Speaker 1: THE TRAGEDY OF JULIUS CAESAR WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE ACT I SCENE I. A STREET IN ROME

Speaker 2: Hence, home, you idle creatures, get you home. Is this a holiday? What, know you not, being mechanical, you ought not walk upon a laboring day without the sign of your profession? Speak, what trade art thou? Why, sir, a carpenter.

Speaker 3: Where is thy leather apron and thy rule? What dost thou with thy best apparel on?

Speaker 4: You, sir, what trade are you? Truly, sir, in respect of a fine workman I am but, as you would say, a cobbler.

Speaker 3: But what trade art thou? Answer me directly.

Speaker 4: A trade, sir, that I hope I may use with a safe conscience, which is indeed, sir, a mender of bad souls.

Speaker 3: What trade thou knave, thou naughty knave, what trade?

Speaker 4: Nay, I beseech you, sir, be not out with me. Yet, if you be out, sir, I can mend you.

Speaker 3: What means thou by that? Mend me, thou saucy fellow? Why, sir, cobble you.

Speaker 4: Thou art a cobbler, art thou? Truly, sir, all that I live by is with the all. I meddle with no tradesman's matters, nor women's matters, but with all. I am indeed, sir, a surgeon to old shoes. When they are in great danger, I recover them. As proper men as ever trod upon neat leather have gone upon my handiwork. But wherefore art not in thy shop to-day? Why dost thou lead these men about the streets? Truly, sir, to wear out their shoes, to get myself into more work. But, indeed, sir, we make holiday to see Caesar and to rejoice in his triumph.

Speaker 3: Wherefore rejoice? What conquest brings he home? What tributaries follow him to Rome to grace in captive bonds his chariot wheels? You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things. Oh, you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome. Knew you not, Pompey? Many a time and oft have you climbed up to walls and battlements, to towers and windows, yea, to chimney-tops, your infants in your arms, and there have sat the live-long day with patient expectation to see great Pompey pass the streets of Rome. And when you saw his chariot but appear, have you not made a universal shout that Tiber trembled underneath her banks to hear the replication of your sounds made in her concave shores? And do you now put on your best attire? And do you now call out a holiday? And do you now strew flowers in his way that comes in triumph over Pompey's blood? Be gone. Run to your houses, fall upon your knees, pray to the gods to intermit the plague that needs must light on this ingratitude.

Speaker 2: Go, go, good countrymen, and for this fault assemble all the poor men of your sort. Draw them to Tiber banks and weep your tears into the channel till the lowest stream do kiss the most exalted shores of all. See where their basest metal be not moved, they vanish tongue-tied in their guiltiness. Go you down that way towards the capital. This way will I disrobe the images if you do find them decked with ceremonies. May we do so? You know it is the feast of Lupercal. It is no matter. Let no images be hung with Caesar's trophies aisle about and drive away the vulgar from the streets. So do you too where you perceive them thick. These growing feathers plucked from Caesar's wing will make him fly an ordinary pitch, who else would soar above the view of men and keep us all in servile fearfulness.

Speaker 5: Calpurnia. Peace, ho, Caesar speaks. Calpurnia. Here, my lord.

Speaker 6: Stand you directly in Antonius' way when he doth run his course. Antonius. Caesar, my lord. Forget not in your speed, Antonius, to touch Calpurnia, for our elders say the baron touched in this holy chase. Shake off their sterile curse. I shall remember. When Caesar says do this, it is performed.

Speaker 7: Set on and leave no ceremony out.

Speaker 6: Caesar. Ah, who calls? Bid every noise be still. Peace yet again. Who is it in the press that calls on me? I hear a tongue shriller than all the music cries Caesar. Speak. Caesar is turned to hear. Beware the Ides of Mars. What man is that?

Speaker 7: A soothsayer. Bid you beware the Ides of Mars. Well, set him before me. Let me see his face.

Speaker 6: Fellow, come from the throng. Look upon Caesar. What sayest thou to me now? Speak once again. Beware the Ides of March. He is a dreamer. Let us leave him. Pass.

