have had it. Then he offered it to him again; then he put it by again; but, to my thinking, he was very loath to lay his fingers off it. And then he offered it the third time; he put it the third time by; and still as he refused it the rabblement shouted and clapped their chopped hands, and 245 threw up their sweaty night-caps, and uttered such a deal of stinking breath because Cæsar refused the crown, that it had almost choked Cæsar; for he swounded and fell down at it: and for mine own part, I durst not laugh, for fear of opening my lips and receiving the bad air. Cas. But soft, I pray you: what! did Cæsar swound?

Casca. He fell down in the market-place, and foamed at mouth, and was speechless. Bru. 'Tis very like: he hath the falling-sickness. Cas. No, Cæsar hath it not; but you, and I, And honest Casca, we have the falling-sickness.

252

Casca. I know not what you mean by that; 258 but I am sure Cæsar fell down. If the tag-rag people did not clap him and hiss him, according as he pleased and displeased them, as they use to do the players in the theatre, I am no true

man.

Bru. What said he, when he came unto himself?

263

Casca. Marry, before he fell down, when he perceiv'd the common herd was glad he refused the crown, he plucked me ope his doublet and offered them his throat to cut. An I had been a 268

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 so he fell. When he came to himself again, he said, if he had done or said anything amiss, he desired their worships to 273 think it was his infirmity. Three or four wenches, where I stood, cried, 'Alas, good soul!' and forgave him with all their hearts: but there's no heed to be taken of them; if Cæsar had stabbed their mothers, they would have done no less.

Bru. And after that he came, thus sad, away?

Casca. Ay.

Cas. Did Cicero say anything?

Casca. Ay, he spoke Greek.

Cas. To what effect?

Casca. Nay, an I tell you that, I'll ne'er look you i' the face again; but those that understood him smiled at one another and shook their heads; but, for mine own part, it was Greek to me. I could tell you more news too; Marullus and Flavius, for pulling scarfs off Cæsar's images, are put to silence. Fare you well. There was more foolery yet, if I could remember it.

Cas. Will you sup with me to-night, Casca?

Casca. No, I am promised forth.

Cas. Will you dine with me to-morrow?

Casca. Ay, if I be alive, and your mind hold,

and your dinner worth the eating.

Cas. Good; I will expect you.

Casca. Do so. Farewell, both.

269 occupation: artisan's calling

291 put to silence: dismissed, not killed

294 I have a previous engagement (to dine out)

279

284

292

297

Exit.

Bru. What a blunt fellow is this grown to be! He was quick mettle when he went to school. Cas. So is he now in execution

Of any bold or noble enterprise,

However he puts on this tardy form.

This rudeness is a sauce to his good wit,

Which gives men stomach to digest his words

With better appetite.

300

304

Bru. And so it is. For this time I will leave

you:

To-morrow, if you please to speak with me,

308

I will come home to you; or, if you will,

Come home to me, and I will wait for you.
Cas. I will do so: till then, think of the world.

312

Exit Brutus.

Well, Brutus, thou art noble; yet, I see,
Thy honourable metal may be wrought
From that it is dispos'd: therefore 'tis meet
That noble minds keep ever with their likes;
For who so firm that cannot be seduc'd?
Cæsar doth bear me hard; but he loves Brutus:
If I were Brutus now and he were Cassius,
He should not humour me. I will this night,

In several hands, in at his windows throw,
As if they came from several citizens,
Writings all tending to the great opinion

316

320

That Rome holds of his name; wherein obscurely 324 Cæsar's ambition shall be glanced at:

And after this let Cæsar seat him sure;

For we will shake him, or worse days endure.

301 quick mettle: high-spirited

Exit.

304 However: notwithstanding that tardy form: sluggish manner

312 the world: public affairs

318 bear me hard: dislike me

321 several hands: different handwritings

315 that: that to which

320 He. ... me; cf. n.

327 or... endure: or suffer disastrous consequences of our attempt

Scene Three

[A Street]

Thunder and lightning. Enter [from opposite sides] Casca [with his sword drawn] and Cicero.

Cic. Good even, Casca: brought you Cæsar home? Why are you breathless? and why stare you so? Casca. Are not you mov'd, when all the sway of earth

Shakes like a thing unfirm? O Cicero!

I have seen tempests, when the scolding winds
Have riv'd the knotty oaks; and I have seen
The ambitious ocean swell 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 tempest dropping fire.
Either there is a civil strife in heaven,

Or else the world, too saucy with the gods,
Incenses them to send destruction.

122

Cic. Why, saw you anything more wonderful? Casca. A common slave-you know him well by sight

Held up his left hand, which did flame and burn
Like twenty torches join'd; and yet his hand,
Not sensible of fire, remain'd unscorch'd.
Besides, I have not since put up my sword,-
Against the Capitol I met a lion,

Who glar'd upon me, and went surly by,
Without annoying me; and there were drawn
Upon a heap a hundred ghastly women,
Transformed with their fear, who swore they saw

1 brought: escorted

14 more: else (or, extraordinarily)

18 sensible of: vulnerable by, sensitive to

16

20

20

24

3 sway: settled order

22, 23 drawn .. heap: crowded together in a body

Men all in fire walk up and down the streets.
And yesterday the bird of night did sit,
Even at noon-day, upon the market-place,
Hooting and shrieking. When these prodigies
Do so conjointly meet, let not men say,
"These are their reasons, they are natural';
For, I believe, they are portentous things
Unto the climate that they point upon.

Cic. Indeed, it is a strange-disposed time:
But men may construe things after their fashion,
Clean from the purpose of the things themselves.
Comes Cæsar to the Capitol to-morrow?

Casca. 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.

Casca.

Farewell, Cicero.

28

32

36

40

Casca. Your ear is good. Cassius, what night is this!

Cas. A very pleasing night to honest men.

Casca. Who ever knew the heavens menace so? 44 Cas. Those that have known the earth so full of faults.

For my part, I have walk'd about the streets,

Submitting me unto the perilous night,

26 bird of night: owl

32 climate: clime, region

point upon: apply to

33 strange-disposed: of strange character

34 after

35 Clean

fashion: according to men's own human predilection
purpose: quite apart from the true meaning

39 sky: air, state of weather

42 what night: what a night