Cas. Will you go see the order of the course?[2853] 25
Bru. Not I.
Cas. I pray you, do.
Bru. I am not gamesome: I do lack some part
 Of that quick spirit that is in Antony.
 Let me not hinder, Cassius, your desires; 30
 I'll leave you.[2854]
Cas. Brutus, I do observe you now of late:[2855]
 I have not from your eyes that gentleness
 And show of love as I was wont to have:
 You bear too stubborn and too strange a hand 35
 Over your friend that loves you.[2856]
Bru. Cassius,
 Be not deceived: if I have veil'd my look,[2857]
 I turn the trouble of my countenance
 Merely upon myself. Vexed I am
 Of late with passions of some difference, 40
 Conceptions only proper to myself,
 Which give some soil perhaps to my behaviours;[2858]
 But let not therefore my good friends be grieved—
 Among which number, Cassius, be you one—
 Nor construe any further my neglect[2859] 45
 Than that poor Brutus with himself at war
 Forgets the shows of love to other men.
Cas. Then, Brutus, I have much mistook your passion;[2860]
 By means whereof this breast of mine hath buried
 Thoughts of great value, worthy cogitations. 50
 Tell me, good Brutus, can you see your face?[2861]
Bru. No, Cassius; for the eye sees not itself[2862][2863]
 But by reflection, by some other things.[2862][2864]
Cas. 'Tis just:[2865]
 And it is very much lamented, Brutus, 55
 That you have no such mirrors as will turn[2866]
 Your hidden worthiness into your eye,
 That you might see your shadow. I have heard[2867]
 Where many of the best respect in Rome,
 Except immortal Cæsar, speaking of Brutus, 60
 And groaning underneath this age's yoke,
 Have wish'd that noble Brutus had his eyes.
Bru. Into what dangers would you lead me, Cassius,[2868]
 That you would have me seek into myself
 For that which is not in me? 65
Cas. Therefore, good Brutus, be prepared to hear:[2869]
 And since you know you cannot see yourself
 So well as by reflection, I your glass
 Will modestly discover to yourself
 That of yourself which you yet know not of.[2870] 70
 And be not jealous on me, gentle Brutus:[2871]
 Were I a common laugher, or did use[2872]
 To stale with ordinary oaths my love
 To every new protester; if you know
 That I do fawn on men and hug them hard, 75
 And after scandal them; or if you know
 That I profess myself in banqueting[2873]
 To all the rout, then hold me dangerous.

[Flourish and shout.

Bru. What means this shouting? I do fear, the people[2874]
 Choose Cæsar for their king.[2874]
Cas. Ay, do you fear it? 80
 Then must I think you would not have it so.
Bru. I would not, Cassius, yet I love him well.
 But wherefore do you hold me here so long?
 What is it that you would impart to me?
 If it be aught toward the general good, 85
 Set honour in one eye and death i' the other,
 And I will look on both indifferently,[2875]
 For let the gods so speed me as I love
 The name of honour more than I fear death.
Cas. I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus, 90
 As well as I do know your outward favour.
 Well, honour is the subject of my story.
 I cannot tell what you and other men
 Think of this life, but, for my single self,[2876]
 I had as lief not be as live to be 95
 In awe of such a thing as I myself.
 I was born free as Cæsar; so were you:
 We both have fed as well, and we can both
 Endure the winter's cold as well as he:
 For once, upon a raw and gusty day, 100
 The troubled Tiber chafing with her shores,[2877]
 Cæsar said to me 'Darest thou, Cassius, now[2878]
 Leap in with me into this angry flood,
 And swim to yonder point?' Upon the word,
 Accoutred as I was, I plunged in[2879] 105
 And bade him follow: so indeed he did.[2880]
 The torrent roar'd, and we did buffet it[2881]
 With lusty sinews, throwing it aside
 And stemming it with hearts of controversy;
 But ere we could arrive the point proposed,[2882] 110
 Cæsar cried 'Help me, Cassius, or I sink!'
 I, as Æneas our great ancestor[2883]
 Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder[2884]
 The old Anchises bear, so from the waves of Tiber[2884][2885]
 Did I the tired Cæsar: and this man 115
 Is now become a god, and Cassius is
 A wretched creature, and must bend his body
 If Cæsar carelessly but nod on him.
 He had a fever when he was in Spain,[2886]
 And when the fit was on him, I did mark 120
 How he did shake: 'tis true, this god did shake;
 His coward lips did from their colour fly,
 And that same eye whose bend doth awe the world
 Did lose his lustre: I did hear him groan:[2887]
 Ay, and that tongue of his that bade the Romans 125
 Mark him and write his speeches in their books,[2888]
 Alas, it cried, 'Give me some drink, Titinius,'[2889]
 As a sick girl. Ye gods! it doth amaze me
 A man of such a feeble temper should
 So get the start of the majestic world 130
 And bear the palm alone. [Shout. Flourish.[2890]
Bru. Another general shout![2891]
 I do believe that these applauses are
 For some new honours that are heap'd on Cæsar.
Cas. Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world 135
 Like a Colossus, and we petty men
 Walk under his huge legs and peep about
 To find ourselves dishonourable graves.
 Men at some time are masters of their fates:[2892]
 The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, 140
 But in ourselves, that we are underlings.
 Brutus, and Cæsar: what should be in that Cæsar?[2893]
 Why should that name be sounded more than yours?
 Write them together, yours is as fair a name;[2894]
 Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well; 145
 Weigh them, it is as heavy; conjure with 'em,[2895]
 Brutus will start a spirit as soon as Cæsar.[2896]
 Now, in the names of all the gods at once,
 Upon what meat doth this our Cæsar feed,
 That he is grown so great? Age, thou art shamed! 150
 Rome, thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods!
 When went there by an age, since the great flood,
 But it was famed with more than with one man?
 When could they say till now that talk'd of Rome
 That her wide walls encompass'd but one man?[2897] 155
 Now is it Rome indeed, and room enough,[2898]
 When there is in it but one only man.[2898]
 O, you and I have heard our fathers say
 There was a Brutus once that would have brook'd
 The eternal devil to keep his state in Rome[2899] 160
 As easily as a king.
Bru. That you do love me, I am nothing jealous;
 What you would work me to, I have some aim:[2900]
 How I have thought of this and of these times,[2901]
 I shall recount hereafter; for this present, 165
 I would not, so with love I might entreat you,[2902]
 Be any further moved. What you have said[2903]
 I will consider; what you have to say
 I will with patience hear, and find a time
 Both meet to hear and answer such high things.[2904] 170
 Till then, my noble friend, chew upon this:
 Brutus had rather be a villager
 Than to repute himself a son of Rome
 Under these hard conditions as this time[2905]
 Is like to lay upon us. 175
Cas. I am glad that my weak words[2906][2907]
 Have struck but thus much show of fire from Brutus.[2907]
Bru. The games are done, and Cæsar is returning.[2908][2909]
Cas. As they pass by, pluck Casca by the sleeve;[2909]
 And he will, after his sour fashion, tell you 180
 What hath proceeded worthy note to-day.

