PERSONS JULIUS CASAR, M. ANTONIUS, M. EMIL. LEPIDUS REPRESENTE D. Triumvirs after the Death CICERO, PUBLIUS, POPILIUS LENA, Senators. BRUTUS, CASSIUS, CASCA, TREBONIUS, LIGARIUS, DECIUS BRUTUS, METELLUS CIMBER, FLAVIUS, and MARULLUS, Tribunes. CINNA, a Poet: Another Poet. LUCILIUS, TITINIUS, MESSALA, Young CATO, and VOLUMNIUS; Friends to Brutus and Caffius. VARRO, CLITUS, CLAUDIUS, STRATO, LUCIUS, DARDANIUS; Servants to Brutus. Confpirators against Ju- PINDARUS, Servant to Caffius.) lius Caefar. CALPHURNIA, Wife to Cæfar. CINNA, Plebeians, Senators, Guards, Attendants, &c. SCENE, for the three firft Alts, at Rome: afterwards at an Island near Mutina; at Sardis; and near Philippi. SCENE A Street. A C T I. I. Enter Flavius, Marullus, and certain Commoners. ENCE; home, you idle creatures, get you home : Flav. H Is this a holiday? What! know you not, Mar. Where is thy leather apron, and thy rule Cob. Truly, fir, in refpect of a fine workman, I am but, as you would fay, a cobler. Flav. Thou art a cobler, art thou? Cob. Truly, fir, all that I live by is, with the awl: I meddle with no trade,man's matters, nor woman's matters, but with awl. I am, indeed, fir, a furgeon to old shoes; when they are in great danger, I recover them. As proper men as ever trod upon neats-leather, have gone upon my handywork. Flav. But wherefore art not in thy shop to-day? Why doft thou lead thefe men about the streets? Cob. Truly, fir, to wear out their fhoes, to get myself into more work. But, indeed, fir, we make holiday, to fee Cæfar, and to rejoice, in his triumph. Mar. Wherefore rejoice? What conquest brings he home? Mar. But what trade art thou? Anfwer me What tributaries follow him to Rome, Have you not made an univerfal shout, And do you now put on your best attire!? Run to your houfes, fall upon your knees, [fault, Flav. Go, go, good countrymen, and, for this Affemble all the poor men of your fort; Draw them to Tyber banks, and weep your tears Into the channel, 'till the lowest stream Do kifs the most exalted fhores of all. [Exeunt Commoners. See, whe'r their bafeft metal be not mov'd; They vanifh tongue-ty'd in their guiltinels. Go you down that way towards the Capitol; This way will I: Difrobe the images, If you do find them deck'd with ceremonies. Mar. May we do fo? You know, it is the feaft of Lupercal. Flav. It is no matter; let no images Be hung with Cæfar's trophies. I'll about, And drive away the vulgar from the streets: So do you too, where you perceive them thick. Thefe growing feathers pluck'd from Cæfar's wing, Will make him fly an ordinary pitch; Who elfe would foar above the view of men, And keep us all in fervile fearfulness. SCENE The fame. II. [Exeunt. Enter Cfar; Antony, for the courfe; Calpburnia, Portia, Decius 2, Cicero, Brutus, Caffius, Cafea, a Soothsayer, &c. Cf., Calphurnia, Cafea. Peace, ho! Cæfar speaks. Cef. Calphurnia, Calp. Here, my lord. Caf. Stand you directly in Antonius' way, When he doth run his courfe.-Antonius. Ant. Cæfar, my lord. Cef. Forget not, in your speed, Antonius, To touch Calphurnia: for our elders fay, The barren, touched in this holy chase, Shake off their fterile curfe. Ant. I fhall remember : When Cæfar fays, Do this, it is perform'd. Cf. Set on; and leave no ceremony out. Sooth. Cæfar. Chef. Ha! Who calls? Cajca. Bid every noife be ftill:-Peace yet again. Cf. Who is it in the prefs, that calls on me? I hear a tongue, fhriller than all the mufick, Cry, Cæfar: Speak; Cæfar is turn'd to hear. Sooth. Beware the ides of March. 1 Ceremonies for religious ornaments. Caf. What man is that? [March. Bru. A foothfayer bids you heware the ides of Gef. Set him before me, let me fee his face. Caf. Fellow, come from the throng:-Look upon Cæfar. [again. Cf. What fay'ft thou to me now? Speak once Sooth. Beware the ides of March. Caf. He is a dreamer; let us leave him :-país [Sennet 3. Exeunt Cæfar and train. Caf. Will you go fee the order of the course ? Bru. Not I. Be not deceiv'd: If I have veil'd my look, Of late, with pattions of fome difference 5, Which give fome foil, perhaps, to my behaviours: Caf. Then, Brutus, I have much miftook your paflion; By means whereof, this breaft of mine hath bury'd Bru. No, Caffius: for the eye fees not itself, Caf. 'Tis juft: I have heard And it is very much lamented, Brutus, Caf. Therefore, good Brutus, be prepar'd to hear: 2 This perfon was not Decius, but Decimus Brutus. We have before obferved, that Sennet appears to be a particular tune or mode of martial mufick. 51. e. with a fluctuation of difcordant opinions and defires. 