If these be motives weak, break off betimes,
And every man hence to his idle bed;
So let high-sighted tyranny range on
Till each man drop by lottery. But if these,
120 As I am sure they do, bear fire enough

To kindle cowards, and to steel with valour
The melting spirits of women, then, countrymen,
What need we any spur but our own cause
To prick us to redress? what other bond
125 Than secret Romans that have spoke the word,
And will not palter? and what other oath
Than honesty to honesty engag'd

That this shall be or we will fall for it?

Swear priests and cowards and men cautelous,
130 Old feeble carrions and such suffering souls
That welcome wrongs; unto bad causes swear
Such creatures as men doubt: but do not stain
The even virtue of our enterprise,

Nor the insuppressive mettle of our spirits,
135 To think that or our cause or our performance
Did need an oath; when every drop of blood
That every Roman bears, and nobly bears,
Is guilty of a several bastardy

If he do break the smallest particle

140 Of any promise that hath pass'd from him.

Cas. But what of Cicero ? shall we sound him?

I think he will stand very strong with us.

Casca. Let us not leave him out.

Cin.

No, by no means Met. O, let us have him, for his silver hairs 145 Will purchase us a good opinion,

And buy men's voices to commend our deeds:
It shall be said his judgment rul'd our hands;
Our youths and wildness shall no whit appear,
But all be buried in his gravity.

150

155

Bru. O, name him not: let us not break with him, For he will never follow anything

That other men begin.

Cas.

Then leave him out.

Casca. Indeed he is not fit.

Dec. Shall no man else be touch'd but only Cæsar? Cas. Decius, well urg'd: I think it is not meet Mark Antony, so well belov'd of Cæsar,

Should outlive Cæsar: we shall find of him
A shrewd contriver; and you know his means,
If he improve them, may well stretch so far
160 As to annoy us all: which to prevent,

Let Antony and Cæsar fall together.

Bru. Our course will seem too bloody, Caius Cassius,
To cut the head off and then hack the limbs,
Like wrath in death and envy afterwards;
165 For Antony is but a limb of Cæsar.

Let us be sacrificers, but not butchers, Caius.
We all stand up against the spirit of Cæsar,
And in the spirit of men there is no blood:
O, that we then could come by Cæsar's spirit,
170 And not dismember Cæsar! But, alas,

Cæsar must bleed for it! And, gentle friends,
Let's kill him boldly, but not wrathfully;
Let's carve him as a dish fit for the gods,
Not hew him as a carcass fit for hounds:
175 And let our hearts, as subtle masters do,
Stir up their servants to an act of rage,
And after seem to chide 'em. This shall make
Our purpose necessary and not envious;
Which so appearing to the common eyes,
180 We shall be call'd purgers, not murderers.
And for Mark Antony, think not of him;
For he can do no more than Cæsar's arm
When Cæsar's head is off.

185

190

For in the ingrafted love he bears to Cæsar —
Bru. Alas, good Cassius, do not think of him:
If he love Cæsar, all that he can do

Is to himself, take thought and die for Cæsar:
And that were much he should, for he is given
To sports, to wildness, and much company.

Treb. There is no fear in him; let him not die;

For he will live and laugh at this hereafter. [Clock strikes. Bru. Peace! count the clock.

Cas.

Treb. 'Tis time to part.

Cas.

The clock hath stricken three.

But it is doubtful yet
Whether Cæsar will come forth to-day or no;
195 For he is superstitious grown of late,

Quite from the main opinion he held once
Of fantasy, of dreams, and ceremonies:
It may be these apparent prodigies,
The unaccustom'd terror of this night,
200 And the persuasion of his augurers,
May hold him from the Capitol to-day.

Dec. Never fear that if he be so resolv'd,
I can o'ersway him; for he loves to hear
That unicorns may be betray'd with trees,
205 And bears with glasses, elephants with holes,
Lions with toils, and men with flatterers:
But when I tell him he hates flatterers,
He says he does, being then most flattered.
Let me work;

210 For I can give his humour the true bent,

215

And I will bring him to the Capitol.

Cas. Nay, we will all of us be there to fetch him.
Bru. By the eighth hour: is that the uttermost?
Cin. Be that the uttermost, and fail not then.
Met. Caius Ligarius doth bear Cæsar hard,

Who rated him for speaking well of Pompey:
I wonder none of you have thought of him.

Bru. Now, good Metellus, go along by him: He loves me well, and I have given him reasons; 220 Send him but hither, and I'll fashion him.

Brutus.

Cas. The morning comes upon 's; we'll leave you, And, friends, disperse yourselves: but all remember What you have said, and show yourselves true Romans. Bru. Good gentlemen, look fresh and merrily;

225 Let not our looks put on our purposes;

But bear it as our Roman actors do,

With untir'd spirits and formal constancy :
And so, good morrow to you every one.

[Exeunt all but BRUTUS.

Boy! Lucius! - Fast asleep! It is no matter;

230 Enjoy the honey-heavy dew of slumber:

Thou hast no figures, nor no fantasies,

Which busy care draws in the brains of men;
Therefore thou sleep'st so sound.

Por.

Enter PORTIA.

Brutus, my lord!

Bru. Portia, what mean you? wherefore rise you now?

235 It is not for your health thus to commit

Your weak condition to the raw cold morning.

Por. Nor for yours neither. You've ungently, Brutus, Stole from my bed: and yesternight at supper

You suddenly arose and walk'd about,

240 Musing and sighing, with your arms across; And when I ask'd you what the matter was,

You star'd upon me with ungentle looks.

I urg'd you further; then you scratch'd your head,
And too impatiently stamp'd with your foot.

245 Yet I insisted, yet you answer'd not,