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Be any further mov'd. What you

have faid,

I will confider; what you have to fay,

I will with patience hear, and find a time

Both meet to hear, and answer fuch high things. 'Till then, my noble friend, 7 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 ftruck but thus much fhew of fire from Brutus.

Enter Cafar 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 fafhion, 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 reft look like a chidden train.
Calphurnia's cheek is pale; and Cicero
Looks with fuch ferret, and fuch fiery eyes,
As we have seen him in the Capitol,
Being croft in conference by fome Senators.
Caf. Cafca will tell us what the matter is.
Caf. Antonius,-

Ant. Cæfar.

Caf. [To Ant. apart.] Let me have men about me that are fat;

Sleek-headed men, and fuch as fleep a-nights:

7

-

Yon'

- chew upon this;] Confider this at leifure; ruminate on this.

- ferret,-] A ferret has red eyes.

JOHNSON.
JOHNSON.

9 Sleek-headed men, &c.]" So in Sir Tho. North's Tranflation "of Plutarch. 1579, When Cæfar's friends complained unto "him of Antonius and Dolabella, that they pretended fome "mischief towards him; he anfwered, as for those fat men and

"fmooth

Yon 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 fhould avoid,

So foon as that fpare Caffius. He reads much;
He is a great obferver; and he looks

Quite through the deeds of men. He loves no plays,
As thou doft, Antony; he hears no mufick :
Seldom he finiles; and fmiles in fuch a fort,
As if he mock'd himself, and fcorn'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'ft of him.

[Exeunt Cæfar and his train.

Manent Brutus and Caffius: Cafea to them. Cafca. You pull'd me by the cloak: Would you speak with me?

"fmooth-combed beads, (quoth he) I never reckon of them : "but thofe pale-vifaged and carrion-lean people, I fear them "moft, meaning Brutus and Caffius.”

And again,

"Cæfar had Caffius in great jealoufy, and fufpected him much, "whereupon he faid on a time, to his friends, what will Caffius "do, think you? I like not his pale looks." STEEVENS.

'Would be were fatter;-] Johnfon in his Bartholom av-fair, unjustly fneers at this paffage, in Knockham's fpeech to the Pigwoman. Come, there's no malice in fat folks; I never fear thee, and I can 'fcape thy lean meon-calf there.

WARBURTON.

Bru.

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 fhould not then afk Cafca what had chanc'd. Cafea. 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 fhouting. Bru. What was the fecond noise for?

Cafea. Why, for that too.

Caf. They shouted thrice: What was the laft 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 honest neighbours fhouted.

Caf. Who offer'd him the crown?
Cafca. Why, Antony.

Bru. Tell us the manner of it, gentle Cafca. Cafca. I can as well be hang'd, as tell the manner of it it was meer foolery, I did not mark it. I faw Mark Antony offer him a crown;--yet 'twas not a crown neither, 'twas one of these coronets;—and, 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 loth to lay his fingers off it. And then he offer'd it the third time; he put it the third time by and ftill as he refus'd it, the rabblement hooted and clapp'd their chopt hands, and threw up their sweaty night-caps, and utter'd fuch a deal of ftinking breath because Cæfar refus'd the crown, that it had almoft choaked Cæfar; for he fwooned, and fell down at it and for mine own part, I durft not laugh, for fear of opening my lips, and receiving the bad air.

Caf. But, foft, I pray you ? What? did Cæfar fwoon?

Caf

Cafca. He fell down in the market-place, and foam'd at mouth, and was speechless.

Bru. 'Tis very like; he hath the falling fickness. Caf. No, Cæfar hath it not; but you and I, And honest Casca, we have the falling fickness.

Cafca. I know not what you mean by that; but, I am fure, Cæfar fell down. If the tag-rag people did not clap him, and hifs him, according as he pleas'd, and difpleas'd them, as they used to do the Players in the theatre, I am no true man.

2

Bru. What faid he, when he came unto himself? Cafca. Marry, before he fell down, when he perceiv'd the common herd was glad he refus'd the Crown, he pluckt me ope his doublet, and offer'd them his throat to cut. An' I had been a man of any occupation, if I would not have taken him at a word, I would I might go to hell among the rogues: And fo he fell. When he came to himself again, he faid, If he had done, or faid any thing amifs, he defir'd their Worships to think it was his infirmity. Three or four wenches, where I stood, cry'd, alas, good foul !— and forgave him with all their hearts: But there's no heed to be taken of them; if Cæfar had stabb'd their mothers, they would have done no less.

Bru. And after that, he came, thus fad, away ?
Cafca. Ay.

Caf. Did Cicero say any thing?
Cafca. Ay, he spoke Greek.
Caf. To what effect ?

Cafca. Nay, an' I tell you that, I'll ne'er look you i' the face again. But thofe, that understood him, fmil'd at one another, and shook their heads: but for mine own part, it was Greek to me. I could tell you more news too. Marullus and Flavius, for pull

2 a man of any occupation,] Had I been a mechanick, one of the Plebeians to whom he offered his throat.

JOHNSON.

ing scarfs off Cæfar's images, are put to filence. Fare you well. There was more foolery yet, if I could remember it.

Caf. Will you fup with me to-night, Cafca?
Cafca. No, I am promis'd forth.

Caf. Will you dine with me to-morrow?

Cafca. Ay, if I be alive, and your mind hold, and your dinner worth the eating.

Caf. Good: I will expect you.

Cafca. Do fo: farewell both.

[Exit.

Bru. What a blunt fellow is this grown to be?

He was quick mettie, when he went to school.
Caf. So is he now, in execution

Of any bold or noble enterprize,

However he puts on this tardy form.

This rudeness is a fauce to his good wit,
Which gives men ftomach to digeft his words
With better appetite.

Bru. And fo it is. For this time I will leave you.
To-morrow, if you please to speak with me,
I will come home to you; or, if you will,
Come home to me, and I will wait for you.

Caf. I will do fo. Till then, think of the world. [Exit Brutus. Well, Brutus, thou art noble: yet, I fee, Thy honourable metal may be wrought From what it is difpos'd: therefore 'tis meet, That noble minds keep ever with their likes: For who fo firm, that cannot be feduc'd? Cæfar doth bear me hard; but he loves Brutus: *If I were Brutus now, and he were Caffius,

He

3 Thy honourable metal may be wrought From what it is dilpos'd:] The best metal or temper may be worked into qualities contrary to its original conftitution.

JOHNSON.

*If I were Brutus now, and he were Caffius, He fhould not humour me.] This is a reflection on Brutus's ingratitude; which concludes, as is ufual on fuch occafions, in an VOL. VIII.

C

en

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