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A wretched creature; and muft bend his body,
If Cæfar carelessly but nod on him.

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;
His coward lips did from their colour fly,

And that fame eye whofe bend doth awe the world,
Did lofe its luftre; I did hear him grone:

Ay, and that tongue of his, that bad the Romans
Mark him, and write his fpeeches in their books,
Alas! it cry'd-Give me fome drink, Titinius-
As a fick girl. Ye gods, it doth amaze me,
A man of fuch a feeble temper should
So get the start of the majestic world,
"And bear the palm alone.'

Bru. Another general shout!

I do believe, that thefe applaufes are

[Shout. Flourish..

For fome new honours that are heap'd on Cæfar.
Caf. Why, man, he doth beftride the narrow world!
Like a Coloffus; and we petty men.

. Walk under his huge legs, and peep about

To find our felves difhonourable graves.

. Men at fome times are mafters of their fates :: The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our ftars, But in ourselves, that we are underlings.

. Brutus and Cæfar! what fhould be in that Cæfar? .. Why fhould that name be founded more than your's?? Write them together; your's is as fair a name : Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well; Weigh them, it is as heavy; conjure with 'em, Brutus will start a spirit as foon as Cæfar.

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. Now, in the names of all the gods at once, Upon what meat does this our Cæfar feed,

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That he is grown fo great! Age, thou art fham'd;: Rome, thou haft loft the breed of noble bloods. When went there by an age, fince the great flood, But it was fam'd with more than with one man? When could they fay, till now, that talk'd of Rome, That her wide walls incompafs'd but one man ?*

but one man?

Now is it Rome indeed; and room enough,

When

Oh! you and I have heard our fathers fay,

There was a Brutus once, that would have brook'd Th' eternal devil to keep his itate in Rome

As eafily as a King.

Bru. That you do love me, I am nothing jealous;
What you would work me to, I have fome aim:
How I have thought of this, and of these times,
1 fhall recount hereafter: for this prefent,
I would not (fo with love I might intreat you).
Be any further mov'd. What you have faid,
I will confider; what you have to say,

I will with patience hear; and find a time
Both meet to hear, and anfwer fuch high things.
Till then, my noble friend, chew upon this;
Brutus had rather be a villager,

Then to repute himself a ton of Rome
Under fuch hard conditions, as this time
Is like to lay upon us.

Caf. I am glad that my weak words
Have ftruck but thus

SCENE IV.

much fhew of fire from Brutus.

Enter Cæfar and his train.

Bru. The games are done, and Cæfar is returning.
Caf. As they pafs by, pluck Cafca by the fleeve,
And he will, after his four fashion, tell you
What hath proceeded worthy note to-day.

Bru. I will do fo; but look you, Caffius,
The angry fpot doth glow on Cæfar's brow,
And all the reft look like a chidden train,
Calphurnia's cheek is pale; and Cicero
Looks with fuch ferret, and fuch fiery eyes,
As we have feen him in the Capitol,
Being crofs'd in conf'rence by fome fenators.
Caf. Cafca will tell us what the matter is.
Caf. Antonius,-

Ant. Cæfar?

Caf

"Let me have men about me that are fat, Sleek headed men, and fuch as fleep a-nights: "Yond Caffius has a lean and hun ry look, "He thinks too much; fuch men are dangerous.

When there is in it but one only man.

Oh! you and I, &c.

Ant. Fear him not, Cæfar, he's not dangerous; He is a noble Roman, and well given.

Caf. 'Would he were fatter; but I fear him not: 'Yet if my name were liable to fear,

'I do not know the man I fhould avoid,

So foon as that fpare Caffius. He reads much;
He is a great obferver; and he looks

Quite through the deeds of men.

He loves no plays. As thou doft, Antony; he hears no music; • Seldom he fmiles; and fmiles in fuch a fort, • As if he mock'd himself, and fcorn'd his fpirit, That could be mov'd to smile at any thing. Such men as he be never at heart's ease, Whilft they behold a greater than themselves; • And therefore are they very dangerous. I rather tell thee what is to be fear'd, · Than what I fear; for always I am Cæfar. Come on my right hand, for this ear is deaf, And tell me truly what thou think'st of him.

[Exeunt Cæfar and his train.

