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The sufferance of our souls, the time's abuse,-
If these be motives weak, break off betimes,
And every man hence to his idie bed;
So let high-sighted tyranny range on,
"Till each man drop by lottery. But if these,-
As I am sure they do, bear fire enough
To kindle cowards, and to steel with valour
The melting spirits of women; then, countrymen,
What need we any spur, but our own cause,
To prick us to redress? What other bond,
Than secret Romans, that have spoke the word,
And will not palter? and what other oath,
Than honesty to honesty engag'd,
That this shall be, or we will fall for it?
Swear priests, and cowards, and men cautelous',
Old feeble carrions, and such suffering souls
That welcome wrongs; unto bad causes, swear
Such creatures as men doubt : but do not stain
The even virtue of our enterprize,

Nor th' insuppressive mettle of our spirits,
To think, that, or our cause, or our performance,
Did need an oath; when every drop of blood,
That every Roman bears, and nobly bears,
Is guilty of a several bastardy,

If he do break the smallest particle
Of any promise that hath past from him.

Cas. But what of Cicero? Shall we sound him?

I think, he will stand very strong with us.
Casca. Let us not leave him out.
Cin. No, by no means.

Met. O, let us have him; for his silver hairs
Will purchase us a good opinion,

And buy men's voices to commend our deeds:
It shall be said, his judgement rul'd our hands;
Our youths, and wildness, shall no whit appear,
But all be bury'd in his gravity.

[him;

Bru. O, name him not: let us not break with
For he will never follow any thing
That other men begin.

Cas. Then leave him out.
Casca. Indeed, he is not fit.

[Cæsar?

Dec. Shall no man else be touch'd, but only
Cas. Decius, well urg'd:-I think,it is not meet,
Mark Antony, so well belov'd of Cæsar,
Should out-live Cæsar: We shall find of him
A shrewd contriver; and, you know, his means,
If he improve them, may well stretch so far,
As to annoy us all which to prevent,
Let Antony and Cæsar fall together.

[Cassius,

O, that we then could come by Cæsar's spirit,
And not dismember Cæsar! But, alas!
Cæsar must bleed for it; And, gentle friends,
Let's kill him boldly, but not wrathfully;
5 Let's carve him as a dish fit for the gods,
Not hew him as a carcase fit for hounds:
And let our hearts, as subtle masters do,
Stir up their servants to an act of rage,
And after seem to chide them. This shall make
10 Our purpose necessary, and not envious:
Which so appearing to the common eyes,
We shall be call'd purgers, not murderers.
And for Mark Antony, think not of him;
For he can do no more than Cæsar's arm,
When Casar's head is off.

15

Cas. Yet I fear him :

For in the ingrafted love he bears to Cæsar,-
Bru. Alas, good Cassius, do not think of him:
If he love Cæsar, all that he can do

20 Is to himself; take thought, and die for Cæsar:
And that were much he should; for he is given
To sports, to wildness, and much company.
Treb. There is no fear in him; let him not die;
For he will live, and laugh at this hereafter
[Clock strikes.

25

Bru. Peace, count the clock.
Cas. The clock hath strucken three.
Treb. 'Tis time to part.

Cas. But it is doubtful yet,

30 Whe'r Cæsar will come forth to-day, or no :
For he is superstitious grown of late;
Quite from the main opinion he held once
Of fantasy, of dreams, and ceremonies:
It may be, these apparent prodigies,
The unaccustom'd terror of this night,
And the persuasion of his augurers,
May hold him from the Capitol to-day.

35

Dec. Never fear that: If he be so resolv'd,
I can o'ersway him: for he loves to hear,
40 That unicorns may be betray'd with trees*,
And bears with glasses, elephants with holes,
Lions with toils, and men with flatterers:
But, when I tell him, he hates flatterers,
He says, he does; being then most flatter'd.
45 Let me work :

Bru. Our course will seem too bloody, Caius 50
To cut the head off, and then hack the limbs;
Like wrath in death, and envy afterwards :
For Antony is but a limb of Cæsar.
Let us be sacrificers, but not bucthers, Caius.
We all stand up against the spirit of Cæsar;
And in the spirit of men there is no blood:

For I can give his humour the true bent;
And I will bring him to the Capitol.

