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Caf. How foolish do your Fears feem now, Calphurnia?

I am afhamed, I did yield to them.

Give me my Robe, for I will go. And, look,

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Enter Brutus, Ligarius, Metellus, Cafca, Trebonius,
Cinna and Publius.

Where Publius is come to fetch me.
Pub. Good-morrow, Cafar.

Caf. Welcome, Publius.

What, Brutus, are you stirr'd fo early too?
Good-morrow, Cafca. Caius Ligarius,

Cafar was ne'er fo much your enemy,

As that fame Ague which hath made you lean.
What is 't o'clock ?

Bru. Cæfar, 'tis ftricken eight.

Caf. I thank you for your pains and courtesy.

Enter Antony.

See! Antony, that revels long o' nights,
Is notwithstanding up. Good morrow, Antony.
Ant. So to moft noble Cæfar.

Caf. Bid them

prepare within:

I am to blame to be thus waited for, and minut
Now, Cinna; now, Metellus. What, Trebonius!
I have an hour's talk in ftore for you,

Remember, that you call on me to-day;

Be near me, that I may remember you.
Treb. Cæfar, I will.

-And fo near will I be,

[Afide. That your best Friends fhall wish I had been further. Caf. Good Friends, go in, and tafte fome wine

with me.

And we, like Friends, will ftraightway go together.
Bru. That every like is not the fame, O Cafar,
The heart of Brutus yerns to think upon !

[Exeunt.

SCENE

C

SCENE VII.

Changes to a Street near the Capitol.

Enter Artemidorus, reading a paper.

ESAR, beware of Brutus; take heed of Caffius; come not near Cafca; have an eye to Cinna; truft not Trebonius; mark well Metellus Cimber; Decius Brutus loves thee not; thou haft wrong'd Caius Ligarius. There is but one mind in all these men, and it is bent against Cæfar. If thou beft not immortal, look about thee; fecurity gives way to confpiracy. The mighty Gods defend thee!

Thy Lover, Artemidorus.

Here will I ftand, 'till Cæfar pafs along,
And as a fuitor will I give him this.

My heart laments, that virtue cannot live
Out of the teeth of emulation.

If thou read this, O Cafar, thou mayft live;
If not, (3) the fates with Traitors do contrive. [Exit.

Enter Porcia and Lucius.

Por. I pry'thee, Boy, run to the Senate-houfe;
Stay not to answer me, but get thee gone.
Why dost thou stay?.

Luc. To know my errand, Madam.

Por. I would have had thee there and here again, Ere I can tell thee what thou fhouldft do there

O Conftancy, be ftrong upon my fide,

Set a huge mountain 'tween my heart and tongue;
I have a man's mind, but a woman's might.
How hard it is for women to keep counfel!

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Art thou here yet?

Luc. Madam, what fhould I do?

Run to the Capitol, and nothing else?

(3)-the fates with Traitors do contrive.] The fates join with traitors in contriving thy deftruction.

And fo return to you, and nothing else?

Por. Yes, bring me word, boy, if thy Lord look well,

For he went fickly forth and take good note,
What Cæfar doth, what fuitors prefs to him,
Hark, boy! what noise is that?

Luc. I hear none, Madam.
Por. Pr'ythee, liften well:

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I heard a bustling rumour like a fray,
And the wind brings it from the Capitol.
Luc. Sooth, Madam, I hear nothing.

Enter Artemidorus.

Por. Come hither, fellow, which way haft thou been?

Art. At mine own houfe, good lady.

Por. What is 't o'clock ?

Art. About the ninth hour, Lady.

Por. Is Cæfar yet gone to the Capitol?

Por. Madam, not yet. I go to take my stand, To fee him pafs on to the Capitol.

Por. Thou haft fome fuit to Calar, haft thou not? Art. That I have, Lady. If it will please Cæfar To be fo good to Cæfar, as to hear me,

I fhall befeech him to befriend himself.

Por. Why, know'st thou any harm intended tow'rds him?

