Which gives men stomach to digest his words Bru. And so it is. For this time I will leave you: As if they came from several citizens, Writings, all tending to the great opinion 5 Do so conjointly meet, let not men say, Cic. Indeed, it is a strange-disposed time: Casca. He doth: for he did bid Antonius 10 Send word to you, he would be there to-mor Cic. Good-night then, Casca: this disturbed Is not to walk in. 15 Casca. Your ear is good. Cassius, what nig Cas. A very pleasing night to honest men. That Rome holds of his name; wherein obscurely 20 Casca. Who ever knew the heavens nienace Cæsar's ambition shall be glance at: And, after this, let Cæsar seat him sure; For we will shake him, or worse days endure. SCENE III. A Street. [Exit. Why are you breathless? and why stare you so? Casca. Are you not mov'd, when all the sway of earth 3 Shakes, like a thing unfirm? O Cicero, Cic. Why, saw you any thing more wonderful Casca. A common slave (you know him well by sight) Held up his left hand, which did flame, and burn Who glar'd upon me, and went surly by, Cas. Those, that have known the earth so fu faults. For my part, I have walk'd about the streets Submitting me unto the perilous night; 25 And, thus unbraced, Casca, as you see, 30 35 Have bar'd my bosom to the thunder-stone: And,when the cross blue lightning seem'd to o The breast of heaven, I did present myself E'en in the aim and very flash of it. Casca. But wherefore did you so much ter the heavens? It is the part of men to fear and tremble, When the most mighty gods, by tokens, sen Such dreadful heralds to astonish us. Cas. You are dull, Casca; and those spark That should be in a Roman, you do want, Or else you use not: You look pale, and gaz And put on fear, and cast yourself in wonder. To see the strange impatience of the heavens 40But if you would consider the true cause, 45 Why all these fires, why all these gliding gho 50 Now could I, Casca, name to thee a man That thunders, lightens, opens graves, and As doth the lion in the Capitol: 6 A man no mightier than thyself, or me, 55 In personal action; yet prodigious grown, And fearful, as these strange eruptions are. Casca.'Tis Cæsarthatyou mean: Isitnot, Cass Cas. Let it be who it is: for Romans now Have thews' and limbs like to their ancestor 60 But, woe the while! our fathers' minds are d And we are govern'd with our mothers' spirit 1i.e. The best metal or temper may be worked into qualities contrary to its original constitu The meaning is, Casar loves Brutus; but if Brutus and I were to change places. his love should not hur And he shall wear his crown by sea, and land, Cas. I know where I will wear this dagger then; Casca. So can I: So every bondman in his own hand bears Cas. And why should Cæsar be a tyrant then? So vile a thing as Cæsar? But, O, grief! It favours like the work we ha 5 Most bloody, fiery, and most t Enter Cinna. Casca. Stand close awhile, fo in haste. Cas. 'Tis Cinna, I do know h 10 He is a friend.-Cinna, where Cin. To find out you: Who' Cimber? 15 Cas. No, it is Casca; one inc Cas. Be you content: Good Ci Where hast thou led me? I, perhaps, speak this 30 And so bestow these papers as yo Before a willing bondman: then I know My answer must be made: But I am arm'd, Casca. You speak to Casca; and to such a man Cas. There's a bargain made. Now know you, Casca, I have mov'd already Cas. That done, repair to Poin Come, Casca, you and I will, yet See Brutus at his house: three p 35 s ours already; and the man ent Upon the next encounter, yields Casca. O, he sits high in all the p And that, which would appear of His countenance, like richest aich 40 Will change to virtue, and to wort Cas. Him, and his worth, and ou You have right well conceited. For it is after midnight; and, ere We will awake him, and be sure of And then, I grant, we put a sting in him, Re-enter Lucius. Luc. The taper burneth in your closet, sir. Searching the window for a flint, I found This paper, thus seal'd up; and, I am sure, It did not lie there, when I went to bed. Bru. Get you to bed again, it is not day. Is not to-morrow, boy, the ides of March? Luc. I know not, sir. Bru. Look in the kalendar, and bring me word. Luc. I will, sir. [Exit. Bru. The exhalations, whizzing in the air, Give so much light, that I may read by them. [Opens the letter, and reads. "Brutus, thou sleep'st; awake, and see thyself. "Shall Rome-Speak, strike, redress! 66 Brutus, thou sleep'st; awake,—” Such instigations have been often dropp'd Where I have took them up. [Exit Lucius. They are the faction. O conspiracy! 