It feems to me most strange that men should fear;
Seeing that death, a neceffary end,
Will come, when it will come.

Re-enter a Servant.

5 What fay the augurers?

Lig. But are not fome whole, that we muft
Bru. That must we also. What it is, my Caius, Ic
I fhall unfold to thee, as we are going
To whom it must be done.

[day.

Serv. They would not have you to ftir forth to-
Plucking the entrails of an offering forth,
They could not find a heart within the beast.

Caf. The gods do this in fhame of cowardice:
Cæfar fhould be a beast without a heart,
If he fhould ftay at home to-day for fear.
No, Caefar fhall not: danger knows full well,
That Cæfar is more dangerous than he.

We were two lions litter'd in one day,
15 And I the elder and more terrible;
And Cæfar fhall go forth.

Thunder and lightning. Enter Cæfar, in bis Night-gown-20
Caf. Nor heaven, nor earth, have been at peace
to-night:

Thrice hath Calphurnia in her sleep cry'd out,
Help, bo! They murder Cæfar. Who's within?

Enter a Servant.

Seru. My lord?

Cal. Alas, my lord,

Your wifdom is confum'd in confidence.
Do not go forth to-day: call it my fear,
That keeps you in the house, and not your own.
We'll fend Mark Antony to the fenate-house;
And he shall fay, you are not well to-day :
Let me, upon my knee, prevail in this.

Caf. Mark Antony fhall fay, I am not well; 25 And, for thy humour, I will stay at home. Enter Decius.

30

Ne'er look'd but on my back; when they fhall fee 35
The face of Cæfar, they are vanifhed.

Cal. Cæfar, I never stood on ceremonies 1,
Yet now they fright me. There is one within,
Befides the things that we have heard and feen,
Recounts most horrid fights feen by the watch.
A lioness hath whelped in the streets;
And graves have yawn'd, and yielded up their dead:
Fierce fiery warriors fight upon the clouds,
In ranks, and fquadrons, and right form of war,
Which drizzled blood upon the Capitol:
The noife of battle hurtled in the air,
Horfes did neigh, and dying men did groan;
And ghofts did fhriek, and fqueal about the streets.
O Cæfar! these things are beyond all use,
And I do fear them.

Caef. What can be avoided,

Whofe end is purpos'd by the mighty gods?
Yet Cæfar fhall go forth; for these predictions
Are to the world in general, as to Cæfar.

Here's Decius Brutus, he fhall tell them fo. [Cæfar:
Dec. Cæfar, all hail! Good morrow, worthy

I come to fetch you to the fenate-house.

Caf. And you are come in very happy time,
To bear my greeting to the fenators,
And tell them, that I will not come to-day:
Cannot, is falfe; and that I dare not, falfer;

I will not come to-day: Tell them fo, Decius.
Cal. Say, he is fick.

Caf. Shall Cæfar send a lye?

Have I in conqueft ftretch'd mine arm so far,
To be afeard to tell grey-beards the truth?-
Decius, go tell them, Cæfar will not come. [caufe,
40 Dec. Moft mighty Cæfar, let me know fome
Left I be laugh'd at, when I tell them fo.

Caf. The caufe is in my will, I will not come;
That is enough to fatisfy the fenate.
But, for your private satisfaction,

45 Because I love you, I will let you know.
Calphurnia here, my wife, ftays me at home;
She dreamt to-night the faw my ftatue,
Which, like a fountain, with a hundred fpouts,
Did run pure blood; and many lufty Romans
50 Came fmiling, and did bathe their hands in it.
And thefe does the apply for warnings, and por-
And evils imminent; and on her knee [tents,
Hath begg'd, that I will stay at home to-day.

Cal. When beggars die, there are no comets 55
[princes.

feen;
The heavens themfelves blaze forth the death of
Caf. Cowards die many times before their deaths;
The valiant never taste of death but once.
Of all the wonders that I yet have heard,

Dec. This dream is all amifs interpreted;
It was a vifion, fair and fortunate:
Your ftatue spouting blood in many pipes,
In which so many smiling Romans bath'd,
Signifies, that from you great Rome shall fuck
Reviving blood; and that great men shall prefs
60 For tinctures, ftains, relicks, and cognisance 3.

i. e. I never paid a ceremonious or fuperftitious regard to prodigies or omens. 2 To burtle is, perhaps, to clash, or move with violence and noise. 3 There are two allufions in this speech; one to coats armorial, to which princes make additions, or give new tinctures, and new marks of cognisance; the other to martyrs, whofe reliques are preferved with veneration. The Romans, fays Decius, all come to you as to a faint, for reliques, as to a prince, for honours.

