I had as lief not be, as live to be

In awe of such a thing as I myself.

I was born free as Cafar, fo were you;
We both have fed as well; and we can both
Endure the winter's cold, as well as he.
For once upon a raw and gusty day,

The troubled Tyber chafing with his shores,

Cafar fays to me, "dar'st thou, Caffius, now

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Leap in with me into this angry flood,
"And swim to yonder point?" - Upon the word,
Accoutred as I was, I plunged in,
And bid him follow; fo, indeed, he did.
The torrent roar'd, and we did buffet it
With lusty finews; throwing it aside,
And stemming it with hearts of controverfy.
But ere we could arrive the point propos'd,
Cæfar cry'd, "Help me, Caffius, or I fink."
I, as Æneas, our great Ancestor,

Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder
The old Anchises bear, so, from the waves of Tyber
Did I the tired Cafar; and this man
Is now become a God; and Caffius is
A wretched creature, and must bend his body,
If Cafar carelesfly but nod on him.
He had a fever when he was in Spain,
And when the fit was on him, I did mark
How he did shake; 'tis true, this God did shake;
9 His coward lips did from their colour fly,
And that fame eye, whose Bend doth awe the world
Did lose its luftre; I did hear him groan;
Ay, and that tongue of his, that bade the Romans
Mark him, and write his speeches in their books,
Alas! it cry'd-" give me some drink, Titinius"

9 His coward lips did from their colour fly,] A plain man would have faid, the colour fled from his lips, and not his lips from their colour. But the false ex

pression was for the sake of as false a piece of wit: a poor quibble, alluding to a coward flying from his colours.

WARB.

As

t

1

As a fick gril. Ye Gods, it doth amaze me,

A man of fuch a feeble temper should

I

So get the start of the majestick world,

And bear the Palm alone.

Bru. Another general shout!

I do believe, that these applauses are

[Shout. Flourish.

For fome new honours that are heap'd on Cafar.

Caf. Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world

:

Like a Coloffus; and we petty men
Walk under his huge legs, and peep about
To find ourselves dishonourable graves.
Men at some times are masters of their fates :
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings.
Brutus and Cafar! what should be in that Cafar?
Why should that name be founded, more than yours?
Write them together, yours is as fair a name;
Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well;
Weigh them, it is as heavy; conjure with 'em,
Brutus will start a spirit, as foon as Cæfar.
Now in the names of all the Gods at once,
Upon what meat does this our Cæfar feed,
That he is grown so great? Age, thou art sham'd;
Rome, thou hast loft the breed of noble bloods.
When went there by an age, since the great flood,
But it was fam'd with more than with one man?
When could they say, till now, that talk'd of Rome,
That her wide walls incompass'd but one man ?
Now is it Rome, indeed; and room enough,

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their dominion Orbis Romanus. But the particular allusion seems to be to the known story of Ce far's great pattern Alexander, who being asked, Whether he would run the course at the Olympic games, replied, Yes, if the racers were Kngs. WARB.

When

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r

When there is in it but one only man.
Oh! you and I have heard our fathers say;
There was a Brutus once, that would have brook'd
Th' eternal devil to keep his state in Rome,

As easily as a King.

Bru. That you do love me, I am nothing jealous; What you would work me to, I have some aim. How I have thought of this, and of these times, I shall recount hereafter; for this present, I would not, so with love I might intreat you, Be any further mov'd. What you have faid, I will confider; what you have to say, I will with patience hear; and find a time Both meet to hear, and answer such high things. 'Till then, my noble friend, 3 chew upon this; Brutus had rather be a villager, Than to repute himself a fon of Rome Under fuch hard conditions, as this time Is like to lay upon us.

Caf. I am glad that my weak words

Have struck but thus much shew of fire from Brutus.

Enter Cæfar and his Train.

Bru. The Games are done, and Cæfar is returning.
Caf. As they pass by, pluck Cafca by the fleeve,

And he will, after his four fashion, tell you
What hath proceeded worthy note to day.

Bru. I will do fo. But look you, Caffius,
The angry spot doth glow on Cæfar's brow,
And all the rest look like a chidden train.
Calpurnia's cheek is pale; and Cicero

Looks with such + ferret, and such fiery eyes,
As we have seen him in the Capitol,
Being croft in conf'rence by some Senators.
Caf. Cafca will tell us what the matter is.

Cas. Antonius,

Ant. Cæfar?

Caf. [To Ant. apart.] Let me have men about me

that are fat,

Sleek headed men, and such as sleep a-nights;

Yond Caffius has a lean and hungry look,

He thinks too much. Such men are dangerous.

Ant. Fear him not, Cæfar, he's not dangerous;

He is a noble Roman, and well given.

Caf. Would he were fatter. But I fear him not;

Yet if my name were liable to fear,
I do not know the man I should avoid,
So foon as that spare Caffius. He reads much;
He is a great observer; and he looks

Quite through the deeds of men. He loves no plays,
As thou dost, Antony; he hears no musick;
Seldom he smiles, and smiles in such a fort,
As if he mock'd himself, and scorn'd his fpirit,
That could be mov'd to smile at any thing.
Such men as he be never at heart's ease,
Whilft they behold a greater than themselves;
And therefore are they very dangerous.
I rather tell thee what is to be fear'd,
Than what I fear; for always I am Cæfar.
Come on my right hand, for this ear is deaf,
And tell me truly, what thou think'st of him.

[Exeunt Cæfar and bis Train.

4-ferret,-] A ferret has red Knockham's speech to the Pig

woman. Come, there's no malice in fat folks; I never fear thee, and I can'scape thy lean moon-calf there.

WARBURTON.

SCENE

:

SCENE

V.

Manent Brutus and Caffius: Casca to them.

Casca. You pull'd me by the cloak. Would you

speak with me?

Bru. Ay, Cafca, tell us what hath chanc'd to day, That Cæfar looks fo fad.

Cafca. Why, you were with him, were you not? Bru. I should not then ask Cafea what had chanc'd. Cafca. Why, there was a crown offer'd him, and being offer'd him, he put it by with the back of his hand thus; and then the people fell a shouting. Bru. What was the second noise for?

Cafca. Why, for that too,

Cas. They shouted thrice: what was the last cry for?

Cafca. Why, for that too.

Bru. Was the crown offer'd him thrice?

Cafca. Ay, marry, was't, and he put it by thrice, every time gentler than other; and at every putting by, mine honeft neighbours shouted.

Caf. Who offer'd him the crown?

Cafea. Why, Antony.

Bru. Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casca.

and,

Cafca. I can as well be hang'd, as tell the manner of it. It was meer foolery, I did not mark it. I saw Mark Antony offer him a crown; yet 'twas not a crown neither, 'twas one of these coronets; as I told you, he put it by once; but for all that, to my thinking, he would fain have had it. Then he offer'd it to him again: then he put it by again; but, to my thinking, he was very loath to lay his fingers off it. And then he offer'd it the third time; he put

it the third time by; and still as he refus'd it, the

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