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And swim to yonder point? Upon the word,
Accouter'd 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
And stemming it with hearts of controversy.
But, ere we could arrive the point propos'd,
Cesar cried, Help me, Cassius, or I sink.
I, as Eneas, our great ancestor,

Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder
The old Anchises bear, so, from the waves of
Tyber

Did I the tired Cesar: And this man

Is now become a god; and Cassius is

A wretched creature, and must bend his body,
If Cesar carelessly but nod on him.
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,

Did lose its lustre: I did hear him groan :
Ay, and that tongue of his, that bade the

mans

Cas. I am glad, that my weak words

Have struck but thus much show of fire from Brutus.

Re-enter CESAR, and his train.

Bru. The games are done, and Cesar is re

turning.

Cas. 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.

Bru. I will do so :-But, look you, Cassius,
The angry spot doth glow on Cesar's brow,
And all the rest look like a chidden train:
Calphurnia'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.
Cas. Casca will tell us what the matter is.
Ces. Antonius.

Ant. Cesar.

Ces. Let me have men about me that are fat; Sleek-headed men, and such as sleep o'nights: Ro-Yond' Cassius has a lean and hungry look;

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,
A man of such a feeble temper⚫ should
So get the start of the majestic world,

And bear the palin alone. [Shout. Flourish.
Bru. Another general shout!

I do believe that these applauses are

For some new honours that are heap'd on Cesar. Cas. 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.
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 Cesar: What should be in that
Cesar?

Why should that name be sounded more than yours?

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 them, Brutus will start a spirit as soon as Cesar.

[Shout.
Now in the names of all the gods at once,
Upon what meat doth this our Cesar feed,
That he is grown so great? Age, thou art sham'd!
Rome, thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods!
When went there by an age, since the great flood,
But it was fain'd with more than with one man?
When could they say, till now, that talk'd of
Rome,

That her wide walks encompass'd but one man?
Now is it Rome indeed, and room enough,
When there is in it but one only man.
Oh! you and I have heard our fathers say,
There was a Brutus once, that would have
brook'd

The eternal devil to keep his state in Rome,
As easily as a king.

Bru. That you do love me, I am nothing
lous:

He thinks too much such men are dangerous.

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

Ces. 'Would he were fatter :-But I fear him not:

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,

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 mov'd to smile at any thing.
Such men as he, be never at heart's ease,
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 Cesar.
Come on my right hand, for this ear is deaf,
And tell me truly what thou think'st of him.

[Exeunt CESAR and his Train. CASCA
stays behind.

Casca. You pull'd me by the cloak; Would you speak with me?

Bru. Ay, Casca; tell us what hath chanc'd to-day, That Cesar looks so sad.

Casca. Why you were with him, were you not? Bru. I should not then ask Casca what had

chanc'd.

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

Bru. What was the second noise for ?
Casca. Why, for that too.

Cas. They shouted thrice; What was the last
cry for ?

Casca. Why, for that too.

Bru. Was the crown offer'd him thrice?

Cusca. Ay' marry, was't; and he put it by jea-thrice: every time gentler than other; and at every putting by, mine honest neighbours shouted. Cas. Who offered him the crown ? Casca. Why, Antony.

What you would work me to, I have some aim:
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 mov'd. What you have said,
I will consider; what you have to say,
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
Under such hard conditions as this time

Is like to lay upon us.

• Temperament, constitution. Lucius Junius Brutus. Not a citizen of Rome.

Bru. Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casca. Casca. 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 yon, he put it by once but, for all that, to my thinking, he would fain have had it. Then he offered it to hin again; then he put it by again: but, to my thinking, he was very loath to lay bis fingers off it. And then he offered it the third time; he put it the third time by and still, as he refused it, • A ferret has red eyes.

the rabblement booted, and clapped their chap-[He should not humour⚫ me. I will this night, ped hands, and threw up their sweaty night-caps, In several hands, † in at the windows throw, and altered such a deal of stinking breath because As if they came from several citizens, Cesar refused the crown, that it had almost Writings all tending to the great opinion choked Cesar; for he swooned, and fell down That Rome holds of his name; wherein oba: And for mine own part I durst not laugh, for fear of opening my lips, and receiving the

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Casea. 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 threat 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 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 weaches, where I stood, cried, Alas, good sud-and forgave him with all their hearts: But there's no bred to be taken of them; if Cesar had stabbed their mothers, they would have done

to less.

