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Ser. They would not have you to stir forth to-day.
Plucking the intrails of an offering forth,
They could not find a heart within the beaft.

[Exit Servant.

Caf. The gods do this in fhame of cowardice
Cæfar fhould be a beast without a heart,
If he should stay at home to-day for fear.
Cal. Alas, my Lord,

:

Your wisdom is confum'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 fenate house,
And he will fay, you are not well to-day.
Let me, upon my knee, prevail in this.

Caf. Mark Antony thall fay, I am not well;
And, for thy humour, I will stay at home.

SCENE V. Enter Decius.
Here's Decius Brutus, he fhall tell them fo.
Dec. Cæfar, all hail! good morrow, worthy Cæfar;
I come to fetch you to the fenate house.

Caf. And you are come in very happy time,
To bear my greeting to the fenators,

And tell them, that I will not come to-day:
Cannot, is false; and that I dare not, faller :
I will not come to-day; tell them fo, Decius.
Cal. Say, he is fick.

Gef. Shall Cæfar send a lye?

Have I in the conqueft stretch'd mine arm fo far, -
To be afraid to tell grey-beards the truth?

Decius, go tell them, Cæfar, will not come.

Dec. Moft mighty Cæfar, let me know fome cause, Left I be laugh'd at when I tell them fo.

Caf. The caufe is in my will, I will not come ; That is enough to fatisfy the fenate.

to day for fear.

No, Cæfar fhall not; Danger knows full well,
That Cæfar is more dangerous than he.
We were two lions litter'd in one day,
And I the elder and more terrible;

And Cæfar fhall go forth.

Cal. Alas, &c.

1

But for your private fatisfaction,
Because I love you, I will let you know.
Calphurnia here, my wife, ftays me at home:
She dream'd laft night, fhe faw my ftatue,
Which like a fountain, with a hundred spouts,
Did run pure blood and many lufty Romans.
Came smiling and did bathe their hands in it.
These the applies for warnings and portents
Of evils imminent; and on her knee
Hath begg'd, that I will stay at home to-day.
Dec. This dream is all amifs interpreted.
It was a vifion fair and fortunate :
Your ftatue, spouting blood in many pipes,
In which fo many smiling Romans bath'd,
Signifies, that from you great Rome fhall fuck
Reviving blood: and that great men fhall prefs

*

* * *

For tinctures, stains, relies, and cognisance.
This by Calphurnia's dream is fignify'd.

*

Gef. And this way have you well expounded it. Dec. I have, when you have heard what I can say. And know it now, the fenate have concluded

Το give this day a crown to mighty Cæfar.

If

you fhall fend them word you will not come,

Their minds may change. Befides, it were a mock Apt to be render'd, for fome one to fay,

Break up the fenate till another time,

When Cæfar's wife fhall meet with better dreams.
If Cæfar hide himfelf, fhall they not whisper,

Lo, Cæfar is afraid!

Pardon me, Cæfar; for my dear, dear love
To your proceeding † bids me tell you.this;
And reason to my love is liable.

Caf. How foolith do your fears feem now, Calphur

I am afhamed I did yield to them.

Give me my robe, for I will go.

onc.

[nia ?

• Some lines feem to be wanting between this and the subsequent

† proceeding, for advancement, establishment.

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Enter Brutus, Ligarius, Metellus, Cafca, Trebonius,

Cinna, and Publius.

And, look, where Publius is come to fetch me.
Pub. Good morrow, Cæfar.

Caf. Welcome, Publius.

What, Brutus, are you ftirr'd fo early too?
Good morrow, Cafca. Caius Ligarius,
Cæfar was ne'er so much your enemy,

As that fame ague which hath made you lean.
What is't o'clock?

Bru. Cæfar, 'tis ftrucken eight.

Caf. I thank you for your pains and courtesy.
Enter Antony.

See! Antony, that revels long o' nights,
Is notwithstanding up. Good morrow, Antony.
Ant. So to Moft Noble Cæfar.

Caf. Bid them prepare within.

I am to blame to be thus waited for.

Now, Cinna; now, Metellus; what, Trebonius!
I have an hour's talk in ftore for you,
Remember that you call on me to day;

Be near me, that I may remember you.