This

"WhenCæfar'swife fhall meet with better dreams." 10
If Cæfar hide himself, shall they not whisper,
"Lo, Cæfar is afraid?"

Pardon me, Cæfar; for my dear, dear love

To your proceeding bids me tell you this;
And reafon to my love is liable '.

[phurnia?
Caf. How foolish do your fears seem now, Cal-
I am ashamed I did yield to them.—
Give me my robe, for I will go:-
Enter Publius, Brutus, Ligarius, Metellus, Cafea,
Trebenius, and Cinna.

And look where Publius is come to fetch me.
Pub. Good morrow, Cæfar.
Caf. Welcome, Publius.-

What, Brutus, are you stirr'd so early too?—
Good-morrow, Cafca.-Caius Ligarius,
Cæfar was ne'er fo much your enemy,

As that fame ague which hath made you lean.-
What is't o'clock?

Bra. Cæfar, 'tis ftrucken eight.

Par. I would have had thee there, and here a-
15 Ere I can tell thee what thou should'st do there.
O conftancy, be ftrong upon my fide!

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!
20 Art thou here yet?

Luc. Madam, what should I do?
Run to the Capitol, and nothing else?
And fo return to you, and nothing else?

[well,

Per. Yes, bring me word, boy, if thy lord look
25 For he went fickly forth: And take good note,
What Cæfar doth, what fuitors press to him.
Hark, boy! what noise is that?

Luc. I hear none, madam.

Per. Pr'ythee, liften well:

Caf. I thank you for your pains and courtefy. 30I heard a bustling rumour, like a fray,

Now, Cinna :-Now, Metellus :-What, Trebo-
I have an hour's talk in ftore for you;
Remember that you call on me to day:
Be near me, that I may remember you.
Treb. Cæfar, I will:-and fo near will I be,
[Afide.

That your best friends fhall wish I had been further.
Caf. Good friends, go in, and tafte fome wine
with me;

And we, like friends, will straightway go together.
Bra. That every like is not the fame, O Cæfar,
The heart of Brutus yerns to think upon! [Exeunt.
SCENE III.

A Street near the Capitol.

1401

And the wind brings it from the Capitol.
Luc. Sooth, madam, I hear nothing.

Enter Soothsayer.

Por. Come hither, fellow: Which way haft

Pur. Is Cæfar yet gone to the Capitol?

Sootb. Madam, not yet; I go to take my stand, To fee him pafs on to the Capitol.

[not?

Por. Thou haft fome fuit to Cæfar, haft thou
Sooth. That I have, lady, if it will please Cæfar
To be fo good to Cæfar, as to hear me :
451 fhall befeech him to befriend himself.

Por. Why, know'st thou any harm's intended
towards him? [fear may chance.
Sooth. None that I know will be, much that I
Good-morrow to you. Here the street is narrow:
50 The throng that follows Cæfar at the heels,
Of fenators, of prætors, common fuitors,
Will crowd a feeble man almost to death:
I'll get me to a place more void, and there
Speak to great Cæfar as he comes along.
Per. I must go in.-Ay me! how weak a thing
The heart of woman is! O Brutus!
The heavens speed thee in thine enterprize!
Sure, the boy heard me :-Brutus hath a fuit,
That Cæfar will not grant.-O, I grow faint :-
Run, Lucius, and commend me to my lord;
Say, I am merry: come to me again,
And bring me word what he doth fay to thee.

Enter Artemidorus, reading a Paper. "Cæfar, beware of Brutus; take heed of Caf"fius; come not near Casca; have an eye to "Cinna; truft not Trebonius; mark well Me-55 "tellus Cimber: Decius Brutus loves thee not;| "thou haft wrong'd Caius Ligarius. There is "but one mind in all thefe men, and it is bent "against Cæfar. If thou be'ft not immortal, look "about you: fecurity gives way to confpiracy. 6c The mighty gods defend thee!

"Thy lover,

• i. c. fubordinate.

"ARTEMIDORUS."

i. c. the fates join with traitors in contriving thy destruction.

[Exit.

[Excunt.

ACT

SCENE I.

