Calphurnia's cheek is pale; and Cicero Being cross'd in conference by some senators. Ant. Cæsar. Cas. Let me have men about me that are fat; Cæs. 'Would he were fatter:-But I fear him not: I do not know the man I should avoid So soon as that spare Cassius. He reads much; Quite through the deeds of men: he loves no plays, And tell me truly what thou think'st of him. [Exeunt CESAR and his Train. CASCA stays behind. Casca. You pull'd me by the cloak; Would you speak with me? Bru. Ay, Casca; tell us what hath chanced to-day, That Cæsar looks so sad. Casca. Why you were with him, were you not? Bru. I should not then ask Casca what hath chanced. Casca. Why, there was a crown offer'd him: and being offer'd him, he put it by with the back of his hand, thus; and then the people fell a-shouting. 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 offer'd 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? 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 coro nets; 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 chopped 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 swooned, 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. Cas. But, soft, I pray you: What? did Cæsar swoon? Casca. He fell down in the market-place, and foamed at the mouth, and was speechless. Bru. "Tis very like: he hath the falling-sickness. 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,t if I 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 said, If he had done, or said, any thing 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, Bru. And after that, he came, thus sad, away? Casca. Ay. Cas. Did Cicero say anything? 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 Caesar'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. Cas. Will you dine with me to-morrow? Casca. Ay, if I be alive, and your mind hold, and your dinner worth eating. Cas. Good: I will expect you. Casca. Do so: Farewell, both. Bru. What a blunt fellow is this grown to be? * Honest. + Mechanic. [Exit CASCA. He was quick mettle, when he went to school. Of any bold or noble enterprise, However he puts on this tardy form. Bru. And so it is. For this time I will leave you: I will come home to you; or, if you will, Cas. I will do so :-till then, think of the world. Well, Brutus, thou art noble; yet, I see, That Rome holds of his name; wherein obscurely And, after this, let Cæsar seat him sure; For we will shake him, or worse days endure. [Exit BRUTUS. SCENE III.-The same. A Street. [Exit. Thunder and Lightning. Enter, from opposite sides, CASCA with his sword drawn, and CICERO. Cic. Good even, Casca; Brought§ you Cæsar home? I have seen tempests, when the scolding winds Cic. Why, saw you anything more wonderful? Casca. A common slave (you know him well by sight), Held up his left hand, which did flame, and burn Like twenty torches join'd; and yet his hand, * Diverted from its original constitution. † Has an unfavourable opinion of me. * Cajole. Accompanied. Against the Capitol I met a lion, Who glared upon me, and went surly by, Transformed with their fear; who swore they saw Cic. Indeed, it is a strange-disposed time: Casca. He doth; for he did bid Antonius Cas. Casca, by your voice. [Exit CICERO. Casca. Your ear is good. Cassius, what night is this? Casca. Who ever knew the heavens menace so? Cas. Those, that have known the earth so full of faults. For my part, I have walk'd about the streets, Submitting me unto the perilous night; And thus embraced, Casca, as you see, Have bared my bosom to the thunder-stone: And, when the cross blue lightning seem'd to open The breast of heaven, I did present myself Even in the aim and very flash of it. Casca. But wherefore did you so much tempt the heavens ? It is the part of men to fear and tremble, When the most mighty gods, by tokens, send Such dreadful heralds to astonish us. Cas. You are dull, Casca; and those sparks of life That should be in a Roman, you do want, Their natures and pre-formed faculties, A man no mightier than thyself, or me, In personal action; yet prodigious* grown, Casca. 'Tis Cæsar that you mean: Is it not, Cassius? Casca. Indeed, they say, the senators to-morrow And he shall wear his crown by sea, and land, Cas. I know where I will wear this dagger then; Therein, ye gods, you make the weak most strong; If I know this, know all the world besides, Casca. So can I: So every bondman in his own hand bears Cas. And why should Cæsar be a tyrant then? So vile a thing as Cæsar? But, Q, grief! Casca. You speak to Casca; and to such a man, *Portentous. † (There's.) ✰ Active. |