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JULIUS CÆSAR.

JULIUS CAESAR.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

OCTAVIUS CESAR, Triumvirs, after the Death
MARCUS ANTONIUS,
M. MIL. LEPIDUS,

of Julius Cæsar.

CICERO, PUBLIUS, POPILIUS LENA, Senators.

MARCUS BRUTUS,

CASSIUS,

CASCA,

TREBONIUS,

LIGARIUS,

DECIUS BRUTUS,

METELLUS CIMBER,

ARTEMIDORUS, a Sophist of Cnidos.
A Soothsayer.

CINNA, a Poet.-Another Poet.

LUCILIUS, TITINIUS, MESSALA, Young CATO, and Vo
LUMNIUS, Friends to Brutus and Cassius.
VARRO, CLITUS, CLAUDIUS, STRATO, LUCIUS, DAR
DANIUS, Servants to Brutus.

PINDARUS, Servant to Cassius.

Conspirators against Julius CALPHURNIA, Wife to Cæsar.

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Cæsar.

PORTIA, Wife to Brutus.

Senators, Citizens, Guards, Attendants, &c. Scene, during a great part of the Play, at Rome; afterwards at Sardis; and near Philippi.

ACT I.

SCENE I.-Rome.-A Street.

Enter FLAVIUS, MARULLUS, and a Rabble of Citizens. Flav. Hence; home, you idle creatures, get you

home;

Is this a holiday? What! know you not,
Being mechanical, you ought not walk,
Upon a labouring day, without the sign

Of your profession ?-Speak, what trade art thou? 1 Cit. Why, Sir, a carpenter.

Mar. Where is thy leather apron, and thy rule? What dost thou with thy best apparel on?You, Sir; what trade are you?

2 Cit. Truly, Sir, in respect of a fine workman, I am but, as you would say, a cobler.

Mar. But what trade art thou? Answer me directly.

2 Cit. A trade, Sir, that, I hope, I may use with a safe conscience; which is, indeed, Sir, a mender

of bad soals.

Mar. What trade, thou knave? Thou naughty knave, what trade?

2 Cit. Nay, I beseech you, Sir, be not out with me: yet, if you be out, Sir, I can mend you. Mar. What meanest thou by that? Mend me, thou saucy fellow?

2 Cit. Why, Sir, cobble you.

Flav. Thou art a cobler, art thou?

2 Cit. Truly, Sir, all that I live by is, with the awl: I meddle with no tradesman's matters, nor women's matters, but with awl. I am, indeed, Sir, a surgeon to old shoes; when they are in great danger, I recover them. As proper men as ever trod upon neat's-leather, have gone upon my handy-work.

Flav. But wherefore art not in thy shop to-day? Why dost thou lead these men about the streets?

2 Cit. Truly, Sir, to wear out their shoes, to get myself into more work. But, indeed, Sir, we make holiday to see Cæsar, and to rejoice in his triumph.

Mar. Wherefore rejoice? What conquest brings he home?

What tributaries follow him to Rome,
To grace in captive bonds his chariot wheels?
You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless

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That Tyber trembled underneath Irer banks,
To hear the replication of your sounds,
Made in her concave shores ?

And do you now put on your best attire?
And do you now call out a holiday?
And do you now strew flowers in his way,
That comes in triumph over Pompey's blood?
Be gone;

Run to your houses, fall upon your knees,
Pray to the gods to intermit the plague
That needs must light on this ingratitude.

Flav. Go, go, good countrymen, and, for this fault,

Assemble all the poor men of your sort;
Draw them to Tyber banks, and weep your tears
Into the channel, till the lowest stream
Do kiss the most exalted shores of all.

[Exeunt Citizens.
See, whe'r their basest metal be not moved ;
They vanish tongue-tied in their guiltiness.
Go you down that way towards the Capitol;
This way will I disrobe the images,
If you do find them deck'd with ceremonies t
Mar. May we do so?

You know, it is the feast of Lupercal.

Flav. It is no matter; let no images Be hung with Cæsar's trophies. I'll about, And drive away the vulgar from the streets: So do you too, where you perceive them thick. These growing feathers pluck'd from Cæsar's wing, Will make him fly an ordinary pitch; Who else would soar above the view of men, And keep us all in servile fearfulness.

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Sooth. Cæsar.

Cas. Ha! Who calls?

Casca. Bid every noise be still :-Peace yet again.
[Music ceases.
Cas. Who is it in the press, that calls on me?
I hear a tongue, shriller than all the music,
Cry, Casar: Speak; Cæsar is turn'd to hear.
Cooth. Beware the ides of March.

Cas. What man is that?

For, let the gods so speed me, as I love
The name of honour inore 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.

Bru. A soothsayer, bids you beware the ides of I was born free as Cæsar; so were you:
March.

Cas. Set him before me, let me see his face.
Cas. Fellow, come from the throng: look upon
Cæsar.

