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  • Title: Julius Caesar (Folio 1, 1623)
  • Editor: John D. Cox

    • ISBN: 978-1-55058-366-3

    Copyright John D. Cox. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: John D. Cox
    Peer Reviewed

    Julius Caesar (Folio 1, 1623)

    110The Tragedie of Julius Caesar
    The Barren touched in this holy chace,
    Shake off their sterrile curse.
    Ant. I shall remember,
    When Caesar sayes, Do this; it is perform'd.
    100Caes. Set on, and leaue no Ceremony out.
    Sooth. Caesar.
    Caes. Ha? Who calles?
    Cask. Bid euery noyse be still: peace yet againe.
    Caes. Who is it in the presse, that calles on me?
    105I heare a Tongue shriller then all the Musicke
    Cry, Caesar: Speake, Caesar is turn'd to heare.
    Sooth. Beware the Ides of March.
    Caes. What man is that?
    Br. A Sooth-sayer bids you beware the Ides of March
    110Caes. Set him before me, let me see his face.
    Cassi. Fellow, come from the throng, look vpon Caesar.
    Caes. What sayst thou to me now? Speak once againe:
    Sooth. Beware the Ides of March.
    Caes. He is a Dreamer, let vs leaue him: Passe.
    115Sennet. Exeunt. Manet Brut. & Cass.
    Cassi. Will you go see the order of the course?
    Brut. Not I.
    Cassi. I pray you do.
    Brut. I am not Gamesom: I do lacke some part
    120Of that quicke Spirit that is in Antony:
    Let me not hinder Cassius your desires;
    Ile leaue you.
    Cassi. Brutus, I do obserue you now of late:
    I haue not from your eyes, that gentlenesse
    125And shew of Loue, as I was wont to haue:
    You beare too stubborne, and too strange a hand
    Ouer your Friend, that loues you.
    Bru. Cassius,
    Be not deceiu'd: If I haue veyl'd my looke,
    130I turne the trouble of my Countenance
    Meerely vpon my selfe. Vexed I am
    Of late, with passions of some difference,
    Conceptions onely proper to my selfe,
    Which giue some soyle (perhaps) to my Behauiours:
    135But let not therefore my good Friends be greeu'd
    (Among which number Cassius be you one)
    Nor construe any further my neglect,
    Then that poore Brutus with himselfe at warre,
    Forgets the shewes of Loue to other men.
    140Cassi. Then Brutus, I haue much mistook your passion,
    By meanes whereof, this Brest of mine hath buried
    Thoughts of great value, worthy Cogitations.
    Tell me good Brutus, Can you see your face?
    Brutus. No Cassius:
    145For the eye sees not it selfe but by reflection,
    By some other things.
    Cassius. 'Tis iust,
    And it is very much lamented Brutus,
    That you haue no such Mirrors, as will turne
    150Your hidden worthinesse into your eye,
    That you might see your shadow:
    I haue heard,
    Where many of the best respect in Rome,
    (Except immortall Caesar) speaking of Brutus,
    155And groaning vnderneath this Ages yoake,
    Haue wish'd, that Noble Brutus had his eyes.
    Bru. Into what dangers, would you
    Leade me Cassius?
    That you would haue me seeke into my selfe,
    160For that which is not in me?
    Cas. Therefore good Brutus, be prepar'd to heare:
    And since you know, you cannot see your selfe
    So well as by Reflection; I your Glasse,
    Will modestly discouer to your selfe
    165That of your selfe, which you yet know not of.
    And be not iealous on me, gentle Brutus:
    Were I a common Laughter, or did vse
    To stale with ordinary Oathes my loue
    To euery new Protester: if you know,
    170That I do fawne on men, and hugge them hard,
    And after scandall them: Or if you know,
    That I professe my selfe in Banquetting
    To all the Rout, then hold me dangerous.

    Flourish, and Shout.

    175Bru. What meanes this Showting?
    I do feare, the People choose Caesar
    For their King.
    Cassi. I, do you feare it?
    Then must I thinke you would not haue it so.
    180Bru. I would not Cassius, yet I loue him well:
    But wherefore do you hold me heere so long?
    What is it, that you would impart to me?
    If it be ought toward the generall good,
    Set Honor in one eye, and Death i'th other,
    185And I will looke on both indifferently:
    For let the Gods so speed mee, as I loue
    The name of Honor, more then I feare death.
    Cassi. I know that vertue to be in you Brutus,
    As well as I do know your outward fauour.
    190Well, Honor is the subiect of my Story:
    I cannot tell, what you and other men
    Thinke of this life: But for my single selfe,
    I had as liefe not be, as liue to be
    In awe of such a Thing, as I my selfe.
    195I was borne free as Caesar, so were you,
    We both haue fed as well, and we can both
    Endure the Winters cold, as well as hee.
    For once, vpon a Rawe and Gustie day,
    The troubled Tyber, chafing with her Shores,
    200Caesar saide to me, Dar'st thou Cassius now
    Leape in with me into this angry Flood,
    And swim to yonder Point? Vpon the word,
    Accoutred as I was, I plunged in,
    And bad him follow: so indeed he did.
    205The Torrent roar'd, and we did buffet it
    With lusty Sinewes, throwing it aside,
    And stemming it with hearts of Controuersie.
    But ere we could arriue the Point propos'd,
    Caesar cride, Helpe me Cassius, or I sinke.
    210I (as AEneas, our great Ancestor,
    Did from the Flames of Troy, vpon his shoulder
    The old Anchyses beare) so, from the waues of Tyber
    Did I the tyred Caesar: And this Man,
    Is now become a God, and Cassius is
    215A wretched Creature, and must bend his body,
    If Caesar carelesly but nod on him.
    He had a Feauer when he was in Spaine,
    And when the Fit was on him, I did marke
    How he did shake: Tis true, this God did shake,
    220His Coward lippes did from their colour flye,
    And that same Eye, whose bend doth awe the World,
    Did loose his Lustre: I did heare him grone:
    I, and that Tongue of his, that bad the Romans
    Marke him, and write his Speeches in their Bookes,
    225Alas, it cried, Giue me some drinke Titinius,
    As
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