Complete Works

Cæsar must bleed for it! And, gentle friends,
Let's kill him boldly, but not wrathfully;
Let's carve him as a dish fit for the gods,
Not hew him as a carcase fit for hounds:
And let our hearts, as subtle masters do,
Stir up their servauts to an act of rage,

And after seem to chide them. This shall make
Our purpose necessary, and not envious:
Which so appearing to the common eyes,
We shall be call'd purgers, not murderers.
And for Mark Antony, think not of him;
For he can do no more than Cæsar's arm,
When Cæsar's head is off.
Cas.
Yet I do fear him ;
For in the ingrafted love he bears to Cæsar,-
Bru. Alas, good Cassius, do not think of him:
If he love Cæsar, all that he can do

Is to himself; take thought, and die for Cæsar :
And that were much he should; for he is given
To sports, to wildness, and much company.
Treb. There is no fear in him; let him not die;
For he will live, and laugh at this hereafter.

[Clock strikes. The clock hath stricken three.

Bru. Peace, count the clock.
Cas.

Treb. 'Tis time to part.
Cas.
But it is doubtful yet,
Whe'r Cæsar will come forth to-day, or no :
For he is superstitious grown of late;
Quite from the main opinion he held once
Of fantasy, of dreams, and ceremonies:
It may be, these apparent prodigies,
The unaccustom'd terror of this night,
And the persuasion of his augurers,
May hold him from the Capitol to-day.

Dec. Never fear that: If he be so resolv'd,
I can o'ersway him: for he loves to hear,
That unicorns may be betray'd with trees,
And bears with glasses, elephants with holes,
Lions with toils, and men with flatterers :
But, when I tell him, he hates flatterers,
He says, he does; being then most flattered.
Let me work:

For I can give his humour the true bent;
And I will bring him to the Capitol.

Cas. Nay, we will all of us be there to fetch him.
Bru. By the eighth hour: Is that the uttermost?
Cin. Be that the uttermost, and fail not then.
Met. Caius Ligarius doth bear Cæsar hard,
Who rated him for speaking well of Pompey ;
I wonder, none of you have thought of him.

Bru. Now, good Metellus, go along by him; He loves me well, and I have given him reasons; Send him but hither, and I'll fashion him.

Cas. The morning comes upon us: We'll leave you, Brutus:

And, friends, disperse yourselves: but all remember
What you have said, and shew yourselves true Romans.
Bru. Good gentlemen, look fresh and merrily;
Let not our looks put on our purposes:
But bear it as our Roman actors do,
With untir'd spirits, and formal constancy :
And so, good-morrow to you every one.

[Exeunt all but BRUTUS.
Boy! Lucius-Fast asleep? It is no matter;
Enjoy the honey-heavy dew of slumber :
Thou hast no figures, nor no fantasies,
Which busy care draws in the brains of men :
Therefore thou sleep'st so sound.

Stole from my bed: And yesternight, at supper,
You suddenly arose, and walked about,
Musing, and sighing, with your arms across :
And when I ask'd you what the matter was,
You star'd upon me with ungentle looks:

I urg'd you further; then you scratch'd your head,
And too impatiently stamp'd with your foot:
Yet I insisted, yet you answer'd not;
But, with an angry wafture of your hand,
Gave sign for me to leave you: So I did;
Fearing to strengthen that impatience,
Which seem'd too much enkindled; and, withal,
Hoping it was but an effect of humour,
Which sometime hath his hour with every man.
It will not let you eat, nor talk, nor sleep;
And, could it work so much upon your shape,
As it hath much prevail'd on your condition,
I should not know you, Brutus. Dear, my lord,
Make me acquainted with your cause of grief.

Bru. I am not well in health, and that is all. Por. Brutus is wise, and, were he not in health, He would embrace the means to come by it.

Bru. Why, so I do :-Good Portia, go to bed.
Por. Is Brutus sick? and is it physical
To walk unbraced, and suck up the humours
Of the dank morning? What, is Brutus sick;
And will he steal out of his wholesome bed,
To dare the vile contagion of the night?
And tempt the rheumy and unpurged air
To add unto his sickness? No, my Brutus ;
You have some sick offence within your mind,
Which, by the right and virtue of my place,
I ought to know of: And, upon my knees,
I charm you, by my once commended beauty,
By all your vows of love, and that great vow
Which did incorporate and make us one,
That you unfold to me, yourself, your half,
Why you are heavy; and what men to-night
Have had resort to you: for here have been
Some six or seven, who did hide their faces
Even from darkness.

Bru.
Kneel not, gentle Portia.
Por. I should not need, if you were gentle Brutus.
Within the bond of marriage, tell me, Brutus,
Is it excepted, I should know no secrets
That appertain to you? Am I yourself,
But, as it were, in sort, or limitation;
To keep with you at meals, comfort your bed,
And talk to you sometimes? Dwell I but in the sub-
Of your good pleasure? If it be no more,
Portia is Brutus' harlot, not his wife.

