to old shoes; when they are in great danger, I recover them. As proper men as ever trod upon neatsleather, have gone upon my handy-work.

Flav. But wherefore art not in thy shop to-day? Why dost thou lead these men about the streets? 2 Cit. Truly, sir, to wear out their shoes, to get myself into more work. But, indeed, sir, we make holiday, to see Caesar, 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?
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 climb'd up to walls and battlements,
To towers and windows, yea, to chimney-tops,
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,
That Tyber 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?
And do you now strew flowers in his way,
That comes in triumph over Pompey's blood?
Be gone;

Caes. Set on, and leave no ceremony out. [Music.
Sooth. Caesar!

Caes. Ha! Who calls?

Casca. Bid every noise be still.-Peace yet again!
[Music ceases.

Caes. Who is it in the press, that calls on me?
I hear a tongue, shriller than all the music,
Cry, Caesar: speak; Caesar is turn'd to hear.
Sooth. Beware the ides of March.

Run to your houses, fall upon your knees,
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 Tyber banks, and weep your tears
Into the channel, till the lowest stream

Do kiss the most exalted shores of all. [Exeunt Cit.
See, whe'r their basest metal be not mov'd;
They vanish, tongue-tied in their guiltiness.
Go you down that way towards the Capitol,
This way will I. Disrobe the images,

If you do find them deck'd with ceremonies.
Mar. May we do so?

You know, it is the feast of Lupercal.
Flay. It is no matter; let no images

Caes. What man is that?

Bru. A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of
March.

Caes. Set him before me, let me see his face.
Cas. Fellow, come from the throng: look upon
Caesar.

Be hung with Caesar's trophies. I'll about,
And drive away the vulgar from the streets:
So do you too, where you perceive them thick.
These growing feathers, pluck'd from Caesar'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.

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:
You bear too stubborn and too strange a hand
Over your friend that loves you.

Bru. Cassius,

Be not deceiv'd: if I have veil'd my look,
I turn the trouble of my countenance
Merely upon myself. Vexed I am,

SCENE II. The same. A public place.
Enter, in procession, with music, CAESAR, ANTONY,
for the course; CALPHURNIA, FORTIA, DECIUS, CICERO,
BRUTUS, CASSIUS, and Casca, a great crowd follow-
ing; among them a Soothsayer.
Caes. Calphurnia,

-

behaviours:

Of late, with passions of some difference,
Conceptions only proper to myself,
Which give some soil, perhaps, to my
But let not therefore my good friends be griev'd;
(Among which number, Cassius, be you one;)
Nor construe any further my neglect,
Than that poor Brutus, with himself at war,
Forgets the shows of love to other men.

Cas. Then, Brutus, I have much mistook your pas

sion;

By means whereof, this breast of mine hath buried
Thoughts of great value, worthy cogitations.
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,
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 Caesar,) speaking of Brutus,
And groaning underneath this age's yoke,
Have wish'd, that noble Brutus had his eyes.
Bru. Into what dangers would lead
you me, Cassius,

Casca. Peace, ho! Caesar speaks! [Music ceases. That you would have me seek into myself

Caes. Calphurnia,

--

Cal. Here, my lord!

Caes. Stand you directly in Antonius' way,
When he doth run his course.- Antonius!
Ant. Caesar, my lord!

Cues. Forget not, in your speed, Antonius,
To touch Calphurnia: for our elders say,
The barren, touched in this holy chase,
Shake off their sterile curse.

Ant. I shall remember:

Whon Caesar says, Do this, it is perform'd.

For that which is not in me?
Cas. Therefore, good Brutus, be prepar'd to hear:
And, since you know you cannot see yourself
So well as by reflection, I, your glass,
Will modestly discover to yourself
That of yourself which you yet know not of
And be not jealous of 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,

Caes. 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.
Ant. Fear him not, Caesar, he's not dangerous;
He is a noble Roman, and well given.

Caes. '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

So soon, as that spare Cassius. He reads much;
He is a great observer, and he looks

[Shout. Flourish. 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,
As if he mock'd himself, and scorn'd his spirit
That could be mov'd to smile fat any thing.
Such men as he be never at heart's ease,
Whiles they behold a greater than themselves;
And therefore are they very dangerous.
I rather tell thee what is to be fear'd,
Than what I fear; for always I am Caesar.
Come on my right hand, for this ear is deaf,
And tell me truly what thou think'st of him.

