Hide it in smiles, and affability:
For if thou path, thy native semblance on *,
Not Erebus 5 itself were dim enough
To hide thee from prevention.
Casca. Let us not leave him out.
Cin.
Met. O, let us have him; for his silver hairs
Will purchase us a good opinion,
Enter CASSIUS, CASCA, DECIUS, CINNA, METELLUS And buy men's voices to commend our deeds;
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Cin. O, pardon, sir, it doth; and yon grey lines,
That fret the clouds, are messengers of day.
Casca. You shall confess, that you are both deceiv'd.
Here, as point my sword, the sun arises;
Which is a great way growing on the south,
Weighing the youthful season of the year.
Some two months hence, up higher toward the north
He first presents his fire; and the high east
Stands, as the Capitol, directly here.
Bru. Give me your hands all over, one by one.
Cas. And let us swear our resolution.
Bru. No, not an oath: If not the face 6 of men,
The sufferance of our souls, the time's abuse, -
If these be motives weak, break off betimes,
And every man hence to his idle 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? 7 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 3, .
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 the 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 pass'd from him.
It shall be said, his judgment rul'd our hands:
Our youths, and wildness, shall no whit appear,
But all be buried in his gravity.
For he will never follow any thing
Bru. O, name him not; let us not break with him?;
That other men begin.
Then leave him out.
Casca. Indeed, he is not fit.
Dec. Shall no man else be touch'd but only
Cæsar?
Cas. Decius, well urg'd; - I think it is not meet,
Mark Antony, so well belov'd of Cæsar,
Should outlive Cæsar. We shall find of him
A shrewd contriver; and, you know, his means,
If he improves them, may well stretch so far,
As to annoy us all: which to prevent,
Let Antony, and Cæsar, fall together.
Bru. Our course will seem too bloody, Caius
Cassius,
To cut the head off, and then hack the limbs;
Like wrath in death, and envy1 afterwards:
For Antony is but a limb of Cæsar.
We all stand up against the spirit of Cæsar;
Let us be sacrificers, but no butchers, Caius,
O, that we then could come by Cæsar's spirit,
And in the spirit of men there is no blood:
And not dismember Cæsar! But, alas,
Cæsar must bleed for it! And, gentle friends,
Let's carve him as a dish fit for the gods,
Let's kill him boldly, but not wrathfully;
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
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 Cæsar's head is off.
Yet I do 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
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.
Bru. Peace, count the clock.
Cas.
The clock hath stricken three.
Treb. 'Tis time to part.
Cas.
But it is doubtful yet,
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,
Cas. But what of Cicero? Shall we sound him? And the persuasion of his augurers,
May hold him from the Capitol to-day.
Dec. Never fear that: If he be so resolv'd,
I can o'ersway him; for he loves to hear,
9 Let us not break the matter to him.
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 flattered.
Let me work :
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 by him 2: He loves me well, and I have given him reasons; Send him but hither, and I'll fashion him.
Cas. The morning comes upon us: We'll leave you, Brutus:
And, friends, disperse yourselves : but all remember What you have said, and show yourselves true
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 :
And so, good morrow to you every one.
[Exeunt all but 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.
Brutus, my lord ? Bru. Portia, what mean you? Wherefore rise you now?
It is not for your health thus to commit
Your weak condition to the raw-cold morning.
Por. Nor for yours neither. You have urgently,
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:
I urg'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,
Which seem'd too much enkindled; and, withal,
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 5 morning? What, is Brutus sick ;
3 Shapes created by imagination.
3 By his house. 4 Temper.
And will he steal out of his wholesome bed,
To dare the vile contagion of the night?
And tempt the rheumy 6 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,
charm you, by my once commended beauty,
By all your vows of love, and that great vow
Which did incorporate and make us one,
That you unfold to me, yourself, your half,
Why you are heavy; and what men to-night
Have had resort to you: for here have been
Some six or seven, who did hide their faces
Even from darkness.
