The eternal devil to keep his state1 in Rome
As easily as a king.

BRUTUS. That you do love me, I am nothing jealous;2
What you would work me to, I have some aim3
How I have thought of this and of these times,
I shall recount hereafter; for this present,
I would not, so with love I might entreat you,
Be any further moved. What you have said
I will consider; what you have to say
I will with patience hear, and find a time
Both meet to hear and answer such high things.
Till then, my noble friend, chew upon this:4
Brutus had rather be a villager

Than to repute himself a son of Rome
Under these hard conditions as this time

Is like to lay upon us.

Here their conversation is interrupted by the reappearance of Cæsar and his train, for the games are ended. As they pass, Brutus notices that Cæsar looks sad; that

"The angry spot doth glow on Cæsar's brow;

and he plucks by the sleeve Casca (one of the disaffected nobles who side with Cassius), and asks him why Cæsar's looks are so sad. Casca tells him that Mark Antony (who was consul at the time, and was a warm and faithful friend of Cæsar's) had offered Cæsar a crown three times, "which he had thrice refused," though with evident re

1 keep his state, maintain a position of dignity.

2 I am nothing jealous, I am

nowise doubtful.

3 aim, guess, conjecture.

4 chew upon this. We now use

the Latin equivalent ruminate for the metaphorical sense of "chew."

luctance; and that, every time he refused it, the people shouted in approval. Cæsar was sad because he saw that they did not wish him to be king.

Cassius, pondering these things, goes home, resolved to fan into a flame the little spark of envy he has discovered in the breast of Brutus. He cunningly arranges to throw in at Brutus's window certain papers as if from different persons, all calling on him to become the champion of the people against ambitious Cæsar.

A month passes, during which Cassius and the other conspirators complete their plans, and succeed in adding Brutus to their band. "The Ides [fifteenth day] of March are come," the very day of which, in his triumph, a soothsayer in the crowd had told Cæsar to beware.

Calphurnia, Cæsar's wife, tries to dissuade him from going to the Senate House on this day. She has had bad dreams, and strange sights have been seen and strange sounds have been heard in the air during the night,—all evil omens to this Roman matron. At first Cæsar consents to remain at home; but one of the conspirators, coming in, ridicules the idea of the business of the state being stopped by a woman's dreams; so Cæsar says, "Give me my robe, for I will go," and then proceeds to the Capitol. All the senators being seated, business begins. One after another of the conspirators kneels before Cæsar, and offers a petition or asks a favor. When they are all thus gathered around him, Casca stabs him in the neck. Then the others pierce him with their daggers; and last of all, the "well-beloved Brutus " raises his hand and stabs him. Stung by the treason of such a friend, Cæsar turns a reproachful glance on Brutus, and falls, exclaiming with his last breath,

"Et tu Bruté!" (Even thou, O Brutus !)

PART II.

Great confusion follows the death of Cæsar. The voice of one of the conspirators is heard shouting,

"Liberty! freedom!-tyranny is dead!"

The senators flee to their homes.. Men, women, and chil dren run about the streets in wild fear and amazement. Brutus and Cassius now set themselves to allay the excitement, and to satisfy the people that there were reasons of state for putting Cæsar to death. With this view they go to the Forum to address the citizens.

Meantime Mark Antony, as the chief friend and ally of Cæsar, requests permission of the conspirators to produce Caesar's body in the market-place, and "to speak in the order of his funeral."

Cassius objects to granting Antony this privilege, lest his words should " move the people; but Brutus overcomes this by proposing that he should himself speak first, and "show the reason of our Cæsar's death." The scene opens with the Roman populace clamoring to know this

reason.

CITIZENS. We will be satisfied; let us be satisfied. BRUTUS. Then follow me, and give me audience,1

friends.

Cassius,2 go you into the other street,

And part the numbers.3.

Those that will hear me speak, let 'em stay here;
Those that will follow Cassius, go with him;

1 audience. See Glossary. 2 Cassius. Parse.

8 part the numbers, divide the assemblage.

And public reasons shall be rendered

Of Cæsar's death.

FIRST CITIZEN. I will hear Brutus speak.

SECOND CITIZEN. I will hear Cassius; and compare

their reasons,

When severally we hear them renderéd.

[CASSIUS withdraws with some of the citizens. BRUTUS goes into
the rostrum.]

THIRD CITIZEN. The noble Brutus is ascended: silence!
BRUTUS. Be patient till the last.

Romans,1 countrymen, and lovers! hear me for my cause, and be silent, that you may hear; believe me for mine honor, and have respect to mine honor, that you may believe; censure me2 in your wisdom, and awake your senses, that you may the better judge. If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Cæsar's, to him I say that Brutus' love to Cæsar was no less than his. If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Cæsar, this is my answer: Not that I loved Cæsar less, but that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Cæsar were living, and die all slaves, than that Cæsar were dead, to live all free men? As Cæsar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honor him but as he was ambitious, I slew him. There is tears joy for his fortune; honor for his valor;

for his love; and death for

1 Romans, etc. What kind of| 4 There is, followed by a plural

sentence grammatically?

2 censure me, judge me.

3 ambitious. See Glossary.

or by several subjects, is common in Shakespeare and the writers of his age.

his ambition. Who is here so base that would be a bondman? If any, speak; for him have I offended. Who is here so rude2 that would not be a Roman? If any, speak; for him have I offended. Who is here so vile that will not love his country? If any, speak ; for him have I offended. I pause for a reply.

ALL. None, Brutus, none.

BRUTUS. Then none have I offended. I have done no more to Cæsar than you shall do to Brutus. The question of his death is enrolled in the Capitol; his glory not extenuated wherein he was worthy, nor his offenses enforced 5 for which he suffered death.

Enter ANTONY and others with CESAR's body.

Here comes his body, mourned by Mark Antony: who, though he had no hand in his death, shall receive the benefit of his dying, a place in the commonwealth; as which of you shall not? With this I depart, — that, as I slew my best lover for the good of Rome, I have the same dagger for myself when it shall please my country to need my death.

ALL. Live, Brutus! live, live!

FIRST CITIZEN. Bring him with triumph home unto his house.

SECOND CITIZEN. Give him a statue with his ancestors.

1 him have I. Which order of 4 extenuated. Give a synonym. words? (See Defs. 13, 14.) 5 enforced, exaggerated. "Extenuated" and "enforced" are an

2 rude, barbarous.

3 enrolled, formally recorded, registered, in the Capitol, where the chronicles (fasti) of the consulships were preserved.

tithetical terms.

6 my best lover. Explain. 7 when it shall please, etc. What kind of clause?