You bear too stubborn and too strange a hand2 Bru. Cassius, Be not deceiv'd: If I have veil'd my look, I turn the trouble of my countenance Of late, with passions of some difference, 3 Which give some soil, perhaps, to my behaviours: Than that poor Brutus, with himself at war, Cas. Then, Brutus, I have much mistook your passion; By means whereof, this breast of mine hath buried Cas. 'Tis just : And it is very much lamented, Brutus, That you have no such mirrors, as will turn That you might see your shadow. I have heard, Have wish'd that noble Brutus had his eyes. Bru. Into what dangers would you lead me, Cassius, That you would have me seek into myself For that which is not in me? Cas. Therefore, good Brutus, be prepar'd to hear : And, since you know you cannot see yourself So well as by reflection, I, your glass, Will modestly discover to yourself That of yourself which you yet know not of. That I do fawn on men, and hug them hard, [2] Strange-is alien, unfamiliar, such as might become a stranger. JOH. [3] With a fluctuation of discordant opinions and desires. JOHNS. [4] To Invite every new protestor to my affection by the stale or allurement of customary oaths. JOHNS. And after scandal them; or if you know [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? If it be aught toward the general good, Set honour in one eye, and death i'the other, And I will look on both indifferently : For, let the gods so speed me, as I love The name of honour more than I fear death. Cas. I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus, As well as I do know your outward favour. Well, honour is the subject of my story.I cannot tell, what you and other men Think of this life; but, for my single self, I had as lief not be, as live to be 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 Æneas, our great ancestor, Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder Did I the tired Cæsar: And this man Is now become a god; and Cassius is A wretched creature, and must bend his body, If Cæsar carelessly but nod on him. He had a fever when he was in Spain, How he did shake: 'tis true, this god did shake: And that same eye, whose bend doth awe the world, Ay, and that tongue of his, that bade the Romans Bru. Another general shout! I do believe, that these applauses are [Shout. Flourish. For some new honours that are heap'd on Cæsar. Walk under his huge legs, and peep about To find ourselves dishonourable graves. Men at some time are masters of their fates: But in ourselves, that we are underlings. [Shout Brutus, and Cæsar: What should be in that Cæsar ? [3] A plain man would have said the colour fled from his lips. But the false expression was for the sake of as false a piece of wit: a poor quibble, alluding to a coward flying from his colours. WARB. STEEV. [6] That is, temperament, constitution. [7] This image is extremely noble; it is taken from the Olympic games. The majestic world is a fine periphrasis for the Roman Empire; their citi zens set themselves on a fooring with kings, and they called their dominion Orbis Romanus. But the particular allusion seems to be to the known story of Caesar's great pattern, Alexander, who being asked, Whether he would run the course at the Olympic games, replied, "Yes, if the racers were kings." WARD. Now is it Rome indeed, and room enough, O! you and I have heard our fathers say, Bru. That you do love me, I am nothing jealons ; I will with patience hear: and find a time Than to repute himself a son of Rome Under these hard conditions as this time Is like to lay upon us. Cas. I am glad, that my weak words Have struck but thus much show of fire from Brutus. Re-enter CESAR, and his Train. Bru. The games are done, and Cæsar is returning. Bru. I will do so :-But, look you, Cassius, Ant. Cæsar. Cas. Let me have men about me that are fat; 78] That is, Lucius Junius Brutus. [9] A ferret has red eyes. JOHNS. Cas. '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 soon as that spare Cassius. He reads much; Quite through the deeds of men: he loves no plays, Exe.CÆSAR and his Train. CASCA stays behind. Cosca. You pull'd me by the cloak; Would you speak with me? Bru. Ay, Casca; tell us what hath chanc'd to-day, That Cæsar looks so sad? Casca. Why you were with him, were you not? Bru. I should not then ask Casca what hath chanc'd. Casca. Why, there was a crown offered him and being offered bim, 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? Casca. Why, for that too. Cas. They shouted thrice; what was the last cry for? Casca. Why, for that too. Bru. Was the crown offer'd him thrice? Casca. Ay, marry, was't, and he put it by thrice, every time gentler than other; and at every putting by, mine honest neighbours shouted. Cas. Who offered him the crown? Casca. Why, Antony. Bru. Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casca. Casca. I can as well be hanged,as tell the manner of it: it was mere 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 ;-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 offered it to him again; then he put it by again; but, to my think |