Ay, do you fear it? ·1 Cas. And bade him follow: so, indeed, he did. Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder Did I the tired Cæsar: And this man Is now become a god; and Cassius is A wretched creature, and must bend his body, [J. CES. 6] He had a fever when he was in Spain, How he did shake: 'tis true, this god did shake: And that same eye, whose bend doth awe the world, Bru. Another general shout! [Shout. Flourish. I do believe, that these applauses are For some new honours that are heap'd on Cæsar. Cas. Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world, Like a Colossus; and we petty men Walk under his huge legs, and peep about [Shout Brutus, and Cæsar: What should be in that Cæsar? Meaning, the Roman Empire. [J. CES. 7] 2 B 2 Now is it Rome indeed, and room enough, O! and I have heard our fathers say, you There was a Brutus' once, that would have brook'd Th' eternal devil to keep his state in Rome, As easily as a king. Bru. That you do love me, I am nothing jealous; I will with patience hear: and find a time Than to repute himself a son of Rome Is like to lay upon us. Cas. I am glad, that my weak words Have struck but thus much show of fire from Brutus. Re-enter CESAR, and his train. Bru. The games are done, and Cæsar is returning. Bru. I will do so:-But, look you, Cassius, Being cross'd in conference by some senators. Lucius Junius Brutus. Ruminate on this. 3 A ferret has red eyes. [J. CES. 8] Cas. Casca will tell us what the matter is. Ant. Cæsar. Cæs. Let me have men about me that are fat; Cas. 'Would he were fatter:-But I fear him not. Yet if my name were liable to fear, I do not know the man I should avoid So soon as that spare Cassius. He reads much; Quite through the deeds of men: he loves no plays, [Exeunt CESAR and his train. CASCA stays Casca. You pull'd me by the cloak; Would you speak with me? Bru. Ay, Casca; tell us what hath chanc'd to-day, That Cæsar looks so sad. Casca. Why you were with him, were you not? Bru. I should not then ask Casca what hath chanc'd. Casca. Why, there was a crown offer'd him: and being offered him, he put it by with the back of his hand, thus; and then the people fell a' shouting. Bru. What was the second noise for? [J. CES. 9] Casca. Why, for that too. Cas. They shouted thrice; What was the last cry Bru. Was the crown offer'd him thrice? [for? Casca. Ay, marry, was't, and he put it by thrice, every time gentler than other; and at every putting by, mine honest neighbours shouted. Cas. Who offered him the crown? Casca. Why, Antony. Bru. Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casca. Casca. I can as well be hanged, as tell the manner of it: it was mere foolery. I did not mark it. I saw Mark Antony offer him a crown;-yet 'twas not a crown neither, 'twas one of these coronets;-and, as I told you, he put it by once; but, for all that, to my thinking, he would fain have had it. Then he offered it to him again; then he put it by again: but, to my thinking, he was very loath to lay his fingers off it. And then he offered it the third time; he put it the third time by: and still as he refused it, the rabblement hooted, and clapped their chopped hands, and threw up their sweaty night-caps, and uttered such a deal of stinking breath because Cæsar refused the crown, that it had almost choked Cæsar; for he swooned, and fell down at it: And for mine own part, I durst not laugh, for fear of opening my lips, and receiving the bad air. Cas. But, soft, I pray you: What? did Cæsar swoon? Casca. He fell down in the market-place, and foamed at mouth, and was speechless. Bru. 'Tis very like: he hath the falling-sickness. Cas. No, Cæsar hath it not; but you, and I, And honest Casca, we have the falling sickness. Casca. I know not what you mean by that; but, I am sure, Cæsar fell down. If the tag-rag people did not clap him, and hiss him, according as he pleased, and displeased them, as they use to do the players in the theatre, I am no true man. [J. Cæs. 10] |