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Manent Brutus and Caffius: Cafca to them.

Cafca. You pull'd me by the clock; would you fpeak with me?

Bru. Ay, Cafca, tell us what hath chanc'd to day, That Cæfar looks fo fad.

Cafea. Why, you were with him, were you not?

Bru I fhould not then ask Cafca what had chanc'd. Cafea. 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 fhouting.

Bru. What was the fecond noise for?
Cafea. Why, for that too.

Caf. They fhouted thrice. What was the laft cry for?
Cafca Why, for that too.

Bru. Was the crown offer'd him thrice?

Cafea. Ay, marry, was't, and he put it by thrice, every time gentler than another; and at every putting by, mine honeft neighbours fhouted.

Caf. Who offer'd him the crown?

Cafca Why, Antony.

Bru. Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casca.

Cafca I can as well be hang'd, as tell the manner of it: it was mere foolery, I did not mark it. I faw Mark Antony offer him a crown; yet 'twas not a crown neither, 'twas one of these coronets: 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 offer'd it to him again then he put it by again; but, to my thinking, he was very loth to lay his fingers off it. And then he offer'd it the third time: he put it the third time by ; and ftill as he refus'd it, the rabblement fhouted, and clapp'd their chopp'd hands, and threw up their sweaty night caps, and utter'd fuch a deal of stinking breath, because Cæfar refus'd the crown, that it had almoft choked Cæfar; for he fwooned, and fell down at it: and for mine own part I durft not laugh, for fear of opening my lips, and receving the bad air.

Caf. But, foft, I pray you; what, did Cæfar fwoon? Cafca. He fell down in the market-place, and foam'd at mouth, and was speechless.

Bru. 'Tis very like; he hath the falling-sickness. Caf. No, Cæfar hath it not; but you and I, And honest Casca, we have the falling-fickness.

Cafca. I know not what you mean by that; but I am fure Cæfar fell down. If the tag rag people did not clap him, and hifs him, according as he pleas'd, and difpleas'd them, as they used to do the players in the threatre, I am no true man,

Bru. What faid he when he came unto himself?

When

Cafca. Marry, before he fell down, when he perceiv'd the common herd was glad he refus'd 'the crown, he pluck'd me ope his doublet, and offer'd them his throat to cut: an' I had been a man of any occupation, if I would not have taken him at a word, I would I might go to hell among the rogues; and fo he fell. he came to him felf again, he said, "If he had doue"or faid any thing amifs, he defir'd their Worfhips to "think it was his infirmity." Three or four wenches where I flood, cry'd, Alas, good foul !”— -and orgave him with all their hearts: but there's no heed

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to be taken of them; if Cæfar had ftabb'd their mothers, they would have done no less.

Bru. And after that, he came, thus fad, away.
Cafea. Ay.

Caf. Did Cicero fay any thing?

Cafea. Ay, he spoke Greek,
Caf. To what effect ?

Cafea. Nay, an' I tell you that, I'll ne'er look you i'th face again. But those that understood him, smil'd at one another, and fhook 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 Cæfar's images, are put to filence. Fare you well. There was more foolery yet, if I could remember it, Caf. Will you fup with me to night, Casca ? Cafca. No, I am promis'd forth.

Caf. Will you dine with me to-morrow?

Cafca Ay, If i be alive, and your mind hold, and

your dinner be worth the eating.

Caf. Good, I will expect you.

Cafca. Do fo: farewell both.

[Exit.

Bru. What a blunt fellow is this grown to be?

He was quick mettle when he went to school.
Caf. So is he now, in execution

Of any bold or noble enterprise,

However he puts on this tardy form.

This rudeness is a fauce to his good wit,

Which gives men ftomach to digest his words

With better appetite.

Bru. And fo it is: for this time I will leave you. To-morrow, if you please to speak with me, if you will, Come home to me, and I will wait for you. Caf. I will do fo; till then think of the world. [Exit Brutus.

I will come home to you; or,

Well, Brutus, thou art noble; yet I fee
Thy honourable metal may be wrought
From what it is difpos'd; therefore tis meet,
That noble minds keep ever with their likes:
For who fo firm that cannot be feduc'd?
Cæfar doth bear me hard; but he loves Brutus.
If I were Brutus now, and he were Caffius,

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