75

Julius Caesar ACT 2 SC. 2

Scene 2
Thunder and lightning. Enter Julius Caesar in his
nightgown.
CAESAR
Nor heaven nor Earth have been at
Thrice hath Calphurmia in her sleeppeace tonight.
cried out
"Help ho, they murder Caesar!"Who's within?
Enter a Servant.

SERVANT My lord.
CAESAR
Go bid the priests do present sacrifice, 5
And bring me their opinions of success.
SERVANT I will, my lord. He exits.

Enter Calphurnia.
CALPHURNIA
What mean you, Caesar? Think you to walk forth?
You shall not stir out of your house today.
CAESAR
Caesar shall forth. The things that threatencd me 10
Ne'er looked but on my back. When they shall see
The face of Caesar, they are vanishèd.
CALPHURNIA
Caesar, I never stood on ceremonies,
Yet now they fright me. There is one within,
Besides the things that we have heard and seen, 15
Recounts most horrid sights seen by the watch.
A lioness hath whelpèd in the streets,
And graves have yawned and yielded up their dead.
Fierce fiery warriors fought upon the clouds
In ranks and squadrons and right form of war, 20
Which drizzled blood upon the Capitol.
The noise of battle hurtled in the air,
Horses did neigh, and dying men did groan,
 Julius Caesar ACT 2. SC. 2
77

And ghosts did shriek and squeal about the streets.

O
Cacsar, these things are beyond alluse, 25
And Ido fear them.
CAESAR What can be avoided
Whose end is purposed by the mighty gods?
Yet Caesar shall go forth, for these predictions
Are to the world in general as to Caesar. 30
CALPHURNIA
When beggars die there are no comets seen;
The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of
princes.
CAESAR
Cowards die many times before their deaths;
The valiant never taste of death but once. 3
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,
Willcomne when it will come.

Enter a Servant.

What say the augurers? 40

SERVANT
They would not have you to stir forth today.
Plucking the entrails of an offering forth,
They could not find a heart within the beast.
CAESAR
The gods do this in shame of cowardice.
Caesar should be a beast without a heart 45
If he should stay at home today for fear.
No, Caesar shall not. Danger knows full well
That Caesar is more dangerous than he.
We are two lions littered in one day,
And Ithe elder and more terrible. 50
And Caesar shall go forth.
CALPHURNIA Alas, my lord,
Your wisdom is consumed in confidence.
 ACT 2 SC. 2
81 Julius Caesar

She dreamt tonight 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. 85
And these does she apply for warnings and portents
And evils imminent, and on her knee
Hath begged that I will stay at home today.
DECIUS
This dream is all amiss interpreted.
It was a vision fair and fortunate.
90
Your statue spouting blood in many pipes,
In which so many smiling Romans bathed,
Signifies that from you great Rome shall suck
Reviving blood, and that great men shall press
For tinctures, stains, relics, and cognizance. 95
This by Calphurnia's dream is signified.
CAESAR

And this way have you well expounded it.

DECIUS
Ihave, when you have heard what I can say.
And know it now: the Senate have concluded
To give this day a crown to mighty Caesar. 100
If you shall send them word you will not come,
Their minds may change. Besides, it were a mock
Apt to be rendered, for someone to say
"Break up the Senate till another time,
When Caesar's wife shall meet with better dreams."
If Caesar hide himself, shall they not whisper 105
"Lo, Caesar is afraid"?
Pardon me, Caesar, for my dear dear love
To your proceeding bids me tell you this,
And reason to my love is liable.
CAESAR

How foolish do your fears seem now, Calphurnia!

110
lam ashamèd I did yield to them.
Give me my robe, for Iwill go.
 ACT 2 SC. 2
83 Julius Caesar

Enter Brutus, Ligarius, Metellus, Casca, Trebonius,

Cinna, and Publius.

And look where Publius is come to fetch me.

