Julius Caesar PDF - William Shakespeare

This is a reproduction of a library book that was digitized by Google as part of an ongoing effort to preserve the information in books and make it universally accessible. https://books.google.com 1 THE SWAN EDITION JULIUS CESAR. BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE ÷ RV LONGMA...

This is a reproduction of a library book that was digitized by Google as part of an ongoing effort to preserve the information in books and make it universally accessible. https://books.google.com 1 THE SWAN EDITION JULIUS CESAR. BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE ÷ RV LONGMANS GREEN.AND.CO LONDON... NEW-YORK & BOMBAY  THE 66 SWAN " SHAKESPEARE. AN ENTIRELY NEW SERIES FOR USE IN SCHOOLS. WITH INTRODUCTIONS, NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. Edited by Illustrated by Julius Cæsar D. FORSYTH , M.A., D.Sc. GRANVILLE MANTON. Merchant of Venice JOHN BIDGOOD, B.Sc. C. A. SHEPPERSON. King John... J. W. YOUNG....... PATTEN WILSON. The Tempest 100 G. W. STONE, M.A.... S. G. DAVIS. As You Like It... W. DYCHE, B.A. C. A. SHEPPERSON. King Henry V..... D. FERGUSON, M.A. R. WHEELWRIGHT. King Richard II.... W. J. ABEL, B.A. H. M. BROCK. Macbeth... R. MCWILLIAM, B.A. GORDON BROWNE. LONGMANS , GREEN , AND CO., LONDON, NEW YORK , AND BOMBAY.  THE SWAN EDITION JULIUS CAESAR BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE WITH NOTES, ETC. , BY DAVID FORSYTH, M.A. , D.Sc. PRINCIPAL, HIGHER GRADE SCHOOL, leeds AND IO FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS BY GRANVILLE MANTON *, NEW IMPRESSION LONGMANS , GREEN , AND CO. 39 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON NEW YORK AND BOMBAY 1902 TCH MI ) / WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE.  LIFE OF SHAKESPEARE. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE was born on 22nd or 23rd April, 1564, in the pleasant old country town of Stratford- on-Avon. The name Shakespeare is found pretty frequently in the records of the towns and villages of Warwickshire during the sixteenth century, but not in those of Stratford itself. John Shakespeare, the father of the poet, was the first of the name to settle in the town , and he came thither in 1550 or 1551 , from Snitterfield, a village about four miles away to the north-east , where his father Richard was a farmer. John Shakespeare is said to have been a glover, but it appears probable that he also traded in cattle and agri- cultural produce. He prospered in trade, and in 1557 married Mary Arden , the daughter and heiress of a wealthy yeoman of Wilmecote, a village a few miles away to the north-west. In 1556 he bought a house and garden in Henley Street, and a house with a garden and croft in Greenhill Street. In one of these the future poet was born. Both houses are still standing, and are preserved as a Shakespearian museum. Little is known of Shakespeare's childhood, but in 1568, while John Shakespeare was bailiff of Stratford, the Queen's Players came to the town and received a licence to play. The same thing happened next year, and no doubt the child of five was there with open eyes to see. At seven years of age he was sent to the Free Grammar School of the Holy Cross , a few streets away from his father's house , and it is thought probable that in Love's Labour's Lost, his earliest play, he has portrayed in the character of the pedantic but vi JULIUS CESAR not unkindly Holofernes the schoolmaster of his own early days. John Shakespeare's fortunes , which were at their height in 1568, when he was chief magistrate, began to decline some few years later. In 1578-9 he was obliged to part with his wife's property in Wilmecote and Snitterfield ; and in 1586, after being painfully pressed by creditors, he was deprived of his alderman's gown. These troubles probably cut short Shakespeare's school life, and at the age of about THE HOUSE IN WHICH SHAKESPEARE WAS BORN. thirteen he joined his father in the support of the family, there being four or five younger children. A few years later, in 1582 , William married Anne Hath- away, the daughter of a " husbandman " of Shottery, a hamlet just outside Stratford, to the west. The marriage was a hasty one, the bride was eight years older than the youthful bridegroom, and there are grounds for thinking that the match was repented of. A daughter, Susannah, was born in 1583 , and a son and daughter, twins, Hamnet and  JULIUS CESAR. vii Judith, in 1585. At about this time, 1585, Shakespeare left Stratford and came to London, and for eleven years his family saw little or nothing of him. Tradition gives as the reason for this hasty leaving, a poaching adventure in the woods of Charlecote, a few miles up the Avon ; and there is little doubt that in the character of Justice Shallow in King Henry IV. and in the Merry Wives of Windsor, Shakespeare ANNE HATHAWAY'S COTTAGE. pokes fun at the pompous and not overwise Sir Thomas Lucy of Charlecote. When Shakespeare came to London there were two theatres only, The Theatre and the Curtain , both without the city walls, in Shoreditch. To one of these he appears to have become speedily attached in some humble capacity, but before long he rose to be an actor of repute, and at Christmas, 1594, he joined Burbage and Kemp, the Garrick and Grimaldi of the time, in playing before the queen at  viii JULIUS CÆSAR. Greenwich Palace. In 1599 a larger theatre, the Globe, was built at Bankside, in Southwark, and there Shakespeare was both actor and part owner, and derived a large revenue therefrom. Shakespeare's earliest dramatic work was almost certainly Love's Labour's Lost, and it is thought to have been written about 1591. It gives a lively picture of the manners of the fashionable gentlemen of the time, especially of their affecta- tion in speech, the " Euphuism " on which they so much prided themselves. Side by side with this there are amusing pictures of rustic life and manners, such as Shakespeare remembered them at Stratford. The Comedy of Errors and the Two Gentlemen of Verona were not much later ; and the two beautiful plays , A Midsummer- Night's Dream and Romeo and Juliet, are also thought to belong to this early time. At about the same time Shakespeare appears to have been employed by theatrical managers in recasting old plays, and , working either alone or perhaps in conjunction with Mar- lowe, he produced what we now have as the three parts of King Henry VI. The plays of Richard III. and Richard II., which followed soon after, bear many traces of the influence of Marlowe. In 1593 Shakespeare published the poem Venus and Adonis, dedicating it to the Earl of Southampton, a rich young nobleman of Elizabeth's court, who was one of the chief patrons of learning. In the following year he dedicated to him the poem The Rape of Lucrece, with language of extreme devotion. " The love I dedicate to your lordship is without end. What I have done is yours, what I have to do is yours." The earl became his warm friend and patron, and is said to have given him a thousand pounds on one occasion to enable him to complete a purchase. In 1596 Shakespeare's son Hamnet died, and then, if not before, the poet revisited his native town. From this time his father's pecuniary troubles ceased. Application was made to the Heralds' Court for a coat of arms, and this was  JULIUS CESAR. ix granted in 1599. In 1597 the poet bought New Place, the largest house in Stratford ; a few years later he bought more than a hundred acres of land near the town, and made also a valuable investment in the town tithes. Meanwhile his success in London as a dramatist was becoming ever more secure. His early plays were like those of other men but better, but now he produced plays of greater power and TRINITY CHURCH , STRATFORD- ON-AVON, IN WHICH SHAKESPEARE WAS BURIED. greater originality. King John, with its indignant protests against papal aggression, appeared about 1595, and the two parts of King Henry IV. a year or two later. In Henry IV. appeared the inimitable Falstaff, who so delighted the queen that she commanded Shakespeare to show the fat knight in love, and to this command, we are told , we owe the play of the Merry Wives of Windsor. King Henry V. appeared about 1599, and with it Shakespeare closed his noble series  X JULIUS CÆSAR. of plays from English history, for Henry VIII. , which appeared later, is only in part his work. To this same period , the closing years of the century, belong some ofthe most charming of Shakespeare's comedies : Much Ado about Nothing, As You Like It, Twelfth Night, and All's Well that Ends Well. The woodland scenery in As You Like It seems to be an idealised picture of the Warwickshire woods, through which the poet roved in his youth. Before the close of the century, and perhaps as early as 1593 or 1594, we must place all, or nearly all, of the Sonnets. It has been thought that these beautiful little poems enshrine the secrets of the poet's life ; that in them Shakespeare " unlocked his heart ". But it seems probable that they are like the dramas -works of the imagination , and that it is the genius of the poet which has given them their intense reality. Many of them are undoubtedly in praise of Shakespeare's patron-the young and unmarried Southampton-and it is possible that in a few of them the poet may have given glimpses of himself. With the