I had as lief not be, as live to be
In awe of such a thing as I myself.
I was born free as Cæfar, so 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 gusty day,
The troubled Tyber chafing with his shores,
Cæfar says to me, “ dar'st thou, Cassius, now

Leap in with me into this angry food,
“ And swim to yonder point?"-Upon the word,
Accoutred as I was, I plunged in,
And bid him follow ; so, indeed, he did.
The torrent roar'd, and we did buffet it
With lusty linews; throwing it aside,
And stemming it with hearts of controversy.
But ere we could arrive the point propos’d,
Cæfar cry'd, “ Help me, Caffus, or I link.”
I, as Æneas, our great Ancestor,
Did from the Aames of Troy upon his shoulder
The old Anchises bear, so, from the waves of Tyber
Did I the cired Cæfar ; and this man
Is now become a God; and Caffius is
A wretched creature, and must bend his body,
If Cæfar careleny but nod on him.
He had a fever when he was in Spain,
And when the fit was on him, I did mark
How he did shake ; 'ris true, this God did shake ;
9 His coward lips did from their colour fly,
And that same eye, whose Bend doth awe the world
Did lose its lustre ; I did hear him groan ;
Ay, and that tongue of his, that bade the Romans
Mark him, and write his speeches in their books,
Alas! it cry'd—“ give me some drink, Tilinius"-

9 His coward lips did from their pression was for the sake of as

colour fly,] A plain man false a piece of wit : a poor would have said, the colour filed quibble, alluding to a coward Ayfrom his lips, and not his lips from ing from his colours. WARB. their colour. But the false ex

As

As a fick gril. Ye Gods, it doth amaze me,
A man of such a feeble temper should
So 'get the start of the majestick world,
And bear the Palm alone.

[Shout. Flourish.
Bru. Another general shout!
I do believe, that these applauses are
For some new honours that are heap'd on Cæfar.

Caf. Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world Like a Colossus ; and we petty men Walk under his huge legs, and peep about To find ourselves dishonourable graves. Men at some times are masters of their fates : The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves, that we are underlings. Brutus and Cæfar! what should be in that Cæfar? Why should 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 them, it is as heavy ; conjure with 'em, Brutus will start a spirit, as soon as Cæfar. Now in the names of all the Gods at once, Upon what meat does this our Cæfar feed, That he is grown so great? Age, thou art sham'd; Rome, thou hast loft the breed of noble bloods. When went there by an age, since the great food, But it was fam'd with more than with one man? When could they say, till now, that talk'd of Rome, That her wide walls incompass'd but one man ? Now is it Rome, indeed ; and room enough,

1

-get

the start of the majef their dominion Orbis Romanus, tick world, &c.] This image But the particular allusion seems is extremely noble: it is taken to be to the known story of Cæ. from the olympic games. The far's great pattern Alexander, majestick world is a fine periphra- who being aked, Whether he fis for the Roman empire : their would run the course at the Olymcitizens set themselves on a foot. pic games, replied, Yes, if the ing with Kings, and they called racers were K ngs. WARB.

When

When there is in it but one only man.
Oh! you and I have heard our fachers say ;
There was a Brutus once, that would have brook'd
Th' * eternal devil to keep his state in Rome,
As easily as a King.

Bru. "That you do love me, I am nothing jealous ;
What you would work me to, I have some aim,
How I have thought of this, and of these times,
I shall recount hereafter ; for this present,
I would not, so with love I might intreat you,
Be any further mov'd. What you have said,
I will consider; what you have to say,
I will with patience hear; and find a time
Both ineet to hear, and answer such high things,
'Till then, my noble friend, 3 chew upon this ;
Brutus had rather be a villager,
Than to repute himself a son of Rome
Under such hard conditions, as this time
Is like to lay upon us.

Caf. I am glad that my weak words
Have struck but thus much few of fire from Brucks,

S CE N E IV.

Enter Cæsar and bis Train.
Bru. The Games are done, and Cæfar is returning,

Caf. As they pass by, pluck Casca by the Neeve,
And he will, after his sour fashion, tell you
What hath proceeded worthy note to day.

Bru. I will do so. But look you, Cassius,
The angry spot doth glow on Cafar's brow,
And all the rest look like a chidden train.
Calpurnia's cheek is pale ; and Cicero

2 eternal devil-] I should think that our authour wrote rather, infernal devil.

4

3 --chew upon tbis ;] Confider this at leisure ; ruminale on this,

Looks

Looks with such ferret, and such fiery eyes,
As we have seen him in the Capitol,
Being croft in conf'rence by some Senators,

Caf. Cafca will tell us what the matter is.
Caf. Antonius,
Ant. Cæfar?
C&f. [To Ant. apart.] Let me have men about me

that are fat,
Sleek headed men, and such as Neep a-nights ;
Yond Cafus has a lean and hungry look,
He thinks too much. Such men are dangerous.

Ant. Fear him not, Cæfar, he's not dangerous ; He is a nocle Roman, and well given.

Caf. S'Would lie were fatter. But I fear him not ; Yet if my name were liable to fear, I do not know the man I should avoid, So foon as that spare Cafius. He reads much; He is a great observer; and he looks Quite through the deeds of men. "He loves no plays, As thou dost, Antony; he hears no musick; Seldom he (miles, and smiles in such a sort, As if he mock'd himself, and scorn'd his spirit, That could be mov'd to smile at any thing. Such men as he be never at heart's ease, Whilst ihty behold a greater than themselves ; And therefore are they very dangerous. I rather tell thee whit is to be feard, Than what I fear; for always I am Ctefar. Come on my right hand, for this ear is deaf, And tell me truly, what thou think'it of him.

[Exeunt Cæsar and bis Train.

4

- ferrit,-) A ferret has red Knockham's speech to the Pigeyes,

woman. Come, there's no malice $'Would he were futler ;-) in fae folks ; I never fear thee, Johnbn, in bis Bartholomeu-fair, and I can cape thy lean moon-calf unjustly sneers at this pailage, in there.

WARBURTON

SCENE

Casca. You pulld me by the cloak. Would you

speak with me?
Bru. Ay, Casca, tell us what hath chanc'd to-day,
That Cefar'looks to fad..
Casca. Why, you were with him, were you not?
Bru. I should not then ask Casca what had chanc'd.

Casca. Why, there was a crown offer'd him, and being offer'd 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,

Caf. 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 tinie gencler than other ; and at every putting by, mine honest neighbours shoured.

Caf. Who offer'd him the crown?
Cafia. Why, Antony.
Bru. Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casca.

Casca. I can as well be hang'd, as tell the manner of it. It was meer foolery I did not mark it. I saw Mark Antony offer him a crown ;- yet 'cwas 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 offer'd 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 offer'd it the third time ; he put it the third time by; and still as he refus'd it, the