You shall digest the venom of your spleen,
Though it do split you; for, from this day forth,
I'll use you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter,
When you are waspish.

CAS.

Is it come to this ?

BRU. You say you are a better soldier :

Let it appear so; make your vaunting true,

And it shall please me well. For mine own part,

I shall be glad to learn of noble men.

CAS. You wrong me every way; you wrong me, Brutus ; I said an elder soldier, not a better :

Did I say, "better"?

BRU.

If you did, I care not.

CAS. When Cæsar liv'd, he durst not thus have moved me. BRU. Peace, Peace! you durst not so have tempted him. CAS. I durst not!

CAS. What! durst not tempt him!

BRU.

For your life you durst not.

CAS. Do not presume too much upon my love;

I may do that I shall be sorry for.

BRU. You have done that you should be sorry for. There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats;

For I am arm'd so strong in honesty

That they pass by me as the idle wind,
Which I respect not. I did send to you

For certain sums of gold, which thou denied me;
For I can raise no money by vile means:

By heaven, I had rather coin my heart,

And drop my blood for drachmas, than to wring
From the hard hands of peasants their vile trash
By any indirection. I did send

To you for gold to pay my legions,

Which you denied me: Iwas that done like Cassius ?
Should I have answer'd Caius Cassius so?
When Marcus Brutus grows so covetous,

To lock such rascal counters from his friends,
Be ready, gods, with all your thunderbolts:
Dash him to pieces!

CAS.

BRU. You did.

CAS.

I denied you not.

I did not he was but a fool

That brought my answer back. Brutus hath riv'd my heart. A friend should bear his friend's infirmities,

But Brutus makes mine greater than they are.

BRU. I do not, till you practise them on me.
You love me not.

CAS.
BRU.

I do not like your faults. CAS. A friendly eye could never see such faults. BRU. A flatterer's would not, though they do appear As huge as high Olympus.

CAS. Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come, Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius,

For Cassius is aweary of the world:

Hated by one he loves; brav'd by his brother;
Check'd like a bondman; all his faults observ'd,
Set in a note-book, learn'd, and conn'd by rote,
To cast into my teeth. O! I could weep
My spirit from mine eyes. There is my dagger,
And here my naked breast; within, a heart
Dearer than Plutus' mine, richer than gold:
If that thou be'st a Roman, take it forth;
I, that denied thee gold, will give my heart :
Strike, as thou didst at Cæsar; for, I know,

When thou didst hate him worst, thou lov'dst him better
Than ever thou lov'dst Cassius.

BRU.

Sheathe your dagger:

Be angry when you will, it shall have scope;
Do what you will, dishonour shall be humour.
O Cassius! you are yoked with a lamb
That carries anger as the flint bears fire,
Who, much enforced, shows a hasty spark,
And straight is cold again.

Hath Cassius liv'd

CAS.
To be but mirth and laughter to his Brutus,

When grief and blood ill-temper'd vexeth him?

BRU. When I spoke that I was ill-temper'd too.
CAS. Do you confess so much? Give me your hand.
BRU. And my heart too.

CAS.

BRU.

O Brutus !

What's the matter?

CAS. Have not you love enough to bear with me When that rash humour which my mother gave me Makes me forgetful?

BRU.

Yes, Cassius; and from henceforth

When you are over-earnest with your Brutus,
He'll think your mother chides, and leave you so.

Second Part of the same Scene.

[Enter LUCIUS.]

BRU. Where is thy instrument?

Luc. Here in the tent.

BRU.

What! thou speakest drowsily?

Poor knave, I blame thee not; thou art o'er-watch'd.

Call Claudius and some other of my men ;

I'll have them sleep on cushions in my tent.
Luc. Varro! and Claudius !

Enter VARRO and CLAUDIUS.

VAR. Calls my lord ?

BRU. I pray you, sirs, lie in my tent and sleep : It may be I shall raise you by and by

On business to my brother Cassius.

VAR. So please you, we will stand and watch your pleasure. BRU. I will not have it so; lie down, good sirs;

It may be I shall otherwise bethink me.

Look, Lucius, here's the book I sought for so;

I put it in the pocket of my gown.

