CONTEMPT OF CASSIUS FOR CÆSAR.
I was born free as Cæsar; so were you: We both have fed as well; and we can both Endure the winter's cold, as well as he. For once, upon a raw and gusty* day, The troubled Tybef chafing with her shores, Cæsar said to me, Dar'st thou, Cassius, now Leap in with me into this angry flood, And swim to yonder point? Upon the word, Accouter'd as I was, I plunged in, And bade him follow: so, indeed, he did. The torrent roar'd; and we did buffet it With lusty sinews; throwing it aside And stemming it with hearts of controversy. But ere we could arrive the point propos'd, Cæsar cry'd, Help me, Cassius, or I sink. I, as Æneas, our great ancestor,
Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder The old Anchises bear, so, from the waves of Tyber Did I the tired Cesar: And this inan
Is now become a god; and Cassius is A wretched creature, and must bend his body, If Cesar carelessly but nod on him. 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: His coward lips did from their colour fly;
And that same eye, whose bend doth awe the world, Did lose his lustre: I did hear him groan:
Ay, and that tongue of bis, that bade the Romans Mark him, and write his speeches in their books, Alas! it cried, Give me some drink, Titinius, As a sick girl. Ye gods, it doth amaze me, A man of such a feeble temper + should So get the start of the majestic world, And bear the palm alone.
Bru. Another general shout!
+ Temperament, constitution.
I do believe, that these applauses are
For some new honours that are heap'd 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 dishonourable graves. Men at some time are masters of their fates: The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves, that we are underlings.
Brutus, and Casar: What should be in that Cæsar? Why should that name be sounded more than yours? Write them together, yours is as fair a name; Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well; Weigh them, it is as heavy; conjure them, 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 sham'd: Rome, thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods! When went there by an age, since the great flood, But it was fam'd with more than with one man? When could they say, till now, that talk'd of Rome, That her wide walks encompass'd but one man?
CÆSAR'S DISLIKE OF CASSIUS.
'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; He is a great observer, and he looks
Quite through the deeds of men: he loves no plays, As thou dost, Antony; he hears no music: Seldomí he smiles; and smiles in such a sort, As if he mock'd himself, and scorn'd his spirit That could be mov'd to smile at any thing. Such men as he be never at heart's ease, Whiles they behold a greater than themselves; And therefore are they very dangerous.. I rather tell thee what is to be fear'd, Than what I fear, for always I am Cæsar.
I know where I will wear this dagger then; Cassius from bondage will deliver Cassius: Therein, ye gods, you make the weak most strong; Therein, ye gods, you tyrants do defeat: Nor stony tower, nor walls of beaten brass, Nor airless dungeon, nor strong links of iron, Can be retentive to the strength of spirit; But life, being weary of these worldly bars, Never lacks power to dismiss itself.
If know this, know all the world besides, That part of tyranny, that I do bear, I can shake off at pleasure.
- AMBITION CLOTHED IN SPECIOUS HUMILITY.
But 'tis a common proof*,
That lowliness is young ambition's ladder, Whereto the climber-upward turns bis face: But when he once attains the upmost round, He then unto the ladder turns his back,
Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees + By which he did ascend.
CONSPIRACY DREADFUL TILL EXECUTED.
Between the acting of a dreadful thing And the first motion, all the interim is Like a phantasma ‡, or a hideous dream: The genius, and the mortal instruments, Are then in council; and the state of man, Like to a little kingdom, suffers then The nature of an insurrection.
BRUTUS'S APOSTROPHE TO CONSPIRACY.
Sham'st thou to show thy dangerous brow by night, When evils are most free! O, then, by day, Where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough
To mask thy monstrous visage? Seek none, conspiracy;
Hide in it smiles, and affability:
For if thou path thy native semblance* on, Not Erebus itself were dim enough
To hide thee from prevention.
Let's kill him boldly, but not wrathfully; Let's carve him as a dish fit for the gods, Not hew him as a carcase fit for hounds: And let our hearts, as subtle masters do, Stir up their servants to an act of rage,
And after seem to chide them..
Enjoy the honey-heavy dew of slumber: Thou hast no figures, nor no fantasies, Which busy care draws in the brains of men; Therefore thou sleep'st so sound.
PORTIA'S SPEECH TO BRUTUS.
You have ungently, Brutus,
Stole from my bed: And yesternight, at supper, You suddenly arose, and walk'd about, Musing, and sighing, with your arms across: And when I ask'd you what the matter was, You star'd upon me with ungeutle looks:
I urg'd you further; then you scratch'd your head, And too impatiently stamp'd with your foot: Yet I insisted, yet you answer'd not;
But, with an angry wafture of your hand,
Walk in thy true form. Shapes created by imagination.
Gave sign for me to leave you: So I did; Fearing to strengthen that impatience,
Which seem'd too much enkindled; and, withal, Hoping it was but an effect of humour,
Which sometime hath his hour with every man. It will not let you eat, nor talk, nor sleep; And, could it work so much upon your shape, As it hath much prevail'd on your condition*, I should not know you, Brutus. Dear my lord, Make me acquainted with your cause of grief. CALPHURNIA'S ADDRESS TO CÆSAR ON THE PRODIGIES SEEN THE NIGHT BEFORE HIS DEATH.
Cal Cæsar, never stood on ceremonies +, Yet now they fright me. There is one within, Besides the things that we have heard and seen, Recounts most horrid sights seen by the watch. A lioness hath whelped in the streets;
And graves have yawn'd, and yielded up their dead: Fierce fiery warriors fight upon the clouds, In ranks, and squadrons, and right form of war, Which drizzled blood upon the Capitol:
The noise of battle hurtled in the air, Horses did neigh, and dying men did groan; And ghosts did shriek, and squeal about the streets. O Caesar! these things are beyond all use,
Cæs. What can be avoided, Whose end is purpos'd by the mighty gods? Yet Cæsar shall go forth: for these predictions Are to the world in general, as to Cæsar.
Cal. When beggars die, there are no comets seen; The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.
AGAINST THE FEAR OF DEATH.
Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once.
Never paid a regard to prodigies or omens. Cry with pain.
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