15 Sham'st thou to shew thy dangerous brow by night, When evils are most free? O, then, by day, Where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough [racy; To mask thy monstrous visage? Seek none, conspiHide it in similes, and affability: 20 For if thou path, thy native semblance on', Not Erebus itself were dim enough 25 30 To hide thee from prevention. Enter Cassius, Casca, Decius, Cinna, Metellus,and Trebonius. Cas. I think, we are too bold upon your rest: Good morrow, Brutus; Do we trouble you? Bru. I have been up this hour; awake,all night. Know I these men, that come along with you? Cas. Yes, every man of them; and no man here, But honours you: and every one doth wish, You had but that opinion of yourself, Which every noble Roman bears of you. This is Trebonius. "Shall Rome" Thus must I piece it out; 66 To speak, and strike? O Rome, I make thee proIf the redress will follow, thou receivest [mise, Thy full petition at the hand of Brutus ! Re-enter Lucius. 45 [Exit Lucius. 50 Since Cassius first did whet me against Cæsar, Between the acting of a dreadful thing, 55 Bru. He is welcome too. Cas. This, Casca; this, Cinna; And this, Metellus Cimber. Bru. They are all welcome. What watchful cares do interpose themselves Betwixt your eyes and night? [They whisper Cas. Shall I entreat a word? Here, As I point my sword, the sun arises; Bru. Give me your hands all over, one by one. Cas. And let us swear our resolution. Bru. No, not an oath; If not the face of men, 4 i. e. pity. i. e. common observation, or experience. 3 i. e. low steps. Shakspeare here describes what passes in a single bosom, the insurrection which a conspirator feels agitating the little kingdom of his own mind; when the genius, or power that watches for his protection, and the mortal instruments, the passions which excite him to a deed of honour and danger, are in council and debate; when the desire of action, and the care of safety, keep the mind in continual fluctuation and disturbance. * Cassius married Junia, Brutus' sister. i. e. if thou walk in thy true form. 6 And every man hence to his idle bed; Nor th' insuppressive mettle of our spirits, If he do break the smallest particle Cas. But what of Cicero? Shall we sound him? I think, he will stand very strong with us. Met. O, let us have him; for his silver hairs [him; Bru. O, naine him not: let us not break with Cas. Then leave him out. [Cæsar Dec. Shall no man else be touch'd, but only [Cassius, Treb. There is no fear in him; Bru. Peace, count the clock. Cas. But it is doubtful yet, 35 Dec. Never fear that: If he be For I can give his humour the tru Bru. Our course will seem too bloody, Caius 50 Let us be sacrificers, but not bucthers, Caius. Perhaps the poet here alludes to the custom of decimation, i.e. the selection by lot, soldier, in a general mutiny, for punishment. 2 i. e. cautious. That is, tur Unicorns are said to have been taken by one who, running behind a tree, eluded the vi animal was making at him, so that his horn spent its force on the trunk, and stuck fast, beast till he was dispatched by the hunter.-Bears are reported to have been surprised mirror, which they would gaze on, affording their pursuers an opportunity of taking -Elephants were seduced into pitfalls lightly covered with hurdles and turf, on which a tempt them was exposed. i. e. hates Cæsar. Cas. The morning comes upon us: We'll leave And, friends, disperse yourselves: but all remember mans. Bru. Good gentlemen, look fresh and merrily; Let not our looks put on our purposes; But bear it as our Roman actors do, With untir'd spirits, and formal constancy: 5 I charm you, by my once-commended beaut Bru. Kneel not, gentle Portia. And so, good-morrow to you every one. [Exeunt. 10 Por. I should not need, if you were gentle Br Manet Brutus. Boy! Lucius!-Fast asleep? It is no matter; Enter Portia. Por. Brutus, my lord! [now? Bru.Portia,what mean you? Wherefore rise you Stole from my bed: And yesternight, at supper, Bru. I am not well in health, and that is all. Bru. Why, so I do :-Good Portia, go to bed. Within the bond of marriage, tell me, Brutus 145 50 [Exit Po Enter Lucius and Ligarius. Lucius, who is that knocks? [ Luc. Here is a sick man that would speak Bru. Caius Ligarius, that Metellus spake a Boy, stand aside.-Caius Ligarius! how? Lig. Vouchsafe good morrow from a fe tongue, [C= Bru. O, what a time have you chose out, b To wear a kerchief? Would you were not si Lig. I am not sick, if Brutus have in hand Any exploit worthy the name of honour. Bru, Such an exploit have I in hand, Liga 55 Had you a healthful ear to hear of it. Lig. By all the gods, that Romans bow be: 1 Comfort your bed, "is but an odd phrase, and gives as odd an idea," says Mr. Theobald. therefore substitutes, consort. But this good old word, however disused through modern refinem was not so discarded by Shakspeare. Henry VIII, as we read in Cavendish's Life of Wolsey, in c mendation of queen Katharine, in public said, "She hath beene to me a true obedient wife, an "comfortable as I could wish.' In our marriage ceremony, also, the husband promises to comfor |