Julius Caesar Read online

  Sennet. Exeunt. Brutus and Cassius remain

  CASSIUS Will you go see the order29 of the course?

  BRUTUS Not I.

  CASSIUS I pray you do.

  BRUTUS I am not gamesome32: I do lack some part

  Of that quick33 spirit that is in Antony.

  Let me not hinder, Cassius, your desires;

  I’ll leave you.

  CASSIUS Brutus, I do observe you now of late36:

  I have not from your eyes that gentleness

  And show of love as I was wont38 to have:

  You bear too stubborn and too strange a hand39

  Over your friend, that loves you.

  BRUTUS Cassius,

  Be not deceived: if I have veiled my look,42

  I turn the trouble of my countenance

  Merely44 upon myself. Vexed I am

  Of late with passions of some difference45,

  Conceptions only proper46 to myself

  Which give some soil47, perhaps, to my behaviours.

  But let not therefore my good friends be grieved—

  Among which number, Cassius, be you one—

  Nor construe50 any further my neglect

  Than that poor Brutus, with himself at war,

  Forgets the shows52 of love to other men.

  CASSIUS Then, Brutus, I have much mistook your passion,

  By means whereof this breast of mine hath buried54

  Thoughts of great value, worthy cogitations55.

  Tell me, good Brutus, can you see your face?

  BRUTUS No, Cassius, for the eye sees not itself

  But58 by reflection, by some other things.

  CASSIUS ’Tis just59,

  And it is very much lamented, Brutus,

  That you have no such mirrors as will turn61

  Your hidden worthiness into your eye,

  That you might see your shadow63: I have heard,

  Where many of the best respect64 in Rome—

  Except immortal Caesar — speaking of Brutus,

  And groaning underneath this age’s yoke66,

  Have wished that noble Brutus had his eyes67.

  BRUTUS Into what dangers would you lead me, Cassius,

  That you would have me seek into myself

  For that which is not in me?

  CASSIUS Therefore71, good Brutus, be prepared to hear:

  And since you know you cannot see yourself

  So well as by reflection, I your glass73

  Will modestly discover74 to yourself

  That of yourself which you yet know not of75.

  And be not jealous on me, gentle76 Brutus:

  Were I a common laughter, or did use77

  To stale with ordinary78 oaths my love

  To every new protester79, if you know

  That I do fawn on men, and hug them hard,

  And after scandal81 them, or if you know

  That I profess myself82 in banqueting

  To all the rout83, then hold me dangerous.

  Flourish, and shout

  BRUTUS What means this shouting? I do fear the people

  Choose Caesar for their king.

  CASSIUS Ay, do you fear it?

  Then must I think you would not have it so.

  BRUTUS I would not, Cassius, yet I love him well.

  But wherefore do you hold me here so long?

  What is it that you would impart to me?

  If it be aught91 toward the general good,

  Set honour in one eye, and death i’th’other92,

  And I will look on both indifferently93.

  For let the gods so speed94 me, as I love

  The name of honour more than I fear death.

  CASSIUS I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus,

  As well as I do know your outward favour97.

  Well, honour is the subject of my story:

  I cannot tell what you and other men

  Think of this life, but for my single self,

  I had as lief not be101 as live to be

  In awe of such a thing as I myself102.

  I was born free as Caesar, so were you:

  We both have fed as well, and we can both

  Endure the winter’s cold as well as he,

  For once, upon a raw and gusty day,

  The troubled Tiber chafing with107 her shores,

  Caesar said to me, ‘Dar’st thou, Cassius, now

  Leap in with me into this angry flood109

  And swim to yonder point?’ Upon the word,

  Accoutrèd111 as I was, I plungèd in

  And bade112 him follow: so indeed he did.

  The torrent roared, and we did buffet it113

  With lusty sinews114, throwing it aside,

  And stemming it with hearts of controversy115.

  But ere116 we could arrive the point proposed,

  Caesar cried, ‘Help me, Cassius, or I sink!’

  I — as Aeneas118, our great ancestor,

  Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder

  The old Anchises bear — so from the waves of Tiber

  Did I the tired Caesar: and this man

  Is now become a god, and Cassius is

  A wretched creature, and must bend his body123

  If Caesar carelessly but nod on him.

  He had a fever when he was in Spain,

  And when the fit was on him I did mark126

  How he did shake: ’tis true, this god did shake,

  His coward lips did from their colour fly128,

  And that same eye, whose bend129 doth awe the world,

  Did lose his lustre: I did hear him groan:

  Ay, and that tongue of his that bade131 the Romans

  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 of136 the majestic world

  And bear the palm137 alone.

  Shout. Flourish

  BRUTUS Another general shout?

  I do believe that these applauses are

  For some new honours that are heaped on Caesar.

