SCENE 2: A PUBLIC PLACE. — Shakespeare Retold

[Flourish. Enter CAESAR; ANTONY, for the course; CALPURNIA, PORTIA, DECIUS BRUTUS, CICERO, BRUTUS, CASSIUS, and CASCA; a great crowd following, among them a Soothsayer]

CAESAR

Calpurnia!

CASCA

Peace, ho! Caesar speaks.

Be quiet! Caesar speaks.

CAESAR

Calpurnia!

Calpurnia.

CALPURNIA

Here, my lord.

I’m here, my lord.

CAESAR

Stand you directly in Antonius' way,

Make sure you’re standing in Antonius’ way

When he doth run his course. Antonius!

When he’s running the race. Antonius.

ANTONY

Caesar, my lord?

Caesar, my lord.

CAESAR

Forget not, in your speed, Antonius,

Antonius, don’t forget when you are running

To touch Calpurnia; for our elders say,

To touch Calpurnia, for the wise men say

The barren, touched in this holy chase,

Infertile people, touched during this race,

Shake off their sterile curse.

Are no longer infertile.

ANTONY

I shall remember:

I'll remember.

When Caesar says 'do this', it is performed.

When Caesar says do something, it gets done.

CAESAR

Set on; and leave no ceremony out.

Get going, and perform all of the rituals.

[Flourish]

SOOTHSAYER

Caesar!

CAESAR

Ha! Who calls?

Wait! Who’s calling me?

CASCA

Bid every noise be still: peace yet again!

Stop all the noise. Be quiet everyone!

CAESAR

Who is it in the press that calls on me?

Which person in the crowd is calling me?

I hear a tongue, shriller than all the music,

I hear a voice more high-pitched than the music

Cry 'Caesar!' Speak; Caesar is turned to hear.

Cry, “Caesar!” Speak up; I am listening.

SOOTHSAYER

Beware the ides of March.

Beware of March 15th.

CAESAR

What man is that?

Which man said that?

BRUTUS

A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March.

A fortune teller warns of March 15th.

CAESAR

Set him before me; let me see his face.

Bring him before me; let me see his face.

CASSIUS

Fellow, come from the throng; look upon Caesar.

Come from the crowd, dear man; look upon Caesar.

CAESAR

What say'st thou to me now? Speak once again.

What do you say now? Tell me once again.

SOOTHSAYER

Beware the ides of March.

Beware of March 15th.

CAESAR

He is a dreamer; let us leave him: pass.

This man is mad. Let’s leave him. Carry on.

[Sennet. Exeunt all except BRUTUS and CASSIUS]

CASSIUS

Will you go see the order of the course?

Do you intend to watch the race unfold?

BRUTUS

Not I.

Not me.

CASSIUS

I pray you, do.

I think you should.

BRUTUS

I am not gamesome: I do lack some part

I am not sporty. I’ve no motivation

Of that quick spirit that is in Antony.

Like Antony’s competitive demeanour.

Let me not hinder, Cassius, your desires;

Don’t let me hold you back though, Cassius.

I'll leave you.

I’ll leave you.

CASSIUS

Brutus, I do observe you now of late:

I have been noticing you lately, Brutus:

I have not from your eyes that gentleness

Your eyes are not as gentle or as kind,

And show of love as I was wont to have:

Nor do they show the love I’m used to seeing.

You bear too stubborn and too strange a hand

You’re being mean to me, and that’s unusual

Over your friend that loves you.

To treat a friend who loves you.

BRUTUS

Cassius,

Be not deceived: if I have veiled my look,

Do not believe that. If I’m seeming distant,

I turn the trouble of my countenance

It’s just that I’m expressing my concern

Merely upon myself. Vexed I am

With my own self. I’m troubling myself

Of late with passions of some difference,

Of late with vastly contradicting passions,

Conceptions only proper to myself,

Ideas only I can understand,

Which give some soil perhaps to my behaviours;

Which maybe will explain my odd behaviour.

But let not therefore my good friends be grieved--

I hope, therefore, my good friends won’t be saddened—

Among which number, Cassius, be you one--

And I count you to be a good friend, Cassius—

Nor construe any further my neglect,

And think no more about my own neglect

Than that poor Brutus, with himself at war,

Than pitying poor Brutus in self-anger,

Forgets the shows of love to other men.

Who then forgets to show his love to others.