The Street, and then

ACT III.

Art. O, Cæfar, read mine firft; for mine's a
That touches Cæfar nearer: Read it, great Cæfar. 15
Caf. What touches us ourfelf, fhall be laft
ferv'd.

Art. Delay not, Cæfar; read it instantly.
Caf. What, is the fellow mad?

Pub. Sirrah, give place.

Caf. What, urge you your petitions in the street? Come to the Capitol.

[Cafar enters the Capitol, the reft following.] Pop. I wish, your enterprize to-day may thrive. Caf. What enterprize, Popilius?

Pop. Fare you well.

Bru. What faid Popilius Lena?

[thrive.

20

Met. Is there no voice more worthy than my
own,

To found more fweetly in great Cæfar's ear,
For the repealing of my banish'd brother?

Bru. I kifs thy hand, but not in flattery, Cæfar;
Defiring thee, that Publius Cimber may
Have an immediate freedom of repeal.
Caf. What, Brutus!

Caf. Pardon, Cæfar; Cæfar, pardon:
As low as to thy foot doth Caffius fall,
To beg enfranchisement for Publius Cimber.

Caf. I could be well mov'd, if I were as you;
If I could pray to move, prayers would move me:
25 But I am conftant as the northern ftar,
Of whofe true-fixt, and refting quality,
There is no fellow in the firmament.
The fkies are painted with unnumbred sparks,
They are all fire, and every one doth shine;
But there's but one in all doth hold his place:
So, in the world; 'Tis furnish'd well with men,
And men are flesh and blood, and apprehensive*;
Yet, in the number, I do know but one
That unaffailable holds on his rank,

Bru. Look, how he makes to Cæfar: Mark 30
Caf. Cafca, be fudden, for we fear prevention.
Brutus, what shall be done? If this be known,
Caffius, or Cæfar, never fhall turn back,
For I will flay myself.

Bru. Caffius, be constant:

Popilius Lena fpeaks not of our purposes;

For, look, he fmiles, and Cæfar doth not change.
Caf. Trebonius knows his time; for, look you,
Brutus,

35 Unfhak'd of motion: and, that I am he,
Let me a little fhew it, even in this;
That I was constant Cimber should be banish'd,
And conftant do remain to keep him so.
Cin. O Cæfar,-

401

He draws Mark Antony out of the way.
[Exeunt Ant. and Treb.
Dec. Where is Metellus Cimber? Let him go,
And prefently prefer his fuit to Cæfar. [him.
Bru. He is addreft': prefs near, and fecond
Cin. Cafca, you are the first that rear your hand. 45
Caf. Are we all ready? What is now amifs,
That Cæfar, and his fenate, muft redress?

Met. Moft high, most mighty, and most puiffant
Cæfar,

Metellus Cimber throws before thy feat [Kneeling.

An humble heart :

Caf. I must prevent thee, Cimber.

Thefe couchings, and these lowly courtefies,

Might fire the blood of ordinary men;

And turn pre-ordinance 2, and first decree,

Caf. Hence! Wilt thou lift up Olympus?
Dec. Great Cæfar,-

Caf. Doth not Brutus bootlefs kneel?
Cafca. Speak, hands, for me.

[They flab Cafar. Caf. Et tu, Brute ?Then fall, Cæfar!

[Dies Cin. Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead!Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets.

Caf. Some to the common pulpits, and cry out, 50" Liberty, freedom, and enfranchisement!"

'55

Bru. People, and senators! be not affrighted;
Fly not; ftand ftill:-ambition's debt is paid.
Cafca. Go to the pulpit, Brutus.
Dec. And Caffius too.
Bru. Where's Publius?

1 i. e. he is ready. 2 Pre-ordinance, for ordinance already established. 3 Dr. Johnson propofes to read, "the law of children. That is, change pre-ordinance and decree into the law of children; into fuch flight determinations as every start of will would alter."

4 i. e. fufceptible of fear, or other paffions.

Cin

Men, wives, and children, ftare, cry out, and run, 15|
As it were dooms-day.

Bru. Fates! we will know your pleasures:
That we fhall die, we know; 'tis but the time,
And drawing days out, that men stand upon.

Cas. Why, he that cuts off twenty years of life, 20 Who else must be let blood, who else is rank2: Cuts off fo many years of fearing death.

