60

And, thus unbraced, Casca, as you see,

48 Have bar'd my bosom to the thunder-stone; And, when the cross blue lightning seem’d to open The breast of heaven, I did present myself Even in the aim and very flash of it.

52 Casca. 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 send
Such dreadful heralds to astonish us.

56
Cas. You are dull, Casca, and those sparks of life
That should be in a Roman you do want,
Or else you use not. You look pale, and

gaze, And put on fear, and cast yourself in wonder, To see the strange impatience of the heavens; But if you would consider the true cause Why all these fires, why all these gliding ghosts, Why birds and beasts, from quality and kind, 64 Why old men, fools, and children calculate, Why all these things change from their ordinance, Their natures, and pre-formed faculties, To monstrous quality,—why, you shall find That heaven hath infus'd them with these spirits To make them instruments of fear and warning Unto some monstrous state. Now could I, Casca, name to thee a man

72 Most 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

68

In personal action, yet prodigious grown
And fearful as these strange eruptions are.
Casca. 'Tis Cæsar that you mean; is it not, Cas-

sius?
Cas. Let it be who it is: for Romans now 80
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' spirits;
Our yoke and sufferance show us womanish. 84

Casca. Indeed, they say the senators to-morrow Mean to establish Cæsar as a king; And he shall wear his crown by sea and land, In every place, save here in Italy.

88 Cas. I know where I will wear this dagger then; Cassius from bondage will deliver Cassius: Therein, ye gods, you make the weak most strong; Therein, ye gods, you tyrants do defeat:

92 Nor stony tower, nor walls of beaten brass, Nor airless dungeon, nor strong links of iron, Can be retentive to the strength of spirit: But life, being weary of these worldly bars, 96 Never lacks power to dismiss itself. If I know this, know all the world besides, That part of tyranny that I do bear I can shake off at pleasure.

Thunder still. Casca.

So can I:

100 So every

bondman in his own hand bears The power to cancel his captivity.

Cas. And why should Cæsar be a tyrant then? Poor man! I know he would not be a wolf 104 But that he sees the Romans are but sheep;

108

116

He were no lion, were not Romans hinds.
Those that with haste will make a mighty fire
Begin it with weak straws; what trash is Rome,
What rubbish, and what offal, when it serves
For the base matter to illuminate
So vile a thing as Cæsar! But, O grief,
Where hast thou led me? I, perhaps, speak this 112
Before a willing bondman; then I know
My answer must be made: but I am arm'd,
And dangers are to me indifferent.

Casca. You speak to Casca, and to such a man
That is no fleering tell-tale. Hold, my hand:
Be factious for redress of all these griefs,
And I will set this foot of mine as far
As who goes furthest.
Cas.

There's a bargain made.
Now know you, Casca, I have mov'd already
Some certain of the noblest-minded Romans
To undergo with me an enterprise
Of honourable-dangerous consequence;
And I do know by this they stay for me
In Pompey's porch: for now, this fearful night,
There is no stir, or walking in the streets;
And the complexion of the element

128
In favour's like the work we have in hand,
Most bloody, fiery, and most terrible.
Casca. Stand close awhile, for here comes one in

120

124

Cas. 'Tis Cinna; I do know him by his gait: He is a friend.

Enter Cinna.

Cinna, where haste you so? 133 Cin. To find out you.

Who's that? Metellus Cimber? Cas. No, it is Casca; one incorporate To our attempts. Am I not stay'd for, Cinna? Cin. I am glad on't. What a fearful night is this!

137 There's two or three of us have seen strange sights.

Cas. Am I not stay'd for? Tell me.
Cin.

Yes, you are. O Cassius, if you could

140 But win the noble Brutus to our party

Cas. Be you content. Good Cinna, take this paper, And look you lay it in the prætor's chair, Where Brutus may but find it; and throw this 144 In at his window; set this up with wax Upon old Brutus' statue: all this done, Repair to Pompey's porch, where you shall find us. Is Decius Brutus and Trebonius there?

148 Cin. All but Metellus Cimber; and he's gone To seek you at your house. Well, I will hie, And so bestow these papers as you bade me. Cas. That done, repair to Pompey's theatre. 152

Exit Cinna. Come, Casca, you and I will yet ere day See Brutus at his house: three parts of him Is ours already, and the man entire Upon the next encounter yields him ours.

156 Casca. O, he sits high in all the people's hearts: 135 incorporate: joined, affiliated 143 prætor's chair: official seat of judge in Roman tribunal 150 hie: hasten away

And that which would appear offence in us,
His countenance, like richest alchemy,
Will change to virtue and to worthiness.

160
Cas. Him and his worth and our great need of him
You have right well conceited. Let us go,
For it is after midnight; and ere day
We will awake him and be sure of him.

164 Exeunt.

ACT SECOND

Scene One

8

Enter Brutus in his Orchard. Bru. What, Lucius ! ho! I cannot, by the progress of the stars, Give guess how near to day. Lucius, I say! I would it were my fault to sleep so soundly. When, Lucius, when? Awake, I say! what, Lucius !

Enter Lucius. Luc. Call'd you, my lord?

Bru. Get me a taper in my study, Lucius: When it is lighted, come and call me here. Luc. I will, my lord.

Exit. Bru. It must be by his death: and, for my part, I know no personal cause to spurn at him, But for the general. He would be crown'd: How that might change his nature, there's the ques

12