And he will say, you are not well to day:
Let me, upon my knee, prevail in this.
Caf. Mark Antony fhall fay, I am not well;
And, for thy humour, I will stay at home.

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

Caf. And you are come in very happy time,
To bear my Greeting to the Senators,
And tell them that I will not come to day :
Cannot, is falfe; and that I dare not, falfer;
I will not come to day; tell them fo, Decius.
Gal. Say, he is fick.

Gæf. Shall Cæfar fend a lye?

Have I in conqueft ftretcht 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 so.

Caf. The cause is in my will, I will not come ;
That is enough to fatisfie the Senate.

But for your private fatisfaction,

Because I love you, I will let you know.
Calpburnia here, my wife, ftays me at home:
She dreamt last night, fhe faw my Statue,
Which, like a fountain, with a hundred fpouts,
Did run pure blood: and many lufty Romans
Came fmiling, and did bathe their hands in it.
These she applies for warnings and portents
(a) Of evils imminent; and on her knee
Hath begg'd, that I will stay at home to day,

[(a) Of evils. Oxford Editor.

D 4

Vulg. And evils. ]
Dec.

Dec. This Dream is all amifs interpreted;
It was a Vision fair and fortunate :

Your Statue, spouting blood in many pipes,
In which so many fmiling Romans bath'd,
Signifies, that from You great Rome fhall fuck
Reviving blood: 2 and that Great Men shall press

For tinctures, ftains, relicks, and cognisance.

This by Calphurnia's Dream is fignify'd.

Caf. 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 To give this day a Crown to mighty Cefar. If you fhall fend them word you will not come, Their minds may change. Befides, it were a mock

2 and that great men fhall prefs

For tinctures, ftains, relicks, and cognisance.] That this dream of the ftatue's fpouting blood fhould fignify, the increase of power and empire to Rome from the influence of Cafar's arts and arms, and wealth and honour to the noble Romans through his beneficence, expreffed by the words, From you, great Rome fall fuck reviving blood, is intelligible enough. But how these great men fhould literally prefs for tinctures, flains, relicks, and cognifance, when the fpouting blood was only a fymbolical vifion, I am at a lofs to apprehend. Here the circumstances of the dream, and the interpretation of it, are confounded with one another. This line therefore,

For tinctures, fains, relicks, and cognisance muft needs be in way of fimilitude only; and if fo, it appears that some lines are wanting between this and the preceding; which want fhould, for the future, be marked with afterisks. The fense of them is not difficult to recover, and, with it, the propriety of the line in question. The speaker had faid, the Statue fignified, that by Cafar's influence Rome fhould flourish and increase in empire, and that great men fhould prefs to him to partake of his good fortune, juft as men run with handkerchiefs, &c. to dip them in the blood of martyrs, that they may partake of their merit. It is true, the thought is from the Chriftian Hiftory; but fo fmall an anachronifm is nothing with our poet. Befides, it is not my interpretation which introduces it, it was there before: For the line in queftion can bear no other sense than as an allufion to the blood of the Martyrs, and the fuperftition of fome Churches with regard to it.

Apt

Apt to be render'd, for fome one to say,
Break up the Senate 'till another time,

When Cefar's wife fhall meet with better Dreams:
If Cæfar hide himself, fhall they not whisper,
Lo, Cafar is afraid!

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

Caf. How foolish do

phurnia?

your Fears feem now, Cal

I am asham'd, I did yield to them.
Give me my Robe, for I will go:

S CE N E VI.

Enter Brutus, Ligarius, Metellus, Cafca, Trebonius,
Cinna and Publius.

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

Caf. Welcome, Publius.

What, Brutus, are you stirr'd so early too?
Good morrow, Cafca: Caius Ligarius,
Cafar was ne'er so much your enemy,
As that fame Ague which hath made you
What is't o' clock?

Bru. Cæfar, 'tis ftrucken eight.

lean.

Cef. I thank you for your pains and courtefie.
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!

3 To your proceeding] Proceeding for advancement, eftablishment.

you

I have an hour's talk in ftore for you,
Remember, that call on me to day;
Be near me, that I may remember you..
Treb. Cafar, I will;- and fo near will I be,

That

your

[Afide. beft Friends fhall wifh I had been further. Caf. Good Friends, go in, and taste some wine with me.

And we, like Friends, will ftraightway go together. Bru. That every like is not the fame, O Cafar,

[Afide. The heart of Brutus yerns to think upon? [Exeunt.

C

Changes to a Street near the Capitol.

Enter Artemidorus, reading a Paper.

ESAR, beware of Brutus; take heed of Caffius; come not near Cafca; have an eye to Cinna; trust not Trebonius; mark well Metellus Cimber; Decius Brutus loves thee not; thou hast wrong'd Caius Ligarius. There is but one mind in all these 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, Artemidorus.
Here will I ftand, 'till Cafar pafs along,
And as a fuitor will I give him this:
My heart laments, that virtue cannot live
Out of the teeth of emulation.

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

Enter Porcia and Lucius.

[Exit.

Por. I pr'ythee, Boy, run to the Senate-house ; Stay not to answer me, but get thee gone:

Why

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 fhould't do there 0 Conftancy, be strong 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 counfel!
Art thou here yet?

Luc. Madam, what should 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, liften 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.

Per. Come hither, fellow, which way haft thou been?

Art. At mine own house, 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 stand,
To see him pass on to the Capitol.

Por. Thou haft fome fuit to Cefar, haft thou not?
Art. That I have, Lady, if it will please Cæfar

To be fo good to Cæfar, as to hear me:

I fhall befeech him to befriend himself.

Por. Why, know'ft thou any harm intended tow❜rds him?

Art.