Home > Julius Caesar Text > Act I, Scene II - Page 2

Shout. Flourish.

BRUTUS:

Another general shout!
I do believe that these applauses are
For some new honors that are heap'd on Caesar.(140)

BRUTUS:

Another general shout!
I believe that this applause is
For some new honors that are to be heaped on Caesar.

CASSIUS:

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:(145)
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 as fair a name;(150)
Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well;
Weigh them, it is as heavy; conjure with 'em,
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(155)
That he is grown so great? Age, thou art shamed!
Rome, thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods!
When went there by an age since the great flood
But it was famed with more than with one man?
When could they say till now that talk'd of Rome(160)
That her wide walls encompass'd but one man?
Now is it Rome indeed, and room enough,
When there is in it but one only man.
O, you and I have heard our fathers say
There was a Brutus once that would have brook'd(165)
The eternal devil to keep his state in Rome
As easily as a king.

CASSIUS:

Why, man, he stands on top of the narrow world
Like the Colossus of Rhodes, and we little men
Walk under his huge legs and peep about
To find ourselves disgraceful graves.
Sometimes, men are masters of their fates.
The mistake, dear Brutus, isn’t in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings.
"Brutus" and "Caesar.” What is in that name, "Caesar?"
Why should that name be sounded any more than yours?
Write them down together; your name is just as good;
Say them out loud; your name sounds just as good;
Think about their importance, yours is just as important;
Use them to contact ghosts, "Brutus" will bring a spirit
As soon as "Caesar." Now, in the names of all the gods at once,
What meat does this our Caesar eat
That he’s grown so great? Age, shame on you!
Rome, there are no more people of noble bloods in you!
Has there ever been any age since Noah and the flood
That was not famous because of more than one man?
When could they say, until now, those that talked about Rome,
That her wide walls were ruled by only one man?
Is Rome still Rome, and does it have room enough,
When there is in it only one man?
O, you and I have heard our fathers say
There was a Brutus once that would have fought
The eternal devil to keep his status in Rome,
As easily as he would fight a king!

BRUTUS:

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,(170)
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(175)
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(180)
Is like to lay upon us.

BRUTUS:

I’m not angry that you’re my friend;
As for what you’re persuading me to do, I have some plans.
I’ll tell you later what I’ve thought about this
And about these times,; for now,
Please don’t to try to persuade me any further.
I’ll think about what you’ve said;
I’ll patiently hear what you’ve to say, and find a time
When I can both meet with you to hear and answer such high things.
Until then, my noble friend, chew on this.
Brutus would rather be a villager
Than to say he is a son of RomeUnder the hard conditions that these times
Are likely to lay on us.

CASSIUS:

I am glad that my weak words
Have struck but thus much show of fire from Brutus.

CASSIUS:

I’m glad that my weak words
Have brought out this show of fire from Brutus.

Enter Caesar and his Train.

BRUTUS:

The games are done, and Caesar is returning.

BRUTUS:

The games are finished, and Caesar is returning.

CASSIUS:

As they pass by, pluck Casca by the sleeve,(185)
And he will, after his sour fashion, tell you
What hath proceeded worthy note today.

CASSIUS:

As they pass by, grab Casca by the sleeve;
And he’ll, in his sour way, tell you
What notable events have happened today.

BRUTUS:

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:(190)
Calpurnia's cheek is pale, and Cicero
Looks with such ferret and such fiery eyes
As we have seen him in the Capitol,
Being cross'd in conference by some senators.

BRUTUS:

I’ll do so.—But, look, Cassius,
Caesar is looking very angry,
And all the rest look as though they’ve been scolded.
Calpurnia's cheek is pale, and Cicero
Looks with the same beady and fiery eyes
That we have seen on him in the Capitol,
When some senators disagreed with him in a meeting.

CASSIUS:

Casca will tell us what the matter is.(195)

CASSIUS:

Casca will tell us what’s wrong.

CAESAR:

Antonio!

CAESAR:

Antonius,—

ANTONY:

Caesar?

ANTONY:

Caesar?

CAESAR:

Let me have men about me that are fat,
Sleek-headed men, and such as sleep o' nights:
Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look;(200)
He thinks too much; such men are dangerous.

CAESAR:

Make sure the men around me are fat;
Bald men, and men that sleep all night.
Cassius over there has a lean and hungry look;
He thinks too much. Such men are dangerous.

ANTONY:

Fear him not, Caesar; he's not dangerous;
He is a noble Roman and well given.

ANTONY:

Don’t be afraid of him, Caesar; he's not dangerous;
He’s a noble Roman and has a good disposition.