Bru. You are my true and honourable wife ;
As dear to me as are the ruddy drops
That visit my sad heart.

[urbs

Por. If this were true, then should I know this se-
I grant, I am a woman; but, withal,
A woman that lord Brutus took to wife:

I grant, I am a woman; but, withal,
A woman well reputed; Cato's daughter.
Think you, I am no stronger than my sex,
Being so father'd, and so husbanded?

[cret.

Tell me your counsels, I will not disclose them : I have made strong proof of my constancy,

Giving myself a voluntary wound

Here, in the thigh: Can I bear that with patience, And not my husband's secrets?

Bru.

O ye gods,

Enter Lucius and LIGARIUS.
Lucius, who's that, knocks?
Luc. Here is a sick man, that would speak with you.
Bru. Caius Ligarius, that Metellus spake of.-
Boy, stand aside.-Caius Ligarius! how?

Lig. Vouchsafe good morrow from a feeble tongue.
Bru. O,what a time have you chose out, brave Caius,
To wear a kerchief? 'Would you were not sick!
Lig. I am not sick, if Brutus have in hand
Any exploit worthy the name of honour.

Bru. Such an exploit have I in hand, Ligarius,
Had you a healthful ear to hear of it.

Lig. By all the gods that Romans bow before,
I here discard my sickness. Soul of Rome!
Brave son, deriv'd from honourable loins!
Thou, like an exorcist, hast conjur'd up
My mortified spirit. Now bid me run,
And I will strive with things impossible;
Yea, get the better of them. What's to do?
Bru. A piece of work, that will make sick men whole.
Lig. But are not some whole, that we must make
sick?

Bru. That must we also. What it is, my Caius,
I shall unfold to thee, as we are going
To whom it must be done.

Lig.

Set on your foot;
And, with a heart new fir'd, I follow you,
To do I know not what: but it sufficeth,
That Brutus leads me on.

Bru. Follow me then.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.-The same. A Room in Cæsar's Palace.

Thunder and lightning. Enter CESAR, in his

night-gown.

Horses did neigh, and dying men did groan;
And ghosts did shriek, and squeal about the streets.
O Cæsar! these things are beyond all use,

And I do fear them.

Cas.

What can be avoided, Whose end is purpos'd by the mighty gods? Yet Cæsar shall go forth for these predictions Are to the world in general, as to Cæsar.

Cal. When beggars die, there are no comets seer, The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.

Cas. Cowards die many times before their deaths;
The valiant never taste of death but once.
Of all the wonders that I yet have heard,
It seems to me most strange that men should fear;
Seeing that death, a necessary end,
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.

Cas. The gods do this in shame of cowardice :
Cæsar should be a beast without a heart,
If he should stay at home to-day for fear.
No, Cæsar shall not: Danger knows full well,
That Cæsar is more dangerous than he.
We were two lions litter'd in one day,
And I the elder and more terrible;
And Cæsar shall go forth.

Cal.
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.
We'll send Mark Antony to the senate-house;
And he shall say, you are not well to-day:
Let me, upon my knees, prevail in this.

Cas. Mark Antony shall say, I am not well;
And, for thy humour, I will stay at home.
Enter DECIUS.

Here's Decius Brutus, he shall tell them so.
Dec. Cæsar, all hail! Good morrow, worthy Cæsar:

Cas. Nor heaven, nor earth, have been at peace to- I come to fetch you to the senate-house.

night:

Ne'er look'd but on my back; when they shall see
The face of Cæsar, they are vanished.

Cal. Cæsar, I never stood on ceremonies,
Yet now they fright me. There is one within,
Besides the things that we have heard and seen,
Recounts most horrid sights seen by the watch.
A lioness hath whelped in the streets,

And graves have yawn'd, and yielded up their dead:
Fierce fiery warriors fight upon the clouds,
In ranks, and squadrons, and right form of war,
Which drizzled blood upon the Capitol :
The noise of battle hurtled in the air,

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:
Cannot, is false; and that I dare not, falser;

I will not come to-day: Tell them so, Decius.
Cal. Say, he is sick.

Cas.
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.

Cas. The cause is in my will, I will not come;
That is enough to satisfy the senate.
But, for your private satisfaction,
Because I love you, I will let you know;
Calphurnia here, my wife, stays me at home:
She dreamt to-night she saw my statua,
Which like a fountain, with a hundred spouts,
Did run pure blood; and many lusty Romans
Came smiling, and did bathe their hands in it.
And these does she apply for warnings, portents,
And evils imminent; and on her knee
Hath begg'd, that I will stay at home to-day.
Dec. This dream is all amiss interpreted;
It was a vision, fair and fortunate:
Your statue spouting blood in many pipes,

In which so many smiling Romans bath'd,
Signifies that from you great Rome shall suck
Reviving blood; and that great men shall press
For tinctures, stains, relics, and cognizance.
This by Calphurnia's dream is signified.

