And I will look on both indifferently:
For, let the gods fo fpeed me, as I love
The name of honour more than I fear death.
Caffius, in Contempt of Cæfar.
I was born free as Cæfar; fo were you:
We have both fed as well; and we can both
Endure the winter's cold as well as he.
For once, upon a raw and gufty day,
The troubled Tyber chafing with his shores,
Cæfar fays to me, "Dar'ft thou, Caffius, now
Leap in with me into this angry flood,
And swim to yonder point?"-Upon the word,
Accoutred as I was, I plunged in,
And bade him follow: fo, indeed, he did.
The torrent roar'd, and we did buffet it
With lufty finews; throwing it aside,
And ftemming it with hearts of controversy.
But ere we could arrive the point propos'd,
Cæfar cried, "Help me, Caffius, or I fink,"
I, as Æneas, our great ancestor,
Did from the flames of Troy upon his fhoulder
The old Anchifes bear, fo from the waves of
Did I the tired Cæfar: and this man [Tyber
Is now become a god; and Caffius is
A wretched creature, and muft bend his body,
If Cæsar carelessly but nod on him.
He had a fever when he was in Spain;
And, when the fit was on him, I did mark
How he did shake: 'tis true, this god did fhake;
His coward lips did from their colour fly;
And that fame eye, whofe bend do thaw the world,
Did lofe his luftre: I did hear him groan :
Ay, and that tongue of his, that bade the Romans
Mark him, and write his fpeeches in their books,
Alas! it cried-" Give me fome drink, Titi-
As a fick girl. Ye gods, it doth amaze me,
A man of fuch a feeble temper should
So get the start of this majestic world,
And bear the palm alone.
Bru. Another general shout!
I do believe that thefe applauses are
For fome new honours that are heap'd on Cæfar.
Caf. Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow
Like a Coloffus; and we petty men [world
Walk under his huge legs, and peep about
To find ourselves dishonourable graves,
Men at fome time are mafters of their fates:
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings.
Brutus, and Cæfar: what should be in thatCæfar?
Why should that name be founded more than
yours?
Write them together, yours is as fair a name?
Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well;
Weigh them, it is as heavy; conjure with 'em,
Brutus will start a fpirit as foon as Cæfar.
Now, in the names of all the gods at once,
Upon what meat doth this our Cæfar feed,
That he is grown fo great? Age, thou art fham'd:
Rome, thou haft loft the breed of noble bloods!
When went there by an age, fince the great
flood,
But it was fam'd with more than with one man?
When could they fay till now,that talk'd ofRome,
That her wide walks encompais'd but one man?
Caefar's Diflike of Caffius. Would he were fatter!-but I fear him not; Yet if my name were liable to fear, I do not know the man I fhould avoid, So foon as that fpare Caffius. He reads much; He is a great obferver, and he looks Quite thro' the deeds of men; he loves no plays, As thou doft, Antony; he hears no mufic: Seldom he fmiles; and fmiles in fuch a fort, As if he mock'd himself, and scorn'd his fpirit That could be mov'd to fmile at any thing. Such men as he be never at heart's cafe, Whiles they behold a greater than themselves; And therefore are they very dangerous. I rather tell thee what is to be fear'd, That what I fear; for always I am Cæfar. Spirit of Liberty.
I know where I will wear this dagger ther;
Caffius from bondage will deliver Caffius:
Therein, ye gods, you make the weak moft ftrong;
Therein, ye gods, you tyrants do defeat:
Nor ftony tower, nor walls of beaten brass,
Nor airlefs dungeon, nor ftrong links of iron,
Can be retentive to the ftrength of spirit;
But life, being weary of thefe worldly bars,
Never lacks power to difmifs itself.
If I know this, know all the world befides,
That part of tyranny, that I do bear,
I can shake off at pleasure.
Ambition, covered with fpecious Humility.
