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We are obferv'd. At Midnight, if you please, We'll meet again, and talk of this more largely.

CASSIUS.

I will not fail to wait on worthy BRUTUS.

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Your Ear is good. The Air is strangely chang'd!

CASSIUS.

A very harmless Air to honeft Men.

CASCA.

Who ever knew the Heavens threaten fo?

CASSIUS.

CASSIUS.

Who ever knew the Earth fo full of Faults?
For my part, I'll walk ftill about the Streets,
Submitting to the Dangers of the Storm;
Unbutton'd thus, and careless, as you fee,
Will bare my Bofom to the Thunderbolt,
Juft as the fiery Flash begins to dart.

CASCA.

But wherefore would you fo much tempt the Gods?
Sure, 'tis our part rather to fear, and tremble,
When they, for Caufes to poor Men unknown,
Send dreadful Heralds to denounce a War,
CASSIUS.

You are dull, CASCA, and thofe Sparks of Fire
That should enflame a Roman Breaft, you want,
Or elfe diffemble: You look pale, and gaze,
And put on Fear, and lofe your felf in Wonder,
To fee this ftrange Disorder in the Heavens :
Think on the Earth, good CASCA; think on Romę ;
If ficry Meteors, and Fool-frighting Ghosts,
If monftrous Births, and strange portentous things,
As you believe, break Nature's fettled Courfe;
'Tis to accompany this monftrous State.

I could now, CASCA, name to thee a Man
Moft like this dreadful Night, which thunders,
lightens,

Tears

Tears open Graves, and keeps us all in Terror:
A Man no mightier than thy self, or me,

In real Might, in Worth; yet grown a Giant;
And every Roman elfe feems but a Pigmy.

CASCA.

It is not hard to guess the Man you mean.

CASSIUS.

No matter for his Name; for Romans now
Have Limbs, and Sinews, like their Ancestors;
But where the Minds of all our famous Fathers?
Dead, dead with them! we have our Mothers Spirits;
'Tis Womanish to fee, and fuffer this.

CASCA.

Indeed, they fay, the Senators to-morrow
Mean to establish CÆSAR for their King;
And he shall wear his Crown by Sea, and Land,
In every Place, but here in Italy.

CASSIUS.

I know where I fhall wear this Dagger then. CASSIUS from Bondage will deliver CASSIUS. Herein the poor are rich, the weak most strong; By this, the wretched mock at bafe Oppreffion; The meaneft are victorious o'er the mighty.

Not Tow'rs of Stone, nor Walls of harden'd Brass, Nor airless Dungeons, the poor Strength of Tyrants,

Not all their strongest Guards, nor heaviest Chains, Can in the least controul the mighty Spirit.

For, noble Life, when weary of it self,

Has always power to shake it off, at pleasure. Since I know this, know all the World befides, That part of Tyranny prepar'd for me,

I can and will defy.

CASCA.

And fo can I.

Thus every Bondman in his own Hand bears
The Power to cancel his Captivity.

CASSIUS.

And why fhould CESAR be a Tyrant then?
Poor Man! I know he would not be à Wolf,
But that he fees the Romans are but Sheep:
He were no Lion, if we were not Lambs.
But oh, diforder'd Grief, where haft thou led me!
I fpeak, perhaps, before a willing Bondman,
One whom tame Fools mifcall a mod'rate Man;
That is, a mean Complyer with the Times.
But I am arm'd within against all Danger.

CASCA.

CASSIUS, you speak to CASCA, to a Man

Whose Thoughts have all this while out-gone your

Words;

Here

Here take my Hand, and make what use of it
The Times and our Neceffities require;

I am refolv'd:

CASSIUS.

Then, there's a Bargain made.

Now know, good CASCA, I have mov'd already
Some of the boldest nobleft-minded Romans
To undertake with me an Enterprize
Of honourable, dang'rous Confequence.
They now all ftay for me in POMPEY'S Porch,
(And such a Night as this requires a Shelter)
A Night, that's like the noble Work in hand,
All black, and terrible! but soft; stand close.

Enter TREBONIUS.

CASCA.

TREBONIUS, now I know him by his Gait.

CASSIUS.

He is a Friend; pray hold, whither so fast?

TREBONIUS.

To look out you. Who's that, METELLUS CIMBER?

CASSIUS.

No, 'tis our CASCA, one as bold, and honeft;

Am I not stay'd for?

TRE

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