Re-enter Cæsar and his Train[2910]

Bru. I will do so: but, look you, Cassius,
 The angry spot doth glow on Cæsar's brow,[2911]
 And all the rest look like a chidden train:
 Calpurnia's cheek is pale, and Cicero 185
 Looks with such ferret and such fiery eyes
 As we have seen him in the Capitol,
 Being cross'd in conference by some senators.[2912]
Cas. Casca will tell us what the matter is.
Cæs. Antonius![2913] 190
Ant. Cæsar?
Cæs. Let me have men about me that are fat,[2914]
 Sleek-headed men, and such as sleep o' nights:[2915]
 Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look;[2916]
 He thinks too much: such men are dangerous. 195
Ant. Fear him not, Cæsar; he's not dangerous;
 He is a noble Roman, and well given.
Cæs. Would he were fatter! but I fear him not:[2917]
 Yet if my name were liable to fear,
 I do not know the man I should avoid 200
 So soon as that spare Cassius. He reads much;
 He is a great observer, and he looks
 Quite through the deeds of men: he loves no plays,
 As thou dost, Antony; he hears no music:
 Seldom he smiles, and smiles in such a sort 205
 As if he mock'd himself and scorn'd his spirit
 That could be moved to smile at any thing.
 Such men as he be never at heart's ease[2918]
 Whiles they behold a greater than themselves,[2919]
 And therefore are they very dangerous. 210
 I rather tell thee what is to be fear'd
 Than what I fear; for always I am Cæsar.
 Come on my right hand, for this ear is deaf,
 And tell me truly what thou think'st of him.

[Sennet. Exeunt Cæsar and all his Train but Casca.[2920]

