The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Part 261

PORTIA. Yes, bring me word, boy, if thy lord look well, For he went sickly forth; and take good note What Caesar doth, what suitors press to him.

Hark, boy, what noise is that?

LUCIUS. I hear none, madam.

PORTIA. Prithee, listen well.

I heard a bustling rumor like a fray, And the wind brings it from the Capitol.

LUCIUS. Sooth, madam, I hear nothing.

Enter the Soothsayer.

PORTIA. Come hither, fellow; Which way hast thou been?

SOOTHSAYER. At mine own house, good lady.

PORTIA. What is't o'clock?

SOOTHSAYER. About the ninth hour, lady.

PORTIA. Is Caesar yet gone to the Capitol?

SOOTHSAYER. Madam, not yet. I go to take my stand To see him pa.s.s on to the Capitol.

PORTIA. Thou hast some suit to Caesar, hast thou not?

SOOTHSAYER. That I have, lady. If it will please Caesar To be so good to Caesar as to hear me, I shall beseech him to befriend himself.

PORTIA. Why, know'st thou any harm's intended towards him?

SOOTHSAYER. None that I know will be, much that I fear may chance.

Good morrow to you. Here the street is narrow, The throng that follows Caesar at the heels, Of senators, of praetors, common suitors, Will crowd a feeble man almost to death.

I'll get me to a place more void and there Speak to great Caesar as he comes along. Exit.

PORTIA. I must go in. Ay me, how weak a thing The heart of woman is! O Brutus, The heavens speed thee in thine enterprise!

Sure, the boy heard me. Brutus hath a suit That Caesar will not grant. O, I grow faint.

Run, Lucius, and commend me to my lord; Say I am merry. Come to me again, And bring me word what he doth say to thee.

Exeunt severally.

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ACT III. SCENE I.

Rome. Before the Capitol; the Senate sitting above.

A crowd of people, among them Artemidorus and the Soothsayer.

Flourish. Enter Caesar, Brutus, Ca.s.sius, Casca, Decius, Metellus, Trebonius, Cinna, Antony, Lepidus, Popilius, Publius, and others.

CAESAR. The ides of March are come.

SOOTHSAYER. Ay, Caesar, but not gone.

A Hail, Caesar! Read this schedule.

DECIUS. Trebonius doth desire you to o'er read, At your best leisure, this his humble suit.

ARTEMIDORUS. O Caesar, read mine first, for mine's a suit That touches Caesar nearer. Read it, great Caesar.

CAESAR. What touches us ourself shall be last served.

ARTEMIDORUS. Delay not, Caesar; read it instantly.

CAESAR. What, is the fellow mad?

PUBLIUS. Sirrah, give place.

Ca.s.sIUS. What, urge you your pet.i.tions in the street?

Come to the Capitol.

Caesar goes up to the Senate House, the rest follow.

POPILIUS. I wish your enterprise today may thrive.

Ca.s.sIUS. What enterprise, Popilius?

POPILIUS. Fare you well.

Advances to Caesar.

BRUTUS. What said Popilius Lena?

Ca.s.sIUS. He wish'd today our enterprise might thrive.

I fear our purpose is discovered.

BRUTUS. Look, how he makes to Caesar. Mark him.

Ca.s.sIUS. Casca, Be sudden, for we fear prevention.

Brutus, what shall be done? If this be known, Ca.s.sius or Caesar never shall turn back, For I will slay myself.

BRUTUS. Ca.s.sius, be constant.

Popilius Lena speaks not of our purposes; For, look, he smiles, and Caesar doth not change.

Ca.s.sIUS. Trebonius knows his time, for, look you, Brutus, He draws Mark Antony out of the way.

Exeunt Antony and Trebonius.

DECIUS. Where is Metellus Cimber? Let him And presently prefer his suit to Caesar.

BRUTUS. He is address'd; press near and second him.

CINNA. Casca, you are the first that rears your hand.

CAESAR. Are we all ready? What is now amiss That Caesar and his Senate must redress?

METELLUS. Most high, most mighty, and most puissant Caesar, Metellus Cimber throws before thy seat An humble heart. Kneels.

CAESAR. I must prevent thee, Cimber.

These couchings and these lowly courtesies Might fire the blood of ordinary men And turn preordinance and first decree Into the law of children. Be not fond To think that Caesar bears such rebel blood That will be thaw'd from the true quality With that which melteth fools- I mean sweet words, Low-crooked court'sies, and base spaniel-fawning.

Thy brother by decree is banished.

If thou dost bend and pray and fawn for him, I spurn thee like a cur out of my way.

Know, Caesar doth not wrong, nor without cause Will he be satisfied.

METELLUS. Is there no voice more worthy than my own, To sound more sweetly in great Caesar's ear For the repealing of my banish'd brother?

BRUTUS. I kiss thy hand, but not in flattery, Caesar, Desiring thee that Publius Cimber may Have an immediate freedom of repeal.

CAESAR. What, Brutus?

Ca.s.sIUS. Pardon, Caesar! Caesar, pardon!

As low as to thy foot doth Ca.s.sius fall To beg enfranchis.e.m.e.nt for Publius Cimber.

CAESAR. I could be well moved, if I were as you; If I could pray to move, prayers would move me; But I am constant as the northern star, Of whose true-fix'd and resting quality There is no fellow in the firmament.

The skies are painted with unnumber'd sparks; They are all fire and every one doth shine; But there's but one in all doth hold his place.

So in the world, 'tis furnish'd well with men, And men are flesh and blood, and apprehensive; Yet in the number I do know but one That una.s.sailable holds on his rank, Unshaked of motion; and that I am he, Let me a little show it, even in this; That I was constant Cimber should be banish'd, And constant do remain to keep him so.

CINNA. O Caesar- CAESAR. Hence! Wilt thou lift up Olympus?

DECIUS. Great Caesar- CAESAR. Doth not Brutus bootless kneel?

CASCA. Speak, hands, for me!

Casca first, then the other Conspirators and Marcus Brutus stab Caesar.

CAESAR. Et tu, Brute?- Then fall, Caesar! Dies.

CINNA. Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead!

Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets.

Ca.s.sIUS. Some to the common pulpits and cry out "Liberty, freedom, and enfranchis.e.m.e.nt!"

BRUTUS. People and senators, be not affrighted, Fly not, stand still; ambition's debt is paid.

CASCA. Go to the pulpit, Brutus.

DECIUS. And Ca.s.sius too.

BRUTUS. Where's Publius?

CINNA. Here, quite confounded with this mutiny.

METELLUS. Stand fast together, lest some friend of Caesar's Should chance- BRUTUS. Talk not of standing. Publius, good cheer, There is no harm intended to your person, Nor to no Roman else. So tell them, Publius.

Ca.s.sIUS. And leave us, Publius, lest that the people Rushing on us should do your age some mischief.