new century Shakespeare put forth a series of tragedies, the noblest creations of his genius , but also the most sombre and terrible : Julius Cæsar, Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth, Lear, Coriolanus , and others. Nowhere is the cruel irony of fate and the vanity of human wishes more vividly shown than in these plays, and it has been thought that they reflect the poet's own feeling of life-weariness , and of man's inability to grapple with and solve the deep problems of human life. But this period of gloom passed, and the latest group of plays , Cymbeline, The Tempest, and A Winter's Tale, are suffused with a mild sunshine which is in strong contrast with the darkness and terror of Lear and Hamlet and Macbeth. In these latest plays the poet draws beautiful pictures of forgive- ness of cruel wrong ; of reconciliations after long estrange- ments, and of reunions of scattered families. Imogen in Cymbeline and Miranda in The Tempest are two of Shake-  JULIUS CESAR xi speare's most perfect pictures of womanhood, and nothing can excel the beauty of the scenes in The Winter's Tale, in which Perdita with her flowers appears. The Winter's Tale and The Tempest were written about 1610 or 1611 , and by that date, if not earlier, Shakespeare had retired from the stage and had settled in his native town for the evening of his life. He had bought, some ten or twelve years earlier, New Place, the ruined mansion of Sir THE SHAKESPEARE " MEMORIAL AT STRATFORD-ON-AVON. Hugh Clopton , one of the early benefactors of the town , and had thoroughly restored the building, and planted in the garden the famous mulberry tree which lived on into the middle of the next century. The house no longer stands , but its site and the garden have been acquired for the nation. Within a few yards of New Place stood the Guild Chapel of the Holy Cross and the Guild Grammar School, where forty years earlier the poet had received his first lessons , while a little further away the noble and spacious church of the xii JULIUS CESAR. Holy Trinity rose among the trees by the river's brink. Outside the town and at no great distance were Wilmecote , where his mother had passed her young days, and Charlecote, where a grandson of his old enemy was now the lord of the manor. After resting in this quiet place for some five or six years with his wife and daughters and a little grand -daughter, the poet passed away on his fifty-third birthday, 23rd April, 1616. Source of the Play. Shakespeare never hesitated to use the works of older writers as a quarry from which to obtain his materials. This borrowing was often only a hint , or an outline, but in Julius Cæsar all the incident of the play has been taken from one source, North's Plutarch. Shakespeare's learning was not sufficient to enable him to read Plutarch's Lives in the original Greek ; he obtained his materials at the third hand. Jacques Amyot had made a translation in French in 1559, and Sir Thomas North in 1579 translated this French work into English. While Shakespeare faithfully and minutely followed his original even in its mistakes , his genius converted the narrative of Plutarch into an artistic drama. Date of the Play. For the date of this play there is no direct evidence. From references in other plays of Shake- speare and in other books of the time, the dates of which are known, it is generally supposed that the play was written about 1601. Like many of Shakespeare's plays it may have existed in manuscript for many years before it was printed. It first appeared in printed form in the first folio edition of Shakespeare's works published in 1623. The Story of the Play. The opening scene ofthe play shows a Roman crowd making holiday in honour of the triumph of Cæsar. The tribunes rebuke the people for their inconstancy and ingratitude in preferring Cæsar to their former idol, Pompey. Cæsar appears on his way to the games of  JULIUS CÆSAR. xiii the feast of Lupercal ; and a note of warning is sounded by the soothsayer, who cries, " Beware the ides of March ". Cassius , left alone with Brutus , uses all his skill to persuade Brutus to join in a conspiracy against Cæsar. Eager to obtain the adherence of Brutus , who " sits high in all the people's hearts , " Cassius plies Brutus with arguments that appeal to his patriotism and hatred of tyranny. At this moment Cæsar, on his return from the Lupercal, confides to Antony his suspicions regarding Cassius ; Casca joins Brutus and Cassius relates the incident of the offer of a crown by Antony to Cæsar, and derides Cæsar's hesitation and meek humility to the populace. On the evening of the same day Casca meets Cicero and describes to him the prodigies of the day as " portentous things ". Meeting Cassius Casca repeats his tale of wonders, which Cassius interprets as portending the downfall of Cæsar. The two conspirators plan with the aid of Cinna to throw into the house of Brutus papers urging him to free Rome. Brutus , too honourable to suspect such trickery, meditates in his orchard regarding the state of Rome , and comes to the conclusion that the death of Cæsar is the only remedy for such evils. Hardly has he made this decision before the conspirators are at his door. After whispering the purpose of the conspirators, and obtaining the co-operation of Brutus, Cassius proposes that the conspirators should bind them- selves by an oath, but Brutus indignantly declares that such an oath would sully "the even virtue of our enterprise ". On the proposal of Cassius that Antony too should be killed , Brutus appeals to the conspirators to " be sacrificers , but not butchers ," and argues that " Antony is but a limb of Cæsar, " and that " he can do no more than Cæsar's arm, when Cæsar's head is off ". Some doubt having been expressed as to Cæsar's coming to the capitol, Decius Brutus promises to play upon the superstition of Cæsar in order to ensure his coming to the Senate-house. After the departure of the xiv JULIUS CÆSAR. conspirators , Portia , the wife of Brutus , anxious about the preoccupied manner of her husband, comes to him to ask him about the visit of men " who did hide their faces even from darkness " ; and demands as her right full confidence regarding his troubles. Nor in Cæsar's house is there peace, for Cæsar's wife , Calpurnia , beseeches him not to go forth , and recounts to him the fearful prodigies , seen by herself, and recounted by others to her. Cæsar, influenced by her entreaties , determines not to go, but Decius Brutus , by in- terpreting Calpurnia's dream as meaning that " great Rome shall suck reviving blood, " prevails on Cæsar to change his mind. Artemidorus tries to save Cæsar by asking him to read a paper warning him of his fate. In spite of the action of Artemidorus and the soothsayer Cæsar goes to his doom. In the Senate-house the conspira- tors surround him and present to him a petition for the recall of Publius Cimber, which he refuses to grant. The conspirators rush upon him and stab him, and " great Cæsar fell " dead. They then hurry off to stay the panic of the people , and to secure the popular favour. Antony comes, and hiding his true feelings, agrees to join the party on con- dition that reasons be given to him why Cæsar was dangerous to the State. Brutus, contrary to the advice of Cassius , grants Antony's request to attend Cæsar's body to the market-place and " speak in order of his funeral ". Brutus himself addresses the people in the forum, and explains that, although he loved Cæsar, he loved Rome more, and that Cæsar was put to death for his ambition. After entreating the people to give Antony a hearing, Brutus departs. Antony, while granting that Brutus and the rest are honourable men , attempts to prove that Cæsar was not ambitious , because he had filled the public coffers by the ransoms of captives , because he had also sympathised with the poor, and because he refused the crown offered him on the Lupercal. Then he rouses the curiosity of the mob by telling them that he  JULIUS CESAR. XV has Caesar's will in his possession , and, after exciting their sympathy by the sight of Cæsar's wounds , he stirs the people to mutiny and rage by stating the liberal terms of the testament. While some of the infuriated citizens rush forth to drive the conspirators out of the city others meet Cinna , the poet, and tear him to pieces in their fury. An interval of some months is supposed to elapse, during which Brutus and Cassius have gone to Macedonia and Syria to raise forces ; and the government of the Roman world is in the hands of Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus. These three consult about the proscription of their enemies, and after- wards about meeting the armies of Brutus and Cassius. The scene shifts to the camp of the conspirators where Brutus and Cassius quarrel, because Brutus , strong in his honesty, will not countenance the taking of bribes by Cassius and his officers , nor the raising of money by vile means. Cassius denies the charge that he had refused to send money to pay Brutus ' legions ; and reproaches Brutus for his un- kindness. Brutus, softened by the appeal of Cassius , agrees to a reconciliation and afterwards communicates to his friend the death of Portia. Yet in his agony Brutus goes on to dis- cuss the best means of meeting Antony and Octavius , and against the greater