Metellus Cimber throws before thy seat An humble heart: Cas. [Kneeling. I must prevent thee, Cimber. If thou dost bend, and pray, and fawn for him, Know, Cæsar doth not wrong; nor without cause Met. Is there no voice more worthy than my own, To sound more sweetly in great Cæsar's ear, For the repealing of my banish'd brother? Bru. I kiss thy hand, but not in flattery, Cæsar; Desiring thee, that Publius Cimber may Have an immediate freedom of repeal. Cæs. What, Brutus! Cas. Pardon, Cæsar; Cæsar, pardon: As low as to thy foot doth Cassius fall, To beg enfranchisement for Publius Cimber. The skies are painted with unnumber'd sparks, That unassailable holds on his rankt, • Intelligent. + Continues to hold it. Unshak'd of motion: and, that I am he, Let me a little show it, even in this; That I was constant, Cimber should be banish'd, Dec. Speak, hands, for me. [Casca stabs Cæsar in the neck. Cæsar catches hold of his arm. He is then stubbed by several other conspirators, and at last by Marcus Brutus. Cæs. Et tu, Brutet?-Then, fall, Cæsar. [Dies. The Senators and People retire in confusion. Cin. Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead!Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets. Cas. Some to the common pulpits, and cry out, Liberty, freedom, and enfranchisement! Bru. People, and senators! be not affrighted; Fly not; stand still-ambition's debt is paid. Casca. Go to the pulpit, Brutus. Dec. Bru. Where's Publius? And Cassius too. Cin. Here, quite confounded with this mutiny. Met. Stand fast together, lest some friend of Cæsar's Should chance Bru. Talk not of standing;-Publius, good cheer; There is no harm intended to your person, Nor to a Roman else: so tell them, Publius. Cas. And leave us, Publius; lest that the people, Rushing on us, should do your age some mischief. Bru. Do so; and let no man abide this deed, But we the doers. Solicitation. + Unsuccessfully. Re-enter Trebonius. Cas. Where's Antony? Tre. Fled to his house amaz'd: Men, wives, and children, stare, cry out, and run, As it were doomsday. Bru. Fates! we will know your pleasures: That we shall die, we know; 'tis but the time, And drawing days out, that men stand upon. Cas. Why, he that cuts off twenty years of life, Cuts off so many years of fearing death. Bru. Grant that, and then is death a benefit: Shall this our lofty scene be acted over, Bru. How many times shall Cæsar bleed in sport, That now on Pompey's basis lies along, No worthier than the dust? Cas. So oft as that shall be, So often shall the knot of us be call'd The men that gave our country liberty. Ay, every man away: Cas. Enter a Servant. Bru. Soft, who comes here? A friend of Antony's. • In Cæsar's blood. Serv. Thus, Brutus, did my master bid me kneel; Say, I fear'd Cæsar, honour'd him, and lov'd him. Tell him, so please him come unto this place, Serv. I'll fetch him presently. [Erit Servant. Bru. I know, that we shall have him well to friend. Cas. I wish, we may: but yet have I a mind, That fears him much; and my misgiving still Falls shrewdly to the purpose. Re-enter Antony. Bru. But here comes Antony.-Welcome, Mark Ant. O mighty Cæsar! Dost thou lie so low? • Grown too high for the publick safety. As Caesar's death's hour; nor no instrument Of half that worth, as those your swords, made rich With the most noble blood of all this world. I do beseech ye, if you bear me hard, Now, whilst your purpled hands do reek and smoke, No place will please me so, no mean of death, Bru. O Antony! beg not your death of us. Hath done this deed on Cæsar. For your part, Bru. Only be patient, till we have appeas'd Ant. I doubt not of your wisdom. Let each man render me his bloody hand: ⚫ First, Marcus Brutus, will I shake with you:- My credit now stands on such slippery ground, |