Casca. You shall confess, that you are both de- And in the spirit of men there is no blood:
Here, as I point my sword, the sun arises;
Which is a great way growing on the south,
Weighing the youthful season of the year.
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;
Some two months hence, up higher toward the Let's carve him as a dish fit for the gods,
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 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.2 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,4
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 enterprise,
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.
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.
No, by no means.
Cin.
Met. O let us have him; for his silver hairs
Will purchase us a good opinion,5
And buy men's voices to commend our deeds:
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.
Bru. O, name him not; let us not break
him;
For he will never follow any thing
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 envy afterwards ·
For Antony is but a limb of Cæsar.
Let us be sacrificers, but no butchers, Caius.
We all stand up against the spirit of Cæsar;
(1) Perhaps Shakspeare wrote faith. (2) Lot.
(3) Prevaricate. (4) Cautious. (5) Character.
(6) Let us not break the matter to him.
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:
Cas.
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.
Bru. Peace, count the clock.
Cas.
The clock hath stricken three.
Treb. 'Tis time to part.
But it is doubtful yet,
Cas.
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 :9
It may be, these apparent prodigies,
The unaccustom'd terror of this night,
And the persuasion of his augurers,10
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,
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 this 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 :11
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 on12 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 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:
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,2
I should not know you, Brutus. Dear my lord,
Make me acquainted with your cause of grief.
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?
Bru.
O ye gods,
Render me worthy of this noble wife!
[Knocking within.
Hark, hark! one knocks: Portia, go in a while;
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.
Bru. I am not well in health, and that is all.
Por. Brutus is wise, and were he not in health,Any
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 dank3 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 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.
To wear a kerchief? 'Would you were not sick!
Lig. I am not sick, if Brutus have in hand
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 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
Lig. But are not some whole, that we must make
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.
Follow me then. [Exeunt. A room in Cæsar's palace. Thunder and lightning. Enter Cæsar, in his night-gown.
SCENE II-The same.
Cas. Nor heaven, nor earth, have been at peace
Thrice hath Calphurnia in her sleep cried out,
Help, ho! they murder Casar! Who's within?
Cas. Go bid the priests do present sacrifice,
And bring me their opinions of success.
Serv. I will, my lord.
Cal. What mean you, Cæsar? Think you to walk
forth?
(5) The residence of harlots.
(6) All that is charactered on.
You shall not stir out of your house to-day. Cæs. Cæsar shall forth: The things that threaten'd me,
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,
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 in the air,
Horses did neigh, and dying men did groan;
And ghosts did shriek, and squeal3 about the streets.
O Cæsar! these things are beyond all use,
And I do fear them.
Cos.
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.
Cas. Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once. Of all the wonders that I yet have heard,
Decius, go tell them, Cæsar will not come.
Dec. Most mighty Cæsar, let me know some
Lest I be laugh'd at, when I tell them so.
Caes. 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, relics, and cognizance.
This by Calphurnia's dream is signified.
Cos. 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.
It seems to me most strange that men should fear; If you shall send them word, you will not come,
Seeing that death, a necessary end,
Will come, when it will come.
What say the angurers? Serv. They would not have you to stir forth to-day. Plucking the entrails of an offering forth, They could not find a heart within the beast. Caes. 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.
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.
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 lie? Have I in conquest stretch'd mine arm so far, To be afeard to tell grey-beards the truth?
(1) Never paid a regard to prodigies or omens.
(2) Encountered.
(3) Cry with pain.
(4) As to a saint, for relics.
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,
When Cæsar's wife shall meet with better dreams.
If Cæsar hide himself, shall they not whisper,
Lo, Cesar is afraid?
Pardon me, Caesar: for my dear, dear love
To your proceeding bids me tell you this ;
And reason to my love is liable.6"
Cæs. How foolish do your fears seem now, Calphurnia?
I 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.
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 same ague which hath made you lean.-What is't o'clock?
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! [Exe. SCENE III.-The same. 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 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,2 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.3
If thou read this, O Cæsar, thou may'st live;
If not, the fates with traitors do contrive. [Exit.
SCENE IV.-The same. 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
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 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 it is for women to keep counsel !—
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?
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.
Pr'ythee, listen well;]
I heard a bustling rumour, like a fray,
And the wind brings it from the Capitol.
Luc. Sooth,4 madam, I hear nothing.
Enter Soothsayer.
Por.
Which way hast thou been?
Sooth.
Come hither, fellow:
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, knowest thou any harm's intended towards him?
Sooth. None that I know will be, much that I fear may chance.
Good-morrow to you. Here the street is narrow The throng that follows Cæsar at the heels, (2) Friend.
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.-Ah me! how weak a thing
The heart of woman is! O Brutus!
The heavens speed thee in thine enterprise!
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.
SCENE I-The same. The Capitol; the senate sitting. A crowd of people in the street leading to the Capitol; among them Artemidorus, and the Soothsayer. Flourish. Enter Cæsar, Brutus, Cassius, Casca, Decius, Metellus, Trebonius, Cinna, Antony, Lepidus, Popilius, Publius, and others.
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. Cas. What touches us ourself, shall be last serv'd. Art. Delay not, Cæsar; read it instantly. Caes. What, is the fellow mad? Pub. Sirrah, give place. Cas. What, urge you your petitions in the street? Come to the Capitol.
Re-enter Trebonius.
Cas. Where's Antony?
Treb.
Fled to his house amaz'd:
Men, wives, and children, stare, cry out, and run,
As it were doomsday.
Cas.
I must prevent thee, Cimber. || But we the doers.
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 curt'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
Will he be satisfied.
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;
Aesiring thee, that Publius Cimber may
Have an immediate freedom of repeal.
Cas. What, Brutus!
Cas.
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 :
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,2
Unshak'd of motion :3 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.
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.
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 Caesar'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!
Cas. Stoop then, and wash.6 How many ages
hence,
Shall this our lofty scene be acted over,
In states unborn, and accents yet unknown?
Bru. How many times shall Cæsar bleed in sport,
That now on Pompey's basis lies along,
No worthier than the dust?
So often shall the knot of us be call'd
The men that gave our country liberty.
Dec. What, shall we forth?
Ay, every man away: Brutus shall lead; and we will grace his heels With the most boldest and best hearts of Rome.
Bru. Soft, who comes here? A friend of Antony's. Serv. Thus, Brutus, did my master bid me kneel; Thus did Mark Antony bid me fall down: And, being prostrate, thus he bade me say: Brutus is noble, wise, valiant, and honest; Cæs. Hence! Wilt thou lift up Olympus? Cæsar was mighty, bold, royal, and loving: Dec. Great Cæsar,Say, I love Brutus, and I honour him; Cœs. Doth not Brutus bootless kneel? Say, I fear'd Cæsar, honour'd him, and lov'd him. Casca. Speak, hands, for me. If Brutus will vouchsafe, that Antony [Casca stabs Cæsar in the neck. Cæsar catches May safely come to him, and be resolv'd hold of his arm. He is then stabbed by seve-How Cæsar hath deserv'd to lie in death, ral other conspirators, and at last by Mar-Mark Antony shall not love Cæsar dead cus Brutus.
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So well as Brutus living; but will follow
The fortunes and affairs of noble Brutus,
Thorough the hazards of this untrod state,
With all true faith. So says my master Antony.
Bru. Thy master is a wise and valiant Roman;
I never thought him worse.
Tell him, so please him come unto this place,
He shall be satisfied; and, by my honour,
Depart untouch'd.
Serv.
I'll fetch him presently.
[Exit Servant.
Bru. I know, that we shall have him well to
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