Brutus. I have been up this hour, awake all night.
Know I these men that come along with you?
Cassius. Yes, every man of them; and no man here
But honors you; and every one doth wish

You had but that opinion of yourself

Which every noble Roman bears of you.
This is Trebonius.

Brutus.

He is welcome hither.

He is welcome too.

Cassius. This, Decius Brutus.

Brutus.

Cassius. This, Casca; this, Cinna; and this, Metellus

Cimber.

Brutus. They are all welcome.

Cassius. May I entreat a word?

[Brutus and Cassius retire to the back of the stage and talk in whispers.]

Decius. Here lies the east; doth not the day break here?
Casca. No.

Cinna. O, pardon, sir, it doth; and yon gray lines
That fret1 the clouds are messengers of day.

Casca. You shall confess that you are both deceived.
Here, as I point my sword, the sun arises.

Some two months hence up higher toward the north
He first presents his fire; and the high" east
Stands, as the Capitol, directly here.

[Brutus and Cassius come forward.]

Brutus. Give me your hands all over, one by one.

Cassius. And let us swear our resolution.

Brutus. No. What need an oath; when every drop of blood That every Roman bears, and nobly bears,

1

Is guilty of pollution

1 fret: variously interpreted by Shakespearean scholars as fleck, variegate, or mark with interlacing lines like fret-work.

2 high: due, full, perfect.

If he do break

The smallest promise that hath passed from him. Decius. Shall no man else be touched

But only Cæsar?

Cassius. Decius, well urged. I think it is not meet,1

Mark Antony, so well belov'd of Cæsar,

Should outlive Cæsar. We shall find of him

A shrewd contriver, and you know his means.
Let Antony and Cæsar fall together.

Brutus. Our course will seem too bloody, Caius Cassius,

To cut the head off and then hack the limbs;

For Antony is but a limb of Cæsar.

Cæsar must bleed for it! But, gentle friends,
Let's kill him boldly, not wrathfully;
Let's carve him as a dish fit for the gods.
We shall be called deliverers, not murderers.
And for Mark Antony, think not of him;
For he can do no more than Cæsar's arm
When Cæsar's head is off.

Cassius.

Yet I fear him.2

Trebonius. There is no fear of him; let him not die.

[A clocks begins to strike]

Brutus. Peace! count the clock.

It strikes three.

Trebonius. 'Tis time to part.

Brutus. Friends, disperse yourselves; but all remember What you have said, and show yourselves true Romans. [Exeunt all but Brutus L.]

[Exit Brutus R.]

1 meet: fit.

2 Yet I fear him. Cassius is unconvinced but avoids an argument, as he thinks Brutus' influence necessary to the success of the conspiracy

3 clock. The clock, of course, should not be seen. The Romans had no clocks which struck the time.

ACT III
Scene 1

The rising of the curtain reveals Cæsar going up the steps that lead to the area before the Roman Capitol. Metellus Cimber is seeking to detain him [and has hold of the bottom of Cæsar's toga]. The other conspirators [Brutus, Cassius, Casca, Decius, Trebonius, and Cinna] are grouped around, joining in Cimber's petition.1 Cæsar. [To Metellus.] I must prevent thee, Cimber. Thy brother by decree is banished;

If thou dost bend and pray and fawn for him,

I spurn thee like a cur out of my way.

Know, Cæsar doth not wrong, nor without cause
Will he be satisfied.

Cassius. Pardon, Cæsar.

Brutus. I kiss thy hand, but not in flattery, Cæsar. [Drops

to one knee.]

Cinna. O Cæsar,

Cæsar. Hence! wilt thou lift up Olympus??

Decius. Great Cæsar,

Cæsar.

Doth not Brutus bootless kneel?

Casca. Hands, speak for me!

Casca first stabs Cæsar in the back; then the other conspirators

stab, and last Marcus Brutus.3

Cæsar. You too, Brutus! Then fall, Cæsar!

And he dies.

Cinna. Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead! Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets. [Exit R.]

4

Cassius. Some to the common pulpits, and cry out

1 Various citizens and senators should also be on the stage if the number of players will permit.

2 Olympus (ō-lim'pus): the mountain upon which the Greek mythological gods were supposed to live.

3 and last Marcus Brutus. As Cæsar sees this, he pulls his toga over his face and falls.

4 common pulpits: public platforms in the Forum.

"Liberty, freedom, and enfranchisement!" Brutus.1 People and senators, be not affrighted; Fly not; stand still; ambition's debt is paid. Casca. Go to the pulpit, Brutus.

Decius.

And Cassius too.

[Reënter Cinna.]

Cassius. Where is Antony?

Cinna. Fled to his house amazed.

Men, wives, and children stare, cry out, and run
As it were doomsday.

Brutus.

Now to the market-place,

And, waving our red weapons o'er our heads, Let's all cry, "Peace, freedom, and liberty!" Cassius. How many ages hence

Shall this our lofty scene be acted over

In states unborn and accents yet unknown!
Brutus. How many times shall Cæsar bleed in sport,
Who now on Pompey's basis lies along 2

No worthier than the dust!

Cassius.

So oft as that shall be,

So often shall the knot of us be called
The men that gave their country liberty.
Shall we forth?

Decius.
Cassius.

Ay, every man away.

Brutus shall lead; and we will grace his heels
With the boldest and best hearts of Rome.

Antony enter 3 [R.].

Antony. O mighty Cæsar! dost thou lie so low?

Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils,

1 This speech must, of course, be omitted if the number of players did not admit of having a crowd of citizens and senators on the stage.

2 Who now on Pompey's basis lies along: Who now lies prostrate at the base of Pompey's statue.

3 Antony enters. Antony appears meek and downcast and speaks in a subdued voice.