Cæs.

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. Cæsar, I will: [Aside] and so near will I be,
That your best friends shall wish I had been further.
Cæs. Good friends, go in, and taste some wine

with me;

And we, like friends, will straightway go together.
Bru. [Aside] That every like is not the same,

O Cæsar,

The heart of Brutus yearns to think upon!

[Exeunt.

SCENE III. A street near the Capitol.

Enter ARTEMIDORUS, reading a paper.

Art. Cæsar, beware of Brutus; take heed of Cassius; come not near Casca; have an eye to Cinna; trust not Trebonius; mark well Metellus Cimber: Decius Brutus loves thee not: thou hast wronged Caius Ligarius. There is but one mind in all these men, and it is bent against Cæsar. If thou beest not immortal, look about you: security gives way to conspiracy. The mighty gods defend thee! Thy lover,

6 ARTEMIDORUS.'

Here will I stand till Cæsar pass along,
And as a suitor will I give him this.
My heart laments that virtue cannot live
Out of the teeth of emulation.

If thou read this, O Cæsar, thou mayst live;

If not, the Fates with traitors do contrive. [Exit. 8. gives way to, opens a way for.

120

ΙΟ

SCENE IV.

Another part of the same street, before the house of Brutus.

Enter PORTIA and LUCIUS.

Por. I prithee, boy, run to the senate-house;
Stay not to answer me, but get thee gone:
Why dost thou stay?

Luc.

To know my errand, madam. Por. I would have had thee there, and here again, Ere I can tell thee what thou shouldst do there. O constancy, be strong upon my side,

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 should I do?

Run to the Capitol, and nothing else?

And so return to you, and nothing else?

Por. Yes, bring me word, boy, if thy lord look well,

For he went sickly forth and take good note
What Cæsar doth, what suitors press to him.

Hark, boy what noise is that?

Luc. I hear none, madam.

Por.

Prithee, listen well;

I heard a bustling rumour, like a fray,
And the wind brings it from the Capitol.
Luc. Sooth, madam, I hear nothing.

Enter the Soothsayer.

Por. Come hither, fellow: which way hast thou been?

6. constancy, firmness.

18. a bustling rumour, a sound of tumult.

ΙΟ

20

Sooth. At mine own house, good lady.

Por. What is 't o'clock ?

Sooth.

About the ninth hour, lady. Por. Is Cæsar yet gone to the Capitol?

Sooth. Madam, not yet: I go to take my stand, To see him pass on to the Capitol.

Por. Thou hast some suit to Cæsar, hast thou
not?

Sooth. That I have, lady: if it will please Cæsar
To be so good to Cæsar as to hear me,
I shall beseech him to befriend himself.

Por. Why, know'st thou any harm's intended
towards him?

Sooth. None that I know will be, much that I
fear may chance.
Good morrow to you.
The throng that follows Cæsar at the heels,
Of senators, of prætors, common suitors,
Will crowd a feeble man almost to death:
I'll get me to a place more void, and there
Speak to great Cæsar as he comes along.

Here the street is narrow:

[Exit.

Por. I must go in. Ay me, how weak a thing
The heart of woman is! O Brutus,
The heavens speed thee in thine enterprise !
Sure, the boy heard me: Brutus hath a suit
That Cæsar will not grant. O, I grow faint.
Run, Lucius, and commend me to my lord;
Say I am merry: come to me again,

And bring me word what he doth say to thee.

[Exeunt severally.

30

40

SCENE I.

ACT III.

Rome. Before the Capitol; the
Senate sitting above.

A crowd of people; among them ARTEMIDORUS
and the Soothsayer. Flourish. Enter CÆSAR,
BRUTUS, CASSIUS, CASCA, DECIUS, METELLUS,
TREBONIUS, CINNA, ANTONY LEPIDUS, PO-
PILIUS, PUBLIUS, and others.

Cas. The ides of March are come.
Sooth. Ay, Cæsar; but not gone.

Art. Hail, Cæsar! read this schedule.
Dec. Trebonius doth desire you to o'er-read,
At 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 served.
Art. Delay not, Cæsar; read it instantly.

Cas. What, is the fellow mad?

Pub.

Sirrah, give place. 10

Cas. What, urge you your petitions in the

street?

Come to the Capitol.

[CESAR goes up to the Senate-House, the rest following.

I. In Plutarch these words form a private colloquy between Cæsar and the soothsayer : Cæsar addresses him 'merrily,' and he 'softly' answers. Shakespeare's Cæsar does not unbend

so far.

8. ourself. Shakespeare gives Cæsar the plural of modern royalty, unknown even to the emperors of Rome.

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

Pop.

Fare you well. [Advances to Cæsar.

Bru. What said Popilius Lena ?

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

I fear our purpose is discovered.

Bru. Look, how he makes to Cæsar: mark him.
Cas.

Be sudden, for we fear prevention.
Brutus, what shall be done?

Casca,

If this be known,

20

Cassius, be constant:

Cassius or Cæsar never shall turn back,

For I will slay myself.

Bru.

Popilius Lena speaks not of our purposes;

For, look, he smiles, and Cæsar doth not change.
Cas. Trebonius knows his time; for, look you,
Brutus,

He draws Mark Antony out of the way.

[Exeunt Antony and Trebonius. 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. Cæs. 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,

Cæs.

These couchings and these lowly courtesies

[Kneeling.

I must prevent thee, Cimber.

22. constant, firm.
29. address'd, ready.
36. courtesies, kneelings.

30