Cas. Cæsar shall forth: the things that threaten'd me Cal. Cæsar, I never stood on ceremonies, And graves have yawn'd and yielded up their dead; In ranks and squadrons and right form of war, The noise of battle hurtled in the air, And I do fear them! Cœs. 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. Cæs. 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; Will come when it will come. Re-enter 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. Caes. The gods do this in shame of cowardice: Cal. That keeps you in the house, and not your own. Cæs. Mark Antony shall say I am not well; Enter DECIUS. Here's Decius Brutus, he shall tell them so. Cas. And you are come in very happy time, And tell them that I will not come to-day: Cæs. Shall Cæsar send a lie? Have I in conquest stretch'd mine arm so far, To be afeard to tell graybeards 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,— It was a vision fair and fortunate: Your statue spouting blood in many pipes, Cæs. And this way have you well expounded it. Dec. I have, when you have heard what I can say: And know it now,--the senate have concluded To give this day a crown to mighty Cæsar. Break up the senate till another time, When Caesar's wife shall meet with better dreams. Lo, Cæsar is afraid? Pardon me, Cæsar; for my dear dear love And reason to my love is liable. Caes. How foolish do your fears seem now, Calphurnia! I am ashamed I did yield to them. Give me my robe, for I will go: Enter PUBLIUS, BRUTUS, LIGARIUS, METELLus, Casca, And look where Publius is come to fetch me. Welcome, Publius. What, Brutus, are you stirred so early too?— Cæsar was ne'er so much your enemy As that same ague which hath made you lean.- Bru. Cæsar, 'tis strucken eight. Enter ANTONY. See! Antony, that revels long o' nights Is notwithstanding up. Good-morrow, Antony. Ant. So to most noble Cæsar. Cas. Bid them prepare within. I am to blame to be thus waited for. Now, Cinna;-now, Metellus:-what, Trebonius! I have an hour's talk in store for you; Remember that you call on me to-day: [Aside. Treb. Cæsar, I will:—and so near will I be, That your best friends shall wish I had been further. Caes. Good friends, go in and taste some wine with me; And we, like friends, will straightway go together. Bru. That every like is not the same, O Cæsar, The heart of Brutus yearns to think upon! [Exeunt SCENE III.-ROME. 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 Cinna; 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 beest not immortal, look about you: security gives way to conspiracy. The mighty gods defend thee! Thy lover, Here will I stand till Cæsar pass along, My heart laments that virtue cannot live If thou read this, O Cæsar, thou mayst live; If not, the fates with traitors do contrive. ARTEMIDORUS. [Exil. SCENE IV.-ROME. 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. Set a huge mountain 'tween my heart and tongue! How hard it is for women to keep counsel!- 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 well, For he went sickly forth: and take good note What Cæsar dóth, what suitors press to him. Hark, boy! what noise is that? Luc. I hear none, madam. Por. Pr'ythee, listen well: I heard a bustling rumour, like a fray, Luc. Sooth, madam, I hear nothing. Por. Enter ARTEMIDORUS. Come hither, fellow: Which way hast thou been? Art. Por. What is't o'clock? Art. At mine own house, good lady. About the ninth hour, lady. Por. Is Cæsar yet gone to the Capitol? Art. Madam, not yet: I go to take my stand, To see him pass on to the Capitol. Por. Thou hast some suit to Cæsar, hast thou not? To be so good to Cæsar as to hear me, I shall beseech him to befriend himself. [him? Por. I must go in.—Ah me, how weak a thing And bring me word what he doth say to thee. [Ent. [Exeunt severally. ACT III. SCENE I.-ROME The Capitol; the Senate sitting. A crowd of People in the street leading to the Capitol Cas. The ides of March are come. |