What is it that you would impart to me? If it be aught toward the general good, For, let the gods so speed me, as I love In awe of such a thing as I myself. I was born free as Cæsar; so were you: And bade him follow: so, indeed, he did. I, as Æneas, our great ancestor, Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder Is now become a god; and Cassius is A wretched creature, and must bend his body, He had a fever when he was in Spain, And, when the fit was on him, I did mark * Windy. His coward lips did from their colour fly; And that same eye, whose bend doth awe the world, Did lose his lustre: I did hear him groan: Ay, and that tongue of his, that bade the Romans As a sick girl. Ye gods, it doth amaze me, Bru. Another general shout! [Shout. Flourish. I do believe, that these applauses are For some new honours that are heap'd on Cæsar. Cas. Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world, Like a Colossus; and we petty men Walk under his huge legs, and peep about Brutus, and Cæsar: What should be in that Cæsar? Weigh them, it is as heavy; conjure them, Brutus will start a spirit as soon as Cæsar. [Shout. Upon what meat doth this our Cæsar feed, Temperament, constitution. There was a Brutus once, that would have brook'd The eternal devil to keep his state in Rome, As easily as a king. Bru. That you do love me, I am nothing jealous; I will with patience hear: and find a time Than to repute himself a son of Rome Under these hard conditions as this time Is like to lay upon us. Cas. I am glad, that my weak words Have struck but this much show of fire from Brutus. Re-enter Cæsar, and his train. Bru. The games are done, and Cæsar is returning. Being cross'd in conference by some senators. Ant. Cæsar. Cas. Let me have men about me that are fat; * Lucius Junius Brutus. Ruminate. + Guess. A ferret has red eyes. Sleek-headed men, and such as sleep o'nights: Cas. 'Would he were fatter:-But I fear him not: Yet if my name were liable to fear, I do not know the man I should avoid So soon as that spare Cassius. He reads much; Quite through the deeds of men: he loves no plays, [Exeunt Cæsar and his train. Casca stays Casca. You pull'd me by the cloak; Would you speak with me? Bru. Ay, Casca; tell us what hath chanc'd to-day, That Cæsar looks so sad. Casca. Why you were with him, were you not? Bru. I should not then ask Casca what hath chanc'd. Casca. Why, there was a crown offer'd him: and being offered 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? Casca. Why, for that too. Cas. They shouted thrice; What was the last cry for? Casca. Why, for that too. Bru. Was the crown offer'd him thrice? Casca. Ay, marry, was't, and he put it by thrice, every time gentler than the other; and at every putting by, mine honest neighbours shouted. Cas. Who offered him the crown? Casca. Why, Antony. Bru. Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casca. Casca. I can as well be hanged, as tell the manner of it: it was mere foolery. I did not mark it. I saw 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 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 choked 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. Cas. No, Cæsar hath it not; but you, and I, 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? Casca. Marry, before he fell down, when he per ⚫ Honest. |