Casca. Why, you were with him, were you not?

Bru. I should not then ask Casca what had chanced. Casca. Why, there was a crown offered him: and, being offered him, he put it by* with the back of his hand, thus; and then the people fell a-shouting.

171 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 offered him thrice ? Casca. Ay, marry,

* was't; and he put it by thrice, every time gentler than other; and at every putting-by mine honest neighbours shouted. Cas. Who offered him the crown ?

180 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 chapped 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 swounded * 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. 195

Cas. But, soft, I pray you: what, did Cæsar swound ?* Casca. He fell down in the market-place, and foamed at mouth, and was speechless.

Brū. 'Tis very like: he hath the falling sickness.
Cas. No, Cæsar hath it not; but

you
and I

200 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 perceived 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 among the rogues. And so he fell. When he came to himself again, he said, If he had done or said anything 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.

217
Bru. And after that, he came thus sad away?
Casca. Ay.
Cas. Did Cicero say anything?

220 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 and Flavius, for pulling scarfs off Cæsar's images, are put to silence. Fare you well. There was more foolery yet, if I could remember it.

Cas. Will you sup with me to-night, Casca ?
Casca. No, I am promised forth.

230 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.
Casca. Do so. Farewell, both.

[Exit.
Bru. What a blunt fellow is this grown to be !
He was quick mettle* when he went to school.

Cas. So is he now, in execution
Of
any

bold or noble enterprise,
However he puts on this tardy form.

240
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.
Well, Brutus, thou art noble; yet, I see,
Thy honourable metal may be wrought

250
From that it is disposed : therefore it is meet
That noble minds keep ever with their likes ;
For who so firm that cannot be seduced ?
Cæsar doth bear me hard; but he loves Brutus:
If I were Brutus now, and he were Cassius,
He should not humour me. I will this night,
In several hands, in at his windows throw,
As if they came from several citizens,
Writings all tending to the great opinion
That Rome holds of his name; wherein obscurely

260
Cæsar's ambition shall be glanced at :
And after this let Cæsar seat him sure,
For we will shake him, or worse days endure.

[Exit.

SCENE-CÆSAR'S HOUSE.

Thunder and lightning. Enter CÆSAR in his night-gown.

Cos. Nor heaven nor earth have been at peace to-night: Thrice hath Calpurnia in her sleep cried out, “Help, ho! they murder Cæsar !* Who's within?

Enter a Servant.
Serv. My lord ?

Cæs. Go bid the priests do present sacrifice,
And bring me their opinions of sticcess.
Serv. I will, my
lord.

[Exit. 270
Enter CALPURNIA.
Cal. What mean you, Cæsar? think you to walk forth?
You shall not stir out of your house to-day.

Cæs. Cæsar shall forth: the things that threatened me
Ne'er looked but on my back: when they shall see
The face of Cæsar, they are vanished.
Cal. Cæsar, I never stood on ceremonies,

Ι
Yet now they fright me. There is one within,
Besides the things that we have heard and seen,
Recounts most horrid sights seen by the watch.
A lioness hath whelped in the streets;

280
And graves have yawned, and yielded up their dead;
Fierce fiery warriors fought upon the clouds,
In ranks, and squadrons, and right form of war,
· Which drizzled * blood upon the Capitol ;
The noise of battle hurtled* in the air,
Horses did neigh, and dying men did groan,
And ghosts did shriek and squeal about the streets.
O Cæsar! these things are beyond all use,
And I do fear them.
Cæs.
What can be avoided

290
Whose end is purposed by the mighty gods?
Yet Cæsar shall go forth; for these predictions
Are to the world in general as to Cæsar.

Cal. When beggars die, there are no comets seen;
The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.

Cæs. Cowards die many times before their deaths;
The valiant never taste of death but once.
Of all the wonders that I yet have heard,
It seems to me most strange that men should fear;
Seeing that death, a necessary end,

300 Will come when it will come.

Re-enter Servant.

What say the augurers ?