Speaker 7: Will you go see the order of the course? Not I. I pray you do. I am not gamesome. I do lack some part of that quick spirit that is in Antony. Let me not hinder, Cassius, your desires. I'll leave you. Brutus, I do observe you now of late.

Speaker 8: I have not from your eyes that gentleness and show of love as I was wont to have. You bear too stubborn and too strange a hand over your friend that loves you. Cassius, be not deceived. If I have veiled my look,

Speaker 7: I turn the trouble of my countenance merely upon myself. Vexed I am of late with passions of some difference, conceptions only proper to myself, which give some soil, perhaps, to my behaviors. But let not, therefore, my good friends be grieved among which number, Cassius, be you one, nor construe any further my neglect than that poor Brutus, with himself at war, forgets the shows of love to other men. And, Brutus, I have much mistook your passion

Speaker 8: by means whereof this breast of mine have buried thoughts of great value, worthy cogitations. Tell me, good Brutus, can you see your face? No, Cassius, for the eye sees not itself,

Speaker 7: but by reflection by some other things. Tis just. And it is very much lamented, Brutus,

Speaker 8: that you have no such mirrors as will turn your hidden worthiness into your eye that you might see your shadow. I have heard, where many of the best respect in Rome, except immortal Caesar, speaking of Brutus, and groaning underneath this age's yoke, have wished that noble Brutus had his eyes.

Speaker 7: Into what dangers would you lead me, Cassius, that you would have me seek into myself for that which is not in me?

Speaker 8: Therefore, good Brutus, be prepared to hear. And since you know you cannot see yourself so well as by reflection, I, your glass, will modestly discover to yourself that of yourself which yet you know not of. And be not jealous on me, gentle Brutus. Were I a common laugher, or did use to stale with ordinary oaths my love to every new protester, if you know that I do fawn on men and hug them hard and after scandal them, or if you know that I profess myself in banqueting to all the rout, then hold me dangerous.

Speaker 7: What means this shouting? I do fear the people choose Caesar for their king.

Speaker 8: Ay, do you fear it? Then must I think you would not have it so.

Speaker 7: I would not, Cassius, yet I love him well. But wherefore do you hold me here so long? What is it that you would impart to me? If it be aught toward the general good, set honour in one eye and death in the other, and I will look on both indifferently. For let the gods so speed me as I love the name of honour more than I fear death.

Speaker 8: I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus, as well as I do know your outward favour. Well, honour is the subject of my story. I cannot tell what you and other men think of this life, but for my single self I had as leaf not be, as live to be in awe of such a thing as I myself. I was born free as Caesar, so were you. We both have fed as well, and we can both endure the winter's cold as well as he. For once, upon a raw and gusty day, the troubled Tiber chafing with her shores, Caesar said to me, Darest thou, Cassius, now leap in with me into this angry flood and swim to yonder point? Upon the word. Accuted as I was, I plunged in and bade him follow. So indeed he did. The torrent roared, and we did buffet it with lusty sinews, throwing it aside and stemming it with hearts of controversy. But ere we could arrive the point proposed, Caesar cried, Help me, Cassius, or I sink. I, as Aeneas, our great ancestor, did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder the old Anchises bear, so from the waves of Tiber did I the tired Caesar. And this man is now become a god, and Cassius is a wretched creature and must bend his body of Caesar carelessly, but not 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. It is true, this god did shake. His coward lips did from their color fly, and that same eye whose bend doth awe the world did lose his luster. I did hear him groan. I, and that tongue of his that bade the Romans mark him and write his speeches in their books, alas, it cried, Give me some drink, Titinius, as a sick girl. Ye gods, it doth amaze me a man of such a feeble temper should so get the start of a majestic world and bear the palm alone.

Speaker 7: Another general shout. I do believe that these applauses are for some new honors that are heaped on Caesar.

