Caf. I am glad that my weak words Have struck but thus much thew of fire from Brutus.

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

Caf. As they pass by, pluck Cască by the Neeve, And he will, after his four 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 Cæsar's brow,
And all the rest look like a chidden train.
Calphurnia's cheek is pale; and Cicero
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. Casca will tell us what the matter is.
Cæf. Antonius,
Ant. Cæfar ?

Cæs. Let me have men about me that are fat,
Sleek-headed men, and such as sleep a-nights :
Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look,
He thinks too much; such men are dangerous.

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

Cæs. Would he 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 soon as that spare Caffius.

He reads much ;
He is a great observer; and he looks
Quite through the deeds of men.

He loves no Plays, As thou doft, Antony; he hears no mufick: (s) (5)

Seldom he smiles; and smiles in fuch a fort,
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 they behold a greater than themselves ;
And therefore are they very dangerous.
I rather tell thee what is to be fear'd,
Than what I fear; for always I am Cæsar.
Come on my right hand, for this ear is deaf,
And tell me truly, what thou think'st of him.

[Exeunt Cæsar and his Train. Manent Brutus and Cassius : Casca, to mhem. Casca. You pulld me by the cloak; would you speak

with me? Bru. Ay, Casca, tell us what hath chanc'd to day, That Cejar looks so sad.

Casca. Why you were with him, were you not? Bru. I should not then ask Cafea 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 ghe ļaft 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 time gentler than other; and at every putting by, mine honest neighbours fhouted.

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

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; yer 'twas 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

to him again: then he put it by again; but, to my thinking, he was very loth 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 rabblement houted, and clapp'd their chopt hands, and threw up their sweaty night-caps, and uttered such a deal of stinking breath, because Cæfar refus'd the Crown, that it had almost choaked Cæfar; for he swooned, and fell down at it; and for mine own part, I durft not laugh, for fear of opening my lips, and receiving the bad air.

Caf. But, Toft, I pray you; what, did Cæfar swoon?

Casca. He fell down in the market-place, and foam'd at mouth, and was speechless.

Bru. 'Tis very like ; he hath the falling Sickness.

Caf. No, Cæfar hath it not; but you and I,
And honest Casca, we have the falling-sickness.

Casca. I know not what you mean by that; but I am
fure, Cæfar fell down: If the tag-rag people did not
clap him, and hiss him, according as he pleas'd, and
displeas’d them, as they used to do the Players in the
Theatre, I am no true man.
Bru. What said he, when he came unto himfelf?

Casca. Marry, before he fell down, when he perceiv'd the common herd was glad he refus’d the Crown, he pluckt me ope his doublet, and offer'd them his throat to cut: An' I had been a man of any occupation, if I would not have taken him at a word, I would I might go to hell among the rogues ; and so he fell. When he came to himself again, he said, “ If he had “ done, or said any thing amiss, he desir'd their Wor

ships to think it was his infirmity.” Three or four
wenches where I stood, cry'd, " alas, good soul!”
and forgave him with all their hearts: but there's no
heed to be taken of them; if Cæfar had stabb'd their
mothers, they would have done no less.

Bru! And after that, he came, thus fad, away?
Casca. Ay.
Caf. Did Cicero say any thing?
Casca. Ay, he spoke Greek.
Caf. To what effect :
K4

Casca.

Casca. Nay, an' I tell you that, I'll ne'er look

you i'th' face again. But those, that understood him, smil'd at one another, and shook their heads; but for mine own part, it was Greek to me. I could tell you more news too: Marullus and Flavius, for pulling scarfs off Cæsar's Images, are put to silence. Fare you well. There was more foolery yet, if I could remember it.

Caf. Will you sup with me to night, Casca?
Casca. No, I am promis'd forth.
Caf. Will you dine with me to morrow?

Casca. Ay, if I be alive, and your mind hold, and your dinner be worth the eating.

Caf. Good, I will expect you.
Casca. Do so: farewel Both.

[Exit. Brii. What a blunt fellow is this grown to be? He was quick mettle, when he went to school,

Caf. So is he now, in execution
Of any bold or noble enterprize,
However he puts on this tardy form:
This rudeness is a fawce to his good wit,
Which gives men stomach to digest his words
With better appetite.

Bru. And so it is : for this time I will leave you.
Tomorrow,

if

you please to speak with me,
I will come home to you; or if you will,
Come home to me, and I will wait for you.
Gas. I will do so ; till then, think of the world.

[Exit Brutus. Well, Brutus, thou art '

noble; yet I see,
Thy honourable Metal may be wrought
From what it is dispos'd; therefore 'tis meet,
That noble minds keep ever with their likes':
For who so firm, that cannot be seduc'd ?
Cæfar doth bear me hard; but he loves Brutus.
If I were Brutus now, and he were Cassius,
He should not humour me.

I will this night,
In several hands, in at his windows throw,
As if they came from several citizens,
Writings, all tending to the great opinion
That Rome holds of his name: Wherein obscurely

Cæfar's

Cæfar's ambition shall be glanced at.
And, after this, let Cæfar seat him sure ;
For we will shake him, or worse days endure. [Exit.
Thunder and lightning. Enter Casca, bis Sword drawn;

and Cicero, meeting him. Cic. Good even, Casca; brought you Cæfar home ? Why are you breathless, and why ftare you so ?

Casca. Are not you mov'd, when all the fway of earth Shakes like a thing unfirm ? O Cicero! I have seen tempeits, when the scolding winds Have riv'd the knotty oaks; and I have seen Th’ ambitious ocean (well, and rage, and foam, To be exalted with the threatning clouds: But never till to night, never till now, Did I go through a tempest dropping fire. Either there is a civil ftrife in heav'n ; Or else the world, too faucy with the Gods, Incenses them to send destruction.

Cic. Why, saw you any thing more wonderful? Casca. A common flave, you know him well by

light, Held up his left hand, which did flame and burn, Like twenty torches join'd; and

yet

his hand,
Not sensible of fire, remain'd unscorch’d.
Besides, (I ha' not since put up my sword)
Against the Capitol I met a lion,
Who glar'd upon me, and went surly by,
Without annoying me. And there were drawn
Upon a heap a hundred gastly

, women,
Transformed with their fear; who swore, they saw
Men, all in fire, walk up and down the ftreets.
And yesterday, the bird of night did fit,
Ev'n at noon-day, upon the market-place,
Houting and shrieking. When these Prodigies
Do so conjointly meet, let not men say,'
" These are their reasons, they are natural:”
For, I believe, they are portentous things
Unto the Climate, that they point upon.