Home > Julius Caesar Text > Act II, Scene I - Page 3

BRUTUS:

Kneel not, gentle Portia.(290)

BRUTUS:

Don’t kneel, gentle Portia.

PORTIA:

I should not need, if you were gentle Brutus.
Within the bond of marriage, tell me, Brutus,
Is it excepted I should know no secrets
That appertain to you? Am I yourself
But, as it were, in sort or limitation,(295)
To keep with you at meals, comfort your bed,
And talk to you sometimes? Dwell I but in the suburbs
Of your good pleasure? If it be no more,
Portia is Brutus' harlot, not his wife.

PORTIA:

I shouldn’t need to, if you were acting like gentle Brutus.
Inside the bond of marriage, tell me, Brutus,
Is my knowing secrets that appertain to you
An exception to our vows? Am I part of you
But, as it were, in sort or limitation,—
To keep you company at meals, sleep in your bed,
And talk to you sometimes? Do I only live outside
Of your good pleasure? If it’s no more than this,
Then Portia is Brutus' whore, not his wife.

BRUTUS:

You are my true and honorable wife,(300)
As dear to me as are the ruddy drops
That visit my sad heart.

BRUTUS:

You’re my true and honorable wife,
As dear to me as are the red tears
That visit my sad heart.

PORTIA:

If this were true, then should I know this secret.
I grant I am a woman, but withal
A woman that Lord Brutus took to wife.(305)
I grant I am a woman, but withal
A woman well reputed, Cato's daughter.
Think you I am no stronger than my sex,
Being so father'd and so husbanded?
Tell me your counsels, I will not disclose em.(310)
I have made strong proof of my constancy,
Giving myself a voluntary wound
Here in the thigh. Can I bear that with patience
And not my husband's secrets?

PORTIA:

If this is true, then I should know this secret.
I’ll grant you that I’m a woman, but I am, besides,
A woman that Lord Brutus married.
I’ll grant you that I’m a woman, but I am, besides,
A woman of good reputation, Cato's daughter.
Do you think that I’m no stronger than my sex,
Being so fathered and so married?
Tell me your secrets, I won’t reveal them.
I have given you strong proof of my constancy,
Giving myself a voluntary wound
Here in the thigh. can I suffer that with patience
But not my husband's secrets?

BRUTUS:

O ye gods,(315)
Render me worthy of this noble wife!

Knock [within.]

Hark, hark, one knocks. Portia, go in awhile,
And by and by thy bosom shall partake
The secrets of my heart.
All my engagements I will construe to thee,(320)
All the charactery of my sad brows.
Leave me with haste.

Exit Portia.

[Re-]enter Lucius and Ligarius.]

Lucius, who's that knocks?

BRUTUS:

O you gods,
Make me worthy of this noble wife!

Listen, listen, someone is knocking. Portia, go in awhile,
And by and by, your heart shall hear
The secrets of my heart.
I’ll tell you all about my meetings,
All the reasons for my sad brows.
Leave me quickly.

—Lucius, who's knocking?

LUCIUS:

Here is a sick man that would speak with you.

LUCIUS:

Here is a sick man that would speak with you.

BRUTUS:

Caius Ligarius, that Metellus spake of.
Boy, stand aside. Caius Ligarius, how?(325)

BRUTUS:

Caius Ligarius, the one Metellus spoke of.—
Boy, stand aside.—Caius Ligarius,—how are you?

LIGARIUS:

Vouchsafe good morrow from a feeble tongue.

LIGARIUS:

Allow a good morning from a feeble tongue.

BRUTUS:

O, what a time have you chose out, brave Caius,
To wear a kerchief! Would you were not sick!

BRUTUS:

O, what a time have you chosen to wear a kerchief
Out, brave Caius, I wish you weren’t sick!

LIGARIUS:

I am not sick, if Brutus have in hand
Any exploit worthy the name of honor.(330)

LIGARIUS:

I’m not sick, if Brutus have any exploit
Worthy of the name of honor in hand.

BRUTUS:

Such an exploit have I in hand, Ligarius,
Had you a healthful ear to hear of it.

BRUTUS:

I have such an exploit in hand, Ligarius,
That you would hear if you weren’t sick.

LIGARIUS:

By all the gods that Romans bow before,
I here discard my sickness! Soul of Rome!
Brave son, derived from honorable loins!(335)
Thou, like an exorcist, hast conjured up
My mortified spirit. Now bid me run,
And I will strive with things impossible,
Yea, get the better of them. What's to do?

LIGARIUS:

By all the gods that Romans bow before,
I here discard my sickness. Soul of Rome!
Brave son, fathered from honorable loins!
You, like an exorcist, have brought my dead
Spirit back to life. Tell me to run now,
And I’ll do impossible things,
Yes, and get the better of them. What needs to be done?

BRUTUS:

A piece of work that will make sick men whole.(340)

BRUTUS:

A piece of work that will make sick men well again.

LIGARIUS:

But are not some whole that we must make sick?

LIGARIUS:

But aren’t some well that we must make sick?

BRUTUS:

That must we also. What it is, my Caius,
I shall unfold to thee, as we are going
To whom it must be done.

BRUTUS:

That we must do that also. What it is, my Caius, I’ll tell you, as we are walking,
As to whom it must be done.

LIGARIUS:

Set on your foot,(345)
And with a heart new-fired I follow you,
To do I know not what; but it sufficeth
That Brutus leads me on.

LIGARIUS:

Start walking, And I’ll follow you with a new, fired up heart,
To do I don’t know what, but it’s enough
That Brutus leads me on.

BRUTUS:

Follow me then.

BRUTUS:

Follow me then.

Thunder. Exeunt.