2 i. c. cautious. 3 That is, turn melancholy, 4 Unicorns are laid to have been taken by one who, running behind a tree, eluded the violent pufh the animal was making at him, fo that his horn fpent its force on the trunk, and fuck fast, detaining the beaft till he was difpatched by the hunter. Bears are reported to have been furprised by means of a mirror, which they would gaze on, affording their purfuers an opportunity of taking the futer aim. Elephants were feduced into pitfalls lightly covered with hurdles and turf, on which a proper bait to tempt them was expofed. 5. e. hates Cælar.

Caj.

Caf. The morning comes upon us : We'll leave I charm you, by my once commended beauty, you, Brutus :By all your vows of love, and that great vow And, friends, difperfe yourfelves: but all remember Which did incorporate and make us one, What you have faid, and thew youríelves true Ro-That you unfold to me, yourself, your half, Why you are heavy: and what men to-night Have had refort to you for here have been Some fix or feven, who did hide their faces Even from darkness.

mans.

Bu. Good gentlemen, look fresh and merrily;
Let not our looks put on our purposes;
But bear it as our Roman actors do,
With untir'd fpirits, and formal conftancy :
And fo, good-morrow to you every one. [Exeunt.
Manet Brutus.

Boy! Lucius -Faft afleep? It is no matter;
Enjoy the honey-heavy dew of flumber :
Thou haft no figures, nor no fantafies,
Which bufy care draws in the brains of men;
Therefore thou sleep'it so found.

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Bru. Portia, what mean you? Wherefore rife you
It is not for your health, thus to commit
Your weak condition to the raw cold morning.
Por. Nor for yours neither. You have ungen-
tly, Brutus,

Stole from my bed: And yefternight, at fupper,
You fuddenly arose, and walk'd about,
Mufing, and fighing, with your arms across :
And when I afk'd you what the matter was,
You ftar'd upon me with ungentle looks:

I urg'd you further; then you fcratch'd your head,'
And too impatiently ft.mp'd with your foot:
Yet I infifted, yet you anfwer'd not ;
But, with an angry wafture of your hand,
Gave fign for me to leave you: So I did;
Fearing to frengthen that impatience,
Which feem'd too much enkindled; and, withal,
Hoping it was but an effect of humour,
Which fometime hath his hour with every man.
It will not let you eat, nor talk, nor fleep;
And, could it work fo much upon your thape,
As it hath much prevail'd on your condition,
I fhould 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 wife, and, were he not in health,
He would embrace the means to come by it.

Bru. Why, fo I do :-Good Portia, go to bed.
Por. Is Brutus fick and is it physical
To walk unbraced, and fuck up the humours
Of the dank morning? What, is Brutus fick;
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 fickness? No, my Brutus;
You have fome fick offence within your mind,
Which, by the right and virtue of my place,
I ought to know of: And, upon my knees,

Bra. Kneel not, gentle Portia.

Por. I fhould not need, if you were gentle Brutus.
Within the bond of marriage, tell me, Brutus,
Is it excepted, I should know no fecrets
That appertain to you? Am I yourself,
But, as it were, in fort, or limitation;
To keep with you at meals, comfort your bed,
And talk to you fometimes? Dwell I but in
the fuburbs

Of your good pleasure 2? If it be no more,
Portia is Brutus' harlot, not his wife.

[fecret.

Bru. You are my true and honourable wife;
As dear to me as are the ruddy drops
That vifit my fad heart.
Por. If this were true, then fhould I know this
I grant, I am a woman; but, withal,
A woman that lord Brutus took to wife:
I grant, I am a woman; but, withal,
A woman well-reputed; Cato's daughter.
Think you, I am no ftronger than my fex,
Being fo father'd, and fo hufbanded ?"
Tell me your counfels, I will not difclose them :
I have made ftrong proof of my conttancy,
Giving myfelf a voluntary wound

Here, in the thigh: can 1 bear that with patience,
And not my hufband's fecrets ?

Bru. O ye gods,

[Knock

Render me worthy of this noble wife!
Hark, bark! one knocks: Portra, go in a while;
And by and by thy bofom fhail partake
The fecrets of my heart.

All my engagements I will conftrue to thee,
All the charactery 3 of my fad brows:----
Leave me with haste.

[Exit Portia.

[you

Enter Lucius, and Ligarius.
Lucius, who is that knocks?
Luc. Here is a fick man that would fpeak with
Bru. Caius Ligarius, that Metellus fpake of.-
Boy, ftand afide.-Caius Ligarius! how?

Lig. Vouchfafe good morrow from a feeble

tongue.

[Caius,
Bru. O, what a time have you chofe out, brave
To wear a kerchief? 'Would you were not fick !
Lig. I am not fick, 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,

Comfort your bed, "is but an odd phrafe, and gives as odd an idea," fays Mr. Theobald. He therefore fubftitutes, confort. But this good old word, however difufed through modern refinement, was not fo difcarded by Shakspeare. Henry VIII. as we read in Cavendifn's Life of Wolfey, in commendation of queen Katharine, in public faid, “She hath beene to me a true obedient wife, and as comfortable as I could with." In our marriage ceremony, allo, the hulband promifes to comfort his wife; and Barrett's Alvearie, or Quadruple Dictionary, 1582, fays, that to comfort is, " "create, to folace, to make paftime." 2 Perhaps here is an allufion to the place in which the harlots of Shakspeare's age refided, 3. e. all that is character'd on, &c.

to re

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