Kneel not, gentle Portia. Por. I should not need, if you were gentle Brutus. 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;
To keep with you at meals, comfort your bed,
And talk to you sometimes? Dwell I but in the
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.
Por. If this were true, then should I know this
I grant, I am a woman, but, withal,
A 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?
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 I bear that with patience,
And not my husband's secrets?
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Luc. Here is a sick man, that would speak with you. Bru. Caius Ligarius, that Metellus spake of. Boy, stand aside. Caius Ligarius! how? Lig. Vouchsafe good morrow from a feeble tongue. Bru. O, what a time have you chose out, brave Caius,
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, Had you a healthful ear to hear of it.
Lig. By all the gods that Romans bow before, I here discard my sickness. Soul of Rome ! Brave son, deriv'd from honourable loins! Thou, 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.
Lig. But are not some whole, that we must make
sick?
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.
Lig.
Set on your foot;
And, with a heart new fir'd, I follow you,
To do I know not what: but it sufficeth,
That Brutus leads me on.
Bru.
A Room in Cæsar's Palace.
Thunder and Lightning. Enter CESAR, in his
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 were two lions litter'd in one day,
And I the elder and more terrible;
And Cæsar shall go forth.
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;
And, for thy humour, I will stay at home.
Enter DECIUS.
Cæs. Nor heaven, nor earth, have been at peace Here's Decius Brutus, he shall tell them so.
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Ne'er look'd but on my back; when they shall see
The face of Cæsar, they are vanished.
Cal. Cæsar, I never stood on ceremonies 7,
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;
And graves have yawn'd, and yielded up their dead:
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 8 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,
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 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,
Will come, when it will come.
What say the augurers? Serv. They would not have you to stir forth to-day. 7 Never paid regard to prodigies or omens. 8 Encountered.
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 come to-day: Tell them so, Decius.
Cal. Say, he is sick.
Cæs.
Shall Cæsar send a lie?
Have I in conquest stretch'd mine arm so far,
To be afeard to tell grey-beards the truth?
Decius, go tell them, Cæsar will not come.
Dec. Most mighty Cæsar, let me know some cause,
Lest I be laugh'd 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.
Calphurnia here, my wife, stays me at home:
She dreamt to-night she saw my statua,
Which like a fountain with a 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, portents,
And evils imminent; and on her knee
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
For tinctures, stains, relicks, and cognizance.
This by Calphurnia's dream is signified.
Cas. 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
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 the senate till another time,
up
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;
And reason to my love is liable. 9
Cas. How foolish do your fears seem now, Cal- | SCENE IV.
Cas. Bid them prepare within :-
I am to blame to be thus waited for.
Now, Cinna: - Now Metellus: :- What Trebo-
nius!
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 with me;
And we, like friends, will straightway go together. Bru. That every like is not the same, O Cæsar, The heart of Brutus yearns to think upon!
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SCENE III. A Street near the Capitol.
Enter ARTEMIDORUS, reading a Paper. Art. Cæsar, beware of Brutus; take heed of Cassius; come not near Casca; have an eye to Činna; trust not Trebonius; mark well Metellus Cimber; Decius Brutus loves thee not; thou hast wronged 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. The mighty gods defend thee! Thy lover, ARTEMIDORus.
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. 2
If thou read this, O Cæsar, thou mayst live;
If not, the fates with traitors do contrive.
Another Part of the same Street,
before the House of BRUTUS.
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? Luc. To know my errand, madam. Por. I would have had thee there, and here again, Ere I can tell thee what thou shouldst 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 it is for women to keep counsel !
Art thou here yet?
Madam, what should I do?
Run to the Capitol, and nothing else?
And so return to you, and nothing else?
Por. Yes, bring me word, boy, if thy lord look well,
For he went sickly forth: And take good note,
What Cæsar doth, what suitors press to him.
Hark, boy! what noise is that?
Luc. I hear none, madam.
Por.
Pr'ythee, listen well;
I heard a bustling rumour, like a fray,
And the wind brings it from the Capitol.
Luc. Sooth, madam, I hear nothing.
Enter Soothsayer.
