With lusty sinews; throwing it aside And stemming it with hearts of controversy. Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder The old Anchises bear, so, from the waves of Tiber Is now become a god; and Cassius is A wretched creature, and must bend his body, He had a fever when he was in Spain, And, when the fit was on him, I did mark How he did shake: 't is true, this god did shake: So get the start of the majestic world, BRU. Another general shout! I do believe that these applauses are For some new honours that are heap'd on Cæsar. Walk under his huge legs, and peep about Men at some time are masters of their fates: The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves, that we are underlings. Brutus, and Cæsar: What should be in that Cæsar? 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 them, [Shout. Flourish. [Shout. The use of arrive without the preposition has an example in the later writings of Milton: 7 Now in the names of all the gods at once, O! you and I have heard our fathers say, BRU. That you do love me, I am nothing jealous; What you would work me to, I have some aim; I will with patience hear: and find a time. Brutus had rather be a villager, Than to repute himself a son of Rome Under these hard conditions as this time 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. And he will, after his sour fashion, tell you The angry spot doth glow on Cæsar's brow, ANT. Cæsar. CES. Let me have men about me that are fat; Sleek-headed men, and such as sleep o' nights: I do not know the man I should avoid So soon as that spare Cassius. He reads much; Quite through the deeds of men: he loves no plays, Come on my right hand, for this ear is deaf, And tell me truly what thou think'st of him. [Exeunt CESAR and his Train. CASCA stays behind. CASCA. You pull'd me by the cloak: Would you speak with me? BRU. Ay, Casca; tell us what hath chanc'd to-day 5, That Cæsar looks so sad? 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 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 offered 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 shouted. CAS. Who offered 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 't was not a crown neither, 't was 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 loth to lay his fingers off it. And then he offered it the 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: And for mine own part, I durst not laugh, for fear of opening my lips and receiving the bad air. 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 plucked me ope his doublet, and offered 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 anything amiss, he desired their worships to think it was his infirmity. Three or four wenches, where I stood, cried "Alas, good soul!"—and forgave him with all their hearts: But there's no heed to be taken of them; if Cæsar had stabbed their mothers they would have done no less. BRU. And after that he came, thus sad, CASCA. Ay. CAS. Did Cicero say anything? CASCA. Ay, he spoke Greek. CAS. To what effect? 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 Caesar'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? CASCA. No, I am promised forth. 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! Of any bold or noble enterprise, This rudeness is a sauce to his good wit, Which gives men stomach to digest his words BRU. And so it is. For this time I will leave you: To-morrow, if you please to speak with me, As if they came from several citizens, And, after this, let Cæsar seat him sure; For we will shake him, or worse days endure. SCENE III.-The same. A Street. [Exit CASCA. [Exit BRUTUS. [Exit. Thunder and Lightning. Enter, from opposite sides, CASCA, with his sword drawn, and CICERO. CIC. Good even, Casca: Brought you Cæsar homea? I have seen tempests, when the scolding winds a To bring one on his way was to accompany him. |