Boy! Lucius!-- Fast asleep? It is no matter; Therefore thou sleep'st so sound. Enter PORTIA. Por. Brutus, my Lord! Bru. Portia, what mean you? Wherefore rise you now? It is not for your health, thus to commit Por. Nor for yours neither. You have ungently, Brutus, Stole from my bed: And yesternight, at supper, Bruck am not well in health, and that is all. Pro. Brutus is wise, and, were he not in health, He would embrace the ineans to come by it. Good Portia, go to bed. Bru. Why, so I do: Por. Is Brutus sick? and is it physical To walk unbraced, and suck up the humours Of the dank morning? What, is Brutus sick; And will he steal out of his wholesome bed, To dare the vile contagion of the night? And tempt the rheumy and unpurged air To add unto his sickness? No, my Brutus; You have some sick offence within your mind, Which, by the right and virtue of my place, I ought to know of: Aud, upon my knees, a I charm you, by my once commended beaut uty, By all your vows of love, and that great vow Which did incorporate and make us one, That you unfold to me, yourself, your halfetete Why you are heavy; and what men en to-night Have had resort to you: for here have have been Some six or seven, who did hide their faces Even from darkness. A Bru. Kneel not, gentle Portia... Por. I should not need, if you ou were gentle Brutus. Within the bond of marriage, tell me, Brutus, Is it excepted, I should know no secrets That appertain to you? Am I yourself But, as it were, in sort, or limitation; To keep with you at meals, comfort your bed, And talk to you sometimes? Dwell I but in the I 1 suburbs Of your good pleasure? If it be no more, w Bru. You are my true and honourable PA wife; A oma Por. If this were true, then should I know this secret. 1 I grant, I am a woman; but, withals blog all A woman that lord Brutus took to wife: Tell me your counsels, I will not disclose them: Here in the thigh: Can I bear that with patience, Bru. 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. Enter Lucius and LIGARIUS. Lucius, who's that, knocks? Luc. Here is a sick man, that would speak with you. Bru. Caius Ligarius, that Metellus spake of. Boy, stand aside. - Caius Ligarius! how? Lig. Vouchsafe good morrow from a feeble tongue. Bru. O, what a time have you chose out, brave Caius, To wear a kerchief? 'Would you were not sick! Lig. I am not sick, if Brutus have in hand Any exploit worthy the name of honour. Had I in hand, Ligarius, d you a healthful ear to hear of it. Lig. By all the Gods that Romans bow before, I here I here discard my sickness. Soal of Rome!A Brave son, deriv'd from honourable loims! Thon, like an exorcist, hast conjuv'dcup And I will strive with things impossible; Yea, get the better of ther. What's to do? Bru. A piece of work, that will make sick men whole. Lig. But are not some whole, that we must make sick? 1 Bru. That must we also. What it is, my Caius, I shall unfold to thee, as we are going To whom it must be done. Lig. Set on your foot; And, with a heart new-mrd, I follow you, Bra. Follow me then.se t [Exeunt. SCENE II. The same. A Room in Caesar's Palace. Thunder and Lightning. Enter CAESAR, in his Night-gown. Caes. Nor heaven, nor earth, have been peace to-Light: Thrice hath Calularnie in her steep cried out, at Help, hot 'n murder Chesar. who's within ? Serv. My Lord? Caes. Go bid the priests do present sacrif And bring me their opinions of success.. Sero: I wilł, my Lordk VOL. XV. 3 Exit. Enter CALPHURNIA. Cal. What mean you, Caesar? Think you to walk forth? You shall not stir out of your house to-day. Caes. Caesar shall forth: The things, that threat en d me, Ne'er look'd but on my back; when they shall see The face of Caesar, they are vanished. Cal. Caesar, 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 Caesar! these things are beyond all use, And I do fear them. 24 Caes. What can be avoided, Cal. When beggars die, there are no comets seen; The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of Princes Caes. 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 : |