ACT III. SCENE I.-The same. The Capitol; the senate sitting. A croud of people in the street leading to the Capitol; among them ARTEMIDORUS, and the Soothsayer Flourish. Enter CESAR, BRUTUS, CASSIUS, CASCA, DECIUS, METELLUS, TREBONIUS, CINNA, ANTONY, LEPIDUS, POPILIUS, PUBLIUS, and others. At Cas. The ides of March are come. Art. Hail, Cæsar! Read this schedule. Dec. Trebonius doth desire you to o'er-read, your best leisure, this his humble suit. Art. O, Cæsar, read mine first; for mine's a suit That touches Cæsar nearer: Read it, great Cæsar. Cas. What touches us ourself, shall be last serv'd. Art. Delay not, Cæsar; read it instantly. Cas. What, is the fellow mad? Pub. Sirrah, give place. Cas. What, urge you your petitions in the street? Come to the Capitol. CESAR enters the Capitol, the rest following. All the Senators rise. Pop. I wish, your enterprize to-day may thrive. Cas. What enterprize, Popilius? Pop. Bru. What said Popilius Lena? Fare you well. [Advances to CESAR Cas. He wish'd, to-day our enterprize might thrive I fear, our purpose is discovered. Bru. Look, how he makes to Cæsar: Mark him. Cas. Casca, be sudden, for we fear prevention.Brutus, what shall be done? If this be known, Cassius or Cæsar never shall turn back, For I will slay myself. Bru. Cassius, be constant: Popilius Lena speaks not of our purposes; For, look, he smiles, and Cæsar doth not change. [Exeunt ANTONY and TREBONIUS. CESAR and the Dec. Where is Metellus Cimber? Let him go, And presently prefer his suit to Cæsar. Bru. He is address'd: press near, and second him. Cin. Casca, you are the first that rears your hand. Cas. Are we all ready? what is now amiss, That Cæsar, and his senate, must redress? Met. Most high, most mighty, and most puissant Cæsar, Metellus Cimber throws before thy seat An humble heart [Kneeling Cæs. I must prevent thee, Cimber. These couchings, and these lowly courtesies, Might fire the blood of ordinary men; And turn pre-ordinance, and first decree, Into the law of children. Be not fond, To think that Cæsar bears such rebel blood, That will be thaw'd from the true quality With that which melteth fools; I mean, sweet word Low-crooked curt'sies, and base spaniel fawning. Thy brother by decree is banished; If thou dost bend, and pray, and fawn for him, Know, Cæsar doth not wrong; nor without cause Met. Is there no voice more worthy than my own, Bru. I kiss thy hand, but not in flattery, Cæsar; Cas. Pardon, Cæsar; Cæsar, pardon: As low as to thy foot doth Cassius fall, To beg enfranchisement for Publius Cimber. The skies are painted with unnumber'd sparks, Let me a little show it, even in this; That I was constant, Cimber should be banish'd, Dec. Great Cæsar, Cæs. Doth not Brutus bootless kneel? Casca. Speak, hands, for me. [CASCA stabs CAESAR in the neck. CESAR catches hold of his arm. He is then stabbed by several other Conspirators, and at last by MARCus Brutus. Cæs. Et tu, Brute ?-Then fall, Cæsar. [Dies. The Senators and People retire in confusion. Cin. Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead!— Run hence, proclain, cry it about the streets. Cas. Some to the common pulpits, and cry out, Liberty, freedom, and enfranchisement ! Bru. People, and senators! be not affrighted; Fly not; stand still:-ambition's debt is paid. Casca. Go to the pulpit, Brutus. Dec. Bru. Where's Publius? And Cassius too. Cin. Here, quite confounded with this mutiny. Met. Stand fast together, lest some friend of Cæsar's Should chance Bru. Talk not of standing;-Publius, good cheer; There is no harm intended to your person, Nor to no Roman else: so tell them, 'Publius. Cas. And leave us, Publius; lest that the people, Rushing on us, should do your age some mischief. Bru. Do so;-and let no man abide this deed, But we the doers. Re-enter TREBONIUS. Cas. Where's Antony? Tre. Fled to his house amaz'd: Men, wives, and children, stare cry out, and run, As it were doomsday. Bru. Fates! we will know your pleasures :That we shall die, we know; 'tis but the time, And drawing days out, that men stand upon. Cas. Why, he that cuts off twenty years of life, Cuts off so many years of fearing death. Bru. Grant that, and then is death a benefit: So are we Cæsar's friends, that have abridg'd His time of fearing death.-Stoop, Romans, stoop, And let us bathe our hands in Cæsar's blood Up to the elbows, and besmear our swords: Then walk we forth, even to the market-place; And, waving our red weapons o'er our heads, Let's all cry, Peace! Freedom! and Liberty! Cas. Stoop then, and wash.-How many ages hence, Shall this our lofty scene be acted over, In states unborn, and accents yet unknown? No worthier than the dust? Cas. So oft as that shall be, So often shall the knot of us be call'd Ay, every man away: Cas. Enter a Servant. Bru. Soft, who comes here? A friend of Antony's. Serv. Thus, Brutus, did my master bid me kneel; Thus did Mark Antony bid me fall down: And, being prostrate, thus he bade me say. Brutus is noble, wise, valiant, and honest; |