87Caes. Calphurnia.

88Cask. Peace ho, Caesar speakes.

89Caes. Calphurnia.

90Calp. Heere my Lord.

91Caes. Stand you directly in Antonio's way,

92When he doth run his course. Antonio.

93Ant. Caesar, my Lord.

94Caes. Forget not in your speed Antonio,

95To touch Calphurnia: for our Elders say,

96The Barren touched in this holy chace,

97Shake off their sterrile curse.

98Ant. I shall remember,

99When Caesar sayes, Do this; it is perform'd.

100Caes. Set on, and leaue no Ceremony out.

101Sooth. Caesar.

102Caes. Ha? Who calles?

103Cask. Bid euery noyse be still: peace yet againe.

104Caes. Who is it in the presse, that calles on me?

105I heare a Tongue shriller then all the Musicke

106Cry, Caesar: Speake, Caesar is turn'd to heare.

107Sooth. Beware the Ides of March.

108Caes. What man is that?

109Br. A Sooth-sayer bids you beware the Ides of March

110Caes. Set him before me, let me see his face.

111Cassi. Fellow, come from the throng, look vpon Caesar.

112Caes. What sayst thou to me now? Speak once againe:

113Sooth. Beware the Ides of March.

114Caes. He is a Dreamer, let vs leaue him: Passe.

116Cassi. Will you go see the order of the course?

117Brut. Not I.

118Cassi. I pray you do.

119Brut. I am not Gamesom: I do lacke some part

120Of that quicke Spirit that is in Antony:

121Let me not hinder Cassius your desires;

122Ile leaue you.

123Cassi. Brutus, I do obserue you now of late:

124I haue not from your eyes, that gentlenesse

125And shew of Loue, as I was wont to haue:

126You beare too stubborne, and too strange a hand

127Ouer your Friend, that loues you.

128Bru. Cassius,

129Be not deceiu'd: If I haue veyl'd my looke,

130I turne the trouble of my Countenance

131Meerely vpon my selfe. Vexed I am

132Of late, with passions of some difference,

133Conceptions onely proper to my selfe,

134Which giue some soyle (perhaps) to my Behauiours:

135But let not therefore my good Friends be greeu'd

136(Among which number Cassius be you one)

137Nor construe any further my neglect,

138Then that poore Brutus with himselfe at warre,

139Forgets the shewes of Loue to other men.

140Cassi. Then Brutus, I haue much mistook your passion,

141By meanes whereof, this Brest of mine hath buried

142Thoughts of great value, worthy Cogitations.

143Tell me good Brutus, Can you see your face?

144Brutus. No Cassius:

145For the eye sees not it selfe but by reflection,

146By some other things.

147Cassius. 'Tis iust,

148And it is very much lamented Brutus,

149That you haue no such Mirrors, as will turne

150Your hidden worthinesse into your eye,

151That you might see your shadow:

152I haue heard,

153Where many of the best respect in Rome,

154(Except immortall Caesar) speaking of Brutus,

155And groaning vnderneath this Ages yoake,

156Haue wish'd, that Noble Brutus had his eyes.

157Bru. Into what dangers, would you

158Leade me Cassius?

159That you would haue me seeke into my selfe,

160For that which is not in me?

161Cas. Therefore good Brutus, be prepar'd to heare:

162And since you know, you cannot see your selfe

163So well as by Reflection; I your Glasse,

164Will modestly discouer to your selfe

165That of your selfe, which you yet know not of.

166And be not iealous on me, gentle Brutus:

167Were I a common Laughter, or did vse

168To stale with ordinary Oathes my loue

169To euery new Protester: if you know,

170That I do fawne on men, and hugge them hard,

171And after scandall them: Or if you know,

172That I professe my selfe in Banquetting

173To all the Rout, then hold me dangerous.

175Bru. What meanes this Showting?

176I do feare, the People choose Caesar

177For their King.

