O Cafar! these things are beyond all use,
And I do fear them.
Caf. What can be avoided
Whose end is purpos'd by the mighty Gods?
Yet Cafar shall go forth: For these Predictions
Are to the World in general, as to Cafar.
Cal. When Beggars die there are no Comets seen,
The Heav'ns themselves blaze forth the death of Princes.
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,
It seems to me most strange that Men should fear,
Seeing that Death, a necessary end,
Will come, when it will come.
Ser. They would not have you to ftir forth to Day.
Plucking the Entrails of an Offering forth,
They could not find a Heart within the Beast.
Caf. The Gods do this in shame of Cowardise:
Cafar should be a Beast without a Heart,
If he should stay at home to Day for fear:
No, Cafar shall not; Danger knows full well,
That Cafar is more dangerous than he.
We heard two Lions litter'd in one Day,
And I the elder and more terrible;
And Cafar shall go forth.
Cal. Alas, my Lord,
Your Wisdom 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 Senate-house,
And he shall say you are not well to Day :
Let me, upon my Knee, prevail in this.
Cas. Mark Antony shall say I am not well,
And for thy Humour, I will stay at home.
Enter Decius.
Here's Decius Brutus, he shall tell them so.
Dec. Cafar, all hail! Good Morrow, worthy Cafar,
I come to fetch you to the Senate-house.
Caf. 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:
Cannot is false, and that I dare not, falfer;
I will not come to Day; tell them so, Decius.
Cal. Say he is fick.
Caf. Shall Cafar send a Lie ?
Have I in Conquest stretcht mine Arm so far,
To be afraid to tell Grey-beards the Truth?
Decius, go tell them Cafar will not come.
Dec. Most mighty Cafar, let me know fome Cause, Left I be laught at when I tell them fo.
Caf. The Cause is in my Will, I will not come;
That is enough to fatisfie 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 last Night she saw my Statue,
Which like a Fountain, with an hundred Spouts,
Did run pure Blood; and many lusty Romans
Came smiling, and did bathe their Hands in it:
And these does the 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 fuck
Reviving Blood, and that Great Men shall press
For Tinctures, Stains, Relicks, and Cognisance.
This, by Calphurnia's Dream is signified.
Caf. And this way have you well expounded it.
Dec. I have, when you have heard what I can say;
And know it now, the Senate have concluded
To give this Day a Crown to mighty Cafar.
If you shall send them Word you will not come,
Their Minds may change. Befides, it were a mock
Apt to be render'd, for some one to say,
Break up the Senate 'till another time,
When Cafar's Wife shall meet with better Dreams:
If Cafar hide himself, shall they not whisper,
Lo, Cafar is afraid!
Pardon me, Cafar, for my dear dear Love,
To your Proceeding, bids me tell you this:
And Reason to my Love is liable.
Caf. 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 Brutus, Ligarius, Metellus, Caska, Trebonius,
And look where Publius is come to fetch me.
Pub. Good Morrow, Cafar.
Caf. Welcome, Publius.
What, Brutus, are you stirr'd so early too?
Good Morrow, Caska: Caius Ligarius,
Cafar was ne'er so much your Enemy,
As that same Ague which hath made you lean.
What is't a Clock?
Bru. Cafar, 'tis ftrucken eight.
Caf. I thank you for your Pains and Courtefie.
See Antony, that revels long a-nights,
Is notwithstanding up. Good Morrow, Antony.
Ant. So to most noble Cafar.
Caf. 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. Cafar, I will; and so near will I be,
That your best Friends shall wish I had been further.
Caf. 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 Cafar,
The Heart of Brutus earns to think upon.
SCENE III. The Street.
Enter Artimedorus reading a Paper.
Cæfar, beware of Brutus, take heed of Caffius, come not near Caska, have an Eye to Cinna, trust not Trebonius, mark well Metellus Cimber, Decius Brutus loves thee not; thou haft wrong'd Caius Ligarius. There is but one Mind in all these Men, and it is bent against Cæfar. If thou beest not Immortal, look about thee : Security gives way to Conspiracy. The mighty Gods defend thee.
Here will I stand, 'till Casar 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 Cafar, thou may'st live;
If not, the Fates with Traitors do contrive.
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,
E'er I can tell thee what thou shouldst do there-
O Constancy, be strong 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!-
Art thou here yet?
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 fickly forth: And take good note,
What Cafar doth, what Suitors press to him.
Hark Boy! what noise is that?
Luc. I hear none, Madam.
Por. Prithee listen well:
I heard a bustling Rumour like a Fray,
And the Wind brings it from the Capitol.
Luc. Sooth, Madam, I hear nothing.
Por. Come hither Fellow, which way hast thou been?
Art. At mine own House, good Lady.
Por. What is't a Clock?
Art. About the ninth hour, Lady.
Por. Is Cafar yet gone to the Capitol?
Art. Madam, not yet, I go to take my stand,
To see him pass on to the Capitol.
Por. Thou hast some Suit to Cafar, hast thou not?
Art. That I have, Lady, if it will please Cafar
To be fo good to Cafar, as to hear me:
I shall beleech him to befriend himself.
Por. Why know'st thou any harm's intended towards
Art. 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 Casar 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 Cafar as he comes along.
The Heart of Woman is ! O Brutus!
The Heav'ns speed thee in thine Enterprize.
Sure the Boy heard me: Brutus hath a Suit
That Cafar 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 say to thee.
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