CASSIUS

Then, Brutus, I have much mistook your passion;

Then Brutus, I’ve been wrong about your passions,

By means whereof this breast of mine hath buried

Because of which I’ve kept all to myself

Thoughts of great value, worthy cogitations.

Some valuable ideas and explanations.

Tell me, good Brutus, can you see your face?

BRUTUS

No, Cassius; for the eye sees not itself,

I cannot, Cassius, for my eyes can’t see

But by reflection, by some other things.

Themselves, but just reflections, which are different.

CASSIUS

'Tis just:

That’s true.

And it is very much lamented, Brutus,

And that has saddened many people, Brutus,

That you have no such mirrors as will turn

That there aren’t any mirrors that reveal

Your hidden worthiness into your eye,

Your hidden inner merits to your eyes

That you might see your shadow. I have heard,

So you can see yourself. It has been said

Where many of the best respect in Rome,

By many of Rome’s most respected people,

Except immortal Caesar, speaking of Brutus

Except immortal Caesar, speaking of you

And groaning underneath this age's yoke,

And groaning at this government’s oppression,

Have wished that noble Brutus had his eyes.

Wished Brutus saw what noble people see.

BRUTUS

Into what dangers would you lead me, Cassius,

What trouble are you trying to get me in

That you would have me seek into myself

By having me seek something in myself

For that which is not in me?

That isn’t even in me?

CASSIUS

Therefore, good Brutus, be prepared to hear:

Well, then, good Brutus, you must listen up.

And since you know you cannot see yourself

So well as by reflection, I, your glass,

Reflected, then just let me be your mirror

Will modestly discover to yourself

And I’ll reveal to you your true persona

That of yourself which you yet know not of.

Of who you really are but cannot see.

And be not jealous on me, gentle Brutus:

Don’t be suspicious of me, gentle Brutus.

Were I a common laugher, or did use

If I were just a fool, or overused

To stale with ordinary oaths my love

My proclamations of eternal love

To every new protester; if you know

To everyone I met; or if you’ve seen me

That I do fawn on men and hug them hard

Speak tenderly to men and hug them dearly

And after scandal them, or if you know

Then slag them off when gone; or if you know

That I profess myself in banqueting

That when I’m drunk I blurt out that I love

To all the rout, then hold me dangerous.

All of the riffraff; then you’d call me dangerous.

[Flourish, and shout]

BRUTUS

What means this shouting? I do fear, the people

What is that shouting for? I fear the people

Choose Caesar for their king.

CASSIUS

Ay, do you fear it?

Yes, does that scare you?

Then must I think you would not have it so.

That makes me think you don’t want Caesar king.

BRUTUS

I would not, Cassius; yet I love him well.

I do not want him king, although I love him.

But wherefore do you hold me here so long?

But why d’you need to keep me here so long?

What is it that you would impart to me?

What is your point you want to share with me?

If it be aught toward the general good,

If it is for the welfare of all Romans,

Set honour in one eye and death i' the other,

I’ll ponder death and honour equally

And I will look on both indifferently,

And treat them with impartiality,

For let the gods so speed me as I love

Because, as God’s my witness, I prefer

The name of honour more than I fear death.

To live with honour, more than I fear death.

CASSIUS

I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus,

I know you have that virtue in you, Brutus,

As well as I do know your outward favour.

As well as I know each line on your face.

Well, honour is the subject of my story.

I cannot tell what you and other men

I cannot say what you and other people

Think of this life; but, for my single self,

Think of this life, but as for my own self,

I had as lief not be as live to be

I’d rather I was dead than live my life

In awe of such a thing as I myself.

In awe of one as ordinary as me.

I was born free as Caesar; so were you:

I was born free as Caesar; so were you;

We both have fed as well, and we can both

We’ve eaten just as well as him; we both

Endure the winter's cold as well as he:

Endure the winter’s cold as well as he does.

For once, upon a raw and gusty day,

And once—it was a bitter, windy day,

The troubled Tiber chafing with her shores,

The choppy Tiber lashing at its shores—

Caesar said to me 'Darest thou, Cassius, now

Caesar said to me, “Do you dare, Cassius,

Leap in with me into this angry flood,

To jump into this angry river with me

And swim to yonder point?' Upon the word,

And swim to that far point?” Immediately,

Accoutred as I was, I plunged in

Dressed as I was, I jumped into the river,

And bade him follow; so indeed he did.