Cas. What say'st thou to me now? Speak once
again.

Sooth. Beware the ides of March.
Cas. He is a dreamer; let us leave him ;-Pass.
[Sennet-Exeunt all but Bru. and Cas.
Cas. Will you go see the order of the course?
Bru. Not I.

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Be not deceived: if I have veil'd 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:
But let not therefore my good friends be grieved;
(Among which number, Cassins, be you one ;)
Nor construe any further 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 your
passion t,

By means whereof, this breast of mine hath buried
Thoughts of great value, worthy cogitations.
Tell me, good Brutus, can you see your face?
Bru. No, Cassius: for the eye sees not itself,
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,
And groaning underneath this age's yoke,
Have wish'd that noble Brutus had his eyes.
Bru. Into what dangers would you lead
Cassius,

That you would have me seek into myself
For that which is not in me?

Cas. Therefore, good Brutus, be prepared
hear:

me,

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 her shores,
Cæsar said to me, Darest thou, Cassius, now
Leap in with me into this angry flood,
And swim to yonder point? Upon the word,
Accouter'd 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 proposed,
Cæsar cried, Help me, Cassinis, or 1 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.
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:
His 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 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.

Bru. Another general shout!

[Shout.-Flourish.

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;
Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well;
Weigh them, it is as heavy; conjure them,
Brutus will start a spirit as soon as Casar. [Shout.
Now in the names of all the gods at once,
to 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 walks encompass'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,
There was a Brutus once, that would have brook'd
The eternal devil to keep his state in Rome,
As easily as a king.

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 know not of.
And be not jealous of me, gentle Brutus:
Were I a common laugher, or did use
To stale with ordinary oaths my love
To every new protestor; 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 aught toward the general good,
Set honour in one eye, and death i' the other,
And I will look on both indifferently:

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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 entreat you,
Be any further moved. What you have said,
I will consider; what you have to say,
I will with patience hear: and find a time
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

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Under these hard conditions as this time
Is like to lay upon us.

Cas. I am glad, that my weak words
Have struck but thus much show of fire from Brutus.

Re enter CESAR, and his Train.

Bru. The games are done, and Cæsar is return-
ing.

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 ferret 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.
Cas. Antonius,

Ant. Cæsar.

Cas. Let me have men about me that are fat;
Sleek-headed men, and such as sleep o' nights:
Yond' 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.

Cas. '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 mach;
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 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 Casar and his Train.-Casca stays
behind.

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

Bru. Ay, Casca; tell us what hath chanced today,

That Cæsar looks so sad.

Casca. Why you were with him, were you not?
Bru. I should not then ask Casca what hath

chanced.

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.

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.

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Casca. I know not what you mean by that; but, 2 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 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 pluck'd me ope his doublet, and
offer'd them his throat to cut.-An I had been a
man of any occupation t, 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 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 heed to be
taken of them; if Cæsar had stabb'd their mo-.
thers, 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, smiled at one another, and shook their heads; but, for mine own part, it was Greek to me. Í 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 promised 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.

[Exit Casca.

Cas. Good; I will expect you.
Casca. Do so: Farewell both.
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 with me, and I will wait for you.
Cas. I will do so:-till then, think of the world.
[Exit Brutus.

Cas. They shouted thrice; what was the last cry Well, Brutus, thou art noble; yet, I see,

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 put
ting by, mine honest neighbours shouted.

Cas. Who offer'd him the crown i
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 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 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 refused it, the rabblement hooted, and clapp'd their chopp'd hands, and threw up their sweaty night-caps, and utter'd such a deal of stinking breath, because Cæsar refused the crown, that it had almost choked Cæsar; for he swoon'd, 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

swoon?

A ferret has red eyes.

Thy honourable metal may be wrought
From that it is disposed : therefore 'tis 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 Cassins,
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.

SCENE III.-The same.-A Street.

[Erit.

Thunder and Lightning-Enter, from opposite sides,
CASCA, with his Sword drawn, and CICERO.
Cic. Good even, Casca: Brought you Cæsar,
home ¶?

Why are you breathless? And why stare you so?
Casca. Are you not moved, when all the sway of
earth

Shakes, likes a thing unfirm? O Cicero,

I bave seen tempests, when the scolding winds

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Have rived the knotty paks; and I have seen
The ambitious ocean swell, and rage, and foam,
To be exalted with the threat'ning 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 inore wonderful?
Casca. A common slave (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 (1 have not since put up my sword),
Against the Capitol I met a lion,

Who glared 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,
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.

Enter CASSIUS.

Cas. Who's there?

Casca. A Roman.

Cas. Casca, by your voice.

[Exit Cicero.

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,
1 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
My answer must be made: but I am arm'd,
And dangers are to me indifferent.