But 'tis a common proof,
That lowlinefs is young ambition's ladder,
But when he once attains the upmost round,
Whereto the climber upward turns his face;
He then unto the ladder turns his back,
Looks in the clouds, fcorning the bafe degrees
By which he did afcend.
Confpiracy dreadful till executed. Between the acting of a dreadful thing, And the first motion, all the interim is Like a phantafma, or a hideous dream: The genius, and the mortal inftruments Are then in council; and the state of man, Like to a little kingdom, fuffers then The nature of an infurrection. Confpiracy.
O, confpiracy!
(nigh
Sham'ft thou to shew thy dangerous brow by
When evils are most free? O, then, by day
Where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough
To mask thy monftrous vifage? Seek none, c
Hide it in fmiles and affability;
For if thou path, thy native femblance on,
Not Erebus itfelf were dim enough
To hide thee from prevention.
Against Cruelty.
Gentle friends,
Let's kill him boldly, but not wrathfully;
Let's carve him as a dish fit for the gods,
Not hew him as a carcafe fit for hounds;
And let our hearts, as fubtle mafters do,
Stir up their fervants to an act of rage,
And after seem to chide them.
Sleep.
Enjoy the honey-heavy dew of Jumber:
u haft no figures, nor no fantafies,
ch bufy care draws in the brains of men,
refore thou fleep'st so sound.
Portia's Speech to Brutus.
You have ungently, Brutus,
from my bed and yefternight, at fupper,
fuddenly arofe and walk'd about,
ng, and fighing, with your arms across :
, when I afk'd you what the matter was,
ftar'd upon me with ungentle looks:
'd you further; then you scratch'd your head,
too impatiently ftamp'd with your foot :
I infifted, yet you anfwer'd not;
with an angry wafture of your hand,
e fign for me to leave you: fo I did;
ing to ftrengthen that impatience,
ch feem'd too much inkindled; and, withal,
ing it was but an effect of humour,
ch fometimes hath his hour with ev'ry man!
ill not let you eat, nor talk, nor fleep;
, could it work fo much upon your shape,
it hath much prevail'd on your condition,
uld not know you, Brutus. Dear my lord,
te me acquainted with your cause of grief.
pburnia to Cæfar, on the Prodigies feen the
Night before his Death.
al. I never stood on ceremonies,
now they fright me. There is one within,
des the things that we have heard and feen,
counts moft horrid fights feen by the watch.
ioness hath whelped in the streets;
i graves have yawn'd, and yielded up their
ce fiery warriors fight upon the clouds,
anks, and fquadrons, and right form of war,
ich drizzled blood upon the capitol:
: noife of battle hurtled in the air;
fes did neigh, and dying men did groan:
dghofts did fhriek,and fqueal about the ftreets.
Cæfar! these things are beyond all ufe,
d I do fear them.
[dead:
afar. What can be avoided,
ofe end is purpos'd by the mighty gods?
t Cæfar fhall go forth: for thefe predictions
to the world in general, as to Cæfar.
al. When beggars die there are no comets feen;
: heavens themselves blaze forth the death of
princes.
Danger.
Danger knows full well,
at Cæfar is more dangerous than he. are two lions litter'd in one day, nd I the elder and more terrible.
Envy.
My heart laments, that virtue cannot live it of the teeth of emulation.
wept;
He hath brought many captives home to Rome,
Whofe ranfoms did the general coffers fill:
Did this in Cæfar feem ambitious?
When that the poor have cried, Cæfar hath
Ambition fhould be made of fterner stuff:
Yet Brutus fays, he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honourable man.
You all did fee, that, on the Lupercal,
I thrice prefented him a kingly crown,
Which he did thrice refufe. Was this ambitious?
Yet Brutus fays, he was ambitious;
And, fure, he is an honourable man.
I fpeak not to difprove what Brutus spoke,
But here I am to speak what I do know.
Against the Fears of Death.
