We are observd. 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.
[Exit BRUTUS.
Enter CASCA to CASSIUS,
CASSIUS.
Who's there?
CASCA.
A Roman.
CASSIUS.
CASCA, by your Voice.
CASCA.
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.
Who ever knew the Earth so full of Faults ?
For my part, I'll walk still about the Streets,
Submitting to the Dangers of the Storm;
Unbutton'd thus, and careless, as you see,
Will bare my Bosom to the Thunderbolt,
Just as the fiery Flash begins to dart.
CASCA.
But wherefore would you so much tempt the Gods
Sure, 'tis our part rather to fear, and tremble,
When they, for Causes to poor Men unknown,
Send dreadful Heralds to denounce a War.
CASSIUS. You are dull, CASCA, and those Sparks of Fire That should enflame a Roman Breaft, you want, Or else dissemble: You look pale, and gaze, And put on Fear, and lose your self in Wonder, To see this strange Disorder in the Heavens : Think on the Earth, good CASCA ; think on Romę; If ficry Meteors, and Fool-frighting Ghosts, If monstrous Births, and strange portentous things, As you believe, break Nature's settled Course; 'Tis to accompany this monstrous State. I could now, CASCA, name to thee a Man Most like this dreadful Night, which thunders,
lightens,
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 else seems 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 suffer this.
CASCA.
Indeed, they say, 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 shall 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 base Oppression;
The meanest 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 shaké it off, at pleasure.
Since I know this, know all th¢ World besides,
That part of Tyranny prepar’d for me,
I can and will defy.
CASCA.
And so can I.
Thus every Bondman in his own Hand bears
The Power to cancel his Captivity.
CASSIUS.
And why should CÆSAR be a Tyrant then?
Poor Man! I know he would not be à Wolf
But that he sees the Romans are but Sheep:
He were no Lion, if we were not Lambs.
But oh, disorder'd Grief, where hast thou led me!
I speak, perhaps, before a willing Bondman,
One whom tame Fools miscall 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-goné your
Words ;
Here
Here take my Hand, and make what use of it
The Times and our Necessities require ;
I am resolv'd:
CASSIUS.
Then, there's a Bargain made.
Now know, good CASCA, I have mov'd already
Some of the boldeft nobleft-minded Romans
To undertake with me an Enterprize
Of honourable, dang’rous Consequence.
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 honest;
Am I not stay'd for?
TRE
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