75. Street Scene: Brutus and Cassius. Cassius. WILL you go see the order of the course? Cas. I pray you, do. Bru. I am not gamesome; I do lack some part Let me not hinder, Cassius, your desires; Cas. Brutus, I do observe you now of late; Bru. Cassius, Be not deceived: if I have veiled my look, Of late, with passions of some difference, Which give some soil perhaps to my behavior; Than that poor Brutus, with himself at war, Forgets the show of love to other men. Cas. Then, Brutus, I have much mistook your passion; By means whereof, this breast of mine hath buried Thoughts of great value, worthly cogitations. Tell me, good Brutus, can you see your face? Bru. No, Cassius; for the eye sees not itself, But by reflection by some other things. Cas. 'Tis just. And it is very inuch lamented, Brutus, That you have no such mirrors as will turn That you might see your shadow. I have heard, Bru. Into what dangers would you lead me, Cassius, That you would have me seek into myself For that which is not in me? Cas. Therefore, good Brutus, be prepared to hear; That of yourself which you yet know not of. That I do fawn on men, and hug them hard, That I profess myself in banqueting, To all the rout; then hold me dangerous. Bru. What means this shouting? I do fear the peopie Choose Cæsar for their king. Cas. Ay, do you fear it? Then must I think you would not have it so. Bru. I would not, Cassius; yet I love him well. But wherefore do you hold me here so long? What is it that you would impart to me? If it be aught toward the general good, Set honor in one eye, and death in the other, For let the gods so speed me, as I love The name of honor more than I fear death. Cas. I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus, As well as I do know your outward favor. I cannot tell what you and other men Think of this life; but for my single self, In awe of such a thing as I myself. I was born free as Cæsar; so were you; The troubled Tiber chafing with its shores, And swim to yonder point?"- Upon the word, And bade him follow; so indeed he did. Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder The old Anchises bear; so from the waves of Tiber Did I the tired Cæsar ;- and this man 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 How he did shake. 'Tis true, this god did shake, And that same eye whose bend doth awe the world So get the start of the majestic world, Bru. Another general shout! I do believe that these applauses are For some new honors that are heaped 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 To find ourselves dishonorable graves. Men at some times are masters of their fates; The fauit, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves, that we are underlings. Brutus and Cæsar - what should be in that Cæsar? Why should that name be sounded, more than yours? Write them together, yours is as fair a name; Sound them Weigh them, - it doth become the mouth as well There was a Brutus once that would have brooked Bru. That you do love me, I am nothing jealous; I will consider; what you have to say, I will with patience hear; and find a time Both meet to hear and answer such high things. Than to repute himself a son of Rome Under such hard conditions as this time Cas. I am glad that my weak words Have struck but thus much show of fire from Brutus. SHAKSPEARS 76. The Quarrel of Brutus and Cassius. Cassius. THAT you have wronged me, doth appear in this : You have condemned and noted Lucius Pella, For taking bribes here of the Sardians; Brutus. You wronged yourself, to write in such a case. Cas. I an itching palm? You know that you are Brutus that speak this, Cas. Chastisement ! • Bru. Remember March, the ides of March remember? Did not great Julius bleed for justice sake · |