practical knowlege of Cassius counsels a move towards Philippi. Cassius leaves to carry out the arrangement of the troops. Brutus, after calling two guards to sleep in his tent, proceeds to read among his sleeping attendants, and the ghost of Cæsar comes and tells him " thou shalt see me at Philippi ". There were really two battles at Philippi, but Shakespeare makes the two into one. Before the battle a parley takes place between the leaders of the opposing forces , but with no peaceful result, for each party separates to prepare for the contest. Brutus and Cassius bid each other a tender farewell before they take their separate commands. At the first onset Brutus gains an advantage over Octavius, but his xvi JULIUS CÆSAR. troops instead of pursuing the enemy betake themselves to plunder, and in the meantime Cassius is forced to retreat by Antony. From a hill to which he has retreated Cassius dis- patches Titinius to see what troops are coming against him , friends or foes, and tells Pindarus to ascend the hill and to watch the course of Titinius. Pindarus by mistake takes the troops of Brutus for a detachment of the enemy and reports to Cassius that Titinius is taken prisoner. Cassius in despair gives Pindarus his sword and calls upon him to plunge it into his bosom. Titinius, on his return from Brutus ' victorious troops, finding Cassius dead , falls upon the same sword. Brutus , coming up soon after, finds his two dead friends , but encourages his friends to try fortune in a second fight. Defeated in this , Brutus, rather than be made a prisoner, dies upon his sword. The play concludes with a fitting eulogy by Antony on " the noblest Roman of them all , " and a command from Octavius that every honour should be paid to his remains. ELIZABETHAN LANGUAGE. THE English language is a mighty stream that has rolled down to us for more than fourteen hundred years , and in many respects its course resembles that of one of our rivers. The river receives many tributaries that add to the volume of the main stream. From its mountain home, and from the rocks that line its banks, it brings down fragments, which sometimes it leaves stranded in its channel, or along its edges, or carries rolled and rounded into the finest gravel or sand to be deposited at its mouth. The observant traveller sees in these fragments , large or small, the evidences of the surfaces denuded by the river at its higher levels, and can track them back to their original homes. In the same way the main stream of our language is Eng- lish, but it has received many contributions- Latin , French,  JULIUS CÆSAR, xvii Greek-at various times in its progress. In our present speech there are many words that have come to us rolled, rounded and clipt by frequent usage till they often differ from their original form and in the study backward of our language we come on words , or forms of words, that indicate more clearly the Old English fountainhead of our speech , and we note also that such words occur more frequently as our study approaches nearer to the source of the language In Elizabethan times when the language was settling down into its modern form there were many words that now are deemed obsolete (out of general use) or archaic (old- ashioned), and many meanings different from what they have in the present day. In the play the following are examples of- (1) Obsolete words.- Gamesome (i. 2, 28). Palter (ii. 1, 126). Cautelous (ii. 1, 129). Carrions (ii. 1, 130). Wafture (ii. 1 , 246). Charactery (ii. 1 , 308). Orts (iv. 1. 37). Jigging (iv. 3, 137). (2) Archaic words :- "An " for " if " (i. 2 , 264). " Yond " for " yonder " (i. 2, 194). "Moe " for " most 99 (ii. 1 , 72 ; v. 3. 101). " Swounded " for " swooned " (i. 2 246). " Rabblement " for " rabble " (i. 2, 243). " Afeard " for “ afraid " ( ii. 2, 67). 66 Thorough " for " through " (iii. 1, 136). (3) Words with meanings different from what they have in the present day : - " Shrewd meaning " mischievous " (ii. 1 , 158). "Contrive " meaning " to plot " ( ii. 1 , 158 ; ii. 3, 4). 66 Fond " meaning " foolish " (iii. 1, 39). b xviii JULIUS CÆSAR, " Knave " meaning " boy " (iv. 3, 241). " Happy " meaning " lucky " (v. 3, 70). Other examples are to be found in the notes on the text. The English language has borrowed words from many sources, and the contributions it has levied from Latin have been many. In the Elizabethan age a great borrowing " took place, and this element in the language is commonly spoken of as the Latin of the Fourth Period. The words. added at that time to our vocabulary were borrowed direct from the Latin, and brought with them therefore their literal Latin meaning, and not that changed meaning which from English usage they have now. For instance " merely " (i. 3, 39) means entirely ; " physical " (ii. 1 , 261 ) means medicinal ; " conceited " (i. 3, 168) means thought ; " pre-- sently " ( iii. 1 , 28) means immediately ; and “ apprehensive " (iii. 1 , 67) means capable of understanding. Other ex- amples of literal Latin are :— 64 99 66 Directly = straightforwardly " (i. 1, 12). 66 Proper' = " belonging to oneself " (i. 2 , 41). 66'Prodigious " ="=" portentous (i. 3, 77). 66' Quarrel 66 ground of complaint " (ii. 1 , 28). "Security " == " carelessness " (ii. 3 , 7) , and many other examples are given in the notes. The energy of the period showed itself in seizing on a strong word and using it without much consideration as to its ordinary grammatical usage. Thus in " I am nothing jealous " (i. 2 , 162 ) , nothing is an adverb ; in " Why old men fool " (i. 3, 66), fool is a verb ; in " For if thou path " (i. 3, 83) , path is a verb. In the same connection compare " The deep of night, " " Being so fathered and so husbanded, " " To sell and mart your offices, " and other examples cited in the notes. The same love of energy is seen in the liking for com- pounds suchas "honourable - dangerous ' (i. 3, 124) , " climber- upward " ( ii. 1 , 24). “ high- sighted " (ii. 1 , 118) , " honey-  JULIUS CÆSAR. xix heavy " (ii. 1 , 230). And probably to the same cause may be attributed the frequent omission of verbs of motion and other words, -a practice which seems often to impart a dramatic rush to a line. In connection with this brief notice of Shakespearean language another element of confusion should be noted- the confusion of times (anachronism). When the dress, customs, or language of our age are attributed to another, an anachronism is committed. In this play a clock strikes, Romans wear doublets, hats and cloaks, and gowns, Cicero speaks Greek to them, Cassius walked unbraced , and the leaf of a book is turned down. These anachronisms have made a great poet and critic say that Shakespeare has made Englishmen of his Romans. The exuberance of Elizabethan life found vent also in play upon words, or the use of puns. A pun consists in bringing together words that agree, or resemble each other, in sound and yet differ in meaning. The unexpected change in thought, produced by these incongruous elements , leads to a sense of the ludicrous and provokes laughter. Such puns are found even in the tragedies of Shakespeare. Examples of this kind are seen in Julius Caesar, in the play upon "awl " and " all " (i. 1 , 21-23) , in the double meaning of " recover " (i. 1 , 26) and " Rome " and " room " (iii. 1 , 288). SHAKESPEAREAN GRAMMAR. IN Grammar also there are many Old English usages. For five hundred years the English language had been gradually losing its inflexional character, and in Elizabethan times with their love for literary strength and brevity the tendency towards lopping off grammatical terminations was carried too far. 1. Confusion of past tense and past participle. This tendency led, for example , to the confusion in form XX JULIUS CESAR. between the past tense and past participle of verbs. Thus " mistook " is used for " mistaken " (i. 2, 48), " spoke " for "spoken " (ii. 1 , 125 ), " stole " for " stolen " (ii. 1 , 238) , "" "forgot " for " forgotten " (iii. 2, 243), " writ " for " written (iv. 3 , 183). The tendency in modern English has been to restore the earlier distinction between the two. 2. Infinitive without " to ". As the infinitive in early English was indicated by a ter- mination, and the use of "to " came in when the termination was dropped , we find in Elizabethan English much confusion as to when " to " should be used and when omitted. You ought not walk upon a labouring day ( i. 1, 3). I had rather coin my heart And drop my blood for drachmas than to wring (iv. 3, 73). 3. Indefinite infinitive. The infinitive is often used indefinitely. This disturbed sky is not to walk in (i. 3, 40) (for walking in). And put on fear and cast yourself in wonder To see the strange impatience of the heavens (i. 3, 60) (in seeing). 4. Varied use of prepositions. Prepositions are more restricted in their meanings now, and have received more conventional usage : but in Eliza- bethan times prepositions were used with more variety of application. Thus in " Be not jealous on me, " " on " is used for " of " ; in " Stand from the hearse " (iii. 2 , 169) , "" " from " is used in the sense of " away from ". In the notes examples are noted of " of " used for by, " of " for in, " in " for on, " with " for by. Possibly the lingering remembrance of the Old English usage of case-endings accounts for the omission of pre- positions. But ere we could arrive (at) the point proposed (i. 2, 114). What hath proceeded worthy (of) note to-day ? (i. 2 , 181). He plucked me ope his doublet (i. 2, 263).  