And urged him on to follow, which he did.

The torrent roared, and we did buffet it

The gushing river roared; we fought against it

With lusty sinews, throwing it aside

With all our might, progressing through the current

And stemming it with hearts of controversy;

And beating it, competing with each other.

But ere we could arrive the point proposed,

But then, before we reached our destination,

Caesar cried 'Help me, Cassius, or I sink!'

Caesar cried, “Help me, Cassius, or I’ll drown!”

I, as Aeneas, our great ancestor,

Then—just as our ancestor, Aeneas,

Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder

Carried upon his shoulder, as Troy burned,

The old Anchises bear, so from the waves of Tiber

His father, Anchises—out from the river,

Did I the tired Caesar. And this man

I carried tired Caesar. And this man

Is now become a god, and Cassius is

Has turned into a god, whilst I, Cassius,

A wretched creature and must bend his body,

Is a pathetic creature who must bow

If Caesar carelessly but nod on him.

If Caesar nonchalantly nods at him.

He had a fever when he was in Spain,

And when the fit was on him, I did mark

And in the height of illness, I observed

How he did shake: 'tis true, this god did shake;

Him shaking. Yes, it’s true: this god was shaking!

His coward lips did from their colour fly,

His lips, in fear, did drain of all their colour,

And that same eye whose bend doth awe the world

And those same eyes that all the world admire

Did lose his lustre: I did hear him groan:

Lost all their lustre. I did hear him groan.

Ay, and that tongue of his that bade the Romans

Oh yes, and that same tongue that told the Romans

Mark him and write his speeches in their books,

To listen and transcribe his words in books,

Alas, it cried 'Give me some drink, Titinius',

Cried out, “Oh no! Give me a drink, Titinius,”

As a sick girl. Ye gods, it doth amaze me

Just like a sick girl would. It does amaze me

A man of such a feeble temper should

That such a man, who clearly is a weakling,

So get the start of the majestic world

Could get so far ahead in this fine world

And bear the palm alone.

And claim victory alone.

[Shout. Flourish]

BRUTUS

Another general shout!

There is more shouting!

I do believe that these applauses are

I do believe that all the crowd’s applauding

For some new honours that are heaped on Caesar.

Another honour that’s been heaped on Caesar.

CASSIUS

Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world

Why, man, he’s standing over all he reigns,

Like a Colossus, and we petty men

Much like a giant, whilst we minions

Walk under his huge legs and peep about

Walk under his huge legs and scurry round

To find ourselves dishonourable graves.

To find ourselves a wretched place to die.

Men at some time are masters of their fates:

At times, men master their own destiny.

The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,

The fault has not been preordained, dear Brutus;

But in ourselves, that we are underlings.

The fault is ours, for we’re subservient.

Brutus and Caesar: what should be in that 'Caesar'?

“Brutus” and “Caesar”—why is “Caesar” special?

Why should that name be sounded more than yours?

Why should his name be spoken more than yours?

Write them together, yours is as fair a name;

When written down, your name is just as fine;

Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well;

When spoken out, it sounds as great as well;

Weigh them, it is as heavy; conjure with 'em,

It has as many letters; play with them

Brutus will start a spirit as soon as Caesar.

And “Brutus” fires the spirit just like “Caesar.”

Now, in the names of all the gods at once,

Now, in the name of each and every god,

Upon what meat doth this our Caesar feed,

What food does Caesar feast on that he’s now

That he is grown so great? Age, thou art shamed!

Grown into someone great? Shame on us all!

Rome, thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods!

Rome, you have lost the bloodline of the noble!

When went there by an age, since the great flood,

When has there been a time, since Noah’s flood,

But it was famed with more than with one man?

When it was famous with a single man?

When could they say till now, that talked of Rome,

When could somebody talk of Rome before now

That her wide walls encompassed but one man?

And say its massive streets were for one man?

Now is it Rome indeed and room enough,

Now is it really Rome when there is room

When there is in it but one only man.

Within it for the presence of just one man?

O, you and I have heard our fathers say,

Both you and I have heard our fathers say

There was a Brutus once that would have brooked

An ancestor of Brutus would have let

The eternal devil to keep his state in Rome

The very devil rule the state of Rome

As easily as a king.

Before we’d let a king rule.

BRUTUS

That you do love me, I am nothing jealous;

I have no doubt at all that you do love me.

