Enter Lucius and Ligarius.

Lucius, who's that knockes

Luc. Heere is a sicke man that would speak with you

Bru. Caius Ligarius, that Metellus spake of. Boy, stand aside. Caius Ligarius, how? Cai. Vouchsafe good morrow from a feeble tongue

Bru. O what a time haue you chose out braue Caius To weare a Kerchiefe? Would you were not sicke

Cai. I am not sicke, if Brutus haue in hand Any exploit worthy the name of Honor

Bru. Such an exploit haue I in hand Ligarius, Had you a healthfull eare to heare of it

Cai. By all the Gods that Romans bow before, I heere discard my sicknesse. Soule of Rome, Braue Sonne, deriu'd from Honourable Loines, Thou like an Exorcist, hast coniur'd vp My mortified Spirit. Now bid me runne, And I will striue with things impossible, Yea get the better of them. What's to do? Bru. A peece of worke, That will make sicke men whole

Cai. But are not some whole, that we must make sicke? Bru. That must we also. What it is my Caius, I shall vnfold to thee, as we are going, To whom it must be done

Cai. Set on your foote, And with a heart new-fir'd, I follow you, To do I know not what: but it sufficeth That Brutus leads me on.

Thunder

Bru. Follow me then.

Exeunt.

Thunder & Lightning

Enter Iulius Caesar in his Night-gowne.

Caesar. Nor Heauen, nor Earth, Haue beene at peace to night: Thrice hath Calphurnia, in her sleepe cryed out, Helpe, ho: They murther Caesar. Who's within? Enter a Seruant.

Ser. My Lord

Caes Go bid the Priests do present Sacrifice, And bring me their opinions of Successe

Ser. I will my Lord.

Exit

Enter Calphurnia.

Cal. What mean you Caesar? Think you to walk forth? You shall not stirre out of your house to day

Caes Caesar shall forth; the things that threaten'd me, Ne're look'd but on my backe: When they shall see The face of Caesar, they are vanished

Calp. Caesar, I neuer stood on Ceremonies, Yet now they fright me: There is one within, Besides the things that we haue heard and seene, Recounts most horrid sights seene by the Watch. A Lionnesse hath whelped in the streets, And Graues haue yawn'd, and yeelded vp their dead; Fierce fiery Warriours fight vpon the Clouds In Rankes and Squadrons, and right forme of Warre Which drizel'd blood vpon the Capitoll: The noise of Battell hurtled in the Ayre: Horsses do neigh, and dying men did grone, And Ghosts did shrieke and squeale about the streets. O Caesar, these things are beyond all vse, And I do feare them

Caes What can be auoyded Whose end is purpos'd by the mighty Gods? Yet Caesar shall go forth: for these Predictions Are to the world in generall, as to Caesar

Calp. When Beggers dye, there are no Comets seen, The Heauens themselues blaze forth the death of Princes Caes Cowards dye many times before their deaths, The valiant neuer taste of death but once: Of all the Wonders that I yet haue heard, It seemes to me most strange that men should feare, Seeing that death, a necessary end Will come, when it will come. Enter a Seruant.

What say the Augurers? Ser. They would not haue you to stirre forth to day. Plucking the intrailes of an Offering forth, They could not finde a heart within the beast

Caes The Gods do this in shame of Cowardice: Caesar should be a Beast without a heart If he should stay at home to day for feare: No Caesar shall not; Danger knowes full well That Caesar is more dangerous then he. We heare two Lyons litter'd in one day, And I the elder and more terrible, And Caesar shall go foorth

William Shakespeare
Classic Literature Library

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