I ought to know of: and, upon my knees, BRUTUS. Kneel not, gentle Portia. To keep with you at meals, comfort your bed, suburbs Of your good pleasure? 270 280 Dwell I but in the BRUTUS. You are my true and honourable wife, As dear to me as are the ruddy drops That visit my sad heart. 290 PORTIA. If this were true, then should I know this secret. I grant I am a woman; but withal A woman that Lord Brutus took to wife : I grant I am a woman; but withal A woman well-reputed, Cato's daughter. Tell me your counsels, I will not disclose 'em : Here in the thigh: can I bear that with patience, 300 BRUTUS. O ye gods, Render me worthy of this noble wife! [Knocking within. Hark, hark! one knocks: Portia, go in a while; And by and by thy bosom shall partake The secrets of my heart. All my engagements I will construe to thee, All the charactery of my sad brows: Leave me with haste. [Exit PORTIA.] Lucius, who's that knocks ? Re-enter LUCIUS with LIGARIUS. LUCIUS. Here is a sick man that would speak with you. BRUTUS. Caius Ligarius, that Metellus spake of. 311 Boy, stand aside. Caius Ligarius! how? BRUTUS. Such an exploit have I in hand, Ligarius, LIGARIUS. By all the gods that Romans bow before, 320 What's to do? BRUTUS. A piece of work that will make sick men whole. LIGARIUS. But are not some whole that we must make sick? BRUTUS. That must we also. What it is, my Caius, I shall unfold to thee, as we are going To whom it must be done. 330 LIGARIUS. Set on your foot, And with a heart new-fir'd I follow you, CÆSAR. Nor heaven nor earth have been at peace to night: Thrice hath Calpurnia in her sleep cried out, "Help, ho! they murder Cæsar!" Who's within? Enter a Servant. SERVANT. My lord? CESAR. Go bid the priests do present sacrifice And bring me their opinions of success. SERVANT. I will, my lord. [Exit. Enter CALPURNIA. What mean you, Cæsar? think you to walk CALPURNIA. forth? You shall not stir out of your house to-day. CÆSAR. Cæsar shall forth: the things that threaten'd me Ne'er look'd but on my back; when they shall see And graves have yawn'd, and yielded up their dead; 10 Fierce fiery warriors fought upon the clouds, In ranks and squadrons and right form of war, 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 Cæsar! these things are beyond all use, And I do fear them. CESAR. What can be avoided 20 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. CALPURNIA. When beggars die, there are no comets seen; 29 The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes. CÆSAR. Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once. Of all the wonders that I yet have heard, It seems to me most strange that men should fear; Will come when it will come. Re-enter Servant. What say the augurers ? SERVANT. They would not have you to stir forth to-day. Plucking the entrails of an offering forth, They could not find a heart within the beast. If he should stay at home to-day for fear. 40 CALPURNIA. Alas, my lord, Your wisdom is consum'd in confidence. Do not go forth to-day: call it my fear 50 That keeps you in the house, and not your own. Enter DECIUS. Here's Decius Brutus, he shall tell them so. DECIUS. Cæsar, all hail! good morrow, worthy Cæsar : I come to fetch you to the senate-house. CESAR. And you are come in very happy time, To bear my greeting to the senators And tell them that I will not come to-day : Cannot, is false, and that I dare not, falser: I will not come to-day: tell them so, Decius. CALPURNIA. Say he is sick. CÆSAR. Shall Cæsar send a lie? DECIUS. Most mighty Cæsar, let me know some cause, CÆSAR. The cause is in my will: I will not come; That is enough to satisfy the senate. But for your private satisfaction, 60 70 79 |