What you would work me to, I have some aim:

What you want me to do, I understand.

How I have thought of this and of these times,

I’ve thought of this before, and my opinions

I shall recount hereafter; for this present,

I’ll save for later on. But, at the moment,

I would not, so with love I might entreat you,

I will not—and I’m asking out of love—

Be any further moved. What you have said

Have my opinion swayed. What you have said

I will consider; what you have to say

I’ll contemplate; whatever else you say,

I will with patience hear, and find a time

I’ll listen patiently and find the time

Both meet to hear and answer such high things.

To think of what you said and then respond.

Till then, my noble friend, chew upon this:

Till then, dear friend, go ponder on this point:

Brutus had rather be a villager

I’d rather be a simple villager

Than to repute himself a son of Rome

Than call myself a lofty son of Rome

Under these hard conditions as this time

In these dreadful conditions that we’re facing

Is like to lay upon us.

And soon will come to pass.

CASSIUS

I am glad that my weak words

I’m glad that my weak words

Have struck but thus much show of fire from Brutus.

Have struck a chord this much with you, dear Brutus.

BRUTUS

The games are done and Caesar is returning.

The games are over; Caesar is returning.

CASSIUS

As they pass by, pluck Casca by the sleeve;

As they walk by, grab Casca by the sleeve

And he will, after his sour fashion, tell you

And he will tell you, in his bitter manner,

What hath proceeded worthy note to-day.

What has gone on of note out there today.

[Re-enter CAESAR and his Train]

BRUTUS

I will do so. But, look you, Cassius,

I will do that. But look there, Cassius,

The angry spot doth glow on Caesar's brow,

For Caesar’s face is glowing red with anger

And all the rest look like a chidden train:

And everyone who follows him looks scolded.

Calpurnia's cheek is pale; and Cicero

Calpurnia’s looking pale, and Cicero

Looks with such ferret and such fiery eyes

Has scrunched his face with anger in his eyes,

As we have seen him in the Capitol,

Just like we saw him in the Capitol

Being crossed in conference by some senators.

When challenged in debate by senators.

CASSIUS

Casca will tell us what the matter is.

CAESAR

Antonius!

ANTONY

Caesar?

CAESAR

Let me have men about me that are fat;

Make sure I am surrounded by large men,

Sleek-headed men and such as sleep o' nights:

Well groomed, and make sure they are fully rested.

Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look;

Cassius, over there, looks lean and hungry.

He thinks too much: such men are dangerous.

He thinks too much, and men like him are dangerous.

ANTONY

Fear him not, Caesar; he's not dangerous;

Oh, don’t be scared of him; he isn’t dangerous.

He is a noble Roman and well given.

He is a decent Roman, and well balanced.

CAESAR

Would he were fatter! But I fear him not:

I’m glad he isn’t large! But I don’t fear him.

Yet if my name were liable to fear,

But if I were susceptible to fear,

I do not know the man I should avoid

I don’t know anyone I’d steer more clear of

So soon as that spare Cassius. He reads much;

So readily as Cassius. He reads much;

He is a great observer and he looks

His observations are astute; he sees through

Quite through the deeds of men: he loves no plays,

A man’s hidden desires. He dislikes plays,

As thou dost, Antony; he hears no music;

Unlike you, Antony; he hears no music;

Seldom he smiles, and smiles in such a sort

He rarely smiles, but when he does, he smiles

As if he mocked himself and scorned his spirit

Self-mockingly, belittling himself

That could be moved to smile at any thing.

For finding anything worthy of smiling.

Such men as he be never at heart's ease

Such men aren’t ever fully satisfied

Whiles they behold a greater than themselves,

When there are others better than themselves,

And therefore are they very dangerous.

And so that’s why I think of them as dangerous.

I rather tell thee what is to be feared

I’m telling you the things that should be feared,

Than what I fear; for always I am Caesar.

But not that which I fear, for I am Caesar.

Come on my right hand, for this ear is deaf,

Stand on my right-hand side—this ear is deaf—

And tell me truly what thou think'st of him.

And tell me what you truly think of him.

[Sennet. Exeunt CAESAR and all his Train, but CASCA]

CASCA

You pulled me by the cloak; would you speak with me?

You pulled my cloak. D’you want to speak to me?

BRUTUS

Ay, Casca; tell us what hath chanced to-day,

Yes, Casca. Tell us what occurred today

That Caesar looks so sad.

