The Tragedy of Julius Caesar: ACT I , SCENE II. A public place.

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar: ACT I


	Introduction

	ACT I

		SCENE I. Rome. A street.

		SCENE II. A public place.

		SCENE III. The same. A street.

	ACT II

	ACT III

	ACT IV

	ACT V

	About the Play

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SCENE II. A public place.

Flourish. Enter CAESAR; ANTONY, for the course; CALPURNIA, PORTIA, DECIUS BRUTUS, CICERO, BRUTUS, CASSIUS, and CASCA; a great crowd following, among them a Soothsayer

CAESAR

Calpurnia!

CASCA

Peace, ho! Caesar speaks.

CAESAR

Calpurnia!

CALPURNIA

Here, my lord.

CAESAR

5 Stand you directly in Antonius' way,
When he doth run his course. Antonius!

ANTONY

Caesar, my lord?

CAESAR

      Forget not, in your speed, Antonius,
      To touch Calpurnia; for our elders say,
10    The barren, touched in this holy chase,
      Shake off their sterile curse.

ANTONY

I shall remember:
When Caesar says 'do this,' it is perform'd.

CAESAR

Set on; and leave no ceremony out.

Flourish

Soothsayer

15 Caesar!

CAESAR

Ha! who calls?

CASCA

Bid every noise be still: peace yet again!

CAESAR

      Who is it in the press that calls on me?
      I hear a tongue, shriller than all the music,
20    Cry 'Caesar!' Speak; Caesar is turn'd to hear.

Soothsayer

Beware the ides of March.

CAESAR

What man is that?

BRUTUS

A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March.

CAESAR

Set him before me; let me see his face.

CASSIUS

25 Fellow, come from the throng; look upon Caesar.

CAESAR

What say'st thou to me now? speak once again.

Soothsayer

Beware the ides of March.

CAESAR

He is a dreamer; let us leave him: pass.

Sennet. Exeunt all except BRUTUS and CASSIUS

CASSIUS

Will you go see the order of the course?

BRUTUS

30 Not I.

CASSIUS

I pray you, do.

BRUTUS

      I am not gamesome: I do lack some part
      Of that quick spirit that is in Antony.
      Let me not hinder, Cassius, your desires;
35    I'll leave you.

CASSIUS

      Brutus, I do observe you now of late:
      I have not from your eyes that gentleness
      And show of love as I was wont to have:
      You bear too stubborn and too strange a hand
40    Over your friend that loves you.

BRUTUS

      Cassius,
      Be not deceived: if I have veil'd my look,
      I turn the trouble of my countenance
      Merely upon myself. Vexed I am
45    Of late with passions of some difference,
      Conceptions only proper to myself,
      Which give some soil perhaps to my behaviors;
      But let not therefore my good friends be grieved--
      Among which number, Cassius, be you one--
50    Nor construe any further my neglect,
      Than that poor Brutus, with himself at war,
      Forgets the shows of love to other men.

CASSIUS

      Then, Brutus, I have much mistook your passion;
      By means whereof this breast of mine hath buried
55    Thoughts of great value, worthy cogitations.
      Tell me, good Brutus, can you see your face?

BRUTUS

No, Cassius; for the eye sees not itself,
But by reflection, by some other things.

CASSIUS

      'Tis just:
60    And it is very much lamented, Brutus,
      That you have no such mirrors as will turn
      Your hidden worthiness into your eye,
      That you might see your shadow. I have heard,
      Where many of the best respect in Rome,
65    Except immortal Caesar, speaking of Brutus
      And groaning underneath this age's yoke,
      Have wish'd that noble Brutus had his eyes.

BRUTUS

      Into what dangers would you lead me, Cassius,
      That you would have me seek into myself
70    For that which is not in me?

CASSIUS

      Therefore, good Brutus, be prepared to hear:
      And since you know you cannot see yourself
      So well as by reflection, I, your glass,
      Will modestly discover to yourself
75    That of yourself which you yet know not of.
      And be not jealous on me, gentle Brutus:
      Were I a common laugher, or did use
      To stale with ordinary oaths my love
      To every new protester; if you know
80    That I do fawn on men and hug them hard
      And after scandal them, or if you know
      That I profess myself in banqueting
      To all the rout, then hold me dangerous.

Flourish, and shout

BRUTUS

What means this shouting? I do fear, the people
85 Choose Caesar for their king.

CASSIUS

Ay, do you fear it?
Then must I think you would not have it so.

BRUTUS

      I would not, Cassius; yet I love him well.
      But wherefore do you hold me here so long?
90    What is it that you would impart to me?
      If it be aught toward the general good,
      Set honour in one eye and death i' the other,
      And I will look on both indifferently,
      For let the gods so speed me as I love
95    The name of honour more than I fear death.

