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Than what I fear, for always I am Cafar.
Come on my right hand, for this ear is deaf,

And tell me truly, what thou think'st of him.

[Exeunt Cæfar and bis Train.

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Manent Brutus, Caffius, and Cafca.

Cafc. You puli'd me by the cloak, would you speak with me ?

Bru. Ay, Cafca, tell us what hath chanc'd to-day, That Cafar looks fo fad.

Cafc. Why, you were with him, were you not? Bru. I should not then ask Cafca what had chanc'd. Cafe. 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?

Cafc. Why, for that too.

Caf. They shouted thrice: what was the last cry for?
Cafc. Why, for that too.

Bru. Was the crown offer'd him thrice?

Cafc. Ay marry was't, and he put it by thrice, every time gentler than other; and at every putting by, mine honest neighbours shouted.

Caf. Who offer'd him the crown?
Cafc. Why, Antony.

Bru. Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casca.

Caf. I can as well be hang'd as tell the manner of it : it was meer foolery, I did not mark it. I faw 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 offered 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 offered it the third time; he put it the third time by; and still as he refus'd

it,

it, the rabblement s'shouted, and clapp'd their chopt hands, and threw up their sweaty night-caps, and utter'd such a deal of stinking breath, because Cafar refus'd the crown, that it had almost choaked Gafar; for he swooned, and fell down at it: and for mine own part, I durft not laugh, for fear of opening my lips, and receiving the bad

air.

Cas. But soft, I pray you; what did Cæfar swoon? Cafc. He fell down in the market-place, and foam'd at mouth, and was speechless.

Bru. 'Tis very like; he hath the falling-fickness. Caf. No, Cæfar hath it not; but you, and I, And honest Cafca; we have the falling-fickness.

Cafc. I know not what you mean by that; but I am fure Cafar 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 faid he, when he came unto himself?

Cafc. Marry, before he fell down, when he perceiv'd the common herd was glad he refus'd the crown, he pluckt me ope his doublet, and offer'd them his throat to cut: If I had been a man of any occupation, if I would not have taken him at 'his 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 faid any thing amiss, he defir'd their Worships to think it was his infirmity. Three or four wenches where I stood, cry'd, Alas, good foul- and forgave him with all their hearts: but there's no heed to be taken of them; if Cafar had stabb'd their mothers, they would have done no less. Bru. And after that, he came, thus sad, away. Cafc. Ay.

Caf. Did Cicero say any thing?

Cus. Ay, he spoke Greek.

Caf. To what effect ?

Cafc. Nay, if I tell you that, I'll ne'er look you i' th'

VOL. V.

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face

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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: Ma-
rullus and Flavius, for pulling scarfs off Cefar's Images,
are put to filence. Fare you well. There was more
foolery yet, if I could remember it.

Caf. Will you sup with me to night, Cafca?
Caft. No, I am

'd forth.

me to-morrow?

hold, and your

not

me.

In several hands, in at his windows thro
As if they came from several citizens,

Writings,

7 what

8 He should not humour me.

Writings, all tending to the great opinion
That Rome holds of his name: wherein obscurely

Cefar's ambition shall be glanced at.

And after this, let Cæfar feat him fure,

For we will shake him, or worse days endure.

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[Exit.

Thunder and lightning. Enter Casca, bis fword drawn,

Cic.

G

and Cicero.

Ood even, Cafca; brought you Cafar home? Why are you breathless, and why stare you so? Cafe. Are not you mov'd, when all the sway of earth

Shakes like a thing unfirm? O Cicero!
I have seen tempests, when the scolding winds
Have riv'd the knotty oaks, and I have feen
Th' ambitious ocean swell, and rage, and foam,
To be exalted with the threatning clouds:
But never 'till to-night, never 'till now,
Did I go through a tempeft dropping fire.
Either there is a civil strife in heav'n,
Or else the world, too faucy with the Gods,
Incenses them to send destruction.

Cic. Why, faw you any thing more wonderful?
Cafe. A common slave, you know him well by fight,
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.
Befides, (I ha' not since put up my fword)
Against the Capitol I met a lion,
Who glar'd 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 fit,

Ο 2

Even

Even at noon-day, upon the market-place,
Houting and shrieking. When these prodigies
Do fo 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 conftrue things after their fashion,
Clean from the purpose of the things themselves.
Comes Cafar to the Capitol to-morrow?

Cafc. He doth: for he did bid Antonius
Send word to you, he would be there to-morrow.
Cic. Good-night then, Cafca; this disturbed sky
Is not to walk in.

Cafc. Farewel, Cicero.

SCENE.

[Exit Cicero.

VII.

Enter Caffius.

Caf. Who's there?

Cafc. A Roman.

Caf. Cafca, by your voice.

Cafe. Your ear is good. Caffius, what night is this?

Caf. A very pleasing night to honeft men.

Cafe. Who ever knew the heavens menace so?

Caf. Those that have known the earth fo full of faults.

For my part I have walk'd about the streets,

Submitting me unto the perilous night;

And thus unbraced, Cafca, as you fee,

Have bar'd my bosom to the thunder-stone:
And when the cross blue lightning feem'd to open
The breast of heav'n, I did present my self
Ev'n in the aim and very flash of it.

Cafe. But wherefore did you so much tempt the heav'ns ?

It is the part of men to fear and tremble,
When the most mighty Gods, by tokens, send
Such dreadful heralds to aftonish us.

Caf. You are dull, Cafia; and those sparks of life

That

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