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path； thy native semblance on； Not Erebus itself were dim enough To hide
thee from prevention。
Enter the conspirators； Cassius； Casca； Decius； Cinna； Metellus
Cimber； and Trebonius。
CASSIUS。 I think we are too bold upon your rest。 Good morrow；
Brutus； do we trouble you？ BRUTUS。 I have been up this hour； awake all
night。 Know I these men that come along with you？ CASSIUS。 Yes； every
man of them； and no man here But honors you； and every one doth wish
You had but that opinion of yourself Which every noble Roman bears of
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THE TRAGEDY OF JULIUS CAESAR
you。 This is Trebonius。 BRUTUS。 He is welcome hither。 CASSIUS。 This；
Decius Brutus。 BRUTUS。 He is welcome too。 CASSIUS。 This； Casca； this；
Cinna； and this； Metellus Cimber。 BRUTUS。 They are all welcome。 What
watchful cares do interpose themselves Betwixt your eyes and night？
CASSIUS。 Shall I entreat a word？ They whisper。 DECIUS。 Here lies the
east。 Doth not the day break here？ CASCA。 No。 CINNA。 O； pardon； sir； it
doth； and yongrey lines That fret the clouds are messengers of day。
CASCA。 You shall confess that you are both deceived。 Here； as I point my
sword； the sun arises； Which is a great way growing on the south；
Weighing the youthful season of the year。 Some two months hence up
higher toward the north He first presents his fire； and the high east Stands
as the Capitol； directly here。 BRUTUS。 Give me your hands all over； one
by one。 CASSIUS。 And let us swear our resolution。 BRUTUS。 No； not an
oath。 If not the face of men； The sufferance of our souls； the time's abuse…
If these be motives weak； break off betimes； And every man hence to his
idle bed； So let high…sighted tyranny range on Till each man drop by
lottery。 But if these； As I am sure they do； bear fire enough To kindle
cowards and to steel with valor The melting spirits of women； then；
countrymen； What need we any spur but our own cause To prick us to
redress？ What other bond Than secret Romans that have spoke the word
And will not palter？ And what other oath Than honesty to honesty
engaged That this shall be or we will fall for it？ Swear priests and cowards
and men cautelous； Old feeble carrions and such suffering souls That
welcome wrongs； unto bad causes swear Such creatures as men doubt； but
do not stain The even virtue of our enterprise； Nor the insuppressive
mettle of our spirits； To think that or our cause or our performance Did
need an oath； when every drop of blood That every Roman bears； and
nobly bears； Is guilty of a several bastardy If he do break the smallest
particle Of any promise that hath pass'd from him。 CASSIUS。 But what of
Cicero？ Shall we sound him？ I think he will stand very strong with us。
CASCA。 Let us not leave him out。 CINNA。 No； by no means。
METELLUS。 O； let us have him； for his silver hairs Will purchase us a
good opinion； And buy men's voices to commend our deeds。 It shall be
said his judgement ruled our hands； Our youths and wildness shall no whit
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THE TRAGEDY OF JULIUS CAESAR
appear； But all be buried in his gravity。 BRUTUS。 O； name him not； let us
not break with him； For he will never follow anything That other men
begin。 CASSIUS。 Then leave him out。 CASCA。 Indeed he is not fit。
DECIUS。 Shall no man else be touch'd but only Caesar？ CASSIUS。
Decius； well urged。 I think it is not meet Mark Antony； so well beloved of
Caesar； Should outlive Caesar。 We shall find of him A shrewd contriver；
and you know his means； If he improve them； may well stretch so far As
to annoy us all； which to prevent； Let Antony and Caesar fall together。
BRUTUS。 Our course will seem too bloody； Caius Cassius； To cut the
head off and then hack the limbs Like wrath in death and envy afterwards；
