And for Mark Antony, think not of him; Cas. Is to himself, take thought and die for Cæsar : Bru. Peace! count the clock. Dec. Never fear that if he be so resolv'd, Por. Nor for yours neither. You've ungently, Stole from my bed; and yesternight at supper I urg'd you further; then you scratch'd your And too impatiently stamp'd with your foot; 250 261 The clock hath stricken three. Which seem'd too much enkindled, and withal Treb. 'Tis time to part. Hoping it was but an effect of humour, Cas. But it is doubtful yet Which sometime hath his hour with every man. Whether Cæsar will come forth to-day or no ; It will not let you eat, nor talk, nor sleep, For he is superstitious grown of late, And could it work so much upon your shape Quite from the main opinion he held once As it hath much prevail'd on your condition, Of fantasy, of dreams, and ceremonies. I should not know you, Brutus. Dear my lord, It may be, these apparent prodigies, Make me acquainted with your cause of grief. The unaccustom'd terror of this night, Bru. I am not well in health, and that is all. And the persuasion of his augurers, Por. Brutus is wise, and, were he not in health, May hold him from the Capitol to-day. 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, I 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, your self, 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. Bru. Kneel not, gentle Portia. Por. I should not need, if you were gentle Brutus. 210 For I can give his humour the true bent, Bru. By the eighth hour: is that the utter- Cin. Be that the uttermost, and fail not then. Bru. Now, good Metellus, go along by him: 220 Cas. The morning comes upon's: we'll leave you, Brutus. And, friends, disperse yourselves; but all re- What you have said, and show yourselves true Bru. Good gentlemen, look fresh and merrily; Exeunt all but BRUTUS. 270 281 Within the bond of marriage, tell me, Brutus, Of your good pleasure? If it be no more, Bru. You are my true and honourable wife, 290 Here, in the thigh: can I bear that with patience, And not my husband's secrets ? O ye gods! Bru. Render me worthy of this noble wife. Knocking within. Hark, hark! one knocks. Portia, go in awhile; And by and by thy bosom shall partake The secrets of my heart. All my engagements I will construe to thee, All the charactery of my sad brows. Leave me with haste. Exit PORTIA. Lucius, who's that knocks? Re-enter LUCIUS with LIGARIUS. Luc. Here is a sick man that would speak with 310 Bru. Caius Ligarius, that Metellus spake of. Boy, stand aside. Caius Ligarius! how? Lig. Vouchsafe good morrow from a feeble you. 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! 321 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, f 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. 330 Cal. Cæsar, I never stood on ceremonies, Fierce fiery warriors fought upon the clouds, What say the augurers' Serv. They would not have you to stir forth to-day. They could not find a heart within the beast. » Follow me then. Exeunt. 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 oWEL 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. Caes. Mark Antony shall say I am not well; And, for thy humour, I will stay at home. Enter DECIUS. Here's Decius Brutus, he shall tell them so. Dec. Cæsar, all hail! Good morrow, worthy Cæsar: I come to fetch you to the senate-house. Caes. 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. Cas. Shall Cæsar send a lie? Have I in conquest stretch'd mine arm so far Caes. The cause is in my will: I will not come; And evils imminent; and on her knee Your statue spouting blood in many pipes, 80 90 Cæs. 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 If Cæsar hide himself, shall they not whisper Pardon me, Cæsar; for my dear dear love 101 Caes. How foolish do your fears seem now, I am ashamed I did yield to them. Enter PUBLIUS, BRUTUS, LIGARIUS, METEL- Bru. SCENE III.-The Same. A Street near the Capitol. Enter ARTEMIDORUS, reading a paper. Casar, beware of Brutus; take heed of Cassius ; come not near Casca; have an eye to Cinna; 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. To know my errand, madam. Por. I would have had thee there, and here again, Ere I can tell thee what thou should'st do there. I have a man's mind, but a woman's might. 11 Luc. For he went sickly forth; and take good note Prithee, listen well; 20 Por. Come hither, fellow which way hast thou been? Sooth. At mine own house, good lady. Por. What is 't o'clock ? About the ninth hour, lady. Sooth. Bru. What said Popilius Lena? Popilius Lena speaks not of our purposes; He draws Mark Antony out of the way. Excunt ANTONY and TREBONIUS. CÆSAR 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; press near and second him. Cin. Casca, you are the first that rears your hand. 30 Cæs. Are we all ready? What is now amiss Metellus Cimber throws before thy seat Kneeling. Low-crooked court'sies, and base spaniel fawning. Thy brother by decree is banished: Met. Is there no voice more worthy than my own, To sound more sweetly in great Cæsar's ear Cas. Pardon, Cæsar; Cæsar, pardon: As low as to thy foot doth Cassius fall, To beg enfranchisement for Publius Cimber. Caes. 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. Cas. He wish'd to-day our enterprise might That I was constant Cimber should be banish'd, thrive. I fear our purpose is discovered. Bru. Look, how he makes to Cæsar: mark him. Cas. Casca, be sudden, for we fear prevention. Cas. Where's Antony? Tre. Fled to his house amaz'd. Men, wives and children stare, cry out and run As it were doomsday. Bru. Fates, we will know your pleasures. That we shall die, we know; 'tis but the time And drawing days out, that men stand upon. 100 Cas. Why, he that cuts off twenty years of life Cuts off so many years of fearing death. Bru. Grant that, and then is death a benefit: So are we Cæsar's friends, that have abridg'd His time of fearing death. Stoop, Romans, stoop, And let us bathe our hands in Cæsar's blood Up to the elbows, and besmear our swords: Then walk we forth, even to the market-place; And, waving our red weapons o'er our heads, Let's all cry 'Peace, freedom, and liberty!' 110 Cas. Stoop then, and wash. How many ages hence Shall this our lofty scene be acted over, That now on Pompey's basis lies along Cas. 130 If Brutus will vouchsafe that Antony Tell him, so please him come unto this place, 140 Serv. I'll fetch him presently. Exit. As Cæsar's death's hour, nor no instrument With the most noble blood of all this world. Fulfil your pleasure. Live a thousand years, 160 Bru. O Antony! beg not your death of us. Though now we must appear bloody and cruel, As, by our hands and this our present act, You see we do, yet see you but our hands And this the bleeding business they have done : Our hearts you see not; they are pitiful; And pity to the general wrong of Rome, As fire drives out fire, so pity pity, Hath done this deed on Cæsar. For your part, To you our swords have leaden points, Mark Antony: 170 So oft as that shall be, Our arms, in strength of malice, and our hearts So often shall the knot of us be call'd |