And these does she apply for warnings, and portents,
And evils imminent; and on her knee

Hath begg'd that I will stay at home to-day.
DECIUS. This dream is all amiss interpreted;
It was a vision fair and fortunate :

Your statue spouting blood in many pipes,
In which so many smiling Romans bath'd,
Signifies that from you great Rome shall suck
Reviving blood, and that great men shall press
For tinctures, stains, relics and cognizance.
This by Calpurnia's dream is signified.

CESAR. And this way have you well expounded it.
DECIUS. I have, when you have heard what I can say :
And know it now: the senate have concluded

To give this day a crown to mighty Cæsar.

you

If
Their minds may change. Besides, it were a mock
Apt to be render'd, for some one to say,

shall send them word you will not come,

"Break up the senate till another time,

When Cæsar's wife shall meet with better dreams."

If Cæsar hide himself, shall they not whisper,

"Lo, Cæsar is afraid"?

Pardon me, Cæsar; for my dear, dear love

To your proceeding bids me tell you this,

And reason to my love is liable.

CÆSAR.

90

100

How foolish do your fears seem now, Calpurnia!

I am ashamed I did yield to them.

Give me my robe, for I will go.

Enter PUBLIUS, BRUTUS, LIGARIUS, METELLUS, CASCA,

1

TREBONIUS, and CINNA.

And look where Publius is come to fetch me.

PUBLIUS.

CÆSAR.

Good morrow, Cæsar.

Welcome, Publius.

What, Brutus, are you stirr'd so early too?

110

Good morrow, Casca. Caius Ligarius,
Cæsar was ne'er so much your enemy

As that same ague which hath made you lean.
What is 't o'clock ?

BRUTUS.

Cæsar, 'tis strucken eight.

CESAR. I thank you for your pains and courtesy.

Enter ANTONY.

See! Antony, that revels long o' nights,

Is notwithstanding up. Good morrow, Antony.
ANTONY. So to most noble Cæsar.
CÆSAR.

Bid them

prepare

within :

I am to blame to be thus waited for.
Now, Cinna now, Metellus: what, Trebonius!
I have an hour's talk in store for you;
Remember that you call on me to-day:
Be near me, that I may remember you.

120

TREBONIUS. Cæsar, I will: [Aside] and so near will I be, That your best friends shall wish I had been further. CÆSAR. Good friends, go in, and taste some wine with

me;

And we, like friends, will straightway go together. BRUTUS. [Aside.] That every like is not the same, O

Cæsar,

The heart of Brutus yearns to think upon! [Exeunt.

SCENE III.—A street near the Capitol.

Enter ARTEMIDORUS, reading a paper.

ARTEMIDORUS. "Cæsar, beware of Brutus; take heed of Cassius; come not near Casca; have an eye 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,
And as a suitor will I give him this.

My heart laments that virtue cannot live
Out of the teeth of emulation.

If thou read this, O Cæsar, thou mayst live ;
If not, the Fates with traitors do contrive.

10

[Exit.

SCENE IV. Another part of the same street, before the house of BRUtus.

Enter PORTIA and LUCIUS.

PORTIA. I prithee, boy, run to the senate-house;
Stay not to answer me, but get thee gone.

Why dost thou stay?

LUCIUS.

To know my errand, madam.

PORTIA. 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!
I have a man's mind, but a woman's might.

How hard it is for women to keep counsel!
Art thou here yet?

LUCIUS.

Madam, what should I do?

10

Run to the Capitol, and nothing else?

And so return to you, and nothing else?

PORTIA. 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?

LUCIUS. I hear none, madam.

PORTIA.

Prithee, listen well;

I heard a bustling rumour, like a fray, And the wind brings it from the Capitol. LUCIUS. Sooth, madam, I hear nothing.

Enter the Soothsayer.

20

PORTIA. Come hither, fellow: which way hast thou been? SOOTHSAYER. At mine own house, good lady.

PORTIA. What is 't o'clock ?

SOOTHSAYER.

About the ninth hour, lady.

PORTIA. IS Cæsar yet gone to the Capitol?

SOOTHSAYER. Madam, not yet: I go to take my stand, To see him pass on to the Capitol.

PORTIA. Thou hast some suit to Cæsar, hast thou not? SOOTHSAYER. 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.

30

PORTIA. Why, know'st thou any harm's intended towards

him?

SOOTHSAYER.

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,

Of senators, of prætors, common suitors,
Will crowd a feeble man almost to death:
I'll get me to a place more void, and there
Speak to great Cæsar as he comes along.
PORTIA. I must go in. Ay me, how weak a thing
The heart of woman is! O Brutus,

The heavens speed thee in thine enterprise !
Sure, the boy heard me.-Brutus hath a suit
That Cæsar will not grant.-0, I grow faint..
Run, Lucius, and commend me to my lord;
Say I am merry: come to me again,

[Exit.

40

And bring me word what he doth say to thee.
[Exeunt severally.

ACT THIRD.

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.

CESAR. [To the Soothsayer] The ides of March are

come.

SOOTHSAYER. Ay, Cæsar; but not gone.

ARTEMIDORUS. Hail, Cæsar! read this schedule.
DECIUS. Trebonius doth desire you to o'er-read,
At your best leisure, this his humble suit.
ARTEMIDOrus. O Cæsar, read mine first; for mine's a suit
That touches Cæsar nearer: read it, great Cæsar.
CÆSAR. What touches us ourself shall be last serv'd.
ARTEMIDORUS. Delay not, Cæsar; read it instantly.
CESAR. What, is the fellow mad?

PUBLIUS.

Sirrah, give place. 10

CASSIUS. What, urge you your petitions in the street? Come to the Capitol.

CESAR goes up to the Senate-House, the rest following. POPILIUS. I wish your enterprise to-day may thrive. CASSIUS. What enterprise, Popilius ?