SCENE, during a great part of the play, at Rome; afterwards at Sardis, and near Philippi. Enter FLAVIUS, MARULLUS, and a rabble of CITIZENS. Flav. Hence! home, you idle creatures! get you home! Is this a holiday? What! know you not, Being mechanical, you ought not walk Upon a laboring-day without the sign Of your profession? Speak! what trade art thou? 1 Cit. Why, sir, a carpenter. Mar. Where is thy leather apron and thy rule? What dost thou with thy best apparel on? You, sir, - what trade are you 2 Cit. Truly, sir, in respect of a fine workman, I am but, as you would say, a cobbler. Mar. But what trade art thou? Answer me directly. 2 Cit. A trade, sir, that, I hope, I may use with a safe conscience; which is indeed, sir, a mender of bad soles. Mar. What trade, thou knave? thou naughty knave, what trade? 2 Cit. Nay, I beseech you, sir, be not out with me; yet if you be out, sir, I can mend you. Mar. What mean'st thou by that? Mend me, thou saucy fellow? 2 Cit. Why, sir, cobble you. Fiav. Thou art a cobbler, art thou? 2 Cit. Truly, sir, all that I live by is with the awl. I meddle with no tradesman's matters, nor women's matters, but with awl. I am indeed, sir, a surgeon to old shoes: when they are in great danger, I recover them. As proper men as ever trod upon neat's leather have gone upon my handiwork. Flav. But wherefore art not in thy shop to-day? Why dost thou lead these men about the streets? 2 Cit. Truly, sir, to wear out their shoes, to get myself into more work. But indeed, sir, we make holiday to see Cæsar, and to rejoice in his triumph. Mar. Wherefore rejoice? What conquest brings he home? What tributaries follow him to Rome To grace in captive bonds his chariot-wheels? You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things! And do you now put on your best attire? Run to your houses, fall upon your knees, Flav. Go, go, good countrymen, and for this fault Draw them to Tiber banks, and weep your tears If you do find them decked with ceremonies. You know it is the feast of Lupercal. Flav. It is no matter: let no images Be hung with Cæsar'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 plucked from Cæsar's wing Who else would soar above the view of men, And keep us all in servile fearfulness. SCENE II. The Same. A Public Place. [Exeunt CITIZENS. [Exeunt. Enter in procession, with music, CÆSAR, ANTONY, for the course; CALPHURNIA, PORTIA, DECIUS, CICERO, BRUTUS, CASSIUS, and ČASCA; a great crowd following, among them a SOOTHSAYER. Cæs. Calphurnia! Casca. Peace, ho! Cæsar speaks. Cæs. Calphurnia! [Music ceases. Casca. Bid every noise be still. Peace yet again. I hear a tongue, shriller than all the music, Cry "Cæsar!" Speak: Cæsar is turned to hear. Cæs. What man is that? Bru. A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March. Speak once again. Cas. Fellow, come from the throng: look upon Cæsar. [Music. [Music ceases. [Sennet. Exeunt all but BRUTUS and CASSIUS. Cas. Will you go see the order of the course? Bru. Not I. Cas.' I pray you, do. Bru. I am not gamesome: I do lack some part I'll leave you. Cas. Brutus, I do observe you now of late: You bear too stubborn and too strange a hand Bru. Cassius, Be not deceived: if I have veiled my look, I turn the trouble of my countenance Merely upon myself. Vexed I am Of late with passions of some difference, Which give some soil, perhaps, to my behaviors; Than that poor Brutus, with himself at war, Forgets the shows of love to other men. Cas. Then, Brutus, I have much mistook your passion, By means whereof this breast of mine hath buried Thoughts of great value, worthy cogitations. And it is very much lamented, Brutus, That you might see your shadow. I have heard, Cas. Therefore, good Brutus, be prepared to hear; 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 of me, gentle Brutus : To stale with ordinary oaths my love To every new protester; if you know That I do fawn on men, and hug them hard, That I profess myself in banqueting To all the rout, - then hold me dangerous. [Flourish and shout. Bru. What means this shouting? I do fear the people Choose Cæsar for their king. Cas. Ay, do you fear it? Then must I think you would not have it so. Bru. 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? In awe of such a thing as I myself. I was born free as Cæsar: so were you. And bade him follow: so, indeed, he did. I, as Eneas, our great ancestor, Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder Is now become a god; and Cassius is A wretched creature, and must bend his body 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; And that same eye, whose bend doth awe the world, So get the start of the majestic world, Bru. Another general shout! I do believe that these applauses are For some new honors that are heaped on Cæsar. Cas. Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world Like a Colossus; and we petty men Walk under his huge legs, and peep about To find ourselves dishonorable graves. Weigh them, it is as heavy; conjure with them, Brutus and Cæsar: what should be in that Cæsar? Why should that name be sounded more than yours? Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well; Brutus will start a spirit as soon as Cæsar. [Shout. Now, in the names of all the gods at once, Upon what meat doth this our Cæsar feed, That he is grown so great? Age, thou art shamed! Rome, thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods! |