PUBLIUS
Good morrow, Cacsar.
CAESAR Welcome, Publius. 115
What, Brutus, are you stirred so early too?
Good morow, Casca.-Caius Ligarius,
Caesar was ne 'er so much your enemy
As that same ague which hath made you lean.
What is 'to'clock? 120
BRUTUS Caesar, 'tis strucken eight.
CAESAR
Ithank you for your pains and courtesy.
Enter Antony.

See, Antony that revels long a-nights

Is notwithstanding up.Good morrow, Antony.
ANTONY So to most noble Caesar. 125
CAESAR, to Servant Bid them prepare within.
Iam to blame to be thus waited for. Servant exits.1
Now, Cinna.-Now, Metellus.What, Trebonius,
Ihave an hour's talk in store for you.
Remember that you call on me today: 130
Be near me that I may remember you.
TREBONIUS
Caesar, I will. Aside. And so near will I be
That your best friends shall wish I had been further.
CAESAR

Good friends, go in and taste some wine with me,

And we, like friends, will straightway go together. 135
BRUTUS, faside
That every like is not the same, O Caesar,
The heart of Brutus carns to think upon.
They exit.
 ACT 2 SC. 4
85 Julius Caesar

Scene 31
Enter Artemidorus reading a paper.1
ARTEMIDORUS Caesar, 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 Caesar. Ifthou beest not
immortal, look about you. Security gives way to
conspiracy The mighty gods defend thee!
Thy lover.
Artemidorus 10
Here will Istand till Caesar pass along,
And as a suitor will Igive him this.
My heart laments that virtue cannot live
Out of the teeth of emulation.
If thou read this, O Caesar, thou mayest live; 15
If not, the Fates with traitors do contrive.
He exits.

rScene 4
Enter Portia and Lucius.
PORTIA
I prithee, boy, run to the Senate
Stay not to answer me, but get thee
House.
Why dost thou stay? gone.
LUCIUs
PORTIA
To know my errand, madam.
I would have had thee
there and here again
Ere I can tell thee what thou 5
shouldst do
Aside. Oconstancy, be strong upon mythere.
Set a huge mountain
'tween my
side;
I have a man's heart and
mind but a woman's might. tongue.
 87 Julius Caesar ACT 2 SC. 4

How hard it is for women keep counsel! 10

Art thou here yet?
LUCIUS Madam, what should I do?
Run to the Capitol, and nothing else?
And so retum to you, and nothing else?
PORTIA

Yes, bring me word, boy, if thy lord look well, 15

For he went sickly forth. And take good note
What Caesar doth., what suitors press to him.
Hark, boy, what noise is that?
LUCIUS Ihear none, madam.
PORTIA Prithee, listen well. 20
Iheard a bustling rumor like a fray,
And the wind brings it from the Capitol.
LUCIUS Sooth, madam, I hear nothing.

Enter the Soothsayer.

PORTIA
Come hither, fellow. Which way hast thou been?
soOTHSAYER At mine own house, good lady. 25
PORTIA What is 'to'clock?
SOOTHSAYER About the ninth hour, lady.
PORTIA
Is Caesar yet gone to the Capitol?
SOOTHSAYER
Madam, not yet. I go to take my stand
To see him pass on to the Capitol. 30
PORTIA
Thou hast some suit to Caesar, hast thou not?
SOOTHSAYER
That I have, lady. Ifit will please Caesar
To be so good to Caesar as to hear me,
Ishall bescech him to befriend himself.
PORTIA

