Cas. Good; I will expect you. [Exit CASCA. Bru. What a blunt fellow is this grown to be? He was quick mettle, when he went to school. Of of any bold or noble enterprize, 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. Well, Brutus, thou art noble; yet, I see, 7 Thy honourable metal may be wrought From that it is dispos'd:] The best metal or temper may be worked into qualities contrary to its original constitution. 8 doth bear me hard:] i. e. has an unfavourable opinion of me. 9 If I were Brutus now, and he were Cassius, He should not humour me.] The meaning, I think, is this: Cæsar loves Brutus, but if Brutus and I were to change places, his love should not humour me, should not take hold of my affection, so as to make me forget my principles. JOHNSON. Cæsar's ambition shall be glanced at: And, after this, let Cæsar seat him sure; For we will shake him, or worse days endure. 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 Cæsar home?1 Why are you breathless? and why stare you so? Casca. Are not you mov'd, when all the sway of earth 2 Shakes, like a thing unfirm? O Cicero, I have seen tempests, when the scolding winds now, Did I go through a tempest dropping fire. Cic. Why, saw you any thing more wonderful? Who glar'd+ upon me, and went surly by, 1 2 globe. Brought you Cæsar home?] Did you attend Cæsar home? sway of earth-] The whole weight or momentum of this + "gaz'd❞— MALONE. Without annoying me: And there were drawn Transformed with their fear; who swore, they saw When these prodigies Do so conjointly meet, let not men say, Cic. Indeed, it is a strange-disposed time: Casca. He doth; for he did bid Antonius Send word to you, he would be there to-morrow. Casca. Your ear is good. Cassius, what night is 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; Clean from the purpose-] Clean, is altogether, entirely. thunder-stone:] A stone fabulously supposed to be discharged by thunder. And, when the cross blue lightning seem'd to open Even in the aim and very flash of it. Casca. But wherefore did you so much tempt the heavens? It is the part of men to fear and tremble, When the most mighty gods, by tokens, send Cas. You are dull, Casca; and those sparks of life That should be in a Roman, you do want, Or else you use not: You look pale, and gaze, you Why all these fires, why all these gliding ghosts, A man no mightier than thyself, or me, In personal action; yet prodigious grown,7 Casca. 'Tis Cæsar that you mean: Is it not, Cassius? Have thewes and limbs like to their ancestors; Why birds, and beasts, from quality and kind; &c.] That is, Why they deviate from quality and nature. 6 and children calculate:] Calculate here signifies to foretel or prophesy. 7 prodigious grown,] Prodigious is portentous. • Have thewes and limbs-] Thewes is an obsolete word implying nerves or muscular strength. But, woe the while! our fathers' minds are dead, Casca. Indeed, they say, the senators to-morrow And he shall wear his crown by sea, and land, Cas. I know where I will wear this dagger then; Nor stony tower, nor walls of beaten brass, If I know this, know all the world besides, I can shake off at pleasure. Casca. So can I: So every bondman in his own hand bears Cas. And why should Cæsar be a tyrant then? So vile a thing as Cæsar? But, O, grief! 9 My answer must be made:] I shall be called to account, and must answer as for seditious words. |