Here lie I Timon; who, alive, all living mea did hate: All have not offended; For those that were, it is not square to take, On those that are, revenge: crimes, like lands, Are not inherited. Then, dear countryman, Bring in thy ranks, but leave without thy rage: Spare thy Athenian cradle, and those kin, Which in the bluster of thy wrath must fall With those that have offended. Like a shepherd, Approach the fold, and cull th' infected forth, But kill not all together. Second Senator. Prescribe to other, as each other's leech. Set but thy foot, Let our drums strike. [Exeunt. 1 JULIUS CÆSAR. JULIUS CÆSAR. Octavius Cæsar, Marcus Antonius, } DRAMATIS PERSONE. Triumvirs, after the Death M. Emil. Lepidus. of Julius Cæsar, Cicero, Publius, Popilius Lena; Senators. Marcus Brutus, Cassius, Casca, Trebonius, Ligarius, Decius Brutus, Metellus Cimber, Cinna, Artemidorus, a Sophist of Cnidos. A Soothsayer. Cinna, a Poet. Another Poet. Pindarus, Servant to Cassius. Conspirators against Julius Calphurnia, Wife to Cæsar. Cæsar. Flavius and Marullus, Tribunes. Portia, Wife to Brutus. Senators, Citizens, Guards, Attendants, &c. SCENE, during a great part of the Play, at Rome: afterwards at Sardis; and near Philippi. Where is thy leather apron, and thy rule ? What dost thou with thy best apparel on?You, sir; what trade are you? Second Citizen. Truly, sir, in respect of a fine workman, I am but, as you would say, a cobbler. Marullus. Truly, sir, all that I live by is, with the awl: I meddle with no tradesman's matters, nor women's matters, but with all. I am, indeed, sir, a surgeon to old shoes; when they are in great danger, I re-cover them. As proper men as ever trod upon neats-leather have gone upon my handywork. Flavius. But wherefore art not in thy shop to-day? Why dost thou lead these men about the streets? Second Citizen. Truly, sir, to wear out their shoes, to get myself into more work. But, indeed, sir, we But what trade art thou? Answer me di- make holiday, to see Cæsar, and to rejoice in Second Citizen. A trade, sir, that, I hope, I may use with a safe conscience; which is, indeed, sir, a mender of bad soles. rectly. his triumph. Marulus. Wherefore rejoice? What conquest brings he home? What tributaries follow him to Rome Flavius. What trade, thou knave? thou naughty knave, You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseO! you what trade? O! you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome, And do you now put on your best attire? And do you now strew flowers in his way, Run to your houses, fall upon your knees, Cæsar. Set on; and leave no ceremony out. [Music. Soothsayer. Cæsar! Cæsar. Ha! Who calls? Casca. Bid every noise be still. - Peace yet again ! [Music ceases. Cæsar. Who is it in the press that calls on me? I hear a tongue, shriller than all the music, Cry, Cæsar! Speak: Cæsar is turn'd to hear. Soothsayer. Beware the ides of March. Cæsar. What man is that? Will you go see the order of the course? I am not gamesome: I do lack some part Of that quick spirit that is in Antony. Let me not hinder, Cassius, your desires; I'll leave you. Cassius. Brutus, I do observe you now of late: I have not from your eyes that gentleness, And show of love, as I was wont to have: You bear too stubborn and too strange a hand Over your friend that loves you. ! Cassius, Therefore, good Brutus, be prepar'd to hear: And, since you know you cannot see yourself So well as by reflection, I, your glass, Will modestly discover to yourself That of yourself, which you yet know not of. And be not jealous on me, gentle Brutus: Where I a common laugher, or did use To stale with ordinary oaths my love To every new protester; if you know That I do fawn on men, and hug them hard, And after scandal them; or if you know That I profess myself, in banqueting, To all the rout, then hold me dangerous. Flourish, and Shout. Brutus. What means this shouting? I do fear, the Choose Cæsar for their king. [people C'assius. Ay, do you fear it? Then, must I think you would not have it so. Brutus. 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, Set honour in one eye, and death i' the other, And I will look on both indifferently; For, let the gods so speed me, as I love The name of honour more than I fear death. I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus, In awe of such a thing as I myself. I was born free as Cæsar, so were you; The troubled Tyber chafing with her shores, Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder Is now become a god; and Cassius is [Tyber A wretched creature, and must bend his body, If Cæsar carelessly but nod on him. Cæsar? Cassius. Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world, Like a Colossus; and we petty men Walk under his huge legs, and peep about To find ourselves dishonourable graves. 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 [yours? Why should that name be sounded more than 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, Brutus will start a spirit as soon as Cæsar. Now, in the names of all the gods at once, Upon what meat doth this our Cæsar feed, That he is grown so great? Age, thou art sham'd: Rome, thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods. When went there by an age, since the great flood, But it was fam'd with more than with one man? When could they say, till now, that talk'd of Rome, That her wide walks encompass'd but one man? Brutus. That you do love me, I am nothing jealous; What you would work me to, I have some aim; How I have thought of this, and of these times, I shall recount hereafter: for this present, I would not, so with love I might entreat you, Be any farther mov'd. What you have said, I will consider; what you have to say, I will with patience hear, and find a time Both meet to hear, and answer, such high things. Till then, my noble friend, chew upon this: 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. 'Would he were fatter; but I fear him not: [Exeunt Casar and his Train. Casca stays behind. Casca. You pull'd me by the cloak: would you speak with me? Brutus. Ay, Casca; tell us what hath chanc'd to-day, That Cæsar looks so sad. Casca. Why you were with him, were you not? Tell us the manner of it, gentle 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 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 night-caps, 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. Cassius. But, soft, I pray you. What! did Cæsar swoon? He fell down in the market-place, and foamed at mouth, and was speechless. Brutus. 'Tis very like he hath the falling-sickness. No, Cæsar hath it not; but you, and I, 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. Brutus. What said he, when he came unto himself? Marry, before he fell down, when he perceiv'd 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 ! I should not, then, ask Casca what hath rogues:-and so he fell. When he came to 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. Brutus. Casca. Why, for that too. Cassius. himself again, he said, if he had done or said any thing 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. Brutus. And after that, he came thus sad away? |