618 What faults he made before the last, I think, Enter Coriolanus with drums and colours; a crowd of Citizens with him. Cor. Hail, lords! I am return'd your soldier; Than shame to the Romans: And we here deliver, Auf. Read it not, noble lords; But tell the traitor, in the highest degree Auf. Cor. Ay, traitor, Marcius. Marcius! Auf. Ay, Marcius, Caius Marcius; Dost thou think I'll grace thee with that robbery, thy stol'n name Coriolanus in Corioli ?— You lords and heads of the state, perfidiously Cor. Hear'st thou, Mars? Auf. Name not the god, thou boy of tears, Cor. Auf. No more. Ha! Cor. Measureless liar, thou hast made my heart Too great for what contains it. Boy! O slave! Pardon me, lords, 'tis the first time that ever I was fore'd to scold. Your judgements, my grave lords, Must give this cur the lie: and his own notion (Who wears my stripes impress'd on him; that must bear My beating to his grave!) shall join to thrust 1 Lord. Cit. [Speaking promiscuously.] Tear him to pieces, Cor. Insolent villain! Con. Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill him. [Aufidius and the Conspirators draw, and kill Co riolanus, who falls, and Aufidius stands on him, Hold, hold, hold, hold. Auf. My noble masters, hear me speak. Lords. 1 Lord. O Tullus, 2 Lord. Thou hast done a deed whereat valour will Flavius. HENCE; home, you idle creatures, get you home; Is this a holiday? What! know you not, Of your profession?-Speak, what trade art thou? Mar. Where is thy leather apron, and thy rule? 2 Cit. Truly, sir, in respect of a fine workman, I am but, as you would say, a cobbler. Mar. But what trade art thou? Answer me directly. 2 Cit. A trade, sir, that, I hope, I may use with a safe conscience; which is, indeed, sir, a mender of bad soals. self into more work. But, indeed, sir, we make holi- What tributaries follow him to Rome, Το grace in captive bonds his chariot wheels? Mar. What trade, thou knave; thou naughty knave, And do you now strew flowers in his way, 2 Cit. Nay, I beseech you, sir, be not out with me: yet, if you be out, sir, I can mend you. Mar. What meanest thou by that? Mend me, thou saney fellow? 2 Cit. Why, sir, cobble you. Flav. Thou art a cobbler, art thou? 2 Cit. Truly, sir, all that I live by is with the awl: I meddle with no tradesman's matters, nor women's matters, but with awl. I am, indeed, sir, a surgeon to old shoes; when they are in great danger, I re-cover them. As proper men as ever trod upon neats-leather, have gone upon my handy-work. Flav. But wherefore art not in thy shop to-day? Why dost thou lead these men about the streets? 2 Cit. Truly, sir, to wear out their shoes, to get my That comes in triumph over Pompey's blood? Run to your houses, fall upon your knees, Flav. Go, go, good countrymen, and, for this fault, If you do find them deck'd with ceremonies, Bru. A soothsayer, bids you beware the ides of March. Cas. Set him before me, let me see his face. Cas. Fellow, come from the throng. Look upon Cæsar. Cæs. What say'st thou to me now? Speak once again. Sooth. Beware the ides of March. Cæs. He is a dreamer; let us leave him ;-pass. [Sennet. Exeunt all but Brutus and Cassius. Cas. Will you go see the order of the course? Bru. Not I. Than that poor Brutus, with himself at war, Cas. Then, Brutus, I have much mistook your pas sion; By means whereof, this breast of mine hath buried And it is very much lamented, Brutus, For that which is not in me? Cas. Therefore, good Brutus, be prepar'd to hear = That of yourself which you yet know not of, To every new protester; if you know That I do fawn on men, and hug them hard, To all the rout, then hold me dangerous. [Flourish and shout. Bru. What means this shouting? I do fear, the people Choose Cæsar for their king. Cas. Cas. I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus I was born free as Cæsar; so were you: Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder A wretcher creature, and must bend his body, Bru. [Shout. Flourish. Another general shout! 