But for your private fatisfaction,
Because I love you, I will let you know.
Calphurnia here, my wife, stays me at home :
She dream'd last night, fhe faw my ftatue,
Which, like a fountain, with a hundred fpouts
Did run pure blood: and many lufty Romans
Came fmiling, and did bathe their hands in it.
Thefe fhe applies for warnings and portents
Of evils imminent; and on her knee
Hath begg'd, that I will ftay at home to-day.
Dec. This dream is all amiss interpreted.
It was a vifion fair and fortunate:

Your ftatue, fpouting blood in many pipes
In which fo many fmiling Romans bath'd,
Signifies, that from you great Rome shall fuck
Reviving blood and that great men fhall prefs

* * *

*

* *

SCENE VI.

Enter Brutus, Ligarius, Metellus, Cafca, Trebanius,

Cinna, and Publius.

And, look, where Publius is come to fetch me.

Pub. Good morrow, Cæfar.

Caf. Welcome, Publius.

What, Brutus, are you stirr'd so early too?

Good morrow, Casca. Caius Ligarius,

Cæfar was ne'er so much your enemy,

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

Bru. Cæfar, 'tis strucken eight.

Caf. I thank you for your pains and courtefy...

Enter Antony.

See! Antony, that revels long o' nights,
I's 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.

Now, Cinna; now, Metellus; what, Trebonius!!

I have an hour's talk in store for you,
Remember that you call on me to-day;:
Be near me, that I may remember

you.

Treb. Cæfar, I will; and so near will I be, [Afide. That your best friends shall wish I had been further. Caf. Good friends, go in, and taste some wine with me;

And we, like friends, will straightway go together..
Bru. That every like is not the fame, O Cæfar,.

Afide.

The heart of Brutus yerns to think upon!

[Exeunt.

SCENE VII. Changes to a Areet near the Capitol.

Enter Artemidorus, reading a paper.

Cafar, beware of Brutus; take beed of Caffius; come not near Cafca; have an eye to Cinna; trust not Trebonius; mark well Metellus Cimber; Decius Brutus loves thee not; thou hast wrong'd Caius Ligarius. There is but one mind in all thefe men, and it is bent against Cafar. If thou beeft

C 3

not

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 Cæfar, thou may'st live;
If not, the fates with traitors do contrive.

Enter Portia and Lucius.

Por. I pr'ythee, boy, run to the fenate-house;
Stay not to anfwer me, but get thee gone:
Why doft thou ftay?

Luc. To know my errand, Madam.`

[Exit

Por. I would have had thee there, and here again,
Ere I can tell thee what thou should'st 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 counsel !

Art thou here yet?

Luc. Madam, what fhould I do?

Run to the Capitol, and nothing else?

And so return to you, and nothing elfe?

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 noife is that?

Luc. I hear none, Madam.

Por. Pry'thee, liften well.

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 ?
Art. Madam, not yet; I go to my stand,

To

To fee him pafs on to the Capitol.

Por. Thou haft fome fuit to Cæfar, haft thou not? Art. That I have, Lady, if it will pleafe Cæfar! To be fo good to Cæfar, as to hear me :

I shall befeech him to defend himself.

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

Art. None that I know will be, much that I fear;
Good morrow to you. Here the ftreet is narrow.
The throng that follows Cæfar at the heels,
Of Senators, of Prætors, common fuitors,
Will croud 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 muft go in aye me! how weak a thing
The heart of woman is! O. Brutus! Brutus !
The heavens fpeed thee in thine enterprise !
Sure the boy heard me.

-Brutus hath a fuit

That Cæfar will not grant.
-O, I grow
Run, Lucius, and commend me to my Lord;
Say, I am merry; come to me again,

And bring me word what he doth fay to thee,

faint..

[Exeunt feverally.

ACT III. SCENE I.

The Street before the Capitol, and the Capitol open. Flourish. Enter Cafar, Brutus, Caffius, afca, Decius, Metellus, Trebonius, Cinna, Antony, Lepidus, Artemidorus, Popilius, Publius, and the Soothsayer.

Caf.THE ides of March are come.

Sooth. Ay, Cæfar, but not gone.

Art. Hail, Cæfar: read this schedule.

Dec. Trebonius doth defire you to o'er-read,

At your best leisure, this his humble fuit.

Art. O Cæfar, read mine first; for mine's a fuit

That touches Cæfar nearer. Read it, great Cæfar.

af. What touches us ourself, fhall be last serv'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 ftreet?

Come to the Capitol.

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

Pop. Fare you well.

Bru. What faid Popilius Læna?

Caf. He wish'd to-day our enterprise might thrive.

I fear our purpose is discovered.

Bru. Look, how he makes to Cæfar; mark him..
Caf. Cafca, be fudden, for we fear prevention.

Brutus, what shall be done, if this be known?
Caffius, or Cæfar, never shall turn back ;
For I will flay myself..

Bru. Caffius, be conftant..

Popilius Læna speaks not of our purpose;
Fory look, he smiles, 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 addrefs'd; prefs near, and fecond him.
Cin. Cafea, you are the first that rears your hand.
Caf. Are we all ready? what is now amiss,

That Cæfar and his fenate must redress?

Met. Most high, Moft Mighty, and Moft Puiffant

Cæfar,

Metellus Cimber throws before thy feat
An humble heart.

[Kneeling..

- Caf. I must prevent thee, Cimber;
These crouchings and these lowly curtefies,
Might ftir the blood of ordinary men,
And turn pre-ordinance † and first decree
Into the lane of children. Be not fond,
To think that Cæfar bears fuch rebel-blood,
That will be thaw'd from the true quality
With that which melteth fools; I mean, sweet words,
Low-crooked curt'fies, 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, Cæfar doth not wrong; nor without caufe
Will he be fatisfied.

+ pre-ordinance, for ordinance already established.

Met..