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Por. I should not need, if you were gentle Brutus. Within the bond of marriage, tell me, Brutus,

Is it excepted I should know no secrets

That appertain to you? Am I yourself
But, as it were, in sort or limitation,

To keep with you at meals, comfort your bed,

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And talk to you sometimes? Dwell I but in the

suburbs

Of your good pleasure? If it be no more,

Portia is Brutus' harlot, not his wife.

Bru. You are my true and honourable wife, As dear to me as are the ruddy drops

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That visit my sad heart.

Por. If this were true then should I know this

secret.

I grant I am a woman, but, withal,

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A woman that Lord Brutus took to wife;

I grant I am a woman, but, withal,

A woman well-reputed, Cato's daughter.

Think you I am no stronger than my sex,
Being so father'd and so husbanded?

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Tell me your counsels, I will not disclose 'em.
I have made strong proof of my constancy,
Giving myself a voluntary wound,

Here, in the thigh: can I bear that with patience
And not my husband's secrets?

Bru.
Render me worthy of this noble wife!

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O ye gods,

Knock [within].

Hark, hark! one knocks.

Portia, go in awhile;

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And by and by thy bosom shall partake

The secrets of my heart.

283 in... limitation: only after a fashion or with restrictions 292 withal: with this saving reservation

295 Cato: Marcus Porcius Cato, 'of Utica'

All my engagements I will construe to thee,
All the charactery of my sad brows.

308

Exit Portia.

Lucius, who's that knocks?

Leave me with haste.

Enter Lucius and Ligarius.

Luc. Here is a sick man that would speak with you. Bru. Caius Ligarius, that Metellus spoke of. Boy, stand aside. Caius Ligarius! how?

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Lig. Vouchsafe good morrow from a feeble tongue.
Bru. O what a time have you chose out, brave
Caius,

To wear a kerchief! Would you were not sick!
Lig. I am not sick if Brutus have in hand
Any exploit worthy the name of honour.

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Bru. Such an exploit have I in hand, Ligarius, Had you a healthful ear to hear of it.

Lig. By all the gods that Romans bow before,
I here discard my sickness! Soul of Rome,
Brave son, deriv'd from honourable loins,
Thou, like an exorcist, hast conjur'd up
My mortified spirit. Now bid me run,
And I will strive with things impossible;
Yea, get the better of them. What's to do?

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Bru. A piece of work that will make sick men whole.

Lig. But are not some whole that we must make sick?

Bru. That must we also. What it is, my Caius, I shall unfold to thee as we are going

To whom it must be done.

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307 engagements: undertakings that I stand committed to construe: explain

309 who's: who is it

308 charactery: writing, message 313 Vouchsafe: vouchsafe to receive

315 kerchief: swathing for the head of the sick 323 exorcist: magician

331 To whom: to him to whom

324 mortified: deadened

Lig.

Set on your foot,

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Thunder.

Follow me then.

Exeunt.

And with a heart new-fir'd I follow you,
To do I know not what; but it sufficeth
That Brutus leads me on.

Bru.

Scene Two

[Cæsar's House]

Thunder and lightning. Enter Julius Cæsar in his

night-gown.

Cas. Nor heaven nor earth have been at peace to

night:

Thrice hath Calpurnia in her sleep cried out,
'Help, ho! They murder Cæsar!' Who's within?
Enter a Servant.

Serv. My lord!

Cæs. Go bid the priests do present sacrifice, And bring me their opinions of success.

Serv. I will, my lord.

Enter Calpurnia.

Exit.

Cal. What mean you, Cæsar? Think you to walk forth?

You shall not stir out of your house to-day.

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Cæs. Cæsar shall forth: the things that threaten'd

me

Ne'er look'd but on my back; when they shall see
The face of Cæsar, they are vanished.

Cal. Cæsar, I never stood on ceremonies,

Scene Two S. d. night-gown: dressing-gown

5 present: immediate

13 stood on ceremonies: laid stress on omens

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6 success: the future

Yet now they fright me.

There is one within,

Besides the things that we have heard and seen,
Recounts most horrid sights seen by the watch.
A lioness hath whelped in the streets;

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And graves have yawn'd and yielded up their dead;
Fierce fiery warriors fought upon the clouds,

In ranks and squadrons and right form of war,
Which drizzled blood upon the Capitol;

The noise of battle hurtled in the air,

Horses did neigh, and dying men did groan,

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And ghosts did shriek and squeal about the streets. 24 O Cæsar, these things are beyond all use,

And I do fear them.

Cæs.

What can be avoided

Whose end is purpos'd by the mighty gods?
Yet Cæsar shall go forth; for these predictions
Are to the world in general as to Cæsar.

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Cal. When beggars die there are no comets seen; The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of

princes.

Cas. Cowards die many times before their deaths;

The valiant never taste of death but once.
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,

Will come when it will come.

Enter a Servant.

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What say the augurers?

Serv. They would not have you to stir forth to-day. Plucking the entrails of an offering forth,

20 right form: regular formations

22 hurtled: emitted sounds of conflict, clashed

25 use: previous experience

27 end: accomplishment

29 Are to: are as applicable to

They could not find a heart within the beast.

Cæs. The gods do this in shame of cowardice:
Cæsar should be a beast without a heart
If he should stay at home to-day for fear.
No, Cæsar shall not; danger knows full well
That Cæsar is more dangerous than he:
We are two lions litter'd in one day,
And I the elder and more terrible:
And Cæsar shall go forth.

Cal.

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Your wisdom is consum'd in confidence.

Do not go forth to-day: call it my fear

That keeps you in the house, and not your own.
We'll send Mark Antony to the senate-house,
And he shall say you are not well to-day:
Let me, upon my knee, prevail in this.

Cæs. Mark Antony shall say I am not well;
And, for thy humour, I will stay at home.

Enter Decius.

Here's Decius Brutus, he shall tell them so.

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Dec. Cæsar, all hail! Good morrow, worthy Cæ

sar:

I come to fetch you to the senate-house.

Cæs. And you are come in very happy time
To bear my greeting to the senators,
And tell them that I will not come to-day:
Cannot, is false, and that I dare not, falser;
I will not come to-day: tell them so, Decius.
Cal. Say he is sick.

Cæs.
Shall Cæsar send a lie?
Have I in conquest stretch'd mine arm so far
To be afeard to tell greybeards the truth?
Decius, go tell them Cæsar will not come.
49 confidence: over-confidence

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56 humour: whim, caprice

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