What say the augurers?

Serv. They would not have you to stir forth

to-day.

Plucking the entrails of an offering forth,

They could not find a heart within the beast.

Cas. The gods do this in shame of cowardice:

Cæsar should be a beast without a heart,

If he should stay at home to-day for fear.

No, Cæsar shall not danger knows full well
That Cæsar is more dangerous than he:
We are two lions litter'd in one day,

And I the elder and more terrible:

And Cæsar shall go forth.

Cal.

Alas, my lord,

Your wisdom is consumed in confidence.

Do not go forth to-day call it my fear
That keeps you in the house, and not your own.
We'll send Mark Antony to the senate-house;

And he shall say you are not well to-day :

Let me, upon my knee, prevail in this.

Cæs. Mark Antony shall say I am not well; And, for thy humour, I will stay at home.

Enter DECIUS.

Here's Decius Brutus, he shall tell them so.

Dec. Cæsar, all hail! good morrow, worthy Cæsar:

I come to fetch you to the senate-house.

Cas. And you are come in very happy time,

To bear my greeting to the senators
And tell them that I will not come to-day :
Cannot, is false, and that I dare not, falser:
I will not come to-day: tell them so, Decius.

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Cal. Say he is sick.

Cæs.
Shall Cæsar send a lie?
Have I in conquest stretch'd mine arm so far,
To be afeard to tell graybeards the truth?
Decius, go tell them Cæsar will not come.

Dec. Most mighty Cæsar, let me know some

cause,

Lest I be laugh'd at when I tell them so.

Cæs. The cause is in my will: I will not come ; That is enough to satisfy the senate.

But for your private satisfaction,

Because I love you, I will let you know:
Calpurnia here, my wife, stays me at home:
She dreamt to-night she saw my statuë,
Which like a fountain with an hundred spouts
Did run pure blood, and many lusty Romans
Came smiling, and did bathe their hands in it:
And these does she apply for warnings and portents
And evils imminent; and on her knee
Hath begg'd that I will stay at home to-day.

Dec. This dream is all amiss interpreted;
It was a vision fair and fortunate:

Your statue spouting blood in many pipes,
In which so many smiling Romans bathed,
Signifies that from you great Rome shall suck
Reviving blood, and that great men shall press
For tinctures, stains, relics and cognizance.
This by Calpurnia's dream is signified.

Cas. And this way have you well expounded it.
Dec. I have, when you have heard what I can say:

87. great men shall press for tinctures, i.e. for blood-stained mementoes; an allusion to the practice of dipping napkins in the blood of martyrs. The hurry of improvisation, or, as Craik suggests, 'an unseen power

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driving on both the unconscious prophet and the blinded victim,' betrays Decius into an interpretation' perilously near the truth. Cæsar's comment is not, as has been thought, ironical. 89. cognizance, tokens.

And know it now: the senate have concluded
To give this day a crown to mighty Cæsar.
If you shall send them word you will not come,
Their minds may change. Besides, it were a mock
Apt to be render'd, for some one to say
'Break up the senate till another time,

When Cæsar's wife shall meet with better dreams.'
If Cæsar hide himself, shall they not whisper
'Lo, Cæsar is afraid'?

Pardon me, Cæsar; for my dear dear love

To your proceeding bids me tell you this;
And reason to my love is liable.

Cas. How foolish do your fears seem now,
Calpurnia!

I am ashamed I did yield to them.

Give me my robe, for I will go.

Enter PUBLIUS, BRUTUS, LIGARIUS, METELLUS,
CASCA, TREBONIUS, and CINNA.

And look where Publius is come to fetch me.
Pub. Good morrow, Cæsar.

Cæs.

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Welcome, Publius.

What, Brutus, are you stirr'd so early too?

Good morrow, Casca. Caius Ligarius,

Cæsar was ne'er so much your enemy

As that same ague which hath made you lean.
What is 't o'clock ?

Bru.

Cæsar, 'tis strucken eight.

Cas. I thank you for your pains and courtesy.

Enter ANTONY.

See! Antony, that revels long o' nights,

Is notwithstanding up. Good morrow, Antony.
Ant. So to most noble Cæsar.

96. a mock apt to be render'd, one likely to be given in answer;

an obvious sarcastic rejoinder. 104. liable, subject.

A

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. Cas. 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,

" 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.

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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.

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.

ΙΟ

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