Julius Caesar | Page 4

flowers in his way?That comes in triumph over Pompey's blood??Be gone!?Run to your houses, fall upon your knees,?Pray to the gods to intermit the plague?That needs must light on this ingratitude.
FLAVIUS.?Go, go, good countrymen, and, for this fault,?Assemble all the poor men of your sort,?Draw them to Tiber banks, and weep your tears?Into the channel, till the lowest stream?Do kiss the most exalted shores of all.
[Exeunt CITIZENS.]
See whether their basest metal be not moved;?They vanish tongue-tied in their guiltiness.?Go you down that way towards the Capitol;?This way will I. Disrobe the images,?If you do find them deck'd with ceremonies.
MARULLUS.?May we do so??You know it is the feast of Lupercal.
FLAVIUS.?It is no matter; let no images?Be hung with Caesar's trophies. I'll about?And drive away the vulgar from the streets;?So do you too, where you perceive them thick.?These growing feathers pluck'd from Caesar's wing?Will make him fly an ordinary pitch,?Who else would soar above the view of men,?And keep us all in servile fearfulness.
[Exeunt.]
SCENE II. The same. A public place.
[Enter, in procession, with music, Caesar; Antony, for the?course; Calpurnia, Portia, Decius, Cicero, Brutus, Cassius, and Casca; a great crowd following, among them a Soothsayer.]
CAESAR.?Calpurnia,--
CASCA.?Peace, ho! Caesar speaks.
[Music ceases.]
CAESAR.?Calpurnia,--
CALPURNIA.?Here, my lord.
CAESAR.?Stand you directly in Antonius' way,?When he doth run his course.--Antonius,--
ANTONY.?Caesar, my lord?
CAESAR.?Forget not in your speed, Antonius,?To touch Calpurnia; for our elders say,?The barren, touched in this holy chase,?Shake off their sterile curse.
ANTONY.?I shall remember.?When Caesar says "Do this," it is perform'd.
CAESAR.?Set on; and leave no ceremony out.
[Music.]
SOOTHSAYER.?Caesar!
CAESAR.?Ha! Who calls?
CASCA.?Bid every noise be still.--Peace yet again!
[Music ceases.]
CAESAR.?Who is it in the press that calls on me??I hear a tongue, shriller than all the music,?Cry "Caesar"! Speak, Caesar is turn'd to hear.
SOOTHSAYER.?Beware the Ides of March.
CAESAR.?What man is that?
BRUTUS.?A soothsayer bids you beware the Ides of March.
CAESAR.?Set him before me; let me see his face.
CASSIUS.?Fellow, come from the throng; look upon Caesar.
CAESAR.?What say'st thou to me now? Speak once again.
SOOTHSAYER.?Beware the Ides of March.
CAESAR.?He is a dreamer; let us leave him. Pass.
[Sennet. Exeunt all but BRUTUS and CASSIUS.]
CASSIUS.?Will you go see the order of the course?
BRUTUS.?Not I.
CASSIUS.?I pray you, do.
BRUTUS.?I am not gamesome; I do lack some part?Of that quick spirit that is in Antony.?Let me not hinder, Cassius, your desires;?I'll leave you.
CASSIUS.?Brutus, I do observe you now of late:?I have not from your eyes that gentleness?And show of love as I was wont to have:?You bear too stubborn and too strange a hand?Over your friend that loves you.
BRUTUS.?Cassius,?Be not deceived: if I have veil'd my look,?I turn the trouble of my countenance?Merely upon myself. Vexed I am?Of late with passions of some difference,?Conceptions only proper to myself,?Which give some soil perhaps to my behaviors;?But let not therefore my good friends be grieved--?Among which number, Cassius, be you one--?Nor construe any further my neglect,?Than that poor Brutus, with himself at war,?Forgets the shows of love to other men.
CASSIUS.?Then, Brutus, I have much mistook your passion;?By means whereof this breast of mine hath buried?Thoughts of great value, worthy cogitations.?Tell me, good Brutus, can you see your face?
BRUTUS.?No, Cassius, for the eye sees not itself?But by reflection, by some other thing.
CASSIUS.?'Tis just:?And it is very much lamented, Brutus,?That you have no such mirrors as will turn?Your hidden worthiness into your eye,?That you might see your shadow. I have heard?Where many of the best respect in Rome,--?Except immortal Caesar!-- speaking of Brutus,?And groaning underneath this age's yoke,?Have wish'd that noble Brutus had his eyes.
BRUTUS.?Into what dangers would you lead me, Cassius,?That you would have me seek into myself?For that which is not in me?
CASSIUS.?Therefore, good Brutus, be prepared to hear;?And since you know you cannot see yourself?So well as by reflection, I, your glass,?Will modestly discover to yourself?That of yourself which you yet know not of.?And be not jealous on me, gentle Brutus;?Were I a common laugher, or did use?To stale with ordinary oaths my love?To every new protester; if you know?That I do fawn on men, and hug them hard?And after scandal them; or if you know?That I profess myself, in banqueting,?To all the rout, then hold me dangerous.
[Flourish and shout.]
BRUTUS.?What means this shouting? I do fear the people?Choose Caesar for their king.
CASSIUS.?Ay, do you fear it??Then must I think you would not have it so.
BRUTUS.?I would not, Cassius; yet I love him well,?But wherefore do you hold me here so long??What is it that you would impart to me??If it be aught toward the general good,?Set honor in one eye and death i' the other?And I will look on both indifferently;?For let the gods so speed me as I love?The name of honor more than I fear death.
CASSIUS.?I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus,?As well as I do know your outward favor.?Well, honor is the subject of my story.?I cannot tell what you and other men?Think of this life; but, for my