Casca. You pull'd me by the cloak; would you speak with me?[2921]215
Bru. Ay, Casca; tell us what hath chanced to-day,
 That Cæsar looks so sad.
Casca. Why, you were with him, were you not?[2922]
Bru. I should not then ask Casca what had chanced.
Casca. Why, there was a crown offered him: and being 220
 offered him, he put it by with the back of his hand, thus:
 and then the people fell a-shouting.[2923]
Bru. What was the second noise for?
Casca. Why, for that too.[2924]
Cas. They shouted thrice: what was the last cry for? 225
Casca. Why, for that too.[2924]
Bru. Was the crown offered him thrice?[2925]
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. 230
Cas. Who offered him the crown?
Casca. Why, Antony.
Bru. Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casca.
Casca. I can as well be hang'd as tell the manner of it:
 it was mere foolery; I did not mark it. I saw Mark Antony[2926] 235
 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 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. 240
 And then he offered it the third time; he put it the third
 time by: and still as he refused it, the rabblement hooted[2927]
 and clapped their chopped hands and threw up their sweaty[2928]
 night-caps and uttered such a deal of stinking breath because
 Cæsar refused the crown, that it had almost choked 245
 Cæsar; for he swounded and fell down at it: and for mine[2929]
 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 swound?[2930]
Casca. He fell down in the market-place and foamed at 250
 mouth and was speechless.
Bru.'Tis very like: he hath the falling-sickness.[2931]
Cas. No, Cæsar hath it not; but you, and I,
 And honest Casca, we have the falling-sickness.
Casca. I know not what you mean by that, but I am 255
 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[2932]
 true man.
Bru. What said he when he came unto himself? 260
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[2933]
 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[2934] 265
 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[2935] 270
 taken of them; if Cæsar had stabbed their mothers, they[2936]
 would have done no less.
Bru. And after that, he came, thus sad, away?[2937]
Casca. Ay.
Cas. Did Cicero say any thing? 275
Casca. Ay, he spoke Greek.
Cas. To what effect?
Casca. Nay, an I tell you that, I'll ne'er look you i' the[2938]
 face again: but those that understood him smiled at one
 another and shook their heads; but for mine own part, it 280
 was Greek to me. I could tell you more news too: Marullus[2939]
 and Flavius, for pulling scarfs off Cæsar'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? 285
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[2940]
 dinner worth the eating.[2941]
Cas. Good; I will expect you. 290
Casca. Do so: farewell, both. [Exit.
Bru. What a blunt fellow is this grown to be!
 He was quick mettle when he went to school.[2942]
Cas. So is he now in execution
 Of any bold or noble enterprise, 295
 However he puts on this tardy form.
 This rudeness is a sauce to his good wit,
 Which gives men stomach to digest his words[2943]
 With better appetite.[2944]
Bru. And so it is. For this time I will leave you:[2945] 300
 To-morrow, if you please to speak with me,[2946]
 I will come home to you, or, if you will,[2947]
 Come home to me and I will wait for you.[2948]
Cas. I will do so: till then, think of the world.

[Exit Brutus.

Well, Brutus, thou art noble; yet, I see,[2949] 305
 Thy honourable metal may be wrought[2950]
 From that it is disposed: therefore it is meet[2951]
 That noble minds keep ever with their likes;
 For who so firm that cannot be seduced?
 Cæsar doth bear me hard; but he loves Brutus: 310
 If I were Brutus now and he were Cassius,
 He should not humour me. I will this night,[2952]
 In several hands, in at his windows throw,
 As if they came from several citizens,
 Writings, all tending to the great opinion 315
 That Rome holds of his name, wherein obscurely
 Cæsar's ambition shall be glanced at:
 And after this let Cæsar seat him sure;
 For we will shake him, or worse days endure. [Exit.

Scene III. A street.[2953]

Thunder and lightning. Enter, from opposite sides, Casca, with his sword drawn, and Cicero.[2954]

Cic. Good even, Casca: brought you Cæsar home?
 Why are you breathless? and why stare you so?
Casca. Are not you moved, when all the sway of earth
 Shakes like a thing unfirm? O Cicero,
 I have seen tempests, when the scolding winds 5
 Have rived the knotty oaks, and I have seen
 The ambitious ocean swell and rage and foam,
 To be exalted with the threatening clouds;
 But never till to-night, never till now,
 Did I go through a tempest dropping fire.[2955] 10
 Either there is a civil strife in heaven,
 Or else the world too saucy with the gods
 Incenses them to send destruction.
Cic. Why, saw you any thing more wonderful?
Casca. A common slave—you know him well by sight—[2956] 15
 Held up his left hand, which did flame and burn
 Like twenty torches join'd, and yet his hand
 Not sensible of fire remain'd unscorch'd.
 Besides—I ha' not since put up my sword—[2957]
 Against the Capitol I met a lion, 20
 Who glared upon me and went surly by[2958]
 Without annoying me: and there were drawn
 Upon a heap a hundred ghastly women[2959]
 Transformed with their fear, who swore they saw
 Men all in fire walk up and down the streets. 25
 And yesterday the bird of night did sit
 Even at noon-day upon the market-place,
 Hooting and shrieking. When these prodigies[2960]
 Do so conjointly meet, let not men say
 'These are their reasons: they are natural:'[2961] 30
 For, I believe, they are portentous things
 Unto the climate that they point upon.
Cic. Indeed, it is a strange-disposed time:[2962]
 But men may construe things after their fashion,
 Clean from the purpose of the things themselves. 35
 Comes Cæsar to the Capitol to-morrow?[2963]
Casca. He doth; for he did bid Antonius[2964]
 Send word to you he would be there to-morrow.
Cic. Good night then, Casca: this disturbed sky[2965]
 Is not to walk in.[2965]
Casca. Farewell, Cicero. [Exit Cicero.40

Enter Cassius.[2966]