Cas. Nay, we will all of us be there to fetch him.
Bru. By the eighth hour: Is that the uttermost?
Cin. Be that the uttermost, and fail not then.
Met. Caius Ligarius doth bear Cæsar hard »,
Who rated him for speaking well of Pompey;
I wonder, none of you have thought of him.

Bru. Now, good Metellus, go along to him: 55 He loves me well, and I have given him reasons; Send him but hither, and I'll fashion him.

3

1 Perhaps the poet here alludes to the custom of decimation, i.e. the selection by lot, of every tenth soldier, in a general mutiny, for punishment. 1i. e. cautious. That is, turn melancholy. Unicorns are said to have been taken by one who, running behind a tree, eluded the violent push the animal was making at him, so that his horn spent its force on the trunk, and stuck fast, detaining the beast till he was dispatched by the hunter.-Bears are reported to have been surprised by means of a mirror, which they would gaze on, affording their pursuers an opportunity of taking the surer aim. -Elephants were seduced into pitfalls lightly covered with hurdles and turf, on which a proper bait to tempt them was exposed. i. e. hates Cæsar.

Cas.

Cas. The morning comes upon us : We'll leave
you, Brutus:-

And, friends,disperse yourselves: but all remember
What you have said, and shew yourselves true Ro-

mans.

Bru. Good gentlemen, look fresh and merrily;

Let not our looks put on our purposes;

But bear it as our Roman actors do,

With untir'd spirits, and formal constancy:

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And so, good-morrow to you every one. [Exeunt. 10 Por. I should not need, if you were gentle Brutus.

Manet Brutus.

Boy! Lucius!-Fast asleep? It is no matter;
Enjoy the honey-heavy dew of slumber :
Thou hast no figures, nor no fantasies,
Which busy care draws in the brains of men;
Therefore thou sleep'st so sound.
Enter Portia.

Por. Brutus, my lord!

[now?

Bru. Portia,what mean you? Wherefore rise you
It is not for your health, thus to commit
Your weak condition to the raw cold morning.
Por. Nor for yours neither. You have ungently,
Brutus,

Stole from my bed: And yesternight, at supper,
You suddenly arose, and walk'd about,
Musing, and sighing, with your arms across :
And when I ask'd you what the matter was,
You star'd upon me with ungentle looks:
Iurg'd you further; then you scratch'd your head,
And too impatiently stamp'd with your foot:
Yet I insisted, yet you answer'd not;
But, with an angry wafture of your hand,
Gave sign for me to leave you: So I did;
Fearing to strengthen that impatience,

Within the bond of marriage, tell me, Brutus,
Is it excepted, I should know no secrets
That appertain to you? Am I yourself,
But, as it were, in sort or limitation;

15 To keep with you at meals, comfort your bed,
And talk to you sometimes? Dwell I but in the

20

suburbs

Of your good pleasure? If it be no more,
Portia is Brutus' harlot, not his wife.

Bru. You are my true and honourable wife;
As dear to me as are the ruddy drops

That visit my sad heart.

[secret.

Por. If this were true, then should I know this
I grant, I am a woman; but, withal,

25A woman that lord Brutus took to wife:
I grant, I am a woman; but, withal,
A woman well-reputed; Cato's daughter.
Think you, I am no stronger than my sex,
Being so father'd, and so husbanded?

30 Tell me your counsels, I will not disclose them:
I have made strong proof of my constancy,
Giving myself a voluntary wound

Here, in the thigh: Can Ibear that with patience,
And not my husband's secrets?

Bru. O ye gods,

Render me worthy of this noble wife! [Knock.
Hark, hark! one knocks: Portia, go in a while;
And by-and-by thy bosom shall partake
The secrets of my heart.

40 All my engagements I will construe to thee,
All the charactery' of my sad brows :—
Leave me with haste.
[Exit Portia.
Enter Lucius and Ligarius.
Lucius, who is that knocks?

