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Now could I, Casca, name to thee a man `
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Most like this dreadful night, `
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That thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roars `
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As doth the lion in the Capitol, `
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A man no mightier than thyself or me `
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In personal action, yet prodigious grown `
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And fearful, as these strange eruptions are. `
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CASCA. 'Tis Caesar that you mean, is it not, Cassius? `
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CASSIUS. Let it be who it is, for Romans now `
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Have thews and limbs like to their ancestors. `
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But, woe the while! Our fathers' minds are dead, `
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And we are govern'd with our mothers' spirits; `
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Our yoke and sufferance show us womanish. `
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CASCA. Indeed they say the senators tomorrow `
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Mean to establish Caesar as a king, `
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And he shall wear his crown by sea and land `
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In every place save here in Italy. `
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CASSIUS. I know where I will wear this dagger then: `
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Cassius from bondage will deliver Cassius. `
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Therein, ye gods, you make the weak most strong; `
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Therein, ye gods, you tyrants do defeat. `
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Nor stony tower, nor walls of beaten brass, `
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Nor airless dungeon, nor strong links of iron `
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Can be retentive to the strength of spirit; `
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But life, being weary of these worldly bars, `
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Never lacks power to dismiss itself. `
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If I know this, know all the world besides, `
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That part of tyranny that I do bear `
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I can shake off at pleasure. Thunder still. `
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CASCA. So can I. `
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So every bondman in his own hand bears `
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The power to cancel his captivity. `
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CASSIUS. And why should Caesar be a tyrant then? `
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Poor man! I know he would not be a wolf `
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But that he sees the Romans are but sheep. `
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He were no lion, were not Romans hinds. `
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Those that with haste will make a mighty fire `
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Begin it with weak straws. What trash is Rome, `
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What rubbish, and what offal, when it serves `
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For the base matter to illuminate `
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So vile a thing as Caesar? But, O grief, `
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Where hast thou led me? I perhaps speak this `
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Before a willing bondman; then I know `
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My answer must be made. But I am arm'd, `
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And dangers are to me indifferent. `
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CASCA. You speak to Casca, and to such a man `
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That is no fleering tell-tale. Hold, my hand. `
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Be factious for redress of all these griefs, `
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And I will set this foot of mine as far `
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As who goes farthest. `
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CASSIUS. There's a bargain made. `
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Now know you, Casca, I have moved already `
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Some certain of the noblest-minded Romans `
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To undergo with me an enterprise `
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Of honorable-dangerous consequence; `
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And I do know by this, they stay for me `
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In Pompey's Porch. For now, this fearful night, `
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There is no stir or walking in the streets, `
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And the complexion of the element `
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In favor's like the work we have in hand, `
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Most bloody, fiery, and most terrible. `
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Enter Cinna. `
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CASCA. Stand close awhile, for here comes one in haste. `
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CASSIUS. 'Tis Cinna, I do know him by his gait; `
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He is a friend. Cinna, where haste you so? `
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CINNA. To find out you. Who's that? Metellus Cimber? `
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CASSIUS. No, it is Casca, one incorporate `
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To our attempts. Am I not stay'd for, Cinna? `
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CINNA. I am glad on't. What a fearful night is this! `
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There's two or three of us have seen strange sights. `
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CASSIUS. Am I not stay'd for? Tell me. `
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CINNA. Yes, you are. `
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O Cassius, if you could `
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But win the noble Brutus to our party- `
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CASSIUS. Be you content. Good Cinna, take this paper, `
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And look you lay it in the praetor's chair, `
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Where Brutus may but find it; and throw this `
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In at his window; set this up with wax `
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Upon old Brutus' statue. All this done, `
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Repair to Pompey's Porch, where you shall find us. `
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Is Decius Brutus and Trebonius there? `
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CINNA. All but Metellus Cimber, and he's gone `
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To seek you at your house. Well, I will hie `
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And so bestow these papers as you bade me. `
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CASSIUS. That done, repair to Pompey's Theatre. `
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Exit Cinna. `
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Come, Casca, you and I will yet ere day `
