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CASCA. Ay, marry, wast, and he put it by thrice, every time `
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gentler `
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than other, and at every putting by mine honest neighbors `
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shouted. `
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CASSIUS. Who offered him the crown? `
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CASCA. Why, Antony. `
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BRUTUS. Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casca. `
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CASCA. I can as well be hang'd as tell the manner of it. It was `
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mere foolery; I did not mark it. I saw Mark Antony offer him `
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a `
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crown (yet 'twas not a crown neither, 'twas one of these `
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coronets) and, as I told you, he put it by once. But for all `
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that, to my thinking, he would fain have had it. Then he `
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offered `
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it to him again; then he put it by again. But, to my `
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thinking, he `
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was very loath to lay his fingers off it. And then he offered `
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it `
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the third time; he put it the third time by; and still as he `
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refused it, the rabblement hooted and clapped their chopped `
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hands `
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and threw up their sweaty nightcaps and uttered such a deal `
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of `
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stinking breath because Caesar refused the crown that it had `
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almost choked Caesar, for he swounded and fell down at it. `
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And `
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for mine own part, I durst not laugh for fear of opening my `
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lips `
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and receiving the bad air. `
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CASSIUS. But, soft, I pray you, what, did Caesars wound? `
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CASCA. He fell down in the marketplace and foamed at mouth and `
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was `
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speechless. `
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BRUTUS. 'Tis very like. He hath the falling sickness. `
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CASSIUS. No, Caesar hath it not, but you, and I, `
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And honest Casca, we have the falling sickness. `
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CASCA. I know not what you mean by that, but I am sure Caesar `
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fell `
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down. If the tagrag people did not clap him and hiss him `
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according as he pleased and displeased them, as they use to `
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do `
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the players in the theatre, I am no true man. `
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BRUTUS. What said he when he came unto himself? `
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CASCA. Marry, before he fell down, when he perceived the common `
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herd was glad he refused the crown, he plucked me ope his `
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doublet `
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and offered them his throat to cut. An had been a man of any `
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occupation, if I would not have taken him at a word, I would `
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I `
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might go to hell among the rogues. And so he fell. When he `
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came `
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to himself again, he said, if he had done or said anything `
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amiss, `
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he desired their worships to think it was his infirmity. `
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Three or `
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four wenches where I stood cried, "Alas, good soul!" and `
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forgave `
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him with all their hearts. But there's no heed to be taken of `
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them; if Caesar had stabbed their mothers, they would have `
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done `
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no less. `
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BRUTUS. And after that he came, thus sad, away? `
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CASCA. Ay. `
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CASSIUS. Did Cicero say anything? `
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CASCA. Ay, he spoke Greek. `
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CASSIUS. To what effect? `
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CASCA. Nay, an I tell you that, I'll ne'er look you i' the face `
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again; but those that understood him smiled at one another `
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and `
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shook their heads; but for mine own part, it was Greek to me. `
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I `
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could tell you more news too: Marullus and Flavius, for `
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pulling `
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scarfs off Caesar's images, are put to silence. Fare you `
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well. `
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There was more foolery yet, if could remember it. `
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CASSIUS. Will you sup with me tonight, Casca? `
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CASCA. No, I am promised forth. `
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CASSIUS. Will you dine with me tomorrow? `
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CASCA. Ay, if I be alive, and your mind hold, and your dinner `
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worth `
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the eating. `
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CASSIUS. Good, I will expect you. `
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CASCA. Do so, farewell, both. Exit. `
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BRUTUS. What a blunt fellow is this grown to be! `
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He was quick mettle when he went to school. `
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CASSIUS. So is he now in execution `
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Of any bold or noble enterprise, `
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However he puts on this tardy form. `
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This rudeness is a sauce to his good wit, `
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Which gives men stomach to digest his words `
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With better appetite. `
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BRUTUS. And so it is. For this time I will leave you. `
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Tomorrow, if you please to speak with me, `
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I will come home to you, or, if you will, `
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Come home to me and I will wait for you. `
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CASSIUS. I will do so. Till then, think of the world. `
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Exit Brutus. `
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Well, Brutus, thou art noble; yet, I see `