JULIUS CÆSAR. xxi 5. Question without “ do ". Young students will soon notice in the use of interrogatives without " do " another Old English usage. Call'd you, my lord ? (ii. 1 , 6). Shamest thou to show thy dangerous brow by night ? (ii. 1 , 78). Comes his army on ? (iv. 2, 26). 6. Doubles. Elizabethan energy found expression in double negatives. Thou hast no figures nor no fantasies (ii. 1, 231). Nor for yours nelther (ii. 1 , 237). Nor to no Roman else (iii. 1 , 91 ). And the same desire for emphatic speech is seen in the use of double comparatives and superlatives. This was the most unkindest cut of all (iii. 2, 186). With the most boldest and best hearts of Rome (iii. 1 , 121). 7. Use of pronouns: Its was very rarely used in Elizabethan times. In Shake- speare " his " is often used for " its ". And that same eye. Did lose his lustre (i. 2, 124). An effect of humour Which sometime hath his hour with every man (ii. 1, 251). That every nice offence should bear his comment ( iv. 3, 8). My life is run his compass (v. 3, 25). In this connection it may be noted also that " his " instead "" of " of him is used as the antecedent to a relative And do you strew flowers in his way That comes in triumph over Pompey's blood (i. 1, 51). As if he mocked himself and scorned his spirit That could be moved to smile at anything (i. 2, 206). 8. Bad Grammar. Many expressions are used, especially in conversation, that would in our time be called " bad grammar ". As Shakespeare was essentially a dramatist, he devoted his attention mainly to the representation of character, and in this inattention to details he but indicates the ordinary care- xxii JULIUS CESAR. lessness of the conversation of his time. Plural nominatives with singular verbs and other errors against grammatical correctness are not infrequent. There's two or three of us have seen strange sights (i. 3, 138). Is Decius Brutus and Trebonius here ? (i. 3, 148). Three parts of him is ours (i. 3, 154). Save I alone (iii. 2, 59). The posture of your blows are yet unknown (v. 1 , 33). Other interesting, but minor, points of difference between Shakespearean grammar and that of modern times are mentioned in the notes. VERSIFICATION. THE Greeks and Romans had an elaborate system of laws for verse- making, based upon the length of the vowels in the syllables -or quantity. Quantity is quite foreign to our language, and it is needless to dwell on these laws. And all the more is this the case, because our poets in their imitation of Greek and Latin models have practically arrived at the same forms of verse, by substituting for long syllables those that have stress, emphasis or accent. Shakespeare's plays are mainly written in blank verse. The ordinary line consists of (a) Five feet, (b) each of two syllables , (c) with the accent on the second syllable. If you have teàrs | prepàre | to shèd | them nòw (iii. 2, 173). Ambition shoùld | be made of stèrn er stùff (iii. 2, 166). As the repetition of such regular lines tends to produce monotony, variety was obtained by various methods , such as (1 ) By changing the accent. We shall be called | pùrgers | not mùr | derers (ii. 1, 180). (2) By using an extra syllable. Most like a sòl | dier òrd I| er'd hòn | ourably (v. 5, 79). And these does she | apply | for warnings and portents (ii. 2, 80).  JULIUS CAESAR. xxiii (3) By employing unaccented syllables. Let me sèe let me sèe ; | is nòt | the leàf | turn'd down ? (iv. 3, 273). Or (4) By slurring syllables in pronunciation. Let us be sac | rificers, | but not | butchers. | Caius (ii. 1 , 166). Our purpose ne | cessary | and not | envious (ii. 1 , 178). And see whether Bru | tus be | alive | or dead (v. 4, 30). We all | stand up | against | the spirit | of Caesar (ii. 1 , 167). (5) By lengthening a syllable so as to make it a foot. The heart 1 of wom | an is | O ! | Brutus (ii. 4 , 40). Let me tell you | Cassius | you | yourself (iv. 3, 9). “ Hour " ( ii. 2 , 121 ) and " fire " (iii. 2, 250) are dis- syllables. (6) By short lines. Let me work (ii. 2, 209). Rhyme is sometimes employed to indicate the end of a scene. And after this let Caesar seat him sure, For we will shake him, or worse days endure (i. 2 , 319). The borrowing of words from Latin tended to produce confusion in the use of the accent. Dissyllabic words of English origin, or usage, have usually the accented syllable first, the tendency in Latin words is to place the accent last. A word newly imported from Latin as " compact " or " por- tent " would have the accent on the second syllable, but when it came to be recognised as an English word the accent was moved forward. Prose is employed where the incident falls beneath the literary dignity of the play, as in the talk of the common people (Act i. ). An exception to this rule occurs in the speech of Brutus (iii. 2, 12) which, as being philosophical and artificial, is in prose, and contrasts with the more artistic effort of Antony.  JULIUS CESAR. DRAMATIS PERSONE. JULIUS CAESAR. CINNA, & Poet. Another Poet, triumvirs LUCILIUS , OCTAVIUS CÆSAR, after the TITINIUS, MARCUS ANTONIUS , death of MESSALA, friends to Brutus M. ÆMILIUS Lepidus , Julius YOUNG CATO, and Cassius. Cæsar. VOLUMNIUS, CICERO, VARRO, PUBLIUS, enators. CLITUS, POPILIUS LENA, }sena CLAUDIUS , MARCUS BRUTUS , STRATO , servants to Brutus. CASSIUS , LUCIUS , CASCA, conspirators DARDANIUS, TREBONIUS , against PINDARUS, servant to Cassius. LIGARIUS, Julius CALPURNIA, wife to Cæsar. DECIUS BRUTUS , Cæsar. PORTIA, wife to Brutus. METELLUS CIMBER, Senators, Citizens, Guards, Atten- CINNA, dants, etc. FLAVIUS and MARULLUS , tribunes. SCENE : Rome ; the neighbourhood ARTEMIDORUS (of Cnidos , a teacher of SARDIS ; the neighbourhood of rhetoric). of PHILIPPI. A Soothsayer.  JULIUS CÆSAR. ACT I. SCENE I. Rome. A street. Enter FLAVIUS , MARULLUS , and certain Commoners. FLAV. Hence ! Home, you idle creatures, get you home ; Is this a holiday ? what ! know you not, Being mechanical, you ought not walk Upon a labouring day without the sign Of your profession ? Speak, what trade art thou ? 5 FIRST COM. Why, sir, a carpenter. MAR. Where is thy leather apron and thy rule ? What dost thou with thy best apparel on ? You, sir, what trade are you ? SEC. COм. Truly, sir, in respect of a fine workman , I am 10 but, as you would say, a cobbler. MAR. But what trade art thou ? answer me directly. SEC. COм. A trade, sir, that, I hope, I may use with a safe conscience ; which is indeed , sir, a mender of bad soles. MAR. What trade, thou knave ? thou naughty knave, what trade ? 15 SEC. COM. Nay, I beseech you, sir, be not out with me : yet, if you be out, sir, I can mend you. MAR. What meanest thou by that ? mend me, thou saucy fellow ! 1  2 JULIUS CÆSAR. [Act 1 I. Sc.. SEC. COм. Why, sir, cobble you. 20 FLAV. Thou art a cobbler, art thou ? SEC. COм. Truly, sir, all that I live by is with the awl : I meddle with no tradesman's matters , nor women's matters ; but with awl. I am, indeed , sir, a surgeon to old shoes ; when they are in great danger, I recover them. As proper men as 25 ever trode upon neat's leather have gone upon my handi- work. FLAV. But wherefore art not in thy shop to-day ? Why dost thou lead these men about the streets ? SEC. COм. Truly, sir, to wear out their shoes , to get myself 30 into more work. But , indeed , sir, we make holiday to see Cæsar and to rejoice in his triumph. MAR. Wherefore rejoice ? What conquest brings he home ? What tributaries follow him to Rome , To grace in captive bonds his chariot - wheels ? 35 You blocks , you stones, you worse than senseless things ! O you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome, Knew you not Pompey ? Many a time and oft Have you climbed up to walls and battlements, To towers and windows , yea, to chimney-tops, 40 Your infants in your arms , and there have sat The live-long day, with patient expectation, To see great Pompey pass the streets of Rome : And when you saw his chariot but appear, Have you not made an universal shout, 45 That Tiber trembled underneath her banks, To hear the replication of your sounds Made in her concave shores ? And do you now put on your best attire ? And do you now cull out a holiday ? 50 And do you now strew flowers in his way That comes in triumph over Pompey's blood ? Be gone ; Run to your houses, fall upon your knees ,  П Act I. Scene I. SEC. COм. Truly, sir, all that I live by is with the awl. 4 JULIUS CESAR [Act I. Sc. 2. Pray to the gods to intermit the plague That needs must light on this ingratitude. FLAV. Go, go, good countrymen, and , for this fault, Assemble all the poor men of your sort ; Draw them to Tiber banks , and weep your tears Into the channel , till the lowest stream 60 Do kiss the most exalted shores of all. [Exeunt all the Commoners. See, whether their basest metal be not moved ; They vanish tongue-tied in their guiltiness. Go you down that way towards the Capitol ; This way will I : disrobe the images, 65 If you do find them decked with ceremonies. MAR. May we do so ? You know it is the feast of Lupercal. FLAV. It is no matter ; let no images Be hung with Cæsar's trophies. I'll about, 70 And drive away the vulgar from the streets : So do you too, where you perceive them thick. These growing feathers plucked from Cæsar's wing Will make him fly an ordinary pitch, Who else would soar above the view of men 75 And keep us all in servile fearfulness. [Exeunt. SCENE II. A public place. Flourish. Enter CESAR ; ANTONY, for the course ; CAL- PURNIA, PORTIA, DECIUS, CICERO, BRUTUS , CASSIUS , and CASCA ; a great crowd following, among them a Soothsayer. CES. Calpurnia ! CASCA. Peace, ho ! Cæsar speaks. CES. Calpurnia ! CAL. Here, my lord. Act I. Sc. 2. ] JULIUS CÆSAR. 