Casca. What trade, thou knave? thou naughty knave, what trade? 2 Pleb. Nay, I beseech you, sir, be not out with me: yet if you be out, sir, I can mend you. Casca. What mean'st thou by that? mend me, thou saucy fellow? 2 Pleb. Why, sir, cobble you. Casca. Thou art a cobler, art thou? 2 Pleb. Truly, sir, all that I live by is the awl: I meddle with no tradesman's matters, nor woman's matters; but withal I am, indeed, sir, a surgeon to old shoes; when they are in great danger, I recover them. As proper men as ever trod upon neat's leather, have gone upon my handy work. Casca. But wherefore art not in thy shop to-day? Why dost thou lead these men about the streets? 2 Pleb. 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. Casca. Wherefore rejoice?--what conquests brings he home? What tributaries follow him to Rome, To grace in captive bonds his chariot wheels? O, you hard hearts! you cruel men of Rome! And do you now put on your best attire, And do you now cull out a holiday? Run to your houses, fall upon your knees, [Exeunt PLEBeians. Go you down that way towards the capitol, This will I; disrobe the images, way If you do find them deck'd with ceremonies. These growing feathers, pluck'd from Cæsar's wing, Will make him fly an ordinary pitch, Who else would soar above the view of men, And keep us all in servile fearfulness. [Exeunt severally. Enter CESAR, ANTONY for the Course, CALPHURNIA, DECIUS BRUTUS, CASSIUS, CASCA, a SooTHSAYER, TREBONIUS, &c. Cæs. Calphurnia Casca. Peace, ho! Cæsar speaks. Cæs. Calphurnia Calp. Here, my lord. Cas. Stand you directly in Antonius' When he doth run his course Ant. Cæsar, my lord. way, Antonius Caes. Forget not in your speed, Antonius, To touch Calphurnia; for our elders say, Ant. I shall remember. When Cæsar says "Do this," it is perform'd. Cæs. Ha! who calls? Casca. Bid every noise be still; peace yet again. Cæs. Who is it in the press, that calls on me? I hear a tongue shriller than all the music, Cry, "Cæsar!" Speak; Cæsar is turn'd to hear. Sooth. Beware the ides of March. Cæs. What man is that? Bru. A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of Cas. Set him before me, let me see his face. Cæs. What say'st thou to me now, speak once again. Sooth. Beware the ides of March. Cæs. He is a dreamer, let us leave him; pass. Cas. I pray you, do. Bru. I am not gamesome; I do lack some part Let me not hinder, Cassius, your desires; Cas. Brutus, I do observe you now of late; Bru. Cassius, Be not deceived: if I have veil'd my look, Of late, with passions of some difference, Which gives some foil, perhaps, to my behaviour: Than that poor Brutus, with himself at war, Cas. Then, Brutus, I have much mistook your passion, By means whereof this breast of mine hath buried And it is very much lamented, Brutus, Cas. Therefore, good Brutus, be prepared to hear; Will modestly discover to yourself, That of yourself, which yet you know not of. [Flourish and Shouts. Bru. What means this shouting? I do fear the people Chuse Cæsar for their king. 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' 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, 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 Tiber chafing with his shores, Cæsar says to me, "Dar'st thou, Cassius, now, Leap in with me into this angry flood, And swim to yonder point??--Upon 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 proposed, Cæsar cried, "Help me, Cassius, or I sink." I, as Æneas, our great ancestor, the word, 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 now become a god; and Cassius is |