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

Casca. Ay.

Car. Did Cicero say any thing?
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 hum standed at one another, and shook their heads; b, for mine own part, it was Greek to me. I could tell you more news too: Marullus and Fava, for pulling scarfs off Cesar's images, are par to silence. Fare you well. There was more fosiery yet, if I could remember it.

Car Will you sup with me to-night, Casca?
Casca. No, I am promised forth.

far. Will you dine with me to-morrow? Casca. Ay, if I be alive, and your mind bold, and your dinner worth eating.

Car Good: I will expect you.
Cures. Do to: Farewell, both.

[Exit CASCA. Bra. What a blunt fellow is this grown to be? He was quick mettle, when he went to school. Ces. So is he now in execution

of way bold or noble enterprise,
However he puts on this tardy form.
The redeness is a sauce to his good wit,
Which gives men stomach to digest his words
Was better appetite.

Era. And so it is. For this time I will leave
yon:

Tomorrow if you please to speak with me,
I come home to you; or, if you will,
Care home with me, and I will wait for you.
Cas. I will do so :-till then, think of the world.
[Exit BRUTUS.

Rech, Bratus, thou art noble; yet, I see
The bourable metal may be wrought

that it is dispos'd: Therefore 'tis meet That moule minds keep ever with their likes: For wat so firm, that cannot be seduc'd? Lear doth bear me hard; but he loves Brutus: if i were Brutus now, and he were Cassius,

scurely

Cesar's ambition shall be glanced at:
And, after this, let Cesar seat him sure;
For we will shake him, or worse days endure.
[Exit.

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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 oceau 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.
Cic. Why, saw you any thing more wonderful t
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
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 Cesar 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. [Exit CICERO.

Casca. Farewell, Cicero.

Enter CASSIUS.

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Hand writings. 1 Whole momento D Altogether. 1 Bolt.

F

When the most mighty gods, by tokens, send Such dreadful heralds to astonish us.

[life

Cas. You are dull, Casca; and those sparks of 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 wouder, 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; • Why old men fools, and children calculate ;t Why all these things change, from their ordinance, Their natures and pre-formned 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 most like this dreadful

night;

Enter CINNA.

Casca. Stand close awhile, for here comes one

in haste.

Cas. 'Tis Cinua, I do know him by his gait; He is a friend.-Cinna, where haste you so? Cin. To find out you: Who's that? Metellus Cimber?

Cas. No, it is Casca; one incorporate ⚫
To our attempts. Am I not staid for, Cinna
Cin. I am glad on't. What a fearful night is
this ?
[sights.
There's two or three of us have seen strange
Cas. Am I not staid for, Cinna? Tell me.
Cin. Yes,

You are. O Cassius, if you could 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, That thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roars Where Brutus inay but find it; and throw this As doth the lion in the Capitol :

A man no mightier than thyself, or me,
In personal action; yet prodigious grown,
And fearful, as these strange eruptious are,

Casca. 'Tis Cesar that you mean: Is it not,
Cassius ?

Cas. Let it be who it is: for Romans now Have thewes 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.

Casca. Indeed, they say, the senators to-morMean to establish Cesar as a king: [row And he shall wear his crown, by sea and land, In every place, save here in Italy.

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:
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,
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.

Casca. So can I;

So every boudman in his own hand bears
The power to cancel his captivity.

Cas. And why should Cesar be a tyrant then?
Poor mau! I know he would not be a wolf,
But that he sees the Romans are but sheep:
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 Cesar! But, O grief!
Where hast thou led me! I, perhaps, speak this
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 farthest.

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,

Is favour'd like the work we have in hand,
Most bloody, fiery, and most terrible.

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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.

Are Decius Brutus and Trebonius there?

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.
[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.

