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

And look where Publius is come to fetch me.
PUB. Good morrow, Cæfar.

CES.

Welcome, Publius.

What, Brutus, are you stirr'd fo early too?-
Good-morrow, Cafca.-Caius Ligarius,
Cæfar was ne'er fo much your enemy,

As that fame ague which hath made you lean.-
What is't o'clock?

BRU.

Cæfar, 'tis ftrucken eight.

CES. I thank you for your pains and courtesy.

Enter ANTONY.

See! Antony, that revels long o’nights,

Is notwithstanding up :

Good morrow, Antony.

ANT.

CAS. Bid them prepare

So to most noble Cæfar. within :

I am to blame to be thus waited for.

Now, Cinna:-Now, Metellus:-What,Trebonius!
I have an hour's talk in ftore for you;
Remember that you call on me to-day:
Be near me, that I may remember you.

TREB. Cæfar, I will:-and fo near will I be,

[Afide. That your best friends fhall wish I had been further. CES. Good friends, go in, and tafte fome wine with me;

And we, like friends, will ftraightway go together.

BRU. That every like is not the fame, O Cæfar, The heart of Brutus yearns to think upon!

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.

The fame. Aftreet near the Capitol.

Enter ARTEMIDORUS, reading a paper.

ART. Cæfar, beware of Brutus; take heed of Caffius; come not near Cafca; have an eye to Cinna; truft not Trebonius; mark well Metellus Cimber; Decius Brutus loves thee not; thou haft wrong'd Caius Ligarius. There is but one mind in all thefe men, and it is bent against Cæfar. If thou be'ft not immortal, look about you: Security gives way to confpiracy. The mighty gods defend thee! Thy lover,

8

Artemidorus.

Here will I ftand, till Cæfar pass along,
And as a fuitor will I give him this.
My heart laments, that virtue cannot live
Out of the teeth of emulation."

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

Thy lover,] See p. 207, n. 7. MALONE.

9-emulation.] Here, as on many other occafions, this word is ufed in an unfavourable fenfe, fomewhat like-factious, envious, or malicious rivalry. So, in Troilus and Creffida:

"

"Whilst emulation in the army crept." STEEVENS.

2 the fates with traitors do contrive.] The fates join with traitors in contriving thy deftruction. JOHNSON.

The fame. Another part of the fame fireet, before the boufe of Brutus.

Enter PORTIA and LUCIUS.

thee

POR. I pr'ythee, boy, run to the fenate-house; Stay not to answer me, but get gone: Why dost thou stay? 3

Luc.

3

To know my errand, madam. POR. I would have had thee there, and here again, Ere I can tell thee what thou fhould'ft do there.O conftancy, be ftrong upon my fide!

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 counfel!-
Art thou here yet?

Luc.

Madam, what should I do?

Run to the Capitol, and nothing else?

And fo return to you, and nothing else?

POR. Yes, bring me word, boy, if thy lord look

well,

For he went fickly forth: And take good note,
What Cæfar doth, what fuitors prefs to him.
Hark, boy! what noise is that?

Luc. I hear none, madam.

POR.

Pr'ythee, liften well:

3 Why doft thou ftay? &c.] Shakspeare has expreffed the perturbation of King Richard the third's mind by the fame incident: Dull, unmindful villain!

Why ftay'st thou here, and go'ft not to the duke?— "Cat. First, mighty liege, tell me your highness' pleasure, "What from your grace I fhall deliver to him.'

STEEVENS,

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

POR. Is Cæfar yet gone to the Capitol?

SOOTH. Madam, not yet; I go to take my stand, To fee him pafs on to the Capitol.

POR. Thou haft some suit to Cæfar, haft thou not?

SOOTH. That I have, lady: if it will please Cafar

To be fo good to Cæfar, as to hear me,
I fhall befeech him to befriend himself.

POR. Why, know'st thou any harm's intended towards him?

SOOTH. None that I know will be, much that I fear may chance.^

Good morrow to you. Here the street is narrow:

3 Enter Southfayer.] The introduction of the Soothsayer here is unneceffary, and, I think, improper. All that he is made to fay, fhould be given to Artemidorus; who is seen and accosted by Portia in his paffage from his firft ftand, p. 306, to one more convenient, P. 309. TYRWHITT.

4 None that I know will be, much that I fear may chance.] Sir Thomas Hanmer, very judicioufly in my opinion, omits-may chance, which I regard as interpolated words; for they render the line too long by a foot, and the fenfe is complete without them.

STEEVENS.

The throng that follows Cæfar at the heels,
Of fenators, of prætors, common fuitors,
Will crowd a feeble man almost to death:
I'll get me to a place more void, and there
Speak to great Cæfar 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!
Sure, the boy heard me :-Brutus hath a fuit,'
That Cæfar will not grant.-O, I grow faint:-
Run, Lucius, and commend me to my lord;
Say, I am merry: come to me again,

And bring me word what he doth fay to thee.

[Exeunt.

ACT III.

SCENE I.

The fame. The Capitol; the Senate fitting.

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

CES. The ides of March are come. SOOTH. Aу, Cæfar; but not gone. ART. Hail, Cæfar! Read this schedule. DEC. Trebonius doth defire you to o'er-read, At your best leifure, this his humble fuit.

Brutus hath a fuit, &c.] Thefe words Portia addreffes to Lucius, to deceive him, by afligning a falfe caufe for her prefent perturbation. MALONE.