you Casca. You pull'd me by the cloak; would speak with me? 216 Bru. Ay, Casca; tell us what hath chanc'd 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 chanc'd. 220 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. 225 Cas. They shouted thrice: what was the last cry for? Casca. Why, for that too. Bru. Was the crown offered him thrice? 231 Why, Antony. Casca. Ay, marry, was't, and he put it by thrice, every time gentler than other; and at every puttingby, mine honest neighbours shouted. Cas. Who offered him the crown? Casca. Bru. Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casca. 233 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 chopt hands, and threw up their sweaty nightcaps, and uttered such a deal of stinking breath, because Cæsar refused the crown, that it had almost choked Cæsar; for he swoonded, 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. 250 - Cas. But, soft, I pray you: what, did Cæsar swoond? Casca. He fell down in the market-place, and foamed at mouth, and was speechless. Bru. 'Tis very like he hath the falling sickness. Cas. No, Cæsar hath it not; but you, and I, 255 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. 261 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. Bru. And after that, he came thus sad away? 275 Cas. Did Cicero say any thing? Casca. Ay, he spoke Greek. 277 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? 286 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. 290 Cas. Good: I will expect you. Casca. Do so. Farewell, both. [Exit Casca. Bru. What a blunt fellow is this grown to be! He was quick metal 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, 295 Which gives men stomach to digest his words With better appetite. 300 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.— Well, Brutus, thou art noble; yet, I see, [Exit Brutus. 306 From that it is dispos'd: therefore, 't is meet 310 In several hands, in at his windows throw, As if they came from several citizens, 315 Writings, all tending to the great opinion That Rome holds of his name; wherein obscurely Cæsar's ambition shall be glanced at: And, after this, let Cæsar seat him sure; 319 For we will shake him, or worse days endure. [Exit. SCENE III. Rome. A street. 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 not you mov'd, when all the sway of earth Shakes like a thing unfirm? O Cicero, I have seen tempests, when the scolding winds 5 Did I go through a tempest dropping fire. 10 Cic. Why, saw you any thing more wonderful? Casca. A common slave, (you know him well by sight,) Held up his left hand, which did flame and burn 15 20 Who glar'd upon me, and went surly by, 1 The streets of Rome were paved with large polygonal blocks of silex; the footway for passengers being laid down with square slabs. The lion seen by Casca must have escaped from the dens where the animals were kept for the public shows. |