Cask. But wherefore did you so much tempt the Hea

vens? |

It is the part of men, to feare and tremble,

When the most mightie Gods, by tokens send
Such dreadfull Heraulds, to astonish us.

Cassi. You are dull, Caska:

And those sparkes of Life, that should be in a Roman,

You doe want, or else you use not.

You looke pale, and gaze, and put on feare,

And cast your selfe in wonder,

To see the strange impatience of the Heavens:
But if you would consider the true cause,
Why all these Fires, why all these gliding Ghosts,
Why Birds and Beasts, from qualitie and kinde,
Why Old men, Fooles, and Children calculate,
Why all these things change from their Ordinance,
Their Natures, and pre-formed Faculties,
To monstrous qualitie; why you shall finde,
That Heaven hath infus'd them with these Spirits,
To make them Instruments of feare, and warning,
Unto some monstrous State.

Now could I (Caska) name to thee a man,

Most like this dreadfull Night,

That Thunders, Lightens, opens Graves, and roares, As doth the Lyon in the Capitoll:

A man no mightier then thy selfe, or me,

In personall action; yet prodigious growne,
And fearefull, as these strange eruptions are.
Cask. 'Tis Casar that you meane:

Is it not, Cassius?

Cassi. Let it be who it is: for Romans now Have Thewes, and Limbes, like to their Ancestors;

65-9. 4 five-accent 11.-RowE.

and: old men fool and-GRANT WHITE.

70

80

90

74. Old men, Fooles,

88-9. 1 1.-RowE.

But woe the while, our Fathers mindes are dead,
And we are govern'd with our Mothers spirits,
Our yoake, and sufferance, shew us Womanish.

Cask. Indeed, they say, the Senators to morrow Meane to establish Caesar as a King:

And he shall weare his Crowne by Sea, and Land,
In every place, save here in Italy.

Cassi. I know where I will weare this Dagger then; Cassius from Bondage will deliver Cassius:

100

Therein, yee Gods, you make the weake most strong;
Therein, yee Gods, you Tyrants doe defeat.
Nor Stonie Tower, nor Walls of beaten Brasse,
Nor ayre-lesse Dungeon, nor strong Linkes of Iron,
Can be retentive to the strength of spirit:

But Life being wearie of these worldly Barres,
Never lacks power to dismisse it selfe.

If I know this, know all the World besides,
That part of Tyrannie that I doe beare,

I can shake off at pleasure.

So

Cask. So can I:

every

Thunder still.

Bond-man in his owne hand beares The power to cancell his Captivitie.

Cassi. And why should Cæsar be a Tyrant then?
Poore man, I know he would not be a Wolfe,
But that he sees the Romans are but Sheepe:
He were no Lyon, were not Romans Hindes.
Those that with haste will make a mightie fire,
Begin it with weake Strawes. What trash is Rome?
What Rubbish, and what Offall? when it serves
For the base matter, to illuminate

So vile a thing as Cæsar. But oh Griefe,
Where hast thou led me? I (perhaps) speake this
then I know

Before a willing Bond-man:
My answere must be made.

But I am arm'd,

I 20

And dangers are to me indifferent.

Cask. You speake to Caska, and to such a man,
That is no flearing Tell-tale. Hold, my Hand:
Be factious1 for redresse of all these Griefes,
And I will set this foot of mine as farre,

As who goes farthest.

130

1 importunate

Cassi. There's a Bargaine made.
Now know you, Caska, I have mov'd already
Some certaine of the Noblest minded Romans
To under-goe, with me, an Enterprize,
Of Honorable dangerous consequence;
And I doe know by this, they stay for me

In Pompeyes Porch: for now this fearefull Night,
There is no stirre, or walking in the streetes;
And the Complexion of the Element

Is Favors, like the Worke we have in hand,
Most bloodie, fierie, and most terrible.

Enter Cinna.

140

Caska. Stand close a while, for heere comes one in haste.

Cassi. 'Tis Cinna, I doe know him by his Gate, He is a friend. Cinna, where haste you so?

Cinna. To finde out you: Who's that, Metellus Cymber?

Cassi. No, it is Caska, one incorporate

To our Attempts. Am I not stay'd for, Cinna?
Cinna. I am glad on't.

What a fearefull Night is this?

150

There's two or three of us have seene strange sights.

Cassi. Am I not stay'd for? tell me.

Cinna. Yes, you are. O Cassius,

152-3. 1 1.-ROWE.

144-5. verse-ROWE. 148-9. verse-Rowe. 155-8. 3 11. ending are, could, party-2SINGER.

If

you

could but winne the Noble Brutus

To our party

Cassi. Be you content. Good Cinna, take this Paper, And looke you lay it in the Pretors Chayre,

Where Brutus may but finde it: and throw this

In at his Window; set this up with Waxe
Upon old Brutus Statue: all this done,

160

Repaire to Pompeyes Porch, where you shall finde us. Is Decius Brutus and Trebonius there?

Cinna. All, but Metellus Cymber, and hee's gone

To seeke you at your house.

And so bestow these Papers as

Well, I will hie,

you bad me.

Cassi. That done, repayre to Pompeyes Theater.

Exit Cinna.

Come Caska, you and I will yet, ere day,
See Brutus at his house: three parts of him
Is ours alreadie, and the man entire
Upon the next encounter, yeelds him ours.

Cask. O, he sits high in all the Peoples hearts:
And that which would appeare Offence in us,
His Countenance, like richest Alchymie,

Will change to Vertue, and to Worthinesse.

170

180

Cassi. Him, and his worth, and our great need of him, You have right well conceited: let us goe, For it is after Mid-night, and ere day,

We will awake him, and be sure of him.

Exeunt.

Actus Secundus.

[Scene i. Rome. Brutus's orchard.]

Enter Brutus in his Orchard.

Brut. What Lucius, hoe?

I cannot, by the progresse of the Starres,

Give guesse how neere to day- Lucius, I say?
I would it were my fault to sleepe so soundly.
When Lucius, when? awake, I say: what Lucius?

Enter Lucius.

Luc. Call'd you, my Lord?

Brut. Get me a Tapor in my Study, Lucius: When it is lighted, come and call me here.

Luc. I will, my Lord.

Exit.

ΙΟ

20

Brut. It must be by his death: and for my part, I know no personall cause, to spurne at him, But for the generall. He would be crown'd: How that might change his nature, there's the question? It is the bright day, that brings forth the Adder, And that craves warie walking: Crowne him that, And then I graunt we put a Sting in him, That at his will he may doe danger with. Th'abuse of Greatnesse, is, when it dis-joynes Remorse from Power: And to speake truth of Cæsar, I have not knowne, when his Affections sway'd More then his Reason. But 'tis a common proofe, That Lowlynesse is young Ambitions Ladder, Whereto the Climber upward turnes his Face: But when he once attaines the upmost Round, He then unto the Ladder turnes his Backe, Lookes in the Clouds, scorning the base degrees1 By which he did ascend: so Cæsar may; 1steps Then least he may, prevent. And since the Quarrell Will beare no colour, for the thing he is, Fashion it thus; that what he is, augmented, Would runne to these, and these extremities: And therefore thinke him as a Serpents egge,

30

Which hatch'd, would as his kinde grow mischievous; And kill him in the shell.

18. Crowne bim that: Crown him? that; --CAMBRIDGE.