4 Strange is alien, unfamiliar. To To ftale with ordinary oaths my love [Flourish and fheut. Bru. What means this fhouting? I do fear, the Choose Cæfar for their king. Caf. Ay, do you fear it? [people Then muft I think you would not have it fo. I was born free as Cefar; fo were you : Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder Did I the tired Cæfar: And this man A wretched creature, and must bend his body, [Shout. Flourish. Bru. Another general shout! I do believe, that these applaufes are For fome new honours that are heap'd on Cæfar. Caf. Why, man, he doth beitride the narrow world, Like a Coloffus; and we petty men O! you and I have heard our fathers fay, [brook'd Bru. That you do love me, I am nothing jealous; I would not, fo with love I might intreat you, I will with patience hear; and find a time Than to repute himself a fon of Rome Gaf. I am glad, that my weak words Re-enter Caefar and his troin. Bru. The games are done, and Cæfar is re turning. Caf. As they pals by, pluck Cafea by the fleeve: And he will, after his four fathion, tell you What hath proceeded, worthy note, to-day. Bru. I will do to:-But, look you, Cañus, The angry spot doth glow on Calar's brow, And all the rett look like a chidden train: Calphurnia's cheek is pale; and Cicero Looks with fuch ferret and fuch fiery eyes, As we have feen him in the Capitol, Being crois'd in conterence by tome fenators. 1 That is, to invite every new protefter to my affect on by the fade or allurement of customary oaths. 2 i. c. Luctus Juetus Brutus. 3 i. e. ruminate on this. 3 B 4 4 A ferret has red eyes. Caf. Cafca will tell us what the matter is. Ant. Cæfar. Cef. Let me have men about me, that are fat; Caf. 'Would he were fatter:- -But I fear him not: Yet if my name were liable to fear, I do not know the man I thould avoid [Exeunt Cafar, and his train. Manent Brutus and Caffius: Cafea to them. Cafea. You pull'd me by the cloak; Would you fpeak with me? Bra. Ay, Cafca; tell us what hath chanc'd to-day, That Cæfar looks fo fad. Cafea. Why you were with him, were you not? Bru. I fhould not then afk Cafca what had chanc'd. Cafea. Why, there was a crown offer'd him : and being offer'd him, he put it by with the back of his hand, thus; and then the people fell a' fhouting. Bru. What was the fecond noife for? Cafea. Why for that too. Jand ftill as he refus'd it, the rabblement hooted, and clapp'd their chopt hands, and threw up their fweaty night-caps, and utter'd fuch a deal of ftinking breath because Cæfar refus'd the crown, that it had almoft choak'd Cæfar; for he fwooned, and fell down at it: And for mine own part, I durft not laugh, for fear of opening my lips, and receiving the bad air. Caf. But, foft, I pray you: What? did Cæfar fwoon Cafca. He fell down in the market-place, and foam'd at mouth, and was fpeechlefs. Bru. 'Tis very like; he hath the falling-ficknefs. Caf. No, Cæfar hath it not; but you, and I, And honeft Cafca, we have the falling-fickness. Cafea. I know not what you mean by that; but, I am fure, Cæfar fell down. If the tag-rag people did not clap him, and hiss him, according as he pleas'd, and difpleas'd them, as they ufe to do the players in the theatre, I am no true man. Bru. What faid he, when he came unto himself? Cafea. Marry, before he fell down, when he perceiv'd the common herd was glad he refus'd the crown, he pluck'd me ope his doublet, and offer'd them his throat to cut.-An I had been a man of any occupation, if I would not have taken him at a word, I would I might go to hell among the rogues :-and fo he fell. When he came to himself again, he said, If he had done, or faid, any thing amifs, he defir'd their worthips to think it was his infirmity. Three or four wenches, where I flood, cry'd, Alas, good foul!—and forgave him with all their hearts: But there's no heed to be taken of them: if Cæfar had ftabb'd their mothers, they would have done no lefs. Bru. And after that, he came, thus fad, away? ́ Caf. Did Cicero fay any thing? Cafea. Nay, an I tell you that, I'll ne'er look Caf. They fhouted thrice; What was the laftou i' the face again: But thofe, that underflood cry for? Gajca. Why for that too. him fmil'd at one another, and fhook their heads: but for mine own part, it was Greek to me. I could tell you more news too: Marullus and Flavius, for pulling fcarfs off Cæfar's images, are put Bru. Was the crown offer'd him thrice? Cafea. Ay, marry, was't, and he put it by thrice, every time gentler than other; and at every put-to filence. Fare you well. There was more ting by, mine honest neighbours fhouted. Caf. Who offer'd him the crown? Cafea. Why, Antony. foolery yet, if I could remember it. Caf. Will you fup with me to-night, Casca ? Caf. Will you dine with me to-morrow? Cafea. Ay, if I be alive, and your mind hold, and your dinner worth the eating. [Exit. Bru. Tell us the manner of it, gentle Cafca. Caf. Good; I will expect you. 1 i. e. Had I been a mechanick, one of the Plebeians, to whom he offered his throat. |