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not Trebonius; mark well Metellus Cimber; Decius Brutus loves thee not; thou haft wrong'd Caius Ligarius. There is but one mind in all these men, and it is bent against Cæfar. If thou be'ft not immortal, look about thee: Jecurity gives way to confpiracy. The mighty Gods defend Thy Lover, Artemidorus.

thee!

Here will I ftand, 'till Cæfar pafs along,
And as a fuitor will I give him this:
My heart laments, that virtue cannot live
Out of the teeth of emulation.

If thou read this, O Cæfar, thou may'st live;
If not, the fates with traitors do contrive.

Enter Porcia and Lucius.

[Exit.

Por. I pr'ythee, boy, run to the Senate-houfe;
Stay not to answer me, but get thee gone:
Why doft thou ftay?

Luc. To know my errand, Madam.

Por. I would have had thee there, and here again,
Ere I can tell thee what thou fhouldft do there-
O conftancy, be ftrong upon my fide,

Set a huge mountain 'tween my heart and tongue;
I have a man's mind, but a woman's might:
How hard it is for women to keep counfel!
Art thou here yet?

Luc. Madam, what fhould I do?

Run to the Capitol, and nothing else?

And fo return to you, and nothing else?

Por. Yes, bring me word, boy, if thy Lord look well, For he went fickly forth and take good note, What Cæfar doth, what fuitors prefs to him.

at Cnidos, as we learn from Plutarch, Appian, &e. did not pretend to know any thing of the Confpiracy against Cæfar by Prefcience, or Prognoftication. He was a Sophift, who taught that Science in Greek at Rome; by which Means being intimate with Brutus, and thofe about him, he got into their Secret; and, out of his old Affection for Cæfar, was defirous of acquainting him with his Danger.

Hark,

Hark, boy! what noise is that ?
Luc. I hear none, Madam.
Por. Pr'ythee, listen well:

I heard a bustling rumour like a fray,
And the wind brings it from the Capitol.
Luc. Sooth, Madam, I hear nothing.

Enter Artemidorus.

Por. Come hither, fellow, which way haft thou been?
Art. At mine own houfe, good lady.
Por. What is't o'clock ?

Art. About the ninth hour, Lady.

Por, Is Cafar yet gone to the Capitol ?
Art. Madam, not yet; I go to take
To fee him pafs on to the Capitol.

my stand,

Por. Thou haft fome fuit to Cæfar, haft thou not ? Art. That I have, Lady, if it will pleafe Cafar To be fo good to Cafar, as to hear me :

I fhall befeech him to befriend himself.

Por. Why,know'st thou any harm intended tow'rds him?
Art, None that I know will be, much that I fear;
Good-morrow to you. Here the street is narrow:
The throng, that follows Cæfar at the heels,
Of Senators, of Prætors, common fuitors,
Will crowd a feeble man almoft to death:

I'll get me to a place more void, and there
Speak to great Cæfar as he comes along.

[Exit.

Por. I must go inaye me! how weak a thing The heart of woman is! O Brutus! Brutus !.. The heavens speed thee in thine enterprize! Sure, the boy heard me :-Brutus hath a fuit, That Cæfar will not grant.-O, I grow faint: Run, Lucius, and commend me to my Lord; Say, I am merry; come to me again, And bring me word what he doth fay to thee. [Exeunt feverally.

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SCENE, the Street before the Capitol; and the Capitol openmo ao b

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Flourish. Enter Cæfar, Brutus, Caffius, Casca, Decius, Metellus, Trebonius, Cinna, Antony, Lepidus, Artemidorus, Popilius, Publius, and the Soothsayer.

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CESAR. BIRO

HE Ides of March are come.

TH

Sooth. Ay, Cafar, but not gone..

Art. Hail, Cafar: read this fchedule.
Dec. Trebonius doth defire you to o'er-read,
At your best leisure, this his humble fuit.

C

Art. O'Cæfar, read mine firft; for mine's a fuit, y That touches Cæfar nearer. Read it, great Gafar.. Caf. What touches us ourself, fhall be laft fervid. Art. Delay not Cefar, read it instantly.