  CASSIUS Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world

  Like a Colossus142, and we petty men

  Walk under his huge legs and peep about

  To find ourselves dishonourable graves.

  Men at some time145 are masters of their fates.

  The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars146

  But in ourselves, that we are underlings.

  Brutus and Caesar: what should be in that ‘Caesar’?

  Why should that name be sounded149 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: conjure152 with ’em,

  Brutus will start153 a spirit as soon as Caesar.

  Now in the names of all the gods at once,

  Upon what meat155 doth this our Caesar feed

  That he is grown so great? — Age156, thou art shamed! —

  Rome, thou hast lost the breed of157 noble bloods! —

  When went there by an age, since the great flood158,

  But it was famed with more than with one man?

  When could they say, till now, that talked of Rome,

  That her wide walks encompassed but one man?

  Now is it Rome indeed, and room162 enough

  When there is in it but one only man.

  O, you and I have heard our fathers say

  There was a Brutus once that would have brooked165

  Th’eternal devil to keep his state166 in Rome

  As easily as a king.

  BRUTUS That you do love me, I am nothing jealous168:

  What you would work me to, I have some aim169:

  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 you172 —

  Be any further moved173. 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 high176 things.

  Till then, my noble friend, chew upon this:

  Brutus had rather be a villager

  Than to repute179 himself a son of Rome

  Under these hard conditions as this time

  Is like181 to lay upon us.

  CASSIUS I am glad that my weak words

  Have struck but thus much show of fire from Brutus.

  Enter Caesar and his train

  BRUTUS The games are done, and Caesar is returning.

  CASSIUS As they pass by, pluck Casca by the sleeve,

  And he will, after186 his sour fashion, tell you

  What hath proceeded worthy187 note today.

  BRUTUS I will do so: but look you, Cassius,

  The angry spot doth glow on Caesar’s brow,

  And all the rest look like a chidden190 train:

  Calpurnia’s cheek is pale, and Cicero

  Looks with such ferret192 and such fiery eyes

  As we have seen him in the Capitol

  Being crossed in conference194 by some senators.

  CASSIUS Casca will tell us what the matter is.

  CAESAR Antonio.

  ANTONY Caesar?

  CAESAR Let me have men about me that are fat,

  Sleek-headed199 men, and such as sleep a-nights.

  Yond200 Cassius has a lean and hungry look:

  He thinks too much: such men are dangerous.

  ANTONY Fear him not, Caesar, he’s not dangerous.

  He is a noble Roman, and well given203.

  CAESAR Would204 he were fatter! But I fear him not:

  Yet if my name205 were liable to fear,

  I do not know the man I should avoid

  So soon as that spare207 Cassius. He reads much,

  He is a great observer, and he looks208

  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 sort211

  As if he mocked himself, and scorned his spirit

  That could be moved to smile at anything.

  Such men as he be never at heart’s ease

  Whiles they behold a greater215 than themselves,

  And therefore are they very dangerous.

  I rather tell thee what is to be feared

  Than what I fear, for always I am Caesar218.

  Come on my right hand, for this ear is deaf,

  And tell me truly what thou think’st of him.

  Sennet. Exeunt Caesar and his train

  CASCA You pulled me by the cloak: would you speak

  with me?

  BRUTUS Ay, Casca, tell us what hath chanced223 today

  that Caesar looks so sad224.

  CASCA Why, you were with him, were you not?

  BRUTUS I should not then ask Casca what had chanced.

  CASCA Why, there was a crown227 offered him; and being

  offered him, he put it by228 with the back of his hand, thus, and

  then the people fell a-shouting.

  BRUTUS What was the second noise for?

  CASCA Why, for that too.

  CASSIUS They shouted thrice: what was the last cry for?

  CASCA Why, for that too.

  BRUTUS Was the crown offered him thrice?

  CASCA Ay, marry235, was’t, and he put it by thrice, every time

  gentler236 than other; and at every putting-by, mine honest

  neighbours shouted.

  CASSIUS Who offered him the crown?

  CASCA Why, Antony.

  BRUTUS Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casca.

  CASCA I can as well be hanged as tell the manner of it: it

  was mere242 foolery, I did not mark it. I saw Mark Antony offer

  him a crown — yet ’twas not a crown neither, ’twas one of

  these coronets244 — and as I told you, he put it by once: but for

  all that, to my thinking, he would fain245 have had it. Then he

  offered it to him again, then he put it by again: but to my

  thinking, he was very loath to lay his fingers off it. And then

  he offered it the third time; he put it the third time by, and still248

  as he refused it, the rabblement249 hooted, and clapped their

  chopped hands, and threw up their sweaty nightcaps250, and

  uttered such a deal of stinking breath because Caesar

  refused the crown that it had almost choked Caesar, for he

  swooned and fell down at it. And for mine own part, I durst253

  not laugh, for fear of opening my lips and receiving the bad

  air.