5 CES. Stand you directly in Antonius ' way, When he doth run his course. Antonius ! ANT. Cæsar, my lord ? 5 CES. Forget not, in your speed , Antonius , To touch Calpurnia ; for our elders say, The barren, touchéd in this holy chase, Shake off their sterile curse. ANT. I shall remember : When Cæsar says " Do this , " it is performed. 10 CES. Set on ; and leave no ceremony out. [Flourish. SOOTH. Cæsar ! CES. Ha ! who calls ? CASCA. Bid every noise be still peace yet again ! CES. Who is it in the press that calls on me ? 15 I hear a tongue, shriller than all the music , Cry "Cæsar !" Speak ; Cæsar is turned to hear. SOOTH. Beware the ides of March. CES. What man is that ? BRU. A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March. CES. Set him before me ; let me see his face. 20 CAS. Fellow, come from the throng ; look upon Cæsar. CES. What say'st thou to me now ? speak once again. SOOTH. Beware the ides of March. CES. He is a dreamer ; let us leave him : pass. [ Sennet. Exeunt all but BRUTUS and CASSIUS. CAS. Will you go see the order of the course ? 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. CAS. Brutus, I do observe you now of late : I have not from your eyes that gentleness And show of love as I was wont to have : 6 JULIUS CÆSAR. [Act I. Sc. 2. You bear too stubborn and too strange a hand 35 Over your friend that loves you. BRU. Cassius, Be not deceived : if I have veiled my look, 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 ; But let not therefore my good friends be grieved— Among which number, Cassius , be you one- Nor construe any further my neglect, 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 ; 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 ? BRU. No , Cassius ; for the eye sees not itself, But by reflection by some other things. CAS. 'Tis just : And it is very much lamented, Brutus, 55 That you have no such mirrors as will turn Your hidden worthiness into your eye, That you might see your shadow. I have heard, Where many of the best respect in Rome, Except immortal Cæsar, speaking of Brutus 60 And groaning underneath this age's yoke, Have wished that noble Brutus had his eyes. BRU. Into what dangers would you lead me, Cassius, That you would have me seek into myself For that which is not in me ? 65 CAS. Therefore, good Brutus, be prepared to hear : And since you know you cannot see yourself So well as by reflection, I, your glass, Act I. Sc. 2. ] JULIUS CÆSAR. 7 Will modestly discover to yourself That of yourself which you yet know not of. 70 And be not jealous on me, gentle Brutus : Were I a common laugher, or did use 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 To all the rout, then hold me dangerous. [Flourish and shout. BRU. What means this shouting ? I do fear, the people Choose Cæsar for their king. 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' th' other, And I will look on both indifferently : 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, 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 , 8 JULIUS CESAR. [Act I. Sc. 2. Cæsar said to me, " Darest thou, Cassius, now Leap in with me into this angry flood , And swim to yonder point ? " Upon the word, Accoutred as I was, I plunged in 105 And bade him follow ; so indeed he did. The torrent roared, and we did buffet it With lusty sinews, throwing it aside And stemming it with hearts of controversy ; But ere we could arrive the point proposed, 110 Cæsar cried, " Help me, Cassius , or I sink ". I, as Æneas our great ancestor Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder The old Anchises bear, so from the waves of Tiber 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, 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 : Ay, and that tongue of his that bade the Romans 125 Mark him and write his speeches in their books, Alas, it cried, " Give me some drink, Titinius," 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. BRU. Another general shout ? 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 Act I. Sc. 2. ] JULIUS CÆSAR. 9 Walk under his huge legs and peep about To find ourselves dishonourable graves. Men at some time are masters of their fates : 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 ? Why should that name be sounded more than yours ? Write them together, yours is as fair a name ; Sound them , it doth become the mouth as well ; 145 Weigh them, it is as heavy ; conjure with 'em, Brutus will start a spirit as soon as Cæsar. 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 ? 155 Now is it Rome indeed , and room enough, When there is in it but one only man. 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 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 : How I have thought of this and of these times, I shall recount hereafter ; for this present, 165 I would not, so with love I might entreat you , Be any further moved. What you have said 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. 170 Till then, my noble friend, chew upon this : 10 JULIUS CESAR. [Act I. Sc. 2. Brutus had rather be a villager Than to repute himself a son of Rome Under these hard conditions as this time Is like to lay upon us. 175 CAS. I am glad that my weak words Have struck but thus much show of fire from Brutus. BRU. The games are done and Cæsar is returning. CAS. As they pass by, pluck Casca by the sleeve ; And he will, after his sour fashion, tell you 180 What hath proceeded worthy note to-day. Re-enter CESAR and his train. BRU. I will do so. But, look you, Cassius, The angry spot doth glow on Cæsar's brow, 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 crossed in conference by some senators. CAS. Casca will tell us what the matter is. CES. Antonius ! 190 ANT. Cæsar ? CES. Let me have men about me that are fat : Sleek-headed men, and such as sleep o'-nights : Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look ; 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. CES. Would he were fatter : But I fear him not : 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 Act I. Sc. 2. ] JULIUS CÆSAR. 11 As if he mock'd himself and scorn'd his spirit That could be moved to smile at anything. Such men as he be never at heart's ease Whiles they behold a greater than themselves , And therefore are they very dangerous. 210 I rather tell thee what is to be feared 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 his train. Remains Casca. CASCA. You pulled me by the cloak ; would you speak with me ? 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 ? 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. BRU. What was the second noise for ? CASCA. Why, for that too. CAS. They shouted thrice ; what was the last cry for ? 225 CASCA. Why, for that too. BRU. Was the crown offered 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. 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 hanged as tell the manner of it it was mere foolery ; I did not mark it. I saw Mark 235 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 12 JULIUS CÆSAR. [Act I. Sc. 2. 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 240 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 chopt hands and threw up their sweaty nightcaps, and uttered such a deal of stinking breath because Cæsar refused the crown , that it had almost 245 choked Cæsar ; for he swounded 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 swound ? 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. 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 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 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. 265 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 for- gave him with all their hearts : but there's no heed to be 270 taken of them ; if Cæsar had stabbed their mothers , they would have done no less. BRU. And after that, he came, thus sad, away ? Act I. Sc. 2. ] JULIUS CESAR. 13 CASCA. Ay. CAS. Did Cicero say anything ? 275 CASCA. Ay, he spoke Greek. CAS. To what effect ? CASCA. Nay, and I tell you that, I'll ne'er look you i' th' 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 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 dinner worth the eating. 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. 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 With better appetite. BRU. And so it is. For this time I will leave you : 300 To-morrow, if you please to speak with me, I will come home to you ; or, if you will , Come home to me, and I will wait for you. CAS. I will do so : till then , think of the world. [Exit BRUTUS. Well, Brutus , thou art noble ; yet , I see, 305 Thy honourable metal may be wrought From that it is disposed : therefore it is meet 14 JULIUS CÆSAR. [Act I. Sc. 3. 