Shakespeare's First Folio Part 539

Bru. Why so I do: good Portia go to bed

Por. Is Brutus sicke? And is it Physicall To walke vnbraced, and sucke vp the humours Of the danke Morning? What, is Brutus sicke?

And will he steale out of his wholsome bed To dare the vile contagion of the Night?

And tempt the Rhewmy, and vnpurged Ayre, To adde vnto his sicknesse? No my Brutus, You haue some sicke Offence within your minde, Which by the Right and Vertue of my place I ought to know of: And vpon my knees, I charme you, by my once commended Beauty, By all your vowes of Loue, and that great Vow Which did incorporate and make vs one, That you vnfold to me, your selfe; your halfe Why you are heauy: and what men to night Haue had resort to you: for heere haue beene Some sixe or seuen, who did hide their faces Euen from darknesse

Bru. Kneele not gentle Portia

Por. I should not neede, if you were gentle Brutus.

Within the Bond of Marriage, tell me Brutus, Is it excepted, I should know no Secrets That appertaine to you? Am I your Selfe, But as it were in sort, or limitation?

To keepe with you at Meales, comfort your Bed, And talke to you sometimes? Dwell I but in the Suburbs Of your good pleasure? If it be no more, Portia is Brutus Harlot, not his Wife

Bru. You are my true and honourable Wife, As deere to me, as are the ruddy droppes That visit my sad heart

Por. If this were true, then should I know this secret.

I graunt I am a Woman; but withall, A Woman that Lord Brutus tooke to Wife: I graunt I am a Woman; but withall, A Woman well reputed: Cato's Daughter.

Thinke you, I am no stronger then my s.e.x Being so Father'd, and so Husbanded?

Tell me your Counsels, I will not disclose 'em: I haue made strong proofe of my Constancie, Giuing my selfe a voluntary wound Heere, in the Thigh: Can I beare that with patience, And not my Husbands Secrets?

Bru. O ye G.o.ds!

Render me worthy of this n.o.ble Wife.

Knocke.

Harke, harke, one knockes: Portia go in a while, And by and by thy bosome shall partake The secrets of my Heart.

All my engagements, I will construe to thee, All the Charractery of my sad browes: Leaue me with hast.

Exit Portia.

Enter Lucius and Ligarius.

Lucius, who's that knockes

Luc. Heere is a sicke man that would speak with you

Bru. Caius Ligarius, that Metellus spake of.

Boy, stand aside. Caius Ligarius, how?

Cai. Vouchsafe good morrow from a feeble tongue

Bru. O what a time haue you chose out braue Caius To weare a Kerchiefe? Would you were not sicke

Cai. I am not sicke, if Brutus haue in hand Any exploit worthy the name of Honor

Bru. Such an exploit haue I in hand Ligarius, Had you a healthfull eare to heare of it

Cai. By all the G.o.ds that Romans bow before, I heere discard my sicknesse. Soule of Rome, Braue Sonne, deriu'd from Honourable Loines, Thou like an Exorcist, hast coniur'd vp My mortified Spirit. Now bid me runne, And I will striue with things impossible, Yea get the better of them. What's to do?

Bru. A peece of worke, That will make sicke men whole

Cai. But are not some whole, that we must make sicke?

Bru. That must we also. What it is my Caius, I shall vnfold to thee, as we are going, To whom it must be done

Cai. Set on your foote, And with a heart new-fir'd, I follow you, To do I know not what: but it sufficeth That Brutus leads me on.

Thunder

Bru. Follow me then.

Exeunt.

Thunder & Lightning

Enter Iulius Caesar in his Night-gowne.

Caesar. Nor Heauen, nor Earth, Haue beene at peace to night: Thrice hath Calphurnia, in her sleepe cryed out, Helpe, ho: They murther Caesar. Who's within?

Enter a Seruant.

Ser. My Lord

Caes Go bid the Priests do present Sacrifice, And bring me their opinions of Successe

Ser. I will my Lord.

Exit

Enter Calphurnia.

Cal. What mean you Caesar? Think you to walk forth?

You shall not stirre out of your house to day

Caes Caesar shall forth; the things that threaten'd me, Ne're look'd but on my backe: When they shall see The face of Caesar, they are vanished

Calp. Caesar, I neuer stood on Ceremonies, Yet now they fright me: There is one within, Besides the things that we haue heard and seene, Recounts most horrid sights seene by the Watch.

A Lionnesse hath whelped in the streets, And Graues haue yawn'd, and yeelded vp their dead; Fierce fiery Warriours fight vpon the Clouds In Rankes and Squadrons, and right forme of Warre Which drizel'd blood vpon the Capitoll: The noise of Battell hurtled in the Ayre: Horsses do neigh, and dying men did grone, And Ghosts did shrieke and squeale about the streets.

O Caesar, these things are beyond all vse, And I do feare them

Caes What can be auoyded Whose end is purpos'd by the mighty G.o.ds?

Yet Caesar shall go forth: for these Predictions Are to the world in generall, as to Caesar

Calp. When Beggers dye, there are no Comets seen, The Heauens themselues blaze forth the death of Princes Caes Cowards dye many times before their deaths, The valiant neuer taste of death but once: Of all the Wonders that I yet haue heard, It seemes to me most strange that men should feare, Seeing that death, a necessary end Will come, when it will come.

Enter a Seruant.

What say the Augurers?

Ser. They would not haue you to stirre forth to day.

Plucking the intrailes of an Offering forth, They could not finde a heart within the beast

Caes The G.o.ds do this in shame of Cowardice: Caesar should be a Beast without a heart If he should stay at home to day for feare: No Caesar shall not; Danger knowes full well That Caesar is more dangerous then he.

We heare two Lyons litter'd in one day, And I the elder and more terrible, And Caesar shall go foorth

Calp. Alas my Lord, Your wisedome is consum'd in confidence: Do not go forth to day: Call it my feare, That keepes you in the house, and not your owne.

Wee'l send Mark Antony to the Senate house, And he shall say, you are not well to day: Let me vpon my knee, preuaile in this