JULIUS CESAR. JULIUS CESAR. OCTAVIUS CAESAR, M. ANTONIUS, M. EMIL. LEPIDUS, PERSONS REPRESENTED. Triumvirs after the Death of Julius Cæsar. CICERO, PUBLIUS, POPILIUS LENA, Senators. FLAVIUS, and Marullus, Tribunes. CINNA, a Poet: Another Poet. LUCILIUS, TITINIUS, MESSALA, Young CATO, Conspirators againt Julius PINDARUS, Servant to Cassius. Cæsar. METELLUS CIMBER, CINNA, CALPHURNIA, Wife to Cæsar. Plebeians, Senators, Guards, Attendants, &c. SCENE, for the three first Acts, at Rome: afterwards at an Island near Mutina; at Sardis ; and near Is this a holiday? What! know you not, Mar. Where is thy leather apron, and thy rule? Flac. Thou art a cobler, art thou? Cob. Truly, sir, all that I live by is, with the awl: I meddle with no trade,-man's matters, nor woman's matters, but with awl. I am, indeed, 5 sir, a surgeon to old shoes; when they are in great danger, I recover them. As proper men as ever trod upon neats-leather, have gone upon my handy-work. 10 Cob. Truly, sir, in respect of a fine workman, 15 I am but, as you would say, a cobler. Mar. But what trade art thou? Answer me directly. Cob. A trade, sir, that, I hope, I may use with a safe conscience; which is, indeed, sir, a mender 20 of bad soals. Flav. What trade, thou knave? thou naughty knave, what trade? Cob. 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 ? Cob. Why, sir, cobble you, Flav. But wherefore art not in thy shop to-day? Why dost thou lead these men about the streets? Cob. Truly, sir, to wear out their shoes, to get myself into more work. But, indeed, sir, we make holiday, to see Cæsar, and to rejoice in his triumph. Mar. Wherefore rejoice? What conquest brings What tributaries follow him to Rome, O, you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome, 3 B3 To hear the replication of your sounds, And do you now put on your best attire? Run to your houses, fall upon your knees, Cas. Set him before me, let m Cas. Fellow, come from the 5 upon Cæsar. 10 Cas. What say'st thou to me n Cas. I pray you, do. Bru. I am not gamesome; I d Of that quick spirit that is in Ant I'll leave you. Draw them to Tyber banks, and weep your tears 15 Let me not hinder, Cassius, you [Exeunt Commoners. You know, it is the feast of Lupercal. Cas. Brutus, I do observe you I have not from your eyes that 9 And shew of love, as I was wont 20 You bear too stubborn and too s Over your friend that loves you. Bru. Cassius, Flav. It is no matter; let no images Who else would soar above the view of men, Enter Casar; Antony, for the course; Calphurnia, Casca. Peace, ho! Cæsar speaks. Calph. Here, my lord. Cas. Stand you directly in Antonius' way, When he doth run his course.--Antonius. Ant. Cæsar, my lord. Cæs. Forget not, in your speed, Antonius, To touch Calphurnia: for our elders say, The barren, touched in this holy chase, Shake off their sterile course. Ant. I shall remember : When Cæsar says, Do this, it is perform'd. Cas. Ha! Who calls? [again. Be not deceiv'd: If I have veil' 135 By means whereof, this breast of n Bru. No, Cassius: for the eye 40 But by reflection, by some other Cas. "Tis just: And it is very much lamented, That you have no such mirrors, Your hidden worthiness into you 4 That you might see your shadow Where many of the best respect Except immortal Cæsar) speaki And groaning underneath this ag Have wish'd that noble Brutus hi 50 Bru.Intowhatdangerswouldyou That you would have me seek in For that which is not in me? Cusca. Bid every noise be still:-Peace yet 55 Cas. Therefore, good Brutus, bo And, since you know you canno So well as by reflection, I, your Will modestly discover to yours That of yourself, which yet you And be not jealous of me, gentle Were I a common laugher, or di Ceremonies for religious ornaments. This person was not Decius, but Decimus. have before observed, that Sennet appears to be a particular tune or mode of martial mu is alien, unfamiliar. i.e. with a fluctuation of discordant opinions and desires. To stale with ordinary oaths my love Bru. What means this shouting? I do fear, the Cas. Ay, do you fear it? 