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, 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 should be glanced at : And after this let Cæsar seat him sure ; For we will shake him, or worse days endure. [Exit. SCENE III. Rome. A street. Thunder and lightning. Enter, from opposite sides, CASCA, with his sword drawn , and CICERO. 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. 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 anything more wonderful ? CASCA. A common slave, you know him well by sight, 15 Held up his left hand, which did flame and burn Like twenty torches joined, and yet his hand, Act I. Scene III. CASCA. A common slave (you know him well by sight), Held up his left hand, which did flame and burn. 16 JULIUS CÆSAR. [Act I. Sc. 3. Not sensible of fire, remained unscorch'd. Besides I ha' not since put up my sword- Against the Capitol I met a lion, 20 Who glazed upon me, and went surly by Without annoying me : and there were drawn Upon a heap a hundred ghastly women 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 Do so conjointly meet, let not men say "These are their reasons ; they are natural " ; 30 For, I believe, they are portentous things Unto the climate that they point upon. CIC. Indeed, it is a strange-disposed time : But men may construe things after their fashion, Clean from the purpose of the things themselves. 35 Comes Cæsar to the Capitol to-morrow ? CASCA. He doth ; for he did bid Antonius Send word to you he would be there to-morrow. CIC. Good-night, then , Casca ; this disturbed sky Is not to walk in. CASCA. Farewell, Cicero. [Exit CICERO. 40 Enter CASSIUS. CAS. Who's there ? CASCA. A Roman. CAS. Casca, by your voice. CASCA. Your ear is good. Cassius, what night is this ! CAS. A very pleasing night to honest men. CASCA. Who ever knew the heavens menace so ? CAS. Those that have known the earth so full of faults. 45 For my part, I have walked about the streets, Submitting me unto the perilous night, And thus unbraced, Casca, as you see, Have bared my bosom to the thunder- stone ; Act I. Sc. 3. ] JULIUS CÆSAR. 17 And when the cross blue lightning seem'd to open The breast of heaven , I did present myself 50 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. 55 CAS. You are dull, Casca, and those sparks of life That should be in a Roman you do want, Or else you use not. You look pale and gaze And put on fear and cast yourself in wonder, To see the strange impatience of the heavens : 60 But if you would consider the true cause Why all these fires, why all these gliding ghosts, Why birds and beasts from quality and kind, Why old men fool and children calculate , Why all these things change from their ordinance 65 Their natures and preformed faculties, To monstrous quality, why, you shall find That heaven hath infused them with these spirits, To make them instruments of fear and warning Unto some monstrous state. 70 100 Now could I , Casca, name to thee a man Most like this dreadful night, That thunders, lightens, opens graves , and roars As doth the lion in the Capitol, 1353 A man no mightier than thyself or me 75 In personal action, yet prodigious grown And fearful, as these strange eruptions are. CASCA. 'Tis Cæsar that you mean ; is it not, Cassius ? CAS. Let it be who it is : for Romans now Have thews and limbs like to their ancestors ; 80 But, woe the while ! our fathers ' minds are dead, And we are governed with our mothers ' spirits ; Our yoke and sufferance show us womanish. 2 18 JULIUS CAESAR. [Act I. Sc. 3. CASCA. Indeed, they say the senators to-morrow 85 Mean to establish Cæsar as a king ; And he shall wear his crown by sea and land , In every place, save here in Italy. CAS. I know where I will wear this dagger then ; Cassius from bondage will deliver Cassius : 90 Therein, ye gods , you make the weak most strong ; Therein, ye gods , you tyrants do defeat : Nor stony tower, nor walls of beaten brass , Nor airless dungeon , nor strong links of iron, Can be retentive to the strength of spirit ; 95 But life, being weary of these worldly bars, Never lacks power to dismiss itself. If I know this, know all the world besides , That part of tyranny that I do bear I can shake off at pleasure. [Thunder still. CASCA. So can I : 100 So every bondman in his own hand bears The power to cancel his captivity. CAS. And why should Cæsar be a tyrant then ? Poor man ! I know he would not be a wolf, But that he sees the Romans are but sheep : 105 He were no lion , were not Romans hinds. Those that with haste will make a mighty fire Begin it with weak straws : what trash is Rome, What rubbish and what offal , when it serves For the base matter, to illuminate 110 So vile a thing as Cæsar ! But, O grief, Where hast thou led me ? I perhaps speak this Before a willing bondman ; then I know My answer must be made. But I am arm'd , And dangers are to me indifferent. 115 CASCA. You speak to Casca, and to such a man That is no fleering tell-tale. Hold, my hand : Be factious for redress of all these griefs , Act I. Sc. 3. ] JULIUS CESAR. 19 And I will set this foot of mine as far As who goes farthest. CAS. There's a bargain made. 120 Now know you, Casca , I have moved already Some certain of the noblest-minded Romans To undergo with me an enterprise Of honourable-dangerous consequence ; And I do know, by this they stay for me 125 In Pompey's porch for now, this fearful nigl., There is no stir or walking in the streets ; And the complexion of the element Is feverous like the work we have in hand, Most bloody-fiery, and most terrible. 130 Enter CINNA. CASCA. Stand close awhile, for here comes one in haste. CAS. 'Tis Cinna ; I do know him by his gait ; He is a friend. Cinna, where haste you so ? CIN. To find out you. Who's that ? Metellus Cimber ? CAS. No, it is Casca ; one incorporate 135 To our attempts. Am I not stay'd for, Cinna ? CIN. I am glad on't. What a fearful night is this ! There's two or three of us have seen strange sights. CAS. Am I not stay'd for ? tell me. CIN. Yes, you are. O Cassius, if you could 140 But win the noble Brutus to our party CAS. Be you content : good Cinna, take this paper, And look you lay it in the prætor's chair, Where Brutus may but find it ; and throw this In at his window ; set this up with wax 145 Upon old Brutus ' statue : all this done, Repair to Pompey's porch, where you shall find us. Is Decius Brutus and Trebonius there ? CIN. All but Metellus Cimber ; and he's gone 20 JULIUS CÆSAR. [Act I. Sc. 3. To seek you at your house. Well, I will hie, 150 And so bestow these papers as you bade me. CAS. That done, repair to Pompey's theatre. [ Exit CINNA. Come, Casca, you and I will yet ere day See Brutus at his house : three parts of him Is ours already, and the man entire 155 Upon the next encounter yields him ours. CASCA. O, he sits high in all the people's hearts : And that which would appear offence in us, His countenance, like richest alchemy, Will change to virtue and to worthiness. 160 CAS. Him and his worth and our great need of him You have right well conceited. Let us go, For it is after midnight, and ere day We will awake him and be sure of him. [Exeunt.  21 ACT II. SCENE I. Rome. BRUTUS' orchard. Enter BRUTUS. BRU. What, Lucius, ho ! I cannot, by the progress of the stars, Give guess how near to day. Lucius, I say! I would it were my fault to sleep so soundly. When, Lucius, when ? awake , I say ! what, Lucius ! 5 Enter LUCIUS. Luc. Call'd you, my lord ? BRU. Get me a taper in my study, Lucius : When it is lighted, come and call me here. Luc. I will, my lord. [Exit. BRU. It must be by his death : and for my part, 10 I know no personal cause to spurn at him, But for the general. He would be crowned : How that might change his nature, there's the question. It is the bright day that brings forth the adder ; And that craves wary walking. Crown him ?—that ;- 15 And then, I grant, we put a sting in him, That at his will he may do danger with. The abuse of greatness is when it disjoins Remorse from power : and, to speak truth of Cæsar , I have not known when his affections swayed 20 More than his reason. But ' tis a common proof, That lowliness is young ambition's ladder, 22 JULIUS CESAR. [Act II. Sc. 1. Whereto the climber-upward turns his face ; But when he once attains the upmost round, He then unto the ladder turns his back, 25 Looks in the clouds , scorning the base degrees By which he did ascend : so Cæsar may ; Then, lest he may, prevent. And, since the quarrel Will bear no colour for the thing he is, Fashion it thus ; that what he is, augmented, 30 Would run to these and these extremities : And therefore think him as a serpent's egg Which, hatched, would, as his kind, grow mischievous, And kill him in the shell. Re-enter LUCIUS. Luc. The taper burneth in your closet, sir. 35 Searching the window for a flint I found This paper thus sealed up, and I am sure It did not lie there when I went to bed. [Gives him the letter. BRU. Get you to bed again ; it is not day. Is not to-morrow, boy, the ides of March ? 40 Luc. I know not, sir. BRU. Look in the calendar, and bring me word. Luc. I will, sir. [ Exit. BRU. The exhalations whizzing in the air Give so much light that I may read by them. 45 [Opens the letter and reads. " Brutus, thou sleep'st : awake and see thyself. Shall Rome, etc. Speak, strike, redress ! Brutus, thou sleep'st : awake ! " Such instigations have been often dropped Where I have took them up. 50 " Shall Rome, etc. " Thus must I piece it out : Shall Rome stand under one man's awe ? What, Rome ? My ancestors did from the streets of Rome The Tarquin drive , when he was called a king. Act II. Sc. 1.] JULIUS CESAR. 