Why, know'st thou any harm's intended towards 35

him?
 89 Julius Caesar ACT 2 SC.4

SOOTHSAYER
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 Cacsar at the heels,
40
of senators, of practors, common suitors,
Will crowd a feeble man almost to decath.
I'lget me to a place more void, and there
Speak to great Caesar as he comes along. He exits.
PORTIA
Imust go in. Aside. Ay me, how
The heart of woman is! O Brutus, weak thing
a 45
The heavens speed thee in thine
enterprise!
Sure the boy heard me. To Lucius.
suit
Brutus hath a
That Caesar will not grant. Aside. O, I grow
faint. 50
Run, Lucius, and commend me to my
Say Iam merry. Come to me lord.
again
And bring me word what he doth say to thee.
They exit separately.
 ACT3

fScene 11
Flourish. Enter Caesar, Antony, Lepidus: Brutus, Cassius.
Casca, Decius, Metellus, Trebonius,Cinna; Publius,
(Popilius, Artemidorus, the Soothsayer: and other
Senators and Petitioners.1
CAESAR The ides of March are come.
SOOTHSAYER Ay, Caesar, but not gone.
ARTEMIDORUS Hail, Caesar. Read this schedule.
DECIUS

Trebonius doth desire you to o'erread,

At your best leisure, this his humble suit.
ARTEMIDORUS
OCaesar, read mine first, for mine's a suit
That touches Caesar nearer. Read it, great Caesar.
CAESAR
What touches us ourself shall be last served.
ARTEMIDORUS
Delay not, Caesar; read it instantly.
CAESAR
What, is the fellow mad? 10
PUBLIUS Sirrah, give place.
CASSIUS
What, urge you your petitions in the street?
Come to the Capitol.
Caesar goes forward, the restfollowing.1
93
 95 Julius Caesar ACT 3. SC. I

POPILIUS, to Cassius
Iwish your enterprise today may thrive.
CASSIUS What enterprise, Popilius?
POPILIUS Fare you well. CHe walks away.l
BRUTUS What said Popilius Lena?
CASSIUS
He wished today our enterprise might thrive.
Ifear our purpose is discoverèd.
BRUTUS
Look how he makes to Caesar. Mark him.
CASSIUS 20
Casca, be sudden, for we fear prevention.
Brutus, what shall be done? If this be known,
Cassius or Caesar never shall turn back,
For I will slay myself.
BRUTUS
Cassius, be constant.
Popilius Lena speaks not of our purposes, 25
For look, he smiles, and Caesar doth not change.
CASSIUS
Trebonius knows his time, for look you, Brutus,
He draws Mark
Antony out of the way.
DECIUS Trebonius and Antony exit.
Where is Metellus Cimber? Let him
And go
BRUTUS
presently prefer his suit to Caesar. 30
He is
CINNA
addressed. Press near and second him.
Casca, you are the first that rears
CAESAR your hand.
Are we all ready?
That Caesar and hisWhat is now amiss
METELLUS, kneeling Senate must redress?
Most high, most 35
Metellus mighty, and most
An humble heart. throws before thy puissant Caesar.,
Cimber seat
 ACT 3. SC. I
Julius Caesar
97

CAESAR Imust prevent thee, Cimber. 40

These couchings and these lowly courtesies
Might fire the blood of ordinary men
And turn preordinance and first decree
Into the law of children. Be not fond
blood
To think that Caesar bears such rebel
45
That will be thawed from the true quality
With that which melteth fools-I mean sweet
words,
Low-crookèd curtsies, and base spaniel fawning.
Thy brother by decree is banishèd.
If thou dost bend and pray and fawn for him, 50
Ispurn thee like a cur out of my way.
Know: Caesar doth not wrong, nor without cause
Will he be satisfied.
METELLUS
Is there no voice more worthy than my own
To sound more sweetly in great Caesar's car $5
For the repealing of my banished brother?
BRUTUS, (kneeling?
Ikiss thy hand, but not in flattery, Caesar,
Desiring thee that Publius Cimber may
Have an immediate freedom of repeal.
CAESAR
What, Brutus?
60
CASSIUS, kneeling
Pardon, Caesar; Caesar, pardon!
As low as to thy foot doth Cassius fall
To beg enfranchisement for Publius Cimber.
CAESAR
I could be well
moved, if Iwere as you.
IfIcould pray to move, prayers would
But I am constant as the Northern Star, move me. 65
Of whose true fixed and
There is no fellow in the resting quality
The skies are painted withfirmament.
unnumbered sparks;