Met. O let us have him, for his filver hairs And buy mens voices to commend our deeds: Bru. O, name him not: let us not break with him ; For he will never follow any thing, That other men begin. Caf. Then leave him out. Cafca. Indeed, he is not fit. Dec. Shall no man elfe be touch'd, but only Cafar? Caf. Decius, well urg'd: I think, it is not meet, Mark Antony, fo well belov'd of Cæfar, Should outlive Cæfar: we shall find of him As to annoy us all; which to prevent, Let Antony and Cæfar fall together. Bru. Our courfe will feem too bloody, Caius Caffius, Let us be facrificers, but not butchers, Caius ; For For he can do no more than Cafar's arm, Caf. Yet I do fear him; For in th' ingrafted love he bears to Cafar Bru. Alas, good Caffius, do not think of him: Is to himself, take thought, and die for Cæfar: Treb. There is no fear in him; let him not die; For he will live, and laugh at this hereafter. [Clock ftrikes. Bru. Peace, count the clock. Caf. But it is doubtful yet, If Cafar will come forth to-day, or no: Dec. Never fear that; if he be fo refolv'd, For I can give his humour the true bent; Caf. Nay, we will all of us be there to fetch him. B 3 Brut. Bru. Now, good Metellus, go along to him: Caf. The morning comes upon's; we'll leave you, And, friends! difperfe yourselves; but all remember With untired fpirits, and formal constancy; Manet Brutus, Boy! Lucius! faft afleep? it is no matter, Enter Porcia. Por. Brutus, my lord! [Exeunt. Bru. Porcia, what mean you? wherefore rife you now? It is not for your health, thus to commit Your weak condition to the raw cold morning. Por. Nor for yours neither. You've ungently, Brutus, Stole from my bed: and, yefternight at fupper, You fuddenly arofe and walk'd about, Mufing and fighing with your arms a-crofs; And, when I afk'd you what the matter was, You ftar'd upon me with ungentle looks. I urg'd you further; then you fcratch'd your And too impatiently ftamp'd with your foot: Yet I infifted, yet you answer'd not; But with an angry wafture of your hand, Gave fign for me to leave you: fo I did, Fearing to ftrengthen that impatience, head, Which feem'd too much inkindled; and, withal, Which fometime hath his hour with every man. It It will not let you eat, nor talk, nor fleep; Bru. Why, fo I do: good Porcia, go to bed. I charm you, by my once commended beauty, (13) Bru. Kneel not, gentle Porcia. Por. 1 fhould not need, if you were gentle Brutuse Within the bond of marriage, tell me, Brutus, Is it excepted, I fhould know no fecrets That appertain to you? am I yourself, But, as it were, in fort or limitation ? To keep with you at meals, confort your bed, (14) And (13) I charge you.] Thus Mr. Pope has corrected, in both his Editions; but I have reftor'd the reading of the old books, I charm you, i. e. I conjure you by the magick of, &c. (14) -comfort your bed, And talk to you ?. B 4 This 4 And talk to you fometimes? dwell I but in the fuburbs Porcia is Brutus' harlot, not his wife. Eru. You are my true and honourable wife; That vifit my fad heart. Por. If this were true, then fhould I know this fecret. I grant, I am a woman; but withal, A woman that lord Brutus took to wife: I grant, Ι am a woman; but withal, A woman well reputed; Cato's daughter. Tell me your counfels, I will not difclose them Giving myself a voluntary wound Here, in the thigh: can I bear that with patience, Bru. O ye Gods! Render me worthy of this noble wife. [Knock. Hark, hark, one knocks: Porcia, go in a while; And, by and by, thy bofom fhall partake The fecrets of my heart. All my engagements I will conftrue to thee, Leave me with hafte. [Exit Porcia. This is but an odd phrase, and gives as odd an idea. The word, I have fubstituted, feems much more proper; and is one of our Poet's own ufage; which makes me fufpect, he employ'd it here. So in his Comedy of Errors; And, afterwards, confort you till bed time. And fo in his Poem, call'd Venus and Adonis ; Who bids them ftill confort with ugly Night; And, in Midfummer Night's Dream; And muft for aye confort with black brow'd Night. Enter |