Casca. Oh! he sits high in all the people's

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I have not known when his affections sway'd More than his reason. But 'tis a common proof,] That lowliness is young ambitiou's ladder, Whereto the climber upward turns his face :

• Engaged in. impatience.

+ Conceived. 1 An exclamation of § Mercy. ¡ Truth.

But when he once attains the upmost round,
He then unto the ladder turns his back,
Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees
By which he did ascend: So Cesar may;

Then, lest he may, prevent. And, since the
quarrel

Will bear no colour for the thing he is,
Fashion it thus; that what he is, augmented,
Would run to these and these extremities:
And therefore, think him as a serpent's egg,
Which, batch'd, would, as his kind, grow mis-
And kill him in the shell.
[chievous;

Re-enter LUCIUS.

Lee. The taper burneth in your closet, Sir.
Searching the window for a flint, I found
The paper, thas seal'd up; and, I am sure,
It did not lie there when I went to bed.

Brs. Get you to bed again, it is not day. is not to morrow, boy, the ides of March 1 Luc. I know not, Sir.

Bru. Look in the calendar, and bring me word.
Luc. I will, Sir.
[Exit.
Bru. The exhalations, whizzing in the air,
Give so much light, that I may read by them.
Opens the Letter, and reads.

Bratus, then sleep'st; awake, and see thyself.
Shall Kome, &c. Speak-strike-redress!
Brutus, thou sleep'st; awake.-
Such instigations have been often dropp'd
Where I have took them up.

Karli Rome, &c. Thus, must I piece it out;
Shail Rome stand under one man's awet What!

Rome 1

My ancestors did from the streets of Rome
The Tarquin drive, when he was call'd a king.
Speak-strike-redress!--Am I entreated then
To speak, and strike? O Rome! I make thee
promise,

If he redress will follow, thou receivest
Thy full peution at the hand of Brutus !

Re-enter Lucius.

Lue. Sir, March is wasted fourteen days.
[Knock within.
Bra. Tis good. Go to the gate; somebody
[Exit LUCIUS.

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Since Cassius first did whet me against Cesar,
I have not slept.

Between the acting of a dreadful thing
As the first motion, all the interim is
Like a phastasina, or a hideous dream :
The gruas, and the mortal instruments,
Are turn in council; and the state of man,
Lake to a tile kingdom, suffers then
The nature of an insurrection.

Re-enter LUCIUS.

Bru. I have been up this hour; awake, all
night.

Know I these men, that come along with you?
Cas. Yes, every man of them; and no man

here,

But honours you: and every one doth wish
You had but that opinion of yourself,
Which every noble Roman bears of you.
This is Trebonius.

Bru. He is welcome hither.
Cas. This Decius Brutus.
Bru. He is welcome too.

Cas. This, Casca; this, Cinna;
And this, Metellus Cimber.

Bru. They are alt welcome.
What watchful cares do interpose themselves
Betwixt your eyes and night?

Cas. Shall I entreat a word ? [They whisper.
Dec. Here lies the east: Doth not the day
break here?

Casca. No.

Cin. Oh! pardon, Sir, it doth; and yon grey lines,

That fret the clouds, are messengers of day.
Casca. You shall confess, that you are both
deceiv'd.

Here, as I point my sword, the sun arises ;
Which is a great way growing on the south,
Weighing the youthful season of the year.
Some two months hence, up higher toward the
north

He first presents his fire; and the high east
Stands, as the Capitol, directly here.

Bru. Give me your hands all over, one by

one.

Cas. And let us swear our resolution.

Bru. No, not an oath: If not the face of men,
The sufferance of our son's, the time's abuse,-
If these be motives weak, break off betimes,
And every man bence to his idle bed;
So let high-sighted tyranny range on,
Till each man drop by lottery. But if these,
As I am sure they do, bear fire enough
To kindle cowards, and to steel with valour
The melting spirits of women; then, countrymen,
What need we any spur, but our own cause,
To prick us to redress? what other houd,
Than secret Romans, that have spoke the word,
And will not palter? And what other oath,
Than honesty to honesty engag'd

That this shall be, or we will fall for it 1
Swear priests, and cowards, and men cautelous,⚫
Old feeble carrions, and such suffering souls,
That welcome wrongs; unto bad causes swear
Such creatures as men doubt: but do not stain
The even virtue of our enterprise,

Nor the insuppressive mettle of our spirits,
To think that or our cause, or our performance,

Lar. Ser, 'tis your brother Cassius at the door, Did need an oath; when every drop of blood.