145

Which seem'd too much enkindled; and, withal, 35
Hoping it was but an effect of humour,
Which sometime hath his hour with every man.
It will not let you eat, nor talk, nor sleep;
And, could it work so much upon your shape,
As it hath much prevail'd on your condition,
I should not know you, Brutus. Dear my lord,
Make me acquainted with your cause of grief.
Bru. I am not well in health, and that is all.
Por. Brutus is wise, and, were he not in health,
He would embrace the means to come by it.
Bru. Why, so I do :-Good Portia, go to bed.
Por. Is Brutus sick; and is it physical
To walk unbraced, and suck up the humours
Of the dank morning? What, is Brutus sick;
And will he steal out of his wholesome bed,
To dare the vile contagion of the night?
And tempt the rheumy and unpurged air
To add unto his sickness? No, my Brutus;
You have some sick offence within your mind,
Which, by the right and virtue of my place,
I ought to know of: And, upon my knees,

50

[you. Luc. Here is a sick man that would speak with Bru. Caius Ligarius, that Metellus spake of.→ Boy, stand aside.-Caius Ligarius! how? Lig. Vouchsafe good morrow from a feeble [Caius,

tongue.

Bru. O, what a time have you chose out, brave
To wear a kerchief? Would you were not sick!
Lig. I am not sick, if Brutus have in hand
Any exploit worthy the name of honour.
Bru. Such an exploit have I in hand, Ligarius,

55 Had you a healthful ear to hear of it.

Lig. By all the gods, that Romans bow before,

Comfort your bed, " is but an odd phrase, and gives as odd an idea," says Mr. Theobald. He therefore substitutes, consort. But this good old word, however disused through modern refinement, was not so discarded by Shakspeare. Henry VIII, as we read in Cavendish's Life of Wolsey, in commendation of queen Katharine, in public said, "She hath beene to me a true obedient wife, and as "comfortable as I could wish.' In our marriage ceremony, also, the husband promises to comfort his wife; and Barrett's Alrearie, or Quadruple Dictionary, 1582, says, that to comfort is, " to recreate, to "solace, to make pastime." Perhaps here is an allusion to the place in which the harlots of Shakspeare's age resided. ¿i. e. all that is character'd on, &c. I here

2

I here discard my sickness. Soul of Rome!
Brave son, deriv'd from honourable loins !
Tou, like an exorcist, hast conjur'd up
My mortified spirit. Now bid me run,
And I will strive with things impossible;
Yea, get the better of them. What's to do?
Bru. A piece of work, that will make sick men
whole.
[make sick?
Lig. But are not some whole, that we must
Bru. That must we also. What it is, my Caius,
I shall unfold to thee, as we are going
To whom it must be done.

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It seems to me most strange that men should fear;
Seeing that death, a necessary end,
Will come, when it will come.

Re-e ter a Servant.

5 What say the augurers?

10

[day.

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

Cas. 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 were two hons litter'd in one day,
15 And I the elder and more terrible;
And Cæsar shall go forth.

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Cal. What mean you, Cæsar? Think you to walk You shall not stir out of your house to-day. [forth Cas. Cæsar shall forth: the things that threat

en'd me,

Cal. Alas, my lord,

Your wisdom is consum'd 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

Cas. Mark Antony shall say, I am not well; 25 And, for thy humour, I will stay at home.

130

Ne'er look'd but on my back; when they shall see 35
The face of Cæsar, they are vanished.

Cal. Cæsar, I never stood on ceremonies',
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; [dead:
And graves have yawn'd, and yielded up their
Fierce fiery warriors fight 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
Horsés did neigh, and dying men did groan;
And ghosts did shriek, and squeal about the streets.
O Casar! these things are beyond all use,
And I do fear them.

40

Enter Decius.

Here's Decius Brutus, he shall tell them so.[Cæsar:
Dec. Cæsar, all hail! Good morrow, worthy
I come to fetch you to the senate-house.

Cas. 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 come to-day: Tell them so, Decius.
Cal. Say, he is sick.

Cæs. Shall Cæsar send a lye?
Have I in conquest stretch'd mine arm so far,
To be afeard to tell grey-beards the truth?—
Decius, got
tell them, Cæsar will not come. [cause,
Dec. Most mighty Cæsar, let me know some
Lest I be laugh'd at, when I tell them so.

