Remember that you call on me to-day: Be near me, that I may remember you. Treb. Cæsar, I will:-and so near will I be, Cas. Good friends, go in, and taste some wine with me; That your best friends shall wish I had been farther. And we, like friends, will straightway go together. The heart of Brutus yearns to think upon! [Aside. [Exeunt. SCENE III.-The same. 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 be'st not immortal, look about you: Security gives way to conspiracy. The mighty gods defend thee! Thy lover, t Artemidorus. Here will I stand, till Cæsar pass along, And as a suitor will I give him this. My heart laments, that virtue cannot live Out of the teeth of emulation. I If thou read this, O Cæsar, thou may'st live; If not, the fates with traitors do contrive. [Exit. SCENE IV-The same. 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. To know my errand, madam. Por. I would have had thee there, and here again, Ere I can tell thee what thou should'st do there. O constancy, be strong upon my side! Set a huge mountain 'tween my heart and tongue! I have a man's mind, but a woman's might. How hard it is for women to keep counsel !— Art thou here yet? 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 doth, 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. dffes moy indi asimonrož{ Enter SOOTHSAYER. Por. Come hither, fellow; Which way hast thou been? Sooth. At mine own house, good lady. # abnor sail Por. What is't o'clock ? Sooth. About the ninth hour, lady. Por. Is Cæsar yet gone to the Capitol?" Gewurf to good be Sooth. Madam, not yet; I go to take my stand, seba To see him pass on to the Capitol. Por. Thou hast some suit to Cæsar, hast thou not? Sooth. That I have, lady: if it will please Cæsar To be so good to Cæsar as to hear me, I shall beseech him to befriend himself. may chance. Por. Why, knowest thou any harm's intended towards him P I'll get me to a place more void, and thereft atapos de [Exit. Por. I must go in.-Ah me! how weak a thingal Boon BodIST The heart of women is! O Brutus ! The heavens speed thee in thine enterprise ! And bring me word what he doth say to thee. [Exeunt. I SCENE I-The same. The Capitol; the Senate sitting. A Crowd of People in the Street leading to the Capitol; among them ARTEMIDORUS, and the SOOTHSAYER. Flourish. Enter CÆSAR, BRUTUS, CASSIUS, CASCA, DECIUS, METELLUS, TREBONIUS, CINNA, ANTONY, LEPIDUS, POPILIUS, PUBLIUS, and others. Cas. The ides of March are come. Art. O, Cæsar, read mine first; for mine's a suit rah, give place. Cas. What, urge you your petitions in the street ?? Come to the Capitol. CESAR enters the Capitol, the rest following. All the SENATORS rise. Pop. I wish your enterprise to-day may thrive. Pop. Fare you well. Bru. What said Popilius Lena? [Advances to CESAR. Cas. He wish'd, to-day our enterprise might thrive. I fear our purpose is discovered. Bru. Look, how he makes to Cæsar: Mark him. Cas. Casca, be sudden, for we fear prevention.Brutus, what shall be done? If this be known, Cassius or Cæsar never shall turn back, For I will slay myself. Bru. Cassius, be constant: Popilius Lena speaks not of our purposes; For, look, he smiles, and Cæsar doth not change. Cas. Trebonius knows his time; for, look you, Brutus, He draws Mark Antony out of the way. Y [Exeunt ANTONY and TREBONIUS. CAESAR and the SENATORS take their seats. Dec. Where is Metellus Cimber? Let him go, And presently prefer his suit to Cæsar. Bru. He is address'd:* press near and second him. That Cæsar, and his senate must redress? Met. Most high, most mighty, and most puissant Cæsar, Cas. I must prevent thee, Cimber. That will be thaw'd from the true quality With that which melteth fools; I mean sweet words, Thy brother by decree is banish'd; If thou dost bend, and pray, and fawn for him, Know, Cæsar doth not wrong: nor without cause Will he be satisfied. Met. Is there no voice more worthy than my own, To sound more sweetly in great Cæsar's ear For the repealing of my banish'd brother? [Kneeling, Bru. I kiss thy hand, but not in flattery, Cæsar; sud ow dod Desiring thee that Publius Cimber may Have an immediate freedom of repeal. *Ready. God † Ordinance already established. Cas. What, Brutus! Cas. Pardon, Cæsar, Cæsar pardon: As low as to thy foot doth Cassius fall, To beg enfranchisement for Publius Cimber. Cas. I could be well moved, if I were as you; The skies are painted with unnumber'd sparks, That I was constant, Cimber should be banish'd, Cin. O Cæsar, Cas. Hence! wilt thou lift up Olympus? Cæs. Doth not Brutus bootless kneel ? Casca. Speak, hands, for me. [CASCA stabs CESAR in the neck. CESAR catches hold of his arm. He is then stabbed by several other Conspirators, and at last by MARCUS BRUTUS. Cæs. Et tu, Brute t-Then, fall, Cæsar. [Dies. The Senators and People retire in confusion. Cin. Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead!— Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets. Cas. Some to the common pulpits, and cry out, Liberty, freedom, and enfranchisement! Bru. People, and senators! be not affrighted; Fly not; stand still-ambition's debt is paid. Dec. And Cassius too. Bru. Where's Publius ? Cin. Here, quite confounded with this mutiny. Bru. Talk not of standing; Publius, good cheer; Cas. And leave us, Publius; lest that the people, Re-enter TREBONIUS. Cas. Where's Antony? *Intelligent. † And thou, Brutus! Tre. Fled to his house amazed: Men, wives, and children, stare, cry out, and run, Bru. Fates! we will know your pleasures: Bru. Grant that, and then is death a benefit: Cas. Stoop then, and wash.* How many ages hence, Shall this our lofty scene be acted over, In states unborn, and accents yet unknown? Bru. How many times shall Cæsar bleed in sport, That now on Pompey's basis lies along, No worthier than the dust? Cas. So oft as that shall be, So often shall the knot of us be call'd Cas. Ay, every man away: Brutus shall lead; and we will grace his heels With the most boldest and best hearts of Rome. Enter a SERVANT. Bru. Soft, who comes here? A friend of Antony's. Say, I fear'd Cæsar, honour'd him, and loved him. Tell him, so please him come unto this place, * Steep yourselves in Caesar's blood. |