Bru. Grant that, and then is death a benefit:
So are we Cæfar's friends, that have abridg'd
His time of fearing death.-Stoop, Romans, stoop,
And let us bathe our hands in Cæfar's blood
Up to the elbows, and befmear our swords:
Then walk we forth, even to the market-place:
And, waving our red weapons o'er our heads,
Let's all cry, Peace! Freedom! and Liberty!

If I myself, there is no hour fo fit

As Cæfar's death's hour; nor no inftrument

Of half that worth, as thofe your fwords, made
rich

25 With the most noble blood of all this world.
I do befeech ye, if you bear me hard,

Now, whilft your purpled hands do reek and smoke,
Fulfil your pleasure. Live a thousand years,
I fhall not find myself fo apt to die:

Caf. Stoop then, and wash.-How many ages 30 No place will please me fo, no mean of death,

hence,

Shall this our lofty scene be acted over,

In states unborn, and accents yet unknown?

Bru. How many times fhall Cæfar bleed in sport, That now on Pompey's bafis lies along,

No worthier than the duft?

Caf. So oft as that shall be,

So often fhall the knot of us be call'd

The men that gave their country liberty.
Dec. What, fhall we forth?

Caf. Ay, every man away:

Brutus fhall lead; and we will grace his heels
With the most boldest and best hearts of Rome.
Enter a Servant.

As here by Cæfar, and by you cut off,
The choice and mafter fpirits of this age.

Bru. O Antony! beg not your death of us.
Though now we must appear bloody and cruel,
35 As, by our hands, and this our prefent act,
You fee we do; yet fee you but our hands,
And this the bleeding bufinefs they have done :
Our hearts you see not, they are pitiful;
And pity to the general wrong of Rome

40 (As fire drives out fire, fo pity, pity)

Bru. Soft, who comes here? A friend of An-145
tony's.
[kneel;

Serv. Thus, Brutus, did my mafter bid me
Thus did Mark Antony bid me fall down;
And, being proftrate, thus he bade me say,
Brutus is noble, wife, valiant, and honeft;
Cæfar was mighty, bold, royal, and loving:
Say, I love Brutus, and I honour him;
Say, I fear'd Cæfar, honour'd him, and lov'd him.
If Brutus will vouchsafe, that Antony
May fafely come to him, and be refolv'd
How Cæfar hath deferv'd to lie in death,
Mark Antony shall not love Cæfar dead
So well as Brutus living; but will follow
The fortunes and affairs of noble Brutus,
Thorough the hazards of this untrod state,

Hath done this deed on Cæfar. For your part,
To you our fwords have leaden points, Mark
Antony:

Our arms, in ftrength of malice, and our hearts,
Of brother's temper, do receive you in,
With all kind love, good thoughts, and reverence 3.
Caf. Your voice fhall be as ftrong as any man's,
In the difpofing of new dignities.

Bru. Only be patient, 'till we have appeas'd
50 The multitude, befide themfelves with fear,
And then we will deliver you the cause,
Why I, that did love Cæfar when I ftruck him,
Have thus proceeded.

Ant. I doubt not of your wifdom.

55 Let each man render me his bloody hand:
First, Marcus Brutus, will I shake with you ;-
Next, Caius Caffius, do I take your hand ;-
Now, Decius Brutus, yours;-now yours, Me-

tellus ;

60 Yours, Cinna;-and, my valiant Casca, yours ;—

1 This use of two negatives, not to make an affirmative, but to deny more strongly, is common to our ancient writers. 2 i. e. who elfe is grown too high for the public fafety. 3 Brutus' meining 15, Antony, our arms, ftrong in the deed of malice they have juft perform'd, and our hearts, united like thofe of brothers in the action, are yet open to receive you with all poffible affection.

Сся

Though

Though laft, not least in love, yours, good Tre-
bonius.

Gentlemen, all, alas! what shall I say?
My credit now stands on such slippery ground,
That one of two bad ways you must conceit me,
Either a coward, or a flatterer.-

That I did love thee, Cæfar, O, 'tis true:

If then thy fpirit look upon us now,

Shall it not grieve thee, dearer than thy death,
To fee thy Antony making his peace,
Shaking the bloody fingers of thy foes,
Moft noble! in the prefence of thy corfe?
Had I as many eyes as thou haft wounds,
Weeping as faft as they ftream forth thy blood,
It would beconfe me better, than to close
In terms of friendship with thine enemies.
Pardon me, Julius!-Here waft thou bay'd, brave
hart;

Here didft thou fall; and here thy hunters ftand,
Sign'd in thy spoil, and crimson'd in thy lethe1.
O world! thou waft the foreft to this hart;
And, this, indeed, O world, the heart of thee.-
How like a deer, ftrucken by many princes,
Doft thou here lie?