Cas. The cause is in my will, I will not come;
That is enough to satisfy the senate.
But, for your private satisfaction,

45 Because I love you, I will let you know.
Calphurnia here, my wife, stays me at home;
She dreamt to-night she saw my statue,

Which, like a fountain, with a hundred spouts,
Did run pure blood; and many lusty Romans
50 Came smiling, and did bathe their hands in it.
And these does she apply for warnings, and por-
And evils imminent; and on her knee [tents,
Hath begg'd, that I will stay at home to-day.
Dec. This dream is all amiss interpreted;
It was a vision, fair and fortunate:
Your statue spouting blood in many pipes,
In which so many smiling Romans bath'd,
Signifies, that from you great Rome shall suck
Reviving blood; and that great men shall press
60 For tinctures, stains, relicks, and cognisance 3.

Cas. What can be avoided,
Whose end is purpos'd 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 55
seen;
[princes.
The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of
Cas.Cowards diemanytimes beforetheirdeaths;
The valiant never taste of death but once.
Of all the wonders that I yet have heard,

1i. e. I never paid a ceremonious or superstitious regard to prodigies or omens. 2 To hurtle is, perhaps, to clash, or move with violence and noise. There are two allusions in this speech; one to coats armorial, to which princes make additions, or give new tinctures, and new marks of cognisances the other to martyrs, whose reliques are preserved with veneration.-The Romans, says Decius, all come to you as to a saint, for reliques, as to a prince, for honours.

This by Calphurnia's dream is signify'd.

5

Cas. And this way have you well expounded it.
Dec. I have, when you have heard what I can
And know it now; the senate have concluded [say ;]
To give, this day, a crown to mighty Casar.
If you shall send them word, you will not come,
Their minds may change. Besides, it were a mock,
Apt to be render'd, for some one to say,
"Break up the senate 'till another time,
"WhenCasar'swifeshallmeetwithbetterdreams." 10

If Cæsar hide himself, shall they not whisper,

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Lo, Cæsar is afraid!"

Pardon me, Cæsar; for my dear, dear love To your proceeding bids me tell you this; And reason to my love is liable '."

[phurnia

Cas. How foolish do your fears seem now, CalI 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.

Cas. Welcome, Publius.

What, Brutus, are you stirr'd so early too?-
Good-morrow, Casca.-Caius Ligarius,
Cæsar was ne'er so much your enemy,
As that me ague which hath made you lean.-
What is 't o'clock?

Bru. Cæsar, 'tis strucken eight.

Cas. 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.

Cas. Bid them prepare within :

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I am to blame to be thus waited for.

[nius!

Now, Cinna:-Now, Metellus :-What, Trebo-
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.
Treb. Cæsar, I will:-and so near will I be,
[Aside.
That your best friends shall wish I had been further.
Cas. Good friends, go in, and taste some wine

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SCENE III.

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.

If thou read this, O Cæsar, thou may'st live;
If not, the fates with traitors do contrive'. [Exit.
SCENE IV.

Another part of the same Street.
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?

[gain,

Luc. To know my errand, madam. Por. I would have had thee there, and here a15 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 is it for women to keep counsel! 20 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? [well,
Por. Yes, bring me word, boy, if thy lord look
25 For he went sickly forth: And take good note,
What Caesar doth, what suitors press to him.
Hark, boy! what noise is that?

Luc. I hear none, madam.
Por. Pr'ythee, listen well :

30I heard a bustling rumour, like a fray,
And the wind brings it from the Capitol.
Luc. Sooth, madam, I hear nothing.
Enter Soothsayer.

35

40

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Por. Is Cæsar yet gone to the Capitol ? Sooth. Madam, not yet; I go to take my stand, To see him pass on to the Capitol.

[not?

Por. Thou hast some suit to Cæsar, hast thou Sooth. That I have, lady, if it will please Cæsar To be so good to Casar, as to hear me : 45 I shall beseech him to befriend himself.

Por. Why, know'st thou any harm's intended towards him? [fear may chance. Sooth. None that I know will be, much that Į Good-morrow to you. Here the street is narrow: 50 The throng that follows Cæsar at the heels, Of senators, of prætors, common suitors, Will crowd a feeble man almost to death: I'll get me to a place more void, and there Speak to great Cæsar as he comes along. [Exit. Por. I must go in.-Ay me! how weak a thing The heart of woman is ! O Brutus ! The heavens speed thee in thine enterprize! Sure, the boy heard me :-Brutus hath a suit, That Cæsar will not grant.-O, I grow faint:Run, Lucius, and commend me to my lord; Say, I am merry: come to me again, And bring me word what he doth say to thee. [Exeunt.

