Shakespeare's First Folio Part 541

Sooth. Madam not yet, I go to take my stand, To see him pa.s.se on to the Capitoll

Por. Thou hast some suite to Caesar, hast thou not?

Sooth. That I haue Lady, if it will please Caesar To be so good to Caesar, as to heare me: I shall beseech him to befriend himselfe

Por. Why know'st thou any harme's intended towards him?

Sooth. None that I know will be, Much that I feare may chance: Good morrow to you: heere the street is narrow: The throng that followes Caesar at the heeles, Of Senators, of Praetors, common Sutors, Will crowd a feeble man (almost) to death: Ile get me to a place more voyd, and there Speake to great Caesar as he comes along.

Exit

Por. I must go in: Aye me! How weake a thing The heart of woman is? O Brutus, The Heauens speede thee in thine enterprize.

Sure the Boy heard me: Brutus hath a suite That Caesar will not grant. O, I grow faint: Run Lucius, and commend me to my Lord, Say I am merry; Come to me againe, And bring me word what he doth say to thee.

Exeunt.

Actus Tertius.

Flourish

Enter Caesar, Brutus, Ca.s.sius, Caska, Decius, Metellus, Trebonius, Cynna, Antony, Lepidus, Artimedorus, Publius, and the Soothsayer.

Caes The Ides of March are come

Sooth. I Caesar, but not gone

Art. Haile Caesar: Read this Scedule

Deci. Trebonius doth desire you to ore-read (At your best leysure) this his humble suite

Art. O Caesar, reade mine first: for mine's a suite That touches Caesar neerer. Read it great Caesar

Caes What touches vs our selfe, shall be last seru'd

Art. Delay not Caesar, read it instantly

Caes What, is the fellow mad?

Pub. Sirra, giue place

Ca.s.si. What, vrge you your Pet.i.tions in the street?

Come to the Capitoll

Popil. I wish your enterprize to day may thriue

Ca.s.si. What enterprize Popillius?

Popil. Fare you well

Bru. What said Popillius Lena?

Ca.s.si. He wisht to day our enterprize might thriue: I feare our purpose is discouered

Bru. Looke how he makes to Caesar: marke him

Ca.s.si. Caska be sodaine, for we feare preuention.

Brutus what shall be done? If this be knowne, Ca.s.sius or Caesar neuer shall turne backe, For I will slay my selfe

Bru. Ca.s.sius be constant: Popillius Lena speakes not of our purposes, For looke he smiles, and Caesar doth not change

Ca.s.si. Trebonius knowes his time: for look you Brutus He drawes Mark Antony out of the way

Deci. Where is Metellus Cimber, let him go, And presently preferre his suite to Caesar

Bru. He is addrest: presse neere, and second him

Cin. Caska, you are the first that reares your hand

Caes Are we all ready? What is now amisse, That Caesar and his Senate must redresse?

Metel. Most high, most mighty, and most puisant Caesar Metellus Cymber throwes before thy Seate An humble heart

Caes I must preuent thee Cymber: These couchings, and these lowly courtesies Might fire the blood of ordinary men, And turne pre-Ordinance, and first Decree Into the lane of Children. Be not fond, To thinke that Caesar beares such Rebell blood That will be thaw'd from the true quality With that which melteth Fooles, I meane sweet words, Low-crooked-curtsies, and base Spaniell fawning: Thy Brother by decree is banished: If thou doest bend, and pray, and fawne for him, I spurne thee like a Curre out of my way: Know, Caesar doth not wrong, nor without cause Will he be satisfied

Metel. Is there no voyce more worthy then my owne, To sound more sweetly in great Caesars eare, For the repealing of my banish'd Brother?

Bru. I kisse thy hand, but not in flattery Caesar: Desiring thee, that Publius Cymber may Haue an immediate freedome of repeale

Caes What Brutus?

Ca.s.si. Pardon Caesar: Caesar pardon: As lowe as to thy foote doth Ca.s.sius fall, To begge infranchis.e.m.e.nt for Publius Cymber

Caes I could be well mou'd, if I were as you, If I could pray to mooue, Prayers would mooue me: But I am constant as the Northerne Starre, Of whose true fixt, and resting quality, There is no fellow in the Firmament.

The Skies are painted with vnnumbred sparkes, They are all Fire, and euery one doth s.h.i.+ne: But, there's but one in all doth hold his place.

So, in the World; 'Tis furnish'd well with Men, And Men are Flesh and Blood, and apprehensiue; Yet in the number, I do know but One That vna.s.sayleable holds on his Ranke, Vnshak'd of Motion: and that I am he, Let me a little shew it, euen in this: That I was constant Cymber should be banish'd, And constant do remaine to keepe him so

Cinna. O Caesar

Caes Hence: Wilt thou lift vp Olympus?

Decius. Great Caesar

Caes Doth not Brutus bootlesse kneele?

Cask. Speake hands for me.

They stab Caesar.

Caes Et Tu Brute? - Then fall Caesar.

Dyes

Cin. Liberty, Freedome; Tyranny is dead, Run hence, proclaime, cry it about the Streets

Ca.s.si. Some to the common Pulpits, and cry out Liberty, Freedome, and Enfranchis.e.m.e.nt

Bru. People and Senators, be not affrighted: Fly not, stand still: Ambitions debt is paid

Cask. Go to the Pulpit Brutus