ing, he was very loath 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 refused it, the rabblement hooted, and clapped their chopped hands, and threw up their sweaty night-caps, and uttered such a deal of stinking breath because Cæsar refused the crown, that it had almost choaked 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: What? did Cæsar swoon? Casca. He fell down in the market-place, and foamed at mouth, and was speechless. Bru. 'Tis very like he hath the falling-sickness, 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 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? I Casca. Marry, before he fell down, when he perceiv'd the common herd was glad he refused the crown, he plucked me ope his doublet, and offered 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 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 stabbed 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'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. I could tell you more news too: Marullus aud Flavius, for pulling scarfs off [1] Had I been a mechanic, one of the plebeians to whom he offered his throat. JOHNS. 19* VOL. VI. Cæsar's images, are put to silence. Fare you well. There was more foolery yét, 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. Cas. Good; I will expect you. [Exit. Bru. What a blunt fellow is this grown to be?. He was quick mettle, when he went to school. 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 to me, and I will wait for you. Cas. I will do so :-till then, think of the world. [Exit BRUTUS, Cæsar doth bear me hard; but he loves Brutus : Writings, all tending to the great opinion That Rome holds of his name; wherein obscurely For we will shake him, or worse days endure. [Exit. [2] The best metal or temper may be worked into qualities contrary to its original constitution. JOHNS. [3] The meaning, I think is this. "Cæsar loves Brutus, but if Brutus and I were to change places, his love should not humour me," should not take hold of my affection, so as to make me forget my principles, JOHNS. Quit The same. A Street. SCENE III. 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 not you mov'd, when all the sway of earth 5 Shakes, like a thing unfirm? O Cicero, I have seen tempests, when the scolding winds Cic. Why, saw you any thing more wonderful? Casca. A common slave (you know him well by sight,) Who glar'd upon me, and went surly by, Upon a heap a hundred ghastly women, Transformed with their fear; who swore, they saw ax Cic. Indeed, it is a strange-disposed time: Casca. He doth; for he did bid Antonius [5] The whole weight or momentum of this globe. JOHNS. [6] Glar'd has a singular propriety, as it is highly expressive of the ferious scintillation of a lion's eye. STEEV Cic. Good night then, Casca: this disturbed sky Is not to walk in. Casca. Farewell, Cicero. [Exit CICERO. Enter CASSIUS. Cas. Who's there? Casca. A Roman. Cas. Casca, by your voice. Casca. Your ear is good. Cassius, what night is 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 bar'd my bosom to the thunder-stone :6 And, when the cross blue lightning seem'd to open Even in the aim and very flash of it. Casc. 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 Why all these fires, why all these gliding ghosts, A man no mightier than thyself, or me, [6] A stone fabulously supposed to be discharged by thunder. STEEV. [7] That is, Why they deviate from quality and nature. This line might perhaps be more properly placed after the next lines: Why birds, and beasts, from quality and kind; JOHNS. WARB. In personal action, yet prodigious grown,9 Casca. 'Tis Cæsar that you mean: Is it not, Cassius? 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, And we are govern'd with our mothers' spirits ; Our yoke and sufferance show us womanish. Casca. Indeed, they say, the senators to-morrow And he shall wear his crown by sea, and land, Cas. I know where I will wear this dagger then ; Therein, ye gods, you make the weak most strong; If I know this, know all the world besides, Casca. So can I : So every bondman in his own hand bears Cas. And why should Cæsar be a tyrant then? So vile a thing as Cæsar? But, O grief! Casca. You speak to Casca; and to such a man, [9] Prodigious is portentous. STEEV. [1] Theres is an obsolete word implying nerves or muscular strength. STEEV. [2] I shall be called to account, and must answer as for seditious words. JOHNS. |