A Street near the Capitol. Enter Artemidorus, reading a paper. 'Cæsar, beware of Brutus; take heed of Cas"sius; come not near Casca; have an eye to "Cinna; trust not Trebonius; mark well Me-55 "tellus Cimber; Decius Brutus loves thee not; "thou hast wrong'd 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. 60 "The mighty gods defend thee ! "Thy lover,

1 i. e. subordinate.

66 ARTEMIDORUS.'

i. e. the fates join with traitors in contriving thy destruction.

АСТ

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The Capitol: the Senate sitting.
Flourish. Enter Cæsar, Brutus, Cassius, Casca,
Decius, Metellus, Trebonius, Cinna, Antony,
Lepidus, Artemidorus, Popilius, Publius, and
the Soothsayer.

HE ides of March are come.

Cas. THE

Sooth. Ay, Cæsar, but not gone.
Art. Hail, Cæsar! Read this schedule.
Dec. Trebonius doth desire you to o'er-read,
At your best leisure, this his humble suit. [suit
Art. O, Cæsar, read mine first; for mine's a
That touches Cæsar nearer: Read it, great Cæsar.
Cas. What touches us ourself, shall be last
serv'd.

Art. Delay not, Cæsar; read it instantly.
Cas. What, is the fellow mad?

Pub. Sirrah, give place.

Cas. What urge you your petitions in the street?

Come to the Capitol.

[Cæsar enters the Capitol, the rest following.]
Pop. I wish your enterprize to-day may thrive.
Cas. What enterprize, Popilius ?
Pop. Fare

well. you

Bru. What said Popilius Læna?

[thrive.

Cas. He wish'd, to-day our enterprize might| I fear, our purpose is discover'd. [him.

5

Into the lane of children. Be not fond,
To think that Cæsar bears such rebel blood,
That will be thaw'd from the true quality
With that which melteth fools; I mean, sweet
words,

Low-crooked cur'tsies, and base spaniel fawning.
Thy brother by decree is banished;

If thou dost bend, and pray, and fawn, for him,
spurn thee like a cur out of my way.

I

10 Know, Cæsar doth not wrong; nor without cause Will he be satisfied.

15

20

Met. Is there no voice more worthy than my

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Cas. What, Brutus !

Cus. Pardon, Cæsar; Cæsar, pardon:
As low as to thy foot doth Cassius fall,
To beg enfranchisement for Publius Cimber.

Cas. I could be well mov'd, if I were as you;
If I could pray to move, prayers would move me:
23 But I am constant as the northern star,
Of whose true-fixt, 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,

Bru. Look, how he makes to Cæsar: Mark 30
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 Læna 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.
[Exeunt Ant. and Treb.
Dec. Where is Metellus Cimber? Let him go,
And presently prefer his suit to Cæsar.

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Bru. He is addrest': press near, and second
Cin. Casca, you are the first that rear your hand. 45
Cas. Are we all ready? What is now amiss,
That Cæsar, and his senate, must redress?

Met. Most high, most mighty, and most puissant
Cæsar,
MetellusCimber throws before thy seat [Kneeling. 50
An humble heart :-

Cas. I must prevent thee, Cimber.
These couchings, and these lowly courtesies,
Might fire the blood of ordinary men;
And turn pre-ordinance?, and first decree,

That I was constant Cimber should be banish'd,
And constant do remain to keep him so.
Cin. O Cæsar,-

Cas. Hence! Wilt thou lift up Olympus?
Dec. Great Casar,-

Cas. Doth not Brutus bootless kneel?
Casca. Speak, hands, for me.

[They stab Cæsar. Cæs. Et tu, Brute?—Then fall, Cæsar!

[Dies.

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.
Casca. Go to the pulpit, Brutus,
Dec. And Cassius too.

55 Bru. Where's Publius?

i.e. he is ready. Pre-ordinance, for ordinance already established. Dr. Johnson proposes to read, "the law of children. That is, change pre-ordinance and decree into the law of children; into such slight determinations as every start of will would alter." i. e. susceptible of fear, or other passions.

Cin.

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