My mortified spirit. Now bid me run, Yea, get the better of them. What's to do? Bru. A piece of work, that will make sick men whole. Lig. But are not some whole, that we must make sick? Bru. That must we also. What it is, my Caius, I shall unfold to thee, as we To whom it must be done. Lig. Set on your foot; are going And, with a heart new-fir'd, I follow you, To do I know not what : but it sufficeth, That Brutus leads me on. Bru. Follow me then. [Exeunt. The same. A Room in CESAR's Palace. Thunder and lightning. Enter CESAR, in his night-gown. Cas. Nor heaven, nor earth, have been at peace to night : Thrice hath Calphurnia in her sleep cried out, Serv. My lord? Cas. Go bid the priests do present sacrifice, And bring me their opinions of success. Serv. I will, my lord. Enter CALPHURNIA. [Exit. Cal. What mean you, Cæsar? Think you to walk forth? You shall not stir out of your house to-day. Cas. Cæsarshall forth: The things that threaten'd me, Cal. Cæsar, I never stood on ceremonies,4 A lioness hath whelped in the streets; And graves have yawn'd, and yielded up their dead : In ranks, and squadrons, and right form of war, The noise of battle hurtled in the air, [4] i.e. I never paid a superstitious regard to prodigies or omens, STEE. Calpburnia. Let me on my knees prevail in this Cesar. Mark Antony shall say I am not well, and for thy humour I will stay at home.. Horses did neigh, and dying men did groan; And ghosts did shriek, and squeal about the streets: O Cæsar! these things are beyond all use, And I do fear them. Cas. What can be avoided, Whose end is purpos'd by the mighty gods? Cal. When beggars die, there are no comets seen ; The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes. Cas. Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once. Of all the wonders that I yet have heard, It seems to me most strange that men should fear Will come, when it will come.5 Re-enter a Servant. What say the augurers? Serv. They would not have you stir forth to-day. They could not find a heart within the beast. If he should stay at home to-day for fear. Cal. Alas, my lord, Your wisdom is consum'd in confidence. Do not go forth to-day: Call it my fear, That keeps you in the house, and not your own. Cas. Mark Antony shall say, I am not well ; Enter DECIUS. Here's Decius Brutus, he shall tell them so. ; Dec. Cæsar, all hail! Good morrow, worthy Cæsar: I come to fetch you to the senate-house. [5] This is a sentence derived from the stoical doctrine of predestination, and is therefore improper in the mouth of Cæsar. JOHNS. [6] The ancients did not place courage, but wisdom in the heart. JOHN. Cas. And you are come in very happy time, And tell them, that I will not come to-day : Cas. Shall Cæsar send a lie? Have I in conquest stretch'd mine arm so far, Dec. Most mighty Cæsar, let me know some cause, Lest I be laugh'd at, when I tell them so. Cas. The cause is in my will, I will not come ; That is enough to satisfy the senate. But, for your private satisfaction, Because I love you, I will let you know. Your statue spouting blood in many pipes, Cas. And this way have you well expounded it. [7] This speech, which is intentionally pompous, is somewhat confused. There are two allusions: one to coats armorial, to which princes make additions, or give new tinctures, and new marks of cognizance; the other to martyrs, whose reliques are preserved with veneration. The Romans, says Decius, all come to you as to a saint for reliques, as to a prince for hom ours. JOHNS. |