Seldom he smiles; and smiles in such a sort, [Sennet. Exeunt CESAR and his Train. CASCA stays behind. Casca. You pulled me by the cloak; Would you speak with me? Bru. Ay, Casca; tell us what hath chanced to-day, That Cæsar looks so sad. 70. Casca. Why, you were with him, were you not? 75. 80. Bru. I should not then ask Casca what had chanced. Casca. Why, there was a crown offered him: and, being offered 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? Bru. Was the crown offered him thrice? Casca. Ay, marry, was't, and he put it by thrice, every time gentler than other; and, at every putting by, mine honest neighbours shouted. Cas. Who offered him the crown? Casca. Why, Antony. 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 you, he put it by once; but, for all that, to my thinking, he would fain 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 still as he refused it, the rabblement shouted, and clapped their chopped hands, and threw up their sweaty night-caps, and uttered such a deal of stinking breath because Cæsar refused the crown, that it had almost choked Cæsar; for he swooned, and fell down at it. And, for my own part, I durst not laugh, for fear of opening my lips, and receiving the bad air. Cas. But, soft, I pray you: What? did Cæsar swoon? Casca. He fell down in the market-place, and foamed at mouth, and was speechless. 85. Bru. 'Tis very like: he hath the falling-sickness. Cas. No, Cæsar hath it not; but, you and I, And honest Casca, we have the falling-sickness. Casca. I know not what you mean by that; but, I am sure, Cæsar fell down. If the tag-rag 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 true man. Bru. 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 me ope his doublet, and offered them his throat 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 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 Cæsar had stabbed their mothers, they would have done no less. 90. Bru. And after that, he came, thus sad, away? Casca. Ay. Cas. Did Cicero say anything? Casca. Ay, he spoke Greek. Cas. To what effect? 95. Casca. Nay, an I tell you that, I'll ne'er look you i' the face again: But those that understood him smiled at one another, and shook their heads; but for my own part, it was Greek to me. I could tell you more news too: Marullus and Flavius, for pulling scarfs off Cæsar's images, are put to silence. Fare you well. There was more foolery yet, if I could remember it. Cas. Will you sup with me to-night, Casca ? 100. Casca. No, I am promised forth. Cas. Will you dine with me to-morrow? Casca. Ay, if I be alive, and your mind hold, and your dinner worth the eating. Cas. Good: I will expect you. Casca. Do so: Farewell, both. Bru. What a blunt fellow is this grown to be! He was quick mettle, when he went to school. Cas. So is he now, in execution Of any bold or noble enterprise, However he puts on this tardy form. This rudeness is a sauce to his good wit, Which gives men stomach to digest his words With better appetite. [Exit CASCA. Bru. And so it is. For this time I will leave you : To-morrow if you please to speak with me, I will come home to you; or, if you will, Come home to me, and I will wait for you. 105. Cas. I will do so-till then, think of the world. Well, Brutus, thou art noble; yet, I see, [Exit BRUTUS. That Rome holds of his name; wherein obscurely And, after this, let Cæsar seat him sure; For we will shake him, or worse days endure. SCENE III.-The same. A Street. [Exit. Thunder and Lightning. Enter, from opposite sides, CASCA, with his sword drawn, and CICERO. Cic. Good even, Casca; Brought you Cæsar home? Why are you breathless? and why stare you so? Casca. Are you not moved, when all the sway of earth I have seen tempests, when the scolding winds Cic. Why, saw you anything more wonderful? 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 of fire, remained unscorched. Besides (I have not since put up my sword), Against the Capitol I met a lion, Who glared upon me, and went surly by, 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. 110. Cic. Indeed, it is a strange-disposed time: Casca. He doth; for he did bid Antonius Casca. Farewell, Cicero. Enter CASSIUS. [Exit CICERO. 115. 120. Cas. Who's there? Casca. A Roman. Cas. Casca, by your voice. Casca. Your ear is good. Cassius, what a night is this! Casca. Who ever knew the heavens menace so ? Cas. Those, that have known the earth so full of faults. For my part, I have walked about the streets, Submitting me unto the perilous night; And thus unbraced, Casca, as you see, Have bared my bosom to the thunder-stone : And, when the cross blue lightning seemed to open The breast of heaven, I did present myself Even in the aim and very flash of it. Casca. But wherefore did you so much tempt the heavens ? It is the part of men to fear and tremble, When the most mighty gods, by tokens, send Such dreadful heralds to astonish us. Cas. You are dull, Casca; and those sparks of life Why all these fires, why all these gliding ghosts, 125. To monstrous quality; why, you shall find, A man no mightier than thyself, or me, Casca. 'Tis Cæsar that you mean: Is it not, Cassius ? Have thews and limbs like to their ancestors, Casca. Indeed, they say, the senators to-morrow And he shall wear his crown by sea and land, Cas. I know where I will wear this dagger, then ; Therein, ye gods, you make the weak most strong; I can shake off at pleasure. So Casca. So can I: every bondman in his own hand bears The power to cancel his captivity. [Thunder still. Cas. And why should Cæsar be a tyrant, then? He were no lion, were not Romans hinds. So vile a thing as Cæsar? But, O, grief! |