That made Caesar look sad.

CASCA

Why, you were with him, were you not?

Why, you were with him, weren’t you?

BRUTUS

I should not then ask Casca what had chanced.

Well, if I was, I wouldn’t ask what happened.

CASCA

Why, there was a crown offered him: and being

A crown was offered to him, and when offered,

offered him, he put it by with the back of his hand,

he spurned it with the backside of his hand,

thus; and then the people fell a-shouting.

like this; and then the people started shouting.

BRUTUS

What was the second noise for?

CASCA

Why, for that too.

For that same reason.

CASSIUS

They shouted thrice: what was the last cry for?

They shouted thrice. What was the last shout for?

CASCA

Why, for that too.

The same reason again.

BRUTUS

Was the crown offered him thrice?

Was he offered the crown for three times, then?

CASCA

Ay, marry, was't, and he put it by thrice,

Indeed he was, and he denied it three times,

every time gentler than other,

each time a little gentler than before,

and at every putting-by mine honest neighbours shouted.

and each time all the honest people shouted.

CASSIUS

Who offered him the crown?

CASCA

Why, Antony.

Well, Antony.

BRUTUS

Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casca.

Tell us how it unfolded, gentle Casca.

CASCA

I can as well be hanged as tell the manner of it:

I’d hang myself easier than explain it.

it was mere foolery; I did not mark it.

It was pure foolishness; I didn’t watch it.

I saw Mark Antony offer him a crown;--

I saw Mark Antony give him a crown—

yet 'twas not a crown neither, 'twas one of these coronets;--

in fact, a coronet and not a crown—

and, as I told you, he put it by once: but, for all that, to my

and, like I said, he turned it down, but I felt

thinking, he would fain have had it. Then he offered

that secretly he wanted it. He offered

it to him again; then he put it by again:

it up to him again; again, rejected;

but, to my thinking, he was very loath to lay his

I thought he didn’t want to let it go.

fingers off it. And then he offered it the third time;

He offered it again to him a third time.

he put it the third time by: and still as he

Again he turned it down, and every time

refused it, the rabblement hooted and clapped their

he did so, all the rabble clapped their chapped hands

chapped hands and threw up their sweaty night-caps

and shouted, throwing hats into the air,

and uttered such a deal of stinking breath because Caesar

and spoke so much with stinking breath that Caesar

refused the crown that it had almost choked Caesar;

denied the crown, that Caesar nearly choked

for he swounded and fell down at it: and for mine own part,

and fainted on it. And for my own part,

I durst not laugh, for fear of opening my lips

I dared not laugh for fear of opening my mouth

and receiving the bad air.

and gulping in the stinking air.

CASSIUS

But, soft, I pray you: what, did Caesar swound?

But wait a sec; did Caesar really faint?

CASCA

He fell down in the market-place, and foamed at

He fell down in the marketplace and foamed

mouth, and was speechless.

around the mouth; that rendered him as speechless.

BRUTUS

'Tis very like: he hath the failing sickness.

That’s likely, for he is an epileptic.

CASSIUS

No, Caesar hath it not; but you and I,

No, Caesar doesn’t have it; but us both

And honest Casca, we have the falling sickness.

and honest Casca all fall down for Caesar.

CASCA

I know not what you mean by that; but, I

I don’t know what you mean by that, but I

am sure, Caesar fell down. If the tag-rag people did not

am sure that Caesar fell. If all the plebs

clap him and hiss him, according as he pleased and

weren’t clapping or weren’t booing, glad or sad

displeased them, as they use to do the players in the theatre,

as they do when they watch actors on stage,

I am no true man.

then I am not a real man.

BRUTUS

What said he when he came unto himself?

What did he say when consciousness returned?

CASCA

Marry, before he fell down, when he perceived the

I’ll say, before he fell, when he perceived

common herd was glad he refused the crown, he

the commoners were pleased he turned the crown down,

plucked me ope his doublet and offered them his

he pulled open his jacket, offering them

throat to cut. An I had been a man of any

to cut his throat. If I had been a worker

occupation, if I would not have taken him at a word,

and hadn’t taken him at literal word,

I would I might go to hell among the rogues. And so

I would deserve to go to hell. And so

he fell. When he came to himself again, he said,

he fell. And when he came around, he said

If he had done or said any thing amiss, he desired

that if he’d done or said anything wrong,

their worships to think it was his infirmity. Three

he hoped they’d put it down to illness. Three

or four wenches, where I stood, cried 'Alas, good soul!'

or four rough women shouted, “Oh dear, good man”,

and forgave him with all their hearts: but there's

forgiving him with all their hearts. But there’s

no heed to be taken of them; if Caesar had

no value in their words; if Caesar murdered

stabbed their mothers, they would have done no less.

their mothers, they’d have still forgiven him.

