DARDANIUS, servants to Brutus. PINDARUS, servant to Cassius. CALPHURNIA, wife to Cæsar. a sophist of PORTIA, wife to Brutus. Senators, Citizens, Guards, Attendants, &c. during a great part of the play at Rome; afterwards near Sardis, and near Philippi. ACT I. SCENE I. Rome. A street. Enter FLAVIUS, MARULLUS, and a rabble of Citizens. Flav. Hence! home, you idle creatures, get you home: Is this a holiday? what! know you not, Being mechanical, you ought not walk Of your profession? Speak, what trade art thou? Mar. Where is thy leather apron and thy rule? You, sir, what trade are you? Sec. Cit. Truly, sir, in respect of a fine workman, I am but, as you would say, a cobbler. Mar. But what trade art thou? answer me directly. Sec. Cit. A trade, sir, that I hope I may use with a safe conscience; which is, indeed, sir, a mender of bad soles. Mar. What trade, thou knave? thou naughty knave, what trade? Sec. Cit. Nay, I beseech you, sir, be not out with me: yet, if you be out, sir, I can mend you. Mar. What meanest thou by that? mend me, thou saucy fellow! Sec. Cit. Why, sir, cobble you. Flav. Thou art a cobbler, art thou? Sec. Cit. Truly, sir, all that I live by is with the awl: I meddle with no tradesman's matters, nor women's matters, but with awl. I am, indeed, sir, a surgeon to old shoes; when they are in great danger, I re-cover them. As proper men as ever trod upon neats-leather have gone upon my handiwork. Flav. But wherefore art not in thy shop to-day? Why dost thou lead these men about the streets? Sec. Cit. Truly, sir, to wear out their shoes, to get myself into more work. But, indeed, sir, we make holiday, to see Cæsar, and to rejoice in his triumph. Mar. 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! hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome, you Knew you not Pompey? Many a time and oft To towers and windows, yea, to chimney-tops, And do you now put on your best attire? Run to your houses, fall upon your knees, That needs must light on this ingratitude. Flav. Go, go, good countrymen, and, for this fault, Assemble all the poor men of your sort; [Exeunt Citizens. Draw them to Tiber banks, and weep your tears You know it is the feast of Lupercal. Flav. It is no matter; let no images These growing feathers pluck'd from Cæsar's wing Who else would soar above the view of men, And keep us all in servile fearfulness. [Exeunt. SCENE II. The same. A public place. Enter, in procession, with music, CESAR; ANTONY, for the course; CALPHURNIA, PORTIA, DECIUS, CICERO, BRUTUS, CASand Casca; a great crowd following, among them a SIUS, Cas. Calphurnia, Casca. Cæs. Cal. Here, my lord. Soothsayer. Peace, ho! Cæsar speaks. Cas. Stand you directly in Antonius' way, [Music ceases. Calphurnia, Cas. Forget not, in your speed, Antonius, I shall remember: Ant. Cæs. Ha! who calls? Casca. Bid every noise be still: [Music. peace yet again! Cas. Who is it in the press that calls on me? What man is that? I hear a tongue, shriller than all the music, Cæs. He is a dreamer; let us leave him: - pass. [Sennet, Exeunt all except Brutus and Cassius. |