Enjoy the heavy honey-dew of slumber : Enter PORTIA. Por. Brutus, my lord! Bru. Portia, what mean you? Wherefore rise you now? It is not for your health, thus to commit Your weak condition to the raw-cold morning. 205. Por. Nor for yours neither. You've ungently, Brutus, Stole from my bed: and yesternight, at supper, You suddenly arose, and walked about, I urged you further; then you scratched your head, But, with an angry wafture of your hand, Which seemed too much enkindled; and, withal, Bru. I am not well in health, and that is all. Bru. Why, so I do.- Good Portia, go to bed. 209. Por. Is Brutus sick? and is it physical To walk unbraced, and suck up the humours To add unto his sickness? No, my Brutus; Bru. Kneel not, gentle Portia. 211. Por. I should not need, if you were gentle Brutus. Within the bond of marriage, tell me, Brutus, Is it excepted, I should know no secrets To keep with you at meals, comfort your bed, And talk to you sometimes? Dwell I but in the suburbs Portia is Brutus' harlot, not his wife. Bru. You are my true and honorable wife; As dear to me as are the ruddy drops That visit my sad heart. 213. Por. If this were true, then should I know this secret. I grant, I am a woman; but, withal, A woman that lord Brutus took to wife : I grant, I am a woman; but, withal, Tell me your counsels, I will not disclose 'em : Giving myself a voluntary wound Here, in the thigh: can I bear that with patience, And not my husband's secrets? 214. Bru. O ye gods, Render me worthy of this noble wife! [Knocking within. Hark, hark! one knocks. Portia, go in awhile; And by and by thy bosom shall partake The secrets of my heart. All my engagements I will construe to thee, Leave me with haste. Enter LUCIUS and LIGARIUS. Lucius, who's that, knocks? [Exit PORTIA. Luc. Here is a sick man that would speak with you. - Caius Ligarius! how? 217. Lig. Vouchsafe good morrow from a feeble tongue. 218. Bru. O, what a time have you chose out, brave Caius, To wear a kerchief! Would you were not sick! Lig. I am not sick, if Brutus have in hand Bru. Such an exploit have I in hand, Ligarius, 221. Lig. By all the gods that Romans bow before, Bru. A piece of work that will make sick men whole. To whom it must be done. 225. Lig. Set on your foot; And, with a heart new-fired, I follow you, Bru. Follow me then. [Exeunt. SCENE II.-The same. A Room in CÆSAR'S Palace. Thunder and lightning. Enter CÆSAR in his night-gown. 227. Cæs. Nor heaven, nor earth, have been at peace to night: Thrice hath Calphurnia in her sleep cried out, Enter a SERVANT. Serv. My lord? 229. Cæs. Go bid the priests do present sacrifice, Enter CALPHURNIA. [Exit. Cal. What mean you, Cæsar? Think you to walk forth? You shall not stir out of your house to-day. Cæs. Cæsar shall forth. The things that threatened me Ne'er looked but on my back; when they shall see 233. Cal. Cæsar, I never stood on ceremonies, Yet now they fright me. * There is one within, And graves have yawned, and yielded up their dead ⚫ In ranks and squadrons, and right form of war, The noise of battle hurtled in the air, Horses did neigh, and dying men did groan; And ghosts did shriek and squeal about the streets. And I do fear them. 234. Cæs. What can be avoided, Whose end is purposed by the mighty gods? Are to the world in general, as to Cæsar. Cal. When beggars die, there are no comets seen; The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes. 236. Cæs. Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once. Of all the wonders that I yet have heard, It seems to me most strange that men should fear; Will come, when it will come. Re-enter a SERVANT. What say the augurers? Serv. They would not have you to stir forth to-day. Plucking the entrails of an offering forth, They could not find a heart within the beast. If he should stay at home to-day for fear. That Cæsar is more dangerous than he. We are two lions littered in one day, And Cæsar shall go forth. 239. Cal. Alas, my lord, 240. Your wisdom is consumed in confidence. Do not go forth to-day. Call it my fear, That keeps you in the house, and not your own. Cæs. Mark Antony shall say, I am not well; Enter DECIUS. Here's Decius Brutus, he shall tell them so. 241. Dec. Cæsar, all hail! Good morrow, worthy Cæsar: I come to fetch you to the senate-house. 242. 244. Cæs. And you are come in very happy time And tell them that I will not come to-day. Cæs. Shall Cæsar send a lie? Have I in conquest stretched mine arm so far, Dec. Most mighty Cæsar, let me know some cause, 245. Cæs. The cause is in my will; I will not come : |