Imatges de pàgina
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I turn the trouble of my countenance.
Meerly upon my felf. Vexed I am
Of late, with paffions of fome difference,
Conceptions only proper to my felf,

Which give fome foil, perhaps, to my behaviour:
But let not therefore my good friends be griev'd,
Among which number, Caffius, be you one,
Nor conftrue any further my neglect,

Than that poor Brutus, with himself at war,
Forgets the fhews of love to other men.

Caf. Then, Brutus, I have much miftook your paffion,
By means whereof, this breaft of mine hath buried
Thoughts of great value, worthy cogitations.
Tell me, good Brutus, can you fee your face?
Bru. No, Caffius, for the eye fees not it felf,
But by reflexion from fome other things.
Caf. 'Tis juft.

And it is very much lamented, Brutus,
That you have no fuch mirrors, as will turn
Your hidden worthinefs into your eye,

That you might fee your fhadow. I have heard
Where many of the best refpect in Rome,
(Except immortal Cafar) fpeaking of Brutus,
And groaning underneath this age's yoak,
Have wifh'd that noble Brutus had his eyes.

Bru. Into what dangers would you lead me, Caffius, That you would have me feek into my felf,

For that which is not in me?

Caf. Therefore, good Brutus, be prepar'd to hear: And fince you know you cannot fee your felf

So well as by reflexion; I, your glass,

Will modeftly difcover to your felf

That of your felf, which yet you know not of.
And be not jealous of me, gentle Brutus:
Were I a common laugher, or did ufe
To ftale with ordinary oaths my love
To every new proteftor; if you know

That I do fawn on men, and hug them hard,

And

And after fcandal them; or if you know
That I profess my self in banqueting

To all the rout, then hold me dangerous.

[Flourish and fhout.

Bru. What means this fhouting? I do fear, the people Chufe Cefar for their King.

Caf. Ay, do you fear it?

Then must I think you would not have it fo.

Bru. I would not, Caffius; yet I love him well:
But wherefore do you hold me here fo long?
What is it that you would impart to me?
If it be ought toward the general good,
Set honour in one eye, and death i' th' other,
And I will look on 'death` indifferently:
For let the Gods fo fpeed me, as I love
The name of honour, more than I fear death.
Caf. I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus,
As well as I do know your outward favour.
Well, honour is the fubject of my story:
I cannot tell, what you and other men
Think of this life; but for my single self,
1 had as lief not be, as live to be
In awe of fuch a thing as I my felf.
I was born free as Caefar, fo were you;
We both have fed as well, and we can both
Endure the winter's cold, as well as he.
For once upon a raw and gufty day,'
The troubled Tyber chafing with his fhores,
Cæfar fays to me, Dar'ft thou, Caffius, now
Leap in with me into this angry flood,
and fwim a to yonder point? upon the word,
Accoutred as I was, I plunged in,
And bad him follow; fo indeed he did.
The torrent roar'd, and we did buffet it

With

(a) Swimming was one of the generous exercises practifed at Rome, and learnt by all the youth of the best birth and quality as a necessary qualification towards good foldiership.

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Warburton.

With lufty finews, throwing it afide,

And stemming it with hearts of controverfie.
But ere we could arrive the point propos'd,
Cæfar cry'd, Help me, Caffius, or I fink.
I, as Æneas, our great anceftor,

Did from the flames of Troy upon his fhoulder
The old Anchifes bear, fo, from the waves of Tyber
Did I the tired Cæfar: and this man

Is now become a God, and Caffius is

A wretched creature, and muft bend his body,
If Cæfar carelefly but nod on him.

He had a feaver when he was in Spain,

And when the fit was on him, I did mark

How he did shake: 'tis true, this God did shake;
His coward lips did from their colour fly,

And that fame eye, whofe bend doth awe the world,
Did lofe its luftre; I did hear him groan :
Ay, and that tongue of his that bad the Romans
Mark him, and write his fpeeches in their books,
Alas 'it cry'd, Give me fome drink, Titinius
As a fick girl. Ye Gods, it doth amaze me,
A man of fuch a feeble temper should
So get the start of the majestick world,
And bear the palm alone.

Bru. Another general fhout!

I do believe, that thefe applaufes are

[Shout. Flourish.

For fome new honours that are heap'd on Cafar.

Caf. Why, man, he doth beftride the narrow world

Like a Coloffus, and we petty men

Walk under his huge legs, and peep about,

To find ourselves difhonourable graves.

Men at fome times are mafters of their fates:
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in our felves, that we are underlings.
Brutus and Cæfar! what should be in that Cæfar?
Why fhould that name be founded more than yours?
Write them together, yours is as fair a name;
Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well;

Weigh

Weigh them, it is as heavy; conjure with 'em,
Brutus will start a fpirit as foon as Cæfar.
Now in the names of all the Gods at once,
Upon what meat doth this our Cæfar feed,
That he is grown fo great? Age, thou art fham'd;
Rome, thou haft loft the breed of noble bloods.
When went there by an age, fince the great flood,
But it was fam'd with more than with one man?
When could they fay, 'till now, that talk'd of Rome,
That her wide walls incompaft but one man? a
O! you and I have heard our fathers fay,

There was a Brutus once, that would have brook'd
Th' eternal devil to keep his ftate in Rome,
As eafily as a King.

Bru. That you do love me, I am nothing jealous;
What you would work me to, I have fome aim;
How I have thought of this, and of these times,
I fhall recount hereafter: for this present,
I would not (fo with love I might intreat you)
Be any further mov'd. What you have faid,
I will confider; what you have to say,
I will with patience hear, and find a time
Both meet to hear, and answer fuch high things.
'Till then, my noble friend, chew upon this;
Brutus had rather be a villager,

Than to repute himself a fon of Rome
Under fuch hard conditions, as this time
Is like to lay upon us.

Caf. I am glad that my weak words

Have ftruck but thus much fhew of fire from Brutus.

(a).

but one man?

Now is it Rome indeed, and room enough
When there is in it but one only man.
O! you and I, &'c.

SCENE

SCEN

E

IV.

Enter Cæfar and bis Train.

Bru. The games are done, and Cæfar is returning.
Caf. As they pass by, pluck Cafca by the fleeve,
And he will, after his four fashion, tell you
What hath proceeded worthy note to day.

Bru. I will do fo: but look you, Caffius,
The angry fpot doth glow on Cafar's brow,
And all the reft look like a chidden train;
Calpburnia's cheek is pale, and Cicero
Looks with fuch ferret and fuch fiery eyes,
As we have feen him in the Capitol,
Being croft in conf'rence with fome Senators.
Caf. Cafea will tell us what the matter is.
Caf. Antonius!

Ant. Cæfar.

Caf. Let me have men about me that are fat,
Sleek-headed men, and fuch as fleep a-nights:
Yond Caffius has a lean and hungry look,

He thinks too much; fuch men are dangerous.
Ant. Fear him not, Cafar, he's not dangerous.
He is a noble Roman, and well given.

Caf. Would he were fatter; but I fear him not:
Yet if my name were liable to fear,

I do not know the man I fhould avoid,

So foon as that fpare Caffius. He reads much,
He is a great obferver, and he looks
He loves no plays,
Quite through the deeds of men.
As thou doft, Antony; he hears no musick:
Seldom he fmiles, and fmiles in fuch a fort
As if he mock'd himfelf, and fcorn'd his fpirit
That could be mov'd to fmile at any thing.
Such men as he be never at heart's ease,
Whilft they behold a greater than themselves,
And therefore are they very dangerous.
I rather tell thee what is to be fear'd,

Than

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