[VARRO and CLAUDIUS lie down.

Luc. I was sure your lordship did not give it me. BRU. Bear with me, good boy, I am much forgetful. Canst thou hold up thy heavy eyes awhile,

And touch thy instrument a strain or two?

Luc. Ay, my lord, an 't please you.
BRU.

It does, my boy:

I trouble thee too much, but thou art willing.
Luc. It is my duty, sir.

BRU. I should not urge thy duty past thy might;
I know young bloods look for a time of rest.

Luc. I have slept, my lord, already.

BRU. It was well done, and thou shalt sleep again; I will not hold thee long: if I do live,

I will be good to thee.

[Music, and a Song.

This is a sleepy tune: O murderous slumber!
Lay'st thou thy leaden mace upon my boy,

That plays thee music? Gentle knave, good-night ;
I will not do thee so much wrong to wake thee.
If thou dost nod, thou break'st thy instrument;
I'll take it from thee; and, good boy, good-night.
Let me see, let me see; is not the leaf turn'd down
Where I left reading? Here it is, I think.

S.R.

L

Enter the Ghost of CESAR.

How ill this taper burns! Ha! who comes here ?
I think it is the weakness of mine eyes
That shapes this monstrous apparition.
It comes upon me. Art thou any thing?

Art thou some god, some angel, or some devil,
That mak'st my blood cold and my hair to stare?
Speak to me what thou art.

GHOST. Thy evil spirit, Brutus.

BRU.
Why com'st thou ?
GHOST. To tell thee thou shalt see me at Philippi.
BRU. Well; then I shall see thee again?

Ay, at Philippi.

GHOST.
BRU. Why, I will see thee at Philippi then.

[Ghost vanishes.

Now I have taken heart thou vanishest :
Ill spirit, I would hold more talk with thee.
Boy, Lucius! Varro! Claudius! Sirs, awake!
Claudius!

Luc. The strings, my lord, are false.

BRU. He thinks he still is at his instrument.

Lucius, awake!

Luc. My lord!

BRU., Didst thou dream, Lucius, that thou so criedst out? Luc. My lord, I do not know that I did cry.

BRU. Yes, that thou didst. Didst thou see any thing? Luc. Nothing, my lord.

BRU. Sleep again, Lucius. Sirrah, Claudius !

Fellow thou! awake!

VAR. My lord!

CLAU. My lord!

BRU. Why did you so cry out, sirs, in your sleep?

VAR.

CLAU. Did we, my lord?

BRU.

Ay saw you any thing?

Nor I, my lord.

VAR. No, my lord, I saw nothing.

CLAU.

BRU. Go, and commend me to my brother Cassius.

Bid him set on his powers betimes before,

And we will follow.

VAR.
CLAU.

It shall be done, my lord.

[Exeunt.

Enter LADY MACBETH, reading a letter.

They met me in the day of success; and I have learned by the perfectest report, they have more in them than mortal knowledge. When I burned in desire to question them further, they made themselves air, into which they vanished. Whiles I stood rapt in the wonder of it, came missives from the king, who allhailed me, "Thane of Cawdor; " by which title, before, these weird sisters saluted me, and referred me to the coming on of time, with, "Hail, king that shalt be!" This have I thought good to deliver thee, my dearest partner of greatness, that thou mightest not lose the dues of rejoicing, by being ignorant of what greatness is promised thee. Lay it to thy heart, and farewell. Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be

What thou art promis'd. Yet do I fear thy nature;

It is too full o' the milk of human kindness

To catch the nearest way; thou wouldst be great,

Art not without ambition, but without

The illness should attend it; what thou wouldst highly
That thou wouldst holily; wouldst not play false,

And yet wouldst wrongly win; thou'd'st have, great Glamis,
That which cries, "Thus thou must do, if thou have it;"
And that which rather thou dost fear to do

Than wishest should be undone. Hie thee hither,

That I may pour my spirits in thine ear,
And chastise with the valour of my tongue
All that impedes thee from the golden round,
Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem
To have thee crown'd withal.

Enter a Messenger.

What is your tidings?

MESS. The king comes here to-night.