Caf. What, is the fellow mad ?

Pub. Sirrah, give place."

Caf. What, urge you your petitions in the street
Come to the Capitol.

Pop. I wish, your enterprize to-day may thrive.
Caf. What enterprize, Popilius?...

Pop. Fare you well.

Bru. What faid Popilius Lena?

Caf. He wish'd, to-day our enterprize might thrive: I fear, our purpose is difcovered.

Bru. Look, how he makes to Cæfar; mark him.
Caf. Cafca, be fudden, for we fear prevention..
Brutus, what shall be done, if this be known?
Caffius, or Cæfar, never fhall turn back;
For I will flay myself.

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Bru. Caffius, be conftant:

Popilius Lena fpeaks not of our purpose;

For, look, he fmiles, and Cæfar doth not change.
Caf. Trebonius knows his time; for look you, Brutus,
He draws Mark Antony out of the way.

Dec. Where is Metellus Cimber? let him go,
And presently prefer his fuit to Cafar.

Bru. He is addreft; prefs near, and fecond him. Cin. Cafea, you are the firft that rears your hand. Caf. Are we all ready? what is now amifs, That Cafar and his Senate muft redress?

Met. Moft high, most mighty, and moft puiffant Cæfar,
Metellus Cimber throws before thy feat
An humble heart.

Caf. I must prevent thee, Cimber ;
These couchings and thefe lowly curtefies
Might fire the blood of ordinary men,
And turn pre-ordinance and firft decree.
Into the lane of children. Be not fond,
To think that Cæfar bears such rebel blood,
That will be thaw'd from the true quality

[Kneeling.

With that which melteth fools; I mean, fweet words:
Low-crooked curt'fies, and bafe fpaniel fawning.
Thy brother by decree is banished;

If thou dost bend, and pray, and fawn for him,
I fpurn thee like a cur out of my way;

Know, Cafar doth not wrong; nor without caufe
Will he be fatisfied.

Met. Is there no voice more worthy than my own, To found more sweetly in great Cæfar's ear,

For the repealing of my banifh'd brother?

Bru. I kifs thy hand, but not in flattery, Cafar;
Defiring thee, that Publius Cimber may
Have an immediate freedom of repeal.
Caf. What, Brutus !

Caf. Pardon, Cafar; Cæfar, pardon;
As low as to thy foot doth Caffius fall,
To beg enfranchifement for Publius Cimber.

Caf. I could be well mov'd, if I were as you;
If I could pray to move, prayers would move me :

But

But I am conftant as the northern ftar,
Of whofe true, fixt, and refting quality,
There is no fellow in the firmament;
The skies are painted with unnumbred fparks,
They are all fire, and every one doth shine;
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 apprehenfive;
Yet, in the number, I do know but one
That unaffailable holds on his rank,
Unfhak'd of motion: and that I am, he,
Let me a little fhew it, ev'n in this;

That I was conftant, Cimber should be banish'd ;
And conftant do remain to keep him fo.

Cim. O Cafar

Caf. Hence! wilt thou lift up Olympus?
Dec. Great Cafar.

Caf. Doth not Brutus bootlefs kneel?

Cafca. Speak hands for me." [They fab Cæfar, Caf. Et tu, Brute ?. then fall Cafar!

[Dies.

Cin. Liberty! freedom! Tyranny is dead
Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the ftrects
Caf. Some to the common pulpits, and cry out,
Liberty, freedom, and enfranchifement.

Bru People, and Senators! be not affrighted;
Fly not, ftand ftill. Ambition's debt is paid..
Cafca. Go to the pulpit, Brutus.'

Dec. And Caffius too.

Bru. Where's Publius?

Cin. Here, quite confounded with this mutiny. Met. Stand faft together, left fome friends of Cafar's Should chance

Bru. Talk not of ftanding. Publius, good cheer; There is no harm intended to your perfon, Nor to no Roman elfe; fo tell them, Publius.

Caf. And leave us, Publius, left that the people, Rufhing on us, fhould do your age fome mifchief. Bru. Do fo; and let no man abide this deed, But we the doers.

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Enter

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