Flav. Go, go, good countrymen, and, for this fault, Assemble all the poor men of your sort; Draw them to Tyber banks, and weep your tears Do kiss the most exalted shores of all. [Exeunt Citizens. If you do find them deck'd with ceremonies'. You know, it is the feast of Lupercal. Flav. It is no matter; let no images Who else would soar above the view of men, [Exeunt. SCENE II. The same. A publick Place. Enter, in Procession, with Musick, CESAR; ANTONY, for the course; CALPHURNIA, PORTIA, DECIUS3, CICERO, BRUTUS, CASSIUS, and Casca, a great Crowd following ; among them a Soothsayer. Cos. Calphurnia,— Casca. 1 See, whe'r -] Whether 2 Peace, ho! Cæsar speaks. [Musick ceases. deck'd with ceremonies.] Ceremonies are honorary ornaments; tokens of respect. 3 This person was not Decius, but Decimus Brutus. The poet (as Voltaire has done since) confounds the characters of Marcus Cœs. Calphurnia, Cal. Here, my lord. Cæs. Stand you directly in Antonius' way, When he doth run his course.-Antonius. Ant. Cæsar, my lord. Cæs. Forget not, in your speed, Antonius, To touch Calphurnia: for our elders say, The barren, touched in this holy chase, Shake off their steril curse. I shall remember: Ant. Sooth. Cæsar. Cæs. Ha! Who calls? [Musick. Casca. Bid every noise be still :-Peace yet again. [Musick ceases. Caes. Who is it in the press, that calls on me? I hear a tongue, shriller than all the musick, Cry, Cæsar: Speak; Cæsar is turn'd to hear. Sooth. Beware the ides of March. Cæs. What man is that? Bru. A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March. Cæs. Set him before me, let me see his face. Cas. Fellow, come from the throng: Look upon Cæsar. Cæs. What say'st thou to me now? Speak once again. Sooth. Beware the ides of March. Cæs. He is a dreamer! let us leave him ;-pass. [Sennet. Exeunt all but BRU. and CAS. and Decimus. Decimus Brutus was the most cherished by Cæsar of all his friends, while Marcus kept aloof, and declined so large a share of his favours and honours, as the other had constantly accepted. 4 Sennet.] I have been informed that sennet is derived from senneste, an antiquated French tune formerly used in the army; but the dictionaries which I have consulted exhibit no such word. It may be a corruption from sonata, Ital. STEEVENS. Cas. Will you go see the order of the course? Cas. I pray you, do. Bru. I am not gamesome: I do lack some part Let me not hinder, Cassius, your desires; Cas. Brutus, I do observe you now of late: Bru. Merely upon myself. Vexed I am, Of late, with passions of some difference", Which give some soil, perhaps, to my behaviours: Than that poor Brutus, with himself at war, Cas. Then, Brutus, I have much mistook your passion'; By means whereof, this breast of mine hath buried Thoughts of great value, worthy cogitations. Tell me, good Brutus, can you see your face? But by reflection, by some other things. 5 strange a hand-] Strange, is alien, unfamiliar, such as might become a stranger. 6 - passions of some difference,] With a fluctuation of discordant opinions and desires. 7 your passion ;] i. c. the nature of the feelings from which you are now suffering. Cas. 'Tis just: And it is very much lamented, Brutus, That you have no such mirrors, as will turn That you might see your shadow. I have heard, Bru. Into what dangers would you lead me, Cassius, That you would have me seek into myself For that which is not in me? Cas. Therefore, good Brutus, be prepar'd to hear: 8 To all the rout, then hold me dangerous. [Flourish, and shout. 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: But wherefore do you hold me here so long? What is it that you would impart to me? If it be aught toward the general good, 8 To stale with ordinary oaths my love, &c.] To invite every new protester to my affection by the stale or allurement of customary oaths. Set honour in one eye, and death i'the other, For, let the gods so speed me, as I love The name of honour more than I fear death. And bade him follow: so, indeed, he did. I, as Æneas, our great ancestor, Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder The old Anchises bear, so, from the waves of Tyber Did I the tired Cæsar: And this man 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: 'tis true, this god did shake: And that same eye, whose bend doth awe the world, |