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. a Security gives way to, &c.] The meaning is, over-confidence affords a passage, &c. b Thy lover,-] It need hardly be repeated that "lover" was Here will I stand till Cæsar pass along, If thou read this, O, Cæsar, thou mayst live; 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 Why dost thou stay? formerly equivalent to friend. c contrive.] See note (a), p. 429, Vol. II. gone: Luc. To know my errand, madam. POR. I would have had thee there, and here again, Ere I can tell thee what thou shouldst do there.- Set a huge mountain 'tween my heart and I have a man's mind, but a woman's might. Luc. Madam, what should I do? : For he went sickly forth and take good note Luc. I hear none, madam. Pr'ythee, listen well. Enter Soothsayer. About the ninth hour, lady. SOOTH. 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 To be so good to Cæsar as to hear me, SOOTH. None that I know will be, much that I Good morrow to you. Here the street is narrow: POR. I must go in.-Ay me! how weak a thing POR. Come hither, fellow: which way hast Say I am merry: come to me again, thou been? SOOTH. At mine own house, good lady. POR. What is 't o'clock ? And bring me word what he doth say to thee. Pop. Fare you well. [Advances to CESAR. BRU. What said Popilius Lena ? CES. What, Brutus! CAS. Pardon, Cæsar: Cæsar, pardon: As low as to thy foot doth Cassius fall, CAS. He wish'd, to-day our enterprise might To beg enfranchisement for Publius Cimber. thrive. CIN. Casca, you are the first that rears your hand. What is now amiss Metellus Cimber throws before thy seat [Kneeling. If thou dost bend, and pray, and fawn for him, spurn thee like a cur out of my way. I Know, Cæsar doth not wrong; nor without cause Will he be satisfied.(1) MET. Is there no voice more worthy than my own, To sound more sweetly in great Cæsar's ear, BRU. I kiss thy hand, but not in flattery, Cæsar; (*) Old text, lane. a-be constant.] Be firm, steady, self-possessed. b- address'd:] Prepared, ready. © CASCA. Are we all ready?] In the old copy these words begin Cæsar's speech; there can be little doubt that Mr. Collier's CES. I could be well mov'd, if I were as you; If I could pray to move, prayers would move me: But I am constant as the northern star, Of whose true-fix'd and resting quality There is no fellow in the firmament. The skies are painted with unnumber'd sparks, They are all fire, and every one doth shine; But there's but one in all doth hold his place : So, in the world,—'tis furnish'd well with men, And men are flesh and blood, and apprehensive; Yet, in the number, I do know but one That unassailable holds on his rank, Unshak'd of motion: and that I am he Let me a little show it, even in this,— That I was constant Cimber should be banish'd, And constant do remain to keep him so. BRU. Do so;-and let no man abide this deed, But we the doers. CAS. Re-enter TREBONIUS. Where is Antony? TRE. Fled to his house amaz’d: Men, wives, and children stare, cry out, and run As it were doomsday. BRU. Fates! we will know your pleasures:That we shall die, we know; 'tis but the time, And drawing days out, that men stand upon. CAS. Why, he that cuts off twenty years of life Cuts off so many years of fearing death. BRU. Grant that, and then is death a benefit: Shall this our lofty scene be acted over That now on Pompey's basis lies † along, If Brutus will vouchsafe that Antony Tell him, so please him come unto this place, SERV. I'll fetch him presently. [Exit. BRU. I know that we shall have him well to friend.d CAS. I wish we may but yet have I a mind That fears him much; and my misgiving still Falls shrewdly to the purpose. BRU. But here comes Antony.— Re-enter ANTONY. Welcome, Mark Antony. As Cæsar's death's hour; nor no instrument BRU. O, Antony! beg not your death of us. |