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Thy honorable mettle may be wrought `
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From that it is disposed; therefore it is meet `
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That noble minds keep ever with their likes; `
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For who so firm that cannot be seduced? `
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Caesar doth bear me hard, but he loves Brutus. `
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If I were Brutus now and he were Cassius, `
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He should not humor me. I will this night, `
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In several hands, in at his windows throw, `
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As if they came from several citizens, `
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Writings, all tending to the great opinion `
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That Rome holds of his name, wherein obscurely `
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Caesar's ambition shall be glanced at. `
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And after this let Caesar seat him sure; `
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For we will shake him, or worse days endure. Exit. `
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SCENE III. `
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A street. Thunder and lightning. `
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`
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Enter, from opposite sides, Casca, with his sword drawn, and `
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Cicero. `
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CICERO. Good even, Casca. Brought you Caesar home? `
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Why are you breathless, and why stare you so? `
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CASCA. Are not you moved, when all the sway of earth `
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Shakes like a thing unfirm? O Cicero, `
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I have seen tempests when the scolding winds `
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Have rived the knotty oaks, and I have seen `
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The ambitious ocean swell and rage and foam `
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To be exalted with the threatening clouds, `
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But never till tonight, never till now, `
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Did I go through a tempest dropping fire. `
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Either there is a civil strife in heaven, `
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Or else the world too saucy with the gods `
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Incenses them to send destruction. `
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CICERO. Why, saw you anything more wonderful? `
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CASCA. A common slave- you know him well by sight- `
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Held up his left hand, which did flame and burn `
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Like twenty torches join'd, and yet his hand `
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Not sensible of fire remain'd unscorch'd. `
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Besides- I ha' not since put up my sword- `
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Against the Capitol I met a lion, `
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Who glaz'd upon me and went surly by `
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Without annoying me. And there were drawn `
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Upon a heap a hundred ghastly women `
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Transformed with their fear, who swore they saw `
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Men all in fire walk up and down the streets. `
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And yesterday the bird of night did sit `
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Even at noonday upon the marketplace, `
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Howling and shrieking. When these prodigies `
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Do so conjointly meet, let not men say `
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"These are their reasons; they are natural": `
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For I believe they are portentous things `
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Unto the climate that they point upon. `
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CICERO. Indeed, it is a strange-disposed time. `
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But men may construe things after their fashion, `
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Clean from the purpose of the things themselves. `
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Comes Caesar to the Capitol tomorrow? `
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CASCA. He doth, for he did bid Antonio `
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Send word to you he would be there tomorrow. `
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CICERO. Good then, Casca. This disturbed sky `
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Is not to walk in. `
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CASCA. Farewell, Cicero. Exit Cicero. `
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Enter Cassius. `
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CASSIUS. Who's there? `
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CASCA. A Roman. `
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CASSIUS. Casca, by your voice. `
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CASCA. Your ear is good. Cassius, what night is this! `
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CASSIUS. A very pleasing night to honest men. `
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CASCA. Who ever knew the heavens menace so? `
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CASSIUS. Those that have known the earth so full of faults. `
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For my part, I have walk'd about the streets, `
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Submitting me unto the perilous night, `
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And thus unbraced, Casca, as you see, `
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Have bared my bosom to the thunderstone; `
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And when the cross blue lightning seem'd to open `
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The breast of heaven, I did present myself `
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Even in the aim and very flash of it. `
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CASCA. But wherefore did you so much tempt the heavens? `
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It is the part of men to fear and tremble `
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When the most mighty gods by tokens send `
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Such dreadful heralds to astonish us. `
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CASSIUS. You are dull, Casca, and those sparks of life `
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That should be in a Roman you do want, `
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Or else you use not. You look pale and gaze `
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And put on fear and cast yourself in wonder `
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To see the strange impatience of the heavens. `
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But if you would consider the true cause `
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Why all these fires, why all these gliding ghosts, `
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Why birds and beasts from quality and kind, `
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Why old men, fools, and children calculate, `
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Why all these things change from their ordinance, `
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Their natures, and preformed faculties `
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To monstrous quality, why, you shall find `
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That heaven hath infused them with these spirits `
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To make them instruments of fear and warning `
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Unto some monstrous state. `
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Now could I, Casca, name to thee a man `
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