Var. So please you, we will stand and watch your

pleasure.

Bru. I will not have it so; lie down, good sirs: It may be I shall otherwise bethink me.

Look, Lucius, here's the book I sought for so;
I put it in the pocket of my gown.

[Servants lie down.

Luc. I was sure your lordship did not give it me. Bru. Bear with me, good boy; I am much for

getful.

Canst thou hold up thy heavy eyes a while,

And touch thy instrument a strain or two?
Luc. Ay, my lord, an't please you.
Bru.

It does, my boy.

I trouble thee too much, but thou art willing.
Luc. It is my duty, sir.

Bru. I should not urge thy duty past thy might:

I know young bloods look for a time of rest.
Luc. I have slept, my lord, already.

Bru. It was well done, and thou shalt sleep

again;

I will not hold thee long: if I do live,

I will be good to thee.

This is a sleepy tune.

[Music and a song.

O murth'rous slumber!

Lay'st thou thy leaden mace upon my boy,

That plays thee music?— Gentle knave, good night;
I will not do thee so much wrong to wake thee.
If thou do'st nod, thou break'st thy instrument:
I'll take it from thee; and, good boy, good night.—
Let me see, let me see: is not the leaf turn'd down,
Where I left reading? Here it is, I think.

[He sits down

Enter the Ghost of Cæsar.

How ill this taper burns! Ha! who comes here?

I think it is the weakness of mine eyes
That shapes this monstrous apparition.

It comes upon me.

Art thou some god,

Art thou any thing?

some angel, or some devil,

That mak'st my blood cold, and my hair to stare?

Speak to me, what thou art.

Ghost. Thy evil spirit, Brutus.

Bru.

Why com'st thou? Ghost. To tell thee thou shalt see me at Philippi. Bru. Well; then I shall see thee again?

Ghost.
Ay, at Philippi.
Bru. Why, I will see thee at Philippi then.

[Ghost vanishes.

Now I have taken heart, thou vanishest:
Ill spirit, I would hold more talk with thee.
Boy! Lucius! - Varro! Claudius! Sirs, awake!
Claudius !

Luc. The strings, my lord, are false.

Bru. He thinks he still is at his instrument. Lucius, awake!

Luc. My lord.

Bru. Did'st thou dream, Lucius, that thou so cried'st out?

Luc. My lord, I do not know that I did cry. Bru. Yes, that thou did'st. Did'st thou see any thing?

Luc. Nothing, my lord.

Bru. Sleep again, Lucius. - Sirrah, Claudius! Fellow thou: awake!

Var. My lord.

Claudius. My lord.

Bru. Why did you so cry out, sirs, in your sleep?

Var.

}

Clau.f
Bru.

Did we, my lord?

Ay saw you any thing?

Var. No, my lord, I saw nothing.

Clau.

Nor I, my lord.

Bru. Go, and commend me to my brother Cas

NOW, Antony, our hopes are answered.

You said, the enemy would not come down,
But keep the hills and upper regions.
It proves not so: their battles are at hand;
They mean to warn us at Philippi hère,
Answering before we do demand of them.

Ant. Tut! I am in their bosoms, and I know
Wherefore they do it: they could be content
To visit other places; and come down
With fearful bravery, thinking by this face

To fasten in our thoughts that they have courage;
But 'tis not so.

Messenger.

Enter a Messenger.

Prepare you, Generals;

The enemy comes on in gallant shew:

Their bloody sign of battle is hung out,
And something's to be done immediately.

Ant. Octavius, lead your battle softly on,
Upon the left hand of the even field.

Oct. Upon the right hand I; keep thou the left.
Ant. Why do you cross me in this exigent?
Oct. I do not cross you; but I will do so.

[March.

Drum. Enter BRUTUS, CASSIUS, and their Army; LUCILIUS, TITINIUS, MESSALA, and Others.

Bru. They stand, and would have parley. Cas. Stand fast, Titinius: we must out and talk. Oct. Mark Antony, shall we give sign of battle? Ant. No, Cæsar, we will answer on their charge. Make forth; the Generals would have some words. Oct. Stir not until the signal.

Bru. Words before blows; is it so, countrymen ? Oct. Not that we love words better, as you do. Bru. Good words are better than bad strokes, Octavius.

Ant. In your bad strokes, Brutus, you give good

words:

Witness the hole you made in Cæsar's heart,

Crying, "Long live! hail, Cæsar!"

Cas.

Antony,

The posture of your blows are yet unknown;
But for your words, they rob the Hybla bees,
And leave them honeyless.

Ant.

Not stingless, too.

Bru. O, yes, and soundless too;

For you have stol'n their buzzing, Antony,

And very wisely threat before you sting.

Ant. Villains! you did not so when your vile daggers

Hack'd one another in the sides of Cæsar;

You shew'd your teeth like apes, and fawn'd like

hounds,

And bow'd like bondmen, kissing Cæsar's feet;
Whilst damned Casca, like a cur, behind

Struck Cæsar on the neck. O, you flatterers!
Cas. Flatterers! - Now, Brutus, thank yourself:
This tongue had not offended so to-day,

If Cassius might have rul'd.

Oct. Come, come, the cause: if arguing make us sweat,

The proof of it will turn to redder drops.
Look; I draw a sword against conspirators;
When think you that the sword goes up again?
Never, till Cæsar's three and thirty wounds

Be well aveng'd; or till another Cæsar

Have added slaughter to the sword of traitors.

Bru. Cæsar, thou canst not die by traitors' hands, Unless thou bring'st them with thee.

Oct.

So I hope:

I was not born to die on Brutus' sword.

Bru. O, if thou wert the noblest of thy strain, Young man, thou could'st not die more honourably. Cas. A peevish schoolboy, worthless of such

honour,

Join'd with a masker and a reveller.

Ant. Old Cassius still.

Oct.

Come, Antony; away!

Defiance, traitors, hurl we in your teeth.

If you dare fight to-day, come to the field;

If not, when you have stomachs.

[Exeunt OCTAVIUS, ANTONY, and their Army. Cas. Why now, blow wind, swell billow, and swim

bark?

The storm is up, and all is on the hazard.