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and was speechless。 BRUTUS。 'Tis very like。 He hath the falling sickness。
CASSIUS。 No； Caesar hath it not； but you； and I； And honest Casca； we
have the falling sickness。 CASCA。 I know not what you mean by that； but
I am sure Caesar fell down。 If the tagrag people did not clap him and hiss
him according as he pleased and displeased them； as they use to do the
players in the theatre； I am no true man。 BRUTUS。 What said he when he
came unto himself？ CASCA。 Marry； before he fell down； when he
perceived the common herd was glad he refused the crown； he plucked me
ope his doublet and offered them his throat to cut。 An had been a man of
any occupation； if I would not have taken him at a word； I would I might
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go to hell among the rogues。 And so he fell。 When he came to himself
again； he said； if he had done or said anything amiss； he desired their
worships to think it was his infirmity。 Three or four wenches where I stood
cried； 〃Alas； good soul！〃 and forgave him with all their hearts。 But there's
no heed to be taken of them； if Caesar had stabbed their mothers； they
would have done no less。 BRUTUS。 And after that he came； thus sad；
away？ CASCA。 Ay。 CASSIUS。 Did Cicero say anything？ CASCA。 Ay； he
spoke Greek。 CASSIUS。 To what effect？ CASCA。 Nay； an I tell you that；
I'll ne'er look you i' the face again； but those that understood him smiled at
one another and shook their heads； but for mine own part； it was Greek to
me。 I could tell you more news too： Marullus and Flavius； for pulling
scarfs off Caesar's images； are put to silence。 Fare you well。 There was
more foolery yet； if could remember it。 CASSIUS。 Will you sup with me
tonight； Casca？ CASCA。 No； I am promised forth。 CASSIUS。 Will you
dine with me tomorrow？ CASCA。 Ay； if I be alive； and your mind hold；
and your dinner worth the eating。 CASSIUS。 Good； I will expect you。
CASCA。 Do so； farewell； both。 Exit。 BRUTUS。 What a blunt fellow is this
grown to be！ He was quick mettle when he went to school。 CASSIUS。 So
is he now in execution Of any bold or noble enterprise； However he puts
on this tardy form。 This rudeness is a sauce to his good wit； Which gives
men stomach to digest his words With better appetite。 BRUTUS。 And so it
is。 For this time I will leave you。 Tomorrow； if you please to speak with
me； I will come home to you； or； if you will； Come home to me and I will
wait for you。 CASSIUS。 I will do so。 Till then； think of the world。 Exit
Brutus。 Well； Brutus； thou art noble； yet； I see Thy honorable mettle may
be wrought From that it is disposed； therefore it is meet That noble minds
keep ever with their likes； For who so firm that cannot be seduced？ Caesar
doth bear me hard； but he loves Brutus。 If I were Brutus now and he were
Cassius； He should not humor me。 I will this night； In several hands； in at
his windows throw； As if they came from several citizens； Writings； all
tending to the great opinion That Rome holds of his name； wherein
obscurely Caesar's ambition shall be glanced at。 And after this let Caesar
seat him sure； For we will shake him； or worse days endure。 Exit。
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THE TRAGEDY OF JULIUS CAESAR
SCENE III。 A street。 Thunder and lightning。
Enter； from opposite sides； Casca； with his sword drawn； and Cicero。
CICERO。 Good even； Casca。 Brought you Caesar home？ Why are
you breathless； and why stare you so？ CASCA。 Are not you moved； when
all the sway of earth Shakes like a thing unfirm？ O Cicero； I have seen
tempests when the scolding winds Have rived the knotty oaks； and I have
seen The ambitious ocean swell and rage and foam To be exalted with the
threatening clouds； But never till tonight； never till now； Did I go through
a tempest dropping fire。 Either there is a civil strife in heaven； Or else the
world too saucy with the gods Incenses them to send destruction。 CICERO。
Why； saw you anything more wonderful？ CASCA。 A common slave… you
know him well by sight… Held up his left hand； which did flame and burn
Like twenty torches join'd； and yet his hand Not sensible of fire remain'd
unscorch'd。 Besides… I ha' not since put up my sword… Against the Capitol I
met a lion； Who glaz'd upon me and went surly by Without annoying me。
And there were drawn Upon a heap a hundred ghastly women
Transformed with their fear； who swore they saw Men all in fire walk up
and down the streets。 And yesterday the bird of night did sit Even at
noonday upon the marketplace； Howling and shrieking。 When these
prodigies Do so conjointly meet； let not men say 〃These are their reasons；
they are natural〃： For I believe they are portentous things Unto the climate
that they point upon。 CICERO。 Indeed； it is a strange…disposed time。 But
men may construe things after their fashion； Clean from the purpose of the
things themselves。 Comes Caesar to the Capitol tomorrow？ CASCA。 He
doth； for he did bid Antonio Send word to you he would be there
tomorrow。 CICERO。 Good then； Casca。 This disturbed sky Is not to walk
in。 CASCA。 Farewell； Cicero。 Exit Cicero。
Enter Cassius。
CASSIUS。 Who's there？ CASCA。 A Roman。 CASSIUS。 Casca； by
your voice。 CASCA。 Your ear is good。 Cassius； what night is this！
CASSIUS。 A very pleasing night to honest men。 CASCA。 Who ever knew
the heavens menace so？ CASSIUS。 Those that have known the earth so
full of faults。 For my part； I have walk'd about the streets； Submitting me
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unto the perilous night； And thus unbraced； Casca； as you see； Have bared
my bosom to the thunderstone； And when the cross blue lightning seem'd
to open The breast of heaven； I did present myself Even in the aim and
very flash of it。 CASCA。 But wherefore did you so much tempt the
heavens？ It is the part of men to fear and tremble When the most mighty
gods by tokens send Such dreadful heralds to astonish us。 CASSIUS。 You
are dull； Casca； and those sparks of life That should be in a Roman you do
want； Or else you use not。 You look pale and gaze And put on fear and cast
yourself in wonder To see the strange impatience of the heavens。 But if
you would consider the true cause Why all these fires； why all these
gliding ghosts； Why birds and beasts from quality and kind； Why old men；
fools； and children calculate； Why all these things change from their
ordinance； Their natures； and preformed faculties To monstrous quality；
why； you shall find That heaven hath infused them with these spirits To
make them instruments of fear and warning Unto some monstrous state。
Now could I； Casca； name to thee a man Most like this dreadful night；
That thunders； lightens； opens graves； and roars As doth the lion in the
Capitol； A man no mightier than thyself or me In personal action； yet
prodigious grown And fearful； as these strange eruptions are。 CASCA。 'Tis
Caesar that you mean； is it not； Cassius？ CASSIUS。 Let it be who it is； for
Romans now Have thews and limbs like to their ancestors。 But； woe the
while！ Our fathers' minds are dead； And we are govern'd with our mothers'
spirits； Our yoke and sufferance show us womanish。 CASCA。 Indeed they
say the senators tomorrow Mean to establish Caesar as a king； And he
shall wear his crown by sea and land In every place save here in Italy。
CASSIUS。 I know where I will wear this dagger then： Cassius from
bondage will deliver Cassius。 Therein； ye gods； you make the weak most
strong； Therein； ye gods； you tyrants do defeat。 Nor stony tower； nor walls
of beaten brass； Nor airless dungeon； nor strong links of iron Can be
retentive to the strength of spirit； But life； being weary of these worldly
bars； Never lacks power to dismiss itself。 If I know this； know all the
world besides； That part of tyranny that I do bear I can shake off at
pleasure。 Thunde