Cowards die many times before their death;
e valiant never tafte of death but once.
all the wonders that I yet have heard,
eems to me most strange, that men should fear, You all did love him once, not without caufe; ing that death, a neceffary end,
Il come, when it will come.
What caufe with-holds you then to mourn for
Ojudgment,thou art fled to brutish beafts, [him?
And men have loft their reafon !-Bear with me;
My heart is in the coffin there with Cæfar,
And I must paufe till it come back to me.
Antony to the Corpfe of Cafar. Omighty Cefar! doft thou lie fo low? re all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, fpoils, runk to this little measure ? fare thee well!
His Addrefs to the Confpirators.
I know not, gentlemen, what you intend,
Who elfe must be let blood, who elfe is rank:
If I myself, there is no hour fo fit
As Cæfar's death's hour! nor no inftrument
Of half that worth,as those your swords made rich
With the most noble blood of all this world.
I do befeech ye, if you bear me hard, [imoke,
Now, whilft your purpled hands do reek and
Fulfil your pleafure. Live a thousand years,
I fhall not find myself so apt to die;
No place will please me fo, no mean of death,
As here by Cæfar, and by you cut off,
The choice and master spirits of this age.
Revenge.
With Até by his fide, come hot from hell,
Cæfar's fpirit, ranging for revenge,
Shall in thefe confines, with a monarch's voice,
Cry, "Havoc !" and let flip the dogs of war.
Antony's Funreal Oration.
Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your
ears;
I am come to bury Cæfar, not to praise him!
The evil, that men do, lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones;
So let it be with Cæfar! The noble Brutus
Hath told you Cæfar was ambitious:
If it were fo, it was a grievous fault;
And grievously hath Cæfar answer'd it.
Here, under leave of Brutus and the reft,
(For Brutus is an honourable man;
So are they all, all honourable men)
Come I to fpeak in Cæfar's funeral.
He was my friend, faithful amd just to me:
But Brutus fays, he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honourable man.
To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you,
Than I will wrong fuch honourable men.
But here's a parchment with the feal of Cæfar;
1 found it in his clofet, 'tis his will;
Let but the commons bear this teftament
(Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read),
And they would go and kifs dead Cæfar's wounds.
And dip their napkins in his facred blood;
Yea, beg a hair of him, for memory,
And, dying, mention it within their wills,
Bequeathing it, as a rich legacy,
Unto their iffue.
4 Pleb. We'll hear the will: read it, Mark Antony.
[will. All. The will, the will; we will hear Cæfar's Ant. Have patience, gentle friends, I muft not read it;
It is not meet you know how Caefar lov'd you.
You are not wood, you are not ftones, but men;
And, being men, hearing the will of Cæfar,
It will inflame you, it will make you mad.
'Tis good you know not that you are his heirs;
For if you thould-O, what would come of it!
4 Pleb. Read the will; we will hear it, Antony:
You shall read us the will; Cælar's will.
Ant. Will you be patient? will you ftay awhile? I have o'eribot myfelf, to tell you of it. I fear, I wrong the honourable men 1 Whofe daggers have ftabb'd Cæfar-I do fear it. 4Pleb. They were traitors :-honourable men! All. The will! the teftament!
Ant. You will compel me then to read the will? Then make a ring about the corpfe of Cæfar, And let me fhew you him that made the will. Shall I defcend? and will you give me leave? All. Come down. 2 Pleb. Defcend.
[He comes down from the pulpit. Ant. If you have tears, prepare to fhed them
You all do know this mantle: I remember
The first time ever Cæfar put it on ;
'Twas on a fummer's evening, in his tent,
That day he overcame the Nervii :-
Look ! in this place ranCaffius' dagger through:--
See what a rent the envious Cafca made ;-
Through this, the well-beloved Brutus ftabb'd;
And, as he pluck'd his curfed fteel away,
Mark how the blood of Cæfar follow'd it;
As rufhing out of doors, to be refolv'd
If Brutus fo unkindly knock'd, or no:
For Brutus, as you know, was Cæfar's angel:
Judge, O you gods, how dearly Cæfar lov'd him!