Which way hast thou been?
At mine own house, good lady. Por. What is't o'clock? Sooth.
About the ninth hour, lady. 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 ?
Por. Thou hast some suit to Cæsar, hast thou not? Sooth. That I have, lady: if it will please Cæsar To be so good to Cæsar, as to hear me,
I shall beseech him to befriend himself. Por. Why, know'st thou any harm's intended towards him?
Sooth. None that I know will be, much that I fear may chance. Here the street is narrow; Good-morrow to you. 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. Por. I must go in. - Ah me! how weak a thing The heart of woman is! O Brutus! The heaven speed thee in thy enterprize! Sure, the boy heard me :- Brutus hath a suit, That Cæsar will not grant.—O, I grow faint: Run, Lucius, and cominend me to my lord; Say, I am merry: come to me again, And bring me word what he doth say to thee. [Exeunt
The Capitol; the Senate sitting. A Crowd of People in the Street leading to the Capitol among them ARTEMIDORUS and the SoothFlourish. Enter CESAR, BRUTUS, CASSIUS, CASCA, DECIUS, METELLUS, TREBONIUS, CINNA, ANTONY, LEPIDUS, POPILIUS, PUBLIUS,
Cas. The ides of March are come.
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.
Art. O Cæsar, read mine first; for mine's a suit
That touches Cæsar nearer: Read it, great Cæsar.
Ces. 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.
CASAR enters the Capitol, the rest following.
All the Senators rise.
Pop. I wish your enterprize to-day may thrive.
Cas. What enterprize, Popilius?
Pop.
Fare you well. [Advances to CESAR.
He draws Mark Antony out of the way. [Exeunt ANTONY and TREBONIUS. and the Senators take their Seats. Dec. Where is Metellus Cimber? Let him go, And presently prefer his suit to Cæsar.
Bru. He is address'd 4: press near, and second him.
Cin. Casca, you are the first that rears your hand.
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,
Metellus Cimber throws before thy seat
An humble heart :-
[Kneeling.
Cæs.
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,
Into the law 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 court'sies, and base spaniel fawning.
Thy brother by decree is banished;
If thou dost bend, and pray, and fawn for him,
I spurn thee like a cur out of my way.
Know, Cæsar doth not wrong; nor without cause
Met. Is there no voice more worthy than my own, To sound more sweetly in great Cæsar's ear, For the repealing of my banish'd brother? Bru. I kiss thy hand, but not in flattery, Cæsar; Desiring thee, that Publius Cimber may Have an immediate freedom of repeal. Caes. What, Brutus?
Cas. Pardon, Cæsar; Cæsar, pardon As low as to thy foot doth Cassius fall, To beg enfranchisement for Publius Cimber. Cæs. I could be well mov'd, if I were as you; If I could pray to move, prayers would move me :
But I am constant as the northern star,
Of whose true fix'd 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,
Unshak'd of motion 6: and, that I am he:
Let me a little show it, even in this;
That I was constant, Cimber should be banish'd,
And constant do remain to keep him so.
Cin. O Cæsar,
Cæs. Hence! Wilt thou lift up Olympus?
Dec. Great Cæsar,
Doth not Brutus bootless 7 kneel? Casca. Speak, hands, for me.
[CASCA stabs CESAR in the neck. CESAR catches hold of his arm. He is then stabbed by several other Conspirators, and at last by MARCUS BRUTUS. Cæs. Et tu, Brute? 8- Then, fall, Cæsar. [Dies. The Senators and People retire in
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.
Bru. Where's Publius?
Cin. Here, quite confounded with this mutiny.
Met. Stand fast together, lest some friend of
Bru. Talk not of standing; - Publius, good cheer; There is no harm intended to your person, Nor to no Roman else; so tell them, Publius. Cas. And leave us, Publius, lest that the people, Rushing on us, should do your age some mischief. Bru. Do so; - and let no man abide this deed, But we the doers.
Re-enter TREbonius. Cas. Where's Antony?
5 Intelligent.
7 Unsuccessfully.
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