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But in ourselves, that we are underlings."

Brutus and Cæsar: what should be in that 'Cæsar'?
Why should that name be sounded more than yours?
Write them together, yours is as fair a name;
Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well;
Weigh them, it is as heavy; conjure with 'em,
Brutus will start a spirit as soon as Cæsar.
Now, in the names of all the gods at once,
Upon what meat doth this our Cæsar feed,
That he is grown so great? Age, thou art shamed! 150
Rome, thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods!
When went there by an age, since the great flood,
But it was famed with more than with one man?
When could they say till now, that talk'd of Rome,
That her wide walls encompass'd but one man?
Now is it Rome indeed and room enough,
When there is in it but one only man.

O, you and I have heard our fathers say,
There was a Brutus once that would have brook'd
The eternal devil to keep his state in Rome
As easily as a king.

Bru. That you do love me, I am nothing jealous ;
What you would work me to, I have some aim:
How I have thought of this and of these times,
I shall recount hereafter; for this present,
I would not, so with love I might entreat you,
Be any further moved. What you have said
I will consider; what you have to say
I will with patience hear, and find a time

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160

159. a Brutus once, Lucius Junius Brutus, who caused the expulsion of the last kings of Rome.

160. eternal (used as an expletive), 'infernal.'

Both meet to hear and answer such high things. 170 Till then, my noble friend, chew upon this:

Brutus had rather be a villager

Than to repute himself a son of Rome
Under these hard conditions as this time
Is like to lay upon us.

Cas. I am glad that my weak words

Have struck but thus much show of fire from Brutus.

Bru. The games are done and Cæsar is re-
turning.

Cas. As they pass by, pluck Casca by the sleeve;
And he will, after his sour fashion, tell you
What hath proceeded worthy note to-day.

Re-enter CESAR and his Train.

Bru. I will do so. But, look you, Cassius,
The angry spot doth glow on Cæsar's brow,
And all the rest look like a chidden train:
Calpurnia's cheek is pale; and Cicero
Looks with such ferret and such fiery eyes
As we have seen him in the Capitol,
Being cross'd in conference by some senators.
Cas. Casca will tell us what the matter is.
Cæs. Antonius!

Ant. Cæsar ?

Cæs. Let me have men about me that are fat : Sleek-headed men and such as sleep o' nights: Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look; He thinks too much such men are dangerous. Ant. Fear him not, Cæsar; he's not dangerous; 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,

180

190

193. Sleek-headed; an excel- fact smooth-combed' (p. 180). 197. well given, well disposed.

lent variant for North's matter-of

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 any thing.
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 Cæsar and all his
Train, but Casca.

[Sennet.

Casca. You pull'd 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.

200

210

Casca. Why, there was a crown offered him: 220 and being offered him, he put it by with the back of his hand, thus; and then the people fell ashouting.

Bru. What was the second noise for?

Casca. Why, for that too.

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

Casca. Why, for that too.

Bru. Was the crown offered him thrice?

226. They shouted thrice; in Plutarch the offer was made twice.

Casca. Ay, marry, was 't, and he put it by thrice, every time gentler than other, and at 230 every putting-by mine honest neighbours 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 240 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 hooted and clapped their chopped 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 swounded 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 swound?

Casca. He fell down in the market-place, and feamed at mouth, and was speechless.

Bru. 'Tis very like: he hath the falling sickness. Cas. No, Cæsar hath it not; but you and I And honest Casca, we have the falling sickness. Casca. I know not what you mean by that; but, I am sure, Cæsar fell down.

250

If the tag-rag 260

people did not clap him and hiss him, according

joy.

245. hooted, shouted with

246. chopped, chapped.
256. falling sickness, epilepsy.

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 would not have taken him at a word, I would I might go to hell among 270 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?
Casca. Ay.

Cas. Did Cicero say any thing?

Casca. Ay, he spoke Greek.

Cas. To what effect?

280

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 290 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.

268. a man of any occupation, of any trade; a mechanic.

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