This was the most unkindeft cut of all:
For, when the noble Cæfar faw him tab,
Ingratitude, more frong than traitors' arms,
Quite vanquish'd him: then burft his mighty
And, in his mantle muffling up his face, [heart;
Even at the base of Pompey's ftatue,
Which all the while ran blood, great Cæfar fell.
O, what a fall was there, my countrymen!
Then I, and you, and all of us fell down,
Whilft bloody treason flourish'd over us,
O, now you weep; and, I perceive, you
The dint of pity; these are gracious drops.
Kind fouls! what,weep you when you but behold
Our Cæfar's vefture wounded? look you here! Here is himself, marr'd, as you see, with traitors. 1 Pleb. O piteous spectacle!
2 Pleb. We will be reveng'd: revenge; About-feek-burn-fire-kill-day I let not a traitor live.
Ant. Good friends, fweet friends, let me not ftir you up
To fuch a fudden flood of mutiny.
They that have done this deed are honourable;
What private griefs they have, alas! I know not,
That made them do it: they are wife, and he
nourable,
And will, no doubt, with reasons answer you.
I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts;
I am no orator, as Brutus is:
But, as you know me all, a plain blunt man,
That love my friend, and that they know full
That give me public leave to speak of him. [well
For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth,
Action, or utterance, nor the power of speech,
To ftir men's blood; I only speak right on;
I tell you that which you yourfelves do know;
Shew you fweet Cæfar's wounds, poor, poor
dumb mouths!
And bid them speak for me: But were I Brutus,
And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony
Would ruffle up your fpirits, and put a tongue
In ev'ry wound of Cæfar, that should move
The ftones of Rome to rise and mutiny.
Ceremony infincere.
-Ever note, Lucilius,
When love begins to ficken and decay,
It useth an enforced ceremony.
There are no tricks in plain and fimple faith;
But hollow men, like horses hot at hand,
Make gallant show and promife of their mettle;
But when they fhould endure the bloody put,
They fall their crefts, and, like deceitful jades,
Sink in the trial.
Caf. That you have wrong'd me, doth appear in this :
You have condemn'd and noted Lucius Pella, For taking bribes here of the Sardians; Wherein my letters praying on his fide, Because I knew the man, were flighted of. [cafe.
Bru. You wrong'd yourself, to write in fucha Caf. In fuch a time as this, it is not meet That every nice offence should bear his comment. Brú. Let me tell you, Caffius, you yourself Are much condemn'd to have an itching palm To fell and mart your offices for gold To undefervers.
Caf. I an itching palm? You know that you are Brutus that speak this, Or, by the gods, this fpeech were elfe your laft. Bru. The name of Caffius honours this cor
at ftruck the foremost man of all this world, t for fupporting robbers; fhali we now ntaminate our fingers with bafe bribes? id fell the mighty pace of our large honours, rfo much trash as may be grafped thus? ad rather be a dog, and bay the moon, an tuc a Roman I
af. Butus, bait not me,
not endure it: you forget yourself, hedge me in; I am a foldier, I, er in Practice, abler than yourself make conditions.
ru. Goto; you are not, Caffius. y. I am.
u. Ilay, you are not.
2. rge me no more, I fhall forget myself; e mind upon your health-tempt me no far. Away, flight man! [ther.
f. Is't poffible?
«. Hear me, for I will speak.
I give way and room to your rafh choler? I be frighted, when a madman stares ? Oye gods! ye gods! muft I endure all this? [heart break; All this! ay, more: fret, till your proud hew your flaves how choleric you are, make your bondmen tremble. Maft I budge? I obferve you? muft I ftand and crouch r your tefty humour? By the gods, fhall digelt the venom of your spleen, it do fplit you: for, from this day forth, fe you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter, you are waipifh.
