АСТ III SCENE I

THE SAME. THE CAPITOL; THE SENATE SITTING.

A crowd of people in the street leading to the Capitol; among
them Artemidorus, and the Soothsayer. Flourish. Enter
Casar, Brutus, Cafsius, Casca, Decius, Metellus, Trebonius,
Cinna, Antony, Lepidus, Popilius, Publius, and others.

Cas. The ides of March are come.
Sooth. Ay, Cæsar; but not gone.

Art. Hail, Cæsar! Read this schedule.
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
That touches Cæsar nearer: Read it, great Cæsar.
Cas. What touches us ourself, shall be last serv'd.
Art. Delay not, Cæsar; read it instantly.
Cas. What, is the fellow mad?

Pub. Sirrah, give place.

Cas. What, urge you your petitions in the street?
Come to the Capitol.

[Cæsar enters the Capitol, the rest following. All the
Senators rise.

Pop. I wish, your enterprize to-day may thrive.
Cas. What enterprize, Popilius?

Pop. Fare you well.

Bru. What said Popilius Lena?

[advances to Cæsar.

Cas. He wish'd, to-day our enterprize might thrive.

I fear, our purpose is discovered.

Bru. Look, how he makes to Cæsar: Mark him.

Cas. Casca, be sudden, for we fear prevention.-
Brutus, what shall be done? If this be known,
Cafsius or Cæsar never shall turn back,
For I will slay myself.

Bru. Cafsius, be constant:

Popilius Lena speaks not of our purposes;

For, look, he smiles, and Cæsar doth not change.

Cas. Trebonius knows his time; for, look you, Brutus, He draws Mark Antony out of the way.

[Exeunt Antony and Trebonius. Casar and the Senators

take their seats.

Dec. Where is Metellus Cimber? Let him go,
And presently prefer his suit to Cæsar.

Bru. He is addrefs'd: prefs near, and second him.
Cin. Casca, you are the first that rears your hand.
Cæs. Are we all ready? what is now amifs,

That Cæsar, and his senate, must redrefs?

Met. Most high, most mighty, and most puissant Cæsar,
Metellus Cimber throws before thy seat
An humble heart:

Cas. I must prevent thee, Cimber.
These couchings, and these lowly courtesies,
Might fire the blood of ordinary men;
And turn pre-ordinance, and first decree,
Into the law of children. Be not fond,

[kneeling.

To think that Cæsar bears such rebel blood,
That will be thaw'd from the true quality

With that which melteth fools; I mean, sweet words,
Low-crooked curt'sies, and base spaniel fawning.
Thy brother by decree is banished;

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.

Met. Is there no voice more worthy than my own,
To sound more sweetly in great Cæsar's ear,
For the repealing of my banish'd brother?

Bru. I kifs thy hand, but not in flattery, Cæsar;
Desiring thee, that Publius Cimber may
Have an immediate freedom of repeal.

Cas. What, Brutus!

Cas. Pardon, Cæsar; Cæsar, pardon:

As low as to thy foot doth Cafsius fall,

To beg enfranchisement for Publius Cimber.

Cas. I could be well mov'd, if I were as you;
If I could pray to move, prayers would move me:
But I am constant as the northern star,

Of whose true-fix'd, and resting quality,
There is no fellow in the firmament.

The skies are painted with unnumber'd sparks,
They are all fire, and every one doth shine;
But there's but one in all doth hold his place:
So, in the world; 'Tis furnish'd well with men,
And men are flesh and blood, and apprehensive;
Yet, in the number, I do know but one

1

That, unafsailable, holds on his rank,
Unshak'd of motion: and that I am he,
Let me a little show it, even in this;

That I was constant Cimber should be banish'd,
And constant do remain to keep him so.

Cin. O Cæsar,

Cas. Hence! Wilt thou lift up Olympus?

Dec. Great Cæsar,

Cæs. Doth not Brutus bootless kneel?
Casca. Speak, hands, for me.

[Casca stabs Cæsar in the neck. Cæsar catches hold of
his arm. He is then stabb'd by several other conspi-
rators, and at last by Marcus Brutus.

Cæs. Et tu, Brute?—Then fall, Cæsar.

[Dies. The Senators and People retire in confusion. Cin. Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead!Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets. Cas. Some to the common pulpits, and cry out, Liberty, freedom, and enfranchisement!

Bru. People, and senators! be not affrighted; Fly not; stand still:—ambition's debt is paid. Casca. Go to the pulpit, Brutus.

Dec. And Cafsius too.

Bru. Where's Publius?

Cin. Here, quite confounded with this mutiny. Met. Stand fast together, lest some friend of Cæsar's Should chance—

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.