METELLUS CIMBER, FLAVIUS and MARULLUS, Tribunes. ARTEMIDORUS of Cnidos, a teacher of Rhetoric. CINNA, a Poet; another Poet; a Soothsayer. LUCILIUS, TITINIUS, MESSALA, Young CATO, and VOLUMNIUS, friends to Brutus and Cassius. VARRO, CLITUS, CLAUDIUS, STRATO, LUCIUS, and DARDANIUS, servants to Brutus. PINDARUS, servant to Cassius. CALPURNIA, wife to Cæsar. PORTIA, wife to Brutus. Senators, Citizens, Guards, Attendants, etc. SCENE-ROME; SARDIS; and near PHILIPPI. JULIUS CÆSAR ACT I SCENE I Rome. A Street Enter FLAVIUS, MARULLUS, and a rabble of Citizens Flav. 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? What dost thou with thy best apparel on? You, sir; what trade are you? 2 Cit. Truly, sir, in respect of a fine workman, I 16 am but, as you would say, a cobbler. Mar. But what trade art thou? directly. 51 Answer me 20 2 Cit. A trade, sir, that I hope I may use with a safe conscience; which is, indeed, sir, a mender of bad soles. Mar. What trade, thou knave? thou naughty knave, what trade? 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? thou saucy fellow? 2 Cit. Why, sir, cobble you. Flav. Thou art a cobbler, art thou? Mend me, 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 all. I am, indeed, sir, a surgeon to old shoes; when they are in great danger, I recover them. As proper men as ever trod upon neat'sleather have gone upon my handiwork. 30 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 myself into more work. But, indeed, sir, we make holiday, to see Cæsar, and to rejoice in his triumph. Mar. Wherefore rejoice? What conquest brings he home? What tributaries follow him to Rome To grace in captive bonds his chariot wheels? You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things! O you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome, And do you now put on your best attire? And do you now strew flowers in his way, Run to your houses, fall upon your knees, Pray to the gods to intermit the plague That needs must light on this ingratitude. Flav. Go, go, good countrymen, and, for this fault, 40 50 60 Assemble all the poor men of your sort; Draw them to Tiber banks, and weep your tears [Exeunt Citizens. See, whêr their basest metal be not moved; If you do find them decked with ceremonies. 70 You know it is the feast of Lupercal. These growing feathers plucked from Cæsar's wing Who else would soar above the view of men, And keep us all in servile fearfulness. [Exeunt. |