Speaker 8: Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world like a colossus, and we petty men walk under his huge legs and peep about to find ourselves dishonorable graves. Men at some time are masters of their fates. The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves that we are underlings. Brutus and Caesar. What should be in that Caesar? Why should that name be sounded more than yours? Write them together. Yours is his fairer name. Sound them. It doth become the mouth as well. Weigh them. It is as heavy. Conjure with them. Brutus will start a spirit as soon as Caesar. Now in the names of all the gods at once, upon what meat doth this our Caesar feed that he is grown so great? In what age thou art shamed? Rome, thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods. When went thereby an age since the great flood, but it was famed with more than with one man? When could they say till now that talked of Rome that her wide walls encompassed but one man? Now is it Rome indeed and room enough when there is in it but one only man. Oh, you and I have heard our fathers say there was a Brutus once that would have brooked the eternal devil to keep his state in Rome as easily as a king.

Speaker 7: That you do love me I am nothing jealous. What you would work me to I have some aim. 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. 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.

Speaker 8: I am glad that my weak words have struck but thus much show of fire from Brutus.

Speaker 7: The games are done and Caesar is returning.

Speaker 8: As they pass by pluck Casca by the sleeve and he will, after his sour fashion, tell you what hath preceded worthy note today.

Speaker 7: I will do so, but look you Cassius. The angry spot doth glow on Caesar's brow and all the rest look like a chidden train. Calpurnia's cheek is pale and Cicero looks with such ferret and such fiery eyes as we have seen him in the capital being crossed in conference by some senators.

Speaker 6: Casca will tell us what the matter is. Antonius. Caesar. Let me have men about me that are fat. Sleek-headed men and such a sleep of nights. Yon Cassius has a lean and hungry look. He thinks too much. Such men are dangerous. Fear him not, Caesar. He's not dangerous. He is a noble Roman and well given. Would he were fatter, but I fear him not. Yet if my name were liable to fear, I do not know the man I should avoid so soon as that spare Cassius. He reads much. He is a great observer and he looks quite through the deeds of men. He loves no plays as thou dost, Antony. He hears no music. Seldom he smiles and smiles in such a sort as if he mocked himself and scorned his spirit that could be moved to smile at anything. Such men as he be never at heart's ease whilst they behold a greater than themselves and therefore are they very dangerous. I rather tell thee what is to be feared than what I fear for always I am Caesar. Come on my right hand, for this ear is deaf and tell me truly what thou think'st of him.

Speaker 7: You pulled me by the cloak. Would you speak with me? Ay, Casca. Tell us what hath chanced today that Caesar looks so sad. Why, you were with him, were you not?

Speaker 5: I should not then ask Casca what had chanced. Why, there was a crown offered him and being offered him he put it by with the back of his hand thus and then the people fell a-shouting.

Speaker 7: What was the second noise for?

Speaker 5: Why, for that too.

Speaker 8: They shouted thrice. What was the last cry for?

Speaker 5: Why, for that too. Was the crown offered him thrice? Ay, merry, was't, and he put it by thrice every time gentler than other and at every putting by my honest neighbor shouted. Who offered him the crown? Why, Antony. Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casca. I can as well be hanged as tell the manner of it. It was mere foolery. I did not mark it. I saw Mark Antony offer him a crown yet it was not a crown neither. It was one of these coronets and as I told you he put it by once but for all that to my thinking how could fain have had it? Then he offered it to him again. Then he put it by again but to my thinking he was very loath to lay his fingers off it. And then he offered it the third time. He put it the third time by and still as he refused it the rebelmen hooted and clapped their chapped hands and threw up their sweaty nightcaps and uttered such a deal of stinking breath because Caesar refused the crown that it had almost choked Caesar for he swooned it and fell down at it. And for mine own part I durst not laugh for fear of opening my lips and receiving the bad air.

Speaker 8: But soft I pray you what did Caesar swoon?

Speaker 5: He fell down in the marketplace and foamed at mouth and was speechless. Tis very like. He hath the falling sickness.

Speaker 8: No Caesar hath not it but you and I and honest Casca we have the falling sickness.

Speaker 5: I know not what you mean by that but I am sure Caesar fell down. The Tagrag people did not clap him and hiss him according as he pleased and displeased them as they used to do the players in the theater. I am no true man.

Speaker 7: What said he when he came unto himself?

