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am fure, Cæfar fell down. If the tag-rag people did not clap him, and hifs him, according as he pleas'd, and difpleas'd them, as they use to do the players in the theatre, I am no true man.

Bru. What faid he, when he came unto himself? Cafca. Marry, before he fell down, when he perceiv'd the common herd was glad he refus'd the crown, he pluck'd me ope his doublet, and offer'd them his throat to cut.—Ân I had been a man of any occupation, if I would not have taken him at a word, I would I might go to hell among the rogues:-and fo he fell. When he came to himself again, he faid, If he had done, or faid, any thing amifs, he der'd their worships to think it was his infirmity. Three or four wenches, where I stood, cry'd, Alas, good foul! -and forgave him with all their hearts: But there's no heed to be taken of them; if Cæfar had stabb'd their mothers, they would have done no lefs.

Bru. And after that, he came thus fad, away?
Cafca. Ay.

Caf. Did Cicero fay any thing?
Cafea. Ay, he fpoke Greek.
Caf. To what effect?

Cafca. Nay, an I tell you that, I'll ne'er look you ' the face again: But thofe, that understood him, fmil'd at one another, and fhook their heads: but, for mine own part, it was Greek to me. I could tell you more news too: Marullus and Flavius, for pulling fcarfs off Cæfar's images, are put to filence. Fare you well. There was more foolery yet, if I

could remember it.

Caf. Will you fup with me to-night, Cafca?
Cafca. No, I am promis'd forth.

Caf. Will you dine with me to-morrow?

Cafca.

Cofca. Ay, if I be alive, and your mind hold, and your dinner worth the eating.

Caf. Good; I will expect you.

Cafca. Do fo: Farewel both.

[Exit.

Bru. What a blunt fellow is this grown to be?

He was quick metal, when he went to school.
Caf. So is he now, in execution

Of any bold or noble enterprize,

However he puts on this tardy form.

This rudeness is a fauce to his good wit,
Which gives men ftomach to digeft his words
With better appetite.

Bru. And fo it is. For this time I will leave you:
To-morrow, if you please to speak with me,
I will come home to you; or, if you will,
Come home to me, and I will wait for you.
Caf. I will do fo:-'till then, think of the world.
[Exit BRUTUS.
Well, Brutus, thou art noble: yet, 1 fee,
Thy honourable metal may be wrought
From that it is difpos'd: Therefore 'tis meet
That noble minds keep ever with their likes:
For who fo firm, that cannot be feduc'd?
Cæfar doth bear me hard; but he loves Brutus:
If I were Brutus now, and he were Caffius,
He should not humour me. I will this night,
In feveral hands, in at his windows throw,'
As if they came from feveral citizens,
Writings, all tending to the great opinion
That Rome holds of his name; wherein obfcurely
Cæfar's ambition fhall be glanced at:

And, after this, let Cæfar feat him fure;

For we will fhake hin, or worse days endure. [Exit.

B 2

SCENE

SCENE III. A fireet. Thunder and lightning.

Enter CASCA, his fword drawn; and CICERO, meeting him.

Cic. Good even, Cafca: Brought you Cæfar home? Why are you breathless? and why stare you fo? Cafea. Are you not mov'd, when all the fway of Shakes, like a thing unfirm? O Cicero, [earth I have seen tempefts, when the fcolding winds Have riv'd the knotty oaks; and I have feen The ambitious ocean fwell, and rage, and foam, To be exalted with the threat'ning clouds: But never 'till to-night, never 'till now, Did I go through a tempeft dropping fire. Either there is a civil ftrife in heaven; Or elfe the world, too faucy with the gods, Incenfes them to fend destruction.

Cic. Why, faw you any thing more wonderful? Cafca. A common flave (you know him well by fight)

Held up his left hand, which did flame, and burn, Like twenty torches join'd; and yet his hand, Not fenfible of fire, remain'd unfcorch'd.

Befides (I have not fince put up my fword),

Against the Capitol I met a lion,

Who glar'd upon me, and went furly by,

Without annoying me: And there were drawn
Upon a heap a hundred ghaftly women,

Transformed with their fear; who fwore, they faw
Men, all in fire, walk up and down the streets.
And, yesterday, the bird of night did fit,
Even at noon-day, upon the market-place,
Hooting and fhrieking. When these prodigies

Do

Do fo conjointly meet, let not men say,
Thefe are their reafons,-They are natural;
For, I believe, they are portentous things
Unto the climate, that they point upon.

Cic. Indeed, it is a strange-difpofed time:
But men may conftrue things after their fashion,
Clean from the purpofe of the things themselves.
Comes Cæfar to the Capitol to-morrow?

Cafea. He doth; for he did bid Antonius Send word to you, he would be there to-morrow. Cic. Good night then, Casca: this disturbed sky Is not to walk in.

Cafea. Farewel, Cicero.

Enter CASSIUS.

Caf. Who's there?

Cafca. A Roman.

Caf. Cafca, by your voice.

[Exit CICERO.

Cafea. Your ear is good. Caffius, what night is this? Caf. A very pleasing night to honest men.

Cafea. Who ever knew the heavens menace fo? Caf. Thofe, that have known the earth fo full of faults. For my part, I have walk'd about the streets, Submitting me unto the perilous night; And, thus unbraced, Cafca, as you fee, Have bar'd my bofom to the thunder-stone : And, when the cross blue lightning feem'd to open The breaft of heaven, I did prefent myself Even in the aim and very flash of it.

Cafca. But wherefore did you so much tempt the

heavens ?

It is the part of men to fear and tremble,

When the most mighty gods, by tokens, fend
Such dreadful heralds to astonish us.
B 3

Caf.

Caf. You are dull, Cafca; and those sparks of life
That fhould be in a Roman, you do want,
Or elfe you ufe not: You look pale, and gaze,
And put on fear, and cast yourself in wonder,
To fee the strange impatience of the heavens :
But if you would confider the true caufe,
Why all thefe fires, why all these gliding ghosts,
Why birds and beafts, from quality and kind;
Why old men, fools, and children calculate;
Why all these things change, from their ordinance,
Their natures, and pre-formed faculties,

To monftrous quality; why, you fhall find,
That heaven hath infufed them with these spirits,
To make them inftruments of fear, and warning,
Unto fome monstrous state.

Now could I, Cafca, name to thee a man
Moft like this dreadful night;

That thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roars
As doth the lion in the Capitol :

A man no mightier than thyself, or me,
In perfonal action; yet prodigious grown,
And fearful, as thefe ftrange eruptions are.

Cafea. 'Tis Cæfar that you mean: Is it not, Caffius?
Caf. Let it be who it is: for Romans now
Have thews and limbs like to their ancestors;
But, woe the while! our fathers' minds are dead,
And we are govern'd with our mothers' fpirits ;
Our yoke and fufferance fhew us womanish.

Cafca. Indeed, they fay, the fenators to-morrow, Mean to establish Cæfar as a king:

And he fhall wear his crown, by fea, and land,
In every place, fave here in Italy.

Caf. I know where I will wear this dagger then; Caffius from bondage will deliver Caffius:

Therein,

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