23 " Speak, strike, redress ! " Am I entreated 55 To speak and strike ? O Rome, I make thee promise, If the redress will follow, thou receivest Thy full petition at the hand of Brutus ! Re-enter LUCIUS. Luc. Sir, March is wasted fourteen days. [Knocking within. BRU. "Tis good. Go to the gate ; somebody knocks. 60 Exit LUCIUS. Since Cassius first did whet me against Cæsar, I have not slept. Between the acting of a dreadful thing And the first motion, all the interim is Like a phantasma or a hideous dream : 65 The Genius and the mortal instruments Are then in council ; and the state of man , Like to a little kingdom, suffers then The nature of an insurrection. Re-enter LUCIUS. Luc. Sir, ' tis your brother Cassius at the door, 70 Who doth desire to see you. BRU. Is he alone ? Luc. No, sir, there are moe with him. BRU. Do you know them ? Luc. No, sir ; their hats are plucked about their ears, And half their faces buried in their cloaks, That by no means I may discover them 75 By any mark of favour, BRU. Let him enter. [Exit LUCIUS. They are the faction. O conspiracy, Shamest thou to show thy dangerous brow by night, When evils are most free ? O, then, by day Where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough 80 To mask thy monstrous visage ? Seek none, conspiracy ; Hide it in smiles and affability : 24 JULIUS CÆSAR. [Act II. Sc. 1. For if thou path, thy native semblance on, Not Erebus itself were dim enough To hide thee from prevention. 85 Enter the Conspirators , CASSIUS, CASCA, DECIUS, CINNA, METELLUS CIMBER, and TREBONIUS. CAS. I think we are too bold upon your rest : Good-morrow, Brutus ; do we trouble you ? BRU. I have been up this hour, awake all night. Know I these men that come along with you ? CAS. Yes, every man of them : and no man here 90 But honours you ; and every one doth wish You had but that opinion of yourself Which every noble Roman bears of you. This is Trebonius. BRU. He is welcome hither. CAS. This, Decius Brutus. BRU. He is welcome too. 95 CAS. This, Casca ; this, Cinna ; and this, Metellus Cimber. BRU. They are all welcome. What watchful cares do interpose themselves Betwixt your eyes and night ? CAS. Shall I entreat a word ? [They whisper. 100 DEC. Here lies the east : doth not the day break here ? CASCA. NO. CIN. O, pardon, sir, it doth ; and yon gray lines That fret the clouds are messengers of day. CASCA. You shall confess that you are both deceived. 105 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. Some two months hence up higher toward the north He first presents his fire ; and the high east 110 Stands, as the Capitol, directly here. BRU. Give me your hands all over, one by one. CAS. And let us swear our resolution.  Act II. Sc. 1. ] JULIUS CÆSAR. 25 BRU. No, not an oath : if not the face of men, The sufferance of our souls, the time's abuse,- 115 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. But if these, As I am sure they do, bear fire enough 120 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, 125 And will not palter ? and what other oath Than honesty to honesty engaged That this shall be, or we will fall for it ? Swear priests and cowards and men cautelous , Old feeble carrions and such suffering souls 130 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 135 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. 140 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. CIN. No, by no means. MET. O, let us have him, for his silver hairs Will purchase us a good opinion , 145 And buy men's voices to commend our deeds : It shall be said, his judgment ruled our hands ; 26 JULIUS CESAR. [Act II. Sc. 1. Our youths and wildness shall no whit appear, But all be buried in his gravity. BRU. O, name him not : let us not break with him : 150 For he will never follow anything That other men begin. CAS. Then leave him out. CASCA. Indeed he is not fit. DEC. Shall no man else be touch'd but only Cæsar ? CAS. Decius, well urged : I think it is not meet, 155 Mark Antony, so well beloved of Cæsar, Should outlive Cæsar : we shall find of him A shrewd contriver ; and, you know, his means, If he improve them, may well stretch so far As to annoy us all which to prevent, 160 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 : 165 Let us be sacrificers, but not butchers, Caius. We all stand up against the spirit of Cæsar ; And in the spirit of men there is no blood : O, that we then could come by Cæsar's spirit , And not dismember Cæsar ! But , alas ! 170 Cæsar must bleed for it ! And, gentle friends , Let's kill him boldly, but not wrathfully ; Let's carve him as a dish fit for the gods , Not hew him as a carcase fit for hounds : And let our hearts , as subtle masters do , 175 Stir up their servants to an act of rage, And after seem to chide ' em. This shall make Our purpose necessary and not envious : Which so appearing to the common eyes, We shall be called purgers, not murderers. 180 And for Mark Antony, think not of him ; Act II. Sc. 1. ] JULIUS CESAR. 27 For he can do no more than Cæsar's arm When Cæsar's head is off. CAS. Yet I fear him ; For in the ingrafted love he bears to Cæsar BRU. Alas ! good Cassius , do not think of him : 185 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 ; 190 For he will live, and laugh at this hereafter. [Clock strikes. BRU. Peace ! count the clock. CAS. The clock hath stricken three. TREB. ' Tis time to part. CAS. But it is doubtful yet Whether Cæsar will come forth to-day, or no ; For he is superstitious grown of late, 195 Quite from the main opinion he held once Of fantasy, of dreams and ceremonies : It may be, these apparent prodigies, The unaccustom'd terror of this night, And the persuasion of his augurers , 200 May hold him from the Capitol to-day. DEC. Never fear that : if he be so resolved , 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 , 205 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 his humour the true bent, 210 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 ? 28 JULIUS CESAR. [Act II. Sc. 1. CIN. Be that the uttermost, and fail not then. MET. Caius Ligarius doth bear Cæsar hard, 215 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 : He loves me well, and I have given him reasons ; Send him but hither, and I'll fashion him. 220 CAS. The morning comes upon's : we'll leave you, Brutus. And, friends, disperse yourselves ; but all remember What you have said, and show yourselves true Romans. BRU. Good gentlemen, look fresh and merrily ; Let not our looks put on our purposes ; 225 But bear it as our Roman actors do, With untired spirits and formal constancy : And so, good morrow to you every one. [Exeunt. Remains BRUTUS. Boy ! Lucius ! Fast asleep ? It is no matter ; Enjoy the honey-heavy dew of slumber : 230 Thou hast no figures nor no fantasies , Which busy care draws in the brains of men ; Therefore thou sleep'st so sound. Enter PORTIA. POR. Brutus, my lord ! BRU. Portia, what mean you ? wherefore rise you now ? It is not for your health thus to commit 235 Your weak condition to the raw cold morning. POR. Nor for yours neither. You've ungently, Brutus, Stole from my bed : and yesternight , at supper, You suddenly arose and walked about, Musing and sighing, with your arms across ; 240 And when I asked you what the matter was , You stared upon me with ungentle looks ; I urged you further ; then you scratch'd your head , And too impatiently stamp'd with your foot ; Yet I insisted, yet you answer'd not, 245 Act II. Sc. 1. ] JULIUS CÆSAR. 29 But, with an angry wafture of your hand, Gave sign for me to leave you : so I did , Fearing to strengthen that impatience Which seemed too much enkindled, and withal Hoping it was but an effect of humour, 250 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 , I should not know you , Brutus. Dear my lord, 255 Make me acquainted with your cause of grief. BRU. I am not well in health, and that is all. POR. Brutus is wise , and , were he not in health, He would embrace the means to come by it. BRU. Why, so I do. Good Portia, go to bed. 260 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 265 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, 270 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 275 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. Act II. Scene I. PORTIA. You have some sick offence within your mind. Act II. Sc. 1. ] JULIUS CÆSAR. 31 Within the bond of marriage, tell me, Brutus, 280 Is it excepted I should know no secrets That appertain to you ? Am I yourself But, as it were, in sort or limitation , To keep with you at meals, comfort your bed, And talk to you sometimes ? Dwell I but in the suburbs 285 Of your good pleasure ? BRU. You are my true and honourable wife, As dear to me as are the ruddy drops That visit my sad heart. POR. If this were true, then should I know this secret. 290 I grant I am a woman ; but withal 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, 295 Being so father'd and so husbanded ? Tell me your counsels, I will not disclose ' em : I have made strong proof of my constancy, Giving myself a voluntary wound Here in the thigh : can I bear that with patience, 300 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 awhile ; And by and by thy bosom shall partake The secrets of my heart. 