- duch desire to see you.

Arw. Is be alone!

Lac. No, Sir, there are more with him.

Fu. Do you know them ?

Lar. No, Sir; their hats are pluck'd about their
And half their faces buried in their cloaks, [ears,
Tha y no means I may discover them
By any mark of favour..

6. Let them enter.
[Exit LUCIUS.
The are the faction. O conspiracy!
fham'st thou to show thy dangerous brow by night,
When evils are most free! Oh! then, by day,
sere wilt thou nad a cavern dark enough
7. thy monstrous visage ? Seek none,
Hade to it similes and affability: [spiracy;
Fifth a pail thy native semblance on, con
Sex Erebus itself were dim enough
To hade thee from prevention.

Enter CASSIUS, CASCA, DECIUS, CINNA, ME-
TELLUS CIMBER, and TREBONIUS.
fur. I think we are too bold upon your rest:
Good martes, Brutus; Do we trouble you?

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That every Roman bears, and nobly bears,
Is guilty of a several bastardy,

If he do break the smallest particle

Of any promise that hath pass'd from him.
Cas. But what of Cicero ? Shall we sound him?

I think he will stand very strong with us.
Casca. Let us not leave him out.

Cin. No, by no means.

Met. Oh! let us have him; for his silver hairs
Will purchase us a good opinion,
And buy men's voices to commend our deeds:
It shall be said, his judgment rul'd our bands;
Our youths, and wildness, shall no whit appear,
But all be buried in his gravity.

Bru. Oh! name him not; let us not break
with him: +

For he will never follow any thing
That other men begin.

Cus. Then leave him out.
Casca. Indeed, he is not fit.

Dec. Shall no inan else be touch'd, but only
Cesar ?

Cas. Decius, well urg'd :-I think it is not meet
Mark Antony so well belov'd of Cesar,

Walk in thy true form.
Detection

• Wary, circumspect.

Break the matter to him

Should outlive Cesar: We shall find of him
A shrewd contriver; and, you know, his means,
If he improves them, may well stretch so far,
As to annoy as all: which, to prevent,
Let Antony and Cesar fall together.

Bru. Our course will seem too bloody, Caius
Cassius,

To cut the head off, and then hack the limbs;
Like wrath in death, and envy afterwards:
For Antony is but a limb of Cesar.

Let us be sacrificers, but no butchers, Caius.
We all stand up against the spirit of Cesar;
And in the spirit of men there is no blood:
Oh! that we then could come by Cesar's spirit,
And not dismember Cesar! But, alas,
Cesar must bleed for it! And, gentle friends,
Let's kill him boldly, but not wrathfully;
Let's carve him as a dish fit for the gods,
Not hew him as a carcass fit for hounds:
And let our hearts, as subtle masters do,
Stir up their servants to an act of rage,

And after seem to chide them. This shall make
Our purpose necessary, and not envious:
Which so appearing to the common eyes,
We shall be call'd purgers, not murderers.
And for Mark Antony, think not of him;
For he can do no more than Cesar's arın,
When Cesar's head is off.

Cas. Yet I do fear him:

For in the ingrafted love he bears to Cesar,-
Bru. Alas, good Cassius, do not think of him:
If he love Cesar, all that he can do

Is to himself; take thought, and die for Cesar:
And that were much he should; for he is given
To sports, to wildness, and much company.
Treb. There is no fear in him: let him not die;
For he will live, and laugh at this hereafter.
[Clock strikes.

Bru. Peace, count the clock.
Cas. The clock hath stricken three.
Treb. 'Tis time to part.

Cas. But it is doubtful yet,

Whe'r Cesar will come forth to-day, or no :
For he is superstitious grown of late;
Quite from the main opinion he held once
Of fantasy, of dreams, and ceremonies; •
It may be, these apparent prodigies,
The unaccustom'd terror of this night,
And the persuasion of his augurers,
May hold him from the Capitol to-day.

