Since Cassius first did whet me against Cæsar, I have not slept. Between the acting of a dreadful thing Re-enter LUCIUS. Luc. Sir, 'tis your brother Cassius at the door, Who doth desire to see you. Bru. Is he alone? Luc. No, sir, there are more with him. Bru. Do you know them? Luc. No, sir; their hats are pluck'd about their ears, And half their faces buried in their cloaks, That by no means I may discover them By any mark of favour.' Bru. Let them enter. [Exit LUCIUS, They are the faction. O conspiracy! Sham'st thou to show thy dangerous brow by night, When evils are most free! O, then, by day, Where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough To mask thy monstrous visage? Seek none, conspiracy; Hide in it smiles, and affability: For if thou path thy native semblance2 on, Not Erebus itself were dim enough To hide thee from prevention. 9 Visionary. I Countenance. 2 Walk in thy true form. 3 Hell. Enter CASSIUS, CASCA, DECIUS, CINNA, METELLUS CIMBER, and TREBONIUS. Cas. I think we are too bold upon your rest. Good morrow, Brutus ; Do we trouble you? 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, Which every noble Roman bears of you. Bru. Cas. This Decius Brutus. Bru. He is welcome hither. He is welcome too. Cas. This, Casca; this, Cinna; And this, Metellus Cimber. Bru. What watchful cares do interpose themselves Betwixt your eyes and night? Cas. Shall I entreat a word? They are all welcome [They whisper. Dec. Here lies the east: Doth not the day break here? Casca. No. Cin. O, 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 souls, the time's abuse,— If these be motives weak, break off betimes, And every man hence 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 That this shall be, or we will fall for it? Nor the insuppressive mettle of our spirits, To think, that, or our cause, or our performance, Did need an oath,; when every drop of blood, 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. Perhaps Shakspeare wrote faith. 5 Lot. 6 Prevaricate. 7 Cautious. 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. O let us have him; for his silver hairs And buy men's voices to commend our deeds: Bru. O, name him not; let us not break 9 with him; For he will never follow any thing That other men begin. Cas. Then leave him out, Casca. Indeed, he is not fit. Dec. Shall no man else be touch'd but only Cæsar? Cas. Decius, well urg'd:-I think it is not meet, Mark Antony, so well belov'd of Cæsar, Should outlive Cæsar: We shall find of him Let Antony, and Cæsar, fall together. Bru. Our course will seem too bloody, Caius Cassius; Let us be sacrificers, but no butchers, Caius. 8 Character. 9 Let us not break the matter to him. O, that we then could come by Cæsar's spirit, Cas. Is to himself; take thought, and die for Cæsar : Whe'r Cæsar will come forth to-day, or no : For he is superstitious grown of late; 2 Whether. |