The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Part 256

BRUTUS. I am not gamesome; I do lack some part Of that quick spirit that is in Antony.

Let me not hinder, Ca.s.sius, your desires; I'll leave you.

Ca.s.sIUS. Brutus, I do observe you now of late; I have not from your eyes that gentleness And show of love as I was wont to have; You bear too stubborn and too strange a hand Over your friend that loves you.

BRUTUS. Ca.s.sius, Be not deceived; if I have veil'd my look, I turn the trouble of my countenance Merely upon myself. Vexed I am Of late with pa.s.sions of some difference, Conceptions only proper to myself, Which give some soil perhaps to my behaviors; But let not therefore my good friends be grieved- Among which number, Ca.s.sius, be you one- Nor construe any further my neglect Than that poor Brutus with himself at war Forgets the shows of love to other men.

Ca.s.sIUS. Then, Brutus, I have much mistook your pa.s.sion, By means whereof this breast of mine hath buried Thoughts of great value, worthy cogitations.

Tell me, good Brutus, can you see your face?

BRUTUS. No, Ca.s.sius, for the eye sees not itself But by reflection, by some other things.

Ca.s.sIUS. 'Tis just, And it is very much lamented, Brutus, That you have no such mirrors as will turn Your hidden worthiness into your eye That you might see your shadow. I have heard Where many of the best respect in Rome, Except immortal Caesar, speaking of Brutus And groaning underneath this age's yoke, Have wish'd that n.o.ble Brutus had his eyes.

BRUTUS. Into what dangers would you lead me, Ca.s.sius, That you would have me seek into myself For that which is not in me?

Ca.s.sIUS. Therefore, good Brutus, be prepared to hear, And since you know you cannot see yourself So well as by reflection, I your gla.s.s Will modestly discover to yourself That of yourself which you yet know not of.

And be not jealous on me, gentle Brutus; Were I a common laugher, or did use To stale with ordinary oaths my love To every new protester, if you know That I do fawn on men and hug them hard And after scandal them, or if you know That I profess myself in banqueting To all the rout, then hold me dangerous.

Flourish and shout.

BRUTUS. What means this shouting? I do fear the people Choose Caesar for their king.

Ca.s.sIUS. Ay, do you fear it?

Then must I think you would not have it so.

BRUTUS. I would not, Ca.s.sius, yet I love him well.

But wherefore do you hold me here so long?

What is it that you would impart to me?

If it be aught toward the general good, Set honor in one eye and death i' the other And I will look on both indifferently.

For let the G.o.ds so speed me as I love The name of honor more than I fear death.

Ca.s.sIUS. I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus, As well as I do know your outward favor.

Well, honor is the subject of my story.

I cannot tell what you and other men Think of this life, but, for my single self, I had as lief not be as live to be In awe of such a thing as I myself.

I was born free as Caesar, so were you; We both have fed as well, and we can both Endure the winter's cold as well as he.

For once, upon a raw and gusty day, The troubled Tiber chafing with her sh.o.r.es, Caesar said to me, "Darest thou, Ca.s.sius, now Leap in with me into this angry flood And swim to yonder point?" Upon the word, Accoutred as I was, I plunged in And bade him follow. So indeed he did.

The torrent roar'd, and we did buffet it With l.u.s.ty sinews, throwing it aside And stemming it with hearts of controversy.

But ere we could arrive the point proposed, Caesar cried, "Help me, Ca.s.sius, or I sink!

I, as Aeneas our great ancestor Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder The old Anchises bear, so from the waves of Tiber Did I the tired Caesar. And this man Is now become a G.o.d, and Ca.s.sius is A wretched creature and must bend his body If Caesar carelessly but nod on him.

He had a fever when he was in Spain, And when the fit was on him I did mark How he did shake. 'Tis true, this G.o.d did shake; His coward lips did from their color fly, And that same eye whose bend doth awe the world Did lose his l.u.s.ter. I did hear him groan.