CASSIUS

      I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus,
      As well as I do know your outward favour.
      Well, honour is the subject of my story.
      I cannot tell what you and other men
100   Think of this life; but, for my single self,
      I had as lief not be as live to be
      In awe of such a thing as I myself.
      I was born free as Caesar; so were you:
      We both have fed as well, and we can both
105   Endure the winter's cold as well as he:
      For once, upon a raw and gusty day,
      The troubled Tiber chafing with her shores,
      Caesar said to me 'Darest thou, Cassius, now
      Leap in with me into this angry flood,
110   And swim to yonder point?' Upon the word,
      Accoutred as I was, I plunged in
      And bade him follow; so indeed he did.
      The torrent roar'd, and we did buffet it
      With lusty sinews, throwing it aside
115   And stemming it with hearts of controversy;
      But ere we could arrive the point proposed,
      Caesar cried 'Help me, Cassius, or I sink!'
      I, as Aeneas, our great ancestor,
      Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder
120   The old Anchises bear, so from the waves of Tiber
      Did I the tired Caesar. And this man
      Is now become a god, and Cassius is
      A wretched creature and must bend his body,
      If Caesar carelessly but nod on him.
125   He had a fever when he was in Spain,
      And when the fit was on him, I did mark
      How he did shake: 'tis true, this god did shake;
      His coward lips did from their colour fly,
      And that same eye whose bend doth awe the world
130   Did lose his lustre: I did hear him groan:
      Ay, and that tongue of his that bade the Romans
      Mark him and write his speeches in their books,
      Alas, it cried 'Give me some drink, Titinius,'
      As a sick girl. Ye gods, it doth amaze me
135   A man of such a feeble temper should
      So get the start of the majestic world
      And bear the palm alone.

Shout. Flourish

BRUTUS

      Another general shout!
      I do believe that these applauses are
140   For some new honours that are heap'd on Caesar.

CASSIUS

      Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world
      Like a Colossus, and we petty men
      Walk under his huge legs and peep about
      To find ourselves dishonourable graves.
145   Men at some time are masters of their fates:
      The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
      But in ourselves, that we are underlings.
      Brutus and Caesar: what should be in that 'Caesar'?
      Why should that name be sounded more than yours?
150   Write them together, yours is as fair a name;
      Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well;
      Weigh them, it is as heavy; conjure with 'em,
      Brutus will start a spirit as soon as Caesar.
      Now, in the names of all the gods at once,
155   Upon what meat doth this our Caesar feed,
      That he is grown so great? Age, thou art shamed!
      Rome, thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods!
      When went there by an age, since the great flood,
      But it was famed with more than with one man?
160   When could they say till now, that talk'd of Rome,
      That her wide walls encompass'd but one man?
      Now is it Rome indeed and room enough,
      When there is in it but one only man.
      O, you and I have heard our fathers say,
165   There was a Brutus once that would have brook'd
      The eternal devil to keep his state in Rome
      As easily as a king.

BRUTUS

      That you do love me, I am nothing jealous;
      What you would work me to, I have some aim:
170   How I have thought of this and of these times,
      I shall recount hereafter; for this present,
      I would not, so with love I might entreat you,
      Be any further moved. What you have said
      I will consider; what you have to say
175   I will with patience hear, and find a time
      Both meet to hear and answer such high things.
      Till then, my noble friend, chew upon this:
      Brutus had rather be a villager
      Than to repute himself a son of Rome
180   Under these hard conditions as this time
      Is like to lay upon us.

CASSIUS

I am glad that my weak words
Have struck but thus much show of fire from Brutus.

BRUTUS

The games are done and Caesar is returning.

CASSIUS

185   As they pass by, pluck Casca by the sleeve;
      And he will, after his sour fashion, tell you
      What hath proceeded worthy note to-day.

Re-enter CAESAR and his Train

BRUTUS

      I will do so. But, look you, Cassius,
      The angry spot doth glow on Caesar's brow,
190   And all the rest look like a chidden train:
      Calpurnia's cheek is pale; and Cicero
      Looks with such ferret and such fiery eyes
      As we have seen him in the Capitol,
      Being cross'd in conference by some senators.

CASSIUS

195 Casca will tell us what the matter is.

CAESAR

Antonius!

ANTONY

Caesar?

CAESAR

      Let me have men about me that are fat;
      Sleek-headed men and such as sleep o' nights:
200   Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look;
      He thinks too much: such men are dangerous.

ANTONY

Fear him not, Caesar; he's not dangerous;
He is a noble Roman and well given.

