SCENE II. BRUTUS' Garden. Enter BRUTUS. Bru. What, Lucius, ho! I cannot, by the progress of the stars, Enter LUCIUS. Luc. Call'd you, my lord? Bru. Get me a taper in my study, Lucius. When it is lighted come and call me here. Luc. I will, my lord. [Exit. Bru. It must be by his death; and, for my part, I know no personal cause to spurn at him: But for the general. He would be crown'd How that might change his nature? there's the question It is the bright day that brings forth the alder; That at his will he may do danger with. Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees, ous, And kill him in the shell. Enter LUCIUS. Luc. The taper burneth in your closet, sir. Searching the window for a flint, I found This paper, thus seal'd up; and, I am sure, It did not lie there when I went to bed. [Gives him a Letter. Bru. Get you to bed again, it is not day: Is not to-morrow, boy, the ides of March? Luc. I know not, sir. Bru. Look in the calendar, and bring me word. Luc. I will, sir. Bru. The exhalations whizzing in the air, [Exit [Lightning. Give so much light, that I may read by them. Brutus, thou sleep'st, awake, and see thyself: Such instigations have been often dropp'd, Shall Rone- -thus must I piece it out: Shall Rone stand under one man's awe? what! Rome! If the redress will follow, thou receiv'st Enter LUCIUS. Luc. Sir, March is wasted fourteen days. [Knocks within. Bru. 'Tis good. Go to the gate; somebody knocks. [Exit LUCIUS. Since Cassius first did whet me against Cæsar, I have not slept Between the acting of a dreadful thing, Enter LUCIUS. Luc. Sir, 'tis your brother Cassius at the door, Who doth desire to see you. Bru. Is he alone? Luc. No, sir, there are more with him. Bru. Do you know them? Luc. No, sir; their faces are buried in their robes, That by no means I may discover them, By any mark of favour. Bru. Let them enter. They are the faction.-O conspiracy! [Exit LUCIUS. Sham'st thou to show thy dangerous brow by night, When evils are most free? O then, by day Where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough, To mask thy monstrous visage; seek none, conspiracy, Hide it in smiles and affability; For if thou put thy native semblance on, Not Erebus itself were dim enough To hide thee from prevention. Enter CASSIUS,CASCA, DECIUS, CINNA, METELLus, and TREBONIUS. Cas. I think we are too bold upon your rest; Good-morrow, Brutus, do we trouble you? Bru. I have been up this hour, awake all night. Which every noble Roman bears of you. Bru. He is welcome hither. Cas. This is Decius Brutus. Bru. They are all welcome. What watchful cares do interpose themselves, Betwixt your eyes and night? Cas. Shall I entreat a word? [They whisper. Dec. Here lies the east: Doth not the day break here? Casca. No. Cin. O pardon, sir, it doth; and yon grey lines, That fret the clouds, are messengers of day. Casca. You shall confess, that you are both de- Here, as I point my sword, the sun arises, Bru. Give me your hands all over, one by one. Cas. And let us swear our resolution. Bru. No, not an oath-if that the face of men, but if these, That this shall be, or we will tall by it? Swear priests and cowards, and such suffering souls, Nor th' insuppressive metal of our spirits, To think, that, or our cause, or our performance, Did need an oath. When ev'ry drop of blood, That ev'ry Roman bears, and nobly bears, Is guilty of a several bastardy, If he doth break the smallest particle, Of any promise that hath pass'd his lips. Cas. But what of Cicero ? shall we sound him? I think he will stand very strong with us. Cin. No, by no means, Met. O, let us have him, for his silver hairs Will purchase us a good opinion, And buy men's voices to commend our deeds. Bru. O, name him not; let us not break with him; For he will never follow any thing That other men begin. |