And ghosts did shriek and squeal about the streets.
O Cæsar! these things are beyond all use,

And I do fear them.

CES.

What can be avoided

Whose end is purpos'd by the mighty gods?
Yet Cæsar shall go forth: for these predictions.
Are to the world in general, as to Cæsar.
CAL. When beggars die, there are no comets seen;

The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.
CES. 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;
Seeing that death, a necessary end,

Will come when it will come.

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.

CES. And you are come in very happy time,

a Were. The original has heare; the correction is by Theobald.

To bear my greeting to the senators,

And tell them that I will not come to-day: Cannot, is false; and that I dare not, falser; I will not come to-day: Tell them so, Decius. CAL. Say he is sick.

CES.

Shall Cæsar send a lie?
Have I in conquest stretch'd mine arm so far,
To be afeard to tell greybeards the truth?
Decius, go tell them Cæsar will not come.
DEC. Most mighty Cæsar, let me know some cause,
Lest I be laugh'd at when I tell them so.
CES. 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;
Calphurnia here, my wife, stays me at home:
She dreamt to-night she saw my statue a,
Which like a fountain, with a hundred spouts,
Did run pure blood; and many lusty Romans
Came smiling, and did bathe their hands in it.
And these does she apply for warnings and portents,
And evils imminent; and on her knee
Hath begg'd that I will stay at home to-day.
DEC. This dream is all amiss interpreted;
It was a vision fair and fortunate :
Your statue spouting blood in many pipes,
In which so many smiling Romans bath'd,
Signifies that from you great Rome shall suck
Reviving blood; and that great men shall press
For tinctures, stains, relics, and cognizance.
This by Calphurnia's dream is signified.

CES. And this way have you well expounded it.
DEC. I have, when you have heard what I can say:

And reason to my love is liable.

CES. How foolish do your fears seem now, Calphurnia!

I am ashamed I did yield to them.—

Give me my robe, for I will go :

Enter PUBLIUS, BRUTUS, LIGARIUS, METELLUS, CASCA, TREBONIUS, and CINNA.

And look where Publius is come to fetch me.

PUB. Good morrow, Cæsar.

See! Antony, that revels long o' nights,

Is notwithstanding up: Good morrow, Antony. ANT. So to most noble Cæsar.

Cæs. Bid them prepare within:—

I am to blame to be thus waited for.

Now, Cinna:-Now, Metellus :-What, Trebonius!
I have an hour's talk in store for you;
Remember that you call on me to-day:
Be near me, that I may remember you.

TREB. Cæsar, I will:-and so near will I be,

[Aside.

That your best friends shall wish I had been further.

CES. Good friends, go in, and taste some wine with me;
And we, like friends, will straightway go together.

BRU. That every like is not the same, O Cæsar,
The heart of Brutus yearns to think upon!

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.-The same. A Street near the Capitol.

Enter ARTEMIDORUS, reading a paper.

ART. "Cæsar, beware of Brutus; take heed of Cassius; come not near Casca; have an eye to Cinna; trust not Trebonius; mark well Metellus Cimber; Decius Brutus loves thee not; thou hast wronged Caius Ligarius. There is but one mind in all these men, and it is bent against Cæsar. If thou beest not immortal, look about you: Security gives way to conspiracy. The mighty gods defend thee! Thy lover, "ARTEMIDORUS."

Here will I stand till Cæsar pass along,

And as a suitor will I give him this.

My heart laments that virtue cannot live
Out of the teeth of emulation.

If thou read this, O Cæsar, thou mayst live:

If not, the Fates with traitors do contrive.

SCENE IV.-The same.

[Exit.

Another part of the same Street, before the House of
Brutus.

Enter PORTIA and LUCIUS.

POR. I prithee, boy, run to the senate-house;
Stay not to answer me, but get thee gone:
Why dost thou stay?

Luc.
To know my errand, madam.
POR. I would have had thee there, and here again,
Ere I can tell thee what thou shouldst do there.-
O constancy, be strong upon my side!
Set a huge mountain 'tween my heart and tongue!
I have a man's mind, but a woman's might.
How hard it is for women to keep counsel !-
Art thou here yet?

SOOTH. That I have, lady: if it will please Cæsar

To be so good to Cæsar as to hear me,

I shall beseech him to befriend himself.

POR. Why, know'st thou any harm 's intended towards him?
SOOTH. None that I know will be, much that I fear may chance.

Good morrow to you.

Here the street is narrow:

The throng that follows Cæsar at the heels,
Of senators, of prætors, common suitors,
Will crowd a feeble man almost to death:
I'll get me to a place more void, and there
Speak to great Cæsar as he comes along.
POR. I must go in.-Ah me! how weak a thing
The heart of woman is! O Brutus !

The heavens speed thee in thine enterprise !
Sure, the boy heard me :-)
:-Brutus hath a suit

That Cæsar will not grant.-0, I grow faint:-
Run, Lucius, and commend me to my lord;

Say I am merry: come to me again,

[Exit.

And bring me word what he doth say to thee.

[Exeunt.