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, Set honour in one eye, and death i' the 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, 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 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, The troubled Tyber chafing with his shores, Casar said to me, Dar'st 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, And bade him follow: so, indeed, he did. The torrent roar'd; 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 propos'd, Cæsar cry'd, Help me, Cassius, or I sink. I, as Æneas, our great ancestor, 5 Bru. Another general shout! I do believe, that these applauses are Like a Colossus; and we petty men Men at some time are masters of their fates: 2 O! you and I have heard our fathers say, [brool There was a Brutus once, that would ha 30 The eternal devil to keep his state in Rome, As easily as a king. Bru. That you do love me, I am nothing jealo What you would work me to, I have some aim How I have thought of this, and of these times 35I shall recount hereafter; for this present, I would not, so with love I might entreat you, Be any further mov'd. What you have said, I will consider; what you have to say, I will with patience hear; and find a time 40 Both meet to hear, and answer, such high thing Till then, my noble friend, chew upon this Brutus had rather be a villager, Than to repute himself a son of Rome Under such hard conditions as this time 45 Is like to lay upon us. 50 Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder [Shout. Flourish. 3 Cas. I am glad, that my weak words Have struck but thus much shew of fire fro Brutus. Re-enter Cæsar and his train. Bru. The games are done, and Cæsar is turning. Cas. As they pass by, pluck Casca by the sleev And he will, after his sour fashion, tell you What hath proceeded, worthy note, to-day. Bru. I will do so:-But, look you, Cassius, The angry spot doth glow on Casar's brow, And all the rest look like a chidden train: Calphurnia's cheek is pale; and Cicero Looks with such ferret and such fiery eyes, 60 As we have seen him in the Capitol, Being cross'd in conference by some senators. Cas. Casca will tell us what the matter is. Ant. Cæsar. Cas. Let me have men about me, that are fat; Ant. Fear him not, Cæsar, he's not dangerous; 5 Cas. 'Would he were fatter:-But I fear him 10 not: Yet if my name were liable to fear, I do not know the man I should avoid 15 Jand still as he refus'd it, the rabblement hooted, and clapp'd their chopt hands, and threw up their sweaty night-caps, and utter'd such a deal of stinking breath because Cæsar refus'd the crown, that it had almost choak'd Cæsar; for he swooned, 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 swoon? Casca. He fell down in the market-place, and foam'd at mouth, and was speechless. Bru. 'Tis very like; he hath the falling-sick ness. 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 sure, Cæsar fell down. If the tag-rag people did not clap him, and hiss him, according as he 20 pleas'd, and displeas'd 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? Casca. Marry, before he fell down, when he perceiv'd the common herd was glad he refus'd 25 the crown, he pluck'd me ope his doublet, and offer'd them his throat to cut.—An I had been a man of any occupation', if I would not have taken him at a word, I would I might go to hell among the rogues :--and so he fell. When he came to himself again, he said, If he had done, or said, any thing amiss, he desir'd their worships to think it was his infirmity. Three or four wenches, where I stood, cry'd, Alas, good soul !—and forgave him with all their hearts: But there's no heed to be taken of them: if Cæsar had stabb'd their mothers, they would have done no less. [Exeunt Cæsar, and his train. Manent Brutus and Cassius: Casca to them. Casca. You pull'd me by the cloak; Would 30 you speak with me? Bru.Ay,Casca; tell us what hath chanc'd 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 35 chanc'd. Casca. Why, there was a crown offer'd him :) and being offer'd him, he put it by with the back of his hand, thus; and then the people fell a shouting. Bru. What was the second noise for? Cas. They shouted thrice; What was the last cry for ? Casca. Why, for that too. Bru. Was the crown offer'd 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. Cas. Who offer'd him the crown? 1401 Bru. And after that, he came, thus sad, away? Cas. Did Cicero say any thing? Casca. Nay, an I tell you that, I'll ne'er look you i' the face again: But those, that understood him, smil'd at one another, and shook their heads: 45 but for mine own part, it 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. 50 Cas. Will you sup with me to-night, Casca? Casca. No, I am promis'd forth. 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 offer him a crown;-yet|55| 'twas not a crown neither, 'twas one of these coronets; and, as I told you, he put it by once: but, for all that, to my thinking, he would fain have had it. Then he offer'd it to him again; then he put it by again: but, to my thinking, he was very 60 loth to lay his fingers off it. And then he offer'd it the third time; he put it the third time by: i.e. Had I been a mechanick, one of the Cas. Will you dine with me to-morrow? [Exit. Bru. What a blunt fellow is this grown to be! Plebeians, to whom he offered his throat. |