And be not jealous of me, gentle Brutus: To all the rout, then hold me dangerous. [Flourish and shou Bru. What means this shouting? I do fear, the people Choose Cæsar for their king. Cas. Ay, do you fear it? Then must I think you would not have it so. Bru. I would not, Cassius; yet I love him well :— I was born free as Cæsar; so were you: And bade him follow: so, indeed, he did. Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder The old Anchises bear, so, from the waves of Tiber Did I the tir'd Cæsar: And this man Is now become a god; and Cassius is A wretched creature, and must bend his body, If Cæsar carelessly 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: 'tis true, this god did shake. And that same eye, whose bend doth awe the world, Ay, and that tongue of his, that bade the Romans Bru. Another general shout! I do believe, that these applauses are For some new honors that are heap'd on Cæsar. [Shout. Flourish. Cas. Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world, Like a Colossus; and we petty men Walk under his huge legs, and peep about Men at some time are masters of their fates: Brutus, and Cæsar: What should be in that Cæsar? That he is grown so great? Age, thou art sham'd; Bru. That you do love me, I am nothing jealous; [Shout Both meet to hear, and answer, such high things. Than to repute himself a son of Rome Is like to lay upon us. Cas. I am glad, that my weak words Have struck but thus much show of fire from Brutus. Re-enter CESAR, and his Train. Bru. The games are done, and Cæsar is returning. Bru. I will do so :-But, look you, Cassius, Ant. Cæsar. Cas. Let me have men about me that are fat; He is a noble Roman, and well given. Cas. '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 Cassius. He reads much, He is a great observer; and he looks Quite through the deeds of men; he loves no plays, CASCA stays behina ou speak with me? Bru. Ay, Casca; tell us what hath chanc'd to-day, That Cæsar looks so sad? Casca. Why you were with him, were you not? Bru. I should not then ask Casca what hath chanc'd. Casca. Why, there was a crown offered him and being offered 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. Cas. 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 time gentler than other; and at every putting by, mine honest neighbors shouted. Cas. Who offer'd him the crown? Casca. Why, Antony. Bru. Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casca. Casca. I can as well be hanged, as tell the manner of it: it was mere foolery. I did not mark it. I saw Mark Antony offer him a crown ;-yet '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 offered 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 offered it a third time; he put it the third time by and still as he refused it, the rabblement hooted, and clapped their chapped hands, and threw up their sweaty nightcaps, and uttered such a deal of stinking breath, because Cæsar refused the crown, that it had almost choked Cæsar; for he swooned, and fell down at it. Cas. But, soft, I pray you: What? Did Cæsar swoon? Casca. He fell down in the market-place, and foamed at mouth, and was speechless. Bru. 'Tis very like: he hath the falling-sickness. Cas. No, Cæsar 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 sure, Cæsar fell down. If the tag-rag people did not clap him, and hiss him, according as he pleased and displeased them, as they use to do the players in the theatre, I am no true man. Bru. What said he, when he came unto himself? Casca. Marry, before he fell down, when he perceived the common herd was glad he refused the crown, he pluck'd me ope his doublet, and offered them his throat to cut-an I had been a man of any occupation, I would have taken him at a word-and so he fell. When he came to himself again, he said, If he had done, or said, any thing amiss, he desired their worships to think it was his infirmity. Bru. And after that, he came, thus sad, away ? Casca. Nay, an I tell you that, I'll ne'er look you i' the face again: But those, that understood him, smiled 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. Cas. Will you sup with me to-night, Casca? Cas. Will you dine with me to-morrow? Casca. Ay, if I be alive, and your mind hold, and your dinner worth the eating. Cas. Good; I will expect you. Casca. Do so: Farewell, both. Bru. What a blunt fellow is this grown to be? He was quick mettle, when he went to school. Of any bold or noble enterprise, However he puts on this tardy form. This rudeness is a sauce 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: To-morrow, 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. [Exit CASCA. Cas. I will do so :-till then, think of the world. [Exit BRUTUS. Well, Brutus, thou art noble; yet, I see, Thy honorable metal may be wrought From that it is dispos'd: Therefore, 'tis meet And, after this, let Cæsar seat him sure; [Exit. |