Speaker 5: Mary, before he fell down when he perceived the common herd was glad he refused the crown he plucked me up his doublet and offered them his throat to cut. And I had been a man of any occupation. If I would not have taken him at a word I would I might go to hell among the rogues. And so he fell. When he came to himself again he said if he had done or said anything amiss he desired their worships to think it was his infirmity. Three or four wenches where I stood cried Alas good soul and forgave him with all their hearts. But there is no heed to be taken of them. If Caesar had stabbed their mothers they would have done no less. And after that he came thus sad away? Ay. Did Cicero say anything? Ay. He spoke Greek. To what effect? Nay, and I tell you that I'll ne'er look you in the face again. But those that understood him smiled at one another and shook their heads but for mine own part it was Greek to me. I could tell you more news too. Marullus and Flavius for pulling scarfs off Caesar's images are put to silence. Fare you well. There was more foolery yet if I could remember it.

Speaker 8: Will you sup with me tonight Casca? No. I am promised forth. Will you dine with me tomorrow? Ay.

Speaker 5: If I be alive and your mind hold and your dinner worth eating.

Speaker 8: Good. I will expect you. Do so.

Speaker 5: Farewell both.

Speaker 7: What a blunt fellow is this grown to be. He was quick metal when he went to school.

Speaker 8: So is he now an execution of any bold or noble enterprise however he puts on this tardy form. This rudeness is a sauce to his good wit which gives men stomach to digest his words with better appetite.

Speaker 7: And so it is. For this time I will leave you. Tomorrow if you please to speak with me I will come home to you. Or if you will come home to me and I will wait for you.

Speaker 8: I will do so. Till then think of the world. Well Brutus thou art noble yet I see thy honorable metal may be wrought from that it is disposed. Therefore it is meat that noble minds keep ever with their likes. For who so firm that cannot be seduced. Caesar doth bear me hard but he loves Brutus. If I were Brutus now and he were Cassius he should not humor me. I will this night in several hands in at his windows throw as if they came from several citizens writing all tending to the great opinion that Rome holds of his name wherein obscurely Caesar's ambition shall be glanced at. And after this let Caesar seat him sure. For we will shake him or worse days endure.

Speaker 1: Scene Three A Street in Rome

Speaker 7: Good evening Casca. Brought you Caesar home? Why are you breathless?

Speaker 5: And why stare you so? Are not you moved when all the sway of earth shakes like a thing unfirm? Oh Cicero I have seen tempests when the scolding winds have writhed the knotty oaks. And I have seen the ambitious ocean swell and rage and foam to be exalted with the threatening clouds. But never till tonight till now did I go through a tempest dropping fire. Either there is a civil strife in heaven or else the world too saucy with the gods incenses them to send destruction. Why saw you anything more wonderful? A common slave you know him well by sight held up his left hand which did flame and burn like twenty torches joined. And yet his hand not sensible of fire remained unscorched. Besides I had not since put up my sword. Against the capital I met a lion who glared upon me and went surly by without annoying me. And there were drawn upon a heap a hundred ghastly women transformed with their fear who swore they saw men all in fire walk up and down the streets. And yesterday the bird of night did sit even at noonday upon the marketplace hooting and shrieking. When these prodigies do so conjointly meet let not men say these are their reasons they are natural for I believe they are portentous things unto the climate that they point upon. Indeed

Speaker 7: it is a strange disposed time. But men may construe things after their fashion clean from the purpose of the things themselves. Come Caesar to the capital tomorrow.

Speaker 5: He doth for he did bid Antonius send word to you he would be there tomorrow. Good night then Casca.

Speaker 7: This disturbed sky is not to walk in.

Speaker 5: Farewell Cicero.

Speaker 8: Who's there? A Roman. Casca by your voice. Your ear is good. Cassius what night is this? A very pleasing night to honest men. Whoever knew the heavens menace so? Those that have known the earth so full of faults. For my part I have walked about the streets submitting me unto the perilous night and thus unbraced Casca as you see have bared my bosom to the thunder stone. And when the cross blue lightning seemed to open the breast of heaven I did present myself even in the aim and very flash of it.

Speaker 5: But wherefore did you so much tempt the heavens? It is the part of men to fear and tremble when the most mighty gods by token send such dreadful heralds to astonish us.