CAESAR

      Would he were fatter! But I fear him not:
205   Yet if my name were liable to fear,
      I do not know the man I should avoid
      So soon as that spare Cassius. He reads much;
      He is a great observer and he looks
      Quite through the deeds of men: he loves no plays,
210   As thou dost, Antony; he hears no music;
      Seldom he smiles, and smiles in such a sort
      As if he mock'd himself and scorn'd his spirit
      That could be moved to smile at any thing.
      Such men as he be never at heart's ease
215   Whiles they behold a greater than themselves,
      And therefore are they very dangerous.
      I rather tell thee what is to be fear'd
      Than what I fear; for always I am Caesar.
      Come on my right hand, for this ear is deaf,
220   And tell me truly what thou think'st of him.

Sennet. Exeunt CAESAR and all his Train, but CASCA

CASCA

You pull'd me by the cloak; would you speak with me?

BRUTUS

Ay, Casca; tell us what hath chanced to-day,
That Caesar looks so sad.

CASCA

Why, you were with him, were you not?

BRUTUS

225 I should not then ask Casca what had chanced.

CASCA

      Why, there was a crown offered him: and being
      offered him, he put it by with the back of his hand,
      thus; and then the people fell a-shouting.

BRUTUS

What was the second noise for?

CASCA

230 Why, for that too.

CASSIUS

They shouted thrice: what was the last cry for?

CASCA

Why, for that too.

BRUTUS

Was the crown offered him thrice?

CASCA

      Ay, marry, was't, and he put it by thrice, every
235   time gentler than other, and at every putting-by
      mine honest neighbours shouted.

CASSIUS

Who offered him the crown?

CASCA

Why, Antony.

BRUTUS

Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casca.

CASCA

240   I can as well be hanged as tell the manner of it:
      it was mere foolery; I did not mark it. I saw Mark
      Antony offer him a crown;--yet 'twas not a crown
      neither, 'twas one of these coronets;--and, as I told
      you, he put it by once: but, for all that, to my
245   thinking, he would fain 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
250   refused it, the rabblement hooted and clapped their
      chapped hands and threw up their sweaty night-caps
      and uttered such a deal of stinking breath because
      Caesar refused the crown that it had almost choked
      Caesar; for he swounded and fell down at it: and
255   for mine own part, I durst not laugh, for fear of
      opening my lips and receiving the bad air.

CASSIUS

But, soft, I pray you: what, did Caesar swound?

CASCA

He fell down in the market-place, and foamed at
mouth, and was speechless.

BRUTUS

260 'Tis very like: he hath the failing sickness.

CASSIUS

No, Caesar hath it not; but you and I,
And honest Casca, we have the falling sickness.

CASCA

      I know not what you mean by that; but, I am sure,
      Caesar fell down. If the tag-rag people did not
265   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.

BRUTUS

What said he when he came unto himself?

CASCA

      Marry, before he fell down, when he perceived the
270   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 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
275   he fell. When he came to himself again, he said,
      If he had done or said any thing amiss, he desired
      their worships to think it was his infirmity. Three
      or four wenches, where I stood, cried 'Alas, good
      soul!' and forgave him with all their hearts: but
280   there's no heed to be taken of them; if Caesar had
      stabbed their mothers, they would have done no less.

BRUTUS

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

CASCA

Ay.

CASSIUS

Did Cicero say any thing?

CASCA

285 Ay, he spoke Greek.

CASSIUS

To what effect?

CASCA

      Nay, an I tell you that, Ill 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
290   part, it was Greek to me. I could tell you more
      news too: Marullus and Flavius, for pulling scarfs
      off Caesar's images, are put to silence. Fare you
      well. There was more foolery yet, if I could
      remember it.

CASSIUS

295 Will you sup with me to-night, Casca?

CASCA

No, I am promised forth.

CASSIUS

Will you dine with me to-morrow?

CASCA

Ay, if I be alive and your mind hold and your dinner
worth the eating.

CASSIUS

300 Good: I will expect you.

CASCA

Do so. Farewell, both.

Exit

BRUTUS

What a blunt fellow is this grown to be!
He was quick mettle when he went to school.

CASSIUS

      So is he now in execution
305   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.

BRUTUS

310   And so it is. For this time I will leave you:
      To-morrow, if you please to speak with me,
      I will come home to you; or, if you will,
      Come home to me, and I will wait for you.

CASSIUS

I will do so: till then, think of the world.

Exit BRUTUS

315   Well, Brutus, thou art noble; yet, I see,
      Thy honourable metal may be wrought
      From that it is disposed: therefore it is meet
      That noble minds keep ever with their likes;
      For who so firm that cannot be seduced?
320   Caesar 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,
325   Writings all tending to the great opinion
      That Rome holds of his name; wherein obscurely
      Caesar's ambition shall be glanced at:
      And after this let Caesar seat him sure;
      For we will shake him, or worse days endure.

Exit

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