Cas. And this way have you well expounded it.
Dec. I have, when you have heard what I can say:
And know it now; the senate have concluded
To give, this day, a crown to mighty Cæsar.
If you shall send them word, you will not come,
Their minds may change. Besides, it were a mock
Apt to be render'd, for some one to say,

Break the senate till another time,
up

When Casar's wife shall meet with better dreams.
If Cæsar hide himself, shall they not whisper,
Lo, Casar is afraid?

Pardon me, Cæsar for my dear, dear love
To your proceeding bids me tell you this;
And reason to my love is liable.

Cas. How foolish do your fears seem now, Calphur-
I am ashamed I did yield to them.—
Give me my robe, for I will go :-

[nia?

Enter PUBLIUS, BRUTUS, LIGARIUS, METELLUS,
CASCA, TREBONIUS, and CINNA.

And look where Publius is come to fetch me.
Pub. Good morrow, Cæsar.
Cas.

SCENE IV.-The same. Another part of the
same Street, before the House of Brutus.
Enter PORTIA and Lucius.

Por. I pr'ythee, boy, run to the senate-house;
Stay not to answer me, but get thee gone :
Why dost thou stay?

Luc.
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!
I have a man's mind, but a woman's might.
How hard it is for women to keep counsel !—
Art thou here yet?

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?

Luc. I hear none, madam.
Por.

Pr'ythee, listen well :

I heard a bustling rumour, like a fray, And the wind brings it from the Capitol. Luc. Sooth, madam, I hear nothing. Enter Soothsayer.

Welcome, Publius.

Por. Which way Sooth.

Come hither, fellow :

hast thou been?

Cas. Bid them prepare within :

I am to blame to be thus waited for.-
Now, Cinna :-Now, Metellus: -What, Trebonius!
I have an hour's talk in store for you;
Remember that you call on me to-day:
Be near me, that I may remember you.
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.
Bru. That every like is not the same, O Cæsar,
The heart of Brutus yearns to think upon! [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, ARTEMIDORUS.

Here will I stand, till Cæsar pass along,
And as a suitor will I give him this.
My heart laments, that virtue cannot live
Out of the teeth of emulation.

At mine own house, good lady.

Por. What is't o'clock ?
Sooth.
About the ninth hour, lady.
Por. Is Cæsar yet gone to the Capitol ?
Sooth. Madam, not yet; I go to take my stand,

To see him pass on to the Capitol.

Por. Thou hast some suit to Cæsar, hast thou not? Sooth. That I have, lady: if it will please Cæsar To be so good to Cæsar, as to hear me,

I shall beseech him to befriend himself.
Por. Why, know'st thou any harm 's intended to-
wards him?
[may chance.
Sooth. None that I know will be, much that I fear
Good morrow to you. Here the street is narrow :
The throng that follows Cæsar at the heels,
Of senators, of prætors, common suitors,

Will croud a feeble man almost to death:
I'll get me to a place more void, and there
Speak to great Cæsar as he comes along.

[Exit.

Por. I must go in.-Ah me! how weak a thing The heart of woman is! O Brutus! The heavens speed thee in thine enterprize! That Cæsar will not grant.-O. I grow faint :— Sure, the boy heard me :-Brutus hath a suit, Say, I am merry: come to me again, Run, Lucius, and commend me to my lord;

And bring me word what he doth say to thee. [Exeunt.

ACT III.

SCENE I.

The same.-
.-The Capitol; the Senate sitting.

A croud of people in the street leading to the Capitol ;
among them, ARTEMIDORUS, and the Soothsayer.
Flourish. Enter CESAR, BRUTUS, CASSIUS, CASCA,
DECIUS, METELLUS, TREBONIUS, CINNA, ANTONY,
LEPIDUS, POPILIUS, PUBLIUS, and others.

Cas. The ides of March are come.

If thou read this, O Cæsar, thou may'st live; If not, the fates with traitors do contrive.

[Exit.

Sooth. Ay, Cæsar; but not gone.

Art. Hail, Cæsar! Read this schedule.
Dec. Trebonius doth desire you to o'er-read,
At your best leisure this his humble suit.

Art. O, Cæsar, read mine first; for mine's a suit
That touches Cæsar nearer: Read it, great Cæsar.
Cas. What touches us ourself, shall be last serv'd.
Art. Delay not, Cæsar; read it instantly.
Cas. What, is the fellow mad?
Pub.
Sirrah, give place.
Cas. What, urge you your petitions in the street?
Come to the Capitol.

