Cas. And let us swear our resolution. And Bru. No, not an oath: If not the face of men, The sufferance of our souls, the time's abuse,— If these be motives weak, break off betimes, every man hence to his idle bed; So let high-sighted tyranny range on, Till each man drop by lottery. But if these, As I am sure they do, bear fire enough To kindle cowards, and to steel with valour The melting spirits of women; then, countrymen, What need we any spur, but our own cause, To prick us to redress? what other bond, Than secret Romans, that have spoke the word, And will not palter? and what other oath, Than honesty to honesty engag'd, That this shall be, or we will fall for it? Swear priests, and cowards, and men cautelous, Old feeble carrions, and such suffering souls That welcome wrongs; unto bad causes swear Such creatures as men doubt: but do not stain The even virtue of our enterprize, Nor the insuppressive mettle of our spirits, To think, that, or our cause, or our performance, Did need an oath; when every drop of blood, That every Roman bears, and nobly bears, Is guilty of a several bastardy, If he do break the smallest particle Of any promise that hath pass'd from him. Cas. But what of Cicero? Shall we sound him? I think, he will stand very strong with us. Casca. Let us not leave him out. Cin. No, by no means. And buy men's voices to commend our deeds: Bru. O, name him not; let us not break with him; For he will never follow any thing That other men begin. Cas. Then leave him out. Casca. Indeed, he is not fit. Dec. Shall no man else be touch'd, but only Cæsar? Cas. Decius, well urg'd:-I think, it is not meet, Mark Antony, so well belov'd of Cæsar, Should outlive Cæsar: We shall find of him A shrewd contriver; and, you know, his means, If he improve them, may well stretch so far, As to annoy us all: which to prevent, Let Antony, and Cæsar, fall together. Bru. Our course will seem too bloody, Caius Cassius, To cut the head off, and then hack the limbs; Like wrath in death, and envy afterwards: For Antony is but a limb of Cæsar. Let us be sacrificers, but not butchers, Caius. And not dismember Cæsar! But, alas, Cas. Is to himself; take thought, and die for Cæsar: Treb. There is no fear in him; let him not die; Bru. Peace, count the clock. Treb. 'Tis time to part. Cas. [Clock strikes. The clock hath stricken three. But it is doubtful yet, Whe'r Cæsar will come forth to-day, or no: 13 Quite from the main opinion 13 he held once For I can give his humour the true bent; Cas. Nay, we will all of us be there to fetch him. Bru. By the eighth hour: Is that the uttermost ? Cin. Be that the uttermost, and fail not then. Met. Caius Ligarius doth bear Cæsar hard, Who rated him for speaking well of Pompey; I wonder, none of you have thought of him. Bru. Now, good Metellus, go along by him: He loves me well, and I have given him reasons Send him but hither, and I'll fashion him. Cas. The morning comes upon us: We'll leave you, Brutus: And, friends, disperse yourselves: but all remember What you have said, and show yourselves true Ro mans. Bru. Good gentlemen, look fresh and merrily; But bear it as our Roman actors do, [Exeunt all but Brutus. Boy! Lucius!-Fast asleep? It is no matter; Por. Enter PORTIA. Brutus, my lord! Bru. Portia, what mean you? wherefore rise you now? It is not for your health, thus to commit Your weak condition to the raw-cold morning. Por. Nor for yours neither. You have ungently, Brutus, Stole from my bed: And yesternight, at supper, You suddenly arose, and walk'd about, Musing, and sighing, with your arms across: |