Mean to establish Cæsar as a king; And he shall wear his crown by sea and land, Cas. I know where I will wear this dagger then: Casca. Cassius from bondage will deliver Cassius. If I know this, know all the world besides, I can shake off at pleasure. So can I: 90 [Thunder still. So every bondman in his own hand bears Poor man! (I know he would not be a wolf So vile a thing as Cæsar! But, O grief, Casca. You speak to Casca, and to such a man Cas. That is no fleering tell-tale. Hold, my hand: Be factious for redress of all these griefs, And I will set this foot of mine as far There's a bargain made. Of honourable-dangerous consequence; In Pompey's porch: for now, this fearful night, In favour's like the work we have in hand, Casca. Stand close awhile, for here comes one in haste. He is a friend. I 20 130 Enter Cinna. Who's that? Metellus Cimber? Cinna, where haste you so? Cin. To find out you. Cas. No, it is Casca; one incorporate To our attempts. Cin. I am glad on 't. Am I not stay'd for, Cinna? What a fearful night is this! There's two or three of us have seen strange sights. Cas. Am I not stay'd for? tell me. Cin. O Cassius, if you could Yes, you are. 140 But win the noble Brutus to our party- In at his window; set this up with wax Upon old Brutus' statue: all this done, Repair to Pompey's porch, where you shall find us. Is Decius Brutus and Trebonius there? Cin. All but Metellus Cimber; and he's gone [Exit Cinna. To seek you at your house. Well, I will hie, 150 And so bestow these papers as you bade me. Cas. That done, repair to Pompey's theatre. Come, Casca, you and I will yet ere day See Brutus at his house :(three parts of him Is ours already, and the man entire Upon the next encounter yields him ours.) Casca. O, he sits high in all the people's hearts; And that which would appear offence in us His countenance, like richest alchemy, Will change to virtue and to worthiness. Cas. Him and his worth and our great need of him ACT SECOND. Scene I. Rome. Brutus's orchard. Enter Brutus. Bru. What, Lucius, ho! 160 [Exeunt. I cannot, by the progress of the stars, Enter Lucius. Luc. Call'd you, my lord? Bru. Get me a taper in my study, Lucius: Bru. It must be by his death: and, for my part, [Exit. ΙΟ How that might change his nature, there's the It is the bright day that brings forth the adder; that ; 20 And then, I grant, we put a sting in him, Then, lest he may, prevent. And, since the quarrel 30 Which, hatch'd, would as his kind, grow mischievous, Re-enter Lucius. Luc. The taper burneth in your closet, sir. It did not lie there when I went to bed. [Gives him the letter. Bru. Get you to bed again; it is not day. Is not to-morrow, boy, the ides of March? Luc. I know not, sir. Bru. Look in the calendar and bring me word. Bru. The exhalations whizzing in the air Give so much light that I may read by them. 40 [Exit. [Opens the letter and reads. 'Brutus, thou sleep'st: awake and see thyself. Such instigations have been often dropp'd Where I have took them up. 50 'Shall Rome, &c.' Thus must I piece it out: Shall Rome stand under one man's awe? What, Rome? My ancestors did from the streets of Rome The Tarquin drive, when he was call'd a king. To speak and strike? O Rome, I make thee promise, Re-enter Lucius. Luc. Sir, March is wasted fifteen days. [Knocking within. |