It is the bright day, that brings forth the adder; Then, left he may, prevent. And, fince the quarrel Which, hatch'd, would, as his kind, grow mifchievous; Re-enter LUCIUS. Luc. The taper burneth in your closet, fir. BRU. Look in the calendar, and bring me word. BRU. The exhalations, whizzing in the air, Give fo much light, that I may read by them. [Exit [Opens the letter, and reads. Brutus, thou fleep'ft; awake, and fee thyself. Such inftigations have been often dropp'd Shall Rome &c. Thus muft I piece it out; Shall Rome ftand under one man's awe? What! Rome? My ancestors did from the streets of Rome The Tarquin drive, when he was call'd a king. To speak, and strike? O Rome! I make thee promise, Thy full petition at the hand of Brutus! Re-enter LUCIUS. Luc. Sir, March is wafted fourteen days. [Knock within. BRU. 'Tis good. Go to the gate; fomebody knocks. [Exit LUCIUS. Since Caffius firft did whet me against Cæfar, I have not flept. Between the acting of a dreadful thing And the firft motion, all the interim is The nature of an infurrection. Re-enter LUCIUS. Luc. Sir, 'tis your brother Caffius at the door, Who doth defire to fee you. BRU. Is he alone? Luc. No, fir, there are more with him. BRU. Do you know them? Luc. No, fir; their hats are pluck'd about their ears, And half their faces buried in their cloaks, That by no means I may difcover them By any mark of favour. BRU. Let them enter. They are the faction. O confpiracy! [Exit LUCIUS. Sham'ft thou to fhow thy dangerous brow by night, Where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough To mask thy monftrous vifage? Seek none, confpiracy; Hide it in fmiles, and affability: For if thou path, thy native femblance on, Not Erebus itself were dim enough To hide thee from prevention. Enter CASSIUS, CASCA, DECIUS, CINNA, METELLUS CIMBER, and TREBONIUS. CAS. I think, we are too bold upon your rest: CAS. Yes, every man of them; and no man here, Which every noble Roman bears of you. BRU. He is welcome hither. CAS. This Decius Brutus. BRU. He is welcome too. CAS. This, Cafca; this, Cinna; And this, Metellus Cimber. BRU. They are all welcome. What watchful cares do interpofe themselves CAS. Shall I entreat a word? [They whisper. DEC. Here lies the east: Doth not the day break here? CASCA. NO. GIN. O, pardon, fir, it doth; and yon grey lines, That fret the clouds, are meffengers of day. CASCA. You shall confefs, that you are both deceiv'd. Here, as I point my fword, the fun arises Which is a great way growing on the fouth, Some two months hence, up higher toward the north BRU. Give me your hands all over, one by one. BRU. No, not an oath: If not the face of men, The even virtue of our enterprize, Nor the infuppreffive mettle of our fpirits, To think, that, or our caufe, or our performance, If he do break the smallest particle Of any promise that hath pass'd from him. CAS. But, what of Cicero? Shall we found him? I think, he will ftand very ftrong with us. CASCA. Let us not leave him out. CIN. No, by no means. MET. O, let us have him; for his filver hairs And buy men's voices to commend our deeds: BRU. O, name him not; let us not break with him; For he will never follow any thing That other men begin. CAS. Then leave him out. CASCA. Indeed, he is not fit. DEC. Shall no man else be touch'd, but only Cæfar? CAS. Decius, well urg'd:-I think, it is not meet, Mark Antony, fo well belov'd of Cæfar, Should outlive Cæfar: We shall find of him A fhrewd contriver; and, you know, his means, Let Antony, and Cæfar, fall together. BRU. Our courfe will feem too bloody, Caius Caffius, To cut the head off, and then hack the limbs } |