178Cassi. I, do you feare it?

179Then must I thinke you would not haue it so.

180Bru. I would not Cassius, yet I loue him well:

181But wherefore do you hold me heere so long?

182What is it, that you would impart to me?

183If it be ought toward the generall good,

184Set Honor in one eye, and Death i'th other,

185And I will looke on both indifferently:

186For let the Gods so speed mee, as I loue

187The name of Honor, more then I feare death.

188Cassi. I know that vertue to be in you Brutus,

189As well as I do know your outward fauour.

190Well, Honor is the subiect of my Story:

191I cannot tell, what you and other men

192Thinke of this life: But for my single selfe,

193I had as liefe not be, as liue to be

194In awe of such a Thing, as I my selfe.

195I was borne free as Caesar, so were you,

196We both haue fed as well, and we can both

197Endure the Winters cold, as well as hee.

198For once, vpon a Rawe and Gustie day,

199The troubled Tyber, chafing with her Shores,

200Caesar saide to me, Dar'st thou Cassius now

201Leape in with me into this angry Flood,

202And swim to yonder Point? Vpon the word,

203Accoutred as I was, I plunged in,

204And bad him follow: so indeed he did.

205The Torrent roar'd, and we did buffet it

206With lusty Sinewes, throwing it aside,

207And stemming it with hearts of Controuersie.

208But ere we could arriue the Point propos'd,

209Caesar cride, Helpe me Cassius, or I sinke.

210I (as AEneas, our great Ancestor,

211Did from the Flames of Troy, vpon his shoulder

212The old Anchyses beare) so, from the waues of Tyber

213Did I the tyred Caesar: And this Man,

214Is now become a God, and Cassius is

215A wretched Creature, and must bend his body,

216If Caesar carelesly but nod on him.

217He had a Feauer when he was in Spaine,

218And when the Fit was on him, I did marke

219How he did shake: Tis true, this God did shake,

220His Coward lippes did from their colour flye,

221And that same Eye, whose bend doth awe the World,

222Did loose his Lustre: I did heare him grone:

223I, and that Tongue of his, that bad the Romans

224Marke him, and write his Speeches in their Bookes,

225Alas, it cried, Giue me some drinke Titinius,

226As a sicke Girle: Ye Gods, it doth amaze me,

227A man of such a feeble temper should

228So get the start of the Maiesticke world,

229And beare the Palme alone.

231Bru. Another generall shout?

232I do beleeue, that these applauses are

233For some new Honors, that are heap'd on Caesar.

234Cassi. Why man, he doth bestride the narrow world

235Like a Colossus, and we petty men

236Walke vnder his huge legges, and peepe about

237To finde our selues dishonourable Graues.

238Men at sometime, are Masters of their Fates.

239The fault (deere Brutus) is not in our Starres,

240But in our Selues, that we are vnderlings.

241Brutus and Caesar: What should be in that Caesar?

242Why should that name be sounded more then yours .

243Write them together: Yours, is as faire a Name:

244Sound them, it doth become the mouth aswell:

245Weigh them, it is as heauy: Coniure with 'em,

246Brutus will start a Spirit as soone as Caesar.

247Now in the names of all the Gods at once,

248Vpon what meate doth this our Caesar feede,

249That he is growne so great? Age, thou art sham'd.

250Rome, thou hast lost the breed of Noble Bloods.

251When went there by an Age, since the great Flood,

252But it was fam'd with more then with one man?

253When could they say (till now) that talk'd of Rome,

254That her wide Walkes incompast but one man?

255Now is it Rome indeed, and Roome enough

256When there is in it but one onely man.

257O! you and I, haue heard our Fathers say,

258There was a Brutus once, that would haue brook'd

259Th'eternall Diuell to keepe his State in Rome,

260As easily as a King.

