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 bath'd,
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.

90

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

100

Cæs. How foolish do your fears seem now, Calpur nia!

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.

Welcome, Publius.

89. [By dipping their handkerchiefs in the blood, as they crowd

about, they will get remedial dyes. cognizance

97. [mock apt to be render'd

104. [liable subject.]

=

souvenirs.]

sneer fit to be told.]

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, 't is strucken eight.

Cæs. 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.

Cœs.

110

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.

120

Treb. Cæsar, I will: [Aside] and so near will I be, That your best friends shall wish I had been further. Caes. 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

128. [Cæsar says "like friends," and Brutus catches up the word and is distressed as he considers that, though "like usually means "the same as," every "like" does not mean that.]

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: se curity 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 you read this, O Cæsar, thou mayst live;
If not, the Fates with traitors do contrive.

10

[Exit

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?

10

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?

12. [Out of beyond the reach of.]

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.

20

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

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,

30

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. Here the street is narrow:
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.

Por. I must go in. Ay me, how weak a thing
The heart of woman is! O Brutus,

[Exit

40

Enter the Soothsayer. The folio stage direction brings the Soothsayer on probably by mistake. The person whom Portia addresses seems to be Artemidorus, on his way from where we last saw him to a more convenient place.

The heavens speed thee in thine enterprise!

[To herself.] Sure, the boy heard me: [To Lucius]

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.

ACT III

[Exeunt severally.

SCENE I. Rome. Before the Capitol.

A crowd of people; among them ARTEMIDORUS and the Soothsayer. Flourish. Enter CESAR, BRUTUS, CASSIUS, CASCA, DECIUS, MBTELLUS, TREBONIUS, CINNA, ANTONY, LEPIDUS, POPILIUS, PUBLIUS, and others.

Cæs. [To the Soothsayer.] 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. Caes. What touches us ourself shall be last serv'd. Art. Delay not, Cæsar; read it instantly. Cæs. What, is the fellow mad?

Pub.

Sirrah, give place.

Cas. What, urge you your petitions in the street?

Come to the Capitol.

12

Scene changes to the Senate-House, the Senate sitting. Enter CÆSAR with his train, the conspirators, and others.

Pop. I wish your enterprise to-day may thrive.

4. [o'er-read

sense.]

read over; overlook was used in the same

SCENE I. Scene changes, etc. In the folio there is as usual no