Did lose his lustre: I did hear him groan: Ay, and that tongue of his, that bade the Romans write his speeches in their books, Give me some drink, Titinius, Mark him, and Alas! it cried, Ye gods, it doth amaze me, A man of such a feeble temper9 should Bru. Another general shout! I do believe, that these applauses are [Shout. Flourish. For some new honours that are heap'd on Cæsar. Walk under his huge legs, and peep about Men at some time are masters of their fates: Brutus, and Cæsar: What should be in that Cæsar? [Shout. That he is grown so great? Age, thou art sham'd: 9 - feeble temper —] i. e. temperament, constitution. -- There was a Brutus once1, that would have brook'd As easily as a king. Bru. That you do love me, I am nothing jealous; What would work me to, I have some aim; 2 you How I have thought of this, and of these times, I would not, so with love I might entreat you, I will with patience hear: and find a time Than to repute himself a son of Rome Under these hard conditions as this time Is like to lay upon us. Cas. I am glad, that my weak words Have struck but thus much show of fire from Brutus. Re-enter CESAR, and his Train. Bru. The games are done, and Cæsar is returning. Cas. As they pass by, pluck Casca by the sleeve; And he will, after his sour fashion, tell you What hath proceeded, worthy note, to-day. you, Bru. I will do so : Calphurnia's cheek is pale; and Cicero Being cross'd in conference by some senators. 2 3 this. There was a Brutus once,] i. e. Lucius Junius Brutus. aim ;] i. e. guess. chew upon this;] Consider this at leisure; ruminate on Cas. Casca will tell us what the matter is. Cæs. Antonius. Ant. Cæsar. Cæs. Let me have men about me that are fat; Cas. 'Would he were fatter: But I fear him not: I do not know the man I should avoid So soon as that spare Cassius. He reads much; Quite through the deeds of men: he loves no plays, I rather tell thee what is to be fear'd, Than what I fear, for always I am Cæsar. And tell me truly what thou think'st of him. [Exeunt CÆSAR and his Train. CASCA stays behind. Casca. You pull'd me by the cloak; Would you speak with me? Bru. Ay, Casca; tell us what hath chanc'd to day, That Cæsar 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 cry for? Casca. Why, for that too. 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. Bru. Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casca. 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 not a crown neither, 'twas one of these coronets; and, as I told you, he put it by once; but, for all that, to my thinking, he would fain have had it. Then he offered it to him again; then he put it by again: but, to my thinking, he was very loath to lay his fingers off it. And then he offered it the third time; he put it the third time by and still as he refused it, the rabblement hooted, and clapped their chopped hands, and threw up their sweaty night-caps, and uttered such a deal of stinking breath because Cæsar refused the crown, that it had almost choked Cæsar; for he swooned, and fell down at it: And for mine own part, I durst not laugh, for fear of opening my lips, and receiving the bad air. : Cas. But, soft, I pray you: What? Did Cæsar swoon? Casca. He fell down in the market-place, and foamed at mouth, and was speechless. Bru. 'Tis very like: he hath the falling sickness. Cas. No, Cæsar 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, Cæsar 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.5 Bru. What said he, when he came unto himself? Casca. Marry, before he fell down, when he perceiv'd the common herd was glad he refused the crown, he plucked me ope his doublet, and offered them his throat to cut. An I had been a man of any occupation, if I would not have taken him at a word, I would I might go to hell among the rogues: -and so he fell. When he came to himself again, he said, If he had done, or said, any thing amiss, he desired their worships to think it was his infirmity. Three or four wenches, where I stood, cried, Alas, good soul! — and forgave him with all their hearts: But there's no heed to be taken of them; if Cæsar had stabbed their mothers, they would have done no less. Bru. And after that, he came, thus sad, away? Cas. Did Cicero say any thing? Casca. Ay, he spoke Greek. Cas. To what effect? Casca. Nay, an I tell you that, I'll ne'er look you i' the face again: But those, that understood him, smiled at one another, and shook their heads: but for mine own part, it was Greek to me. I could tell you more news too: Marullus and Flavius, for pulling scarfs off Cæsar's images, are put to silence. Fare Fare you well. There was more foolery yet, if I could remember it. Cas. Will you sup with me to-night, Casca? Cas. Will you dine with me to-morrow? Casca. Ay, if I be alive, and your mind hold, and your dinner worth the eating. 5 no true man.] No honest man. 6 — a man of any occupation,] Had I been a mechanick, one of the plebeians to whom he offered his throat. |