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 ey to Cinna; trust not Trebonius; mark well Metellus Cimber: Decius Brutus 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: security gives way to conspiracy. The mighty gods defend thee! Thy lover, ARTEMIDORUS." Here will I stand till Cæsar pass along, If thou read this, O Cæsar, thou mayst live; IO [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. E 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! Luc. Madam, what should I do? And so return to you, and nothing else? ΙΟ 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? Luc. I hear none, madam. Por. Prithee, listen well: I heard a bustling rumor° like a fray, And the wind brings it from the Capitol. Luc. Sooth, madam, I hear nothing. Enter the Soothsayer Por. Come hither, fellow: 20 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, I shall beseech him to befriend himself. Por. Why, know'st thou any harm's intended towards him? 30 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, [Exit. Por. I must go in. Ay me, how weak a thing 40 Run, Lucius, and commend° me to my lord; And bring me word what he doth say to thee. [Exeunt severally. ACT III SCENE I. Rome. Before the Capitol°; the Senate sitting above A crowd of people; among them ARTEMIDORUS and the Soothsayer. Flourish. Enter CESAR, BRUTUS, CASSIUS, CASCA, DECIUS, METELLUS, TREBONIUS, CINNA, ANTONY, LEPIDUS, POPILIUS, PUBLIUS, and others Caes. The ides of March are come. Art. Hail, Cæsar! read this schedule. Art. O Cæsar, read mine first°; for mine's a suit Caes. What, is the fellow mad? Pub. Sirrah, give place.° 10 Cas. What, urge you your petitions in the street? Come to the Capitol. CESAR goes up to the Senate-House, the rest following Pop. I wish your enterprise to-day may thrive. Pop. Fare you well. [Advances to CÆSAR. Bru. What said Popilius Lena? Cas. He wished to-day our enterprise might thrive. I fear our purpose is discovered. Bru. Look, how he makes to Cæsar: mark him. Cas. Casca, be sudden, for we fear prevention. Brutus, what shall be done? If this be known, Cassius or Cæsar never shall turn back, For I will slay myself. Bru. Cassius, be constant: Popilius Lena speaks not of our purposes; 20 For, look, he smiles, and Cæsar doth not change. Brutus, He draws Mark Antony out of the way. [Exeunt ANTONY and TREBONIUS. |