1 Besides the things that we have heard and seen, And graves have yawn'd, and yielded up their dead: In ranks, and squadrons, and right form of war, The noise of battle hurtled in the air, 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. Cal. When beggars die, there are no comets seen; The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes. Cæs. Cowards die many times before their The valiant never taste of death but once. Will come, when it will come. Re-enter a Servant. What say the augurers? Serv. They would not have you to stir forth Plucking the entrails of an offering forth, Cas. The gods do this in shame of cowardice: Cæsar should be a beast without a heart, 8 Encountered. No, Cæsar shall not: Danger knows full well, Cal. Alas, my lord, 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. Caes. Mark Antony shall say, I am not well; Here's Decius Brutus, he shall tell them so. I come to fetch you to the senate-house. Cæs. And you are come in very happy time, And tell them, that I will not come to-day : Cæs. Shall Cæsar send a lię? Have I in conquest stretch'd mine arm so far, To be afeard to tell grey-beards the truth? Decius, go tell them, Cæsar will not come. Dec. Most mighty Cæsar, let me know some cause, Lest I be laugh'd at, when I tell them so. But, for your private satisfaction, know. Calphurnia here, my wife, stays me at home: Hath begg'd, that I will stay at home to-day. Your statue spouting blood in many pipes, Cæs. And this way have you well expounded it. Dec. I have, when you have heard what I can say: And know it now; The senate have concluded Pardon me, Cæsar; for my dear, dear love Cæs. How foolish do your fears seem now, Calphurnia? I am ashamed I did yield to them. 9 Subordinate. Enter PUBLIUS, BRUTUS, LIGARIUS, METELLUS, And look where Publius is come to fetch me. Cæs. Welcome, Publius. Bru. Cæs. I thank you lean. Cæsar, 'tis strucken eight. you for your pains and courtesy. Enter ANTONY. See! Antony, that revels long o' nights, Good morrow, Antony. Ant. So to most noble Cæsar. Cas. Bid them prepare within: I am to blame to be thus waited for. Now, Cinna:-Now, Metellus:-What, Trebonius! Treb. Cæsar, I will: and so near will I be, [Aside. That your best friends shall wish I had been further. Cæs. Good friends, go in, and taste some wine with me; And we, like friends, will straightway go together. Bru. That every like is not the same, O Cæsar, The heart of Brutus yearns to think upon! [Exeunt. I Grieves. SCENE III. A Street near the Capitol. Enter ARTEMIDORUS, reading a Paper. Art. Cæsar, beware of Brutus; take heed of Cassius; come not near Casca; have an eye to Cinna; trust not Trebonius; mark well Metellus Cimber; Decius Brutus loves thee not; thou hast wronged Caius Ligarius. There is but one mind in all these men, and it is bent against Cæsar. Ifthou be'st not immortal, look about you: Security gives way to conspiracy. The mighty gods defend thee! Thy lover, Artemidorus. Here will I stand, till Cæsar pass along, If thou read this, O Cæsar, thou may'st live; [Exit. SCENE IV. Another Part of the same Street, before the House of Brutus. Enter PORTIA and LUCIUS. Por. I pr'ythee, boy, run to the senate-house; Stay not to answer me, but get thee gone : Why dost thou stay? Luc. To know my errand, madam. Por. I would have had thee there, and here again, Ere I can tell thee what thou should'st do there. |