[Exeunt Caesar and his train. Caesar
stays behind.
Casca. You pull'd me by the cloak; would you
speak with me?

Bru. Casca; tell us what hath chanc'd to-day, That Caesar looks so sad.

Casca. Why you were with him, were you not?
Bru. I should not then ask Casca what hath chanc'd.
Casca. Why, there was a crown offered him: and
being 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 ery
Casca. Why, for that too.

for?

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 offered him the crown?
Casca. Why, Antony.

For

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[Exit Casca.

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Cas. Will you sup with me to-night, Casca?
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.
Casca. Do so. Farewell, both!
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 enterprize,
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:
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.

Bru. Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casea!
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 Antony offer him a crown; yet 'twas a crown
neither, 'twas one of these coronets; and, as I told Well, Brutus, thou art noble; yet, I see,
you, he put it by once: but, for all that, to my thinking, Thy honourable metal may be wrought
he would fain have had it. Then he offered it to him From that it is dispos'd: therefore 'tis meet
again: then he put it by again: but, to my thinking, That noble minds keep ever with their likes:
he was very loath to lay his fingers off it. And then For who so firm, that cannot be sedue'd?
he offered it the third time; he put it the third time Caesar doth bear me hard; but he loves Bratas:
by: and still as he refused it, the rabblement hooted, if I were Brutus now, and he were Cassius,
and clapped their chopped hands, and threw up their He should not humour me. I will this night,
sweaty night-caps, and uttered such a deal of stinking In several hands, in at his windows throw,
breath because Caesar refused the crown, that it had As if they came from several citizens,
almost choked Caesar; for he swooned, and fell down Writings, all tending to the great opinion
at it: aud for mine own part, I durst not laugh, for That Rome holds of his name; wherein obscurely
fear of opening my lips, and receiving the bad air. Caesar's ambition shall be glanced at:
Cas. But, soft, I pray you: what? did Caesar swoon? And, after this, let Caesar seat him sure;
Casca. He fell down in the market-place, and foam-for we shall shake him, or worse days endure.
ed a mouth, and was speechless.

Bru. 'Tis very like; he hath the falling-sickness.
Cas. No, Caesar 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, Caesar 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.

SCENE III.The same. A street.

(Exit.

Thunder and lightning. Enter, from opposite sides,

CASCA, with his sword drawn, and CICERO. Cic. Good even, Casca: brought you Caesar home? Why are you breathless? and why stare you so? Casca. Are not you mov'd, when all the sway of

earth

Bru. What said he, when he came unto himself? Shakes, like a thing unfirm? O, Cicero, Casca, Marry, before he fell down, when he per-I have seen tempests, when the scolding winds ceiv'd the common herd was glad he refused the Have riv'd the knotty oaks; and I have seen crown, he plucked me ope his doublet, and offered The ambitious ocean swell, and rage, and foam, them his throat to cut. -An I had been a man of To be exalted with the threat'ning clouds: any occupation, if I would not have taken him at a But never till to-night, never till now, word, I would I might go to hell among the rogues Did I go through a tempest dropping fire. -and so he fell. When he came to himself again, Either there is a civil strife in heaven; he said, if he had done or said any thing amiss, he Or else the world, too saucy with the gods, desired their worships to think it was his infirmity. Incenses them to send destruction. Three or four wenches, where I stood, cried: Alas, Cic. Why, saw you any thing more wonderful? good soul!- and forgave him with all their hearts: Casca. A common slave (you know him well by but there's no heed to be taken of them; if Caesar sight,) had stabbed their mothers, they would have done no less.

Bru. And after that, he came, thus sad, away?
Casca. Ay.

Cas. Did Cicero say any thing?

Casca. Ay, he spoke Greek.
Bas. To what effect?