305 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 followed by LIGARIUS. Luc. Here is a sick man that would speak with you. BRU. Caius Ligarius, that Metellus spake of. 310 Boy, stand aside. Caius Ligarius ! how ? 32 JULIUS CESAR. [Act II. Sc. 2. LIG. Vouchsafe good morrow from a feeble 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 315 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 ! 320 Brave son, derived from honourable loins ! Thou, like an exorcist hast conjured 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 ? 325 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, I shall unfold to thee, as we are going To whom it must be done. LIG. Set on your foot, 330 And with a heart new-fired I follow you, To do I know not what : but it sufficeth That Brutus leads me on. [Thunder. BRU. Follow me then. [Exeunt. SCENE II. The same. A room in CÆSAR's house. Thunder and lightning. Enter CESAR in his nightgown. CES. Nor heaven nor earth have been at peace to -night : Thrice hath Calpurnia in her sleep cried out, 66 Help, ho ! they murder Cæsar ! " Who's within ? Enter a Servant. SERV. My lord ? Act II. Sc. 2. ] JULIUS CÆSAR. 33 CES. Go bid the priests do present sacrifice 5 And bring me their opinions of success. SERV. I will, my lord. [Exit. Enter CALPURNIA. CAL. What mean you, Cæsar ? think you to walk forth ? You shall not stir out of your house to-day. CES. Cæsar shall forth the things that threaten'd me 10 Ne'er looked 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 , 15 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 fought upon the clouds , In ranks and squadrons and right form of war 20 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 squeal about the streets. O Cæsar ! these things are beyond all use, 25 And I do fear them. CES. What can be avoided Whose end is purposed 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 ; 30 The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes. CES. Cowards die many times before their deaths ; The valiant never taste of death but once. Of all the wonders that I yet have heard, It seems to me most strange that men should fear ; 35 Seeing that death, a necessary end, Will come when it will come. 3 Act II. Scene II. CALPURNIA. O Cæsar ! these things are beyond all use, And I do fear them. Act II. Sc. 2. ] JULIUS CAESAR. 35 Re-enter Servant. What say the augurers ? 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. 40 CES. 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 : 45 We are 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 consumed in confidence. Do not go forth to-day : call it my fear 50 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. CES. Mark Antony shall say I am not well ; 55 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. CES. And you are come in very happy time, 60 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 ? 65 Have I in conquest stretched mine arm so far, 36 JULIUS CAESAR. [Act II. Sc. 2. To be afeard to tell greybeards the truth ? Decius, go tell them Cæsar will not come. DEC. Most mighty Cæsar, let me know some cause, Lest I be laugh'd at when I tell them so. 70 CES. 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. Calpurnia here, my wife, stays me at home : 75 She dreamt to-night she saw my statuë, Which, like a fountain with an 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 , and portents , 80 And evils imminent : and on her knee Hath begged 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 , 85 In which so many smiling Romans bathed, Signifies that from you great Rome shall suck Reviving blood , and that great men shall press For tinctures, stains, relics, and cognizance. This by Calpurnia's dream is signified. 90 CES. 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. If you shall send them word you will not come , 95 Their minds may change. Besides, it were a mock Apt to be rendered, 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, 100 " Lo, Cæsar is afraid " ? Act II. Sc. 2.] JULIUS CAESAR. 37 Pardon me, Cæsar ; for my dear, dear love To your proceeding bids me tell you this, And reason to my love is liable. CES. How foolish do your fears seem now, Calpurnia ! 105 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. CAS. Welcome, Publius. What, Brutus, are you stirr'd so early too ? 110 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 ? BRU. Cæsar, ' tis strucken eight. CAS. I thank you for your pains and courtesy. 115 Enter ANTONY See ! Antony, that revels long o'nights, Is notwithstanding up. Good morrow, Antony. ANT. So to most noble Cæsar. CES. Bid them prepare within : I am to blame to be thus waited for. Now, Cinna : now, Metellus : what, Trebonius ! 120 I have an hour's talk in store for you ; Remember that you call on me to-day : Be near me, that I may remember you. TREB. Cæsar, I will : [Aside] and so near will I be, That your best friends shall wish I had been further. 125 CES. Good friends, go in, and taste some wine with me ; And we, like friends, will straightway go together. BRU. [Aside] That every like is not the same, O Cæsar, The heart of Brutus yearns to think upon ! [Exeunt. 38 JULIUS CAESAR. [Act II. Sc. 4. 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 beest not immortal , look about you ; security 5 gives way to conspiracy. The mighty gods defend thee ! Thy lover, 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. 10 Out of the teeth of emulation. If thou read this , O Cæsar, thou mayst live ; If not, the Fates with traitors do contrive. [Exit. SCENE IV. Another part of the same street, before the house of BRUTUS. Enter PORTIA and LUCIUS. POR. I prithee, boy, run to the senate- house ; Stay not to answer me, but get thee gone : 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 shouldst do there. 5 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 ? 10 Run to the Capitol, and nothing else ? And so return to you , and nothing else ? Act II. Scene IV. PORTIA. I prithee, boy, run to the senate-house ; Stay not to answer me, but get thee gone. 40 JULIUS CÆSAR. [Act II. Sc. 4. 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. 15 Hark, boy ! what noise is that ? Luc. I hear none , madam. POR. Prithee, listen well ; I heard a bustling rumour, like a fray, And the wind brings it from the Capitol. Luc. Sooth, madam, I hear nothing. 20 Enter the Soothsayer. POR. Come hither, fellow which way hast thou been ? SOOTH. 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 , 25 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. 30 POR. Why, know'st 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 , Of senators, of prætors , common suitors, 35 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. Ay me, how weak a thing The heart of woman is ! O Brutus, 40 The heavens speed thee in thine enterprise ! Sure , the boy heard me. Brutus hath a suit Act II. Sc. 4. ] JULIUS CESAR. 41 That Cæsar will not grant. 0 , I grow faint. Run , Lucius, and commend me to my lord ; Say I am merry : come to me again , 45 And bring me word what he doth say to thee. [Exeunt severally.  42 ACT III. SCENE I. Rome. Before the Capitol ; the Senate sitting above. A crowd ofpeople ; among them ARTEMIDORUS and the Sooth- sayer. Flourish. Enter CESAR, BRUTUS, CASSIUS , CASCA, DECIUS , METELLUS , TREBONIUS , CINNA, ANTONY, LEPIDUS, POPILIUS , PUBLIUS , and others. CES. [To the Soothsayer] 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. 5 ART. O Cæsar, read mine first ; for mine's a suit That touches Cæsar nearer : read it, great Cæsar. CES. What touches us ourself shall be last served. ART. Delay not, Cæsar ; read it instantly. CES. What, is the fellow mad ? PUB. Sirrah, give place. 10 CAS. What, urge you your petitions in the street ? Come to the Capitol. [CESAR goes up to the Senate-House, the rest following. Pop. I wish your enterprise to-day may thrive. CAS. What enterprise, Popilius ? Pop. Fare you well. [Advances to CESAR.  Act II. Sc. 1. ] JULIUS CAESAR. 43 BRU. What said Popilius Lena ? 15 CAS. He wished to-day our enterprise might thrive. I fear our purpose is discovered. BRU. Look, how he makes to Cæsar : mark him. CAS. Casca, be sudden, for we fear prevention. Brutus, what shall be done ? If this be known , 20 Cassius or Cæsar never shall turn back , For I will slay myself. BRU. Cassius, be constant : Popilius Lena speaks not of our purposes ; For, look, he smiles, and Cæsar doth not change. CAS. Trebonius knows his time ; for, look you , Brutus , 25 He draws Mark Antony out of the way. [Exeunt ANTONY and TREBONIUS. 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 CES. Are we all ready ? What is now amiss That Cæsar and his senate must redress ? MET. Most high, most mighty, and most puissant Cæsar, Metellus Cimber throws before thy seat An humble heart :- [Kneeling. CES. I must prevent thee , Cimber. 35 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 40 That will be thaw'd from the true quality With that which melteth fools ; I mean, sweet words, Low-crooked court'sies and base spaniel-fawning. Thy brother by decree is banished : If thou dost bend and pray and fawn for him, 45 I spurn thee like a cur out of my way. 44 JULIUS CÆSAR. [Act III. Sc. 1. Know, Cæsar doth not wrong nor without cause Will he be satisfied. MET. Is there no voice m