  CASSIUS But soft256, I pray you: what, did Caesar swoon?

  CASCA He fell down in the market-place, and foamed at

  mouth, and was speechless.

  BRUTUS ’Tis very like — he hath the falling sickness259.

  CASSIUS No, Caesar hath it not: but you, and I,

  And honest Casca, we have the falling sickness261.

  CASCA I know not what you mean by that, but I am sure

  Caesar fell down. If the tag-rag263 people did not clap him and

  hiss him according as he pleased and displeased them, as

  they use to do the players in the theatre, I am no true265 man.

  BRUTUS What said he when he came unto himself?

  CASCA Marry, before he fell down, when he perceived the

  common herd was glad he refused the crown, he plucked me268

  ope his doublet and offered them his throat to cut: an269 I had

  been a man of any occupation, if I would not have taken him270

  at a word, I would271 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 anything amiss, he desired their worships to

  think it was his infirmity. Three or four wenches where I

  stood cried ‘Alas, good soul!’ and forgave him with all their

  hearts: but there’s no heed to be taken of them; if Caesar had

  stabbed277 their mothers, they would have done no less.

  BRUTUS And after that he came thus sad away.

  CASCA Ay.

  CASSIUS Did Cicero say anything?

  CASCA Ay, he spoke Greek.

  CASSIUS To what effect?

  CASCA Nay, and I tell you that, I’ll ne’er look you i’th’face

  again. But those that understood him smiled at one another,

  and shook their heads: but, for mine own part, it was Greek to285

  me. I could tell you more news too: Murellus and Flavius, for

  pulling scarves off Caesar’s images, are put to silence287. Fare

  you well. There was more foolery yet, if I could remember it.

  CASSIUS Will you sup with me tonight, Casca?

  CASCA No, I am promised forth290.

  CASSIUS Will you dine with me tomorrow?

  CASCA Ay, if I be alive, and your mind hold292, and your

  dinner worth the eating.

  CASSIUS Good, I will expect you.

  CASCA Do so. Farewell, both.

  Exit

  BRUTUS What a blunt296 fellow is this grown to be!

  He was quick mettle297 when he went to school.

  CASSIUS So is he now, in execution

  Of any bold or noble enterprise,

  However he puts on this tardy300 form.

  This rudeness is a sauce to his good wit301,

  Which gives men stomach302 to digest his words

  With better appetite.

  BRUTUS And so it is. For this time I will leave you:

  Tomorrow if you please to speak with me,

  I will come home to you306: or if you will,

/>   Come home to me, and I will wait for you.

  CASSIUS I will do so. Till then, think of the world308.

  Exit Brutus

  Well, Brutus, thou art noble309: yet I see

  Thy honourable mettle may be wrought310

  From that it is disposed: therefore it is meet311

  That noble minds keep ever with their likes312

  For who313 so firm that cannot be seduced?

  Caesar doth bear me hard314, but he loves Brutus.

  If I were Brutus now, and he were Cassius,

  He should not humour me316. I will this night

  In several hands317 in at his windows throw,

  As if they came from several citizens,

  Writings all tending to319 the great opinion

  That Rome holds of his name — wherein obscurely320

  Caesar’s ambition shall be glanced321 at.

  And after this let Caesar seat him sure322,

  For we will shake him, or worse days endure.

  Exit

  [Act 1 Scene 3]

  running scene 1 continues

  Thunder and lightning. Enter Casca and Cicero

  CICERO Good even, Casca. Brought1 you Caesar home?

  Why are you breathless, and why stare you so?

  CASCA Are not you moved, when all the sway3 of earth

  Shakes like a thing unfirm? O Cicero,

  I have seen tempests, when the scolding5 winds

  Have rived6 the knotty oaks, and I have seen

  Th’ambitious ocean swell, and rage, and foam,

  To be exalted with8 the threatening clouds:

  But never till tonight, never till now,

  Did I go through a tempest dropping fire.

  Either there is a civil strife in heaven,

  Or else the world, too saucy12 with the gods,

  Incenses them to send destruction.

  CICERO Why, saw you anything more wonderful14?

  CASCA A common slave — you know him well by sight —

  Held up his left hand, which did flame and burn

  Like twenty torches joined; and yet his hand,

  Not sensible of18 fire, remained unscorched.

  Besides — I ha’ not since put up19 my sword —

  Against20 the Capitol I met a lion,

  Who glazed21 upon me and went surly by

  Without annoying22 me. And there were drawn

  Upon a heap a hundred ghastly23 women,

  Transformèd with their fear, who swore they saw

  Men, all in fire, walk up and down the streets.

  And yesterday the bird of night26 did sit

  Even at noonday upon the market-place

  Hooting and shrieking. When these prodigies28

  Do so conjointly meet29, let not men say

  ‘These are their reasons, they are natural’,