Held up his left hand, which did flame, and bars Like twenty torches join'd; and yet his hand, Not sensible of fire, remain'd unscorch'd. Besides, (I have not since put up my sword,) Against the Capitol I met a lion, Who glar'd upon me, and went surly by, Without annoying me: and there were drawn Casca. Nay, an I tell you that, I'll ne'er look you Upon a heap a hundred ghastly women, i'the face again but those, that understood him, Transformed with their fear; who swore, they saw smiled at one another, and shook their heads: but. Men, all in fire, walk up and down the streets. for mine own part, it was Greek to me. I could tell And, yesterday, the bird of night did sit, you more news too: Marullus and Flavius, for pul-Even at noon-day, upon the market-place, ling scarfs off Caesar's images, are put to silence. Hooting, and shrieking. When these prodigies Fare you well! There was more foolery yet, if Do so conjointly meet, let not men say, could remember it. These are their reasons, They are natural;

--

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[Exit Cicero.

Casca. Your ear is good. Cassius, what night is Where hast thou led me? I, perhaps, speak 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.

For my part, I have walk'd about the streets,
Submitting me unto the perilous night;
And, thus unbraced, Casca, as you see,

Have bar'd my bosom to the thunder-stone:

And, when the cross blue lightning seem'd to open Now know you, Casca, I have mov'd already
The breast of heaven, I did present myself
Even in the aim and very flash of it.

Casca. But wherefore did you so much tempt the Of honourable-dangerous consequence;

For it is after midnight; and, ere day,
We will awake him, and be sure of him. [Exeunt.

SCENE I. The same. BRUTUS's 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!
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. 'Tis good. Go to the gate; somebody knocks.
[Exit Lucius.
Since Cassius first did whet me against Caesar,
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:
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.

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Bru. It must be by his death: and, for my part,
I know no personal cause to spurn at him,
But for the general. He would be crown'd:
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;
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 Caesar,
I have not known when his affections sway'd
More than his reason. But 'tis a common proof,
That lowliness is young ambition's ladder,
Whereto the climber-upward turns his face:
But when he once attains the upmost round,
He then unto the ladder turns his back,
Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees
By which he did ascend: so Caesar 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,
Would run to these, and these extremities:
And therefore think him as a serpent's egg,
Which, hatch'd, would, as his kind, grow mischievous;

And kill him in the shell.

Re-enter LUCIUS.

Luc. The taper burneth in your closet, sir.
Searching the window for a flint, I found
This paper, thus seal'd up; and, I am sure,
It did not lie there, when I went to bed.
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.
Luc. I will, sir.

[Exit Lucius.
Sham'st thou to show thy dangerous brow by night,
They are the faction. O conspiracy!
When evils are most free? O, then, by day,
Where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough
To mask thy monstrous visage? Seek none, conspi-
racy;

Hide it in smiles, and affability:
For if thou path, thy native semblance on,
Not Erebus itself were dim enough
To hide thee from prevention.
Enter CASSIUS, CASCA, DECIUS, CINNA, METELLUS CIM-
BER, 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?
Cus. Yes, every man of them; and no man here,
But honours you: and every one doth wish,
Which every noble Roman bears of you.
You had but that opinion of yourself,

[Exit.

Bru. The exhalations, whizzing in the air,
Give so much light, that I may read by them.
[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 dropp'd
Where I have took them up.

Shall Rome etc. Thus must I piece it out;
Shall Rome stand under one man's awe? What!

Rome?

This is Trebonius.

My ancestors did from the streets of Rome
The Tarquin drive, when he was call'd a king.
Speak, strike, redress! - Am I entreated then
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.

Bru. He is welcome hither.
Cas. This Decius Brutus.
Bru. He is welcome too.
Cus. This, Casca; this, Cinna;
And this, Metellus Cimber.

Bru. They are all welcome!

What watchful cares do interpose themselves
Betwixt your eyes and night?

[Knock within.

Cas. Shall I entreat a word?
[They whisper.
Dec. Here lies the east; doth not the day break

here?

Casca. No.

Cin. O, pardon, sir, it doth; and yon grey lines,
That fret the clouds, are messengers of day.
Casca. You shall confess, that you are both deceiv'd.
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
Stands, as the Capitol, directly here.

Bru. Give me your hands all over, one by one.
Cas. And let us swear our resolution.
Bru. No, not an oath. If not the face of men,
The sufferance of our souls, the time's abuse,—
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

If

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