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 walls 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
Th' 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 entreat you,
Be any farther mov'd. 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

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

shew

Of fire from Brutus.

Bru. The games are done, and Cæsar is re

Enter CESAR and his Train.

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.
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 some Senators.
Casca will tell us what the matter is.
Antonius!

Cas.

Cæs.

Ant.

Cæs.

Cæsar.

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.

Cæs. '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 music:
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. CASCA stays

behind.

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

Bru. Ay, Casca; tell us what hath chanc'd today,

That Cæsar looks so sad.

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 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

I saw

not a

and, as

of it it was mere foolery, I did not mark it. Mark Antony offer him a crown:—yet 'twas crown neither, 'twas one of these coronets; I told you, he put it by once; but, for all my thinking, he would fain have had it. Then he offered it to him again; then he put it by again;

that, to

but, to my thinking, he was very loth 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 refus'd it, the rabblement shouted, and clapped their chapp'd hands, and threw up their sweaty night-caps, and uttered such a deal of stinking breath, because Cæsar refus'd the crown, that it had almost choked 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.

Cas. But, soft, I pray you.

swoon?

What! did Cæsar

Casca. He fell down in the market-place, and foam'd at mouth, and was speechless.

Bru. 'Tis very like: he hath the falling-sick

ness.

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 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, 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, cried, Alas, good soul!" and forgave him with all their hearts.

66

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' th' face again: but those, that understood him, smil'd 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 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. Farewell, both.

[Exit CASCA.

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 enterprise,

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.