Is it come to this?
. You fay you are a better foldier: appear fo; make your vaunting true. it thall pleafe me well: for mine own part, 1 be glad to learn of noble men.
You wrong me ev'ry way-you wrong me, Brutus:
! an elder foldier, not a better. fay better?
7. If you did, I care not. [mov'd me. When Cæfar liv'd, he durft not thus have 1. Peace, peace; you durit not so have I durft not? [tempted him.
To lock fuch rafcal counter from his friends,
Be ready, gods, with all your thunderbolts
Dash him to pieces.
Caf. I denied you not.
Bru. You did.
1. No.
What! durft not tempt him? . For your life you durft not. f. Do not prefume too much upon my love, do that I shall be forry for.
[for.
2. You have done that you should be forry is no terror Caffius, in your threats; amarm'd fo ftrong in honesty, they pass by me as the idle wind ch I refpect not. I did fend to you ertain fums of gold, which you denied me; can raife no money by vile means: eaven, I had rather coin my heart, drop my blood for drachmas, than to wring a the haid hands of pealants their vile trash, ny indirection. I did fend Fou for gold to pay my legions, [Caffius? you denied me: was that done like ld have anfwer'd Caius Caffius fo? en Marcus Brutus grows fo covetous,
ch
Caf. I did not ;-he was but a fool
That brought my answer back.-Brutus hath riv'd my heart:
A friend thould bear a friend's infirmities,
But Brutus makes mine greater than they are.
Bru. I do not, till you practife them on me.
Caf. Come, Antony, and young Octavius,
Revenge yourselves alone on Caffius, [come;
For Catlius is a-weary of the world:
Hated by one he loves; brav'd by his brother;
Check'd like a bondman; all his faults obferv'd,
Set in a note-book, learn'd, and conn'd by rote;
To caft into my teeth. O, I could weep
My fpirit from mine eyes-There is my dagger,
And here my naked breast;-within a heart
Dearer than Plutus' mine, richer than gold:
If that thou be'st a Roman, take it forth;
I, that denied thee gold, will give my heart:
Strike, as thou didst at Cæfar: for, I know,
When thou didst have him worst, thou lovd'ft
Than ever thou lov'dit Caffius.
[him better
Bru. Sheath your dagger :
Be angry when you will, it shall have scope;
Do what you will, difhonour fall be humour."
O Caffius, you are yoked with a lamb,
That carries anger as the fint bears fire;
Who, much enforced fhews a haity spark,
And ftraight is cold again.
Caf. Hath Caffius liv'd
To be but mirth and laughter to his Brutus, When grief, and blood ill-temper'd, vexeth him?
Eru. When I spoke that, I was ill-temper'd too. Caf. Do you confefs fo much? Give me your
hand.
[Embracing. fine,
Caf. Have you not love enough to bear wina When that rath humour, winch my mother gave
Bru. And my heart too.
Caf. O Brutus !
Bru. What is the matter?
Bru. Even fo.
Caf. O ye immortal gods!
Enter Boy with Wine and Tapers.
Bru. Speak no more of her-Give me a bowl
of wine:
In this I bury all unkindness, Caffius. [Drinks.
Caf. My heart is thirsty for that noble pledge.
Fill, Lucius, till the wine o'erfwell the cup;
I cannot drink too much of Brutus' love.
Opportunity to be feized on all Affairs.
There is a tide in the affairs of men,
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in fhallows and in miferies.
On fuch a full fea are we now afloat;
And we must take the current when it serves,
Or lofe our ventures.
The parting of Brutus and Cassius.
Bru. No, Caflius, no; think not, thou noble
Roman,
That ever Brutus will go bound to Rome;
He bears too great a mind. But this fame day
Muft end that work the ides of March began:
And whether we fhall meet again, I know not.
Therefore our everlafting farewell take :→
For ever, and for ever, farewell, Caffius !