Art. None that I know will be, much that I fear; Good-morrow to you. Here the street is narrow : The throng, that follows Cæfar at the heels, Of Senators, of Prætors, common Suitors, Will crowd a feeble Man almost to death; I'll get me to a place more void, and there Speak to great Cæfar as he comes along.

[Exit.

Por. I must go in-ah me! how weak a thing
The heart of Woman is! O Brutus ! Brutus !
The heavens fpeed thee in thine enterprize!
Sure, the Boy heard me :-Brutus hath a Suit,
That Cæfar will not grant.-O, I grow faint:
Run, Lucius, and commend me to my Lord;

Say,

Say, I am merry; come to me again,
And bring me word what he doth fay to thee.

[Exeunt feverally.

ACT III.

SCENE

I.

The Street before the Capitol; and the Capitol open.

Flourish. Enter Cæfar, Brutus, Caffius, Cafca, Decius, Metellus, Trebonius, Cinna, Antony, Lepidus, Artemidorus, Popilius, Publius, and the SoothSayer. CESAR.

HE Ides of March are come.

TH

Sooth. Ay, Cæfar, but not gone.

Art. Hail, Cæfar. Read this schedule. Dec. Trebonius doth defire you to o'er-read At your beft leifure this his humble fuit.

Art. O Cafar, read mine firft; for mine's a fuit. That touches Cafar nearer. Read it, great Cafar. Cafar. What touches us ourself, fhall be laft ferv'd. Art. Delay not, Cæfar, read it inftantly. Caf. What, is the fellow mad?

Pub. Sirrah, give place.

Caf. What urge you your petitions in the street? Come to the Capitol.

Pop. I wish, your enterprize to-day may thrive.
Caf. What enterprize, Popilius?

Pop. Fare you well.

Bru. What faid Popilius Lena?

Caf. He wish'd to day our enterprize might thrive. I fear, our purpofe is difcovered.

Bru. Look, how he makes to Cafar. Mark him. Caf. Cafca, be fudden, for we fear prevention. Brutus, what fhall be done, if this be known? Caffius, or Cæfar, never fhall turn back; For I will flay myself.

Bru. Caffius, be conftant.

Popilius Lena fpeaks not of our purpose ;dugulak

For,

For, look, he fmiles, and Cæfar doth not change. Caf. Trebonius knows his time; for look you, Brutus, He draws Mark Antony out of the way.

Dec. Where is Metellus Cimber? Let him go, And presently prefer his fuit to Cæfar.

Bru. He is addreft; press near and second him. Cin. Cafea, you are the first that rears your hand. Caf. Are we all ready? what is now amifs, That Cæfar and his Senate muft redress ?

Met. Moft high, moft mighty, and most puissant Cæfar,

Metellus Cimber throws before thy feat

An humble heart.

[Kneeling.

Caf. I muft prevent thee, Cimber. Thefe couchings and thefe lowly curtefies (4) Might fire the blood of ordinary men, (5) And turn pre-ordinance and firft decree (6) Into the lane of children. Be not fond, To think that Cafar bears fuch rebel blood, That will be thaw'd from the true quality With that which melteth fools; I mean, fweet words; Low-crooked curtfies, and bafe fpaniel-fawning. Thy brother by decree is banished;

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

Know, Cafar doth not wrong; nor without caufe
Will he be fatisfied.

(4) Might fire the blood of ordinary men,] It is plain we should read,

;

ftir the blood

Submiffion does not fire the blood, but melt it into compaffion; or, as he says just after, thaw it. So afterwards in this play he fays, WARBUR.

The power of Speech to STIR mens bloods. This is plaufible, but not fo neceffary as that it should be admitted into the text.

(5) And turn pre-ordinance-] Pre-ordinance, for ordinance already established. WARBUR.

(6) Into the lane of children.] I do not well understand what is meant by the lane of children. I fhould read, the law of children. It was, change pre-ordinance and decree into the law of children; into fuch flight determinations as every start of will would alter. Lane and law in fome manuscripts are not eafily distinguished.

Met.

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