It seems to me most strange that men should fear; Will come, when it will come. Re-enter a Servant. What say the augurers? Serv. They would not have you to stir forth to-day. Plucking the entrails of an offering forth, They could not find a heart within the beast. Cæs. The gods do this in shame of cowardice: And Cæsar shall go Cal. forth. Alas, my lord, Your wisdom is consum'd in confidence. Do not go forth to-day: Call it my fear, That keeps you in the house, and not your own. Cæs. Mark Antony shall say, I am not well; Enter DECIUS. Here's Decius Brutus, he shall tell them so. Cas. And you are come in very happy time, To bear my greeting to the senators, And tell them, that I will not come to-day : 9 in shame of cowardice:] The ancients did not place courage but wisdom in the heart. JOHNSON. Cannot, is false; and that I dare not, falser; Cæs. Shall Cæsar send a lie? Have I in conquest stretch'd mine arm so far, To be afeard to tell grey-beards the truth? Decius, go tell them, Cæsar will not come. Dec. Most mighty Cæsar, let me know some cause, Lest I be laugh'd at, when I tell them so. Cæs. The cause is in my will, I will not come; But, for your private satisfaction, Your statue spouting blood in many pipes, +"statue,"- MALONE. "warnings and portents," - MALONE. For tinctures, stains, relicks, and cognizance.] This speech, which is intentionally pompous, is somewhat confused. There are two allusions; one to coats armorial, to which princes make additions, or give new tinctures, and new marks of cognizance; the other to martyrs, whose relicks are preserved with veneration. But Messrs. Malone and Steevens think that tinctures has no relation to heraldry, but means merely handkerchiefs, or other linen, tinged with blood. Cæs. And this way have you well expounded it. When Caesar's wife shall meet with better dreams. Pardon me, Cæsar; for my dear, dear love Cas. How foolish do your fears seem now, Calphurnia? I am ashamed I did yield to them.— Enter PUBLIUS, BRUTUS, LIGARIUS, METELLUS, Casca, And look where Publius is come to fetch me. Cæs. Welcome, Publius. What, Brutus, are you stirr'd so early too? Bru. Cæsar, 'tis strucken eight. Cæs. I thank you for your pains and courtesy. At the execution of several of our ancient nobility, martyrs, &c. we are told that handkerchiefs were tinctured with their blood, and preserved as affectionate or salutary memorials of the deceased. 2 And reason, &c.] And reason, or propriety of conduct and language, is subordinate to my love. Enter ANTONY. See! Antony, that revels long o'nights, Good morrow, Antony. Cæs. Bid them So to most noble Cæsar. within: prepare I am to blame to be thus waited for. Now, Cinna: Now, Metellus: - What, Trebonius! Treb. Cæsar, I will:- and so near will I be, [Aside. That your best friends shall wish I had been further. Cas. Good friends, go in, and taste some wine with me; And we, like friends, will straightway go together. [Exeunt. SCENE III. The same. A Street near the Capitol. Enter ARTEMIDORUS, reading a Paper. Art. Cæsar, beware of Brutus; take heed of Cassius; come not near Casca; have an eye to Cinna; trust not Trebonius; mark well Metellus Cimber; Decius Brutus loves thee not; thou hast wronged Caius Ligarius. There is but one mind in all these men, and it is bent against Cæsar. If thou be'st not immortal, look about you: Security gives way to Conspiracy. The mighty gods defend thee! Thy lover, Here will I stand, till Cæsar pass along, Artemidorus. My heart laments, that virtue cannot live If thou read this, O Cæsar, thou may'st live; [Exit. The same. SCENE IV. Another Part of the same Street, before the Enter PORTIA and Lucius. Por. I pr'ythee, boy, Stay not to answer me, run to the senate-house; but get thee gone: To know my errand, madam. Por. I would have had thee there, and here again, Ere I can tell thee what thou should'st do there. O constancy, be strong upon my side! Set a huge mountain 'tween my heart and tongue! Luc. Madam, what should I do? Run to the Capitol, and nothing else? And so return to you, and nothing else? Por. Yes, bring me word, boy, if thy lord look well, For he went sickly forth: And take good note, What Cæsar doth, what suitors press to him. Hark, boy! what noise is that? 3 Luc. I hear none, madam. Por. Pr'ythee, listen well: emulation.] Here, as on many other occasions, this word is used in an unfavourable sense, somewhat like-factious, envious, or malicious rivalry. 4 the fates with traitors do contrive.] The fates join with traitors in contriving thy destruction. |