That is no fleering tell-tale. Hold my hand:
Casca. You speak to Casca; and to such a man,
Be 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 moved already
Some certain of the noblest-minded Romans,

Casca. Your ear is good. Cassius, what night is To undergo, with me an enterprise
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 bared 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,

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,
Why birds, and beasts, from quality and kind;
Why old men fools, 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 infused 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 grown,
And fearful, as these strange eruptions are.

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

Is favour'd, 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.

He is a friend.-Cinna, where haste you so?
Cas. 'Tis Cinna, I do know him by his gait];
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, Cinna? 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,
In at his window: set this up with wax
Where Brutus may but find it; and throw this
Upon old Brutus' statue: all this done,
Is Decius Brutus, and Trebonius, there?
Repair to Pompey's porch, where you shall find us.

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,

Casca. 'Tis Cæsar that you mean: Is it not, Cas- Upon the next encounter, yields him ours.

sius ?

Cas. Let it be who it is: for Romans now
Have thewes and limbs like to their ancestors;
But woe the while! Our fathers' minds are dead,

Entirely.
+ Bolt.
Why they deviate from quality and nature.
Portentous.
Muscles.

Casca. O, he sits high, in all the people's hearts:
And that, which would appear offence in us,
Will change to virtue, and to worthiness.
His countenance, like richest alchymy,

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Cus. 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.

ACT II.

SCENE 1.-The same.-Brutus's Orchard.

Enter BRUTUS.

Bru. What, Lucius! Ho!

I cannot, by the progress of the stars,

Give guess how near to-day.-Lucius, I say!-
I would it were my fault to sleep soundly.-
Wher, Lucius, when? Awake, I say: What, Lu-

cius!

Enter LUCIUS.

Luc. Call'd you, my lord?

Bru. Get me a taper in my study, Lucius: When it is lighted, come and call me here.

Luc. I will, my lord.

[Exit. Bru. It must be by his death: and, for my part, I know no personal cause to spurn at him, But for the general. He would be crown'd:How that might change his nature, there's the question.

It is the bright day, that brings forth the adder; And that craves wary walking. Crown him?That;

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And then, I grant, we put a sting in him,
That at his will he may do danger with.
The abuse of greatness is, when it disjoing
Remorse from power: and, to speak truth of Cæsar,
I have not known when his affections sway'd
More than his reason. But 'tis a common proof,
That lowliness 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, scorning the base degrees
By which he did ascend: So Cæsar may;

Then, lest he may, prevent. And, since the quarrel

Will bear no colour for the thing he is,
Fashion it thus; that what he is, augmented,
Would run to these, and these extremities:
And therefore think him as a serpent's egg,

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They are the faction. O conspiracy!
Shamest thou to shew thy dangerous brow by night,
When evils are most free? O, then, by day,
Where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough
To mask thy monstrous visage? Seek none, con-
spiracy;

Hide it in smiles, and afability:

For if thou path thy native semblance on t
Not Erebus itself were dim enough
To hide thee from prevention.

Enter CASSIUS, CASCA, DECIUS, CINNA, METELLUS
CIMBER, and TREBONIUS.

Cas. 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 these men, that come along with you? Cas. Yes, every man of them; and no man here, But honours you and every one doth wish, You had but that opinion of yourself, Which every noble Roman bears of you. This is Trebonius.

Bru. He is welcome hither.

Cas. This, Decius Brutus.

Bru. He is welcome too.

Cas. This, Casca; this, Cinna;
And this, Metellus Cimber.
Bru. They are all welcome.

Which, hatch'd, would, as his kind, grow mis What watchful cares do interpose themselves

chievous;

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Betwixt your eyes and night?
Cas. Shall I entreat a word?

[They whisper. Dec. Here lies the east: doth not the day break

here?

Casca. No.

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

Casca. You shall confess, that you are both de

ceived.

Here, as I point my sword, the sun arises;
Which is a great way growing on the south,
Weighing the youthful season of the year.
Some two months hence, up higher toward the

north

He first presents his fire; and the high east
Stands, as the Capitol, directly here.

Bru. Give me your hands all over, one by one.

Cus. And let us swear our resolution. Bru. No, not an oath: If not the face of men, The sufferance of our souls, the time's abuse,If these be motives weak, break off betimes, And every man hence to his idle bed; So let high-sighted tyranny range on, Till each man drop by lottery. But if these, As I am sure they do, bear fire enough To kindle cowards, and to steel with valour The melting spirits of women; then, countrymen, What need we any spur, but our own cause, To prick us to redress? What other bond, Than secret Romans, that have spoke the word, And will not palter? And what other oath, Than honesty to honesty engaged, That this shall be, or we will fall for it? Swear priests, and cowards, and men cautelous ††, Old feeble carrions, and such suffering souls That welcome wrongs; unto bari causes swear Such creatures as men doubt: but do not stain The even virtue of our enterprize,

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