Calp. Alas my Lord, Your wisedome is consum'd in confidence: Do not go forth to day: Call it my feare, That keepes you in the house, and not your owne. Wee'l send Mark Antony to the Senate house, And he shall say, you are not well to day: Let me vpon my knee, preuaile in this
Caes Mark Antony shall say I am not well, And for thy humor, I will stay at home. Enter Decius.
Heere's Decius Brutus, he shall tell them so
Deci. Caesar, all haile: Good morrow worthy Caesar, I come to fetch you to the Senate house
Caes And you are come in very happy time, To beare my greeting to the Senators, And tell them that I will not come to day: Cannot, is false: and that I dare not, falser: I will not come to day, tell them so Decius
Calp. Say he is sicke
Caes Shall Caesar send a Lye? Haue I in Conquest stretcht mine Arme so farre, To be afear'd to tell Gray-beards the truth: Decius, go tell them, Caesar will not come
Deci. Most mighty Caesar, let me know some cause, Lest I be laught at when I tell them so
Caes The cause is in my Will, I will not come, That is enough to satisfie the Senate. But for your priuate satisfaction, Because I loue you, I will let you know. Calphurnia heere my wife, stayes me at home: She dreampt to night, she saw my Statue, Which like a Fountaine, with an hundred spouts Did run pure blood: and many lusty Romans Came smiling, & did bathe their hands in it: And these does she apply, for warnings and portents, And euils imminent; and on her knee Hath begg'd, that I will stay at home to day
Deci. This Dreame is all amisse interpreted, It was a vision, faire and fortunate: Your Statue spouting blood in many pipes, In which so many smiling Romans bath'd, Signifies, that from you great Rome shall sucke Reuiuing blood, and that great men shall presse For Tinctures, Staines, Reliques, and Cognisance. This by Calphurnia's Dreame is signified
Caes And this way haue you well expounded it
Deci. I haue, when you haue heard what I can say: And know it now, the Senate haue concluded To giue this day, a Crowne to mighty Caesar. If you shall send them word you will not come, Their mindes may change. Besides, it were a mocke Apt to be render'd, for some one to say, Breake vp the Senate, till another time: When Caesars wife shall meete with better Dreames. If Caesar hide himselfe, shall they not whisper Loe Caesar is affraid? Pardon me Caesar, for my deere deere loue To your proceeding, bids me tell you this: And reason to my loue is liable
Caes How foolish do your fears seeme now Calphurnia? I am ashamed I did yeeld to them. Giue me my Robe, for I will go. Enter Brutus, Ligarius, Metellus, Caska, Trebonius, Cynna, and Publius.
And looke where Publius is come to fetch me
Pub. Good morrow Caesar
Caes Welcome Publius. What Brutus, are you stirr'd so earely too? Good morrow Caska: Caius Ligarius, Caesar was ne're so much your enemy, As that same Ague which hath made you leane. What is't a Clocke? Bru. Caesar, 'tis strucken eight
Caes I thanke you for your paines and curtesie. Enter Antony.
See, Antony that Reuels long a-nights Is notwithstanding vp. Good morrow Antony
Ant. So to most Noble Caesar
Caes Bid them prepare within: I am too blame to be thus waited for. Now Cynna, now Metellus: what Trebonius, I haue an houres talke in store for you: Remember that you call on me to day: Be neere me, that I may remember you