Ant. Fear him not, Cæsar, he's not dan

gerous;

He is a noble Roman, and well given.

Cas. 'Would he were fatter:-but I fear him not:

Yet if my name were liable to fear,

I do not know the man I should avoid So soon as that spare Cassius. He reads much;

He is a great observer, and he looks 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 sort As if he mock'd himself, and scorn'd his spirit That could be moved to smile at anything. Such men as he be never at heart's ease Whiles they behold a greater than themselves;

And therefore are they very dangerous. I rather tell thee what is to be fear'd, Than what I fear, for always I am Cæsar. Come on my right hand, for this ear is deaf, And tell me truly what thou think'st of him. [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?

Casca. Why, you were with him, were you not?

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 to.

Cas. They shouted thrice: what was the last cry for!

Casca. Why, for that too.

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 neighbors 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 loth 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 chapped 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 mine 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. Bru. 'Tis very like: he hath the fallingsickness.

Cas. No, Cæsar hath it not; but you, and I, And honest Casca, we have the falling-sick

ness.

Casca. I know not what you mean by that; but, I am sure, Cæsar fell down. If the tagrag 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 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 Cæsar had stabbed their mothers they would have done no less.

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?

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 mine 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?

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.

[Exit.

Bru. What a blunt fellow is this grown to

be!

He was quick mettle when he went to school.

Cas. So he is now, in execution Of any bola 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.

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.
Cas. I will do so;-till then, think of the
world.
[Exit BRUTUS,
Well, Brutus, thou art noble; yet I see
Thy honorable metal may be wrought
From that it is disposed: therefore it is meet
That noble minds keep ever with their likes :
For who so firm that cannot be seduced?
Cæsar doth bear me hard: but he loves

Brutus :

If I were Brutus now, and he were Cassius,
He should not humor me. I will this night,
In several hands, in at his windows throw,
As if they came from several citizens,
Writings, all tending to the great opinion
That Rome holds of his name; wherein ob
scurely

Cæsar's ambition shall be glanced at ;
And, after this, let Cæsar seat him sure;
For we will shake him, or worse days endure.

[Exit.