CASAR enters the Capitol, the rest following.
All the Senators rise.

Pop. I wish, your enterprize to-day may thrive.
Cas. What enterprize, Popilius?
Pop. Fare you well.

[Advances to CESAR.

Bru. What said Popilius Lena? Cas. He wish'd, to-day our enterprize might thrive. I fear, our purpose is discovered.

Bru. Look, how he makes to Cæsar: Mark him. Cas. Casca, be sudden, for we fear prevention.Brutus, what shall be done? If this be known, Cassius or Cæsar never shall turn back, For I will slay myself.

Bru.

Cassius be constant:

Popilius Lena speaks not of our purposes;
For, look, he smiles, and Cæsar doth not change.
Cas. Trebonius knows his time; for, look you,
He draws Mark Antony out of the way.

[Brutus,

[Exeunt ANTONY and TREBONIUS. CESAR and the Senators take their seats.

Dec. Where is Metellus Cimber? Let him go, And presently prefer his suit to Cæsar.

Bru. He is address'd: press near, and second him. Cin. Casca, you are the first that rears your hand. Cas. Are we all ready? what is now amiss, That Cæsar, and his senate, must redress? Met. Most high, most mighty, and most puissant Metellus Cimber throws before thy seat [Cæsar, An humble heart :[Kneeling. Cas. I must prevent thee, Cimber. These couchings, and these lowly courtesies, Might fire the blood of ordinary men ; And turn pre-ordinance, and first decree, Into the law of children. Be not fond, To think that Cæsar bears such rebel blood, That will be thaw'd from the true quality

With that which melteth fools; I mean sweet words,
Low crooked curt'sies, and base spaniel fawning.
Thy brother by decree is banished;

If thou dost bend, and pray, and fawn, for him,
1 spurn thee like a cur out of my way.
Know, Cæsar doth not wrong: nor without cause
Will he be satisfied.

Met. Is there no voice more worthy than my own,
To sound more sweetly in great Cæsar's ear,
For the repealing of my banish'd brother?

Bru. I kiss thy hand, but not in flattery, Cæsar; Desiring thee, that Publius Cimber may Have an immediate freedom of repeal. Cas. What, Brutus ! Cas. Pardon, Cæsar: Cæsar, pardon; As low as to thy foot doth Cassius fall, To beg enfranchisement for Publius Cimber.

Cas. I could be well mov'd, if I were as you; If I could pray to move, prayers would move me : But I am constant as the northern star, Of whose true-fix'd, and resting quality, There is no fellow in the firmament. The skies are painted with unnumber'd sparks, They are all fire, and every one doth shine;

Cæs.

Doth not Brutus bootless kneel? Casca. Speak, hands, for me.

[CASCA stabs CESAR in the neck. CÆSAR catches hold of his arm. He is then stabbed by several other Conspirators, and at last by MARCUS BRUTUS.

Cas. Et tu, Brute?-Then fall, Cæsar.

[Dies. The senators and people retire in confusion. Cin. Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead!— Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets. Cas. Some to the common pulpits, and cry out, Liberty, freedom, and enfranchisement !

Bru. People, and senators! be not affrighted; Fly not; stand still :-ambition's debt is paid. Casca. Go to the pulpit, Brutus. Dec.

Bru. Where's Publius?

And Cassius too.

Cin. Here, quite confounded with this mutiny. Met. Stand fast together, lest some friend of Cæsar's Should chance

Bru. Talk not of standing;-Publius, good cheer: There is no harm intended to your person, Nor to no Roman else: so tell them, Publius.

Cas. And leave us, Publius; lest that the people, Rushing on us, should do your age some mischief. Bru. Do so;-and let no man abide this deed, But we the doers.

Re-enter TREBONIUS.
Cas. Where's Antony?
Tre.

Fled to his house amaz'd: Men, wives, and children, stare, cry out, and run, As it were doomsday.

Bru.

Fates! we will know your pleasures:That we shall die, we know; 'tis but the time, And drawing days out, that men stand upon.

Cas. Why, he that cuts off twenty years of life, Cuts off so many years of fearing death.

Bru. Grant that, and then is death a benefit: So are we Cæsar's friends, that have abridg'd His time of fearing death.-Stoop, Romans, stoop, And let us bathe our hands in Cæsar's blood Up to the elbows, and besmear our swords : Then walk we forth, even to the market-place; And, waving our red weapons o'er our heads, Let's all cry, Peace! Freedom! and Liberty!

Cas. Stoop then, and wash.-How many ages hence, Shall this our lofty scene be acted over, In states unborn, and accents yet unknown? Bru. How many times shall Cæsar bleed in sport, That now on Pompey's basis lies along, No worthier than the dust?

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Complete Works: With Dr. Johnson's Preface, a Glossary, and an Account of ...