261Bru. That you do loue me, I am nothing iealous:

262What you would worke me too, I haue some ayme:

263How I haue thought of this, and of these times

264I shall recount heereafter. For this present,

265I would not so (with loue I might intreat you)

266Be any further moou'd: What you haue said,

267I will consider: what you haue to say

268I will with patience heare, and finde a time

269Both meete to heare, and answer such high things.

270Till then, my Noble Friend, chew vpon this:

271Brutus had rather be a Villager,

272Then to repute himselfe a Sonne of Rome

273Vnder these hard Conditions, as this time

274Is like to lay vpon vs.

275Cassi. I am glad that my weake words

276Haue strucke but thus much shew of fire from Brutus.

278Bru. The Games are done,

279And Caesar is returning.

280Cassi. As they passe by,

281Plucke Caska by the Sleeue,

282And he will (after his sowre fashion) tell you

283What hath proceeded worthy note to day.

284Bru. I will do so: but looke you Cassius,

285The angry spot doth glow on Caesars brow,

286And all the rest, looke like a chidden Traine;

287Calphurnia's Cheeke is pale, and Cicero

288Lookes with such Ferret, and such fiery eyes

289As we haue seene him in the Capitoll

290Being crost in Conference, by some Senators.

291Cassi. Caska will tell vs what the matter is.

292Caes. Antonio.

293Ant. Caesar.

294Caes. Let me haue men about me, that are fat,

295Sleeke-headed men, and such as sleepe a-nights:

296Yond Cassius has a leane and hungry looke,

297He thinkes too much: such men are dangerous.

298Ant. Feare him not Caesar, he's not dangerous,

299He is a Noble Roman, and well giuen.

300Caes. Would he were fatter; But I feare him not:

301Yet if my name were lyable to feare,

302I do not know the man I should auoyd

303So soone as that spare Cassius. He reades much,

304He is a great Obseruer, and he lookes

305Quite through the Deeds of men. He loues no Playes,

306As thou dost Antony: he heares no Musicke;

307Seldome he smiles, and smiles in such a sort

308As if he mock'd himselfe, and scorn'd his spirit

309That could be mou'd to smile at any thing.

310Such men as he, be neuer at hearts ease,

311Whiles they behold a greater then themselues,

312And therefore are they very dangerous.

313I rather tell thee what is to be fear'd,

314Then what I feare: for alwayes I am Caesar.

315Come on my right hand, for this eare is deafe,

316And tell me truely, what thou think'st of him.

318Cask. You pul'd me by the cloake, would you speake

319with me?

320Bru. I Caska, tell vs what hath chanc'd to day

321That Caesar lookes so sad.

Cask. Why you were with him, were you not?

323Bru. I should not then aske Caska what had chanc'd.

324Cask. Why there was a Crowne offer'd him; & being

325offer'd him, he put it by with the backe of his hand thus,

326and then the people fell a shouting.

327Bru. What was the second noyse for?

328Cask. Why for that too.

329Cassi. They shouted thrice: what was the last cry for?

330Cask. Why for that too.

331Bru. Was the Crowne offer'd him thrice?

332Cask. I marry was't, and hee put it by thrice, euerie

333time gentler then other; and at euery putting by, mine

334honest Neighbors showted.

335Cassi. Who offer'd him the Crowne?

336Cask. Why Antony.

337Bru. Tell vs the manner of it, gentle Caska.

338Caska. I can as well bee hang'd as tell the manner of

339it: It was meere Foolerie, I did not marke it. I sawe

340Marke Antony offer him a Crowne, yet 'twas not a

341Crowne neyther, 'twas one of these Coronets: and as I

342told you, hee put it by once: but for all that, to my thin-

343king, he would faine haue had it. Then hee offered it to

344him againe: then hee put it by againe: but to my think-

345ing, he was very loath to lay his fingers off it. And then

346he offered it the third time; hee put it the third time by,

347and still as hee refus'd it, the rabblement howted, and

348clapp'd their chopt hands, and threw vppe their sweatie

349Night-cappes, and vttered such a deale of stinking

350breath, because Caesar refus'd the Crowne, that it had

351(almost) choaked Caesar: for hee swoonded, and fell

352downe at it: And for mine owne part, I durst not laugh,

353for feare of opening my Lippes, and receyuing the bad

354Ayre.

kk2 Cassi.

