I charm you, by my once commended beauty,
By all your vows of love, and that great vow
Which did incorporate and make us one,
That you unfold to me, your self, your half,
Why you are heavy; and what men to-night
Have had resort to you,-for here have been
Some six or seven, who did hide their faces
Even from darkness.

Bru.

Kneel not, gentle Portia.

Por. I should not need, if you were gentle

Brutus.

Within the bond of marriage, tell me, Brutus,

Is it excepted I should know no secrets

That appertain to you? Am I yourself
But, as it were, in sort or limitation;

To keep with you at meals, comfort your bed,
And talk to you sometimes? Dwell I but in the

suburbs

Of your good pleasure? If it be no more,

Portia is Brutus' harlot, not his wife.

Bru. You are my true and honourable wife; As dear to me as are the ruddy drops

That, visit my sad heart.

Por. If this were true, then should I know this

secret.

I grant, I am a woman; but withal

A woman that Lord Brutus took to wife:
I grant, I am woman; but withal

A woman well reputed,-Cato's daughter.
Think you I am no stronger than my sex,
Being so fathered, and so husbanded?

Tell me your counsels; I will not disclose them,
I have made strong proof of my constancy,
Giving myself a voluntary wound

Here, in the thigh: can I bear that with patience, And not my husband's secrets?

Bru.

O ye gods,

Render me worthy of this noble wife!

[Knocking within.

Hark, hark! one knocks: Portia, go in awhile;

And by-and-by thy bosom shall partake

The secrets of my heart:

All my engagements I will construe to thee,

All the charáctery of my sad brows:

Leave me with haste.

[Exit PORTIA.

Enter LUCIUS and LICARIUS.

Lucius, who's that knocks?

Luc. Here is a sick man that would speak with

you.

Bru. Caius Ligarius, that Metellus spake of.Boy, stand aside.—Caius Ligarius,—how ?

Lig. Vouchsafe good morrow from a feeble

tongue.

Bru. O, what a time have you chose out, brave
Caius,

To wear a kerchief! Would you were not sick!
Lig. I am not sick, if Brutus have in hand
Any exploit worthy the name of honour.

Bru. Such an exploit have I in hand, Ligarius, Had you a healthful ear to hear of it.

Lig. By all the gods that Romans bow before, I here discard my sickness! Soul of Rome ! Brave son, derived from honourable loins! Thou, like an exorcist, hast conjured up My mortifiéd spirit. Now bid me run, And I will strive with things impossible; Yea, get the better of them. What's to do?

Bru. A piece of work that will make sick men

whole.

Lig. But are not some whole that we must make

sick?

Bru. That must we also.

Caius,

What it is, my

I shall unfold to thee, as we are going

To whom it must be done.

Lig.

Set on your foot;

And with a heart new-fired I follow you

To do I know not what: but it sufficeth

That Brutus leads me on.

Bru.

Follow me, then. [Exeunt.

SCENE II.-Rome. A Room in CESAR'S Palace.

Thunder and lightning. Enter CESAR, in his night-gown.

Caes. Nor heaven nor earth have been at peace to-night:

Thrice hath Calphurnia in her sleep cried out,
Help, ho! They murder Cæsar !'-Who's within?

Serv. My lord.

Enter a Servant.

Cæs. Go bid the priests do present sacrifice,

And bring me their opinions of success.

Serv. I will, my lord.

Enter CALPHURNIA.

[Exit

Cal. What mean you, Cæsar? think you to walk ́ forth?

You shall not stir out of your house to-day.

Cas. Cæsar shall forth.: the things that threat- · ened me

Ne'er looked but on my back; when they shall see
The face of Cæsar, they are vanishéd.

Cal. Cæsar, I never stood on ceremonies,
Yet now they fright me. There is one within,
Besides the things that we have heard and seen,
Recounts most horrid sights seen by the watch.
A lioness hath whelpéd in the streets;

And graves have yawned, and yielded up their dead;

Fierce fiery warriors fight upon the clouds,

In ranks and squadrons and right form of war
Which drizzled blood upon the Capitol ;

The noise of battle hurtled in the air,

Horses did neigh, and dying men did groan,

And ghosts did shriek and squeal about the

streets.

O Cæsar, these things are beyond all use,

And I do fear them!

Cæs.

What can be avoided

Whose end is purposed by the mighty gods?
Yet Cæsar shall go forth; for these predictions
Are to the world in general as to Cæsar.

Cal. When beggars die there are no comets

seen;

The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of

princes.