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Treb. Cæfar, I will; and fo near will I be, [Afide. That your best friends fhall wifh I had been further. Caf. Good friends, go in, and tafte fome wine with me; And we, like friends, will ftraightway go together. Bru. That every like is not the fame, O Cæfar,

[Afide. The heart of Brutus yearns to think upon! [Exeunt. SCENE VII. Changes to a fireet near the Capitol. .

Enter Artemidorus, reading a paper."

Cafar, beware of Brutus; take heed of Caffius; come not near Cafca; have an eye to Cinna; truft not Trebonius; mark well Metellus Cimber; Decius Brutus loves thee not; thou haft wrong'd Caius Ligarius There is but one mind in all. thefe men, and it is bent against Cæfar. If thou beeft?

not immortal, look about thee: fecurity gives way to confpiracy. The mighty gods defend thee!

Thy lover, ARTEMIDÓRUST.

Here will I ftand till Cæfar pafs along,
And as a fuitor will give him this.
My heart laments, that virtue cannot live
Out of the teeth of emulation. “

If thou read this, O Cæfar, thou may't live ;
If not, the fates, with traitors do contrive.

Enter Portia and Lucius.

[Exit.

Por. I pr'ythee, boy, run to the fenate house;. Stay not to answer me, but get thee gone.

Why doft 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't do there.
O Conftancy, be ftrong upon my fide,

Set a huge mountain 'tween my heart and tongue;,
I have a man's mind, but a woman's might.
How hard it is for women to keep counsel!

Art thou here yet?

Luc Madam, what fhould I do?

Run to the Capitol, and nothing else?

And fo return to you, and nothing else?

Por. Yes, bring me word, boy, if thy Lord look well,

For he went fickly forth; and take good note,

What Cæfar doth, what fuitors prefs to him,

Hark, boy!, what noise is that?

Luc. I hear none, Madam,
Por. Pr'ythee, liflen well.

I heard a bustling rumour like a fray,
And the wind brings it from the Capitol.
Luc, Sooth, Madam, I hear nothing..

Enter Artemidorus.

Por. Come hither, fellow; which way haft thou been?
Art. At mine own houfe, good Lady.

Por. What is't o'clock?

Art. About the ninth hour, Lady.

Por. Is Cæfar yet gone to the Capitol ?

Art. Madam, not yet; I go to take my ftand,

To see him pafs on to the Capitol.

Por. Thou haft fome fuit to Cæfar, haft thou not? Art, That I have, Lady, if it will please Cæfar To be fo good to Cæfar, as to hear me :

fhall befeech him to defend himself.

Por. Why, know'st thou any harm intended tow'rds him!

[Exitx

Art. None that I know will be, much that I fear; Good morrow to you. Here the street is narrow.. The throng that follows Cæfar at the heels, Of Senators, of Prætors, common suitors, Will croud a feeble man almost to death, I'll get me to a place more void, and there Speak to great Cæfar as he comes along. Por. I must go in aye me! how weak a thing The heart of woman is! O Brutus Brutus! The heavens fpeed thee in thine enterprife! Sure the boy heard me. Brutus hath a fuit That Cæfar will not grant.—————0, I grow Run, Lucius, and commend me to my Lord; Say, I am merry; come to :ne again, And bring me word what he doth fay to thee.

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[Exeunt feverally..

A C T II. SCENE I.

The Street before the Capitol, and the Capitel opens.

Flourish. Enter Cæfar, Brutus, Caffius, Casca, Decius, Metellus, Trebonius, Ciana, Antony, Lepidus, Artemidorus, Popilius, Publius, and the Soothsayer.

HE ides of March are come.

Gief. Sooth. Ay, Cæfar, but not gone.
TH

Art. Hail, Cæfar: read this fchedule.

Dec. Trebonius doth defire you to o'er-read,

At your beft leifure, this his humble fuit.

Art, O Cæfar, read mine firft; for mine's a fuit.
That touches Cæfar nearer. Read it, great Cæfar.
Caf. What touches us ourself, fhall be laft ferv'd.
Art. Delay not, Cæfar, read it instantly.
Gaf What, is the fellow mad?

Pub. Sirrah, give place.

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