Here will I stand, till Cæsar pass along, And as a suitor will I give him this. My heart laments, that virtue cannot live If thou read this, O Cæsar, thou mayest live; If not, the fates with traitors do contrive. [Exit. SCENE IV.-The same. Another part of the same Street, before the House of Brutus. Enter PORTIA and LUCIUS. 260. Por. I pr'ythee, boy, run to the senate-house; Stay not to answer me, but get thee gone. Why dost thou stay? Luc. To know my errand, madam. 262. Por. I would have had thee there, and here again, Ere I can tell thee what thou shouldst do there. O constancy, be strong upon my side! Set a huge mountain 'tween my heart and tongue! How hard it is for women to keep counsel! Art thou here yet? Luc. Madam, what should I do? Run to the Capitol, and nothing else? And so return to you, and nothing else? Por. Yes, bring me word, boy, if thy lord look well, For he went sickly forth: and take good note What Cæsar doth, what suitors press to him. Luc. I hear none, madam. 266. Por. Pr'ythee, listen well; I heard a bustling rumour, like a fray, And the wind brings it from the Capitol. 267. Luc. Sooth, madam, I hear nothing. Enter THE Soothsayer. 268. Por. Come hither, fellow. Which way hast thou been? Sooth. At mine own house, good lady. 270. Por. What is't o'clock? Sooth. About the ninth hour, lady. Por. Is Cæsar yet gone to the Capitol? Sooth. Madam, not yet: I go to take my stand, Por. Thou hast some suit to Cæsar, hast thou not? To be so good to Cæsar as to hear me, I shall beseech him to befriend himself. 276. Por. Why, knowest thou any harm's intended towards him? 277. Sooth. None that I know will be, much that I fear may chance. Good morrow to you. Here the street is narrow: 278. Por. I must go in. - Ay me! how weak a thing O Brutus ! The heavens speed thee in thine enterprise! Run, Lucius, and commend me to my lord; Say, I am merry; come to me again, And bring me word what he doth say to thee. [Exeunt. ACT III. SCENE 1.- The same. The Capitol; the Senate sitting. among them ARTEMIDORUS and the SOOTHSAYER. Cæs. The ides of March are come. Sooth. Ay, Cæsar; but not gone. Art. Hail, Cæsar, read this schedule. 282. Dec. Trebonius doth desire you to o'er-read, At your best leisure, this his humble suit. Art. O, Cæsar, read mine first; for mine's a suit 284. Cæs. That touches us? Read it, great Cæsar. Ourself shall be last served. Art. Delay not, Cæsar; read it instantly. Cæs. What, is the fellow mad? Pub. Sirrah, give place. 288. Cas. What, urge you your petitions in the street? CÆSAR enters the Capitol, the rest following. Pop. I wish your enterprise to-day may thrive. 291. Pop. Fare you well. Bru. What said Popilius Lena? [Advances to CÆSAR. Cas. He wished to-day our enterprise might thrive. I fear our purpose is discovered. 294. Bru. Look, how he makes to Cæsar: mark him. 295. Cas. Casca, be sudden, for we fear prevention. Brutus, what shall be done? If this be known, Cassius on Cæsar never shall turn back, For I will slay myself. 296. Bru. Cassius, be constant: Popilius Lena speaks not of our purposes; For, look, he smiles, and Cæsar doth not change. 297. Cas. Trebonius knows his time; for, look you, Brutus, He draws Mark Antony out of the way. [Exeunt ANTONY and TREBONIUS. CÆSAR and the SENATORS take their scats. Dec. Where is Metellus Cimber? Let him go, 299. Bru. He is addressed: press near and second him. 300. Cin. Casca, you are the first that rears your hand. 301. Casca. Are we all ready? Cæs. What is now amiss, That Cæsar, and his senate, must redress? 303. Met. Most high, most mighty, and most puissant Cæsar, 304. Metellus Cimber throws before thy seat Cæs. I must prevent thee, Cimber. To think that Cæsar bears such rebel blood, [Kneeling With that which melteth fools; I mean sweet words, If thou dost bend, and pray, and fawn for him, I spurn thee like a cur out of my way. Know, Cæsar doth not wrong; nor without cause Will he be satisfied. 305. Met. Is there no voice more worthy than my own, To sound more sweetly in great Cæsar's ear For the repealing of my banished brother? Have an immediate freedom of repeal. 308. Cas. Pardon, Cæsar; Cæsar, pardon: To beg enfranchisement for Publius Cimber. Let me a little show it, even in this; That I was constant Cimber should be banished, Cin. O Cæsar, 311, Cæs. Hence! wilt thou lift up Olympus? Dec. Great Cæsar, 313. Cæs. Doth not Brutus bootless kneel? Casca. Speak, hands, for me. 314. 315. [CASCA stabs CESAR in the neck. CESAR catches hold of his arm. He is then stabbed by several other Conspirators, and at last by MARCUS BRUtus. Cæs. Et tu, Brute.· -Then, fall, Cæsar. -- [Dies. The Senators and People retire in confusion. Cas. Some to the common pulpits, and cry out, 318. Bru. People, and senators! be not affrighted; Dec. And Cassius too. Bru. Where's Publius? Cin. Here, quite confounded with this mutiny. Met. Stand fast together, lest some friend of Cæsar's Should chance 324. Bru. Talk not of standing. - Publius, good cheer; There is no harm intended to your person, Nor to no Roman else: so tell them, Publius. Cas. And leave us, Publius; lest that the people, Rushing on us, should do your age some mischief. 326. Bru. Do so; - and let no man abide this deed, But we the doers. Re-enter TREBONIUS. 327. Cas. Where's Antony? 38. Tre. Fled to his house amazed. Men, wives, and children stare, cry out, and run, Bru. Fates! we will know your pleasures: Bru. Grant that, and then is death a benefit: |