Caf. Mark Antony,

Ant. Pardon me, Caius Caffius:
The enemies of Cæfar fhall fay this;
Then, in a friend, it is cold modesty.

Caf. I blame you not for praising Cæfar fo;
But what compact mean you to have with us?
Will you be prick'd in number of our friends;
Or fhall we on, and not depend on you? [indeed,
Ant. Therefore I took your hands; but was,
Sway'd from the point, by looking down on Cæfar.
Friends am I with you all, and love you all;
Upon this hope, that you shall give me reasons,
Why, and wherein, Cæfar was dangerous.

Bru. Or elfe were this a favage spectacle:
Our reafons are fo full of good regard,
That were you, Antony, the son of Cæfar,
You should be fatisfied.

Ant. That's all I feek:

And am moreover fuitor, that I may
Produce his body to the market-place;
And in the pulpit, as becomes a friend,
Speak in the order of his funeral.

Bru. You fhall, Mark Antony.

Caf. Brutus, a word with you.

You know not what you do; Do not confent, [Afide.
That Antony speak in his funeral:

Know you how much the people may be mov'd
By that which he will utter?

Bru. By your pardon ;--

I will myfelf into the pulpit first,

And fhew the reafon of our Cæfar's death:
What Antony fhall fpeak, I will protest
He fpeaks by leave and by permiffion;
And that we are contented, Cæfar fhall
Have all true rites and lawful ceremonies.
It shall advantage more than do us wrong.
Caf. I know not what may fall: I like it not.
Bru. Mark Antony, here, take you Cæfar's body.

Manet Antony.

Ant. O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth, That I am meek and gentle with these butchers! 15 Thou art the ruins of the noblest man,

That ever lived in the tide 2 of times.
Woe to the hand that shed this coftly blood!
Over thy wounds now do I prophesy,-
Which, like dumb mouths, do ope their ruby lips,
20 To beg the voice and utterance of my tongue;➡
A curfe fhall light upon the limbs 3 of men;
Domeftick fury, and fierce civil ftrife,
Shall cumber all the parts of Italy:
Blood and deftruction shall be so in use,
25 And dreadful objects fo familiar,

That mothers fhall but smile, when they behold
Their infants quarter'd with the hands of war;
All pity choak'd with custom of fell deeds:
And Cæfar's fpirit, ranging for revenge,
30 With Ate by his fide, come hot from hell,
Shall in thefe confines, with a monarch's voice,
Cry, Havock 4, and let flip the dogs of war;
That this foul deed fhall fmell above the earth
With carrion men, groaning for burial.
Enter a Servant.
You ferve Octavius Cæfar, do you not?
Serv. I do, Mark Antony.

1351

Ant. Cæfar did write for him, to come to Rome.
Serv. He did receive his letters, and is coming:
40 And bid me fay to you by word of mouth,-
O Cæfar!-

[Seeing the body.
Ant. Thy heart is big; get thee apart and weep.
Paffion, I fee, is catching; for mine eyes,
Seeing those beads of forrow stand in thine,
45 Began to water. Is thy mafter coming?
Serv. He lies to-night within feven leagues of
Rome,
[hath chanc'd:
Ant. Poft back with speed, and tell him what
Here is a mourning Rome, a dangerous Rome,
50 No Rome of safety for Octavius yet;

Hie hence, and tell him fo. Yet, stay a while;
Thou shalt not back, 'till I have borne this corte
Into the market-place: there fhall I try,
In my oration, how the people take

55 The cruel iffue of thefe bloody men;
According to the which, thou fhalt difcourfe
To young Octavius of the ftate of things.
Lend me your hand. [Exeunt, with Cafar's body.

60

SCENE II.

Lethe was a common French word, fignifying death or deftruction, from the Latin lethum, and ufed

2 i. e. the courfe of times.

in that fenfe by many of the old tranflators of novels. 3 Dr. Johníon propofes to read, " thefe lymms of men ;" that is, these bloodbounds of men. 4 See note ', p. 722.

Brx.