Giving my selfe a voluntary wound

Heere, in the Thigh: Can I beare that with patience,
And not my Husbands Secrets?

Bru.

O ye Gods!

Render me worthy of this Noble Wife.

Harke, harke, one knockes: Portia go in a while,
And by and by thy bosome shall partake

The secrets of my Heart.

All my engagements, I will construe to thee,

All the Charractery of my

Leave me with hast.

sad browes:

Enter Lucius and Ligarius.

Lucius, who's that knockes.

Knocke.

Exit Portia.

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 have you chose our brave Caius
To weare a Kerchiefe? Would you were not sicke.
Cai. I am not sicke, if Brutus have in hand
Any exploit worthy the name of Honor.

Brn. Such an exploit have 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,
Brave Sonne, deriv'd from Honourable Loines,
Thou like an Exorcist, hast conjur'd up
My mortified Spirit. Now bid me runne,
And I will strive 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 unfold 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.

Bru.

Thunder.

Thunder & Lightning.

Enter Julius Cæsar in his Night-gowne.

Cæsar. Nor Heaven, nor Earth,

Have beene at peace to night :

Thrice hath Calphurnia, in her sleepe cryed out,
Helpe, ho: They murther Casar. Who's within?

Cal. What mean you Cesar? Think you to walk forth?

You shall not stirre out of your house to day.

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

Calp. Casar, I never stood on Ceremonies,

Yet now they fright me: There is one within,
Besides the things that we have heard and seene,
Recounts most horrid sights seene by the Watch.
A Lionnesse hath whelped in the streets,

And graves have yawn'd, and yeelded up their dead;
Fierce fiery Warriours fight upon the Clouds

In Rankes and Squadrons, and right forme of Warre

Which drizel'd blood upon 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 Casar, these things are beyond all use,

And I do feare them.

Cas.

What can be avoyded

Whose end is purpos'd by the mighty Gods?
Yet Casar shall go forth: for these Predictions
Are to the world in generall, as to Casar.

Culp. When Beggers dye, there are no Comets seen, The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of Princes. Cas. Cowards dye many times before their deaths,

The valiant never taste of death but once :

Of all the Wonders that I yet have heard,

It seemes to me most strange that men should feare,
Seeing that death, a necessary end

Will come, when it will come.

What say the Augurers?

Enter a Servant.

Ser. They would not have you to stirre forth to day.

Plucking the intrailes of an Offering forth,

They could not finde a heart within the beast.

Cas. The Gods do this in shame of Cowardice:

Casar should be a Beast without a heart

If he should stay at home to day for feare:

No Casar shall not; Danger knowes full well

That Casar is more dangerous then he.

We heare two Lyons litter'd in one day,
And I the elder and more terrible,

And Casar shall go foorth.

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 upon my knee, prevaile in this.

Casar. 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. Casar, all haile: Good morrow worthy Casar.

I come to fetch you to the Senate house.

Cas. 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.

Cas.

Shall Casar send a Lye?
Have I in Conquest stretcht mine Arme so farre,
To be afear'd to tell Grey-beards the truth:
Decius, go tell them, Cæsar will not come.

Deci. Most mighty Casar let me know some cause,

Lest I be laught at when I tell them so.

Cas. The cause is in my Will, I will not come, That is enough to satisfie the Senate.

But for your private satisfaction,

Because I love 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
blood: and many lusty Romans

Did run pure

Came smiling, & did bathe their hands in it :

And these does she apply, for warnings and portents,

And evils 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
Reviving blood, and that great men shall presse
For Tinctures, Staines, Reliques, and Cognisance.
This by Calphurnia's Dreame is signified.

Cas. And this way have you well expounded it.
Deci. I have, when you have heard what I can say:
And know it now, the Senate have concluded

To give this day, a Crowne to mighty Casar.

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 up the Senate, till another time :

When Casars wife shall meete with better Dreames.

If Casar hide himselfe, shall they not whisper

Loe Casar is affraid?

Pardon me Casar, for my deere deere love

To your proceeding, bids me tell you this:

And reason to my love is liable.

Cas. How foolish do your fears seeme now Calphurnia?

I am ashamed I did yeeld to them.

Give 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 Casar.

Cas.

Welcome Publius.

What Brutus, are you stirr❜d so earely too?
Good morrow Caska: Caius Ligarius,
Casar was ne're so much your enemy,
As that same Ague which hath made you
What is't a Clocke?

Bru.

leane.

Casar, 'tis strucken eight.

Cas. I thanke you for your paines and curtesie.