BRUTUS

And after that, he came, thus sad, away?

And, after that, he came here sad like that?

CASCA

Ay.

Yes.

CASSIUS

Did Cicero say any thing?

Did Cicero say anything?

CASCA

Ay, he spoke Greek.

Yes, he spoke Greek.

CASSIUS

To what effect?

What did he say?

CASCA

Nay, an I tell you that, Ill ne'er look you i' the

I don’t speak Greek, so if I tell you, I can’t

face again: but those that understood him smiled at

look truthfully at you. But those who speak Greek

one another and shook their heads; but, for mine own

smiled at each other as they shook their heads.

part, it was Greek to me. I could tell you more

But it was Greek to me. I’ll tell you more news:

news too: Marullus and Flavius, for pulling scarfs

Marullus and Flavius, who pulled scarves off

off Caesar's images, are put to silence. Fare you

from Caesar’s statues, were forced into silence.

well. There was more foolery yet, if I could remember it.

Goodbye. I can’t recall the other nonsense.

CASSIUS

Will you sup with me to-night, Casca?

Can we meet for a drink tonight then, Casca?

CASCA

No, I am promised forth.

No, I’ve got other plans.

CASSIUS

Will you dine with me to-morrow?

Perhaps you’ll dine with me tomorrow night?

CASCA

Ay, if I be alive and your mind hold and

Yes, if I am alive, and you’re still sane,

your dinner worth the eating.

and if your dinner is worth eating.

CASSIUS

Good: I will expect you.

Good. I will expect you.

CASCA

Do so. Farewell, both.

You do. Goodbye to both of you.

[Exit]

BRUTUS

What a blunt fellow is this grown to be!

Oh, what a stupid man he’s grown to be!

He was quick mettle when he went to school.

He was so quick and sharp when back at school.

CASSIUS

So is he now in execution

And still he is if he applies himself

Of any bold or noble enterprise,

To any bold or noble task at hand,

However he puts on this tardy form.

Despite the fact he makes himself look thick.

This rudeness is a sauce to his good wit,

His rudeness amplifies his good ideas

Which gives men stomach to digest his words

And thereby helps folk understand his meaning,

With better appetite.

Like tasty sauces whet the appetite.

BRUTUS

And so it is. For this time I will leave you:

Well, there you go. It’s time I left you now.

To-morrow, if you please to speak with me,

Tomorrow, if you’d like to speak to me,

I will come home to you; or, if you will,

I’ll come to your house; or, if you prefer,

Come home to me, and I will wait for you.

Come round to mine and I’ll be waiting for you.

CASSIUS

I will do so: till then, think of the world.

I’ll do that. Until then, ponder on Rome.

[Exit BRUTUS]

Well, Brutus, thou art noble; yet, I see,

Well, Brutus, you are noble. But I see

Thy honourable metal may be wrought

Your honourable nature can be changed

From that it is disposed: therefore it is meet

From what it does believe. And so it is

That noble minds keep ever with their likes;

That noble minds prefer to stick together,

For who so firm that cannot be seduced?

And where’s the man whose thoughts cannot be changed?

Caesar doth bear me hard; but he loves Brutus:

Caesar does hate my guts, but he love Brutus.

If I were Brutus now and he were Cassius,

If I were him and he were me, I would not

He should not humour me. I will this night,

Be made to change my mind so easily.

In several hands, in at his windows throw,

Tonight, with different handwriting, I’ll throw

As if they came from several citizens,

Notes at his window, like from citizens,

Writings all tending to the great opinion

That all express the common strong opinion

That Rome holds of his name; wherein obscurely

That Romans think so much of him; between

Caesar's ambition shall be glanced at:

The lines he’ll sense of Caesar’s grand ambition

And after this let Caesar seat him sure;

And after, Caesar should be risk averse,

For we will shake him, or worse days endure.

Else we’ll dethrone him; maybe something worse.

[Exit]