Speaker 8: You are dull Casca and those sparks of life that should be in a Roman you do want or else you use not. You look pale and gaze and put on fear and cast yourself in wonder to see the strange impatience of the heavens. But if you would consider the true cause why all these fires? Who all these gliding ghosts? Why birds and beasts from quality and kind? Why old men fool and children calculate? Why all these things change from their ordinance their natures and preformant faculties to monstrous quality? Why you shall find that heaven have infused them with these spirits to make them instruments of fear and warning unto some monstrous state. Now could I Casca name to thee a man most like this dreadful night that thunders, lightens, opens graves and roars as doth the lion in the capital? A man no mightier than thyself or me in personal action yet prodigious grown and fearful as these strange eruptions are. Tis Caesar that you mean, is it not Cassius? Let it be who it is. For Romans now have thews and limbs like to their ancestors but woe the while our father's minds are dead and we are governed with our mother's spirits. Our yoke and sufferance show us womanish. Indeed, they say the senators tomorrow

Speaker 5: mean to establish Caesar as king and he shall wear his crown by sea and land in every place save here in Italy.

Speaker 8: I know where I will wear this dagger then. Cassius from bondage will deliver Cassius. Therein ye gods you make the weak most strong. Therein ye gods you tyrants do defeat. Nor stony tower, nor walls of beaten brass nor airless dungeon, nor strong links of iron can be retentive to the strength of spirit. But life, being weary of these worldly bars never lacks power to dismiss itself. If I know this, know all the world besides that part of tyranny that I do bear I can shake off at pleasure.

Speaker 5: So can I. So every bondman in his own hand

Speaker 8: bears the power to cancel his captivity. And why should Caesar be a tyrant then? Poor man, I know he would not be a wolf but that he sees the Romans are but sheep. He were no lion were not Romans hinds. Those that with haste will make a mighty fire begin it with weak straws. What trash is Rome. What rubbish and what awful when it serves for the base matter to illuminate so vile a thing as Caesar. But oh grief, where hast thou led me? I perhaps speak this before a willing bondman. Then I know my answer must be made. But I am armed and dangers are to me indifferent.

Speaker 5: You speak to Casca. And to such a man that is no fleering tell-tale. Hold my hand. Be factious for redress of all these griefs and I will set this foot of mine as far as who goes farthest.

Speaker 8: There is a bargain made. Now know you Casca, I have moved already some certain of the noblest minded Romans to undergo with me an enterprise of honorable dangerous consequence. And I do know by this they stay for me in Pompey's porch. For now this fearful night there is no stir or walking in the streets. And the complexion of the element in favors like the work we have in hand. Most bloody, fiery and most terrible. Stand close a while for here comes one in haste. Tis Cinna, I do know him by his gate. He is a friend. Cinna, where haste you so?

Speaker 9: To find out you. Who's that, Metellus Cimber?

Speaker 8: No, it is Casca, one incorporate to our attempts. Am I not stayed for Cinna?

Speaker 9: I am glad on't. What a fearful night is this. There's two or three of us have seen strange sights.

Speaker 8: Am I not stayed for, tell me.

Speaker 9: Yes you are. O Cassius, if you could but win the noble Brutus to our party.

Speaker 8: Be you content. Good Cinna, take this paper and look you lay it in the praetor's chair where Brutus may but find it. And throw this in at his window. Set this up with wax upon old Brutus' statue. All this done repair to Pompey's porch where you shall find us. Is Decius Brutus and Trebonius there?

Speaker 9: All but Metellus Cimber. And he's gone to seek you at your house. Well, I will high and so bestow these papers as you bad me.

Speaker 8: That done, repair to Pompey's theater. Come, Casca. You and I will yet ere day see Brutus at his house. Three parts of him is ours already and the man entire upon the next encounter yields him ours. Oh, he sits high in all the people's hearts.

Speaker 5: And that which would appear offense in us, his countenance, like richest alchemy, will change to virtue and to worthiness. Him and his worth and our great need of him

Speaker 8: you have right well conceded. Let us go, for it is after midnight and ere day we will awake him and be sure of him.