If we do meet again, why, we shall smile;
If not, why then this parting was well made,
Caf. For ever, and for ever, farewell, Brutus!
If we do meet again, we 'll fmile indeed;
If not, 'tis true, this parting was well made.
Bru. Why then lead on.-O, that a man
might know
The end of this day's bufinefs ere it come!
But it fufficeth, that the day will end,
And then the end is known.
Melancholy the Parent of Error.
O, hateful error, melancholy child ! Why dost thou fhew to the apt thoughts of men The things that are not? O error, foon conceiv'd, Thou never com'ft unto a happy birth, But kill'ft the mother that engender'd thee. Antony's Character of Brutus.
This was the nobleft Roman of them all:
All the confpirators, fave only he,
Did that they did, in envy of great Cæfar;
He, only, in a general honeft thought,
And common good to all, made one of them.
His life was gentle; and the elements
So mixt in him, that nature might stand up,
And fay to all the world, "This was a man!"
28. KING LEAR. SHAKSPEARE.
An alienated Child.
LET it be fo-thy truth then be thy dower :
For, by the facred radiance of the fun;
The mysteries of Hecate, and the night;
By all the operations of the orbs
From whom we do exift, and ceafe to be:
Here I difclaim all my paternal care,
Propinquity and property of blood,
And as a stranger to my heart and me
Hold thee, from this, for ever. The barb'rous
Scythian,
Or he that makes his generation meffes
To gorge his appetite, fhall to my bolom.
Be as well neighbour'd, pitied, and reliev'd, As thou, my fometime daughter.
Thou, Nature, art my goddefs; to thy law My fervices are bound; wherefore fhould 1 Stand in the plague of cuftom; and permit The curiofity of nations to deprive me, For that I am fome twelve or fourteen moonfhines Lag of a brother? Why baftard? Wherefore bale! When my dimensions are as well compact, My mind as gen'rous, and my fhape as true, As honeft madam's iffue? Why brand they With bafe! with bafenefs? baftardy? bafe, bak! Who, in the lufty ftealth of nature, take More compofition and fierce quality, Than doth within a dull, ftale, tired bed Go to creating a whole tribe of fops, Got 'tween afleep and wake?
A Father curfing his Child. Hear, Nature, hear; Dear goddess, hear! Sufpend thy purpose, if Thou didft intend to make this creature fruitful! Into her womb convey fterility! Dry up in her the organs of increase ; And from her derogate body never fpring A babe to honour her! If the muft teem, Create her child of fpleen; that it may live, And be a thwart difnatur'd torment to her! Let it ftamp wrinkles in her brow of youth; With cadent tears fret channels in her cheeks Turn all her mother's pains and benefits To laughter and contempt; that the may How harper than a ferpent's tooth it is To have a thanklefs child!
Ingratitude in a Child. Ingratitude? thou marble-hearted fiend, More hideous, when thou shew'ft thee in a chic, Than the fea-monfter !
Flattering Sycophants.
That such a slave as this thould wear a sword, Who wears no honefty! such smiling rogusa
Like rats, oft bite the holy cords in twain Which are too intrince t'unloofe: foothe er paffion,
That in the nature of their lords rebels: Bring oil to fire, fnow to their colder moods: Renege, affirm, and turn their halcyon beaks With ev'ry gale and vary of their masters; As knowing nought, like dogs, but following. Plain, blunt Men.
This is fome fellow, [affe Who, having been prais'd for bluntnefs, dat A faucy roughness; and conftrains the garb, Quite from his nature: He cannot flatter, hel An honeft mind and plain-he muft fpeak trud, And they will take it fo; if not, he's plain. Thefe kind of knaves I know, which in th plainnefs
Harbour more craft, and more corrupter ends
Than twenty filly ducking obfervants,
That ftretch their duties nicely.
Defcription of Bedlam Beggars.
While I may fcape,
I will preferve my felf: and am bethought
To take the bafest and most pooreft shape,
|