Ay, and that tongue of his that bade the Romans Mark him and write his speeches in their books, Alas, it cried, "Give me some drink, t.i.tinius,"

As a sick girl. Ye G.o.ds! It doth amaze me A man of such a feeble temper should So get the start of the majestic world And bear the palm alone. Shout. Flourish.

BRUTUS. Another general shout!

I do believe that these applauses are For some new honors that are heap'd on Caesar.

Ca.s.sIUS. Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world Like a Colossus, and we petty men Walk under his huge legs and peep about To find ourselves dishonorable graves.

Men at some time are masters of their fates: The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves that we are underlings.

Brutus and Caesar: what should be in that "Caesar"?

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 "Caesar."

Now, in the names of all the G.o.ds at once, Upon what meat doth this our Caesar feed That he is grown so great? Age, thou art shamed!

Rome, thou hast lost the breed of n.o.ble 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 encompa.s.s'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.

BRUTUS. 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 Both meet to hear and answer such high things.

Till then, my n.o.ble 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.

Ca.s.sIUS. I am glad that my weak words Have struck but thus much show of fire from Brutus.

Re-enter Caesar and his Train.

BRUTUS. The games are done, and Caesar is returning.

Ca.s.sIUS. As they pa.s.s by, pluck Casca by the sleeve, And he will, after his sour fashion, tell you What hath proceeded worthy note today.

BRUTUS. I will do so. But, look you, Ca.s.sius, The angry spot doth glow on Caesar'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.

Ca.s.sIUS. Casca will tell us what the matter is.

CAESAR. Antonio!

ANTONY. Caesar?

CAESAR. Let me have men about me that are fat, Sleek-headed men, and such as sleep o' nights: Yond Ca.s.sius has a lean and hungry look; He thinks too much; such men are dangerous.

ANTONY. Fear him not, Caesar; he's not dangerous; He is a n.o.ble Roman and well given.

CAESAR. 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 Ca.s.sius. 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 Caesar.

Come on my right hand, for this ear is deaf, And tell me truly what thou think'st of him.

Sennet. Exeunt Caesar and all his Train but Casca.

CASCA. You pull'd me by the cloak; would you speak with me?

BRUTUS. Ay, Casca, tell us what hath chanced today That Caesar looks so sad.

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

BRUTUS. 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 ashouting.

BRUTUS. What was the second noise for?

CASCA. Why, for that too.

Ca.s.sIUS. They shouted thrice. What was the last cry for?

CASCA. Why, for that too.

BRUTUS. Was the crown offered him thrice?

CASCA. Ay, marry, wast, and he put it by thrice, every time gentler than other, and at every putting by mine honest neighbors shouted.

Ca.s.sIUS. Who offered him the crown?

CASCA. Why, Antony.

BRUTUS. Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casca.

CASCA. I can as well be hang'd 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 hooted and clapped their chopped hands and threw up their sweaty nightcaps and uttered such a deal of stinking breath because Caesar refused the crown that it had almost choked Caesar, 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.

Ca.s.sIUS. But, soft, I pray you, what, did Caesars wound?

CASCA. He fell down in the marketplace and foamed at mouth and was speechless.

BRUTUS. 'Tis very like. He hath the falling sickness.

Ca.s.sIUS. No, Caesar 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 Caesar 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.

BRUTUS. 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 had been a man of any occupation, if I would not have taken him at a word, I would I might go to h.e.l.l 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 Caesar had stabbed their mothers, they would have done no less.

BRUTUS. And after that he came, thus sad, away?

CASCA. Ay.

Ca.s.sIUS. Did Cicero say anything?

CASCA. Ay, he spoke Greek.

Ca.s.sIUS. 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 Caesar's images, are put to silence. Fare you well.

There was more foolery yet, if could remember it.

Ca.s.sIUS. Will you sup with me tonight, Casca?

CASCA. No, I am promised forth.

Ca.s.sIUS. Will you dine with me tomorrow?

CASCA. Ay, if I be alive, and your mind hold, and your dinner worth the eating.

Ca.s.sIUS. Good, I will expect you.

CASCA. Do so, farewell, both. Exit.

BRUTUS. What a blunt fellow is this grown to be!