355Cassi. But soft I pray you: what, did Caesar swound?

356Cask. He fell downe in the Market-place, and foam'd

357at mouth, and was speechlesse.

358Brut. 'Tis very like he hath the Falling sicknesse.

359Cassi. No, Caesar hath it not: but you, and I,

360And honest Caska, we haue the Falling sicknesse.

361Cask. I know not what you meane by that, but I am

362sure Caesar fell downe. If the tag-ragge people did not

363clap him, and hisse him, according as he pleas'd, and dis-

364pleas'd them, as they vse to doe the Players in the Thea-

365tre, I am no true man.

366Brut. What said he, when he came vnto himselfe?

367Cask. Marry, before he fell downe, when he perceiu'd

368the common Heard was glad he refus'd the Crowne, he

369pluckt me ope his Doublet, and offer'd them his Throat

370to cut: and I had beene a man of any Occupation, if I

371would not haue taken him at a word, I would I might

372goe to Hell among the Rogues, and so hee fell. When

373he came to himselfe againe, hee said, If hee had done, or

374said any thing amisse, he desir'd their Worships to thinke

375it was his infirmitie. Three or foure Wenches where I

376stood, cryed, Alasse good Soule, and forgaue him with

377all their hearts: But there's no heed to be taken of them;

378if Caesar had stab'd their Mothers, they would haue done

379no lesse.

380Brut. And after that, he came thus sad away.

381Cask. I.

382Cassi. Did Cicero say any thing?

383Cask. I, he spoke Greeke.

384Cassi. To what effect?

385Cask. Nay, and I tell you that, Ile ne're looke you

386i'th'face againe. But those that vnderstood him, smil'd

387at one another, and shooke their heads: but for mine

388owne part, it was Greeke to me. I could tell you more

389newes too: Murrellus and Flauius, for pulling Scarffes

390off Caesars Images, are put to silence. Fare you well.

391There was more Foolerie yet, if I could remem-

392ber it.

393Cassi. Will you suppe with me to Night, Caska?

394Cask. No, I am promis'd forth.

395Cassi. Will you Dine with me to morrow?

396Cask. I, if I be aliue, and your minde hold, and your

397Dinner worth the eating.

398Cassi. Good, I will expect you.

399Cask. Doe so: farewell both. Exit.

400Brut. What a blunt fellow is this growne to be?

401He was quick Mettle, when he went to Schoole.

402Cassi. So is he now, in execution

403Of any bold, or Noble Enterprize,

404How-euer he puts on this tardie forme:

405This Rudenesse is a Sawce to his good Wit,

406Which giues men stomacke to disgest his words

407With better Appetite.

408Brut. And so it is:

409For this time I will leaue you:

410To morrow, if you please to speake with me,

411I will come home to you: or if you will,

412Come home to me, and I will wait for you.

413Cassi. I will doe so: till then, thinke of the World.

415Well Brutus, thou art Noble: yet I see,

416Thy Honorable Mettle may be wrought

417From that it is dispos'd: therefore it is meet,

418That Noble mindes keepe euer with their likes:

419For who so firme, that cannot be seduc'd?

420Caesar doth beare me hard, but he loues Brutus.

421If I were Brutus now, and he were Cassius,

422He should not humor me. I will this Night,

423In seuerall Hands, in at his Windowes throw,

424As if they came from seuerall Citizens,

425Writings, all tending to the great opinion

426That Rome holds of his Name: wherein obscurely

427Caesars Ambition shall be glanced at.

428And after this, let Caesar seat him sure,

429For wee will shake him, or worse dayes endure.