A wretched creature; and must bend his body, He had a fever when he was in Spain, And that fame eye whofe bend doth awe the world, Ay, and that tongue of his, that bad the Romans So get the start of the majestic world, "And bear the palm alone." Bru. Another general shout! I do believe, that thefe applauses are [Shout, Flourish.. For fome new honours that are heap'd on Cæfar. Caf. Why, man, he doth beftride the narrow world! ..Walk under his huge legs, and peep about. . Brutus and Cæfar! what should be in that Cæfar? Why should that name be founded more than your's? Write them together; your's is as fair a name: • Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well; Weigh them, it is as heavy, conjure with 'em, Brutus will start a fpirit as foon as Cæfar. Now, in the names of all the gods at once, . Upon what meat does this our Cæfar feed, That he is grown fo great! Age, thou art fham'd; Rome, thou haft loft the breed of noble bloods. When went there by an age, fince the great flood,, · But it was fam'd with more than with one man? When could they fay, till now, that talk'd of Rome, That her wide walls incompais'd but one man ?* but one man? Now is it Rome indeed; and room enough, When Oh! you and I have heard our fathers fay, As easily as a King. Bru. That you do love me, I am nothing jealous;; I would not (fo with love I might intreat you) have faid; I will confider; what you have to fay, I will with patience hear; and find a time Brutus had rather be a villager, Then to repute himself a fon of Rome Gaf. I am glad that my weak words Have ftruck but thus much thew of fire from Brutus. SCENE IV. Enter Cæfar and his train. Bru. The games are done, and Cæfar is returning. Bru. I will do fo; but look you, Caffius,- Ant. Cæfar? Caf "Let me have men about me that are fat,, "Sleek headed men, and such as fleep a-nights: "Yond Caffius has a lean and hungry look, "He thinks too much; fuch men are dangerous. When there is in it but one only man. Oh! you and I, &c.. Ant. Fear him not, Cæfar, he's not dangerous; He is a noble Roman, and well given. Caf. Would he were fatter; but I fear him not: > Yet if my name were liable to fear, I do not know the man I fhould avoid, So foon as that fpare Caffius. He reads much; He is a great obferver; and he looks Quite through the deeds of men. He loves no plays. • As thou doft, Antony; he hears no mufic; • Seldom he fmiles; and fimiles in fuch a fort, As if he mock'd himself, and scorn'd his fpirit, That could be mov'd to fmile at any thing. Such men as he be never at heart's ease, Whilft they behold a greater than themselves; And therefore are they very dangerous. • I rather tell thee what is to be fear'd, Than what I fear; for always I am Cæfar. Come on my right hand, for this ear is deaf, And tell me truly what thou think'st of him. [Exeunt Cæfar and his train. Manent Brutus and Caffius: Casca to them. Casca You pull'd me by the clock; would you' speak 1: with me? 4 17 Bru, Ay, Cafca, tell us what hath chanc'd to-day, That Cæfar looks fo fad. Cafea. Why, you were with him, were you not? Bru I fhould not then afk Cafca what had chanc'd. Cafca, Why, there was a crown offer'd him; and be-. ing offer'd him, he put it by with the back of his hand thus, and then the people fell a fhouting. Bru. What was the fecond noise for? Caf. They fhouted thrice. What was the laft cry for? Bru. Was the crown offer'd him thrice? Cafca. Ay, marry, was't, and he put it by thrice, every time gentler than another; and at every putting by, mine honeft neighbours shouted, Caf. Who offer'd him the crown ? Cafca. Why, Antony. Bru. Tell us the manner of it, gentle Cafca. Cafca. I can as well be hang'd, as tell the manner of it: it was mere 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 offer'd it to him a. gain then he put it by again; but, to my thinking, he was very loth to lay his fingers off it. And then he offer'd it the third time: he put it the third time by ; and ftill as he refus'd it, the rabblement fhouted, and clapp'd their chopp'd hands, and threw up their sweaty night caps, and utter'd fuch a deal of ftinking breath, because Cæfar refus'd the crown, that it had almost choked Cæsar; for he fwooned, and fell down at it: and for mine own part I durft not laugh, for fear of opening my lips, and receving the bad air. Caf. But, foft, I pray you; what, did Cæfar fwoon? Cafca. He fell down in the market place, and foam'd at mouth, and, was speechless. Bru. 'Tis very like; he hath the falling-sickness. Caf. No, Cæfar hath it not; but you and I, And honest Cafca, we have the falling-fickness. Cafca. I know not what you mean by that; but I am fure Cæfar fell down. If the tag-rag people did not clap him, and hifs him, according as he pleas'd, and difpleas'd them, as they used to do the players in the threatre, I am no true man, Bru. What faid he when he came unto himself? Cafca. Marry, before he fell down, when he perceiv'd the common herd was glad he refus'd the crown, he pluck'd me ope his doublet, and offer'd them his throat to cut an' I had been a man of any occupation, if L would not have taken him at a word, I would I might go to hell among the rogues; and so he fell. When he came to himself again, he faid, "If he had done es or faid any thing amifs, he defir'd their Worthips to "think it was his infirmity." Three or four wenches where I ftood, cry'd, "Alas, good foul !" and for gave him with all their hearts: but there's no heed to be taken of them; if Cæfar had stabb'd their mothers, they would have done no lefs. Bru. And after that, he came, thus fad, away. Caf. Did Cicero fay any thing? Cafca. Nay, an' I tell you that, I'll ne'er look you i' th' face again. But those that understood him, fmil'd at one another, and fhook their heads; but for mine own part it was Greek to me. I could tell you more news too. Marullus and Flavius, for pulling fcarfs off Cæfar's images, are put to filence. Fare you well. There was more foolery yet, if I could remember it. Caf. Will you fup with me to-night, Cafca? Cajca. No, I am promis'd forth. Caf. Will you dine with me to-morrow? Cafea Ay, If I be alive, and your mind hold, and your dinner be worth the eating. Caf. Good, I will expect you. Cafca. Do fo: farewell both. [Exit. Bru. What a blunt fellow is this grown to be? He was quick mettle when he went to school. Of any bold or noble enterprife, However he puts on this tardy form. This rudeness is a fauce to his good wit, Which gives men stomach to digest his words Bru. And fo it is: for this time I will leave you. Well, Brutus, thou art noble; yet I fee |