Which feem'd too much inkindled; and, withal, Bru. I am not well in health, and that is all. Bru. Kneel not, gentle Porcia. Por. I fhould not need, if you were gentle Brutus. Within the bond of marriage, tell me, Brutus, Is it excepted, I fhould know no fecrets That appertain to you? am I your felf, To keep with you at meals, confort your bed, And And talk to you sometimes? dwell I but in the fub urbs Of your good pleasure? If it be no more, Bru. You are my true and honourable wife; That vifit my fad heart. Por. If this were true, then fhould I know this fecret. I grant, I am a woman; but withal, A woman that Lord Brutus took to wife: I grant, I am a woman; but withal, 6 A woman well reputed Cato's daughter. Think you, I am no ftronger than my sex, Tell me your counfels, I will not disclose them: -Here, in the thigh: can I bear that with patience, Bru. O ye Gods! Render me worthy of this noble wife. [Knock. Hark, hark, one knocks: Percia, go in a while; • A woman well reputed; Ca to's daughter.] This falfe pointing fhould be corrected thus, A woman well reputed Cato's daughter. i. e. worthy of my birth, and the relation I bear to Cato. This indeed was a good reafon why fhe fhould be intrufted with the fecret. But the falfe pointing, which gives a fenfe only implying that he was a woman of a good character, and that he was Cato's daughter, gives no good reafon : For the might be Cato's daughter, and yet not inherit his firmnefs; and the might be a woman well reputed, and yet not the beft at a secret. But if the was well reputed Cato's daughter, that is, worthy of her birth, the could neither want her father's love to her country, nor his refolution to engage in its deliver ance. WARE. All All my engagements I will conftrue to thee, Leave me with hafte. [Exit Porcia. Enter Lucius and Ligarius. Lucius, who's there that knocks? Luc. Here is a fick man, that would fpeak with you. Bru. Caius Ligarius, that Metellus fpake of. Boy, ftand afide. Caius Ligarius! how? Cai. Vouchsafe good-morrow from a feeble tongue. To wear a kerchief? 'would you were not fick! Bru. Such an exploit have I in hand, Ligarius, Cai. By all the Gods the Romans bow before, Bru. A piece of work, that will make fick men Cai. But are not fome whole, that we muft make fick? Bru. That we muft alfo. What it is, my Caius, I fhall unfold to thee, as we are going, To whom it must be done. Cai. Set on your foot, And with a heart new-fir'd I follow you, That Brutus leads me on. Eru. Follow me then. [Exeunt. Caf. SCENE IV. Changes to Cæfar's Palace. Thunder and Lightning. Enter Julius Cæfar. OR heav'n, nor earth, have been at peace to-night; NOR Thrice hath Calphurnia in her fleep cry'd out, Enter a Servant. Serv. My Lord ?—————— Caf. Go bid the priests do prefent facrifice, And bring me their opinions of fuccefs. Serv. I will, my Lord. Enter Calphurnia. [Exit, Cal. What mean you, Cafar? think you to walk forth? You fhall not ftir out of your houfe to-day. Caf. Cafar fhall forth. The things, that threatned me, Ne'er lookt but on my back, when they fhall fee Cal. Cæfar, I never flood on ceremonies, And Graves have yawn'd, and yielded up their dead; Fierce fiery warriors fight upon the clouds, In ranks and fquadrons and right form of war, Caf. What can be avoided, Whofe end is purpos'd by the mighty Gods? Cal. When beggars die, there are no comets feen ; The heav'ns themfelves blaze forth the death of Princes. Caf. Cowards die many times before their deaths, The valiant never tafte of death but once. Of all the wonders that I yet have heard, It seems to me moft frange that men fhould fear, Enter Servant. What say the Augurs? Serv. They would not have you to ftir forth to-day. Plucking the entrails of an Offering forth, They could not find a heart within the beaft. [Exit Servant. Caf. The Gods do this in fhame of cowardife: Cafar fhould be a beaft without a heart, If he should stay at home to-day for fear, 1-death, a neceffary end, &c.] This is a fentence derived from the Stoical doctrine of predeftination, and is therefore improper in the mouth of Cafar. 8-in fame of cowardife:] The ancients did not place courage but wisdom in the heart. D 4 No, |