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; Therein, ye gods, you make the weak most strong; Nor stony tower, nor walls of beaten brass, If I know this, know all the world besides, I can shake off at pleasure. So every bondman in his own hand bears 90 [Thunder still. Cas. And why should Cæsar be a tyrant then? But, O grief, I perhaps speak this My answer must be made. But I am arm'd, Casca. You speak to Casca, and to such a man Be factious for redress of all these griefs, As who goes farthest. Cas. There's a bargain made. 120 Now know you, Casca, I have moved already Of honourable-dangerous consequence; In Pompey's porch: for now, this fearful night, In favour's like the work we have in hand, Enter CINNA. 130 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 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. Gin. O Cassius, if you could Yes, you are. 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 Cin. All but Metellus Cimber; and he's gone To seek you at your house. Well, I will hie, 150 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 C Is ours already, and the man entire 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. 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. 160 [Exeunt. ACT II. SCENE I. Rome. Brutus's orchard. Enter BRUTUS. Bru. What, Lucius, ho! I cannot, by the progress of the stars, 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. Bru. It must be by his death: and for my part, I know no personal cause to spurn at him, [Exit. How that might change his nature, there's the question. 10 And then, I grant, we put a sting in him, Then, lest he may, prevent. And, since the quarrel Which, hatch'd, would, as his kind, grow mischievous, Re-enter LUCIUS. Luc. The taper burneth in your closet, sir. It did not lie there when I went to bed. 20 30 [Gives him the letter. Bru. Get you to bed again; it is not day. Is not to-morrow, boy, the ides of March? Luc. I know not, sir. Bru. Look in the calendar, and bring me word. Bru. The exhalations whizzing in the air 40 [Exit. [Opens the letter and reads. 'Brutus, thou sleep'st: awake, and see thyself. Shall Rome, &c. Speak, strike, redress! Brutus, thou sleep'st: awake!' Such instigations have been often dropp'd Where I have took them up. 'Shall Rome, &c.' Thus must I piece it out: Shali Rome stand under one man's awe? What, Rome? My ancestors did from the streets of Rome The Tarquin drive, when he was call'd a king. 'Speak, strike, redress!' Am I entreated To speak and strike? O Rome, I make thee promise; Thy full petition at the hand of Brutus! Re-enter LUCIUS. Luc. Sir, March is wasted fourteen days. 50 [Knocking within. [Exit Lucius. Bru. 'Tis good. Go to the gate; somebody knocks. 60 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 The nature of an insurrection. Re-enter LUCIUS. Luc. Sir, 'tis your brother Cassius at the door, Who doth desire to see you. Bru. Is he alone? Luc. No, sir, there are moe with him. Bru. 70 Do you know them? Luc. No, sir; their hats are pluck'd about their ears, And half their faces buried in their cloaks, That by no means I may discover them By any mark of favour. Bru. Let 'em enter. [Exit Lucius. |