Thrice hath Calphurnia in her sleep cried out, Serv. My lord? Enter a Servant. Cæs. Go bid the priests do present sacrifice, And bring me their opinions of success. Serv. I will, my lord. Enter CALPHURNIA. [Exit. Cal. What mean you, Cæsar? Think you to walk forth? You shall not stir out of your house to-day. Cæs. Cæsar shall forth: The things that threat en'd me, Ne'er look'd but on my back; when they shall see The face of Cæsar, they are vanished. Cal. Cæsar, I never stood on ceremonies," Yet now they fright me. There is one within, Besides the things that we have heard and seen, Recounts most horrid sights seen by the watch. A lioness hath whelped in the streets; And graves have yawn'd, and yielded up their dead: Fierce fiery warriors fight upon the clouds, In ranks, and squadrons, and right form of war, Which drizzled blood upon the Capitol: 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. Cæs. What can be avoided, Cæsar, I never stood on ceremonies,] i. e. I never paid a ceremonious or superstitious regard to prodigies or omens. 8 The noise of battle hurtled in the air,] To hurtle is to clash, or move with violence and noise. Whose end is purpos'd by the mighty gods? Cal. When beggars die, there are no comets seen; The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes. Cæs. 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; Seeing that death, a necessary end, Will come, when it will come. Re-enter a Servant. What say the augurers? Serv. 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. Ces. The gods do this in shame of cowardice:9 Cæsar should be a beast without a heart, If he should stay at home to-day for fear. No, Cæsar shall not: Danger knows full well, That Cæsar is more dangerous than he. We were two lions litter'd in one day, And I the elder and more terrible; And Cæsar shall go forth. Cal. 9 - in shame of cowardice:] The ancients did not place courage but wisdom in the heart. JOHNSON. Cæs. Mark Antony shall say, I am not well; And, for thy humour, I will stay at home. Enter DECIUS. Here's Decius Brutus, he shall tell them so. Dec. Cæsar, all hail! Good morrow, worthy Cæsar: I come to fetch you to the senate-house. Cæs. And you are come in very happy time, Cal. Say, he is sick. Cæs. Shall Cæsar send a lie? Have I in conquest stretch'd mine arm so far, To be afeard to tell grey-beards the truth? Decius, go tell them, Cæsar will not come. Dec. Most mighty Cæsar, let me know some cause, Lest I be laugh'd at, when I tell them so. Cues. The cause is in my will, I will not come; Dec. This dream is all amiss interpreted; Signifies that from you great Rome shall suck Cæs. And this way have you well expounded it. When Cæsar's wife shall meet with better dreams. Pardon me, Cæsar; for my dear, dear love Ces. How foolish do your fears seem now, Cal phurnia? I am ashamed I did yield to them.- For tinctures, stains relicks, and cognizance.] This speech, which is intentionally pompous, is somewhat confused. There are two allusions; one to coats armorial, to which princes make additions, or give new tinctures, and new marks of cognizance; the other to martyrs, whose relicks are preserved with veneration. But Messrs. Malone and Steevens think that tinctures has no relation to heraldry, but means merely handkerchiefs, or other linen, tinged with blood. At the execution of several of our ancient nobility, martyrs, &c. we are told that handkerchiefs were tinctured with their blood, and preserved as affectionate or salutary memorials of the deceased. 2 And reason, &c.] And reason, or propriety of conduct and language, is subordinate to my love. Enter PUBLIUS, BRUTUS, LIGARIUS, METELLUS, CASCA, TREBonius, and CINNA. And look where Publius is come to fetch me. Pub. Good morrow, Cæsar. Cies. Welcome, Publius. What, Brutus, are you stirr'd so early too? Good-morrow, Casca. - Caius Ligarius, As that same ague which hath made you lean.— What is't o'clock? Bru. Cæsar, 'tis strucken eight. Cæs. I thank you for your pains and courtesy. Enter ANTONY. See! Antony, that revels long o'nights, Is notwithstanding up: Good morrow, Antony. Ant. So to most noble Cæsar. Cæs. Bid them prepare within: I am to blame to be thus waited for. Now, Cinna:-Now, Metellus : - What, Trebonius! I have an hour's talk in store for you; Remember that you call on me to-day: Be near me, that I may remember you. Treb. Cæsar, I will:-and so near will I be, [Aside. That your best friends will wish I had been further. Cæs. Good friends, go in, and taste some wine with me; And we, like friends, will straightway go together. Bru. That every like is not the same, O Cæsar, The heart of Brutus yearns to think upon! [Exeunt. |