Seeing that death, a necessary end, Will come, when it will come. Re-enter a Servant. What say the augurers? Serv. They would not have you to stir forth to-day. Plucking the entrails of an offering forth, They could not find a heart within the beast. Cæs. The gods do this in shame of cowardice: If he should stay at home to-day for fear. 8 We were two lions litter'd in one day, And Cæsar shall go forth. 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. Cæs. Mark Antony shall say, I am not well; Enter DECIUS. Here's Decius Brutus, he shall tell them so. Cæs. And you are come in very happy time To bear my greeting to the senators, And tell them that I will not come to-day. I will not come to-day. Cæs. Tell them so, Decius. Shall Cæsar send a lie? 8 We WERE two lions] All the folios, "We heare two lions." 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. Cæs. 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. Dec. This dream is all amiss interpreted: It was a vision, fair and fortunate. Your statue spouting blood in many pipes, Cæs. And this way have you well expounded it. • She dream'd to-night she saw my STATUE,] The word "statue" in the time of Shakespeare was frequently pronounced as a trisyllable, and it is necessary in this line, as well as afterwards, A. iii. sc. 2, "And at the base of Pompey's statue ;" which is usually, but needlessly, printed statua. See also Vol. v. pp. 166 and 428, where the same error is pointed out. "Break up the senate till another time, When Cæsar's wife shall meet with better dreams. If Cæsar hide himself, shall they not whisper, "Lo! Cæsar is afraid?" Pardon me, Cæsar; for my dear, dear love Cæs. How foolish do your fears seem now, Calphurnia? I am ashamed I did yield to them.- Enter PUBLIUS, BRUTUS, LIGARIUS, METELLUS, CASCA, And look where Publius is come to fetch me. Pub. Good morrow, Cæsar. Cæs. Welcome, Publius. What, Brutus, are you stirr'd so early too?- Cæsar was ne'er so much your enemy, As that same ague which hath made you lean.- Bru. Cæsar, 'tis stricken eight. Cæs. I thank you for your pains and courtesy. Enter ANTONY. See! Antony, that revels long o' nights, Is notwithstanding up.-Good morrow, Antony. Cæs. Bid them prepare within: I am to blame to be thus waited for.— Now, Cinna :-Now, Metellus :-What, Trebonius! Treb. Cæsar, I will:—and so near will I be, [Aside. That your best friends shall wish I had been farther. Cæs. 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 be'st 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, Out of the teeth of emulation. If thou read this, O Cæsar! thou may'st live; [Exit. SCENE IV. The Same. Another Part of the same Street, before the House of BRUTUS. Enter PORTIA and LUCIUS. Por. I pr'ythee, boy, run to the senate-house: Stay not to answer me, but get thee gone. Luc. To know my errand, madam. Set a huge mountain 'tween my heart and tongue! How hard it is for women to keep counsel !- Luc. Madam, what should I do? Run to the Capitol, and nothing else, And so return to you, and nothing else? Por. Yes, bring me word, boy, if thy lord look well, For he went sickly forth: and take good note, What Cæsar doth, what suitors press to him. Hark, boy! what noise is that? Luc. I hear none, madam. Por. Pr'ythee, listen well: I heard a bustling rumour, like a fray, Por. Is Cæsar yet gone to the Capitol ? Sooth. Madam, not yet: I go to take my stand, To see him pass on to the Capitol. Por. Thou hast some suit to Cæsar, hast thou not? 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. |