For Antony is but a limb of Caesar。 Let us be sacrificers； but not butchers；
Caius。 We all stand up against the spirit of Caesar； And in the spirit of men
there is no blood。 O； that we then could come by Caesar's spirit； And not
dismember Caesar！ But； alas； Caesar must bleed for it！ And； gentle friends；
Let's kill him boldly； but not wrathfully； Let's carve him as a dish fit for
the gods； Not hew him as a carcass fit for hounds； And let our hearts； as
subtle masters do； Stir up their servants to an act of rage And after seem to
chide 'em。 This shall make Our purpose necessary and not envious； Which
so appearing to the common eyes； We shall be call'd purgers； not
murderers。 And for Mark Antony； think not of him； For he can do no more
than Caesar's arm When Caesar's head is off。 CASSIUS。 Yet I fear him；
For in the ingrated love he bears to Caesar… BRUTUS。 Alas； good Cassius；
do not think of him。 If he love Caesar； all that he can do Is to himself； take
thought and die for Caesar。 And that were much he should； for he is given
To sports； to wildness； and much company。 TREBONIUS。 There is no fear
in him…let him not die； For he will live and laugh at this hereafter。 Clock
strikes。 BRUTUS。 Peace； count the clock。 CASSIUS。 The clock hath
stricken three。 TREBONIUS。 'Tis time to part。 CASSIUS。 But it is
doubtful yet Whether Caesar will come forth today or no； For he is
superstitious grown of late； Quite from the main opinion he held once Of
fantasy； of dreams； and ceremonies。 It may be these apparent prodigies；
The unaccustom'd terror of this night； And the persuasion of his augurers
May hold him from the Capitol today。 DECIUS。 Never fear that。 If he be
so resolved； I can o'ersway him； for he loves to hear That unicorns may be
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THE TRAGEDY OF JULIUS CAESAR
betray'd with trees； And bears with glasses； elephants with holes； Lions
with toils； and men with flatterers； But when I tell him he hates flatterers；
He says he does； being then most flattered。 Let me work； For I can give
his humor the true bent； And I will bring him to the Capitol。 CASSIUS。
Nay； we will all of us be there to fetch him。 BRUTUS。 By the eighth hour。
Is that the utter most？ CINNA。 Be that the uttermost； and fail not then。
METELLUS。 Caius Ligarius doth bear Caesar hard； Who rated him for
speaking well of Pompey。 I wonder none of you have thought of him。
BRUTUS。 Now； good Metellus； go along by him。 He loves me well； and I
have given him reasons； Send him but hither； and I'll fashion him。
CASSIUS。 The morning comes upon 's。 We'll leave you； Brutus； And；
friends； disperse yourselves； but all remember What you have said and
show yourselves true Romans。 BRUTUS。 Good gentlemen； look fresh and
merrily； Let not our looks put on our purposes； But bear it as our Roman
actors do； With untired spirits and formal constancy。 And so； good morrow
to you every one。 Exeunt all but Brutus。 Boy！ Lucius！ Fast asleep？ It is no
matter。 Enjoy the honey…heavy dew of slumber； Thou hast no figures nor
no fantasies； Which busy care draws in the brains of men； Therefore thou
sleep'st so sound。
Enter Portia。
PORTIA。 Brutus； my lord！ BRUTUS。 Portia； what mean you？
Wherefore rise you now？ It is not for your health thus to commit Your
weak condition to the raw cold morning。 PORTIA。 Nor for yours neither。
have ungently； Brutus； Stole from my bed； and yesternight at supper You
suddenly arose and walk'd about； Musing and sighing； with your arms
across； And when I ask'd you what the matter was； You stared upon me
with ungentle looks。 I urged you further； then you scratch'd your head；
And too impatiently stamp'd with your foot。 Yet I insisted； yet you
answer'd not； But with an angry waiter of your hand Gave sign for me to
leave you。 So I did； Fearing to strengthen that impatience Which seem'd
too much enkindled； and withal Hoping it was but