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See Brutus at his house. Three parts of him `
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Is ours already, and the man entire `
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Upon the next encounter yields him ours. `
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CASCA. O, he sits high in all the people's hearts, `
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And that which would appear offense in us, `
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His countenance, like richest alchemy, `
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Will change to virtue and to worthiness. `
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CASSIUS. Him and his worth and our great need of him `
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You have right well conceited. Let us go, `
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For it is after midnight, and ere day `
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We will awake him and be sure of him. Exeunt. `
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<<THIS ELECTRONIC VERSION OF THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM `
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ACT II. SCENE I. `
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Enter Brutus in his orchard. `
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BRUTUS. What, Lucius, ho! `
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I cannot, by the progress of the stars, `
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Give guess how near to day. Lucius, I say! `
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I would it were my fault to sleep so soundly. `
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When, Lucius, when? Awake, I say! What, Lucius! `
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Enter Lucius. `
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LUCIUS. Call'd you, my lord? `
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BRUTUS. Get me a taper in my study, Lucius. `
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When it is lighted, come and call me here. `
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LUCIUS. I will, my lord. Exit. `
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BRUTUS. It must be by his death, and, for my part, `
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I know no personal cause to spurn at him, `
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But for the general. He would be crown'd: `
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How that might change his nature, there's the question. `
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It is the bright day that brings forth the adder `
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And that craves wary walking. Crown him that, `
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And then, I grant, we put a sting in him `
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That at his will he may do danger with. `
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The abuse of greatness is when it disjoins `
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Remorse from power, and, to speak truth of Caesar, `
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I have not known when his affections sway'd `
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More than his reason. But 'tis a common proof `
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That lowliness is young ambition's ladder, `
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Whereto the climber-upward turns his face; `
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But when he once attains the upmost round, `
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He then unto the ladder turns his back, `
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Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees `
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By which he did ascend. So Caesar may; `
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Then, lest he may, prevent. And, since the quarrel `
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Will bear no color for the thing he is, `
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Fashion it thus, that what he is, augmented, `
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Would run to these and these extremities; `
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And therefore think him as a serpent's egg `
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Which hatch'd would as his kind grow mischievous, `
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And kill him in the shell. `
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Re-enter Lucius. `
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LUCIUS. The taper burneth in your closet, sir. `
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Searching the window for a flint I found `
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This paper thus seal'd up, and I am sure `
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It did not lie there when I went to bed. `
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Gives him the letter. `
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BRUTUS. Get you to bed again, it is not day. `
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Is not tomorrow, boy, the ides of March? `
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LUCIUS. I know not, sir. `
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BRUTUS. Look in the calendar and bring me word. `
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LUCIUS. I will, sir. Exit. `
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BRUTUS. The exhalations whizzing in the air `
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Give so much light that I may read by them. `
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Opens the letter and reads. `
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"Brutus, thou sleep'st: awake and see thyself! `
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Shall Rome, etc. Speak, strike, redress!" `
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"Brutus, thou sleep'st: awake!" `
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Such instigations have been often dropp'd `
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Where I have took them up. `
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"Shall Rome, etc." Thus must I piece it out. `
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Shall Rome stand under one man's awe? What, Rome? `
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My ancestors did from the streets of Rome `
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The Tarquin drive, when he was call'd a king. `
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"Speak, strike, redress!" Am I entreated `
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To speak and strike? O Rome, I make thee promise, `
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If the redress will follow, thou receivest `
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Thy full petition at the hand of Brutus! `
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Re-enter Lucius. `
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LUCIUS. Sir, March is wasted fifteen days. `
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Knocking within. `
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BRUTUS. 'Tis good. Go to the gate, somebody knocks. `
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Exit Lucius. `
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Since Cassius first did whet me against Caesar `
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I have not slept. `
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Between the acting of a dreadful thing `
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And the first motion, all the interim is `
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Like a phantasma or a hideous dream; `
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The genius and the mortal instruments `
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Are then in council, and the state of man, `
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