Dec. Never fear that if he be so resolv'd,
I can o'ersway him: for he loves to hear
That unicorns may be betray'd with trees,
And bears with glasses, elephants with holes,
Lions with toils, and men with flatterers:
But, when I tell him he hates flatterers,
He says, he does; being then most flattered.
Let me work:

For I can give this humour the true bent;
And I will bring him to the Capitol.

Cas. Nay, we will all of us be there to

bim.

Bru. By the eighth hour: Is that the

most?

Boy Lucius-Fast asleep? It is no matter;
Enjoy the honey-heavy dew of stumber:
Thou hast no figures, nor no fantasies,
Which busy care draws in the brains of men;
Therefore thou sleep'st so sound.

Enter PORTIA.

Por. Brutus, my lord!

Bru. Portia, what mean you! Wherefore rise
you now?

It is not for your health, thus to commit
Your weak condition to the raw-cold morning.
Por. Nor for your's neither. You have un-
gently, Brutus,

Stole from my bed: And yesternight, at supper,
You suddenly arose, and walk'd about,
Musing, and sighing, with your arms across :
And when I ask'd you what the matter was,
You star'd upon me with ungentle looks :

I urg'd you further: then you scratch'd your
head,

And too impatiently stamp'd with your foot:
Yet I insisted, yet you answer'd not;
But, with an angry wafture of your hand,
Gave sign for me to leave you: So I did;
Fearing to strengthen that impatience,
Which seem'd too much enkindled; and, withal,
Hoping it was but an effect of humour,
Which sometime hath his hour with every man.
It will not let you eat, nor talk, nor sleep;
And, could it work so much upon your shape,
As it hath much prevail'd on your condition, +
I should not know you, Brutus. Dear my lord,
Make me acquainted with your cause of grief.

Bru. I am not well in health, and that is all.
Por. Brutus is wise, and were he not in health,
He would embrace the means to come by it.
Bru. Why, so I do :-Good Portia, go to bed.
Por. Is Brutus sick? and is it physical
To walk unbraced, and suck up the humours
Of the dank morning? What, is Brutus sick;
And will he steal out of his wholesome bed
To dare the vile contagion of the night?
And tempt the rheumy and unpurged air
To add unto his sickness? No, my Brutus ;
You have some sick offence within your mind,
Which, by the right and virtue of my place,
I ought to know of: And upon my knees,
I charm you, by my once commended beauty,
By all your vows of love, and that great vow
Which did incorporate and make us one,
That you unfold to me, yourself, your half,
Why you are heavy; and what men to-night
Have had resort to you: for here have been
Some six or seven, who did hide their faces
Even from darkness.

Bru. Kneel not, gentle Portia.

Por. I should not need, if you were gentle
Brutus.

fetch Within the bond of marriage, tell me, Brutus,
Is it excepted, I should know no secrets
utter-That appertain to you? Am I yourself,

Cin. Be that the uttermost, and fail not then.
Met. Caius Ligarins doth bear Cesar hard,
Who rated him for speaking well of Pompey;
I wonder none of you have thought of him.

Bru. Now, good Metellus, go along by him: +
He loves me well, and I have given him reasons;
Send him but hither, and I'll fashion him.

Cas. The morning comes upon us: We'll leave
you, Brutus :-
[member
And, friends, disperse yourselves: but all re-
What you have said, and show yourselves true
Romans.

Bru. Good gentlemen, look fresh and merrily;
Let not our looks put on our purposes:
But bear it as our Roman actors do,
With untir'd spirits, and formal constancy:
And so good morrow to you every one.

[Exeunt all but BRUTUS.

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But, as it were, in sort, or limitation;
To keep with you at ineals, comfort your bed,
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
That visit my sad heart.

Por. If this were true, then should I know
this secret.

I grant, I am a woman; but, withal,
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?
Tell me your counsels, I will not disclose them
I have made strong proof of my constancy,
Giving myself a voluntary wound

• Ideal shapes. + Temper. 1 Charge.

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