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. Now in the names of all the gods at once, There was a Brutus once, that would have brook'd Bru. That you do love me, I am nothing jealous; Be any further mov'd. What you have said, Than to repute himself a son of Rome I am glad, that my weak words Have struck but thus much show of fire from Brutus. Re-enter Cæsar, and his Train. Bru. The games are done, and Cæsar is returning. Cas. As they pass by, pluck Casca by the sleeve; And he will, after his sour fashion, tell you What hath proceeded, worthy note, to-day. Bru. I will do so:-But, look you, Cassius, The angry spot doth glow on Caesar's brow, And all the rest look like a chidden train: Calphurnia's cheek is pale; and Cicero Looks with such ferret and such fiery eyes, As we have seen him in the capitol, Being cross'd in conference by some senators. Cas. Casca will tell us what the matter is. Cas. Antonius. Ant. Cæsar. Cars. Let me have men about me that are fat; Sleek-headed men, and such as sleep o'nights: Yond' Cassius has a lean and hungry look; He thinks too much: such men are dangerous. Ant. Fear him not, Cesar, he's not dangerous; He is a noble Roman, and well given. 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; He is a great observer, and he looks Quite through the deeds of men: he loves no plays, I rather tell thee what is to be fear'd, [Exeunt Cæsar and his Train, Casca stays behind. Casca. You pull'd me by the cloak; Would you speak with me? Bru. Ay, Casca; tell us what hath chane'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 offered 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? Casca. Why, for that too. Cas. They shouted thrice; what was the last cry for? Bru. Was the crown offer'd him thrice? 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? 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 hooted, and clapped their chopped hands, and threw up third time by: and still as he refused it, the rabblement 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, Caesar 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 elap 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. Bru. What said he, when he came unto himself? Casca. Marry, before he fell down, when he perceiv ed the common herd was glad he refused the crown, he plucked me ope his doublet, and offered them his throat to eut.-An I had been a man of any occupation, if I would not have taken him at a word, I would I might go to hell among the rogues :-and so he fell. When he came to himself again, he said, If he had done or said, any thing amiss, he desired their worships to think it was his infirmity. Three or four wenches, where I stood, cried, Alas, good soul!-and forgave him with all their hearts: But there's no heed to be taken of them; if Cæsar had stabbed their mothers, they would have done no less. Bru. And after that, he came, thus sad, away? Cas. Did Cicero say any thing? Casca. Ay, he spoke Greek. Cas. To what effect? Casca. Nay, an I tell you that, I'll ne'er look you i' the face again: But those, that understood him, smiled at one another, and shook their heads: but, for mine own part, it was Greek to me. I could tell you more news too: Marullus and Flavius, for pulling scarfs off Cæsar's images, are put to silence. Fare you well. There was more foolery yet, it I could remember it. Cas. Will you sup with me to-night, Casca? Casca. No, I am promised forth. Cas. Will you dine with me to-morrow? Casca. Ay, if I be alive, and your mind hold, and your dinner worth the eating. Cas. Good; I will expect you. [Exit Casca. Bru. What a blunt fellow is this grown to be? He was quick mettle, when he went to school. Cas. So is he now, in execution Of any bold or noble enterprize, However he puts on this tardy form. This rudeness is a sauce to his good wit, Which gives men stomach to digest his words Bru. And so it is. For this time I will leave you: To-morrow, if you please to speak with me, I will come home to you; or, if you will, Well, Brutus, thou art noble; yet, I see, Cæsar's ambition shall be glanced at: SCENE III-The same. A Street. Thunder and Lightning. Enter, from opposite sides, Casca, with his sword drawn, and Cicero. Cic. Good even, Casca: Brought you Cæsar home? Why are you breathless? and why stare you so? Casca. Are not you mov'd, when all the sway of earth Shakes, like a thing unfirm? O Cicero, I have seen tempests, when the scolding winds Cic. Why, saw you any thing more wonderful! Who glar'd upon me, and went surly by, Cic. Indeed, it is a strange-disposed time: Casca. He doth; for he did bid Antonius Farewell, Cicero. Enter Cassius. [Exit Cicero. A Roman. Cas. Who's there? Casca. Cas. Casca, by your voice. For my part, I have walk'd about the streets, Cassa. But wherefore did you so much tempt the heavens? It is the part of men to fear and tremble, |