Brutus. Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casca.
Casca. I can as well be hang'd as tell the manner of it: 235it was[152] 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 offer'd it to him again; then he put it by again: 240but, to my thinking, he was very loth to lay his fingers off it. And then he offer'd it the third time; he put it the third time by: and, still, as he refus'd it, the rabblement hooted[153] and clapp'd their chopp'd[154] hands, and threw up their sweaty nightcaps and utter'd such a deal of stinking breath because 245Cæsar refus'd the crown, that it had almost chok'd Cæsar; for he swounded[155] 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.
Cassius. But, soft![156] I pray you: what, did Cæsar swound? [157]
250Casca. He fell down in the market-place, and foam'd at mouth, and was speechless.
Brutus. 'Tis very like; he[158] hath the falling-sickness.[159]
Cassius. No, Cæsar hath it not; but you, and I,
And honest Casca, we have the falling-sickness.
255Casca. I know not what you mean by that, but I am sure Cæsar fell down. If the tag-rag people[160] did not clap him and hiss him, according as he pleas'd and displeas'd them, as they use to do the players in the theatre, I am no true[161] man.
260Brutus. What said he when he came unto himself?