310

320

Serv. They would not have you to stir forth to-day.
Plucking the entrails of an offering forth,
They could not find a heart within the beast.

Cæs. The gods do this in shame of cowardice:
Cæsar should be a beast without a heart,
If he should stay at home to-day for fear.
No, Cæsar shall not: Danger knows full well
That Cæsar is more dangerous than he.
We are two lions littered in one day,
And I the elder and more terrible;
And Cæsar shall go forth.
Cal.

Alas, my lord,
Your wisdom is consumed in confidence.
Do not go forth to-day: call it my

fear
That keeps you in the house, and not your own.
We'll send Mark Antony to the senate-house;
And he shall say you are not well to-day:
Let me, upon my knee, prevail in this.

Cæs. Mark Antony shall say I am not well;
And, for thy humour, I will stay at home.

Enter DECIUS.
Here's Decius Brutus, he shall tell them so.

Dec. Cæsar, all hail! good-morrow, worthy Cæsar:
I come to fetch you to the senate-house.

Cæs. And you are come in very happy time,
To bear my greeting* to the senators,
And tell them that I will not come to-day:
Cannot, is false; and that I dare not, falser ;
I will not conie to-day: tell them so, Decius.

Cal. Say he is sick.
Cæs.

Shall Cæsar send a lie?
Have I in conquest stretched mine arm so far,
To be afeard* to tell graybeards the truth ?
Decius, go tell them Cæsar will not come.

Dec. Most mighty Cæsar, let me know some cause,
Lest I be laughed at when I tell them so.

Cæs. The cause is in my will: I will not come;
That is enough to satisfy the senate.
But for your private satisfaction,
Because I love you, I will let you know.
Calpurnia here, my wife, stays me at home:
She dreamt to-night she saw my statua,
Which, like a fountain with an hundred spouts,
Did run pure blood; and many lusty Romans
Came smiling, and did bathe their hands in it:
And these does she apply for warnings, and portents,
And evils imminent; and on her knee
Hath begged that I will stay at home to-day.

*

330

340

Dec. This dream is all amiss interpreted;

350 It was a vision fair and fortunate: Your statue spouting blood in many pipes, In which so many smiling Romans bathed, Signifies that from you great Rome shall suck Reviving blood; and that great men shall press For tinctures, stains, relics, and cognizance. This by Calpurnia's dream is signified.

Cæs. And this way have you well expounded it.

Dec. I have, when you have heard what I can say; And know it now: the senate have concluded

360 To give this day a crown to mighty Cæsar. If you shall send them word you will not come, Their minds may change. Besides, it were a mock Apt to be rendered, for some one to say, “Break up the senate till another time, When Cæsar's wife shall meet with better dreams.” If Cæsar hide himself, shall they not whisper “Lo, Cæsar is afraid”? Pardon

me,
Cæsar;

for

my dear, dear love To your proceeding bids me tell you this ;

370 And reason to my love is liable.

Cæs. How foolish do your fears seem now, Calpurnia ! I am ashamed I did yield to them.

Give me my robe, for I will go.— Enter PUBLIUS, BRUTUS, LIGARIUS, METELLUS, CASCA, TREBONIUS,

and CINNA.
And look where Publius is come to fetch me.

Pub. Good morrow, Cæsar.
Cos.

Welcome, Publius.—
What, Brutus ! are you stirred so early too ?-
Good morrow, Casca.-Caius Ligarius,
Cæsar was ne'er so much your enemy

380
As that same ague which hath made you lean.-
What is 't o'clock ?
Bru.

Cæsar, 'tis strucken* eight.
Cæs. I thank you for your pains and courtesy.--

Enter ANTONY.
See! Antony, that revels long o' nights,
Is notwithstanding up.—Good morrow, Antony.

Ant. So to most noble Cæsar.
Caes.

Bid them prepare within :-
I am to blame to be thus waited for.-
Now, Cinna :—now, Metellus :—what, Trebonius!

390
I have an hour's talk in store for you ;
Remember that you call on me to-day:
Be near me, that I may remember you.