CAESAR:

Would he were fatter! But I fear him not,
Yet if my name were liable to fear,(205)
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;(210)
Seldom he smiles, and smiles in such a sort
As if he mock'd himself, and scorn'd his spirit
That could be moved to smile at any thing.
Such men as he be never at heart's ease
Whiles they behold a greater than themselves,(215)
And therefore are they very dangerous.
I rather tell thee what is to be fear'd
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.(220)

CAESAR:

I wish he were fatter! But I’m not afraid of him.
Yet, if I were afraid of him,
I don’t know of any other the man I should avoid
So much as that skinny Cassius. He reads a lot;
He’s a great observer, and actually he looks
Through the deeds of men. He doesn’t like any plays
As you do, Antony; he doesn’t like any music.
He seldom smiles, and smiles in such a way
As if he were laughing at himself and cursed his spirit
For being moved to smile at anything.
Such men as he is are never at ease in their hearts
When they see a man greater than themselves;
And for that reason they are very dangerous.
I would rather tell you what to be afraid of
More than what I am afraid of, for I’m always Caesar.
Come over here my right side, because I am deaf in this ear,
And tell me what you really think of him.

Sennet. Exeunt Caesar and his Train [but Casca.]

CASCA:

You pull'd me by the cloak; would you speak with me?

CASCA:

You pulled my sleeve; do you want to speak with me?

BRUTUS:

Ay, Casca, tell us what hath chanced today,
That Caesar looks so sad.

BRUTUS:

Yes, Casca, tell us what has happened today
That makes Caesar look so sad.

CASCA:

Why, you were with him, were you not?

CASCA:

Why, you were with him, weren’t you?

BRUTUS:

I should not then ask Casca what had chanced.(225)

BRUTUS:

If I was, then I shouldn’t ask Casca what had happened.

CASCA:

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.

CASCA:

Why, there was a crown offered to him, and when it was
Offered to him, he pushed it away with the back of his hand, like this,
And then the people started shouting.

BRUTUS:

What was the second noise for?

BRUTUS:

What was the second noise for?

CASCA:

Why, for that too.(230)

CASCA:

Why, for that too.

CASSIUS:

They shouted thrice. What was the last cry for?

CASSIUS:

They shouted three times. What was the last cry for?

CASCA:

Why, for that too.

CASCA:

Why, for that too.

BRUTUS:

Was the crown offered him thrice?

BRUTUS:

Was the crown offered to him three times?

CASCA:

Ay, marry, wast, and he put it by thrice, every time gentler
than other, and at every putting by mine honest neighbors(235)
shouted.

CASCA:

Yes, damn it, it was, and he pushed it aside three times,
Every time more gently than the last, and at each pushing aside,
My honest neighbors shouted.

CASSIUS:

Who offered him the crown?

CASSIUS:

Who offered him the crown?

CASCA:

Why, Antony.

CASCA:

Why, Antony.

BRUTUS:

Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casca.

BRUTUS:

Tell us how it happened, gentle Casca.

CASCA:

I can as well be hang'd as tell the manner of it. It was(240)
mere foolery; I did not mark it. I saw Mark Antony offer
him a crown, yet 'twas not a crown neither, 'twas one of
these coronets and, as I told you, he put it by once. But for
all that, to my thinking, he would fain have had it. Then he
offered it to him again; then he put it by again. But, to my(245)
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 rabblement hooted and clapped
their chopped hands and threw up their sweaty nightcaps
and uttered such a deal of stinking breath because Caesar(250)
refused the crown, that it had almost choked Caesar, for he
swounded 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.

CASCA:

I may as well be hanged as to tell how it happened. It was
merely a joke; I didn’t pay attention to it. I saw Mark Antony offer him a
crown;—yet it wasn’t a crown either, it was one of these
large hats;—and, as I told you, he pushed it aside once. but, for all
that, to my thinking, he seemed eager to have it. Then he
offered it to him again. Then he pushed it aside again. but, to my
thinking, he was very reluctant to remove his fingers off it. And then
he was offered it the third time; he pushed it aside the third time, and
still, as he refused it, the crowd shouted, and clapped
their rough hands, and threw their sweaty night hats into the air, and
uttered such a great deal of stinking breath because Caesar refused
the crown, that the smell almost choked Caesar, because he fainted and
fell down from it. And, for mine part, I didn’t dare laugh for
fear of opening my lips and inhaling the bad air.

CASSIUS:

But, soft, I pray you. What, did Caesar swound?(255)

CASSIUS:

But, wait! Please. What, did Caesar faint?